Audition Piece 1

(MOM enters with dishes.)

MOM: Wash up, Jim. Time for dinner. ​

JIM: What are we having? ​

MOM: Tofu patties. ​

JIM: Tofu? ​

MOM: And bean sprouts. Sit. ​

JIM: What is this? Torture Jim Hawkins Day? ​

MOM: I want to make sure you have something healthy in your stomach before you eat all that candy. ​

JIM: Candy? ​

MOM & STORYTELLERS: Halloween candy. ​ ​ ​

JIM: (Hits his head.) It’s Halloween! I totally forgot! ​ ​

MOM: Now eat. ​

JIM: I can’t do it. ​

MOM: Certainly you can. Just open your mouth and chew. ​

JIM: It’s not fair. ​

MOM: Eat or no trick or treating. ​

JIM: (To audience.) A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do. It’s a matter of honor. ​ ​

(JIM crosses his arms and puts his nose in the air.)

MOM: Then go to your room. ​

JIM: No way! ​

MOM: Way. And stay there until you change your attitude. ​

(JIM stomps away.

MOM cleans up dishes. Two STORYTELLERS become door with shoulders together. They swing open as JIM pushes, then slam shut as JIM slams it. Other STORYTELLERS make the door noises.)

JIM: It’s not fair! Am I the only one around here that’s got any imagination? Everybody’s busy going to ​ work and going to school and doing homework and… eating TOFU! ​

MOM: I heard that. ​

(MOM takes dinner props and exits.)

JIM: And all the time we could be out on the high seas! ​

(SEA LEGS SAM pops a toy pirate hat on his head.)

Sailing across the briny deep! Diggin’ for the gold doubloons!

(HURRICANE HAL puts a toy sword in his hand.)

I say, matey, what have we here? Why, it’s nothing but my rapier wit! Ha! Ha! Take that and that and ​ ​ that.

(He slashes at the air, pretending swordplay. There is a knock at the door. STORYTELLERS become door again and make the knock sound. JIM speaks to his sword.)

It’s the saucy wench come to make amends.

(The knock becomes an urgent pounding.)

Mom? I’m coming.

(JIM goes to door, turns knob. STORYTELLERS open, there stands a nightmare of a pirate, BILLY BONES.

SOUND CUE #3: Billy Bones entrance music. SOUND CUE ENDS.) ​ ​ ​ Who are you?

Audition Piece 2

(DOCTOR LIVESEY calls out from his seat in the audience.)

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Doctor in the house! Doctor here! ​

(SQUIRE TRELAWNEY stands from his place beside DOCTOR LIVESEY.)

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: (Grandly.) He’s a Doctor all right. I’ll stake my very life upon the claim! ​ ​

(DOCTOR LIVESEY and SQUIRE TRELAWNEY make their way through the audience.)

Make way! This is clearly an emergency!

DOCTOR LIVESEY: (To audience members.) Excuse me. Excuse me, please. ​ ​ ​

(DOCTOR LIVESEY and SQUIRE TRELAWNEY enter playing area.)

Now what seems to be the problem here?

JIM: I’m sorry, Doctor. You’re too late. He’s gone. ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Hmm. Well, you can never be too sure. ​

(DOCTOR LIVESEY examines BILLY BONES. He checks his wrist for a pulse, shakes his legs, lifts his arms, drops them.)

Say “ah”. ​

BILLY BONES: (Sticks out tongue.) Ah. ​ ​ ​

(BILLY BONES drops back down.)

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Your diagnosis seems to be correct. (Stands.) Dead as a doornail. ​ ​ ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Who is this man? Where did he come from? Do you have any documentation, young ​ man?

JIM: Well, there’s this. ​

(DOCTOR LIVESEY takes the treasure map and unrolls it. He and SQUIRE TRELAWNEY look at map, at each other, amazed.)

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Where did this come from? ​

JIM: From the sea chest. ​

(DOCTOR LIVESEY and SQUIRE TRELAWNEY inspect the chest.)

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Billy Bones’ chest? ​

JIM: Yes, that’s what Pew called him. ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Pew? Blind Pew? ​ ​ ​

JIM: Blind as a bat, sir. ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Do you have any idea what I hold in my hand? ​

JIM: I think it’s a treasure map. ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Not just any treasure map. ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Do you see the signature in the corner? ​

JIM: C. F. ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY & DOCTOR LIVESEY: (Looking at each other.) Captain Flint! ​ ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Gone these three years. ​

JIM: Where’d he go? ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Some say Jamaica. ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Some say Tortuga. ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: But I’ll venture he died on Skeleton Island. ​

JIM: And where’s that? ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: (Pointing to the map.) Right here, boy. X marks the spot! (Indicating BILLY ​ ​ ​ BONES.) This ripe old gentleman was a member of Captain Flint’s crew. It’s been a secret among the ​ salty dogs for years. Whoever finds this map, finds a treasure of unimaginable riches!

(JIM & STORYTELLERS gasp.)

DOCTOR LIVESEY: Listen to me now, Jim. If anyone finds out… If anyone learns that the map is in your ​ hands….

