Secondary 02 – Teachers Learn ETD

Secondary Course 02

At the end of this page you will find a complete version of the stage play and the first half of the audio play. For now and until the website is completed they are free to download and for you to produce. Enjoy!

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Description:
From the start immerse the students in speaking English. This classic American children’s story by Mark Twain, describes young Tom’s life-changing journey of mischief, intrigue and excitement. The students can produce and act in the stage or audio play. They can sing the song ‘Buffalo Gal’. While learning about the Mississippi River and many other places around the world, they become confident in English.

The students can learn to research on the internet, for example about Mark Twain and the USA. Later the whole stage and audio plays will be ready for full scale productions.

Main Objectives:
At the end of the session the students will be able to:
1. Produce their own ending of the script
2. Perform a Stage Play production
3. Perform an Audio Play production

Materials:
MP3 player, speaker, recorder (if you want to make an audio recording), microphone, printable flashcards, audio software on laptop, maps.

Units: 1. Objectives
2. Preparatory
3. Drills
4. Song
5. Research
6. Stage Play
7. Audio Play

Rewards:
At the end of the course, please send us the script with your own ending, the video of your stage play, and the audio file of your audio play. We shall be happy to add:
The best production
The best video play
The best stage performance
The best audio play performance
The best new ending script
The best illustrations to the script
The clearest spoken English by all the actors
to our website.
Send us the attachments through this link.

Unit 1

Objectives

From the start immerse the students in speaking English. Only if necessary allow them to use a little of their own language. In this course you have a choice of helping your students to produce:

A Stage Play, which your students can enjoy performing with their class and friends and show to their families.
An Audio Play, which your students can keep as a record for themselves, their families and friends and which they can review or you can do both.
Learn conventional topics in learning teaching

The teacher should help the students:

Perform a stage or an audio play of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” – or both!
Teach them how to lift their voices from a script and/or to learn their parts.
Teach them how to listen to and respond to each other.
Teach them how to respond to direction.
Give the students confidence in acting and speaking English.
Prepare them to start thinking about writing their own script.
Help them prepare sound effects and music.
Have fun!

For the Stage Production

Encourage them to create the backdrops for the Stage production.
Help them to prepare the props.
Help them with costumes.

For the Audio Production

them how to use a microphone.
Help them with recording and post production.

For conventional English learning (which will also relate to the play)

Ask for and give information.
Write about an imaginary pop group.
Answer What? Why? Who? When? Where? questions.
Use the verb be in the affirmative and negative forms.
Name some interests and activities.
Ask and answer questions about their interests.
Tell about oneself. Ask and answer personal questions.
Name some places around the world.
Identify some geography vocabulary.

Unit 2

Preparatory

A. 20 Questions

One person thinks of an object (person, place, or thing). Everyone takes turns asking questions for a yes or no answer, until someone can guess correctly (or until 20 questions are asked).
The difficult part is that you cannot ask “what, who, why, where, when?” questions! Example: if the final answer is NEW YORK. Does it talk? No. Does it make life easier? No. Is it something you would eat for dinner? No. Is it a place? Yes. Is it a country? No. etc…

B. Preparation for the Stage production – get the students to help you.

Suggest they involve their families and ask them to help.
Encourage the parents to buy a parents’ course.
Prepare the backdrops (see script below).
Prepare the props (see script below).
Prepare the costumes – start by drawing them and then putting them together.
Prepare the sound effects (e.g. the paint sloshing – there are not many sound effects to record in this script).
Record with the students using audio recording equipment.
Find online, create within the production or vocalise or use sound effect here.
Prepare any music. Again find online or compose and perform yourselves.

C. Preparation for the Audio production – get the students to help you.

Set up a microphone on a stand
Connect to recording equipment
If these are not available, use something to represent a microphone on a stand. It might be a teddy bear or a hat on a stand for example. Get the students to help.
Get practical sound effects ready. For example the paint brush sloshing. Get the children to help make the sound of a swinging bucket with water.
Make sure that each student has a job to do either alone or as part of a team.
Get the students to encourage each other

D. Preparation for Conventional Learning.

Answering wh- questions
Learn some key vocabulary: band, singer, guitarist, keyboard player, and drummer.
Geography vocabulary: lake, mountain, volcano, river, city, hill, country, sea, ocean.
Review of the verb be in the affirmative form
Review of the verb be in the negative form
Group the students into groups and let them categorize some words. Let them see who can name: the 10 Asean Countries.
Which group can name the most places in the USA – cities, states, rivers. lakes, mountains?
Ask each child a personal question.
Let them ask each other.
Let them ask each other about their imaginary characters or they might be an aunt, a naughty boy, a younger brother, a friend, an opponent in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” play.
Encourage them to be creative and to use their imaginations.
Let them use facial expressions and gestures as well as words in answering these questions and describing their made up characters.

Unit 3

Drills

A. The play

The Teacher explains that in this course we will have fun making drama.
Through drama they will learn English without effort.
Also they will absorb general knowledge and history and geography without effort
The students will act.
They will work as a team.
There are eleven parts: Aunt Polly, Tom, Jim, Sidney, Joe, Jim, Ben, Huckleberry Finn, Becky, the Pastor, the Judge. Discuss which part they would like to play. Girls can play boys parts.
Also some students might like to be stage hands. (Although these might be doubled by actors).
Others might like to create the music.
Others might like to create the sound effects.
One might like to be Assistant Director to the teacher.
Read both the stage version and the audio version with them.
Ask them which version they would like to produce and perform. Explain what is involved.
Later they can write some new endings to the play
Explain that their family and friends will be able to come to the stage production and / or listen to the audio production, which can be online at Learn English through Drama.
Their families can enjoy their performances and how good their English and other skills have become.

B. Grammar in Action

But first let’s listen to the Phonics advice. Listen to and practice saying the words and phrases: where are you, nothing, pocket, behind, dead sister’s child, etc. Make sure all the consonants are sounded.

Look at some punctuation. Hear how commas, full stops, question marks and exclamation marks works in the script below by taking it in turns to read.
But realise that sometimes in drama plays the punctuation is purposely incorrect. A full stop may indicate where there should be a pause, it may not be the end of a sentence.
Review: Ask what is the date today?
Review: Ask the students what dates are their National days or important holidays.
Review: Get the students to ask each other what date is their birthday.
Get them to write – if possible for homework – their name and age, their interests, their address and telephone number, their town, their school, and use drawings, pictures and photos too.

C. Stage Play

For Stage help and encourage the students to paint and design backdrops or construct scenery for inside Tom’s home and the fence and yard outside Tom’s home, outside Becky’s house, outside the church, inside the church.
Help and encourage them to find the props. Suggest they ask their families to help.
Help them to prepare the music.
Get the stage hands to practice moving the props.
Help and encourage them to design and create costumes.
While they are doing the above they can learn and practice their lines.
Tell them to think about where the audience will be and always face the audience as much as they can

D. Audio Play

For the audio version help them to find music online to express different moods, e.g. painting music, romantic music, and church music.
Let them practice fading the music in and fading it out
Help them with microphone technique.
>Help them to find sound recordings online.
>Help them to create the sounds themselves, for example a slamming door.
If you have recorded playback to students.

E. Production

Let the students each tell the other about themselves
repeat what other students have said.
Let the students tell you the story of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” in their own words.
Then let the students write six sentences about the story of “Adventures of Tom Sawyer”
Rehearse the play
Perform the play
If you have the equipment and technicians video the stage rehearsal and performance.
And/or Video the stage rehearsal and performance.
It will be very important for the students to see and hear what they have achieved. Praise them but also help and encourage them to do even better next time.
Don’t be frightened to make mistakes. Mistakes are a useful learning process.
See at the bottom longer versions of “Tom Sawyer” or see other plays they can perform.

Unit 4

Songs and Other Activities

A. Pop Bands, Interests and Design

Ask the children their favourite pop bands. Try to sing a sample of their songs.
Ask the students about their interests: computer games, sport, art, science, cooking, reading, music, etc.
Ask some of the students who are good at art to design flashcards to submit to the English through Drama website.

B. Then listen to “Buffalo Girl” and get the children to join in.

As I was walking down the street,
Down the street, down the street,
A pretty little girl I chanced to meet,
And we danced by the light of the moon.
Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.

Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking
and her knees kept a knocking and her toes kept a rocking
Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon.

