Libretti Writ Large

Scene 2  

Time shifts to the past. Willow Tree, the warden of Willow Woods, counsels Woozer Dee Sprout to be less intense. Weedle enters with water for Willow, and Woozer departs for work. Willow commends Weedle on the sprout’s fine work ("It’s Only Natural"), but then Willow falls ill. The water from Silver Creek has poisoned the tree. Weedle resolves to track down the polluter and cleanse the creek.

Scene 3  

Weedle arrives at Silver Creek to find an entranced Woozer dirtying the water. Weedle breaks Woozer’s trance, and the two sprouts "Dip, Lift, and Toss!" using buckets until the water has been purified. Weedle takes a bucket filled with fresh water back to Willow.

Scene 4  

Weedle arrives in Willow’s clearing and discovers that Willow’s condition has worsened. The air has become filled with smog, and the birds have departed for cleaner climes. Willow entreats Weedle to solve this problem, and Weedle agrees to make an attempt.

Scene 5  

At Mushroom Cap Flats, Weedle discovers that the polluter of the air is none other than Woozer, who has become entranced anew. This time, Woozer has been burning waste in a monster-machine. The sprouts manage to end the pollution once they "Fight the Machine!", and they depart together for Willow’s clearing intent on seeking the warden’s advice.

Scene 6  

Unfortunately, the pollution proves too potent for Willow. After giving Weedle a magical seed, the tree quietly expires. Heady with victory, Adolphus J. Sludge reveals himself as the mastermind behind the pollution. Weedle stands up to Sludge, but Woozer flees. Weedle soon realizes that she doesn’t have the resources to combat Sludge’s villainy, and Sludge leaves to wreak more ruin.

Time shifts back to the present. Weedle says "One Last Goodbye" to Willow Woods and prepares to depart. Willow’s seed stops the sprout from leaving and provides the sprout with a plan for reclaiming the woods. Using the seed’s magic, Weedle wishes to return to the moment when she last confronted Sludge . . . and she brings along the audience.

Scene 8

Time shifts back to the past. Weedle confronts Sludge and Woozer flees. However, this time Weedle uses the seed to restore Willow’s life. Woozer returns, and she and Willow solicit support from the audience to defy Sludge. Unfortunately, Sludge will not concede defeat. Willow suggests that Sludge should live in trash can since he likes garbage. Sludge tries on a can for size and decides he likes it. He promises to remain there as long as people continue to throw garbage into the can. Willow and the sprouts note that everyone should "Plant a Seed of Care" in order to avoid the problem of pollution.

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LYRICS SAMPLES

"IT'S ONLY NATURAL"

THAT GLEAM OF KINDNESS IN YOUR EYES.
IT ALWAYS TAKES US BY SURPRISE.
IT'S LIKE YOU'RE DREAMING
OF A SUMMER BLUE AND FREE
AND LETTING YOUR ENJOYMENT
WASH OVER WHAT YOU SEE.

IT'S ONLY NATURAL.
IT'S THE WAY THAT YOU ARE,
AS HONEST AS WORDS THAT ARE SAID
FOR THE EARS OF THE FIRST EARLY STAR.
IT'S ONLY NATURAL
THAT YOU DO YOUR GOOD TURNS,
AND WE PRAY EVERY DAY
THAT WE'LL FIND A WAY
TO DESERVE YOUR CONCERN.

WHEN WE HEAR SWEET WORDS
OR A SMILE AND A SONG,
WE'RE REMINDED OF YOUR CARE,
THE FRIENDSHIP THAT YOU SHARE;                                     
WE KNOW THAT YOU'LL BE THERE.

IT'S ONLY NATURAL
YOU SHOULD SACRIFICE DAILY,
FULFILLING OUR WANTS AND OUR NEEDS
WITHOUT WAITING FOR "WILL YOU?" OR "PLEASE?"
IT'S ONLY NATURAL,
AND WE'LL ALWAYS AGREE
THAT THE MOST TREASURED THINGS
ARE THOSE THAT YOU BRING
SO INNOCENTLY.

SEASONS MAY EBB AND FLOW.
CHANGES MAY COME AND GO,
BUT THE THRILL THAT WE FEEL
IS REALER THAN REAL
WHEN YOU TELL US, "I WILL."
IT'S ONLY NATURAL.

