Cinderella’s “wicked” stepsisters retell the classic fairy tale.
Learning Objective: Students will identify the theme of this version of the Cinderella fairy tale, told from the stepsisters’ perspective.
Characters
Choose the character you will play.
*Indicates a larger speaking role
Characters
Choose the character you will play.
*Indicates a larger speaking role
*Older Lucy
*Older Macy
*Narrators
(N1, N2, N3)
*Lucy, Cinderella's stepsister
*Macy, Cinderella's stepsister
*Older Lucy
*Older Macy
*Narrators
(N1, N2, N3)
*Lucy, Cinderella's stepsister
*Cinderella Max, a mouse
Cindy
George, the royal aide
Fairy Godmother
Guests 1 and 2
Prince
Sam, a bird
*Macy, a stepsister
George, the royal aid
*Prince
Fairy Godmother (FG)
Guests 1 and 2
Prologue
Older Lucy: Hello!
Older Macy: We’re Cinderella’s stepsisters.
Older Lucy: Remember Cinderella?
Older Macy: The girl with the glass shoes?
Older Lucy: People said we made her do chores and kept her from going to a ball.
Older Macy: Then her Fairy Godmother came, made her a new dress . . .
Older Lucy: . . . and she fell in love with the Prince.
Older Macy: We weren’t actually wicked though.
Older Lucy: Well, we were a little wicked.
Older Macy: But we thought we were helping Cinderella.
Older Lucy: Or Cindy, as she liked to be called.
Older Macy: This is what really happened.
Prologue
Older Lucy: Oh, hello there!
Older Macy: We’re Cinderella’s stepsisters.
Older Lucy (proudly): Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters.
Older Macy: Lucy!
Older Lucy: Sorry.
Older Macy: We’d like to say that despite what you’ve heard, we weren’t actually wicked.
Older Lucy: Well, we were a little wicked.
Older Macy: But we didn’t realize it. We thought we were helping.
Older Lucy: Remember Cinderella? The girl with the glass slippers?
Older Macy: People said we made her do our chores and kept her from going to the ball.
Older Lucy: But then her Fairy Godmother came to the rescue, made her a new dress—
Older Macy: —and then Cinderella and the Prince fell in love and—
Older Lucy: Blah, blah, blah, snore!
Older Macy: Lucy!
Older Lucy: Sorry.
Older Macy: What my sister is trying to say is . . . that’s not what really happened.
Older Lucy: The real story is much more interesting.
Older Macy: Shall we?
Older Lucy: Let’s!
Scene 1
N1: Lucy and Macy are picking roses in their yard.
N2: Cindy comes zooming over.
Lucy: Cindy, is that a unicycle?
Cindy: Check me out! WHOAAA!
N3: Cindy topples onto her sisters.
Cindy: That was amazing!
Macy: Cindy, what are you wearing?
N1: Cindy spins around, showing off a brightly colored outfit and sparkly cape.
Cindy: I made it myself!
N2: Suddenly, a trumpet sounds.
N3: The royal aide arrives.
George: I have a message from the Prin—
N1: He suddenly stops and stares at Cindy.
George (laughing): Are you trying out for the circus?
Cindy: Nope, but that’s a great idea!
George: If you say so. Anyway, the Prince would like to invite all of you to the royal ball.
Cindy: Yippee! I’ll wear my cape and ride in on my unicycle!
N2: George shakes his head and leaves.
Scene 1
N1: Macy and Lucy are pruning some bushes in their front yard.
N2: Suddenly, there’s a ruckus.
N3: Cinderella comes flying around the side of the house on . . .
Lucy: OMG. Is that a unicycle?
Cinderella: Macy! Lucy! Check me out!
N1: Her mouse and bird pals sit on her shoulders, holding on for dear life.
Max: Wheeeee!
Sam: I’m gonna be sick!
Macy: Be careful! Watch out for the—
Cinderella: Whoa—WHOA—WHOAAAA!!!
Lucy: —fertilizer.
N2: Cinderella topples off the unicycle onto the pile of stinky dirt.
Cinderella (laughing): That was awesome!
Lucy: Cindy, what are you . . . wearing?
Cinderella: Like it? I made it myself!
N3: She spins around, showing off her bejeweled cape and matching sneakers.
Macy: Uh, well—
N1: Suddenly, a royal trumpet sounds.
George: Hear ye, hear ye! The Prince—
Prince: I’m pretty sure the trumpet gave us away, George.
N2: Macy and Lucy gasp, look at Cinderella’s outfit, and gasp again.
Lucy (whispering to Macy): This is even worse than when the plumber came by and she was juggling Max and Sam!
