♪ Every day when you're walking down the street ♪ ♪ Everybody that you meet has an original point of view ♪ (laughing) ♪ And I say hey ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ ♪ You've got to listen to your heart, listen to the beat ♪ ♪ Listen to the rhythm, the rhythm of the street ♪ ♪ Open up your eyes, open up your ears ♪ ♪ Get together and make things better ♪ ♪ By working together ♪ ♪ It's a simple message, and it comes from the heart ♪ ♪ Believe in yourself, for that's the place to start ♪ ♪ And I say hey ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ ♪ If we could learn to work and play ♪ ♪ And get along with each other ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ Hey!

♪ What a wonderful kind of day ♪ Hey!

Hey, DW!

Hey!

Whoa...

When DW really, really wants something, there's no telling what she'll do to get it.

DW: ♪ La la-la, la-la!

♪ I'm going to Grandma's house to bring her this lovely leftover meatloaf.

Oh, look!

Here I am already.

That was quick.

Hiya, Grandma.

My, what big ears you have!

(in gruff voice): The better to hear you with, my dear.

And what big eyes you have!

With big glasses in front of them.

The better to see you with, my dear.

DW: And what big teeth you have, too!

The better to eat you with, my dear!

(chuckling evilly) (yelling) Someone save me!

Someone like a woodsman.

I said, "a woodsman"!

Arthur, that's your cue.

(bored): Hi, I'm the woodsman.

What seems to be the problem?

That's it?

Put some life into it.

And why are you holding a racket?

You don't play tennis; you chop down trees.

I'm not going to use a real axe.

Why didn't you make a fake one?

You don't want me to get this part, do you?

(pretending to cry) Huh?

What?

No, I never said... All I ever wanted is to play Little Red Riding Hood in the preschool play, and you want me to fail?

(sobbing) My own brother.

No, I don't, I just... Then you will make a fake axe and we will practice this scene until we get it right.

Okay, okay.

See what I mean?

Timmy, you'll be playing the big bad wolf.

Congratulations, Timmy.

I look forward to working with you.

Tommy, you'll be playing Grandma.

Be a dear and bring me a cupcake.

And Little Red Riding Hood will be Emily.

Thank you, Thank you.

Now if we all work together, this is going to be one of the best plays...

Uh, DW, you're not Red Riding Hood.

I'm not?

No.

Emily is.

You're Tree Number 2.

Tree Number 2?

I'm not even Tree Number 1?

Amanda is playing Tree Number 1.

(clapping) But...

It's a very important role, DW.

You create the mysterious mood as Little Red Riding Hood goes through the dark forest.

(sighs) Now please sit back down.

I'm Little Red Riding Hood?

I can't believe it!

Neither can I. GRANDMA: Sweetie?

Did you hear me?

Grandma asked if you had any eights.

No, I don't have any eights.

You know what else I don't have?

The role of Little Red Riding Hood in the school play.

Playing a tree isn't so bad.

I think it could be kind of fun.

Fun?

Does this look like fun to you?

It's so unfair.

I've practiced for hours and hours.

I've wanted to play this part since I was three-and-a-half.

Perhaps you could be Emily's understudy.

What's that?

It's the actor who knows all the star's lines and steps in if they get sick or can't make it.

So I still have a chance?

Well, it's not very likely, but... You guys win.

I have to go.

But what are the chances that Emily will get sick?

You never know.

She looked pretty sweaty after freeze tag yesterday.

You're right.

Who am I trying to kid?

She's as healthy as a horse.

Maybe there's another reason she wouldn't be able to come to school.

What if we built a moat around Emily's house?

(ladder rattling) Okay, fill 'er up!

(gasps) Oh, no!

It's time for the play and there's a giant moat filled with alligators surrounding my house.

Don't worry, Emily.

I'll play Little Red Riding Hood for... (gasps) (splash) DW: Wait a minute.

I'm trapped, too!

Help!

Help!

Nah.

Too many things that could go wrong.

And where would we get the alligators?

What if there was something else that Emily wanted to do that was at the same time as the play?

That could work!

Prepare to be eaten, Grandma!

Oh, yeah?

