Steam Punks: The Musical!

___________________________

A musical

By Chadwick Harman

Contact:Chadwick Harman

1500 Peachtree St. Jackson, MS, 39202 BOX:230601-692-6966

chad.harman@depagemedia.com

CAST OF CHARACTERS

MORGAN (late 20's-30's) Leader of the Norton Gang. He's enjoyed a successful career as a ruffian and criminal, but seems ready to leave that life. Morgan is precise and methodical. He falls in love with Josephine when mistaken for her fiance.

JOSEPHINE (mid 20's) The daughter of Hugh. She is inexperienced and dissatisfied with that fact. More than anything she wants to go on an adventure, but gets more that she bargained for when she falls in love with Morgan instead of her fiance.

RUFUS (early 20's) A young, go get 'em type of guy. He's one of Morgan's Gang and the self proclaimed number 2. Other than his knack for bad grammar and misuse of large words, Rufus is quiet intelligent-- in a manipulative way. He seems to favor chaos and chance over Morgan's planning. Rufus is the one who runs the Necklace Job.

BIG DAN (late 20's) The Gang's real number two and Morgan's only friend. He falls in love with Maggie after a chance encounter.

MAGGIE (mid 20's) Josephine's friend and personal maid. Maggie protests Josephine's willingness to fall in love with a man she hardly knows-- only until she herself falls for Big Dan.

HUGH (50's) The Chief of Police who's up for reelection. He hires Alford to come on as his campaign manager.

ALFORD (40's) The politician. He is as slimy as they come. He only agrees to give Hugh's campaign some much needed help if he can marry Josephine.

CHARLIE (30's) Hugh's number two. A well rounded and respected man-of-the-badge.

IDA (50's) The head of Hugh's estate-staff. She's a German broad with an odd crush on Hugh. She has it out for Maggie. She may have a thick accent.

BUTCH (20's) An over weight member of Morgan's gang. Specialty: Demolition.

FRANCIS (20's) A drunk Irish member of Morgan's gang. Specialty: Stealth.

THAD (20's) A sophisticated English man, also a member of Morgan's gang. Specialty: Lock-picking

EDWARD (20's) A member of Morgan's Gang.

ii.

ISAAC (20's) A member of Morgan's Gang.

JAKE (20's) A member of Morgan's Gang

TERRY (30's), The incarcerated member of Morgan's Gang. Specialty: Pilot.

FRANK, a police man

PHILLY, a police man

JERRY, a police man

COPS, the bumbling mass of cops that chase the Gang around (this can be shrunk and expanded to meet needs)

CASTING NOTE: Frank, Philly and Jerry can be double cast as Edward, Isaac and Jake.

iii.

SETTINGS

1) Schmidtzinsky Avenue

2) Hugh's House Garden

3) Hugh's Office

4) The Gang Hideout (Dive Bar)

5) Market

6) City Streets

7) Ballroom

iv.

SONG LIST

1. OVERTURE ORCHESTRA

ACT ONE2. PROLOGUE HUGH

3. SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUE COMPANY

4. ON TOP OF THE WORLD RUFUS AND GANG

5. ADVENTURE'S SIDE MORGAN AND JOSEPHINE

(WHO LOVES ME?)

6. WHAT IS THIS 'LOVE?' MAGGIE, JOSEPHINE, MAIDS

6B. WHAT IS THIS 'LOVE?', REPRISE JOSEPHINE

7. ALFORD'S TELEGRAM HUGH, CHARLIE

(YOU'VE GOTTA PLAY DIRTY)

8. ORGANIZED CRIME RUFUS, MORGAN, GANG

9. FLOWERS FOR MADAME MORGAN, COMPANY

10. HUGH'S ALL THE NEWS ALFORD, COMPANY

11. YOU'VE GOT TO PLAY DIRTY TO WIN COMPANY

12. THE STREETS AT NIGHT WISPS

13. RUN! COMPANY

(SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUE ,REPRISE)

