One Seed Child

Production Notes

By Charles and Lola Wilcox. Original script © 1973 (One Inch Fellow) and © 2022 (One Seed Child). Training module 2024 by the authors and Cherie Karo Schwartz.

Stage and Staging: Bare stage, rectangular center playing space, audience seated on floor on all sides. All scenery and props are mimed. The Musician sits in the middle of the children and, as Boat Handler, travels through them. All movement and many lines are supported by a variety of melodic and percussive sounds. The audience is encouraged to provide specific background sounds.

All players are located among the audience at the beginning of the performance and should be careful not to obstruct anyone’s view of the playing space.

Costumes: Simple and bright to bring focus to the playing area; must allow for a lot of movement. The colors chosen for individual costumes change to the color of the dragon’s wings in the text.

About the Script: This is a generalized script. A group of students or an acting company could play it as written, or choose a cultural variation and incorporate appropriate cultural identifiers. The play follows the classic one-story sequence (Wayfarer’s Journey).

Characters:

• PARENT ONE and PARENT TWO
• FOOL
• KEEPER
• WARRIOR
• DRAGON (Actors — multiple players form the dragon’s body)
• MUSICIAN / VOICE OF SEED CHILD / BOAT HANDLER

Script

Scene 1: Home

(Musician plays theme for Home, then makes three very loud strikes on a drum or with two sticks. Parent One and Parent Two rise from where they are seated among the children and enter the center playing space.)

PARENT ONE: We are afraid. We have carved our home out of the side of this mountain. Since our cave home is part of the mountain, when we are inside we are hidden and safe.

PARENT TWO: We are safe as long as we stay inside. (Rises.) Go out and the Dragon Gigaku might catch us and gobble us up. (Parent Two picks up ’bags’ and ’fishing nets’; all in mime.) But here I am, with my bags and my fishing nets ready to go out. Is that not strange?

PARENT ONE: If we do not go out we have nothing to eat.

PARENT TWO: If we do not go out, the dragon has nothing to eat either.

PARENT ONE: I wish we were parents of a child who was very strong and tall; a great warrior famous for being brave. Our child would go out and kill the dragon.

PARENT TWO: (Loudly.) Wishes are good for nothing. (Sadly.) We are not parents. (Resigned.) We have no food, so we must go out and fish in the lake. (Fearful.) We go out and perhaps the dragon will eat us.

PARENT ONE: If the dragon eats us, we won’t need either food or child.

PARENT TWO: Open the door.

(Parent One creates a mimed sliding ’door’ which needs an imaginary track and threshold to slide. Parent One unbars and opens sliding ’door’, puts out head and sniffs to the four winds.)

PARENT ONE: I don’t smell any smoke. (Listens.) I don’t hear any grumbling, rumbling sounds. This must be a lucky day.

PARENT TWO: Let us go quickly.

(Goes through the ’door’ stepping over the threshold. Parent One also goes through the ’door’, stepping over the threshold, and closes it, barring the ’door’. They travel, Parent Two leading, making a circuit of the playing area. They mime jumping over a small ’stream’. The Musician accompanies the movements. All remember the blocking because they have to return to home using the same movements in the same places.)

PARENT TWO: Well, we made it safely to the lake. (They scan the horizon.)

PARENT ONE: Today there is smoke coming from the point of the cone on the Dragon’s Island.

PARENT TWO: Good, it’s there and not flying about looking for food. Perhaps it sleeps. I will put out the nets. (Goes into the audience; children become the lake water.)

PARENT ONE: I’ll walk along the shore and see what has washed up on the sand.

(They do these things. Parent One looks among the front row children; then “sees” the imaginary seed among them. Draws back with an audible inhalation.)

PARENT TWO: Did you find something?

PARENT ONE: (Picks up seed from among the children, indicating its size and shape.) I have found something. It looks like a very big seed.

PARENT TWO: It is strange to find such a thing at the lake shore.

PARENT ONE: That is what I thought. Furthermore, it moves.

(Parent Two stops business with ’nets’, crosses to Parent One at the shore.)

PARENT TWO: Moves?

PARENT ONE: It wiggles. There, see it?

PARENT TWO: I’ll hit it with a stick and smash it open. (Gets ’stick’ from the children. Starts to do so. Parent One protects ’seed’ with other hand.)

PARENT ONE: Please stop! We might hurt or break whatever is inside. Just tap the seed with the stick; maybe it will come out. (Holds the seed toward Parent Two to take.)

