JACKIE AND THE CHILESTALKBy

D. M. Larson Copyright © 2005All Rights Reserved* *

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TIME and PLACE 

Long ago in a little pueblo outside Old Albuquerque 

CAST OF CHARACTERS VIEJO: An old man who tells the story of Jackie and the Chilestalk JACKIE: A young girl who loves Chiles MAMA: Jackieís mother COW: A cow named Vacita that is sold to VIEJO (this actor has no lines but needs to have good expressions) GIANT: Not really a giant but really tall. (actor can either be a tall kid or adult – guitar playing skills helpful but recording can be used) JACK: A bratty boy who stole the GOOSE who lays golden eggs. GOOSE: Lays golden eggs and only says ìhonkî  

   

SCENE 1 

(The background is a southwest nature scene with red mesas and blue sky in the background. This can either be painted nice or like something out of a Road Runner cartoon)

 VIEJO

In a dry and dusty pueblo, there lived a little girl named Jackie who loved chiles. 

JACKIE                        (Carries her basket of chiles)The hotter the better. 

VIEJOShe couldn't resist the smell of roasted chile. She loved harvest time because she new the roasting time was near. 

JACKIEMama, Mama. I picked some chiles. Can we roast them now? 

MAMAIs that all we have? 

JACKIEI'm afraid so. 

MAMAIt's been a bad year for all the crops. Thereís not much of anything.                        (COW wanders in and looks around for food) 

JACKIENo beans? 

MAMANo beans. 

JACKIENo carrots?

 MAMA

No carrots. 

JACKIENo peas? 

MAMANo peas. 

JACKIEGood. I hate peas. 

MAMAJust a few chiles. 

JACKIEThat's all I like anyway. 

MAMABut this will only be enough for one stew. What will we do after that? 

JACKIEWe could eat the cow.                        (COW stops and looks scared. Starts to sneak out) 

MAMANoÖ                        (COW stops and sighs with relief)We'll sell her instead)                        (COW looks upset and starts to sneak out again)Come here, Vacita.                        (COW shakes her head no) 

JACKIE                        (Grabs COW)Where do I take her? 

MAMATo the old man on in the village. 

JACKIEThe crazy old man? 

MAMAHe's not crazy. Just a little loco. 

JACKIELoco means crazy, Mama. 

MAMAJust get going and get something good for the cow. 

JACKIELet's go Vacita.                        (COW moos in protest. MAMA exits) 

VIEJOAnd that's when Jackie appeared at my door.                        (VIEJO can roll in a door or stand ready) 

JACKIEGet over here, Vacita.                        (Pulls COW to VIEJO and knocks) 

VIEJOHola, hija. How can I help you? 

JACKIESenor, we have no food except for a few chiles. We must sell our cow. 

VIEJOI will buy your cow.                        (Takes COW and scratches behind her ear and she's happy) 

JACKIEThank you, senor. 

VIEJOI have something you'll enjoy. Chiles.                        (Hands JACKIE a shiny cloth bag made of a magical looking material)

 JACKIE

Chiles? But we already have chiles. 

VIEJOBut these are magic chiles. 

JACKIEMagic chiles? 

VIEJOThey will give you more wonderful things than you can ever imagine. 

JACKIEI can imagine some pretty good things. 

VIEJOTake them to your mother and all will be good again on your rancho. 

JACKIEThank you. Good-bye, Vacita.                        (COW sticks her tongue out at JACKIE) 

VIEJOJackie ran excitedly back to her Mama to tell her the news of the magic chiles. 

JACKIEMama, Mama. Look at what I got! 

MAMAA little bag? I hope that's not it. 

JACKIENo, inside are magic chiles.                        (Pulls out chiles) 

MAMAMagic chiles? 

JACKIEThe old man said they would make our dreams come true.

 MAMA

Dreams won't feed us, Jackie. I can't believe the crazy old bandito would do this to us!                        (Takes chiles) 

JACKIEMama, no!                        (MAMA tosses chiles to DR stage) 

MAMAGo to your room and don't come out until I get back from the old manís. 

JACKIEWhat are you going to do? 

MAMAI'm going to get our cow back.                        (Exits) 

JACKIEOh, Mama. I'm so sorry.                        (JACKIE cries and curls up on the floor) 

VIEJOBut I did not lie to the little girl. Those chiles were magic and while Jackie slept, a most amazing thing happened!

(Lights fade and magic Spanish music is heard. Moonlight hits DR and then a rumble sound and a chilestalk rises to from the ground. NOTE: You can stage this in a variety of ways. Have a rope from the ceiling that pulls up the chilestalk or have a drawing on the background that is uncovered from the bottom up. The sound wakes JACKIE)

 VIEJO

When Jackie wakes, she sees a most amazing thing. A giant chilestalk. 

JACKIE                        (She rises)Is that... it's a... giant chilestalk!

                        (She jumps up and down excited)Those chiles are magic! Magic! Magic! Magic! 

VIEJOTold you so. 

JACKIE                        (Looks up)It's so tall. I bet I can see Albuquerque from up there. 

VIEJOClimb up and see. 

JACKIEI think I will. 

VIEJOYou won't be sorry. (Magical Spanish music again. JACKIE climbs the chilestalk. NOTE: This can be done with a hidden ladder behind the chilestalk or JACKIE can exit behind the scenery of the chilestalk. Lights fade to black. Scene change to GIANT's home. The entrance to the home can be rolled in or the background can be changed) 

JACKIE                        (Gets off chilestalk)Where am I? Is this Albuquerque? 

VIEJONo, this wasn't Albuquerque. Jackie had arrived at a giant's casa in the clouds. 

JACKIEThat's a big door. I wonder who lives here? 

GIANT                        (Off. Big booming voice)Ay yi di me! Is it a flea? Coming to visit me? 

JACKIE                        (Scared)Who is that? It sounds like a giant.

                        (Hides) 

GIANT                        (Enters. He is just really tall. Opens door)What can it be? What's this I see? A beanstalk at my door. But what is it for? 

JACKIEActually it's a chilestalk. 

GIANTWho are you? And what's that do? 

JACKIEThat's a magic chilestalk that brought me here. 

GIANTChile? Chile? That's so silly. 

JACKIEHey, are you the giant that scared everyone away from our pueblo? 

GIANTYes, but I didn't mean to. I went down looking for something to do. It gets so lonely up here. No one else lives near. One day there was this big beanstalk and wanted to stay around the clock. But some boy has stole my goose and he said I was a monster on the loose. I've been alone ever since. Because a monster that makes people wince. 

JACKIEYou're no monster. And I know which boy you're talking about. Jack. 

GIANTJack. Yes, Jack. That's the one who attacked. 

JACKIEWell, I think we need to pay Jack a visit. 

GIANTBut he scares me. One sight of him and I flee. 

JACKIE

Donít worry. You wait here. I'll go get that Jack and we'll get all your stuff back. 

GIANTOh, thank you, but it won't do. My family stole that guitar and goose too. 

JACKIEWell, two wrongs don't make a right. Fine, we won't steal it back but Jack needs to learn a lesson. 

GIANTWait, there's still a magic guitar. He hasn't come and taken that so far.                        (GIANT goes to get it) 

JACKIEA magic guitar?                        (Spanish guitar music is heard as GIANT enters)Cool. What does it do? 

GIANTIt can make people do whatever you want too. And it will do any song for you. 

JACKIESo why not tell it to bring your goose back? 

GIANTI guess I could. I didn't know if it would. 

JACKIEWhy wouldn't it? 

GIANTIt can't do anything to make people unhappy. It will only make happiness. 

JACKIEI see. So even if it makes you happy, it will make Jack sad. But Jack doesn't deserve to be happy. 

GIANTThe guitar doesn't care. It still won't think it's fair. 

JACKIE

So the trick is to keep Jack happy and get the goose.                        (Gets an idea)Ha! I got it. Play the guitar. Tell it to bring Jack and the goose here. 

GIANTThis I will try to do. I hope it will play for you.                        (Spanish guitar music starts to play)It looks like it is playing. It likes what you're saying. 

JACKIECome Jack! Come goose. We have a little something for you. 

JACK                        (Appears at the top of the chilestalk)I heard the most beautiful music and I had to see where it was coming from. And then I saw this beanstalk... 

JACKIEChilestalk. 

JACKWhatever.                        (GOOSE appears at the top of the stalk)What are you doing here? I told you to stay home. 

GOOSEHonk.                        (Drops a golden egg) 

JACKSee, you're leaving eggs all over the place now. 

JACKIE                        (Picks up a golden egg)Wow, is this really gold? 

JACKYeap. I've got a million of them. 

JACKIENeat.

                        (GOOSE runs up to GIANT who pats her head) 

JACK(Takes egg)

Hands off. That's mine. 

JACKIEBut you said you have million of them. 

JACKSo? You can never have too much gold. 

JACKIECan't you share?                        (Spanish guitar music) 

JACKWell, maybe this one.                        (Hands it over to JACKIE)Dang, why did I do that? 

GIANTIt's the guitar playing. It can change what you're saying. 

JACKOh, look. It's the little giant. Miss your goose? 

GIANTI miss her so much. 

JACKIELooks like she misses you too. 

JACKWell you can't have her back.                        (JACK grabs GOOSE) 

GOOSEHonk. 

JACKIE

But you stole her. 

JACKAnd his family stole her before I did. It doesn't belong to them either. 

JACKIEHe's got a point. But that doesn't make what you did right. We should give the goose back to her owner. 

JACKAnd who would that be? 

GIANTI don't know who it be. My family never told me. 

JACKFinders keepers. 

JACKIEYou didn't find her. You stole her.                         (MAMA climbs to top of chilestalk with VIEJO) 

VIEJOHere they are. 

MAMAJackie! 

