Fox at School
By Edward Marshall
*This play has been broken into the three chapters of the book. You may choose
to do just one chapter or assign the chapters to different groups and perform as
a whole. However, the stories in these chapters are not consecutive.
Chapter 1: Fox on Stage
Parts (10):
Narrator 1
Miss Moon
Mom
Narrator 2
Carmen
Louise
Narrator 3
Fox
Junior
Dexter
Narrator 1:
Fox at School, Chapter 1: Fox on Stage, by Edward Marshall.
Narrator 2:
Fox wanted a part in the class play.
Miss Moon:
“We must be fair,”
Narrator 3:
said Miss Moon. And she put everyone’s name into a shoe box.
Miss Moon:
“Let’s see who will play the pretty princess.”
Narrator 1:
She drew out the first name.
Miss Moon:
“The pretty princess will be played by Carmen.”
Carmen:
“Oh goody!”
Narrator 2:
said Carmen.
Miss Moon:
“And now for the part of the mean dragon.”
Narrator 3:
Fox held his breath.
Miss Moon:
“The mean dragon will be played by Junior.”
Junior:
“I’ll do my best,”
Narrator 1:
said Junior.
Miss Moon:
“And now for the part of the handsome prince.”
Narrator 2:
Fox bit his nails.
Miss Moon:
“That part goes to Fox.”
Fox:
“Hot dog!”
Narrator 3:
said Fox.
Dexter:
“Rats,”
Narrator 1:
said Dexter.
Miss Moon:
“Everyone else will play flowers and trees.”
Fox:
“Gosh. The handsome prince!”
Miss Moon:
“Now, now. It is a hard part. You must learn it by heart.”
Fox:
“Don’t worry.”
Narrator 2:
That night Fox could not sleep. He was thinking about the play.
Fox:
“I’ll be great! The girls will follow me around!”
Louise:
“Fox is acting funny,”
Narrator 3:
said Louise the next morning.
Mom:
“So I see,”
Narrator 1:
said Mom.
Fox:
“You may bow.”
Louise:
“Do you know your part?”
Fox:
“There’s nothing to it.”
Narrator 2:
At recess Junior and Carmen worked on their parts.
Junior &
Carmen:
“Come on, Fox.”
Narrator 3:
But Fox was busy.
Fox:
“I will be a big hit,”
Narrator 1:
he told the girls.
Narrator 2:
The next day at play practice Carmen and Junior were very
nervous.
Carmen:
“I may throw up.”
Fox:
“Calm down.”
Miss Moon:
“Is everybody ready? Curtain going up!”
Carmen:
“Here I am, all alone in the forest,”
Junior:
“Ah-ha! I am going to eat you up!”
Carmen:
“Help! Help! Who will save me?”
Narrator 3:
Everyone looked at fox. But Fox just stood there.
Carmen:
“Who will save me?”
Narrator 1:
And everyone looked at Fox.
Fox:
“Uh.”
Narrator 2:
Miss Moon was very cross.
Miss Moon:
play.”
“You did not study your part! You are not serious about this
Dexter:
prince.
“Miss Moon, Miss Moon! I know the part of the handsome
And I know it by heart!”
Miss Moon:
“Really Dexter?”
Narrator 3:
The night of the play everyone was excited.
Carmen:
“I hope I don’t throw up.”
Junior:
“I hope I don’t forget my lines.”
Narrator 1:
Junior
But no one forgot. Carmen was very pretty as the princess.
made a fine dragon. Dexter was very good as the handsome
prince.
And Fox…
Louise:
“You were the best tree in the whole play.”
Fox:
“Just wait until next year.”
Chapter 2: Fox Escapes
Parts (9):
Narrator 1
Miss Moon
Mr. Sweet
Narrator 2
Carmen
Narrator 3
Fox
Junior
Dexter
Narrator 1:
Fox at School, Chapter 2: Fox Escapes, by Edward Marshall.
Narrator 2:
DING! DING! DING!
Dexter:
“Fire drill!”
Narrator 3:
cried Dexter.
Carmen:
“Oh, goody,”
Narrator 1:
said Carmen.
Fox:
“Oh, no,”
Narrator 2:
said Fox.
