FAIRY tALea magical story of good and evilWhat does it take to become a magical wizard?

Readers theater Play

www.ScholaStic.com/Scope • APriL 8, 2013 11

OZThe Great and Powerful

sceNe 1

N1: Clouds roll in over a run-down carnival in the early

1900s. In a dusty tent, Oz stands onstage.

oz: I am the Great Oz, master of magic! I need a

volunteer from the audience. How about you, madam?

mAY: Oh, yes!

N2: May runs up onstage.

oz (whispering to May): Remember, just like I told you.

N1: Oz instructs May to lie down on a table.

oz: You are falling into a deep sleep.

mAY (yawning): Soooo sleeeepy.

What does it mean to be great?

As YoU ReAD, thINK ABoUt:

Circle the character you will play.

*NARRAtoRs 1 & 2 (N1, N2)*oz, a magicianmAY, a young womanLIttLe GIRLcRoWD 1 (half the class reads this part)cRoWD 2 (the other half reads this part)theoDoRA, a witch*eVANoRA, a witchFINLeY, a flying monkey*GLINDA, a witchKNUcK, a munchkin*Starred characters are major roles.

chARActeRs

BAseD oN the NeW

moVIe, NoW IN theAteRs

James Franco as Oz

adaPtEd witH PERmissiOn fROm tHE mOtiOn PiCtuRE Oz tHE GREat and POwERful, diRECtEd by sam Raimi, sCREEn stORy by mitCHEll kaPnER, sCREEnPlay by mitCHEll kaPnER and daVid lindsay-abaiRE, basEd On tHE wORks Of l. fRank baum. ©2012 disnEy EntERPRisEs, inC.

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12 ScholaStic Scope • APriL 8, 2013

oz: I call upon the spirits to make you rise.

N2: May’s body is lifted off the table with

invisible wires. The audience gasps.

N1: A little girl in a wheelchair smiles up at Oz.

LIttLe GIRL: Make me walk.

oz (whispering to her): It’s just a show, kid.

LIttLe GIRL: But I believe in you.

cRoWD 1: Come on, make her walk!

cRoWD 2: He’s a fake! Give back our money!

N2: The crowd rushes the stage.

N1: Oz dashes out and jumps into his hot-air

balloon.

cRoWD 1: There he is—get him!

oz: I’ve cut the rope! So long!

N2: As the balloon rises into the sky, a dark

swirling storm gathers.

oz: Oh no! A twister!

N1: The storm pulls Oz and his balloon into its funnel.

N2: The roaring wind bashes and batters his balloon.

oz (yelling to the heavens): Let me live, and I promise I

will be a great man!

N1: Lightning flashes. Thunder claps. Oz cowers.

N2: Suddenly, the wind stops. Oz peeks out of the

basket.

oz (bewildered): Blue skies? White puffy clouds? And

look at that sparkling river.

N1: The balloon gently lands.

sceNe 2

N2: A woman appears.

theoDoRA: Welcome to the Land of Oz.

oz: Oz? That’s me. My name is Oscar Diggs. Everyone

calls me Oz.

theoDoRA: The prophecy is true! Our king’s dying

words were that a great wizard named Oz would fall

from the sky to save us. And here you are!

N1: Before Oz can reply, a flock of flying baboons

swoops down, slashing at them with razor-sharp claws.

theoDoRA: It’s the Wicked Witch’s minions. They will

kill us!

N2: Oz takes a dove out of his hat and lets it go.

oz: Fly away, little dove, and the baboons will follow.

N1: Theodora, impressed, watches the baboons fly

after the dove.

theoDoRA: You saved my life.

oz: So, just how wicked is this witch?

theoDoRA: She poisoned her own father, the

king, because she wanted the throne for

herself.

oz: I don’t like witches. Never have.

theoDoRA: I too am a witch. I’m Theodora

the Good. And you, Great Oz, you’re going to

be a great king.

oz: Uh . . . king?

sceNe 3

N2: Theodora brings Oz to the Emerald City,

where turrets and towers soar into the sky.

theoDoRA: All this will be yours.

oz: Good thing my favorite color is green. But why are

the shop windows smashed in? And why are there claw

marks on the walls?

theoDoRA: My sister chased the Wicked Witch from

the Emerald City, but she sends her baboons every

night. They destroy our land and

torment our people.

N1: Oz sees a grand building ahead.

theoDoRA: That is your palace.

N2: Theodora leads Oz to the

beautiful throne room.

theoDoRA: Allow me to introduce

my sister, Evanora.

eVANoRA: Great Wizard, I’ve kept

watch over your throne. Shall I give

you a tour?

N1: Evanora leads Oz to a

secret room heaping with

coins and jewels.

eVANoRA: This

treasure belongs to

the king—

oz: It’s all mine?

