Characters:
Narrators (between 2 and 18) you decide
Soldiers (4 - 8)
Dragon (3 - 4)
Emperor
Princess
Townies (8)
Members of the audience (4)
Mayor
total 45 or more (but you could perform it with 10)
Production Notes:
This play is based on the idea of a travelling group of actors, musicians etc. arriving at a town to put on a show in a marketplace or square. Thus the scenery needs to be the sort of thing that suggests a scene or a place and can be quickly placed on and off stage. Your stagehands should be part of the cast and dressed as the actors. If actors take several parts (which is probably a good idea,) again try to suggest a role rather than dress them completely anew. For comic effect, the more scenes, for example, where you have one actor frantically changing hats or whatever, the better. The dragon should definitely be the smallest member of the cast but s/he could have an awesome headpiece, or spiky tail.
The only members of the cast who should not be part of the stage ensemble are the members of the audience who should be just that and sit in the audience. They speak at the beginning and end of the play.
SCENE 5
Narrator 7
Let's go back now to
For in a town not far from him a terrible danger lurks.
A monstrous dragon has arrived, all grim and rank and scaly
And he wants food, the very best, twice or three times daily.
Behold you wretched people and hark to what I say
For I have come to tell you this is not your lucky day
Just lately I have noticed that my shape is getting thinner
So I have chosen you to be providers of my dinner
I'm sure I needn't tell you what I'll do if you refuse
So let me put it this way, I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.
Then, turning to his left the dragon looked upon the town
and with one flaming breath he burned a couple of houses down.
I am the mayor of this here town, I really must complain
We're not insured for loss by fire, so don't do that again.
Dear, handsome dragon, what we have wouldn't satisfy a toad
I wonder, have you thought to try the village down the road.
Don't try to wriggle out of it, I'm here and I shall stay
I don't care what I eat, just bring it three or four times a day
1st townie
That's all we need, a dragon, and a flaming one on top
It's hard enough to make ends meet, I'm fed up, fit to drop
Yeh, what's the point, I ask you all, of paying all these taxes
We need some help, the army say, when this 'ere dragon attacks us
That's absolutely right my friend, completely I agree
Oh, by the way, you're first in line to give the dragon his tea.
It went on day by day, a constant steady stream of food.
First vegetables, then cows and bulls, and the dragon never moved.
Things were getting worse and worse, the future it looked bleak
They knew the dragon's meals would run out well within a week.
Mayor
We'll go and talk it over with this evil greedy beast
He'll understand he'll have to go elsewhere to find a feast.
The mayor and townsfolk go off to find the dragon
Oh great and mighty dragon, we've a trifling little matter
Our food is gone, it's all used up, and you seem to be much fatter.
I'm sorry, that's your problem, my officious little friend.
I don't accept your argument, it's rather weak and feeble
If you have no more animals, then I'll start eating people