By Brian D. Taylor

© Copyright 2013, Pioneer Drama Service, Inc.

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FORGIVEN: A FAIRY TALE

By BRIAN D. TAYLOR

CAST OF CHARACTERS# of lines

ELLE ........................................beautiful, perky, reformed witch 49 who only does good; our narrator

At SchoolLIZZIE* .....................................young Elizadora from the past; 81

lonely and bitterPRINCE WHITE ..........................laid-back prince of the Valley 23

Kingdom; later known as KING WHITE, Snow White’s father

MIDAS II ...................................serious and driven prince of the 76 Forest Kingdom; has a secret love; later becomes King Midas

GIZELLE ....................................spoiled brat with fantastic hair; 38 crazy about beans; Rapunzel’s mother

GOLDILOCKS ............................homeless and hungry; steals 39 what she needs

THOMAS BAKER ........................sells his father’s baked goods 33CINDERELLA .............................housemaid destined to become 36

a princessPHILIP ......................................woodcutter who gets under 32

Lizzie’s skin like a splinterFAIRY GODMOTHER ...................wise teacher who believes 25

everyone has a happy ending if they choose to find it

Toy ElvesWUMPLE...................................wants to build toys for Santa; 34

has special lingo with other toy elves

CRUMPLE .................................another; a bit hung up on 35 grammar

TRUMPLE..................................another; the leader 33

Cookie ElvesWIMBLY ....................................wants to make cookies for a 32

living; the leader

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GIMBLY .....................................another 27DIMBLY .....................................another; a bit dim-witted 27Many Years LaterELIZADORA* .............................ugly and awful wicked witch 113RAPUNZEL ................................Gizelle and Thomas Baker’s 9

daughterSTEPMOTHER WHITE .................second wife of King White 23SNOW WHITE ............................fairest of them all; King White’s 19

daughterHANSEL ....................................son of Philip; extremely 16

anxious and paranoidGRETEL ....................................daughter of Philip 14LADY-IN-WAITING .......................Cinderella’s attendant 11MIDAS III ..................................Midas II’s son and heir to the 18

Forest Kingdom thronePRINCE MARCUS .......................second in line to the Forest 19

Kingdom throne

DwarvesMUNCHKIN ...............................short one 18RIFF RAFF .................................stinky one 16TUM TUM .................................hungry one 22PUNKIN ....................................tough one 24TOPSY ......................................twin who speaks in poems 16

and rhymesTURVY ......................................the other twin; also speaks in 16

poems and rhymesSAL ..........................................leader 22* The roles of LIZZIE and ELIZADORA are written as separate roles, but may be played by the same actress. For more on this, see PRODUCTION NOTES.

SETTINGTime: Once upon a time.Place: Forest Kingdom.The main set is a simple forest setting. A cutout of a stone wall runs the length of the stage. The wall is about four to five feet high. UPSTAGE of the wall is a backdrop of an open sky above a forest. Additional foliage or rocks may be added DOWNSTAGE of the wall to further indicate that this is the forest. A stool is placed FORESTAGE LEFT for Elle for the entire play.

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Various set pieces are added to the main set to indicate specific locations. Desks and chairs turn the space into a classroom for ACT ONE, Scenes One and Two. Plants are brought on to indicate Lizzie’s garden for Scene Three.For ACT TWO, cutouts of Rapunzel’s tower and the elves’ tree house are attached to the UPSTAGE side of the wall so they can appear to be in the distance beyond the wall during scenes at Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods, where a cutout of a gingerbread house is added for Scenes Six and Eight. Gold thrones and a table of gold artifacts create the palace throne room.For ACT THREE, banquet tables and chairs are added to the palace throne room.

SYNOPSIS OF SCENES

ACT ONEScene One: Fairy Godmother’s classroom, many years ago.Scene Two: Fairy Godmother’s classroom, immediately following.Scene Three: Lizzie’s garden, the next day.

ACT TWOScene One: Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods, many years

later.Scene Two: Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods, the next

morning. A gingerbread house is now there.Scene Three: Another part of the forest, closer to the Valley Kingdom,

later that day.Scene Four: King Midas’s palace throne room, later that afternoon.Scene Five: Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods, later that

evening. The gingerbread house is still there.Scene Six: Another part of the forest, played in front of the curtain,

later that evening.

ACT THREEScene One: Palace throne room, present.

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FORGIVEN: A FAIRY TALE

ACT ONEScene One

LIGHTS UP: In front of the curtain.ELLE: (ENTERS and crosses DOWN CENTER. To AUDIENCE.) Hello,

everyone. My name is Elle, and this is the story of my past. Believe it or not, I was once a terribly wicked witch. I know… It’s hard to believe, but, yes, it’s true! But this story has a very happy ending, I assure you. This is the story of how a very bad witch decided to give up her evil ways for good. So let me take you back to when it all began, a time long, long ago. (Crosses to FORESTAGE LEFT, where she remains as she narrates the tale. CURTAIN OPENS or LIGHTS UP on a classroom full of desks. LIZZIE ENTERS with a small potted tree.) There we are. And, oh, look! That’s me when I was much younger. I went by Lizzie back then. This was just about the time when I took a wrong turn in life and chose to be mean.

LIZZIE: (Sets the pot down on a desk and crosses DOWNSTAGE. Addresses AUDIENCE.) Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t know anything.

ELLE: Oh, my! How did you know we were talking about you?LIZZIE: I’m a witch. You ought to know that.ELLE: Why, of course I do!LIZZIE: So I can do things other people can’t. Like hear when someone

is telling my story all wrong. (To AUDIENCE.) Don’t listen to her.ELLE: But I haven’t even begun our story.LIZZIE: That’s all right. I know what you’re up to. You’re always up to

some good. (To AUDIENCE.) So don’t listen to her.ELLE: Now, Lizzie! You should know that good always comes out on top.LIZZIE: Just be sure to tell my story right.ELLE: You know I will. Now that I’m reformed, I’m always trying to do

right. And don’t worry. I’ll tell it just as it happened. Why wouldn’t I? It has a happy ending! (LIZZIE sneers and goes back to the classroom to care for her tree.) Now, where was I? Oh, yes. Just about the time when I took a wrong turn in life and decided to be mean. Back then, I was a very bright student interested in plants and herbology. (STUDENTS ENTER, including ELVES, THOMAS, MIDAS II, GIZELLE and CINDERELLA, as well as any EXTRAS. The STUDENTS carry backpacks and mingle in the classroom. THOMAS’S backpack is full of baked goods that he tries to sell. TOY ELVES and COOKIE ELVES are at opposite ends of the classroom. LIZZIE continues to study her tree.) And there are all my classmates! Let’s see. Over there and over there are the elves. They were all very ambitious,

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but always disagreed about which profession they should go into. Some wanted to build toys in Santa’s workshop, but the others wanted to bake cookies in a tree house. Oh! And, speaking of baking, there’s Thomas Baker. He was the son of a baker and was always trying to sell someone on some sort of deal.

PRINCE WHITE: (ENTERS and waves for MIDAS II’S attention.) Hey! Over here.

ELLE: (Excited.) Oooh! There are the princes! See? Prince White and Prince Midas. They were the kings of the school. Best buds, but couldn’t be more different. Prince White is the cool and laid-back prince of the nearby Valley Kingdom, while Prince Midas is the confident, driven and serious prince of our Forest Kingdom. (PRINCE WHITE and MIDAS II meet and hover around the spot where LIZZIE works. PRINCE WHITE high-fives MIDAS II over the plant. LIZZIE is annoyed, but continues working.)

PRINCE WHITE: Hey, Midas! Where’ve you been?MIDAS II: I’ve been busy. Father has me doing a lot of work for the

kingdom lately.PRINCE WHITE: Father! Ha! You call him “Father”?MIDAS II: Yes. What else would I call him?PRINCE WHITE: That’s King Midas you’re talking about.MIDAS II: Well, he is my father, and if I don’t start learning about the

kingdom now, I’ll never be ready to be king.PRINCE WHITE: Eh. You’ll be just fine.MIDAS II: I don’t want to be just fine. I want to be a great king. Don’t

you? You mean to tell me your father doesn’t have you studying maps and boundary markers, learning economics and diplomacy, or planning war tactics and defense strategies?

PRINCE WHITE: (Shrugs.) Yeah. Pretty much. He lets me do whatever I like.

MIDAS II: What are you going to do when you’re in charge of your kingdom and don’t know all this stuff?

PRINCE WHITE: I don’t know. I’ll just wing it. (Beat.) So. You, uh, do the thing yet?

MIDAS II: No.PRINCE WHITE: What? Come on, man. You gotta ask her.MIDAS II: I’m just not sure it’s the right time.PRINCE WHITE: Believe me, man, you’re golden. Everybody knows it

but you! (Laughs.) Just ask Lizzie here. She’ll tell you. Right, Lizzie?LIZZIE: I have no idea what you’re talking about.

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PRINCE WHITE: Go on. Tell Prince Midas here who has eyes for him. (LIZZIE looks at him, shocked that he might reveal her secret.) Go on. He wants to know.

LIZZIE: (Turns to MIDAS II, uncertain.) You do?MIDAS II: Well, yeah. It’s a huge secret, so of course I want to know

if our love is mutual. (LIZZIE’S eyes light up. Their love is mutual!) But no. Don’t say anything. I want it to happen naturally. That’s the way it should be.

LIZZIE: (Serious.) Oh. Right. Of course. (Takes her tree and crosses to another desk.)

ELLE: Oh! And here comes Gizelle. She had the loveliest hair. Locks and locks of it, and gleaming gold. She was very popular.

LIZZIE: (To ELIZADORA.) And used to getting everything she wanted. The spoiled brat!

ELLE: (Corrects her.) Uh, uh, uh. I’m telling this story.GIZELLE: (Crosses to LIZZIE.) Hey, Lizzie. Nice plant you have there.

(Uninterested, LIZZIE continues to work on her tree.) Is it going to grow something?

LIZZIE: (Looks at her as if to say, “Did you really just ask that?”) Yes.GIZELLE: Ooh! I knew it! So what’s it going to grow? Beans? I just love

beans. Bean soup, bean bread, bean pie, bean toffee—LIZZIE: No.GIZELLE: Oh, but I do love them! Bean toffee is absolutely the best!LIZZIE: No. I mean it doesn’t grow beans. Beans don’t grow on trees!GIZELLE: What, then? Lettuce? Asparagus? Rutabaga? Ooh! Now,

rutabaga is most delish!LIZZIE: (Hopes to make her disappear.) Apples. Once it’s fully grown,

it will grow apples.GIZELLE: Oh, I love apples, too. You’ll give me some once it’s in fruit,

won’t you? Pretty please?LIZZIE: No. (GIZELLE looks at her with puppy dog eyes. LIZZIE finds it

difficult to say no.) Well… I wasn’t… That’s not…GIZELLE: Pretty, pretty please.LIZZIE: Yes, fine, I’ll give you some.GIZELLE: Oh. You’re lovely!LIZZIE: Now, go away! (GIZELLE walks away.)ELLE: (GOLDILOCKS ENTERS.) Ah! Now, there’s the mystery girl.

Everyone could tell something strange was going on with Goldilocks, because she never spoke of her family and no one ever saw them. And she was always hungry and dirty. No one

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really knew what she was up to. Except for me, that is. I knew the moment I met her that she was an orphan and was homeless. But back then, I wasn’t very charitable.

GOLDILOCKS: (Crosses to LIZZIE and sniffs LIZZIE’S tree. Smiles, then turns to LIZZIE.) Hey, Lizzie, you got any food?

LIZZIE: No, Goldilocks. Can’t you see I’m busy?GOLDILOCKS: But I’m so hungry. Don’t you have a little to spare?LIZZIE: No! Try the Baker boy or the elves. I’m trying to work. (Works

on her tree. GOLDILOCKS crosses to the COOKIE ELVES, who seem to know immediately what she’s after and cross to another part of the classroom to avoid her. GOLDILOCKS growls at them as they cross away.)

THOMAS: (Crosses to LIZZIE with his backpack full of baked goods.) Hey, there, Lizzie. Care for a fresh loaf of bread? It’s the latest recipe. Hot and fresh from my old man’s oven. Won’t cost you much. In fact, I can sweeten the offer. If you act now, I’ll give you not one, not two, but three loaves of bread for the low, low price of—

LIZZIE: I don’t want what you’re selling, Thomas. Try Goldilocks. You know she’s always hungry.

THOMAS: Yeah. And I also know she doesn’t have any money. Come on, what’ll it take to get you into this offer today?

CINDERELLA: (Crosses to THOMAS.) Hello, Thomas.ELLE: That’s Cinderella. She was a housemaid in her stepmother’s

home, but she had the grace and poise of a future princess. And she was, oh, so kind! Apart from her stepfamily, everyone loved her.

CINDERELLA: What do you have today?THOMAS: I got corn breads. I got flat breads. I got whites and ryes and

sourdoughs. Hey, I even got sweet buns. (Teases.) At least that’s what all the other gal’s say!

CINDERELLA: (Blushes.) Oh, Thomas! Behave! Hmmm. Do you have any muffins?

THOMAS: Girl, I guarantee I’ve just the thing you’re lookin’ for or my name isn’t Thomas Cedric Reginald Meriwether Baker the Third! Step into my office, and I’ll show you the goods. (They cross away.)

