Assembly Performance Script (Year 1 Class)

Chloe, Claudia, Sarah, Sian, Sam, & Taylor.

Brief: Angie is a regular student who has a bad habit of daydreaming in Miss Larkman’s
class. One day her daydream transports her into the Australian outback. Surrounded by bush
and a large gumtree she begins to explore her surroundings and discovers many native
animals. Along the way she learns some valuable lessons about belonging to a community
and what a true friend is.

Character Summary Table

Character Costume Movements Props

Angie Angie is to wear a green jumpsuit Classroom: Slumping, Binoculars and
with explorer boots under a school hand on chin. a broadbrimmed
jumper. This school jumper is taken Outback: Exploring hat.
off when the first daydream music through walking,
begins. dancing, jumping and
twirling.
Classroom Shirt tucked into skirt. Reading book, Book and
Teacher interacting with the glasses.
audience.
Kookaburra Black leggings, black shirt, wings Flapping wings, N/A
(material cape), hat with beak. kookaburra noise,
swooping motions.
Koala Black leggings, white fluffy jumper, Crawling, chewing on Koala soft toy
koala mask and ears. leaves, hugging branch. to be attached to
the student’s
back.
Platypus Black leggings, black shirt, platypus “Swimming" using A skateboard.
mask & tail (made from fabric and skateboard, rubbing
leather scraps), webbed feet gloves. webbed hands and
shaking head.

Kangaroo Black leggings, brown shirt, Jumping and rubbing A kangaroo soft
kangaroo ears (made from a face with paws. toy (joey).
headband and cardboard), a tail
(made from a stocking stuffed with a
bed sheet).
Gumtree Black leggings and top. Gumtree leaf Swaying. Instruments to
headband and gumtree branches to be play throughout
tucked into a black belt worn on the the song.
outside of the clothes. (The look is an
artistic interpretation rather than a
realistic one.)
 Assembly Performance Script
Samantha, Claudia, Sarah, Sian, Chloe, & Taylor.

STAGE SET UP

Desk & school set up on left side of the stage. This includes a whiteboard with children’s
books and paintings of Australian animals children have completed in visual arts class. The
desk will have plain fabric covering the legs so students cannot see the costume of ‘Angie the
explorer’ below the legs.

Outback scenario on the right side of the stage. A laptop with the music soundtrack and
instruments (guiro, cabasa, water bottle and hand held drum) to be placed on the desk prior
to the beginning of the assembly. There will be a blue creek (a blue sheet) at the base of the
main student playing the gumtree and gumtree branches around the stage.

START OF ASSEMBLY HERE

Student A: Thank you for coming to our assembly this morning. Today we will take you on
an adventure around Australia to see what Australian animals we can find.
Student B: I wonder how many animals we will see?
Student C: Will they be furry or feathery?
Student D: Will they swim in lakes or will they climb up trees?
Student E: Let’s dive into the classroom and see what happens next!

Students B, C, & D exits down the aisle to the back of audience. Student E (the gumtree in the
following scene) walks to the right side of the stage and stands still. Student A sits down at
the desk and becomes the character Angie.

Teacher starts behind audience. She begins walking down the aisle to student desk.

Teacher: My goodness me! What a giant class we have this morning. We have filled up this
whole room! I don’t think we have all met before! Well, good morning everyone! My name
is Miss Larkman. Can we all say good morning?

Angie and Audience: Good morning Miss Larkman!

Teacher standing next to student desk, facing audience.

Teacher: This morning we will be learning all about Australian animals. Who can tell me
some Australian animals they already know?

Angie: A Kookaburra!

Teacher: That’s right! Well done! Does anyone else know any Australian Animals?
Walks towards audience – directly ask them the question.

Teacher: Oh good job!! Now we are going to read a book about an Australian animal!
Once upon a time there was a wombat who was called Sleepy……
The teacher begins reading the book and eventually her voice fades out and the teacher exits
to the left side to behind the audience.
Cue daydream sound effect (5 seconds long).
Angie appears to be daydreaming.
Angie: I wonder what it would be like to go on a real adventure in the outback. Wouldn’t it be
magical?

