A couch-back puppet show
The Pond Concert
Frog wants the solo, Duck wants the solo, and the whole room ends up in the band.
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
Rillathe frogleft hand
Voice: Boingy and high — every ribbit springs upward, launched from the bottom of the pond.
Waddlethe duckright hand
Voice: One volume: grand — posh opera-star energy, warming up with quack-scales at any opportunity.
Resting tonight: Maestro Pip-squeak. 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 blue towel or the coffee table (the pond) (optional)
- A wooden spoon (the conductor’s baton) (optional)
- A saucepan lid (the gong that starts the concert) (optional)
Scene 1
Soundcheck at the Pond
🎭 The pond. The coffee table — or a blue towel on the floor — is the water. Puppets perform from behind it.
Action
Rilla bounces in and clears her throat for a very, very long time.
Rilla(very fancy warm-up)
Boing-boing, Rilla’s here! Mi-mi-mi-RIBBIT. Mi-mi-mi-RIBBIT.
Waddle(grand)
Excuse me. EXCUSE me. That is MY warming-up spot.
Rilla
Your spot? I’ve warmed up on this lily pad since I was a tadpole.
Waddle
And I have QUACKED here since I was an egg. Practically.
Rilla
Tonight is the Pond Concert, and the solo is mine. Listen.
Action
Rilla performs her whole solo: ribbits only, increasingly dramatic, one big finish pose.
Rilla
RIBBIT. Ribbit-ribbit. RIIIIBBIT!
🎉 Everyone together
You’re the pond tonight! When a solo ends, clap like polite lily pads — tiny fingertip claps only. Try it now.
Waddle
Tiny claps. They barely made a ripple. Hm. It’s very… ribbity.
Rilla
Thank you.
Waddle
It wasn’t entirely a compliment. MY turn.
Action
Waddle performs: quacks only, with enormous opera wings.
Waddle(operatic)
QUACK. Qua-a-a-ack. QUACK!
🎉 Everyone together
Polite lily-pad claps again. Tiny ones. Even tinier. Perfect.
Rilla
Such well-mannered lily pads. It’s very… quacky. Beautiful. If the song is called “Traffic.”
Waddle
THANK you. Wait.
Rilla
Fine. We’ll BOTH solo. At the same time. Ready, set, GO.
Action
Both solo at once, furiously, talking over each other — and accidentally start taking turns.
Rilla
Ribbit!
Waddle
QUACK!
Rilla
Ribbit-ribbit!
Waddle
Quack-QUACK!
Action
They freeze mid-bounce. Then, very slowly, both turn to look at the audience.
Rilla(amazed)
Wait. Stop. Waddle… did we just make…
Waddle
…MUSIC?
Rilla
Do it again. Slowly. Like it’s on purpose this time.
Action
The duet, slow and careful, puppets bobbing in turn: ribbit… quack… ribbit-ribbit… quack-quack.
Waddle
Ohhh, I LIKE it. Your ribbit makes my quack sound expensive.
Rilla
Your quack makes my ribbit sound… deep. Like the good mud.
🎉 Everyone together
The duet needs its chant. Say it with us: “Ribbit, quack, pass it back!”
Waddle(delighted)
“Ribbit, quack, pass it back!” The pond has a THEME SONG now.
Scene 2
The Concert
🎭 Same pond, showtime. A helpful kid with a wooden spoon can conduct from the side.
Action
Showtime. The concert starts itself: both puppets pop up and face the audience.
Waddle
You know what this song needs? MORE. More sounds! An entire orchestra!
Rilla
Where do we find an orchestra at this time of night?
Action
Both puppets turn very slowly to look at the audience.
Waddle(delighted)
Ohhhh yes.
🎉 Everyone together
You’re the orchestra! This side of the room: RIBBITS. That side: QUACKS. When a puppet points at your side, make your sound. Let’s try one slow round.
Rilla
The ribbit section is magnificent!
Waddle
The quack section is DIVINE!
Action
Point at each section in turn — slow at first, then faster, then wonderfully out of control.
Rilla
And now — the grand finale. Everything, everyone, all at once!
🎉 Everyone together
Ribbits AND quacks together, as loud as you’re allowed! Three… two… one!
Action
Total glorious pond racket. Let it peak — then bring one slow paw down, and down, until every mouth closes. Hold the silence.
Rilla(whispering)
Listen. I can hear the whole pond breathing.
Waddle(softly)
…And rest. The pond has never sounded so pond.
Rilla
Same time next year, duet partner?
Waddle
Wouldn’t miss it, ribbit partner. You may even have my warming-up spot.
Rilla
We’ll SHARE the warming-up spot.
Action
Everyone bows. Waddle bows longest and topples over with total dignity.
🎉 Everyone together
One last time, in your smallest whisper: “Ribbit, quack… share the sound.”
Rilla(whispering)
Goodnight, orchestra. Practice your ribbits.
Waddle(the softest quack)
And your quacks. Goodnight.
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.
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