Charlotte's Web: A play

Cast of Characters

The People
Narrator
Fern Arable a girl who lives on a farm Emma Jacobo
Avery Arable Fern's younger brother Valentino A.
Mr. Arable Fern's father Rodrigo R.
Mr. Zuckerman Fern's uncle Emilia G.
Mrs. Zuckerman Fern's aunt Georgina Del P.
Lurvy the Zuckermans' farmhand Ana Victoria.
Official 1 Ximena
Official 2 Fatima
Official 3 Jolette

The Animals
Wilbur a pig Pedro González /Daniela Castro
Charlotte a spider Ana Isabella J/ Estefanía H
Templeton a rat Dante / Valentino C.
Bitsy and Betsy cows Isabella J. and Lia A.
Gussy a female goose Ana Pau L.
Golly a male goose; Gussy's husband Ariadna
Baby Spiders 1, 2,3 & 4 Leandro, Yael, Mauro
Part I

SCENE 1

Narrator: Fern woke up in the middle of the night because of a loud thunderstorm. When she
looked out of her window, she saw a flickering light coming from the barn. Worried, Fern
creeps out to the barn. She sees her father bent over something. Suddenly, her face
brightens.Nine new piglets are nursing tightly against a mother pig. Mr. Arable brings the
tenth piglet to the last teat, wipes his brow, and sits back. Just then, a tiny pink piglet
appears and squirms over to its siblings. Weak and small, but fiercely determined, it
clambers on top of them, searching for food.

Wilbur: Excuse me, excuse me!

(Fern's father sighs and goes to his wall of tools.)

Fern: What are you doing?!

Mr. Arable: Fern! Go back to bed. (He picks up a hand ax and

the small piglet.)

Fern: NO! It's not fair! It couldn't help being born small!

Mr. Arable: There are 11 pigs and only ten teats. Mother pig
can't feed it.

Fern: Then I will! (She grabs the pig) I'll feed you and care for
you... (staring at her father) and absolutely will not let you kill
him!

Dance Country Dance Cotton Eye Joe Adana Dance Studio

SCENE 2

Narrator : A month later, Fern and her parents sit in their

kitchen. Next to Fern is the smallest piglet, now a healthy
young pig named "Wilbur."

Mr. Arable: Fern, it's time for the pig to go. Soon it will be super
big!
Fern: I promised I'd take care of him.

Avery: How about Uncle Homer? He can help us!

Narrator : Fern solemnly carries Wilbur next door to the farm of

her uncle, Homer Zuckerman.

Fern: You'll make lots of new friends here. Just be yourself.

Narrator: Fern tearfully pulls herself away and runs to the

school bus. Wilbur squeals and begins to ram the fence. A
board snaps and he takes off.

Betsy: Ooh, look, Bits. Pig's out.

Bitsy: He sure is... out of his mind.

(Lurvy appears)

Lurvy (trying to sound hypnotizing): You love the pen. You want
to go baaaack to the pen . . .

Narrator : Wilbur looks past Lurvy to the thing that's really

hypnotizing him: Mr. Zuckerman, banging on a pail of slop with
a wooden spoon.

Golly: Don't fall for it!

(Wilbur steps into the pen and takes a long drink of slop.)

Betsy: Hear that, Bits? Pig's in.

Bitsy: He's all right. Insane.

Narrator : A few days later, Wilbur wriggles and splashes in the

mud.

Wilbur: This is great! Anyone want to join me?

(None of the animals do. Dejected, Wilbur plops down next to
his trough. A rat appears and starts shoving food into his
mouth. Sounds music
TV Version: “A-B-C, Easy as 1-2-3!” cover by ABCmouse.…

Wilbur: Hi there. My name's Wilbur. Do you have a name?

Templeton: Of course I do. It's Templeton.

Wilbur: You wanna play Templeton?

Templeton: For so many reasons, no. See, I don't "play." I

gnaw, I spy, I eat, I hide. Me, in a nutshell.

(Templeton disappears under the trough. That night, Wilbur lies

in the cold, dark barn.)

Wilbur: Goodnight. Goodnight? Gooodniiiiight...

Narrator: An older female voice rises from the darkness.

Charlotte: You won't be doing that all night, will you? I'm trying
to concentrate.

Wilbur: I can't sleep unless someone tells me good-night.

Charlotte: Goodnight. Okay? All better now?

Wilbur: Please tell me where you are. Can't you see I'm lonely?

