The Magick Flute

Based on an Opera by Wolfy Amadeaus Mozart

Die Zauberflote

For the Archetypal Shakespeare Company

Debut performance Pan Thea 2008

Setting: the Black banner of Earth covers the left of the stage railing, the Yellow banner of Air hangs loosely on stage right railing.

Die Zauberflote Overture plays in the background off an MP3 player

Slowly, a large stuffed snake head lifts up over the black banner, notices the audience, does a double take, and presents the Introduction.

Snake: PEEE-PAL! (People!). You must be here for the show. Welcome to The Magick Flute, an adaptation of Wolfy Mozart’s Die ZauberFlote by the Archetypal Shakespeare Company. Your program includes our story, cast and songs. We encourage you to sing along with those choruses that you recognize, and help us with our sound effects, but please, as we have no sound system, keep the chatter down so our words can reach you. Now, on to the show!

Cue the Snake! Cue the Snake….Oh, that’s Me!

Act I

Snake rises up, and moves forward and we see The Prince sitting astride it, clinging to it’s back towards the tail.

?   Prince :

Help! I need somebody.

Help! Not just anybody.

Help! You know I need someone.

Help!

all Cast and audience join in with the Prince:

When I was younger, so much younger than today,

I never needed anybody's help in any way.

But now these days are gone I'm not so self assured,

Now I find

I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down,

And I do appreciate you being 'round.

Help me get my feet back on the ground.

Won't you please, please help me?

And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,

my independence seems to vanish in the haze.

But every now and then I feel so insecure,

I know that I just need you like I've never done before.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down,

And I do appreciate you being 'round.

Help me get my feet back on the ground.

Won't you please, please help me?

When I was younger, so much younger than today,

I never needed anybody's help in any way.

But now these days are gone I'm not so self assured,

Now I find

I've changed my mind, I've opened up the doors.

Help me if you can, I'm feeling down,

And I do appreciate you being 'round.

Help me get my feet back on the ground.

Won't you please, please help me?

Help me. Help me, oooh.

3 Witches come from audience to sit on steps, turning to watch the snake and rider as they gallop over the stage.

Crone: Now, there’s something you don’t see everyday.

Mother: Not in the Realm of the Queen of the Night, you don’t.

Maiden: What, the snake? Here in the Earth Kingdom , we see lots of snakes.

Crone:  That’s one big snake, girly.

Mother: Wooo woo, what a whopper!

Maiden:  Why do I think I’m missing something?

Crone:  Why do I think I’m forgetting something?

Mother: Something longer than it’s wide?

Maiden:  okay, stop with the innuendo, I get it.

Crone:  Anyway, I wasn’t taking about the quite ordinary snake, but the young Prince it is taking for a ride.

Mother: Handsome lad, a little young and tender for my tastes

Maiden:  Now that you mention it, he’s not from around here, and we get few visitors.

The Prince swoons, and falls off the snake, who turns to eat him

Maiden:  Looks like that snake thinks he’s tender too.

Crone:  Why do I think I’m still forgetting something?

Mother: Stand back Sisters, when it comes to snake wrangling, no one is my equal among all the Queen’s subjects!

All 3 Witches wrestle the snake, with the Maiden grabbing the tail, the Crone gathering the middle, and the Mother grabbing the head, wrestling with it, and putting it into a sensuous headlock. Snake slumps to the ground.

Crone:  Now I remember, we must inform the Queen!

Mother: Right, you two go and I’ll watch this beautiful boy.

Maiden:  Oh, no you don’t, haven’t you had enough snake wrangling for one day?

While they argue, the snake is pulled off stage and the Magick Flute left in its place

Crone:  That’s a long walk. I’m tired.

Mother: Well, what would YOU suggest, then?

Maiden:  I know, let’s form the Magick Mirror and phone home!

Crone:  Yes, much faster, easy on the tootsies, let your fingers do the walking!

Mother: Agreed! Sisters, lets form the Magick Mirror!

Maiden:  Can I check my messages, real quick?

Crone:  Lets, see “Mirror Mirror, on the Wall…”

Mother: No, sorry, wrong spell for the Queen’s number.

Maiden:  That is SO 1940s!

ALL 3 Witches: Fair is Foul, and Foul Fair, Contact the Palace, let our words float as Air! They use their arms to form a circle, facing audience.

The Yellow Banner of Air moves forward so they are both covering their half of the stage.

Queen: offstage You have reached the Palace of the Mysterious Queen of the Night, we may or may not be available, so leave…

ALL 3 Witches: at the word Night, start complaining

Crone:   She screens all her calls!

Mother: Pick Up! Come on, we know you’re there!

Maiden:  Who does she think she is, a Queen or…oh, right.

Princess: Hullo?

Crone:   That’s not the Queen.

Mother: It’s the Princess!

Maiden:  Hi Cess, thought you were off to Boarding School

Crone:   Is your Mother home?

