Song Samples
Full Song List
1. “We Come From Everywhere”
2. Interlude music
3. “Hello Ellis Island”
4. “We Are on Our Way"
5. “Gum San”
6. “Chesapeake”
7. “When I Beat My Drum”
8. “Mail Order Bride”
9. “We’re the Huddled Masses”
10. “I Am a Melting Pot”
11. “How Long?
12. “We Come From Everywhere” (reprise)
Casting
Flexible casting from 11-40 students.
Use as many members of different families as desired (our list of characters is merely a suggestion). One student can also play more than one role. Note that roles are not gender-specific: with the simple change of a name any part can be played by a girl or a boy.
Script
This is the first one-third of the script:
CHARACTERS:
Three Students (to introduce the show)
Four Kids on a train:
Charles, Maria, Pauline, Freddy
Passengers on the train, grouped by song:
George, Patrick, Louisa
Juan, Isabela
Melody, Min
Ian, Surf Dudes
Richard
Rachel
Jesse
Francesca, Marc
Peggy, Jim
and a Chorus made up of all students who are not playing roles at the
time.
(Three STUDENTS step forward and face the audience)
STUDENT #1: Today we're going to present to you a show about some of the historical reasons that different groups came to the United States.
STUDENT #2: But just remember that there are lots of other reasons, too!
STUDENT #3: We can't share all of them in our play, but it's important to know that every person is different and every family has its own story.
OPTIONAL (this can also be done at the end of the play)
Have a student (or 2, or 20!) come to the front of the stage and share a brief summary of his or her family history, such as:
"My name is Bobby and my grandfather came to the United States from India to attend a university."
Song 1 -
Listen now!
ENTIRE CLASS:
From right next door
From
far away
Both long ago
And yesterday
We come from here
We come from there
We come from everywhere.
There’s different skin
And different hair
There’re different things
We eat and wear
Still we have got
So much to share
We come from everywhere.
Some folks came to keep themselves from starving
And some heard the voice of freedom call
Some came for the gold or for the weather
And some did not ask to come at all.
From right next door
From far away
Both long ago
And yesterday
We come from here
We come from there
We come from everywhere.
(ALL snap to attention on the last beat.)
(STUDENTS sit down as if riding on a train. Some are reading magazines,
listening to music on headphones, carrying packages, etc. Four
TRAIN-RIDERS are closest to front of stage.)
FREDDY: Every school day it’s the same trip. I wish this train
were going
someplace fun instead of just across town to school.
CHARLES: Yeah. Imagine if the train were going to Africa.
MARIA: Or Greece.
PAULINE: Or Hong Kong!
FREDDY: Or Bakersfield.
CHARLES: Bakersfield?
FREDDY: I hear they’ve got great french fries.
MARIA: Wait a minute. I bet we have most of the world right here in
this
train.
PAULINE: What do you mean?
CHARLES: Maria’s right! People in the U.S. come from everywhere.
MARIA: Come on, let’s find out. We’ll ask people on this
train where
they’re from.
CHARLES: Great idea!
FREDDY: I hope somebody here is from Bakersfield—or at least has
some french fries.
Song 2
(music plays while FOUR students move among passengers,
pantomiming conversations. When the music stops, the students gather
again next to each other.)
CHARLES: What did you find out?
PAULINE: I found somebody whose family came from Vietnam just a
few years ago.
MARIA: I found someone from Australia.
FREDDY: I found some gum under one of the seats—look, it’s
hardly
been chewed!
OTHERS: Yuck!
CHARLES: Listen to this.
(Brings THREE PASSENGERS forward. )
I found three people who come from completely different places but they
have something really interesting in common.
GEORGE: Hi, I’m George. My grandparents came from Greece in 1920.
PATRICK: My family came over from Ireland 100 years ago.
LOUISA: We’re originally from a small town in Germany.
GEORGE: And all of our families entered the United States through Ellis
Island.
FREDDY: What’s Ellis Island?
LOUISA: Ellis Island was the place in New York harbor where immigrants
arrived by ship from Europe.
PATRICK: Their papers were inspected, their health was checked, and
they had to answer questions about coming to the United States.
LOUISA: I often heard my grandparents speak of their first day in
America—they were so nervous and excited.
Song 3 -
Listen now!
LOUISA:
Hello Ellis Island
Hello USA
Gonna make this my land
Starting from today.