"ONE LAST GOODBYE"

SOMETIMES, THE BEST YOU CAN DO
JUST ISN'T ENOUGH.
YOU CAN'T BEAT THE TOUGH TIMES.
SOME DAYS, THE THINGS THAT YOU TRY
DON'T WORK LIKE THEY SHOULD;
THEY ALL GO AWRY.
THOSE MOMENTS THAT SHOW YOU
JUST HOW YOU WERE WEAK
WILL COLOR YOUR FUTURE
THE BLEAKEST OF BLEAK.
THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW
YOU NO LONGER BELONG.
IF YOU WOULD BE HAPPY,
YOU'D BEST MOVE ALONG.

ONE LAST GOODBYE.
THAT'S ALL THAT REMAINS.
ONE LAST GOODBYE
TO PLACES THAT FILL YOU WITH PAIN.
YOU CAN'T DENY
IT'S BETTER TO JOURNEY THAN CRY.
SHOULDER YOUR PACK.
NEVER LOOK BACK.
JUST SAY GOODBYE.

LOOK FOR NEW CHANCES
IN PLACES AHEAD.
DON'T DWELL UPON
MISTAKES AND REGRETS.
YOU'LL COME TO TERMS
WITH WAYS THAT YOU FAILED,
BUT FIRST GO WANDER
THOSE UNTRAVELED TRAILS.

ONE LAST GOODBYE.
THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY.
ONE LAST GOODBYE.
SEND OFF YOUR FOND YESTERDAYS.
COME REALIZE
IT'S BETTER TO SEVER YOUR TIES.
DON'T GO LAMENT
IN YOUR DISCONTENT.
JUST SAY GOODBYE.

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MUSIC SAMPLES

Instrumentals

"Overture"
"Sludge's Theme"
"Willow's Theme"
"Woozer's Theme"

Piano-Vocals (Digitals Only)

"Fight the Machine"
"Once Upon a Wood"
"Plant a Seed of Care"

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SCENE SAMPLE

Act I, Scene 4  

(WILLOW’s clearing.  Afternoon.  WEEDLE enters with her filled bucket and a leaf-wrapped package of soil.  WILLOW is droopy, but it doesn’t seem that her condition has worsened.)

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT  

I’m back, and I’ve brought a few items along
To perk up your spirits and soothe what is wrong.
With soil that's been strained and with water that's clear,
You'll soon be all smiles and resound with good cheer.

(SHE packs dirt around WILLOW’s roots and sprinkles water strategically about the tree’s person.  WEEDLE even treats the wood-warden to a small shower.  WILLOW responds slowly but favorably to these ministrations.)

Now, see?  Doesn't that make you feel more refreshed?
And now you should know who began all this mess.
Our Woozer!  I know that it's hard to accept,
But trust me.  She did it with hands that were deft
And eager to sully the creek's flowing flood.
She came to her senses, but how could the blood
Of sprouts have produced such a sample of shame?
If only poor Woozer were not whom to blame.

WILLOW TREE

You shouldn't think that Woozer
Has gone from gold to black.
The tendency for evil deeds
Is something that she lacks.

No lasting harm has happened.
She's tried to make amends,
And you yourself must own that
We must trust our proven friends.

What of the creatures swimming
Inside the water's depths?
Did fishes and amphibians
Survive pollution's test?

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT

I left when the cleansing had only begun.
The fish were improving.  They only were stunned.
We caught their decline.  They were merely unwell.
They're sure to be fine, but it's too soon to tell.

WILLOW TREE

I hate to cause you worry,
But I must tell you more.
It seems that dirty water
Isn't all the grief in store.

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT

You mean something worse than before is at hand?
What's happened to blot out the shine of our land?

WILLOW TREE

If you will only listen,
I think that you will hear
A certain sound go missing
That used to fill the ears.

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT

You're right.  It's too quiet.  I don't hear a thing.
The birds are all gone.  There's no one here to sing.

WILLOW TREE

They've taken a migration
In search of cleaner air.
That's why there is no chorusing.
The nests are cold and bare.

The air has grown too heavy.
It's sluggish, and it's stale;
And there's a stink of sulphur
Slowly smothering the vales.

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT

That odor is foul, and it burns in my nose.
What cause can be claimed for a scent that's so gross?

WILLOW TREE

You must go and discover
The reason for the stench.
You've already succeeded once,
So twice should be a cinch.

WEEDLE DEE SPROUT

Until I've unearthed the true cause, I won't quit!
I won't rest a minute.  I'll take no respite.
It's part of my service to ferret and scout.
There's no better searcher for things than a sprout.