Hel

Mother: We bring urgent tidings from the Kingdom of Earth .

Princess: No, she’s busy filling out my student loan applications. I leave any minute for the Temple of Osirus Boarding School, and I’m not too happy about it.

Maiden:  Bummer.

Crone:   Oh, that’s right, we have news, Princess, get your Mother!

Mother: Hellooo, this is long distance, do you have any idea how expensive…

Princess: Well, you’d better come to the Palace cause I’m not interrupting her again. Financial Aid applications are worse than tax time!

Maiden:  Great, I can give you a goodbye hug. Toodles!

All 3 Witches break the circle of the Magick Mirror (go WOOOOO at end)

Crone:   Now I remember what I was forgetting, but (looks around) where is that snake?

Mother: Strange, look, it changed into a Flute of 4 colors!

Maiden:  Could it be a “Magick” Flute? Now I understand the title of this Opera!

Crone:   The handsome Prince still lies asleep, but what if he awakes and wanders off before we bring the Queen?

Mother: I know a few moves that would keep him tied up here.

Maiden:   You would!

Crone:   He’s too heavy to carry, but I bet if we divided up his Magick Flute into the different Elemental Kingdoms, he won’t be able to go home.

Mother: Oh Wise Woman, that sounds like a plan. I’ll take the red piece of the Magick Flute to the South, the Kingdom of Fire , and bury it in a volcano!

Maiden:  I’ll take the black piece of the Magick Flute to the North and the Palace of the Queen (aside to audience) and check my messages!

Crone:   What was my plan again? Oh, right, I’ll take the blue piece of the Magick Flute to the West, and hide it in a Waterfall.

Mother: Ahem, there is still a little Magick Flute left over.

Maiden:  The arithmetic doesn’t add up!

Crone:   Oh well, (takes the yellow mouthpiece and throws it over her shoulder into the AIR banner side of the stage). That’s Eris, for you!

Act Two

?     Papa Geno: (offstage, sings) When the Moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s Amoure.

When the moon hits your eye like a big-a pizza pie

That's amore

When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine

That's amore

(Walks on stage wearing tall chef hat, parrot on shoulder and sniffing a flower - see the Fool in the Rider Tarot)    Continues singing

Bells'll ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling

And you'll sing "Vita bella"

Hearts'll play tippi-tippi-tay, tippi-tippi-tay

Like a gay tarantella

When the stars make you drool joost-a like pasta fazool

That's amore.

Stumbles over Prince, who awakens

Prince: Ow! What a terrible dream! It all started out so nicely, too, but…Oh no, a terrible snake, where is the terrible snake!

Papa Geno: No snake, my young friend. Just me, Papa Geno, the bird catcher. It is still night, and the snakes don’t come out in the Kingdom of the Earth until the Sun wins its struggle with the Moon.

?   (Papa Geno pretends to sing his theme, introducing himself to the Prince and audience, as MP3 plays  about 3 -5 minutes of Papageno’s introductory solo from Mozart while actor spins pizza / bird net in air pretending to sing, with large comic gestures between tosses) Pussy Genie as Cat appears and rubs against his legs)

Prince: Wow, the Air is filled with a wondrous melody. Truly, you are a magick man! (stands up and dusts himself off) Let me introduce myself. Though I might not look it, I’m a man of wealth and taste, a Prince!

Papa Geno: (to Cat) Off, off, you’ll scare away the birds!

(to Prince) That’s funny, neither the Queen of the Night nor the King of the Day have a son.

Prince: I’m not from around here. I guess I’m lost. I’ve never been out on my own before, and I find myself entirely destitute. I can’t offer you any reward but my companionship. Can you help me find my Path?

Papa Geno: That sounds like a job for a Wise Man, I’m just comic relief. But I bet the King of the Sun would help you. But I must first catch my song birds for the Queen, they sing for my supper. (To Cat) Away, away!

Prince: So, how do you catch birds, and what do you then do with them?

Papa Geno: (throwing pizza in air) I catch them in my net of dough, and sell them to the Queen’s palace for bread!

Prince: This Queen, why can’t we just ask her for help instead of taking what sounds like it could be a long journey to the Palace of the Sun?

Papa Geno: The Queen can be….mercurial, her moods shift quickly, and her Wisdom hard for me to Understand. She is the Dark Lady of Mystery, and if you seek to reveal your Path, you will need the Light of the Sun. (To Cat) Away, away!

Prince: That kitty really likes you!

Papa Geno: More likely, she likes my birds. I need more before I can sell them to the palace.

Prince: Does this Queen…eat the pretty birds?

Papa Geno: (Laughs) Oh no, I sell them song birds. We use them as messengers, to fly and communicate with those far away. Business is booming, what with the Princess going away to school and all. The chicken they serve is free range, organically raised from some place in Ashburnham.

Prince: So these birds are like….

Papa Geno: cell phone minutes!

Prince: Aha! Well, how can I help?