Macy (whispering to Lucy): Or when she was playing the kazoo when the baker came to deliver the bread.
Lucy: Cindy! Go inside and do the laundry.
Cinderella: What? Why? You always tell me to go do chores when there’s someone coming!
Macy: You . . . um . . . smell like fertilizer.
Cinderella: Fiiiiine.
N3: Cinderella starts toward the front door but ducks behind a bush when the Prince and George arrive.
Prince: Ladies. Will you do me the honor of attending the royal ball?
Lucy: OMG! OMG! OMG!
Macy: Your Majesty, we’d be delighted.
Prince: Excellent! Until then!
N1: As the Prince and George leave, Cinderella jumps out.
Cinderella: The royal BALL?! I’ll wear my new outfit! And ride my unicycle!
N2: As Cinderella does her happy dance, Macy and Lucy look at each other. Uh-oh . . .
Scene 2
N3: That night, Lucy and Macy sit by the fire.
Lucy: Did you see how George laughed at Cindy today?
Macy: If she looks like that at the ball, everyone will laugh at her. And us!
Lucy: I have an idea! We’ll hide her outfit and unicycle.
Macy: For her own good!
N1: The stepsisters tiptoe into Cindy’s room.
N2: Cindy is fast asleep.
Lucy (whispering): Get the outfit. I’ll grab the unicycle.
Macy: Hurry, let’s go!
Scene 2
N3: The Prince and George are riding back to the royal palace on horseback.
Prince: I must say, those “wicked” ladies weren’t nearly as troublesome as I’d expected.
George: With all due respect, sir, they would never be mean to you.
Prince: I’m a decent judge of character, George. I can tell if people are mean.
George: I hear they force their stepsister to do chores while they sit about eating chocolates.
Prince: That would indeed be ghastly. But we mustn’t believe rumors.
George: Of course, Your Majesty.
Scene 3
N3: The next night, Cindy waves to her stepsisters as they leave for the ball.
Cindy: Don’t worry! I’m sure I’ll find my outfit and unicycle.
N1: Lucy and Macy look down, feeling guilty.
N2: Once they’re gone, Cindy searches everywhere.
N3: Suddenly, her Fairy Godmother arrives.
Fairy Godmother: Forget that cape! I have something better.
N1: A gold dress and a pair of glass shoes appear next to a fancy carriage.
Cindy: Um, thanks. But that outfit doesn’t feel very . . . me. Plus, I’d rather ride my unicycle.
Fairy Godmother: This is way better! Oh, and at midnight, all of this will magically vanish.
Cindy: Wait, what?!
Fairy Godmother: Have fun!
Scene 3
N1: That night, Lucy and Macy sew their dresses for the ball.
Lucy: If Cindy wears that outfit, she’ll be a laughingstock! And so will we. Everyone will talk about us!
N2: Macy ponders for a moment.
Macy: Then we’ll hide the outfit. And the unicycle.
Lucy (hesitant): She’ll be so upset if she finds out.
Macy: It’s for her own good, Lucy—and ours.
N3: The stepsisters tiptoe into Cinderella’s room, where she’s fast asleep.
Macy (whispering): Get the outfit. I’ll grab the unicycle.
N1: Cinderella begins to stir.
Macy: Shhhh! Hurry!
N2: The stepsisters scurry away.
Scene 4
N2: At the ball, everyone is well-dressed, serious, and . . .
Lucy: So boring!
Macy: I miss Cindy.
Lucy: She would make this party way more fun.
N3: Two guests wave at the stepsisters.
Guest 1: Where’s Cindy?
Macy: She’s at home.
Guest 2: On the night of the ball?
Lucy: Well, she’s . . .
N1: She looks at Macy, unsure what to say.
Macy: . . . finishing some chores.
N2: Whispers spread through the room.
Guest 1: Those stepsisters are so wicked.
Guest 2: They’re making poor Cindy stay home and clean.
N3: Just then, Cindy enters in a fancy dress and glass shoes.
N1: She seems miserable.
N2: She sits down sadly.
Lucy: Cindy doesn’t look like herself.
Macy: And she’s not having any fun.
Lucy: I have an idea. And this time it’s a good one! Follow me.
N3: The sisters run home.
Scene 4
N3: The next night, Cinderella waves to her stepsisters as they climb into their carriage.
Cinderella: Don’t worry about me! I’m sure I’ll find my stuff! I’ll just meet you there later.
N1: Lucy and Macy shift uneasily in their seats.
Lucy: Cindy . . .
Macy: We’ve got to go! We’re late already!
N2: Cinderella tears through the house.
Cinderella: Max! Sam! Help me find my . . .
N3: All of a sudden, there’s a loud pop!
