ts. A.B.C. Capers -BY- SOEMPLE PRICE 25 CENTS Eldridge Entertainment House Franklin, Ohio ^it^ Denver, Colo. 944 So. Losan Straet Money-Maidng Entertainment Novelties for Church, School or Lodge Miss Nibbs' Novelty Shop By Alta Becker. This is a novel and humorous en- tertainment, introducing 'Liza Ann, Miss Nibbs, two traveling salesmen, shoppers, mechanical dolls and mechancal maid of all work. A good little stunt where a short, clean, humorous number is desired. Plays about 30 minutes. Price, 25c. The Brightville Indoor Chautauqua By Bessie Baker and Nellie Hanna. Here is a brand new idea for an evening's entertainment. It is in 5 parts, each part representing a day at Chautauqua. Gives wide scope for introduction of large cast and many specialties. Complete programs suggested as follows: Part 1, Chautauqua Concert Company; Part 2, Living Pictures; Part 3, Musical Entertainers; Part 4, Farmers' Night; Part S, CoonviUe Jubilee Singers. Price, 35c. Sorepaw & Fells Indoor Circus By Margaret S. Bridge and Margaret H. Hahn. The Grand Annex and Musee, Freaks, Curiosities and Monstrosities, never were in it with the marvelous, amazing, mystifying array outlined in its pages. Ar- tistic, ambling, agile, 'andsome acrobats;, cajoling, cadaverous, costly, curious, cunning clowns; Hee- Shee, the Monkey Girl of Yucatan; all of these and many others will be seen in the Big Peerade before the show starts, ladies and gentlemen. Keep to the right — don't crowd. Price, 2Sc. As Ye Sew A "talking doll" missionary play by Dorothy Crich- ton. A lot of fun and some 'wholesome lessons are contained in the conversation of the dolls who dis- cuss the motives of their donors. Splendid for Young People's or Missionary Societies. 10 girls, 1 boy, or all girls. Time, 20 minutes. Price, 15c. Finding the Key A dialog and drill for 10 or 12 girls and boys. Suit- able for any religious program, but especially for Easter. Time, 20 minutes. Deals with problems of youth, recreations, etc.; also with those of Commun- ity Life and the present spirit of Unrest. Interspersed with suggested songs. Drill very effective. 25c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKLIN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St. A. B.C. Capers / A Playlet in One Scen^ for Twenty-eight Children, Fourteen Boys and Fourteen Girls. By SOEMPLE Copyright 1921, Eldridge Entertainment House. J OEC 19 19?! PUBLISHED BY ELDRIDGE ENTERTAINMENT HOUSE, Franklin, Ohio Denver, Colo. TS^^.^, ^^ 7 qS^ CAST OF CHARACTERS » ^ ' Who take part — Tim, a little boy; Drum Major of A-B-C Troupe, a girl; A-C Troupe, A, C, E, G, I, K, M, O, Q, S, U, W, Y, thirteen girls; B, D, F, H, J, L, N", P, R, T, V, X, Z, thirteen boys. COSTUMES Tim — like any small boy. Drum Major — White dress and stockings, no shoes, white tam-o'-shanter; cap and instep of stockings fin- ished off with red pom-poms; five-inch letters of the al- phabet cut out of red paper or cloth pasted all over dress and cap; carries a stick wound with white and tipped with red A, at the other end two tiny bells swing. A, C, E, etc., — dressed like Drum Major, but no let- ters pasted on cap or dress; each carries in right hand her own letter of the alphabet, eighteen inches high, cut from cardboard and covered back and front with red paper, two small bells dangling at the bottom. The bells must be so small that they only tinkle faintly. B, D, F, etc. — White clown suits and stockings, no shoes, white pointed hats; hats and insteps decorated with red pom-poms; each carries his own letter, made like the girls' letters ; Stage Setting — A fireplace to the left front corner with a fire in the grate, made of red tissue paper over a light; a low hassock on a rug in front of fireplace; a chair here and there, a table with a lamp, books, maga- zines, and a workbasket, pushed against one wall, and pictures on the walls. Entrance is to the right. Time — Abou*^ ^"^* '^'^c+ four in the afternoon. Place — The ^^^^^6-00666 7 ^^n's home. ©CI.D 5 94:J6 ^^ A. B.C. Capers (Enter Tim, a big sugar cooky iyi left hand, a prim- er or A-B-C hook in right. Crosses to fireplace and drops down on hassock, back to the fire. Takes a bite of cooky. Opens book and spreads it out on his knees.) Tim — Teacher said I should bring my book home and learn my A-B-C's. (Turns over pages.) A, B, C, D — (takes bite of cooky, half shuts book, keeping finger irt. place) A, B, — A, B — -what's next (opens book) O, yes! A, B, C, D, E — I wonder why they have so many A-B-C's. (Takes a bite of cooky, shuts book as before) A, B, — B — A, B, — B — C — A, B, C, — C — (takes a bite of cooky; opens book) A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H— Why, I believe there's an A-B-C for every boy and girl in Michigan! (or ichatever state he lives in) I wonder if teacher meant I should learn all of them. I don't believe she did. (He takes a bite of cooky: closes book as before.) Well, A — ■ Well, A— A— A— Why, I don't know the A-B-C's I had all learned up ! That's queer ! ( Takes a bite of cooky.) I wonder why they didn't stay learned. Maybe they like being in the book better than in my head. Maybe now they do. (Book falls to floor; Tim muses.) Wouldn't it be too bad if I learned them out of the book and they didn't want to fce learned out of it? (Takes last bite of cooky.) I believe I'll just eat a bite of my ginger cooky first, anyway. (Pulls a big ginger cooky out of his pock- et, and begins on that.) Why, I feel sleepy! That's, queer! I wasn't sleepy a little bit ago when I was chas- ing with Peter Dog. (Picks up book, yawns, opens it.} A, B,— C— D— E— F— (nods, book slips to floor.) A— B — (curls down on hassock fast asleep, cooky still in hand.) 3 A-B-C- Capers (Enter Drum Major. Tiptoes over to where Tim is asleep. Picks up book, flipping over the pages.) Drum Major — (muttering) I thought so. I thought so! (Shakes Tim by shoulder; Tiyn does not rouse.) Oh, ho ! Oh, ho ! Fast asleep ! A boy that can't learn his A-B- C's! A boy that won't learn his A-B-C's! A boy that doesn't like to learn hit A-B-C's! Oh, ho! Oh, ho! (Prances about, ivaving stick jeeringly.) Oh, ho! Oh, ho! (Darts to entrance, puts head out, calling loudly, and as fast as she can say them.) ABCDEFGHIJKLMN OPQRSTUVWXYZ! (Skips back to fire; A-B-C boys and girls rush in, dancing and bobbing u/p and doivn, not still a minute. Drum Major points stick at Tim and ad- dresses A-B-C's.) Here's a fine boy ! Here's a fine boy ! A boy that can't learn his A-B-C's! A boy that won't learn his A-B-C's! A boy that doesn't like to learn his A-B-C's ! A-B-C's — He can't learn us! He won't learn us! He doesn't like to learn us! That's droll! Why, we're lots of fun! Drum Major — And what good is that? He won't ever know you are lots of fun if he doesn't learn you. Z — Well, what are you going to do about it? We want him to learn us; don't we? Rest of A-B-C's— We do! Drum Major — There! There! That is why I sum- moned you all hither. I'll just put you through a sam- ple performance of your antics to show this fine boy, this fine boy, what he is missing. A — We'll show him, won't we? Rest of A-B-C's— We will! Drum Major — All right! All right! (Erect, rais- ing stick, and giving orders crisply.) Circus is starting! Roll call! (Pulls a paper out of pocket, unfolds it, and keeps her eyes on it during roll call.) Now! Ready! A. A— A. B—B. A- B-C- Capers 5 C — C. (etc., to Z, each A-B-C calling out his own letter, still on the go.) Drum Major — {nodding and refolding and return- ing paper to pocket) All on hand ! Good ! Good ! (Rais- ing stick) Grand march! Fall into step, there! A, B, C, D! (Emphasizing as if saying, "left, right, left, right," takes her place at head of line, beating quick ynarch time with stick. A-B-C's follow, single file arid in proper alphabetical order, and go through a brisk, bob- bing -up-and-down march around stage, each A-B-C jumping out of line as he passes Tim, and shaking his letter at him.) A-B-C's and Drum Major — (singing as the march, to tune of "Twenty Froggies," keeping step to tune.) Us, your A-B-C's, don't spurn. Study, Tim, until you learn Each of us, from A to Z — A, B, C, D, E, F, G. We're chock full of jollity. Only learn us and you'll see; And we're wise as ten wise men — H, I, J, K, L, M, N. You can't spell your name, oh, ho! We know how the letters go. We will show you when you've said All of us from A to Zed. You can't read your heavy mail, From your daddy far a-sail. Learn us and we'll skim it through — 0, P, Q, R, S, T, U. You can't read your story book, At the pictures you just look; Why, you hold it upsidedown Like a funny circus clown ! On its stories you can start. When you know our names, by heart. Come! Come learn us with a vim — V, W, X, Y, Z. Come, Tim! A'B-C Capers Drum Major — Enough! Enough! Into your places! (D. M. skips to position at Tim's far side. A-B-C's fonn half-circle around back and right of stage, center of line opposite Tim. The A-B-C's perform in center of stage, turned facing Tim. The audience must be able to see them also.) First performance! [Raises stick.) T! (T skips forward.) I! (I skips beside T.) M! (M skips beside I.) B\ (B skips forward in line with T, I, and M, but a space away from M.) R! (R skips beside B.) ! skips beside R; W skips expectantly two or three steps forward out of half circle) Back, W. Didn't I say these were to be only sample antics? You wouldn't spell the boy's whole name for him, would you? He must learn to do that for himself. (W skips backward into place. Drum Major signals with stick and then beats time.) Now! All toegther! T, I, M, B, R and — (tripping back and forth two sidewise steps, keeping in same formation, sing-songily ) T, I, M, B, R, 0, What we spell You don't know. Hist! We started Out to spell Some boy's name — We won't tell, T, I, M, B, R, 0, What comes next You don't know. Don't know which of us To call. You can't spell your name At all. T, I, M, B, R, O, Learn us If you want to know. A- B-C Capers 7 D. M. — (raising stick) Enough! Enough! Back to your places! First performance is over. (T, I, M, B, R and bow and skip backward to places in half-circle) Second performance! D! (D skips forward.) E! (E skips beside D; same for A, R, T, I, and M, who stand in line, leaving a space between DEAR and TIM; D. M. signals with stick and beats time.) Now, all together! D, E, A, R, T, I, and M — (tripping b«Lck and forth, two sideivise steps, sing-songily.) D, E, A, R, T, I, M— Frown and make believe — ahem! — Whist! We'll read that much for you; "Dear Tim," now you're eagier, to Know what's in the letter, ha! And who signed it, "From your fa — " (clap hands over their mouths.) Sh! Sh! Sh! We mustn't tell, Tim, himself, must learn to spell. Come, Tim Brown, you'll soon know how. If you learn your letters now. D. M. — { raising stick) Enough! Enough! Back to your places! Second performance is over! (D, E, A, R, T, I and M bow and skip backivard to places in half- circle.) Third performance! O! (0 skips out.) N! (N skips out beside 0; same for C, E, U, P, O, N, T, I, M, and E, who form a hne, leaving space between ONCE and UPON, UPON and A and A and TIME; when a let- ter is repeated, as in UPON, in ONCE, takes a back- wark skip out of the line, then skips aloyig back of other letters to new place assigned; H expectantly skips for- ward a few steps out of half-circle.) Back, H! Didn't I say and haven't I repeated these were to be only sample antics? You wouldn't tell Tim the whole story, would you? Tim must learn to read it for himself. (H skips backward into place; D. M. signals with stick and beats time.) Now, all together! A-B-C Capers 0, N, C, E, U, P, A, T, I, and M— (tripping back and forth tioo sidetvise steps sing-songily.) Just Once up a time. Once up a time, Once up a time, Indeed We'll not a further word, We'll not a further word. We'll not a further word. To you read! For Boys must learn to read. Boys must learn to read, Boys must learn to read. Themselves All the fairies' tales, All the fairies' tales, All