Hellowen

It’s Halloween

By Jack Prelutsky

It’s Halloween! It’s Halloween!
The moon is full and bright.
And we shall see what can’t be seen
On any other night!

Skeletons and ghosts and ghouls
Grinning goblins fighting duels
Werewolves rising from their tombs,
Witches on their magic brooms.

In masks and gouns we haunt the street
And knock on doors for trick or treat.
Tonight we are the king and queen,
For oh tonight it’s Halloween!

(The party begins with the witch’s dancing).

Presenter.

Good evening, dear guests. Welcome to our party! Today we are having a special holiday for the dead – does that seem strange? Perhaps not. There are so many holidays for the living, why not set aside a day to remember those who have died? In Europe the night of the ghosts and witches was combined with the Christian holiday. As that night fell on October 31, people called it Halloween. This means “hallowed evening” or “holy eve”.

On Halloween, people often go to the parties at which fortunes are read and ghosts stories are told. Children may dress up in the costumes and masks of witches, goblins or skeletons and go trick –or- treating. They ring doorbells and ask for candy, apples, or coins.

If they don’t receive a treat, they may play a trick.
At night on October 31 witches fly on their broomsticks, skeletons rattle their bones, ghosts frighten people, Jack – O’ – Lanterns walk around houses, black Halloween cats play tricks with us.

Ghosts and witches and Jack – O’ – Lanterns are all part of a holiday thousands of years old.

On Halloween, many boys and girls dress up in deferent costumes and pretend to be goblins, monsters, skeletons, witches or ghosts. Long ago people really believed in ghosts. They thought the dead came back to their homes once a year and walked around all night.

(Behind the speaker in the back of the stage there appears a “ghost”, listening to what he says, moves quietly and disappears.)

Ghosts can be seen, but not heard. They never leave shadows or footprints. They can walk through closed doors, even walls. They love to live in empty houses.
Look, how many strange guests have come to our party. Let’s greet them and listen to their stories.

(Children dressed up in different costumes appear on the stage and tell who they are (ghosts, witches, black cats etc.) and what they do).

Thank you for your stories, take your seats and feel yourselves at home.

Some words about witches. They are magic women. Some witches are young but most of them are old and ugly. It was believed they held big meetings every season. One meeting came on October 31. Halloween became the witches night. They had a wonderful time there. They danced in a ring, two together, back to back and wished people bad luck, storm and sickness. They flew to their meetings on broomsticks. But it was not always like this. Watch the play about how it all began.

Gertrude And Her Broom

(a play by M. M. Fear and P. F. Rice)

Simple staging, costumes and properties .
Rocking chair, large book, brooms.

Cast:
Gertrude witch 1
Scratch witch 2
Narrator witch 3

(Scene 1 begins with Gertrude rocking in her chair, center stage. Scratch sits at her feet. Narrator sits on the stage, down right)

Narrator – We all know about witches and their cats. Every Halloween they fly on their broomsticks, scaring anyone they meet. Many years ago things were different, Witches walked whenever they went.
Gertrude – Dear me, Scratch. Halloween isn’t any fun any more. Everyone will be going out tonight except us, because we’re too old to walk the long distance through the forest to town. How I wish we could go to witches’ picnic in the forest clearing.
Scratch – Oh, stop complaining! My feet hurt just thinking about it. And they’d hurt as much as yours if we had to walk very far.
Narrator – As Gertrude rocks in her chair, it begins to make some very strange sounds.

(Cast members imitate rocking – chair sounds. For example, “creakity – creak, creakity – creak” , words fade out softly).

Presenter.

Good evening, dear guests. Welcome to our party! Today we are having a special holiday for the dead – does that seem strange? Perhaps not. There are so many holidays for the living, why not set aside a day to remember those who have died? In Europe the night of the ghosts and witches was combined with the Christian holiday. As that night fell on October 31, people called it Halloween. This means “hallowed evening” or “holy eve”.

On Halloween, people often go to the parties at which fortunes are read and ghosts stories are told. Children may dress up in the costumes and masks of witches, goblins or skeletons and go trick –or- treating. They ring doorbells and ask for candy, apples, or coins.

