The Gingerbread Man

THE GINGERBREAD MAN ___________________________ A Musical Book, Music and Lyrics by Paul Lewis Story by Paul Lewis and Carissa Meisner Smit Draft 7/11/17 Contact: Paul Lewis 10797 Bill Point Vw NE Bainbridge Island, WA 98110 206 842 3403 [email protected] iv. TIME and PLACE In a long-ago time, in the city of Tin Town, a grim industrial riverside town in eastern Pennsylvania. CAST OF CHARACTERS GINGERBREAD MAN (F or M) — may be played by a young woman CROW (M or F) MR. PUFFIN, 30s to early 40s MRS. PUFFIN, 30s to early 40s NICCOLO, the Baker, 30s or older ALICIA, the Baker's Wife, 30s or older MRS. TINSLEY, 30s to 40s or older, doubles as her twin sister MATRON McGEE TINOTHY, her obnoxious son, 12 or younger STATIONMASTER, doubles as CONSTABLE TOM THE TINKERER, doubles as TRAIN CONDUCTOR YOUNG MAN YOUNG WOMAN HEATHER, Gretchen's friend. May double as HORSE. ENSEMBLE of Townspeople (if desired — flexible size) PRODUCTION NOTE: Gingerbread Men are often associated with the Christmas holidays, and the action of this musical may take place around Christmastime. Or, if desired, with a couple of tiny modifications —e.g. changing the Holiday Dessert Derby to the County Dessert Derby— the story may take place at virtually any time of year. vi. MUSICAL NUMBERS 1. ONCE UPON A TIME IN TIN TOWN (Ensemble) 2. A FAMILY TO CALL MY OWN (Gretchen) 3. WITH SOME IMAGINATION (Gretchen, Baker and Baker's Wife) 4. THE RIVER KNOWS (Mr. and Mrs. Puffin) 5. THE SPARK OF LIFE (Gretchen, Gingerbread Man) 6. TINOTHY'S TALL TALE (Tinothy) 7. THE SPARK OF LIFE — Reprise (Gingerbread Man) 8. EVERYBODY'S GOT A GIFT (Crow, Gingerbread Man) 9. THE RIVER KNOWS — Reprise (Mr. and Mrs. Puffin, Gretchen) 10. RUN, RUN, RUN, JUST AS FAST AS YOU CAN (Crow, Gingerbread Man, Ensemble) 11. FINALE ( Gretchen, Heather, Ensemble) SCENE 1 THE STREETS OF TIN TOWN MUSIC underscoring begins. Lights up on the silhouette of a small, grim industrial riverside town. CROW struts in as if he owns the place. CROW Early morning in the town of Tin Town —my favorite time of the day. Before the hustle and bustle of the day’s business begins. When even the pigeons are still asleep in their roosts, and the air is filled with the aroma of freshly-baked bread — Hey, wait a minute! I don’t smell a thing. We’ll have to go over to the bakery to investigate. But first, let’s see if this nice young couple is good for a handout A YOUNG COUPLE enters pushing a baby carriage. Crow caws. YOUNG WOMAN Nothing wrong with her, the doctor says. I just don’t understand it. YOUNG MAN He examined her quite thoroughly, dear. YOUNG WOMAN But a baby who never laughs or smiles? That doesn’t seem right. Crow caws again, but the couple ignore him. They remain on stage, conversing in pantomime. CROW Could be they have more important things on their minds. Oh, look who’s coming now: Mrs. Thomas T. Tinsley. She happens to own most of Tin Town — including the train station, several downtown blocks and the abandoned tin factory at the edge of the city. And leading the way, her charming and talented son, Timothy. Strident MUSIC vamp. TINOTHY (entering, with a sharp rap on his tin drum) That’s TIN-othy! THE GINGERBREAD MAN 2. CROW Right. And over there is the town stationmaster — bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and ready for the day’s toil, I see. STATIONMASTER enters from the other direction, yawning. TINOTHY (pointing his drumstick at him) Hey, you! Whatsa matter with you? You’re late for work! STATIONMASTER Why, you little skunk, I ought to — (notices Mrs.Tinsley not far behind) —Oh! Good morning. Mrs. Tinsley. I was just complimenting young Timothy — TINOTHY TIN-othy! (drum rap) STATIONMASTER — Yes, of course. Tinothy. Just commenting on his remarkable drumming technique. I haven’t heard such impressive paradiddles since — MRS. TINSLEY —Never mind that. We simply can’t have a stationmaster who is always tardy. STATIONMASTER I can explain, Ma’m. I usually count on my rooster to wake me up, but I’m afraid he’s been sleeping in recently. MRS. TINSLEY Did it ever occur to you to put out an alarm clock for him? STATIONMASTER That’s an excellent idea, Ma’am. I think I’ll do that. But the other thing is — perhaps it’s escaped your attention — but no trains have stopped in Tin Town for the last seven years. Ever since you moved the factory to China— MRS. TINSLEY —Yes, I have noticed. And that’s why you haven’t been paid in