Papa Geno: Here is something I just caught in my net, it seems important, but I don’t know what to do with it… maybe you can figure it out. (Gives Prince the yellow mouthpiece of Magick Flute)

Prince: (blows mouthpiece of flute, producing one note, 3 times) I like it!

Papa Geno: And so do the birds, come, let us follow them! We only have one hour of darkness left, and then the Palace will be beyond our reach.

(both exit towards Yellow banner and pull it towards them to cover that side’s railing. The Cat stays on stage licking her paws, says, Purr, and follows.)

Act Three

(Scene opens in front of black banner with Princess sitting on suitcase, bored, playing a game on her cell phone. Enters Maiden from Stage Left, and Princess jumps up, happy to see her)

Maiden: W’sup, Cess? Glad I caught you before you left for Boarding School. Bummer (Gives Princess a hug).

Princess: You said it, Sis.

?   Duet: (to the tune of Leaving on a Jet Plane)

Princess (Sings): Well, my bags are packed and I’m ready to go,

Maiden: Her bags are packed and she’s ready to go

Princess: Standing here, outside Mom’s door

Maiden: Standing outside the Royal Door.

Princess: hate to interrupt, to say goodbye

Maiden: But the Dawn is breaking, it’s early morn.

Princess: Want the education, but still I’m torn.

Maiden: Hate to give up Stars for a sunny sky.

(Together) Leaving, for another Plane

Don’t know when I’ll be home again.

Oh, friend, I hate to go.

Leaving, for another Plane

Don’t know when I’ll be home again.

Oh, friend, I hate to go.

Maiden: I’ll miss you, don’t forget to write.

Princess: Writing, that’s so 1980s, I’ll phone you!

Maiden: Your Mom is letting you take a phone?

Princess: She’s weird, but she’s not stingy!

Maiden: I’ll bring your suitcase down, and wait for you.

(Maiden exit stage right)

From In front of Stage Right we hear the Whistle of The Prince, Papa Geno sings the part of Giovanni Jones from the beginning of the Bugs Bunny Cartoon, and the purring of the Cat.

Prince: (laughing) Can you hear me now? How about now?

Papa Geno: Songbirds for sale, Songbirds for sale, don’t leave home without your songbirds, special rate for Students!

Princess: (leans out over balcony) Over here, Bird Catcher, over here Papa Geno. I’ll buy more birds, I don’t want to lose touch, and have my friends fade away! (She notices the Prince, and they both fall speechless as they look at each other. Papa Geno doesn’t notice.)

?   Papa Geno: (sings)

When the Red red Robin Goes Bob bob bobbing along, along,

Then the Blue Bird of Happi-ness sings we can all get along, along.

There’ll be no more Sobbing with the Red red Robin, along, along.

There’s no better way to stay in touch, when the distance is long,

it’s long.

Papa Geno: Ah, there is the Maiden who carries the Queen’s purse. Stay right here, young Prince (Exit, in front of stage left) (Cat stays with Prince)

Prince: Ah…..ahem…..ah…..hi.

Princess: Did Papa Geno say you were a Prince?

Prince: Ah…..ahem…..ah…..well, that is…

Princess: Not from around here, are you?

Prince: Ah…..well, no, that is….um…

Princess: What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?

Cat: Me  ROW!

Queen: (offstage)  baby, where are you, it’s time! I have a little gift for you, my pet! Come to Mama!

Princess: Well, that’s my Mom, got to fly. Nice…conversing with you! (leaves)

Papa Geno: (returns, counting coins, notices Prince standing, staring at the empty window, and passes his hands in front of the Prince’s eyes)

Prince: Who was that…creature of loveliness?

Papa Geno: who, the Princess? Back off, my boy, that’s the daughter of the Queen of the Night. Prince or no, I’d leave that beauty alone! Anyway, she is leaving on a long journey.

Prince: Am I not also on a long journey?

Papa Geno: Yes, but SHE knows where she is going!

?   Prince: (sings)

Boys bass, girls background De de dup de de dup/ I love him I love him

I will follow Her, follow Her wherever She may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...

I must follow Her, ever since she touched my heart I knew,

That near him I always must be, and nothing can keep him from me

She is my destiny.

I love Her, I love Her, I love Her,

And where she goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

She’ll always be my true love, from now until forever.

I will follow Her, follow Her wherever she may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...away from my love.

And where she goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

She’ll always be my true love, from now until forever. (fade)

…(Papa Geno gently leads the Prince away concerned the Queen will hear, then Prince rushes back for another chorus, listen to the music for the cues!)

I will follow Her, follow Her wherever she may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...away from my love.

And where she goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

I know I’ll always love her and where she goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow (fade)

Papa Geno: yes, well, very admirable but…

Prince: (sings) Away from my Love, Not far from my Love, I’ll follow my Love…(Papa Geno gently leads the Prince away, then rushes back for another chorus, listen to the music for the cues!))