PARENT TWO: You hold it while I tap it.

PARENT ONE: No, you hold it. I will tap it!

PARENT TWO: No, you hold it.

PARENT ONE: Let us put it down on the sand and we will both tap it.

(Parent One sets seed on the sand. Parent Two breaks ’stick’ in half, inspects relative lengths and gives shorter one to Parent One. Parent One taps seed three times, slowly. Nothing happens. Parent Two gives three short, “Ha, ha, ha” ’s and taps seed. Nothing happens. Parent One gives three, “Ha” ’s. Both start to strike a heavy blow and a gong sounds. They move quickly away in surprise and kneel, looking at the seed.)

PARENT ONE: Well, who could expect it?

PARENT TWO: Not I. What a surprise!

BOTH: Welcome, little stranger of the seed.

MUSICIAN: (Brightly.) I am the child you wished for, and I’ve come to be with you. My name is Seed Child.

PARENT TWO: Seed Child is a good name for such a small person.

PARENT ONE: Listen! There is rumbling coming from the cone on the island. The dragon wakes in the cave. We must hurry home. Seed Child. Come into my pocket.

(Seed Child is put carefully into a pocket. Nets are gathered and they retrace their steps quickly, jumping stream, etc. They unbolt and slide the door, enter cave, close and bolt door, drop bags and nets. Musician accompanies. Then a moment of silence and relief as they are safe at last.)

PARENT TWO: There! We are safe once more.

PARENT ONE: Seed Child! (Holds him in hand.) This is your home. (Shows the child the cave.)

PARENT TWO: It is not much. But we are safe from the dragon. There are a few fish in the net. Will you fix us some rice and fish, parent?

PARENT ONE: Yes, I am a parent now. And so are you.

BOTH: Seed Child is our child.

PARENT ONE: Will you make a bed for Seed Child, Parent?

(Parent Two solicits ideas for a bed for Seed Child from audience, selects one and begins preparing it.)

Preparation: Scene 2 — Call: Warrior

(Musician plays theme for Warrior. Warrior rises from where seated among the children and enters the center playing space, using an exaggerated Hero walk. Warrior approaches the door.)

WARRIOR: Hello in the house. (Musician makes a knocking sound.)

PARENT ONE: Who is that?

PARENT TWO: I am busy making a bed. Please go to the door and find out.

(Musician: Warrior knocks again.)

PARENT ONE: Who is there?

WARRIOR: I am a warrior. Why were you running away just now? What is it you fear?

PARENT ONE: A brave fighter. (Unbars and slides open the door.)

PARENT TWO: (Aside to Parent One.) This is one who can protect us from the dragon! (Aloud.) You are welcome, Warrior. Come in and we will tell you of our enemy, the dragon.

(Warrior enters home, unloads various weapons along a different wall from the fishing nets/bags.)

PARENT TWO: The dragon, Gigaku, is bigger than a house.

PARENT ONE: Bigger than two houses.

PARENT TWO: It has two large blue wings.

PARENT ONE: No, there are four purple wings. (Colors refer to respective costumes’ colors and text should be changed to match.)

PARENT TWO: Underneath they are purple. On top they are blue.

WARRIOR: Why are you afraid of this dragon?

PARENT ONE: Because it tries to eat us.

PARENT TWO: Would you save us from this dragon?

WARRIOR: I am only passing by this place. (Rises.) I can not stop to chase fantastic worms.

(Warrior starts to leave, and begins to gather weapons. Stops at the sound of the word ’treasure’.)

PARENT ONE: It is said the dragon sleeps on a treasure hoard.

WARRIOR: A treasure hoard? Which mountain did you say? Come, you will show me the way to this mountain, and I will protect you from the dragon.

PARENT ONE: We can not go, Warrior. We must take care of our child.

WARRIOR: A child? (Looking around.)

PARENT TWO: Yes. We found our child by the lake this morning.

WARRIOR: Of course you did. (Warrior laughs.)

PARENT ONE: The journey would be hard for a child so small as ours.

PARENT TWO: (Aside to Parent One.) Still, it is our chance to be rid of the dragon. Seed Child… what do you think we should do?

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: You asked for a child that could help you fight the dragon. I am that child. We can go with the Warrior, or we can go without.

PARENT TWO: Better to have a strong warrior to help us. Warrior, this is Seed Child.

WARRIOR: I see why you are troubled. Seed Child needs a weapon if going to fight this dragon.

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: If I must have a weapon, give me a needle.

