Elwood City Turns 100!

Elwood City Turns 100! is the fifth episode of Season 7, and the 100th episode of Arthur. It first aired on October 14, 2002.

Summary
Lakewood Elementary has been chosen to put on a musical tribute for Elwood City's centennial. Problems occur with the choice of roles and creative differences, but these are eventually resolved. On opening night, Muffy has a guest list of past celebrities, guest stars, and Marc Brown, who are all sitting in the front row. However, Francine has not arrived and the UFO prop is accidentally destroyed. With this turn of events Buster to locks himself in the janitor's closet. The show goes on without Francine. When she arrives, Buster, who made a makeshift alien costume out of janitorial supplies, enters onstage unscripted and entertains much of the bored audience. The entire production is deemed ruined as Buster accidentally tears the backdrop, but the show goes on better than expected as they realize that the audience enjoy Buster's stunt. The audience cheers when the show is over.

Plot
The episode begins in 1903, at the ceremony where Elwood is made an official city. President Theodore Roosevelt, J.P. Morgan, Henry Ford, and town founder Jacob Katzenellenbogen, a wealthy lumber magnate, were all in attendance. Katzenellenbogen was not happy because he wanted the town to be named Elmwood, not Elwood, and he was even more upset over the statue that Morgan and Ford had donated to the city. Then the episode forwards to the present where Mr. Ratburn announces to the class that Lakewood Elementary was chosen out of 15 schools in the city to stage a musical production about the town's history, and then he has the class randomly pick roles for the show. Arthur is the narrator, Brain is the writer, and Buster is the director. After the parts were picked, Muffy talked to Mr. Ratburn about doing the publicity for the musical. However, during rehearsals, everything was in chaos, so Muffy blew on one student's recorder to get their attention and gives a speech to tell them to get their act together. Arthur was having trouble getting the narrator's singing part right, so he trades parts with Francine one week before the show. On opening night, everyone was there except for Francine, who was running late, so Arthur had to go onstage in her place as the Narrator. At first, everything was going okay until the UFO scene. Since the flying saucer that was going to be used was crushed in Oliver Frensky's garbage truck, Buster locked himself in the janitor's closet, upset and disappointed. Then Brain changes the scene last minute to write the flying saucer out of the show. When Buster realized that the show contined without him, he goes onstage as Dr. Ector, the alien, and sings a song about flossing teeth to the tune of Yankee Doodle. His hook tears a hole in the set, forcing an intermission. When everyone realizes that the show is ruined, Francine appears. She encourages her classmates by letting them know their audience loves the show, and the show ends well for everyone.

Oh Elwood! Cast and Crew
Cast:


 * Arthur Read/Francine Frensky - Narrator and themselves


 * Alan Powers - Jacob Katzenellenbogen and himself


 * Fern Walters - Green-Tailed Grebe and herself


 * Buster Baxter - Dr. Ector the Alien (which actually said Director) and himself

Crew:
 * Binky Barnes, Jenna Morgan, George Lundgren, Sue Ellen Armstrong - Ensemble themselves


 * Mrs. Morgan and Jenna- Costumes
 * Mr. Lundgren and George- Props
 * Buster Baxter- Director
 * Alan Powers- Writer
 * Ms. Krasny- Musical Direction
 * Muffy Crosswire- Stage Manager and Publicity
 * Mr. Ratburn- Supervision
 * Assorted Lakewood Students- Band
 * Prunella Deegan - Lights

Songs
Jacob Katzenellenbogen by The Brain, Binky, George, Jenna, & Sue Ellen

Fern1.jpg
Lyrics:

The valley all around us was was nothing but wood,

The trees were right for cuttin', the timber was good.

To chop, to stump, and stub.

A man known as Jacob,

Katzenellenbogen, a lumber tycoon.

Built a busy sawmill beside a lagoon.

Soon woodchips filled the air,

And brought in people's hair.

Axes gleamed, horses teamed, chop chop chop timber!

