Open Skies ZERO:
Prelude to a New Life
Scene 9
[Stage same as beginning of Scene 8, but time is dawn. Stage left are trees, some stumps, Boy1, Boy2, and RT3 are sleeping on the ground next to their axes. Stage right part of the incomplete boat is visible but obviously too long for entire thing to be visible. Robert, RT1, and RT2 are asleep on ground next to the boat. There is a big drum in the middle of the stage, not necessarily a bass drum, just one that can make a deep sound. TT2 asleep next to big drum. Enter Balin, stage right.]
Balin: [pacing back and forth across stage, thinking aloud in aside:] I guess he’s right. … … I mean, there’s no reason one person is any different than another huh?… …. … Well, maybe… But there’s no time left. We have no choice. We’ll just have to get across without him… … After all, it was our men who figured the way to get across, and he wasn’t anywhere in their calculations… … [worried look] Was he?… … .. Nah, he wasn’t, I’m sure of it! … … … ONLY ONE DAY LEFT! … CRAP! [end aside, to everyone:] BACK TO WORK!
[TT2 is startled awake and begins pounding the drum in a slow 3-count rhythm with hit on 1 and 3]
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[Balin exits stage left as everyone gets up. Boy1, Boy2, and RT3 grab their axes and start chopping. Robert, RT1, and RT2 start laying planks, hammering, etc. Everyone takes part in the song:]
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: Chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
[enter William stage left on acoustic guitar]
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
[Everyone keeps working as RT2 (NOTE: This solo singer could be any one of the workers on stage, not necessarily RT2) stops doing what he's doing to sing, moving around stage, singing to audience]
RT2: [singing]
We’re on the path to glory!
This world has nothing for us!
We get what we put in;
We’ll get what we deserve!
[Enter TT1 stage right on flute. Everyone stops working and sings to the audience:]
Everyone: [singing]
We’re on the path to glory!
This world has nothing for us!
We get what we put in;
We’ll get what we [Robert, RT1, and RT2 only:] deserve!
[Everyone back to working, passing the chant]
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: Chop! [NOTE: This line begins at same time stage right is singing "deserve"]
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
[Everyone returns to their work except Boy1 who moves about the stage, singing to other workers and audience]
Boy1: [singing]
We chop and build,
And chop and build,
We’re barely even men;
But time will bring the fruits of
Our labor, and we’ll wait ’til then.
Everyone: [singing]
We chop and build,
And chop and build,
We’re barely even men;
But time will bring the fruits of
Our labor, and we’ll [Robert, RT1, and RT2 only:] wait ’til then.
[Everyone back to working, passing the chant]
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: Chop! [NOTE: This line begins at same time stage right is singing "wait 'til then"]
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
Boy1, Boy2, and RT3: And chop!
Robert, RT1, and RT2: And build!
[Enter Balin stage right]
[Everyone stops and stands up straight except TT2 on drums and William on guitar, TT1 also sings at this point just holding his flute, everyone sings to audience and Balin]
Everyone: [singing]
We say ‘Hail’ to our master!
We say ‘Hail’ to our god!
We say ‘Hail’ to our master!
And his name is –
Balin: [interrupting line in the song] BACK TO WORK! [exit stage left]
[everyone returns to their work while William, TT1, and TT2 continue playing]