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Your very life is in danger. ​

JIM: (Gulps.) Really? Because Mom just sent me to my room and I was just… ​ ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: We must act quickly. ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: I shall procure the ship, sir! You may count upon me! ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: We set sail tomorrow at dawn. ​

JIM: I’m not sure Mom would let me go to… ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY and DOCTOR LIVESEY: Skeleton Island! ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: We must outwit the hearty fools who would thwart our ​ lofty goal! Time is of the essence! One for all and all for one, Jim! Are you with us?

JIM: Well… ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: (Taking JIM by the shoulders, looking into his eyes.) ​ Pledge upon your soul, boy, that you will hold this map close to your heart and never tell a living creature…

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Until we have reached the very X of fortune! ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: At the crack of dawn… ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: When the wind whips the very sails of opportunity! ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: We shall weigh anchor, my boy! ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY and DOCTOR LIVESEY: Anchors away! ​

(SQUIRE TRELAWNEY and DOCTOR LIVESEY strike a dramatic pose.)

JIM: But how do I get to the boat? ​

DOCTOR LIVESEY: (Still thrilled and frozen in his pose.) Hmm? ​ ​

JIM: The ship? How do I get there? ​

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY: Ah, ha! My carriage awaits! ​ ​ ​

(Snaps his fingers, nothing happens.)

My carriage awaits!

(Still nothing happens. SQUIRE TRELAWNEY looks at STORYTELLERS. They look at each other, asking: “Who? Us?”)

Ahem. My carriage awaits! (Snaps his fingers.) ​

(STORYTELLERS jump up and become carriage: They become horses in formation and make a door with their arms for SQUIRE TRELAWNEY, DOCTOR LIVESEY and JIM to enter. When they are in place, SQUIRE TRELAWNEY snaps his whip.)

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY, DOCTOR LIVESEY, JIM, STORYTELLERS: Anchors awaaaaaaaaay! ​

Audition Piece 3 (SOUND CUE ENDS. STORYTELLERS move out of scene as LONG JOHN SILVER enters.) ​ ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: All right now, young Jim. Let’s see what ye learned. By ​ the stars, boy! Which way are we headin?

JIM: There’s the Polaris and the wind is… (Licks a finger and holds it up.) from the east. We’re headin’ ​ ​ ​ southeast, I’m sure of it!

LONG JOHN SILVER: Smart as paint you are, laddie. Smart as paint. T’won’t be long and we’ll be a ​ digging up old Skeleton Island.

JIM: Digging it up? ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Ah, well, me laddie, it’s supposed to be a secret. But every man aboard knows ​ we’re going for buried treasure.

JIM: Everyone knows? ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Trouble is. Not one can lay a hand to the map. Some say the Doctor’s got it. Some ​ say the Squire. Whichever of them that’s got it ye can bet one thing. He keeps it under his pillow at night.

JIM: Why’s that? ​ LONG JOHN SILVER: There’s some on this ship would do anything to get it. ​

(LONG JOHN SILVER takes out his knife and looks at it, turning it, admiring it as if it glints in moonlight.)

JIM: Anything? ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Anything. (Puts knife away.) But not old Long John Silver mind ye. (Winks.) Not yer ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ol’ pal John.

(LONG JOHN SILVER laughs and claps a friendly hand on JIM’s shoulder, exits. JIM takes the map from his shirt and looks at it. )

(LONG JOHN SILVER enters singing in an ominous tone. He carries swords covered in canvas so they can’t be seen yet.)

LONG JOHN SILVER: Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest…Yo, ho, ho… ​

(Looks up.) Ah! I see there’s a gatherin’ of the ladies on deck. ​

DANCIN’ DAN: I been telling the men about yer plan, Long John. ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Let me lay it out for ye, boys. The Captain and his crew have got the map and ​ they’re planning to take that treasure for themselves. What gives them the right, eh? Are they better men than us?

(LONG JOHN SILVER throws sword to MOBY DICK.)

CREW/PIRATES: No. ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Should they take that that gold and ride around in carriages and feast on dainties? ​

(LONG JOHN SILVER throws sword to CROOKED ARROW.)

CREW/PIRATES: No! ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Should they give us nothing but farthings for our trouble? ​

(LONG JOHN SILVER throws sword to TATTOO CHARLIE.)

CREW/PIRATES: No! ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: Some say it’s mutiny! Well, I say it’s honor! And do we shirk from honor, boys? ​

(LONG JOHN SILVER throws sword to DANCIN’ DAN.)

CREW/PIRATES: No! ​

LONG JOHN SILVER: So I ask ye, boys, are we pirates? (He pulls out his own knife.) Or are we pirates? ​ ​ ​

(LONG JOHN SILVER and PIRATES cross swords and knife and hold high in the air.)

CREW/PIRATES: We’re pirates! ​

(All CREW members except HONEST ABE are now PIRATES.)

LONG JOHN SILVER: (Chuckles softly.) I thought so. ​ ​

LONG JOHN SILVER, PIRATES: (Singing.) Yo, ho and a bottle of fun. ​ ​

(Shouting.) We’re pirates! ​