Boo Boos of Bluebell ElementaryReaders’ Theater

Note on Readers’ Theater
Reading/Acting Tips:
When you read the script, think about how to use your voice to express
emotion. How is your character feeling? How can you make your voice
match that feeling? Are you upset? Are you sad? Are you worried? Are you
excited? Try out different things with your voice. Even though you aren’t
moving too much as an actor in Reader’s Theater, think about your bodylanguage. How would your character sit? React?
Try smiling as you read a line. How does that change how things sound?
Try this: have one reader stand with their back to the group. Then have thereader read a line twice, once while smiling, once not. What difference doyou hear?

Stage Set Up Tips:
Make a semi-circle of chairs, one for each reader. As the patients enter,they will take an empty chair. Narrators should sit on each end of thecircle.

Stage Direction Tips:
At the beginning when the narrators are speaking, Miss. Peatree can adjuststools before taking her own. As each person comes on, they should standcenter stage with Miss P. (Remember to cheat out a little bit (turn yourbody towards the audience) so the audience can see you!) With each
addition, Miss. Peatree should react and then gesture for them to take aseat. Readers can react to the ailments of others.

Stage Words:
center stage (middle of the stage)
down stage (towards the audience)up stage (away from the audience)stage left (actor’s left)
stage right (actor’s right)

Cast
Narrator #1
Narrator #2
Mabel
Bert
CharleeGus
GretaBennyCalvin
Patrick
Principal Pettycoat
AmiraAmal
Wilbur (non reading role)
Miss PeatreeButterfly (dog, non reading role)
All (Chorus of voices, can be the cast or additional readers)Note: Roles can be combined or divided based on how many
readers you have.

1The Boo Boos of Bluebell Elementary
Readers’ Theater
Narrator#1:
Her big brass key unlocks the door.
She wipes the counters, sweeps the floor.
Narrator #2:
She checks supplies, she sprays the bed, and sets up for the dayahead.
Narrator #1:
While classes don’t begin till 8,
Narrator #2:
Mabel’s problem cannot wait.
[Enter Mabel]:2MABEL:
I’m aching, quaking, fading fast!
My brothers always wake me last.
They leave me crusts and pancake crumbles.
Now my tummy’s full of grumbles.
All: Poor Mabel!
[Off stage readers can join in for this and all
subsequent times.][Enter Bert]
BERT:
Miss P, Miss P, just look at me!
My face is a catastrophe!
She swirled a splat, and now I’m cursed.
Rubbing hard just makes it worse.
All: Scrub-a-dub!
[Enter Charlee]
CHARLEE:
It wiggles when I smack my lips.
It jiggles when I crunch my chips.
It twists from side to side to side,
but I can’t pull it OUT! I tried.
All: Wiggle, wiggle!

3

[Enter Gus]
GUS:Miss P, may I stay here and rest?
A pain is aching in my chest.
It feels like I might fall apart.
I need a Band-Aid for my heart.
All: Awwwwwwwww [heart hands or hands over heart][Enter Greta]
GRETA:
Stuffy, runny, drippy goop!
Snuffle, globber, goober soup.
Webs of goo, was that a wheeze?
Oh no, watch out, I feel a sneeze!
All: Achoooooo! Ewwwwwwww.
[Enter Benny]
BENNY:
Owwee, ow! My elbow bone!
Eep, Oof, Ouchy, Moan, and Grooooooan!
Patrick laughed, and so did Paul.
I don’t see the joke at ALL!
All: Harumph[crosses arms, look grumpy.]

4

[Enter Calvin]
CALVIN:Miss P, Miss P, quick check my hair!
I think that something’s living there!
I feel a tickly, tiny, twitch,and now I need to itch, itch, itch!
All: [Scratch their heads][Charlee stands up from chair]
CHARLEE:
I’m back again, it’s ready now,
I feel the root, so please…oh, wow.
A push, a pull, a twist, a nudge,
no matter what, it still won’t budge.
All: Wiggle wiggle wiggle!
[Enter Patrick]
PATRICK:I feel a pricking like a pin.
The culprit’s sharp and sliver thin.
It’s digging deep into my skin.
I don’t know how it tunneled in!
All: The worst!
[Charlee gets back up and motions to Greta and Gus to come help.]

