Michael James Heartly

Power Ants and Hoppers Book and Lyrics by: Michael Heartly Music by: Garrick Alden Characters: Narrator – A vaudevillian entertainer. Has a Bowler Hat & a Cane. Eartha - a “Mother Nature” woman... a consummate ‘hippie” complete with the retro ‘70’s hair and clothes- but stately The power Ants: The ants have a working, physically strong look to them... with the accessories to make them look ant-like Setti - the leader Metti - a little ditzy Iggy - the organizer The Hoppers- the grass hoppers have accessories to make them appear as grasshoppers. Perhaps a half mask as well.  Blue - the worrier Clover - a bit self centered Zoyza - the leader of the ‘always play’ plan. (Five  wagons of huge 7 foot tall blades of green grass are circled around the hut of Eartha.  The narrator begins in the middle of the blades of grass unseen by the audience... the music begins... and the narrator puts a hand out from between the blades of grass and motions with her forefinger... to ‘come here’.  She continues to move from one blade of grass to another mysteriously summoning the audience.) N.B.: ‘*’ indicates a Sound cue (*A slow mysterious pulsing begins...  ‘Rustling’ noises can be herd from behind the blades of grass) NARRATOR                                                            (Sung from behind the ‘grass’) COME ON DOWN                                    COME ON DOWN COME ON DOWN                                    COME ON DOWN            DOWN TO THE GROUND                        COME ON DOWN COME ON DOWN                                    COME ON DOWN            ALL WHAT’S THAT NOISE?                              WE CAN HEAR IT IT’S ALL AROUND                                     WE ARE NEAR IT WHAT’S THAT NOISE?                               WE CAN HEAR IT DOWN ON THE GROUND                         ON THE GROUND….                        (Narrator emerges from the grass. The Narrator is wearing a sleek black outfit complete with black derby and cane) (fast tempo  may be “talked-sung”) WELLLLLLLL.. GATHER ROUND CHILDREN GATHER ROUND. HAVE A SEAT PLEASE THERE, AND GATHER ROUND. THE STORY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN SO QUIET PLEASE I WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION DOWN. WAY DOWN. WAY DOWN TO HERE IMAGINE DOWN ON THE GROUND WHERE THE BUGS WORK AND PLAY THE TINY WORLD OF INSECTS AND PLANTS. LOOK DOWN…DOWN ALL THE WAY GOOD... THAT’S GOOD NOW… SONG BEGINS (2:40) WELCOME TO THE MEADOW WE LIVE HERE IN THE DIRT WE PLAY AMONGST THE BLADES OF GRASS THE TWIGS AND THE PEBBLES TOO WE KNOW HOW THINGS DOWN HERE WORK, WE KNOW JUST WHAT TO DO. LET ME WEAVE A STORY OF THE OLD AND OF THE NEW. THE TALE I’M GONNA’ TELL IS TOLD FOR ALL OF YOU IT’S HOW WE’RE GONNA’ WORK AND HOW WE’RE GONNA’ PLAY IT’S ABOUT PLANNING AHEAD AT THE END OF THE DAY. End of song NARRATOR (Continues) So gather round all you here… And I’ll begin the story proper It’s a story of the power ants And the lazy grass hoppers Now let me introduce you to somebody you all know.  She is in the air... she is in the trees... she is in the water and in the seas.... she is the Queen of the great outdoors... the Princess of night and day ... I give you Miss Eartha Windinfire! Eartha Hello kids…my friends call me Mother Nature… and you know… you should never mess (*thunder) with Mother nature! *begin music Eartha Intro [Eartha Singing] I AM MISS NATURE AND I KNOW YOU’VE HEARD OF ME I LIVE IN THE AIR, ON THE GROUND, AND IN THE TREE                                    I GIVE YOU THE NIGHT AND THE FREEZING WINTER AIR I GIVE YOU THE FRIGHT IF YOUR CUPBOARD (AT HOME) IS BARE                                    THERE IS NO STOPPING ME, YOU CAN’T STOP THE CLOCK                                                MISS NATURE IS HERE FOR YOU, AND I’M NOT GOING TO STOP                                                                        ​ Narrator Right Miss Eartha! You all know who that is …it is impoooooosible to go anywhere here in the meadow without Eartha.. or as her friends call her…nature…. all around us! Now pay attention kids.. let me direct you to Eartha’s place  Eartha’s place tells us what time of year it is… what time of year do you think it is? (to the audience) Is it the winter? (looks for response) Is it the fall? No.. Its… (*drum roll) SUMMER! (A drape depicting summer is pulled across the entrance to Eartha’s hut) Summer that’s right... and down here in the meadow... it is summer too.  Now here in the meadow… all kinds of creatures work and play.  Some work through the night…and some work through the day. Let me direct your eyes over there (points to stage right) and you shall see a wondrous place.  