GEORGE and LOUISA:
Apple of my eye-land
I am here to stay
Hello Ellis Island
Hello USA.
GEORGE, LOUISA, PATRICK:
Hello Ellis Island
Hello USA
You’re my place to try-land
Nothing’s in my way.
GEORGE, LOUISA, PATRICK, CHORUS:
Apple of my eye-land
I am here to stay
Hello Ellis Island
Hello USA.
(THEY return to their seats. STUDENTS speak. JUAN and
ISABELA approach.)
CHARLES: Hey guys, these two people just came from Mexico when
they were little kids.
FREDDY: Did they come through Ellis Island?
MARIA: Of course not. Ellis Island has been closed since 1954.
PAULINE: Besides, they wouldn’t come by ship. Mexico and the United
States share a border over 2000 miles long.
FREDDY: I knew that.
Song 4 -
Listen now!
JUAN and ISABELA:
Our father came to work the fields
To find a better life
A place of opportunity
For two kids and a wife.
And we were taught to do our best
And we have surely tried
Though it's been tough, it's working out
And we can say with pride:
We are on our way
We are on our way
We are on our way.
Our father came to work the fields
To find a better life
A place of opportunity
For two kids and a wife.
Our parents left the life they knew
And worked hard every day
They say they'd do it all again
So they can hear us say:
We are on our way
We are on our way
We are on our way
We are on our way.
(THEY return to seats. STUDENTS speak)
PAULINE: Now that we’re talking about our families, I realize
I don’t
know where mine comes from.
CHARLES: Haven’t you ever asked your parents?
PAULINE: Yeah, but I keep getting different answers.
MARIA: Maybe you should ask them again.
PAULINE: Yeah. Can I borrow your cell phone?
FREDDY: Here, you can use mine.
(hands over phone)
MARIA (as MELODY and MIN approach): Listen up. I want to hear the
story of this Chinese family.
MELODY: My ancestors came here from Canton in 1850 during the
gold rush.
MIN: Merchants told us tales about Gum San, the mountain of gold
in California.
Song 5 -
Listen now!
MELODY and MIN:
Every body’s buzzing with excitement
In our little Kwangtung town
Seven thousand miles across the ocean
Mounds of gold have just been found.
Nuggets even bigger than our chicken
Gold is lying everywhere
Got to get to ourselves to California
’Cause our fortune’s waiting there.
At Gum San
Golden Mountain
So we’ve been told
Gum San
Gotta find that
Mountain made of gold.
When I’m rich I’ll sail back to China
Buy some land and settle down
Maybe set my family up in business
In our little Kwangtung town.
MELODY, MIN, and CHORUS:
Gum San
Golden Mountain
So we’ve been told
Gum San
Gotta find that
Mountain made of gold.
Hello San Francisco
With your lovely bay
Never found my fortune
Guess I’m here to stay.
Gonna make this my land
Starting from today
Hello San Francisco
Hello USA.
(THEY return to their seats)
(This concludes the first one-third of the script.)
Additional Comments and Reviews:
"We Come From Everywhere is very well written and easy to adapt.
The
children learned the lines and songs quite quickly. They learned so much
about America being a country of many diverse cultures, and why various
cultures chose to come to America."
---Jill Borwn, Teacher (3rd grade), Mapleton Elementary, Mapleton, ME
"I like all of your shows! This year we're doing We Come From
Everywhere and my children are loving the geography lesson. I do a
play each spring and it's a great way to end the year."
---Julie Usher, Teacher (1st/2nd grade), Sanborn School, Ossineke, MI
"It was great! The kids decided what characters they'd like to
be after listening to the songs and reading through the script. We heard
many wonderful comments, in particular that each child had a 'star' moment."
---Cheri Chapman, Teacher (5th grade) Christa McAuliffe School, Saratoga,
CA
"In November my 2nd grade class performed We Come From Everywhere.
I love the plays because they provide the children with an alternative
opportunity to learn. It's perfect for those students who love to sing
and act."
---Peggy Coberly, Teacher, (2nd grade) Valley View School, Pleasanton,
CA
"I thoroughly enjoy doing this play with my 3rd grade class. It
is the perfect culmination to our Immigration Unit. I see the musical
to be the 'gift' my students give to their families before the holidays
to thank them for sharing their heritage and family history with them.
The songs are all very catchy and every year a new dance move, added
costume accessory, or interesting prop is added - all initiated by the
students."