PARENT ONE: Let me see. (Looks around.) We have a needle. (Takes imaginary needle from imaginary shelf.) Here is the needle. I’ll put this fishing cork on the point. You can carry it behind your back. (Fixes the needle on the Seed Child’s back.)

WARRIOR: You are a fine Seed Child warrior. Would you do me the honor of riding on my sword belt?

(Seed Child is transferred to Warrior’s flat hand and then to sword belt. Parents One and Two pick up fishing nets, bags. Door is opened, closed and barred, and they begin circuit of playing area exactly as they did before to go to the lake.)

Scene 3: Gate In — Crossing the Lake

WARRIOR: Look at this lake! I cannot see across it, and I cannot see around it.

PARENT ONE: Look at the island in the middle of the lake. The Dragon is there. (Frightened.)

PARENT TWO: Look at the cone mountain in the middle of the island. Smoke is rising! (Frightened.)

WARRIOR: How then do we get across?

(The Musician as Boat Handler enters from outside the audience seating, and appears to move without stepping by using small heel to toe steps. Feet and legs are invisible to most of the audience. The boat is long and narrow but goes undescribed so the audience can imagine a boat of their choosing. The Boat Handler is at one end of the boat with an imaginary long pole. The Boat Handler maneuvers the boat along the narrow aisle in the audience to the central playing space.)

PARENT ONE: Here is the Boat Handler.

PARENT TWO: The Boat Handler will take us across the lake.

(Boat Handler gets out of boat, ties the boat to something on the shore, gets back in the boat, and goes to the farthest end of it. The lightest weight Parent steps on the prow of the boat tied to the shore, steps down slightly and the boat handler goes up slightly. The Parent moves along the boat walking heel to toe to about the center of the boat, both dipping and rising as Parent takes steps. The boat returns to neutral. The next heaviest Parent gets in the boat at the prow, and steps down strongly and the boat handler goes up strongly. This continues until this Parent is also in the center of the boat. The boat returns to neutral. The Warrior steps in with a martial stance, the boat goes down a lot, the Boat Handler goes up a lot, and the boat does not return to neutral right away: all players move as the boat would cause them to move.)

(The Boat Handler tries to make the boat go by poling against the bottom, but it won’t go. It seems to be stuck. Boat Handler remembers the boat is tied to the shore, gets out in the water, unties the boat, and returns. Boat Handler maneuvers the boat through the audience. On the other side of the audience, Boat Handler turns the boat around. They return through the audience to the central playing space, which is now the cone island.)

PARENT ONE: Here is the island in the center of the lake. There is the cone mountain where the dragon Gigaku sleeps.

PARENT TWO: The dragon lives in a cave at the heart of the cone mountain.

PARENT ONE: The cone mountain is in the middle of a forest.

PARENT TWO: On the way there is a big river to cross.

WARRIOR: Do we rest or go on to the dragon?

SEED CHILD: We go on.

(The Actors exit the boat in reverse order to how they got in it. When all are out, the Boat Handler poles the boat away, and returns to being the Musician, sitting down with instruments.)

Scene 4: Road of Trials — Fool

PARENT ONE: People say there is a narrow path through the forest.

WARRIOR: This looks like a pathway. It goes towards the cone mountain.

PARENT TWO: The trees are very tall and close together.

(All characters signal the children to raise their arms and be the trees.)

PARENT ONE: It’s very shaded under the trees along that path.

PARENT TWO: Warrior, you take the lead. I’ll be in the middle.

(Parent Two signals children to put their arms down. The trio walks single file down a narrow path that winds. They come to a ’log’ that is across the path. They look and see they can’t get around it. They get over it in creative ways, and start on the path again.)

(Musician plays theme for Fool. Fool rises from where seated among the children and enters the center playing space.)

FOOL: Look, a Warrior!

(Warrior takes a defensive stance, stepping in front of other players.)

WARRIOR: Why are you here in this dangerous and desolate place?

FOOL: I think I’m here because I’m here. Warrior, you can be my teacher!

WARRIOR: I am not your teacher. Go away!

FOOL: No, I want to be here with you, Warrior.

PARENT ONE: Who are you?

FOOL: Why “I”… am me… (Goes to one side of playing space.) who is myself… (moves to another place.) who is the child of my parent (another.) and the apple of my sister’s eye (furthest away from the others).

PARENT TWO: This person is a Fool.

FOOL: (Dancing in center.) A fool! A fool! A tool for laughter. (Dances to parents.) Why have you come here?

