Skits

· Skits are another form of communication

· They’re usually a dramatized joke or funny situation with a snappy line or sight gag at the end

· Skits help channel imagination. Dramatics are important in the growth of a child or adult because it gives them an outlet for the "let's pretend" part of their character

· It gives us a chance for creative expression

· Skits help develop power of observation and recognize the desirable characteristics in the people we see

· Skits help develop coordination and timing, thus increasing self-confidence. Skits show the importance of teamwork and cooperation

· Skits can also set the mood of a campfire theme

· Skits serve as icebreakers and comic relief

Basic Guidelines and Rules

· Keep It Simple

· Simple lines, simple costumes, and simple props are more effective than elaborate ones done poorly

· Are short (3 to 5 minutes)

· Have simple dialogue ... no long memorized lines

· Can use pantomimes

· Let everyone in the group participate

· Have liberal usage of stage direction ... who goes where, when and does what

Volume

· You must speak loudly, slowly and face the audience

· If the audience applauds or laughs, you should pause before continuing

· You can pre-record sound effects, dialogue, music, etc. and play it back on a tape recorder

· The advantage is that they can be heard.A disadvantage is that you can’t react to the audience and if anything goes wrong, you’ll have to ad-lib. Lip syncing takes lots of practice

Scenery

· Scenery can be made from corrugated cardboard, sheets or props you have in the house

· Use latex or tempera paints to decorate as needed

· Alternatively, you can just explain to the audience beforehand, "Here is the bedroom..." and so forth. Use the power of suggestion

Role Playing

· Bring your character to life

· Add makeup; use a wig; to walk with a limp, to look old, walk with your feet about 8 inches apart

Sound Effects

· Try some of the following techniques to add sound to your skit:

· Airplane: Heavy paper striking blades of electric fan

· Auto brakes: Slide a drinking glass across a pane of glass

· Crashes: Drop two pie pans taped together with metal jar lids inside.

· Crickets chirping: Run a fingernail over a fine-tooth comb

· Door slam: Slam two hardback books together

· Fire: Crumple and twist cellophane into a ball and then release it

· Gong: Hit a pan with a metal spoon

· Gurgling stream or boiling liquid: Put a straw in a cup of water and blow hard

· Hail: Pour rice on an upside down flat cake pan

· Horse hooves: Alternately tap two inverted cups or bowls on a wood floor or board

· Knock at door: Hit a half-gallon plastic milk jug on the end with a rubber spatula

· Rain: Fill a soup can 1/3-full of dry peas or beans. Roll the can slowly on a table

· Rustling in underbrush: Crush broom straw

· Sword fight: Hold an aluminum cookie sheet in one hand, & hit with a metal spoon

· Telephone ring: Use a bicycle bell

· Thunder: Grasp a metal cookie sheet on one end, placing your thumb on the underside. Shake the cookie sheet so it vibrates. Bang it against the knee for an occasional loud thunderclap

Writing Your Own Skit

· Writing your own skits is simpler than it would first appear

· First, determine what the moral of the skit will be. Then follow this simple outline to write your skit

· You want something ... friendship, a cat, a guitar, a trophy, to find something

· You go to get it ... by canoe, plane, horseback, foot

· Obstacles the stop you ... crocodile, bear, native hunters, a locked chest

· You achieve goal ... through an act of kindness, bravery, wisdom, magic, unexpected help of some kind

Write your skit to be 7 to 10 minutes long

1. Baloney

2. Daring Brownies or Guides

3. Dirty Dishes. 3

4. Fly in the Soup.. 3

5. Gathering of Nuts

6. Guess My Line on the Toilet

7. How Music Made Everyone Happy

8. St. Peter. 4

9. The Happy Hikers. 4

10. The Lost Lollipop.. 5

11. The Nutty Fisherman.. 6

12. The Take Turners. 6

13. The Woman Who Didn’t Like Rain.. 7

Campfire Skits

List 5 skits you could use for your Campfire Skit.

	Skit Title	Composer	Source
1
2
3
4
5

Some of my favourites:

1. Baloney

Before the skit begins, one of the Guides goes quietly to a spot away from the campfire circle and hides. When the skit begins she stays in her place as the echo.

