Note: Capitalizing on children's interest in Pok-e-Mon, and the story's use of the themes of battle in journey, I gave the plot a Pok-e-Mon twist.

Act 1 Scene 1

NARRATOR: Hundreds of years ago, in the far-away land of China, people believed that living life the right way would bring you to heaven.
 Our story begins in heaven, where the Monkey King is born from a magic rock.  Right away he is taught by a master.

2 ROCK PARTS open, revealing the MONKEY KING, who yawns, looks around and wipes his eyes.  MASTER TAOIST walks up and bows to him.

MASTER TAOIST: You are the Monkey King.  I am a master in the ways of the Tao.  I will teach you many magic tricks, and kong fu.

The TAOIST shows him some kicks, some meditation.  The MONKEY KING imitates.  He takes a hair from his head, and blows on it.  The MONKEY KING does the same thing, and 3 other MONKEY KINGS come flying out and run away.

MONKEY KING: I am very happy to learn from you, and I will always use my tricks for good, not evil. (he winks at the audience)
 
Act 1 Scene 2

NARRATOR: The Monkey King learned a lot of magic from the Taoist Master, and decided that he should be given an important job in Heaven.  So he went to see Yu Di, the Jade Emperor, to try to get a job.  The Dove Court had different ideas.

MONKEY KING goes up to JADE EMPEROR and bows.  The DOVE COURT is in the background, sitting in chairs to the right of the EMPEROR’S throne.

JADE EMPEROR: How can I help you?

MONKEY KING: Your honor, I think I should be given an important job.  I know many magic tricks and I am king of all the monkeys.

JADE EMPEROR: These matters are best handled by the Dove Court. We will let them decide.

DOVE COURT discusses among itself, and finally comes to a decision.

DOVE COURT #1: We have decided to make you keeper of the stables.  You will be in charge of all of the horses, a very important job.

MONKEY KING: Thank you, your honors.  I will do this very important job the best I can.

The MONKEY KING walks away, and the EMPEROR and DOVE COURT walk off stage.  But DOVE COURT #2 comes back, and talks to the MONKEY KING.

DOVE COURT #2: Wait, wait!  That job is not important at all!  You have to feed horses.

MONKEY KING: Eeewww.

DOVE COURT #2: You have to clean the horses.

MONKEY KING: Eeewww.

DOVE COURT #2: You have to pick up after they go to the bathroom.

MONKEY KING: Eeewww!  I don’t want that job.  Thank you for telling me.
 
Act 1, Scene 3

NARRATOR: The Monkey King was very upset when he found out his job was so disgusting.  He decided he was going to make a lot of trouble in heaven.

Sign saying, "Party for the Queen! Party for the Queen!" is onstage.
DANCERS perform the CHINESE RIBBON DANCE, then go and get cups to drink at the party.  Party things are everywhere.  PARTYGOERS are now standing around drinking tea, etc.

The MONKEY KING runs around, making a mess.

PARTYGOER#1: What are you doing?  You’re making a mess!

MONKEY KING: I’m going to steal the Heavenly Peach!  I’m going to live forever!

NARRATOR: Indeed.  The Monkey King knew that in Heaven there was a magical peach. If anyone ate this peach, they would live forever and never die.

All of the PARTYGOERS are off stage now.  The MONKEY KING goes to the tree with the Magic Peach.  But the JADE EMPEROR gets in his way.

JADE EMPEROR: What do you think you’re doing?  It seems I’m going to have to call on someone to stop you from your mischief.  I will ask the Buddha, who is everywhere at once, to come and stop you.  Oh Buddha, (he prays) come and help me.

BUDDHA comes onstage.  The JADE EMPEROR bows to him and leaves.

BUDDHA: I see you think you are very important.  I will give you a test and see if you can pass.  If you can pass my test, you may eat the Magic Peach, and you can live forever.  If you do not pass my test, you will be disciplined.

MONKEY KING: OK, I can do anything!

BUDDHA: Here is your task.  If you can jump out of my hand, you can have the Magic Peach.  If not, you have failed my test.

MONKEY KING: I can jump thousands of miles in a single second!  There’s no way I’m going to lose! OK, here I go!

BUDDHA disappears behind a cloud.  MONKEY KING jumps and does a somersault.  The cloud carries him all over the stage.  He encounters some giant poles, which are the Buddha’s fingers, though he doesn’t realize it.

MONKEY KING: Here are some poles.  I think I should write my name here, so Buddha knows I was here.

The MONKEY KING takes out a brush and writes his name on Buddha’s finger.
  Finally he returns on the cloud to the BUDDHA, who comes back on stage, with cap.

BUDDHA: You never left my hand.

MONKEY KING: (hangs his head low) I have failed.  I guess I can’t do everything.  Give me your punishment.

BUDDHA: I will not punish you.  I will only discipline you.  I will give you this cap to wear on your head, from now on.  Whenever someone prays the sutra, (he puts his hands in a prayer), you will remember to discipline yourself and be a good boy.

BUDDHA places the hat on the MONKEY KING’s head.