Jacob Katzenellenbogen founded Elwood (founded Elwood), Elwood City (Elwood City).

So I went a hikin' to find a good spot,

A place to build a mansion, a heavenly thought.

And you must know at all,

To build a city hall,

Any kind of power plant,

And tower and house,

Even stores and restaurants,

And a pretty good mound.

The mountain cracked right down,

And Uncle Webb renowned!

Butlers screamed, horses gleamed,

Houses multiplied!

Jacob Katzenellenbogen founded Elwood (founded Elwood), Elwood City (Elwood City),

Jacob Katzenellenbogen!

-speaking- But I wanted it to be called Elmwood! Darned Bureaucracy!

The Long-Lost Green-Tailed Grebe by Fern
Lyrics:

Taste the salty tears we weep,

For the long lost Green-Tailed Grebe.

Our sorrows run so very deep,

For the long lost Green-Tailed Grebe.

Unknown Lyrics

While lumber jacks were tickled pink,

The Green-Tailed Grebe she went extinct.

GRBEJO~1.jpgDr. Ector (Tune of Yankee Doodle) by Buster
Lyrics:

Dr. Ector came to earth, in a flying saucer.

Had a message to deliver, be a... be a frequent flosser.

Floss your teeth every night, floss your teeth all day.

If you floss your teeth with all your might, you won't have tooth decay!

That's Elwood City (Finale) by Arthur & The Gang
Lyrics:

Oh Elwood City, so proud so bold,

Now you are 100 years old.

What was once dark forests, fogs and fens,

Is now called home by us children.

I lift my head and sing to thee,

Oh Elwood, Elwood, Elwood City..

-speaking- Hey, you've told us what Elwood city was like in the past but what's it like today?

Today? Today things are a little different;

Watch out! Hey! Coming through! Do we have a math test Monday?

Hey, Buster! Wanna get a snack?

You have to ask?

Slurping shakes at the Sugar Bowl,

The crossing guard is on patrol.

Soccer games, Hey I scored a goal!

That's Elwood City.

Reading books at the library,

Our club house is in a tree.

Had a comet named after me.

That's Elwood City.

When the ice storm blew in,

Our prospect was grim.

We were filled with hunger and fear,

but we got together and now the weather,

the stories cocoa and cheer!

Just like pioneers.

Baseball games and Mighty Mountain,

Lost a lot but we're not countin'.

Hey, don't hog the water fountain!

That's Elwood City.

Picnics for all sons and fathers,

Hey, I just met Mr. Rogers.

Crosswire Motors at super deals.

The ice cream shop sells gummy eels.

All clues point in one direction.

Elwood City is perfection!

Yes this town has passed the test, so much better than the rest.

Elwood City you're the best, Elwood City. Yeah!

Quotes

 * Mr. Ratburn: (Knocks the door) Buster, Open this door right now! You're behaving very unprofessionally!
 * Buster: (To Mr. Ratburn) I don't care! I'm not a professional!
 * (Arthur, The Brain, & Muffy all urging Buster to come out of the Janitor's closet at once)
 * Muffy: (Gasps) Fern's scene is almost finished! What are we going to do?
 * Brain: I'll just have to write the flying saucer out. Quick! Hand me those napkins.
 * Arthur: What about Francine? The narrator's singing part is coming up.
 * Muffy: (To Arthur) Don't worry. She's on her way.

Goofs

 * Binky's pants ripped again in Arthur's Underwear which made Jenna frustrated at him.
 * The car that Francine & her father took a ride on was either from UK or India, due to the location of the steering wheel.
 * In the audience, we see a man in a green suit and wearing glasses. But, in the next 40 seconds, we see him giving Francine and her dad a lift to the play.

Acts

 * 1,000,000 Trees
 * 1) The Long-Lost Green-Tailed Grebe
 * 2) The Year 1952
 * 3) Finale

Guests:
Alex Trebek

Larry King

Mishelle Kwan

Fred Rogers

Yo Yo Ma