A patrol of Guides are on a hike. They stop and the Patrol Leader says, “Oh, good, here we are at Echo Canyon.” The conversation then goes on as follows:

“Try a call and see if you get an echo.”

“Tomatoes” - echo answers “Tomatoes”

“Hamburgers” - echo answers “Hamburgers”

“Gee, it’s great isn’t it?” - echo answers “Gee, it’s great isn’t it?”

“Yoo Hoo” - echo answers “Yoo, Hoo”

“Salami” - echo answers “Salami”

“Baloney” - echo doesn’t answer

“That’s funny, try again.”

“Baloney” - still no answer

“I’ll try – Miss ______ is a great Guide Leader” - echo answers “Baloney”

2. Daring Brownies or Guides

(A narrator reads the verses aloud while the players act according to the instructions. All the actions are performed quickly and briefly.)

One daring Brownie sailed the ocean blue … (a player marches on stage, faces audience, steers ship)

Along came a friend … (second player enters, they exchange greetings, stand alongside each other)

And so there were two!

Two daring Brownies sailed the stormy sea … (both steer wheel while holding tight and swaying.

They called and called for extra help … (as they call with cupped hands a third player joins them)

And so there were three!

Three daring Brownies stepped upon the shore … (players step forward, march in place)

And when the three stepped back again … (as the three step back to original positions a fourth player joins them)

The three had turned to four!

Four daring Brownies did a fancy dive … (they make diving motions)

They looked so fine and fancy … (fifth player enters, looks in admiration, joins them)

That soon there were five!

Five daring Brownies fished with crooked sticks … (they pretend to fish)

Their dinner was so tasty … (as they pretend to eat a sixth player joins them)

Very soon there were six!

Six daring Brownies opened up a door … (they face wing and pretend to open doors)

In jumped another friend … (seventh player jumps in)

So there was one more!

Seven daring Brownies all began to skate … (all pretend to skate)

It looked so much like lots of fun … (eighth player skates onstage)

That their number came to eight!

Eight daring Brownies all stood in a line … (they line up at attention)

And before they knew it … (ninth player quickly enters to join end of the line)

The line had stretched to nine!

Nine daring Brownies wondered where they’d been … (they shade their eyes with palms and gaze outward)

Someone came to tell them … (tenth player enters, gestures outward)

And that made ten!

Ten daring Brownies all went swimming for fun … (all make swimming movements)

And so they swam and swam and swam … (they swim offstage)

Until at last there were none!

3. Dirty Dishes

The leader walks on the stage with a big pot, sets it down on a table along with a spoon or ladle and sets up a "Back in 5 minutes" sign before walking offstage.

A camper comes along, eyes the pot, grabs the spoon and takes a big, messy slurp. Eyes wide, she grabs a friend from offstage and stresses how important it is that they try this awesome tasting soup.

This keeps happening, each new person getting another to try the soup. You can make each have a different personality (e.g. hyper, ghetto, California girl) just for laughs.

The leader walks back on, seeing the campers grouped around the soup. Spotting the leader, the campers flee.

The leader reaches into the pot and brings out a pair of dirty socks and remarks how clean they are after soaking.

4. Fly in the Soup

Customer - Waiter, waiter, there's a fly in my soup! (Enters, very snooty, peering into the soup)

Oh, yes, you are right sir. That will be an extra 25 cents for the meat.

Customer - But waiter, he's swimming all over the top!

Waiter - (Still snooty) - You are right, sir. It doesn't know it's a fly,

sir. It's doing the Butterfly stroke.

Customer - Well, I think it must be an Australian!

Waiter - Why do you say that sir?

Customer - BECAUSE IT'S DOWN UNDER NOW!

5. Gathering of Nuts

Vincent - I am the famous artist, Vincent Van Go Go. I have come

here this evening at great expense to create one of my living

nature paintings which will express the atmosphere of this camp!

First I am going to need some trees. (Two trees are selected from

the participants in the audience, and are directed where to stand.

They wave their arms gently.)

Vincent - Now I will need some birds to twitter among the trees.

(Three birds are selected and they move around the trees making

twittering sounds.)

Vincent - (Stands back to view scene) Perhaps a sun to shine on

everything. (A tall participant stands on a bench and smiles

brightly.)

