A PLAY FOR CHILDREN
IN FIVE ACTS
BY EVA WILLIAMS
MARCH BROTHERS, Publishers
1922
Good Health Fairies
CAST OF CHARACTERS
FAIRY FRESH AIR--Girl.
MARY LOU--Pale little girl.
BILLY, HER BROTHER--Pale little boy.
MILK BOTTLE TWINS-Two boys.
OATMEAL--Girl.
BREAD--Boy.
COFFEE POT--Girl.
TEA POT--Girl.
FRYING PAN--Boy.
PICKLE--Boy.
SIR CLEANLINESS--Boy.
SIR SUNSHINE--Boy.
MISS HAPPINESS--Girl with pleasing countenance.
VEGETABLE FAMILY--Miss Lettuce, Miss Spinach, Miss Potato, Miss Carrot, and their brothers Tommy Onion, Billy Beet, Teddy String Bean, Charlie Squash.
DADDY EXERCISE--Stout boy:
MISS STRAWBERRY AND MISS ORANGE--Two girls.
AUNTIE TOOTHBRUSH--Girl.
GRANDMA WASHCLOTH--Girl.
DAME SLEEP--Girl.
MISS HELPFULNESS--Tall girl.
NOTE.--Coffee Pot, Tea Pot, Frying Pan and Pickle may take two parts since they only appear once on stage.
If not enough childgen are available to take all the parts given above, a few of the less important may be omitted.
If desired, more children may take part. Create such characters as Miss Apple, Miss Pear, Miss Peach, and enlarge the Vegetable Family by introducing Miss Cauliflower, Miss Asparagus and their brothers Peter Parsnip and Reddy Tomato, etc. Of course, care should be used to select only those fruits and vegetables that have real food value.
For additions to the ill-health representatives create such characters as Stick-of-Candy, Ice Cream Soda, Crusty Pie, Mrs. Doughnut, Piggie Pork, and others. Perhaps there is some local menace to good health which the teacher may wish to emphasize.
COSTUMES
FAIRY FRESH AIR--Usual fairy costume.
MARY LOU-School dress. A nightie can be easily slipped over this during the first act.
BILLY--School suit.
MILK BOTTLE TWINS--Make cylinders of white cardboard, slit and overlap several inckes at the tops so as to form neck of bottle. "MILK" may be printed on them in black. Ovals of cardboard may be used as caps.
OATMEAL--Make a cylinder of white cardboard and decorate same to represent a Mother's Oats Box.
BREAD--Make a large rectangle of brown cardboard and at the top plait in brown wrapping paper so as to represent the top of a loaf of bread, leaving a hole in the top so that same may be fastened around the boy's body. He may wear a baker's cap.
COFFEE POT--Take two pieces of gray wrapping paper the length of the child's dress and cut from them two large coffee pots. A pointed little cap may be made to represent a lid. The coffee pots may be worn in front and back and fastened to the shoulders.
TEA POT--Similar to Coffee Pot, only make the pot thicker and the spout longer.
FRYING PAN--Wears a black suit and hood. Carries a huge skillet.
PICKLE--Child may wear a green suit and carry a large pickle.
SIR CLEANLINESS--White coat and trousers. Carries a toy gun.
SIR SUNSHINE--Yellow coat and trousers. Carries bow and arrows.
Miss HAPPINESS--A smily little girl wearing a white dress.
VEGETABLE FAMILY--Costumes can be easily made of crepe paper of suitable colors and outlined and shaded with black paint.
DADDY EXERCISE--Wearing gym suit and carrying dumb bell.
MISS STRAWBERRY AND MISS ORANGE--Costumes can be made of crepe paper of suitable colors and outlined and shaded with black paint. The costume of Miss Orange should be gathered at the neck and at the bottom and stuffed with paper so as to look plump and round.
AUNTIE TOOTHBRUSH--Should have toothbrushes fastened to various places on her dress, or might wear a paper dress on which some toothbrushes have been painted.
GRANDMA WASHCLOTH--Costume of bath towels, washcloth cap.
DAME SLEEP--Wears long nightie and carries candle.
MISS HELPFULNESS--Dressed as a nurse.
SUGGESTIONS
Where no curtain is available, have cards on which are printed in large black letters the words "Morning," "Noontime," "After School," etc. Where there is a change of scene, have a small boy carry these to the front of the stage and the audience will thereby recognize the same.
With the exception of Act I, first scene, no furniture is needed. Act II, only, calls for scenery and it is very simple. If, however, appropriate furniture and scenery for the various scenes can be had, the play will, of course, be much more elaborate.
ACT I
SCENE I-"Mary Lou's Bed Room"
[Small cot on stage. Mary Lou is sleeping. Fairy Fresh Air enters and bends over her. Mary Lou wakens.]
MARY LOU: Who are you?
FAIRY: I am the fairy who loves little children.
MARY LOU: I never saw you before.
FAIRY: You never left your window open before.
MARY LOU: Do you need to come in through the window? My brother Billy says fairies can go any place and do wonderful things.
FAIRY: So they can, Mary Lou, but I live out-of-doors.
MARY LOU: Do you have gifts for children?
