INTERACTIVE PUPPET PERFORMANCE TRACKS

“OLD MACDONALD” 5 min.

Return to AxTrax Web Page
FOR USE WITH AXTELL’S “OLD STORYTELLER” PUPPET

DIV. OF AXTELL EXPRESSIONS! (805) 642-7282

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY: STEVE AXTELL

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS: BILL BOLEY, GREG JACKSON & RYAN AXTELL

MUSIC, SOUND EFFECTS AND ENGINEERING BY: GREG JACKSON

RECORDED AT: TREEHOUSE PRODUCTIONS AND AXTELL ENTERTAINMENT

LEGAL NOTICE: By purchasing this routine you have the right to perform this routine and its musical components in live performances only. Not for use on television or on video productions without written permission. Limited Warranty of 3 weeks to replace damaged media. No refunds on electronic media.

SEE OTHER AXTRAX PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE FOR PUPPETS AND THE MAGIC DRAWING BOARD AT www.axtell.com

CD TRACK #1: Performance (Does not include your practice lines - use this to perform live.)

CD TRACK #2: Rehearsal (Includes your practice lines (YOU) that you will perform live.)

CDTRACKS #3-10: (Music only. For vents who want to do both parts and cue the music. Cues are

numbered in the script.)

#3: Opening music

#4: Squeaky back FX

#5: Siren FX

#6: Chorus

#7: Goof-up

#8: Animals

#9: Finale

#10: Closing music

PAUSES HAVE BEEN LEFT IN THE RECORDING TO ANTICIPATE AUDIENCE LAUGHTER

YOU CAN MODIFY THE (YOU) LINES TO FIT YOUR PERSONALITY. REWRITE AND BE CREATIVE!

SOUND ADVISE: You can perform this routine by playing the CD on a quality "boom box" portable stereo player in small areas, or over a professional sound system in large areas such as an auditorium or outside. Do not play on a small inexpensive CD player because the sound will distort when you try to play it loudly.

The CD should be played with plenty of volume. Kids will be laughing hard and will miss the routine if it is too quiet, and adults may keep laughter to a minimum for fear of missing parts of the program. The volume of the CD should be set about the same as if you were speaking over a microphone to be heard by the group, or louder.

It is best to have the CD played over a public address system and have the soundman preset the volume level to be compatible with the your microphone level.

Begin your presentation with the Storyteller puppet in a case or off-stage out of view.

(#3) OPENING MUSIC

YOU: Hey, everyone! How many of you have heard the song “Old MacDonald Had A Farm”? (audience response) Well, we have a very special guest for you today: it’s Old MacDonald himself. Let’s give him a big round of applause Bring him out looking at the ground and back at you nervously).

Mac: Ooh no! Uhh…careful now. Don’t drop me- it’s a l-o-n-g way down there (he leans over horizontally staring at the ground).

You: Well, don’t worry. I won’t let you fall.

Mac: (Looking up at you) Oh no, I’m stuck. Can you help me up?

You: Oh, sure.

(#4) SQUEAKY FX (Pull on his elbow to lift him back upright during sound effect.)

Mac: (Slowly turns) Thank you.

You: You’re welcome.

Mac: You know, I like to keep my feet on the ground. I’m and old farmer.

You: How old are you, anyway, 70?

Mac: 70!!…ha, ha, ha,…70!!…ha, ha, ha…oooh!

(He begins laughing, becoming hysterical- loses his balance)

You: Careful now, don’t fall.

Mac: Oh no, it’s a l-o-n-g way down there.

(#4) SQUEAKY FX (He leans over horizontally staring at the ground- his back creaks again as you lift him up).

Ah……Thank you.

You: You’re welcome. Old MacDonald, so, how old are you? Are you 80?

Mac: Hah! Not even close.

You: OK…90?

Mac: (Shakes head and chuckles)…Nah, I’m so old that at my last birthday party, they had to call the fire department to help me blow out the candles! Hah!

(#5) SIREN FX

You: (laugh)

Mac: I’m a very old antique, so don’t drop me- hah… it’s a l-o-n-g way down there (he stays down staring below). Uuh…nice shoes. . (He comments while looking down)

(#4) SQUEAKY FX. (His back creaks as you help him up again).

Ah, Thank you.

You: You’re welcome. Now Old MacDonald, tell us about that famous song.

Mac: Well, it’s a really catchy tune. Goes like this:

(#6) Old MacDonald had a farm

G-I-G-I Joe…

You: Excuse me…don’t you mean E-I-E-I-O?

Mac: E-I-E-I-Oh yeah, I keep forgettin’. Huh! You know, there’s two ways to tell if you’re getting old: one is a loss of memory, the second, ( Scrunch his face down by pulling down on your pinky and index fingers in his eyebrows) ...I forget.

Oh well, here we go:

(#7) Old MacDonald had a farm

E-I-K-L—M---N---O----Q… (becoming confused)

You: Old MacDonald?

Mac: Oh no, I forgot it again…aah. Hey, how ‘bout if you help me sing that part, would ya’?

You: Sure, we’ll do that, won’t we? (audience response)

Mac: OK…

(#7) Old MacDonald had a farm…

All: E-I-E-I-O (you encourage audience to sing here)

Mac: And on this farm I had a cow…

All: E-I-E-I-O

Mac: …Yeah, yeah, old Bessie… you know, and I, and I had a horse...hee hee...and I, and I had a few chickens too...don’t forget the pigs...and then there was the ducks (laughs) little wobblin’ back and forth when they walk... I had a dog…and a couple of cats...oh, and Smittie the goldfish (laughs)...and an armadilla and a gorilla, or was it a gorilla with an umbrella? I don’t know.

You: (Interrupting him- you act like you are talking, but he can’t hear you).

Mac: Huh? What? Hang...hang on a minute…(turns away from you and yells into the air) Q-U-I-E-T!! (all noise stops)

(Old Mac turns directly to you) How can I help ya’?

You: Could we finish the song, please?

Mac: What song? O yeah, ha…I was getting’ to that. And now for the big finish:

(#9) Old MacDonald had a farm,

E-I------E-I-------Oooooooo…

Mac: …Ooooh...careful now, it’s a l-o-n-g way down there (he bends down again as you laugh).

(#10) CLOSING MUSIC

You: Ha, ha…thank you, Old MacDonald, for coming in today (You are struggling to keep him from falling). Give him a big round of applause.

(#4) SQUEAKY FX (He sits upright during the sound effect) Ooh…careful, careful...thank you.

NOTE: You won’t be able to pull him up by his elbow because you will be holding him with both hands, so make a deliberate act of helping him upright and it will look like you helped him with your other hidden hand.

THE END