Can someone please give me some information about the Verna bird, what can I do in a show, I've got smoke coming from my ears!
Mack

Here is an easy routine to remember for Verna. Y is for you and V is for Verna.

Y: Boys and girls, today I want you to meet a very special bird.
V: I'm special! I'm special!
Y: There is no other bird in the world like her.
V: I'm special! I'm special!
Y: If anything happened to this bird, then her kind would be extinct!
V: Wha-a-a-t? I don't stink!
Y: I didn't say that you stink. I said that you're EXtinct!
V: My eggs don't stink!
Y: You are a dodo.
V: And you are a ding dong!
Y: I'm telling them what kind of bird you are!
V: I'm special! I'm special!
Y: (to audience) She is endangered.
V: Wha-a-a-t? Why am I in danger? Are these kids mean?
Y: No. These kids are very nice!
V: They're special. They're special.
Y: When an animal is endangered that means that there are very few of them left and we need to protect them.
V: Good!
Y: In your case, you are the last one. And we don't want you to be extinct!
V: I don't stink! And you're ugly!
Y: Whoa! That wasn't nice. Now you and I are good friends.
V: Yes, we are.
Y: I think you should say that you're sorry!
V: Okay. I'm sorry that we're good friends!
Y: I think you should say you're sorry for the ugly thing!
V: Oh. I'm sorry you're an ugly thing!
Y: Boys and girls, sometimes we misunderstand our friends and we get our feelings hurt. Verna is my friend. When I said that she's extinct I really mean that she's very special.
V: I'm special! I'm special!
Y: There's no one else like her. She's one of a kind!
V: In that case, I think you're special, too!
Y: Thank you.
V: There's no one else like you!
Y: Thank you.
V: You stink too!
Y: I think I had better go and have a talk with her.

(adapted from an OLD, OLD routine by Bergen or somebody)

Other ideas: Verna gets lost easily on her annual vacation down south. One time she wound up at the north pole and met Santa. Or she wound up in Hollywood...Disneyland... wherever you like. Then she can tell of her adventures.

Repeat after me: You are trying to teach Verna some new words. But she keeps getting them wrong or saying them at the wrong time. Perhaps you are trying to teach her a poem and she keeps getting the last rhyming word wrong. (Just use the words to a song that goes with your theme.)

Verna could be an American Idol candidate! Who sings better than a bird. She talks about all of the practise that she's had, and all of the training. You're excited to hear her sing for the first time. However, when she does it comes out very bad! You want to tell her nicely that it wasn't your type of music.

Verna keeps sneezing. It turns out that the babysitter thought she was a feather duster and used her to dust the entire house! She makes comments about how dirty you keep your house and about how you should be more careful who you hire to take care of your kids, etc. Turns out that the babysitter was Amelia Bedelia.

Look up a Dr. Seuss poem or story that stars a bird and use Verna to help you tell it. (You can't use it for pay, however, without permission.)

Verna could be the one who introduces each of the other puppets. But she is so forgetful that you have to keep telling her what to say.

Thanks a lot, it's great, I laughed all the way through, its GREAT!!!

I have to ask...who is Amelia Bedelia?

I can tell that Mr. Border has had lots of practice doing this sort of thing. It's all great material and should segway well into other ideas.

Writer's block is a terrible thing to have.

One idea I had, and may still pursue with my toucan puppet is to read from a restaurant menu, claiming that I'm very hungry and can't make up my mind what to eat. Needless to say, the bird gets VERY offended at the idea of eating his kin...eggs, chicken, turkey, etc!

Clyde

The question was asked, "Who is Amelia Bedilia?" Go to your local library and look in the children's section under the author's last name of Parrish. (I believe.) There were several picture books written by two members of the Parrish family, all about Amelia Bedilia. Amelia Bedilia is a woman who works odd jobs, primarily as a servant to one household. But she constantly takes things literally! When they say to dust the furniture, she puts dust on the furniture. When they say to put out the lights, she puts them outside, etc. Each book focuses on different areas, such as band..."Hold that note"- she holds up a piece of paper. Politics- "You should run for the mayor's office" and off she goes!

It would be easy to come up with stories about a character who misunderstands your instructions in this way, using her scenario as a guideline.
"Pitch that tent"
"If he hits the ball, I want you to run for home!"
"When the pitcher turns his head, steal second base."
"Go out there and catch some flies!"

There is really no end to it, which is why there are so many of her books in libraries. Kids love them!