Boston Tea Party Play Script - Act I

Curtain rise to a backdrop with a painted scene of the Boston Harbor and three sailing ships tied to the warf wharf. Also, the exterior of a warehouse is shown.

Narrator: A group of men and women are congregating and listening to a newsboy. He is carrying newspapers under one arm and waving another in his hand, shouting as he walks up and down.

Newsboy: Extra! Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Three ships arrived from England loaded with tea. They are tied at Griffin's wharf. The tea is taxed at three pence a pound. Extra! Extra! Ships with tea have also arrived in New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Narrator: Some spectators buy a newspaper and read it briefly while the newsboy continues to shout the news. One spectator waves his fist with annoyance.

First Spectator: Great Britain has certainly tired our patience. First it was the sugar tax, then the Stamp Act. Imagine having to buy a stamp for every piece of printed paper we use, just to keep King George's treasury well supplied.

Second Spectator: And now a tax on the one drink a poor man enjoys tea.

Third Spectator: I say we must learn to live without it rather than pay the tax.

Fourth Spectator: How can we live without it?

Narrator: There is mounting excitement. The men and women are heard shouting.

First Spectator: We must live without it! We must not pay the tax no matter how much we want tea. It's a matter of principle. Now the tea tax, next it will be something else. There will be no end to it!

Narrator: Now all are extremely angry.

Second Spectator: King George has no right to do this to us. We don't even have representation in his Parliament.

Third Spectator: I say, no taxation without representation.

All Together: Hear! Hear!Fourth Spectator: Let's go right now to merchant Clark at the warehouse and demand that he not unload the tea from the ships.

Narrator: They all shout together, waving their arms.

Spectators: Aye! Aye! To the warehouse! To the warehouse!

[Exit together. Curtain closes.]

Scene opens with the same backdrop with a group of colonists congregated in front of it.

Narrator: Richard Clark, a merchant and owner of the warehouse, is faced by an angry group of colonists. They have come as a committee to protest the arrival of the tea, and especially the tax on it.

First Committee Member: Richard Clark, we're here to speak for the people of Boston. We ask you to promise not to sell the cargo of tea just arrived and in your charge.

Second Committee Member: We demand that you send the chests of tea back to London unopened.

Narrator: Clark becomes annoyed and angry.

Clark: I want nothing to do with you. You have no right to speak in this manner. Leave my warehouse!

Third Committee Member: We have the right of an oppressed people.

Clark: I have nothing to do with governmental matters. I suggest you speak to Governor Hutchinson.

Narrator: Clark makes a quick exit.

[Curtain closes.]

Continue to Act II >