The Frog Prince-cess
The Frog Prince-cess
By
Marilyn A. Kinsella
PUPPETS: Witch (G), Wizard (W), King (K), Bud (B), Sally Jean (S), Dragon (D), Frog (F)
Props: Wizard’s wand, baby powder, gold crowns
ACT ONE: (the witch is walking down the road; the wand is on SL)
G. (stage right holding the wand) Oh, it’s so good, good, good to be bad, bad, bad – just look what I found lying on the ground. Willoughby’s famous wand – known for enchantment, spells, and charms. His clumsy assistant must have dropped it. But, finders keepers I always say. Now for some fun. I know who my first victim will be, too – none other that that simpering sweet Princess Marigold. Why her father, King Hustus, thinks that the sun and moon revolves around her. Well, let’s see what happens when I add a little green to her complexion. Oh look, here they come now. I’ll just hide in yonder tree until just the right moment to lay a spell on the beautiful Princess Marigold. (exit laughing)
ACT TWO
(King, Marigold, Frog, Witch; golden crowns on frog and Marigold)
M. Oh, Father, I just love this new crown you gave me. I’ll wear it forever and a day.
K. Ah, Princess Marigold, my little sunflower, you sparkle like the sun itself. You look so lovely.
G. (off stage) Gag me with a spatula! What did I tell you. Well, Kingy, see if you love a frog face. With this magic wand a few magic words, I can’t miss:
Lovely Marigold so fair of face
Disappear without a trace
And an ugly frog - take your place!
M. Oh, father, I feel rather strange - reneep. Oh, I feel kind of sick - reneep.
K. You do look rather green, my dear. And why in heaven’s name do you keep saying re-neep?
M. Re-neep, re-neep, re-neeeep! (falls off stage/Marigold off - frog on right keeps hopping and re-neeping)
K. Why you horrid little frog! What are you doing here? Shoo! Hop on out of here. Off with you. Where is my beautiful Princess Marigold? (frog hops around going “reneep”) Princess Marigold, where are you my little flower? (calls her as he exits off stage left) (King off/frog stays)
G. (cackling as she enters) Didn’t even recognize his own daughter. Oh, I better skedaddle before anyone comes around and recognizes me. First though, I have to hide this princess frog. (to frog) Here little froggy. Look what I got for you - a nice juicy skeeter. That’s right - just hop right on over here and get your treat. (grabs frog) A-ha! Now I’ve got you. I’ll take you to the cave of the Dragonmeister. No one will ever dare to enter that cave - unless they want to end up a crispy critter. Oh, I love my new magic. It’s so good, good, good to be bad, bad, bad. (cackles and exits with frog - re -neep)
ACT 3 (on the road outside the castle)
K. Oh my poor Princess Marigold. Whatever happened to you (crying). Well, my mother told me that crying doesn’t solve anything. I’ll just go see the famed Wizard of Willoughby Wallow. He’ll know what to do. (start to walk away when he bumps into the wizard.)
W. Oh, excuse me your royal highness. I didn’t see you. I’m in such a hurry. But I must say you do look rather sad.
K. Sad indeed! I may never smile again. You see my beautiful Princess Marigold had disappeared. One minute she was standing in front of me and the next - POOF! Gone. Can you help me?
W. Very strange. It sounds as if magic is afoot. Did anything else unusual happen?
K. Now that you mention it - there was this pesky frog hopping under foot with a gold crown on its head.
W. A frog with a gold crown - curiouser and curiouser. Say, I know happened. Just this morning I lost my magic wand. It must have fallen out of my sleeve when my assistant brought my robe back from the cleaners. I ran back to retrieve it, when I saw Witch Gwendolyn trying to turn a mouse into a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken. I demanded she return my wand at once. I thought I got it back before she was able to use it. But I can see now that I was mistaken. Witch Gwendolyn used the wand to change the princess into a frog.
