The Children's Corner: Episode 4097

Broadcast Date: Undetermined

Josie begins by announcing that “Daniel S. Tiger’s Art Players” will be presenting their version of Little Red Riding Hood. X the Owl will play the Big Bad Wolf and Lady Elaine Fairchilde will be Little Red Riding Hood. Unfortunately, with the play about to begin, King Friday has yet to find out that he will be playing the grandmother… Daniel assigns Josie to talk King Friday into playing the role.

At the tree, X tries on a pom-pom for his “beard” in an attempt to make himself look “ferocious.” Henrietta will be playing Red Riding Hood’s mother and puts on a bonnet and apron. It is also discovered that while each of them knows their individual line(s), they are not sure of the order the lines go in. At Calendarland, Josie flatters King Friday into playing the grandmother with his “great acting skill,” before she sings I Wonder.

On the stage, Daniel and Josie set up the scenery and Grandpere prepares for his role running the music. The play begins with the mother (Henrietta) and Little Red Riding Hood (Lady Elaine – wearing a ribbon on her nose to make her look “pretty”) in their kitchen. Henrietta repeats her line several times asking Lady Elaine to take the fruit (a banana) to her grandmother. Daniel puts up a “Please Standby sign” while he and Josie change the scene.

In the “forest” (two potted plants), the Big Bad Wolf (X) confronts Little Red Riding Hood about where she is going and tricks her into going the long way to her grandmother’s house while he takes a shortcut. After Josie and Daniel change the scenery again, King Friday (as the grandmother) lays down on the bed which is just big enough for his head. X (the Big Bad Wolf) arrives and fools the grandmother into thinking he is Little Red Riding Hood.

Little Red Riding Hood arrives and the wolf attempts to eat her up. Grandpere (as the hunter) arrives and immediately scares the wolf away. The rest of the puppets also exit and then return to bow for the curtain call. Daniel then asks Josie to sing Goodnight God.

Afterwards, Daniel brings the banana to Josie as a token to remember the play by and they engage in some critique of the play before Josie with the So Long Song.

Screenshots

Appearing In This Episode

In order of appearance

• Josie Carey
• Daniel Striped Tiger
• X-scape the Owl (X the Owl)
• Henrietta Pussycat
• King Friday XIII
• Grandpere
• Lady Elaine Fairchilde

Cast

• Josie Carey
• Fred Rogers

Guests

• None

Locations

• Josie’s counter
• Cuckoo Clock
• Oak Tree
• Schoolhouse
• Calendarland
• Stage [Location of play performance]

Songs

• Why Hi Song
• I Wonder
• Goodnight God
• So Long Song

Notes

• The full roles for the play include:
  • Big Bad Wolf – X-scape the Owl
  • Mother – Henrietta Cat
  • Grandmother – King Friday XIII
  • Little Red Riding Hood – Lady Elaine Fairchilde
  • Sound/music and the Woodcutter (“who didn’t come quite soon enough”) – Grandpere
  • Producer, director, and playwright – Daniel
  • Props – Josie
• Daniel has Josie clarify that this will be an “amaetur production”
• Although it was clearly intended that Henrietta speak only in “meows” in this episode, at one point when she is surprised she says “Oh!” before launching into more meows.
• Throughout the play, Josie has to repeatedly remind the puppets that they are doing a play and can’t talk to the audience, break character, etc.
• After speculating that she could perhaps press the banana in order to save it (in the manner of pressing flowers), Josie decides to give it to Henrietta’s mice to eat and proceeds to drop it into the opening of Henrietta’s house.
  
  

Episode Credits

The Childrens Corner [sic]
With Josie Carey
Produced by Fred Rogers
Directed by Carl Freeborn
Technical Supervision: Larry Flavin

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