READERS THEATRE

MECHANICS:

1. The contest is open to all students of Bangkal High School (Grade 7 – Grade 10 Junior High School)

2. The contest is divided into two categories:

Grade 7 and Grade 8 Category
Grade 9 and Grade 10 Category

3. There is an assigned piece for each category

Grade 7 and Grade 8 Category - The Bremen Town Musicians
Grade 9 and Grade 10 Category - The Greatest Show On Earth

4. Number of participants per category is as follows:

Grade 7 and Grade 8 Category - 8
Grade 9 and Grade 10 Category - 12

4. Contestants can wear their school uniform or wear costume during the contest.

5. Musical Background is not allowed during the contest.

6. Use of props is permissible.

6. There should be one representative per teacher.

8. The judges’ decision is final and irrevocable.

CRITERIA:

INTERPRETATION: …………………………………………………………………………………….. 30%

Projection of emotion
Development of material
Unity-overall performance
Variety in rhythm and tempo

CHARACTERIZATION: …………………………………………………………………………………….. 25%

Establishes mood and setting
Believable and consistent with selection

VOCAL DELIVERY: ……………………………………………………………………………………. 20%

Volume, pitch, vocal variety
Pronunciation, articulation
Timing, pauses, cue pickup

PHYSICAL DELIVERY: ……………………………………………………………………………………. 20%

Effective use of on stage, off stage focus or combination or both
Group energy and interaction

COSTUME ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5%
_______________

TOTAL 100%
(READERS THEATRE)
GRADE SEVEN (7) AND GRADE EIGHT (8) CATEGORY

The Bremen Town Musicians

A Reader’s Theatre Script

by Lisa Blau

Characters:
Reader #1 Reader #2 Reader #3 Reader #4
Donkey Dog Cat Rooster

Reader #2: Once upon a time a donkey worked long and hard for his master. As the years went by the
donkey grew old and weak.

Reader #4: One day the donkey heard his master say that he was going to get rid of him. When the
donkey heard this he said...

Donkey: I will run away to the town of Bremen. I have a strong voice. I will become a fine singer.

Reader #1: So the donkey left the farm and headed down the road to Bremen.

Reader #3: By and by the donkey met an old dog.

Donkey: Good morning, Dog! How are you this fine day?

Dog: I am old and weak. My master wants to get rid of me. I don’t know what to do.

Donkey: Why not come with me to the town of Bremen? Together we can be fine musicians.

Reader #2: So the dog and the donkey headed down the road.

Reader #4: By and by they met a cat.

Dog: Hello, Cat! How are you this fine day?

Cat: I am old and weak. My master wants to get rid of me. I don’t know what to do.

Donkey: Why not come with us to the town of Bremen? Together we can be fine musicians.

Reader #3: So the cat, the dog, and the donkey headed down the road.

Reader #1: By and by they met a rooster.

Cat: Hello, Rooster! How are you this fine day?

Rooster: I am old and weak. My master wants to get rid of me. I don’t know what to do.

Donkey: Why not come with us to the town of Bremen? Together we can be fine musicians.

Reader #3: So the rooster, the cat, the dog, and the donkey headed down the road.

Reader #1: The animals walked all day but they did not reach the town of Bremen.

Donkey: Come, my friends. Let’s rest under this big tree for the night.
Reader #2: The rooster flew up into the tree to get a look around. Suddenly he called out…

Rooster: We are in luck my friends! I see a light. Perhaps there is a house for us to sleep in.

Reader #4: The animals followed the rooster to the light. There they found a little house. The donkey
peeked in the window.

Reader #1: The donkey saw a band of robbers inside the little hose. The robbers were so busy counting
their money that they did not see the donkey.

Donkey: My friends we must think of a way to frighten those robbers away.

Reader #3: It wasn’t long before the animals had hatched a good plan.

Reader #2: The donkey stood on his hind legs. The dog climbed on the donkey’s shoulders. The cat
climbed onto the dog’s back. The rooster perched on top of the cat.

Reader #4: And then the animals call out…

Donkey: Hee haw! Hee haw!

Dog: Woof! Woof! Woof!

