Babar Saves the Day
Based on a story by Laurent de Brunhoff

Created by ScreamWorks Productions.

Starring:

• Heather Feather as Babar
• Kali Pi as Kawak
• The Madster as Gualala
• Her Emmanence as Art-her

Today is the day that Gualala, the famous percussion master, is arriving in Celesteville, says Babar, the Swedish elephant queen. Just see how excited the children are! They're driving to the Greyhound station (risking car sickness on the winding roads) with their friends to meet Gualala.

The travelers have arrived. Gualala comes out of the bus first, carrying her favorite drum, dressed in an organic (naturally!) cotton jumper. Kawak the parrot follows, parroting her older sister both in dress and drum. Cousin Art-her and Zephir the white-socked and bald monkey stand on the observation deck at the bus station, cheering.

Gualala ensures that the bus is properly parked so that the cheering crowd is not endangered. Cousin Art-her weeps tears of joy to see her idol. Kawak unloads drumsticks from the bus.

Gualala, never to be seen in the same outfit twice, arrives at the Celesteville Share-a-ton and changes her ensemble. Cousin Art-her, with the help of Zephir, interviews the famous percussionist with a remote controlled bananaphone. Queen Babar watches while wearing the ceremonial pretzel bowl crown.

Queen Babar offers Gualala the use of the theatre in the Amusement Hall to rehearse her concert, without requiring Gualala to pony up any money. Gualala is bowled over by Babar's generosity, because production costs had been spiraling out of control recently. Hidden in the shadows, Art-her & Zephir listen quietly while the famous group rehearses.

Suddenly the parrot interrupts Gualala's solo by throwing a plate of potatoes and issuing a loud "Cou-ac! Cou-ac!" "NO!" shouts Gualala. Kawak says, "if that's the way you're going to be, I'm getting out!"
"Kawak, you monster," shouts Gualala, "when I catch you, you will lose a few of those fine feathers!" Kawak flaps her wings and flies out of the theater. Everybody chases after her.

Kawak seems to have disappeared. Guala asks Babar, who says, "I haven't seen Kawak. I don't know where she is." And now Gualala is in despair. "I don't want to drum without her," she groans. "She's almost like a sister to me. We need her cou-acs." "If you can find her," says Babar, "I will try to talk to her."

Flora and Art-her ask the gardener, then old Cornelius, then the garage mechanic, for Kawak's whereabouts. Finally, they discover Kawak high on a statue. Art-her and Flora scramble up a fireperson's ladder. But just as Art-her is about to grab her, Kawak flies away.

Kawak hides in a cave, and Gualala and Art-her follow in close pursuit on the Mallard Boat, illuminating their way with a flashlight. The parrot escapes through a hole at the back of the cave.

Kawak flies right into Babar and Celeste, who are taking a walk. "How happy I am to see you!" exclaims Babar. The elephant queen persuades Kawak to go back and talk things over with Gualala. "After all, you like to drum, don't you? And Gualala and the others love you like a sister."
"Do you really think so?" coos Kawak.
"Or course, we love you. It's those bubbles we hate," says Gualala. "I am not angry any longer. Let's forget about our silly fight."

Because so many want to hear the concert, the musicians have to perform in the bowling alley. Gualala drums one number after another, and Kawak backs her up on the 9" mixing bowl.
No one wants the music to stop. But finally, late in the evening, Gualala drums one last song. Everybody claps loudly. The concert has been a big success.

Story inspired by a visit to Sea Ranch at Gualala, CA: