Gather your friends together and bring the story of Charlotte's Web to life with this script based on the new film. There are 20 roles in this play, but the same actor can play more than one part. You can even act out all the parts yourself!
The People |
|
Narrators 1, 2, and 3 |
|
| Fern Arable | a girl who lives on a farm |
| Avery Arable | Fern's younger brother |
| Mr. Arable | Fern's father |
| Mr. Zuckerman | Fern's uncle |
| Mrs. Zuckerman | Fern's aunt |
| Lurvy | the Zuckermans' farmhand |
| Fair Official | |
The Animals |
|
| Wilbur | a pig |
| Charlotte | a spider |
| Templeton | a rat |
| Bitsy and Betsy | cows |
| Gussy | a female goose |
| Golly | a male goose; Gussy's husband |
Baby Spiders 1, 2, and 3 |
Part I
Narrator 1: A spring thunderstorm jolts Fern Arable awake in the middle of the night. Peering out of her bedroom window, she notices a light flickering in the barn.
Narrator 2: Worried, Fern creeps out to the barn. She sees her father bent over something. Suddenly, her face brightens.
Narrator 3: Suckling tight against a sow are nine new piglets. Mr. Arable brings the tenth piglet to the last teat, wipes his brow, and sits back.
Narrator 1: Just then, a tiny pink runt appears and squirms over to its siblings. Weak and small, but fiercely determined, it clambers on top of them, searching for food.
Narrator 2: Fern's father sighs and goes to his wall of tools.
Fern: What are you doing?!
Mr. Arable: Fern! Go back to bed.
Narrator 3: He picks up a hand axe and the runt.
Fern: NO! It's not fair! It couldn't help being born small!
Mr. Arable: There are 11 pigs and only ten teats. The sow can't feed it.
Fern: Then I will!
Narrator 1: She snatches the pig.
Fern: I'll feed you and care for you... (staring at her father) and absolutely will not let you kill him!
SCENE 2
Narrator 2: A month later, Fern and her parents sit in their kitchen. Next to Fern is the runt, now a healthy young pig named "Wilbur."
Mr. Arable: Fern, it's time for the pig to go. I can't have you keeping what will soon be a 200-pound pet around the house.
Fern: I promised I'd take care of him.
Mrs. Arable: How about Uncle Homer? I think he could probably use a pig at a good price. And Wilbur would be right next door.
Narrator 3: The next morning, Fern solemnly carries Wilbur next door to the farm of her uncle, Homer Zuckerman.
Fern: You'll make lots of new friends here. Just be yourself.
Narrator 1: Fern tearfully pulls herself away and runs to the waiting school bus.
Narrator 2: Wilbur squeals and begins to ram the fence. A board snaps and he takes off.
Betsy: Ooh, look, Bits. Pig's out.
Bitsy: He sure is... out of his mind.
Narrator 3: The bus disappears over a crest. As Wilbur hangs his head, Lurvy appears.
Lurvy (trying to sound hypnotizing): You love the pen. You want to go baaaack to the pen . . .
Narrator 1: Wilbur looks past Lurvy to the thing that's really hypnotizing him: Mr. Zuckerman, banging on a pail of slop with a wooden spoon.
Golly: Don't fall for it!
Narrator 2: Wilbur steps into the pen and takes a long drink of slop.
Betsy: Hear that, Bits? Pig's in.
Bitsy: He's in all right. Insane.
Narrator 3: A few days later, Wilbur wriggles and splashes in the mud.
Wilbur: This is great! Anyone want to join me?
Narrator 1: None of the animals do. Dejected, Wilbur plops down next to his trough.
Narrator 2: A rat appears and starts shoving food into his mouth.
Wilbur: Hi there. My name's Wilbur. Do you have a name?
Templeton: Of course I do. It's Templeton.
Wilbur: You wanna play, Templeton?
Templeton: For so many reasons, no. see, I don't "play." I gnaw, I spy, I eat, I hide. Me, in a nutshell.
Narrator 3: Templeton disappears under the trough. That night, Wilbur lies in the cold, dark barn.
Wilbur: Goodnight. Goodnight? Gooodniiiiight...
Narrator 1: An older female voice rises from the darkness.
Charlotte: You won't be doing that all night, will you? I'm trying to concentrate.
Wilbur: I can't sleep unless someone tells me good-night.