C. Activity

For general learning play the song – Buffalo Girl – to them several times.
Then split them into groups and let the groups compete to see which can write the words down correctly.
Ask questions of the different groups about the drama.
For example:
“Who does Tom live with?”
“Who painted the fence?”
“Who sang Buffalo Girl?”
“Who does Tom fall in love with?”
“What is the prize for ten yellow tickets?”
“Who want to go and see ghosts?”

Unit 5

Research

Finally if you have time you can help your student to research. This can also be something they can do with their families and friends. Have a look at this YouTube to help with your research. Also search Wikipedia.Research on the internet to find out the answers to these questions

A. The Mississippi River.

Knowing more of the background will help to bring the play alive.
The great river Mississippi flows past Tom’s village. Later he has adventures on the river.
In this course you and your students could both learn about the Mississippi, the 4th longest river in the world.

Unit 5

Research on the internet to find out the answers to these questions:

Which sea does it flow into?
What mountains do its tributaries rise from?
When did Europeans first discover it?
Who lived along it before the Europeans?
What was its major form of transport in Tom Sawyer’s time?
What are the major towns on it?

B. Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910) better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(1885), the latter often called “the Great American Novel”.

Research on the internet to find out the answers to these questions:

What is a pen name?
Where was he brought up?
What job did his father have?
What jobs did he have before he wrote his novels?
Why did he have the name Mark Twain? (clue: it has something to do with being a pilot on the Mississippi)
Did he fight in the American Civil War (1861 – 1865)? (clue: the Republicans were in the north and the Confederates were in the south)

C. Asean Countries

Encourage your students to learn about the Asean countries. Let them name the 10 countries. Then let them find which countries the following are the capitals of :

Yangon,
Bangkok,
Phnom Penh,
Vientiane,
Hanoi,
Kuala Lumpur,
Singapore,
Bandar Seri Begawan,
Jakarta,
Manila.

D. European Countries

Also encourage your students to learn about the European countries.

Can they find?:

United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Ireland?
France, Belgium, the Netherlands (or Holland), Luxembourg, Germany?
Spain, Portugal, Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece, Turkey in Europe, Malta, Cyprus?
Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland?
Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia,?
Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia in Europe?

Unit 6

Stage Play

A. Casting
See the following table to have fun making preparation with your students. If possible get their families to help.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
dramatised by Shaun MacLoughlin

Actors Costumes Props, Furniture, Cut-outs, Backdrops Music and Sound Effects

Aunt Polly See left Bed Theme music. Find online or get the students to compose and perform it

Tom See on left Door Buffalo Girl Song

Sid See below Apple Sloshing on of paint with brush

Jim See on left fence Church Bell

Joe See below pot of white paint School bell

Ben See below brush

Billy See below kite

Becky See on left dead rat on a string

Pastor See below dead cat on a string

Judge See below blue bottle

Huckleberry See below yellow tickets

B. Vocabulary

English

Spanish

French

Italian

Stagehands

tramoyistas

machinistes

Mani di palcoscenico

Toy cat

Gato de juguete

Chat en peluche

Gatto giocattolo

Nothing

nada

rien

niente

Tricks

trucos

tours de passe-passe

trucchi

C. Phonics

There is phonics advice on the underlined words.

D. What happens next?

Write and then perform your own ending.

Try “hot seating” each of the characters.

Ask Tom whether what will happen at the graveyard

Ask Tom what will happen between him and Becky

Ask Jim if he has any adventures with Tom. If so ask him what they are.

Ask Becky what will happen between her and Tom

Ask Sid whether he gets his own back on Tom for taking his yellow tickets. And how?

Ask Joe, Billy and Ben whether they have any more adventures with Tom

Ask Aunt Polly whether she finds out that Huck and Tom are going to the graveyard.

Ask the Pastor whether he finds a way to punish Tom.

Ask Huckleberry Finn what happens at the graveyard.

What does he do with the dead cat?

Ask the Judge whether he finds out about Tom and Becky liking each other and what he does about it. Think of more questions. Then let the students work as a team to write the ending to the play.

Aunt Polly catches Tom

Theme Music

Apple

Paint and brush

Saturday's ruined

Jimmy and Tom

White marble

Joe watches Tom paint

Joe wants to paint

Tom gets all his friends painting

Tom sits down

Tom makes several somersaults

Becky chooses a flower

Flower tossd by Becky

Kite

Dead rat on string

Pulpit

Judge Thatcher with his wife and Becky

The judge and the Pastor

Sidney doesn't notice Tom has taken two tickets

The Pastor counts Sidney's tickets

Suspicious Sidney is much tidier than Tom

The Judge and Tom

Huckleberry and Tom

Ghosts

E. The Script (the shorter version of the stage script)

Play Reading

SCENE 1
TOM SAWYER THEME MUSIC.
THERE IS A BED AND A DOOR. AN OLD LADY – AUNT POLLY – ENTERS. FADE MUSIC. SHE IS LOOKING EVERYWHERE AROUND THE ROOM.
AUNT POLLY (CALLS) Tom! Tom! Where are you?
SHE LOOKS UNDER THE BED AND OUT OF THE DOOR.
(TO THE AUDIENCE) Where is that boy? When I find him I’m going to……
(CALLS) Tom!
TOM APPEARS AND TRIES TO RUN PAST HER, BUT SHE CATCHES HIM
Ah, there you are. What’s that in your pocket?
TOM:
Nothing, Aunt Polly
AUNT POLLY:
Nothing?
SHE PUTS HER HAND IN HIS POCKET AND TAKES OUT AN APPLE
It’s an apple. Now listen, those apples are not for you and I –
TOM:
Oh, Aunt Polly! Quick! Look behind you.
AS SHE LOOKS BEHIND HER, TOM RUNS OFF THE STAGE.
(TO THE AUDIENCE, LAUGHING QUIETLY)
AUNT POLLY:
I never learn.
I love my dead sister’s child, but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady. Well its Saturday tomorrow and there’s no school, but it isn’t going to be a holiday for Tom. He’s going to work tomorrow.
(SHE WALKS OFF THE STAGE)
SCENE 2
MUSIC.
THE STAGE HANDS TAKE AWAY THE BED AND BRING ON A LONG, HIGH FENCE. TOM COMES ON STAGE WITH A BRUSH AND A BIG POT OF WHITE PAINT. TOM LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
TOM:
Saturday’s ruined! It’s not fair!
HE STARTS TO PAINT A BIT OF THE FENCE. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF SLOSHING PAINT. THEN LOOKS AT HOW LONG THE FENCE IS AND SITS DOWN, DISCOURAGED. THEN JIM APPEARS CARRYING A BUCKET OF WATER AND SINGING ‘BUFFALO GIRL’.
JIM:
(SINGING)
As I was walking down the street, 
Down the street, down the street, 
A pretty little girl I chanced to meet, 
And we danced by the light of the moon.
Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight, 
Come out tonight, come out tonight. 
Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight 
And dance by the light of the moon.
Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking
and her knees kept a knocking
and her toes kept a rocking
Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon.
TOM: Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll paint some of the fence.
JIM:
I can’t, Master Tom. Aunt Polly told me I got to go and get water and not stop for anything. She said Tom would ask me to paint.
TOM:
Never mind what she said, Jim. Give me the bucket—I’ll only be gone a minute. She won’t know.
JIM: I don’t dare, Master Tom. Aunt Polly would knock my head off.
TOM:
She talks angrily, but never hurts anybody..
I’ll give you my white marble!
JIM:
(THINKING) Hmm.

