The skits I have included here are from memories of more than twenty
years, and I may be dating myself with some of these. Skits in units
have a tendency to end up lengthy and not understood by the audience.
I try to provide some starting points, a setting, a situation, a
character..etc..because although these prepared skits are nice, the
children want to create their own as well.
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Why Not...
- Prepare paper bags with cards/paper, one with the setting
one with some situations, one with characters. Have groups
draw a card/paper from each bag and enough characters so
everyone has a role to play?
-
Why Not...
- Fill a bag with joke punchlines and challenge groups to
make a skit leading up to the punchline. For example,
I knew there'd be days like this...My mother told me never
to...
-
Why Not...
- Have the groups select nursery rhymes or fairy tales and
have the girls create a new ending?
-
Why Not...
- Give each group an article of clothing and create a skit
using that item?
-
Why Not...
- Have the groups create a skit with sounds only?
-
Why Not...
- Have the groups pick from a paper bag filled with Guiding
or other song titles and challenge them to a mime?
-
Why Not...
- Have the groups select from a bag with typical everyday
situations and create a skit around that? For example,
Going to the grocery store, giving the dog a bath etc..
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Some Tips for Good Skits
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The number one reason for skits flopping is because people can't hear
what's going on! Have the actors speak loudly, especially when
out of doors.
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Practice! Have the girls go over their skit before campfire. This way
they can decide how loud to be, how fast to be...
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Help them learn not to rush to the punchline or break out giggling.
This is another great way to ruin a good skit.
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Be Dramatic!! The more overacted, the funnier they become.
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Keep it short! Two minutes tops.
-
If the skit requires props, have the girls make them oversized.
People see them better, and it can be funnier to have a huge prop.
So, here we go. Happy acting!
THE CHECKUP
NO SKIT
THE FLY FAMILY
SCOOP!
THE OLD FISHERMAN
THE STIFF NECK
A GATHERING OF NUTS
THE GLASS HOUSE
GATES OF HEAVEN
BAD TELEPHONE LINE
BALONEY
THERE'S A FLY
PARK BENCH
AT THE MOVIES
THE UGLIEST MAN IN THE WORLD
IS IT TIME YET?
DR. BLUEBONNET
TOO TIRED TO MOVE
SHAKE FIRST
WRONG DOG
THE EXECUTION
EMERGENCY TEST
BUILDING A STORE
THE CASTAWAYS
THE CHECKUP
Cast: Doctor and patient
Doctor examines patient and then scribbles out a prescription.
"Take one of these pink pills every morning with a glass of water.
Take one of these brown pills every afternoon with a glass of water.
Take one of these blue pills every night before you go to bed with
a glass of water."
Patient: Gosh Doctor, what's wrong with me?
Doctor: You're not drinking enough water!
NO SKIT
Cast: Several children, one adult
One child, alone on stage is crying very loudly. Another child
approaches, puts a kind hand on her shoulder and asks what is wrong.
The first child whispers into the second child's ear. The second
child begins to cry loudly as well. Repeat this until the entire
cast of children are in tears.
The adult approaches and asks what is wrong. The children look up and
say: "We don't have a skit!"
THE FLY FAMILY
Cast: Narrator, four players to act as flies.
Props: A cup full of rice/confetti
Narrator introduces the infamous Fly Family. "It is my pleasure to
welcome here tonight a very famous family. Mr. Housefly (comes in
buzzing, bows).Then there is Miss Butterfly (comes in dancing sweetly)
and Mr. Horsefly (comes in humming, bows)."
One more fly comes in with a cup in his hand. The flies ask the
audience if they want to be introduced to the last member of their
family.(Audience always screams yes!) So the narrator introduces
Mr. Letterfly, who takes the cup of confetti and lets 'er fly!
SCOOP!
Cast: Reporter, several bystanders
This skit takes place on a bridge over a river, where a man is
threatening to jump into the waters.
First runs up to him, yelling "Wait, wait! Why are you jumping off
the bridge?"
"I'm a reporter. My boss said if I don't get a good story by noon,
I can kiss my job goodbye!"
"Come to think of it,"says the other man,"I'm in so much debt the bank
is about to take away my house. I think I'll jump too."
As both get ready to jump, another rushes over to question them. As
they tell their tales the next person replies with another story of
how horrible their life is (The girls enjoy making up these!)