Vincent - (Again viewing) It's not right yet. I know, some rabbits

hopping around. (Some Leaders are chosen for rabbits)

Vincent - One last touch. A babbling brook. Unit Leader, will you

be the brook, you're always babbling? (The brook takes his place.)

Vincent - (Turns to audience) There it is, another Vincent Van Go

Go original nature scene. I call it "The Gathering of the Nuts."

6. Guess My Line on the Toilet

Required - 2, 3 or more unsuspecting volunteers 2 people to run

the skit

A chair

Preparation:

Set the chair center stage

Select your volunteers and have one person take them back stage

where they cannot hear what is going on onstage

Notes:

The skit only works will if the volunteers have not seen it before so

it can’t be done very often

Script:

Back stage, the people running the skip tells the volunteers they

will be in a contest to get the audience to guess their job. Give

each volunteer a different job – race car driver, weightlifter, horse

jockey, newspaper delivery boy, whatever you can think of that

might be interesting and can be done sitting on a chair. Each

volunteer is sent onstage, one at a time, to get the audience to

guess their job.

Meanwhile, onstage the other person setting up the skit is telling

the audience that the chair is a toilet seat and we’ll see how each

of the volunteers uses it.

Call on the first volunteer to see what happens. When the laughs

die down, have her stop and get the next contestant.

7. How Music Made Everyone Happy

Characters:

Narrator

The Very Lonely Woman

The Very Nice Brownies / Guides (as many as desired)

Setting:

A single chair is set at left stage; a number of other chairs are set in semi-circles at right stage. Note: Actual music may be added to the skit if desired. If an offstage piano or other instrument is employed, it may be played in unison with the girl’s pantomimes.

Narrator:

(Enters, stands near left wing.)

There was once a very lonely woman.

(Woman feebly enters from left, sits.)

Next door was a school.

(Brownies / Guides enter from right, sit.)

The very lonely woman was very sad because she had no one to play music for her. She wished and wished for someone to play.

(Woman sadly nods.)

And the very nice Brownies / Guides were very sad because they had no one for who they could play their music. They wished and wished for someone to hear their music.

(Brownies / Guides nod in unison)

Narrator:

One day the very lonely woman said to herself, I will open my window. Maybe someone will send music into my home. So she opened her window.

(Woman opens window at stage center, returns to chair.)

And on that very same day the very nice Brownies / Guides said, “We will open a school window. Maybe someone will listen to our music.” So one of the girls opened a school window.

(Girl opens window at stage center.)

Narrator:

So the very lonely woman listened.

(Woman cups hand to ear toward window.)

And the very nice Brownies / Guides began to sing and play their instruments. First the trombone

(Trombonist pantomimes.)

Then the violinist

(Violinist pantomimes.)

Then the kettle drums

(Drummer pantomimes.)

Then all the musicians and singers played and sang in fantastic harmony.

(All pantomime various instruments and singers.)

Narrator:

So the very lonely woman was not sad or lonely any more.

(Woman briskly beats time and sways to the music.)

And the very nice Brownies / Guides were not sad any more.

(Brownies / Guides smile, play spiritedly.)

The happy woman kept her window open from that day on. And so did the very nice Brownies / Guides.

(All bow and exit.)

8. St. Peter

Announcer - Here we see St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.

Jan - : (Walks up to St. Peter) Hello, St. Peter. I see I've come to

Heaven.

St. Peter - Well, you're not in yet! First you've got to tell me how

you suffered on Earth.

Jan - Well, I spent a week eating camp food.

St. Peter - I'm sorry, you haven't suffered enough. (Jan exits

dejectedly.)

Sally - (Enters) Hi, I'm here to get into Heaven.

St. Peter - Fine, fine. And how have you suffered?

Sally - I went on a long hike and got blisters all over my feet.

St. Peter - Sorry. That's not enough suffering to get into Heaven.

(Sally exits)

Carol - (Enters) Can I get into Heaven?

St. Peter - How did you suffer?

Carol - I'm in (Pick someone's name who can take a joke)

St. Peter - Well, come on in!!

9. The Happy Hikers

Characters:

Narrator

Happy Hikers (as many as desired)

Setting:

Bare stage.

The Happy Hikers stand in various stage positions, facing audience.

Narrator:

(Gesturing to Hikers.)

Ladies, meet our Happy Hikers!

