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THE RICH FAMILY AND THE POOR FAMILY
by
THE BROOKE ELEMENTARY THEATRE COMPANY
with Emily Cicchini
SETTINGS
The Costillo’s kitchen
The Gonzales’ home
The Jardine
CHARACTERS:
THE GONZALES FAMILY:
MARISOL--GRANDMOTHER GONZALES
KASSIE--SELIA,
ANA--CHRISTIANA
RAMON--RAUL
THE COSTILLO FAMILY:
ROXANNE--MRS. COSTILLO
JOSHUA--MR. COSTILLO
JESUS--RUBEN
MIREYA--MARIANA
THE NARRATORS:
MAURICE--THE GINGERBREAD MAN
ANGELA--DELIA*
MAYRA--TALIA
* Also the understudy for CHRISTIANA
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PROLOGUE
(Down center)
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Once upon a time, there was a rich family...
TALIA: And a poor family.
DELIA: We know, because they are friends of ours.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Who are you?
TALIA: I’m Talia!
DELIA: And I’m Delia!
TALIA: And we’re sisters!
DELIA: But who are you?
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Look at my eyes and what do you see?
TALIA: The flag of Mexico!
DELIA: The flag of the United States!
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: And smell me. What do I smell like?
TALIA: Merry Christmas!
DELIA: Feliz Navidad!
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Do you know who I am now?
TALIA: No...
DELIA: We give up!
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Well, we’ll just have to go on with the story then,
won’t we? It all started one lunch time in the kitchen of the rich Costillos...
SCENE ONE
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(In the Costillo’s Kitchen, MARIANA is playing with dolls. RUBEN is playing with a
guitar. It is lunch time.)
MARIANA: Ruben. Come play with me.
RUBEN: No. I want to practice my guitar.
MARIANA: But Daddy is working and Mommy is shopping. I need you to take
care of me...
RUBEN: Oh, all right...
(CHRISTIANA enters)
MARIANA: Christiana! Christiana! Tell me a story!!!
CHRISTIANA: What kind of story?
RUBEN: She can’t tell you a story. She doesn’t have time.
MARIANA: But she tells good stories...
RUBEN: No. She is our maid. She has to work. Go fix me some food.
CHRISTIANA: Alright.
(MARIANA gives RUBEN a doll)
MARIANA: Here, Ruben. You be the father. Okay?
RUBEN: Okay. “Come here, daughter.”
MARIANA: “Daddy, daddy! Give me some money, so I can go on a trip to Fiesta
Texas!”
RUBEN: “No, no, no. You can’t go to America, and I won’t give you any money...”
MARIANA: “Waaa, waaa, waa....”
(MR. and MRS. COSTILLO enter)
MR. COSTILLO: Christiana. I want my lunch now, Okay?
CHRISTIANA: Ya vengo contu comida.
MR. COSTILLO: What do you say. You know I don’t know Spanish well.
MRS. COSTILLO: In this house, we speak English.
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CHRISTIANA: I said I’m coming.
RUBEN: Give me some spaghetti.
MARIANA: And me too.
MR. COSTILLO: Where are my tortillas?
CHRISTIANA: How many do you want?
MR. COSTILLO: I want three.
CHRISTIANA: Sorry. We only have one.
MRS. COSTILLO : That’s impossible. Go get some more. Here’s 50 pesos.
CHRISTIANA: But they cost a 125 pesos. Do you want something else?
MR. COSTILLO: Here’s 100 pesos. Go buy us some food.
CHRISTIANA: Give me a list of food to buy, and I will buy it.
RUBEN: But I’m hungry now! Do you have some pizza?
MARIANA: Yeah!
RUBEN: Or some chicken?
MARIANA: Yeah!
RUBEN: Or some hamburgers?
CHRISTIANA: No, no, no. You are out of everything.
MR. COSTILLO: Well. I guess we will just have to go out for lunch.
MRS. COSTILLO: Where should we go?
MR. COSTILLO: How about Miami. If we leave right now, we can fly there by
1:00.
MRS. COSTILLO: What about Mariana?
MR. COSTILLO: Ruben will take care of her. Won’t you, Ruben?
RUBEN: Yes, father.
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MRS. COSTILLO: I can’t believe it. Miami for lunch! We are so lucky to be so
rich!
(MR. and MRS. COSTILLO exit)
RUBEN: We are finished.
MARIANA: Come play with us, Christiana...
CHRISTIANA. Ruben. Excuse me. But today, you have to pay me my money.
RUBEN: In a minute, Christiana...
CHRISTIANA: Give me my money!
RUBEN: Okay. You don’t have to scream. How much?
CHRISTIANA: 20 pesos.
RUBEN: I’m only going to give you 15 because you have not treated me right.
(RUBEN leaves and he leaves 15 pesos on the table)
CHRISTIANA: Un dia me va a pagar el dinero de vedar.
MARIANA: Why are you mean to my brother? You should just go home.
