Sample Script Pages
Book, Music and Lyrics by Michelle G. Reiff
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Book, Music and Lyrics by Michelle G. Reiff
Sample Script Pages
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© 2014 Michelle G. Reiff. All Rights Reserved.
THE DIFFERENT DUCKLING
Book, Music and Lyrics by Michelle G. Reiff
CAST OF CHARACTERS
(In order of appearance)
KING SIGMUND ..........................................king of the swans
QUEEN SVANA ...........................................queen of the swans
FROG .............................................................open-minded, supportive frog
MR. DUCK ....................................................father of the ducks
MRS. DUCK ..................................................mother of the ducks
DELILAH ......................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DOREEN .......................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DARLA ..........................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DELLA ..........................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DONNA .........................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DORCAS .......................................................swan who believes she is a duck, but doesn’t fit in
DEENA ..........................................................cliquish duck, somewhat of a bully
DRAKE DRAKE ...........................................stand-up comedian/emcee duck
MILLARD MALLARD.................................movie star duck, actually a goose
ENSEMBLE
SEQUENCE OF MUSICAL NUMBERS
MC 1 There’s a Brand New Princess Ensemble
MC 2 Cygnet Minuet King Sigmund,
Queen Svana
MC 3 Delightful, Delectable, Adorable,
Darling, and Desirable Ducks Ducks
MC 4 There Is Nothing Wrong with Me Dorcas
MC 5 Millard Mallard Dorcas and Ducks
MC 6 Different Frog
MC 7 Millard Mallard – reprise Dorcas
MC 8 The Duck Lake Pageant Parade Drake Drake and
Ensemble
MC 9 I Am Millard Mallard Millard Mallard
MC 15 The Next Duck Lake Pageant Queen Delilah, Darla, Doreen
MC 11 I’m Happy Being Me Dorcas
MC 12 I’m Happy Being Me – reprise Dorcas, Ducks
MC 13 I’m Happy Being Me – Millard’s reprise Millard Mallard,
Company
MC 14 That’s How It’s Meant to Be Company
MC 14 That’s How It’s Meant to Be - reprise Company
Michael O’Konis, Orchestrator
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THE DIFFERENT DUCKLING
SCENE ONE
SETTING: A pond
AT RISE: Swans walk around, ad libbing about why there is an assembly, etc. During opening
song, KING and QUEEN enter, carrying baby swan and waving. They take seats to watch
festivities, though they can join in and "act out" song s. At end of song they rise.
(MUSIC CUE 1: “There’s a Brand New Princess”)
SOLO
Hey, everybody!
Everybody gather round.
I say, everybody!
Listen to what I am about to announce.
It’s a royal proclamation made at the swan king’s request.
It’s an invitation to a celebration.
There’s a brand new swan princess.
ENSEMBLE
There’s a brand new princess,
A new princess cygnet.
We hear that she is special,
Though we haven’t met her yet.
There’s a buzzing in the trees,
And there’s excitement ‘round the pond.
There’s a brand new princess,
A brand new princess swan.
The king has puffed his feathers.
He’s filled with royal pride.
The queen is also happy.
You can see it in her glide.
There’s finally an heiress
Whom they’ve waited for so long.
There’s a brand new princess,
A brand new princess swan.
1
ENSEMBLE (continued)
We hear that she’s delightful,
And that’s just what we’d expect -
Darling and adorable, deliciously delectable.
White downy feathers on her back,
A long and regal neck.
In the swan world we suspect
That she is just perfect.
The brand new princess cygnet.
SOLO
In honor of this special day,
Let’s play a special game.
All of you out there can play
As we spell a special name.
If you don’t know what it means,
You still can play along.
Just remember who we sing about,
The brand new baby swan.
ENSEMBLE
Cygnet princess.
Cygnet princess.
SOLO
Ready.
Start with C-Y-G-N-E-T,
Then start again with P.
P-R-I-N-C-E-S,
Then add another S.
I said,
ENSEMBLE
C-Y-G-N-E-T,
Then start again with P.
P-R-I-N-C-E-S,
Then add another S.
SOLO
What’s that spell? Now you tell me.
Come on, take a guess.
You all know who it must be.
It’s the cygnet princess!
…
2
ENSEMBLE
Cygnet princess.
Cygnet princess.
Cygnet princess.
The celebration’s starting
As we greet our royal guests.
Watch the divers do their diving.
Watch the dancers pirouette.
