Jack & the Beanstalk (Prince Street Players Version)
Jack and his adventures in the sky are given a splendid spin in the is family-friendly adaptation of the classic story.
Show Essentials
8
Roles
+ Ensemble
U
Rated
2
Acts

Full Synopsis

Act One

Jack Sprague is milking his cow, Betsy, as his morning chores come to an end. His mother joins him outside with some mending and, alongside their neighbors, they observe what a beautiful day it is ("A Magical, Musical Day").

Moments later, the evil Baron shows up, asking for the Sprague's yearly tax money. They reveal that they do not have it. He offers, yet again, to assist them by proposing to Mother, who promptly spurns his advances, claiming that her husband and Jack's father will eventually return. The Baron gives them until the next day to come up with the tax money, or else he will throw the two into jail. When Jack tries to refuse, the Baron puts both Jack and his mother in a trance, revealing his magic powers. He releases them from the trance and leaves them to come up with the money.

Jack and his mother are at a loss for what to do. They decide that the only way to pay their taxes is to sell their cow, Betsy. Mother says goodbye to Betsy and sends Jack and the cow to the market to get a good price ("Goodbye Little Cow"). The Baron overhears their conversation and quickly forms a plan. He disguises himself as a peddler, approaches Jack and offers to sell him magic beans in exchange for the cow ("Magic Beans"). The Baron explains that, once planted and watered, the beanstalk will grow while Jack is asleep. He claims that, atop the beanstalk, there is a castle with a goose that lays golden eggs, and that this goose will make Jack rich. Jack accepts the trade.

Back at the Sprague's house, Jack's mother is furious with him for trading his cow for beans. She is sure that they will be thrown into jail. Jack tries to comfort her as he plants the beans ("Planting"). The next morning, there is a beanstalk leading up to the sky; Jack and his mother are in disbelief, but he decides to climb the beanstalk and get the goose. His mother desperately begs him not to go, worried that he might never return ("Gonna Climb Up"). Jack bids his mother goodbye and assures her that he will return.

Jack makes it to the top of the beanstalk and into a strange land where everything is bigger. A housekeeper, assistant and natives of the land find him and insist that he leave, for he is in the land of the giant ("Go 'Way"). Jack, who insists that he must find the golden goose, becomes trapped when the giant appears from inside of the castle. The Giant finds him hiding amongst the flowers. When Jack tries to explain his intentions, the Giant becomes infuriated ("Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum").

Act Two

Now, within the Giant's laboratory, Jack has been taken prisoner and strapped into an experimental chair. The Giant explains that he is not only a great Giant, but also a great scientific inventor ("Giant's Tango"). The Giant uses his inventions to calm Jack down, then injects him with Giant Truth Serum to learn if he is really a spy. Under the effects of the serum, Jack explains that he learned of the golden goose from an old peddler and came to take it to help pay for his family's taxes. The Giant feels sorry for Jack, gives him food and shows him his golden harp, which plays on its own ("Plink-A, Plunk-A").

After the harp's performance, the Giant shows Jack his greatest invention: the Golden Goose. Not only does the Goose lay golden eggs, but it also talks and sings ("Goose"). After the Goose's performance, the Giant tells Jack that he will be his new assistant and stay there forever. Jack says that he must go home for his mother, but the Giant explains that he will be given "Forget Who You Are" Formula. The Giant asks his current Assistant to deliver the Formula to Jack and leaves to inspect the castle. The Assistant pulls Jack aside and tells him that, if Jack pretends to have been given the Formula, they can escape during the night. In return, the Assistant asks that Jack help him find out who he is. The Giant returns and, convinced that the Formula has worked, the Giant goes to bed.

Once asleep, the Assistant wakes up Jack, and they make their escape ("We Must Get out of Here"). While trying to escape, Jack accidentally bumps into the goose, which honks, raising the alarm. The Housekeeper enters, but Jack and the Assistant are able to fool her into thinking that the wind woke up the goose. After all has settled down, they attempt to escape again, but Jack decides that he must take a golden egg. The alarm starts again, and Jack and the Assistant make a run for it, followed by the Housekeeper, the Goose, the Harp and the Giant.

Back on the ground, the Baron chases Jack's Mother around her house. He puts her under a spell to make her agree to be his wife. Jack returns with the Assistant and a golden egg, but the Baron puts a spell on them and steals the egg. He then sees the Giant coming down the beanstalk with the Goose and cuts down the beanstalk with an axe to get to the Goose. But, when The Baron tries to steal it, the Giant subdues him with one of his formulas. Once the Baron is knocked out, the Giant wakes up Jack, the Assistant and Jack's Mother. She discovers that the Assistant is her husband.

The Giant, realizing that the Baron is the one who keeps going for his Goose, gives him a Sweetness and Light Formula, which transforms him into a sweet angel. After all has been fixed, the Giant realizes that he cannot go home because his beanstalk has been chopped down. The now-friendly Baron offers for the Giant to stay in his castle, as it has room for him and all his inventions, including, of course, the Golden Goose ("Finale").