---Kathi Byington, Teacher (3rd grade), Aspen Elementary, Thousand Oaks,
CA
Q:
Is there a version of this script without the songs?
A:
No, we just have the musical version of this play.
Q:
I am in the process of writing a grant to get this play/musical plus all the props. I need to know how much to ask for to be able to make the props. However, I can't see the whole script here. And I can't order it beforehand, because it's part of the grant...how can I find out what props I will need for the full musical before I write the grant?
A:
Hi there! One short scene has a character carrying a bundle of packages—that's about it!
Frequently Asked Questions About Bad Wolf Products and Licensing
How does your pricing and licensing work?
A: In short: each teacher/director using the play should have a copy of it. That's it! Your purchase gives you the right to use the play with as many classes as you wish, to photocopy the script for your actors, and to put on as many performances as you wish. This one-time purchase gives you a lifetime license. See below for more information on site licenses (for 3+ teachers or whole schools).
Q: What comes in the package?
A: Every musical play comes with the script and a 12-page Teacher's Guide that provides lots of tips and advice for using the play from start to finish. It also includes the audio recording for the play, which has all the songs both WITH and WITHOUT vocals. Sheet music is NOT included with the basic package, but it is available for $12. Extra/replacement CDs are also available for $12.
Every non-musical play comes with the script and the 12-page Teacher's Guide.
Q: I'm just one teacher putting on a play. If I use the play with multiple classes, do I have to purchase multiple licenses?
A: No! Your purchase gives you a lifetime license to be used with as many actors and classes as you wish. If other teachers/directors wish to use the play as well, they will need to purchase their own licenses.
Q: Do I need to purchase scripts for students?
A: No! Your purchase includes permission to photocopy the script for your actors.
Q: What is a "site license"? How do I know if I need one?
A site license is the economical choice when a whole school or grade level wants to put on the same play. Instead of each teacher/director having to purchase a script, the school/site can purchase
a site license. This comes with three copies of the play (or one digital download) and permission to make copies for any additional participating teachers, as well as all the actors. You do NOT need to purchase both a site license and individual copies of the play; just buy one or the other.
Q: I understand that I can get two or more scripts for $35 each. Do they have to be the same play?
Nope! The discount applies whether you are purchasing multiple copies of the same show or single copies of multiple shows.
Q: What is the difference between the printed and digital versions? Which one should I get?
There is no difference in terms of content. The printed version of a musical play comes with an audio CD in a plastic sleeve in the back of the book. The digital version comes with two downloadable files: the script (PDF format) and the songs (individual MP3 files compressed in ZIP format). The advantage of the digital version is that you will not pay shipping and you can start using it instantly. Please read the question following this one about the technical requirements for digital files.
Non-musical plays are available in the form of a printed book or a PDF file.
Q: What are the technical requirements for the digital version?
- You will need to have Adobe Reader (free) or another software application that can open PDF files.
- You will need to be able to open ZIP files. The vast majority of computers should be able to do this without difficulty. If you wish to download the music directly to your phone or tablet, you will need to download an app that will open ZIP files. Many free ones are available.
- You will need to have some kind of audio player (such as iTunes or Windows Media Player) that will play MP3 files.
Advanced technical knowledge is not required; but please note that we do not have the ability to offer technical support for issues related to digital files. If you are unsure, it is probably best to stick with the printed version.
Q: What is your return/exchange policy?
A: Bad Wolf proudly offers a 100% guarantee. You can always exchange a product for another or get a full refund. No time limits, no questions.
Q: Is it OK if I edit the script?
A: Yes! Consider the play to be a jumping-off point. You are always welcome to change or omit anything that doesn't work for your class, administration, or parents. You are welcome to rewrite
lyrics, lines, or jokes -- or add your own! (The kids love doing this, by the way.)
Q: How long does shipping take?
A: We say that you should allow for one week within the U.S., but most orders are shipped the same day and arrive 1-3 days later. International orders usually take around two weeks to arrive.
Q: Do I need to pay any performance royalties?
A: As long as your admission price is less than $5 per ticket, you never need to pay performance royalties with a Bad Wolf show. If you decide to charge more than $5 a ticket, or if you are using one of our plays for a PAID workshop, camp, assembly, etc., pay only a low 1-2% royalty on gross revenues. See our royalty page to view the rates and pay.