Thomas Starr King Middle School - Echoes Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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CJingle of bells, enter first Jester Jokes, tumbling in, followed by King Fun, Queen lVIerry, the Prince and Princess, Prime Pomp, and Singing Page, courtiers, and ladies-in-waiting. Jester jingles bells, while King Fun, Queen Merry, Prime Pomp, and others join in the last few lines of the song. The King and Queen stand in center of the stage. The others are grouped around them, forming a semi-circle. The couch is at the right side of the stage. Betty and Dick remain on the couch during the visit of King Fun and his court. Children sit up and rub their eyes. Look around dazedly.J KING FUN Cimportantlyj-I am King Fun. This is my court! flndi- cates room full of pe1'sons.J My fair Queen fbows toward herj, my daughter and son, Princess Joy and Prince Gay. Undicates them. They bow to the children. During the entire performance the children watch every character as he talks or acts.J KING FUN Ccontinuingj-Prime Pomp Csweeps bow to himj, and the Court Fool, Singing Page, and-the rest of them! CCourtiers bow in acknowledgement when introduced and Jester Jokes turns a cartwheelij BETTY AND DICK fmurmuringj-Oh! CThey nod their heads shyly and gaze at each other in amazementj BETTY-I fcurtsiesj I-am pleased to know you. Am I dreaming-or -or is it morning? DICK--Foolish I JOKING JESTER-Neither. Too- dark for morning and too light- for dreaming. CI-Ie points toward the windows, yawns and stretches.j DICK-VVho's too light-Betty or I? BETTY-Foolish l QUEEN IVIERRY-:Mourning usually is dark you know! Now, when my father died, I wore black! JOKING JESTER-Foolish, Oh! Clletires discomfited. Courtiers gasp in horror that the Jester would dare to speak with disrespect to the Queen. The Jester puts his hand over his mouth and droops his head, amazed at his own boldnessj KING FUN-Jester Jokes, you are banished! CI-Ie points toward the door.J JESTER JOKES-Oh, But-Sire-Cgestures imploringly.J KING FUN--Enough! Go! CKeeps pointing toward the door.J PRINCE GAY-Father, please don't make him go! I-Ie's the best jester We ever had. CJester starts toward the door, but stops hesitatingly when some one pleads for him.j KING FUN-Yes, he is the best we ever had. PRINCE GAY-VVell, then you'll let him stay, won't you? KING FUN-He's the best-because he's the only one We'Ve ever had. No more dilly-dallying. Go! PRINCESS JOY-Please, father-Cpleadinglyj. Don't make him go. Please, please don't. KING FUN Chesitatesj-VVell-no, Jester Jokes you must go! CDeter- miuedj. QUEEN MERRY-Let him stay, Fun, I fully forgive him. Don't put srrdrzess into his life. Two Hundred Seven

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KING FUN -YVell, then-he-may- PRIIVIE POMP Qstage whisperj-I thought nobody could make you do what he wanted you to, when you didn't want to! KING FUN-He can-go! Be off with you. Not another Word! C-Tester goes, sadly shaking his head.j Wait! I-I guess you'll have to stay. I don't know where I can find another one. Uester turns very quicklyl. ALL-Hooray! Let's have a joke, jest, to celebrate! ,TESTER-Do you see that diamond in the center of King Fun's crown? CMysteriously as everyone turns to look., Watch closely-closely-- Prime Pomp, if you don't look you'll miss it! Watch-Watch! See it glitter-gleam. Look-Boo! f Boo is loudly proclaimed. Everyone has been watching anxiously, straining his eyes. At the Word, Boo! several jump very high into the air. The King's crown falls off. Con- fusion reigns, While the Queen picks up her large hairpin, which has fallen, and looks to see if anyone has seen her drop it. Pomp hastily picks up his false teeth, which have fallen out.j ALL-Oh! O-o-o-o-o-oh! DICK-That isn't a joke! I nearly jumped out of my shoes! .TESTER-You must admit that you were all interested. PRINCESS-I should say so! I was so interested that I slapped the Singing Page when you said Boo! There, there. Don't cry. CShe pats 'the Singing Page's shoulder coaxinglyj. SINGING PAGE-Boo-hoo. I lot my shoe-buckle. V PRIME POMP fgrimlyj-Here it is, in my hat! CI-Ie tosses it indignantlyj. .TESTER-As I was saying, you were all interested. Well, King Fun himself said that interest was the chief part of fun. Well, there. KING FUN!-Well said, Jester, well said. ,TESTER-I can say something funny about every person in this room. Prime Pomp has his false teeth in his handy Queen Merry, I think your hair needs that giant pin you are holding, King Fun, you Wig has come off-CCourtiers titter. Each one responds and is surprised.j DICK Churriedly, to change the subjectj-Why-why did you come here? KING FUN-You summoned me, my boy. V DICK,-I did not! I mean-oh, I really don't tlzink I did! KING FUN:-You said you didn't know what to do, didn't you? - DICK--Y-e-e-es. BETTY-I--I did, too. . Q KING FUN-You see, it is my duty to come to my children who 'don't know what to do, and to show them my treasure chest. , Cfwo courtiers leavej. It will be here soon. Meanwhile- ,ig w,:,,,,3 PRINCESS JOY-Oh, do sing, Singing Page! , . ,. ALL-Yes, yes, do! ' ' P SINGING PAGE fto tune of Blow, ye Wirids, Heigh-LoW. D--It's a pleasant trip with a walloper-snip, To the land of fun and joy, l P TllC1'C,fC cookie crumbs and sugar plums, For ev'ry gay girl and boy! , K There're joy and fun, if you.'ll only run And glimpse at King Fun's cour-our-ourt, Wliere Prime Pomp holds sway and good Prince Gay, Will act as your escort. Two Hundred Nine