Blow the trumpets. Bang the gongs.
Crash the cymbals, twirl batons.
There’s a brand new princess,
A brand new princess swan.
KING: Ahem. Fair subjects of Swanseeyalatuhalligata. Today is a glorious day in our
kingdom, a day of joy and delight, of blessing and thanksgiving, a unique moment in our
history, a day of awe and wonder, a day…
(OTHERS yawn and fidget.)
KING: For today is the day. The day is today. Today the day is…
QUEEN: Do get on with it, dear. I think they get that today is the day.
KING: Today is the day unlike any other day. Today is the day…
QUEEN: Aw, goosefeathers! Today is the day we welcome our daughter, Princess
Cynthia of the House of Cygnet.
KING: Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of
Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of
Cygnet.
QUEEN: We call her Cindy.
KING: Cindy. Cindy Cygnet. Cindy Cygnet. Princess Cindy Cygnet. (Keeps on like this.)
QUEEN: Dear, they get it, dear. (To AUDIENCE.) And thank you all for your gracious
wishes and glad tidings. We will be opening up the royal cove for all of you to
come and meet our darling Cindy.
KING: Cindy. Cindy Cygnet. Cindy Cygnet. Princess Cindy Cygnet. Princess Cynthia
of the House of Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet. Princess
Cynthia of the House of Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet.
(Keeps on like this as they start to exit.)
3
(QUEEN starts to exit, a step ahead of KING.)
QUEEN: Come, dear. The swans are waiting.
(LIGHTS flicker on and off, and thunder peals. Everyone runs every which way, ad
libbing. The QUEEN and KING hand the “baby swan” back and forth and then set it
down. Everyone runs off leaving “baby swan”.)
END OF SCENE ONE
SCENE TWO
SETTING: A lake
AT RISE: FROG hops onstage and finds “baby swan.”
FROG : (Picking up “baby swan.”) What have we here? What are you doing here away
from your mama? Did you waddle off? You seem awfully young to be on your
own. Let’s see if we can find your mama.
(MR. DUCK, MRS. DUCK, and DEENA enter and waddle across stage.)
MR. AND MRS. DUCK: Make way for the duck clan!
FROG: Mrs. Duck. Oh, Mrs. Duck. I think you forgot someone.
(MR. and MRS. DUCK stop to see who is talking and turn to FROG.)
MRS. DUCK: Forgot someone? No, that is quite impossible. My ducklings are always
together. I always have all my ducks in a row.
MR. DUCK: All her ducks in a row! Ha ha. That one always quacks me up!
FROG: But I’m sure you are missing one of them, right over here.
(MR. and MRS. DUCK, followed by DEENA, walk back to FROG.)
MRS. DUCK: Impossible. Dear, how many ducklings do we have?
MR. DUCK: Umm, let me count. (Looks at DEENA and counts silently on fingers a
couple of times through all ten fingers, then states definitively.) One.
MRS. DUCK: Yes, one…One? We have more than one duckling. Just look right
behind me. (Turns to look behind her.) See there…one. Where are all our
ducklings?
4
(DEENA shrugs. MRS. DUCK looks around, calling.)
MRS. DUCK: Delilah! Doreen! Darla!
FROG: (To AUDIENCE.) All her ducks in a row, huh?
(FROG hands “baby swan” to MR. DUCK who coos with it. DELILAH, DOREEN, and
DARLA enter and wander to MRS. DUCK, each carrying a toy duck or a picture of a
duck. MRS. DUCK counts off ducks when they are all together, including the toy/picture
ducks. As she is counting, DELLA and DONNA enter and wander to MRS. DUCK.)
MRS. DUCK: 2…4…6. (To DELLA and DONNA.) Who are you?
DELLA: I’m Della.
DONNA: And I’m Donna. Donna D…
MRS. DUCK: Of course you are. (To FROG.) See - 2, 4, 6, 8. We have 8 ducklings.
MR. DUCK: (Counts DUCKS and then looks at baby swan, counts DUCKS and
looks at and holds up “baby swan.”) Then who is this?
MRS. DUCK: I don’t think we had more than 8, dear. I think I would remember my
own ducklings.
FROG: But you must. I mean here she is.
MR. DUCK: Yes, here she is.
MRS. DUCK: Yes, here she is…but she doesn’t really look like one of us.
FROG: All the same, here she is.
MR. DUCK: Yes, all the same. Here she is.
MRS. DUCK: All the same. Oh well. Come along, little one.