Bring it on, wolf-burger!

(grunting) Boys, boys, settle down!

Emily!

Guess what's coming to Crown City on Friday.

Catarctica!

(gasps) Catarctica!

The tap-dancing kittens on ice?

I've been dying to see that!

I know.

And it's this Friday afternoon.

Oh.

But that's when the play is.

Don't worry.

I'll take your part.

You go and have fun.

Actually, I think I'd rather do the play.

Oh!

What a dark and spooky forest this is!

(imitating wind whooshing) Emily, it's kittens who tap-dance!

On ice!

DW, you don't have a line here.

Just blow like the wind is rustling your leaves, okay?

Whoosh.

Whoosh.

DW: She didn't want to go to Catarctica.

She didn't want a pony ride.

She didn't even want to go to Paris.

You offered her a trip to Paris?

I didn't say it was Paris, France.

There's a bakery called Paris at the mall.

If there's nothing she wants, maybe there's something she doesn't want.

DW: Emily!

(speaking gibberish) (giggles) Why are you wearing that mask?

Actually, I made it for you.

In case you mess up on your lines.

Huh?

Well, if you mess up your lines in front of everyone, it could be really, really embarrassing and you might want to hide.

So... just in case.

Whoosh!

I'm on my way to Grandma's house...

I'm on my way to Grandma's house because... Whoosh, whoosh!

Because she's sick and... Because she's sick and... Ms. Morgan, DW keeps repeating everything I say.

What?

I'm just practicing.

What if Emily gets sick?

She'll need an understudy.

(clapping) (whimpers) DW: But everyone knows I'd be a great Red Riding Hood!

You said so yourself.

I know, and it's true.

But it's Emily's turn right now.

Imagine if you had gotten something that Emily really wanted, but Emily didn't let you enjoy it.

Would that be fair?

No.

I guess I have been kind of mean.

It's not her fault she got the lead.

I'll apologize to her first thing tomorrow morning.

I have an announcement, boys and girls.

Emily has lost her voice.

(everyone gasps) She didn't lose it.

You stole it, didn't you?

No, I didn't!

I swear!

MS. MORGAN: Emily has a sore throat, Timmy.

She'll come in for the play if she feels well enough.

But she can't play Red Riding Hood.

Well, DW, I guess this means you get to play Little Red Riding Hood after all.

Let's start rehearsing.

(sighs) (owl hooting) It's so dark here.

I hope I'm going the right way.

(echoing): Don't mess up... Huh?

What was that?!

Hi, DW.

Oh!

Emily!

You scared me.

Actually, you're still kind of scaring me.

What's with the ears?

These?

They're just so I'll hear your lines better.

You're going to be such a good Red Riding Hood.

Go on.

They're waiting for you.

(door thuds close) Say something!

Well?

Come on, already!

How embarrassing!

(barking) I...

I can't remember my first line!

Psst!

Look in the basket!

(gasps) (gasps) My, Grandma, what big... ears, ears!

First eyes, then ears, then... No, wait, that's wrong!

Good luck.

(Emily and Amanda imitating wind sounds) Hi.

I'm Little Red Winifred.

Oh, my.

Look at this forest.

It's so... so...

Dark!

Dark and spikey.

(roaring) Hello, Grandma.

I'm on my way to Wolf's house.

No, I mean... (screams) (everyone gasps) We're experiencing technical difficulties.

Please be patient.

Is it over?

(with scratchy voice): No.

But I'll help you.

Come on, just say what I tell you.

(whispering): Once upon a time, there was a girl named Little Red Riding Hood.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Little Red Riding Hood.

(whispering): And she went to Grandmother's house.

Muffins.

And she went to her grandmother's house to give her some fresh-baked muffins.

(laughing) (applause) And so Little Red Riding Hood lived happily ever after with her grandma and the magical dancing tree!

You were great!

Thanks.

But next time, I'm sticking with Tree Number 2.

It's a much better part.

(applause) And now... STUDENT: This is Mrs. Theolien's second-grade class.

Today we are going to start working on our play.

Once upon a time in a school in Somerville, there were two friends.

And two friends want to build a snow fort.