BUDDHA: I also have an assignment for you.  There are two other people who have been banished from heaven.  They are Piggy, the pig, and Sandy, the Sea Serpent.  They are going to join you on your mission.

PIGGY and SANDY come out on stage.

BUDDHA: Your job will be to go to Earth.  There you will join the monk, Xuan Zang, who is going from China to India.  He will be your Trainer, and you will be his Pok-e-mon’s.  Your job is to protect him from the danger, and fight other Pok-e-mon’s.  Go, go to Earth, and meet the man you will protect.

CURTAINS CLOSE.  ACT 1 IS OVER.

 ACT TWO Scene 1

NARRATOR: Act Two, China.

XUAN ZANG is onstage.  MONKEY KING, PIGGY and SANDY join him.

XUAN ZANG: So you have been sent to protect me.  We have a long and dangerous journey to India.

MONKEY KING, PIGGY, SANDY (together): We are ready.  Let’s go!

SANDY carries the luggage.  They walk and see the dangerous mountain on fire.  LADY WITH FAN comes onstage with her fan. She is drinking tea.

XUAN ZANG: I’ll check my scroll to see where we should go.  Let’s go West!

MONKEY KING: That mountain is on fire! What are we going to do?

PIGGY: That lady has a fan.  She will help us blow it out.

XUAN ZANG (to lady with fan): Can we please borrow your fan?  We want to pass the mountain on the way to India, and we need to blow out the fire.

LADY WITH FAN: No, you cannot have my fan.  It’s my fan.

XUAN ZANG: We will get it!  I choose….SUN WU KONG!

He prays the Sutra.  The MONKEY KING grabs his cap and calms down.

MONKEY KING (aside): I’ll turn myself into a fly and go in her tea.  When she drinks me, I’ll annoy her in her stomach until she gives us the fan.

MONKEY KING turns himself into a fly.  The LADY WITH FAN drinks her tea, drops her cup, and starts screaming.

LADY WITH FAN: My stomach!  My stomach!  Where is my Pok-e-mon ball?

SANDY: Your Pok-e-mon ball won’t help you.  Sun Wu Kong is inside your stomach!  He turned into a fly!  You have to give us the fan or he won’t come out!

LADY WITH FAN: Alright, alright! I’ll do it, take the fan.  Get him out!

She gives the fan to SANDY.  MONKEY KING jumps out of her mouth. SANDY blows on the fire, and it goes out.

XUAN ZANG: Now we can pass!  Let’s go!

The LADY WITH FAN stays sitting down, and the group moves offstage. Curtains close.  End of Scene 1.
 
Act 2 Scene 2 (THE POKEMON FIGHT)

NARRATOR: The travelers had to face many dangers on their way to India.

A POK-E-MON TRAINER shows up with a POK-E-MON.

POK-E-MON TRAINER: You are trying to get the Sutra, are you?  You have to get through me to get to it!  I choose…. (???) (his Pokemon)

XUAN ZANG: I choose…Piggy!

Piggy fights one of the Pok-e-mons, and loses.

XUAN ZANG: We are not done yet!  I choose…Sun Wu Kong!

He prays the Sutra, and the MONKEY KING again grabs his cap.  From his cap he takes his metal bar.

MONKEY KING: I’ll use my metal bar from heaven, that can be any size.

MONKEY KING comes out in front and takes out his metal bar.  It grows to become a giant sword.  He fights and wins.

POK-E-MON TRAINER: You win.  You may pass and go on to the Sutra.

Act 2, Scene 3

NARRATOR: The travelers finally made it to India.

The group keeps walking.  Finally they come to a Buddhist Temple.  There are pictures of the Buddha all around.

INDIAN MONK: You have come for the Sutra scriptures.

He shows them a beautiful book, the Sutra.

INDIAN MONK: Bring it back to your land, and spread the teachings of the Buddha.

XUAN ZANG: Thank you.  The road here has been long and dangerous.  Now we will return to China and bring the Sutra and the teachings of the Buddha.

INDIAN MONK: Good luck on your journey home.

End of Act 2, Scene 3

 Act 2, Scene 4 (?)

Another Pok-e-Mon match on the way back to China.

Act 2, Scene 4/5

NARRATOR: It took 14 long years for the group to go all the way to India and then return to the capital city of Chang-an.  They brought the Sutra to the Chinese Emperor, the person in charge of all of the Chinese Empire.

CHINESE EMPEROR: What have you brought for me?

XUAN ZANG: We have brought to you the Sutra, the holy Scriptures of the Buddha, to be spread through all China.

Suddenly, the Jade Emperor appears.

CHINESE EMPEROR: The Jade Emperor!  You have come to earth from heaven!

He bows down low to the Jade Emperor, touching the floor in a kowtow.

JADE EMPEROR: Sun Wu Kong, you were sent away from heaven for your bad behavior.  You were disciplined and you answered the call.  All of these travelers have earned a place in heaven.  Come with me and we will be back in heaven together.

They walk off.

Curtains close.  The play is over.