This is repeated until all the bystanders are on the bridge. Together
they decide to count to three and jump.
At the critical moment, they all jump. Except the reporter.
He takes out his pad and pencil and writes: "Scoop,scoop! Four people
jump off _________ bridge!"
THE OLD FISHERMAN
Cast: The old fisherman and several other fishermen
The old fisherman is icefishing, acting out that he is catching one
fish after another.(No talking here)
The other fishermen come in together, set up alittle ways a way. After
a few miutes with no luck, one of them goes over to the old fisherman
and asks what kind of bait that he is using.
The old fisherman mumbles a response that no one can understand.
The scene is repeated until the last fisherman comes over and
asked what kind of bait he uses.
The old fisherman spits something out of his mouth into his hand and
says: "I told you guys! Just worms! But you've got to keep them warm!"
THE STIFF NECK
Cast: four or more
First person wanders in alone, continuously looking up at the sky.
Second enters, sees the first looking up, and looks up too. The third
enters, sees the others looking, does the same and asks, "What are
you looking at?"
Second answers "I don't know. I'm looking up because she's looking up."
Fourth enters, sees the others looking up and asks the first person,
"What's everyone looking at?"
First person replies, "I don't know about the other two, but I've got
a stiff neck!"
A GATHERING OF NUTS
Cast: One who calls volunteers from the audience. (I did this skit once
at a parent/daughter barbeque and only called on adults. The kids
thought it was great!)
Announcer says that he is composing an outdoor scene and needs help.
The first volunteer acts as a tree, arms out, repeating "rustle, rustle
rustle". The second is a brook who lies on the ground repeating
"babble, babble, babble." The wind runs around the trees repeating
"swish, swish, swish" Birds flutter around repeating "tweet, tweet
tweet." Finally, a squirrel on hands and knees picks up nuts.
When picture is complete, the announcer calls out the title of the
composition: "A Gathering of Nuts."
THE GLASS HOUSE
Cast: King, two servants, announcer (I learned this skit at the Pipers
Hill Guide Camp in the early eighties!)
The king, sitting on his throne calls to his servant: "Fetch help and
carry this old throne to the attic, right now!"
The servant tries to argue, but the king overrules. "Don't argue with
me. Do as you're told. I'm the king. Besides, living in a glass castle,
we can't have our subjects seeing us with this old furniture!"
The servants carry away the throne and return. A loud crash is heard
and everyone ducks, as if being hit by falling objects.
The announcer comes out and says: "The moral of the story is that
people who live in glass houses shouldn't stow thrones!"
GATES OF HEAVEN
Cast: Angel, several recently deceased, a Guider (This is another one
from Pipers Hill that I use often at the last Campfire of camp)
Angel is standing at the Pearly Gates. First deceased approaches;
angel asks, "How have you suffered, my child?"
First: I gave all my money to charity and died of starvation!
Angel: That is not enough. Go back and suffer more.
The remaining deceased approach, each telling of their suffering.
The last deceased person is the Guider, dragging herself in, looking
weak and ill.
Angel: How have you suffered, my child?
Guider: I was just returning from a weekend at Girl Guide camp with
30 children.
Angel: Enter, then, my child. You have suffered plenty!
BAD TELEPHONE LINE
Cast: Angler and friend
One person at each end of a bad telephone line, trying to hear each
other. First: "Guess what, I went fishing this afternoon."
Second: "What did you say about dishes and spoons?"
First turns to the audience and says to them "Must have a bad connection,
I need a volunteer to hold up the line." A volunteer steps up and
holds arms up, as though holding up the line.
First: "I said I went fishing this afternoon."
Second: "What was that about the sky in June?"
Two more volunteers are recruited to hold up the line. First says to
the audience, "I hope that clears up the problem..(Into the phone)..
I said I went fishing this afternoon." Second: "OH! What did you
catch?"
First: Nothing then, but I've got several suckers on the line right
now!"
BALONEY
Cast: A tour guide and three or more tourists
Tourists arrive at the top of a canyon. Tour guide tells them about
the excellent echo and invites them to test it. Guide says HELLO.
A voice, offstage, repeats the sound
Each tourist calls out a short statement, which the echo repeats.
The second last tourist shouts out BALONEY.
The echo doesn't answer.
