The play Bonjour America! follows French students visiting an American school. They encounter confusion from American students who are unfamiliar with French geography. One student mistakes the French city of Gap for the clothing store. At a French restaurant, an American father struggles with the menu and customs, like keeping his left hand above the table. The play shows humorous cross-cultural misunderstandings between the French and American students and families.

1. LS French play 2012: Bonjour America!
Plot: French students coming to the US and going to an American school.
F 1: French student who comes from Gap. Kind of geeky and annoying.
F 2: French girl who lives in Gap as well.
F 3: French student who lives in Paris.
F 4: French student. Homesick. Misses French food. Lives with USP 3.
US 1: American student at school who first doesn’t know where the Alps are and then pretends
he/she knows all about it. Always goes to the bathroom when he is being challenged.
US 2 (boy): American student who is well educated and tells people where and what things
are. Kind of geeky.
US 3: American student who is interested in knowing the French kids. Nice and social.
US 4: American student who challenges US 1. Does not get along with US 1.
US 5: American student confused about the twins.
USP 1: American parent (parent of US 1). Pretends to know a lot and goes to the bathroom
when being challenged.
USP 2: Parent of US 2. Well educated. Just started learning French but has an excellent accent.
USP 3: Mom of US 3. Impressed that US 2 speaks French so well. Takes his/her French student
to a French restaurant.
USP 4 (boy): Husband of USP 3 and dad of US 3. Interested in trying new items on the menu in
a French restaurant.
T 1 and T 2: French Twins: Always get confused. Drive the American students crazy because
they don’t realize they are 2 of them. Create major confusion.
Professeur: French teacher. Finds a mouse in the classroom while teaching.
Student #1: First student to point out the mouse in the classroom. Mean student who actually
placed the mouse in the classroom
Student #2: Second student to see the mouse in the classroom. Gets sent out of the room.
Works with étudiant #1, as an accomplice.

2. Directeur: School director who enters the classroom after the French teacher saw the mouse.
Maître D: Host at the French restaurant.
Serveur: Waiter at the French restaurant.
Narrator: Introduces the play and makes the transitions between the scenes.
Roles # of lines student substitute
French student # 1 7 + 3 10 US parent # 1
French student # 2 7 + 8 15 US parent # 2
French student # 3 4 + 13 17 US parent # 3
French student # 4 8 + 5 13 US student # 4
US student # 1 8 + 8 16 Waiter
US student # 2 (boy) 4 + 11 15 US parent # 4 (boy)
US student # 3 10 + 6 16 Maître D
US student # 4 5 + 7 12 Narrator
US student # 5 15 + 2 17 Student class # 2
Twin # 1 7 + 5 12 French teacher
Twin # 2 6 + 4 10 Student class # 1
US parent # 1 3 + 6 9 French student # 1
US parent # 2 8 + 6 14 French student # 2
US parent # 3 13 + 4 17 French student # 3
US parent # 4 (boy) 11 + 2 13 US student # 2 (boy)
French teacher 5 + 6 11 US student # 1
Student class # 1 6 + 4 10 US student # 3
Student class # 2 3 + 8 11 French student # 4
School director 3 + 0 3 Mme. Boulle
Maître D 6 + 7 13 Twin # 1
Waiter 8 + 6 14 Twin # 2
Narrator 7 + 5 12 US student # 5

