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Chatterbox the musical

 

Whitehouse School - Spring 2025 RED TEAM version

Click here for the Blue team version

Thursday 27 feb, added third song 'I'm sorry' with backing track and sample with vocals. For those who would like to audition for the role of Philip/Philippa please learn the song ahead of Tuesdays class for the audition
Thursday 20 feb, added lyrics to first two songs. Added song navigation

 

Scene 1 red team

We have are in a class room with students waiting for the teacher.

Julie

I don't know about you guys but I'm loving these new music lessons

Tom

Me too

Amanda

I didn't think I was going to like it at all. But Mr Pellington really get's us into the music.

Yana

And your suggstion James for him to write a song about how music is being devalued in education was brilliant.

James

Thank you Yana it's something I feel really strongly about. But it was Emily who came up with the name Silenced so credit to you Emily

Emily

Thank you. I just can't wait to hear what Mr Pellington has come up with.

Suddenly someone walks in and shouts out

Philip

Silenced

everyone stops and turns around

Fay

Philip, always you

Sian

It's so peaceful until you turn up

Philip

It would be boring if it wasn't for me and Karl.

Philip looks around

Philip

Talking of which, where is Karl, I haven't seen him all day.

Paul

That's because he's got a new friend. The new boy Costello so he doesn't think of you at all anymore

Philip

That's not true

Julie

Oh really?

Mr Pellington walks in

Mr Pellington

Morning class

Everyone

Good morning Mr Pellington.

Mr Pellington

Hold on. Have we got a couple of people missing?

Just then Costello and Karl walk in

Costello

Sorry sir, we got delayed because we helped the headteacher with a problem. The toilets flooded so we ran to let him know and then a whole load of us went there and we helped with the mopping up.

Mr Pellington

Is that right Karl?

Karl

yes, I'm exhausted.

Costello

Ok, well welldone guys but let's get on with the music now. So I've written the song Silenced as promised so put on your headphones to get to know the song and then we'll sing it.

Everyone puts on their headphones, except for Philip who goes up to Karl and pulls off his headphones.

Philip

What you playing at.

Karl

More like what are you playing at

Karl puts his headphones back on, and Philips again rips them off

Philip

I waited for you for ages at break, just like yesterday. What are you spending time with that Chatterbox for?

Karl

No hard feelings Philip. Costello is a quality guy, we have such a laugh together

Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

You two what's going on?

Philip

Oh nothing sir, Karl had a problem with his headphones and I fixed them

Karl gives Philip a non appreciative look

Mr Pellington

Ok everyone. We're now going to sing Silenced. Are you ready?

Everyone

Yes

 notices and takes off his headphones

 

Silenced

Silenced

Silenced backing track

Verse 1
See things through the eyes of a child 
one moment 
Listen to the words I must say 
Please hear me
Arts are being labelled as not important
I respectfully disagree 

Bridge
I was born to sing

I was born to dance

I was born, I feel, to bring you story

Don’t hold back, shout it out

Let’s unite and tell the world
Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced

The Arts must not be silenced
Verse 2
Imagine waking to a new kind of silence

Everything you see comes to you through your screen,

Actors, and musicians all but departed.

Comedians & singers denied

Bridge 2
But they were born to sing
They were born to dance

They were born, I feel, to bring you story

Don’t hold back, shout it out

Let’s unite and tell the world

Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced

The Arts must not be silenced
Break
I fear a world, where no one performs live, all performances you see are on a screen
It’s been implied, the arts are not required, that there’s more important ways to spend our time 
And yet you'll see, in history that all the greatest empires would unite the people through performing arts
arts bring us together, working as one entity, all of us with one big beating heart.
Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced
The Arts must not be silenced
The Arts must not be silenced
Everybody you’ve go to tell the world
The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t let them pull the rug from us

The Arts must not be silenced
It’s the thing that makes us feel alive

The Arts must not be silenced
We’ll end up yearning for the past

The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t take away our beating arts

The Arts must not be silenced
Music unites like nothing else

The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t let this silence engulf us

The Arts must not be silenced
Unite to bring it back to us

The Arts must not be silenced

Mr Pellington

Guys that was so good. Well done all of you.

Everyone

Well done to you too Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

So let's carry on. Once we have 10 songs we're going to do a concert. Has anyone got a suggestion for next week's song.

Many hands go up.  Philip is waving his hand like crazy

Philip

Chatterbox

Mr Pellington

Oh, why is that?

Philip

Oh cause I saw a comedy on the tv last night about a stand up comedian that they called chatterbox. Sir He was brilliant.