ACT TWO14. WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY COMPANY

15. SO THIS IS LOVE! BIG DAN AND MAGGIE

16. THE DEATH SONG RUFUS AND HUGH

17. FOR HER AND HER ALONE MORGAN AND COMPANY

18. THE GANG OR THE GIRL MORGAN AND WISPS

19A. BAR DANCE ORCHESTRA

19B. ORGANIZED CRIME, REPRISE RUFUS

20. DESPICABLE PEOPLE RUFUS AND GANG

21. BEFORE I LOVED YOU MORGAN AND JOSEPHINE

(DESPERATELY IN LOVE)

22. EPILOGUE HUGH

23. ON TOP OF THE WORLD, REPRISE COMPANY

24. CURTAINS AND BOWS ORCHASTRA

v.

PRODUCTION NOTESThe show is done in "Steampunk." The following is from the Wikipedia page about Steampunk. I will be updating this page throughout my drafts, with personal details and such.

From WikipediaSteampunk is a sub-genre of science fiction that typically features steam-powered machinery, especially in a setting inspired by industrialized Western civilization during the 19th century. Steampunk works are often set in an alternative history of the 19th century's British Victorian era or American "Wild West", in a post-apocalyptic future during which steam power has regained mainstream use, or in a fantasy world that similarly employs steam power. Steampunk perhaps most recognizably features anachronistic technologies or retro-futuristic inventions as people in the 19th century might have envisioned them, and is likewise rooted in the era's perspective on fashion, culture, architectural style, and art. Such technology may include fictional machines like those found in the works of H. G. Wells and Jules Verne, or the modern authors Philip Pullman, Scott Westerfeld, Stephen Hunt and China Miéville. Other examples of steampunk contain alternative history-style presentations of such technology as lighter-than-air airships, analog computers, or such digital mechanical computers as Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine.

The show takes place in 1940-1950's Stemapunk America in a city much like Boston. Our city, however, is called Norton. The Triple Contraction (Who'd've, We'ren't) is something that I put in the show to help separate people in the lowers class from the upper class and also show that this world is like ours with slight differences. To some degree we talk like this in our everyday faster-that-light version of English, but I wanted to play with it a bit.

There's also a whole system of swearing using terms that someone in a Steampunk world would come into contact daily.

What's so exciting about this as a genre is that it's untapped and only been made popular recently. So to write a musical in Steampunk has been a heck-of-a-good time. I've had the oppertunity to be extremely creative (I've had to dial it down as well), and I hope that this genre will give everyone a chance to be creative with the show.

vi.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSI'll write something here eventually.

vii.

ACT ONE

PROLOGUE

MUSIC CUE #2 PROLOGUE

(HUGH sits at the desk in his office. One pooled light spots the desk-- we see nothing else. He looks determined. In Hugh’s hand is a pen.)

(WISPS enter and surround)

WISPS

AH______________AH______________AH______________

SHE WAS SAFE IN YOUR ARMSFOREVER WITH YOUSHE WAS THERE, IN YOUR HEARTHOW COULD YOU LET HER--

(Hugh begins to write)

HUGH

IN THE YEAR NINETEEN-TENDURING THE REIGN OF HER MAJESTYQUEEN VICTORIA THE FIFTHI WRITE THESE, MY FINAL WORDS

ALL IS QUIET ON THE STREETSBUT NOT FOR LONG I’M AFRAIDTHERE ARE THOSE IN THE SHADOWS WHO MEETTHERE ARE THOSE WHO STAY OUT OF THE DAYWHERE IS GOD WHEN WE NEED HIM? EMPTY PRAYERS STRETCH TO HEAVEN

WISPS

OOO_______________OOO_______________OOO_______________

SHE IS DEAD TO THE LIGHTHER LIFE WREAKS OF DEATH AND SINGONE FOREVER FROM YOUR ARMSDO WHAT YOU KNOW YOU SHOULD--

HUGH

THE CITY IS FOUL WITH THE STENCH OF HER MENTHE CRIMES THEY COMMIT WITH NO RECOMPENSEPROVES THAT I KNEW ALL ALONGA WORLD OF WHICH NO RIGHT OR WRONGEXISTS HERE TODAYOH GOD I PRAY

KEEP HER SAFE IN YOUR ARMSFOREVER WITH YOUSHE IS HERE IN MY HEARTSPAY ME NOW WHAT I’M DUEDID I NOT PROMISE HER I WOULD NEVER LEAVEHER ALONETHAT I WOULD KEEP HER SAFE NO MATTER WHATIT TAKES

HUGH & WISPS

WHERE IS SHE NOW?