FAIRY: Indeed I do have gifts. What would you like--watch, bracelet, or a big doll?
MARY LOU [noticing the beauty of the fairy] : Oh! dear, No!--I Want to look just like you, have rosy cheeks and red lips.
FAIRY: I can help you dear, but there are other fairies you need to know. Now I must see some other children. Good-bye, Mary Lou.
MARY LOU: Good-bye, Fairy. Do come again. Fairy, what is your name?
FAIRY [flitting from view]: Look under your pillow in the morning.
SCENE II-"Morning"
[Voice off stage]: "Mary Lou, come or you will be late to school."
[Mary Lou wakens, rubs her eyes, scrambles out, then remembers the fairy.]
MARY Lou: Did I dream? Where is that fairy? Oh, now I remember. [Turns her pillow and finds the note--reads]--
"I am Fairy Fresh Air
And I love you,
So open your window,
And let me come through."
[Mary Lou rushes from the room and returns dressed.]
MARY LOU [calling]: Billy, Billy, come quick.
[Billy enters.] A fairy came into my room last night--she came through the window and she left this note under my pillow. [Gives note to Billy and he reads it aloud.]
BILLY:
"I am Fairy Fresh Air
And I love you,
So open your window
And let me come through."
There now! didn't I tell you there were real fairies. I wish she could help me. Do you know I was the last boy in the race at school yesterday.
[Voice off stage]: "Billy, your oatmeal is ready."
BILLY [loudly]: I don't care for oatmeal; I'll just take some coffee now and take a pickle for lunch.
MARY LOU: Billy, I will write a note to Fairy Fresh Air, and put it in the big red tulip. I'll have it written by noontime.
SCENE III--"Noontime"
[Clear stage, no furniture is necessary. Billy enters, looks about. Mary Lou enters excitedly.]
MARY Lou: Here is the letter, Billy, now listen:
"Dear Fairy Fresh Air:
We are in great trouble, and wonder if you can help us. All the boys in Billy's room beat him in running. Billy wouldn't care so much, but they all laugh at him. Please, Fairy Fresh Air, tell us what we can do.
Mary Lou and Billy."
Now we will put this in the big red tulip, and I am sure we will get an answer tonight. Fairies are so prompt, you know.
SCENE IV--"After School"
BILLY [enters]: I wish Mary Lou would come. Wonder if she will bring the letter?
MARY LOU [comes in running]: Billy, here is the answer to our letter and she says for us to get up early tomorrow morning and look out the back kitchen window.
BILLY: What for?
MARY LOU: I don't know, but we will do as she says.
ACT II
SCENE--"Next Morning"
[In the rear of stage have two openings to represent a window and door, the stage itself being the dooryard. Mary Lou and Billy, behind the scenes, look through the window onto the stage. Milk Bottle Twins enter and walk about. Enter Oatmeal and Bread.]
FIRST BOTTLE: Do you know who lives here?
SECOND BOTTLE: Yes, Mary Lou, a pale little girl, and her brother Billy, a delicate little boy.
OATMEAL: They are not friends of ours, and will have nothing to do with us.
BREAD: I'm sorry too, for Billy can not run and Fred wins all the races. [Billy clenches his fists.]
OATMEAL: And Fred's sister, Helen, is such a beautiful little girl. [Mary Lou looks sad.]
FIRST BOTTLE: It makes me happy when I think of such friends as Fred and Helen, I feel like dancing. [Milk Bottle Twins, Bread and Oatmeal join hands and dance around in a circle and back to former position.]
SECOND BOTTLE: I hope Billy and Mary Lou will soon learn to be our friends.
[Terrible noise off stage. Mary Lou and Billy jump. Milk Bottle Twins, Bread and Oatmeal look frightened. Enter Coffee Pot, Tea Pot, Frying Pan and Pickle. Look very angry, stamp their feet, shake their heads. All four shout.]
ALL: No, no. Mary Lou and Billy are our friends.
[Milk Bottle Twins, Oatmeal, Bread, Coffee Pot, Tea-Pot, Frying Pan and Pickle appear to be scuffling together and go off stage-right. Mary Lou and Billy come out door onto stage.]
MARY LOU: That is what Fairy Fresh Air wanted us to see. I am going to eat bread and drink lots of milk.
BILLY: So am I and eat oatmeal every morning besides.
MARY Lou: Sh-h! Here comes Fairy Fresh Air.
[Fairy Fresh Air enters stage-left.]
FAIRY: Mary Lou, I am entertaining some little friends this afternoon on the green lawn. Will you and Billy come and meet them?
MARY LOU: Oh, thank you, Fairy Fresh Air! We shall be glad to.
ACT III
SCENE-"On the Green Lawn"
[Sir Cleanliness and Sir Sunshine stand on either side of stage. Fairy enters and flits about. Mary Lou and Billy enter.]
FAIRY: Oh, here you are, Mary Lou, and I am so glad to see you, Billy.
SIR CLEANLINESS [snaps gun]: Who goes there?
