SEGMENT 20 of the musical "CANDELESCENCE" (written by Secretary Michael ); illustration by Jennifer Stolzer; the latest SCRIPT is found below; click to find the sheet music to this segment's necessary songs: "Our Garden, It Doesn't Have Weeds" and the "Segment 20 Recitative"
Segment 20: Commissioner Visit #2
(Morning - dirt schoolyard; just as in the start of Segment 6, the children are playing before class begins; the 3 boys are upstage with Twimfina; the 3 girls are downstage, jumping rope)
AKEELAH, POCA, SCOUT
(chanting while double-dutching)
In a Garden is our school
Love our teachers, Love our rules
Love to come here ev’ryday
Never want to go away
In a Garden is our school...
(Guru rings outside bell with rope from inside; students rush to the schoolhouse door and enter; Guru greets them as they walk through the door; Twimfina, carrying her guitar, enters last)
GURU
(singing cheerfully)
Good Morning to you!
CHILDREN
(singing cheerfully)
Good Morning, Guru!
(The children stop on the way to their stools and look at the math problem GURU is writing on the chalkboard; TWIMFINA joins them, sitting in back.)
GURU
(singing)
Today we’re learning something that is very important
(As Guru writes on the chalkboard, the door opens and the Commissioner walks in holding a paper. Guru turns and pleasantly greets the Commissioner.)
GURU (CONT'D)
(singing)
Good morning, dear Commissioner!
CHILDREN and TWIMFINA
(singing)
Good morning, dear Commissioner!
COMMISSIONER
(singing with ebullience)
Good morning, morning, morning my bee-yoo-tee-ful achievers
The test you took in Jeeno makes us doubters all believers!
You have passed the big exam – and I don’t just mean some
You have passed the big exam – each and ev’ry one!
CHILDREN, GURU, TWIMFINA
(Cheer excitedly)
COMMISSIONER (CONT’D)
Yesterday I went to Jeeno, as it is my duty
There I met the other leaders, just like me – but snooty
They were giving speeches so I really didn’t care
Until I heard the test results and I fell off my chair
“Where oh where is Garden School?” the jealous people asked
There has never been a school where ev’rybody passed
“It’s in Ko-Lat Village” I stood up and blew a kiss
“And in Ko-Lat Village we are all as smart as this!”
They were not amused and so I left the meeting fast
Didn’t want to stick around and get myself harassed
Now students want to transfer here because they think we’re cool
And all the parents want their kids to come to Garden School
TWIMFINA
Dear Commish’ner, if you please, we ask of you a favor
The laws against a singing concert – we would like a waiver
GURU
And dear Commish’ner, if you please, we have one more request
That you allow Americans to come and be our guest
COMMISSIONER
Oh my teachers, you have made our Village very sunny
I will give you anything – so long as it’s not money
So bring in the Americans and anyone at all
Fifteen years is much too long for us to have a wall
CHILDREN, TWIMFINA, GURU
(cheer in happiness)
ALL
(singing)
OUR BEAUTIFUL GARDEN HAS PRICKLES THAT PRICK
HAS THORNS AND BARBS AND STICKERS THAT STICK
WE MAY HAVE OUR PROBLEMS, WE MAY HAVE OUR NEEDS
BUT OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS, NO,
OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS.
OUR PLANTS FULL OF POLLEN ARE MAKING US SNEEZE.
WE’VE THISTLES AND NETTLES UP FRONT.
WE’VE POOR POISON IVY WITH FUNGAL DISEASE
AND PLANTS OTHER GARDENS DON’T WANT.
WE’VE ALL KINDS OF PLANTS WITH ALL KINDS OF LEAVES
WITH ALL KINDS OF FLOWERS AND ALL KINDS OF SEEDS
(Commissioner sings two lines alone)
BUT I’M THE COMMISH’NER AND I HAVE DECREED…
THAT OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS
(everybody continues)
NO, OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS
OUR PLANTS FULL OF POLLEN ARE MAKING US SNEEZE.
WE’VE THISTLES AND NETTLES UP FRONT.
WE’VE POOR POISON IVY WITH FUNGAL DISEASE
AND PLANTS OTHER GARDENS DON’T WANT.
WE’VE ALL KINDS OF PLANTS WITH ALL KINDS OF LEAVES
WITH ALL KINDS OF FLOWERS AND ALL KINDS OF SEEDS
(Children sing two lines alone)
BUT WE ARE THE STUDENTS AND WE HAVE DECREED…
THAT OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS
(everybody continues)
NO, OUR GARDEN IT DOESN’T HAVE WEEDS!
END OF SEGMENT 20
