PINOCCHIO

Adapted from the Carlo Collodi story

By Sam Kuglen

Performance Rights
It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy or
reproduce this script in any manner or to perform this play
without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge
Publishing Co., Inc. Contact the publisher for additional
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Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing
Company.
ELDRIDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY
hiStage.com
1998 by Sam Kuglen

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http://www.histage.com/playdetails.asp?PID=139

Pinocchio
2

STORY OF THE PLAY

This stage adaptation of Pinocchio closely follows the
original story by Carlo Collodi. Pinocchio is a mischievous
puppet who is trying to become a real boy. Once he is
carved by Gepetto, his adventures begin. Along the way he
almost meets his doom at a puppet show, is waylaid by an
evil Cat and Fox, sidetracked by Lampwick who takes him to
The Island of the Toys, and is swallowed by a huge whale,
where he is reunited with Gepetto. After saving Gepetto, the
Blue Fairy helps Pinocchio attain his dream of becoming a
real boy. Perfect for touring. About 75 minutes.

MUSIC
There are a few musical opportunities in this play. You
may use any music you wish, but it should have an old-time
Italian feel. Lyrics can also be done as a choral reading.
Songs do not need to be sung well, but should be sung with
lots of drama and enthusiasm.

Pinocchio
3

CAST OF CHARACTERS
(2 m, 2 w, 11 flexible. Some doubling possible.)
PINOCCHIO: (Flexible) A mischievous wooden puppet who
wants nothing more than to be a real boy.
GEPETTO: (Male) An old woodcarver who makes
Pinocchio.
LAMPWICK: (Flexible) Pinocchios friend who takes him to
the puppet show and later to the Island of Toys.
MOTHER: (Female) Lampwicks shrewish mother.
POLICEMAN: (Flexible.) Slightly befuddled, he arrests
Gepetto for letting Pinocchio run outside naked.
NEIGHBOR: (Flexible) A person irritated by Pinocchios
yelling.
PUPPET MASTER: (Male) Owner of The Worlds Greatest
Puppet Show who threatens to burn Pinocchio only to
release him and give him gold coins.
PUNCH: (Flexible) A real marionette.
JUDY: (Flexible) A real marionette.
FOX: (Flexible) A rapscallion who tricks Pinocchio out of his
gold and ties him up.
CAT: (Flexible) The Foxs partner, equally villainous.
BLUE FAIRY ATTENDANT: (Flexible) Releases Pinocchio
and does the bidding of the Blue Fairy.
BLUE FAIRY: (Female) Pinocchios benefactress who helps
him become a real boy.
DOCTOR: (Flexible) A slightly daffy doctor who gives the
Blue Fairy medicine to save Pinocchio.
COACHMAN: (Flexible) Leads Pinocchio and Lampwick to
The Island of Toys and then sells them as donkeys.
DOUBLING: Mother, Blue Fairy and Cat can be played by one
actress. Gepetto, Puppet Master, and Doctor can be played by
one actor. Policeman, Fox, Coachman and Attendant can be
played by another actor. The two actors playing Pinocchio and
Lampwick should not have any other roles.

Pinocchio
4

ACT I
Scene 1
(AT RISE: Gepettos room. Upstage there is a door and
workshop table and downstage there is a small fireplace.
Gepettos stool is center stage. GEPETTO ENTERS,
whistling a tune that is almost instantly recognizable to us.
He is carrying a large piece of wood. He moves slowly
downstage, puts the piece of wood down and talks to us.)
GEPETTO: Gepetto, my father would say, for thats my
name you see, Gepetto, sometimes when you carve
something with your hands, magic happens! My family
has carved wood for hundreds of years, back twenty or
thirty great- grandfathers. Why, to this very day, I will find a
piece of wood, pick it up and know right away what I will
carve. You might say the wood speaks to me. My only
regret is that I dont have a son that I can teach to carve
wood, or have supper with or teach the little song my
father taught me. It goes like this:
(HE sings the song we heard him whistling when he first
entered. This song is to be improvised by the actor.)
Well, a father and his son
They had a lot of fun
They went for a run
In the noonday sun,
They had a cinnamon bun
With Attila the Hun,
They ate one ton
And then they were done,
Were a father and his son.
GEPETTO: This little song will die with me, I suppose. Its a
pity, because the ditty is rather pretty. I made a rhyme!
Just another one of my many talents. Of course, no one
has much use for my talents now.