(Hikers smile, wave to audience, hike in place. Note: all movements are in place.)

Let’s watch their adventures as they hike through the woods and over the mountains. There they go!

(Hikers increase pace slightly.)

Narrator:

(As she looks at Hikers.)

Looks like they’re climbing a steep hill!

(Hikers bend backward as if climbing.)

They’re on top! What a lovely view!

(Hikers look around in appreciation.)

Now watch them get down!

(Hikers slip and slide as if plunging downhill.)

They must be out of breath!

(Hikers hold hands on chests, breathe heavily.)

Narrator:

Now they’re passing through a meadow.

(Hikers walk, then halt. Narrator peers closely at Hikers.)

What do they see? A rabbit!

(Hikers swiftly glance from left to right.)

And a meadowlark!

(Hikers quickly glance from ground to sky.)

And a bumblebee!

(Hikers jerk heads and eyes about. Narrator cries out a warning.)

Watch out for the bumblebee!

(Hikers run swiftly in place, waving arms as if battling off a bumblebee.)

Narrator:

As I said, they are happy hikers, happy because of the beautiful mountains they see.

(Hikers happily shield eyes with palms and peer.)

And because of all that clean, fresh air they breathe.

(Hikers happily breathe while expanding their chests.)

And especially because they got away from that buzzing bumblebee!

(Hikers smile and nod, turn heads slightly to rear, wave good-bye to the bumblebee.)

Narrator:

Looks like they are tired from all that hiking.

(Hikers slow down, walk droopily. Narrator excitedly waves outward as she peers ahead.)

There’s just what they need, a cool, refreshing drink from the river.

Can you make it to the river, Happy Hikers?

(Hikers nod, pick up speed, kneel down at river, drink, scoop water over their faces.)

Narrator:

Ah! How refreshing! On your way, Happy Hikers!

(Hikers rise. Narrator speaks to them with caution.)

Try to jump all the way across the river, keep those little tootsies dry!

(Hikers jump but look down in dismay as they shake their wet feet. Narrator speaks sympathetically.)

Don’t feel too bad about not making it, after all, that river was more than a block wide. At least you have cool toes.

Narrator:

(As she looks ahead.)

Look what’s in front of them, a fork in the road. Hope they take the right road.

(Hikers turn somewhat to left.)

No, they took the left road. Well, maybe the left road is the right road.

(Narrator is confused by her own speech.)

Maybe we’d better just see what happens.

(Hikers turn in circles as they march in place; some turn in left circles, some in right circles. The Narrator is distressed.)

They’re lost! I guess the right road was the left road after all. Hmmm, I’d better not start that again.

(Narrator sighs in relief as the Hikers again march straight ahead.)

Looks like all is right, I mean, all is well.

Narrator:

I wonder when they will stop for lunch.

(Hikers suddenly stop, keep heads and eyes straight ahead, reach into pockets, bring imaginary bits of food to lips, munch briefly, take handkerchiefs from pockets, quickly pat lips, replace handkerchiefs, resume marching. Note: this action should be done in unison or with as much unison as possible. The Narrator shakes her head in surprise.)

Guess they weren’t very hungry.

Narrator:

Look! A lovely lake.

I wonder if they will hike around it or swim across?

Let’s see.

(Hikers sit on floor as if getting into rowboats, making rowing motions. The Narrator smiles, shrugs.)

I guess that’s better than trying to hike across.

(Hikers stand, resume marching.)

Narrator:

(Peers at trail)

Look at that crooked trail ahead! Nothing but twists and turns!

(Hikers twist and turn in various directions as they march. Note: this need not be done in unison; players twist about individually. After a few seconds they resume their forward march. Narrator sighs.)

I’m glad that’s over, I was getting dizzy.

Narrator:

Looks like they have come to the end of the trail. I wonder what their final destination is?

(Narrator speaks to Hikers.)

Say Happy Hikers, wait a minute.

(Hikers halt.)

Now that you have reached the end of your hike, what are you going to do next?

(Hikers grim broadly, march with a higher and livelier step than before. The Narrator staggers as if fainting, painfully holds her head.)

You mean that the next thing you are going to do is march some more?

(Hikers vigorously nod their heads. The Narrator apologetically speaks to the audience.)

I’m sorry folks, but I just can’t keep up with them any longer. Good-bye.