Ladies and Gentleman... boys and girls... It is my distinct pleasure to present to you (*drum roll) the ant hill!  (Story teller points and Eartha places a large picture of an elderly lady wearing glasses and a head wrap) Narrator What is that? Eartha That’s Aunt Hill Narrator Aunt Hill? Eartha Aunty Hill… you know... she lives in the valley. Narrator NOT Aunty Hill … the Ant Hill! Eartha Ohhhhh the ant hill! (Eartha shakes her fist... *thunder rolls) Right.  Ant Hill it is.                             (Eartha spins the picture around to show a picture of a large ant hill) Eartha (To audience) And who do you suppose lives in this ANT HILL? Mice? No… Dogs? No.. Cats maybe? No.. What? What lives in the ant hill? All together now A N T S… and here are three of them to help with our story.  You know boys and girls that ants work the whole day through.  They carry and they haul food for their ant hill. Narrator And they can carry huge loads. Eartha Ten times their body weight Narrator Twenty times. Eartha Glory halleluiah children.  Just imagine you being able to carry something that weighs twenty times what you weigh? Sweetheart, I get hot just thinking about it. (fanning herself) Narrator These ants are tough.  The ants are strong.  These ants are powerful workers and gatherers.  I give you... the power ants! (The three ants enter.) *Music Begins Introduction Song A march is heard Ants March in. Music begins ANTS HUH HUH ANT’S GONNA’ MARCH AND MARCH THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH… HUH WE’RE POWER WORKERS EVERY DAY … YEAH YEAH WE’LL WORK AND WE’LL CARRY CAUSE WE WA-ANT TO..AND THINGS ARE BETTER WHEN WE WORK THIS WAY…HUH THINGS ARE BETTER WHEN WE WORK THIS WAY All POWER ANTS! (Power ants pose and snap to!) (Ants march back to the ant hill) Eartha There they go…those cute little power ants. Narrator Yeah…. Did you see those outfits? Eartha Did you see those muscles?                   (Eartha waves to the ants smiling uncontrollably) Narrator Now children...if I can direct your eyes over here (Narrator points to SL) you will see the other half of our fabled story.  Living here in the meadow inside the blades of grass... are the creatures who can hop… and hop... and hop                     (Eartha picks up a large stuffed rabbit and places it in front of Narrator) Narrator What is this?? Eartha Bunny! Narrator Bunny rabbit? You bring out a bunny rabbit?  Come here Eartha, please. (Narrator Places her hand on Eartha’s forehead) Just as I thought ...HOT!  Ok... maybe the children in the audience can help.  What do we have here? (Points to blade of grass) Eartha Grass (with the audience) Narrator  And what do the little creatures do? Eartha Hop?  Bunnies hop! Narrator Ok boys and girls…  say it with me Grass (Aud.) Grass Narrator Hop (Aud.) Hop Narrator What do we get? Grass… Hop…pers! (Three grasshoppers hop out) (Eartha picks up the rabbit and takes it to her hut.*thunder again) *Begin Music GRASSHOPPERS WELL THE HOPPERS ARE HERE AND HERE WE’LL STAY .. WE’LL HOP PLAY ALL DAY WE’RE HOPPING ALL DAY FROM ONE GAME TO THE NEXT … DON’T YOU SEE? WE PLAY FOR KEEPS AND PLAY IT RIGHT WE’LL PLAY ALL DAY AND PLAY ALL NIGHT CAUSE FUN IS ALL THAT WE CAN THINK TO BE. ANTS enter. ANTS STEP BY STEP WE FILL OUR HOME WITH FOOD … HUH IN THE MEADOW ALL THE HOT LONG DAY WELL WE WORK AND WE TOIL CAUSE IT’S WHAT WE DO PLAN AHEAD THERE’S LITTLE TIME TO PLAY GRASSHOPPERS WE SING A DIFFERENT TUNE YOU KNOW… WE GOT PLENTY OF FOOD. IT’S ALL RIGHT HERE IN THE GRASS AND ON THE TREES... FOR YOU AND ME LET’S PLAY SOME MORE WHAT YA’ WAITING FOR? LET’S PLAY FOR FUN DON’T BE A BORE CAUSE’ FUN IS ALL THAT WE CAN THINK TO BE CHORUS NARRATOR LOOK BOYS AND GIRLS ..                                                                                     LOOK BOYS AND GIRLS LOOK HERE TODAY                                                                                    LOOK HERE TODAY SOME WORK IN THE MEADOW AND OTHERS PLAY                                                AND OTHERS PLAY EARTHA SOME EAT FOOD NOW … OTHERS SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY                                    SAVE IT FOR ANOTHER DAY PAY ME NOW OR LATER... IT’S COMPLETELY UP TO YOU                                    OHH OHH OHHHH EARTHA AND NARRATOR LET’S SEE WHAT THE HOPPERS AND THE ANTS DECIDE TO DO? EARTHA WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO MISTAKES?                                                            