LIZZIE: (Watches as they go.) Sucker.ELLE: Now, Lizzie. There’s no need to be rude.LIZZIE: There’s one born every minute.ELLE: (PHILIP ENTERS.) Oh! And there’s Philip. I was never fond of him,

even before I went wicked. He was the son of a woodsman and would cut down every tree he could find.

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PHILIP: (Crosses to LIZZIE.) Hey, there, Lizzie. How’s the apple tree growing? (Grabs the tree to take a look.)

LIZZIE: (Pulls the tree away from him.) You stay away from my tree!PHILIP: Now, now. I just want to take a look at it. I don’t even have my

ax today. Besides, you know I love trees as much as you do.LIZZIE: Yeah, right. If you loved them, you wouldn’t go around chopping

them down every chance you got.PHILIP: Hey, now. You ever try putting yourself in other people’s shoes?LIZZIE: Not when the person wearing those shoes is a tree butcher!PHILIP: I’m not a butcher. I’m a conservationist.LIZZIE: That’s how you’re spinning it, eh?PHILIP: It’s true. We protect the forest. If my family didn’t chop them

down, there would be too many trees. And that’s a danger to all of us. If there were a forest fire, we’d all be out of homes. So would the animals. And there’d be no trees left at all.

LIZZIE: Still a butcher as far as I’m concerned.PHILIP: What if I’m right? Ever consider that?LIZZIE: You’re wrong, and it doesn’t change the fact that you’re a tree

murderer! Just keep your hands off mine. (Crosses away from him.)PHILIP: Geez. Touchy. (Crosses away.)WUMPLE: (Holds up a wooden toy car. To CRUMPLE and TRUMPLE.)

Hey, guys! Check out this splendiferous new toy I made last night.CRUMPLE: Wooly bugger, Wumple! That’s really something!WUMPLE: I know. Working wheels and everything!CRUMPLE: Can we see it in action?WUMPLE: Indeedily-doo! Plop your eyes on this! (Races the car across

the stage.)CRUMPLE: By gumdrop! (Crosses and retrieves the toy car.) It’s as slick

as Santa’s sleigh! (Crosses back.)TRUMPLE: (Takes the car and looks it over closely.) Carved by hand and

hand-painted! Oh, and wouldn’t you know it, with the grain, too. That’s some fine elfcraft there, Wumple! I’d say it was smootherific.

WUMPLE: Thanks.TRUMPLE: Fine work like that really tickles the fancy. I’m sure the big

guy up north would say so himself!WUMPLE: Wowzers! You really think so?WIMBLY: (Watches from nearby with GIMBLY and DIMBLY.) Ah, that

ain’t nothin’!TRUMPLE: What did you say? (TOY ELVES move to face off with COOKIE

ELVES.)

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WIMBLY: I said… that ain’t nothin’.CRUMPLE: (To WUMPLE.) Hmmm… doesn’t he mean, “That isn’t

anything”? (WUMPLE shushes her.)WIMBLY: You got a problem with that? (Flicks TRUMPLE’S shoulder.)TRUMPLE: That’s a dandy fine toy she’s made there. But of course you

wouldn’t know that, would you, Otis Spunkmeyer?DIMBLY: Otis Spunkmeyer! Now, that’s a good one. (Laughs like

a doofus. GIMBLY and WIMBLY give a look, and he quickly stops. Ashamed, tries to explain himself.) I mean… it’s funny, ’cause we wanna make cookies and all.

WIMBLY: (Ignores DIMBLY. To TRUMPLE.) You’re right. I wouldn’t know much about your little toys. ’Cause I spend my time on more important pursuits. So unless you’ve got a fine recipe for gingerbread, you can get off our turf!

GIMBLY: Yeah. There’s no money in the toy game. Cookies are where it’s at.

CRUMPLE: Golly gumdrop! That’s not right! What I believe you mean to say is, “Cookies are where they are.” (WIMBLY tilts his head and looks at CRUMPLE, sizing her up. TRUMPLE quickly shushes her and looks back at WIMBLY. ELVES are face-to-face in a stare-down.)

TRUMPLE: So… what you got, Cookie Man?WIMBLY: I got just what you need, Toy Builder.WUMPLE: Oh, yeah?GIMBLY: Yeah.DIMBLY: Oh, yeah?CRUMPLE: Yeah.FAIRY GODMOTHER: (ENTERS, just before they can all throw down.) All

right, class. Take your seats.ELLE: That’s our very own Fairy Godmother. She was our teacher and

counselor.FAIRY GODMOTHER: Hurry up, now. We’ve lots to learn if we want

to live happily ever after. Take your seats! (ALL take their seats. GOLDILOCKS strangely turns in a few circles before she sits. OTHERS watch her strange behavior, speechless. Then, ALL except LIZZIE FREEZE.)

ELLE: (To AUDIENCE.) So you can see, I had lots of friends!LIZZIE: (Crosses DOWN to ELLE.) What do you mean I had friends? I

didn’t have friends. They weren’t your friends. They all just wanted something from me. Beans, trees, food, money and advice. They didn’t care about me. They only cared for what I could give them. Can’t you see that?

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ELLE: Yes. I thought that at one time, but now I see the truth.LIZZIE: They made me an outcast!ELLE: You made yourself an outcast.LIZZIE: They were rotten!ELLE: You were rotten.LIZZIE: Yeah, well, if I was rotten, then you were, too!ELLE: I was. I must admit. (LIZZIE, unable to win, stomps back to her

desk. CLASSROOM LIGHTS FADE OUT. To AUDIENCE.) But even the few positive influences in my life failed to take hold. The seeds were planted, but they wouldn’t take root, because my heart was too full of weeds.

End of Scene One

ACT ONEScene Two

LIGHTS UP on the classroom, where FAIRY GODMOTHER is finishing her lesson. ELLE remains on her stool, FORESTAGE LEFT.FAIRY GODMOTHER: And that is our lesson for today. Always remember

the moral of the story. Never count your chickens before they hatch. Class dismissed. (STUDENTS rise. LIZZIE attends to her tree.)

PRINCE WHITE: (Crosses to MIDAS II.) So, you going to do it?MIDAS II: I don’t know.PRINCE WHITE: Come on, man. No time like the present. The ball is

this weekend.MIDAS II: I know. Look, I want it to be right. I’ll ask her tomorrow, okay?

(PRINCES EXIT.)WUMPLE: Hey! Where’s my car? (GOLDILOCKS steps aside and holds

her bookbag close.)TRUMPLE: Jiminy Christmas! What’s all the hubbub, Wumple?WUMPLE: The toy car I built. It’s gone!CRUMPLE: By jingle! Someone must have pilfered it. (GOLDILOCKS

rushes OUT.)WUMPLE: I know who’s to blame. (Turns to COOKIE ELVES.) It was you!GIMBLY: (Laughs.) What do we want with a dumb toy?DIMBLY: Yeah. We don’t want no dumb toys.CRUMPLE: So you do want dumb toys?DIMBLY: No. Are you hard of hearing? I just said we don’t want no

dumb toys.CRUMPLE: Right. You don’t want no dumb toys. So what you’re really

saying is—

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WIMBLY: (Aggravated.) We don’t have your toy. (To COOKIE ELVES.) Come on, we’ve got some baking to do. (COOKIE ELVES EXIT.)

TRUMPLE: It’ll be all right, Wumple. You can always make another one.CRUMPLE: Indubitably-do! And it will be better than ever. (TOY ELVES

EXIT.)GIZELLE: (To CINDERELLA.) So, are you going to the royal ball this

weekend, Cinderella?CINDERELLA: No. I haven’t been invited.GIZELLE: You weren’t invited? Ah, well, I wasn’t either. Kind of irritating,

isn’t it? I’m starting to feel like Little Miss Toadstool over there. (Indicates LIZZIE.)

LIZZIE: (To ELLE. OTHERS do not hear her.) You see? They called me Little Miss Toadstool. They weren’t my friends. (Blows a raspberry at ELLE.)

CINDERELLA: I know.GIZELLE: You can crash the ball with me and Thomas.THOMAS: Yeah. We weren’t invited, but we’re going.CINDERELLA: You really shouldn’t do that.GIZELLE: I really want to go, so I’m going. The lack of an invitation is

not going to stop me from getting what I want. I know you want to go, too. You should go.

THOMAS: And besides, no one will know. There will be so many people there anyway. No one will notice if we show up.

GIZELLE: Why don’t you come along with us?CINDERELLA: I don’t know. I’m just hoping I’ll get invited. And besides,

how would it look if I arrived without a date?PHILIP: (Crosses to them.) I’ll be your date. Where are we going?

(CINDERELLA, GIZELLE, THOMAS and PHILIP laugh and EXIT.)LIZZIE: Just a bunch of no good—ELLE: There’s no need for that now, Lizzie. Don’t you remember what

happened next? When Fairy Godmother tried to help you out?FAIRY GODMOTHER: Oh, Lizzie. Can I see you for a moment? (LIZZIE

crosses to FAIRY GODMOTHER.) I’m very worried for you.LIZZIE: Yeah, well, don’t be.FAIRY GODMOTHER: That’s just what I’m worried about. This attitude

of yours. You’ve built this wall of protection to block everyone out of your life. And now you’re putting it up even with me. Remember the lesson of Humpty Dumpty I shared a few weeks ago in our nursery rhyme unit?

LIZZIE: Yeah. What’s that have to do with me?

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FAIRY GODMOTHER: He put up a wall and had a great fall.LIZZIE: So?FAIRY GODMOTHER: So… I’m just worried that you’re going in the

wrong direction.LIZZIE: My grades are fine.FAIRY GODMOTHER: Yes, they are. There’s no doubt you’re brilliant,

but that’s not my concern. I’m worried because you don’t seem to be interacting with the other students at all.

LIZZIE: That’s because they’re rotten.FAIRY GODMOTHER: They’re not rotten.LIZZIE: All they think about is themselves and what they can get from

other people. What they can get from me.FAIRY GODMOTHER: Lizzie, I think maybe you are just misunderstanding

them. Have you even tried to be nice to them?LIZZIE: Why do you care? You want something from me, too, don’t

you? What is it? Maybe a beautiful and delicious apple for your desk? Not from my tree!

FAIRY GODMOTHER: (Disappointed.) Elizadora. I don’t need anything from you. I care because you’re my student, and I want you to be happy. Don’t you want a happy ending?

LIZZIE: There’s no happy ending for me.FAIRY GODMOTHER: That’s not true. There’s a happy ending for

everyone. It’s yours to find.LIZZIE: Well, I’d be happy if everyone just left me alone.FAIRY GODMOTHER: That’s not true happiness. I think you know it.

Surely there’s someone you’d like to be close to.LIZZIE: No. (Looks up.) Well… (Tries to hide it again, but it’s too late.)

No! It’s no one. I mean, it’s nothing.FAIRY GODMOTHER: Just as I thought. There is someone. Is it the

Baker boy? (LIZZIE rolls her eyes.) Hmmm… no… I know. It’s the prince. Prince Midas? (LIZZIE turns away.) Ah, yes. It is him. See? There’s room in your heart to be close to someone.

LIZZIE: But is there room in anyone’s heart to be close to me?FAIRY GODMOTHER: Of course. You just have to pursue your happiness

if you wish to find it. Have you thought of asking him to the ball?LIZZIE: It’s his ball. Why would I ask him?FAIRY GODMOTHER: You’re right. He should ask you. That’s how he

would have it. So, why not try to get his attention instead?LIZZIE: How?FAIRY GODMOTHER: By giving him attention.

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LIZZIE: No way! I can’t do that. That’s… that’s not me. I’m not like those other girls. Besides, my tree needs my attention.

FAIRY GODMOTHER: Your tree can’t love you in return, Elizadora.LIZZIE: (Tough.) It’s Lizzie! And yes, it can. What do you know anyway?FAIRY GODMOTHER: (Disappointed.) Lizzie…LIZZIE: I have to go. (Grabs her tree and starts to leave.)FAIRY GODMOTHER: Lizzie, wait just one moment. (LIZZIE stops.) It’s

just… the line between being good and being evil is but a small and simple choice. I don’t want you to make the wrong one. (LIZZIE hesitates for a moment, then runs OUT as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of Scene Two

ACT ONEScene Three

LIGHTS UP on LIZZIE’S garden. LIZZIE tends the plants in her garden. Her potted tree is now larger and small apples grow from it. (See PRODUCTION NOTES.)ELLE: Now, even though I walked out on Fairy Godmother that day,

that doesn’t mean I wasn’t seriously considering her advice. I spent all of the next day tending my garden. Oh, yes, that’s my garden. Wasn’t it lovely? And all the while, I thought about what Fairy Godmother had said and how I might try to get to know the other students a little bit better. (TOY ELVES and COOKIE ELVES ENTER together. They seem to be friendly with one another. LIZZIE watches as they pass.)

GIMBLY: I must say, Crumple, that was a fine batch of snickerdoodles you made!

CRUMPLE: Thanks, Gimbly. Of course, I couldn’t have done it without your help.

TRUMPLE: And your plans for the tree house cookie factory are poppin’ like Cracker Jacks, Wimbly.

WIMBLY: Poppin’ like Cracker Jacks? Is that a good thing?DIMBLY: Sounds scary to me.TRUMPLE: Nah, nah, of course it’s good. Poppin’ like Cracker Jacks is

just an expression we use.WUMPLE: Yeah, like “Hollywhizzee!” or “Pampersnatz!”COOKIE ELVES: Huh?TRUMPLE: Yeah, and, “That’s as sweet as shortbread sandies!”