Gold and rubies

and—

eVANoRA: —but

to become king,

traveling circuses were a popular form of entertainment in the 1900s.

they featured contortionists, fire-breathers, magicians, and

other strange acts.

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you must kill the Wicked Witch.

oz: Wait. Nobody mentioned killing anyone.

eVANoRA: Great Wizard, your magic is the only thing

that can destroy her.

oz: But how will I find her?

N2: Evanora snaps her fingers and a tiny winged

monkey appears.

eVANoRA: This is Finley. He will show you the way.

sceNe 4

N1: Oz walks with Finley, who keeps sighing worriedly.

oz: OK, we find the witch, I kill her, then I get the gold.

N2: A cloaked figure floats down from the sky.

oz: That must be the Wicked Witch.

N1: Oz creeps closer, preparing to pounce.

FINLeY: Wizard, stop!

N2: The cloaked witch takes off her hood.

GLINDA: Did you say “wizard”? I have been waiting for

you. I am Glinda, the Witch of the South.

FINLeY: Glinda the Good.

oz: She’s good? Finley, why didn’t you tell me?

FINLeY: Evanora threatened to kill me.

GLINDA: Evanora is the true Wicked Witch. She made

everyone believe I poisoned my father, but it was she

who did it.

oz: What about the baboons?

GLINDA: Evanora controls them. She has fooled

everyone in the Emerald City, even Theodora, her own

sister. The people of Oz live in fear. We need you.

N1: Suddenly, a swarm of Evanora’s screeching

baboons rushes toward them.

oz: What do we do?

GLINDA: You’re the wizard. Use your magic.

oz: Uh . . . run!

N2: Glinda sees the fear in Oz’s eyes and realizes he is

not a real wizard.

N1: She takes his hand. They rise into the sky inside a

magic bubble. The baboons cannot get at them.

N2: Oz, Glinda, and Finley float across the countryside.

GLINDA: There’s my kingdom, up ahead.

N1: Hundreds of people below are waving and

cheering.

The Emerald City in the land of Oz. Left: Glinda, played by Michelle Williams.

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oz: You are greatly admired.

GLINDA: The excitement is for you. They are

happy because you’ve come to save them.

N2: They land at Glinda’s castle. A Munchkin

approaches.

KNUcK: Welcome, Great Oz!

oz (aside to Glinda): Look, I’m not exactly a

wizard.

GLINDA: I know. But if you can make my

people believe, then you are wizard enough.

oz: Will I still get the gold?

GLINDA (sighing): Yes.

oz (to the crowd ): Good people of Oz, your

Wizard is here!

cRoWD 1 AND 2: Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

sceNe 5

N1: Later that day, Oz and Glinda talk.

oz: I assume you have a plan.

GLINDA: No, you have a plan.

oz: Right. Are you going to tell me what it is?

GLINDA: You’re going to lead us into battle and take

back the throne.

oz: Uh, OK. Where’s the army?

GLINDA: We have farmers, tinkers, and

Munchkins. What they lack in fighting skills,

they make up for in ingenuity. They can

make anything.

N2: Glinda spreads out a map of Oz.

GLINDA: We can come from the east, but we

have to steer clear of the poppy fields.

oz: Why’s that?

GLINDA: One good whiff, and it’s everlasting

sleep.

N1: Glinda picks up Oz’s old book of magic.

GLINDA: This is your book of tricks, isn’t

it? Stop worrying about being the Wizard. Be what

you are!

oz: Which is?

GLINDA: A trickster. A cheat. Make these tricks your

battle plan.

sceNe 6

N2: Oz gathers the people of Glinda’s kingdom. He

shows them a blueprint for a large projector.

oz: I need you tinkers to build this. Farmers, gather all

the straw you have. And you, Munchkins, can you sew

clothes for scarecrows?

KNUcK: Yes, indeedy!

N1: Everyone works excitedly on Oz’s plan.

N2: Finley speaks to Glinda.

FINLeY: Oz is teaching us to build little rockets called

“fireworks.”

GLINDA: It’s been a long time since we had hope.

FINLeY: But Oz keeps sneaking off to his shredded

balloon. I have doubts about him.

GLINDA: So do I. But I am choosing to believe he is a

good man. We must always hold a place for each of us

to grow into our best selves.

N1: Oz and the tinkers load the equipment onto a cart.

oz: Everyone take your positions. It’s showtime.

sceNe 7

N2: From her perch, Evanora looks out over a foggy

battlefield.

eVANoRA: Glinda has sent soldiers. How sweet. ist

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We’d run from this evil baboon too.

14 ScholaStic Scope • APriL 8, 2013

Poppies are a symbol of sleep,

peace, and death. ancient Romans

used them as offerings to the dead. Poppies also represent

remembrance for fallen soldiers.

www.ScholaStic.com/Scope • APriL 8, 2013 15

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N1: A horde of flying baboons swoops toward the field.

eVANoRA: Tear those soldiers apart!

