Act I
Recorded Narrator:
Thomas Edison often said, “What you are will show in what you do.” We hear it all the time at my school - that, and other stuff he said. I know because it’s my job to keep the quote bucket. After all, we are Thomas Alva Edison Elementary School and the principal won’t let us forget it. Now, there are some great things to learn from quotes. But some things have to be experienced firsthand. This is one of those stories.
See, it all started with our two fourth grade team leaders. Ms. Flowers was the language-arts teacher. She was just like her name. All flowery and colorful and singing all the time. And always smiling, except when she was looking at Ms. Mason, the Math and Science teacher. Ms. Mason did everything by the book. And flowery Ms. Flowers couldn’t stand it. They really couldn’t stand each other. And all the students knew it. Both teachers had to teach the whole fourth grade, but some students had starting picking a side. I won’t tell you which side I was on, so I can be the impartial narrator. But I will say that bubbly Ms. Flowers was not her regular happy self after the big announcement. And that, my friends, was a big deal.
Ms. Mason:
Tidy up class. It’s so exciting. Dr. Clark is coming to tell us about the Grand Trunk competition.
Artsy S:
The Grand What?
Ms. Mason:
The Grand Trunk. It’s an innovators competition. It’s so exciting.
Ms. Flowers:
(slightly sarcastically) Yes, I can barely stand it.
Ms. Mason:
Close your books. Get your notebooks out. You’re going to want to take good notes.
Ms. Flowers:
(a little more sarcastically) So excited I’m beside myself.
Dr. Clark:
(The door in the back of the room opens and in walks Dr. Clark)
Goooood afternoon Edison 4th grade students - studious, industrious 4th grade scholars - ready to take on the challenges of our time with creativity and grit! Well, I’m here today to get you started on the right track. And the right track, right now, is the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Stem S:
You’re going to put us on the train, Dr. Clark?
Dr. Clark:
Not just any train, young man! Thomas Edison’s famous train.
(Dr. Clark pulls out a folded flyer and snaps it open. steam sounding cabasas start slow and gradually pick up speed)
Did you know when Thomas Edison was just a little older than you he got his first job on a railroad? The “Grand Trunk” railroad to be specific.
Thomas Edison often said, “What you are will show in what you do.” We hear it all the time at my school - that, and other stuff he said. I know because it’s my job to keep the quote bucket. After all, we are Thomas Alva Edison Elementary School and the principal won’t let us forget it. Now, there are some great things to learn from quotes. But some things have to be experienced firsthand. This is one of those stories.
See, it all started with our two fourth grade team leaders. Ms. Flowers was the language-arts teacher. She was just like her name. All flowery and colorful and singing all the time. And always smiling, except when she was looking at Ms. Mason, the Math and Science teacher. Ms. Mason did everything by the book. And flowery Ms. Flowers couldn’t stand it. They really couldn’t stand each other. And all the students knew it. Both teachers had to teach the whole fourth grade, but some students had starting picking a side. I won’t tell you which side I was on, so I can be the impartial narrator. But I will say that bubbly Ms. Flowers was not her regular happy self after the big announcement. And that, my friends, was a big deal.
Ms. Mason:
Tidy up class. It’s so exciting. Dr. Clark is coming to tell us about the Grand Trunk competition.
Artsy S:
The Grand What?
Ms. Mason:
The Grand Trunk. It’s an innovators competition. It’s so exciting.
Ms. Flowers:
(slightly sarcastically) Yes, I can barely stand it.
Ms. Mason:
Close your books. Get your notebooks out. You’re going to want to take good notes.
Ms. Flowers:
(a little more sarcastically) So excited I’m beside myself.
Dr. Clark:
(The door in the back of the room opens and in walks Dr. Clark)
Goooood afternoon Edison 4th grade students - studious, industrious 4th grade scholars - ready to take on the challenges of our time with creativity and grit! Well, I’m here today to get you started on the right track. And the right track, right now, is the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Stem S:
You’re going to put us on the train, Dr. Clark?
Dr. Clark:
Not just any train, young man! Thomas Edison’s famous train.
(Dr. Clark pulls out a folded flyer and snaps it open. steam sounding cabasas start slow and gradually pick up speed)
Did you know when Thomas Edison was just a little older than you he got his first job on a railroad? The “Grand Trunk” railroad to be specific.
