King Arthur and the Rectangular Table

KING ARTHUR 

and the 

RECTANGULAR TABLE

A Short Musical Play

in One Scene

by

Janet Williams Stensaas

for

Grades 2 – 6

King Arthur and the Rectangular Table

 Copyright 2000  

by  Janet Williams Stensaas

All Rights Reserved

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that KING ARTHUR AND THE RECTANGULAR TABLE is subject to a royalty.  It is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, the British Commonwealth, including Canada, and all other countries of the Copyright Union.  All rights, including professional, amateur, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, and the rights of translation into foreign language are strictly reserved. 

The amateur live stage performance rights to KING ARTHUR AND THE RECTANGULAR TABLE are controlled exclusively by Drama Source and royalty arrangements and licenses must be secured well in advance of presentation.  PLEASE NOTE that amateur royalty fees are set upon application in accordance with your producing circumstances.  When applying for a royalty quotation and license please give us the number of performances intended and dates of production.  Royalties are payable one week before the opening performance of the play to Drama Source Co., 1588 E. 361 N., St. Anthony, Idaho 83445, unless other arrangements are made. 

Royalty of the required amount must be paid whether the play is presented for charity or gain, and whether or not admission is charged.  For all other rights than those stipulated above, apply to Drama Source Company, 1588 E. 361 N. St. Anthony, Idaho 83445.

Copying from this book in whole or in part is strictly forbidden by law, and the right of performance is not transferable.

Whenever the play is produced, the following notice must appear on all programs, printing and advertising for the play, “Produced by special arrangement with Drama Source Co.”

Due authorship credit must be given on all programs, printing and advertising for the play.

No one shall commit or authorize any act or omission by which the copyright or the rights to copyright of this play may be impaired.

No one shall make changes in this play for the purpose of production without written permission.

Publication of this play does not imply availability for performance.    Both amateurs and professionals considering a production are strongly advised in their own interests to apply to Drama Source Company for written permission before starting rehearsals, advertising, or booking a theatre.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, now known or yet to be invented, including mechanical, electronic, photocopying, recording, videotaping or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher.CAST OF CHARACTERS

(In order of appearance)

KING ARTHUR

SIR GAWAIN        DRAGON 1

SIR PERCIVAL      DRAGON 2

SIR TRISTAM        DRAGON 3

SIR GEORGE        DRAGON 4

SIR GALAHAD        DRAGON 5

SIR SEGRAMOUR    DRAGON 6

SIR BELWIN          DRAGON 7

SIR EUSTACE DRAGON 8

SIR LANCELOT    DRAGON 9

QUEEN GUINEVERE

MORGAN LEFAY

LADIES OF THE COURT

MUSICAL NUMBERS

 WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS (All Knights)

 A TABLE ROUND (Guenivere, Morgan, and Ladies)

 THE REAL TALE OF THE ROUND TABLE (Company)

KING ARTHUR 

and the 

RECTANGULAR TABLE

SETTING: King Arthur’s room. There is a rectangular table with 2 chairs, one at the head, one  at the foot.

AT RISE: King Arthur sits at the head of the table. Surrounding  him stand 9 Knights, each armed with a sword.

ARTHUR: Only knights may sit at my table. As King, I, of course, sit at the head, and the bravest knight of all may sit at the foot of the table. 

GAWAIN: Well, then King Arthur, that’s my seat, because I , Gawain, am the bravest. I remember the time I fought the terrible dragon.

 (As he talks, the dragon enters and the two act out

 what Gawain is describing)

 It came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 1: Prepare for battle, Sir Gawain. Haaaaa!

GAWAIN: I rolled it and bowled it over. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

 (Dragon exits and Gawain sits down in the seat.

 Percival walks up behind Gawain, hands on hips)

 *Note: A different dragon enters to battle each knight, acting out what the knight describes

PERCIVAL: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Percival, am the bravest.   Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 2: Prepare for battle, Sir Percival. Haaaaa!