N2: The baboons rip the soldiers to shreds.

eVANoRA: It’s . . . a trick! Those . . . those soldiers are

made of straw!

N1: The soldiers are actually scarecrows. Glinda’s

farmers are pushing them forward on rolling racks, into

the poppy field. The baboons follow.

eVANoRA: Noooo! The poppy field! Retreat!

N2: It’s too late. The baboons swoon and fall over.

N1: Meanwhile, Oz leads his group to the Emerald City.

oz: I’ll be right back, Finley.

N1: Oz dashes away. Finley secretly follows Oz as he

runs to the Treasure Room. Oz fills sacks with gold.

N2: Oz takes the sacks to his repaired balloon and loads

them in the basket.

FINLeY: This was your secret project? You’re leaving?

oz: I’m just a con man, Finley.

FINLeY: No. You’re a wizard. Our people believe in you.

sceNe 8

N1: Glinda is captured and brought to the palace.

eVANoRA: Oh Glinda, why do you continue to resist?

GLINDA: Because I believe in the Wizard.

N2: Suddenly, they see Oz’s balloon rising into the sky.

cRoWD 1: Where is he going?

cRoWD 2: He’s abandoning us!

N1: Evanora throws a fireball at the balloon. It

explodes in a great burst of flames.

eVANoRA: He’s not so great and powerful after all.

N2: No one knows that Oz wasn’t in the balloon. He

turns on a secret projector.

oz (in a booming voice): PEOPLE OF OZ! IT IS I, THE

GREAT WIZARD.

N1: An enormous hologram of Oz’s face appears.

oz: YOU THOUGHT YOU COULD KILL ME? I AM

MORE POWERFUL THAN EVER.

eVANoRA: Can this be true?

oz: WATCH ME UNLEASH THE STARS!

N2: The sky explodes in a spectacular fireworks

display. Evanora thinks it is magic.

eVANoRA (scared ): He is the Wizard.

GLINDA: Wicked Evanora, you shall leave the Emerald

City, and never return!

N1: Evanora flees into the night.

GLINDA: The Land of Oz is free.

cRoWD 1 AND 2: Hooray!

N2: Oz appears behind Glinda, hidden from the crowd.

oz: Pssst. Hi.

GLINDA: I knew you had it in you.

oz: Greatness?

GLINDA: Something even better. Goodness. •

Oz explains the blueprint for his projector.

16 ScholaStic Scope • APriL 8, 2013

Write About Greatness L. Frank Baum achieved greatness, but it took many years, not unlike a certain wizard he created. In the play, how does Oz achieve greatness? What obstacles does he have to overcome, and who helps him along the way? Answer these questions in two to three well-organized paragraphs. Use text evidence. Sent your response to oz coNtest. Five winners will each get Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. See page 2 for details.

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Young L. Frank Baum spent a lot of time by himself. Growing

up in the mid-1800s, Baum suffered from a heart condition that prevented him from running around outside as much as other kids. Luckily, he had his imagination to keep him company. Baum loved reading novels and fairy tales. He especially loved dreaming up stories to entertain his friends and family.

Baum was also very, very ambitious. As an adult, he became a schemer, always search-ing for that special “thing” that would make him extraordinary.

Yet greatness seemed to elude him. He became a chicken farmer, then an actor. (He loved

chickens all his life and

AUthoR PRoFILe

kept a flock of them to his dying day.) He worked as a playwright and bought several theaters, but gave them up after one burned down. He married, moved to South Dakota, and opened a general

What he knew for sure, though, was that he still loved making up stories to entertain his own kids as well as the other kids in his neighborhood.

Then his mother-in-law convinced him to try to sell his delightful stories. In 1900, Baum did just that. He published the book that would define his career: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It was an instant best seller.

You might know the story: A cyclone sweeps a girl named Dorothy and her dog, Toto, away from their dreary home in Kansas and delivers them to a magical land called Oz. Before she can get home, Dorothy must journey down the treacherous yellow-brick road, defeat a wicked witch, and, of course, find the all-powerful Wizard.

Before he died in 1919, Baum wrote more than 70 books for children, including 14 novels set in Oz. His saga has been called “America’s first fairy tale.”

After decades of failure, Baum had finally achieved greatness.•

Meet the Real Wizard of Oz the fascinating man behind the famous fairy tale By Justin o’Neill

A scene from The Wizard of Oz movie (1939). Today, this classic is one the most-watched films ever.

L. Frank Baum (1856–1919)

store, but it went bankrupt after two years. Next he bought a news-paper, but he had to shut it down when no one read it.

Baum had many more careers—as a traveling salesman, a window dresser, and even an axle-grease manufacturer. Nothing seemed to work out, though. It was as if he just couldn’t find his place in the world.