DUCKS: (Looking quizzically at each other.) But who is she?
MRS. DUCK: Huh. Why that’s…that’s…that’s Dorcas. Of course! We named her
after my great-grandmother’s paternal aunt’s second cousin’s third nephew’s
mother-in-law’s twin sister’s great- niece’s fourth grade teacher.
MR. DUCK: Of course. She looks just like her.
5
FROG: Your great-grandmother’s paternal aunt’s second cousin’s third nephew’s
mother-in-law’s twin sister’s great-niece’s fourth grade teacher?
DUCKS: Dorcas?
MRS. DUCK: So I guess we have nine. (She counts again to be sure.) Nine ducklings.
FROG: (To AUDIENCE.) And a couple of bird brains thrown in!
MRS. DUCK: Well, come along, little ones. Make way for the duck clan!
(DUCKS and FROG exit.)
END OF SCENE TWO
SCENE THREE
SETTING: A pond or lake
AT RISE: DUCKS enter and waddle across stage, carrying sign saying “one year later”
and exit. KING and QUEEN enter walk across and exit. DUCKS enter and crisscross
back, carrying sign that says “five years later”. DORCAS enters and trails behind
DUCKS. DUCKS and DORCAS exit. KING and QUEEN enter.
QUEEN: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia!
KING: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia Cygnet!
(KING and QUEEN exit. DUCKS enter and waddle across stage again with sign saying
“five more years”. DORCAS enters and trails behind DUCKS. DUCKS and DORCAS
exit. KING and QUEEN, looking a little sadder, enter and cross back again.)
QUEEN: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia!
KING: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia Cygnet!
(KING and QUEEN exit. DUCKS and DORCAS enter and waddle across stage again.
After they exit, KING and QUEEN enter and walk back again, looking very sad. KING and
QUEEN exit.)
END OF SCENE THREE
6
SCENE FOUR
SETTING: The lake
AT RISE: DUCKS and DORCAS, enter, carrying “college” memorabilia. DUCKS ad lib
to each other, acting excited about going to college, etc. DORCAS stands off by herself,
looking at her college gear. The DUCKS point and whisper at DORCAS and laugh
occasionally. DUCKS, followed by DORCAS, exit. MRS. DUCK enters. MR. DUCK
enters, following MRS. DUCK, with calculator and long ticker sheet, scratching and
shaking his head.
MRS. DUCK: Can you believe that all our little duckies are off to start college?
MR. DUCK: Have you seen these tuition bills? (Pulls out several “duck bills” from
pocket, each saying the word tuition.) We may have to take a loan from the River
Bank.
MRS. DUCK: Oh, dear, why not just crack into that down mattress where you keep all
our savings.
MR. DUCK: Horsefeathers! That is our nest egg. You think it is easy saving all that
bread. I bust my ducktail trying to catch some of those crumbs spread out on the
water. Not the “upper crust,” though. They don’t have to worry. They’re going
to Roll and Scones concerts, having lavosh baguettes thrown in their honor, raisin
toasts and rolling crepes in the casinos. It’s no Wonder –
MRS. DUCK: Oh, I pita you.
MR. DUCK: What? Oh. No need to challah. I focaccia were there.
MRS. DUCK: You sound kind of sourdough-nt you.
MR. DUCK: Oh naan-sense! It’s just my rye sense of humor!
MRS. DUCK: Anyway, I think they will all love CODL.
MR. DUCK: CODL? We’ve coddled these ducklings long enough. It’s time for them to
fly the coop. They are going to college!
MRS. DUCK: That’s what I am talking about! CODL. College of Duck Lake. C-O-D-L,
CODL.
MR. DUCK: Oh…well…have you seen these tuition bills? We may have to take a loan
from the River Bank.
MRS. DUCK: Yes dear, I know.
7
(MR. and MRS. DUCK exit. KING and QUEEN enter.)
QUEEN: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia!
KING: (Looking around.) Cynthia…Cynthia Cygnet!
(MUSIC CUE 2: “Cygnet Minuet”)
QUEEN
Recall when we
Lived happily.
Our family
Had grown to three.
Such joyfulness
In our royal nest.
We were blessed
With our little cygnet.
Then, out of nowhere,
A storm did blow there.
We didn’t know where
She would go.
Our world was tossed,
Our signals crossed,
Our little cygnet lost
KING
So we searched low,
And we searched high.
And we searched far,
And we searched wide.