the fairies' tales, And elves'. Because We've not the time, We've not the time, We've not the time, To read To all the boys and girls, To all the boys and girls, To all the boys and girls, That plead. So Once up a time. Once up a time. Once up a time. There— Sh ! Hist ! Tim must read the tale himself. Must read the tale himself; Once up a time, There was— Sh! Whist! A-B-C Capers 9 D. M. — (raising stick) Enough! Enough! Back to your places! Third performance is over! (Letters bow and skip backward to places in half-circle.) Fourth and last performance ! C ! (C skips out.) F ! (F skips out, but not next to C; same for all A-B-C's that have, not taken part in other performances; they do not stand in line nor remain in any given place, hopping about; bobbing up and down, turning somersaults, standing on their heads, ivhirling one another around, sometimes putting CH together or SW, as if about to make a word, continually doing something and alivays something dif- ferent.) Now, all together! (D. M. signals with stick and beats time.) C, F, G, H, J, K, L, Q, S, V, W, X, Y and Z—(sing- songily) Higgledy-piggledy, Here's a fix! Hit and miss, We're at our tricks. You must learn To sort us out. If you'd know What we're about. Puzzle out The mystery. Join in our Hilarity. Learn your A-B-C's, Tim Brown; Say us up, And say us down. Learn us, If you want to take Part in all the fun We make. 10 A-B'C Capers Learn us, Learn your A-B-C's, Then our antics Will not tease. D. M. — (raising stick) Enough! Enough! Back to your places! (Letters hotv and skip to places in half- circle.) Grand march! Fall into step, there! A, B, C, D! (Takes her place at head of line, beating quick TYiarch time; A-B-C's follow in alphabetical order and march once around stage as before.) A-B-C's and D. M. — (singing as they march, to tune of "Twenty Froggies," and keeping step to tune.) Ho, Tim Brown, Tim Brown, good-by! Five o'clock and we must fly To our places in your book, That a moment we forsook. Just to let you taste, no more, Joys the future holds in store, If you learn us, A to Z, Ho, Tim Brown, Tim Brown — Sh! Flee! (Tim stirs at his name; with ivord "flee" A-B-C's break line and rush pell-mell to entrance; D. M., half across stage, stops, raises stick, speaks in loiu voice but sharply.) D. M. — Hold on there! (A-B-C's halt just within entrance, ready to flee if Tim ivakes up. D. M. watches Tim;[ a pause of a moment or two; Tim does not stiv again.) Roll call! (Pulls paper out of pocket, one eye on it during roll call, one on Tim..) Now! Ready! ■ A— A! B—B ! C — C! (and so on, through alphabet, each A-B-C calling out his own letter in a loud whisper; at Z Tim stretches and A-B-C's tumMe over each other to get out, D. M. at their heels, whispering loudly, "Circus is over for today!" Z spraivls on the floor and D. M. pidls him, A-B-C Capers 11 ■out by the leg. Thn sits up, rubs his eyes, blinks andi stares around.) Tim> — Aw, they're gone! Now, I sha'n't ever know how to spell the rest of my name, nor what Daddy said in his letter after "Dear Tim," nor what the Once-upon- a-time-there-was story was going to be about, nor how to put the higgledy-piggledy A-B-C's together! (Spies his book on the floor, drops his cooky, claps his hands, and reaches for the book.) Oh! Oh! The A-B-C's aren't gone! They ^aid they were going back to their places in my book! And here they are! (Turns over pages.) A-B-C-D-E-F-G-H-I— Just like they marched! And they said they like to be learned out of the book, they want me to learn them out of the book! Oh, they're easy to learn! (Shuts book.) A-B-C-D-E — I'll soon know them all! And then what fun I'm going to have with them, spelling words and reading letters and stor- ies and unjumbling jumbles and lots of exciting things! What fun! E-F-G-H-I— CURTAIN Some Bright New Christmas Material First Aid to Santa By Ethel Sexton. A mighty bright playlet for 3 boys, 2 girls and 10 acting dolls (girls and boys). Plays 30 or 40 minutes. Price, 25c. The Christmas