Pinocchio
5

GEPETTO: (Contd.) No one believes in the magic of a song

handed down from father to son or in the magic of shaping
a piece of wood into an object that is practically alive.
(Beat.) Its a little chilly in here. Thats what this log is for.
(He picks up the piece of wood and runs his hand over it.)
I feel this piece of wood will make a rip roaring fire!
PINOCCHIO: (His voice seems to come from the piece of
wood, singing the same song we just heard Gepetto
singing.) Well, a father and his son ...
GEPETTO: What was that?
PINOCCHIO: What?
GEPETTO: That ... that ...voice.
PINOCCHIO: What voice?
GEPETTO: The voice that said What voice?
PINOCCHIO: (Mocking Gepetto.) What voice, what voice,
what voice? Gepetto, you are a crazy old man!
GEPETTO: Who said that?
PINOCCHIO: Said what?
GEPETTO: Dont start with me ...
PINOCCHIO: Very well. It was me.
GEPETTO: (Correcting him.) It was I.
PINOCCHIO: It wasnt you. It was me.
GEPETTO: I.
PINOCCHIO: Me.
GEPETTO: I.
PINOCCHIO: Me!
GEPETTO: (Becoming angry.) I, I, I, I, ... !!
PINOCCHIO: Very well, it was I.
GEPETTO: Thats better. Now, who is I?
PINOCCHIO: Me.
(GEPETTO is confused and frustrated.)
PINOCCHIO: The one youre holding, you silly old man.
GEPETTO: (Speaking to no one in particular.) This is only a
piece of wood.
PINOCCHIO: Correct.
GEPETTO: You mean to tell me that a mere piece of wood
has been causing me all these troubles?

Pinocchio
6

PINOCCHIO: Correct.
GEPETTO: Why, I should throw you in the fire!
PINOCCHIO: (Naively.) But Im not cold.
GEPETTO: Then I should make a table leg out of you.
PINOCCHIO: No!
GEPETTO: You must be punished for your impudence.
PINOCCHIO: Dont punish me, please! I promise to be good.
GEPETTO: Very well, I wont punish you. But what can I
make of you? I cant very well have a table leg that talks.
Let me see ...
PINOCCHIO: (Singing.) Well, a father and his son ...
GEPETTO: I know!
PINOCCHIO: What???!!!
GEPETTO: I shall carve you into a puppet!
PINOCCHIO: A girl puppet or a boy puppet?
GEPETTO: A boy puppet! A son!! (HE examines the piece of
wood.) Why yes. You would make a splendid puppet.
(HE takes out a small ax and begins to carve at his upstage
table. While he is chopping, we hear PINOCCHIO yelling in
comic pain and fear.)
GEPETTO: A lovely head, some arms, some legs, hands,
feet and we mustnt forget the face.
(PINOCCHIO, in a leotard, is before us as a complete
puppet.)
GEPETTO: There, my boy, you are complete.
PINOCCHIO: Not quite complete.
GEPETTO: Dont talk back to your elders.
PINOCCHIO: Im not talking back.
GEPETTO: And what do you call that?
PINOCCHIO: Talking back. (Beat.) But I just wanted to tell
you that I didnt have a na ...
GEPETTO: Now you listen here ... why, you dont have
name.
PINOCCHIO: Yes. I know. Thats what Ive been trying to tell
you.

Pinocchio
7

GEPETTO: Dont get smart with me, Pinocchio.

PINOCCHIO: What is Pinocchio?
GEPETTO: Why, Pinocchio is ... is ... you!
PINOCCHIO: Me?
GEPETTO: Yes, Pinocchio. You are Pinocchio!
PINOCCHIO: I am Pinocchio? I am Pinocchio! I am
Pinocchio!!
(PINOCCHIO jumps away from GEPETTO and starts to run
around.)
GEPETTO: Now, Pinocchio, be careful. Youve never
walked before.
PINOCCHIO: Look, Gepetto, Im walking!
GEPETTO: Be careful, Pinocchio!! Youve never run before.
PINOCCHIO: Look, Gepetto, Im running!!
GEPETTO: And youre naked. Now come here and let me
make you some clot ...
PINOCCHIO: Im naked? (Joyfully.) Im naked!
GEPETTO: Pinocchio, come back! You cant run outside
without any clothes.
(GEPETTO chases PINOCCHIO offstage. As he exits, the
scene changes to an outdoor street. LAMPWICK ENTERS,
followed by his MOTHER.)
LAMPWICK: Ma, why do I need to know my ABs?
MOTHER: ABCs, Lampwick, ABCs!! C comes after B!! Is
that so difficult for you to remember?
LAMPWICK: ABCs, ABCs. Whats so fun about that? Id
rather be playing.
MOTHER: And another thing. If I get another report about
you ditching school ...
(From offstage we hear PINOCCHIO screaming Im naked!
And GEPETTO calling after him, Pinocchio, you cant go
outside without any clothes!)
MOTHER: What is all that ruckus?

End of Freeview
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