But I’m afraid of Aunt Polly
(HE BENDS FORWARD TO TAKE
THE WHITE MARBLE. AUNT
POLLY APPEARS AND HITS HIM
ROUND THE EAR WITH HER SLIPPER.
AUNT POLLY:
Take that!
JIM RUNS AWAY.
TOM STARTS PAINTING BUSILY.
AUNT POLLY MARCHES AWAY
TOM:
(TO THE AUDIENCE) I have an idea.
HE GETS UP AND STARTS PAINTING AGAIN.
TOM’S FRIEND JOE HARPER APPEARS, BUT TOM DOES NOT LOOK AT HIM. JOE HAS AN APPLE IN HIS HAND. HE LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
JOE:
I am sorry, Tom.
TOM SAYS NOTHING, BUT GOES ON PAINTING.
Working for your aunt? I’m going down to the river. I’m sorry you can’t come with me.
TOM PUTS DOWN HIS PAINT BRUSH
TOM:
Do you call this work?
JOE:
Painting a fence? Of course it’s work.
TOM STARTS PAINTING AGAIN
TOM:
Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn’t.
I like it. I can go to the river any day.
I can’t paint a fence very often.
TOM GOES ON PAINTING
JOE:
Tom, can I paint a little?
TOM THINKS A BIT
TOM:
I’m sorry, Joe. No—no—
I think it wouldn’t do, Joe. You see, Aunt Polly’s wants me to do it because I’m very good at painting. My brother, Sid, wanted to do it too, but she said no.
JOE:
Oh please, Tom, just a little.
I’m good at painting.
Hey do you want some of my apple?
TOM:
No, Joe, I can’t -.
JOE:
OK. You can have all of my apple.
TOM GIVES THE BRUSH TO JOE. JOE STARTS TO PAINT. TOM SITS DOWN AND EATS THE APPLE. MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE AND GIVE TOM A KITE, A DEAD RAT ON A STRING AND A BLUE BOTTLE. THEY ALL START PAINTING. SOON THE FENCE IS WHITE. HIS FRIENDS GO AWAY.
TOM:
(CALLS) Aunt Polly.
AUNT POLLY COMES OUT AND LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
May I go and play now?
AUNT POLLY:
Yes. But don’t come home late.
MUSIC. TOM AND AUNT POLLY LEAVE. STAGE HANDS TAKE THE FENCE OFF STAGE
SCENE 3
TOM:
(WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE) It was then that I fell in love.
FADE MUSIC. BECKY WALKS ONTO THE STAGE.
As I was passing Judge Thatcher’s house I saw a wonderful new girl, a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair.
I pretended not to notice her.
But decided to show off to get her attention.
HE SOMERSAULTS
I did several somersaults.
SHE THROWS HIM A FLOWER
As she left the little girl tossed a flower over the fence.
I was so happy!
MUSIC. HE SKIPS AWAY CARRYING THE FLOWER
SCENE 4
OUTSIDE THE CHURCH
MUSIC MIX INTO CHURCH BELL SUMMONING THE CONGREGATION. THE STAGE HANDS – AS CHURCH GOERS – BRING ON A BACKDROP OF A PICTURE OF A CHURCH.
TOM ENTERS. THEN BECKY ENTERS WITH HER MOTHER AND FATHER. THEY WALK PAST TOM. SHE PRETENDS TO IGNORE HIM, BUT GLANCES BACK AS SHE ENTERS THE CHURCH.
SEVERAL OF TOM’S FRIENDS ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WITH HIM
TOM TURNS TO BEN.
TOM: Ben, have you got any yellow tickets?
BEN: Yes
TOM: How many?
BEN: Three.
TOM: Wow! What will you take for them?
BEN:
You can give me back my kite.
TOM:
That’s a deal.
TOM HANDS HIM BACK HIS KITE IN EXCHANGE FOR THREE YELLOW TICKETS. THEN BILLY APPEARS.
Billy, have you got any yellow tickets?
BILLY: I have. Yes.
TOM: How many?
BILLY: Five.
TOM:
Wowee! What will you take for them?
BILLY:
You can give me back my dead rat on a string.
THEY EXCHANGE. TOM TURNS TO THE AUDIENCE.
TOM:
It’s my lucky day. I only need two more. (PAUSE) I have an idea.
HE WALKS TOWARDS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH BELL FADES.
SCENE 5
INSIDE THE CHURCH

MUSIC. STAGE HANDS/CONGREGATION REMOVE THE BACKDROP OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH. THEY BRING ON A PULPIT AND SEVERAL BENCHES. THE PASTOR ENTERS WITH JUDGE THATCHER AND MRS THATCHER AND BECKY THATCHER. THEY SIT ON THE BENCH UPSTAGE BESIDE THE PULPIT, FACING THE AUDIENCE. AS THE CONGREGATION ENTERS AND SITS ON THE NEARER BENCHES WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE AUDIENCE AND FACING THE PULPIT. FADE MUSIC. THE PASTOR EXPLAINS TO THE JUDGE:
PASTOR:
You see, Judge, whenever one of our pupils learns two verses of the Bible, he or she receives a blue ticket.
Now one hundred blue tickets entitles him or her to one yellow ticket; and ten yellow tickets bring the reward of a beautiful Bible.
THE CONGREGATION ARE ENTERING AND WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER. TOM ENTERS AND SITS BESIDE SIDNEY. THE PASTOR CLIMBS UP INTO THE PULPIT. AS THE PASTOR SPEAKS, TOM MANAGES TO TAKE TWO YELLOW TICKETS OUT OF SIDNEY’S POCKET WITHOUT SIDNEY NOTICING.
Attention! Attention!
THE CONGREGATION STOP MOVING AND WHISPERING.
Today we have the rare privilege of distinguished visitors.
HE PAUSES WHILE SOME NOISY CHILDREN ENTER.
Judge Thatcher, the newly elected magistrate of our county has consented to make the presentation of the bible prize to Sidney Sawyer.
THE PASTOR DESCENDS FROM THE PULPIT.
PASTOR:
Come up Sidney.
SIDNEY DOES SO AND HANDS HIS YELLOW TICKETS TO THE PASTOR. SIDNEY IS MUCH TIDIER THAN TOM AND HIS HAIR IS WELL COMBED AND SMOOTHED DOWN.
THE PASTOR COUNTS THE TICKETS.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…. There only appear to be eight. I’m sorry Sidney, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait another week. You are two tickets short.
SIDNEY GIVES TOM AN ANGRY LOOK
SIDNEY:
I wasn’t two short when I came in here.
HE RETURNS TO HIS SEAT
PASTOR:
I don’t suppose there is anyone else who has learnt the necessary two thousand verses.
TOM PUTS UP HIS HAND. THE PASTOR FROWNS, THEN IGNORES HIM.
No, I thought not.
TOM STANDS UP
TOM:
I’m ready for a bible.
EVERYBODY LOOKS ASTONISHED, INCLUDING THE PASTOR AND BECKY. TOM HURRIES UP TO THEM.
I’ve got enough tickets.
HE HANDS THEM OVER WITH A BIG SMILE.
PASTOR:
Very well let me count them.
HE COUNTS SLOWLY AS IF HE CANNOT BELIEVE IT
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. (PAUSE) Yes, it’s quite true. Here is the required number of tickets.
THE JUDGE STANDS UP
JUDGE:
Then the young man is certainly entitled to his reward.
THE PASTOR HANDS THE BIBLE TO THE JUDGE
PASTOR:
Then if you will be so kind, Judge.
JUDGE: Well my little man, what is your name?
TOM: Tom
PASTOR:
No. It is Thomas
JUDGE: You have another one, I dare say.
PASTOR: Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas. Sawyer and say “Sir”
TOM:
Sir Thomas Sawyer
THE JUDGE TRIES NOT TO LAUGH AND SOME OF THE CONGREGATION GIGGLE.
HE GIVES THE BIBLE TO TOM.
JUDGE:
Two thousand verses are a great many, and you can never be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them.
No doubt you know the names of all Jesus’s disciples. Who were the first two?
(SILENCE)
PASTOR:
Answer the Judge, Thomas.
TOM: Um.
PASTOR:
Come on, Thomas.
TOM:
Um ….um … Adam and Eve.
THE PASTOR SNATCHES THE BIBLE BACK. MUSIC. EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE PASTOR AND THE JUDGE ROAR WITH LAUGHTER AS THEY REMOVE THE PULPIT AND THE BENCHES
SCENE 6
ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
TOM ENTERS ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE.
TOM: (TO THE AUDIENCE) I hate going to school
HUCKLEBERRY FINN ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE.
HE IS SWINGING A DEAD CAT FROM A PIECE OF STRING<
(TO THE AUDIENCE) The mothers of the village don’t like my friend Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t go to school and he’s always dirty. He has no mother and his father drinks whisky all the time. But he’s happy.<
THEY APPROACH EACH OTHER
(ALOUD TO HUCKLEBERRY) Hello, Huck! What have you got there?
HUCK:
A dead cat.
TOM:
What are you going to do with it?
HUCK:
I’m going to take it to the graveyard tonight.
At midnight a dead cat can call ghosts out of their graves.
TOM:
I never heard that. Is it true?
HUCK:
Well I don’t know.
Only old Mrs. Hopkins told me. Come with me, and see.
Or are you afraid of ghosts?
TOM:
Of course not.
Come and meow for me at my window at eleven o’clock.
WE HEAR THE SCHOOL BELL RINGING
The School bell. I’m going to be late. I’ll be punished.
HE RUNS OFF.
HUCK:
(CALLS AFTER HIM) See you tonight.
HUCK WALKS OFF THE OTHER WAY, SWINGING HIS CAT. MUSIC

Audio Play

Set up microphone on stand, attach to recording equipment, set up audio editing software on computer. Then use the recordings of the Mississippi Kite, the Mocking bird, and, if you like the Tom Sawyer Music. Research and record dog barking.