FAIRY: It is I, Sir Cleanliness, with two little friends, Mary Lou and Billy. [Turning to Mary Lou and Billy.] Children these two knights I want you to know. They make folks healthy wherever they go. [Turning towards Sir Cleanliness and Sir Sunshine.] Sir Cleanliness and Sir Sunshine, this is Mary Lou and her brother Billy.
[Sir Cleanliness and Sir Sunshine bow low as their names are spoken.]
BILLY: What does Sir Sunshine do with his arrows?
FAIRY: He shoots them into the plants to make them grow and into disease to kill the germs.
[Miss Happiness enters.]
FAIRY: Miss Happiness, meet Mary Lou and Billy, two of my new-found friends.
MISS HAPPINESS: Welcome to our party, children. [To the Fairy.] The Vegetable Family are coming. [Vegetable Family enter.]
FAIRY: Mary Lou and Billy meet some more fairies--Miss Spinach, Miss Carrot, Miss Lettuce, Miss Potato, and these are their brothers--Billy Beet, Tommy Onion, Teddy String Bean and Charlie Squash.
[All Vegetables bow in turn. Enter Daddy Exercise, carrying dumb bells.]
BILLY: Who is that? [Pointing to Daddy Exercise.]
FAIRY: That is Daddy Exercise--children always like him. Daddy Exercise, meet my friends, Mary Lou and Billy.
[Mary Lou and Billy shake hands with Daddy Exercise. Daddy Exercise feels their muscles, and shakes his head. Enter Miss Strawberry and Miss Orange, skipping.]
MISS STRAWBERRY: Oh, Fairy Fresh Air, we thought we might be too late for the party.
MISS STRAWBERRY AND MISS ORANGE: So this is Mary Lou and Billy. We are so glad to meet you. [Go up to Mary Lou and Billy and courtesy. Mary Lou and Billy smile and bow. Enter Auntie Toothbrush with Grandma Washcloth, Dame Sleep with Miss Helpfulness.]
FAIRY: Auntie Toothbrush, I am so glad you and Grandma Washcloth finally came. I am so anxious for you to see my little guests. And Dame Sleep and Miss Helpfulness, we certainly need your presence here today.
[While Fairy Fresh Air is speaking Auntie Toothbrush examines the children's teeth and Grandma Washcloth looks closely at their faces and hands. Mary Lou and Billy look puzzled.]
DAME SLEEP: This party must not be held too late. It will soon be time for bed.
BILLY AND MARY LOU: We must now be going. We have had such a good time and we shall always be friends to you all.
ACT IV
SCENE--"Saturday Morning"
[Mary Lou is washing doll clothes. Billy is making a toy boat. Loud knocking.]
BILLY: Come in.
[Enter Daddy Exercise.]
DADDY EXERCISE: How do you do, Billy? You don't look very happy.
BILLY: I'm not happy. I want to be big and strong like you. I can't run fast like other boys.
DADDY EXERCISE: How old are you?
BILLY: Seven years old.
DADDY EXERCISE: What do you weigh?
BILLY: I don't know.
DADDY EXERCISE: How tall are you?
BILLY: I don't know that either.
DADDY EXERCISE: Go to nurse's room and be weighed, and if you don't weigh [use normal weight for heighth and age] you had better be a closer friend to the Good Health Fairies.
[Enter Miss Helpfulness.]
MISS HELPFULNESS: Why, hello Daddy Exercise.
DADDY EXERCISE: You're just the one we are looking for. I just told Billy to go and see you.
MISS HELPFULNESS: I am just going to my room now, Billy, so come along with me. Mary Lou, wouldn't you like to go too?
MARY LOU: Thank you, I shall be glad to go with you.
ACT V
SCENE--"Last Day of School"
[All the Good Health Folks on stage.]
FAIRY: I suppose you all know why I asked you to come here today.
SIR SUNSHINE: I think I do.
SECOND MILK BOTTLE [walking proudly back and forth]: I don't know but I think it is something about Billy and Mary Lou, for Billy won in the race this afternoon, and if it had not been for my brother and me he would not have won.
BREAD: I had something to do with that.
FAIRY: Now little helpers, don't quarrel! These children have done well. Let us crown them and give them each a new name.
ALL: Good--Good.
FAIRY [calls]: Mary Lou and Billy. [They enter.] Mary Lou, we would like to have you join "The Club of Good Health Fairies."
MARY LOU: Thank you, I shall be glad to do so.
FAIRY: Then we shall no longer call you Mary Lou but your name shall be "Rosy Cheeks."
DADDY EXERCISE: Come Billy--Wouldn't you like to join our club too?
BILLY: Yes, indeed, if you are in it.
DADDY EXERCISE: Then your name shall be "Strong Muscle."
SONG BY ALL ON STAGE SONG
(Tune-"Apple Blossoms")
In the winter and the spring,
In the summer and the fall,
All the little fairies sing:
"Come, dear children, one and all,
In the fresh air let us play,
And eat wholesome food each day.
Boys and girls of ev'ry land
Join the Good Health Fairy Band."
(THE CHURCHILL-GRINDELL SONG BOOK No. II, containing "Apple Blossoms," will be sent postpaid to any address upon receipt of 50 cents. Order from March Brothers, Publishers, Lebanon, Ohio.)
END