Scene 1 | Scene 2 | Scene 3 | Scene 4 | Scene 5 | Scene 6 | Scene 7
Scene 8 | Scene 9 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12 | Scene 13
Open Skies ZERO:
Prelude to a New Life
Scene 8
[Early nighttime. Stars and crescent moon highly visible in sky over mountains. Brightest star close to moon. Tent in right foreground of background. Stage right a couple rows of trees, with some chopped down. Stage left a few pieces of wood laid out toward building boat. Boy1 and Boy2 are each sitting on a stump toward back of stage, resting, axes next to them on ground. RT1 and RT2 working on the building of boat stage left. Red and Angel toward front of stage right, Red still chopping tree with an axe. Angel holding his arm (Make this work, Red is particularly careful of his tree chopping...)]
[Enter Balin stage left. He motions hellos to RT1 and RT2, they lip conversations. RT1 and RT2 exit stage left. Balin heads toward Boy1 and Boy2 sitting on stumps, glances at Red and Angel on the way and gives an aside face/gesture and a lipped "What the?" Balin and two boys gesture conversations with Balin pointing at Angel as though he's asking about her. Boys lip conversations and I-don't-know gestures (shoulder shrugs, head nods, etc.). Balin leaves them and goes to Red. The boys exit stage right. Red sees him coming and stops chopping, leaning his axe against the tree. He holds Angel's hands which are on his arm.]
Balin: Can I talk to you a second?
Red: Sure, what’s going on?
[Balin looks at Angel, looks back at Red, and puts his hand around Red's back as though gently directing him away from Angel. Angel tightens her grip and closes her distance to Red.]
Balin: In private?…
Red: [thinks a second] Gimme a minute… [with finger 'one-minute' gesture]
Balin: Sure, sure… [walks back a ways, turns around, giving Red and Angel some space and privacy.]
Red: [to Angel] I’ll be right back, okay?
Angel: Why? Anything he can say to you he can say to me too, right?
Red: Of course.. but he won’t. Lemme just see what he wants and I’ll be right back.
Angel: Okay…
[Red goes to Balin while Angel waits.]
Red: What is it?
Balin: Hey Red… … We’re going to need your full potential in the next couple of days… and quite frankly I don’t think we’re getting it while she’s hanging on you all the time… …
Red: What’s your deal, dude? It’s not like you even have to feed both of us… We just split one portion, so what’s the deal?
Balin: [as though not even listening to Red] And what’s with that ski suit she’s always wearing?…
Red: She’s going to be a skier.
Balin: [smug/smirking] With fused shoulders…
Red: [starts this line before Balin is done with the previous one] She’s going to be a skier.
Balin: Red… We need your full potential… otherwise we’re just putting ourselves behind by feeding you who can’t even fully work… You’re the key, Red, and we need to be able to find out what that really means, and I’m telling you, we aren’t going to be able to do it with her weighing you down.
Red: Key?! What a load of garbage!
Balin: But it’s not! You are the key! I believe it completely! I thought differently very briefly, but fate brought you to us nonetheless! And without you we’re all doomed!
Red: Doomed?! Don’t feed me that crap too! [turning around] I’m outta here! [walking off toward Angel]
Balin: WAIT!
[Red turns back and impatiently:]
Red: What?! [walking back toward Balin]
Balin: You really want to go back to that?
Red: Back to what?
Balin: Back to that dying world, filled with blindness, greed, and every horrible disease you can think of?… You would choose that over a chance at true glory?! Over a chance to reach the Island?
Red: If it means getting there alone, then I gladly give up the chance. I’d rather die at home with someone to love than live forever alone…
[A shooting star beams slowly across the sky.]
Balin: Look Red! [pointing at shooting star] You could be that star! It’s yours, if you would only take it!
[Music begins.]
PlayRed: I don’t want to be that star, Balin!
[singing]
I wanna be the star
With a pocketful of sunshine
The star that shines so bright
All the way through the nightI wanna be one
Who can make a difference
One who will change the world
Make it a better place
For you and for meShine so bright that we never leave the moonlight
Without a friend
Be the light in the dark of the night who
Will always defend
That there’s nothing wrong with this place we call home
We’ll find a way
Yeah there’s nothing wrong in this place we call home
We’ll find a way
We’ll find a way
[During solo, Red grabs Angel and they both run in place, facing stage right. Props exit stage left. Backdrop rolls through forest (or this could be done with rolling tree props) as though they are running through the forest. They reach opening in forest (trees only at very stage left now) by the time the solo is over. The barn as seen from the side is center stage, with back of barn facing toward the woods stage left. Red continues singing:]
Yeah there’s nothing wrong in this place we call home
We’ll find a way
Yeah there’s nothing wrong with this place we call home
We’ll find a way
We’ll find a way
[As piano plays, Red and Angel lay down, exhausted. Curtain closes while music finishes and fades out.]