WHO MISTKES? NARRATOR PLEASE PAY ATTENTION FOR GOODNESS SAKES                                                GOODNESS SAKES NARRATOR AND EARTHA WHAT HAPPENS IN THE REST OF OUR PLAY? SIT BACK AND WATCH… YOU’LL FIND OUT TODAY! ANTS ANT’S KEEP A’ WORKING THERE’S LITTLE TIME TO PLAY WORKING IS THE ONLY THING WE KNOW KEEP THE LINE ALWAYS MOVING ALL THE LIVE LONG DAY LETS GET ON .. YEAH GET ON WITH THE SHOW… HOPPERS WE WON’T BE WORKING AT ALL TODAY... WE’RE GONNA’ PLAY AND PLAY WE DON’T CARE WHAT THEY SAY IT’S OURS TO PICK AND TO CHOOOOOOO-SE OH YEAH IT’S TOO DARN HOT IT’S TOO DARN LONG WE RATHER PLAY AND SING OUR SONG LET’S PLAY SOME MORE AND LET’S GET ON WITH THE SHOW… ALL LET’S WORK AND GET ON WITH THE SHOW  LET’S PLAY AND GET ON WITH THE SHOW. ALL WITH THE SHOW WITH THE SHOW. Narrator So... here in the glen... in the tall, tall grass, the ants and the hoppers go about their every day business... lets watch... Eartha (Eartha sits in a beach chair fanning herself.) It sure is hot honey...it’s a good thing I’ve managed to cultivate... um... grow all this wonderful nutritious... delicious... food.                (Eartha fills a balloon with air) ​ Setti and [Blue] together Ok power ants... you know what to do... onward we go [Ok hoppers... you know what to do... onward we go] Narrator So the ants and the hoppers begin their day in the meadow. The sun it is beating down hard.  It is so hot boys and girls. Both the powerful ants and the hoppers decide what to do to begin their day here in the blades of grass, the soil and the rocks... Clover What a beautiful day Zoyza  A day to play Setti One step at a time ants Iggy Rickity... tickity.... ants, lets try to reach our quota early. Zoyza It is so hot.... I feel like I am melting. Blue Maybe we should try to find something to eat today? Clover Today? Why today?  There is always tomorrow.  We can always look for food tomorrow. Zoyza Besides, I am almost to the top level on this video game. Huh! Just enough shade for me… I feel like this is my lucky day!(Zoyza pulls out a game controller and begins playing. *An electronic video game noise is heard.) Blue Wow Zoyza... you are the best ... look at all the points you have collected! Zoyza Just watch me...I collect points like no other hopper you know! Clover Hey Blue... let’s you and I play a game. Blue What game? Clover Hide and go seek? Zoyza Almost there... one more ... almost... (Clover hits Blue to get his attention) Blue What? Clover Hide and go seek? Blue Oh yeah ... you hiding or seeking? Clover Hiding... you will never find me Mr. Bluesy Hopper... now go count to ten please. (Clover runs out into the audience Blue turns his back and begins to count.  *A sound indicating the video game is over is heard) Zoyza Darn dippity dip... I just got the slip.  Now I need to start all over again. Narrator ...meanwhile... over at the ant hill... let’s see what the power ants are up to... Iggy Rickity tickity too Setti Here we go... what day is it today? Iggy Ummm? I give up. What day is it? Metti It’s a hot day whatever day it is... Setti Maybe somebody out there can help us?  Do you boys and girls know what day it is today? (Response from audience) Blue Ten! Ready or not here I come... now where is that tricky in the clover hopper? (Blue heads out into the audience to look for Clover) Iggy It is what day? (Another response...) Metti I can’t hear you! Setti Good... that’s great... today is ________day... and we all know what we do on ______day! Metti (raising hand) I know... I know... pick me pick me Iggy Is this a trick question? Setti  We... work! We go throughout the meadow and look for food! Iggy Wait... we do that everyday while it’s hot! Setti Exactomundo powerful power ants. (Metti exits quickly) Iggy Time to get moving... (Blue finds Clover out in the audience) Blue Tag... you’re it... I found you Clover Dingity doggity bee ... you caught me.  Ok... my turn... I’ll go count to ten... you go hide. Zoyza Check this out hoppers... I am almost to the top... Setti Let’s find us some food! We need food to survive.  Food for now Iggy Food for later too. (Metti returns with a small piece of grass) Metti Here ya’ go..! Setti Metti... what is that? Iggy It’s a piece of grass... you said we needed food. Setti We need food alright.  Everything we need is right here in the meadow. All we have to do is get it... and you bring us a teensy weensy piece from a blade of grass? Metti It was over there.... Iggy That’s nice Metti... but we need more than just little pieces of grass... we need FOOD...so where do we go? Who has all the nourishment any power ant could want?  Who has all the riches of the earth ... the materials we need to keep us strong and powerful?  Why Miss Eartha Windinfire..that’s who. rickity tickity too. Let’s go power ants.  To the hut of Eartha Windinfire.