We searched beyond
Every lake and pond.
The hunt was on
For our little swan.
8
QUEEN AND KING
The years go by,
And still we try
And keep hopes high
That we will find
Where she wandered,
Where she’d gone to,
Our little swan.
Little lost swan.
Little lost
QUEEN
Little lost
Little lost swan.
KING
Little lost
Little lost swan.
QUEEN AND KING
Little lost
Little lost swan.
Little lost
Little lost swan.
QUEEN: We’ve been searching for so long.
KING: Ever since that storm so long ago.
QUEEN: Do you think we will ever find her?
KING: Cheer up, dear. We’ll find her.
QUEEN: Do you think she’s happy? Do you think some nice family took her in? I
hope she has friends, that she is not all alone in the world. Do you think she even
knows who she is – that she is a princess, that she’s our princess?
KING: Our princess. Princess Cynthia. Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet.
Princess Cynthia of the House of Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of the House of
Cygnet. Princess Cynthia of …
QUEEN: It’s almost dark. We should keep moving.
KING: If she’s out there, our Cindy, we will find her.
9
(KING and QUEEN exit.)
END OF SCENE FOUR
SCENE FIVE
SETTING: Dorm room
AT RISE: DORCAS is laying on bed or sitting on chair, reading The Mystery of Eider
Drake by Charles Duckens. DUCKS enter.)
(MUSIC CUE 3: “Delightful, Delectable, Adorable, Darling, and Desirable Ducks”)
DUCKS
We’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
If you’re not darling and desirable,
Then you’re out of luck.
But if you’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
You can be one of us
‘Cause we’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks
We’re in demand, we’re dapper, dandy,
Indecisive, and derisive ducks.
We make fun of almost anyone
Who whistles, squawks, or coos, or clucks.
We’re delicious, ducky dishes,
So come and watch us strut our stuff
‘Cause we’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
We’re dynamic.
Hey, we’re dynamite.
Dashing, dramatic, and diplomatic,
A downy, dreamy delight.
We’re de rigueur, divine, demure,
Indefensible, dispensable ducks.
We’re dear, designing, death-defying,
Waterfowl deluxe.
When it comes to being devilishly devastating,
All the others eat our dust
‘Cause we’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
10
DUCKS (continued)
We’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
We’re delightful, delectable, adorable,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
A duck a duck.
A duck a duck.
A duck a duck.
Quack quack quack.
We’re delightful.
We’re delectable,
Though a trifle
Indigestible,
Darling, and desirable ducks.
A duck a duck.
A duck a duck.
Quack, quack, quack!
(DUCKS giggle and then notice DORCAS.)
DELILAH: Oh, look it’s Dorcas.
DARLA: What are you doing here?
DORCAS: Uh…reading. (DORCAS holds up book.)
DELILAH: In here, in the delightful, delectable, adorable, darling, and desirable dorm?
DARLA: The DDADADD?
DOREEN: For delightful, delectable, adorable, darling, and desirable…
DELLA: (Dancing as if using maracas.) DDADADD, the DDADADD, the DDADADD.
DEENA: Ducks!
DONNA: (To DORCAS.) That’s ducks not…
DORCAS: I’m a duck.
DOREEN: A duck maybe…
DELLA: But certainly not delightful, delectable, adorable, darling, and desirable.
11
12
DELILAH: Not a DDADADD.
DARLA: Definitely not a DDADADD.
DOREEN: Distinctly not a DDADADD.
DEENA: Indubitably not a DDADADD.
DONNA: Undoubtedly not…
DORCAS: (Holding up hand.) I get it. I get it.
DEENA: So, what are you doing?
DORCAS: (Holding up book.) Uh…reading.
DONNA: I just don’t get any of that chick lit. Give me a copy of Teal Beat any time
DORCAS: Chick lit? Charles Duckens is one of the greatest authors of all time.
Besides, we are having a test on this next week.
DELILAH: Well, I’d rather read about Justin Eider or Millard Mallard or Duck Van
Dyke any day. (Picks up a fan magazine, sits down and starts flipping pages.)
DARLA: You mean Dick Van Duck.
DOREEN: No, I mean Duck Van Duck. I mean Van Duck Duck. I mean Duck Duck
Van. I mean Duck Duck Goose.
DELLA: Not it!
DORCAS: You’re hopeless.
DELILAH: Better hopeless than helpless.
DARLA: Helpless and hopeless.
DORCAS: Now, what is that supposed to mean?