Song 1: Full Steam Ahead Part I
Dr. Clark:
(Dr. Clark pulls out a folded flyer and snaps it open. steam sounding cabasas start slow and gradually pick up speed)
Did you know when Thomas Edison was just a little older than you he got his first job on a railroad? The “Grand Trunk” railroad to be specific.
Just a kid, that’s all he was
Selling papers on the train
Passing out the knowledge of the day
Just a young guy with a dream
and an eyeball on the news
learning from the stops along the way
That’s where it starts
Yep, that’s often where it starts
A need that other folks don’t seem to see
Just open up your eyes
Be prepared to break a sweat,
and you’re on the train to opportunity
To opportunity my friends - moving out (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead - full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You might be the one to change the world
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
There’s a place for any thoughtful boy or girl
All:
Just as long as you keep chug, chug, chugging --
Full steam ahead
(music will stop here)
Stem S:
Did Thomas Edison create the phonograph on a train?
Dr. Clark:
No. That’s just where he got his first job. Everybody’s got to start somewhere. He got his start selling newspapers. But he was also conducting experiments on that train. He was learning how things work, and figuring out how to make them work better. Thomas Edison began his inventing career as a kid, right there on the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Stem S:
Even as a kid he was thinking about serious stuff, right Dr. Clark?
Dr. Clark:
I suppose you could say that.
Artsy S:
He never took any time to stop and smell the roses?
Stem S:
Who needs roses when you’ve got light bulbs to invent? Go on Dr. Clark.
Dr. Clark:
Oh, right. Everybody listen up.
Dr. Clark:
(Dr. Clark pulls out a folded flyer and snaps it open. steam sounding cabasas start slow and gradually pick up speed)
Did you know when Thomas Edison was just a little older than you he got his first job on a railroad? The “Grand Trunk” railroad to be specific.
Just a kid, that’s all he was
Selling papers on the train
Passing out the knowledge of the day
Just a young guy with a dream
and an eyeball on the news
learning from the stops along the way
That’s where it starts
Yep, that’s often where it starts
A need that other folks don’t seem to see
Just open up your eyes
Be prepared to break a sweat,
and you’re on the train to opportunity
To opportunity my friends - moving out (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead - full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You might be the one to change the world
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
There’s a place for any thoughtful boy or girl
All:
Just as long as you keep chug, chug, chugging --
Full steam ahead
(music will stop here)
Stem S:
Did Thomas Edison create the phonograph on a train?
Dr. Clark:
No. That’s just where he got his first job. Everybody’s got to start somewhere. He got his start selling newspapers. But he was also conducting experiments on that train. He was learning how things work, and figuring out how to make them work better. Thomas Edison began his inventing career as a kid, right there on the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Stem S:
Even as a kid he was thinking about serious stuff, right Dr. Clark?
Dr. Clark:
I suppose you could say that.
Artsy S:
He never took any time to stop and smell the roses?
Stem S:
Who needs roses when you’ve got light bulbs to invent? Go on Dr. Clark.
Dr. Clark:
Oh, right. Everybody listen up.
The baton has come to you -There’s a challenge in the air
A chance for you to move this train along
Can you dream and generate - Some idea to innovate?
Can you ponder and correct something that’s wrong?
Yep, that’s where it starts - here’s exactly where it starts
Your idea might be the next hurrah
You might have the innovation that will take the world by storm
In a scientific Grand Trunk coup d’état
To opportunity my friends, moving out (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You’ve got a great big brain to exercise
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
And maybe you will win that great big prize
(music will stop here)
Artsy S:
(abruptly music stops with sound fx of needle pulled across vinyl record)
Hold it! A PRIZE? What’s the prize?!
Dr. Clark:
Well you’ll win a nice amount of cash for your school’s science program.
Ms. Mason:
Oh that sounds marvelous for us!
Stem S:
Yeah but is there anything marvelous for US?
Dr. Clark:
Well, how about -- an all-expense-paid trip … TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA!
All:
(Screams of delight)
Dr. Clark:
And your innovation will be set up for everyone to see, right between those big round ears ...
All:
(more screams)
A chance for you to move this train along
Can you dream and generate - Some idea to innovate?
Can you ponder and correct something that’s wrong?
