JOHNNY AND SALLY ANN: THE TRUE-LIFE TALL-TALES OF JOHNNY APPLESEED AND SALLY ANN THUNDER ANN WHIRLWIND
by Tom Smith

Characters:
Actor 1 (M) Johnny Appleseed
Actor 2 (F) Woman 1; Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind; Betsy Ross; Belinda
Actor 3 (M) Pete
(If single cast, 4W, 2M)

Time/Place:
The American wilderness, around 1794.

Running time:
45 minutes.

Synopsis:
JOHNNY AND SALLY ANN: THE TRUE-LIFE, TALL-TALES OF JOHNNY APPLESEED AND SALLY ANN THUNDER ANN WHIRLWIND is a short play for young audiences that follows the true-life and the tall-tales of Johnny Appleseed .

Traveling the American wilderness the distribute apple seeds to the hungry, Johnny runs into Pete, who has lost his family's cow. Agreeing to let Pete tag along with him, Johnny begins to share with Pete some of the legends that have made him famous.

Along the way they encounter Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind (the future wife of Davey Crockett) who ran away 10 year prior and has taught herself to live off the land. Pete refuses to believe a girl can survive on her own and he and Sally Ann compete in a series of contests that prove that a girl can do anything a boy can: sometimes even better.

Continuing on their journey, Johnny and Pete next encounter Betsy Ross, who tells them about the creation of the American flag. Pete is again impressed with the importance women can have in shaping history.

Pete soon meets Belinda, who works at an orphanage that will be closed down because of funding problems. Unsure what to do to help, Pete and Johnny see a notice for a cabin-building contest: the prize money will be more than enough to help the orphanage. Johnny calls his friend "Henry" to enter the contest on their behalf. Henry does, and wins the contest, saving the orphanage.

Pete suspects something strange about Henry, and Henry pulls off his beard to reveal that he is really Sally Ann, who was unable to enter the contest because she was a woman. Pete is again reminded not to underestimate anyone just because of his or her gender. Pete and Johnny then head off for more adventures: both true-life and tall-tales.

JOHNNY AND SALLY ANN: THE TRUE-LIFE, TALL-TALES OF JOHNNY APPLESEED AND SALLY ANN THUNDER ANN WHIRLWIND is a charming story that offers insights into acceptance, the difference between truth and legend, and helping those in need. It also reiterates the importance of storytelling.