“Gobble, Gobble, Good”
a Thanksgiving comedy for kids
By D. M. Larson
*Cast of Characters:
ZOEY - the turkey thief
VICTORIA - mad older sister of Zoey
GRACE - nicer sister of Zoey
LILY - neighbor
[*This play is written for 4 female actors but can be performed by males or females. If you would like a version of the script with different names and genders, please email doug@freedrama.net]
(Sneak music plays. ZOEY sneaks onto stage with a large covered tray - possibly aluminum foil covering something turkey shaped. She has cooking hotpads on her hands. She sneaks across the stage to the music. When she reaches the other end of the stage, VICTORIA appears and looks angry)
VICTORIA
What are you doing with our turkey?!
ZOEY
Eeep!
(ZOEY runs off stage in another direction)
VICTORIA
Come back here!
(VICTORIA runs after ZOEY. Music can become something dramatic for a chase scene like Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee. VICTORIA is tired and out of breath and stops. ZOEY has gotten away. GRACE enters and goes up to VICTORIA)
GRACE
Are you okay?
(VICTORIA speaks but is still out of breath)
VICTORIA
No… Zoey… turkey…
GRACE
I thought Zoey didn’t like eating turkey?
VICTORIA
She doesn’t. And she took the turkey!
GRACE
What?
VICTORIA
Gone. All that wonderful turkey gone. “gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey Hash! Turkey a la King! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!”
GRACE
I know she doesn’t like eating animals and all, but why would she do that to the rest of us. And on Thanksgiving too. We have to tell Mom and Dad about this.
VICTORIA
She is going to be in so much trouble!
GRACE
There she is!
(ZOEY has entered without the turkey and stops when they spot her. They surround her. She tries to escape but they get her)
VICTORIA
What did you do with the turkey?
GRACE
We can’t have Thanksgiving without turkey.
ZOEY
We can make veggie loaf and make it taste like turkey. I found this great recipe.
VICTORIA
No! We want real, gobble, gobble, good turkey.
GRACE
Zoey. I know you don’t like to eat meat, but that’s not fair to punish the rest of us.
ZOEY
I’m sorry.
VICTORIA
I’ll forgive you if you can tell me where you put the turkey. And please, please, please tell me you didn’t throw it in the garbage.
ZOEY
I didn’t throw it in the garbage.
GRACE
Then what did you do with it?
ZOEY
I don’t want to say, because I don’t want to go ask for it back again.
VICTORIA
Too bad. You can’t give away our turkey. I’m going to tell mom and dad!
(VICTORIA exits)
GRACE
Come on, Zoey. Tell me what you did and we can keep you from getting in trouble.
ZOEY
I can’t. I don’t want to get anyone else in trouble. They’ve had enough trouble already. I just wanted to do something nice.
GRACE
I don’t know what you’re talking about Zoey.
(LILY enters)
LILY
Oh, there you are, Zoey.
(ZOEY gasps and runs)
LILY (CONT.)
Wait! I want to talk to you!
(ZOEY is gone)
GRACE
What’s going on, Lily?
LILY
I just wanted to thank Lily for giving us a turkey.
GRACE
She gave your family a turkey?
LILY
Yes, it was so wonderful. Did you know about it?
GRACE
No.
(VICTORIA comes back)
VICTORIA
Where is Zoey? Mom and dad want to have a talk with her.
LILY
I wanted to talk to her too.
VICTORIA
What did she do to you?
LILY
She did the most perfect thing for us, something we really needed today. She gave us something to be thankful for. Your parents must have sent her with an extra turkey that the rest of you didn’t know about. It was such an amazing surprise. That turkey made my parents so happy. All we could afford this year was one of those weird frozen boxed turkey things and there was only a tiny piece for each of us. It has been so hard since my parents lost their jobs. First dad and now mom too. It’s been a terrible year for us and we didn’t have much to be thankful for, until she brought us that turkey. This is the happiest we’ve been all year. We can have a happy Thanksgiving after all.
VICTORIA
But Zoey...
(GRACE stops VICTORIA)
GRACE
But Zoey forgot to bring the stuffing... and the cranberry sauce… and fresh baked bread. We’ll bring that right over.
VICTORIA
The fresh baked bread too?
GRACE
And the pie!
LILY
Really?
VICTORIA
Are you sure?
GRACE
Yes! Come on, Victoria. Let’s help Zoey get the rest of that food for Lily’s family.
LILY
My parents will be so happy. Thank you all so much. I better go back home and tell everyone. This is the best Thanksgiving ever.
(LILY gives them both hugs and exits)
VICTORIA
Are you nuts, Grace?
GRACE
They’ve lost everything. I’ve even heard mom and dad talk about how they might lose their house too.
VICTORIA
That’s terrible.
GRACE
Zoey was just trying to help.
VICTORIA
I wish I’d thought of it. Let’s go home and give Zoey a big hug.
GRACE
Good idea. Let’s hurry. We have the rest of the Thanksgiving dinner to deliver.
VICTORIA
You don’t think mom and dad will mind.
GRACE
When we tell them what Zoey did, I bet they’ll help take the food over with us.
VICTORIA
I bet you’re right. Except for the pumpkin pie. Dad loves pumpkin pie.
GRACE
So do you.
VICTORIA
Can’t we keep a little pumpkin pie?
(ZOEY appears with more food)
ZOEY
Oh, no.
VICTORIA
Oh, yes.
GRACE
We know what you did, Zoey.
ZOEY
You do?
GRACE
And we’re proud of you.
ZOEY
You are?
VICTORIA
And we’re going to help you take the rest of the food over there.
ZOEY
Really?
GRACE
But let’s tell mom and dad. And I bet they help.
ZOEY
Okay.
(VICTORIA looks at what ZOEY is holding)
VICTORIA
That’s not the pumpkin pie is it?
GRACE
Let’s go do some good.
END OF SCRIPT