HUGHSHE IS NOT HERE

WISPSAH_____________AH_____________ *

He writes again. The pen strikes the page with each word)

SO TO WHOM FIND THIS LETTERI HOPE TO GOD IT’S BETTER THAN HEREWHEREEVER YOU ARE!

2.

WISPS

WHEREEVER YOU ARE!

(The street of Schmidtzinsky Avenue begins to build around Hugh’s desk. The desk rolls off. The streets are littered with carts and other paraphernalia)

HUGHThis is the story of how I lost my daughter to the man I hate more than life itself. His name is Morgan. A murderer, a thief, a villain. Brilliant some have said-- but an evil man none-the-less. It all began on a street called Schmidtzinsky--

(HOWARD, a bum, enters and sits next to a building)

HUGH--and with one word...

(Beat)

RUFUS (OFF)Run!

3.

SCENE ONE *

MUSIC CUE #3 SCHMIDT. AVENUE

(The GANG runs on from LS. The Gang jumps over carts on their way, crossing RS. PHILLY, FRANK, JERRY, and RONALD enter. They chase the gang across. Ronald attempts to jump a cart-- attempts)

GANGCome on/Can’t catch us!/We’ve gotta give ‘em the slip/Excuse me.

(Some DENIZENS enter. They are utterly displeased with the ruckus. The gang interacts humorously with the denizens as the flee. Once the gang has exited there is a period of rest... The gang enters from RS and flees LS cops right behind them)

CITIZEN(to Cops:)

What’s your problem! Get them!

CITIZEN 2They’re just bad guys.

FRANK(running by)

Not just any bad guys.

PHILIP(running by)

The bad guys.

(The cops exit. BUTCH and THAD run on stage)

(Jake enters with two cops following him. Jake jumps and 360 spins around a horizontal flag pole. He kicks the two cops in the back, and they fall to the ground. The flag pole hangs limp. The cops enter)

BUTCHRun!

4.

(The gang exits. Francis jumps up from the ground and passes Howard. Beat. Francis renters and takes a bottle of liquor from Howard)

HOWARDFrancis!

(The cops have lost the gang again)

COPS

OH SCHMIDTZINSKY WHY DO YOULEAD US ASTRAYON FIFTEENTH AVENUEWE’VE GONE THE EXTRA MILEYOU KEEP US FROM OUR GOALDESPONDENCE FINDS USTHEIR EVIL MOCKS USON SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUE!

(The chase continues. Francis runs on sage while chugging the last bit of liquor from the bottle. He throws the empty bottle behind him and hits a cop in the head. He exits. MORGAN enters. He crosses to Howard, who still sits in the same location)

MORGANOh, Schmidtzinsky. Nothing beats the smell of rust and steam in Norton’s finest, stalest air. I love you schmidt.

HOWARDDo you know what I love?

MORGANYes, gentle, homeless Howard, I can imagine.

(Morgan retrieves a bag of coins from his pocket)

MORGANI hope this will do.

(He throws the bag to Howard)

5.

HOWARDYou’re too kind, Morgan.

MORGANI’ve been told. Do you have it?

HOWARDDo I-- do I have it? Morgan, I am the collective eyes and ears of this city. I see what no man sees. I hear what no man can hear.

(Howard hands Morgan a folded piece of paper)

MORGANYou’re personal flattery is so far above you, you have little chance of actually achieving it.

HOWARD(the insult is lost)

Tell that Francis fellow the next time he steals from me will be the last.

MORGANAgain with the personal flattery. Besides, it couldn’t have been Francis-- or any of my men. They’re not running a job today.

(Francis, Butch and Edward run in front of Morgan)

MORGANInteresting. Thanks, Howard.

