It's Pinocchio!
The Story
The Story
It's Pinocchio! by Daniel Smith is an original adaptation of The Adventures of Pinocchio, the 1883 book which collected all of the stories about the wooden puppet Pinocchio created by Carlo Collodi. The story of Smith's play is similar to the source material but with modern updates and other whimsical tweaks that make this piece stand on its own.
General Outline of the Story
Gepetto creates the wooden puppet Pinocchio, who is filled with mischief as he begins to find his way in his new world. Pinocchio causes a lot of commotion in the streets of Tuscany, resulting in his creator-father Gepetto being sent to debtor's prison. Following this, Pinocchio meets a mischievous human boy, Flash, before returning home and meeting Cricket. Cricket has a lot of advice but Pinocchio crushes him with a hammer. Gepetto is released from prison and promptly sends Pinocchio to school with his first book. Pinocchio speaks with Flash about the Fire Eater's local House of Puppets and Waffles and decides to skip school to visit this attraction. The boy sells his schoolbook to a woman on the street, Darlene, to have enough coins to visit the Fire Eater.
Pinocchio causes trouble at the Fire Eater's establishment, but ultimately leaves with more coins than he began with. He is ambushed on the street by a Fox and a Cat who proceed to explain a legend about a cave in the woods which leads to the Field of Miracles. If Pinocchio plants his gold coins in the field, he within in an hour will be granted thousands of coins in return. The coins can only be planted at night, so Pinocchio stays at an inn until nightfall. Pinocchio expects to see the Fox and Cat, but instead meets several townsfolk. Finally, Darlene appears to tell Pinocchio that the two animals have gone ahead. Fooled by the tale, Pinocchio wanders to the forest only to be mugged by the Fox and Cat.
The scene shifts to the cottage of the Fairy, where Pinocchio has been brought to safety. The boy is inspected by a crow and the now-restored Cricket. Pinocchio is restored to proper health and is questioned by the Fairy. The puppet's iconic nose grows longer and longer as he continuously lies to the Fairy about how he arrived at the cottage. Upon learning the truth of Pinocchio's background and his interaction with the Fox and Cat, Pinocchio's nose returns to normal and the Fairy grants him a new schoolbook. The Fairy sends Pinocchio to school, just as Gepetto had done before, but he is stopped by Flash who again convinces him to miss school for something more exciting– this time, a chance to see the 10-foot tall giant Great Green Fisherman. The two linger for too long and Pinocchio is caught by the massive man. Pinocchio is presented with a task: to catch dinner for the giant! The boy hunts down the Great Serpent for the fisherman before the Fairy appears.
The Fairy warns Pinocchio that Gepetto has gone missing; the creator-father has been searching for his child since Pinocchio first wandered off to the Fire Eater's House. Gepetto is seen offshore, searching every stretch of land and sea for his boy. Moments later, Pinocchio, the Fairy, and several townsfolk watch the massive Sharkfish swallow Gepetto's boat whole. Pinocchio wanders off to find his own way and meets Flash again. Flash convinces Pinocchio to join him on a trip to Boobyland, a place where anything is possible and there are no responsibilities. The Coachman appears and brings the two to Boobyland; news of this reaches the Fairy, who does not save Pinocchio this time. In Boobyland, Pinocchio and several boys indulge endlessly in alcohol, ice cream, and adult magazines before magically transforming into donkeys. (They have made asses of themselves quite literally.) The Coachman sells off these donkeys at an auction, but Pinocchio joins the cast of the Mishandling Brothers' Circus of Handled Animals and Oddities.
Pinocchio is trapped as a circus donkey; he is remorseful as the Fairy appears before him, unwilling to help. Pinocchio accidentally breaks one of his legs and is considered useless. The Ringmaster decides to have the donkey drowned at sea. Thrown to sea, the Fairy finally fees Pinocchio of his donkey appearance but the boy is subsequently eaten by the Sharkfish that swallowed his father's boat. Deep in the belly of the Sharkfish, Gepetto and his son are reunited. The two work together to escape the beast and return to shore. Darlene appears to help take care of Gepetto while Cricket speaks to Pinocchio about the Fairy's disappearance and the need to care of Gepetto. Pinocchio finally gets a job moving grain around, a job that nearly killed his employer's donkey... Flash. The two briefly reunite before Flash finally passes on. Pinocchio resolves to work and study as hard as he can.
After enough time, Pinocchio discovers he has become a real boy capable of feeling emotion. Darlene reveals herself as the Fairy and thanks Pinocchio for showing her what humanity was like. She disappears forever and Gepetto is restored to health. Gepetto discovers that his boy has come to life and the two are truly father and son. The play ends with a final lesson: that "even a simple piece of wood can lead to a lifelong adventure."
General Outline of the Story
Gepetto creates the wooden puppet Pinocchio, who is filled with mischief as he begins to find his way in his new world. Pinocchio causes a lot of commotion in the streets of Tuscany, resulting in his creator-father Gepetto being sent to debtor's prison. Following this, Pinocchio meets a mischievous human boy, Flash, before returning home and meeting Cricket. Cricket has a lot of advice but Pinocchio crushes him with a hammer. Gepetto is released from prison and promptly sends Pinocchio to school with his first book. Pinocchio speaks with Flash about the Fire Eater's local House of Puppets and Waffles and decides to skip school to visit this attraction. The boy sells his schoolbook to a woman on the street, Darlene, to have enough coins to visit the Fire Eater.
Pinocchio causes trouble at the Fire Eater's establishment, but ultimately leaves with more coins than he began with. He is ambushed on the street by a Fox and a Cat who proceed to explain a legend about a cave in the woods which leads to the Field of Miracles. If Pinocchio plants his gold coins in the field, he within in an hour will be granted thousands of coins in return. The coins can only be planted at night, so Pinocchio stays at an inn until nightfall. Pinocchio expects to see the Fox and Cat, but instead meets several townsfolk. Finally, Darlene appears to tell Pinocchio that the two animals have gone ahead. Fooled by the tale, Pinocchio wanders to the forest only to be mugged by the Fox and Cat.
The scene shifts to the cottage of the Fairy, where Pinocchio has been brought to safety. The boy is inspected by a crow and the now-restored Cricket. Pinocchio is restored to proper health and is questioned by the Fairy. The puppet's iconic nose grows longer and longer as he continuously lies to the Fairy about how he arrived at the cottage. Upon learning the truth of Pinocchio's background and his interaction with the Fox and Cat, Pinocchio's nose returns to normal and the Fairy grants him a new schoolbook. The Fairy sends Pinocchio to school, just as Gepetto had done before, but he is stopped by Flash who again convinces him to miss school for something more exciting– this time, a chance to see the 10-foot tall giant Great Green Fisherman. The two linger for too long and Pinocchio is caught by the massive man. Pinocchio is presented with a task: to catch dinner for the giant! The boy hunts down the Great Serpent for the fisherman before the Fairy appears.
The Fairy warns Pinocchio that Gepetto has gone missing; the creator-father has been searching for his child since Pinocchio first wandered off to the Fire Eater's House. Gepetto is seen offshore, searching every stretch of land and sea for his boy. Moments later, Pinocchio, the Fairy, and several townsfolk watch the massive Sharkfish swallow Gepetto's boat whole. Pinocchio wanders off to find his own way and meets Flash again. Flash convinces Pinocchio to join him on a trip to Boobyland, a place where anything is possible and there are no responsibilities. The Coachman appears and brings the two to Boobyland; news of this reaches the Fairy, who does not save Pinocchio this time. In Boobyland, Pinocchio and several boys indulge endlessly in alcohol, ice cream, and adult magazines before magically transforming into donkeys. (They have made asses of themselves quite literally.) The Coachman sells off these donkeys at an auction, but Pinocchio joins the cast of the Mishandling Brothers' Circus of Handled Animals and Oddities.
Pinocchio is trapped as a circus donkey; he is remorseful as the Fairy appears before him, unwilling to help. Pinocchio accidentally breaks one of his legs and is considered useless. The Ringmaster decides to have the donkey drowned at sea. Thrown to sea, the Fairy finally fees Pinocchio of his donkey appearance but the boy is subsequently eaten by the Sharkfish that swallowed his father's boat. Deep in the belly of the Sharkfish, Gepetto and his son are reunited. The two work together to escape the beast and return to shore. Darlene appears to help take care of Gepetto while Cricket speaks to Pinocchio about the Fairy's disappearance and the need to care of Gepetto. Pinocchio finally gets a job moving grain around, a job that nearly killed his employer's donkey... Flash. The two briefly reunite before Flash finally passes on. Pinocchio resolves to work and study as hard as he can.
After enough time, Pinocchio discovers he has become a real boy capable of feeling emotion. Darlene reveals herself as the Fairy and thanks Pinocchio for showing her what humanity was like. She disappears forever and Gepetto is restored to health. Gepetto discovers that his boy has come to life and the two are truly father and son. The play ends with a final lesson: that "even a simple piece of wood can lead to a lifelong adventure."