Actors Recorded Sound Effects Live Sound Effects Music

Aunt Polly Mississippi Kite and dogs barking Door opens Theme music. Find online or get the students to compose and perform it

Tom Door opens Door closes Buffalo Girl Song

Sid Door closes Sloshing on of paint with brush Painting music

Jim Sloshing on of paint with brush Running footsteps Romantic music

Joe Swinging bucket and sloshing water Scuffle as Aunt Polly catches Tom Church music

Ben Mocking bird Swinging bucket and sloshing water Huckleberry music

Billy Church bell Face being slapped

Becky School bell Sound of somersault

Pastor chattering of congregation

Judge whispering of congregation

Huckleberry

Theme Music

Mississippi Kite and Dog Barking

Mocking Bird

Buffalo Gal

The Shorter Version of the Audio Script

SCENE 1
INTERIOR. TOM SAWYER THEME MUSIC
SOUND OF MISSISSIPI KITE AND DOG BARKING.

AUNT POLLY (CALLS) Tom! Tom! Where are you?

SHE MOVES IN AND OUR OF THE MICROPHONE

Where is that boy? When I find him I’m going to……

SOUND EFFECT OF OPENING DOOR. WE HEAR EXTERIOR SOUNDS OF MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING
(CALLS) Tom! WE HEAR RUNNING FOOTSTEPS AND TOM’S BREATHING AND SCUFFLE AS AUNT POLLY CATCHES TOM Ah, there you are. What’s that in your pocket?

TOM:

Nothing, Aunt Polly

AUNT POLLY:

Nothing?

SHE PUTS HER HAND IN HIS POCKET AND TAKES OUT AN APPLE It’s an apple. Now listen, those apples are not for you and I –

TOM:

Oh, Aunt Polly! Quick! Look behind you.

TOM RUNS AWAY LAUGHING AND SLAMMING DOOR BEHIND HIME, CUTTING OFF OFF SOUNDS OF MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING.

AUNT POLLY:
(LAUGHS QUIETLY) I never learn.

I love my dead sister’s child, but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady. Well its Saturday tomorrow and there’s no school, but it isn’t going to be a holiday for Tom. He’s going to work tomorrow.
(FADE)

SCENE 2

MUSIC. EXTERIOR

HEAR MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING AGAIN

TOM:
Saturday’s ruined! It’s not fair!

WE HEAR THE SOUND OF SLOSHING PAINT. WE ALSO AS APPROPRIATE HEAR THE SOUND OF THE MOCKING BIRD. THEN WE HEAR JIM APPROACHING AND THE SOUND OF A SWINGING BUCKET WITH SLOSHING WATER AND JIM’S SINGING ‘BUFFALO GIRL’.

JIM:
(SINGING)
As I was walking down the street, 
Down the street, down the street, 
A pretty little girl I chanced to meet, 
And we danced by the light of the moon.

Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight, 
Come out tonight, come out tonight. 
Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight 
And dance by the light of the moon.

Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking

and her knees kept a knocking

and her toes kept a rocking

Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking
And we danced by the light of the moon.

TOM: Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll paint some of the fence.

JIM:

I can’t, Master Tom. Aunt Polly told me I got to go and get water and not stop for anything. She said Tom would ask me to paint.

TOM:
Never mind what she said, Jim. Give me the bucket—I’ll only be gone a minute. She won’t know.

JIM: I don’t dare, Master Tom. Aunt Polly would knock my head off.

TOM:

She talks angrily, but never hurts anybody..
I’ll give you my white marble!

JIM:

(THINKING) Hmm.

But I’m afraid of Aunt Polly.

AUNT POLLY:
Why aren’t you fetching water as I told you? Take that!

JIM RUNS AWAY.

TOM STARTS PAINTING BUSILY.
AUNT POLLY MARCHES AWAY

TOM:

(TO THE AUDIENCE) I have an idea.

HE GETS UP AND STARTS PAINTING AGAIN.
TOM’S FRIEND JOE HARPER APPEARS, BUT TOM DOES NOT LOOK AT HIM. JOE HAS AN APPLE IN HIS HAND. HE LOOKS AT THE FENCE.

JOE:

I am sorry, Tom.

TOM SAYS NOTHING, BUT GOES ON PAINTING.

Working for your aunt? I’m going down to the river. I’m sorry you can’t come with me.
TOM PUTS DOWN HIS PAINT BRUSH

TOM: Do you call this work?

JOE:

Painting a fence? Of course it’s work.
TOM STARTS PAINTING AGAIN

TOM:

Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn’t.

I like it. I can go to the river any day.

I can’t paint a fence very often.
TOM GOES ON PAINTING

JOE:

Tom, can I paint a little?
TOM THINKS A BIT

TOM:

I’m sorry, Joe. No—no—

I think it wouldn’t do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s wants me to do it because I’m very good at painting. My brother, Sid, wanted to do it too, but she said no.

JOE:

Oh please, Tom, just a little.

I’m good at painting.
Hey do you want some of my apple?

TOM:
No, Joe, I can’t -.

JOE:

OK. You can have all of my apple.

TOM GIVES THE BRUSH TO JOE. JOE STARTS TO PAINT. TOM SITS DOWN AND EATS THE APPLE. MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE AND GIVE TOM A KITE, A DEAD RAT ON A STRING AND A BLUE BOTTLE. THEY ALL START PAINTING. SOON THE FENCE IS WHITE. HIS FRIENDS GO AWAY.

TOM:

(CALLS) Aunt Polly.

AUNT POLLY COMES OUT AND LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
May I go and play now?

AUNT POLLY:
Yes. But don’t come home late.
MUSIC. TOM AND AUNT POLLY LEAVE. STAGE HANDS TAKE THE FENCE OFF STAGE

SCENE 3

TOM:

(WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE) It was then that I fell in love.

FADE MUSIC. BECKY WALKS ONTO THE STAGE.

As I was passing Judge Thatcher’s house I saw a wonderful new girl, a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair.

I pretended not to notice her.

But decided to show off to get her attention.

HE SOMERSAULTS

I did several somersaults.

SHE THROWS HIM A FLOWER

As she left the little girl tossed a flower over the fence.

I was so happy!
MUSIC. HE SKIPS AWAY CARRYING THE FLOWER

SCENE 4

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH

MUSIC MIX INTO CHURCH BELL SUMMONING THE CONGREGATION. THE STAGE HANDS – AS CHURCH GOERS – BRING ON A BACKDROP OF A PICTURE OF A CHURCH.

TOM ENTERS. THEN BECKY ENTERS WITH HER MOTHER AND FATHER. THEY WALK PAST TOM. SHE PRETENDS TO IGNORE HIM, BUT GLANCES BACK AS SHE ENTERS THE CHURCH.

SEVERAL OF TOM’S FRIENDS ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WITH HIM
TOM TURNS TO BEN.

TOM: Ben, have you got any yellow tickets?

BEN: Yes

TOM: How many?

BEN: Three.

TOM: Wow! What will you take for them?

BEN:
You can give me back my kite.

TOM:

That’s a deal.

TOM HANDS HIM BACK HIS KITE IN EXCHANGE FOR THREE YELLOW TICKETS. THEN BILLY APPEARS.
Billy, have you got any yellow tickets?

BILLY: I have. Yes.

TOM: How many?

BILLY: Five.

TOM:
Wowee! What will you take for them?

BILLY:

You can give me back my dead rat on a string.
THEY EXCHANGE. TOM TURNS TO THE AUDIENCE.

TOM:
It’s my lucky day. I only need two more. (PAUSE) I have an idea.
HE WALKS TOWARDS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH BELL FADES.

