Act One
Scene 2
(the wood, late afternoon.

The stage is filled by trees of all variety. Many twisted and gnarled---others going straight forward to the sky without a branch. Bright sunlight streams through, creating a wonderful light maze.

As the scene progresses, the sunlight is gradually replaced by moonlight, and the stage gets alternately light and dark, suggesting a windy/cloudy night. The foliage rustles in the breeze, with an occasional gust blowing about low-lying fog, giving an eerie feeling.

CINDERELLA kneels before a tree filled with birds)

Narrator: Cinderella had planted a branch at the grave of her mother and she visited often, and wept so much, that her trees watered it until it had become a handsome tree.

(exits)

Cinderella: I'VE BEEN GOOD AND I'VE BEEN KIND, MOTHER,
DOING ONLY WHAT I LEARNED FROM YOU.
WHY THEN AM I LEFT BEHIND, MOTHER,
IS THERE SOMETHING MORE THAT I SHOULD DO?
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME, MOTHER?
SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG.
I WISH--

(suddenly, the ghost of CINDERELLA'S MOTHER appears within the tree. SHE is a collection of remembered mannerisms and sayings)

Cinderella's Mother: What, child? Specify. Opportunity is not a lengthy visitor and good fortune, though bad, can befall when least expected.

Cinderella: I wish...

Cinderella's Mother: DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WISH?
ARE YOU CERTAIN WHAT YOU WISH
IS WHAT YOU WANT?
IF YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WANT,
THEN MAKE A WISH.
ASK THE TREE.
AND YOU SHALL HAVE YOUR WISH.

Cinderella: (rising) SHIVER AND QUIVER, LITTLE TREE,
SILVER AND GOLD THROWN DOWN ON ME.

(a gold and silver dress and fancy slippers drop down from the tree)

I'M OFF TO GET MY WISH.
(picks up the clothes and dashes offstage

JACK is walking through the woods, leading MILKY-WHITE. he stops and sits on a tree stump)

Jack: Quiet. Silence everywhere, Milky-White. Not to my liking...

(pause)

Mysterious Man: (stepping from behind a tree)
Hello, Jack.

Jack: (frightened) How did you know my name?

Mysterious Man: When first I appear, I seem mysterious. But when explained, I am nothing serious.

Jack: Say that again.

Mysterious Man: On your way to market? You might have been there long time ago. Taking your time, Jack?

Jack: No, sir.

Mysterious Man: Is that the truth?

Jack: Well, you see now I'm resting--

Mysterious Man: How much are you asking for the animal?

Jack: No less than five pounds, sir.

Mysterious Man: Oh now, Jack. Why such a sum?

Jack: My mother told me--

Mysterious Man: Your mother? A boy your age? Why you'd be lucky to exchange her for a sack of beans.

Jack: Well, I--

(before JACK can respond, the MYSTERIOUS MAN has disappeared)

Jack: Come along, Milky-White. There are spirits here...
(exits

another part of the woods. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD, skipping to the accompaniment of "Into the Woods," is surprised by the WOLF.

MUSIC stops)

Wolf: Good day, young lady.

Little Red Ridinghood: Good day, Mr. Wolf.

(MUSIC resumes.

LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD continues. WOLF stops her again.

MUSIC stops)

Wolf: Whither away so hurriedly?

Little Red Ridinghood: To my Grandmother's.

(MUSIC resumes.

LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD continues briefly. WOLF stops her once more)

Wolf: And what might be in your basket?
(sniffs basket, then her torso)

Little Red Ridinghood: Bread and wine, so Grandmother will have something good to make her strong.

Wolf: And where might your grandmother live?

(BAKER appears behind a tree and eavesdrops)

Little Red Ridinghood: A good quarter of a league further in the woods; her house stands under three large oak trees.

(WOLF grunts lasciviously to himself as he watches LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD skip off)

Wolf: MMMH...
(rubbing his thighs)
UNHH...

LOOK AT THAT FLESH,
PINK AND PLUMP.
HELLO LITTLE GIRL...

TENDER AND FRESH,
NOT ONE LUMP.
HELLO LITTLE GIRL...

THIS ONE'S ESPECIALLY LUSH,
DELICIOUS...
MMMH...

(smacks his lips, then runs over and pops up in front of LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD, holds her as for a tango. he begins moving like Fred Astaire. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD leans with him, but doesn't move her feet)

HELLO, LITTLE GIRL,
WHAT'S YOUR RUSH?
YOU'RE MISSING ALL THE FLOWERS.
THE SUN WON'T SET FOR HOURS,
TAKE YOUR TIME.

Little Red Ridinghood: (breaking away) MOTHER SAID,
"STRAIGHT AHEAD,"
NOT TO DELAY
OR BE MISLED.

Wolf: BUT SLOW, LITTLE GIRL,
HARK! AND HUSH---
THE BIRDS ARE SINGING SWEETLY.
YOU'LL MISS THE BIRDS COMPLETELY,
YOU'RE TRAVELING SO FLEETLY.

(LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD stops to listen; WOLF devours her with his eyes, mutters to himself)

GRANDMOTHER FIRST,
THEN MISS PLUMP...
WHAT A DELECTABLE COUPLE:
UTTER PERFECTION--
ONE BRITTLE, ONE SUPPLE--

(sees LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD start to move off again)

ONE MOMENT, MY DEAR---!

(LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD stops again)

Little Red Ridinghood: MOTHER SAID,
"COME WHAT MAY,
FOLLOW THE PATH
AND NEVER STRAY."

WOLF: JUST SO, LITTLE GIRL---
ANY PATH.
SO MANY WORTH EXPLORING.
JUST ONE WOULD BE SO BORING.
AND LOOK WHAT YOU'RE IGNORING...

(gestures to the trees and flowers. LITTLE RED RIDINGHOOD looks around)

Wolf: (to himself)
THINK OF THOSE CRISP, AGING BONES,
THEN SOMETHING FRESH ON THE PALATE,
THINK OF THAT SCRUMPTIOUS CARNALITY
TWICE IN ONE DAY--!
THERE'S NO POSSIBLE WAY
TO DESCRIBE WHAT YOU FEEL,
WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO YOUR MEAL.

Little Red Ridinghood: MOTHER SAID
NOT TO STRAY.
STILL, I SUPPOSE A SMALL DELAY.
GRANNY MIGHT LIKE A FRESH BOUQUET...
GOODBYE MR. WOLF.

(she crosses to flowers, starts to pick them, then exits)

Wolf: GOODBYE, LITTLE GIRL.
(starts off)
AND HELLO...
(he howls and exits)


Thanks! Study your lines!

Thanks I will work on them right now~!!

Sarah

*Arwen (Little Red Riding Hood* comes in to practice her part*

~Arwen~

*Heather (mysterious man/Narrator) comes in to study lines

OoOo! I have lines!! Sorry it's taken forever for me to get here, school's started again and I was away over the holidays!

Em xx