Music transitions into traditional Aboriginal Music (20 seconds).

Student E (playing the role of the gumtree) to stand up into position on the right side of the
stage.
Angie stands up, takes off school jacket to reveal an explorer outfit and begins exploring
surroundings. Under the gumtree she finds binoculars and a hat. She dances by twirling to
the music and stretching her limbs out long to represent her exploring and sense of curiosity.

Cue Kookaburra sounds over the top of the music.

Kookaburra swoops around, throughout the audience and onto the stage. The kookaburra
swoops around two more times.
Angie is to avoid looking at the kookaburra as if she can’t see it. She looks into the sky with
her bionoculars.

End Kookaburra sounds and music.

Angie: What was that? I don’t even know where I am. Let’s see, sandy floor, large gumtrees,
hot sun, animal sounds. I must be in the Australian outback! It is beautiful here but I do feel
quite lonely and a little bit scared all by myself. I hope I can make some friends.

Cue Gumtree Family by Justine Clark.

NOTE: For each animal verse the student playing the role of the gumtree will play a
different instrument (in which the sound relates to the animal in some way) to the rhythm of
the music.
When students are not the main dancer during the verses they bob in time with the beat of the
music.

Kookaburra to move towards stage.

What’s that there?
Arms out – right to left
Can you see?
Make binoculars with hands – swoop left
I wonder what that thing could be
Thinking position – swoop right
Now its sitting in the tree
Point to the tree
Part of the gumtree family
Arms move above head in semi-circle

Gumtree to play guiro to the rhythm of the music for this verse.
It flies up high,
lands on a branch,
Makes this sound
Koo Koo ca ca ca cah
you guessed it
Point both hands towards the audience
Its a kookaburra
Both arms reach out each side of the body
And when its sitting in the tree
Angie to point to the kookaburra
It’s part of the Gumtree Family
Arms move across the front of the body in a semi circle

Koala to move towards stage.

What’s that there?
Arms out – right to left
Can you see?
Make binoculars with hands – swoop left
I wonder what that thing could
Thinking position – swoop right
Sleeping up there in the tree
Point to the tree
Part of the Gumtree family
Arms move above head in semi-circle

Gumtree to play the cabasa to the rhythm of the music for this verse.
It sits on a branch
Chews the leaves
Baby on her back
You guessed it
Point both hands towards the audience
It’s a koala
Both arms reach out each side of the body
And when its sitting in the tree
Point to the koala
It’s part of the gumtree Family
Arms move across the front of the body in a semi circle

Platypus to move towards stage on skateboard.

What’s that there?
Arms out – right to left
Can you see?
Make binoculars with hands – swoop left
I wonder what that thing could be
Thinking position – swoop right
In the creek beside the tree
Point to the tree
Part of the gumtree Family
Arms move above head in semi-circle

Gumtree to shake a water bottle to the rhythm of the music for this verse.
It’s got webbed feet
Show hands towards audience
Bill like a bird
Move hands along the bill
Lives in the creek
You guessed it
Point both hands towards the audience
It’s a platypus
Both arms reach out each side of the body
and when its underneath in the creek
Point to the platypus
It’s part of the gumtree Family
Arms move across the front of the body in a semi circle

Kangaroo to move towards stage.

What’s that there?
Arms out – right to left
Can you see?
Make binoculars with hands – swoop left
I wonder what that thing could
Thinking position – swoop right
Bouncing along beneath the tree
Point to the tree
Part of the gumtree family
Arms move above head in semi-circle

Gumtree to play the drum to the rhythm of the music for this verse.
It’s got brown fur
Hops along
With a joey in her pouch
You guessed it
Point both hands towards the audience
It’s a Kangaroo
Both arms reach out each side of the body
And when it’s underneath the tree
Point to the kangaroo
It’s part of the Gumtree family
Arms move across the front of the body in a semi circle

All animals to participate in the actions at the front of the stage.