They stop by the foot of the stairs, sit, and pretend to eat

Papa Geno: Forget about her, boy. Have something to eat. (Cat meows and rubs up against him) Shoo, shoo!

Prince: Papa Geno, have you ever been in love?

Papa Geno: Not exactly, I mean, not with a person. (Prince looks alarmed and confused) I’m in love with love, and I want a girl to call my own.

?   (sings)

Show me a pretty little number,

When she walks she rolls like thunder

eyes as deep and dark as the deep blue sea.

round right here and round right there,

pretty little lips and her very own hair,

wrap her up, she’s the natural girl for me.

(rubs eyes, both are sleepy, lay down to nap…Cat comes and curls up next to Papa Geno, who, in his sleep, puts a protective arm around her)

Act Four

Governess riding in couch with Princess closer to the audience behind the yellow banner on the railing.

 Governess:  I still don’t see why you have to go off to school, it’s not like your skills in the kitchen couldn’t use improvement, and don’t get me started on your pottery…

Princess: Please, Sister, not now…

Governess:  I know your Mother never encouraged you to go outside the palace, and I used to tell her, your Majesty, I’d say…

Princess: Please, Sister, not now…

Governess:  Mathematics, of all things, it’s not like it’s USEFUL or anything. Arithmetic was good enough for me, it was good enough for your Mother when she was young and I remember YOUR Grandmother…

Princess: Please, Sister, not now…

Governess:  It’s the boys, isn’t it. Oh Mother Isis, preserve us. You’ve Discovered boys haven’t you! Why I bet your Mother hasn’t even had “the Talk” with you yet. If you were my little girl…

Princess: Please, Sister, not now…

Governess:  If any of them have widowed Fathers, keep me in mind. Or even older brothers, at my age…

Princess: REALLY, Please, Sister, not now…

Act Five

(The Stage now has the yellow banner on the left, and red banner on the right railing)

(The 3 priests enter from Right, step to center stage and Intone:

Old Priest: Hail unto Thee who art Ra in Thy rising, even unto Thee who art Ra in Thy strength, who travels the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun.

Mature Priest: Tahuti stands in His splendor at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abides at the helm.

Boy Priest: Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Night! Welcome, Light!

All 3 Priests: Osirus Slain (sign of the Cross), Isis Mourning (sign), Osirus Returns (sign, arms across breast)! The Light Shines in the Darkness, but the Darkness knows it not. Make way for the King! Hail the King!)

Sarastro, the King of the Day, enters regally, waving at the crowd from the right, and sings his introduction…)

?   Misha sings King’s aria,)

(The 3 travelers awake, Cat cleans her paws, Prince stares at the spectacle above, and Papa Geno puts on his hat and smoothes his clothes)

Papa Geno: There‘s the King now! Look smartly, Boy, we want to make a good impression on his Majesty. Go on, go on, ask him for a boon.

Prince: Your most royal Majesty, I am a stranger in a strange land, and beg your help in finding my Path.

?   Misha turns towards him slowly to Darth Vader theme in background, breaths hoarsely several time.

King: And what of your destination, my Son?

(the 3 priests get busy in the background, the youngest playing with leggos or blocks, the Mature one doing magic tricks (scarves or rings), and the oldest one separating and examining coins)

Prince: My Destiny is my Destination, oh great King. I need to become a Man, so that I might win my Lady’s love and a Kingdom of my own.

King: To become a Man is the hardest thing for a Boy to do. You embark on a perilous journey, from which you may never return. Are you duly and truly prepared?

Prince: I am.

King: Are you worthy, are you qualified?

Prince: I am.

King: By what further right do you claim this privilege?

Prince: By the right of the blood that flows through my veins.

King: and if all your blood is spilled in your quest?

Prince: Then I shall die, but I shall die knowing that I tried.

King: So serious, for one so young. Go away boy, and play.

?  Darth Vader theme plays again as he turns away.

Prince: (looking downcast, Prince looks for Papa Geno who has wandered off, and play the one note from his flute mouthpiece 3 times)

King: But wait! That sound! Was it a bird, or the hissing of a fire, the tinkling of a stream, or the sound of leaves falling to the Earth? That sound! My Boy, that is the beginning of the Sound of Peace, the joy of Harmony, then end of the struggle between Day and Night. Praise Osirus! The Pipes of Peace have been discovered!

(the 3 priests all pay attention, shout hooray, encourage audience to shout hooray!)

King: But wait, you have but a bit of the Magick Flute that heals all wounds. Where is the rest?

Prince: I know not, my Lord, but have come to you for guidance. I feel I have lost something, something important, and feel it most acutely when I play.

King: My priests, to me! We must prepare a Magick Mirror and seek that which has been lost for our Brother.

(King stands between Prince and 3 priests, who form arms into a mirror as Witches did, but as a square rather than circle, and intone:

<stage note – priests line up mirror between audience and back door for Volcano’s entrance>

All 3 Priests: Fire burn and cauldron bubble

Find us a piece of this puzzle! Volcano quietly looks through mirror at audience, and hunkers down.

