Daring Sailormen

CHARACTERS: 10 SAILORS (the play opens with the 1st settler on stage)

(A NARRATOR reads the verses aloud while the SAILORS perform actions quickly and briefly.)

NARRATOR:
           One daring sailorman sailed the ocean blue
          (a player marches on-stage, faces the audience, steers ship)
          Along came a friend of his and so there were two!
          (the second player enters, they exchange greetings, stand alongside each other)

          Two daring sailormen sailed the stormy sea
          (both steer at the wheel while holding tight and swaying)
          They called and called for extra help and so there were three!
          (as they call with cupped hands a third player joins them)

          Three daring sailormen stepped upon the shore
          (players step forward, march in place)
          And when the three stepped back again, the three had turned to four!
          (as the three step back to original positions a fourth player joins them)

          Four daring sailormen did a fancy dive
          (they make diving motions)
          They looked so fine and fancy that soon there were five!
          (the fifth player enters, looks in admiration, joins them)

          Five daring sailormen fished with crooked sticks
          (they pretend to fish)
          Their dinner was so tasty, very soon there were six!
          (as they pretend to eat a sixth player joins them)

          Six daring sailormen opened up a door
          (they face wing and pretend to open doors)
          In jumped another friend, so there was one more!
          (the seventh player jumps in)

          Seven daring sailormen all began to skate
          (all pretend to skate)
          It looked so much like lots of fun that their number came to eight!
          (eighth player skates on stage)

          Eight daring sailormen all stood in a line
          (they line up at attention)
          And before they knew it, the line had stretched to nine.
          (the ninth player quickly enters to join the end of the line)

          Nine daring sailormen wondered where they’d been
          (they shade eyes with hands and gaze outward)
          Someone came to tell them, and that made ten!
          (the tenth player enters, gestures outward)

          Ten daring sailormen all went swimming for fun
          (all make swimming movements)
          And so they swam and swam and swam until at last there were none!
          (they swim offstage)