Pandora's Purse

Pandora's Purse (children's musical, work in progress)

Synopsis: Pandora has a very special purse that magically produces the tools she needs to solve whatever issue is at hand. Eventually, though, she discovers that some problems can't be fixed with things.

 

[Pandora continues on, exiting. Drivers 1, 2, 3, and 4 come onstage and get in a traffic jam. This may be accomplished by having each actor wear a sandwich-board-type car and pull a string of toy cars, operate a remote control car, etc.]

DRIVER 1: [honking] Get out of my way!

DRIVER 2: [honking] Move, why don’t you?

DRIVER 3: [honking] I’ve got places to be!

DRIVER 1: [honking] Aw, come on!

DRIVER 4: [honking] Go! I’m in a hurry!

DRIVER 2: [honking] I’m late!

DRIVER 4: [honking] This is ridiculous!

DRIVER 3: [honking] Why are you just sitting there? [Pandora enters.]

PANDORA: Wow! What’s all the racket?

DRIVER 1: Oh, hi, Pandora. [honks] Hey, move it!

PANDORA: Why is everyone just sitting here in their cars?

DRIVER 4: Traffic jam. [honks] Get going, you!

PANDORA: What’s a traffic jam?

DRIVER 2: It’s where everyone’s trying to move, but no one can, and so all the cars are just jammed in tight. [honks] Come on! I’m late!

PANDORA: That sounds frustrating.

DRIVER 3: Yeah, it’s a real problem! [honks] For crying out loud, just go!

PANDORA: I wonder if there’s something in my purse that would help.

DRIVER 1: That’s sweet of you, Pandora, but what could fix this? [honks]

DRIVER 2: [honks] Less talking, more driving!

DRIVER 3: [honks] Hurry up!

DRIVER 4: [honks] Get moving!

PANDORA: Well, it’s certainly worth a try. This is terrible!

 

“Just the Thing” (Drivers’ Song)
DRIVER 1: I’m sick of being stuck here in traffic

DRIVER 2: I’ve been here an hour,

DRIVER 3: Or three!

DRIVER 4: We need things more choreographic.

PANDORA: My purse could contain the key!

 

[Pandora reaches in to her purse, and pulls out a stop sign on a stand or base. She makes her way to the “intersection” and puts up the sign.]

[“Blue Danube” dance break, illustrating the flow of now-freed cars.]

PANDORA: Just the thing!

DRIVERS: Just the thing!

PANDORA:I reached in my purse and pull out what’s inside.

ALL: Just the thing! Just the thing!

PANDORA: You never know what I may find.

 

DRIVER 4: Wow! That was amazing!

DRIVER 1: Sorry I underestimated your purse, Pandora.

PANDORA: It doesn’t seem to mind. [Driver 1 exits.]

DRIVER 2: Thank you! I’ve got to run! Bye!

PANDORA: Bye!

DRIVER 3: That purse of yours really is something else!

PANDORA: I know. Have a good day!

DRIVERS 1, 2, 3: We will! [Drivers exit. Pandora goes on her way, and exits.]

 Light shift.