(COOKIE ELVES look at each other, clueless.)CRUMPLE: It’s just how we talk amongst ourselves. It’s okay. You’ll get

the hang of it.

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DIMBLY: If you say so.WIMBLY: Though I kind of like the sound of that shortbread sandies

one. We could use that. (ELVES laugh.)LIZZIE: (Crosses to them, perplexed.) Um… hi!ELVES: Hi, Lizzie.LIZZIE: So, what’s up? You guys seem to be getting along all of a

sudden. It’s kinda strange, really.WIMBLY: Oh, yeah. We were just showing these guys how to make

snickerdoodles.LIZZIE: You’re making cookies together? But why? I thought you all

hated each other. (To TOY ELVES.) I thought you wanted to make toys for Santa.

TRUMPLE: Yeah, but that kinda got tossed aside.DIMBLY: Yeah! They got put on Santa’s naughty list. (TOY ELVES look

at him angrily.)GIMBLY: (Aside, to DIMBLY.) You weren’t supposed to say anything

about You Know Who and You Know What, remember?DIMBLY: Oh, yeah. I forgot. I’m sorry.TRUMPLE: (Sighs heavily, then turns to LIZZIE.) It’s true. Might as well

tell it like it is.LIZZIE: What? How could you guys end up on the naughty list?WUMPLE: Our bestest guess is that the big guy found out about how

we were always fissy-fussin’ with these guys and giving them the whoopsies.

CRUMPLE: We can’t even begin to think up any other reason for it.WUMPLE: No better way to get back on the nice list than to be nice

to them.TRUMPLE: Plus, Wimbly here convinced us that there might be a future

for us in cookies after all.WIMBLY: Speaking of that, we need to get going. We’ve lots more

recipes to share. (ELVES begin to go.)LIZZIE: Wait! (ELVES stop and turn back to her. Forces herself to speak.)

That, um… sounds like a lot of fun… baking and all… I was wondering, I mean, I know I haven’t really ever talked to you much, but I thought that maybe you could teach me how to—

THOMAS: (ENTERS and crosses to the ELVES.) Hey, there! Just the tiny little peeps I was lookin’ for.

WIMBLY: Why would you be looking for us?THOMAS: ’Cause I have just the thing you need. You’re still in the

cookie game, right?GIMBLY: Yeah.

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TRUMPLE: Us too!CRUMPLE: We’re with them now.THOMAS: You don’t say! Well, that’s even better!WUMPLE: What’s the scoop?THOMAS: As you know, my pops is the best baker this side of the

kingdom. We’ve been toying around with some recipes, and I think we have just the one you’ve been looking for.

DIMBLY: (Excited.) Gingerbread?WIMBLY: (Excited.) Gingerbread?GIMBLY: (Wide-eyed. Spoken with awe and covetousness.) Gingerbread.THOMAS: That’s the one. The most delicious gingerbread cookies you

can imagine.GIMBLY: Hollywhizee! (TOY ELVES look at GIMBLY and shake their

heads. GIMBLY hangs her head.)CRUMPLE: It’s okay. You’ll get the hang of it.THOMAS: I have it right here. (Pulls out the recipe.) The one and only…

Baker’s famous gingerbread cookie snaps recipe! And it can be yours for the low, low price of… (Leans in and whispers into ELVES’ ears. ELVES look up at one another, shocked.) Come on, now. It’s a small price to pay for such delectable goodness.

LIZZIE: What about me?THOMAS: Huh? Oh, hi, Lizzie. What do you want?LIZZIE: You haven’t asked me. Maybe I want to buy your recipe.THOMAS: Who are you kiddin’? You never buy my goods.LIZZIE: Maybe I’ve had a change of heart.WIMBLY: Not a chance, sister. (To THOMAS.) We’ll pay your price.THOMAS: I had a feeling you would. (Starts to hand the recipe over.)LIZZIE: Wait! (THOMAS turns to her.) I’m serious. I’ll pay their price,

plus commission.DIMBLY: We’ll match that, plus throw in a year’s supply of cookies.WUMPLE: And throw in a good word to Santa for you.LIZZIE: No. I want it, seriously.GIMBLY: We want it!THOMAS: Okay, okay. There must be some way to figure this out. (Has

a spark of inspiration.) I know. Okay, here’s the deal. (To ELVES.) You pay everything you’ve offered. (Turns to LIZZIE.) And you pay everything you’ve offered. Then we leave it up to fate who the recipe goes to.

CRUMPLE: What, like a wager?

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THOMAS: Exactly. A quiz. First one to answer correctly wins the recipe. Everyone game for that?

LIZZIE: I’m in. (Pulls out money and gives it to THOMAS.)TRUMPLE: We are, too. (To COOKIE ELVES.) If we’re going to start this

joint venture together, we’re going to start it off right. (ELVES pull out money and give it to THOMAS.)

THOMAS: Perfect! (Counts the money.)GIMBLY: So… what’s the question?THOMAS: Oh. Right. (Pockets the money.) Let’s see… Okay, here it is.

How many reindeer in Santa’s sleigh?LIZZIE: (Jumps in.) Nine.TOY ELVES: Oooh. (Shake their heads.)CRUMPLE: Nice try, but that thing with Rudolph was a one-time thing.TRUMPLE: The correct answer is eight. (Names them off super fast.)

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen.CRUMPLE/WUMPLE: Boomsickle!THOMAS: Here you go. Yours fair and square. (Hands the recipe to the

ELVES.)COOKIE ELVES: Boomsickle! (ELVES laugh and run OFF. THOMAS

begins to follow.)LIZZIE: Wait! You ripped me off!THOMAS: You could say that, but everyone knows it was a square

deal. After all, you agreed to it. (EXITS.)LIZZIE: (Stomps and grumbles.) You! I had the right answer. It was a

technicality! (Follows him OFF. GIZELLE and GOLDILOCKS ENTER and cross, sneaking their way to the garden.)

GOLDILOCKS: See? I knew she’d have a garden here. Oh, these apples look delicious. (Grabs one from the tree. [See PRODUCTION NOTES.])

GIZELLE: Are you sure we should be doing this?GOLDILOCKS: It’s fine. I do this all the time. It’s the only way I can

survive without parents.GIZELLE: Oh. Well, that excuse works for you. What about me? I have

plenty of food at home.GOLDILOCKS: I dunno. You are hungry, and you did say you would give

anything for some beans to make bean toffee, whatever that is. So, here they are.

GIZELLE: Right. Surely she wouldn’t miss just a few beans. (Takes a few beans from a small bush and puts them in her pockets. [See PRODUCTION NOTES.] As GIZELLE steals from the bean plants,

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GOLDILOCKS takes out a water bottle and takes a long drink by lapping at the water with her tongue. GIZELLE stares at her a moment, then stands.) So you really live out here all alone?

GOLDILOCKS: Yeah. My parents were eaten by wolves when I was a baby.

GIZELLE: Eaten by wolves? That’s awful!GOLDILOCKS: Yeah, but even wolves are capable of being kind. After

they ate my folks, they took me in and raised me and taught me how to scavenge from humans. (Scratches behind her ear.)

GIZELLE: (Watches her, shocked.) Huh. That explains so much. Hey, cut that out. It’s weird. (GOLDILOCKS stops.) You are human, you know.

GOLDILOCKS: What makes you say that?GIZELLE: (Even more shocked.) I mean, you have eyes and hair, a nose

and teeth.GOLDILOCKS: And? (GIZELLE looks at her as shocked as can be.)

What? Wolves have all those things.GIZELLE: But humans talk!GOLDILOCKS: (As certain as if it were common knowledge.) Yeah. Just

like wolves do.GIZELLE: Boy, you become more and more mysterious by the minute.

(GOLDILOCKS shrugs her shoulders and takes a bite of the apple.)LIZZIE: (ENTERS.) What’s going on here? (GOLDILOCKS hides the apple

behind her back.)GIZELLE: (Puts her hands in her pockets.) Nothing. Nothing at all.LIZZIE: Show me your hands. (GIZELLE pulls her hands from her

pockets, showing empty hands. GOLDILOCKS drops the apple behind her back and shows her empty hands. Of course, LIZZIE sees the apple she drops right away.) I see. (Crosses and grabs the apple.) You’re stealing from my garden. (Crosses to bean plants and looks closely at them. To GIZELLE.) And you are, too! Empty your pockets! (GIZELLE pulls out her pockets and the beans spill out.) Aha! I knew it! Why, I oughta… (Steams up.)

GOLDILOCKS: (Calm.) And this is something else the wolves taught me. When you’re caught, you run. Now! (GIZELLE and GOLDILOCKS run OFF. LIZZIE starts to give chase, but stops immediately, defeated. Stomps as she watches them run away, then turns back and looks at the beans on the ground and the apple in her hand, sad. She kneels down to gather up the beans and then EXITS.)

ELLE: So that and, of course, getting ripped off by the Baker boy and losing the recipe to the elves, well, all of it was enough to get me to rethink Fairy Godmother’s advice. Then, of course, came the

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science fair. I was hoping that maybe, just maybe, I could win and earn the respect and admiration of my peers. (FAIRY GODMOTHER, PRINCE WHITE and LIZZIE ENTER and cross DOWNSTAGE as the scene flashes back to the SCIENCE FAIR. OTHER STUDENTS ENTER as spectators at the science fair. LIZZIE has a potted bean plant. PRINCE WHITE has a sword with a hole cut out of the blade. FAIRY GODMOTHER has a clipboard. OTHER STUDENTS ENTER and watch them.) My project was on how beans could be used as an alternative fuel source. (LIZZIE holds her bean plant up to FAIRY GODMOTHER, who writes on her clipboard.) Prince White’s project was on a new aerodynamic blade technology. (PRINCE WHITE swings the sword around a few times to demonstrate, then holds the tip of LIZZIE’S bean plant and swings the sword, cutting it down. LIZZIE reacts. She can’t believe he just did that. FAIRY GODMOTHER writes on her clipboard.)

FAIRY GODMOTHER: And the winner of this year’s science fair is… Prince White! (OTHER STUDENTS applaud. LIZZIE is crushed.) Congratulations, Prince White! Your aerodynamic blade is sure to be very useful to all the surrounding kingdoms.

LIZZIE: But my project is useful, too. The world needs alternative fuel sources.

FAIRY GODMOTHER: Sorry, Lizzie. There’s a far greater need for defense in this kingdom than there is for new sources of fuel. Surely you can see that we have an endless supply of trees and coal and other fossil fuels. Your project is brilliant, but it doesn’t really do anything to solve any real crisis. (LIZZIE bites her lip, furious. OTHER STUDENTS pick PRINCE WHITE up and carry him OFF. FAIRY GODMOTHER follows them OFF. LIZZIE hangs her head and returns to her garden.)

ELLE: After that, I began to lose hope.LIZZIE: (Turns to her.) Began to lose hope? (Furious.) Began to lose hope?

Are you kidding me? I didn’t have hope. I was devastated. Not only had I lost the science fair, but Fairy Godmother had betrayed me!

ELLE: She was just doing what she thought was right.LIZZIE: But there was no way I was taking her advice after that.ELLE: No. You’re right. You’re absolutely right. You— I mean, I… had

already decided to ignore her advice.LIZZIE: There you go. Now you’re telling it right.ELLE: But I still had hope. Oh, yes. There was still the tiniest bit of

hope left, even then. After all, you still had love in your heart. (LIZZIE, knowing ELLE is right, huffs and focuses on her garden.)

MIDAS II: (ENTERS with CINDERELLA. They laugh together until MIDAS II notices LIZZIE.) Oh, hello there, Lizzie. (LIZZIE looks up from her

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garden, startled to see him.) My, your garden looks tremendous! Wasn’t that apple tree much smaller last week?

LIZZIE: (Nervous.) Oh, yes. I guess it has grown remarkably fast. It’s just that I… I have a special serum that I—

CINDERELLA: You’re very good with plants. They’re lovely.LIZZIE: (Hesitates.) Tha— Thank you.CINDERELLA: You’re welcome. I mean it.LIZZIE: Um… Could I…? I mean… I was hoping to talk to you. The

prince, I mean. Alone?CINDERELLA: Oh, well, of course. Certainly. (Crosses away.)MIDAS II: What is it, Lizzie?LIZZIE: Oh… um… well, I don’t know quite how to say it, but I was

hoping… well… It’s just that I… (Sighs and lays it out.) Could I be your date to your royal ball?

MIDAS II: Oh… well… Really?LIZZIE: (Hopeful.) Is that a yes?MIDAS II: No. I mean… No, I don’t mean it in a bad way, but it’s just

that… I’ve already asked Cinderella, and she’s accepted.LIZZIE: (Completely crushed.) Oh. Of course.MIDAS II: No. I really don’t mean it in a bad way. Really. I’ve always

thought of you as a… well, a friend. It’s just… I asked her first.CINDERELLA: (Peeks over.) Everything okay over there?MIDAS II: Yes. Coming. (To LIZZIE.) Look, I have to—LIZZIE: Just go. (MIDAS II looks at her, then slowly turns and walks to

CINDERELLA.)CINDERELLA: She seems upset. Is everything okay?MIDAS II: Yes. (Turns and looks at LIZZIE.) Well, I hope so, at least.

(MIDAS II and CINDERELLA EXIT. LIZZIE falls to her knees in tears.)ELLE: That was the tipping point. Of course, all of it played a role in my

turning against them. At least, that’s the way I thought at the time. And then, the very worst happened… (PHILIP ENTERS with an ax. As LIZZIE is immersed in her tears, he chops down the apple tree. [See PRODUCTION NOTES.])