(Morgan exits. The cops, followed by some *PROTESTORS, enter) *

PROTESTERS

FAILURES!YOU ARE FAILURES!

JERRYWe do our best.

PROTESTERS

LIARS *YOU ARE LIARS! *

6.

FRANKWhat do you want us to do?

PROTESTERS

SOMETHING, ANYTHINGEVERYTHING BUT WHAT YOU’RE DOING NOW!

COPS

SCHMIDTZINSKY!WHY MUST YOU CURSE USSCHMIDTZINSKY?

PROTESTERS

WE ARE ALL TIRED OF SEEING THIS MESS!

(The Gang runs across the stage followed by Philip)

GANG

AH!

PROTESTERS

THESE GANG RIDDEN STREETS ARE SOCIETY’S TRASH

PROTESTERS (CONT’D)THEY STEAL WHAT THEY WANT AND THE COPS CAN’T KEEP UP

GANGAH!AH!

PROTESTERS

GOD KNOWS WHAT TROUBLETHEY’VE NOW BROUGHT ON US!

FRANK(to Jerry:)

What are we gonna do?

PROTESTERS

WOE IS YOU!WOE IS YOU!

7.

PROTESTERS/COPS

WOE IS US!

(A horrid cry of lament is lamented forth)

PROTESTERS/COPS

WOE!

ON SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUETHERE’S A STEAM IN THE AIR THAT KEEPS THOSE IMPAIRED WHO DO WHAT’S GOOD AND RIGHT AND TRUE!

TELL US WHY!SCHMIDTZINSKY WHY?SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUE!

(RUFUS sticks his head out of a barrel)

RUFUS(pointing off stage)

They went that way!

COPSThanks/What a swell guy/We have a lead!

(The cops exit. Rufus steps out of the barrel)

CHORUS

ON SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUEHOPE IS NO LONGER OUR FRIEND DAYS ARE SHORTER, NIGHTS ARE COLDER SCHMIDTZINSKY WE'RE AT OUR END!

OH, SCHMIDTZINSKY WHY DO YOU LET US SUFFER THIS WAY? CAN'T THE GANG RUE THE DAY?TELL US WHY! SCHMIDTZINSKY WHY?SCHMIDTZINSKY AVENUE! *

RUFUSEveryone, everyone. I’m sure the cops have the situation under control. Please return to the safety of your houses and ... *

8.

RUFUS *(to Howard)

Boxes.

HOWARDCareful.

(One by one the denizens exit)

RUFUSThat’s right. Just like that. Nothing to see here.

(When the last one clears:)

RUFUSThank, God.

(Rufus retrieves a pouch rom his pocket)

RUFUSRufus, you’ve out done yourself this time.

(BIG DAN enters. Rufus tosses the pouch up and down)

BIG DANCareful with--

(Big Dan’s presence makes Rufus jump-- which causes him to over compensate the throw. The necklace goes behind Rufus and lands on the ground)

RUFUSWhat the--! Big Dan, you brute. Careful who you sneak up on.

(Big Dan picks up the pouch and opens it up, he retrieves a necklace)

BIG DANRufus. Please don’t tell me we risked the gang on a necklace.

RUFUSNot just any necklace.

9.

BIG DANMorgan’s not stupid. He’d’ve not had us out for something so trite.

RUFUS(beat)

Exactly.

BIG DANYou concern me.

(Rufus snatches the necklace from Big Dan)

RUFUSTone down the coindescention, would ya?

BIG DANIt’s pronounced condescension. *

RUFUSMy point.

BIG DANWhere was Morgan today?

RUFUS--Busy.

BIG DAN(more direct)

Where is he?

RUFUSThree-- two words. Bank. Job--

(beat)--No. Three words-- preparation--

(beat)Or is bank job one word?

BIG DANWithout Terry? Morgan knows we can’t pull of the bank heist without our pilot.

RUFUSThere ya’ go, Big Dan. We need Terry. Morgan put me in charge of breaking our Italian amigo out of the slammer.

(chasing the thought)Seriously, is bank job one or two words?

10.