Yep, that’s where it starts - here’s exactly where it starts
Your idea might be the next hurrah
You might have the innovation that will take the world by storm
In a scientific Grand Trunk coup d’état
To opportunity my friends, moving out (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You’ve got a great big brain to exercise
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
And maybe you will win that great big prize
(music will stop here)
Artsy S:
(abruptly music stops with sound fx of needle pulled across vinyl record)
Hold it! A PRIZE? What’s the prize?!
Dr. Clark:
Well you’ll win a nice amount of cash for your school’s science program.
Ms. Mason:
Oh that sounds marvelous for us!
Stem S:
Yeah but is there anything marvelous for US?
Dr. Clark:
Well, how about -- an all-expense-paid trip … TO ORLANDO, FLORIDA!
All:
(Screams of delight)
Dr. Clark:
And your innovation will be set up for everyone to see, right between those big round ears ...
All:
(more screams)
Dr. Clark:
Yep, that’s where it starts
Here’s exactly where it starts
Your idea might be just what we need
You might have a fresh new update
for a tool that’s obsolete
That revives it, and brings it up to speed
To opportunity my friends, yes indeed (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You might be the one to change the world
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
There’s a place for any thoughtful boy or girl
All:
Just as long as you keep chug, chug, chugging
Full steam
Full steam
Full steam AHEAD!
(The music ends. Freeze for applause.)
Dr. Clark:
So it’s settled then. Everyone in the 4th grade is going to participate!
(Ms Flowers:’s side looks bummed. Ms. Mason’s side ecstatic.)
I’ll be checking in on your progress next week. Bye students!
(Music comes back in and Dr. Clark waves and leaves through the back door.)
Ms. Mason:
OK students, come on. I can’t wait to show you the new drafting board we’re going to use to make our designs.
(Stems students follow Ms. Mason out the door and the music fades out as they leave)
Artsy S:
What a bunch of GEEKS!
Ms. Flowers:
Now, now ___________, be nice.
Artsy S:
What’s nice is that prize though.
Artsy S:
Like we’re gonna get it.
Artsy S:
Man, I make art, not gadgets.
Ms. Flowers:
Well, I can’t say I was exactly thrilled myself to get the news. But it’s not really about gadgets - it’s about innovation. It’s improving on something. That’s what we do all the time. We improve everything.
Artsy S:
We make things prettier.
Artsy S:
We make things more colorful.
Artsy S:
We make things into musical instruments. (makes a beat on some furniture)
Ms. Flowers:
We do all of that. You’re exactly right! And who says that’s not innovation?
(music starts)
Yep, that’s where it starts
Here’s exactly where it starts
Your idea might be just what we need
You might have a fresh new update
for a tool that’s obsolete
That revives it, and brings it up to speed
To opportunity my friends, yes indeed (train whistle)
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
You might be the one to change the world
All:
Full steam ahead, full steam ahead
Dr. Clark:
There’s a place for any thoughtful boy or girl
All:
Just as long as you keep chug, chug, chugging
Full steam
Full steam
Full steam AHEAD!
(The music ends. Freeze for applause.)
Dr. Clark:
So it’s settled then. Everyone in the 4th grade is going to participate!
(Ms Flowers:’s side looks bummed. Ms. Mason’s side ecstatic.)
I’ll be checking in on your progress next week. Bye students!
(Music comes back in and Dr. Clark waves and leaves through the back door.)
Ms. Mason:
OK students, come on. I can’t wait to show you the new drafting board we’re going to use to make our designs.
(Stems students follow Ms. Mason out the door and the music fades out as they leave)
Artsy S:
What a bunch of GEEKS!
Ms. Flowers:
Now, now ___________, be nice.
Artsy S:
What’s nice is that prize though.
Artsy S:
Like we’re gonna get it.
Artsy S:
Man, I make art, not gadgets.
Ms. Flowers:
Well, I can’t say I was exactly thrilled myself to get the news. But it’s not really about gadgets - it’s about innovation. It’s improving on something. That’s what we do all the time. We improve everything.
Artsy S:
We make things prettier.
Artsy S:
We make things more colorful.
Artsy S:
We make things into musical instruments. (makes a beat on some furniture)
Ms. Flowers:
We do all of that. You’re exactly right! And who says that’s not innovation?
(music starts)