If they don’t receive a treat, they may play a trick.
At night on October 31 witches fly on their broomsticks, skeletons rattle their bones, ghosts frighten people, Jack – O’ – Lanterns walk around houses, black Halloween cats play tricks with us.

Ghosts and witches and Jack – O’ – Lanterns are all part of a holiday thousands of years old.

On Halloween, many boys and girls dress up in deferent costumes and pretend to be goblins, monsters, skeletons, witches or ghosts. Long ago people really believed in ghosts. They thought the dead came back to their homes once a year and walked around all night.

(Behind the speaker in the back of the stage there appears a “ghost”, listening to what he says, moves quietly and disappears.)

Ghosts can be seen, but not heard. They never leave shadows or footprints. They can walk through closed doors, even walls. They love to live in empty houses.
Look, how many strange guests have come to our party. Let’s greet them and listen to their stories.

(Children dressed up in different costumes appear on the stage and tell who they are (ghosts, witches, black cats etc.) and what they do).

Thank you for your stories, take your seats and feel yourselves at home.

Some words about witches. They are magic women. Some witches are young but most of them are old and ugly. It was believed they held big meetings every season. One meeting came on October 31. Halloween became the witches night. They had a wonderful time there. They danced in a ring, two together, back to back and wished people bad luck, storm and sickness. They flew to their meetings on broomsticks. But it was not always like this. Watch the play about how it all began.

Gertrude And Her Broom

(a play by M. M. Fear and P. F. Rice)

Simple staging, costumes and properties .
Rocking chair, large book, brooms.

Cast:
Gertrude witch 1
Scratch witch 2
Narrator witch 3

(Scene 1 begins with Gertrude rocking in her chair, center stage. Scratch sits at her feet. Narrator sits on the stage, down right)

Narrator – We all know about witches and their cats. Every Halloween they fly on their broomsticks, scaring anyone they meet. Many years ago things were different, Witches walked whenever they went.
Gertrude – Dear me, Scratch. Halloween isn’t any fun any more. Everyone will be going out tonight except us, because we’re too old to walk the long distance through the forest to town. How I wish we could go to witches’ picnic in the forest clearing.
Scratch – Oh, stop complaining! My feet hurt just thinking about it. And they’d hurt as much as yours if we had to walk very far.
Narrator – As Gertrude rocks in her chair, it begins to make some very strange sounds.

(Cast members imitate rocking – chair sounds. For example, “creakity – creak, creakity – creak” , words fade out softly).

Scratch – I think your chair is saying something, Gertrude. Probably it’s telling you, “Lose some weight before I fall apart”.
Gertrude – Oh, hush, Scratch! It’s giving me an idea! I’ll use magic on this chair to make it take us to the picnic tonight. Come on help me find my mother’s magic book.

(Gertrude and Scratch sing a song as they search for the book)

Song: Where did I, where did I leave that book?
In a corner or in a nook?
Where, – oh where, is that book? Help me, Scratch!
Let us go look!

Scratch – I think your chair is saying something, Gertrude. Probably it’s telling you, “Lose some weight before I fall apart”.
Gertrude – Oh, hush, Scratch! It’s giving me an idea! I’ll use magic on this chair to make it take us to the picnic tonight. Come on help me find my mother’s magic book.

(Gertrude and Scratch sing a song as they search for the book)

Song: Where did I, where did I leave that book?
In a corner or in a nook?
Where, – oh where, is that book? Help me, Scratch!
Let us go look!

Narrator – After hunting for a long time, Gertrude and Scratch find the magic book and began to turn the pages, looking for a spell that will make Gertrude’s chair fly.

Narrator – After hunting for a long time, Gertrude and Scratch find the magic book and began to turn the pages, looking for a spell that will make Gertrude’s chair fly.

Scratch – This looks like a good spell, Gertrude! What do we need to make it work? Some damp moss, one owl’s feather, one small pinecone, and six grains of sand. Well, I can see I’m not going to get much sleep tonight!

(Scratch sings second song. The lights dim for seconds as Scratch finishes singing, indicating the dark forest of the next scene. During the lights – down period, place two chairs stage center. Gertrude and Scratch enter)

Scratch – This looks like a good spell, Gertrude! What do we need to make it work? Some damp moss, one owl’s feather, one small pinecone, and six grains of sand. Well, I can see I’m not going to get much sleep tonight!