Charlotte: Goodnight. Okay? All better now?
Wilbur: Please tell me where you are. Can't you see I'm lonely?
Charlotte: Shhhhh. You think you're the only one around here who's alone? Go to sleep. We'll converse tomorrow.
Wilbur: Converse?
Charlotte: "Chat."
Narrator 2: The next morning, Wilbur stares impatiently at the horizon.
Wilbur: Okay! It's morning! Would the party who addressed me last night kindly make herself known!
Charlotte: Shhhh! Pipe down and I'll come out.
Betsy (under her breath): Wish she'd stay in.
Bitsy: They eat their young, you know.
Gussy: Eight spindly-indly legs. And fangs. Ugh...
Narrator 3: A large, gray spider lowers herself from the corner of the doorway.
Charlotte: I think this is the part where I say ... salutations.
Narrator 1: Wilbur's smile fades. He hangs his head and turns.
Wilbur: Oh. Okay. I'll leave.
Charlotte: "Salutations," Wilbur, is just a fancy way of saying "hello."
Wilbur: Oh. Hello! What's your name?
Charlotte: My name is Charlotte.
Wilbur: Great name. Hey, since you've said salu... you know, that word... does that mean we're friends?
Charlotte: I suppose it does.
Wilbur: Yyyyyyeah!
Golly (to Gussy): Poor kid. He's got no idea what's going to happen to him.
Gussy: Nor should-should-should he. Let him enjoy himself while he can.
SCENE 3
Narrator 2: Spring soon turns to summer. Wilbur is happy in the company of his new friend, and enjoys daily visits from Fern.
Narrator 3: One evening, Fern notices Avery closing in on Charlotte.
Avery: Heeeerrrreeee, spidey-spidey-spidey.
Fern: Don't you touch her, you little toad!
Narrator 1: Ignoring her, Avery slams a jar down over Charlotte. Wilbur charges into Avery's knees, sending him stumbling back into the trough. There is a dull explosive noise, followed by a wretched smell.
Narrator 2: Avery has stepped on a rotten goose egg that Templeton was storing in his lair. Avery drops the jar and runs out, gagging.
Templeton: Oh, that stinks good.
Narrator 3: All of the animals glare at Templeton. Breathing only through her mouth, Bitsy scolds him.
Bitsy: Now wook wha oove dun. Ugh.
Wilbur: It saved Charlotte, didn't it?
Templeton: Hear that, toots? You owe me one.
Charlotte: Actually, it was Wilbur who did most of the saving.
Templeton: Ironic, isn't it? He's saving you, and they're saving him for Christmas.
Wilbur: Templeton, what are you talking about?
Templeton: Come winter, the farmer will be checkin' you in to the old smokehouse hotel. And the only "checking out" that happens is when people gather around and say, "Check out that yummy sausage!"
Narrator 1: Wilbur trembles. He looks at Charlotte.
Wilbur: Is it true?
Charlotte: Sadly, yes.
Wilbur: I don't want to die! I want to live!
Charlotte: And you will. I'm going to save your life, Wilbur.
Wilbur: How on earth can you possibly do that!?
Charlotte: I don't know. But I've made you a promise and promises are something I never break.
Part II
PROLOGUE
Golly: Last time we saw all of you, Wilbur had finally made a friend on the farm — Charlotte, the spider.
Bitsy: But it turns out that not having any friends was the least of Wilbur’s problems.
Golly: That’s right. The farmer, Mr. Zuckerman, has plans to cook Wilbur up for a Christmas feast.
Gussy: Charlotte promised Wilbur that she’d save his life. But we all know it’s awfully hard-hard-hard to change a farmer’s mind...
SCENE 4
Narrator 1: Lurvy, the farmhand, freezes in front of Wilbur’s pen. His slop bucket drops, and he stumbles backward.
Narrator 2: A short time later, Wilbur opens his eyes to find Lurvy, the Zuckermans, and the Arables staring at the corner above his pen.
Mrs. Zuckerman: It’s a miracle. A bona fide miracle.
Narrator 3: Written into Charlotte’s web are the words “SOME PIG.”
Narrator 1: Soon, a large crowd of neighbors, townspeople, journalists, and photographers are clamoring around Wilbur’s pen.
Narrator 3: But as the days go by, the crowd shrinks. Charlotte calls an animal meeting.