LIZZIE: (Horrified.) What have you done?PHILIP: Eh. Hi, Lizzie. I didn’t see you there.LIZZIE: (Through gritted teeth.) What have you done?PHILIP: (Nervous.) Um… I don’t know. I mean… It looked ripe. And as

my pops says, “Apple trees are the new cherry.” It’s sure to catch a fine price at market.

LIZZIE: (Stands.) I told you to stay away from my apple tree!

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PHILIP: (Scared.) Look, I didn’t know this was yours. It looks completely different from the one you had last week. It’s bigger. A lot bigger. How did you do that? (LIZZIE stomps her foot.) And it has apples. This isn’t the one you brought to school.

LIZZIE: Yes, it is. Get away from it!PHILIP: I said I didn’t know! How could I know? Look, I can pay you.

What do you want for it?LIZZIE: (Screams.) Get away! Now! (PHILIP runs OFF. LIZZIE crosses to

the apple tree, kneels at it and weeps.)ELLE: That was the final straw. I decided then and there that it was time

to run away and live quietly in the deepest, darkest part the woods, where no one would find me and I couldn’t be disturbed by anyone, where I could be alone with my plants, and where I could take the time to carefully plan my revenge. That was the day I hardened my heart, the day I decided to become… wicked. (LIZZIE’S mood quickly changes from sadness to determined wickedness. She picks an apple from the fallen tree, takes a bite and laughs wickedly as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of ACT ONE

ACT TWOScene One

LIGHTS UP on Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods. The plants are bigger and more lavish than in Lizzie’s garden, and there is a new large apple tree with apples. Additional trees may be added to indicate that this is a denser part of the forest. A tall tower and a large tree have been added UPSTAGE of the wall as if they are off in the distance.ELLE: Years passed by quickly. I kept to myself and didn’t encounter

another living soul for many years. At the time, I truly enjoyed the solitude and reveled in being left alone with only my plants to keep me company. In my loneliness, I grew the most beautiful garden. But though my garden was more beautiful, my heart grew uglier. Every single day I mulled over the wrongs that were done to me during that school year. My heart grew more and more wicked by the day until finally I became truly ugly on both the inside and outside.

ELIZADORA: (ENTERS. We can tell it’s still Lizzie because she wears the same cloak, but she has undergone a drastic change. She now appears physically ugly and walks hunched over [See PRODUCTION NOTES.]. Crosses DOWNSTAGE and speaks to AUDIENCE.) She’s right. See? I became ugly. Very ugly. But what did I care? No one wanted to be around me anyway, and I liked it that way.

ELLE: Oh, Lizzie. You misunderstand.

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ELIZADORA: (Shouts.) No! I know exactly what happened. I know what they did, and so do you! You’re so full of sweetness and good. Maybe I should tell the story instead of you, so it’s told just the way it happened.

ELLE: Very well. Go ahead, Lizzie.ELIZADORA: And I go by my full name now! I’m no longer a child. Lizzie

is forgotten. I’m now… Elizadora.ELLE: I know. (Shudders.) But I hate that name.ELIZADORA: (Smiles wickedly.) I know! (To AUDIENCE.) It’s true I kept

to myself all those years. But my wounds from how they hurt me didn’t heal. They only festered and got worse. Years later, I decided to catch up with all those nasty schoolmates of mine. I wanted to find out how I could curse them so their lives would be just as miserable as mine. The years had passed so quickly. Some of them had children by now. And the first to cross my path was little Rapunzel. (Crosses to tend her garden.)

RAPUNZEL: (ENTERS. To ELIZADORA.) Excuse me.ELIZADORA: (Grouchy.) What do you want? What are you doing here

in my garden?RAPUNZEL: I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude. It’s just that… I seem

to have lost my way.ELIZADORA: (Crosses to her and looks at her closely.) Hmmm… You

look familiar. Do I know you?RAPUNZEL: Oh, no, ma’am. I don’t think we’ve met.ELIZADORA: But you look like someone…RAPUNZEL: Oh. You must mean my mother. Everyone says I look just

like my mother.ELIZADORA: And who would that be?RAPUNZEL: Her name is Gizelle. Perhaps you know her.ELIZADORA: Oh, yes. Gizelle. Of course. I went to school with your

mother. She’s a sucker for beans if I recall, isn’t she?RAPUNZEL: Oh, yes. Mother makes the most delicious bean toffee!

You must know my father, then, too. Thomas Baker, the most famous baker this side of the kingdom! (Dreamily.) They fell in love at Prince Midas’s ball and lived happily ever after!

ELIZADORA: We’ll see about that. (Catches herself.) I mean… Say, why don’t you come with me? I know how to get you home, but first I’d like to show you something. I can send you home with a little present for your darling mother. How would she like a few bags full of beans?

RAPUNZEL: Oh, Mother would just love that!

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ELIZADORA: Yes. I thought she would. I have tons of them! (Points to the tower.) They’re all stored high in that tower. You see it there?

RAPUNZEL: Oh, yes. Thank you, ma’am!ELIZADORA: Just follow me. (EXITS with RAPUNZEL.)ELLE: And so I took Rapunzel and did the most hideous thing possible.

I locked her in that high tower and sealed the doors so she could never escape. I knew it would hurt Gizelle and Thomas Baker dearly if they knew they would never see their darling child again. (ELIZADORA laughs wickedly from OFFSTAGE.) My next victim was poor old Goldilocks. (GOLDILOCKS ENTERS.)

ELIZADORA: (ENTERS opposite and sees GOLDILOCKS. Pulls the hood of her cloak up so that her face is hidden.) Aha! I see you got the note I left for you.

GOLDILOCKS: Yes. I’ve come at the appointed time. Now, where is this cottage?

ELIZADORA: All in due time. I’ve something I need from you first.GOLDILOCKS: Who are you?ELIZADORA: (Shouts.) That’s none of your business! (Sweet.) I mean,

don’t you want me to tell you more about this cottage?GOLDILOCKS: Oh, yes. It sounds very nice.ELIZADORA: Yes. I thought you’d feel that way. I’m sure you’re tired of

living with wolves. You deserve a nice place to stay.GOLDILOCKS: How did you know I lived with wolves?ELIZADORA: (Shakes her finger.) Eh, eh, eh. Do you want to hear about

this warm cottage I’ve found for you or not?GOLDILOCKS: Well, of course, I do. Mama Wolf would hate for me to

leave the den, but I’ve often dreamed of finding a place of my own.ELIZADORA: And I have just the place in mind. In fact, I’m sure you’ll

find that it’s just right.GOLDILOCKS: Like music to my ears! Oh, I can’t wait to see it!ELIZADORA: Well, that’s just it. As I was saying, before I tell you how

to find it, there’s a little something I need from you. I happen to know that you’re a skilled thief.

GOLDILOCKS: I’m not a thief! I’m a scavenger.ELIZADORA: Call it what you like. But I need you to steal— I mean,

scavenge something for me.GOLDILOCKS: What is it? Anything.ELIZADORA: I need you to get a gingerbread recipe from the elves.GOLDILOCKS: That’s all?ELIZADORA: That’s all. They live in the tree just over there. Do you

see? (Points to the large tree over the wall.)

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GOLDILOCKS: Yeah, I know where they live. The wolves and I are over there almost every night to scavenge the leftover cookie dough they’ve thrown out.

ELIZADORA: Once the recipe is in my hands, I’ll tell you how to get to your new home.

GOLDILOCKS: How do I know this cottage you’ve found is worth the risk of getting caught by the elves?

ELIZADORA: Trust me. The place is perfect. Like I said, it’s just right. Now, go and get me that recipe before I change my mind! (GOLDILOCKS quickly EXITS. ELIZADORA removes her hood and tends her garden.)

ELLE: So Goldilocks went to steal the recipe from the elves for me, but that wasn’t all I had in store for her… or the elves, either. But we’ll get to that later. My next victim was Prince White, who had stolen my moment of glory at the science fair and went on to become King White and the father of the fairest of them all.

STEPMOTHER WHITE: (ENTERS.) Hello, there.ELIZADORA: Who are you?STEPMOTHER WHITE: Your ally.ELIZADORA: I have no allies.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Oh, but you’re wrong. I’ve journeyed here from the

Valley Kingdom. I’ve heard there was a powerful witch who lived in this part of the great forest. You’re famous, you know. And I happen to know someone who hasn’t exactly been very friendly to you.

ELIZADORA: And who would that be?STEPMOTHER WHITE: Prince White. He became our king, and he is

my husband.ELIZADORA: Oh. Really? I thought he was married to someone else.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Yes. If you must know, she died. But that’s

not what I wish to talk about. It’s the king and his daughter, Snow White. I need you to help me kill them.

ELIZADORA: Kill them?STEPMOTHER WHITE: Why, of course. What? I thought you were a

wicked witch.ELIZADORA: I am.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Then, you’ll help me, won’t you?ELIZADORA: I do have a score to settle with King White, though I

hadn’t planned on killing anyone.STEPMOTHER WHITE: You wouldn’t have to. Just leave that to me.

All I need from you is a little help with a transformation. I need a disguise.

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ELIZADORA: Very well. That’s easy enough.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Oh, and an apple. No, better make it two. I plan

to poison them, and I’ll need the juiciest and most delicious-looking apples I can find. I hear that you have the best apples in the land.

ELIZADORA: You’re right about that! (Plucks two apples from her tree and tosses them to STEPMOTHER WHITE.) How do you like them apples?

STEPMOTHER WHITE: Oh! Now, this is just divine! This will be perfect. (Laughs and EXITS with ELIZADORA.)

ELLE: And so I went off and helped Snow White’s wicked stepmother transform herself into an old hag, just as ugly as I had become, so that she could deceive Snow White and King White into eating the poisoned apples. Once the transformation was complete, it wasn’t long before Goldilocks returned with the gingerbread recipe she had stolen from the elves for me.

GOLDILOCKS: (ENTERS, looks around and calls out.) Hello? Strange, creepy woman of the forest? Are you there?

ELIZADORA: (ENTERS and pulls her hood up to hide her face again.) Ah! Just the person I was hoping to see. Do you have my recipe?

GOLDILOCKS: I do. (Pulls the recipe from her pocket and hands it to ELIZADORA.) Now, tell me where I can find this empty cottage you’ve promised me.

ELIZADORA: Oh, yes, of course. But I can do better than tell you. I can show you. (Leads GOLDILOCKS OFF.)

ELLE: And so I led Goldilocks to the empty cottage. Only it wasn’t empty. It was so terrible what I did to her. Instead of sending her to an empty cottage, I sent her to the home of three vicious bears. Poor Goldilocks was doomed, and it was all my fault. But that wasn’t even close to the worst that I would do. Once I had the gingerbread recipe, I quickly went to building a new house made completely out of gingerbread. I knew it would come in handy for luring innocent children away from the parents who loved them, from those who had wronged me.

PHILIP: (ENTERS and admires the apple tree with his ax at the ready.) Yes! This one will do just fine!

ELIZADORA: (ENTERS, sees PHILIP and again pulls her hood up to hide her face.) Don’t you dare!

PHILIP: I’m sorry. Is this your tree? I should have asked, but I didn’t see you standing there.

ELIZADORA: Yes, it’s my tree.PHILIP: Very well. I’ll just find another one. Good day, ma’am. (Starts

to leave.)

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ELIZADORA: Wait! (PHILIP stops.) If you’re looking for a fine tree to chop down, I know just the one. Take a look. (Points to the large tree over the wall.)

PHILIP: (Looks at the tree in awe.) Oh, yes! That is a fine tree! But it seems to be quite a distance from here, and I can’t leave my children. They’re playing in the forest just over there.

ELIZADORA: (Looks OFF.) Ah, yes. I see them. A fine young lad and a beautiful little miss.

PHILIP: Thank you. They are Hansel and Gretel.ELIZADORA: Oh, yes. They’ll do just fine! (PHILIP gives her a look.)

I mean, you needn’t worry about them. I see your young lad is leaving a trail of bread crumbs.

PHILIP: Yes, he’s always done that. Worries about everything, that one is, even though I’ve told him over and over that it’s for the birds. He’s always been a bit paranoid.

ELIZADORA: See? They’re sure to find their way home. Just tell him to follow the trail of crumbs. And just look at that tree, good woodsman. Isn’t it simply massive?

PHILIP: Yes, it is indeed. We can certainly use the extra money from selling that much wood to feed the family. I suppose the children can find their way home. Thank you, ma’am. I’m in your debt. (Turns to where the children are.) Hansel! Gretel! (EXITS. ELIZADORA laughs wickedly and EXITS opposite.)

ELLE: And so Philip the woodsman hoped desperately his kids would find their way home by themselves so he could chop down the tree and sell the wood to feed his starving family. Little did he know that the tree was the home of the elves. (LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of Scene One

ACT TWOScene Two

LIGHTS UP on Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods. The elves’ tree is gone and now a cutout of a gingerbread house is LEFT.ELLE: By the time morning came, I had whipped up a little magic and

built a beautiful and delicious gingerbread house. By that time, Philip the woodsman had chopped down the elves’ tree, and his poor children, little Hansel and Gretel, were hopelessly lost in the woods. I was to blame, of course. I was so terrible back then. I had run ahead of them and stolen all their bread crumbs so they couldn’t find their way home.

HANSEL: (ENTERS with GRETEL. Paces, nervous.) Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness. Oh, my goodness!

