Casting

Flexible casting from 11-40 students.
Use as many Punctuation Pirates, Scouts, Sentence Keepers, etc. as desired. One stucent can easily play several roles if needed, and individual roles can be doubled up. Note that all roles can be played by either boys or girls; see our comments on page 35 of the Teacher's Guide.

Script

This is the first one-third of the script:

CHARACTERS:

Captain Comma
Shmitty
Downing
Keepers of Sentences:
Declarative
Interrogative
Imperative
Exclamatory
Collector of Synonyms
Collector of Antonyms
Crewmen
Officials from the Capital Capital
Punctuation Pirates
Adverb Librarian
Advective Librarian
Scouts
Queen
Servant
and a CHORUS comprised of all students who are not playing roles on stage at the time

(Entire CLASS faces audience and sings:)

Song 1
Vocal      Instrumental

CLASS:
We're gathered here today for you
To tell a pirate tale
And we may have the strangest crew
That ever has set sail.

While other pirates search for gold
To fill their treasure chest
The heroes of our story have
Good Grammar as their quest!

They're Pirates from Grammar Island
Pirates from Grammar Island
They will fuss and they will fume
'til everyone knows who from whom
Pirates from Grammar Island.

They don't say "Arrrg" or "That's me ship"
They don't ask "Who ye be?"
The subjects of their sentences
And all their verbs agree.

They're out to save all synonyms
And they love homophones
And every double negative
They send to Davy Jones!

They're Pirates from Grammar Island
Pirates from Grammar Island
They will fuss and they will fume
'til everyone knows who from whom
Pirates from Grammar Island.
They will fuss and they will fume
'til everyone knows who from whom...
(EVERYONE gasps for air)
Pirates from Grammar Island.

(CLASS takes its place.CAPTAIN COMMA, SHMITTY,
and DOWNING enter or step forward; CAPTAIN holds a
treasure map:)

SHMITTY: Captain Comma, sir,why did you put ashore here?

CAPTAIN: We're doing what us Pirates from Grammar Island
always do. Here look.

(CAPTAIN points to spot on the treasure map. THEY ALL
look at it.)

DOWNING (looking): Wow. The treasure map says this place is
loaded with grammar.

SHMITTY: (pointing to map again): And right here, on this
X, we'll find all eight parts of speech.

CAPTAIN: Exactly.

(FOUR GUARDIANS of SENTENCES enter. They wear
signs that read: DECLARATIVE, EXCLAMATORY,
IMPERATIVE, and INTERROGATIVE.

DOWNING: Hey, look, someone's coming.

DECLARATIVE: We are the Keepers of the four main kinds
of sentences. I guard Declarative sentences, sentences
that makes a statement. And this is the Keeper of
Interrogatives.

INTERROGATIVE (to PIRATES): Who are you? Where did you
come from?
(pulls a photo out of pocket)
Would you like to see a picture of my pet moose?

IMPERATIVE: Stop asking questions!

DECLARATIVE (gesturing to IMPERATIVE): That's the
Keeper of Imperatives. He gives commands.

EXCLAMATORY: I can't stand it! I'm always last! This stinks!

DECLARATIVE (gesturing to EXCLAMATORY): And this is the
Keeper of Exclamations...he's filled with strong feelings.

SHMITTY: So, what do you all do?

IMPERATIVE: Tell them!

EXCLAMATORY: Ooh, I can't wait!

INTERROGATIVE: Can I go first?

DECLARATIVE: You certainly may.

INTERROGATIVE:

Song 2
Vocal     Instrumental

What can I say?
Where do I start?
Don¹t you like my question mark?

Why is there air?
Why is it cold?
Why do I sound two years old?

ALL FOUR:
The declaratives make a statement
Exclamations shout at you
Interrogatives ask a question...but
Imperatives are saucy
They're commanding and they're bossy
Just telling you what to do.

EXCAMATORY:
This is so fun!
I'm feeling proud!
Holy smokes I sure am loud!

I gotta shout!
I gotta scream!
Think I had too much caffeine!

ALL FOUR and CHORUS:
The declaratives make a statement
Exclamations shout at you
Interrogatives ask a question...but
Imperatives are saucy
They're commanding and they're bossy
Just telling you what to do.

IMPERATIVES:
Clean up your room!
Finish your food!
Sit up straight and don't be rude!

Stand over there!
Pick up your clothes!
Don¹t put carrots in your nose!

ALL FOUR and CHORUS:
The declaratives make a statement
Exclamations shout at you
Interrogatives ask a question...but
Imperatives are saucy
They're commanding and they're bossy
Just telling you what to do.
Just telling you what to do.

CAPTAIN (to SHMITTY and DOWNING): I'll take these
Keepers to our ship. On Grammar Island we need all
four kinds of sentences.You two start searching
for those parts of speech.

(SENTENCES and CAPTAIN exit.)

DOWNING: How are we supposed to do that?

SHMITTY: Here come a couple locals. Let's ask them.

(COLLECTORS enter)

DOWNING (to COLLECTORS): Hi there, we're Pirates
from Grammar Island.

SYNONYM: Welcome. I¹m a Collector of Synonyms.

DOWNING: I LOVE synonym. Especially synonym toast.
And those synonym rolls with the icing? Theyre the best.

SYNONYM: Synonyms, not cinnamon. Words that mean the
same thing. Identical. Alike. Parallel.

SHMITTY: Well, maybe you can tell us what it's like
around here.

SYNONYM: It's a friendly land. Neighborly. Amicable.

ANTONYM: And hostile, angry, malcontent.

SYNONYM: Just ignore him. He's a Collector of
Antonyms. Let me tell you about our land.

Song 3
Vocal      Instrumental

SYNONYM:
It's burning and it's torrid
It's sweltering and hot

ANTONYM:
It's freezing something horrid
It's cold in every spot.

SYNONYM:
Don't don't listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.

It's waterless and arid
It's withered up and dry

ANTONYM:
So wet you cannot bare it
I wouldn't tell a lie.

SYNONYM:
Don't don't listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.
Don't don't listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.

BOTH:
Synonyms all mean the same
But antonyms just don't

SYNONYM:
When I say yes, of course you will

ANTONYM:
I'm here to say you won't!

SYNONYM and HALF OF CHORUS:
The land is high and soaring

ANTONYM and OTHER HALF OF CHORUS:
The land is rather low

SYNONYM and HALF OF CHORUS:
The wind is loud and roaring

ANTONYM and OTHER HALF OF CHORUS:
So quiet when it blows.

SYNONYM and COMPLETE CHORUS:

Don't don' listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.
Don't don't listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.
Don't don't listen to him...he's an antonym
He's an antonym.

(COLLECTORS exit. CAPTAIN enters, in a hurry,
with THREE CREWMEN following.)

(This concludes the first one- third of the script.)