I am looking for ideas for a skit based on "It's A Small World" (the Disney theme park ride). The thought is it will be a group skit. Here's few basic ideas: Two clowns rowing a boat. They are lost and end up inside the "It's A Small World" ride. Several fellow Alley members have costumes and can portray the various countries. That's about it - now I am stuck! Does anyone have any ideas?

Uno, I'd like to know a little more. What is the overall theme of the performance that this skit is a part of? Are you trying to make a special point? I was wondering about the "whys" of this skit. Why Its a small world, why or how the clowns get lost or otherwise end up in this situation. I'm not trying to be difficult but I want to have the right information before I try to help and just make things worse.

By the way, Welcome to the Forum. Glad you started by posting. The more the merrier. Hope we can help.

Thanks for your post and for your questions. I appreciate your help.

The skit will be performed at a convention whose theme relates to clowning around the world. We were trying to incorporate the idea of clowning around the world (which produced the "It's A Small World" idea) as well as use props that we already had constructed - a two clown boat that seperates in the middle. We had thought that, when the two clowns enter the performance area, the female would tell the male that he should have stopped and asked for directions. Once the music starts (It's A Small World) and the characters appear (in costumes representing different countries), the boat could seperate and the back end could out paddle the front end as an exit. As you can see the skit doesn't have the "funny" that it needs.

THANKS for your help.

Do you have the ability to splice music together? Or play music on two units at the same time and record on a third? If so when the clowns paddle onto the stage and C1 makes the comment about asking for direction it could be because they weren't supposed to end up in Venice. At which point C2 reaches into a bag and pulls out a Beret with a little bow and then pulls out a "growing wand" which he uses as a push pole for his "gondola" while music plays in the background. Then as the music fades into "It's a Small World" then they visit other countries. For France C2 takes the bow off his beret, adjusts it to a rakish angle and dons a flowing mustache. A couple other countries and then the theme from "Jaws" starts as "Its a Small World" fades. This is when C1 and C2 start really paddling and C2 pulls ahead of C1 as they paddle off stage.

Thank you for all of your wonderful ideas. We do have the ability to record multi-tracks of music. I really like the idea of ending the skit with the music from "Jaws". Thanks again for all your help.

I wouldn't use the actual music. Disney is known to press charges against even children's theator groups who violate copy right. You should be able to use a similar theme, just don't make it exactly like Disney's.

Good point reference using Disney music. Thanks for pointing that out.

There is something about the length of the music clip you use. I would think that you should be able to use the signature bit of the song to get your point across.

We won't be paid for the performance. However, there is a fee to attend the conference. Wonder if receiving payment for a performance makes a difference as to whether or not you can use Disney music?

Shoot disney an email and ask. Perhaps you can find another recording of the song that isn't directly from disney. Or just have a kazoo choir playing it in the background.

I wouldn't shoot Disney an email and ask. they'd probasbly just offer an outright "NO" even if it is well within fair use rights. Really, if you are just using this on a one time basis for a skit at clown conference, and especially if you aren't using the whole tune but just a short leitmotif which is well within fair use, there shouldn't be anything to worry about.

Even though we won't be using the skit exactly as suggested in the Forum, we will be using a variation of it - to include portions of two songs. The suggestion gave us the creative push we needed so now we are off and running.

We intend on playing a few seconds of "It's A Small World" - just enough so that the audience will recognize it. As you know, with "It's A Small World," it doesn't take many notes before you get the song stuck in your head. We also only need to play a few seconds of the theme song from "JAWS" before the audience will recognize it.

I am inclined not to ask Disney's permission. As I have been told, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

Thanks to everyone for the input! I really appreciate everyone's help.

I want to know how everything went. This was fun working together brainstorming ideas for your skit. Lets do it again everyone!

We haven't performed the skit yet but, as soon as we do, I
will let everyone know how well it was received... Thanks
tons to everyond for all of their input. I couldn't have done
it without you!
I bought a CD with sounds of the sea for background noise.
I also bought a CD with the theme from JAWS and another
with the It's A Small World. I think we worked out all the
details so are all set to perform.

...I have been told, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission."

I tried to explain that to a lawyer once. He laughed at me.