Details 

Jack & the Beanstalk 

 

Jack & the Beanstalk

Musical Adaptation by Kevin M Reese]

Available in Musical & Non-Musical Versions

Video Promo Available Soon

Detailed Plot:
A peddler is hawking his wares when Jack arrives (WHEN YOU’RE A KID). The peddler tries to sell Jack some silly junk, but Jack is too wise to fall for it. He arrives home just as him mother is looking for him. Times are bad and she tells Jack that he needs to take their cow, Bessie, to town and sell her. He reluctantly does so. He comes across the Peddler again on his way to town. The Peddler offers Jack three magic beans in trade for the cow (MAGIC BEANS). He also promises to give Bessie back to him if the beans don’t live up to his expectations. That sweetens the deal for Jack and he makes the trade (MAGIC BEANS REPRISE). When his mother discovers what Jack has done, she throws the beans on the ground and heads for town to find the Peddler to get Bessie back. Soon, the beanstalk grows and Jack (being a typically curious kid) decides to climb it to see where it goes (BEANSTALK GROWS). He Arrives at the Giant's castle and discovers the Housekeeper (ANOTHER GIANT MESS). She finds Jack and hides him just in time for the silly Giant’s entrance. We can tell that she knows how to handle her employer (DON’T MAKE ME MAD). The Giant has her bring out his treasures, especially his prized possession: The Golden Goose. After he has the goose lay a golden egg, the Housekeeper has Jack put on the magic invisible coat to help him escape. After a silly cat-and-mouse chase scene, the Giant is convinced he is being haunted by a ghost and offers the spirit the Golden Goose if he will leave forever. Jack obliges the Giant and leaves with the goose. When the Giant discovers the trickery, he blames his housekeeper (ALL BECAUSE OF YOU). Now that the Giant no longer has the Golden Goose– his source of income– the Housekeeper offers to let him work for her, and she promises to be as good to him as he was to her. Meanwhile Jack and the Golden Goose are heading for the beanstalk. We discover that the goose was taken from her family by the Giant and misses them very much. Jack sets the goose free. As a reward, she lays one more golden egg for Jack (GOLDEN EGG RAP). The two race down the beanstalk, chop it down so the Giant can’t follow, and Jack is reunited with his mother. After telling her about his adventure, we discover that the Peddler has returned Bessie as he promised and everyone is happy (WHEN YOU’RE A KID FINALE).

Sets:
Exterior, Jack's house
Dining Room interior, Giant's Castle
On the path to the Beanstalk

Original Cast: 4:   2 Men, 2 Women played 7 characters

Theme:
Responsibility, Starnger-Danger, Friendship, jumping to conclusions.

Running Time:  45 Min.

Target Audience: Ages 2 - 10, Families.

Characters:  7
Peddler
Jack
Mother
Bessie, the Cow
Giant's Housekeeper
Giant
Golden Goose

Short Description:
Times are rough so Jack’s Mom sends him out to sell the family cow so they’ll have money for food. He sells the cow to a local peddler for beans— well, you know the rest. He almost gets caught by the Giant, but the Giant’s housekeeper saves him and helps trick the Giant into giving Jack the Golden Goose. Jack takes one egg, then frees the Goose so everyone has a happy ending.

MUSIC:
1: When You're A Kid - Jack
2: Magic Beans - Peddler
3: Magic Beans (Reprise) - Jack
4: Beanstalk Grows - Instr.
5: Another Giant Mess - Housekeeper
6: Don't Make Me Mad - Giant
7: All Because of You - Giant & Housekeeper
8: Golden Eggs Rap - Golden Goose
9 : Finale: When You're A Kid - All

Original Production
Originally produced by the Wichita Children's Theatre for the Summer Picnic Theatre Series. It opened July 18, 1996, and played eleven performances (a 1998 revision, making the show a little longer, was done for WCT’s Professional Touring Company). It was directed by John (JB) Boldenow and Kelly Wonsetler, choreographed by Barb Schoenhofer, and costumed by Audra Wiese. The cast was:

 Peddler . . . . . . . . . . Kelly Wonsetler Jack . . . . . . . . . . . . Alex Ammar
Mother . . . . . . . . . . Cara Statham
Bessie, the Cow . . . . . Cara Statham, Luke McHenry
Giant's Housekeeper . . . Cara Statham Giant . . . . . . . . . . . Luke McHenry
Golden Goose . . . . . . Kelly Wonsetler