SCENE 5

INSIDE THE CHURCH

MUSIC. STAGE HANDS/CONGREGATION REMOVE THE BACKDROP OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH. THEY BRING ON A PULPIT AND SEVERAL BENCHES. THE PASTOR ENTERS WITH JUDGE THATCHER AND MRS THATCHER AND BECKY THATCHER. THEY SIT ON THE BENCH UPSTAGE BESIDE THE PULPIT, FACING THE AUDIENCE. AS THE CONGREGATION ENTERS AND SITS ON THE NEARER BENCHES WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE AUDIENCE AND FACING THE PULPIT. FADE MUSIC. THE PASTOR EXPLAINS TO THE JUDGE:

PASTOR:

You see, Judge, whenever one of our pupils learns two verses of the Bible, he or she receives a blue ticket.

Now one hundred blue tickets entitles him or her to one yellow ticket; and ten yellow tickets bring the reward of a beautiful Bible.

THE CONGREGATION ARE ENTERING AND WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER. TOM ENTERS AND SITS BESIDE SIDNEY. THE PASTOR CLIMBS UP INTO THE PULPIT. AS THE PASTOR SPEAKS, TOM MANAGES TO TAKE TWO YELLOW TICKETS OUT OF SIDNEY’S POCKET WITHOUT SIDNEY NOTICING.

Attention! Attention! THE CONGREGATION STOP MOVING AND WHISPERING.
Today we have the rare privilege of distinguished visitors. HE PAUSES WHILE SOME NOISY CHILDREN ENTER. Judge Thatcher, the newly elected magistrate of our county has consented to make the presentation of the bible prize to Sidney Sawyer. THE PASTOR DESCENDS FROM THE PULPIT.

PASTOR:

Come up Sidney.

SIDNEY DOES SO AND HANDS HIS YELLOW TICKETS TO THE PASTOR. SIDNEY IS MUCH TIDIER THAN TOM AND HIS HAIR IS WELL COMBED AND SMOOTHED DOWN.

THE PASTOR COUNTS THE TICKETS.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…. There only appear to be eight. I’m sorry Sidney, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait another week. You are two tickets short.
SIDNEY GIVES TOM AN ANGRY LOOK

SIDNEY:

I wasn’t two short when I came in here.
HE RETURNS TO HIS SEAT

PASTOR:

I don’t suppose there is anyone else who has learnt the necessary two thousand verses.

TOM PUTS UP HIS HAND. THE PASTOR FROWNS, THEN IGNORES HIM.

No, I thought not.
TOM STANDS UP

TOM:

I’m ready for a bible.

EVERYBODY LOOKS ASTONISHED, INCLUDING THE PASTOR AND BECKY. TOM HURRIES UP TO THEM.

I’ve got enough tickets.
HE HANDS THEM OVER WITH A BIG SMILE.

PASTOR:

Very well let me count them.

HE COUNTS SLOWLY AS IF HE CANNOT BELIEVE IT

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. (PAUSE) Yes, it’s quite true. Here is the required number of tickets.
THE JUDGE STANDS UP

JUDGE:

Then the young man is certainly entitled to his reward.
THE PASTOR HANDS THE BIBLE TO THE JUDGE

PASTOR:

Then if you will be so kind, Judge.

JUDGE: Well my little man, what is your name?

TOM: Tom

PASTOR:
No. It is Thomas

JUDGE: You have another one, I dare say.

PASTOR: Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas. Sawyer and say “Sir”

TOM:

Sir Thomas Sawyer

THE JUDGE TRIES NOT TO LAUGH AND SOME OF THE CONGREGATION GIGGLE.
HE GIVES THE BIBLE TO TOM.

JUDGE:

Two thousand verses are a great many, and you can never be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them.

No doubt you know the names of all Jesus’s disciples. Who were the first two?
(SILENCE)

PASTOR:
Answer the Judge, Thomas.

TOM: Um.

PASTOR:
Come on, Thomas.

TOM:
Um ….um … Adam and Eve.

THE PASTOR SNATCHES THE BIBLE BACK. MUSIC. EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE PASTOR AND THE JUDGE ROAR WITH LAUGHTER AS THEY REMOVE THE PULPIT AND THE BENCHES

SCENE 6

ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL
TOM ENTERS ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE.

TOM: (TO THE AUDIENCE) I hate going to school

HUCKLEBERRY FINN ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE.

HE IS SWINGING A DEAD CAT FROM A PIECE OF STRING<
(TO THE AUDIENCE) The mothers of the village don’t like my friend Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t go to school and he’s always dirty. He has no mother and his father drinks whisky all the time. But he’s happy.< THEY APPROACH EACH OTHER (ALOUD TO HUCKLEBERRY) Hello, Huck! What have you got there?

HUCK:
A dead cat.

TOM:
What are you going to do with it?

HUCK:

I’m going to take it to the graveyard tonight.
At midnight a dead cat can call ghosts out of their graves.

TOM:
I never heard that. Is it true?

HUCK:

Well I don’t know.

Only old Mrs. Hopkins told me. Come with me, and see.
Or are you afraid of ghosts?

TOM:

Of course not.

Come and meow for me at my window at eleven o’clock.

WE HEAR THE SCHOOL BELL RINGING

The School bell. I’m going to be late. I’ll be punished.
HE RUNS OFF.

HUCK:
(CALLS AFTER HIM) See you tonight.
HUCK WALKS OFF THE OTHER WAY, SWINGING HIS CAT. MUSIC

Notes, Recommendations and Homework

The teacher gives the students rewards, perhaps an English through Drama certificate.
For their homework please let them draw any character from “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” Also write his/her name on the picture.
Or for homework continue with finding the answers to research questions.
Or best of all get the students to complete their own version of the script.
Once they have done this your school or drama club can also produce and perform the full version of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. You can also download and print the first half of the audio play.
You can submit your students’ pictures to the English through Drama website. The best pictures will go on the website. If they wish we shall add their name, school and / or country.
We have several pages with advice on creating an audio play. Have a listen! You might be inspired to create your own audio play!
We have advice on the use of music in plays and particularly the music of the great classical composers and of film music. Have a listen !

Secondary 01 - The Shipwreck

Secondary 03 - Alice in Wonderland

Actors	Costumes	Props, Furniture, Cut-outs, Backdrops	Music and Sound Effects
Aunt Polly	See left	Bed	Theme music. Find online or get the students to compose and perform it
Tom	See on left	Door	Buffalo Girl Song
Sid	See below	Apple	Sloshing on of paint with brush
Jim	See on left	fence	Church Bell
Joe	See below	pot of white paint	School bell
Ben	See below	brush
Billy	See below	kite
Becky	See on left	dead rat on a string
Pastor	See below	dead cat on a string
Judge	See below	blue bottle
Huckleberry	See below	yellow tickets

English	Spanish	French	Italian
Stagehands	tramoyistas	machinistes	Mani di palcoscenico
Toy cat	Gato de juguete	Chat en peluche	Gatto giocattolo
Nothing	nada	rien	niente
Tricks	trucos	tours de passe-passe	trucchi