Charlotte: Shhhhh. You think you're the only one around here
who's alone? Go to sleep. We'll converse tomorrow.

Wilbur: Converse?

Charlotte: "Chat."

DARKEN THE STAGE

(The next morning, Wilbur stares impatiently at the horizon.)

Wilbur: Okay! It's morning! Can the friend who talked to me last
night say hi?

Charlotte: Shhhh! Silence and I will come out.

Betsy (under her breath): I wish she can stay inside..

Bitsy: They eat their own babies, you know?

Gussy: Eight spindly-indly legs. And fangs. Ugh...

( A large, gray spider lowers herself from the corner of the

doorway. )

Charlotte: I think this is the part where I say ... salutations.

(Wilbur's smile fades. He hangs his head and turns.)

Wilbur: Oh. Okay. I'll leave.

Charlotte: "Salutations," Wilbur, is just a fancy way of saying

"hello."

Wilbur: Oh. Hello! What's your name?

Charlotte: My name is Charlotte.

Wilbur: Great name! Are we friends now?

Charlotte: I suppose we are.

Wilbur: Yyyyyyeah!

Golly (to Gussy): Poor kid. He's got no idea what's going to
happen to him.

Gussy: Yeah! Poor guy! Let him enjoy himself while he can.
Dance Zumba Kids (easy dance) - I like to move it

SCENE 3

Narrator: Spring soon turns to summer. Wilbur is happy in the

company of his new friend, and enjoys daily visits from Fern.
One evening, Fern notices Avery closing in on Charlotte.

Avery: Heeeerrrreeee, spidey-spidey-spidey.

Fern: Don't you touch her, you little toad!

Narrator : Ignoring her, Avery slams a jar down over Charlotte.

Wilbur charges into Avery's knees, sending him stumbling back
into the trough. There is a dull explosive noise, followed by a
wretched smell.

(Avery has stepped on a rotten goose egg that Templeton was

storing in his lair. Avery drops the jar and runs out, gagging.)

Templeton: Oh, that stinks good.

(All of the animals glare at Templeton. Breathing only through

her mouth, Bitsy scolds him.)

All the animals : ugh

Bitsy: Now look what you have done! Ugh.

Wilbur: It saved Charlotte, didn't it?

Templeton: Hear that? You owe me one!

Charlotte: Actually, it was Wilbur who did most of the saving.

Templeton: Ironic, isn't it? He's saving you, and they're saving
him for Christmas.

Wilbur: Templeton, what are you talking about?

Templeton: When winter comes, the farmer will put you in
the…. oven!

(Wilbur trembles. He looks at Charlotte.)

Wilbur: Is it true?

Charlotte: Sadly, yes.

Wilbur: I don't want to die! I want to live!

Charlotte: And you will. I'm going to save your life, Wilbur.

Wilbur: How would you do that!?

Charlotte: I don't know. But I have made you a promise and I

never break promises!

Part II

PROLOGUE

Golly: Last time we saw you all, Wilbur met Charlotte, the
spider.

Bitsy: But now, Wilbur's facing a bigger problem.

Golly: Mr. Zuckerman wants to cook Wilbur for Christmas

dinner.

Gussy: Charlotte promised to help, but changing the farmer's

mind is tough.

SCENE 4
Narrator: Lurvy, the farmhand, freezes in front of Wilbur’s pen.
His slop bucket drops, and he stumbles backward. A short time
later, Wilbur opens his eyes to find Lurvy, the Zuckermans, and
the Arables staring at the corner above his pen.

Mrs. Zuckerman: It’s a miracle! Extraordinary miracle!.

Narrator: Written into Charlotte’s web are the words “SOME

PIG.” Soon, a large crowd of neighbors, townspeople,
journalists, and photographers are clamoring around Wilbur’s
pen. But as the days go by, the crowd shrinks. Charlotte calls
an animal meeting.

Charlotte: People believe what they read, but they forget fast.
Christmas is far away, and Mr. Zuckerman might just want ham,
not a pet pig. Gotta write something quick before we're
forgotten!

SCENE 5

Narrator: Fall arrives. Lying on a pile of leaves one afternoon,

Fern overhears her uncle talking to Lurvy.

Mr. Zuckerman: First thing tomorrow, I want you to take a look

at that smokehouse chimney.

(Stunned, Fern looks at Wilbur, who faints. She runs home.)

Fern: They’re still thinking of eating him?

Mr. Arable: It’s what happens to a pig on a farm, Fern.