Casting
← Back to Jack & the Beanstalk
Cast Size: Flexible Cast Size
Cast Type: Ensemble Cast
Dance Requirements: None

Character Breakdown

Jack Sprague
The hero of our story. He is an adventurous dreamer who is easily duped, but will do anything for his family and loves his mother very much.
Gender: male
Age: 15 to 20
Vocal range top: F#4
Vocal range bottom: A2
Mrs. Sprague
A widow and Jack's mother. A practical, hard-working farm woman who is kind, but protective, to her son. Her family has been thrust into poverty with her husband's disappearance and she eagerly awaits his return.
Gender: female
Age: 35 to 45
Vocal range top: Bb5
Vocal range bottom: A3
Betsy
Jack's cow, as portrayed by two actors in a costume. Intelligent, lovable, and extremely communicative.
Gender: any
Age: 20 to 50
Vocal range top: Eb4
Vocal range bottom: Bb3
The Baron
Our story's antagonist, he is a landowner and the epitome of a villian. Possesses powers of darkness and will resort to anything to achieve what he wants. Powerful and sinister.
Gender: male
Age: 40 to 55
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: A2
The Giant
A tall giant and the world's greatest scientific inventor, he lives at the top of the beanstalk. A lovable, comedic oaf who finds himself gravely misunderstood for his size. Initially befriends Jack, but then imprisons him later on.
Gender: male
Age: 25 to 55
Vocal range top: Bb4
Vocal range bottom: A2
The Housekeeper
A housekeeper to The Giant. Should be very small with energy and great comedic timing. Should be able to move well.
Gender: female
Age: 25 to 50
Vocal range top: Bb5
Vocal range bottom: A3
The Assistant
The Giant's assistant and Jack's father, who is stricken with amnesia and unaware of his true identity. He schemes with Jack and eventually escapes. Upon his return, he has an epiphany and remembers everything.
Gender: male
Age: 40 to 50
Vocal range top: F4
Vocal range bottom: Bb2
The Golden Harp
A mechanical, robot-like creation of the Giant. Has comedic charm and is a great mover.
Gender: any
Age: 20 to 50
Vocal range top: G4
Vocal range bottom: A2
The Golden Goose
One of the Giant's creations, though less 'mechanical' than the Harp. Knows a variety of dances and vaudeville style moves.
Gender: female
Age: 20 to 50
Vocal range top: F5
Vocal range bottom: Ab3
Ensemble
Neighbors; Beanstalk People
Full Song List
Jack And The Beanstalk: A Magical Musical Day
Jack And The Beanstalk: Goodbye Little Cow
Jack And The Beanstalk: Magic Beans
Jack And The Beanstalk: Gonna Climb Up
Jack And The Beanstalk: Go 'Way
Jack And The Beanstalk: Fee, Fi, Fo, Fum
Jack And The Beanstalk: Plink-A, Plunk-A
Jack And The Beanstalk: Goose
Jack And The Beanstalk: We Must Get Out Of Here

Show History

Founded in 1965 by Jim Eiler, The Prince Street Players, Ltd., began a new era in Family Theatre. Starting in a loft on Prince Street in New York City as a repertory company and then expanding rapidly to include several touring companies playing East Coast "Stock" theatres and schools,its reputation spread quickly, and Prince Street Players became a leading name in quality Family Theatre on Broadway and Network Television.

That reputation has been upheld for over thirty years, as the Company performed to great acclaim, both nationally and internationally. Although no longer touring, the Eleven Musical Shows are being performed worldwide. Scripts and scores are available to be leased for performance by schools and theatresthrough Music Theatre International. Each script sent out by MTI includes production notes, costume and set sketches and a wealth of information to help each presenter produce a polished theatre event. These musicals are designed to be performed by adults or young adults for family audiences, and are considered by many to be "simply the best around."

Billing

Based on the collection of English fairy tales by Joseph Jacobsm

Requirements

Under the terms and conditions of your organisation’s Performance Agreement, the following credits must appear on all advertising (including websites) relating to the production. Credits must be reproduced faithfully in accordance with the following layout. No alterations or deletions can be permitted unless stated below.
Percentages listed indicate required type size in relation to title size.
THE PRINCE STREET PLAYERS LTD.
Production of The Award Winning Musical
 
JACK AND THE BEANSTALK
A MUSICAL RETELLING OF A TALL TALE
 
From the Collection of English Fairy Tales by JOSEPH JACOBS
 
Adaption and Lyrics by
JIM EILER
Music by
JIM EILER and JEANNE BARGY
 

 

The videotaping or other video or audio recording of this production is strictly prohibited.

Included Materials

ItemQuantity Included
LIBRETTO/VOCAL BOOK20
PIANO CONDUCTOR'S SCORE2

Production Resources

Resource
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON-10/CS
HOW DOES THE SHOW GO ON?
PRODUCTIONPRO-DIGITAL SCRIPT/SCORE
REFERENCE RECORDING
STAGE WRITE APPLICATION