(Scratch sings second song. The lights dim for seconds as Scratch finishes singing, indicating the dark forest of the next scene. During the lights – down period, place two chairs stage center. Gertrude and Scratch enter)

Song: Out in the forest late at night,
Looking, looking, looking, looking
We must search with all our might
Through the lonely night.

Looking here, looking there,
Searching with all our might,
Looking here, looking there,
Stepping softly left and right.

Scratch – This is the last time I’m looking for any owl’s feather. That owl in the last nest sure knew how to fight!
Gertrude – Don’t complain. I walked forever trying to find the sand. I finally found some along the stream at the edge of the forests. On the way back I managed to get the moss and one pinecone. Ooooh! I’m glad I brought my broom. It makes a good walking stick and a good chair.

(Gertrude puts broom down across two chairs. Both sit on it. Gertrude places ingredients on the broom)

Scratch – This is the last time I’m looking for any owl’s feather. That owl in the last nest sure knew how to fight!
Gertrude – Don’t complain. I walked forever trying to find the sand. I finally found some along the stream at the edge of the forests. On the way back I managed to get the moss and one pinecone. Ooooh! I’m glad I brought my broom. It makes a good walking stick and a good chair.

(Gertrude puts broom down across two chairs. Both sit on it. Gertrude places ingredients on the broom)

Scratch – Let’s see if I can remember the magic words for the spell. “Magic spell in deepest night send us off into flight” Oh! No! I shouldn’t have said them here and out loud. All the ingredients were touching the broom and not your chair, Gertrude. The broom, the broom – it’s moving!

(Gertrude and Scratch move so the broom is between their legs and walk off stage as though the broom were flying. Lights dim during narration. When lights come up again, on scene three other witches and their cats are sitting in a circle in the forest clearing)

Scratch – Let’s see if I can remember the magic words for the spell. “Magic spell in deepest night send us off into flight” Oh! No! I shouldn’t have said them here and out loud. All the ingredients were touching the broom and not your chair, Gertrude. The broom, the broom – it’s moving!

(Gertrude and Scratch move so the broom is between their legs and walk off stage as though the broom were flying. Lights dim during narration. When lights come up again, on scene three other witches and their cats are sitting in a circle in the forest clearing)

Narrator – Gertrude and Scratch were soon off the ground because the magic words and the ingredients did make the broom fly. After the surprise of their take off they began to enjoy the ride and pointed the flying broom toward where the witches’ picnic was to be held.

Narrator – Gertrude and Scratch were soon off the ground because the magic words and the ingredients did make the broom fly. After the surprise of their take off they began to enjoy the ride and pointed the flying broom toward where the witches’ picnic was to be held.

Witch One – (pointing off stage, left) Hey! What’s that in the sky coming in this direction?
Witch Two – It looks like Gertrude. I haven’t seen her for years. But, but, she’s flying!
Witch Tree – Hello, Gertrude! Did you put a spell on your broom?
Witch Two – How did you do it?
Gertrude – Hello, everybody! This is my new way of traveling! It’s lots more fun than walking. Why don’t you all try it?
Narrator – This sounded like a good idea to the other witches. They scurried off to get their brooms from their cottages.
Scratch – Now look what you’ve started. It’ll take us forever to teach some of them to fly!

(The witches and their cats come hurrying back on stage, each carrying a broom and eager to begin flying lessons.)

The End.

Witch One – (pointing off stage, left) Hey! What’s that in the sky coming in this direction?
Witch Two – It looks like Gertrude. I haven’t seen her for years. But, but, she’s flying!
Witch Tree – Hello, Gertrude! Did you put a spell on your broom?
Witch Two – How did you do it?
Gertrude – Hello, everybody! This is my new way of traveling! It’s lots more fun than walking. Why don’t you all try it?
Narrator – This sounded like a good idea to the other witches. They scurried off to get their brooms from their cottages.
Scratch – Now look what you’ve started. It’ll take us forever to teach some of them to fly!

(The witches and their cats come hurrying back on stage, each carrying a broom and eager to begin flying lessons.)

The End.