King: (gasps) The Eye of Mordor! Oh wait, that’s just our volcano. Bad news, Kid, your destiny lies in the heart of that glowing volcano over there (points backwards to Volcano, back right).

Prince: (fainting) No!

King: Be strong, young Prince! I have just the thing for you on this quest.

In times like these, others have shown courage, but they started out as afraid as you are now. But what did they have that you lack? A Medal! So, I give you this medal of the Sun (takes it off and gives it while finishing speech with great pomp)  to inspire your Bravery in the face of the Trial of Flames as you seek your goal inside the mouth of an active volcano!

Prince: Oh, thanks! Is it magick, flame retardant, or…

King: No, it’s just a medal, YOU are the Magick!

Act Six

Stage draped in Red banner

Papa Geno stands center steps, tossing up his pizza and whistling That’s Amore. The Cat watches him toss it up, occasionally grooming. Enter Princess who stops with a start when she sees him)

Princess: (coming up behind him) Papa Geno do you sell your wares here in the kingdom of Fire as well?

Papa Geno: turns, surprised, polite Everywhere the birds lead me, your Highness. The Temple of the Sun seems like a strange place to see the daughter of the Queen of the Night! Bows

Princess: Well, I sped through all the learning my Mother’s palace could offer. Now well versed in painting, writing and poetry, I thought I’d learn mathematics. And as you well know, this Temple is The Hub of the Mathematics Universe. So Here I am!

But where is that charming if shy boy you were leading around? I thought he would faint with fear when I spoke to him!

Papa Geno: Oh, he is marching off to certain doom into the heart of a raging volcano after some piece of wood… but how is your Mother? I hope you are calling her regularly; she does tend to be a bit protective.

Princess: What! Into a Volcano! How could I have so misjudged him! What was he seeking?

Papa Geno: part of a flute, I think

Princess: Like this (produces a Black part of the flute)

Papa Geno: Why yes, very much like>>>WHERE did you get that ???

Princess: A parting gift from Mom. I didn’t understand what it was then, but now…Papa Geno, the Prince is going to his doom for nothing! I have what he seeks. (she sings)

?  

Boys bass, girls background De de dup de de dup/ I love him I love him

I will follow Him, follow Him wherever He may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...

I must follow Him, ever since He touched my heart I knew,

That near him I always must be, and nothing can keep him from me

He is my destiny.

I love Him, I love Him, I love Him,

And where He goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

He’ll always be my true love, from now until forever.

I will follow Him, follow Him wherever He may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...away from my love.

And where He goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

He’ll always be my true love, from now until forever. (fade)

…(Papa Geno gently leads the Princess away, then rushes back for another chorus, listen to the music for the cues!)

I will follow Him, follow Him wherever He may go,

There isn't an ocean too deep, A mountain so high, it can keep,

Keep me away...away from my love.

And where He goes, I'll follow, I'll follow, I'll follow.

I know I’ll always love him and where he goes I’ll follow, I’ll follow (fade)

Act Seven

A Volcano appears from the door behind the stage ( Orlando wearing a yellow shirt and red conical high waited dress, yellow and red knit cap)

Volcano: Hiss….Rumble….Tremble before my magma, Momma!

The Prince appears from behind the audience wearing earphones and carrying an MP3 player. carefully threading through them to the stage, sing:

Prince: (to Blue Oyster Cult’s Don’t Fear the Reaper played loud, audience encouraged to sing along)

?   All our times have come

Here but now they're gone

Seasons don't fear the reaper

Nor do the wind, the sun or rain

We can be like they are

Come on, baby

Dont fear the reaper

Baby, take my hand

Don't fear the reaper

We'll be able to fly

Don't fear the reaper

Baby, I'm your man

La, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la

Valentine is done

Here but now they're gone

Romeo and Juliet

Are together in eternity

Romeo and Juliet

Forty thousand men and women everyday

Like Romeo and Juliet

Forty thousand men and women everyday

Redefine happiness

Another forty thousand comin' everyday

We can be like they are

Come on, baby

Dont fear the reaper

Baby, take my hand

Don't fear the reaper

We'll be able to fly

Don't fear the reaper

Baby, I'm your man

La, la, la, la, la

La, la, la, la, la

Love of two is one

Here but now they're gone

Came the last night of sadness

And it was clear that she couldn't go on

And the door was open and the wind appeared

The candles blew and then disappeared

The curtains flew and then he appeared

Saying don't be afraid

Come on, baby

And she had no fear

And she ran to him

Then they started to fly

They looked backward and said goodbye

She had become like they are

Come on, baby

Don't fear the reaper

Song tapers off, he drops headphones, pockets iPod and sighs,

Well, I guess this is as pumped as I’m going to get…

It’s a pretty big Volcano…

Sort of imposing, almost majestic…

Must still be miles away….

Volcano: Boo!

