How the beetle got her colors readers theatre

How the beetle got her colors readers theatre

1. How the Beetle Got Her Colors
By Jeanette Larson
Parrot: Long ago, in the lush jungle of Brazil, there lived a slow, gray beetle. This
beetle walked through the jungle, minding her own business and not bothering anyone.
Beetle: I’m just walking along, minding my own business.
Beetle: Oh, hi Mr. Rat. How are you?
Rat: I’m fast! Look at you, you plain old beetle. You are so slow; I almost missed
seeing you there.
Rat: Don’t you wish you were as fast as I am?
Beetle: I’m fine just as I am. I enjoy walking slowly through the jungle looking at the
beautiful things around me.
Parrot: The rat, which was as gray as the beetle, enjoyed teasing the other jungle
animals. He would laugh and make fun of them.
Rat: Oh, you silly gray beetle. I didn’t even notice you. I almost stepped on you. Get
out of my way!
Parrot: Also in this jungle there lived a parrot—oh, that’s me! This parrot, if I do say so
myself, was colorful and beautiful and wise. And, I have magical powers!
Parrot: (sternly): I have watched Rat be mean and rude for the last time. It’s time for
me to teach Rat a lesson! (Parrot encourages the audience to applaud or respond to the
suggestion.) Right? Right?
Parrot: Rat, I have watched you from the treetops being rude and mean to Beetle and
the other animals. You walk around bragging and acting like you are better than the
other animals. Let’s see how good you are. Let’s have a race and see if you really are
faster than Beetle.
Rat: Great! Once and for all, you will see how fast I am, Parrot. Then you will have to
sing my praises to all of the other animals.
Parrot: Rat, you and Beetle will race from here to that tree stump (points to stump).
Whoever gets there first will win a new coat.

2. Rat and Beetle: (speaking together) Okay. Let’s do it!
Rat: (gloating) This will be so easy. I have such strong legs and I’m so fast. I almost
feel bad for you, Beetle, with your skinny little stick legs. (laughs)But I will enjoy
winning, even if it’s not much of a contest. I’ll win without even breaking a sweat. Let’s
get moving.
Parrot: Ready, set, GO!
Rat: Um, I’m so quick I can’t even see that silly slow Beetle I left behind. I’m sure to
win!
Beetle: (acting impatient) What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you.
Rat: (looking incredulous and sputtering as he speaks) Huh? What? How? What
happened? How did you get here?
Beetle: Oh, didn’t you know? I can fly!
Rat: You fly? I didn’t know you could fly.
Parrot: There’s a lot you don’t know, Rat. If you would be nice and get to know the
other animals, you would learn a lot. You always judge others by their appearance so
you never learn about their abilities and talents. As they say, “Never judge a book by its
cover.”
Parrot: Now, Beetle, as the winner, what would you like your coat to look like?
Beetle: I will keep my wings, but I would sure love to have some pretty colors. I’d like
the blue of the sky right after a rain and the green of fresh leaves in spring. And, if it’s
not too much to ask, I’d like my wings to sparkle like the sun when it shines on the
river.
Parrot: Your wish is granted.
Parrot: And to this day, beetles have colorful coats and rats are just plain gray.