SCENE 1	TOM SAWYER THEME MUSIC.
	THERE IS A BED AND A DOOR. AN OLD LADY – AUNT POLLY – ENTERS. FADE MUSIC. SHE IS LOOKING EVERYWHERE AROUND THE ROOM.
AUNT POLLY	(CALLS) Tom! Tom! Where are you?
	SHE LOOKS UNDER THE BED AND OUT OF THE DOOR.
	(TO THE AUDIENCE) Where is that boy? When I find him I’m going to…… (CALLS) Tom! TOM APPEARS AND TRIES TO RUN PAST HER, BUT SHE CATCHES HIM Ah, there you are. What’s that in your pocket?
TOM:	Nothing, Aunt Polly
AUNT POLLY:	Nothing?
	SHE PUTS HER HAND IN HIS POCKET AND TAKES OUT AN APPLE It’s an apple. Now listen, those apples are not for you and I –
TOM:	Oh, Aunt Polly! Quick! Look behind you.
	AS SHE LOOKS BEHIND HER, TOM RUNS OFF THE STAGE. (TO THE AUDIENCE, LAUGHING QUIETLY)
AUNT POLLY:	I never learn.
	I love my dead sister’s child, but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady. Well its Saturday tomorrow and there’s no school, but it isn’t going to be a holiday for Tom. He’s going to work tomorrow. (SHE WALKS OFF THE STAGE)
SCENE 2	MUSIC.
	THE STAGE HANDS TAKE AWAY THE BED AND BRING ON A LONG, HIGH FENCE. TOM COMES ON STAGE WITH A BRUSH AND A BIG POT OF WHITE PAINT. TOM LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
TOM:	Saturday’s ruined! It’s not fair!
	HE STARTS TO PAINT A BIT OF THE FENCE. WE HEAR THE SOUND OF SLOSHING PAINT. THEN LOOKS AT HOW LONG THE FENCE IS AND SITS DOWN, DISCOURAGED. THEN JIM APPEARS CARRYING A BUCKET OF WATER AND SINGING ‘BUFFALO GIRL’.
JIM: (SINGING)	As I was walking down the street,  Down the street, down the street,  A pretty little girl I chanced to meet,  And we danced by the light of the moon.
	Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight,  Come out tonight, come out tonight.  Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight  And dance by the light of the moon. Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking and her knees kept a knocking and her toes kept a rocking Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking And we danced by the light of the moon.
TOM:	Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll paint some of the fence.
JIM:	I can’t, Master Tom. Aunt Polly told me I got to go and get water and not stop for anything. She said Tom would ask me to paint.
TOM:	Never mind what she said, Jim. Give me the bucket—I’ll only be gone a minute. She won’t know.
JIM:	I don’t dare, Master Tom. Aunt Polly would knock my head off.
TOM:	She talks angrily, but never hurts anybody.. I’ll give you my white marble!
JIM:	(THINKING) Hmm.
	But I’m afraid of Aunt Polly (HE BENDS FORWARD TO TAKE THE WHITE MARBLE. AUNT POLLY APPEARS AND HITS HIM ROUND THE EAR WITH HER SLIPPER.
AUNT POLLY:	Take that!
	JIM RUNS AWAY. TOM STARTS PAINTING BUSILY. AUNT POLLY MARCHES AWAY
TOM:	(TO THE AUDIENCE) I have an idea.
	HE GETS UP AND STARTS PAINTING AGAIN. TOM’S FRIEND JOE HARPER APPEARS, BUT TOM DOES NOT LOOK AT HIM. JOE HAS AN APPLE IN HIS HAND. HE LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
JOE:	I am sorry, Tom.
	TOM SAYS NOTHING, BUT GOES ON PAINTING. Working for your aunt? I’m going down to the river. I’m sorry you can’t come with me. TOM PUTS DOWN HIS PAINT BRUSH
TOM:	Do you call this work?
JOE:	Painting a fence? Of course it’s work. TOM STARTS PAINTING AGAIN
TOM:	Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn’t.
	I like it. I can go to the river any day. I can’t paint a fence very often. TOM GOES ON PAINTING
JOE:	Tom, can I paint a little? TOM THINKS A BIT
TOM:	I’m sorry, Joe. No—no—
	I think it wouldn’t do, Joe. You see, Aunt Polly’s wants me to do it because I’m very good at painting. My brother, Sid, wanted to do it too, but she said no.
JOE:	Oh please, Tom, just a little. I’m good at painting. Hey do you want some of my apple?
TOM:	No, Joe, I can’t -.
JOE:	OK. You can have all of my apple.
	TOM GIVES THE BRUSH TO JOE. JOE STARTS TO PAINT. TOM SITS DOWN AND EATS THE APPLE. MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE AND GIVE TOM A KITE, A DEAD RAT ON A STRING AND A BLUE BOTTLE. THEY ALL START PAINTING. SOON THE FENCE IS WHITE. HIS FRIENDS GO AWAY.
TOM:	(CALLS) Aunt Polly. AUNT POLLY COMES OUT AND LOOKS AT THE FENCE. May I go and play now?
AUNT POLLY:	Yes. But don’t come home late. MUSIC. TOM AND AUNT POLLY LEAVE. STAGE HANDS TAKE THE FENCE OFF STAGE
SCENE 3
TOM:	(WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE) It was then that I fell in love.
	FADE MUSIC. BECKY WALKS ONTO THE STAGE. As I was passing Judge Thatcher’s house I saw a wonderful new girl, a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair. I pretended not to notice her. But decided to show off to get her attention. HE SOMERSAULTS I did several somersaults. SHE THROWS HIM A FLOWER As she left the little girl tossed a flower over the fence. I was so happy! MUSIC. HE SKIPS AWAY CARRYING THE FLOWER
SCENE 4
	OUTSIDE THE CHURCH MUSIC MIX INTO CHURCH BELL SUMMONING THE CONGREGATION. THE STAGE HANDS – AS CHURCH GOERS – BRING ON A BACKDROP OF A PICTURE OF A CHURCH. TOM ENTERS. THEN BECKY ENTERS WITH HER MOTHER AND FATHER. THEY WALK PAST TOM. SHE PRETENDS TO IGNORE HIM, BUT GLANCES BACK AS SHE ENTERS THE CHURCH. SEVERAL OF TOM’S FRIENDS ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WITH HIM TOM TURNS TO BEN.
TOM:	Ben, have you got any yellow tickets?
BEN:	Yes
TOM:	How many?
BEN:	Three.
TOM:	Wow! What will you take for them?
BEN:	You can give me back my kite.
TOM:	That’s a deal.
	TOM HANDS HIM BACK HIS KITE IN EXCHANGE FOR THREE YELLOW TICKETS. THEN BILLY APPEARS. Billy, have you got any yellow tickets?
BILLY:	I have. Yes.
TOM:	How many?
BILLY:	Five.
TOM:	Wowee! What will you take for them?
BILLY:	You can give me back my dead rat on a string. THEY EXCHANGE. TOM TURNS TO THE AUDIENCE.
TOM:	It’s my lucky day. I only need two more. (PAUSE) I have an idea. HE WALKS TOWARDS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH BELL FADES.
SCENE 5	INSIDE THE CHURCH
	MUSIC. STAGE HANDS/CONGREGATION REMOVE THE BACKDROP OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH. THEY BRING ON A PULPIT AND SEVERAL BENCHES. THE PASTOR ENTERS WITH JUDGE THATCHER AND MRS THATCHER AND BECKY THATCHER. THEY SIT ON THE BENCH UPSTAGE BESIDE THE PULPIT, FACING THE AUDIENCE. AS THE CONGREGATION ENTERS AND SITS ON THE NEARER BENCHES WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE AUDIENCE AND FACING THE PULPIT. FADE MUSIC. THE PASTOR EXPLAINS TO THE JUDGE:
PASTOR:	You see, Judge, whenever one of our pupils learns two verses of the Bible, he or she receives a blue ticket.
	Now one hundred blue tickets entitles him or her to one yellow ticket; and ten yellow tickets bring the reward of a beautiful Bible.
	THE CONGREGATION ARE ENTERING AND WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER. TOM ENTERS AND SITS BESIDE SIDNEY. THE PASTOR CLIMBS UP INTO THE PULPIT. AS THE PASTOR SPEAKS, TOM MANAGES TO TAKE TWO YELLOW TICKETS OUT OF SIDNEY’S POCKET WITHOUT SIDNEY NOTICING. Attention! Attention! THE CONGREGATION STOP MOVING AND WHISPERING. Today we have the rare privilege of distinguished visitors. HE PAUSES WHILE SOME NOISY CHILDREN ENTER. Judge Thatcher, the newly elected magistrate of our county has consented to make the presentation of the bible prize to Sidney Sawyer. THE PASTOR DESCENDS FROM THE PULPIT.
PASTOR:	Come up Sidney.
	SIDNEY DOES SO AND HANDS HIS YELLOW TICKETS TO THE PASTOR. SIDNEY IS MUCH TIDIER THAN TOM AND HIS HAIR IS WELL COMBED AND SMOOTHED DOWN. THE PASTOR COUNTS THE TICKETS. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…. There only appear to be eight. I’m sorry Sidney, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait another week. You are two tickets short. SIDNEY GIVES TOM AN ANGRY LOOK
SIDNEY:	I wasn’t two short when I came in here. HE RETURNS TO HIS SEAT
PASTOR:	I don’t suppose there is anyone else who has learnt the necessary two thousand verses.
	TOM PUTS UP HIS HAND. THE PASTOR FROWNS, THEN IGNORES HIM. No, I thought not. TOM STANDS UP
TOM:	I’m ready for a bible.
	EVERYBODY LOOKS ASTONISHED, INCLUDING THE PASTOR AND BECKY. TOM HURRIES UP TO THEM. I’ve got enough tickets. HE HANDS THEM OVER WITH A BIG SMILE.
PASTOR:	Very well let me count them.
	HE COUNTS SLOWLY AS IF HE CANNOT BELIEVE IT One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. (PAUSE) Yes, it’s quite true. Here is the required number of tickets. THE JUDGE STANDS UP
JUDGE:	Then the young man is certainly entitled to his reward. THE PASTOR HANDS THE BIBLE TO THE JUDGE
PASTOR:	Then if you will be so kind, Judge.
JUDGE:	Well my little man, what is your name?
TOM:	Tom
PASTOR:	No. It is Thomas
JUDGE:	You have another one, I dare say.
PASTOR:	Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas. Sawyer and say “Sir”
TOM:	Sir Thomas Sawyer
	THE JUDGE TRIES NOT TO LAUGH AND SOME OF THE CONGREGATION GIGGLE. HE GIVES THE BIBLE TO TOM.
JUDGE:	Two thousand verses are a great many, and you can never be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them.
	No doubt you know the names of all Jesus’s disciples. Who were the first two? (SILENCE)
PASTOR:	Answer the Judge, Thomas.
TOM:	Um.
PASTOR:	Come on, Thomas.
TOM:	Um ….um … Adam and Eve.
	THE PASTOR SNATCHES THE BIBLE BACK. MUSIC. EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE PASTOR AND THE JUDGE ROAR WITH LAUGHTER AS THEY REMOVE THE PULPIT AND THE BENCHES
SCENE 6	ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL TOM ENTERS ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE.
TOM:	(TO THE AUDIENCE) I hate going to school
	HUCKLEBERRY FINN ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE. HE IS SWINGING A DEAD CAT FROM A PIECE OF STRING< (TO THE AUDIENCE) The mothers of the village don’t like my friend Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t go to school and he’s always dirty. He has no mother and his father drinks whisky all the time. But he’s happy.< THEY APPROACH EACH OTHER (ALOUD TO HUCKLEBERRY) Hello, Huck! What have you got there?
HUCK:	A dead cat.
TOM:	What are you going to do with it?
HUCK:	I’m going to take it to the graveyard tonight. At midnight a dead cat can call ghosts out of their graves.
TOM:	I never heard that. Is it true?
HUCK:	Well I don’t know.
	Only old Mrs. Hopkins told me. Come with me, and see. Or are you afraid of ghosts?
TOM:	Of course not.
	Come and meow for me at my window at eleven o’clock. WE HEAR THE SCHOOL BELL RINGING The School bell. I’m going to be late. I’ll be punished. HE RUNS OFF.
HUCK:	(CALLS AFTER HIM) See you tonight. HUCK WALKS OFF THE OTHER WAY, SWINGING HIS CAT. MUSIC