 Prince jumps

Volcano: Ha ha, gets ‘em every time.

Prince: Wait a minute, you’re not very tall at all! I thought you were miles away!

Volcano: in the Heat of passion, appearances can be deceiving, no?

Prince: Passion? Oh, right, ahem “ I am here to claim the missing piece of my Magick Flute, so I can become a Man and win the Lady I love”

Volcano: By approaching so close to a terrifying force of Nature such as myself, you show Courage. That would entitle you to all my treasures, except…

Prince: except…

Volcano: except… except…

Prince: yes, yes, except, except….

Volcano: You may never know the mysteries of Fire, if you have not yet proven to me that you are an Adept of the Air. For without the thoughtful discrimination of that Kingdom, you would wreak havoc upon the world, were I to give you the Powers of Fire!

Prince: But I have journeyed far, too far, to be turned away. I have traveled widely, through Earth, and Air, and Fire to be standing where I am in front of you. I am truly prepared, I am worthy, I am qualified, I beseech you, try me, don’t deny me!

Volcano: How would you be tried, foolish Prince?

Prince: By my song

?   Sings: Momas and Papas song plays on CD – audience encouraged to sing along

Sing for your supper, and you’ll get breakfast;

Songbirds always eat

If their song is sweet to hear.

Sing for your luncheon, and you’ll get dinner---

Dine with wine of choice

If romance is in your voice.

I heard from wise canary,

Trilling makes a fellow willing;

So, little swallow, swallow now.

Now is the time to…

Sing for your supper and you’ll get breakfast.

Songbirds are not dumb;

They don’t buy a crumb of bread, it’s said

So sing and you’ll be fed. (x2 along to music)

Volcano: EEEWWW, you are so close, but…

Prince: plays 3 toots on his Magick Flute

Volcano: That’s it, that’s it, you have another piece of the Flute, Here you go my boy, starts to mumble, hands Prince the red part of the Magick Flute now I can retire, do whatever extinct volcanoes do, maybe visit the Ring of Fire, no, no Burning Man! We all join in and  chant Burning Man! Burning Man!

Prince assembles the Red part of the flute to the yellow mouthpiece, and begins to play with the limited notes now available, walks off stage right

Act Eight

Princess (holding black piece of flute to her breast, and Papa Geno, with cat following, rush in from stage left, cupping their ears to listen to the flute as it recedes.

Princess: I hear the most wonderful sound; I feel it pounding in my breast, drawing me towards it like a sub dominant tone being resolved in the corresponding tonic tone of the octave above it.

Papa Geno:  Uh, right…I think it might be The Prince, and it sounds like he vanquished the volcano and lived to write a tune about it! Wow, I’m pals with a real live hero! How could I not have noticed his mighty muscles before? How blind was I to think his swooning was anything more than a cleaver ploy to lure in his enemies. Truly (Princess starts her speech), songs will be sung, poems recited, about his day. The day Papa Geno, and his trusty sidekick the Princess of the Night, rushed to witness his triumph!…

Princess: at Truly yes, fascinating, isn’t it. I have a feeling once I can express that mathematically as well as musically, I will bring a new harmony to this eternal struggle between my Mother’s Plane and the Golden Temple …

Both look at each other….slightly annoyed, but polite

Papa Geno:  Go on, my Princess, sorry I interrupted

Princess: No, no, my fault, I got caught up, and forgot we were looking for the Prince, to reunite the Magick Flute with this piece from the Kingdom of the Earth.

Papa Geno:  You mean the piece your Mother gave you before you left the Kingdom of the Night?

Princess: yes, this piece RIGHT HERE, she holds it up to the audience

Papa Geno:  Yes, nice piece

Cat: Meeee Rooooow

Papa Geno: breaks the “wall” and leans towards the audience Everybody up to speed? Good, lets move on.

Princess: Maybe we could let loose all your song birds at once, and…

Papa Geno:  I have a better idea! Why don’t you blow that piece of the Magick Flute, and see if it leads the Prince to us! breaks the “wall” and leans towards the audience my feet hurt!

Princess examines it closely, turns it over, looks bewildered

Princess: Um, there’s no obvious end, different from the other, I’m not that familiar with these things, uh, tries to hand it to Papa Geno, who steps back, hands in back of his back, almost into the Cat behind him.

Papa Geno:  Nope, nope, can’t help you there. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, just not my scene, you know, some of my best friends…

Enter The Prince from behind them, playing his small flute

Cat: Meee Roww

Prince:  Why, hello there! If it isn’t Papa Geno, and…the girl in the window!

Papa Geno:  Hail, Mighty Conqueror! (bows low)

Princess: Well, so you CAN talk!

Prince:  yes! I guess, I guess I’m not frightened anymore!

Papa Geno:  Tell us of your battle with the Creature of Fire, my Lord! Did you huff, and puff, and BLOW his mountain down?

