AUDIENCE PARTICIPATIONS
The Wonderful Cellar Band
San Gabriel Valley, Long Beach, & Verdugo Hills Councils
Divide the group into five smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you assign parts. Read the story. After each of the words is read, pause for the group to make the appropriate response.
DUSTY OLD CELLAR: Cree-eek, Ah-Choo
JUG: Boop, Boop
TRASH CAN: Crash-Bam
SAW: Whaang, Whaang
HAT BOX: Rat-a-tat-tat
Once upon a time, as many stories begin, in a DUSTY OLD CELLAR there lived a group of very good, very old, and very out-dated friends. There was an empty glass JUG, a rusty SAW, two beat-up TRASH CANS and a faded old HAT BOX. Now these old friends had been in the DUSTY OLD CELLAR for a very long time, and except for being moved about from time to time, they were left alone to rust or turn to dust. Needless to say, they were very lonely.
One day, the empty glass JUG, in a deep low voice said, "It's too quiet here. I wish something would happen." “ Now really, JUG," said the rusty SAW, "What could possibly happen here?" "Why," said the faded old HAT BOX, "I've been sitting on this DUSTY OLD CELLAR shelf for 20 years and all I've seen are two mice and a Daddy- Long-Legs spider." This empty glass JUG is just getting older and emptier," said the beat-up TRASH CANS. "Don't pay him any mind."
Suddenly there was the sound of footsteps on the DUSTY OLD CELLAR stairs. Four young boys, all dressed alike, came cautiously down the DUSTY OLD CELLAR steps. They were talking in hushed voices. "Are they twins?" asked the faded old HAT BOX.
"I think they're pygmies!" said the rusty SAW in a lofty voice. "Nonsense," said the empty glass JUG. "They're Cub Scouts," said the beat-up TRASH CANS. By now, the old friends were very curious and excited. They listened as the boys talked.
"Boy, it's spooky down here in this DUSTY OLD CELLAR," said Jim. "Don't be a fraidy cat," said Mike. "Aw heck, let's go," said Jack. "No, wait," said Bill. "I've got an idea. We have to do a stunt for our Den Meeting, don't we?"
"Yeah, that's right," the other three chorused. "Well," said Bill, "Let's have a band ... a DUSTY OLD CELLAR band!" "A band!" they yelped. "Sure," said Bill. "I'll play that rusty SAW. Jim, you take that empty glass JUG. Mike that faded old HAT BOX will make a neat drum. And Jack, those beat-up TRASH CAN lids will be swell cymbals. Well, of course, you know the rest. Den Three made new friends with old friends, right there in the DUSTY OLD CELLAR, with an empty glass JUG, a rusty SAW, a faded old HAT BOX and two beat-up TRASH CANS, and for all we know, they may be playing together still!
Down by the Old Mill Stream - (Vaudeville Style)
Baltimore Area Council
INSTRUCTIONS: Sing the song through once with no action. Sing a second time with action. Boys could make musical instruments for washboard band.
Words Actions
Down by the OLD MILL STREAM
OLD- stroke chin for beard
MILL- hands go around like mill wheel
STREAM- small, wavy motion
Where I FIRST met YOU,
FIRST- hold up 1 finger
YOU- point to another person
With your EYES so BLUE
EYES- point to eyes
BLUE- point to CUB uniform
Dressed in GINGHAM, TOO
. GINGHAM- point to WEBELOS scarf
TOO- hold up 2 fingers
It was THERE I KNEW
THERE- point far away
KNEW- point to head and look inspired
That you LOVED me TRUE.
LOVED- put hand over heart
TRUE- put up 2 fingers in CUB salute
You were SIXTEEN
SIXTEEN- flash fingers to show 16
My village QUEEN
QUEEN- put hands to head, fingers up for crown
Down by the OLD MILL STREAM.
(as OLD, MILL, and STREAM above)
For adventurous groups, try the following version:
Down by the OLD (not the NEW, but the OLD) MILL STREAM (not the River, but the STREAM) Where I FIRST (not SECOND, but FIRST) met YOU (not HIM, but YOU).
With your EYES (not your EARS, but your EYES) so BLUE (not GREEN, but BLUE), Dressed in GINGHAM (not SILK, but GINGHAM), TOO (not THREE, but TOO).
It was THERE (not HERE, but THERE) I KNEW (not THOUGHT, but KNEW) That I LOVED (not HATED, but LOVED) you TRUE (not FALSE, but TRUE).