N1: The Fairy Godmother arrives in a shower of glitter, live-streaming on FairyGram.
FG (into her phone): ’Grammers! I’m here with ’Rella, ready to make her dreams come true!
Cinderella: My what now?
FG: Forget your cape, honey! I’ll make you an outfit everyone will love!
N2: The Fairy Godmother snaps her fingers. A gold dress and tiny glass slippers appear out of thin air.
Cinderella: Wow! But, um, that outfit isn’t . . . me. Also, it looks super uncomfortable.
FG: Fashion is pain, honey! It’ll be worth it. Just be home by midnight or the dress and shoes will vanish. Fun, right?!
Cinderella: Um . . . I . . .
FG: What do you have to lose?
Sam: The circulation in her feet?
Cinderella (resigned): I guess I’d rather go to the ball in that dress than not go at all . . .
FG (into her phone, triumphant): She’s in! Like and subscribe, ’Grammers! LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!!!
Scene 5
N1: Lucy and Macy make it back to the ball and find Cindy outside.
Macy: Cindy! We have your outfit and unicycle.
Cindy: Yippee!
N2: She changes just before midnight.
Cindy: How did you find them?
Lucy (sadly): We’re the ones who hid them.
Macy: We were too worried about what other people would think.
Lucy: We forgot to let you be you.
Macy: We’re so sorry, Cindy.
Cindy (smiling): It’s OK. How do I look?
Lucy: Perfect!
N3: The sisters hug as the Prince and George walk out.
George (laughing): Ah, Cindy, I see you’re still trying out for the circus.
N1: Lucy, Macy, and the Prince frown at George.
Macy: Don’t laugh.
Lucy: We think her unicycle is pretty cool.
Prince: So do I! Cindy, will you show me how to ride it?
Cindy: Totally!
Prince: Oh, sweet outfit!
Macy: It’s one of a kind!
Lucy: Just like Cindy!
Scene 5
N3: The ballroom in the royal palace is full of people promenading in their finest clothes.
N1: Everyone looks proper, and serious, and . . .
Lucy: So boring!
Macy: I miss Cindy—unicycle and all.
Lucy: Actually, her unicycle would make this party a lot more fun.
Macy: We should go back and—
N2: A guest waves at the stepsisters.
Guest 1: Where is Cinderella this evening?
Lucy: Um . . . at home, finishing some chores.
Guest 2: On the night of the royal ball? When the whole town is here?
N3: Lucy falters. Macy steps in.
Macy: Chores are endless, am I right, people?
N1: Whispers ripple through the ballroom.
Guest 1 (to Guest 2): So the rumors about the wicked stepsisters are true.
Guest 2: Indeed!
N2: Lucy and Macy turn bright red.
N3: At that moment, the royal trumpet sounds.
George: Announcing . . . Cinderella!
N1: Cinderella enters in her lovely gold dress, limping. She hobbles over to a chair.
N2: She looks miserable.
Lucy: What’s up with that dress? She doesn’t even look like herself!
Macy: And she’s . . . sitting? Instead of dancing, talking, and goofing? We must fix this.
N3: Macy spots Max and Sam sneaking in through an open window.
Lucy: And I know just how to do it.
Epilogue
Older Lucy: So now you see. We weren’t so wicked after all.
Older Macy: We just had to learn a lesson.
Older Lucy: We like this version of Cinderella better.
Older Macy: Do you?
Scene 6
N1: Cinderella and the Prince have been dancing for an hour.
N2: It’s not going well.
Prince: It’s a pleasure to meet you!
Cinderella: Yes, I—ow—have to—OW—
Prince: I’m so sorry! I’m usually a great dancer.
Cinderella: It’s not you. It’s my shoes. I wanted to wear these fantastic—
N3: Suddenly, the clock strikes midnight.
Cinderella: Oh no! I have to go. Like, now!
N1: Cinderella kicks off the glass slippers and runs out of the ballroom . . .
N2: . . . right into Max and Sam, struggling to carry her cape, sneakers, and unicycle.
Cinderella: You found my stuff!
Max: Hurry!
N3: Max and Sam help her change as the clock finishes chiming.
N1: Pop! The gold dress vanishes.
Sam: Now go have fun!
Cinderella: I can’t. I have a feeling Lucy and Macy hate this outfit. In fact, I’m starting to think they hid it from me.
Max: But you love it.
Cinderella: I don’t want to embarrass them.
N2: Just then, Lucy and Macy appear.
Lucy: We’re the ones who should be embarrassed, Cindy.
Macy: We were so concerned about what everyone would say if they saw your outfit and unicycle.
Lucy: And . . . well, they’re talking about
us anyway.