The last person shouts MY GUIDER IS THE BEST!
The echo respnds, BALONEY!
THERE'S A FLY
Cast: A waiter and a customer (this is two quickie skits)
Customer: Waiter, there's a fly in my soup.
Waiter: Don't worry sir, he won't drink much.
Customer: Waiter, what's this fly doing in my soup?
Waiter: He appears to be doing the backstroke, sir.
PARK BENCH
Cast: Three
first person comes in and sits in the middle of a park bench and
begins to read the paper. Second person entersss, sits on the end
of the bench and pretends to be fishing. The first person watches,
growing more and more nervous as she realizes this person REALLY
thinks she is fishing. A third person enters and sits on the
other end of the bench. The first person leans over to the third and
whispers, "This lady really thinks she's fishing!" The third person
looks over at the second person, sits up straight and says,
"You're right! She must be crazy! I'm getting out of here!" With that
the third person makes motions as if she is rowing a boat.
AT THE MOVIES
Cast: Director, camerman, clapperboard man,2 lighting guys (with
flashlights), and mother are onstage as action begins. Son,
daughter and undertaker wait in the wings.
Director: Lights, Camera, Action!
Clapperboard: Scene one, take one!
(The actors play the following scene without the least sign of emotion
as lighting people follow and camera man films. Mother is flipping
eggs at stove as son walks in.)
Son: Mother, I don't feel too well. (He collapses)
Mom (goes over, looks at son): Oh. I'd better call the doctor. (Moves
to phone, making dialing sounds. Doctor come quickly, my son has collapsed.
Doctor: (Enters, takes pulse, checks breathing) He's dead. I'd better
call the undertaker. (Goes to phone, makes dialing noises.)
Undertaker, you'd better come. I have a dead boy here.
Undertaker: (Enters and measures the body.)
Director: (Jumps up) CUT!CUT! That was terrible. You had no
emotion at all. Do it again. This time, give more emotion!
Clapperboard: Screne one Take two
(The actors redo the scene using the same words but with overacting
the emotions. Mother weeps loudly throughout.son dies very dramatically
At the same point as in Take One the director yells, CUT!CUT! again.
That was better, but too fast. Let's try again. This time slow
it down. Lights, Camera Action!
The actors redo the scene in slow motion, talking, moving slowly. the
director yells Cut! in the usual place.
Director: That was too slow. Let's speed it up!
This time, the actors do the scene so fast no one can keep up.
Director: (At the same place) CUT! That was terrible. Actors?
You call yourselves actors?
Cast: Actors? Who said anything about actors? We're the cleaners!
THE UGLIEST MAN IN THE WORLD
Cast: Announcer, ugliest man in the world
Props: Blanket to cover Ugliest Mans face
Announcer: Step right up! See the Ugliest man in the world for
a mere dollar! Step right up! You ma'am, you look like
you'd be interested in seeing the Ugliest Man alive!
(Announcer chooses several "plants" from the audience. These people
know to go and lift the blanket and run screaming. As the last person
chosen, the announcer picks someone who doesn't know the punchline.
When the last person lifts the blanket to see the ugliest man alive,
the Ugliest man runs screaming instead of the audience member!)
IS IT TIME YET?
Cast: Several people sitting cross legged on a bench. (All legs
the same)
The girl at the end of the bench turns to her neighbour and asks,
"Is it time yet?" This question gets repeated all the way to the girl
at the other end of the bench. She replies "No." The answer goes back
to the girl who asked the question. This continues several times until
finally the girl at the other end of the bench looks at her watch, and
instead of saying no, says "Yes". They all switch the legs they have
crossed at the same time.
DR. BLUEBONNET
Cast: Dr. Bluebonnet, secretary, several patients
Props: A bench or log to be the couch
First patient enters and asks to see Dr. Bluebonnet. Secretary explains that the doctor
is out, but the patient can wait. Patient agrees and sits on the couch.
The scene repeats until there are three or four patients sitting in a row on the couch.
Dr. Bluebonnet rushes in, late for his afternoon golf appointment.
When the secretary explains that there are several emergency cases waiting for him,
Dr. Bluebonnet lies down across the patients' laps.
All the patients are miraculously cured. The startled secretary questions the doctor
as he exits.
Doctor: Don't you know that everything is better with Bluebonnet on it?