Miss Moon:
“Now, single file,”
Narrator 3:
said Miss Moon.
Carmen:
“Fire drills are wild!”
Narrator 1:
The class got out of the building in a hurry. Dexter sat on a piece
of waxed paper to make himself go even faster.
Carmen:
“Whee!”
Miss Moon:
“You’re next, Fox.”
Narrator 2:
Fox looked down.
Fox:
“I don’t care for this.”
Miss Moon:
“Go on, Fox.”
Narrator 3:
But Fox didn’t move.
All:
“Come on, Fox!”
Junior:
“It’s fun!”
Carmen:
“It’s wild!”
Dexter:
“Fox is scared!”
Miss Moon:
“You’re not afraid, are you?”
Fox:
“Yes.”
Miss Moon:
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. It’s easy as pie.”
Fox:
“You may go first.”
Miss Moon:
“Not on your life! I always take the stairs.”
Fox:
“You aren’t afraid are you?”
Miss Moon:
“Uh.”
Mr. Sweet:
“Who is holding up this fire drill?”
Narrator 1:
said the principal, Mr. Sweet.
Dexter:
“It’s Fox.”
Mr. Sweet:
“Come down this minute. And you too, Miss Moon.”
Fox:
“I’ll go first.”
Narrator 2:
Fox closed his eyes. And down he went.
Fox:
“It’s easy as pie!”
Narrator 3:
went!
shouted Fox. Miss Moon took a deep breath. And down she
The class was very proud of her.
Chapter 3: Fox in Charge
Parts (9):
Narrator 1
Miss Moon
Mr. Sweet
Narrator 2
Narrator 3
Fox
Carmen
Betty
Class (Carmen, Betty and Dexter)
Dexter
Narrator 1:
Fox at School, Chapter 3: Fox in Charge, by Edward Marshall.
Narrator 2:
Carmen, Dexter, and Fox were on their way to school.
Carmen:
“I’m going to be a pilot when I grow up,”
Narrator 3:
said Carmen.
Dexter:
“I think I’ll be a cowboy,”
Narrator 1:
said Dexter.
Carmen:
“What about you, Fox?”
Fox:
“I’m going to be a teacher,”
Narrator 2:
said Fox.
Carmen:
“You’re not serious.”
Fox:
“It’s an easy job.”
Narrator 3:
That morning Fox was in for a little surprise.
Miss Moon:
“I must be away for a few minutes,”
Narrator 1:
said Miss Moon.
Miss Moon:
“And I am putting Fox in charge.”
Fox:
“Hot dog!”
Miss Moon:
Fox:
“Keep them under control.”
“Don’t worry about a thing.”
Miss Moon:
“You will mind Fox,”
Narrator 2:
said Miss Moon to the class.
Class:
“Yes, Miss Moon.”
Miss Moon
“I’ll be back.”
Narrator 3:
And she left the room.
Fox:
“Open your readers, please.”
Class:
“You can’t make us.”
Fox:
“I’m in charge here. You will do as I say.”
Class:
“That’s what you think! We’re going to have some fun!”
Narrator 1:
And in no time at all the room was a real zoo. Junior threw
spitballs. Dexter stuck gum on Betty’s tail. And Carmen showed
everyone her underpants.
Narrator 2:
The class was out of control.
Narrator 3:
Fox looked out into the hall.
Fox:
“Here she comes!”
Narrator 1:
Everyone sat down—fast. They sat and waited for Miss Moon.
Narrator 2:
She did not come.
Dexter:
“You tricked us! Now we’re really going to go hog-wild!”
Narrator 3:
room.
And they did. All of a sudden the principal stepped into the
He was hopping mad!
Mr. Sweet:
Narrator 1:
“What is the meaning of this?”
said Mr. Sweet.
Dexter:
“It’s all Fox’s fault! He’s in charge.”
Mr. Sweet:
“Is that so, Dexter?”
Dexter:
“He couldn’t keep us under control.”
Mr. Sweet:
“I think someone should come with me to the office.”
Fox:
“Uh-oh”
Narrator 2:
When Miss Moon came back, she found the class all quiet.
Miss Moon:
“How nice. But where is Dexter?”
Class:
“He’s in the principal’s office.”
All:
The end.