printisbetter

As performed by:

Joseph R. Petrolawicz as Matriarch
Kristen Wheeler as Ka
Jason Walsh as Ra

and directed by,

Brett Tribe

with costumes designed by

Anna Kovach

Scene 5

SET: Mountain Top, Dawn

LIGHTS UP

MATRIARCH and KA enter.

MATRIARCH
Even if I thought it right to help the Sharp Noses, only the Trumpet can bring the elephants here. In this heat, the herd is asleep in their groves. If we trumpet now, they won't reach us before Midday. Now come with me.

KA
Where are we going?

MATRIARCH
The Sharp Noses picked this fight, why should any Elephant have to stand in their defense.

KA
What about the rest of the herd?

MATRIARCH
They will join us later.

KA
We can’t leave them!

MATRIARCH
We must get farther down the road before we can signal, or the Peacock Apes will find us for sure.

KA
I’m not afraid of a few stones, and how big of a branch can one of these bipeds throw? We should help the Sharp Trunks!

MATRIARCH
We don’t joke about the bipeds. You think they are too small to worry you, but they are cunning, and fast. Last I saw some, I was barely more than your age, and they don’t live half as long as we, so their kind may not even remember, but I’ll never forget. We found some in the Gorge when the fruit was blooming, and my Matriarch sent us to see them out. There were only a few of them, but they’d broken the trees at the root and pulled up half the rocks in the river before we arrived. It was like they were trying to build a whole new mountain! We charged them and tried to scare them off.

KA
And I bet they were sorry for each one once they saw you coming.

MATRIARCH
They didn’t flap an ear. It wasn’t until my Matriarch led the whole family to smash down their structure and overturn all their cashew plants that we could drive them out of this Valley. The Peacock Apes are dangerous, Ka, we’re not safe if we stay here.

KA
We must warn the family! Trumpet!

MATRIARCH
I won’t do it.

KA
You must! They are in danger.

MATRIARCH
Your Amita will lead the rest of the herd through the North Pass after we’ve made sure it’s safe. Once we are safely out of the Valley, we will signal for them to follow.

KA
We’re running away?

MATRIARCH
Keeping a distance. Now come along, the whole family will be able to hear us.

KA trumpets.

MATRIARCH
What are you doing? Stop that!

KA trumpets again.

MATRIARCH
Are you out of your mind? The Peacock Apes are coming right here, and you want to Sound the Trumpet?

KA
We’re standing with the Sharp Noses, Matriarch, whether you like it or not.

MATRIARCH
I won’t have it. You will do no such thing

KA trumpets.

MATRIARCH
And who is going to make the decision if no one answers the Trumpet.

KA momentarily despairs, then thinks for a moment.

KA
I know! Everyone! Everyone I need your help!

MATRIARCH
What? Younglings, have you been here the whole time?

KA
Don’t be mad, Matriarch, I made them come with me. It was all my fault.

MATRIARCH
You all need to get back to the Groves right now, do you hear me? Go on, all of you. You should not be here!

KA
THEY are the Council, Matriarch.

MATRIARCH
The Younglings? Why, they can’t be Council!

KA
Trunk 3, Branch 12, Leaf 42. Any Elephant who answers the call of the Trumpet shall be given free vote in the Council, regardless of his or her family, status, age, or will of the Matriarch. If you won’t agree to help the Sharp Noses, we’ll do it without you. (To audience) Are you all here to answer the Trumpet?

Audience agrees.

KA
Thank you. As you all know, our Valley was recently invaded by the Sharp Trunks. They have been rude and loud, eaten our thorns, and disturbed the sleep of our Mothers Past. They are big, they are ugly, and they don’t smell very pretty, but the Sharp Noses are in danger. If we allow the Peacock Apes in our Valley, they will build and grow until there is nothing left for any of us. The Sharp Noses don’t want to stay here, we can help them find new lands of their own, where the thorns grow so thick you can eat all day and never see sunlight. I say we should be friends and help them. Do we agree?