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GRETEL: (Punches his arm.) Hey! Snap out of it!HANSEL: But we’re lost. We’re all alone in the woods. We could be

eaten by wolves or trolls or ogres or giants or—GRETEL: (Punches his arm again.) Knock it off! You’re creeping me out.HANSEL: But what if we freeze to death or die of starvation?GRETEL: We won’t.HANSEL: But what if we do?GRETEL: What if, what if, what if! You’re such a worrywart! Why must

you always think of the worst?HANSEL: Because something terrible could happen!GRETEL: Or something good could happen. Like this. (Points out the

gingerbread house.) See? It’s a house made completely out of gingerbread. Still think we’re going to starve to death?

HANSEL: Oh, I don’t know about this, Gretel. What if it’s poisoned?GRETEL: Oh, pish posh! Who would poison their own house?HANSEL: I don’t know. Who would make their house out of gingerbread?GRETEL: Would you stop it, already? It’s obvious nobody lives here.

Come on, now. I’m having a bite.HANSEL: Gretel, no! (GRETEL rips off a piece of the house and takes a

bite. SOUND EFFECT: SIRENS. HANSEL goes nuts, running around like a madman.) Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! You’ve tripped the alarm! The giants are coming! The giants are coming!

GRETEL: (Puts the piece back. The SIRENS stop. To HANSEL.) Knock it off! Get ahold of yourself. (Grabs HANSEL and shakes him.) There’s no one here. There aren’t any giants here. See? How could a giant live in such a little house? There’s no one home. Nobody at all.

ELIZADORA: (ENTERS from behind the gingerbread house.) Nobody but me. (HANSEL and GRETEL jump. ELIZADORA laughs wickedly.) Boo!

HANSEL: Oh, no! Oh, no! Oh, no! (Curls up into a little ball.) I want my papa!

ELIZADORA: Are you little ones trying to eat my house?HANSEL/GRETEL: No, ma’am.ELIZADORA: Hmmm… you wouldn’t lie, now, would you?HANSEL/GRETEL: No, ma’am.ELIZADORA: But you look so hungry.HANSEL: We are hungry. We’re lost and can’t find our way home. We

haven’t eaten since breakfast yesterday, and even then it was only a taste. We’re dying of hunger.

GRETEL: (Punches his arm.) We’re not dying.ELIZADORA: You should never eat the houses of strangers. They could

be poisoned, you know.

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HANSEL: See! Told you so. (GRETEL just punches his arm again.) Ow! Stop doing that.

ELIZADORA: But I can see that you are hungry. Come inside, and I can give you something good to eat.

HANSEL: (Nervous.) Oh, I’m not sure we should.GRETEL: (Aside to HANSEL.) Would you can it already? She’s offering

us food!HANSEL: But what if she can’t be trusted? What if she kidnaps us or

poisons us?GRETEL: Can’t you see? She’s trying to help. And besides… her house

wasn’t poisoned. Why would her food be poisoned? Now zip it and let me do the talking. (To ELIZADORA.) Thank you, ma’am. We’d love a hot meal. You’re awfully kind to offer.

ELIZADORA: (Holds her hand up.) Right this way. (HANSEL and GRETEL hurry OFF into or behind the gingerbread house.) Well, she’s right about one thing. I may not be kind, but I’m certainly awful! (Laughs wickedly and follows them OFF.)

ELLE: That I was. As soon as I had them in the little gingerbread house, I locked them in a cage. I had the most terrible plans for them. Oh, but don’t you worry about them. Like I told you before, this story has a very happy ending. Now, where was I? Oh, yes! (ELIZADORA ENTERS from the gingerbread house and tends her garden.) My plans were going perfectly, terrible as they were, and I was ready for my final act of revenge. It was against poor Prince Midas and Cinderella. Midas was now king, and Cinderella was his queen. They fell in love at the ball, married, had two heirs, and were living happily ever after. That is, until I met King Midas in the forest one day.

MIDAS II: (ENTERS RIGHT and stops when he sees ELIZADORA.) Good day, ma’am.

ELIZADORA: Good day, King Midas.MIDAS II: Oh. Do I know you?ELIZADORA: (Pulls her cloak to make sure her face is concealed.) No.

But everyone knows who you are.MIDAS II: I suppose that’s how it goes. What a lovely garden you have

here. I must say, these are the finest greens I’ve seen in a long time. You must bring some to the castle someday.

ELIZADORA: No.MIDAS II: No? Are you refusing a king’s request?ELIZADORA: Yes. Just as the king once refused me.MIDAS II: I’m sorry, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. I

thought you said I didn’t know you.

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ELIZADORA: You don’t. You never knew me. You never took the time to know me.

MIDAS II: Well, I would never have meant to harm anyone. Not intentionally, at least.

ELIZADORA: You did! And now I shall have my revenge. (Aims her wand at him.) Tactus aurum! (Flicks her wand.)

MIDAS II: (Quickly draws his sword, which is the purest gold.) Withdraw your wand, witch! I must remind you that you’re dealing with a king!

ELIZADORA: (Laughs wickedly.) And you’re dealing with a witch! (Laughs.) It’s too late, Midas. Just take a look at your sword!

MIDAS II: (Looks at the sword.) Why, it’s turned to gold!ELIZADORA: Yes. It has, because you touched it. From this day forth,

everything, absolutely everything you touch shall turn to gold.MIDAS II: (Surprised.) Everything I touch? Really? I thought you had

cursed me.ELIZADORA: Haven’t I?MIDAS II: How could I be cursed? This is a blessing!ELIZADORA: Ah, yes. A blessing. If you wish to look at it that way…MIDAS II: Of course it is! Why, I’ll be rich! Oh, thank you, good witch.

Thank you! Your service to the kingdom shall always be remembered. I am forever in your debt. Whatever you wish, it shall be yours.

ELIZADORA: Interesting. I shall have to think about that.MIDAS II: Oh, but this gift you have given me is too wonderful. I must

go and tell Cinderella at once. (EXITS.)ELIZADORA: Yes. Just remember… everything you touch shall turn to

gold. Absolutely everything. Even your precious Cinderella. (Laughs wickedly and EXITS.)

ELLE: And so I had saved my worst plans for King Midas and Cinderella. Now, the prince who had broken my heart would never be able to touch his queen again. (LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of Scene Two

ACT TWOScene Three

LIGHTS UP on another part of the forest, closer to the Valley Kingdom. STEPMOTHER WHITE is disguised as an old hag with a cloak and hood over her head and carrying a basket full of apples. KING WHITE and SNOW WHITE each hold an apple and look at it admiringly.ELLE: Meanwhile, in another part of the forest near the valley, Snow

White and King White were just about to be double-crossed by the king’s new wife.

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STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Disguises her voice as well.) See? I told you. Aren’t they the most delicious-looking apples you’ve ever seen?

SNOW WHITE: Why, yes! They are most certainly beautiful. The loveliest apples I’ve ever seen.

KING WHITE: And the plumpest! My goodness, these are large. Where did you get them?

STEPMOTHER WHITE: I grow them myself.KING WHITE: You must tell our royal gardener your secret. I must say,

my wife would just die for apples like these.STEPMOTHER WHITE: We’ll see who does the dying.SNOW WHITE: What was that you said?STEPMOTHER WHITE: Oh, nothing, my child. Never mind me. I’m just

a silly old woman. Go on, then. Have a bite.SNOW WHITE: Oh, but I mustn’t.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Oh, but you must.SNOW WHITE: Oh, but I mustn’t.STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Firm.) I insist.SNOW WHITE: No. I just couldn’t.STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Yells.) You can! (Softens.) I mean, of course you

can. Why couldn’t you?SNOW WHITE: It’s just that it’s so beautiful, and beauty is valued

highly in our kingdom. Isn’t it, Father?KING WHITE: It is. It is, my dear. (To STEPMOTHER WHITE.) You see, my

wife considers beauty the most important virtue.STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Snaps.) And she’s right! (Calms.) I mean… I

agree with your wife.SNOW WHITE: So you see why I couldn’t. It’s just too beautiful. I could

never—STEPMOTHER WHITE: Yes. You could. You could.SNOW WHITE: Oh, but I mustn’t.STEPMOTHER WHITE: Yes. You must.SNOW WHITE: It’s just too lovely and—STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Shouts.) Just eat it! (Composes herself.) I

mean… please. You must humor an old woman. After all, I’ve given these apples so much care and attention. I’d hate to see them go to waste.

KING WHITE: Of course, of course. We wouldn’t want to offend our elders. And you have put such hard work into these apples. They do look delicious. Go ahead, Snow. Dig in. (KING WHITE and SNOW WHITE each take a bite.)

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STEPMOTHER WHITE: (Laughs wickedly and removes her hood.) Hee, hee, hee, hee!

KING WHITE: Is that you, my queen?SNOW WHITE: Stepmother?STEPMOTHER WHITE: Yes. It’s me. And those apples you’ve just eaten

are poisoned. (Laughs wickedly.) Finally, your little kingdom in the valley is mine, all mine! (Laughs wickedly and throws her hands up into the air. SOUND EFFECT: THUNDER. LIGHTS FLASH several times and finally BLACKOUT for a moment. When the LIGHTS come UP, SNOW WHITE and KING WHITE are collapsed on the floor and STEPMOTHER WHITE is gone.)

ELLE: Poor King White. He and his daughter had been fooled and little hope was left for them. But they weren’t killed by the poison. After all those years of breeding, I had created the most perfect apples. They were completely immune to pests and disease, but also nearly immune to curses and poison. The poison brewed by Snow White’s stepmother was powerful, but my apples were stronger. The poison had taken effect and left King White and his daughter barely hanging to life, but not dead. Luckily, some dwarves who lived in the forest near the valley found them just in time.

DWARVES: (March IN through the AUDIENCE, singing or chanting.) One by one, nothing gets done.Two by two, still need a few.Three by three, are you kidding me?Work, work, work.Sweat, breathe, bleed.Help you’re gonna need if you want to succeed.Four by four, need a little more.Five by five, isn’t gonna jive.Six by six, you’re still in a fix.But seven by seven, you’re finally in heaven.Work, work, work.Sweat, breathe, bleed.Help you’re gonna need if you want to succeed. (The song ends, but the DWARVES continue to march slowly through the AUDIENCE until they are at the front of the auditorium. TOPSY and TURVY look at one another with wide eyes, then hold each other’s noses.)

TOPSY: Say, that’s not swell.TURVY: Yeah, what’s the smell?PUNKIN: I’ll give you one guess.MUNCHKIN: Riff Raff!RIFF RAFF: Sorry.

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MUNCHKIN: You didn’t forget to take a bath again, did you?RIFF RAFF: (Proud.) Oh, I didn’t forget. I just chose not to.TUM TUM: Aw, not again.RIFF RAFF: Give me a break. Water and soap just make me feel so…

clean and… squeaky. (Shudders.) Ick!TUM TUM: (Holds his nose.) I’m gonna lose my appetite!MUNCHKIN: Yeah, like that could happen. You’re always hungry, Tum

Tum.TUM TUM: It’s true.PUNKIN: (Puts a fist in RIFF RAFF’S face.) I swear if you don’t take a

bath tonight, I’m gonna make you!SAL: That’s enough, Punkin.PUNKIN: But, Sal, that smell is nasty!TOPSY: It’s certainly true.TURVY: Riff Raff smells like a zoo!RIFF RAFF: (Sincere.) Thanks!TUM TUM: (Sniffs RIFF RAFF.) No, it’s not a zoo. It’s more like…

sardines. (Sniffs RIFF RAFF again.) Yep. That smell is definitely sardines. Oh, boy, could I go for a can of sardines right about now!

MUNCHKIN: See what I mean?TOPSY: Tum Tum can really scarf.TURVY: Better than any dwarf.TOPSY: Give him one wish.TURVY: He’ll ask you for a fish.TUM TUM: What? Well, of course, I would. Fish are full of protein!PUNKIN: And they stink!TUM TUM: But they’s so tasty! They’s like nature’s candy!DWARVES: (Ad lib.) Ew! That’s gross? Yuck! (Etc.)TUM TUM: (Smiles.) Say, what’s for dinner tonight? We got any herring?

(DWARVES react with distaste again. Disappointed.) Aw. What about a nice red snapper?

PUNKIN: (Gets in TUM TUM’S face.) I’m about to snap if you don’t knock it—

SAL: (Interferes.) All right. That’s enough. Tum Tum, we’ll have supper soon enough. Punkin, no more picking fights!

PUNKIN: Eh. He started it.SAL: Doesn’t matter. We’ve had enough. Now, come on. We’ve got to

get home. (DWARVES resume their formation and begin their march again. They march toward the stage.)

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TUM TUM: So no ideas on supper then? Maybe some sushi, or tuna salad, or, ooh! Salmon stew!

DWARVES: Quiet, Tum Tum!TUM TUM: Okay. (DWARVES march ONTO the stage.)SAL: (Sees SNOW WHITE and KING WHITE.) What’s this?TOPSY: A lass and a lad.TURVY: Fallen along the trail.TOPSY: Oh, but their fate is too sad.PUNKIN: They’re both as dead as a doornail!TURVY: Hey! That’s my rhyme!PUNKIN: Sorry. It was just too easy.MUNCHKIN: You don’t really think…?PUNKIN: What?MUNCHKIN: I mean, surely, they’re not…PUNKIN: Dead? Why, of course, they are! Look at ’em!RIFF RAFF: But what do you think could’ve done them in out here in

the middle of nowhere?TUM TUM: Hey, look! Apples! (Grabs the apples from their hands.