Chain By Lillian Pearson. A pretty sketch for 14 or more children. The Christmas Angel shows her complete Christmas Chain to two selfish sisters with happy re- sults. Plays about 20 minutes. Price 25c. How the Christmas Song Was Found By Lillian Pearson. A simp'e, but beautiful sketch for any number of children, 12 required. Shows the real spirit of Christmas and tells how the glad Christmas song was found. Time, 20 to 30 minutes. For day schools or church entertainments. Price 25c. Mr. Richey Changes His Mind By Lee Owen Snook. Story of a crabbed, v/ealthy employer and how at Christmas tiine the memory of his mother chansred his attitude toward his employes from that of a "driver" to a considerate comrade. An unexpected romance develops. 4 males, 4 females, and others, either high school or adults. Plays about 20 minutes. Price, 25c. The Little Stranger A moving picture Christmas play, by Edna Randolph Worrell. This is really a pantomime, the different scenes being either announced or shown on screen by stereoptlcon. 4 scenes "The Night Before Christ- mas Home of Orphan Children," "The LittJe Stran- ger at the Door," "The Little Stranger Entertains," "Christmas Morning." A pretty entertainment for any number of children. Plays about 30 minutes. 25c. Ten Good Christmas Pantomimes By Ethel Eldridge. A collection that will add novelty and effectiveness to your program. Specific direc- tions for pantomiming some well-known hymns, songs and recitations — "Silent Night," . "Litt'e Town of Bethlehem," "When Good Old Kris Comes 'Round," "Favorite Carols," etc. Contains the music also. 40c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKLLN, OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St. YOU WILL BE GLAD TO KNOW OF THESE NEW PUYS Training Mary By Mary Shaw Page. A bright 1-act play with sim> pie stage setting. William,' husband of Mary, essays to train Mary, especially along the lines of correctins carelessness. As tm always the case, William gets in deep water, but finally wades out. 2 males, 4 fc* males, and plays about 45 minutes. Price, 2Sc. The Hired Man's Courtship By Alice Cripps. A short; comedy-drama in 2 acts. Captain Edwards tires of wealth and the city, and procures work on Morton's farm, only to And that the farmer's daughter is an old sweetheart. Because of an intrigue on the part of the captain's cousin, an es> trangement takes place, which ends happily when the captain finds the source of certain stories atnd re- futes them. Aunt Hepsey, Jim and Ezra (colored), add comedy to the play. Plays about 45 minutes, and is for 3 males and 3 females. Price, 25c. Merely Anne Marie A comedy in 3 acts by Beulah King. 3 males, 5 fe- males. Time, 2V2 hours. The scenes are laid in a fashionable boarding house, and the characters are all distinct types and worth while. A successful play- wright, desiring to escape notoriety, seeks seclusion at Mrs. Teague's and becomes the hero of Anne Ma- rie, the dining room maid. The dialogue is bright, the situations clever and the story ends happily. 35c. A Bit of Scandal By Fannie Barnett Linsky. Comedy-drama in 2 acts. Francina, who is to play at the recital, composes her own number. On the evening of the recital, Mary Sherman, who precedes her on the program, plays Francina's compositions, which she has stolen. The reasons for the theft all come out later and of course, all ends well. Nine characters. Plays about I hour. Price, 35c. Miss Burnett Puts One Over By Ethelyn Sexton. A rollicking 1-act girls' play for 6 characters. Barbara's mother has a friend, Ann Bur- nett, who is to visit the girls at college, -with the in- tention of giving a generous sum to the school. The girls, wishing o gain her good will, practice their "manners." Miss Burnett, however, appears in dis- guise and has much fun at their expense. All ends well and the school gets the money. Plays about 45 minutes. Easy setting and costumes. Price, 25c. Eldridge Entertainment House FRANKUN. OHIO also DENVER, COLO. 944 S. Logan St.