DOREEN: You’re just not DDADADD material.
DELLA: And you never will be
DEENA: Face it, Dorcas, you are different from the rest of us.
DONNA: You really don’t fit in. I mean look at you…your neck, your feathers, your…
DOREEN: You’re just kind of funny-looking.
DELLA: She’s kind of ugly if you ask me.
DORCAS: Do you always have to be so mean to me?
(DUCKS shrug.)
DELILAH: Anyway, we better get to cheerleading practice for the big water polo
match.
DARLA: Yeah, the CODL Twaddles are playing the Gray Goosebumps. It’ll be the
match of the year.
DELILAH: Ready!
(DELILAH blows duck whistle. DUCKS grab pompoms and line up in a cheerleading
formation. While chanting, DUCKS wave their arms and legs in every which way as if
cheering, not in unison)
DUCKS: No one wants to dawdle when you do the CODL Waddle.
Gotta go full throttle when you do the CODL Waddle.
Raise your water bottle as you praise the CODL Twaddles.
So be a model CODL and now do the CODL Waddle.
CODL Waddle. CODL Waddle. CODL Waddle. CODL Waddle!
(DUCKS start to exit, waddling and chanting the CODL Waddle. DORCAS looks up and starts to
get her cheer gear.)
DORCAS: Hey, wait for me!
DOREEN: Oh no, she wants to come along, sing her song and join the jamboree.
DELILAH: But, she can’t. She doesn’t have beautiful, glorious feathers like I do.
(Starts to preen.) She’ll stick out like a duck out of water.
DEENA: You mean dork out of water.
DELLA: If the web foot fits…
DONNA: With Dorcas, nothing fits!
DARLA: And, she can’t quack a note like I can. (Hits an operatic pitch.)
DOREEN: Well, if we leave now, she won’t catch us. She certainly can’t swim like I
do. She is no Michael Phelps.
12
13
12
(DUCKS exit, running.)
DORCAS: Wait! They didn’t wait. They never wait. They just laugh and call me
names. They never let me join their duckling games.
(MUSIC CUE 4: “There Is Nothing Wrong with Me”)
DORCAS
There they go leaving me behind.
It happens almost every time.
They think that I’m…
They think that I’m…
Not worthy of their company.
Can’t they see what it does to me?
They believe…
They believe that there’s something,
Something wrong with me.
I have a long neck. That’s a fact.
And there are white feathers on my back.
I don’t quack.
I don’t quack.
Still, that’s no reason for them to attack,
To make fun of me for the things they think I lack.
They act…
Oh, they act as if there’s something,
Something wrong with me.
They don’t have to take me under their wing.
Do they have to be so mean?
Some of them call me a funny-looking thing.
Others just say I’m an ugly duckling.
. Why do they think they’re better than
Anyone they don’t understand?
It’s out of hand.
It’s out of hand.
They think ‘cause I’m different
That I’m not as good as them.
But I am
As good as them
Because there’s nothing…
There’s nothing wrong with me.
14
End of Sample
DORCAS (continued)
I am nice to everyone I meet.
I even help them when they’re in need.
How I wish that they could see
There is nothing wrong with me.
There’s nothing wrong with me.
Someday there will be a place we’ll all belong,
A place where being different doesn’t mean you’re wrong.
Until that day comes along,
I’ll just keep on singing this song
Because there’s nothing…
There’s nothing wrong with me.
There’s nothing wrong with me.
There’s nothing wrong with me.
There’s nothing wrong with me.
There’s nothing wrong with me.
(DUCKS return, giggling. DELLA carries a flyer or poster.)
DELLA: (Waving flyer or poster.) Did you see this flyer? The Duck Lake Pageant is
being held next week.
DEENA: (Grabbing flyer or poster.) It says that the pageant will be held to crown this
year’s Duck Lake Queen and her princesses.
DONNA: (Grabbing flyer or poster.) And it says that Millard Mallard…
(DUCKS sigh.)
DONNA: Millard Mallard will be this year’s guest judge.
DELILAH: Millard Mallard! Oh, he is the most handsome duck on the screen. I see all
his movies – Mary Duckins, Happy Webfeet, and of course, Beauty and the
Bufflehead. He is so dreamy.
DELLA: Can you believe Millard Mallard, here at Duck Lake?
DEENA: The thought of it gives me goosebumps.
(Other DUCKS stare.)
DEENA: I mean….
DORCAS: What are you all quacking about?
15
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