Almost takes a bite.)SAL: (Shouts.) Stop!TUM TUM: What?SAL: I wouldn’t eat that if I were you.TUM TUM: I don’t know. I’m pretty sure that if you were me, you would

eat these. Look at ’em. Ain’t they pretty?SAL: Yeah. Pretty and poisoned.TUM TUM: What? Ew! (Tosses the apples aside.)TOPSY: An apple a day.TURVY: Keeps the doctor away.TOPSY: Eat an apple that’s rotten.TURVY: And you’ll be forgotten.RIFF RAFF: What should we do?MUNCHKIN: We can’t leave them out here like this.PUNKIN: Sure can.SAL: No. That would be wrong. We’ll have to take them back to the

cottage, give them a proper burial.MUNCHKIN: That’s just what we’ll do!RIFF RAFF: Fine with me.TUM TUM: And then we’ll feast in their memory!

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SAL: Come on, dwarves. Let’s get these two home. (DWARVES begin to pick up KING WHITE and SNOW WHITE as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of Scene Three

ACT TWOScene Four

LIGHTS UP on KING MIDAS’S palace throne room. CINDERELLA sits in a golden throne. A table full of golden artifacts is on one side of her. LADY-IN-WAITING holds another golden artifact.ELLE: Meanwhile, back at the castle of the Forest Kingdom, King Midas

was busy turning everything he could lay his hands on into gold.LADY-IN-WAITING: Another present from the king, my queen.CINDERELLA: Thank you. Just put it there with the others. (LADY-IN-

WAITING places the artifact on the table. CINDERELLA squirms.) I wish Midas hadn’t turned our thrones to gold. These cushions aren’t very cushiony anymore!

LADY-IN-WAITING: Shall I find Her Majesty a pillow?CINDERELLA: That would be wonderful, but he’s probably already

turned it to gold as well!LADY-IN-WAITING: I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s been at it for hours

now.CINDERELLA: Oh, I wish he would just stop already. Ever since he came

home, he’s been running around the castle turning everything he sees to gold. Why, we have enough gold now to last us a lifetime. (Pouts.) He’s barely even stopped for a moment to spend time with me.

LADY-IN-WAITING: Oh, my queen. I wouldn’t worry. He’ll find it tiresome soon enough. He’s just excited.

CINDERELLA: He’s just greedy! Why, I was raised on so little, yet never needed much. It seems foolish to get so caught up with riches and wealth. What’s most important is loving one another and spending our time together, not building mountains of gold.

LADY-IN-WAITING: Oh, my dear queen. You needn’t worry about King Midas. Like I said, he’ll tire of it soon enough, and I know he could never find you tiresome.

CINDERELLA: Thank you.MIDAS III: (ENTERS with a golden shirt of chain mail.) Hey, Ma. Look

at this! Father turned my chain mail into gold! Pretty fine, wouldn’t you say?

CINDERELLA: Yes. Yes. It’s lovely. Is your father almost done?MIDAS III: Are you kidding me? By the looks of it, he’ll be at it for

hours. Days! Weeks even!

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CINDERELLA: Oh, brother!PRINCE MARCUS: (ENTERS with a golden helmet.) Would you look at

this!MIDAS III: (Sees him.) Oh! Brother!PRINCE MARCUS: It’s my helmet. Father has just—CINDERELLA: Turned it into gold. We know, son.PRINCE MARCUS: I’m sorry. Is there a problem? I don’t have a

problem with it. Just look at it. It’s incredible! (PRINCES high-five.)CINDERELLA: Of course it is, son. It’s just that— (MIDAS II ENTERS.)

Oh, there he is. It’s about timeMIDAS II: There’s my gorgeous family. I’ve missed you.CINDERELLA: Have you?MIDAS II: Of course, I have! What would I be without my queen and my

two fine princes? There’s no amount of gold in the world that could be more valuable than you all.

CINDERELLA: Are you certain of that?MIDAS II: Of course, my queen. (Tries to embrace her, but she turns

away.) Is something wrong, my dear?CINDERELLA: Yes. You come home, announce the news of this… this

gift, and then you disappear for hours, turning everything in the castle to gold.

MIDAS II: I only did it for you. I wanted to give you and the boys these gifts.

MIDAS III: Pretty sweet gifts, too!PRINCE MARCUS: Yeah. Did you see this helmet?MIDAS II: And I wanted to give you enough gold to last a lifetime. So

we would never have to worry. So we could live happily ever after.CINDERELLA: We don’t need gold to be happy.MIDAS II: You’re right. You’re absolutely right. I’m sorry, my love. I

shouldn’t have. Please say you’ll forgive me. You should know that I love you more than any amount of gold.

LADY-IN-WAITING: See? I told you he’d come around.CINDERELLA: I suppose you must’ve been caught up in the excitement

of your new talent.MIDAS II: There you go! Now you’re seeing it. That’s all it was. And

now, I’m here with the most valuable treasure of all. My family. (CINDERELLA smiles. MIDAS II smiles and opens his arms to CINDERELLA. She crosses to him, ready to embrace him.)

LADY-IN-WAITING: Wait! Don’t touch her! (They stop, just before they can embrace.)

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CINDERELLA: What’s the matter?LADY-IN-WAITING: I’m sorry, my queen. I don’t mean to spoil this

happy moment, but I’ve just thought of something terrible.CINDERELLA: What is it?LADY-IN-WAITING: Well, it’s just that… what if he should… turn you

into gold?CINDERELLA: (Turns to MIDAS II.) Is that possible?MIDAS II: Oh, my. I hadn’t thought of that. (Sits in his throne.)CINDERELLA: Well? Is it?MIDAS II: The witch did say that everything I touched would turn to

gold. Absolutely everything. It… it must be true.CINDERELLA: (Upset.) Oh, no… Oh, no… My king… You mean I can

never… (MIDAS II shakes his head. Out of habit, they reach for one another.)

LADY-IN-WAITING: No! (CINDERELLA looks at him and runs OFF in tears. MIDAS II sits in his throne with his head in his hands.)

MIDAS III: That old witch cursed you, Father!PRINCE MARCUS: Yes. It’s terrible what she’s done!MIDAS III: And we shall set things right. (Draws his sword.) Shan’t we,

brother?PRINCE MARCUS: Yes, we shan! Er… we shall, we shall! (Draws his

sword.) We’ll see that that witch reverses this curse at once! Or else… (Draws his sword across his neck.)

MIDAS II: Now, hold on. Let’s not rush to judgment.MIDAS III: But she cursed you, Father.PRINCE MARCUS: She’s wicked!MIDAS II: Perhaps, but we must consider— (Suddenly, a CROWD ENTERS.

GOLDILOCKS, PHILIP, GIZELLE, THOMAS and the ELVES quickly file into the throne room. GOLDILOCKS’S arm is in a sling, and she is bandaged from head to toe. PHILIP wields his ax, THOMAS wields a long loaf of French bread and the ELVES have wooden toy swords. GIZELLE carries a pitchfork, because, well, someone has to. ALL shout, yell and cause an enormous ruckus. GOLDILOCKS yips and howls, of course, and through the following occasionally licks her wounds. MIDAS II shouts.) All right! All right! What’s the meaning of all this?

GOLDILOCKS: We must track her down!PHILIP: Capture her!ELVES: Erase her from memory!PHILIP: Take her by the roots!GIZELLE: Lock her in a tower!

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THOMAS: I say we throw her in the oven! (CROWD continues yelling and ruckusing.)

ELLE: (Squirms with delight.) Ooh! This is the good part. This is when everything started to go right for me!

MIDAS II: Now, now! Not everyone at once! Please, let’s have some reason here. Now, who are you talking about?

GIZELLE: It’s that witch in the woods!TOY ELVES: She cut down our tree!MIDAS II: Are you sure it was her?ELVES: Yes!PHILIP: Well, actually that was me. I cut down the tree, but she put

me up to it!ELVES: Yeah!COOKIE ELVES: And she stole our secret gingerbread recipe!GOLDILOCKS: Well, not exactly. That was me.MIDAS II: Now, did she really do you all any harm, or not?GOLDILOCKS: Oh, she did. She made me steal the recipe in exchange

for a new home. But instead of that, she sent me to a cottage full of angry bears. And just look at me now!

CROWD: Yeah!THOMAS: And she kidnapped our little Rapunzel!CROWD: Yeah!GIZELLE: Locked her high in a tower!PHILIP: She took my little ones, too. My Hansel and Gretel.WIMBLY: We even heard from some forest dwarves that she got King

White and his daughter.DIMBLY: Poor little Snow White.GIMBLY: The fairest of them all.WUMPLE: God rest their souls.MIDAS II: Dead? Can it be true?CRUMPLE: Yes. They’re gone. Done in by a poisoned apple.TRUMPLE: Given to them by King White’s new wife, Snow White’s evil

stepmother.WUMPLE: Who got it from the wicked witch in the first place!LADY-IN-WAITING: This is awful! What can we do?PRINCE MARCUS: Father, surely you know what must be done.MIDAS III: Yes, Father. Don’t you hear the cries of your people?MIDAS II: (Stands.) I do. (To the CROWD.) You have been done many

wrongs. And so we have no choice but to act. We must find this witch!

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CROWD: Yeah!MIDAS II: And we must stop her!CROWD: Yeah!MIDAS II: We must kill the witch!CROWD: Yeah!ELLE: (Filled with delight.) And so, all of those I had wronged decided

to hunt me down. The witch hunt was on!MIDAS II: But first, we must arm ourselves properly. (To the ELVES.)

Look at you, you carry nothing but wooden toys.CRUMPLE: Hey! I made those!TRUMPLE: And they’re carved by hand!WUMPLE: With the grain, too!COOKIE ELVES: Indeedily-do!MIDAS II: They are, indeed. But I can make them more useful. (To

THOMAS.) And yours, too.THOMAS BAKER: (Looks at his piece of bread.) Yeah. I know. But it’s

all I have.MIDAS II: Come. I’ll have you equipped with finer weaponry in no time.

(ALL EXIT.)ELLE: (Still full of delight.) And so all of my old schoolmates joined

forces, formed a witch hunt and came after me. Aren’t they just the best? (Realizes.) Oh! I know what you’re thinking. Sure, they wanted revenge, but instead of staying at home to stew in their misery and never see me again, they came after me! Oh, they are just the best! You’ll see. (LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of Scene Four

ACT TWOScene Five

LIGHTS UP on Elizadora’s garden in the Deep Dark Woods. ELIZADORA peacefully tends her garden. The gingerbread house is UP LEFT.ELLE: Meanwhile, I was at home, enjoying the peace and quiet of my

garden. I had no clue that all those I had wronged were coming for me. (MIDAS II, MIDAS III, PRINCE MARCUS, GOLDILOCKS, THOMAS, GIZELLE and the ELVES ENTER from the AUDIENCE. ALL wield the same weapons as before, only now the ELVES’ toy swords are gold, as is THOMAS’S baguette and GIZELLE’S pitchfork. They march through the AUDIENCE toward the stage, yelling and shouting. GOLDILOCKS yips and howls. ELIZADORA notices them and becomes annoyed. She crosses DOWN CENTER to see what the commotion is about.)

PRINCE MARCUS: (Points.) There she is!

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MIDAS III: Is that her, Father?MIDAS II: That’s her, all right.PHILIP: It’s the witch!MOB: Get her! (MOB advances quicker now, still shouting. ELIZADORA

pulls the hood of her cloak up to hide her face. Then she turns UPSTAGE, hoping to somehow get away.)

THOMAS: She sees us!GOLDILOCKS: Surround her! Quick!GIZELLE: Before she gets her broom!PRINCE MARCUS: Before she gets away! (MOB splits in half. One half

crosses ONTO the stage at STAGE LEFT, the other crosses ONTO the stage at STAGE RIGHT. They quickly surround her. ELIZADORA is trapped.)

ELIZADORA: (Pulls her wand, then hisses and groans. She’s outnumbered.) What do you want?

MIDAS III: We’ve come for you.PRINCE MARCUS: To see that all the wrongs you’ve done to us are

set right again.THOMAS: Or else!ELIZADORA: Or else what? You’re all trespassing, you know. This is

private property. So who’s really in the wrong here?GOLDILOCKS: You are!ELVES: Yeah! You are!GIZELLE: We’ve done you no wrong, but you’ve kidnapped our children.COOKIE ELVES: Stolen our secret recipe!TOY ELVES: Destroyed our home!GOLDILOCKS: You sent me to a death trap full of bears!MIDAS II: (Firm.) And you saw to it that I could never hug my children or

kiss my wife again. There’s no question here that you have caused us all great pain.

ELIZADORA: Yes, but you have caused me great pain as well.MIDAS II: I have not. And these people have not. It’s you who are to

blame. (Draws his golden sword and advances toward her. ELIZADORA holds her hood to better hide her face.) You are full of wickedness.

ELIZADORA: You’re the wicked ones! You took from me! You stole from me! You destroyed my garden! You… (As her anger builds, ELIZADORA and MIDAS II lean in closer and closer until they are finally eye to eye.) You broke my heart.

MIDAS II: (Sees ELIZADORA’S face up close for the first time. He realizes who it is and quickly takes a step back, in shock.) Can it be?

