The Tiny Little Giant

“Little Bit,” is the daughter of two giants and she hates being small. She encounters two tiny creatures who help her realize that size is only a matter of perspective. This adorable short play offers a wonderful way for students to learn to appreciate their unique qualities, and to embrace differences in their peers.

This play includes discussion questions and director’s notes pertaining to casting, costumes and simple set design.

Debra A. Cole is a celebrated humanities teacher, youth theatre director, and children’s playwright with degrees in journalism, art history, and elementary education. She understands the needs of young performers and their directors and creates pieces that encourage engaging discussion, creative thought, and quirky playfulness. Her goal is that young performers discover the power and delight that theatre brings to actors and audiences alike.

Visit her website:
www.debraacole-playwright.com

Excerpt from the play:

CHARACTERS

LITTLE BIT — (F) medium sized but thinks she is the smallest in the kingdom – tiny little voice
GIANT DAD — (M) extremely tall – deep, booming voice
GIANT MOM — (F) extremely tall – deep, booming voice
HOUSE MOUSE — (M/F) smaller than Little Bit – tiny little voice
ADAM ANT — (M/F) tiniest of all – tiny little voice

(The action takes place fairytale times in a kingdom in the sky.)
(Lights come up on a kingdom in the sky, complete with fluffy clouds. A tiny girl sits cross-legged among the clouds.)

SCENE 1

LITTLE BIT
(to the audience) My name’s Little Bit. That’s not my real name, but living in a kingdom of giants, and being only (gesturing to herself as she stands up) “THIS” size, some names just stick…whether you want them to or not. My whole life, I’ve been surrounded by TALL people… I mean REALLY tall people. Take my dad for instance…

(Giant Dad enters stage right, stands to the right of Little Bit, and faces the audience.)

Look at him!  My dad is A GIANT!  I mean, not a tall guy… AN ACTUAL GIANT!!!

(Giant Dad grins to the audience and is proud to be so tall.)

GIANT DAD
(to the audience – proudly) I’m a giant. I’ve always been tall. Even for a giant, I am giant. You can imagine my surprise when my little girl turned out to be so… little. We tell her we love her no matter what her size, but she doesn’t believe us.

(Giant Mom enters stage left and stands on the other side of Little Bit – talks to the audience)

LITTLE BIT
Look at my mom. My mom is A GIANT too! She can reach anything in the kitchen. Meanwhile, I need thirty step stools just to reach the sink!

(Giant Mom grins to the audience and is proud to be so tall.)

GIANT MOM
(to the audience – proudly) I’m a giant. Honestly, I can’t EVER remember a time when I was ever small. My own mother, Little Bit’s grandmother, used to say that I could eat an entire village from “below” and still want a small city as a snack two hours later.

LITTLE BIT
You see? It’s tough being the smallest of the family.

GIANT MOM
We love Little Bit. We just adore her! Look at her… She is so PRECIOUS and CUTE!

LITTLE BIT
(angrily) CUTE! Do you hear that? That word, “CUTE,” makes me crazy. Cute is a word for butterflies and birds, and… and… well, cute is a word for babies. I want to be beautiful… or, or brave… or… well, let’s just face it… I want just ONCE to be called BIG.

(Giant Dad and Giant Mom exit on the sides where they entered after blowing kisses to one another and Little Bit. Little Bit dejectedly sits back down within the clouds. Suddenly, tiny cries can be heard from off stage.)

HOUSE MOUSE
HELP! HELP!

LITTLE BIT
(to audience) Did you hear that? That voice sounds even tinier than mine! It certainly wasn’t a giant’s voice. Giant voices are booming and deep!

(Suddenly, a tiny house mouse runs in from stage right as if something were chasing it. Not looking about, House Mouse bumps into Little Bit.)

HOUSE MOUSE
Oh, goodness! I am sorry I bumped into you! Please don’t hurt me. Oh, please, oh, please!

LITTLE BIT
Why would I hurt you?

HOUSE MOUSE
But, you are so scary and so BIG.

LITTLE BIT
(interrupting) I would never… wait… what did you call me?

HOUSE MOUSE
(frightened) Oh please, don’t hurt me because I called you scary…

LITTLE BIT
(interrupting) No! The other thing you called me.

HOUSE MOUSE
(confused) Let’s see… first I screamed for help because THEY were chasing me… then I bumped into you from running without looking… then I said scary…

LITTLE BIT
(hurrying the house mouse along) You called me BIG. BIG was the word you used?

HOUSE MOUSE
(apologetically) Oh… I’m so sorry. What do giants prefer? Gigantic? Large? Huge? Massive? I’m so sorry if I have offended you, Miss Lovely, Beautiful Giant Lady.