Cast of Characters Props

Narrator Watering Can

Nana Hammer

Juan Saw

Mysterious Stranger Level

Carpenter Nails

Girl 3 Chickens

Father Toolbelts

Mother Lumber

Volunteers Vegetables/Greenery

Note:

1) Feel free to change the identities of the characters to suit your actors, i.e. the narrator can be either male or female, "Juan" can easily be changed to "Juanita," the grandmother could be a grandfather, etc. Also, one actor can play several parts, i.e. the Mysterious Stranger and the Carpenter and the Father can all be the same person in different costumes, and the group of Volunteers can include the Girl, the Carpenter, and the Mysterious Stranger. Just be sure to change the costumes enough so that they audience does not get confused.

Also, if it's not obvious that the Carpenter is a carpenter, feel free to hang a sign around his/her neck that says, "Carpenter."

2) The props can be real (although the chickens probably shouldn't be!) or made of cardboard or plastic. If you can't easily find a hammer, saw and level, use whatever tools you can get your hands on. The lumber can be a couple of small 2x4s. The vegetables and greenery can be painted on large mural paper and draped across some tables.

3) This is a play about magic and joy and giving. Have fun with it. Get your youth group involved by making costumes and painting scenery. Ask some of your retired senior citizens to be in charge of casting the parts and running the rehearsals.

4) The magic sounding words and little magic dances are open to interpretation. Dig deep into your childhood to come up with words like alakazalakazippitydoo or beebitybobityhooolabalu, whatever sounds like magic to you! And have fun with the magic dances don't be shy try a cross between an Irish jig and African dance!

Narrator: Juan and his Nana live in a poor village. They have little money and very few belongings, but they love each other and take care of one another the best they can.

Nana: Juan, take this 50 cents and go to town to buy bread and beans. Be careful - this is all the money we have in the world.

Narrator: Juan took the money and started into town. Halfway there he ran into a mysterious stranger.

Mysterious

Stranger: Hey there little boy. Where are you going in such a hurry?

Juan: I'm going to town to buy food for my Nana and me.

Mysterious

Stranger: Well - I have something here you might be interested in it's a magic watering can.

Juan: A magic what?

Mysterious

Stranger: A magic watering can. I'll sell it to you for - hmmm, how much money did you say you had?

Juan: 50 cents. It's all the money we have in the world.

Stranger: 50 cents it is then.

Narrator: Juan picked up the can. "Oh, what have I done?" he thought. "I don't even know how this works." He turned towards the stranger to ask him, but the stranger had vanished!

Juan looked the can over from top to bottom, trying to figure out how to make it work. But all he found were the initials W-O-C.

Juan: WOC? Whales on crabs? Wacky Ostrietch Cookies? Oh, I don't know! Nana is going to be so mad. I know, maybe someone in town will buy it from me, or maybe I can find the stranger and get my money back.

Narrator: So Juan hurried into town, looking for someone to buy his magic watering can.

Juan: Hey, Mister, I have a magic watering can. I'll sell it to you for only 50 cents.

Carpenter: Watering can? What do I need with a watering can? I'm a carpenter. Besides, I don't have any money. I can't find work because I have no tools. My family hasn't eaten for three days.

Narrator: Juan felt terrible.

Juan: Oh, I'm sorry.

Narrator: Juan sat down on the road next to the carpenter and wondered how he could help him. Finally, he had an idea.

Juan: Hey, I know. This is supposed to be a magic watering can after all; maybe there's a way to get food out of it. That would help!

Narrator: So Juan got up and did a little dance around the watering can, shouting every magic sounding word he knew. Then he picked up the can and tipped it over.

Juan: What?! What's this?! A hammer? A saw? A level? Nails? Well, you can hardly feed these to your family!

Narrator: Juan peered into the depths of the watering can.

Juan: Where's the food?

Carpenter: No, no, it's okay! These tools are just what I need to get a job. Now I'll be able to earn money to support my family. Oh this truly is a magic can - Thank you!

Narrator: And with that the carpenter hugged Juan and did a little dance himself.

Juan continued his way into town, looking for someone to buy his watering can. He walked a long time until he came upon a young girl crying by the roadside.

Juan: What's the matter, are you okay?