Presenter: Well, now we know why witches fly on their brooms, and what about Jack – O’ – Lantern? Look, here it is. Jack – O’ – Lantern got its name from a fellow named Jack, who, according to an old Irish legend was so mean, that he was not allowed into heaven. But poor Jack played tricks on the devil, so he was not allowed into the hall either. Instead, he is destined to wander around forever with his lantern, waiting for Judgment Day.

(Jack – O’ – Lantern appears)

Presenter: Well, now we know why witches fly on their brooms, and what about Jack – O’ – Lantern? Look, here it is. Jack – O’ – Lantern got its name from a fellow named Jack, who, according to an old Irish legend was so mean, that he was not allowed into heaven. But poor Jack played tricks on the devil, so he was not allowed into the hall either. Instead, he is destined to wander around forever with his lantern, waiting for Judgment Day.

(Jack – O’ – Lantern appears)

Jack – O’ – Lantern – Hi everybody. My name is Jack, you know. I’ve been wandering around the earth for hundreds of years. I am so tired. People don’t like me, but I want to talk to them. I am so glad to have come to your party. I know so many interesting stories and won’t go until I tell you one of them. Listen. (Tells the story and comes closer to the spectators)

Once upon a time there lived an old woman. She sat by the fire and she spun waiting for someone to come. But no one came. Soon there was a knock at the door and the door opened and in came two big shoes, two long thin legs, some wide, wide shoulders, some long thin arms, two fat hands and in rolled a pumpkin head.

She looked at the someone and said:

Jack – O’ – Lantern – Hi everybody. My name is Jack, you know. I’ve been wandering around the earth for hundreds of years. I am so tired. People don’t like me, but I want to talk to them. I am so glad to have come to your party. I know so many interesting stories and won’t go until I tell you one of them. Listen. (Tells the story and comes closer to the spectators)

Once upon a time there lived an old woman. She sat by the fire and she spun waiting for someone to come. But no one came. Soon there was a knock at the door and the door opened and in came two big shoes, two long thin legs, some wide, wide shoulders, some long thin arms, two fat hands and in rolled a pumpkin head.

She looked at the someone and said:
Why do you have such big, big shoes?
Much walking, much walking, - said the someone.
Why do you have such long thin legs?
Much running, much running.
Why do you have such wide shoulders?
Much carrying, much carrying.
Why do you have such fat, fat hands?
Much working, much working.
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Why are you here? What is it you want?
I came to get .YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Jack – O’ – Lantern screams, scares children and goes away.)

Presenter:

Isn’t it fun to scare somebody at the Halloween Party. Most of us like being scared in that way. The best time to tell these stories is at night. The best way is to speak softly and slowly.

Well, one more guest is coming to us.

Presenter:

Isn’t it fun to scare somebody at the Halloween Party. Most of us like being scared in that way. The best time to tell these stories is at night. The best way is to speak softly and slowly.

Well, one more guest is coming to us.

Old Lady Witch:

Oh – ho, I am so tired, my poor legs. They hurt me and want to rest. Oh, can’t believe my eyes! So many people! Recognize me? I am Old Lady Witch. Well, it is a good opportunity to tell everybody that I am not so ugly as they think. I have a big, soft and a warm heart. Don’t be afraid of me. I’ll tell you, girls, how to see your future husbands on Halloween.

Go alone into a dark room where there is a looking glass. Eat an apple before it and at the last mouthful the face of your future husband will be seen peeping over your shoulder.

If you peel an apple and throw the parings over the left shoulder look at what form the peel has taken. It may be the initials of the man you are to marry.

On Halloween, run around the square with your mouth full of pins and needles. Come home and look in the glass, and you will see your future husbands, if you are to be married, but if not you will see a coffin.

If you drop two needles into a bowl of water, you can tell by the way they move in the water whether you and your lover will come together

Well, that is not enough for today. I have a surprise for you. Look, there’s a real fortune – teller, Speaking Head. (Points to a big colored box with a pumpkin on it, which immediately lights up). If you say magic words “Zafara – Chufara – Pooh”, it will tell you the fortunes. Who is not scared come here.

(Children in turn come to Speaking Head, which tells fortunes.)

OK, I see you like it, but I have to go. Good – bye everybody, enjoy your Halloween and have a good fright.