PARENTS ONE AND TWO: To slay the dragon.

WARRIOR: And to find the dragon’s treasure.

FOOL: I want to share your journey.

WARRIOR: We want no fool on this journey.

PARENT ONE: The Fool is no bigger fool than I to venture near the dragon’s home.

PARENT TWO: Nor bigger fool than I to follow close behind.

SEED CHILD: Nor bigger fool than you, Warrior, to seek the dragon’s treasure.

(Fool looks for source of voice with animated interest. Warrior takes Seed Child from belt.)

PARENT TWO: Fool, this is One Seed Child.

FOOL: Pleased to meet you little one. (Extends hand.) May I be your donkey to carry you?

SEED CHILD: Yes, foolish donkey. (Transfer of Seed Child to Fool’s elbow.) Tell me your name.

FOOL: Fool.

SEED CHILD: Well, then, Fool. We’ll lead these fools to the dragon, Gigaku.

PARENT TWO: We are traveling through these very tall trees. They are all around us.

(Parent Two signals children to raise arms as ’trees’. The group travels briefly through the ’trees’ and finds an opening into the center playing space. Seed Child is on the Fool’s elbow throughout.)

Scene 5: Road of Trials — Crossing the River

WARRIOR: Stop! We have come to the river. How will we get across?

PARENT TWO: Many years before the dragon came there was a bridge not far from here.

FOOL: The dragon burnt it to an ash so no one could get near the cave.

SEED CHILD: The dragon is no fool. This broad, swift river keeps all enemies away.

PARENT ONE: Even if we had a boat, the banks of the river are so steep and high we could not get to the water.

(Gentle series of sounds signal that Seed Child is speaking to Fool during this speech.)

FOOL: Seed Child has an idea. We want a long silken thread from the Warrior’s sword belt, tied around Seed Child’s waist. The strong arm of the Warrior will hurl Seed Child across the river.

PARENT ONE: Such a small one could be hurt by such a fall. Take this scarf (mimed) and when you start to fall hold the cloth to catch the wind. You will fall as gently as a butterfly.

PARENT TWO: Once across the river I will tie the rope of my fishing net to this end of the silken thread. Seed Child will draw rope across the river.

WARRIOR: And we will cross to the other side on a bridge of rope. Prepare Seed Child!

(Pantomime of getting thread from sword belt, tying it to Seed Child, saying goodbye and good luck. Warrior hurls Seed Child across the river. All characters follow Seed Child’s flight with their heads/body movements. Seed Child starts to go down.)

PARENT ONE: Seed Child is not going to make it to the other side.

FOOL: Quickly, quickly. (To the children.) Gentle breezes, blow Seed Child to the other side. (Children blow.) Oh, yes. Now Seed Child is floating to the ground on the scarf.

WARRIOR: Seed Child landed safely.

(Now they tie rope to thread. Rope belayed across river. Warrior ties rope to rock or possibly to a child in the audience, and Fool checks Warrior’s work. Each character crosses the stream on the rope. Make interesting differences. For example: Warrior goes hand over hand with great strength, hanging from the rope. Fool does a tight rope act, nearly falling off, but lands in Warrior’s arms. Parent One and Parent Two cross together, helping each other straddle rope. Warrior takes Seed Child onto sword belt after they cross. All accompanied by Musician.)

Scene 6: Road of Trials — Keeper

(Musician plays theme for Keeper.)

WARRIOR: Here we are all on the other side of the river.

PARENT TWO: We are standing where no one has been since the dragon burned the bridge.

PARENT ONE: No one! Not one human being has been here in all these years.

FOOL: Well, I am standing here now, and I wish I were not.

WARRIOR: How far is it to the cone mountain?

PARENT TWO: I don’t know. And we can’t see over all the trees. (Children raise arms.)

(Parent Two sits on a stone which we now discover is the Keeper who has risen from the audience during the crossing of the river and knelt as if hiding.)

KEEPER: Ah, ah, eooh!

WARRIOR: Who are you? (Threatening.)

KEEPER: Ah, ah, eooh! Do not strike me! (Dances as tells story.) Long ago I was camped near here with a group of warriors. In the middle of the night a storm came; the wind blew sparks from our fires, branches from the trees fell all around us. Lightning flashed overhead; thunder rolled. And in the middle of the storm…

PARENT ONE: (All dance.) Gigaku came!

PARENT TWO: The dragon’s rumbling shook the earth.

FOOL: The dragon’s wings beat branches to the ground.

