Drama at Mouseford (Thea Stilton Mouseford Academy #1)
Page 1
Hello! Welcome to the
fabumouse world of the
thea sisters!
Hi, I’m Thea Stilton, Geronimo Stilton’s
sister! I am a special reporter for The
Rodent’s Gazette, the most famouse
newspaper on Mouse Island. I love
traveling and meeting new mice all over the world,
like the Thea Sisters. These five friends have helped
me out with my adventures. Let me introduce you
to these fabumouse young mice!
Colette
has a real
passion for fashion. She loves to design her own clothes in her favorite color, pink.
Violet
loves studying
and learning new things. She is a fan of classical music and dreams of becoming a famouse violinist someday.
Pamela
loves pizza
so much she eats it for breakfast. She is a skilled mechanic who can fix just about any motor she gets her paws on.
Paulina
is shy
and loves to read about
faraway places. But she loves traveling to those places even more.
Nicky
is from the
Australian outback, where she developed a love of nature and the environment.
This outdoors-loving mouse
is always on the move.
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e-ISBN 978-0-545-64671-0
Copyright © 2009 by Edizioni Piemme S.p.A., Corso Como 15, 20154
Milan, Italy.
International Rights © Atlantyca S.p.A.
English translation © 2014 by Atlantyca S.p.A.
GERONIMO STILTON and THEA STILTON names, characters, and related indicia are copyright, trademark, and exclusive license of Atlantyca S.p.A. All rights reserved. The moral right of the author has been asserted.
Based on an original idea by Elisabetta Dami. www.geronimostilton.com
Published by Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered
trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
Stilton is the name of a famous En glish cheese. It is a registered trade-
mark of the Stilton Cheese Makers’ Association. For more information,
go to www.stiltoncheese.com.
Text by Thea Stilton
Original title L’amore va in scena a Topford!
Cover by Giuseppe Facciotto
Illustrations by Giuseppe Facciotto (pencils) and Davide Turotti (color)
Graphics by Yuko Egusa
Special thanks to Tracey West
Translated by Julia Heim
Interior design by Theresa Venezia
First printing, January 2014
600
HAPPY BIRTHDAY,
MOUSEFORD!
The air at Mouseford
Academy was filled with
excitement. The school was
turning SIX HUNDRED
YEARS old!
A big birthday like that called for a big
CELEBRATION. The professors at
the academy had been trying for weeks to
come up with the perfect event to mark
the occasion.
The school’s headmaster, Professor
Octavius de Mousus,
pawed
through the pages of ideas. But he just couldn’t make up his mind. There were so
many to choose from!
1
A CHEESE festival? A cheese-sculpting
contest? Fireworks? Nothing seemed quite perfect enough. He just couldn’t decide.
an important
decision
The Thea Sisters could all feel the
excitement in the air. They felt lucky to
be at the school during such an important anniversary.
“
wow, can you believe this place has
been here for six hundred years?” Nicky asked.
“I can’t wait to find out what the big
celebration will be,” Pamela said. “I hope it’s
a SUPER-CHEESY feast!”
”Oooh, or a really big dance!”
Colette exclaimed, clapping her paws.
“I was thinking that a
concert
would
be nice,” Violet added.
3
“Whatever it is, I’m sure it will be
mousetastic,” Paulina said confidently. “The
professors are working really hard
on this.”
Pam suddenly looked alarmed.
“Hey! You don’t think they’ll do
a math marathon or a spelling
bee, do you?”
Her friends all burst out laughing.
“I hope not,” Paulina answered. “I’m sure
whatever they’re planning will be FUN.”
Nicky frowned. “Unless the Ruby Crew
decides to spoil things, like they usually do.”
The Thea Sisters all knew what Nicky
meant. Ruby Flashyfur and her
friends weren’t exactly team players.
Any time they got involved in an event, they wanted to do things their way.
“I hope not,” Pam said. “That would stink
4
worse than rotten cheese!”
While the students waited to hear the
news, Headmaster de Mousus gathered all the professors in the staff room. Time was
RUNNING OUT, and they had to make
a decision!
The headmaster cleared his throat.
