Copyright 2009
This play may be used free of charge for educational purposes and for amateur theater productions.
Setting: A table and twelve chairs are all that is needed to establish the jury's room.
The pigs walk to a table. They walk around, shy and uncomfortable at first.
PIG #1: (Fanning himself.) Boy, I tell you, it’s hot.
PIG #2: I thought it was hot in the courtroom, but this room is like an oven.
PIG #3: Do I smell bacon? Oh wait – that’s just me.
PIG #4: So what are we supposed to do?
PIG #5: Weren’t you listening to the judge? We vote.
PIG #4: Vote?
PIG #5: We decide whether or not that Wolf is guilty or not guilty.
PIG #6: He looks guilty to me.
PIG #7: Me too.
PIG #8: What do you mean he looks guilty?
PIG #9: Did you see those teeth?
PIG #10: Those wolves have sharp teeth.
PIG #11: The better to gobble you up! Right? Am I right?
PIG #12: But the wolf isn’t on trial for biting someone. The trial is about him blowing down those two houses.
PIG #4: I thought there were three houses.
PIG #6: Only two houses got knocked down.
PIG #5: (To #4) Don’t you listen?
PIG #3: He huffed and puffed and blew down the houses of those innocent little pigs.
PIG #11: Those poor swine.
PIG #6: Why those two little pigs are lucky to be alive!
PIG #10: I tell you, those wolves are dangerous!
PIG #2: I wish it wasn’t so hot in here. Isn’t there a fan or something?
PIG #7: We should get the Big Bad Wolf in here to huff and puff and blow us a cool breeze! (The other pigs laugh.)
PIG #!: All right, let’s get down to business. Now, since I am the foreman—
PIG #7: Don’t you mean forepig?
PIG #4: What’s a foreman?
PIG #1: It means that I am the spokesperson of the jury here. When we go back into court, I’ll be the one doing the talking.
PIG #3: So that makes you the head hog?
PIG #1: No, but I do get to read the verdict.
PIG #4: Oh. What’s a verdict?
PIG #1: It’s the decision that we make as a jury.
PIG #4: Oh. What’s a jury?
PIG #5: (Not happy being next to #4) Can I trade seats with somebody?
PIG #12: Can we just get on with this?
PIG #1: Very well. We have heard the trial. Now we need to determine whether the Big Bad Wolf is guilty or not guilty.
PIG #8: I don’t think we should call him “big bad.” He hasn’t been convicted yet.
PIG #1: All right, just “wolf” then.
PIG #5: So let’s vote.
PIG #1: All those who believe the wolf is guilty say “oink.”
ALL EXCEPT #8: OINK!
PIG #1: Anyone else?
PIG #8: Not oinking.
PIG #7: What’s that?
PIG #8: I’m not oinking because I’m voting not guilty.
Everyone else groans.
PIG #3: You think that Big Bad Wolf is innocent?
PIG #8: Well, I haven’t made up my mind yet. There have been so many stories about wolves doing terrible things. Maybe we’ve paid more attention to those fairy tales, and not enough attention to the evidence?
PIG #4: What’s evidence?
PIG #5: Did you sleep through the trial? Evidence is the stuff that proves whether or not somebody is guilty!
PIG #8: And there should be enough evidence to convince us all of the wolf’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
PIG #3: There’s plenty of evidence!
PIG #8: Well, I’d like to hear what all of you think.
PIG #1: Okay, that sounds fine. Let’s take turns and explain to our fellow pig why we think the wolf is guilty. Why don’t you go first?
PIG #2: Me? Oh, well, I guess I just think he looks awful scary. I can just picture him huffing and puffing and blowing down those houses.
PIG #8: But you didn’t see him do it.
PIG #3: But you didn’t see him not do it.
PIG #9: (Standing up for #8) But you didn’t see him not not do it.
PIG #3: Huh? Look, the facts of the case are this: (Looks at notes.) These three little pigs, just like you and me, they move away from home. They were brothers, so they decided to build their houses nearby. One pig built his house out of straw. The other built his house out of sticks, and the other brother built his house out of brick. And then what happens? This wolf comes along, pretending to be selling cookies or something, and when the pig won’t open up the door – WHOOSH! Down goes the house of straw. The little pig runs to his brother’s house made out of sticks. The wolf follows and WHOOSH – down goes house number two! Clear case of destruction of property. And it’s a good thing their brother pig made a house out of bricks, because it was strong enough to protect them from being eaten up by that evil wolf!
PIG #1: Thank you for sharing. (To #4) What about you?
PIG #4: Me? Oh I guess since everyone else thinks he’s guilty he must be.
PIG #8: You shouldn’t just agree with someone just because that’s what a person wants.
PIG #4: Hey, you’re right. I agree with you!
PIG #3: I don’t want you to agree with him.
PIG #4: Okay.
PIG #5: I believe the wolf is guilty because there was an eye witness. A local village boy saw the whole crime take place. And since I’m sure he wouldn’t lie, I am certain that the wolf must be guilty.
(Little Boy Blue skips across the stage.)
PIG #6: Theres the little fella now!
BOY: Hi Piggies! I’m off to guard my flock of sheep!
PIG #7: What a nice young man. That’s why I voted to convict that big bad wolf!
PIG #12: Me too. Everything points to the wolf as a criminal. Who else could have done it?
PIG #9: I am afraid that seems to be the only explanation, unless your snout smells something we don’t.
PIG #10: Besides, he’s a wolf. If he’s not guilty of this crime, I’m sure he’s guilty of something.
PIG #9: You shouldn’t say that. It’s not nice.
PIG #11: Look, nice or not, the facts clearly show that our wolf friend is guilty. But he sure tried to act all innocent.