Mr Pellington

Oh ok. I didn't see that but seems like a good subject. Chatterbox it is then. Next week I'll have it ready.
Right class. Lesson finished, see you next week.

Scene 2 RED TEAM

Some of the students have already arrived in class and they're chatting in amongst themselves when Philip and two of his friends walk in carrying boxes.

Philip

Right everyone I've got this brilliant idea for a wind up.

Julie

Who are you winding up?

David (Philips friend)

Costello 

Tom

Why would we do that?

Matt (Philips friend)

For a laugh

Amanda

Not my idea of a laugh

Yana

Nor mine

Philip

Come on guys. It's only a joke

David (Philips friend)

And we've got a little gift for you if you do

James

What gift?

Matt opens the box to reveal lot's of crisps

Daisy (Philips friend)

A packet each for anyone who does

Emily

Tempting I must admit. 

Fay

What do we have to do?

Philip

When we sing Chatterbox we all aim it at Costello.

Sian

Well I'm out

Matt teases her

Matt (Philips friend)

You'll go without

Sian snatches the bag

Sian

Oh alright, I shouldln't really but I can't resist salt and vinegar

Everyone grabs a bag, suddenly Costello and Karl walk in

Karl

What's going on? 

Philip

Oh I'm giving away free crisps

Costello

Oh what a cool guy

Mr Pellington walks in

Mr Pellington

Hi everyone 

Everyone

Good morning Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

I hope everyone's had a good week. Are you ready for Chatterbox

Everyone

We can't wait Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

Ok, headphones on

Everyone puts on their headphones. We then see Karl takes his off and take Philips off

Karl

Phil. What are you up to?

Philip

Nothing

Karl

Gifting everyone crisps?

Philip

Yeah I was feeling generous

Karl

You? Yeah you're a good laugh and I'm sorry that I haven't been hanging around much with you anymore but you? Generous?

Mr Pellington

Karl. I see what you did and I'm disappointed. Go to the head teachers office.

Karl

But sir

Mr Pellington

You hear what I said.

Karl goes off stage

Mr Pellington

Right everyone. Headphones off. Let's sing

They all sing Chatterbox and all aim it at Costello. After a while Costello realises what's going on and storms out of the class

Chatterbox +6

song with vocals

Backing track of Chatterbox

Verse 1
Remember that time when I phoned you
to make you fully aware
it took you an hour to realise
that I was gone
Bridge
So please listen now
I need you to... 
Say no more I'm more than sure of what you're going to say
I try so hard to fill the gaps the truth is I'm afraid 


Chorus
Chatterbox, won’t you stop,
oh for crying out loud, could I say, just one word,
oh for crying out loud, oh for crying out loud, hear me out
Verse 2
Now hundreds of times I have told you
but you don’t seem to have changed
if you were in the olympics
you would win the gold
Bridge
So please listen now
I need you to... 
Say no more I'm more than sure of what you're going to say
I try so hard to fill the gaps the truth is I'm afraid 
Chorus
Chatterbox, won’t you stop,
oh for crying out loud, could I say, just one word,
oh for crying out loud, oh for crying out loud, hear me out
Break
So what were you thinking
when you realised I’d gone?
That I don't have a clue and all I say is wrong
Antonio you're the best when you're true to yourself
So try and make peace with you and let go of the rest? 
Bridge
Say no more I'm more than sure of what you're going to say
I try so hard to fill the gaps the truth is I'm afraid 
Chorus
Chatterbox, won’t you stop,
oh for crying out loud, could I say, just one word,
oh for crying out loud,
Chatterbox, won’t you stop,
oh for crying out loud, could I say, just one word,
oh for crying out loud,
oh for crying out loud,
oh for crying out loud,
hear me out

Mr Pellington

Well class. That wasn't nice. Who's responsible for this?

Everyone is silent for a while. Eventually Philip puts his hand up.

Mr Pellington

Everyone. Class dismissed. Except you Philip. Come with me, we're going to chat with the headteacher.

Scene 3 RED TEAM

We see Karl and Costello walk in to the empty class. 

Costello

I hope you and Mr Pellington have made me do the right thing.

Karl

You are Costello. You can't let people like Philip win.

Costello

I just want everyone to get along, for people to respect everyone and be happy that we're all different. 

Mr Pellington walks in with his bag that has his music sheets.

Mr Pellington

That's right Costello. I just wish everyone thought like you.

Costello

But I want everyone to be different.