PARENT TWO: Fire came from the dragon’s nostrils and darted about the sky.

WARRIOR: (Stomps foot.) I have heard this story from old warriors. They tell it differently.

KEEPER: Did they tell you how they fled in terror, crossing the bridge just before the dragon’s breath burned it to an ash?

WARRIOR: No, that is not the way I have heard the story. I have heard that the soldiers fought valiantly, but the dragon pushed them back across the bridge and then burned it.

PARENT ONE: We have two stories about the dragon and the bridge. Perhaps both are the truth.

PARENT TWO: Or perhaps the soldiers and the dragon were never here.

WARRIOR: You are a keeper of the dragon’s forest. You stay safe by telling all who come to go away.

FOOL: I wonder — do you even know the way to the dragon’s cave?

KEEPER: I have been there only once. (The Keeper continues in a high narrative style.) I ventured into this forest to look for another way home. I became lost and finally stumbled into the cave under the mountain. Gigaku’s tracks were on the ground. The bones of those he had eaten were scattered about. (Reacts as if saw the dragon coming, then smiles at them as they look fearfully to see.) Gigaku was not there. I was lucky. I fled, finally finding my way here.

WARRIOR: If you will go with us perhaps you will recognize some part of the forest and be able to help us find the cave.

KEEPER: Oh, noooh, I could not go. I fear Gigaku!

FOOL: You would not want to leave a foolish warrior and me, a foolish fool and two foolish old ones and their Seed Child to brave the dragon’s wrath.

PARENT TWO: You would not sleep well at night.

KEEPER: What did you say, a Seed Child?

PARENT ONE: This is our child. (Warrior holds Seed Child out.)

KEEPER: Hello, small one. You are brave to come here with this company.

SEED CHILD: So master your own fears, Keeper, and join us as we search for the dragon Gigaku.

KEEPER: I will join you. Will you ride on my hat, Seed Child? (Transfer from Warrior to Keeper.) You will be able to see danger while it is still far away.

Scene 7: Nigredo

(The children are the forest, arms raised.)

PARENT ONE: We have come to thickest part of the forest. (Looking out over the children.)

PARENT TWO: The trees are tall (indicates taller, then shorter children) and short. The branches sway.

FOOL: It’s very dark inside the forest.

KEEPER: The small path we followed has disappeared.

WARRIOR: These things do not matter. We go into the Forest. Follow me!

ALL: Follow me! (Not paying attention to the others. Each member of the party enters the forest among the children, and all become separated. Once they are separate, they each realize they are lost.)

FOOL: Hello! Help, help, we are lost! We, we whom? I am lost. Me. All alone!

WARRIOR: Where are the rest of you? We must go on.

PARENT ONE: Seed Child!

PARENT TWO: Seed Child!

KEEPER: We are lost, Seed Child. What can you see? Can you see anyone from your perch there on my hat? Seed Child? Seed Child!

(Takes hat off, feels around. No Seed Child.)

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: (Pauses between each line.) Here is the dragon Gigaku’s cave. But I am all alone. I have lost my parents. Or they have lost me. Where is Warrior? Where is Fool? Where is Keeper? (Silence.)

Trees of the forest, send my friends to me. Show them the way to this clearing.

(Characters ask tree/children to show them the way. Some may try to steer the wrong way. Play it. Keeper arrives last and shows that Seed Child is gone from hat. All look for Seed Child. Parent One finds Seed Child in a tree — a child’s hair.)

FOOL: The foolish fool and his foolish friends now face the wrath of the not so foolish dragon, Gigaku.

KEEPER: Hush, Fool! Listen! Do you hear the dragon?

WARRIOR: Yes! Let’s get him! (Runs to cave mouth.) Come out, you slimy worm, you Gigaku you…

(Keeper and Fool pull Warrior back.)

PARENT ONE: Listen. (All listen.) I don’t hear the dragon any more.

PARENT TWO: Perhaps we frightened the dragon off, so many of us all together.

SEED CHILD: We are all too excited. The dragon is not here, and has not been here.

FOOL: We are lucky, because we would be eaten by now if Gigaku were here.

KEEPER: You are right. But the dragon will come back. What will we do then?

WARRIOR: We’ll make camp here and wait. We must try to catch the dragon unaware.

FOOL: It is getting dark. We should sleep, but I fear we will not be able to close our eyes.

(They continue talking as they go about the business of making camp. They demonstrate cooperation by working together.)