Narrator: Fern storms off. A few days later, she sees a flier for
the county fair. She has an idea... Meanwhile, Charlotte has
spun a new message into her web: “RADIANT.” Another crowd
appears — the biggest yet.

Mr. Zuckerman: I’ve decided to enter Wilbur in the country fair!

Mrs. Zuckerman: What gave you that idea?

(Pedro)Wilbur: Did you hear what they said, Charlotte? I’m

going to the fair! I’m practically saved.

Charlotte (Estefy): That’s very good. You’ll have to tell me all

about it when you come back.

Wilbur: What do you mean?

Charlotte: I have work to do. Work that I must do alone.

Wilbur: But — I can’t go without you.

Charlotte: Sure you can. You said it yourself. You’re saved.

Narrator : But the day before the fair, Charlotte hears Mr.
Zuckerman say that if Wilbur doesn’t win, at least he’ll be good
for 50 dollars worth of bacon and ham. Breathing hard,
Charlotte makes her way to Wilbur’s traveling crate.

Gussy: Are you okay-kay-kay?

Charlotte: It seems, people believe that they have the right to

eat animals no matter how radiant or terrific they are.

Betsy: Looks to me like you need your rest, sweetie.

Gussy: You can’t travel in your condition.

Charlotte: I have to do what must be done at the fair.

 SCENE 6

Narrator : At the fair, Templeton pops his head into Wilbur’s

stall.

Templeton: Whoa! Have you seen the beast next door? I think
his mama was part hippo!

Charlotte: We’ll just have to work twice as hard to show the

“finest” pig .

Wilbur: Charlotte? If I don’t win the prize, they’re gonna...

Charlotte: But you will win. And Zuckerman will be very proud,
and he will keep you around to remind him of that feeling.

Narrator : In the morning, Wilbur looks uncertainly at the web.

Narrator : Wilbur notices that Charlotte is sitting on a large

peach-colored ball.

Wilbur: Hey, what’s that?

Charlotte: This is my magnum opus — my great work.it is my

egg sac. It holds 514 eggs.

Wilbur: Wow! You’re gonna have 514 babies?

Charlotte: If all goes well, yes. (sadly) Of course, they won’t

show up till next spring.

Wilbur: Why do you sound so sad? This is great news!

(Just then, the Arables and Zuckermans appear.)

Mr. Arable: The web! “HUMBLE.”

Narrator: Mr. Arable, however, is pointing in horror at a blue
ribbon hanging on the pen of the gigantic pig next to Wilbur.

Mr. Zuckerman: Wilbur may be small, but he’s got character!

Anyone can see that!

Narrator : They stare at the ribbon in disbelief, unaware of the

crowd heading their way.

Fair Official: Mr. Zuckerman? Could you come with me, please?

Narrator: The crowd cheers as the Arables and Zuckermans

escort Wilbur to the grandstand.

Official 1 : Folks, I think we all remember the start of the

summer when the writing appeared on the web.

Official 2: It has happened again, here at our county fair!

Official 3: I am honored to present a very special award! Wilbur

the first place!

Everyone cheers up! DARKEN THE STAGE

Wilbur: Won’t it be great to be back home?

Charlotte: I won’t be going back to the barn, Wilbur. I’m dying.

Wilbur: What? But... you can’t die!

Charlotte: I can and I will. It is the natural cycle of life.

Wilbur: isn’t there anything I can do for you?

Charlotte: Oh, Wilbur. You already have. You made me your

friend. Goodbye, my sweet, sweet Wilbur.
Narrator: Wilbur’s eyes water. He simply nods, knowing this is
the last time he will ever see Charlotte.

SCENE 7

Narrator: Fall turns into winter, and winter into spring. Wilbur
and the other animals take turns sitting beside Charlotte’s egg
sac, which Wilbur carried home from the fair. Finally . . .

Wilbur: They’re here!

(As baby spiders fill the air, Wilbur becomes frantic. In despair,
he returns to the barn. Then he hears a little voice.)

Baby Spider 1: Salutations!

Baby spider 3: Hi there!

Narrator : Wilbur looks around.

Baby Spider 1: I’m up here!

Baby Spider 2: So am I!

Baby Spider 3: Me too! We’d like to stay. We like it here.

Baby Spider 2: And we like you, too.

Baby spider 1: Oh yes, this is a great barn!

Narrator: Wilbur loved his new friends, but he missed Charlotte, too. But he knew that being
friends means that no matter where life takes you, you carry a piece of that friendship with
you. Then you pass it on!