(Narrator waves to Hikers.)

And a happy hike to you. Happy Hikers.

(Narrator weakly exits at right. The Hikers face left, march off while keeping heads and eyes turned off stage, wave farewell to audience.)

10. The Lost Lollipop

(Small girl is sitting, crying)

Passer-by #1 - (Enters) What's wrong little girl, why are you crying?

Girl - (Sobbing) I lost my lollipop!

Passer-by #1 - Have you looked for it?

Girl - (Continues to sob) Oh, yes, I've looked under my bed, in my

sock drawer, and even in Susie’s pocket.

Passer-by #1 - I've heard that chanting often works. You think very

hard about the lollipop until you can see it in your mind, and chant

'lollipop' over and over again.

Girl - (Closing eyes tightly) Big red yummy lollipop, big

red lollipop, big red yummy lollipop.

Passer-by #1 - (Nods approval and strolls out)

Girl - (Continues chanting for a while then starts crying again)

Passer-by #2 - (Enters) What's wrong, little girl?

Girl - (Sobbing) I lost my lollipop, and I hunted and hunted, then

this lady told me to chant, and I did, and it didn't work!

Passer-by #2 - Chanted?

Girl - Yeah, like this (Demonstrates, then starts to cry)

Passer-by #2 - Don't cry little girl. Maybe we need more help.

Girl - (Turns to audience) You're my only help to get my lollipop

back. Everybody, very softly now, chant with me, "Big red yummy

lollipop, big red yummy lollipop, big red yummy lollipop." (Gets

everyone doing it in unison) Great! I think it's working, keep going

now.

Passer-by #1 - (Re-enters) Hi little girl. Did it work?

Girl - (Loudly) No, it didn't, but I did find a whole lot of suckers!

11. The Nutty Fisherman

Centre stage is a Guide fishing from a billy can or bucket, she keeps pulling the rod as though she has something on the line. A passer-by looks at her as she walks by and then walks on, after a few steps the passer-by comes back to the Guide.

Passer-by - "What are you doing there then?"

Fisher - "I'm fishing, what does it look as though I'm doing?"

Passer-by - "Fishing eh!, what are you fishing for?"

Fisher - "I'm fishing for suckers."

Passer-by - "Have you caught any?"

Fisher - "Yes you're the third today!"

12. The Take Turners

Characters:

Narrator

Mrs. Melody, a pianist

Sol

Setting:

The Musical Notes are lined up facing audience. A chair is set in front of them. A few items which indicate a musical theme, such as instruments or sheet music, may be set in the background.

Narrator:

Ladies, we would like you to see and hear an exciting story.

The story is about eight young musical notes who lived inside a piano.

(Gesture to Notes who briefly and awkwardly jump up and down in unison.)

Their names are Do, Re, Me, Fa, Sol, La, Ti and Do. As you can see, the Notes are all played at the same time, they had not as yet learned to take turns playing.

(Notes again jump in unison)

Our story is also about Mrs. Melody, a world-famous pianist.

(Gesture to Mrs. Melody who enters, bows to audience, sits in chair facing Notes.)

Narrator:

One day Mrs. Melody sat down to play a lovely piece of music.

(Mrs. Melody pretends to play by striking an imaginary keyboard. As the Musical Notes awkwardly jump up and down, more or less in unison, an actual off stage pianist plays a few notes in disharmony.)

Narrator:

(Dismayed.)

What is this? What has happened?

This isn’t a lovely song.

(To Mrs. Melody.)

Mrs. Melody. Please try again.

(Mrs. Melody again plays with the same discordant result.)

Narrator:

(To Audience)

Perhaps Mrs. Melody has not shown the musical notes how to take turns.

(To Mrs. Melody)

Mrs. Melody did you notice that all the notes played at the same time? Perhaps you should show them how to take turns. Once they know how to be take-turners, I am sure we will have a lovely song.

(Mrs. Melody nods. As she taps each note, one at a time and going upscale, the notes jump up in turn. The off stage pianist taps notes accordingly. The action is then repeated downscale.)

Narrator:

(Pleased)

Now that they are take-turners, I am sure we will have a lovely song. Try again, Mrs. Melody.

(Mrs. Melody plays a slow piece as the notes jump up and down. Note: They jump in any order and not in unison, much as actual notes might move. The result is a melody!)