PERCIVAL: I bopped it and hopped over it. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

TRISTAM: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Tristam, am the bravest.  Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 3: Prepare for battle, Sir Tristam. Haaaaa!

TRISTAM: I flopped it and I bopped it. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

GEORGE: I beg your pardon! I, Sir George, am the bravest.  Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 4: Prepare for battle, Sir George. Haaaaa!

GEORGE: I picked up a bucket and poured water over the dragon and put its fire out. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

GALAHAD: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Galahad, am the bravest.  Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 5: Prepare for battle, Sir Galahad. Haaaaa!

GALAHAD: I roped it and tied it up like a puny little calf. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

SEGRAMOUR: I beg your pardon! I Sir Segramour, am the bravest. Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 6: Prepare for battle, Sir Segramour. Haaaaa!

SEGRAMOUR: I growled at it and showed my teeth. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

BELWIN: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Belwin, am the bravest.  Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 7: Prepare for battle, Sir Belwin. Haaaaa!

BELWIN: I jousted it and rousted it. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

EUSTACE: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Eustace, am the bravest.  Why, when I fought the dragon, it came toward me, breathing fire.

DRAGON 8: Prepare for battle, Sir Eustace. Haaaaa!

EUSTACE: I bounced it and pounced on it. Then I pointed my sword at it and said: “”Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

LANCELOT: I beg your pardon! I, Sir Lancelot, am the bravest.  Why, I didn’t have to fight at all. When it came toward me, breathing fire…

DRAGON 9: Prepare for battle, Sir Lancelot. Haaaaa!

LANCELOT: …I just looked it straight in the eye and said, very politely, “”Please Begone!”” And it left. I am certainly the bravest knight of all.

KING ARTHUR: Indeed, you are all the bravest knights of all.

WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS (All Knights)

WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS OF ALL,

OF ALL THE KNIGHTS BOTH SHORT AND TALL.

WE JUST LOOK AT A DRAGON 

AND DOWN IT FALLS.

WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS OF ALL.

 WE JOUSTED AND ROUSTED

 AND POUNCED AND BOUNCED

 AND SHOWED OUR TEETH AND GROWLED .

 WE BOPPED IT AND FLOPPED IT

 AND POURED WATER ON IT

 SO THAT DRAGON NEEDED A TOWEL. 

WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS OF ALL,

OF ALL THE KNIGHTS BOTH SHORT AND TALL.

WE JUST LOOK AT A DRAGON 

AND DOWN IT FALLS.

WE ARE THE BRAVEST KNIGHTS OF ALL.

ARTHUR: Sir Knights, Sir Knights, your attention please. (Waits until  they are quiet) I agree that you are all very brave, but I must choose the one who will sit at the foot of my table.   After careful consideration, I choose……Sir Lancelot.

LANCELOT: Thank you, thank you. Of course I accept. (He goes to sit down in the seat)

ALL KNIGHTS: (They talk at the same time, arguing)

 But that’s not fair…I’m braver than he is…Why should he get the seat…I’m a better fighter than he is. 

 (Actors may make up lines to argue with. They then try to sit in Lancelot’s seat. He hangs onto the table so hard that the table is tipped over. Everyone is suddenly quiet.)

ARTHUR: Sir Knights! Now, look what you’ve done; you’ve over- turned my table. Pick it up, pick it up!

 (The Knights pick up the table. At that moment, 

 Queen Guinevere, Morgan LeFay, and  the Ladies of the Court enter)

GUINEVERE: Hello, Arthur. Oh, Arthur, I see you have made a mess of things again. Thank goodness we arrived in time to help you straighten it out.

ARTHUR: (Dejectedly) Oh, hello, Guinevere. Yes, it appears I have made a bit of a mess of things. But what can YOU do? You are not Knights, you’re ladies.

GUINEVERE: We don’t have to be Knights to know how to solve your problem. We just have to use some common sense. 