seven years. But I still expect you to show up at work on time. (a beat) Oh, there’s Tom the Tinkerer. I’ve been meaning to have a few words with him. THE GINGERBREAD MAN 3. TOM THE TINKERER enters, trailing tools, gizmos and tin cans attached to strings. TOM THE TINKERER Hello, Ma’am! MRS. TINSLEY Now, look here. You were supposed to get those bells in the clock tower chiming again. TINOTHY Yeah! What’s the matter with you? TOM THE TINKERER I’ve been trying, Ma’am! I’ve taken the clockworks apart, cleaned and oiled every last gear and gizmo and put it all back together again. Everything appears to be in tip-top shape, but it simply won’t work. There’s only one possible explanation. MRS. TINSLEY Let me guess: is it because you’re the laziest man on earth, aside from my idiot husband? TOM THE TINKERER No, Ma’am. I believe that the bell tower is haunted! MRS. TINSLEY Haunted? TOM THE TINKERER You know... (he makes ‘spooky’ ghost sounds and gestures) MRS. TINSLEY That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Come along, Tinothy. To the bakery. CROW Let’s tag along with them, shall we? MRS. TINSLEY Oh, look, Tinothy. A baby! (to us) I don’t know what it is about babies, but they always seem to adore me. (leaning down into the carriage) Ah, kootchie kootchie koo! Kootchie kootchie koo! The sound of a baby wailing loudly. THE GINGERBREAD MAN 4. CROW I guess there are exceptions to every rule. Mrs. Tinsley, appearing offended, exits with Tinothy. 1. “ONCE UPON A TIME IN TIN-TOWN” YOUNG WOMAN (to us) ONCE UPON A TIME IN TIN TOWN BABIES LAUGHED AND SMILED NOW THEY WEAR A TIN-TOWN FROWN IS IT ANY WONDER WHY? ENSEMBLE FOR IT’S A TOWN WHERE THE BELLS DON’T RING WHERE THE BIRDS DON’T SING AND THE TRAINS GO WHISTLING BY IT’S A TOWN THAT’S LOST ITS PLUCK DOWN ON ITS LUCK NO WONDER WE ALL SIGH All sigh loudly. MUSIC continues. Lights up on interior of the bakery. The kindly NICCOLO and his wife ALICIA, downcast-appearing, have just finished adding up the savings in their piggy bank. ALICIA ... Forty-eight. Forty-nine. Two dollars and forty-nine cents. NICCOLO This is hardly enough to get our flour mill repaired. Besides which, we already owe money to Tom the Tinkerer for the last repair. ALICIA What will we do, Niccolo? NICCOLO I’m afraid we will have to close our bakery for good, Alicia. Short of a miracle, there is no other way. THE GINGERBREAD MAN 5. ALICIA Mamma mia! So many years of hard work and toil has come to nothing. NICCOLO These are truly hard times. (he puts his arm around Alicia to comfort her) ENSEMBLE THE KIND OF TOWN WHERE THE BAKERS CAN’T BAKE AND THE ROOSTERS DON’T WAKE AND THERE’S NO GOOD NEWS FOR MILES AND IT’S A TOWN WHERE THE BIRDS DON’T SING WHERE THE BELLS DON’T RING WHERE NO ONE EVER SMILES Mrs. Tinsley and Tinothy enter the bakery. Crow, tagging along, eavesdrops. MRS. TINSLEY (cheerfully) Good morning! NICCOLO Not a very good one, I’m afraid, Signora Tinsley. In fact, we may be forced to close this business which has been in our family for over seventy years— MRS. TINSLEY — Yes, yes, yes, whatever. We have something far more important to discuss with you — the annual Holiday Dessert Derby. I expect you to represent Tin Town again this year, and this time I expect you to win, and bring to our fair city the fame and glory it so richly deserves. NICCOLO As much as we would like to, Signora — MRS. TINSLEY —As you know, your dessert must be something delectable (drum rap). Respectable (drum rap). And whimsical (drum rap). THE GINGERBREAD MAN 6. ALICIA But, Signora — MRS. TINSLEY — Oh, did I mention that the grand prize this year is one hundred dollars? NICCOLO AND HIS WIFE One hundred dollars!? ALICIA Why, we could repair our flour mill with that money— NICCOLO —Repay Tom the Tinkerer— ALICIA And save our bakery. NICCOLO But, Signora, our flour mill is now broken and we only have this one small bag of flour — TINOTHY —Hey, you! Quit your bellyachin’ and serve me a sausage. (raps on his drum) ALICIA We do not sell sausages, dear, but I may have a sugar raisin cookie in the case— TINOTHY —I don’t wanna sugar raisin cookie, lady! I wanna sausage! MRS. TINSLEY Tinothy loathes baked goods. In fact, his diet consists entirely of sausage and water. The doctor says that it’s probably what contributes to his pleasing disposition. TINOTHY I wanna sausage! I wanna sausage! I wanna sausage! MRS. TINSLEY Go outside and find your idiot father, Tinothy.

Load more