K. Oh, my poor little flower. A frog! Yuck! Where is the princess now?
W. Witch Gwendolyn would try to hide her. My best guess is that she holding her in the Dragonmeister’s cave. Oh, the two of them are as thick as thieves.
K. So, how do we save her?
W. It won’t be easy. According to my Book of Magic we need someone young, daring, clever and resourceful. Someone like… BUD.
K. Good idea. I bet Bud is at the video store where he wastes er- a spends most of his time on video games. Can you use your magic and get him back to the castle?
W. Sure, just listen to this.
Wherever you are, Whatever you do
Stop it all - cause this Bud’s for you! (both exit)
Announcer - Meanwhile, a little while later, back at the castle
B. Whoa! What happened? I was getting ready to save the princess on Super Mario Brothers when I got zapped over here.
K. Sorry about that Bud. But, I’m here to offer you a real life adventure… to save a real princess. You see, I need someone young, clever and daring and you just naturally came to mind.
B. Sure you picked the right man all right. Danger is my middle name - able to leap tall buildings with a single bound and stop trains with my bare hands. Where is the princess? Show me the way.
K. She’s in the Dragonmeister’s cave.
B. (shaking with fear) The, the, the dr,dr,dr,dragonmeister’s? The one with the fiery tongue that can change ma-me into a crispy critter in a single lick?
K. The very one.
B. On second thought. Maybe, I’m not your man.
K. Oh, you’re my man all right. And remember - whoever saves the beautiful princess will inherit half my kingdom.
B. And…
K. And the hand of the beautiful Princess Marigold.
B. And…
K. And half my stock in Nintendo 64
B. Now that’s the ticket. But didn’t Willoughby leave me some magic - like a ring?
K. Nope, no ring.
B. A clock of invisibility?
K Nope, no cloak
B. Didn’t he leave you anything?
K. Only a bottle of sneezing powder left over from April Fools Day.
B. I’ll take it. (both exit)
ACT 4 The dragonmeister’s cave (with snoring sounds)
(Bud with a clothespin on his nose and Drago)
B. (talk with a nasal voice with a clothespin on nose) This must be the cave. There’s the dragonmeister and, what luck - he’s sound asleep! I saw Princess Marigold, aka the frog princess, catching flies in the other room. I was smart enough to grab a clothespin before I got here so I won’t breathe any of the sneezing powder. I’ll just breathe through my mouth. (snoring continues) I’ll just spread some of this powder around and while the dragon is sneezing. Then I’ll take the frog princess to Willoughby (Bud exits then spread powder around from back stage)
D. (stops snoring and begins sneezing - exit)
ACT FIVE At Willoughby’s tower room
(Wizard, Bud, frog, Princess)
W. Oh, dear little frog princess - I can see that Bud brought you safely back to us. Too bad you’re not happy being a frog. I know a certain frog prince who’d find you extremely attractive. Oh well, we’ll have to save that for another story.
S. Re-neep?
W. Yes, I know you are anxious to become the beautiful Princess Marigold.
So I’ll just say the magic words: Froggie so brave/ Froggie so bold
Presto-change-o into Princess Marigold
F. Re-neeeeep! (falls and exits)
M. Oh Willoughby - thank you for changing me back. Green just isn’t my
color. But where’s my hero? The one who saved me from the
Dragonmeister? The one, the only…Bud!
W. Oh, Bud’s in the other room. I’ll go get him (exit)
B. (enters) Oh, Princess Marigold. It’s so good to see you.
M. Thank you, Bud. You saved me.
B. All in a day’s work. I was just ready to save the princess on Super Mario Brothers. I was on level 10 when Willoughby pulled the plug.
M. What? You got all the way to level 10? Unbelievable! Let’s go back and see if we can retrieve it - and save the Princess.
B. But…but…but what about inheriting half the kingdom and your hand in marriage?
M. Oh, that can wait. There’s a princess to be saved!
B. Marigold - you’re my kind of gal.
M. And that’s the end of The Frog Princess. Hope you enjoyed it. Bub-Bye!