MORGAN: We have a solution that will suit you perfectly. Ladies, will you help me bring it in?

 (The ladies exit to get a round table top, carrying it in and placing it on top of the rectangular table, making a round table out of it)

MORGAN: Sir Knights, would you please stand around the table?

 (The Knights surround the table and stand quietly)

GUINEVERE: As you can see, there is no head, there is no foot.  All of you are equally brave and each deserve an equal place. Ladies! (MUSIC STARTS)

A TABLE ROUND (Guenivere, Morgan, and Ladies)

 WHAT YOU NEED IS A TABLE ROUND

 WITH CHAIRS FOR ALL YOUR KNIGHTS.

 WITH NO HEAD AND WITH NO FOOT,

 YOU WON’T HAVE ANY FIGHTS.

 ROUND TABLE, TABLE ROUND,

 SO SIMPLE TO ARRANGE.

 EVERYBODY SITS AROUND,

 IT’S QUITE A PLEASANT CHANGE.

 WHAT YOU NEED IS A TABLE ROUND,

 WITH EQUAL SEATS FOR ALL.

 WITH NO ONE BRAVER THAN THE REST

 YOUR TABLE WON’T HAVE TO FALL.

 ROUND TABLE, TABLE ROUND,

 IS THE ANSWER TO THE QUIZ.

 WITH A SEAT FOR EVERYONE,

 EACH ONE KNOWS WHICH SEAT IS HIS.

ARTHUR: By jove, I think you’ve hit upon a great idea. I think I’ll call it: King Arthur and his Round Table. I’ll go down in history.

GUINEVERE: Very well, Arthur, but everyone who is here today will know it was really OUR idea. 

LANCELOT: King Arthur, I agree and I salute Queen Guinevere, Morgan LeFay, and all the fair ladies. Thank you, gracious Queen.

ARTHUR: All Hail Queen Guinevere and the ladies. (All Knights join him) HAIL, HAIL, HAIL! 

THE REAL TALE OF THE ROUND TABLE (Company)

 QUEEN GUINEVERE AND HER LADIES FAIR

 FOUND ARTHUR AWFULLY MAD.

 HIS KNIGHTS WERE FIGHTING ONCE AGAIN 

 AND MADE HIM AWFULLY SAD.

 “I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO,”” SAID HE,

 “ABOUT WHO’S SITTING WHERE.

 I CAN’T HAVE ALL THESE KNIGHTS SO BRAVE

 JUST SITTING HERE AND THERE.””

 SO GUINEVERE AND HER LADIES FAIR

 ARRIVED AT A DECISION.

 THEY CARRIED IN A TABLE ROUND

 AND PLACED IT WITH PRECISION.

 THEY TURNED A TABLE RECTANGLE

 INTO A TABLE ROUND,

 AND ONCE AGAIN THE VOICES HEARD

 WERE RAISED IN HAPPY SOUND.

 COSTUME HINTS

To make hats for the Dragons and shields for the Knights, follow these patterns.

Helmets for the Knights (illustration a) are easily effected by the use of gallon-sized plastic milk jugs. Cut along the black line. Spray jug with silver paint. Invert jug to fit over actor’s head.

Headdresses for the Ladies of the Court (illustration above) can be made of construction paper. Simply form a cone, with the large end fitted to the actor’s head. Attach a filmy scarf to the top, to trail down the back.

Each Knight will carry a sword (illustration above). If these are not available, construct them out of cardboard or poster board.

The Queen and King should each have a crown (illustration to right). 

These can be gold-painted poster    

board, sized to fit.

SET HINTS

A round table can be constructed of cardboard, taped together with duct tape for added strength and painted brown. 

Sheets can be hung to form simple backdrops. If you have more time, tapestry-type designs can be painted on the sheets to imitate a castle room.

To read more, please purchase the script.

King Arthur and the Rectangular Table

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