What’s that there?
Arms out – right to left
Can you see?
Make binoculars with hands – swoop left
I wonder what that thing could be
Thinking position – swoop right
Now its sitting in the tree
Point to oneself
Part of the gumtree family
Arms move above head in semi-circle
Part of the gumtree family
Arms move above head in semi-circle

Angie to interact with the animals.

Angie: What a great surprise to meet you all today! I was feeling so lonely out here in the
bush and I’m so happy I’ve made some new friends! This is such a special community we
have. I forgot to tell you that my name is Angie!

Kookaburra: We are happy to meet you Angie!

Koala: You can come see us whenever you like!

Platypus: Yes come swim with us in the creek!

Kangaroo: Or jump around at sunset with Joey and I!

Kookaburra: We all look after each other here in the gumtree family! Everyone in the
gumtree family always tries their best to be kind, friendly and respectful!

Angie: That’s so awesome! Thank you for being so welcoming everyone! I’ll see you again
soon but for now I better get back to class, Miss Larkman will be wondering where I am!

Cue instrumental version of gumtree family to play in the background until the animals have
exited.

Cue daydream music.

Animals exit through the audience behind audience doing their movements. Angie is
“transported” back to her seat in time with the daydream music. She moves her arms and
body as if she is being re-winded on a tape. The teacher (Miss Larkman) walks back towards
stage.

Teacher: Angie! Angie! Stop daydreaming!

Teacher talking to Angie and the audience as well (to show that the audience is expected to
participate in the quiz).
Teacher: Alright students, it’s time for a quiz on the Australian animals that we have been
learning about. I’m going to describe an Australian animal that we have learnt about today
and I want you to all call out the answer if you know which animal it is!
Kookaburra to make way up the aisle between the audience, acting as the kookaburra flying
and arms spread wide to showcase the cape) and stopping at the front left of stage.
It flies up high, lands on a branch.
Makes this sounds ‘koo-koo-ca-ca-ca-cah’
What is it?

Audience & students: A kookaburra

Koala to make way up the aisle between the audience, acting as the koala (crawling and
munching the leaves) and stopping next to the kookaburra
It sits on a branch, chews the leaves.
Has a baby on it’s back…
What is it?

Audience & students: A koala

Kangaroo to make way up the aisle between the audience, acting as the kangaroo hopping
and scratching face with paws. The kangaroo stops next to the other animals.
It’s got brown fur, hops along.
With a Joey in it’s pouch.
What is it?

Audience and students: A kangaroo!

Teacher: And the last question before you all head out to lunch. This question is a little bit
different but very important… What makes a good friend?

Angie: A friend is someone who stops you from feeling alone and makes you feel loved. You
don’t have to know friends for a long time to feel this way. Really, a true friend is kind,
friendly and respectful.

Teacher: Well done Angie, I wonder who taught you that?

Angie shrugs and winks at the audience.

Teacher: Well done class! I think that’s just about all the time we have today!

Cue school siren music.

Cue instrumental music after the siren.

The performers make a line at the front of the stage, holds hands, bowls, claps the audience
for their participation and exits through the aisle. Angie is left daydreaming at the front of
the stage.

Instrumental music pauses.

Angie looks at the audience and puts her finger to her lips and makes a shhhh sound.
Angie to the audience: I wonder which adventure we can sneak away on next….
Angie winks very obviously at the audience.

The teacher walks back up the aisle to talk to Angie.

Teacher: Angie would you stop daydreaming!

Angie sighs and shrugs her shoulders again.

Instrumental music continues playing again.

Angie exits with her teacher. Angie walks with a bounce in her step.

END OF ASSEMBLY HERE.

References

Didge Project. (2017, August 5). Traditional Didgeridoo Rhythms by Lewis Burns, Aboriginal
Australian Artist [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG9ZX1FS20A

Justine Clarke. (2015, August 7). Justine Clarke - The Gumtree Family (Official Video)
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFQwM8WkUnE

Justine Clarke. (2015, August 23). Justine Clarke - The Gumtree Family (Instrumental)
[Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP65nt-sM70