Title of the work: “Libertad”.
Author: Yanett Mora.
7 Characters:
- Grandfather Pedro (75 year old man).
- Mom Vanessa (40 years old woman).
- Dad Sergio (42 year old man).
- Sara (7 year old girl).
- Lucas (9 year old boy).
- Jesus (10 year old boy).
- Freedom (Voice-over, can be male or female).
Act I
Setting: Courtyard of Grandfather Pedro’s house.
Introduction: It was Grandfather Pedro’s birthday. The whole family was together celebrating.
Grandfather Pedro: Thank you all for coming to my birthday! It was one of the best I’ve ever had in my life.
Mom Vanessa: But your birthday is not over yet! There’s one more present to deliver.
Grandpa Pedro: Oh, what’s it going to be?
Dad Sergio enters with a big golden cage. All the guests are amazed.
Dad Sergio: Happy birthday, Grandpa! I hope you enjoy it very much.
Grandpa Pedro: Ohh what a beautiful creature, but what is it?
Mom Vanessa: It’s an exotic bird brought from Colorado, USA. They only brought three to town, so feel privileged.
Grandpa Pedro (looking at the bird strangely): Thank you very much. Now, dear guests, let the feast continue! Everyone come to the table to eat cake.
Kate, Jesus and Luke approach the cage to see the curious bird.
Kate: What kind of animal is this?
Jesus: It’s an exotic bird brought from Colorado! Didn’t you hear?
Mom Vanessa: Children, we are leaving!
Lucas: Oh no mom, we don’t want to leave yet, we want to stay and see the bird.
Mom Vanessa: Children, if you want I’ll bring you next week after school so you can be with the bird.
Sara: Yessssss!
Act II
Setting: Grandpa’s backyard. A week had passed.
Introduction: Sara, Lucas and Jesus surrounded the bird’s cage.
Sara: Grandpa, what’s the bird’s name?
Grandfather: Well, I haven’t really named him, but he always says “Libertad”, so I call him Libertad.
Jesus: Libertad? And what is Libertad?
Grandfather: I really don’t know.
LIBERTAD! LIBERTAD!
Jesus: Did you hear that! He just said LIBERTAD.
Lucas: What a strange name.
Kate: Grandpa, don’t you think LIBERTAD looks a little sad.
Grandpa: He does, Kate, he always looks down.
Jesus: Living inside a cage must not be very comfortable.
Grandfather: Well children, I’ll go into the house to prepare the food. You guys go on playing.
Kate: Okay, Grandpa.
Jesus: Libertad is a beautiful bird. It’s a pity he lives inside this cage.
Lucas (offering Libertad some seeds): Look, Libertad doesn’t want to eat, maybe he has no appetite.
Jesus: Guys, I just did some research and LIBERTAD means FREEDOM in Spanish.
Sara: Could it be that Libertad wants freedom and that’s why he keeps saying the word?
LIBERTAD! LIBERRRTAD! LIBEERTTAAADDDDD!
Lucas: Did you hear that? I think so.
Jesus: Well, it doesn’t surprise me at all, if I were him I would be very sad to be there in a cage and in another city.
Kate: Yes! Remember they said he came from the highest mountains in Perú.
Lucas: That’s not even remotely close to here.
Kate: Poor Libertad.
Jesus: Guys, what if… We let him fly?
Kate: What do you mean?
Jesus: Well… we leave his little door open so he can get out of here.
Lucas: I think it’s an excellent idea. Then he can travel, see other places and make friends, he could even go back home to his family, who are so far away from here!
Kate: Let’s do it!
Jesus and Luke opened the cage door. Libertad poked his little head out. She landed on top of the cage and spread her wings.
Sara: How beautiful you are Libertad! I’ll take a picture of you before you leave.
LIBERTAD! LIBERTAD! LIBERTAD! LIBERTAD!
Lucas: Oh no, LIBERTAD, don’t make so much noise or Grandpa will come and find us out.
Grandfather (heard in the distance): Children, are you all right? What’s all the fuss about?
Jesus: Oh no, grandfather is coming.
Libertad started flapping his wings and gesturing with his head.
Kate: It looks like he’s thanking us.
LIIIIIBBBBEEEERTAAAADDDDD. The bird gives its last cry and flies away.
Jesus, Luke and Sarah were amazed to see the majesty of the bird flying in the sky.
Grandfather: Children, what’s going on, what are you seeing?
Grandpa looks up into the sky, and sees Libertad flying. He couldn’t believe how beautiful the bird looked flying.
Grandfather: That´s libertad children, did you release him?
Sara, Jesus and Luke nod their heads at the same time.
Sara: Grandpa, please don’t scold us!
Jesus: We couldn’t see how he was suffering, he didn’t even want to eat.
Luke: Jesus found out that Libertad means freedom in Spanish, Libertad was asking for freedom!
Grandfather: Children, you have done the right thing and it is what I expected you to do.
Jesus, Luke and Sarah couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
Grandfather: Birds have wings. They were born to be free and not to be caged. Did you see how splendorous she looked flying? She belongs in the skies, not in a cage. Now she will be able to fulfill her desire to be free and fly among the blue skies. The truth is that I never agreed when I was given the bird, but her parents seemed very happy and I didn’t want to sound rude or ungrateful. I had spent every day thinking about how I could free that little creature without bothering anyone, you have helped me!
Lucas: But how, Grandpa?
Grandpa: Let’s just say that while I was opening the cage to show them how Libertad was eating, without realizing what was happening, Libertad quickly jumped on my hand and from there he grabbed momentum and flew away.
Sara: Yes grandpa! We’ll say we saw everything and we couldn’t catch her, she flew too fast.
Grandfather: We will keep this a secret. Children, I want you to understand the value of freedom. When a human being or an animal is deprived of its freedom, it loses everything, it has nothing. At the same time, you were also free to decide what was right for him, you acted according to your own will. Freedom also allows a human being to decide whether he wants to do something or not as long as he is responsible for his actions. Just as you did.
Jesus: We must be aware that only we have the power to take care of animals and that depriving them of their freedom is not our right.
Tears flowed from Sara’s eyes.
Jesus (looking up to heaven): I hope that now Libertad can be truly happy.
Grandfather: That’s how it will be, Jesus.
Act III
Setting: Grandfather’s backyard.
Introduction: Grandpa was every morning drinking his coffee and reading the newspaper. Suddenly, he feels some seeds fall on his head.
Grandfather (touching his head): But what is this?
Grandfather lifts his head and sees nothing. In the distance he hears a familiar chant.
LIBERTAD! LIBERTAD!
Grandpa takes a picture out of his shirt pocket. It was the picture Sara had taken of Libertad before he left. He looks at it and smiles.
THE END.