(CHRISTIANA does. MARIANA plays with her dolls. THE GINGERBREAD
MAN, DELIA and TALIA enter)
MARIANA: Who are you?
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Do you want to play with us?
MARIANA: Okay.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Think about the place where Chrisitana lives.
DELIA: Everything is in one room.
DELIA: But it is clean and warm...
MARANA: And she has a sister, and a brother just like me!
SCENE TWO
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(In the home of CHRISTIANA, SELIA, and RAUL. SELIA is wearing a
dress with flowers. It is night. GRANDMA GONZALES is there, too.)
CHRISTIANA: I’m home!
SELIA: Be sure that you close the door right.
(RAUL makes snoring sounds. SELIA is reading books)
CHRISTIANA: What are you doing with that book in your face?
SELIA: Blood is very ugly!
CHRISTIANA: Hi! Grandma.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Hello, Christiana. Did you work very hard
today?
CHRISTIANA: Yes I did.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Do you want something to eat? We had dinner
already...
CHRISTIANA: No. It’s okay. Where is Raul?
GRANDMA GONZALES: He’s asleep.
CHRISTIANA: Selia. Would you wake up Raul?
SELIA: Why won’t you do it. You have legs...
CHRISTIANA: I had a bad day, so just do it.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Selia. You spend all day sitting down learning. Your
sister works so hard for all of us. Go get your brother if she wants to see him.
SELIA: Okay. This time, I’ll do it.
(SELIA wakes RAUL up. He runs around the room)
RAUL: Ahh! Ahh! Ahh!
SELIA: Calm down. I have to read my medical books.
RAUL: I want some company! I want to play!
SELIA: Well, okay, but be quiet.
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RAUL: Why? Are you reading a loud?
GRANDMA GONZALES: Now, you all be quiet. I making cupcakes.
(A knock on the door)
GRANDMA GONZALES: I wonder who that could be?
(She opens the door)
GRANDMA GONZALES: Ruben!
RUBEN: Hi. I just wanted to give back Christana’s scarf. She left it at our house
today.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Thank you. I’ll go see if she’s still up...
RUBEN: No! You don’t need to...
RAUL: Who are you?
RUBEN: I’m your sister’s boss.
RAUL: Why you got so much money?
RUBEN: Because I work more and I am older.
RAUL: I’m sleepy. I’m going to bed.
GRANDMA GONZALES: She’s getting ready for bed now.
RUBEN: Okay, then. I’m gonna go now.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Goodbye.
(RUBEN leaves. RAUL and CHRISTIANA go to bed)
CHRISTIANA: You want me to tell you a story?
RAUL: Yes.
CHRISTIANA: Okay. Once there were two sisters. They got hungry so the
woman cooked a gingerbread man.
(While CHRISTIANA tells the story, THE GINGERBREAD MAN comes in and
acts the story out with DELIA and TALIA playing the sisters)
SELIA: Shh! I have to study. I have a test coming up.
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CHRISTIANA: Well, he needs a story. She put two gumdrops for eyes, one
yellow and green, the other eye was blue, red and white. Just as they were
about to eat him, he got up and ran away, and a fox ate him!
(THE GINGERBREAD MAN runs, DELIA and TALIA scream and runaway!)
RAUL: ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.
CHRISTIANA: Let’s get some sleep, okay?
SELIA: (putting down books) I’m hungry.
GRANDMA GONZALES: How can you still be hungry. You ate like a pig tonight.
SELIA: It takes a lot of energy to think as much as me. Give me a cupcake.
GRANDMA GONZALES: No. They are to sell at the market tomorrow.
CHRISTIANA: Grandma, I have some bad news. My boss didn’t pay me all my
money.
SELIA: Oh, no. How will I pay to finish my school?
GRANDMA GONZALES: And how will we pay for breakfast?
CHRISTIANA: Let’s just go to sleep and think about it in the morning.
(CHRISTIANA, GRANDMA GONZALES, and SELIA go to sleep. THE
GINGERBREAD MAN, DELIA and TALIA sneak in)
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Shh. They are sleeping!
DELIA: Oh no. What are they going to do?
TALIA: I feel sorry for them.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: What about me? I was eaten by a fox!
DELIA: Then why are you still here?
TALIA: Maybe it was just a story.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Yes, and stories can have happy endings, too. So,
let’s skip ahead to the next day. Where should the next scene be?
DELIA: In the park!
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TALIA: In the Jardine. Like in Mexico.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: And how is it set up?
DELIA: There are lots of plants and trees...
TALIA: And a lot of people selling things!!!
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: Like this? Fruit! Ice-Cream! Get your Fruit and IceCream here...
DELIA and TALIA: Yeah!!!
SCENE THREE
(In the Jardine. Morning. CHRISTIANA, RAUL, and SELIA are selling things.
GRANDMA GONZALES sits behind them. RUBEN walks around, carrying his
guitar)
RAUL: Get your watches! Get your watches here!