3. PLAY: Bonjour America!
Narrator: (Writtenby5th
grade students) Have youeverbeenconfused,embarrassed,andthenfelt
reallybadaboutit? Then maybe youwill sympathize withourAmericanstudentwhodoes not
understandwhyhe hasto repeateverythinghe saystothislovelyFrenchstudentwhoisvisitingthe US.
At school: 8:30am (twin scene)
US 5: Hi! Welcome toour school.
T 1: Merci! Thankyou!
US 5: What’syour name?
T1: Pardon?
US 5: Your name? My name isTricia andyou?
T1: Oh,je m’appelle Cécile.
US 5 : Cicily ?
T1 : Non,Cécile.
US 5 : Well,welcome Cicily ! Todaywe are goingona fieldtrip. We are goingto visitMonticello. Do
youknowabout ThomasJefferson?
T1: (witha Frenchaccent) ThomasJefferson? Ohoui! He speaksFrenchverywell.
US 5: You meanhe spoke Frenchverywell. Because Ican assure youhe isnot speakinganymore!
T1: Oh,why not?
US 5: Because he isdead! I am goingto get mybackpack, I’ll be rightback.
(5 minuteslater)
US 5: Ready?
T2: Readyfor what?
US 5: For our fieldtrip.
T2: Where are we going?
US 5: Monticello! ThomasJefferson...
T2: Thomas Jefferson? Ohoui! He speaksFrenchverywell.
US 5: He spokeFrench verywell. Remember,he isnotspeakinganymore!
T2: Oh,why not?
US 5: Because he isdead!
T2: I go get backpack.
US 5: (talkingtoUS 4 whojustarrived) Have youmetthe Frenchgirl?
US 4: Whichone?
US 5: Cicily!Browncurlyhair.
US 4: Yeah. She is reallynice. Why?
US 5: I thinkshe suffersfromshorttermmemory.
US 4: Really? She seemsfinetome. Are yousure youare notthe one sufferingfromamental disease?
Twin 1 and Twin 2: On y va?
US 4 : On y va !
US 5 : (Staysbehind,confused,mouthopen...)
__________________________

4. Narrator: (Writtenby5th
grade students)
If you wonderwhyyouhave to learnyourgeographywhenwe live inaworldwithGoogle mapsand
GPS, it’sprobablysothat youwon’tmake a fool of yourself one day,like thisstudentwhoconfusesa
Frenchcity fora store. Yes,that’sright,you heardme…I did say “a store”!
Recess: 10:15am
US 1: Where do youlive?
F 1: J’habite àGap.
US 1: Didyou justsay Gap? The store?
F 1: Non,Gap dans lesAlpes!
US 1: What’s« lesAlpes » ?
US 2: The Alpsof course ! You know,the mountainsthatseparate France andSwitzerland. Everyone
knowsthat!
US 1: Yeah... I knewthat!... Iwas justchecking...youknow...see if youknew...
US 2: Sure you were! Well,since youknow everythingaboutthe Alps,whydon’tyou tell usthe name
of thatbig mountain?
US 1: Heu… That’son the tipof my tongue. Itstarts withM like mountainof course.
US 2: Good guess. It’scalledMontBlanc. It’sthe highestmountaininWesternEurope anditmeasures
4,810.45 m (15,782 ft). I assume the translation of Mont Blancis onthe tipof yourtongue as well.
US 1: No! I actually know itandI wouldlove totell youbutright now,I have to go to the bathroom.
See youtomorrow!
__________________________
Narrator: (Writtenby5th
grade students)
Justthinkaboutyour day fora minute. Teachershandingoutpapersandpapersandmore papers… and
books…and quizzes…andhomework. Maybe we shouldmove toFrance where theydothe same thing
but … they take a 2 hour breakfor lunch!
Lunch 12:00pm
US 3: Hey!
F 1: Salut!
US 3: What’syour name?
F 1: Je m’appelle __________
US 3: Where doyou live?
F 1: J’habite àGap.
US 3: Gap? The store?
US 1: Noyou dumbdumb! Gap, in “lesAlpes”the Alps ! Everyone knowsthat! Yousee,the Alpsare
the mountainsthatseparate France fromSwitzerland.
US 4: Isn’tSwitzerlandnexttoItalyaswell? Ithoughtthe Alpswere alsointhe Northernpartof Italy.
Aren’tthey?
US 1: Oh,I have to use the bathroom. Excusez-moi...
__________________________

