A couch-back puppet show
Cat Woke Up Grumpy
Three cheerful fixes fail, until everyone discovers the kindness of staying close and sitting still.
Tap any line to keep your place. Hands full? Auto-scroll is under Aa. Listen is part of Stories Nest Pro.
Tonight’s cast & their voices
Marigoldthe catleft hand
Voice: Very low and flat, like each word is resting under a cushion; the grump never raises its voice.
Otisthe dog · any puppet can play this partright hand
Voice: Very fast, like words chasing a bouncing ball; slows right down for the last scene.
Resting tonight: Juno. Their lines are out of the script and the show still works. Add them back in Tonight’s cast above.
Props (raid the kitchen)
- A cushion (optional)
- A plate (the cake) (optional)
Scene 1
Three Excellent Bad Ideas
🎭 Use the couch back as the stage. Place the cushion nearby and keep the plate out of sight.
Action
Marigold appears with the cushion balanced crookedly on her head.
Marigold(gravely)
Mrrrow. I have an announcement.
Marigold(deadpan)
I woke up grumpy, and my tail wants everyone informed.
Otis(brightly)
Woof-a-doo! Otis coming through!
Otis
Good morning! Is your face doing that on purpose?
Marigold(flatly)
Still grumpy.
Otis
What has four paws and no punchline? Apparently, me.
Action
Marigold freezes, then slowly turns to look at the audience.
Marigold
Your joke has correctly identified its problem.
Otis(proudly)
My dance has three advanced parts.
Action
Otis wiggles, spins, then wears the cushion as a hat.
Marigold
Your dance made my grump need a chair.
Otis(grandly)
Couch crew, you are now the Cheer-Up Band!
Action
Otis looks at the audience and lifts one paw.
🎉 Everyone together
Cheer-Up Band practice: At the lifted paw, wiggle and shout, “WAHOO!”
Otis
Excellent volume. My ears have become curtains.
Marigold(flatly)
Still grumpy.
Otis
Then we require cake. Cake is practically a plan.
Action
Rest Otis. Hold the cake plate at the couch edge, arriving with excellent posture.
Action
Set down the cake, or mime it, silently.
Marigold
Cake cannot simply march into a grump uninvited.
Action
Slide the cake behind Otis’s return spot. Bring Otis back.
Otis(brightly)
Woof-a-doo! Otis coming through!
Otis
Now, where has that extremely obvious cake gone?
Action
The cake is behind Otis. He looks everywhere else, then cups his ear.
🎉 Everyone together
Cheer-Up Band, at the cupped ear, point and shout, “It’s behind you!”
Otis(confidently)
Thank you! I also believe in looking forward.
Action
Otis checks his paws, the cushion, then the ceiling. He looks at the audience.
🎉 Everyone together
Cheer-Up Band, stand, point, and shout, “It’s behind you! WAHOO!”
Otis
That pointing seems extremely specific.
Action
Otis freezes, then slowly turns to the audience. He turns again and finds the cake.
Action
The plate tilts left, wobbles right, then lands upside down on the cushion.
Marigold(flatly)
Still grumpy.
Marigold
Especially after the cake performed aerobics.
Action
Otis removes the cushion slowly. Let the room become quiet.
Scene 2
The Quietest Club
🎭 Keep Marigold visible. Sit Otis beside her on the couch back, cushion, or floor.
Otis(slowly)
I have used every helpful thing I know.
Marigold(quietly)
You could use no thing.
Action
Otis sits beside Marigold, leaving a comfortable paw-width between them.
Otis
May I sit here without improving anything?
Marigold
Yes. No jokes.
Otis(softly)
No jokes.
Action
They sit. Otis looks at the audience but says nothing.
Otis
Cheer-Up Band, retire. You are now the Sitting-Still Club.
Action
Otis looks at the audience and folds his paws.
🎉 Everyone together
Sitting-Still Club practice: At folded paws, freeze and silently count to two.
Otis(softly)
Perfect. I heard absolutely nothing.
Action
Marigold’s ears loosen. Her tail lowers by one small bump.
Otis(in a whisper)
Sitting-Still Club, now.
🎉 Everyone together
Sitting-Still Club, at “now,” freeze completely and silently count to five.
Otis(in the smallest whisper)
Thank you. Nobody has to fix this.
Action
The room stays quiet. Marigold’s tail rests beside Otis’s paw.
Marigold(softly)
Slightly less grumpy.
Marigold
The cake was acceptable.
Action
Otis gives one tiny tail thump. Both puppets bow slowly and settle together.
Want one written for YOUR puppets?
Pick the animals in your basket and the lesson you want tonight, and we’ll write a brand-new show on the spot.
Build a show
