The Open Door Web Site : Ghost Town : The Play

Ghost Town : The Play
by the students of the Ecole Active Bilingue Jeannine Manuel Primary Ecology Club (1993-1994)


Scene opens, Humming bird, Frog, Tree lizard and Blue gill on set. Humming bird is drinking nectar from cactus
Humming bird	It's great to be able to drink nectar in peace. Those human children used to chase me away all the time.
Tree lizard	Yes, you're right - the children often threw stones at me and tried to catch me.
Frog	I liked the humans being around; they made the lake, you know.
Blue gill	I completely agree. I couldn't even be here without the lake.
Gila monster walks in slowly from left Horned toad lizard walks in slowly from right
Gila monster	Oh, I'm really hungry! Has anyone seen any birds' nests around, full of delicious eggs?
Horned toad lizard	Eggs! Who wants to eat eggs? Give me lots of juicy ants any day.
Humming bird	Your lucky that now the humans have gone you can come into town to to find eggs and ants.
Horned toad lizard	Yes and there's a harvester ants nest right next to the old grocery store. I know exactly where to find my lunch.
Humming bird moves off right Dragonfly moves in from left
Frog (quietly - stage whisper to audience)	Ah, a dragonfly! Here's my lunch.
Tree lizard (quietly - stage whisper to audience)	Not if I can help it! I like to eat dragonflies too.
Both start to move towards dragonfly who has not seen them yet.
Dragonfly	What good luck to have a lake in the middle of the desert. (Short pause) Is that a frog? Oh no, and this looks very much like a tree lizard. Why is there never any rest?
Dragonfly flies off to left (high) Frog jumps but misses, then moves back to position under cactus. Tree lizard starts to follow but then stops under cactus Enter Coyote from right with Kissing bug behind Enter Rattlesnake from right , behind cactus Tree lizard stays onstage but hides on other side of the cactus Frog moves offstage
Coyote	I am so fed up with these parasites!
Kissing bug (moving up, so as to be seen)	Since the humans have gone, I'm forced to feed on coyotes. It's a shame really because I prefer human blood.
Coyote	Why me? Go and find another coyote
Rattlesnake	I can't believe you miss the humans, bug. Rattlesnakes almost became extinct when they lived around here.
Coyote	I know. The humans used to shoot coyotes, too.
Kissing bug	I'm glad they aren't around to shoot you. I like it in your fur and I am very difficult to get rid of, unless I decide to change my host. But for the moment I am quite happy with you.
Coyote (moving off right)	Grrrrrrrrr!
Rattlesnake moves to left and Tree lizard moves to the other side of the cactus (left) Meanwhile Vine snake appears from cactus and sees tree lizard
Vine snake	What good luck! Lunch is sitting right under my nose.
Vine snake moves slowly down towards tree lizard. Tree lizard sees vine snake just in time, gives out a screech, and moves quickly left
Tree lizard	Oh my - that was too close for comfort!
Tree lizard moves offstage to left
Vine snake	That is very disappointing - another day perhaps, my dear lizard.
Centipede enters from right Grasshopper mouse enters from left
Grasshopper mouse	Get out of my way, centipede!
Centipede	Hey, why should I get out of your way? Move aside, grasshopper mouse.
Grasshopper mouse	OK, so we fight it out, invertebrate but I warn you I am faster than you and I like the taste of your poisoned fangs.
Centipede	But you won't like it when I squirt my poison into your eyes.
Both fight and move off to left At the same time the black widow spider enters from the right
Black widow spider	Wow, did you see that fight!
Rattlesnake	That could not have happened when the humans were around. They would have chased them both away.
Black widow spider	I'm pleased the humans are gone. I can make my webs in the dark corners of their houses now and wait for my food to come to me.
Vine snake	You had better get back to those dark corners, black widow. Night is falling and your food will be waiting for you.
Osprey enters (high) Vine snake and Black widow goes offstage Rattlesnake remains onstage
Osprey	I can't see very much. I have left it very late in the day to hunt for fish
	(pause - hovers around).
Meanwhile Owl enters and rests on cactus, Tarantula and Packrat enter from right
Osprey	Ah! I think I see one (makes a dive on Blue Gill) Missed! Guess I'll have to wait until its light.
Osprey moves off to left
Blue Gill	Wow! I wish it was always as dark as this! I'll go down deeper in the lake now that the night creatures are out looking for food.
Lights go down. Tarantula and Owl join rattlesnake on stage. Owl on the top of the cactus.
Owl	It's a beautiful night. Now what is there to eat?
Tarantula	I wouldn't try to eat me, owl. I have poison in my fangs.
Rattlesnake	Yes, and me too.
Pack rat enters unaware of the other animals
Packrat	Oh great! Now that the humans have gone I can clean up Ruby. I can eat practically anything! - or at least try to.
Tarantula	Be careful, packrat - there are a few predators around.
Packrat	Where? (looks around) A rattlesnake - and an owl (bounces off as rattlesnake and owl try to catch it.)
Rattlesnake	Oh too bad! Stupid tarantula - you always manage to spoil my dinner.
Owl	That could have been my dinner too.
Tarantula	Tough luck! I'm off into a house to see if any young birds or bats have fallen out of their cosy nests.
Tarantula moves off
Owl	I'll look elsewhere too. (moves off)
Rattlesnake	There must be something to eat somewhere. (moves off)
Packrat bounces back onstage
Packrat	Good - now that they have all gone I can look for my food in peace.
Enter ring tailed cat
Ring-tailed cat	Am I dreaming? A tasty packrat and it's just for me.
Packrat	You'll never catch me, ring tail.
Ring-tailed cat	Don't be so sure about that - I am a champion pack rat catcher.
Fight starts and animals move off stage. Scorpion moves on stage
Scorpion	What - nothing to eat!
Tarantula moves onstage
Scorpion	(stage whisper to audience) I spoke too soon - here comes my supper.
Tarantula	No little bats! No little birds! No food for a poor tarantula.
Scorpion	Oh, poor tarantula! It doesn't seem to be your night, does it? After I have finished with you, you will not have to worry about finding something to eat.
Fight starts and animals move off stage - more light as dawn breaks All day animals come back onstage and feed
Tree lizard	It is easier for all of us now that the humans have left Ruby.
Blue Gill	Yes, but I have to thank the humans for the lake.
Osprey	And I could not exist in the desert without the lake.
Humming bird	Some of the animals are busy re-cycling Ruby.
Kissing bug	The packrats, termites and ants are all re-cyclers.
All together	Between us we are returning Ruby to Nature.