Karl

The world would be boring otherwise.

Mr Pellington

Yeah you're right. Nothing wrong with that but they should just be respectful.

One by one we see classmates walk in and approach Costello, each one handing their bag of crisps to him

Julie

Costello, here's the bag of crisps that Philip gave me.

Costello

Why are you giving me these

Tom

Because he bribed us with these

Amanda

So that we would sing Chatterbox to you

Yana

And embarrass you in front of everyone

Jane

Thing is. It worked

Emily

Which is why we're ashamed of what we did

Fay

We felt so bad afterwards

Sian

That none of us

Daisy

Not one

Maddie

Ate those crisps

Mr Pellington

That's a lot of crisps you have there Costello.

Philip walks in

Philip

And here's another bag

Costello

What if I was to say I don't want your bag of crisps? After all, your false generosity hasn't made me feel good up till now

Philip

I woulldn't blame you

Mr Pellington

I don't have a bag of crisps to give back to you Costello. I wasn't bribed but I was fooled into writing a song to hurt you. I was very annoyed about that and I'm sorry.

Costello

You have nothing to apologise for

Mr Pellington

Well this week I haven't written a song

Everyone says 'oooohhhhhhh'

Emily

Why not sir?

Mr Pellington

Because this time, Philip has written a song. I've worked out the piano for it. Philip are you ready

Philip nods and Mr Pellington starts to play

I'm sorry

With vocals

Piano backing track

Verse 1
I know I was wrong, 
I know it was bad
The thing that I did would make anyone mad
I lost myself in Jealousy and hurt

I tried to look strong
I tried to look tough
The truth is I'm anything but the above
I wanted the whole world to play my game

bridge
Slowly but surely I saw that, what I did was harmful
to me and to you

Chorus
I'm sorry, I apologise will you forgive?
I'm sorry, I apologise will you forgive?
I'm sorry, I apologise will you forgive my pride?
I'm sorry, I apologise will you forgive?

Costello looks around then says

Costello

Sure

And everyone cheers

Songs

1 Silenced

Chatterbox -

3 I'm sorry

Final cast RED TEAM

  1. Philip - Rufus

  2. Mr Pellington - Frank

  3. Karl - Reyansh

  4. Costello - Arya

  5. Julie - Talya

  6. Tom - Krutic

  7. Amanda - Prisha

  8. Yana - Vernica

  9. Jane - Chloe

  10. Emily - Arabubba

  11. Fay - Catherine

  12. Sian - Amber

  13. Daisy - Emma

  14. Maddie - Amilia

  15. Paula - Siya

Scene 1 blue team

We have are in a class room with students waiting for the teacher.

Julie

I don't know about you guys but I'm loving these new music lessons

Tom

Me too

Amanda

I didn't think I was going to like it at all. But Mr Pellington really get's us into the music.

Yana

And your suggstion James for him to write a song about how music is being devalued in education was brilliant.

James

Thank you Yana it's something I feel really strongly about. But it was Emily who came up with the name Silenced so credit to you Emily

Emily

Thank you. I just can't wait to hear what Mr Pellington has come up with.

Suddenly someone walks in and shouts out

Philip

Silenced

everyone stops and turns around

Fay

Philip, always you

Sian

It's so peaceful until you turn up

Philip

It would be boring if it wasn't for me and Karl.

Philip looks around

Philip

Talking of which, where is Karl, I haven't seen him all day.

Paul

That's because he's got a new friend. The new boy Costello so he doesn't think of you at all anymore

Philip

That's not true

Julie

Oh really?

Mr Pellington walks in

Mr Pellington

Morning class

Everyone

Good morning Mr Pellington.

Mr Pellington

Hold on. Have we got a couple of people missing?

Just then Costello and Karl walk in

Costello

Sorry sir, we got delayed because we helped the headteacher with a problem. The toilets flooded so we ran to let him know and then a whole load of us went there and we helped with the mopping up.

Mr Pellington

Is that right Karl?

Karl

yes, I'm exhausted.

Costello

Ok, well welldone guys but let's get on with the music now. So I've written the song Silenced as promised so put on your headphones to get to know the song and then we'll sing it.

Everyone puts on their headphones, except for Philip who goes up to Karl and pulls off his headphones.

Philip

What you playing at.

Karl

More like what are you playing at

Karl puts his headphones back on, and Philips again rips them off

Philip

I waited for you for ages at break, just like yesterday. What are you spending time with that Chatterbox for?

Karl

No hard feelings Philip. Costello is a quality guy, we have such a laugh together

Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

You two what's going on?