Girl: Oh (boo hoo), I'm so sad. Our only chicken was killed by a dog last night. Now we have no eggs to eat and we are very hungry.

Juan: Oh, I'm so sorry. Maybe I can help. This is a magic watering can, maybe it will give us some eggs for you to eat.

Narrator: So Juan did his magic dance and shouted his magic-sounding words and tipped the can upside down.

Squawk, squawk, squawk, and out poured three chickens!

Juan: Oh no, it didn't work? There are no eggs for you to eat.

Girl: Oh but this is so much better. Now we have three chickens to provide eggs for our whole village. Oh thank you and your magic watering can. Thank you!

Narrator: And with that the little girl gave Juan a big hug and a kiss on the cheek (which made him blush), scooped up the chickens and did her own little dance as she headed down the road towards her village.

So Juan walked on, determined to sell his magic can to the next person he found.

Juan: It's getting late, Nana will be worried. I have to find someone to buy this watering can so I can buy our bread and beans.

Narrator: Soon he came across a family living in a makeshift tent by the river.

Juan: Hello, would you like to buy my magic watering can?

Mother: No Son, the last thing we need is anything to do with water. The flood destroyed our home.

Father: All we have are the few things we were able to carry out, and the clothes on our backs.

Juan: Oh, I'm terribly sorry. Hmmm, maybe my magic watering can can provide you with clothes or furniture or something.

Narrator: So Juan did his best magic dance, and shouted his most magic-sounding words as loud as he could. Then he tipped the can. To his amazement, out flowed a bunch of people wearing toolbelts and carrying lumber!

Juan: Oh my! This has never happened before. I'm so sorry.

Narrator: he said to the family.

Father: No, no this is wonderful! Now we have people to help us rebuild our home and the homes of our neighbors.

Mother: This is truly a magical can. Thank you for helping us!

Narrator: And with that the father picked Juan up and placed him atop his shoulders, and the family and all the volunteers danced a wonderful magic dance.

But by now it was very late. Juan no longer had time to find someone to buy his magic watering can. He had to get back to Nana before dark.

Juan: (sigh) I'll just have to tell her the truth that I used our only money in the whole world to buy something we can't even eat.

Narrator: By the time Juan arrived home, Nana was very worried.

Nana: Juan, little one, where have you been? I've been worried sick.

Narrator: Juan started to cry. He had had such a long, tiring day, and he was so sorry about what he had done with their money, not to mention the fact that he had nothing to eat all day and he had made Nana worry and oh, what a mess. Soon the whole story about the stranger, the carpenter, the girl, the chickens, the family, everything, came pouring out. Juan was very tired.

Nana: Okay little one, you go to sleep. Everything will look better in the morning, you'll see.

Narrator: The next morning Juan woke up very hungry. Nana was in the courtyard and Juan went out to see her.

Nana: Well hello, do you feel better this morning?

Juan: Yes Nana, but I am very hungry. What are you looking at?

Nana: Your magic watering can. Juan, can you show me how to do your magic dance?

Narrator: Juan showed Nana how he danced around the magic watering can and how he shouted magic-sounding words, and soon Nana joined him. They shouted louder and louder, trying to see who could made the best magic-sounding words, and they danced round and round and round until they fell laughing in a heap in the middle of the courtyard under a brilliant blue sky. And then Nana said:

Nana: Now what little one?

Juan: Now we tip the can and see what pours out.

Narrator: Juan got up and held the magic watering can over the parched brown dirt of the courtyard. To his surprise out flowed. water pure, clean, beautiful flowing water which soaked the earth and turned it a rich brown. Suddenly the ground was covered with a thick, luscious carpet of green. Up sprouted cabbage and spinach and kale, carrot tops and tomato vines and stalks of buttery yellow corn. Soon the sterile courtyard was a lush landscape of green, with enough vegetables to feed Juan and his Nana and some left over to sell in town.

But something was still bothering Juan.

Juan: Nana, there are some letters on the bottom of the watering can that I can't figure out. Do you know what WOC is?

[At this point in the play, have the players pick up the large cardboard signs that have been laying face down on the edge of the stage and hold them in front of them. Together the signs say: Week of Compassion. Please Give Generously.]