Audience agrees.

KA
You see! We have to help them. The family wants to fight. This is our valley, will you just walk away like it means nothing to you? What would the Past Matriarchs say about that?

RUMBLING OS

MATRIARCH
(to audience) You want to join the Sharp Noses?

Audience cheers.

MATRIARCH
So be it. We will stand with the Sharp Noses against the Peacock Apes. Though I fear some may never see this valley again. We will go. Go tell everyone. Bring them here, we’re going to help the Sharp Noses!

Commotion OS.

KA
What’s that?

MATRIARCH
It’s the Sharp Noses. They’re here. Something is wrong. Wait here, Younglings, I’ll see what’s happened.

MATRIARCH exits.

KA
We can’t just sit here! We’ve got to think of something, quick! Hurry! Do any of you have any ideas?

(She listens to a few responses.)

I don’t know. Those are all good ideas, but I just don’t know what will happen. Oh, I can’t think of anything either!

RA enters.

KA
What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your crash?

RA
We tried everything we could. We roared, and we stomped, and we charged them, but they just keep coming. I don’t know how we can stop them.

KA
Well, you’re in luck. The High and Sacred Elephant Order have voted as a majority to give our full and undivided attention to aid any plan of which you may have devised. What shall we do?

RA
Plan that I devised? What can we do...? Hmmm... Let me think...

KA
What can we do?

RA
I know... that sound you make, you know, with your horn...

KA
With my trunk?

RA
Whatever. Can you all do that?

KA
Well, of course we can. All Elephants can trumpet!

RA
All right, you all do that at once, and those Peacock Apes will be rolling around laughing so hard, that we can just roll them out of here!

KA
Why you...!

KA charges RA.

RA
Stop! Hey! I was only kidding. Maybe that’s not such a bad idea after all! Let me here that... what did you call it?

KA
Our trumpet.

RA
Do it once.

KA trumpets.

RA
And you can all do that?

KA
As good, or better.

RA
That’s good. (To Audience) How about you, let me hear it.

Audience trumpets

RA
Wow, that was good, but you’ll have to be a lot louder. The Peacocks aren’t afraid of much. Come on, try it again.

Audience trumpets.

KA
Do you think we can do it?

RA
We’ve got to try.

KA
Come on, everyone, get ready.

RA
I hear them coming.

KA
On my signal...

RA
Now!

KA
Elephants, Trumpet!

Audience trumpets.

KA
They’re running off!

RA
And here comes your family!

KA
And your crash is with them!

RA
I guess you Danglehorns got a lot more in you than I thought.

KA
We did it Ra, we chased off the Peacock Apes! I knew we could do it!

RA
Thank you for helping us, Dangle... I mean... Ka. It will be a long time before the Peacock Apes think about bothering us. At least we won’t have to worry about that while we’re walking tomorrow.

KA
Wait... You don’t have to go so soon.

RA
It’s morning, your Matriarch has ordered we must go.

KA
No, you can’t... But no one can disobey the orders of a Matriarch. What are we going to do...? I know, the Council!

RA
Who?

KA
The Elephant Council! Only an Elephant Council has the power to override the orders of a Matriarch.

RA
You can do that?

KA
Any Elephant can call a Council if she believes the decision of the Matriarch is unfair. The Council can vote to overturn the decision. What do you say, guys? After all, we did scare off the Peacock Apes, I think we can make a decision like this. Whose with me?

Audience cheers.

KA
Then that settles it. The Sharp Trunks can stay until they are rested and have eaten their fill of thistles and thorns, as long as you mind which grasses you’re stepping on.

RA
And the Red Fruit?

KA
...You can have some of the Red Fruit... but only as a special treat. Now come on, let’s go find our parents. I hear by dismiss the Council of the Elephants!

KA and RA exit.

LIGHTS DOWN

END

Adapted by the playwright to a beloved book for 3rd-5th grade readers. Illustrated by Jason Cleveland.