ISLANDERS #4
SCENE 1: Curtains Open
PROPS: (2) huts, shovel, treasure map, rock with an “X” painted on it, scroll for treasure map, box, sand, “transmitter”
(ALL CHARACTERS,except DR. XOCHILT, are center-stage at the beginning of this scene. CAPTAIN is holding the shovel. There are (2) huts on stage – one all the way to the left and one all the way to the right, in the doorway)
CAPTAIN: (drops the shovel and wipes his forehead, like he’s been working hard) Whew! That was hard work! So how do you like the new hut?
ALL GIRLS: (each says something positive about the new hut)
CAPTAIN: I built it just like the one that was already here. Lucky for me, whoever built this old hut left a couple of things inside, and one of them was a shovel. Now we’ve got a hut for me and one for you girls.
JILLY: Wow! It’s really cute!
BELINDA: It’s okay, even though it is a bit small.
CAPTAIN: I hope the three of you don’t mind sharing two rooms . . . I could only find enough bamboo sticks to make two rooms instead of three.
BELINDA: I don’t mind, as long as I get one of the rooms. Remember, I’m used to living in a huge mansion.
JILLY: I’m used to big spaces, too. When I lived on my parents’ farm, I got the whole upstairs of the barn to myself. I think I should get one of those rooms.
(DR. XOCHILT ENTERS, very excitedly. She is holding a “transmitter.”)
DR. XOCHILT: Hey, everybody; I have great news! Captain, do you remember the boat transmitter?
CAPTAIN: Yeah. I used it to call people on land who were far away from me. Did you find it?
DR. XOCHILT: Yes! I found it on the beach this morning. The waves must have washed it ashore last night.
BELINDA: That’s great news, Dr. Xochilt! Does it still work?
DR. XOCHILT: No, but I am trying to fix it.
BELINDA: (suddenly hopeful) If you could get it fixed, we could call people who could rescue us. That transmitter can help us get off this island!
JILLY: Dr. Xochilt, look at the new hut the Captain built for us.
BELINDA: Yeah. Too bad it only has two rooms. One of us girls is going to have to share a room.
DR. XOCHILT: I think I should be the one who gets her own room. After all, I need lots of space to do my science research.
JILLY: No, I don’t think so! I should get my own room.
BELINDA: No! It should be mine!
(ALL 3 GIRLS EXIT into the girls’ hut, arguing as they leave)
CAPTAIN: (kind of whispering) Ha! While they’re arguing, I’ll just take a look at the other thing that was left inside the old hut – a treasure map!(see end of script)
BELINDA: Captain? Did I hear you say something about a treasure map?
CAPTAIN: Oh, no! You, uh, you must have misunderstood me. What I really said was, uh, I’m really tired of working, so I’m going to take a pleasure nap. A little nap would be a pleasure for me right now.
BELINDA: Oh, that’s too bad. I thought for sure you said, “treasure map.”
CAPTAIN: Nope. There’s no treasure map on this island (whispering), except this one right here! And there’s also a little note to go with it. It says . . . (he reads the note)
Yeah, right! Like I’m really going to share the treasure with everyone else! I don’t think so - it’s all for me. I’m going to be rich! Rich!
BELINDA: Who’s rich?
CAPTAIN: Um . . . I said, “Itch”. I’m trying to take my nap, but I keep having an itch. It must be all the island mosquitoes around here.
BELINDA: Oh, right. I can’t stand those mosquitoes either.
(CAPTAIN picks up the shovel and follows the map directions. Then he sets the map down on the floor and moves the rock aside so he can begin to “dig” for the treasure. (SOUND EFFECTS: digging sound)
(As soon as he begins to “dig,” JILLY ENTERS from inside the girls’ hut)
JILLY: Hey, Captain. What are you doing? I thought you said you were so tired from working that you were going to take a little nap.
CAPTAIN: Uh, I was. I was going to take a nap, but then I changed my mind. Yeah . . . I changed my mind and decided to do a little digging. I thought maybe I could find some bones or maybe some rocks for Doctor Xochilt to study.
JILLY: Oh, okay. I’ll let her know.
CAPTAIN: No! Don’t tell her! I mean, don’t tell her because it’s a surprise. Yeah, that’s it! I want to surprise her.
JILLY: (grinning) Oh, I see! Okay, Captain; I won’t tell her. I just love surprises!
(JILLY EXITS into the girls hut)
(CAPTAIN continues to “dig” a few more times[SOUND EFFECTS: digging sound] until he smacks something hard)
CAPTAIN: (loudly and excitedly) I found it!
(BELINDA ENTERS)
BELINDA: What did you find, Captain?
(CAPTAIN freezes with a horrified look on his face)
BELINDA: What’s that map for? (she picks it up and examines it closely) Why, it’s a treasure map! Girls! We’re all going to be rich, rich, rich!
(JILLY and DR. XOCHILT ENTER excitedly)
DR. XOCHILT: What’s going on?
BELINDA: The captain just found some buried treasure!
JILLY: Oh, my! That’s a whole lot better than rocks and bones. I can’t wait to get my part of the treasure
DR. XOCHILT: Me too!
BELINDA: We are are all going to share the treasure, aren’t we, Captain? Captain?
CAPTAIN: (thinking about it) Yeah. Yeah, I guess so. After all, the map instructions did tell me to share it with everyone. Now lets see what kind of treasure it is.
(CAPTAIN slowly picks up the box like it’s being pulled from the earth)
JILLY: I bet it’s full of rubies!
DR. XOCHILT: No; it’s probably diamonds!
BELINDA: It could be full of hundred-dollar bills!
CAPTAIN: We’re going to see in just a minute . . .
NARRATOR: To be continued . . .
THE END
Dear Treasure Seeker,
The lucky person who finds this map is going to be very rich! There is buried treasure right here on this island, but it will only belong to the person who follows the directions on the map very carefully. Take 10 steps South, 4 steps east, 10 steps North, and 5 steps to the West until you come to a rock with an “X” painted on it. The treasure is buried directly under that rock. Good luck, treasure seeker, and don’t forget to share this treasure with everyone else!