JACKIEMama!                        (Runs to her)I'm so sorry about the chiles. 

MAMANo, I'm sorry for being mad. These chiles were magic. 

VIEJONo one ever believes me. 

JACK

Hey, you're that old guy who sold me those beans. I suppose you'll want a cut of my profits. 

GOOSEHonk.                        (Lays an egg) 

JACK                        (Picks up egg and tosses it to VIEJO)Here. Keep the change.

VIEJOToo bad you aren't this nice to everyone. 

JACKIt's my goose now so I get all the eggs. 

MAMAIs that you, Goosie? 

JACKIEGoosie? 

MAMA                        (Goes up and hugs GOOSE)It is you! 

JACKThis is your goose? 

JACKIEWhen did you have a goose, Mama? 

MAMAWhen I was a little girl, the old man sold my family a goose. It was a magic goose that... 

GOOSEHonk!                        (Lays an egg) 

MAMA

                        (Holds up egg)...laid golden eggs! 

VIEJOTold you so. 

MAMABut then a giant came and took it. 

GIANTIt was not me. It was Uncle Smee. He was really bad. Sorry it made you mad. 

MAMAI never thought I'd see her again. 

JACKIELooks like we found the owner. 

JACK                        (Runs to chilestalk)Fine. Keep your goose but you'll never get to enjoy it. Because I'm climbing down and cutting this stalk down and trapping you here forever. 

JACKIEThe guitar. Stop him! 

GIANTIt won't play I'm afraid to say. 

JACKBut if you give me the goose, then I won't cut it down. 

MAMAWhat a horrible little boy you are. 

JACKBut I'm a horribly rich little boyÖ                        (Holds out hand)Come little Goose. ìWith our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy.î                        (Starts breathing heavily like Darth Vader and then coughs)

JACKIEWhatís wrong? 

JACKA little asthma. Sorry about that.                        (Mad)Now, get over here Goose or I'll destroy them all. 

GOOSE                        (Scared)Honk. 

JACKCome with me. It's your destiny! 

MAMAPlease, goosie. Stay with me. We might be trapped here but I'll take care of you again. 

JACKI take care of her... sometimes. 

GOOSE                        (Shakes her head no)Honk. 

JACKFine. Stay here. I have enough gold to last a lifetime.                        (Go toward chilestalk. Coughs and sneezes and moves away)Oh, man. I think I'm allergic to chiles.                        (Goes near chilestalk again and sneezes. Moves away) 

JACKIELooks like you're stuck here. 

JACKGot any allergy medicine? 

GIANTNo, I don't have much to help you. Wait, maybe there's something I can do.

                        (GUITAR plays and JACK's sneezing stops) 

VIEJOThe magic guitar can make it all better. 

JACKIt's great allergy medicine...                        (Yawns)Dang... allergy medicine always makes me sleepy.                        (Sits down and falls asleep) 

JACKIEWe did it. The goose is free. 

MAMAWould you like to come home with us? 

GOOSE                        (Happy)Honk. 

JACKIEIs that okay? 

GIANTOf course that's what you should do. My family stole it from you. 

JACKIEThank you. 

MAMALet's go home, goosie.                        (GOOSE and MAMA go down chilestalk) 

JACKIEIt's so nice to see Mama happy again. 

GIANTAnd now I can see what will make my family happy. 

JACKIE

What's that? 

GIANTA little talk with the boy of the stalk.

 JACKIE

What will they do to him? They won't hurt him will they? 

GIANTWhen he was here before, he not only broke our door but made messes on our floor and damaged the dÈcor. He will stay for a few days. He has some time he needs to repay. 

JACKIEAnd hopefully learn something in the process. 

VIEJOAnd he won't be too happy when he gets home either. 

JACKIEWhy not? 

VIEJOThere's nothing worse than rotten golden eggs. The boy never learned that the golden eggs are only good when fresh. The gold is only good if it is shared. If anyone keeps it too long, it rots. 

JACKIEPoor Jack. 

VIEJOI feel worse for his neighbors. 

JACKIEI guess it's time to go home. And it will be a much happier one this time. 

VIEJOJust remember to share those eggs. 

JACKIEI will.

                        (Gives an egg to the GIANT. They hug)Good-bye my friend. I'm so glad I found those magic chiles. 

VIEJOMe too. Down the chilestalk with you. 

GIANTCome Jack into my home and I'll get the family on the phone.                        (GIANT drags JACK into the casa and exits) 

VIEJOAnd so Jack cleaned and cleaned until the Casa in the Clouds was as good as before he came and stole the goose. The giant family then returned him home where he had another mess to clean up. And Jackie and her Mama found new happiness with the Goose and the golden eggs and that happiness spread through the pueblo as eggs were shared with all. Iím glad I gave Jackie those magic chiles. After Jack and the beans, I wasnít so sure I wanted to try that again. But this time the magic found a girl who had a good heart. Perhaps I will try again. Anyone like to trade for some magic broccoli? 

END OF PLAY