5. Narrator: (Writtenby5th
grade students)
Dans la classe de français,vousallezentendre unjoli poème qui s’appelle “Automne.” Oh,excusez-moi,
didI justspeakFrench? I was so excitedaboutmyFrenchclassI justgot carriedaway. Sorryabout that!
Anyway,Ihope you’re notscaredof mice…
In French class: 2:00pm
Professeur: _____________, debout! Récitezle poème « Automne ».
Étudiant #2: Automne. Il pleut….. Automne. Il pleutdesfeuilles…. Excusez-moi !
Professeur: Asseyez-vous!
Professeur: _____________, debout! Récitezle poème « Automne ».
Étudiant #1 : Automne. Il pleutdesfeuillesjaunes,il pleutdesfeuillesrouges. L’été vas’endormiret
l’hivervavenirsouslapointe de sessouliersgelés.
Professeur: Excellent! Asseyez-vous. Classe,répétez! A,E, I,O, U.
Étudiants: A,E, I,O, U!
Professeur: BA,BE, BI,BO, BU
Étudiants: BA,BE, BI,BO, BU!
Étudiant #1: Madame,madame! Une souris!
Professeur: Une sourisdansla salle de classe?
Étudiant #1: Oui.
Professeur: C’estridicule! Continuons... JA,JE, JI,JO,JU
Étudiants: JA,JE, JI,JO, JU!
Étudiant #2: Madame,madame! Une souris!
Professeur: C’estridicule! Sortez!
Classe,répétez! GA,GUE, GUI... Une souris! Une souris! AHHHHH!
(Studentsdothe victorydance inthe class. The directorof the school arrivesinthe hall)
Étudiant #1: Shhh,the directoriscoming...
Directeur: What isgoingon inhere?
Étudiant #1: (studentsall calmandfakingstudying) We don’tknow. The teacherleftina hurry.
Étudiant #2: Yeah! She must have hadan emergency! Ihope she isok.
Directeur: What classwas it?
Étudiants: Le français!
(The bell rings)
Directeur: Okthen. Well...“aurevoir”!
Étudiants: Au revoir! Bonne journée!
_______________________
Narrator: (to be done by 5th
graders inclass)
Sometimes,people inone countrycando somethingverynatural tothemwhichcantotallyshock
people fromanothercountry. A simple gesture canturnintosomethingrude andunexpected.
Sometimesnotknowingculture differencesstinks(if youknow whatImean…).

6. At the welcoming party
F 2 : __ Bonjour! Ça va?
F 3 : __ Comme-ci comme ça,ettoi?
F 2 : __ Super!
F 3 : __ Je m’appelle Robert,ettoi? Commentt’appelles-tu?
F 2 : __ Je m’appelle Isabelle. Oùhabites-tu?
F 3 : __ J’habite àParis,ettoi? Où habites-tu?
F 2 : __ J’habite àGap.
F 3 : __ Le magasin?
F 2 : __ Mais non! Gap danslesAlpes!
F 1 : __ Tu habitesà Gap ?
F 2 : __ Oui.
F 1 : __ Moi aussi ! Quelle coincidence! (veryexcited) Onpeutparler?
USP 1: Oh,I justlove havinga Frenchstudentinmyhouse. It remindsme of the goodolddays whenI
was takingFrenchlessons. MyFrenchisstill verygood. I evenimpressedmyself the otherday! What
aboutyou? Do youspeakFrench?
USP 2 : I am learningitrightnow.
USP 1 : Really ? “Parlez-vousfrançais?”
USP 2: (withaperfectFrenchaccent!) Oui,unpeu. Je ne parle pas beaucoupmaisje ne me débrouille
pas trop mal. C’estmarrant quandje disque j’apprendsle français,touslesgensme posentlamême
question. Amusant,non ?
USP 1 : Oh,I have to use the restroom. Excusez-moi!...
USP 3: Wow! Your Frenchsoundedamazing! How longhave youbeenstudying?
USP 2: Oh...justa fewweeks.
USP 3: What didyoutell her?
USP 2: She askedme if I spoke FrenchsoI toldher I didn’tspeakmuchbutI wasn’ttoo bad at it. I also
toldherthat it was funnythateverytime Imention thatI am learningFrencheverybodywasaskingme
the same question. Funny,isn’tit?
USP 3: Well,thatwassurely very impressive. Although,Iamnot sure she/he wasveryimpressedbyit...
USP 2: Howis yourFrenchstudent?
USP 3: Good. I think! She/he isverynice butI thinkshe/he isveryhomesick,already. He/she hasonly
beenhere for2 days!
USP 2: Ohno! She/he missesher/hisfamily?
USP 3: No,that’sactuallygoingalright. She/he missesthe food. She/he won’teatanything! Itried
burgersand pasta,evenpizza!
USP 2: Maybe you shouldtry “quiche”instead!
USP 3: You are right! That’swhat I’ll do. I’ll take her/him toa Frenchrestauranttonight. My husband
doesn’tlike Frenchfoodbuthe’ll justhave todeal withit!
USP 2: I wishIcouldbe a flyto see hisreactionwhentheyshow himthe menu! Letme know howthat
goes! Good luck! As theysayin French : « Bonne chance » !
___________________________

