Rip Van Cub Scout

CAST:             Rip Van (see below)
                  Boy
                  Reporter
                  President
                  Astronaut
                  Scientist
                  (Additional characters can be easily worked in if needed)

PROPS:            Tree
                  Long white beard
                  “Press” badge
                  Paper and pencil
                  Stack of papers for President
                  Notebook and pencil for scientist
                  Helmet for astronaut

COSTUMES & MAKE-UP: Characters may wear appropriate costumes or signs identifying them. To age
                  Rip, powder hair with talcum powder, and draw facial wrinkles with an eyebrow pencil

RIP:              (Comes on stage wearing Cub uniform. He lays down under a tree.)
                  Someday, I’m really going to do things … be important …
                  (He dozes off to sleep)

(House lights off. President, Astronaut, Scientist, and Reporter come on stage. The first
three stand apart from each other. A flashlight is shined on the reporter as he talks with each
character.

REPORTER:         (To President)
                  Mr. President, you’re the youngest man to ever hold office. You’ve solved the
                  unemployment problem. The United States is at peace with the rest of the world. You’ve
                  done so much for us. I’ll bet your parents are really proud of you!

(President looks pleased with himself. He shuffles through his papers.)

REPORTER:         (To Astronaut)
                  Colonel, you’ve been the first to fly to Mars. You’ve discovered a new planet; a new race
                  of people and learned to communicate with them. What’s next?

(Astronaut holds helmet, looks proud.)

REPORTER:         (To Scientist)
                  Dr., you’ve discovered a fertilizer that has solved the world‘s food shortage. You have
                  helped solve the world’s energy crisis. We understand that you have just won the Nobel
                  Prize for scientific achievement.

(Dr. writes busily in a notebook.)

(Flashlight is turned off. Boys leave the stage. While the reporter was interviewing the others,
Rip has been aged and his beard is added.)

BOY:              Rip Van (use boy’s last name)! You’ve just dreamed your life away. While you were
                  asleep, the world really got itself into trouble. You never even got your Wolf (or Bear)
                  badge in Cub Scouting. Great deeds need a lot of work and they start with small ones!
                  Let’s get busy. It’s not too late!