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Papa
Joe ~ Telling
Tales
From: Papa Joe
To: Storytell
Subject: Jump off the bridge! A formula Story/game
Date: Friday, May 23, 1997 8:14 AM
Jump Off The Bridge
I first heard this story game at a Girl Scout Camp in Portsmouth,
NH. They wanted to share a story with me for once. It was love at
first sight and a favorite at an outside or high energy event. :)
Two children stand in front of the group. I whisper the secret to
them before they start. (I'll share it with you at the end). I
prompt each speaker or group until they can handle the words on
their own. I always help them with the pace and rhythm of their
lines. It is important to never give up control of your group. My
comments to the audience are as varied as the times we tell the
story.
Child One: I'm a Newspaper Reporter with nothing to write about.
Child Two: I'm a Newspaper Photographer with nothing to take
pictures of.
Together: Let's jump off the bridge.
I turn to the audience and ask for some one to volunteer to try
and stop the jumpers. I chose one and ask what they would like to
be. "A police officer? A teacher?" It doesn't matter
what they chose. What ever it is, I'll help them fashion a
formula line to go with it. Then I ask if anyone else would also
like that job. I bring that group to the front of the room and
tell them to yell stop when the first two have counted to Two.
First Two Children: One... Two...
Teachers: STOP!
Teachers: What are you doing?
Jumpers: We're jumping off the bridge.
Teachers: Why?
Child One: I'm a Newspaper Reporter with nothing to write about.
Child Two: I'm a Newspaper Photographer with nothing to take
pictures of.
Jumpers: What do you do?
Teachers: We're teachers with no students to teach.
Jumpers: Why don't you jump off the bridge with us?
Teachers: Okay!
I repeat the request for volunteers to stop the jumpers. Get a
new occupation and continue by signaling the jumpers to start
counting.
Jumpers: One... Two...
Lawyers: STOP!
Lawyers: What are you doing?
Jumpers: We're jumping off the bridge.
Teachers: Why?
Child One: I'm a Newspaper Reporter with nothing to write about.
Child Two: I'm a Newspaper Photographer with nothing to take
pictures of.
Teachers: We're teachers with no students to teach.
Jumpers: What do you do?
Lawyers: We're lawyers with no one to defend.
Jumpers: Why don't you jump off the bridge with us?
Lawyers: Okay!
The line grows longer as I gather all the children willing to
participate. Each time through, we add an other occupation and a
reason not to do it. Dancers without a floor. Storytellers
without listeners. Doctors without patients. When everyone is up,
I count the children who have joined the first two jumpers.
Teller: 28 people have joined you to jump off the bridge. There
is no one left to stop you.
Jumpers: One... Two... Three...
Everyone jumps except the first two. That's the secret.
Child One: Great Story!! 28 people jump off the bridge!
Child Two: Great Photos! Great Photos!
The cutest occupation I've ever been given was a Biddy Bop Boy
with no bops to bid.
Pax & Amicitia,
Papa Joe
Oak & Ivy Cottage, Fremont, NH, USA
http://travel. to/papajoes
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Papa
Joe ~ Telling
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