“My distinguished colleagues,” he began. “There are exactly
THREE MONTHS
until the official ceremony, and we need to come up with a proper celebration.”
The professors began to talk all at once. “What about my idea?”
“No, mine is the best!”
The headmaster tapped his paw on
the table. “Now, all of your proposals
were good, but none of them were quite
right,” he said. “We need something . . .
mousetacular!”
5
Across the table, Professor
Margaret Rattcliff
gave a little
cough.
A professor of literature and
creative writing, she was usually
very quiet and kept to herself.
“The answer is obvious,” she
said. “William Squeakspeare, the
great playwright, attended this
academy many years ago. We should perform
one of his great works!”
The headmaster’s eyes lit up. “A play? That’s just the thing!”
“This way, both students and teachers
can be involved,” said Professor Rattcliff. “We haven’t had a play performed here since
we shut down the theater department years
ago. Mouseford Academy could use a little
drama in these hal
ls.”
Headmaster de Mousus nodded. “It is
exactly the mousetacular idea that we
needed!”
7
an awkward
spy
All of the professors agreed that a William
Squeakspeare play was the perfect idea
for a celebration.
“This is a wonderful opportunity
for the students,” said Professor Mousilda Marblemouse. “The students who don’t want
to act can work behind the scenes. Others
can handle publicity and make posters. Or they can —”
Before she could finish her sentence, a
loud noise that sounded like an out-of-
tune piano interrupted her.
“What is going on?” asked Headmaster
de Mousus.
Professor Marblemouse got up to
investigate, and Professor Bartholomew
Sparkle joined her. The noise was coming
from a room next to the staff room that was
used to store musical instruments.
cautiously
The two professors
approached the door and opened it. A streak
of light lit up Ruby Flashyfur,
who was hiding under a grand piano.
“What are you doing here?” asked
Professor Sparkle.
Ruby quickly got to her feet. “I was, um . . .
you see, I was . . . practicing the piano!”
The two teachers exchanged glances. They
both knew Ruby well. It was clear that she wasn’t there to practice the piano. She had
been eavesdropping!
9
“I know what you’re up to, Ruby,” Professor Marblemouse said. “And I guess I
understand. I know all of the students are
curious to find out what the big
celebration will be.”
“But eavesdropping is still wrong,”
Professor Sparkle added.
Ruby tried to look innocent. “But I
wasn’t —”
“No excuses, Ruby,” Professor Marblemouse
said. “Now get to your room.
And don’t whisper a word
about this to anyone. Not
until the headmaster’s BIG
ANNOUNCEMENT.”
“Oh, I promise,” Ruby said,
batting her eyelashes. But as soon
as she got back to the dorm, she BURST
into the room where her friends were
eagerly waiting for her.
“You won’t believe what I found out!”
she squeaked.
11
squeakspeare’s
cheesy play
The next day, the school auditorium was
buzzing with anticipation. Headmaster de
Mousus was about to make a BIG
announcement.
“I can’t wait to find out what the
celebration will be,” Nicky said,
practically bouncing in her seat.
Ruby walked past, her snout in the air as
always. “Some of us in the know already
know,” she said mysteriously.
Pam frowned. “What does that mean?”
Paulina nudged her friend. “Sssh! The
headmaster’s about to speak.”
Headmaster de Mousus cleared his throat.
“Dear students, I am sure you are aware of
12
the IMPORTANCE of this announcement,”
he began.
“Oh no,” Nicky groaned. “It’s another one
of his long lectures!”
“Six hundred years is a major anniversary,”
the headmaster went on. “Therefore, it
deserves a celebration worthy of . . . blah
blah blah . . . one that will stand the test
of . . . blah blah blah . . .”
He never stops talking!
“nooo! ” Nicky wailed, covering her
ears with her paws, and her friends giggled.
“Sssh!” Violet warned. “He’ll hear you!”
The headmaster droned on. “blah blah
blah . . . after much deliberation . . . blah
blah blah . . . and an excellent suggestion
by Professor Rattcliff . . . blah blah blah . . .
we all agreed that we will put on a play!”
The chattering students suddenly became
quiet. He had their attention.