MRS. THEOLIEN: All right, so we have divided everyone into different groups.

STUDENT: One, actors; two, writers; three, set designers; four, costume designers.

When you put them all together it makes a show.

Why don't you go and sit over there?

And I'll start building the snow fort.

I'm working in writing.

We're working on the script.

The script is the things that the actors are going to say.

Are there any new characters?

Yes, we're going to add a snowplow guy.

I need to know, because we need to build a costume.

I want to have a beard on my chin.

Yes, you can.

A costume is what you wear in a play.

I am the snowplow man.

While they were building the fort, they saw Henry, the snowplow guy.

If he didn't have a beard, he would look like a little kid that was just driving a snowplow, and that would be a little weird.

Do you guys want some more snow?

Sure.

STUDENT: And I'm working on the setting group.

We're supposed to decorate the stage.

Everybody's talking together and helping each other out.

They're putting together boxes so it sort of looks like ice blocks.

That doesn't look like a snow fort.

That looks like a big blob of marshmallow.

(laughing) This group is the actors and actresses.

They're going to be using all this stuff that the other people made to put the whole play together.

Every job is important on the play.

That's why we need all the jobs to make it a good play.

I still want to help you build a snow fort.

I'm sorry I didn't let you help me before.

The end.

(cheering) And now... Hi!

Welcome to my dream house.

Thanks, Wilson.

Isn't it cool?

I have a robotic butler.

I sleep in a hammock... And there's an indoor pool in the shape of a dog bone.

That was Pal's idea.

I also have the latest technology.

(screen beeping) Oh, someone's calling me.

Speak.

Hi, Arthur.

How's Earth?

Great.

I was just showing them my dream house.

You think he has a great dream house?

Come see mine!

You better hold on to something.

I have to take you through an intergalactic wormhole.

(whizzing and whirring) Hi, welcome to Alpha Formaggi, a galaxy far, far away.

Here's my dream house.

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

I think you have to tell them how it's different from your normal house.

Oh, yeah.

It's all made of cheese!

This sofa?

Gouda.

(with mouth full): This lamp?

Havarti!

While Buster eats his house, here's a story about someone who actually built their dream house or... at least she tried to.

BUSTER: Mmm, mozzarella!

How did we get stuck with the blocks?

I had my eye on the castle.

But Amanda got to it first.

Look at this.

It's just a piece of wood.

What can I do with this?

Beats me.

We could make a... barn, I guess.

A barn?

Uh, all right.

I just hope snack time comes soon.

Any more arches?

Saw some in the blue crate.

MRS. READ: DW, ready to go?

Huh?

Mom?

What are you doing here?

It's 3:30.

Time to go home.

Wow!

You girls have been hard at work.

DW: It was going to be a barn.

Then it got bigger.

So now it's a palace.

Or a castle.

We're calling it a palastle.

I'm really impressed.

Me too.

And I always thought DW and Emily found the blocks boring.

It's pretty great, isn't it?

Yeah.

Too bad we have to go.

Wait!

Could you leave it up till tomorrow, Ms. Morgan?

It's not finished yet.

Well, okay, dear.

I think it needs a tower.

I think it needs two towers.

(crickets chirping) (neighing) (DW gasps) It's beautiful!

Unicorn stables!

A Mary Moo Cow miniature golf course!

And a museum of all the dopey things Arthur has ever done.

This house has everything.

EMILY: Not yet.

We still have to build the petting zoo, the carousel and the bouncy room.

Let's get to work.

(gasps) Morning, Mom.

Here's a banana, some juice, and I packed you a yogurt.

Come on, you can eat in the car.

I need to get to school.

And that finishes the guest room.

And the guest room for imaginary friends.

(blocks clattering) (both gasp) DW: Hey!

What are you doing?

I was just helping you fix these walls.

(blocks clattering) There.

Now this one's "fixed," too.

(laughing) You two are not allowed to touch this Palastle!

Why not?

You don't own these blocks.

They're for everyone.

Because... because... Because we'll give you our snacks if you stay away.

We'll be back tomorrow.

And there better be some raisins.

(both sigh) (laughing) MS. MORGAN: Since it's such a beautiful day, I thought we'd have some class time outside.

