Well, everyone, I'm back once again with another scene of this musical production of mine. This is Scene 9 of Act 1 of "Hey Arnold: The Jungle Musical". In this scene, Arnold will finally be on the plane to San Lorenzo, and the scene will also show everyone finally arriving in San Lorenzo. No, there won't be a musical number here, but there will be a funny scene with Olga (Helga's older sister who was on the original run of the "Hey Arnold" cartoon from time to time) and Big Bob, as well as a surprise passenger that you didn't expect to tag along with Arnold. Now, I'm not going to reveal any of that now as it's not the right time. So, as we begin Scene 9 of Act 1 of this brand-new musical, go and see just what happens for yourself!
Narrator (enters stage right): The next morning at the "Hillwood International Airport", everyone in Arnold's class was on the airport tarmac, getting ready to board the plane to San Lorenzo. It would be a 7-hour and 30-minute flight before finally landing in San Lorenzo. On the tarmac, all of the students were being...well...themselves. (exits stage right)
Stinky: That sure is a lot of luggage, Miss Rhonda. (points to pile of suitcases)
Rhonda: One for every day of the trip. That's how I pack.
Harold (tries to fit a deli platter into his suitcase but to no avail) Why...won't...this...stay...in?!
Ms. Simmons (looks up from paper and clipboard): Harold, why do you have a deli platter?
Harold: My mom gave me this in case there's no food in San Lorenzo.
Mr. Simmons: There's plenty of food there, Harold. No platter necessary.
Harold: No platter? (shoves one of the sandwiches into his mouth, places the rest of them into the pockets of his pants, and tosses the platter to the left, which disappears from view)
Helga (takes out her locket): Oh, Arnold! Though on the outside, I appear to hate the idea of going to some godforsaken jungle with you, just merely a guise. I'll help you find your long-lost parents. And just maybe...
(Olga and Big Bob suddenly appears and enter stage left, surprising Helga...)
Olga: Surprise, baby sister! I'm coming along on your San Lorenzo trip as the student teacher/chaperone! Goody!
Helga: Are you kidding me? This is the worst news ever! (quickly puts locket away)
Big Bob: I'm worried about your safety in this Saint Lawrence place, Olga.
Helga (annoyed): I'LL be fine. Thanks, Bob.
Big Bob: Oh, good. You're here. (hands Helga a duffle bag full of beepers) Take this bag of beepers with you and sell them to the locals.
Helga (grabs them but falls over backwards due to the massive weight of the bag): Oof! (gets back up)
Big Bob: Have fun, girls. (exits stage left)
Grandpa Phil (enters stage right, holding a duffle bag): Arnold, you're going to the jungle. So don't catch any tropical diseases like malaria, or diphtheria, or cholera...
Gate Attendant: Attention everyone! This is the final boarding call for flight #4547 to San Lorezno!
Mr. Simmons: Everyone, that's us! Let's board the plane! Have your tickets and passports ready!
(Everyone then grabs their luggage makes their way to the mobile stair unit. As they all go up the stairs to the plane's open entry door, Grandpa Phil follows Arnold up the stairs...)
Grandpa Phil (continues):...or yellow fever, or hookworm, or elephantitis, or leprosy, or tennis elbow...
Gate Attendant (walks up to Grandpa Phil): Sir, do you have a ticket or passport?
Grandpa Phil: No, but...
Gate Attendant: Then you'll have to leave. Only passengers with tickets and passports can go up these stairs. (grabs Grandpa Phil) I'm going to have to ask you to leave.
Grandpa Phil: But I'm trying to tell him things to Arnold! (struggles and drops duffel bag) Arnold, grab that duffle bag!
Arnold (picks it up and continues making his way up the stairs): What's in it, grandpa?
Grandpa Phil (as he reaches the floor): Just some stuff I know you'll need out there in the jungle! (exits stage left upon getting back down to the floor)
Gate Attendant (walks back up to the plane's door, grabs onto the handles, and closes it from the outside)
(The entire set then changes into the inside of the airplane's passenger cabin. Everyone is seated in the first-class seats, minding their own business...)
Arnold (sits back down in his seat): You know, I'm really gonna miss Grandma and Grandpa. Hey, I wonder what's in this bag grandpa gave me... (unzips it)
(The animatronic Abner pops out of the bag, snorting happily. He then squeals for joy and licks Arnold...)
