The Ballad of Ginger Fella

By Missy Edgmon

Characters

Narrator
Black Bart
Ginger Fella
Sasparilla Armadilla

Props

"Glass" Boots
Legs sewn on Ginger Fella puppet

Narrator:: Once upon a time, there was a poor mistreated cowboy named Ginger Fella.
(Enter Ginger Fella)
Ginger Fella:: It isn't fair! Every year when rodeo time comes around I never get to be in any of the events. Instead, I have to slop buckets, clean out the stalls, and clean up after the horses and the other animals, if you know what I mean. And it's all on account of my no good feet. (Sling feet to front of stage) My feet are SO ginger, even the thickest boots won't keep me from getting big ol' fat ugly blisters that stay sore for days. That's why they call me Ginger Fella.
(Enter Black Bart)
Black Bart:: Yo, Ginger Fella, you got my horse saddled and ready to go? The buckin' bronco competition is about to begin.
(Pull Ginger Fella's feet back behind the stage)
Ginger Fella:: Yeah, Black Bart. (Pause) Say, I have an eentsy weentsy favor to ask. You know that old horse of yours named Charlie? I was wondering if you would let me try to ride him in the bucking bronco event.
Black Bart:: You on my Charlie horse? Forget it, Ginger. He may be old, but he won't let a cream puff like you ride him! Anyway, you'd lose for sure! Why, you're just barkin' at a knot!
(Black Bart exits)
Ginger Fella: (Looking at audience):
See what I mean! It just isn't fair!
Sasparilla Armadilla:: Ginger Fella, I hear you've been having troubles lately.
Ginger Fella:: You got that right! Say, I haven't seen you around here before.
Sasparilla Armadilla:: I'm Sasparilla Armadilla. I can grant wishes to poor downtrodden cow pokes. What's your wish, Ginger Fella?
Ginger Fella:: Oh, I would LOVE to be in the bucking bronco contest. But my feet are SO ginger, even the thickest boots won't keep me from getting big ol' fat, ugly blisters…
Sasparilla Armadilla:: That's o.k, you really don't need to describe it to me. I have just the thing. These glass boots should protect your tootsies. (Insert name of narrator), would you do the honors?

return to top

Narrator:: Sure enough. (Narrator puts boots on Ginger)
Ginger Fella:: These feel great! But I don't have a horse.
Sasparilla Armadilla:: I already thought of that. I'm going to turn that stable mouse over there (gestures back stage) into the meanest bucking bronco you ever did see.
Ginger Fella:: M-m-m-meanest???
Sasparilla Armadilla:: Yep! He's a real snorter! But the spell will only last until High Noon. Then he turns back into a stable mouse.
Ginger Fella:: Well I swan! I guess life is fair after all!
(Both exit)
Narrator:: So, Ginger Fella got to be in the bucking bronco competition. And you should have seen that mean bronco buck. And you should have seen Ginga Fella hold on for dear life! (Throw Ginger above the stage a few times and yell: Yee Ha!! Yippee!! Whoa Doggie!!!, etc.) Why, it was one long stretch of time before he kissed the ground! And when the competition was over, Ginger Fella won! But before the rodeo winners were announced, it struck High Noon.
(Enter Ginger Fella, running across stage)
Ginger Fella:: Oh, my goodness! I've got to get back to the stables or I'll be in big trouble with Black Bart! (Ginger Fella runs across stage and trips. One boot is thrown to the front of the stage)
Ginger Fella:: Oops! Oh, no, my boot…no time to waste! (Ginger exits)
Narrator:: (Holding the glass boot) And so the glass boot was the only way the awards committee had to find the winner of the rodeo's grand prize. And wouldn't you know it, Black Bart tried to pretend it was his.
(Enter Black Bart)

return to top

Black Bart:: I do believe that boot is mine, and you can just give me my rodeo buckle now.
Narrator:: You have to try the boot on to prove it's yours, Black Bart.
Black Bart:: Give that to me!
(Narrator hands boot to Bart. Bart bends over trying to put it on behind the stage)
Black Bart:: OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW! It's almost on…it's al-most on…I've got it…I've got it!! (Boing!)
(Boot comes flying over the stage, narrator catches it)
Narrator:: Sorry, Black Bart, I'm afraid we all know its not yours.
Black Bart: (From behind the stage):
Why, I'm mad as a rattler! I wanted that rodeo buckle!
Narrator:: When it came time for Ginger Fella to try on the boot, Black Bart was still mad as rattler.
(Enter Ginger and Bart)
Black Bart:: You don't really intend to try that boot on this creampuff, do you? Why, he's just a bucket slopper!
Narrator:: Yes, Black Bart, we really do intend to try this boot on Ginger Fella.
(Sling Ginger's feet to the front of stage. Narrator puts on the boot)
Ginger Fella:: It fits! I was afraid my feet would be all swolled up from the excitement! Well, Black Bart, you can slop your own buckets from now on!
(Exit Black Bart)
Narrator:: Ginger Fella was crowned champion of the rodeo and got a great big buckle!
(Backstage throw Ginger up a few times and yell, YIPPEE! WHOA DOGGIE! YEE HAA!!!, etc.)
Narrator:: And so, Sasparilla Armadilla rode off into the sunset singing "Happy Trails to You." And Ginger Fella lived happily every after.

Narrator leads the audience in singing, "Happy Trails"

THE END

Table of Contents | The Cowboy Who Cried Coyote

return to top