Charlotte: Now, as we’ve all witnessed, if it’s written, humans believe it. But humans have very short attention spans, and there is too much time between now and Christmas. Certainly enough time for Zuckerman to find his affection for a pig losing out to his hunger for ham. I must get another word written before we lose momentum.
Narrator 1: The animals call out suggestions for Charlotte’s next word.
Charlotte: Wilbur, look around and tell me how you feel.
Narrator 2: Wilbur looks around at all the smiling, friendly animals. He grins.
Narrator 3: Two days later, an even bigger crowd is gathered around Wilbur’s pen. Flashbulbs go off as Wilbur proudly poses beneath the word “TERRIFIC.”
Mr. Zuckerman: Folks, don’t forget to buy yourselves “some” apples and Zuckerman’s “terrific” berries while you’re here!
SCENE 5
Narrator 1: Fall arrives. Lying on a pile of leaves one afternoon, Fern overhears her uncle talking to Lurvy.
Mr. Zuckerman: First thing tomorrow, I want you to take a look at that smokehouse chimney. Have to get a jump on that if we want it workin’ before the freeze.
Narrator 2: Stunned, Fern looks at Wilbur, who faints. She runs home.
Fern: They’re still thinking of eating him? If I had known this was what they were going to do to him, I wouldn’t have sold him!
Mr. Arable: It’s what happens to a pig on a farm, Fern. You know that. And there’s nothing you can do about it.
Narrator 3: Fern storms off. A few days later, she sees a flier for the county fair. She has an idea...
Narrator 1: Meanwhile, Charlotte has spun a new message into her web: “RADIANT.” Another crowd appears — the biggest yet.
Mr. Zuckerman: I’ve decided to enter Wilbur in the county fair!
Mrs. Zuckerman: What gave you that idea?
Narrator 2: Mr. Zuckerman glances at the flier he found on his tractor seat that morning.
Mr. Zuckerman: Just came to me.
Mr. Arable: Fair’s got rules and guidelines for swine. They’re supposed to be, you know ... big.
Mrs. Zuckerman: He’s right. It’ll take nothing short of a miracle for this pig to win.
Mr. Zuckerman: And what do you think we’re standing here looking at?
Wilbur: Did you hear what they said, Charlotte? I’m going to the fair! I’m practically saved.
Charlotte: That’s very good. You’ll have to tell me all about it when you come back.
Wilbur: What do you mean?
Charlotte: I have work to do. Work that I must do alone.
Wilbur: But — I can’t go without you.
Charlotte: Sure you can. You said it yourself. You’re saved.
Narrator 3: But the day before the fair, Charlotte hears Mr. Zuckerman say that if Wilbur doesn’t win, at least he’ll be good for 50 dollars worth of bacon and ham. Breathing hard, Charlotte makes her way to Wilbur’s traveling crate.
Gussy: Are you okay-kay-kay?
Charlotte: Evidently, people feel entitled to devour animals no matter how radiant or terrific they are.
Betsy: Looks to me like you need your rest, sweetie.
Gussy: Someone in your-your-your condition ought not to be travelin’.
Charlotte: I have to do what must be done at the fair.
SCENE 6
Narrator 1: At the fair, Templeton pops his head into Wilbur’s stall.
Templeton: Whoa! Have you seen the beast next door? I think his mama was part hippo! He’s a shoo-in.
Charlotte: We’ll just have to work twice as hard to show the “finest” pig isn’t necessarily the “fattest.”
Wilbur: Charlotte? If I don’t win the prize, they’re gonna...
Charlotte: But you will win. And Zuckerman will be very proud, and he’ll keep you around to remind him of that feeling.
Narrator 2: Charlotte stops to catch her breath. Wanting as many word choices as possible, she sends Templeton out to collect scraps of paper. Hopefully, he’ll find a scrap with just the word she needs.
Templeton (giving her a scrap): Well, your highness, you satisfied or what?
Charlotte: Yes. This is the perfect word. (quietly, to herself) The last one I shall ever write.
Narrator 3: In the morning, Wilbur looks uncertainly at the web.
Wilbur: Is it true? I don’t really feel I deserve any of the things you’ve written about me.
Charlotte: Then it is the perfect word.
Narrator 1: Wilbur notices that Charlotte is sitting on a large peach-colored ball.
