Readers Theater Play

CLASSIC
with

a story appeal
ss
timele

Imagine you fell asleep for 20 years. what would

the world be like when you woke up? ADAPTED BY SPENCER KAYDEN

based
on the
classic story
by Washington
Irving
ART BY LUCY
KNISLEY

CHARACTERS
*STORYTELLERS 1, 2, 3
(S1, S2, S3)
*Rip Van Winkle
Cornelia Van Winkle:
Rips wife
Van Bummel:
the schoolmaster
Nicholas Vedder:
the innkeeper
Wolf: Rips dog
Odd Fellow

Echo: Rips echo

Willem: a child in the village
Helen: a child in the village
John: an election worker
Theo: a villager
Peter vanderdonk: the
oldest man in the village
Judith: Rips daughter
OLD Woman
*Starred characters are major
roles.

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saying that for two years!

Rip: Nope. But I saw the most

S1: His farm grows almost nothing.

beautiful

Cornelia: A little patch of corn

Cornelia: Ack! You are as useful as

and potatoesyou call that a farm?

a milk bucket under a bull!

S2: Rip is happy to run errands for

S1: Rip wanders over to the Village

his neighbors . . .

Inn to talk with his friends.

S3: . . . or fly kites with the village

Van Bummel: It says here in the

children . . .

paper that the British intend to

S1: . . . but he never does any work

raise our taxes again. Its detestable!

at home.

Vedder: We have to follow their

Cornelia: Why must I have a

laws. What can we do about it?

S1: Welcome to the 1760s. The

husband who wont lift a finger for

Van Bummel: If only we could

country we know as the United

his own family?

elect our own officials.

States of America does not yet exist.

S2: Rips son and daughter are wild

S2: Van Bummel speaks to a

S2: Britain still owns the 13

and ragged. His wife, Cornelia, has

picture of King George that is

American Colonies.

a sharp tongue.

hanging on the wall.

S3: Everyone who lives in the

Cornelia: And unlike a knife, the

Van Bummel: Listen here,

Colonies is ruled by King George

more I use it, the sharper it gets!

King George. We want our

as you read, THINK ABOUT:

ONE STORY, TWO WAYS

You are about to read a play
and a comic that tell the same
story with different twists. How
are they alike and how are they
different?

PROLOGUE

III, the distant King of England.

S1: The Americans resent paying

SCENE 2

independence!
Vedder (muttering): Uh-oh,

taxes to the British.

S3: Cornelia works outside the Van

here comes Mrs. Sunshine.

S2: The Colonies are starting to

Winkles shabby house, pounding

Cornelia: Rip, Ive asked you

unite to fight for their freedom.

fence posts into the ground. Rip

three times to feed the chickens.

S3: But not every colonist is

saunters up the lane, whistling.

Rip: Well, I havent had time.

concerned about the great big

Cornelia: Where have you been

Cornelia: Time?! What do you

world out there.

all day?

good-for-nothings do with your

S1: Some are too busy avoiding

Rip: Fishing.

precious time?

their duties at home . . .

Cornelia: Did you catch anything?

Vedder: We speak about important

SCENE 1

matters of the day.

Cornelia: Turkeys can

S2: In a small village in the

gobble-gobble-gobble all

Kaatskill Mountains of

they want, but at the end

New York lives a man

of it all, they still lose their

named Rip Van Winkle.

heads.

Rip: A simple, goodnatured man.

SCENE 3

Cornelia: A lazy man.

S3: One autumn day,

S3: His house is in

Rip slings his hunting

disrepair.

gun over his shoulder and

Cornelia: The roof leaks.

goes for a walk with his

The fence needs mending.

dog, Wolf.

Rip: Ill get to it.

Wolf: Woof!

Cornelia: Youve been

S1: Wolf.

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Rip: Hello, sir.