WARRIOR: This dragon, Keeper. Have you ever seen Gigaku?

KEEPER: No! Oh, no! I always hid myself well when the dragon crossed the river. I did not want Gigaku to see me and eat me for a dessert.

WARRIOR: I heard the dragon has a feathered mane and golden toes.

PARENT TWO: This dragon has wings that are blue…

PARENT ONE: Purple…

WARRIOR: When did any of you see Gigaku?

PARENT ONE: Well, I have not seen the dragon up close, but…

PARENT TWO: I have not seen Gigaku either, but…

FOOL: None of us has seen this dragon or any other dragon. So the dragon could look like anything and we would be none the wiser.

WARRIOR: What do you say he looks like, Seed Child?

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: I say we should all sleep for tomorrow we conquer the dragon. We need to be strong and rested. I will sleep here in this tree.

(Parent One transfers Seed Child to head of nearby child. The companions sleep.)

Scene 8: Gate Out

(No music needed for this stealthy time. After a little, the Warrior rises and tiptoes to the cave mouth. Warrior mimes fighting the dragon and is swallowed up. Fool wakes to find Warrior gone. Wakes Keeper and they rush to the cave mouth — Fool pushing Keeper — and are swallowed up. Now the dragon — made up of the bodies of the three players — creeps from the cave and engulfs Parent One and Parent Two, who become the wings of the dragon.)

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: What is that noise? It is still dark. I can not see a thing. Parents? Warrior? Fool? Keeper?

They are gone. I must fight the dragon by myself!

GIGAKU: (All players in unison.) I hear you, tiny human. I’ll sniff you out! I’ll squash you with my foot! (All stomp with one foot.) Ouch! (Rim shots.) Ouch! No! Owww…

(One at a time they tumble down, Warrior last. There is silence and a short pause.)

Scene 9: Return

PARENT ONE: (Slowly reviving.) Oh, what has happened to me?

PARENT TWO: Where have I been?

WARRIOR: I have been inside the dragon, Gigaku. I slipped away to try and fight him by myself. But in the darkness I could not see, and Gigaku swallowed me up.

FOOL: I ran after you to save you from Gigaku.

KEEPER: Yes, pushing me ahead of you!

FOOL: What fools we were. We should have waited for the light.

PARENT ONE: I was asleep, and I woke inside a dark, warm place.

PARENT TWO: Gigaku swallowed us as we slept.

FOOL: How is it that Gigaku disappeared?

WARRIOR: Any fool can tell that. Seed Child fought the dragon with the needle, and rescued us. I humbly thank you, Seed Child.

FOOL: I will follow you anywhere you go.

WARRIOR: So brave a warrior deserves a mighty following. I too will pledge myself to your service, Seed Child.

PARENT ONE: No parent ever had a braver child.

PARENT TWO: I am the proudest parent in the land. Seed Child has saved us all.

KEEPER: I thank you, Seed Child. You have set me free.

WARRIOR: But what shall we do with the treasure? Where did it go?

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: There is no treasure. There is only the story.

FOOL: Because of you, Seed Child, there is no more Gigaku. What will we do now that we are no longer afraid?

MUSICIAN/SEED CHILD: Come to our village. You must all visit our home!

PARENT ONE: Come and tell all our friends and neighbors how Seed Child slew the dragon, Gigaku.

WARRIOR: And then we will seek our next adventure!

(All follow Seed Child out through the audience in single file using Warrior’s walk modified to fit each character.)

THE END

Facilitator Notes

This play is ideal for elementary audiences and works in gymnasiums, cafeterias, or any large open space where children can sit on all four sides of the action. The four-sided seating arrangement is essential — it creates the long space needed for the dragon formation and the narrow width for the river crossing.

Debrief Prompts:

• The dragon is made of people! How did that make the dragon feel different from a painted monster or a puppet? What did it show you about working together?
• Seed Child is the smallest person — but the bravest. Why do you think the story chose the tiniest character as the hero?
• The players began in the audience with you. How did that change how you felt about the story?
• What did Warrior, Fool, and Keeper each bring to the journey? Could any one of them have done it alone?
• After the show: the Boat Handler’s glide step creates a boat without showing one. What did YOUR boat look like in your imagination?

On Imagery: Children who watch this play often draw pictures afterwards. The boat crossing almost always fills the whole page. Because the boat is never described, every child’s boat is different. This observation — every drawing showed a different boat — was one of the original discoveries that opened the door to Developmental Theatre’s fearless use of imagination.