Coyote Dances With the Stars

                                Greatly adapted from the Native American story about Coyote 

                http://www.angelfire.com/ct/deerwhorns/stories.html  First heard from Lynn Marooney

PUPPETS: Coyote, Small Coyote, Storyteller, Yellow Star, Narrator/storyteller, (A) Announcer

PROPS: Blue Star and Red Star, flute music, dance music

 

STAGING: Blue Star and Red Star are affixed to the top backdrop. They will have switches on them that will allow them to be turned on and off. Music on CD player

 

Before the puppet show begins, the puppeteer will coach the audience to say something like…I need your help during the puppet play. Every once in a while Coyote will call for an animal and I want you to say “Come out and dance”. So, when Coyote says “Hey Lion” you say…”Come out and dance…or Coyote might say, "Hey Elephant"…”Come out and dance” or Coyote might say, “Hey Monkey"…”Come out and Dance.” At the end of the show there will be something special for you to do like howling. Let me hear you howl (howl) and then the storyteller will ask you to dance. If you want to dance with the star, be sure to stand up when she tells you and you can dance. All right, we are ready for the puppet show to begin.

 

                                                                

S. Long ago, long, long ago in a land not so far away there lived Coyote. Oh, Coyote… he is such a trickster. There are many, many stories my people tell about this Coyote. You see, Coyote is beautiful…yes. He has a coat that is golden…like the sun, and he is very, very smart. And, besides all that…he  thinks he is a great dancer. He thinks that he is the star and that there is no one here on Earth who could possibly dance as fast as he. The story I am going to tell you is from my Cherokee people and it is called “Coyote Dance with the Stars.” It will show you what happens, when you think you are too beautiful…too smart…and too talented. Well, one evening coyote went out to dance….(fade out flute music)

 

A. ACT 1 – Somewhere out in the Great Southwest         (puppet – large coyote)

 

C. (lively theme dance) Oh, I love to dance. Look at me, look at me. I’m the best dancer…a real star! I am so beautiful. I can bouree, pliet, and reggae. I can juba jive the jitterbug and cha-cha to Charleston. I can hip hop, be-bob, and shoo-bop-dee-bop! Just to prove it I  will have a contest called “Dancing With the Stars”. Clever, eh? First I will travel to Africa. (“Lion King” or African music)

 

A. SCENE 1 In deepest, darkest Africa                       (puppets - Lion and Coyote)

 

C. (off stage) Hey Lion…..Come out and dance.

 

(“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”) Lion enters

 

L. Come, my friend Coyote. (coyote enters) We shall see who is the best dancer. I am King of the Jungle and I am King of dancers (roar).

 

C. Oh, Lion, you may be King of the Jungle, but I am King of Rock and Roll (music is louder as they dance and then quiets as lion speaks)

 

L. Oh Coyote I cannot keep up with you. You are too fast. I must rest…yes, this lion must sleep tonight.

 

C. (to audience) Did I not tell you that I am the greatest? Now I am off to Asia – to India. I will see if there is anyone big enough to take me on! (exit, play theme from Aladdin or ethnic music from India)

 

SCENE 2  In the mountains of India                          (Elephant and Coyote)

 

C. (off stage) Hey, Elephant…Come out and dance!

( “The Elephant Walk” music)

 

E. Ho, ho Coyote. I may be slow, but I am so big that I can dance forever.

 

C. Hah, you may be big, but I am small and I can dance circles around you! . (music is louder as coyote and elephant dance)

 

E. (lower music and fade out) Oh coyote, these old gray feet ain’t what they usta be.  I think I need to go to the nearest stream and cool them off. (Play “Old Grey Mare She aint what she usta be”  exit as music gets lower and stops)

 

C. Hah! Even an elephant is caught flat-footed when trying to dance with the star…that’s me…in case you didn’t know! Now, I’m off to South America. I have a taste for some hot salsa!..  (play Salsa music and fade out as I announce Scene three.)

 

A. SCENE 3  in the jungle of South America (Monkey and Coyote)

 

C. (off stage) Hey, Monkey….Come out and dance.

 

(“Hey, hey We’re the Monkeys” fade to a stop)

 

M. Hey, hey, Coyote – Look at me, look at me. I’m as nimble as a tree. Ooh-ooh-ah-ah

.

C. Yes, you can swing from a tree but can you dance with the star? Monkey, it’s time to go bananas and get your Wiggles out!

 

(Play Wiggles “I am a Monkey” - gets louder as coyote enters and they dance then gets lower as Monkey speaks)

 

M. Coyote, I have to admit, I’m just a second banana…you are the star! (exits as music gets lower and stops)

 

C. See, I told you I am the greatest! No one can dance as well as I. I will go to the top to the tallest mountain and shout it to the world….”Coyote is the star!” (play coyote’s theme music keep playing as Coyote exits and until I announce ACT 2 – fade out.