Prince:  You know, funny thing about that, I was making a mountain out of a molehill. He was a very wise old fellow, quite nice once we got over the preliminaries. But I learned a lot, and have reunited the Magick Flute! He holds the two sections, yellow mouthpiece and red 2nd piece connected, aloft in triumph

Princess: Hold up, Hercules! If you have completed your quest to reunite the Magick Flute, what’s this? Holds out her black, end piece of the flute

Prince:  Whoa….um, good question.

Papa Geno:  yes, she does ask good questions, doesn’t she?  The Princess has a theory, a theory which is her’s, that melody and mathematics are really…

Prince and Princess approach each other in slow motion, even Papa Geno’s chatter peters out, and they hesitantly come close, flute pieces outstretched.

Princess:  Oh SHIT!

Prince:  It doesn’t fit!

Prince and Princess look at each other in dismay, then look at the audience

Act Nine

From the door behind the stage Bailando enters wearing a BIG blue dress, blue tutu and blue cloak or blanket, which she ripples in from of her as the Waterfall

Waterfall:  All Water is One Water, all rivers flow into the sea…eventually.

Sings (with help from coven and others)

?   Yimmi Yah Ah Say Sous,

Ah Say Sous, Yimmi Yah.

Yimmi Yah Ah Say Sous,

Ah Say Sous, Yimmi Yah.

Yimmi Yah Ah Loda, ah Lodo Yimi Yah.

Yimmi Yah Ah Loda, ah Lodo Yimi Yah.

Yimmi Yah Ah Say Sous,

Ah Say Sous, Yimmi Yah.

Yimmi Yah Ah Say Sous,

Ah Say Sous, Yimmi Yah.

Princess, and Prince are arguing, Papa Geno following behind, and the Cat following him, they wait at the edge of the left porch while…

Waterfall:  wait, in the distance, what’s that I hear? Disharmony?

Discordant voices, against the flow, they shalt not pass, this I know.

Water, water, everywhere, and oh those mortals shrink

So much Water, everywhere, they’ll have no time to Think!

She and offstage help wave blue blankets around

Our heroes walk right into the flood and thrash around, eventually ending up with the Princess clinging to the lower left banister while the Prince clings to the right and Papa Geno clings to the back of his belt.

Princess:  Oh SHIT!

Papa Geno:  You said that. Not very lady like, really, not very Princess like, if anyone cares about My opinion, but I just catch the birds that send the messages, I’m not responsible for the messages themselves.

Prince:  Calm down, hold tight, and keep your head above the Waters!

Papa Geno:  Princess, is the motion of the Water like Melody and Mathematics?

Princess: Why yes, Papa Geno, it is very…

Papa Geno:  Then can you THINK our way out of this mess?

Prince:  Actually, I think this qualifies as Deadly Peril! (DEADLY PERL!!!!)

Princess: Well, I’ve only had one day’s worth of classes at the Temple of the Sun, so One Math, One Chemistry, One…

Papa Geno:  Yes, yes, Princess, but time…

Princess: Right, right, um, lets see, Chemistry teaches us that water is H2O…and if Melody is in sympathy with the motion of the Waters, then …logically…

Papa Geno and Prince:  PRINCESS!!!!!

Princess: Right, right, almost there, the answer is that you must play the formula for water on your Magick Flute to stem the flood!

Prince:  Wonderful. What were those notes again?

Princess:  Do I have to do all the thinking here? If that flute can play low A as it’s lowest notes, then when you get through Low G the next note is logically H, which you must blow twice before…

Papa Geno and Prince:  PRINCESS!!!!!

Papa Geno: breaks the “wall” and leans towards the audience Everybody chant with me!

Papa Geno: back in character Who cares, “toot the flute, toot the flute!”

Audience picks up the chant, Toot the Flute, Toot the Flute

Prince: Now to tame the raging Water with the help of the Queen’s daughter! Pulls out his 2 sections and blows 3 notes.

Waterfall:  What was that, what was that sound? Well I remember that sound’s resound! Quiet Waters, Mother’s calling, rest and ease the way. This boy’s the Prince, the girl his Queen, our long vigil ends today!

The waters /blankets lay quiet, our heroes rest, and the Waterfall gently rolls the last part of the flute, the Blue lower middle part, to the Prince. Dazed, he picks it up.

A large Parrot comes and lands on Papa Geno’s shoulder, it says

Parrot: Princess….Phone home……..NOW…….your Mother

Act Ten

It’s the Temple of the Sun again, with the Red banner on the right, and the Balck banner on the left, and the King and his Magicians are getting an earful from a VERY angry Queen of the Night (offstage) for “misplacing” her only daughter.

Queen storms on stage from the left, dressed in full Valkyrie gear, metal breastplate, spear and horned helmet. She gestures to the computer/sound person, who starts up Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries and she begins to sing.

?   Queen:  We fly through the night skies

flapping our fat thighs

picking up dead guys

there goes one now.

On a wagon we load ‘em

Take ‘em to Odin

See if he knowed ‘em

Maybe he does.

