3-30+ characters, flexible casting. Approximately 5 minutes long. An origin animal origin story about how the kangaroo got its jump. Based on the Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling.
Long ago, Kangaroo was full of pride and demanded something to make him stand out. An imaginative origin story of how the kangaroo got its jump, this short play is inspired by one of The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling. This is a perfect piece for exploring movement and ensemble work.
There are enough roles in this piece for everyone in your class, and we have four more plays in this series. Perform them one at a time or all together for an entire show-length presentation! Narrators can be “on book” to prompt other cast members.
Suggested Order for Show-Length Presentation:
How the Rhinoceros Got Its Wrinkly Skin
How the Kangaroo Got Its Jump
How the Camel Got Its Hump
How the Whale Got Its Throat
How the Elephant Got Its Trunk
You may also inspire your students to write their own origin stories with our popular Myths Drama Activity.
About the Playwright:
Greg Cummings is a member of Dramatists Guild. His plays are published by Concord Theatricals, Smith and Kraus, Brooklyn, Dominion, and Heuer, and have been produced at regional theatres, colleges, arts centers, high schools, and middle schools in all fifty states, Canada, and England.
Excerpt from the Play:
CHARACTERS
ENSEMBLE transforms into
ALL-POWERFUL GREAT NGONG
KANGAROO
DINGO
SETTING
An outcrop near the middle of Australia.
AT RISE: ENSEMBLE, as ELDEST MAGICIANS, enters, with great style, and stands in a line from stage right to stage left.
MAGICIANS
Good evening, O my Best Beloved! We are The Eldest Magicians! MAGICIANS bow. And welcome to our production of: ”The Sing-Song of Kangaroo, or How the Kangaroo Got its Jump”, based on one of The Just So Stories by Rudyard Kipling! Ahem! In the High and Far Off Times, O My Best Beloved, the Kangaroo could not jump! No, no, no. Back then its hind legs were not good for jumping at all! Its hind legs were just as short as any creature walking about! Look, here’s one now Kangaroo with everyday hind legs, not big, long, strong jumping hind legs at all! But it did have one thing: Kangaroo pride!
One MAGICIAN becomes KANGAROO and pushes the other MAGICIANS apart and crosses downstage, kneels, and talks to the audience.
KANGAROO
Hey! How are you? Who cares? Me? I’m fantastic! Like always!
MAGICIANS
In fact, Kangaroo was so full of pride that one day it danced over to the All-Powerful Great Ngong to demand, yes, demand, a favor.
MAGICIANS become GREAT NGONG, hum, and meditate.
KANGAROO
Hey! All-Powerful Great Ngong!
NGONG
Do not disturb me, Kangaroo.
KANGAROO
I need a favor!
NGONG
I need to meditate!
KANGAROO
Make me special!
NGONG
Make you special?
KANGAROO
Yeah, I don’t know. I am special, I know that, but I want all the other animals to know I’m special, too! Different from all the other animals! I’ve got to stand out! I’ve got it: my hind legs!
NGONG
Your hind legs?
KANGAROO
Yeah, make my hind legs bigger!
NGONG
Make your hind legs bigger?
KANGAROO
Yeah! And longer!
NGONG
Make your hind legs longer?
KANGAROO
And stronger! That’s it! All-Powerful Great Ngong, make my hind legs bigger and stronger and longer than all the other animals! Then all the other animals will see how special I am!
NGONG
No! I’m busy!
KANGAROO
No you’re not! You’re just sitting there!
NGONG
I told you! I’m meditating! Kangaroo, you are just too self-centered to see that I’m deep in thought and need silence!
KANGAROO
I’ll make you a deal! You make my hind legs bigger, stronger, and longer, and I promise to walk away and leave you alone!
NGONG
Deal! Calling. Oh, Dingo!
KANGAROO Scared.
Dingo? What?
NGONG
Dingo! Come here!
KANGAROO Scared.
Dingo? B…b…but you’re all powerful! C…c…can’t you just cast a spell on my hind legs to make them bigger, stronger, and longer all by yourself?
NGONG
Oh, I could, but where’s the fun in that? Calling. Dingo!
KANGAROO
B…b…but…
One MAGICIAN becomes the feared DINGO and steps forward.
DINGO
Yes, Ngong?
NGONG
Dingo! Kangaroo here wants its hind legs to be bigger, stronger, and longer!
DINGO
Bigger, stronger, and longer?
NGONG
Bigger, stronger, and longer! Can you do it, Dingo?
DINGO
Can I do it? Watch me! Ready, Kangaroo?
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