Description

World Smile Day Play – Turn That Frown Upside Down!

World Smile Day Play. A play to make you smile – I hope! I will probably release at least another 20 versions of this play as there was so much material to work with! I have just added the song ‘Happy’ by Pharrell Williams which I am sure everyone will enjoy clapping and singing along to. It is on the scripts that I send out as email attachments.

I have used this play as the basis for another – entitled ‘Happy to Be Me’ in the PSHE section of the website. ‘Happy to Be Me’ is a longer version, with additional joke and music suggestions.

Here are some extracts: Enjoy!

Cast

• Narrator
• Grumpy Young Girl 1 (alias GYG1)
• Grumpy Young Girl 2 (alias GYG2)
• Grumpy Young Boy 1 (alias GYB 1)
• Grumpy Young Boy 2 (alias GYB2)
• (Collectively known as GYP – Grumpy Young People)
• (See Production notes at back for*1 suggestions on how these four can be presented, and cast numbers)
• Seven Children from Sound of Music
• Quotation Children (Qs: 1-7)
• Proverb Children (Ps: 1 – 7)

World Smile Day Play. Music 1 What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong

(Enter 2 grumpy young girls, alias GYGs, and 2 grumpy young boys, alias GYBs, holding their hands over their heads)

GYG1:   What a din!

GYB1:    Somebody turn off that music!

GYG2:   Yeah! I’ve got a headache!

GYB2:    Me too! And it’s getting worse by the minute!

(Enter Narrator)

Narrator:             (Coughing) Er excuse me! But hasn’t anybody told you what day it is today?

GYG1:                   Not Monday, I hope. Worst day of the week!

GYB1:                    Nah! Every day of the week’s bad ….. when you’re having to spend it at school!

Narrator:             Enough! Where did you lot crawl from? The wrong side of bed perhaps?

(Falls about laughing)

GYG2:                   (Sarcastically) Oh! I see we have a joker in our midst!

GYB2:                    (Sarcastically) Oh! What fun!

Narrator:             Now, come on, you miserable lot! This really won’t do!

(Pauses and looks towards rest of cast)

Looks like we’re gonna have to tell them what day it is. Let’s hear it …..

Cast:                      (Shouting) World Smile Day!

(Everyone holds up a smiley face)

Narrator:             And what do we do on World Smile Day? We

Cast:                      (Shouting) Smile!

GYG1:                   You’ve got to be kidding!

GYB1:                    Is he for real?

GYG2:                   What a fool!

GYB2:                    Hasn’t anyone told him it’s not cool …. To play the fool!

Narrator:             Oh I get it!

GYG1:                   I doubt it!

Narrator:             Oh, I think I do!

(Turning to rest of cast)

Looks like we have a bit of a challenge this morning! So, what are we going to do, gang?

Cast:                      (Shouting) Turn that frown,

(Everyone frowns)

Upside down!

(Everyone beams)

GYP:                      (Together) No way!

Narrator:             (Stroking his chin) We’ll see! So, what makes the rest of you smile?

(GYP group sit down, scowling, whilst seven children from The Sound of Music stand up and sing – either original version, or *2alternative version – see Production Notes)

Music 2 My Favourite Things: Sound of Music

(Singers return to seats, as rest of cast applauds enthusiastically – with the exception of GYP group, who shake their heads and make other derogatory gestures)

Narrator:             (Scratching chin) Hmm. You lot certainly are difficult to please. So, let’s try some inspiring words ..

(Line of children with quotations, each stepping forward one at a time)

Q1:                         If you want to be happy, be!

Q2:                         If only we’d stop trying to be happy we could have a pretty good time!

Q3:                         What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner!

Q4:                         Some pursue happiness, others create it!

Q5:                         Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have!

In other words, be happy with what you’ve got!

Q6:                         You cannot always have happiness, but you can always give happiness!

Q7:                         Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

All Qs:                   (Jumping up and down) Jumping for joy is good exercise!

(Qs sit down, GYP stand up and mimic previous ‘jumping for joy’ actions)

GYG1:                   (Gasping for breath and sitting down heavily, scowling) Jumping for what?

GYG2:                   (Scowling in disgust) More likely to make you all hot and smelly!

GYB1 & 2:            (Holding noses) Ugh!

Narrator:             (Sighing) You know, you are the sad ones!

GYP:                      (Together, indignantly) Us?

Narrator:             Yes, you! Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important! So …..

(Turning to cast)

What do we need to tell them?

Cast:                      (Shouting together) Turn that frown, upside down!

World Smile Day Play. A sample of some of the Jokes!

Q1:                         Why did the chocolate chip cookie visit the doctor?

GYG1:                   So tell us. Why did the chocolate chip cookie visit the doctor?

Q1:                         He was feeling crumby!

(All groan)

Narrator:             OK! I’m sure they’ll get better! Next!

Q2:                         What is a baby’s motto?

GYB1:                    So tell us. What is a baby’s motto?

Q2:                         If at first you don’t succeed, cry, cry and cry again!

(All groan)

Narrator:             Oh dear! We’re going to have to do better than this! Next!

Q3:                         What did the grape do when it got stepped on?

GYG2:                   So tell us. What did the grape do when it got stepped on?

Q3:                         It let out a little wine!

(All laugh – GYP start to, then remember they’re meant to be grumpy and go back to scowling again)

Narrator:             That’s more like it! Next!

Q4:                         Why don’t skeletons fight each other?

GYB2:                    So tell us. Why don’t skeletons fight each other?

Q4:                         They don’t have the guts!

(All laugh – GYP group trying not to but beginning to ‘crumble’)

Narrator:             Aha! I think we’re succeeding! Next! I’ll take this one

Why did the teacher wear sunglasses?

GYG1:                   So why did the teacher wear sunglasses?

Narrator:             Because his class was so bright!

(All groan)

Narrator:             Oh dear. Just when we were getting somewhere.

Q5:                         It’s the way you tell ‘em, sir! Allow me. Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher?

(Pause)

He couldn’t control his pupils!

Music

1. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong
2. My Favourite Things – Sound of Music
3. Here Comes the Sun – Beatles
4. Summer Holiday – Cliff Richards
5. I Love to Laugh – Mary Poppins
6. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python.
For performance rights, please select from options below. Please note that these are in addition to the price of the play (11.99). For extra certificates (additional performances) and any queries re: performance rights please email me on

sue@oldsite.plays-r-ussell.com