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MIDAS III: Father, what are you doing?MIDAS II: You?GIZELLE: Don’t let her go!THOMAS: She’s evil.MIDAS II: You’re the witch? It’s you who has done all these awful

things? (ELIZADORA turns away, ashamed.)PRINCE MARCUS: What’s the matter, Father? Seize her!MIDAS II: No. (To ELIZADORA.) Remove your hood. Show yourself.

(ELIZADORA turns to him, then slowly pulls down her hood. MOB gasps at her ugliness, yet they still do not recognize their old schoolmate.)

ELIZADORA: Yes. It’s me. Just look at me. I’m ugly. I’m disgusting. But that’s what happens when your heart turns as black as mine. And it’s all because of you.

GOLDILOCKS: We did nothing to you!PHILIP: We’d never even crossed your path until the day you cursed

us all, one by one!COOKIE ELVES: Yeah! You’re evil!TOY ELVES: Get her! (MOB shouts and starts for her.)MIDAS II: (Stands in her defense.) No! (MOB resigns again.) You really

don’t recognize her, do you?GIZELLE: Who?THOMAS: We’ve never seen her before.MIDAS II: Yes, you have. In school. Remember the girl who always kept

to herself? The one we just ignored and left alone? The one we sometimes made fun of?

PHILIP: Who are you talking about?MIDAS II: The one who kept the most beautiful garden. She always had

the most beautiful plants. Remember? (To GIZELLE.) Remember those beans she promised you? (GIZELLE gasps. To PHILIP.) Remember that apple tree that seemed to grow a foot every day? (PHILIP’S jaw drops.) This is her.

MOB: (Looks at ELIZADORA closely. Ad libs.) Lizzie? Is that you? Can it be? (Etc.)

ELIZADORA: Yes. It’s me. Little Miss Toadstool. (MOB is shocked.) But I go by Elizadora now, if you please.

MIDAS II: But why? Why have you done all this? You could have come to me. I could have aided you, if only—

ELIZADORA: Come to you? For what? To be turned away again? Look what you’ve done to me. All of you! All those years of cruelty and

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asking me for this or that. Always after my tree or my beans or whatever you wanted. Never really noticing me.

MIDAS II: And not asking you to the ball. (ELIZADORA turns away again.) You really cared for me once, didn’t you? (ELIZADORA can’t look at him.) Lizzie, er… Elizadora, look… I’m… I’m sorry. I never knew. I would have been more careful if I had known.

ELIZADORA: You didn’t care to listen or pay attention. None of you did.MIDAS II: I wish I had. I do, but the past cannot be changed. We have

only the power to change the future. (Looks at the MOB. Then back to ELIZADORA.) And that’s why… even though you have cursed me and my family… (Sheathes his sword.) …I must forgive you. (MOB gasps. ELIZADORA turns to him in complete shock.)

PRINCE MARCUS: Father! What she’s done is unforgiveable!MIDAS II: You’re wrong, son. And it’s the only way to mend what has

been broken. (To ELIZADORA.) You have my pardon. All of the wrongs you have done me are forgiven in full, and I only ask that you accept my sincere apologies for any wrongs I have done you in return.

ELIZADORA: (Confused.) No. Stop. Why are you doing this?MIDAS II: As I said, I only have the power to change the future. The

only way to healing is through love and forgiveness.ELIZADORA: But you can’t do that! I don’t deserve that! (Shocked, but

becomes even more so as one by one, the OTHERS express their forgiveness to her.)

PHILIP: King Midas is right. I forgive you, too.GIZELLE: Spoiled as I may have been when we were young, my parents

always taught me virtue. I forgive you, too.THOMAS: As do I.MIDAS III: As heir to my father’s throne, I shall seek to keep his honor

and follow in the wisdom of his footsteps. I forgive you for the curse you’ve put upon my father.

PRINCE MARCUS: And I share my brother’s wishes.ELVES: We forgive you.GOLDILOCKS: And I do as well.ELIZADORA: (Speechless.) But… but… why? I don’t understand. Why?

Why would you…? (Breaks down. [NOTE: From this point on, ELIZADORA begins to change. She is now released from her wickedness and wants to live rightly. This should become more and more noticeable in her words and actions as the scene progresses.]) Oh, I’ve made a terrible mistake. You’re good. You really are good. All of you! I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry! I wish I could take it all back. I wish…

FAIRY GODMOTHER: (ENTERS.) You wished? What is your wish, Elizadora?

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ELIZADORA: Fairy Godmother! You were right. I misunderstood everything. I wish I could make it all right again. I wish that I could be good. I wish that I could erase all the evil I have done.

FAIRY GODMOTHER: Oh, Elizadora. The answer is right in front of you. Midas is right. You cannot change the past, but you can change the future. Remember… I always believed in you. You’re smart. You know how to make things right.

ELIZADORA: Yes. Yes! I can make it all right!FAIRY GODMOTHER: Very well. Then my work here is done. And to you

all, I would remind you that the line between good and evil is often but a small and simple choice. May you all be certain to make your choices the right ones. (EXITS.)

ELIZADORA: Okay, who’s first? Of course, Hansel and Gretel. I’ll be right back. (EXITS into the gingerbread house and quickly REENTERS with HANSEL and GRETEL.)

HANSEL/GRETEL: Papa! (They run to PHILIP’S arms.)PHILIP: Children! Oh, my children!ELIZADORA: (To GIZELLE and THOMAS.) And your Rapunzel. She’s in

the tower there, see? You can go and rescue her.GIZELLE: We know she’s there. We found her.THOMAS: (Indicates GIZELLE.) We just happened to be in the forest

and the Queen of the Beans here caught the scent of beans. She led us straight to the tower.

GIZELLE: It’s true. That tower reeks of beans. But there is no way to rescue our little Rapunzel. The tower doors have been turned to stone.

ELIZADORA: Oh. Right. (Points her wand at the tower.) Capillus crescendo! (To GIZELLE and THOMAS.) That ought to do it!

THOMAS: What’d you do?GIZELLE: You didn’t just curse her, did you?ELIZADORA: No. No. I just made her hair grow. Now it should be long

enough to reach the ground. Long enough for you to rescue her.GIZELLE: Oh, that’s brilliant! Thank you, Elizadora! (She and THOMAS

start to go.)ELIZADORA: Gizelle, before you go…Your sense of smell didn’t lead

you astray. I store my beans in that tower. You’re free to take as many bags as you like. I believe I once promised you some.

GIZELLE: Oh, my! Elizadora, that’s so kind. (To THOMAS.) See? I knew there were beans in that tower!

THOMAS: Looks like we’ll have to put on some baked beans tonight.GIZELLE: No. Bean toffee. I insist. (GIZELLE and THOMAS start to go.)

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PRINCE MARCUS: Wait. (They stop.) Do you mind if I go with you?THOMAS: Not at all. Why?PRINCE MARCUS: Maybe I can help. Maybe I could rescue her? I’ve

always dreamed of rescuing a maiden locked in a tower. (EVERYONE looks at PRINCE MARCUS, shocked.)

GIZELLE/THOMAS: Really?PRINCE MARCUS: Yeah. It’s a prince thing.GIZELLE: (Shrugs.) Fine with me.PRINCE MARCUS: Wonderful. (They go. HANSEL, GRETEL and PHILIP

start to follow them OFF.)ELIZADORA: Philip! Before you go, I’d like you to have something, too.PHILIP: What’s that, Elizadora? (ELIZADORA crosses to her garden and

picks up the potted apple tree.) Elizadora, your tree. This is too much. It means too much to you. I can’t take this.

ELIZADORA: I insist. It bears so much fruit. I can’t keep up with all the apples. You need it more than I. It will help you feed your family.

PHILIP: Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I mean it.ELIZADORA: But if you chop it into firewood, it won’t bear fruit at all.

So no cutting it down!PHILIP: Of course not.ELIZADORA: Promise?PHILIP: You have my most sincere word. (ELIZADORA smiles.) Thank

you once again. (PHILIP, HANSEL and GRETEL EXIT, with the tree.)ELIZADORA: (To MIDAS II.) And you. It’s true I loved you once, but

I’ve cursed you the worst of them all. But even that curse can be broken. There is a river that no one knows. It flows east to west from the forest into the valley. Just above the valley, it joins with a hot spring and forms a pond covered in lily pads. If you bathe in this pond, the hot springs will cure you of the curse.

MIDAS II: Thank you, Elizadora. And when I return, I shall see that you receive an invitation.

ELIZADORA: An invitation? Where?MIDAS II: To our castle, as our guest for dinner. And that will be an

open invitation. You are always welcome.ELIZADORA: Thank you, my king.MIDAS II: Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must be off to bathe and return

to my Cinderella. (Smiles and runs OFF.)WUMPLE: Hey! What about us?CRUMPLE: Yeah. What about our house?TRUMPLE: Our factory?

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WIMBLY: How are you going to fix that?ELIZADORA: Well… I can start by returning your recipe. (Pulls it from

her cloak.)GIMBLY: What are we supposed to do with this? We can’t bake

anything without our factory.DIMBLY: Yeah. It’s ruined!ELIZADORA: Well, I could grow you another tree, but to grow one of

that size would take some time, even with my skills.WIMBLY: So what do we do in the meantime? We have no home and

we’re out of work!ELIZADORA: I know just the thing! You know the shoemaker in the

village, don’t you?WUMPLE: Old Mr. Pennyloafer!WIMBLY: The old cobbler.CRUMPLE: Sure, he’s a merry old soul!ELIZADORA: I happen to know he’s in need of some help. Huddle up.

(ELVES huddle. ELIZADORA whispers to them.)WUMPLE: Well, skippity doodles!TRUMPLE: That’s a great idea!WIMBLY: Making shoes for a living!GIMBLY: Why didn’t we think of that?DIMBLY: (Shrugs.) Seems like a no-brainer to me. (ELVES laugh and

EXIT.)GOLDILOCKS: That was nice of you. You know, giving them a home.

Unless it’s a home full of bears, that is.ELIZADORA: It’s not. I’m sorry I tricked you.GOLDILOCKS: It’s okay. I actually held my own with those bears. Mama

Wolf taught me well.ELIZADORA: It’s good she did. But I’ll bet you’re still in search for a

place of your own, aren’t you?GOLDILOCKS: Well, yeah, I suppose.ELIZADORA: How would you like to live in a house made entirely of

gingerbread?GOLDILOCKS: Really? You’d give me your own home?ELIZADORA: Yes. I have no use for it anymore. I’m making a change.

I’m devoting my life to doing good. Plus, I think I’ll move into the village. That way, I can be closer to the villagers. You know… make some friends. Anyway, it’s yours if you want it.

GOLDILOCKS: There’s not a bear or a troll or anything else living in there, is there?

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ELIZADORA: It’s completely bear-free, troll-free and ogre-free. And you’d still be close to your family.

GOLDILOCKS: Why, thank you! I’ll take it. Oh, I must be off to get my things! (Howls and runs OFF.)

ELIZADORA: (Turns to MIDAS III.) Now, I suppose you’re looking for a princess, too. And I know right where you can find one. The fairest of them all. She’s in the care of dwarves just at the forest’s edge. She’s in a deep sleep, which can only be broken by true love’s kiss. Come. I’ll show you! (Pulls a startled MIDAS III OFF as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK. CURTAIN CLOSES.)

End of Scene Five

ACT TWOScene Six

LIGHTS UP: In front of the curtain. SNOW WHITE and KING WHITE lie CENTER. They each have a bouquet of flowers in their grasp. DWARVES surround them. Each DWARF holds a single flower. Two shovels lie nearby.TOPSY: May the angels lead your souls above. (Tosses a flower.)TURVY: And heal the hearts of those you love. (Tosses a flower.)MUNCHKIN: You’ll be missed. (Tosses a flower.)RIFF RAFF: Hope you have a good rest. (Tosses a flower.)TUM TUM: And a heavenly feast! (Tosses a flower.)SAL: Fare thee well! (Tosses a flower. DWARVES pause in reverence.

They wait for PUNKIN to say some final words. And they wait.) Ahem!PUNKIN: Oh! I don’t know what to say! It’s just so sad! (Tosses a flower

and fights back tears.)MUNCHKIN: (Consoles PUNKIN.) There, there. Let it out.PUNKIN: (Toughens up.) I’m fine. Just let me be, or I’ll give you one of

these! (Makes a fist.)SAL: Well… that’s that. (Nods to PUNKIN. SAL and PUNKIN grab the

shovels to begin the burial.)ELIZADORA: (ENTERS with MIDAS III. Now that she has been righting

her wrongs, ELIZADORA appears less ugly. At this point, the transformation should be minor, but noticeable. Perhaps, for instance, she walks with less of a hunch and has removed the dark cloak and hood or her hair appears neater.) Hold it! (SAL and PUNKIN stop.) What are you doing? What is all this?

RIFF RAFF: It’s a funeral!SAL: We’re giving these two a proper burial.ELIZADORA: No, no, no! Put down those shovels. They’re not dead!PUNKIN: Sure they are. Take a look at ’em!

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ELIZADORA: They’re not dead. They’re just under a spell. A witch’s curse.MUNCHKIN: See? I knew it! Oh, this is great news!ELIZADORA: (To MIDAS III.) Now, do what I told you! (MIDAS III

slowly crosses to SNOW WHITE, kneels down and kisses her. [See PRODUCTION NOTES.] She wakes and looks at him.)

SNOW WHITE: (Jumps and scoots away from him.) Ah! Who are you? What are you doing?