CHRISTIANA: Cupcakes. I’m selling cupcakes...
GRANDMA GONZALES: There is your boss. Why don’t you talk to him?
CHRISTIANA: Do you want some cupcakes?
RUBEN: This one looks good. How much are they.
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CHRISTIANA: They are 325 pesos.
RUBEN: Here you go.
CHRISTIANA: So now you pay me...
RUBEN: Oh, that’s right. Here is that other money I owe you.
CHRISTIANA: Thank you.
RUBEN: I’m sorry for the way I treated you.
CHRISTIANA: Me too.
(MARIANA runs on)
MARIANA: Ruben! Ruben! Mommy and Daddy are home!
CHRISTIANA: Hello, Mariana...
MARIANA: Why are you selling things in the Jardine, Christiana?
CHRISTIANA: Because we are poor and we need the money.
MARIANA: Is that why you were mad at my brother?
CHRISTIANA: Yes. But we made up.
MARIANA: Good. Now you can tell me stories again...
GRANDMA GONZALES: I’m here to sell sodas! Sodas!
RUBEN: How much are they?
GRANDMA GONZALES: They cost 150 pesos. So you want to buy it?
RUBEN: Yes.
GRANDMA GONZALES: What kind do you want?
RUBEN: A Doctor Pepper.
GRANDMA GONZALES: Okay. Here you go.
RUBEN: Thank you.
SELIA: I’m selling flowers. You want some?
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RUBEN: What do I need flowers for?
SELIA: Because they make you happy.
RUBEN: What?
SELIA: Don’t you ever feel happy?
RUBEN: No. I have to work too hard at my job with computers. At least, I used
to work hard before last night...
SELIA: I know. I’m am going to school to be a Doctor. And it is very hard...
RUBEN: They only thing that makes me happy is singing. How much does it
cost?
SELIA: For you? Nothing! So here you are.
(Gives him a bunch of flowers. MR. and MRS. COSTILLO enter)
MR. COSTILLO: Son! What are you doing!
RUBEN: Nothing, father...
MRS. COSTILLO: Are you spending money on these poor people?
RUBEN: I need a watch.
MR. COSTILLO: You’re not supposed to spend the money I gave you.
RUBEN: But Dad!
MR. COSTILLO: Don’t Dad me son. I work too hard for this money! Your boss
called me and told me you got fired.
RUBEN: I don’t care. I hated that job. I need to help these people because they
do not have money and their working hard for it, too. How much are those?
(RUBEN goes to RAUL to buy a watch)
RAUL: 500 pesos.
MR. COSTILLO: That is the last straw!
MRS. COSTILLO: I’m going to empty your pockets this minute!
RUBEN: No. You can’t boss me around!
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MR. COSTILLO: You come back here!
RUBEN: Mom. Please. You’re embarrassing me...
MR. COSTILLO: Don’t make me come after you!
RUBEN: Okay.
MR. COSTILLO: Give me all your money right now. If you can’t listen to me, I’m
taking everything away from you! I will have even more money to spend on my
food.
(MR. COSTILLO walks away)
MR. COSTILLO: Ruben. You need to go and find a new job if you want to keep
paying that maid of yours. We will not give you any more money unless you get
a job!
(MRS. COSTILLO walks away. RUBEN goes to CHRISTIANA)
RUBEN: Christiana, I am sorry. But I cannot pay you anymore to be my maid.
CHRISTIANA: That’s alright. I like selling cupcakes better. But what will you do
for money now?
RUBEN: I don’t know.
(THE GINGERBREAD MAN, DELIA, and TALIA come forward)
DELIA: Oh, no. Now he is poor, too!
TALIA: What would you do, Delia, if we were poor?
DELIA: I would ask people if I could have a job.
TALIA: I would save all my money and only spend it on things that I really
needed.
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: But the other part is that people all around the world
must learn to give, just like me, the Gingerbread Man!!!
(THE GINGERBREAD man brings RUBEN his guitar, and a rocking
chair to sit in)
RUBEN: (sings)
“Oh, give me a home
Where the buffalo roam
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And the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.
Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.”
MRS. COSTILLO: Ruben! We didn’t know you could sing...
RUBEN: Neither did I!
DELIA & TALIA: We think you are wonderful...
THE GINGERBREAD MAN: You have a bright future in show business!
MR. COSTILLO: I will give you money so you can study your guitar, and become
a mariachi.
RUBEN: And I will come and buy all my food from you!
CHRISTIANA: And I will give the money to you so you can become a doctor!
SELIA: And I will give my money to Grandma so she can take care of us.
GRANDMA GONZALES: And I will watch the children and make sure they are
safe.
(RAUL and MARIANA are playing with dolls)
RAUL: “Give me all your money”
MARIANA: “There you go. Take it. Take it. Take it. I just want to sing...”
EVERYONE:
“Home, home on the range
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard
A discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.”
(repeat in Spanish)
(THE END)
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