Actors	Recorded Sound Effects	Live Sound Effects	Music
Aunt Polly	Mississippi Kite and dogs barking	Door opens	Theme music. Find online or get the students to compose and perform it
Tom	Door opens	Door closes	Buffalo Girl Song
Sid	Door closes	Sloshing on of paint with brush	Painting music
Jim	Sloshing on of paint with brush	Running footsteps	Romantic music
Joe	Swinging bucket and sloshing water	Scuffle as Aunt Polly catches Tom	Church music
Ben	Mocking bird	Swinging bucket and sloshing water	Huckleberry music
Billy	Church bell	Face being slapped
Becky	School bell	Sound of somersault
Pastor		chattering of congregation
Judge		whispering of congregation
Huckleberry

SCENE 1	INTERIOR. TOM SAWYER THEME MUSIC SOUND OF MISSISSIPI KITE AND DOG BARKING.
AUNT POLLY	(CALLS) Tom! Tom! Where are you?
	SHE MOVES IN AND OUR OF THE MICROPHONE
	Where is that boy? When I find him I’m going to…… SOUND EFFECT OF OPENING DOOR. WE HEAR EXTERIOR SOUNDS OF MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING (CALLS) Tom! WE HEAR RUNNING FOOTSTEPS AND TOM’S BREATHING AND SCUFFLE AS AUNT POLLY CATCHES TOM Ah, there you are. What’s that in your pocket?
TOM:	Nothing, Aunt Polly
AUNT POLLY:	Nothing?
	SHE PUTS HER HAND IN HIS POCKET AND TAKES OUT AN APPLE It’s an apple. Now listen, those apples are not for you and I –
TOM:	Oh, Aunt Polly! Quick! Look behind you.
	TOM RUNS AWAY LAUGHING AND SLAMMING DOOR BEHIND HIME, CUTTING OFF OFF SOUNDS OF MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING.
AUNT POLLY:	(LAUGHS QUIETLY) I never learn.
	I love my dead sister’s child, but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady. Well its Saturday tomorrow and there’s no school, but it isn’t going to be a holiday for Tom. He’s going to work tomorrow. (FADE)
SCENE 2	MUSIC. EXTERIOR
	HEAR MISSISSIPPI KITE AND DOG BARKING AGAIN
TOM:	Saturday’s ruined! It’s not fair!
	WE HEAR THE SOUND OF SLOSHING PAINT. WE ALSO AS APPROPRIATE HEAR THE SOUND OF THE MOCKING BIRD. THEN WE HEAR JIM APPROACHING AND THE SOUND OF A SWINGING BUCKET WITH SLOSHING WATER AND JIM’S SINGING ‘BUFFALO GIRL’.
JIM: (SINGING)	As I was walking down the street,  Down the street, down the street,  A pretty little girl I chanced to meet,  And we danced by the light of the moon.
	Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight,  Come out tonight, come out tonight.  Buffalo Girl, won’t you come out tonight  And dance by the light of the moon. Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking and her knees kept a knocking and her toes kept a rocking Danced with the girl with the hole in her stocking And we danced by the light of the moon.
TOM:	Jim, I’ll fetch the water if you’ll paint some of the fence.
JIM:	I can’t, Master Tom. Aunt Polly told me I got to go and get water and not stop for anything. She said Tom would ask me to paint.
TOM:	Never mind what she said, Jim. Give me the bucket—I’ll only be gone a minute. She won’t know.
JIM:	I don’t dare, Master Tom. Aunt Polly would knock my head off.
TOM:	She talks angrily, but never hurts anybody.. I’ll give you my white marble!
JIM:	(THINKING) Hmm.
	But I’m afraid of Aunt Polly.
AUNT POLLY:	Why aren’t you fetching water as I told you? Take that!
	JIM RUNS AWAY. TOM STARTS PAINTING BUSILY. AUNT POLLY MARCHES AWAY
TOM:	(TO THE AUDIENCE) I have an idea.
	HE GETS UP AND STARTS PAINTING AGAIN. TOM’S FRIEND JOE HARPER APPEARS, BUT TOM DOES NOT LOOK AT HIM. JOE HAS AN APPLE IN HIS HAND. HE LOOKS AT THE FENCE.
JOE:	I am sorry, Tom.
	TOM SAYS NOTHING, BUT GOES ON PAINTING. Working for your aunt? I’m going down to the river. I’m sorry you can’t come with me. TOM PUTS DOWN HIS PAINT BRUSH
TOM:	Do you call this work?
JOE:	Painting a fence? Of course it’s work. TOM STARTS PAINTING AGAIN
TOM:	Perhaps it is, and perhaps it isn’t.
	I like it. I can go to the river any day. I can’t paint a fence very often. TOM GOES ON PAINTING
JOE:	Tom, can I paint a little? TOM THINKS A BIT
TOM:	I’m sorry, Joe. No—no—
	I think it wouldn’t do, Ben. You see, Aunt Polly’s wants me to do it because I’m very good at painting. My brother, Sid, wanted to do it too, but she said no.
JOE:	Oh please, Tom, just a little. I’m good at painting. Hey do you want some of my apple?
TOM:	No, Joe, I can’t -.
JOE:	OK. You can have all of my apple.
	TOM GIVES THE BRUSH TO JOE. JOE STARTS TO PAINT. TOM SITS DOWN AND EATS THE APPLE. MORE FRIENDS ARRIVE AND GIVE TOM A KITE, A DEAD RAT ON A STRING AND A BLUE BOTTLE. THEY ALL START PAINTING. SOON THE FENCE IS WHITE. HIS FRIENDS GO AWAY.
TOM:	(CALLS) Aunt Polly. AUNT POLLY COMES OUT AND LOOKS AT THE FENCE. May I go and play now?
AUNT POLLY:	Yes. But don’t come home late. MUSIC. TOM AND AUNT POLLY LEAVE. STAGE HANDS TAKE THE FENCE OFF STAGE
SCENE 3
TOM:	(WALKING ACROSS THE STAGE) It was then that I fell in love.
	FADE MUSIC. BECKY WALKS ONTO THE STAGE. As I was passing Judge Thatcher’s house I saw a wonderful new girl, a lovely little blue-eyed creature with yellow hair. I pretended not to notice her. But decided to show off to get her attention. HE SOMERSAULTS I did several somersaults. SHE THROWS HIM A FLOWER As she left the little girl tossed a flower over the fence. I was so happy! MUSIC. HE SKIPS AWAY CARRYING THE FLOWER
SCENE 4
	OUTSIDE THE CHURCH MUSIC MIX INTO CHURCH BELL SUMMONING THE CONGREGATION. THE STAGE HANDS – AS CHURCH GOERS – BRING ON A BACKDROP OF A PICTURE OF A CHURCH. TOM ENTERS. THEN BECKY ENTERS WITH HER MOTHER AND FATHER. THEY WALK PAST TOM. SHE PRETENDS TO IGNORE HIM, BUT GLANCES BACK AS SHE ENTERS THE CHURCH. SEVERAL OF TOM’S FRIENDS ARE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH WITH HIM TOM TURNS TO BEN.
TOM:	Ben, have you got any yellow tickets?
BEN:	Yes