“And not just any play,” Professor de
Mousus continued. “We will perform a work
by Mouseford Academy’s most FAMOUSE
alumnus, William Squeakspeare!”
The audience burst into applause.
“And now Professor Rattcliff will give us
more information about the performance,”
the headmaster announced.
“For the performance, we have chosen
14
Squeakspeare’s greatest play,” the professor
said.
Everyone began to chatter. Which one
would it be? A Midsummer Night’s Cheese?
Much Ado About Cheddar? Rodent III?
“This play tells the tale of two young
friends from rival cheese-making families,”
Professor Rattcliff continued. “One makes a
fine blue cheese, and the other makes a tasty
mozzarella. The CHEESE-CROSSED
young rodents want to open their own cheese
shop together, but their jealous families
want to keep them apart.”
The students let out a cheer. Everyone
knew that play. . . .
“It’s Mouseo and Juliet!” Professor Rattcliff
announced, and the students started to talk
excitedly.
Ruby raised her paw. “I know every line,
15
Hooray!
Hooray!
Yippee!
Great idea!
Professor,” she bragged. “Mouseo,
oh, Mouseo, wherefore art thou, Mouseo?”
“Please save it for the audition, Ruby,”
Professor Rattcliff said. “Tomorrow, we’ll
post an audition schedule in the main hall.
Everyone is welcome to try out.”
The students started to whoop and cheer
again.
Headmaster de Mousus stood. “ Settle
down, students. This meeting is over. Please
proceed to your next class.”
The young rodents RUSHED out of the
auditorium, eager to start practicing for the
tryouts.
THE COMPETITION HAD BEGUN!
18
the auditions
begin!
The Thea Sisters stayed up LATE that
night talking about the play. The next day,
they walked together to the main hall to
see the audition ANNOUNCEMENT.
A crowd of excited students had already
gathered around the board.
Auditions for the Mouseford Academy
production of Mouseo and Juliet will be held
this Saturday at 3 p.m. in the auditorium. All
students interested in acting roles should
attend.
Headmaster Octavius de Mousus
Paulina turned to her friends. “Are you all
thinking of auditioning?” she asked.
“You bet!” said Nicky. “I’ve climbed
mountains and slept in the desert, but I’ve
never had a lead in a play. Playing Juliet
would be an awesome challenge.”
“Juliet is such a BEAUTIFUL soul,” Violet
said. “Like a lilting concerto. I would love to
win that role.”
“I thi
nk Juliet is such a romantic part,”
added Colette. “I’d love to play her, and I’d
wear a beautiful pink dress.”
“Juliet is my favorite literary character,”
Paulina added. “I have stage fright, but I
might try to get over my fear if I could play
her.”
“I’m just thinking about how proud
Thea would be if I got the lead part!”
Pam exclaimed.
20
“It’s too bad we all can’t play Juliet,”
Colette remarked.
The Thea Sisters got quiet. They knew that
only one mouse could get the part of Juliet.
Yet they all wanted it.
Paulina spoke up first. “I think I would be
happy as long as one of us got the part,”
she said.
Pam nodded. “Me, too.”
“We should make a pact,” Nicky
suggested. “No matter what happens, we’ll
be happy for whomever gets it.”
She held out her paw. Violet, Paulina, and
Pam each put a paw on top of hers. Only
Colette held back. She was staring
dreamily into space.
“Hey, Coco?” Nicky asked. “What’s up?”
“Sorry,” Colette said, shaking her head. “I
was
dreaming about that pink dress.”
22
She added her paw to the pile, and the
friends made their pact.
“You know, we should get to the library,”
Violet suggested. “We need to find a copy of
that play.”
But when they got to the library, an
Unwelcome surprise awaited.
really, ruby?
“How could there be none left?” Nicky
asked the librarian. “There used to be a
whole shelf of copies.”
“I’m sorry,” the librarian replied. “But two
days ago, every copy of every one of
Squeakspeare’s plays was checked out.”
“Hmm. TWO DAYS AGO?” Paulina
asked. “And every single copy?”
“Maybe we can find some copies
online,” Violet suggested.
“But we’ll lose practice