7. Narrator:
The nexttime youhave a familydinner,make sure you observe everybodyatyourtable. Ibet youthat
at leastone personhastheirlefthandunderthe table. InFrance, thisisas bad as takingoff yourshoes
ina social context. Iknow,the Frenchcan be weirdwithall theirdo’sanddon’tbutwhat can I say,they
still have the bestdesserts!...
At a French restaurant
Maître D: Bonsoir! Vousavezune réservation?
USP 4 : A reservation ? Heu,yes. Oui. Oui oui.
Maître D : Sousquel noms’il vousplaît ?
USP 4 : Pardon ?
Maître D : Sousquel nom?
USP 3: Honey,Ithinkhe wantsyour name.
USP 4: Oh,oui! My name. Goldyburger! Partyof 4.
Maître D: Golly,Gold,Goldyburger. Une table pour4 personnes,oui?
USP 4 : Pardon ?
Maître D : 4 personnes ?
USP 4 : Oui.
Maître D : Par ici,s’il vousplaît. Votre serveurvaarriver.
Serveur: Bonsoir! Vousdésirezboire quelque chose ?
F 4 : (witha strongFrench accent) He wantsto know whatyou wantto drink.
USP 3: CouldIhave some waterplease?
Serveur: De l’eau? Biensûr! Perrier,Evian,Vittel,laCroix, Contrex,Badoit...
USP 4 : Goodnessgracious ! All those are water? Humm... Un Perrier,s’il vousplaît.
Serveur: Et pour vous ?
F 4 : Une limonade,s’il vousplaît.
US 3 : Un coca cola.
USP 3 : Me too ! Un coca cola s’il vousplaît.
Serveur: Un Perrier,une limonadeetdeux coca.
(while the waitergetsthe drinks)
USP 3: I like thisplace. Very“chic.” What doyou think?
F 4: I like it! It smellsverygood! Itsmellslikehome! Thankyoufortakingme here.
USP 4: You are welcome.
US 3: You have to helpuswiththe menu.
Serveur: Voilà! UnPerrier,une limonadeetdeux coca. Ce soir,la soupe dujour estun velouté de petit
pois. Nousavonsaussi desescargots,dulapinsauté etdes cuissesde grenouilles. Je vouslaisse
choisir...
USP 3 : What didhe say ?
F 4: He saidtheyhad snails,rabbitorfroglegs.
USP 4: OhGoodnessgracious! What aboutthe “blabla blapetitspois”?
F 4: Velouté de petitspois? That’sa creamysoupwithpeas.
USP 4: That soundssafer. I’ll have that.
Serveur: Vousavezchoisi?
F 4 : Un velouté de petitspois s’il vousplaît.
USP 4: What she said...
USP 3 : Petitspois...
US 3 : Petitspois...

8. Serveur: 4 velontésde petitspois. Toutde suite...
F 4 : I thinkyouwill like the dessertsbetter.
US 3: What do theyhave?
F 4: Chocolate mousse,crêpes,homemadeice cream, apple pies,crème brulée...
US 3: Yum! That soundsgood...Serveur: Voilà! Bonappétit!
USP 3, USP 4, US 3, F 4: Merci!
__________________________
Narrator: We are goingto leave ourfamilytotheirdinner. Ihope youhave enjoyedthisone dayin
America!
Fin