You can make "The Old Woman and the Pig" come to life in many different ways. Anyone who doesn’t like to act can still take part.

A director can make sure everyone is in the right place onstage, observe rehearsals, and give suggestions for how actors can make characters more believable.

A stage manager is in charge of the scenery and props (objects used by actors onstage). The stage manager always has a copy of the script and can help feed actors lines if they forget them.

Stage hands can help the stage manager create the scenery and props.

A costume designer can be in charge of making the costumes.

Costumes
The NARRATOR can wear anything that makes it clear he or she is the storyteller. A plain outfit (no bright patterns) would probably be best since the NARRATOR will stand to the side and will not want to distract the audience from watching the centerstage action.

The OLD WOMAN can pull her hair back and wear a kerchief over it. She could wear a peasant blouse, a long, loose skirt, and tights and clogs. Wrap a shawl around her shoulders and have her stoop to make herself seem older.

LE COCHON, the pig, can wear a hooded pink sweatshirt and sweat pants. Make a curly tail from a short length of pink ribbon tied in a knot and ask an adult to pin it to the seat of the actor's pants. Cut out ears and a nose from pink construction paper. Click here to print a pattern for the ears and attach them with tape to the hood of the sweatshirt. For the nose, trace the bottom of a small paper cup on pink construction paper. Cut out the circle and draw two nostrils on it, then glue or tape the nose to the bottom of the cup. Poke a hole on each side of the cup, push strings through and tie in place.

LA POULE, the hen, can wear an orange t-shirt and brown pants. Click here to print a pattern to make a feather necklace, feathers for her hands, and a beak.

LE MOUTON, the sheep, can wear a wooly white sweater or fleece top, or you can glue cotton balls to an old white t-shirt and knit hat. Ask an adult to pin a pair of white socks to the hat for ears.

THE THREE ROBBERS should wear the same outfit. You might have them wear knit hats, striped shirts, jeans, and sneakers. Click here to print a pattern for eye masks they can wear. Each one can wear a different color mask so you can tell them apart. You could also use makeup to draw a moustache on one of them.

Scenery
The story takes place in a forest. You could hang a green or brown-colored sheet or blanket to suggest a forest. Or draw or paint a forest on a large piece of cardboard (from a refrigerator or other appliance box).

The robbers meet under an oak tree. Can you think of a way to decorate a coat rack to look like an oak tree?

You'll need something representing a door to separate one half of the stage from the other half. Any barrier, such as a sheet hung on a clothesline would work.

Props
Two spools of wool. (You can use empty paper towel or toilet paper rolls and wind yarn around them.)

A few apples and a frying pan

A "stove" (A small table would work fine.)

Remember, all of the above are suggestions. Be creative and work with what you have to make your production come to life. Everyone will enjoy the performance if you have fun!

We'd love to hear about your production of "The Old Woman and the Pig" and see a photo. Write to us at Spider's Mailbox, P.O. Box 300, Peru, IL 61354. We might print your letter or photo in a future issue of Spider!

To hear a performance of "The Old Woman and the Pig," click here.