Narrator:

(Brightly)

And that is just about the end of our story. The take-turners have learned how to make a merry melody by taking turns. So they play

(Music plays as Notes happily jump in rapid movements.)

And play, and play.

(As music ends, all bow and exit.)

13. The Woman Who Didn’t Like Rain

Characters:

Narrator

The Woman Who Didn’t Like Rain

Farmer

Fish

School Children (Two or more)

Weatherman

Robin

Setting:

Outdoors. A chair is set upstage center.

Narrator:

(Enters, stands near wing)

Ladies, there once was a woman who didn’t like rain. She liked trees and rivers and flowers and lakes, but she just didn’t like rain. She didn’t like showers nor drizzles nor downpours.

(Sadly shake head.)

She didn’t even like pitters and patters. As you can see,

(Gesture to wing as Woman enters)

she just didn’t like rain of any kind.

(Woman enters with a large sign reading DOWN WITH RAIN! She scowls at sky, glumly takes position alongside Narrator.)

Narrator:

She didn’t like rain because it got her wet all over.

(Woman angrily brushes raindrops from face and shoulders.)

And because it made her slip when she walked.

(Woman slips about a few steps.)

And because she couldn’t go out to water her garden.

(Woman sways imaginary garden hose scowling skyward.)

Narrator:

So the woman who didn’t like rain spent most of her time just sitting around.

(Woman sits on chair with sign propped on knees. She gestures skyward for the rain to go away.)

Narrator:

One day as she sat in the rain, she saw a happy farmer gathering some fruits and vegetables.

(Farmer enters with basket, sets it down, smiles at raining sky, digs potatoes and picks fruit, exits with heavy basket.)

Narrator:

She also saw a gay little fish swimming in the big, big river. The river was getting even bigger and bigger because of the heavy rain.

(Fish enters with swimming motions, swim gaily about, swims off stage.)

Narrator:

And then she saw some youngsters having lots of fun playing in the rain.

(Children briskly enter to perform various fun-in-the-rain stunts, such as cupping hands to catch rain, hopping over puddles, splashing water on each other.)

One little girl thought it was a good time to get clean!

(A girl stands stage center, pulls towel and soap from pocket, scrubs herself, without disrobing! Children exit.)

Narrator:

Then she saw that hard-working fellow, the weatherman!

(Weatherman solemnly enters with up raised umbrella, halts at stage center, faces audience. Three times he holds out a palm, wipes wet hand on his coat, nods, unfolds and reveals to audience a large sheet of paper which reads, RAIN PREDICTED. He solemnly exits.)

Narrator:

And finally the woman who didn’t like rain saw a thirsty little robin who needed a drink of rain-water.

(Robin flies in, hops about, goes through the motions of drinking from a pool, hops off stage.)

Narrator:

All these things caused the woman who didn’t like rain to think.

(Woman thinks by peering curiously at sky.)

And think.

(Woman stands, thinks harder.)

And think.

(Woman thinks very hard by pacing the floor with head bowed and hands clasped at back.)

She began to think that rain might be pretty good after all. She thought of all the good things it gave the world.

Like vegetables

(Farmer enters freezes in digging position.)

And rivers

(Fish enters, holds swimming pose.)

And playtime

(Children rush in, freeze in play positions.)

And weather reports

(Weatherman enters, holds outstretched palm.)

And water to drink.

(Robin flies in holds drinking pose.)

Narrator:

All of a sudden, the woman who didn’t like rain started really to like rain. She smiled at the sky.

(Woman smiles upward.)

And smiled even more.

(Woman broadens smile.)

She even laughed!

(Woman laughs, joyously throws arms skyward.)

Narrator:

(Excitedly)

So she went out and had fun in the rain just like everyone else!

(Woman races in turn to each of the others, briefly acts out their frozen positions, races to her sign DOWN WITH RAIN holds it up to audience with one hand while wildly gesturing skyward for the rain to come down. As she finishes, the others exit while acting out their roles, for example, the Farmer walks off while picking fruit. The woman gaily skips off stage while happily holding high her sign.)

Narrator:

And that is how the woman who once said

(Frown.)

Down with rain, finally said

(Smile.)

Down with rain!

(Bow and exit.)