Wilbur: Hey, what’s that?
Charlotte: This is my magnum opus — my great work. It’s a 27-layer thick, nutrient-filled, waterproof egg sac. It holds 514 eggs.
Wilbur: Wow! You’re gonna have 514 children?
Charlotte: If all goes well, yes. (sadly) Of course, they won’t show up till next spring.
Wilbur: Why do you sound so down in the dumps? This is great news!
Narrator 2: Just then, the Arables and Zuckermans appear.
Mrs. Arable: The web!
Mr. Arable: “HUMBLE.” Hmm. If that’s not a prize-winner, I don’t know what is.
Narrator 3: Mrs. Arable, however, is pointing in horror at a blue ribbon hanging on the pen of the gigantic pig next to Wilbur.
Mrs. Zuckerman: This is an outrage! Our little Wilbur may be small, but he’s got character! Anyone can see that!
Mrs. Arable: And did that pig draw this crowd? I think not!
Narrator 1: They stare at the ribbon in disbelief, unaware of the crowd heading their way.
Fair Official: Mr. Zuckerman? Could you come with me, please?
Narrator 2: The crowd cheers as the Arables and Zuckermans escort Wilbur to the grandstand.
Fair Official: Folks, I think we all remember the start of the summer when the writing appeared on the web in Mr. Zuckerman’s barn, proclaiming that this was “some pig.” It has happened again, here at our very own “humble” county fair, where he has attracted a record-breaking crowd. I am honored to present a very special award, created specifically for this occasion: a check for 100 dollars and this handsome medal, a token of our awe and our appreciation.
Narrator 3: The official hands the microphone to Mr. Zuckerman.
Mr. Zuckerman: What can I say about our pig here that hasn’t already been said? There is no denying that our little Wilbur is surrounded by something bigger than all of us. It’s a miracle — in a time when we really don’t see many miraculous things.
Narrator 1: Later, Wilbur settles into his straw, pleased and relaxed.
Wilbur: Won’t it be great to be back home?
Charlotte: I won’t be going back to the barn, Wilbur. I’m dying.
Narrator 1: You see, most spiders have a one-year life span. They are born in the spring and die the next spring.
Wilbur: What? But... you can’t die!
Charlotte: I can and I will. We are born into this world, we live, and when our time comes, we die. This is the natural cycle of life.
Wilbur: You’ve done so much for me — isn’t there anything I can do for you?
Charlotte: Oh, Wilbur. You already have. You made me your friend.
Narrator 2: Mr. Zuckerman’s truck pulls up.
Charlotte: Goodbye, my sweet, sweet Wilbur.
Narrator 3: Wilbur’s eyes water. He simply nods, knowing this is the last time he will ever see Charlotte.
SCENE 7
Narrator 1: Fall turns into winter, and winter into spring. Wilbur and the other animals take turns sitting beside Charlotte’s egg sac, which Wilbur carried home from the fair. Finally . . .
Wilbur: They’re here!
Narrator 2: Wilbur adores the tiny spiders. One day, a gust of wind blows through the barn and they all scurry to the outdoor fence.
Narrator 3: Wilbur arrives just in time to see one stand on its head and spin a silk balloon that carries it into the air.
Wilbur: Wait! Wait!
Narrator 1: As baby spiders fill the air, Wilbur becomes frantic. In despair, he returns to the barn. Then he hears a little voice.
Baby Spider 1: Salutations!
Narrator 2: Wilbur looks around.
Baby Spider 1: I’m up here!
Baby Spider 2: So am I!
Baby Spider 3: Me too! We’d like to stay. We like it here.
Baby Spider 2: And we like you, too.
Narrator 3: Wilbur watches his three new friends weave their webs.
Wilbur: You’ve chosen a hallowed doorway in which to spin your webs. This was your mother’s doorway. She was loyal, brilliant, and beautiful, and she was my friend. So to you, her daughters, I pledge my friendship forever.
Narrator 1: Wilbur loved his new friends, but he missed Charlotte, too.
Narrator 2: But he knew that being friends means that no matter where life takes you, you carry a piece of that friendship with you. Then you pass it on!
(RTF)
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Adapted from the Paramount Pictures/Walden Media Film.
Screenplay by Susannah Grant and Karey Kirkpatrick, based on the film
story by Earl Hamner Jr.