Philip

Oh nothing sir, Karl had a problem with his headphones and I fixed them

Karl gives Philip a non appreciative look

Mr Pellington

Ok everyone. We're now going to sing Silenced. Are you ready?

Everyone

Yes

 notices and takes off his headphones

 

Silenced

Silenced
Silenced backing track
Verse 1
See things through the eyes of a child 
one moment 
Listen to the words I must say 
Please hear me
Arts are being labelled as not important
I respectfully disagree 

Bridge
I was born to sing

I was born to dance

I was born, I feel, to bring you story

Don’t hold back, shout it out

Let’s unite and tell the world
Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced

The Arts must not be silenced
Verse 2
Imagine waking to a new kind of silence

Everything you see comes to you through your screen,

Actors, and musicians all but departed.

Comedians & singers denied

Bridge 2
But they were born to sing
They were born to dance

They were born, I feel, to bring you story

Don’t hold back, shout it out

Let’s unite and tell the world

Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced

The Arts must not be silenced
Break
I fear a world, where no one performs live, all performances you see are on a screen
It’s been implied, the arts are not required, that there’s more important ways to spend our time 
And yet you'll see, in history that all the greatest empires would unite the people through performing arts
arts bring us together, working as one entity, all of us with one big beating heart.
Chorus
The Arts must not be silenced
The Arts must not be silenced
The Arts must not be silenced
Everybody you’ve go to tell the world
The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t let them pull the rug from us

The Arts must not be silenced
It’s the thing that makes us feel alive

The Arts must not be silenced
We’ll end up yearning for the past

The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t take away our beating arts

The Arts must not be silenced
Music unites like nothing else

The Arts must not be silenced
Don’t let this silence engulf us

The Arts must not be silenced
Unite to bring it back to us

The Arts must not be silenced

Mr Pellington

Guys that was so good. Well done all of you.

Everyone

Well done to you too Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

So let's carry on. Once we have 10 songs we're going to do a concert. Has anyone got a suggestion for next week's song.

Many hands go up.  Philip is waving his hand like crazy

Philip

Chatterbox

Mr Pellington

Oh, why is that?

Philip

Oh cause I saw a comedy on the tv last night about a stand up comedian that they called chatterbox. Sir He was brilliant.

Mr Pellington

Oh ok. I didn't see that but seems like a good subject. Chatterbox it is then. Next week I'll have it ready.
Right class. Lesson finished, see you next week.

Scene 2

Some of the students have already arrived in class and they're chatting in amongst themselves when Philip and two of his friends walk in carrying boxes.

Philip

Right everyone I've got this brilliant idea for a wind up.

Julie

Who are you winding up?

David (Philips friend)

Costello 

Tom

Why would we do that?

Matt (Philips friend)

For a laugh

Amanda

Not my idea of a laugh

Yana

Nor mine

Philip

Come on guys. It's only a joke

David (Philips friend)

And we've got a little gift for you if you do

James

What gift?

Matt opens the box to reveal lot's of crisps

Matt (Philips friend)

A packet each for anyone who does

Emily

Tempting I must admit. 

Fay

What do we have to do?

Philip

When we sing Chatterbox we all aim it at Costello.

Sian

Well I'm out

Matt teases her

Matt (Philips friend)

You'll go without

Sian snatches the bag

Sian

Oh alright, I shouldln't really but I can't resist salt and vinegar

Everyone grabs a bag, suddenly Costello and Karl walk in

Karl

What's going on? 

Philip

Oh I'm giving away free crisps

Costello

Oh what a cool guy

Mr Pellington walks in

Mr Pellington

Hi everyone 

Everyone

Good morning Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

I hope everyone's had a good week. Are you ready for Chatterbox

Everyone

We can't wait Mr Pellington

Mr Pellington

Ok, headphones on

Everyone puts on their headphones. We then see Karl takes his off and take Philips off

Karl

Phil. What are you up to?

Philip

Nothing

Karl

Gifting everyone crisps?

Philip

Yeah I was feeling generous

Karl

You? Yeah you're a good laugh and I'm sorry that I haven't been hanging around much with you anymore but you? Generous?

Mr Pellington

Karl. I see what you did and I'm disappointed. Go to the head teachers office.

Karl

But sir

Mr Pellington

You hear what I said.

Karl goes off stage

Mr Pellington

Right everyone. Headphones off. Let's sing

They all sing Chatterbox and all aim it at Costello. After a while Costello realises what's going on and storms out of the class

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