Abbott and Costello "Who's on First?" Activity for Kids

Who's on First?

Abbott and Costello performed
the classic "Who's on First?"
baseball skit in their 1945
film "The Naughty Nineties".

This is a classic skit for kids to perform! It teaches kids the importance of following a script and to keep track of their role in the performance. It is also an excellent skit to help develop timing skills! And, of course, it's just plain fun!



What You Will Need:

• "Who's on First" Transcript by Abbott and Costello
• Two Children
• Video Camera (optional)

What You Do:

• Show your children the video (below) of Abbott and Costello performing "Who's on First".
• Print two copies of the transcript (from the above link) and highlight all the lines for Abbott on one copy, and all the lines for Costello on the other copy.
• Have your children practice their lines. Encourage them to add humor to their voices, much like Abbott and Costello did.
• When your kids are ready to perform, gather an audience, grab your video camera, and have them start their performance!

Variations:

• Have your kids wear costumes while performing! Thrift stores are a great resource for finding costumes.
• Help your kids make a backdrop scenery for their performance. Recycle cardboard boxes, and decorate with markers and/or paint.
• Invite family, friends, and neighbors to watch your children perform! Create a playbill poster and programs for the performance. Click to download our Playbill Form and our Program Form - just print and fill in the blanks! (Please Note: The Program Form folds in half - just print page 1 on one side of the paper, and page 2 on the backside, then fold.) Don't forget to add your last name in the Family Theater square!