S3: The Odd Fellow says nothing.
Rip: Let me help you with that
heavy load.
S1: Still the Odd Fellow says
nothing.
S2: Rip and the Odd Fellow carry
the barrel together.
Rip (out of breath): Do you hear
that thunder?
S3: The Odd Fellow does not
respond. They climb until they
reach a hollow, like a small
amphitheater.
S1: In the center are more
odd-looking fellows, playing a
bowling game called ninepin.
S2: Nobody talks. The only noise
is the balls, which sound like
thunder when rolled.
S3: Rips companion pours the
contents of the barrel into cups and
motions for Rip to serve. Terrified,
Rip obeys.
Rip: Uh . . . here you go, gentlemen.
S1: The men say nothing. They
drink and return to their game.
Wolf: Woof!

see anyone.

S2: By this time, Rip is quite thirsty.

S2: Not woof. Wolf.

Odd Fellow (louder): Rip Van

Rip (to himself ): Surely it wouldnt

Wolf: Woof! Woof!

Winkle!

hurt to have a sip.

S3: Never mind.

S2: The voice is closer this time.

S3: When no one is looking, he

S1: Rip and his loyal hound end up

S3: Rip feels uneasy. Wolf bristles.

sneaks a swig.

in one of the highest parts of the

Odd Fellow (yelling): RIP VAN

Rip: Delicious!

mountains. Rip gazes at the

WINKLE!

S1: He takes another sip . . .

majestic Hudson River below.

Wolf: Grrrrrr.

S2: . . . and then another.

S2: He breathes in the cool air and

S1: Rip sees a stranger with a barrel

S3: His head droops and . . .

admires the purple clouds hanging

on his back climbing the rocks.

S1, S2, S3 (in unison): . . . Rip Van

low in the afternoon sky.

S2: The stranger is a short old fellow

Winkle falls into a deep sleep.

Rip: No one can tell us what to do

with thick, bushy hair and a gray

up here!

beard. He is dressed in antique

S3: Then Rip hears a voice.

clothes, like the Dutch explorers

S1: When Rip awakens, he yawns

Odd Fellow: Rip Van Winkle!

who came through these

and looks around.

S1: Rip looks around. He doesnt

mountains 50 years earlier.

Rip: Where am I?

SCENE 4

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S2: He realizes he is where he first

saw the Odd Fellow.
Rip: Ah, yes. But this is not where
I fell asleep. How strange.
S3: He rubs his eyes. It is a sunny
morning; birds are twittering in the
bushes.
Rip: Surely I have not slept here all
night. What will I tell my wife?!
S1: He looks around for his gun but
finds only an old rusty firearm.
Rip: Did those odd fellows steal my
gun? And where has Wolf gone?
S2: He whistles and shouts.
Rip: Wolf!
Echo: Wolf!
Rip: Where are you?
Echo: Where are you?
Rip: Whos there?
Echo: Whos there?
S3: Only his echo replies.
Rip: Did they take my dog too?
I must find them.
S1: As Rip stands up, he finds
himself stiff in the joints.
Rip (stretching): Ow!
S2: When he gets to where the
amphitheater was, he finds only a

Willem: Look at the strange old

S2: He finds his house. The roof

wall of solid rock.

man with the long gray beard!

has caved in, the windows are

S3: Rip is utterly baffled. He

S1: Rip reaches up to his chin and,

shattered, and the doors are off

scratches his head.

to his surprise, finds a foot-long

the hinges.

Rip: I dont understand! Well, Im

beard.

Rip: Cornelia?! Judith! Rip Jr.!

famished. I will go home and come

Helen: Who is that?

Is anyone here?

back later.

Willem: Ive never seen him

S3: Rip hurries to the Village Inn,

S1: As Rip approaches the village,

before.

but it is gone. A wooden building

he meets a number of people. But

S2: The village is full of houses Rip

stands in its place. A sign over the

does not recognize any of them.

has never seen.

door reads The Union Hotel.

Rip: Hmm. I thought I knew

S3: Strange names are over the

S1: Next to the inn is a flagpole.

everyone in this area.

doors. Strange faces are at the

A flag with stars and stripes on it

S2: The people are dressed oddly.

windows.

flutters at the top.

