Dreams Begin with Dreamers-Drama Skit

Dreams Begin with Dreamers-Drama Skit

Themes: Black History; dreaming big; fulfilling your dreams; how the people in history paved the way for the future
Categories: Black History 
Summary:

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams." --Eleanor Roosevelt   This skit is about how famous African Americans overcame the age-old addage "You can't," and turned their dreams into realities. From humble beginnings, people like Madame CJ Walker, George Washington Carver, Sidney Poitier and Mohammed Ali, all had a dream: to make a better life for thelmselves and to follow their passions. Because of the dreams of Martin Luther King Jr., it paved the way for the Michael Jackson's, Whitney Houston's and Mae Jemison's (first black woman in space) of the world.  Without dreams, there is no hope.  Using the lives of those mentioned previously, this skit shows how the dreams of each individual came true and the impact they had on our world today, as well as challenges the audience to dream their own dreams and see them through to fruition.

 
Notes:

"Appearances" by Muhammad Ali (boxer), CJ Walker (hair care), George Washington Carver (peanuts), Mae Jemison (astronaut), Sidney Poitier (actor), Michael Jackson (singer), and Whitney Houston (actress/singer)

 
Style: Comedy/Drama

$10.00
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Characters: 17 (4 Male, 3 Female, 10 Neutral)
This skit is extremely flexible, and can accommodate a smaller cast of 7 or a larger cast of 20 or more. Lines and parts can be combined for smaller casts or can be extended further for a large cast.
Length: 8-10 minutes
 
Excerpt (Sample)

Setting: No particular setting is needed.

As the skit opens, children gather to form 3 lines across the stage, facing the audience. Children 1-5 stand in the front line, Children 6-10 form the second row, and the Characters (Ali, CJ Walker, George Washington Carver, Mae Jemison, Sidney Poitier, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston,) form a third line in the back.  Depending on your cast size, this may have to be adjusted.

Note: This skit can be altered to accommodate a large or small cast.  For a smaller group, lines can be combined, and for a larger group, the lines can be spread out and divided among more children.

Child 1:

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."  --Eleanor Roosevelt

Child 2:

"All of our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." --Walt Disney

Child 3:

Dreams make life worth living. 

Child 4:

Dreams are what get us through the toughest of days.

Child 5:

Without dreams, we are nothing.

Children 1-5 step back and become part of the second line.

Child 6:

Throughout history, people have been telling African Americans they "can't."

Child 7:

School officials told 8 year old Linda Brown that she couldn't go to an all-white school 5 blocks from her home.

Child 8:

A bus driver told Rosa Parks she had to give up her seat to a white man.  

Child 9:

Slaves were told they would never be free.

Child 10:

African Americans were told they had no right to vote, and no need to read or write.

Child 1:

But because of dreamers, people who said "Yes, we can!" instead of "No, we can't!" history has been forever changed. 

Child 2:

Segregation is no longer common.

Child 3:

Slaves are a thing of the past.  

Child 4:

African Americans can do anything we set our minds to.

Child 5:

Colin Powell once said, "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work."

Child 6:

The following people know all about determination and hard work.  

Child 7:

They have each dreamed a dream...

Child 8:

Were determined to see it through...

Child 9:

And have forever cemented a place in our history. 

Child 10:

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present, the dreamers.

Muhammad Ali "pushes" his way through the lines to get to center stage. He should be dressed as a boxer, with boxing gloves on.  As he moves his way to center stage, he should shuffle his feet as a boxer would, and do boxing punches with his arms.

Ali:

Make way for the greatest boxer who ever lived! I float like a butterfly and sting like a bee!

Child 1:

Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Clay.

Child 2:

When he was 12 years old, his bicycle was stolen. 

Child 3:

When he reported the stolen bike to police officer, Joe Martin, this is what Ali had to say:

Ali:

I want to learn to fight so I can whup the person who took my bike!

Child 4:

So, the officer agreed to teach Ali how to box. 

Child 5:

And the rest as they say is history.

Child 6:

At 6 feet, 3 inches tall, Ali was an intimidating man in the boxing ring.

Child 7:

He was known for his fancy footwork...

Ali "dances" around on stage

Child 8:

And powerful jabs.

Ali punches and jabs forcefully

Child 9:

Ali often called himself "the greatest,"  and was not afraid to sing his own praises.

Child 10:

Because of his confidence, and his dream, Ali won many heavyweight championships and numerous boxing titles, and became known as one of the greatest boxers in history. 

Ali:

I'm the greatest, baby!  The greatest!

Ali exits, as Madame CJ Walker enters to stand center stage.  CJ has several hair care products in her hand, including a can of hair spray.

Child 1:

Madame CJ Walker was born Sarah Breedlove on a Louisiana cotton plantation in 1867.

Child 2:

As a child, she worked alongside her sharecropper parents but was orphaned at age 7.

Child 3:

 As she grew up, Ms. Walker searched to provide a better life for her own family.

CJ:

My prayers were finally answered.  One night, I had a dream where a black man appeared to me and gave me a formula for hair care products.

Child 4:

Some thought Madame Walker was crazy for following her dream.

Child 5:

But in the end, Ms. Walker had the last laugh.

 

 

CJ:

I developed what I called the "Wonderful Hair Grower," a scalp conditioning and healing formula, and many other hair care and beauty products.

Child 6:

She went door to door to sell her products and eventually opened her own factory and College of Hair Care Culture.

CJ:

I wasn't satisfied in making money for myself...I wanted to provide jobs for hundreds of women of my race.

Child 7:

Madame CJ Walker had a dream to provide a better life for her children, and in the process created her own place in history.

CJ sprays a bit of hair spray towards the audience as she exits. George Washington Carver enters with a jar of peanut butter and a bag of peanuts in his hands. He is dressed as a farmer.

George:

(yells to audience, and holds up bag of peanuts) Peanuts! Get your peanuts here!

Child 8:

George Washington Carver was born a frail and sickly child.

Child 9:

Because of this, he was not suited for work in the fields.

George:

But I was very interested in plants. I dreamed of learning more about them and finding new uses for common everyday plants.

Child 10:

Mr. Carver eventually ended up at the Iowa Agricultural College, where he became the first black man on staff.

George:

I spent most of my time in the University's greenhouses, learning about soil. 

Child 1:

 This came in handy when the local farmers were complaining of poor soil conditions and were having problems growing their crops.

George:

I remembered most of the crops at the time like tobacco and cotton, stole nutrients from the ground, but those nutrients could be replaced by planting legumes, like peanuts.  

Child 2:

So Mr. Carver told the farmers to plant peanuts. Lots of peanuts!

Child 3:

The quality of the soil greatly improved, but soon the farmers were angry because they had too many peanuts and no uses for them.

Child 4:

The peanuts were rotting in their warehouses.

Child 5:

So, George went back to work.

George:

I did all kinds of experiments.  It took me awhile but I finally figured out how to make various products from these (holds up the bag of peanuts) like peanut butter, milk, cheese, shampoo, soap, and more than 300 other items.

Child 6:

All things we still use today.

George:

Not bad, if I must say so myself.  (he begins to exit) Peanuts!  Get your peanuts here! (exits)