MIDAS III: Sorry. I was just kissing you.SNOW WHITE: Ew! Why would you be kissing me?MIDAS III: (Points to ELIZADORA.) She told me to!SNOW WHITE: But why would she have you do that? We don’t even

know one another!ELIZADORA: Oh, bither bother! (Introduces them.) Snow White, Prince

Midas, Prince Midas, Snow White. There you go!SNOW WHITE: (Stands and puts her hands on her hips.) Now, that

hardly makes it right for you to have him—ELIZADORA: (Waves her finger.) Eh, eh, eh! It’s true love’s kiss, deary.

It was the only way to save you from the witch’s curse.SNOW WHITE: Witch? Which witch?MIDAS III: Snow. May I call you Snow?SNOW WHITE: Sure.MIDAS III: Come with me and I’ll explain everything. (Extends a hand.)

Come on. You can trust me. I’m your true love. If I weren’t, you’d still be lying there asleep.

SNOW WHITE: But what about Father?MIDAS III: They’ll take good care of him… (To DWARVES.) Won’t you?DWARVES: (Ad lib.) Of course! You bet! You can count on us. (Etc.

SNOW WHITE reluctantly takes his hand and EXITS with MIDAS III. DWARVES watch as they go.)

PUNKIN: Well, that was unexpected!MUNCHKIN: Wow! How’d he do that?TOPSY: It’s certainly not every day.TURVY: You see the dead get up and walk away.TUM TUM: (Beat.) I’m hungry. (DWARVES groan.)SAL: (Indicates KING WHITE.) What about him? (DWARVES look at

ELIZADORA.)ELIZADORA: I’m not sure. I hadn’t thought of that.RIFF RAFF: Aren’t you going to kiss him?ELIZADORA: Ew! No… of course not.SAL: Then, how’re you going to break the spell?

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ELIZADORA: There’s only one way to break the spell, but I couldn’t… I mean… I’m not…

PUNKIN: Kiss him.ELIZADORA: But he isn’t…PUNKIN: Kiss him!ELIZADORA: I mean, I’m not qualified to…DWARVES: Kiss him!ELIZADORA: We’re not true loves! Okay?MUNCHKIN: How do you know?RIFF RAFF: Yeah. You haven’t even tried.ELIZADORA: But I’ve never… I mean I haven’t…SAL: (Laughs.) She’s never kissed a guy before!ELIZADORA: Stop it. It’s not funny!TOPSY: We’ll give you some tips.TURVY: No need to fret, hon.TOPSY: Just stick out your lips.TURVY: And get him a wet one. (DWARVES laugh.)ELIZADORA: (Sighs heavily.) Fine! (Crosses to KING WHITE, leans down,

hesitant, and gives him the tiniest peck. [See PRODUCTION NOTES.] Disgusted, she quickly stands upright again.) There. I did it. See? Not his true love.

KING WHITE: (Wakes.) Oh, my. What has happened? Where’s my Snow White? (DWARVES and ELIZADORA turn and look at him.)

ELIZADORA: (Shocked.) It worked! I did it! I broke the curse! I’m his true— (Realizes.) Oh, my…

KING WHITE: You’re what?ELIZADORA: I’m your…PUNKIN: Oh, just tell him!ELIZADORA: (Amazed.) Your true love.KING WHITE: My true love? (He and ELIZADORA look at one another,

stunned. KING WHITE looks closely at ELIZADORA.) Do I know you?SAL: Come on, dwarves. Our work here is done. Let’s leave these two

love birds alone. (DWARVES gather their things and EXIT as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

End of ACT TWO

ACT THREEScene One

LIGHTS UP before the curtain.

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ELLE: And so, I had righted every wrong and turned the page on a new life. Finally, I had learned that Fairy Godmother was right. The difference between good and evil is a simple choice. And from that day forward I decided to make only the right choices and to show love and kindness to everyone, even those who may have hurt or wronged me deeply. I had also learned that my schoolmates had really always wished the best for me, even if they weren’t always so good at showing it back then. But now that was all in the past and before long, we became dear friends. (CURTAIN OPENS. A great banquet has been arranged in MIDAS II’S palace. EVERYONE is there, seated at the long table, except for STEPMOTHER WHITE, LIZZIE and ELIZADORA. The only empty chair is to MIDAS II’S RIGHT.)

CINDERELLA: Oh, this is delightful!MIDAS II: Yes, it truly is, dear. I can’t imagine a happier ending than

this. (Hugs her.)CINDERELLA: Neither can I. Why, the curse is gone, and I have my

prince back!MIDAS II: You mean you have your king back.CINDERELLA: Why, of course. (They rub noses happily.)SNOW WHITE/RAPUNZEL: (To MIDAS III and PRINCE MARCUS.) And I

have found my prince!MIDAS III/PRINCE MARCUS: And I my princess.CINDERELLA: (To MIDAS II.) Oooh! I think it’s about time for your speech.MIDAS II: Yes. Yes. (Stands.) Dear friends, I am greatly pleased to have

you all sit at my table. You should all know that there is always a seat for you at the king’s table whenever you choose to take it.

GUESTS: Here, here!MIDAS II: That is true for the greatest of you and for the least of you.GUESTS: Here, here!MIDAS II: Which is why I have saved the seat at my right hand for

tonight’s guest of honor. Elizadora, would you please join us? (ELLE crosses to the table.)

GUESTS: (In awe at her new appearance.) Ooh!GIZELLE: Isn’t she pretty!PHILIP: Is that really her?GOLDILOCKS: Of course it is.PUNKIN: She ain’t ugly anymore.CINDERELLA: Oh! How lovely she is!ELLE: (To MIDAS II.) Thank you, my king. But, please, call me Elle. I

have cast aside that wicked name along with my wicked past. Elle is my preferred name now. (Curtsies and sits.)

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MIDAS II: Very well. Elle it shall be.TUM TUM: Can we eat yet?SAL: Shhh!MIDAS II: Every last one of you is hereby cordially invited to attend

the upcoming nuptials of my sons—Prince Marcus to the maiden Rapunzel, and Prince Midas III to the princess Snow White. It shall be a double wedding!

KING WHITE: (Seated to ELLE’S RIGHT.) Ahem! (Stands.) And I have an announcement, if I may, Your Highness.

MIDAS II: Why, of course. Anything for our friend of the valley.KING WHITE: Let it be known throughout the land! The king of the

valley is taking a new wife, too! Yes, that’s right. One marriage ends, another begins. The old hag with the black heart who tried to kill my dear Snow and me has been rightfully and forever banished. But I was saved from her curses by the kiss of my true love. (GUESTS gasp as KING WHITE holds up ELLE’S hand, which has a great big diamond ring on it.) A toast to my future queen, my true love. Elle, queen of the valley!

GUESTS: (Toast.) Here, here!SNOW WHITE: Father! Are you sure that’s a good idea?KING WHITE: Why, sure! Third time’s the charm, eh? (GUESTS laugh.)

And besides, who can argue with the kiss of true love?GUESTS: (Raise goblets to toast.) Here, here! (KING WHITE sits.)MIDAS II: It’s true. Love is a strong magic. Nothing, not even the worst

kind of evil, is as powerful as love and kindness. (Raises his glass.) So let it be known throughout the land that wickedness and evil shall have no hold in this kingdom, and that all of those who dwell here shall love and live happily ever after!

GUESTS: Here, here! (ALL eat and drink happily as the LIGHTS FADE to BLACK.)

END OF PLAY

PRODUCTION NOTES

PROPERTIES ONSTAGEACT ONE

Scene One: Fairy Godmother’s classroom set, consisting of student desks and chairs arranged in rows.

Scene Two: Fairy Godmother’s classroom set.

Scene Three: Lizzie’s garden set, consisting of a few plants and a hinged, small apple tree holding a few apples (see GARDEN note below).

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ACT TWO

Scene One: Deep Dark Woods set, consisting of a larger and more lavish garden, a new apple tree and extra trees and bushes. Depictions of a tower and a large tree (intended to represent the ELVES’ tree) are added to the wall cutout.

Scene Two: Deep Dark Woods set. The elves’ tree has been removed and a cutout of a gingerbread house has been added.

Scene Three: Forest set consisting of the bare set, with only the wall cutout and the forest backdrop.

Scene Four: Palace throne room set consisting of two golden thrones and a table full of golden artifacts.

Scene Five: Deep Dark Woods set with the gingerbread house.

Scene Six: Played in front of the curtain. Two shovels.

ACT THREE

Scene One: Palace throne room set, with chairs and benches arranged around a long banquet table.

PROPERTIES BROUGHT ONACT ONE

Scene One:Backpacks (STUDENTS)Backpack filled with baked goods (THOMAS BAKER)Small potted tree (LIZZIE)Small toy car (WUMPLE)

Scene Three:Recipe (THOMAS BAKER)Money, bean plant (LIZZIE)Money (ELVES)Water bottle (GOLDILOCKS)Sword with hole cut out of blade (PRINCE WHITE)Clipboard, pen (FAIRY GODMOTHER)Ax (PHILIP)

ACT TWOScene One:

Recipe (GOLDILOCKS)Ax (PHILIP)

Scene Three:Basket with a few apples (STEPMOTHER WHITE)Apple (SNOW WHITE, KING WHITE)

Scene Four:Golden artifact (LADY-IN-WAITING)Golden shirt of chain mail (MIDAS III)

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Golden helmet (PRINCE MARCUS)Ax (PHILIP)Long baguette (THOMAS BAKER)Wooden toy swords (ELVES)Pitchfork (GIZELLE)

Scene Five:Golden baguette (THOMAS BAKER)Golden toy swords (ELVES)Golden pitchfork (GIZELLE)Ax (PHILIP)Recipe (ELIZADORA)

Scene Six:Bouquet of flowers (KING WHITE, SNOW WHITE)Flower (DWARVES)

ACT THREE

Scene One:Goblets (BANQUET GUESTS)

SOUND EFFECTSSirens, thunder.

FLEXIBLE CASTINGThe elves and dwarves may be played either male or female with a few wording changes.

The roles of Lizzie and Elizadora may be played by two separate actresses or they may be played by the same actress if the transformation to the ugly wicked witch can be done quickly.

Lady-in-Waiting may double as Stepmother White. If not using all of the characters in Scene Ten, Rapunzel could double as Snow White and the dwarves and elves could be doubled. If doing this, you may need to cut the few lines spoken by the dwarves in Scene Ten.

COSTUME SUGGESTIONSIt’s possible to set this play in the present, so the characters may wear modern clothes that represent their characters. If going with a more traditional fairy-tale time period, the characters wear traditional fairy tale costumes. Feel free to create a unique look and use your imagination. The sky’s the limit! But here are a few specific needs for the play:

ELLE should appear in a beautiful gown and wear a giant diamond ring.

LIZZIE wears a hooded cloak. Once she becomes evil and goes by ELIZADORA, she wears the same cloak, but her appearance should change with the addition of makeup (see TRANSFORMATION note below).

GOLDILOCKS should be dressed in the rags of an orphan, perhaps a mish-mash of various garments she’s scavenged. Her look should be dirty

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and unkempt. Starting in ACT TWO, Scene Four, she wears a sling and bandages for the remainder of ACT TWO.

STEPMOTHER WHITE is disguised as an old hag in ACT TWO, Scene Three and wears a cloak and hood.

The princes and kings each carry a sword. The swords of MIDAS II, MIDAS III and PRINCE MARCUS are gold. In ACT TWO, Scenes Five and Six, MIDAS III wears the golden shirt of chain mail and PRINCE MARCUS the golden helmet that they bring on in ACT TWO, Scene Four.

LIZZIE’S TREE AND GARDEN

Lizzie’s tree appears as a small sprout in ACT ONE, Scenes One and Two, but should be much bigger beginning in Scene Three, represented by a separate prop. Any four to six foot home decor tree should work for the larger version. Attach fake apples with thread, so they can be plucked off easily.

To accommodate the moment when Philip chops down the tree, the larger tree must also be collapsible. To do this, the tree will need to be precut near the base. Attach a hinge so it is collapsible and place hook and loop on each side of the cut so that the tree will hold in place until Philip “chops” it down.

When Gizelle plucks the beans from the bush, she doesn’t actually have to take any. She can pantomime taking beans and putting them in her pockets. The beans that spill out of her pockets can be there prior to her entrance.

THE TRANSFORMATIONElizadora should appear old and ugly, an outer symptom of her wickedness. If two different actresses play Lizzie and Elizadora, then this can be accomplished with stage makeup for Elizadora. Since you’re going for ugly, work with brown, green or gray skin tones. If additional features such as wrinkles, warts, blemishes, a nose extension or thickened eyebrows can be applied, all the better.

If the same actress plays both Lizzie and Elizadora, a mask is the easiest way to pull off a quicker transformation between ACT ONE and ACT TWO, but comes at the cost of lost facial expression and may muffle the voice. Makeup is still the better way to go and can be quickly smeared on between acts. Since you’re going for ugliness, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Also, don’t underestimate the effectiveness of a hunched body posture with the hood pulled low to convey the transformation. Elle’s lines that open ACT TWO may also be extended if necessary. The important thing to remember is that the transformation is not so important that it’s worth delaying the show.

STAGE KISSINGDelivering true love’s kiss is essential to the plot and will be difficult to cut. If you are working with actors who are uncomfortable with stage kissing, by all means fake the kiss. Simply put the actor delivering the kiss DOWNSTAGE of the one receiving the kiss. That way, the action will be concealed and no real kissing has to take place.

48NOTE: PHOTOCOPYING THIS SCRIPT BREAKS FEDERAL COPYRIGHT LAWS

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