TOM:	How many?
BEN:	Three.
TOM:	Wow! What will you take for them?
BEN:	You can give me back my kite.
TOM:	That’s a deal.
	TOM HANDS HIM BACK HIS KITE IN EXCHANGE FOR THREE YELLOW TICKETS. THEN BILLY APPEARS. Billy, have you got any yellow tickets?
BILLY:	I have. Yes.
TOM:	How many?
BILLY:	Five.
TOM:	Wowee! What will you take for them?
BILLY:	You can give me back my dead rat on a string. THEY EXCHANGE. TOM TURNS TO THE AUDIENCE.
TOM:	It’s my lucky day. I only need two more. (PAUSE) I have an idea. HE WALKS TOWARDS THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH BELL FADES.
SCENE 5	INSIDE THE CHURCH
	MUSIC. STAGE HANDS/CONGREGATION REMOVE THE BACKDROP OF THE OUTSIDE OF THE CHURCH. THEY BRING ON A PULPIT AND SEVERAL BENCHES. THE PASTOR ENTERS WITH JUDGE THATCHER AND MRS THATCHER AND BECKY THATCHER. THEY SIT ON THE BENCH UPSTAGE BESIDE THE PULPIT, FACING THE AUDIENCE. AS THE CONGREGATION ENTERS AND SITS ON THE NEARER BENCHES WITH THEIR BACKS TO THE AUDIENCE AND FACING THE PULPIT. FADE MUSIC. THE PASTOR EXPLAINS TO THE JUDGE:
PASTOR:	You see, Judge, whenever one of our pupils learns two verses of the Bible, he or she receives a blue ticket.
	Now one hundred blue tickets entitles him or her to one yellow ticket; and ten yellow tickets bring the reward of a beautiful Bible.
	THE CONGREGATION ARE ENTERING AND WHISPERING TO EACH OTHER. TOM ENTERS AND SITS BESIDE SIDNEY. THE PASTOR CLIMBS UP INTO THE PULPIT. AS THE PASTOR SPEAKS, TOM MANAGES TO TAKE TWO YELLOW TICKETS OUT OF SIDNEY’S POCKET WITHOUT SIDNEY NOTICING. Attention! Attention! THE CONGREGATION STOP MOVING AND WHISPERING. Today we have the rare privilege of distinguished visitors. HE PAUSES WHILE SOME NOISY CHILDREN ENTER. Judge Thatcher, the newly elected magistrate of our county has consented to make the presentation of the bible prize to Sidney Sawyer. THE PASTOR DESCENDS FROM THE PULPIT.
PASTOR:	Come up Sidney.
	SIDNEY DOES SO AND HANDS HIS YELLOW TICKETS TO THE PASTOR. SIDNEY IS MUCH TIDIER THAN TOM AND HIS HAIR IS WELL COMBED AND SMOOTHED DOWN. THE PASTOR COUNTS THE TICKETS. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…. There only appear to be eight. I’m sorry Sidney, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait another week. You are two tickets short. SIDNEY GIVES TOM AN ANGRY LOOK
SIDNEY:	I wasn’t two short when I came in here. HE RETURNS TO HIS SEAT
PASTOR:	I don’t suppose there is anyone else who has learnt the necessary two thousand verses.
	TOM PUTS UP HIS HAND. THE PASTOR FROWNS, THEN IGNORES HIM. No, I thought not. TOM STANDS UP
TOM:	I’m ready for a bible.
	EVERYBODY LOOKS ASTONISHED, INCLUDING THE PASTOR AND BECKY. TOM HURRIES UP TO THEM. I’ve got enough tickets. HE HANDS THEM OVER WITH A BIG SMILE.
PASTOR:	Very well let me count them.
	HE COUNTS SLOWLY AS IF HE CANNOT BELIEVE IT One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. (PAUSE) Yes, it’s quite true. Here is the required number of tickets. THE JUDGE STANDS UP
JUDGE:	Then the young man is certainly entitled to his reward. THE PASTOR HANDS THE BIBLE TO THE JUDGE
PASTOR:	Then if you will be so kind, Judge.
JUDGE:	Well my little man, what is your name?
TOM:	Tom
PASTOR:	No. It is Thomas
JUDGE:	You have another one, I dare say.
PASTOR:	Tell the gentleman your other name, Thomas. Sawyer and say “Sir”
TOM:	Sir Thomas Sawyer
	THE JUDGE TRIES NOT TO LAUGH AND SOME OF THE CONGREGATION GIGGLE. HE GIVES THE BIBLE TO TOM.
JUDGE:	Two thousand verses are a great many, and you can never be sorry for the trouble you took to learn them.
	No doubt you know the names of all Jesus’s disciples. Who were the first two? (SILENCE)
PASTOR:	Answer the Judge, Thomas.
TOM:	Um.
PASTOR:	Come on, Thomas.
TOM:	Um ….um … Adam and Eve.
	THE PASTOR SNATCHES THE BIBLE BACK. MUSIC. EVERYBODY EXCEPT THE PASTOR AND THE JUDGE ROAR WITH LAUGHTER AS THEY REMOVE THE PULPIT AND THE BENCHES
SCENE 6	ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL TOM ENTERS ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE.
TOM:	(TO THE AUDIENCE) I hate going to school
	HUCKLEBERRY FINN ENTERS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STAGE. HE IS SWINGING A DEAD CAT FROM A PIECE OF STRING< (TO THE AUDIENCE) The mothers of the village don’t like my friend Huckleberry Finn. He doesn’t go to school and he’s always dirty. He has no mother and his father drinks whisky all the time. But he’s happy.< THEY APPROACH EACH OTHER (ALOUD TO HUCKLEBERRY) Hello, Huck! What have you got there?
HUCK:	A dead cat.
TOM:	What are you going to do with it?
HUCK:	I’m going to take it to the graveyard tonight. At midnight a dead cat can call ghosts out of their graves.
TOM:	I never heard that. Is it true?
HUCK:	Well I don’t know.
	Only old Mrs. Hopkins told me. Come with me, and see. Or are you afraid of ghosts?
TOM:	Of course not.
	Come and meow for me at my window at eleven o’clock. WE HEAR THE SCHOOL BELL RINGING The School bell. I’m going to be late. I’ll be punished. HE RUNS OFF.
HUCK:	(CALLS AFTER HIM) See you tonight. HUCK WALKS OFF THE OTHER WAY, SWINGING HIS CAT. MUSIC

Secondary Course 02

At the end of this page you will find a complete version of the stage play and the first half of the audio play. For now and until the website is completed they are free to download and for you to produce. Enjoy!

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

Unit 1

Objectives

Unit 2

Preparatory

Unit 3

Drills

Unit 4

Songs and Other Activities

Unit 5

Research

Unit 5

Unit 6

Stage Play

Theme Music

Play Reading

Audio Play

Theme Music

Mississippi Kite and Dog Barking

Mocking Bird

Buffalo Gal

Notes, Recommendations and Homework

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