ATRZoo

Zoo Ending

[Cat comes to front of stage]
Cat: So, what did you all think of our show?
[applause, hopefully…if not, run FAST and blame it on Matt]
Cat: We’re glad you liked it. This puppet show was completely created and performed by the Atlantic-Cape May County AmeriCorps program in NJ. AmeriCorps is a domestic Peace Corps with sites throughout America. Our program in particular is located on the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in South Jersey. We focus mostly on environmental education and
[Eddy runs across the stage in funny nose and glasses]
public outreach.
[Cat turns quickly to see what audience is laughing at]
…but we also help to maintain the Refuge by doing construction projects by
[Eddy runs across again]
building bird observation towers and other structures.
[Cat turns again to see, but Eddy is gone. Shakes head and returns to speech]
And participate in biological studies like surveying horseshoe crabs, monitoring the endangered piping plover, and observing raptors such as…
[Eddy runs across again, but this time after he is off his tail remains visible. Cat turns to stage quickly and sees Eddy’s tail]
Cat: EDDY!!!! Is that you? What are you doing here???
Eddy: Who’s Eddy? I know I’m not. I’m just an average guys looking for the white tiger cubs…aren’t they around here somewhere?
Cat: Okay Eddy, we all know it’s you, now please take off those RIDICULUOUS glasses!
Eddy: [Takes off glasses] Oh, okay. Hey what are you guys doing here?
Cat: Well, I was TRYING to explain to our friends here what AmeriCorps is all about and how we help the environment.
Eddy: Who are YOU? And what makes YOU think THEY care?
Cat: Well, my name is Cat…
Eddy: Wait; wait a second…so your name is CAT?
Cat: YEEEESSSSSSSS….
Eddy: Your NAME is CAT.
[Cat nods head]
Eddy: Okay, so we have a deer named Bunny, a human named Cat, and I get grief for being extinct! At least my name’s not Stegosaurus!
Cat: [laughs] Yes, my name is Cat. It’s a nickname. And in answer to your question Eddy, I KNOW the audience cares about what we have to say about the environment or else they wouldn’t be here. And out of curiosity Eddy, do you even know why you weren’t allowed in the show?
Eddy: Well they were obviously jealous of my natural talent and God-given good looks!
Cat: Well, that might have been PART of it Eddy [roll eyes], but I think there was a more SIGNIFICANT reason why you weren’t allowed to participate. [asks audience] Who knows why Eddy didn’t belong on the Refuge?
[audience: He’s extinct]
Eddy: I do NOT stink!
Cat: No Eddy, he did not say you “stink,” he said you were “ex-tinct.”
[asks audience] And what exactly does “extinct” mean?
[audience: Not alive anymore…]
Cat: [ad lib] Extinct means that there are not any more of that species alive anymore. Animals and plants are going extinct today all the time. Extinction is mostly caused by habitat loss, but also over hunting and pollution. The more humans there are, the less room there is for all of the other species. That is why Refuges are so important. They are large areas of land that are set aside so species will always have a place to live. That helps us protect them from becoming extinct.
Eddy: Like me!
Cat: Kind of…
Eddy: What do you mean, “kind of?”
Cat: Refuges can only provide habitat for plants and animals, they can’t protect them from meteors. Which is why dinosaurs went extinct….right Eddy? [looks at Eddy]
Eddy: Well…yeah.
Cat: It’s interesting how the more “intelligent” mammals survived though.
Eddy: Gee, I wonder what happened to all of them.
[Cat scowls at Eddy]
Eddy: And that small brain thing is just a myth! Maybe if we had an action hero like Bruce Willis, we’d still be alive too.
Cat: Uh, Eddy, that was a fictional movie. You do know what fiction is, don’t you? I hate to break this to you, but fiction is like YOU Eddy.
Eddy: WHAT?
Cat: You are fiction, you do know what fiction is, don’t you Eddy?
Eddy: Of course I know what fiction is. Only an idiot would not know what fiction is. Fiction is the name of the force that is produced when two bodies rub against one another which may produce heat and sound energy.
Cat: Uhh… no, Eddy, that is Friction. Fiction means made up… imaginary… NOT REAL. You are not real.
Eddy: I am too real!
Cat: No…you’re not. You’re a puppet. If you don’t believe me, look down.
Eddy: ---self realization---
Cat: Thank you for coming to see “At the Refuge”
Right now, I’d like to bring out the other puppeteers: [introduce puppeteers.] We have coloring books and complimentary passes to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge at the stage courtesy of the Friends of Forsythe group…be sure to pick one up before you leave. Have a great day at the Philadelphia Zoo!

Written by Cat Dudnick and Shawn Willox