5CHARLEE:
Greta, Gus, come help me here!
You take my feet, and Gus cansteer.
Get ready, set …with all our MIGHT!
Oh what’s the use,it’s in there tight.
ALL:Wiggle wiggle wiggle!
[more emphatically than the firsttime, like a chant][Enter Amira and Amal]
AMIRA:
We both dove for the flying ball!
AMAL:
Then all at once, KERSLAM, a fall!
AMIRA:
Hey, mine is bigger, where’s mycast?
AMAL:
No mine is biggest, crutches, fast!
ALL:
Don’t you fight.

6

[Narrators help Wilbur on stage.]
NARRATOR #1:
Miss P, Miss P, come look and see!
An accident in Classroom 3!
NARRATOR #2:
WILBUR BURPED A GURGLE-PLUNCH.
We all saw what he had for lunch.
ALL: [Covers eyes, look away][Enter Roxanne]
ROXANNE:
Rushing, gushing, gory blood!
Watch out world, I’ve got a flood!
I need a dam, a sponge, a plug.
Quick, before I stain the rug.
ALL:
Pinch and tilt!
PRINCIPAL PETTYCOAT:
Pardon me, kids, pardon me,
but this is an emergency.
Miss P, it seems I need your help.
My finger tip is stinging, YELP!
ALL:
It’s not that bad!

7

[The stage is now full of patients. Miss Peatree should come into thecenter of the semi circle. As she reads the her monologue, whomever
she is fixing should come up and then exit the stage after she helpsthem.].

MISS PEATREE:
Ok, ok, let’s settle down.
Let’s get you fixed now, all around.
Who wants ice packs for their bumps? [Benny, Amira and Amal]
Tissues help blow booger clumps. [Greta]
Scrub your hair with mousse and spray. [Calvin]
Comb the itchy bugs away!
Forward tilts stops nosey floods. [Roxanne]
Clean your face with soapy suds. [Bert]
Snacks will help you feel less grouchy. [Mabel]
Here’s a bandage for your ouchy. [Principal]
Oh sweet Wilbur, you need rest.
You can miss that spelling test.
Tweezer time, count 3-2-1… [Patrick]It’s out, that’s it, now go have fun!
GUS
But how about my broken heart?
MISS PEATREE:
It’s hard when you are far apart.
Perhaps this note will make your day.
She’s here with you in every way.

8

[Charlee comes back up.]
CHARLEE:
ONE LAST TRY! It’s flopping, quick!
MISS P:
A hearty yank should do the trick.
Soppy hole
CHARLEE:
Floppy gum!
Tooth Fairy, Tooth Fairy, here I commmmmme!
ALL:
Yay!
[Charlee runs off]
Narrator #1:
She wipes the counter, sweeps the floor.
Her big brass key locks up the door.
Narrator #2:
She hurries home, her pedals whir.
There’s someone there,
who cares for her.
[Miss P. starts to leave, Butterfly the dog comes on and Miss. P pats
the head...

9

Narrators: [in unison]
After all, we all need tending...
[All enter, and surround Miss P. but still leave her open to theaudience.]
All: Even those who do the mending.
THE END[BOWS]

Reader/Actor Notes:

10Warming up for Reader’s Theater:
To warm up, read out loud thestatus of a character. First act
out what that looks like
without sound. How does yourbody look? How does your facelook?
Then try making a sound effectfor each feeling.
Make a gesture for eachailment/status.
Walk around the stage incharacter. How would yourcharacter move through aspace?

My Character is___________________
I feel________________________
I need _______________________
I wonder________________________________________________
Tomorrow I will ____________________________________________Miss P. always tells me __________________________________________________________________