You were SIXTEEN (not FIFTEEN, but SIXTEEN), My village QUEEN (not the KING, but the QUEEN) Down by the OLD (not the NEW, but the OLD) MILL STREAM (not the RIVER, but the STREAM).
Actions
NEW- rock baby in arms
RIVER- large wavy motion
SECOND- hold up 2 fingers
HIM- point to a HIM
EARS- point to ears
GREEN- point to CUBMASTER's green uniform
SILK- point to American flag
THREE- hold up 3 fingers
HERE- point to ground by feet
THOUGHT- put hand like fist and strike pose like Rodin's "Thinker"
HATED- scowl & clench fists
FALSE- clasp hand over mouth, horrified
FIFTEEN- flash fingers to 15
KING- hands to head, fingers down
If you're really brave, reverse the words, i.e. Down by the New (not the Old, but the New) MILL RIVER (not the STREAM but the RIVER), etc.
Chopin Jones and the Music Man
Southern NJ Council
Divide the group into six smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Practice as you assign parts. Read the story. After each of the words is read, pause for the group to make the appropriate response.
CHOPIN JONES “Do-re-mi-fa-so-la-ti-do”
THE EYES OF TEXAS
Stand with hand over heart and hummmmmm
MUSIC MAN “I’ve Got Rhythm.”
BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN “Boo, Hissss.”
CROWD OF CRITICS “Down with Beautiful Music
SOUR NOTES Sing “Bad, bad, bad” off key .
In a small, but quaint studio room near the orchestra hall of Tonhous, Texas, lived a mild mannered piano teacher named CHOPIN JONES. CHOPIN JONES was lying in bed reading Sheet Music Magazine. “Boy, he said, “I’d like to hear THE EYES OF TEXAS.” Suddenly there was a drum roll, and where a moment ago lied the mild mannered CHOPIN JONES, now lie a grand guy MUSIC MAN, enemy of SOUR NOTES, champion of Jazz, defender of harmony, rhythm, and the pursuit of beautiful music. CHOPIN JONES had mistakenly uttered the secret words, THE EYES OF TEXAS which transforms him from a mild mannered piano teacher to the grand guy MUSIC MAN. “Fooey, thought MUSIC MAN, “ I never get to hear THE EYES OF TEXAS, (drum roll) my favorite song, because if I were to play, sing, or say THE EYES OF TEXAS (drum roll) I would give away my secret identity. At least I get to fight lots of SOUR NOTES.” “ THE EYES OF TEXAS, “ (drum roll) said MUSIC MAN, and once again he was the mild mannered CHOPIN JONES.
Just then there was a ringing in CHOPIN JONES’ shoe. It was the conductor calling him on his shoehorn. He was in a panic. “MUSIC MAN,” he cried, “BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN, your arch enemy and his CROWD OF CRITICS, Murderous Mack the knife, Dreadful old Dan Tucker, cunning cotton—eyed Joe, and Wild Harry, have broken out of jail and are playing a lot of SOUR NOTES. They are out for revenge against you and the orchestra of Tonhous. They said you like beautiful music. You prevented them from plugging up the holes in our clarinets and saxophones; kept them from throwing our beautiful music away, and just won’t let them play SOUR NOTES. That CROWD OF CRITICS mean a lot of bad notes. “
“THE EYES OF TEXAS,” shouted CHOPIN JONES and MUSIC MAN was in business once again. “BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN and his CROWD OF CRITICS have been a tear in my drum top, and this time I will take care of BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN and his CROWD OF CRITICS.” MUSIC MAN blew around the city, but made a wrong turn on the freeway and soon was on his way to Dallas. He headed back for Tonhous. He saw a suspicious—looking Volkswagen. Could BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN and his CROWD OF CRITICS be in that little car? He blew down, and sure enough the whole crowd was there and on their way to play SOUR NOTES.
There was a great rumble. “Rat-tat-tat,” went the snare drums; “boom boom,” went the bass drum; “blast, blast” went the cornets; and “toot” went the flute. Nothing could hurt MUSIC MAN and soon the CROWD OF CRITICS and their SOUR NOTES’ leader, BAD, BAD LEROY BROWN, were behind bars again.
The conductor said, ”Want to hear the latest song, MUSIC MAN?” MUSIC MAN said, “I’d rather hear THE EYES OF TEXAS. Ooops! “