TOO TIRED TO MOVE
Cast: a family of hillbillies: Ma, Pa, Jethro and Jim Bob
The family of Hillbillies are lazing around and speaking wearily. A Mournful coyote howl is heard
throughout the conversation.
Pa: Hey, Ma, what's that awful sound?
Ma: Don't Know.
Pa: Go see what it is, I'm too tired to move.
Ma: Hey Jethro, what's that awful sound I hear?
jethro: Don't rightly know Ma.
Ma: Will you go see what it is? I'm jes' too tired to move.
Jethro: hey Jim-Bob, what's that awful sound we're hearin'?
Jim-Bob: Ah don' know either.
Jethro: Go check it out will ya?
Jim Bob slowly gets up, looks out, ambles back: "It's nothin' but a coyote sittin on a cactus. I guess
he's jes' too tired to move!"
SHAKE FIRST
Cast: Two
Props: A jar
First enters with a jar and starts jumping and trembling vigorously. Second approaches and asks:
"Why are you jumping around like that?"
First: The instructions on the jar say to shke vigorously before opening!
WRONG DOG
Cast: A dog, his owner, a bystander
The owner and the bystander are sitting on a park bench, the dog is asleep at the owners feet. The
bystander reaches down to pet the dog and askes the owner, "Does your dog bite?"
Owner: No.
the dog bites the bystander on the hand. Bystander yells in shock and pain, I thought you said your dog doesn't bite!
Owner: He doesn't! That's not my dog!
THE EXECUTION
Cast: Executioner, gunners, and three victims
Three victims are lined up before the firing squad. The executioner drags the first one into position and asks:
"Have you any final words before you die?"
First: Earthquake!
Everyone ducks, some run, and he escapes
The second is positioned and asks the same question. He yells: Flood! Everyone ducks or runs, and he escapes.
The third is positioned and is asked the same question. He yells: Fire! and is promptly shot.
EMERGENCY TEST
Cast: Announcer and several participants who line up, looking very serious
Announcer: This is the emergency Broadcast Network. The next sound you hear is the emergency broadcast
alarm.
announcer and participants make the alarm tone.
Announcer: This was only a test. If there had been a real emergency, what you would have heard was...
Participants panic and run screaming aound and out of the campfire area.
BUILDING A STORE
Cast: Several
The participants gather volunteers from the audience to help them build a store. Some become walls, others doors,
windows, a cash register, and so forth, each making appropriate positions or noises.
Finally a volunteer is invited to be the store's first customer.
The customer is asked if he knows what kind of store it is. It is announced that it must be a candy store:"Look at all the suckers!"
THE CASTAWAYS
Scene: A group of people (4-6) depending on the number of people participating in the skit)are stranded on a tropical
island. One is playing in the sand when she discovers a bottle.
First: Hey, look at this old bottle I found! I wonder if there's anything in it?(She struggles to open it, then,
with a loud bang, a genie appears)
Genie: Thankyou, Oh thank you! I have been a prisoner in that bottle for thousands of years and had given up on anyone
releasing me! To show my appreciation, i will give each one of you a wish!
First: Wow, I haven't seen my family in years. Why, my children must be almost grown. Please send me home to Toronto!
Genie: Your wish is my command! (He nods his head and the First dissappears)
Second: My boyfriend was the cutest guy on earth! I'd sure like to see him again! Please send me home to Ottawa.
Genie: Your wish is my command. (He nods, the Second dissappears)
Third: I sure miss my mom and Dad. I'll bet they're really worried about me. Please send me home to Whitby!
Genie: Your wish is my command.(He nods, the Third is gone)
Fourth: I used to belong to this great Girl Guide Group, we did lots of great things together and made some great friends,
I really miss them! Please send me back to 14th Oshawa Guides!
Genie: Your wish is my command.(He nods and the fourth is gone)
Last person: (Looks around)Gee, it's awfully quiet and lonely here. I wish all my friends were here with me.
Genie: (Looks at the audience and shrugs) Your wish is my command. As he nods his head, the Genie dissappears and the other
people turn up again in the middle of whatever it is they were doing. The look around in amazement at each other and finally turn to the
last girl, knowing what her wish had to have been.
Last person; Well, i just didn't want to be all alone!
They all chase her off stage and the scene ends.