                                                                         

A. Act 2 – At the top of the tallest mountain

(Coyote– blue, red and yellow stars – TURN ON LIGHTS FOR THE STARS)

 

C. (no music) Whoa, here I am at the top of the world – the tallest mountain. It is true…I am the world’s greatest dancer…I…am…the …star! , but look, talk about dancing with the stars….look at those shining stars! I, Coyote, should be up in the sky to dance with them. Just look at that beautiful blue star.  (yells to blue star) (howls) Hey, blue star, look at me…it is Coyote. You want to dance with me, right? You need to bring me up there with you, so you can dance with me. Mario Lopez, move over…coyote is here.

 

B. Oh, Coyote, you are such a fool. I dance all night long. I dance until the sun rises in the East. And, you, Coyote, can never do that. You wouldn’t last half the night!

 

C. Oh, but you are wrong. I, coyote, am strong. Bring me up there and I will show you how to boogie down (play “Stayin Alive and dance around then fade out music)

 

B. You, Coyote, are no John Travolta. Now, go away and stop bothering me.

 

C. (to audience) Hah, well, that star is not the only star. Just look over here at this beauty…a red star. Hot (sss)! - A red and yellow and orange flamenco dancer. (to red star) (howls) Hey, Red Star, you are one Red Hot Chili Peppa, look at me. (salsa music on while coyote dances then music trails off). I got the rhythm…the rhythm of the beat… Bring me up there to dance with you. We can set the sky afire with our cha-cha-cha. Move over Bob-a-looooo…coyote is here.

 

R. (speaking very fast) Oh, no-no-no, I could never do that Coyote. Why to dance with the stars would mean you would have to dance all night long. And, I don’t know what would happen Coyote, if you didn’t make it. I mean, I don’t have insurance for that kind of thing, Coyote. My liability will go through the roof.

 

C. (walking away) Ayiee! Sorry I asked. But wait, what is that I see…a gorgeous yellow star. Oh, so beautiful. But, what should I say? (to himself) Oh, Coyote, you are so smart, think of something. Ah yes, ahem… (to yellow star) Oh, most beautiful golden star…I am not worthy. You, you light up the sky…like you light up my heart and make me light on my feet. Oh, beautiful golden star…make my dearest wish come true. Oh please, please bring me up there to dance with you.

 

Y. Well, Coyote, I thought you’d never ask. You are kinda cute. It would be fun to have you dance with me. But I must warn you, Coyote…you must keep dancing until the first light of the sun..or, or, I don’t know what will happen. Can you promise me that, Coyote?

 

C. Oh yes, with you in my arms, we will sweep the starlit sky.

 

Y. All right then, Coyote. I will come to get you. Remember to hold on. You must hold on.

 

C. I promise you, my Golden Nugget…I will never let you go.  (exit – music like “You are the sunshine of my life” or “When you wish upon a star”)

                                                                        

 

A. ACT 3 – up in the sky to dance

(puppets – small coyote and yellow star)

 

Y. Oooh Coyote, you are a handsome dog. Are you ready to dance?

 

C. Yes, with you in my arms, how could I ever fail? (put music on that progressively gets faster – Bolero (?)) Did I not tell you that I am a great dancer? Let’s show that blue star and that red star what they are missing out on. They will be sorry. (dance faster)

 

Y. Please Coyote, pace yourself. Remember, you have to last all night long.

 

C. Yes, I know. I am Coyote…the world’s greatest…no, the universe’s greatest dancer (faster and faster). Oh, wait a minute, I think I just shimmied my shamba. I better sit down and rest.

 

Y. No, Coyote, no. Remember your promise to me. You must not sit down; you must hold on. Please, Coyote, please.

 

C. (gulps the air a couple of time) Ah, there, I caught my second wind. All I needed was a bit of star power. Now, I feel even better than before. Let’s boogie, Buttercup, the sky’s the limit. (keep dancing)

 

Y. Coyote, look…the sky is becoming light. Soon the sun will rise. Coyote, you are the….

 

C. (cries out – music abruptly stops) Ohhhhh! I have a pain. A great pain in my side, I have cramp in my leg and my foot is asleep. My knees are wobbly and my back feels like a pretzel. Ohhhhh!

 

Y. Coyote, what is wrong. Coyote,  just a few more steps. Don’t stop now. Hold on!

 

C. I can’t help it. I can’t do it! I, I…caaaaaaaaaaaaan’t (fading whistle as he falls – pause – crash sound).

 

Y. (to audience) Oh-oh…coyote fell down. I wonder what happened to him. Maybe the storyteller can tell us what happened to Coyote. Storyteller! Oh Storyteller. (exits) (flute music)

 

S. It is very sad. Coyote tried to hold on, but he could not, and he fell back down to the earth. He looked just like a star, all right…a falling star.

                                                                                                             

If you listen out your window at night, you might just hear Coyote on top of a hill. HOWWWWLing to the stars. Let me hear you howl like Coyote everyone. Come on now (HOOOOWWWWL) You sound just like Coyote. Now, would you like to dance with the star…with Coyote? Well, then, come on everyone, that’s it, stand up… and dance! (start music)…Coyote will give you all a prize for being the best dancer! 

(play coyotes theme music as puppeteer and coyote come out to dance and hand out neon stars.)

 

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