They all stare at him.

Rip: Everything is strange.

S2: Rip has never seen anything

S3: Soon a troop of children is at

S1: Rip is perplexed.

like it.

his heels.

Rip: Have I lost my mind?

S3: Then Rip notices that the

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picture of King George has been

John (to Rip): What is your name?

S2: The people stare hard at Rip.

changed. The red coat is now

Rip: I . . . dont know. ImIm

Was he speaking the truth? Or had

painted blue, and in large letters

S2: The bystanders look at each

he gone crazy?

underneath, it says GENERAL

other, smirking and winking.

S3: They look to old Peter

GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Rip: I fell asleep on the mountain,

Vanderdonk. He is the oldest man

S1: Rip grabs his head.

and everythings changed. I cant

in the village and knows more than

Rip: Why dont I recognize my

tell what my name is or who I am.

anyone.

own village?

S3: A woman steps forward.

Peter: I believe him. The Kaatskill

Judith: Who is asking about the

Mountains have always been

Van Winkles?

haunted by strange beings.

S2: People are bustling about,

S1: The child in her arms begins

Helen: What do you mean?

including a man passing out flyers.

to cry.

Peter: Legend says that Captain

John: Elections today! Dont forget

Judith: Hush, little Rip.

Henrik Hudson, who discovered

to vote!

Rip: What is your name, good

this region long ago, visits every 20

S3: Nearby, a crowd of onlookers

woman?

years with his crew.

has gathered around Rip.

Judith: Judith.

John: Rubbish!

Theo: What brings you to the

Rip: And your fathers name?

Peter: My father once saw them in

election with a gun on your

Judith: Rip Van Winkle. But its

their old Dutch clothes, bowling in

shoulder and a mob at your heels?

been 20 years since he left, and

the hollow of the mountain. He

Are you trying to start a riot?

no one has heard from him since.

said the sound of their balls was

Rip: I am a poor, quiet man and a

His dog came home without him,

like distant peals of thunder.

loyal subject of the King.

poor critter.

Rip: Yes! Yes!

S1: The crowd goes wild with fury.

Rip (trembling): But where is your

Judith: So its true? You are my

John: Hes a spy!

mother?

father?

Theo: Away with him!

Judith: She died long ago; she

Rip: Indeed I am!

Rip: I mean no harm! I came in

broke a blood vessel while yelling

Judith: Then you shall live with us.

search of my neighbors. Where is

at a peddler.

We will have Old Rip, Rip Jr., and

Nicholas Vedder?

S2: Rip reaches out for the woman

baby Rip.

S2: An old man pipes up.

and her baby.

S1: It takes time for Rip to fully

Peter: Nicholas? He has been dead

Rip: I am your father! And that

grasp all that happened while

for 18 years!

must be my son over by the tree!

he slept.

Rip: And Van Bummel, the

Dont you recognize me?

John: We fought a revolution!

schoolmaster?

Judith: Im sorry. I was only a

Theo: Were free of King George!

Peter: He became a general in

child when my father left.

Peter: And now we are free citizens

the war.

S3: An old woman teeters over.

of the United States of America!

S3: Rip is puzzled.

She peers into Rips face.

S2: Rip tells his story to anyone

Rip: Does anybody know the Van

Old Woman: It is Rip Van Winkle!

who will listen. Some think he is

Winkle family?

Welcome home, neighbor. Why did

out of his head.

John: Oh, Rip Van Winkle! Thats

you run off, you old scoundrel?

S3: But others believe him.

him over there, leaning against

Rip: I didnt! Listen . . .

Judith: And whenever we hear a

the tree.

S1: It does not take Rip long to tell

thunderstorm, we say that the

S1: Rip turns and sees a man who

his story. For him, 20 years has

Dutch must be at their game of

looks exactly as he once looked.

been like one night.

ninepin again.

SCENE 5

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