Arnold: Abner! What are you doing here?
Abner (squeals happily again)
Gerald: I guess your grandpa wasn't gonna let you leave your pig behind, Arnold.
Arnold (laughs): Yep. I guess we've got a stowaway.
(Takeoff noises play in the background as the set darkens. The set then changes to a set that looks like an arrival terminal of the "San Lorenzo Airport". As this happens, all of the students and Mr. Simmons exit through the gate door...)
Narrator (enters stage right): 7 hours and 30 minutes later, the plane finally landed in San Lorenzo. Once in San Lorezno, everyone exited the plane and made their way to taxicabs outside the airport. (exits stage right)
Rhonda (takes a selfie and the hat falls off, revealing her hair standing on end) (gasps): My hair!
Nadine: You know what they say, Rhonda. "It's not the heat. It's the humidity."
Mr. Simmons: Class, let's stay together while we explore, and then go to the river docks at 3pm, then it's on the boat, and...(the kids begin to run off) Stop! Running is not on the agenda! River docks at three!
Olga (turns around to face Helga, struggling to carry the bags): Come on, baby sister!
Helga: I'm not a baby, Olga! (struggles with bags)
(The entire set changes to what looks like an outdoor market seeing produce, souvenirs, and other items to tourists...)
Nadine (grabs a cooked giant green scorpion): Hey Rhonda, check this out! (shows scorpion to her)
Rhonda (gasps and shudders) (backs away to a nearby barrel where Curly is waiting to pop out): Man, that is disgusting!
Curly (pops out of barrel): BOO! Miss me?!
Rhonda: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH! (runs away, exiting stage left)
(The set then changes to a setting that looks like a random street in San Lorezno. Arnold, Gerald, and the Abner animatronic are seen, separated from the rest of the class, walking down the sidewalk together...)
Narrator (enters stage right): Meanwhile, Arnold and Gerald were both separated from the group, walking with each other to think of a way to begin the search for Arnold's parents. (exits stage right)
Gerald: Well, Arnold, we made it to San Lorenzo. So, where do we start looking for your parents?
Arnold: Sorry, Gerald. I promised Grandpa I wouldn't, but he did say I could find their best friend, Eduardo. (opens book bag and pulls out an envelope) I found this old envelope with Eduardo's address on it. Here it is! (points to address)
(The set then changes to a set that looks like the inside of Eduardo's house's living room, which looks like it had been recently ransacked and left with a mess, and the TV is still on, showing a random soccer game...)
Arnold (knocks on the door, which swings right open): Oh, its open. Come on, let's go in...(enters the living room set through door frame with Gerald)
Gerald: Woah...
Arnold: What happened? (looks around for a few minutes) It looks like Eduardo kind of left in a hurry.
Abner (walks over on tiny wheels to a framed photo of Arnold's parents and Eduardo in it, with the face of Eduardo torn out) (sniffs it and squeals anxiously)
Arnold (walks over to Abner): Abner, what is it, boy?
Gerald: I don't know what is bugging Abner, but we better get back to meet Mr. Simmons, Arnold. We can't miss the boat.
(Arnold and Gerald both exit the messy living room through the doorframe on the left of the set, before both exiting stage left. The entire set then changes to a set that looks like a local dock. A wooden dock is in the front-half of the set, and a large old-looking riverboat is positioned on the back-half of the set. The riverboat has 3 levels, a white old-fashioned lifeboat on a davit, some tires hanging over the side, windows on some parts of the boat, and a funnel on the very top. On the dock, all of Arnold's classmates are there, as well as Mr. Simmons...)
Well, that was a surprise, wasn't it? Abner is tagging along with Arnold on his trip thanks to the help of Grandpa Phil, and Big Bob STILL wants to sell beepers even though cell phones are used nowadays and even though beepers are obsolete. Not only that, but Eduardo's place is really a mess, and there's something suspicious about that...very suspicious indeed. And best off all, my next scene of this show will be my TENTH official scene. Wow, I almost made 10 of these scenes already, and I didn't even know it...until just now, that is. The next scene will introduce a new character and I won't reveal who it is until it takes place in Scene 10 which is coming up next. Well, it's time for us all to move on to Scene 10 of Act 1 of this musical!