Macy: We want you to be you. That’s why we told Max and Sam to go get your stuff.
Lucy: Sorry for our foolishness, Cindy.
Cinderella (smiling): Don’t worry! All
is forgiven.
N3: The royal trumpet sounds again.
Prince: George! Give it a rest! (to Cinderella) There you are! Wait. Is that a unicycle? I’ve always wanted to ride one of those, but my father doesn’t think it’s proper for a prince.
N1: Cinderella, Lucy, and Macy look at each other and start laughing.
Prince: Will you teach me?
Cinderella: Totally!
Prince: Nice outfit, by the way.
N2: As Cinderella hops on
her unicycle, the Fairy Godmother arrives.
FG (into her phone): You’re seeing it here first, ’Grammers—’Rella and the Royal Unicycle Lesson! And look at that cape! Magnificent! LIKE AND SUBSCRIBE!
Epilogue
Older Macy: So now you see. We were not so “wicked” after all.
Older Lucy: We just had to learn a lesson.
Older Macy: Which we hope you’ll remember next time you’re concerned about what people think.
Older Lucy: We like this version of Cinderella better.
Older Macy: Do you?
Think and Write
Imagine you’re one of the stepsisters. Write a journal entry explaining what you learned.
Think and Write
Imagine you’re one of the stepsisters. Write a journal entry explaining what you learned.
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
There are many different versions of the Cinderella story around the world. Our play from October/November 2016 is based on a Chinese Cinderella story about a girl named Yeh Shen. Ask students to compare this story to Not So Wicked After All—and to “The Classic Cinderella Story,” which you can find in the Resources tab.
Looking for another read-aloud play based on a fairy tale? Have your students perform the hilarious Emperor's New Clothes from our May/June 2020 issue.
Explore point of view further by reading our February 2020 play The Monster in the Cave (about the Greek hero Odysseus and the Cyclops, Polyphemus) and then watching the accompanying video that tells the story from Polyphemus’s point of view.
Table of Contents
5. Differentiate and Customize
Striving Readers, Multilingual Learners, Advanced Readers
1. Preparing to Read
Set a Purpose for Reading/Preview Text Features (10 minutes)
Tell students that this play is a version of the Cinderella fairy tale, told from a different point of view. Ask students to tell what they know about the story. Share our resource, “The Classic Cinderalla Story,” to review the basic plot points of the traditional Western version of this fairy tale.
Call on a volunteer to read aloud the Think and Read box on page 20 and the Think and Write box on page 24.
Instruct students to read the title and subtitle on page 20 and look at the illustration on page 21. Ask students to describe the illustration and predict what the play will be about.
Introduce Vocabulary (15 minutes)
While the play does not include definitions of vocabulary words with the text, a Vocabulary Skill Builder online previews six challenging terms. You may also play our Vocabulary Slideshow. Vocabulary terms: wicked, zooming, unicycle, topples, vanish, miserable
2. Close Reading
Focus on Fluency
Storyworks 3 plays provide a perfect opportunity for students to build fluency.
Remind students that the stage directions tell a reader or actor how to say a line or perform an action in the play. Point out the word whispering in column 3 on page 22. Read the dialogue aloud with appropriate expressions or actions.
Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)
Critical-Thinking Question (10 minutes)
3. SEL Focus
Celebrating What Makes You Unique
In this play, the stepsisters learn an important lesson: to appreciate what makes Cindy special instead of worrying about what others might think. Point out that each of your students, like Cindy, is one of a kind—a unique person worth celebrating. Ask: What makes you unique? Have students pair off, interview each other, and then report on what makes their partners unique. Or ask students to share a couple of sentences describing what makes them special.
4. Skill Building and Writing
Featured Skill: Theme
Distribute or digitally assign the Theme Skill Builder.
Distribute or digitally assign the Comparing Cinderella Stories Skill Builder.
Ask students to write a response to the Think and Write prompt on page 24.
Differentiate and Customize
Build fluency and boost confidence with unison reading. Choose a scene, preview any challenging words, then assign students two or three of the characters to read aloud together while you take on the other roles.
Cultures around the world have their own versions of the Cinderella story. Invite students to share the versions that are familiar to them. Read or tell the classic fairy tale that includes Cinderella and her wicked stepsisters. (You can find a short version at the end of our October/November 2016 play, Yeh Shen.) Lead a discussion about the differences and similarities between the various versions.
Have students read a different Cinderella story from our October/November 2016 issue. Yeh Shen is a Chinese version of the classic fairy tale. Ask students to compare and contrast that play with Not So Wicked After All, including the differences (if any) in their themes. Invite students to do further research on other versions of the story.