Cat: Meow! Meow! Meow!

Rooster: Cock-a-doodle-doo!

Reader #3: The noise scared the robbers. The robbers dashed out of the little house and ran away.

Reader #1: The robbers did not take their gold. They did not take their food. They just ran away as
fast as they could.

Donkey: What good luck, my friends! Now we have a cozy house, tasty food, and all the gold we’ll
ever need.

Reader #3: The animals never went to the town of Bremen. They lived happily ever after in the
tiny house in the woods.

All: The End.

(READERS THEATRE)
GRADE 9 AND GRADE 10 CATEGORY

THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

CHARACTERS- Ring Leader Morris, Ring Leader Borris, Strong Man, Lion Tamer, Boy Lion, Girl Lion, Clown
1, Clown 2, Tattooed Man, Bearded Lady, Trapeze Twin 1, Trapeze Twin 2

Ring Leader Morris- Welcome to the circus! Ladies and Gentlemen, THIS is The Greatest Show on Earth!

Ring Leader Borris- We have many interesting performers to introduce to you today!

Morris- The circus is here all weekend! Lions, acrobats, elephants, and clowns have all come to your
town!

Borris- First up is the Strong Man! Everyone give a round of applause for the Strong Man!

Strong Man- Thank you! Thank you! I am solid as stone and strong as a bear. My muscles bulge
everywhere! Watch as I bend this iron rod by hand! (He bends the iron bar!)

Morris- Wow! That was amazing! Thank you Strong Man! Next up is the Lion Tamer!

Lion Tamer- Are you all ready to see my lions do some tricks?! Please welcome my two lions!

(Two lions enter!)

Lion Tamer- Lions! Up! (The lions stand on a chair and perform their trick on their back legs).

Lions – ROARRRRRRRR!!!

Lion Tamer- Down! Great job lions!

Girl Lion- Thank you, I have been performing in this circus for five years!

Boy Lion- And this is my second year! I love traveling with the circus and getting to see new cities and
meeting new people.

Lion Tamer- Lions! It is time for your last trick! Now, you all may think I am crazy taming the lions, but
they always listen and perform to their best abilities! Watch this! Lions! Stand on your
back legs!

Lions – ROARRRRRRR!!! (They stand on their back legs!)

Borris- Thank you Lion Tamer! Wow, those lions were awesome! Please welcome our clowns!

Clown 1- Hello, everyone!

Clown 2- Hi!

Clown 1- We will now perform a juggling act!

Clown 2- We will juggle each of these juggling pins!

Clown 1- Ready?!

Clown 2-- Ready?!

(The clowns juggle).

Clown 1- Tada!!!

Clown 2- Thank you all for watching our juggling act!

Clown 1- The best part about being a clown is dressing up and getting to perform for all of you

Clown 2- The best part for me is getting to juggle and travel with so many interesting people!

Morris- And now from the other side of the world, lay your eyes upon the tattooed man!

Tattooed Man- Look at all my crazy tattoos! I have skulls and serpents head to toe and some of my
tattoos even glow! And if you think this is the craziest thing you have ever seen, then I
have a surprise for you! Here is my wife, the bearded lady!

Morris- Wow a bearded lady?!

Bearded Lady- Yes, it is true! This beard is one-hundred percent my own! Would you like to touch it?!

(Bearded Lady allows people to feel her beautiful beard!)

Bearded Lady- Thank you! I have had it ever since I was a baby!

Borris- Finally, It is time for our most death-defying performers. The Trapeze Twins! Look up high and
you will see them flying through the sky!

Trapeze Twin 1- Here we are! Up here! Can you see us?

Trapeze Twin 2- We are flying through the air! We fly hundreds of feet above the ground!

Trapeze Twin 1- We wear very snazzy tights and we fly through the air chasing each other and soaring
past the lights!

Trapeze Twin 2- We leap, we spin, we avoid hitting the ground!

BOTH Trapeze Twins – We are the amazing Trapeze Twins!

Borris- Thank you all for coming to our circus and meeting all of our wonderful performers!

Morris- We hope that you had a great time and will come again, and remember the circus is….

ALL- THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH