By Donna and Lane

The next day...

"You want me to play WHO??!!", Cody asked in shock. Rachel tried really hard not to laugh. "I'm sorry Cody, but you're the only one with blond hair." Cody was pacing the stage, his script in his hand,"But Rachel! I'm an actor! I can't play-I just can't be...GOLDILOCKS!!!" The other riders weren't as kind as Rachel, and were rolling around on the floor laughing. Rachel smiled sweetly and patted Cody's arm,"Now Cody, you know this is to raise money for new school books. Those children really need new material." Rachel batted her eyes prettily,"Please Cody, just this once?" Cody sighed,"Alright, alright...geez..." Rachel grinned,"Thanks Cody!"

Rachel turned and picked up the rest of the scripts and walked down the line of riders, who had finally stopped laughing hysterically, but were still giggling. As Rachel passed them out, she explained,"Now, Lou, Ike and Noah have agreed to be the stage crew, and Teaspoon and I will be directing. I'll also be doing costumes. So, Jimmy, you will be Papa Bear," Jimmy smiled proudly at that, after all, who better to be the biggest toughest bear, right? "Kid, you'll be playing Baby Bear," Kid blushed as Lou pinched his cheek and said,"Cause you're so dern cute!" Rachel smiled and looked at Buck,"And you, Buck, will be Mamma Bear." The Indian just happened to be taking a swig of coffee when he heard that, and spewed coffee everywhere. "WHAT???!!!" Now it was Cody's turn,"HEHE! Buck you'll just look so darlin in that dress! Married to Hickok with Kid for a son! HAHA, you go girl!!" Buck fumed.

Opening night...

Cody and Buck sat back stage, neither very happy. Cody looked in the mirror and covered his face. "I'm never gonna live this down!!" he wailed. Buck snorted,"You! HA! At least *you* get a pretty dress! I'm stuck in-in THIS!" He picked up the skirt of his army green dress,"YECK!" Cody turned to him,"Well, at least you aren't wearing CURLERS!!!" Buck grinned,"Yeah, I guess you're right. You do look kinda dumb." He ducked just in time to miss the brush aimed for his head.

Half an hour later, the curtains opened. Lou walked to the center of the stage and held up a sign, reading,"Goldilocks and the Three Bears", then walked off stage. Cody was just behind the curtain chanting,"*BE* the part, BELIEVE the role!" He took a deep breath and skipped onto the stage in his pretty blue dress, with his hair in cute little curls and carrying a adorable little basket. The audience went wild.

After the show...

The play had gone very well, Rachel thought. There were a few little things amiss, like the fact that Cody had to wait five minutes to say his first line because the crowd kept whistling and cat calling. And the fact that Jimmy had tripped and fell. He played it off very well though, smacking Kid upside the head as if he had tripped him, which in turn caused Buck to smack *him* upside the head with a frying pan for hitting her..uh, *his* child. It turned out the improvising really helped the show. People weren't sure what quite to expect. And Rachel was sure that no one would ever forget the high pitched voices that Cody and Buck had used, nor the cute little big diapers that Kid had worn.

Yep, the play had been a huge success. Now it was time to plan for the next one. Cinderella maybe...?