You take the blond one

I’ll get the redhead

Olga, he’s not dead

Bomb away.

The 3 Witches follow right behind and groan

Maiden: Please, oh Queen, lose the spear and magick helmet.

Mother:  lose the spear and magick helmet.

Everybody echoes Spear and Magick helmet!

Crone: what they said, drop em, toots!

Queen: Harumph. Drops spear, takes off helmet, yells Understudy!

The Understudy comes in Thank you, thank you madam, thank you

?   Understudy: sings Queen of the Night aria while Queen unwrapped her pigtails letting her hair fall free, then whirling around like Wonder Woman and tossing off the breastplate stage left. She finishes just in time to cut off the Understudy with a quick “knife across the throat “ gesture, then finishes the last note, holding it loud and high, while the cast all applaud her, finishing with a sweeping bow that whips her hair to the floor.

Understudy creeps off stage left, bowing, murmuring Thank You.

Enter our Heroes from Stage right,

Princess:  Mom, we could hear you all the way down the block, Chill!

Prince: Hello Ms. Night, the Princess has told me so many stories about you I feel like I know you already.

Papa Geno:  It’s not my fault, whatever it is!

Queen: My baby! My angel! Rushes to Princess and embraces

King:   Praise Osirus! Makes the Signs of Osirus Slain, isis Mourning and Osirus Arisen, 3 Magicians reverently follow his lead

Boy Magician:  It was only a matter of time before she returned

Mature Magician: pulls a card from thin air It was in the cards!

Older Magician:  I would have given two to one odds!

Maiden:  enviously I would be so grounded if I…

Mother: Woah, look at that stallion with the cards!

Crone: I love happy endings

Princess:  Mom, quick question, is this holds up black section of flute or is this not… a part of…

Prince holds up his segments, Yellow/red in the right hand, Blue in the left

This FRIEND of MINE’S Magick Flute?

The 3 Witches look distinctly uncomfortable, and each tries to hide behind the other.

The Queen looks at them, composes her face, turns to her daughter and purrs….Purrrrrhaps.

Princess:  gives her “the look”. Well, you never told me what to do with it!

The Queen: Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of our Law, but do it quickly, for the hour of Dusk approaches, and I must embrace the Goddess in the Night, to struggle for the Dark another day.

Princess:  But why Mom, why this eternal struggle between our Darkness and Our Light? Here, my Prince, take the remaining segment of your Magick Flute, and Play the day away. She hands last piece of flute to

 ?   Prince who assembles it and pretends to play a beautiful melody (we play the music from the opera)

As he plays, the Players arrange themselves for the big finale, Isis is revealed in the back, left hand stage, Osirus on the right. The Kings and Queens next on their sides, then the Witches and Magicians, then the Prince and Princess, with Papa Geno sitting at the bottom right stair, the Cat curdled up in his lap. Stagehand drapes snake around both Prince and Princes, head resting between their breasts.

During this moving around, the Mother Witch speaks briefly to the Mature Magician, who shakes his head and puts a tender hand on the King’s knee. She shrugs, and as she turns around the Old Magician pinches her bottom and winks at her.

Everybody dances in place to the melody, while the other players (Volcano, Waterfall, Understudy, Governess etc) come on stage, Osirus and Isis open their eyes, bless the Players and turn toward each other, extending the inner hand to touch, the outer hands to bless everyone.

With one last note the Flute stops, and everybody freezes.

Papa Geno: Well, all’s well that ends well, I guess. Day and Night stand today as equals, the Prince has earned his place in the world, and the love of the Princess. But what about me? Poor, Papa Geno, everyone else is so happy, but now I have to wander alone again. No one will remember the poor fool who chases birds. They will all abandon me for their palaces and universities. I might as well just hang myself, end it all.

Cat: Meerow

Papa Geno: Except for you, Little Pussy. You know, I haven’t caught a bird in days, but you followed us through night to day, from Earth to Air through Fire and Water. You never faltered, you Little Putty Cat, you. You are a true friend. Pets Cat, who rises up and sensuously sheds her Cat costume for a tight, fetching number underneath. Papa Geno is amazed!

Cat: Finally, I am released. Papa Geno, I am Pussy Genie, and I love you!

Papa Geno: I guess it’s like I always say, big cats can be dangerous, but a little pussy never hurts.

?   BIG FINALE

ALL, and singers : Pa Pa Pa   Pa Pa Pa  Pa Pa Pa Papa Geno Papa Geno, girls Pussy Genie Pussy Genie <aria>

All bow

Epilogue:

Ending Blessing: All, including audience:

Magick made by music’s lute

We draw you back into this flute

Until we call you forth again

To serve us as “Die Zauberflote”

Friday, January 26, 2008 ce.

Revised July 17, 2008 ce.

Performed October 11, 2008 ce. at Pan Thea 2008, Ashoken NY

FURNACE

Chuck 2.0