(students cheer) But it's going to rain.

I can feel it in my elbow.

Look!

There's a dark cloud!

No, silly.

That's just a smudge on the glass.

Okay, everyone.

Find your partner.

Monday... Tuesday... Wednesday... Ms. Morgan?

I have to go to the bathroom.

Right now.

So do I!

Okay, go ahead.

KIDS: Monday, Tuesday... Don't worry, they teach you all that stuff again in Kindergarten.

This is my last block.

How many do you have left?

Three.

And I haven't finished the Penguin Ballroom.

And what about the Puppy Spa?

Or Snow White's bathroom?

What happens if she wakes up?

Emily, it's okay.

We need to think.

Aren't there some more blocks in that closet outside the classroom?

I think so.

But they're for the three-year-olds.

They'll never miss a block or two.

Here's what we do.

(whispering) EMILY: Ow!

Emily, what happened?

A block fell on my toe.

I think it's sprained.

It doesn't seem to be bruised.

Maybe it's bruised on the inside.

Does it have to be ampertated?

Huh!

It feels better now.

You cured me!

Thanks, Ms. Morgan.

This is really beautiful, girls.

Yeah, but wait till it's done.

We're putting a hotel there.

For the beavers.

They're building a dam over here, and... Actually, a few of the other kids have said they want to play with the blocks, too, so maybe it's time to take it down.

But it's not finished.

I know!

The other kids can help us.

That's what Tommy and Timmy are doing.

EMILY: Yeah, they're security guards.

Oh my, that's amazing!

Oh, if only I'd brought my camera!

Okay, one more day.

That's it.

BOTH: Yes!

I need to see some ID.

What?

I just came from over there.

Look, I have more blocks.

Sorry, ma'am, but we have to guard the palastle.

DW and Emily said so.

I'm Emily!

Can you prove it?

Would you guys knock it off?

Here, take your raisins.

The towers are wobbling because they've gotten too tall, and there's no way we're going to finish Beaver Dam by 3:30.

Amanda!

I told you, don't use those bricks.

They're not sturdy and they look ugly!

(blocks crashing) James!

Be careful!

You've just put us an hour behind schedule.

MS. MORGAN: Come on, kids.

Line up for recess.

(students cheering) James!

You come back here and fix this wall!

How can we get any work done when they keep sending us out to play?

EMILY: The mermaids need their pool here.

That's final!

That's where the unicorn stable is.

Anyway, mermaids are imaginary.

(gasps) Tag, you're it!

Tag?

Do we look like we have time for tag?

Oh, my arms hurt.

Me too.

I probably shouldn't have fired everyone.

We could use the extra help.

MS. MORGAN: Snack time!

(students cheer) Think we have time for a quick yogurt?

You go.

I have to finish this.

I am kind of tired.

Not me.

I'm ready to get... right... back to... (snoring) (rumbling) EMILY: DW, there's a cave-in over by the indoor pool!

I can't fix it now.

The Tibbles knocked over the arch on the North Gate!

Stop!

Stop!

We worked so hard!

No!

Stop!

Wake up, DW.

Nap time is over.

Already?

(sighs) Back to work.

MS. MORGAN: Oh, you made it!

Boys and girls, if you'll please go over to the blue carpet, we have a very special guest.

This is Captain Kamble, and he has brought a friend with him.

Morning, kids!

Say hello to Ringo.

He's a real live koala.

KIDS: Ooh!

Wow!

It's a koala.

Right here in class.

What do we do?

We must be strong.

Who wants to pet him?

Me!

Me!

Me!

I think...

I think I'm starting to cave.

Emily!

We only have an hour left!

We're this close to finishing!

(crashing) (kids gasp) (gasps) Yes!

Yes!

Can we pet him?

Please?

Can we?

Can we?

Of course you can.

Aw... Aw... MS. MORGAN: And then afterwards, you can clean up those blocks.

♪ ♪ To watch more Arthur and play games with all the Elwood City friends, visit pbskids.org.

You can find Arthur books and lots of other books, too at your local library.

Captioned by Media Access Group at WGBH access.wgbh.org