THESEUS

          ----- Founding Athens -----

 

Book/Music/Lyrics: Michael MacDonald

 

Writer’s Guild Reg. # 088-552-00

Copyright 2000 PA 994-870

 

AUTHOR’S NOTES

 - Director’s notes appear in italics -- concerning lighting, sets, or dialogue descriptions interspersed throughout the script.

 -- Most scenes are augmented with ‘background music’—usually consisting of chords from songs occurring later in the scene-- using orchestral instruments from low cello to light flute, strings, or other.

-- PACING : Generally the intended pace of dialogue in most scenes would be one minute per page, in the enclosed printed version. Conversations are meant to run quickly, naturally -- with very few dramatic ‘pauses’ -- speakers often overlap each other in a ‘back and forth’ pattern.

-- MUSIC/DIALOGUE RATIO : through overall production -- approximately 60% dialogue and 40% music/song on average. Or 75 mins. dialogue and approx. 50 mins. music/song. Though varying from scene to scene.

-- See attached material for individual song lyrics and choreography.

-- Most characters, and character groups have particular ‘theme’ music associated with them and their causes, or activities.

-- ‘ Foreshadowing ‘ plot devices are used extensively throughout production –which can be noted or observed from scene to scene..

--- Certain characters have particular gestures or body language associated with them, recurring throughout the production-- as described within the script.

--- We would remind readers that this production is designed to illustrate particular social-political themes, in a realistic, historical setting-- with an educational sense and purpose -- and traditional entertainment value. All character profiles, projected plot elements and particular conceptual phrasing are protected to the fullest  extent of existing Copyright laws and regulations.

START : 

Prologue - Overture

THEATER LIGHTS GO DOWN -- Narrator reads the creationist myth of “ the Lost Days” -- as the words appear against the ‘ night sky’ appearing on the large screen in front of the Curtain  :     [ Deep ‘James Earl Jones-like’ voice  ]

 

         This for the Days when the Gods walked the earth -

 Wherefore the world was a gift -- and unto Each a Gift for the World

              Unto Each a place --- unto Each a value ….

   And so the world was the richer then --- for EveryOne ---

                      for the gift of each…. Only this …

 

                  But for such days are long ago --

           Days of Balance when the world was young

            and the time came for the Gods to leave---

  And so that now they would watch from a great distance

                  To see what Men and Kings will do….

                                                         Stone Tablet - Library of Nineveh - Hittites 5,500 B.C.

 

 

Overture begins and the screen dissolves to the full-length title shot :

[ THESEUS ] -- with the first big orchestral “down-note” -- then the Mediterranean Map appears and the Prologue begins to scroll upward from the bottom-- setting the historical scenario of Greece and the Island-Empire of Crete in 1400 B.C. against the giant, full-color map of the Mediterranean world.

OVERTURE PLAYS -- TRACK 1 MUSIC CD – 3 ½ min.

PROLOGUE on screen against Mediterranean Map :

 

     The Year is 1405 B.C.

                      -- The Bronze Age --

 

The Cretan Empire reigns supreme over the Mediterranean Ocean -- the world's first great sea-going nation -- for the first time linking the vast land empires of Asia with crucial trade surplus and shortage ---Second only to Egypt in world power.

 

Mainland Greece, at this time, is still undeveloped – a rich military class ruling over large peasant  populations —in dozens of smaller kingdoms, often at war.

Only Athens, under King Aegius, makes progress toward civilized economy and the rule of law.   But the dream of a Greek nation is still years away --

 

      -- At the Close of the Bronze Age --

Facing declining trade with Asia  --- better caravan routes ---- and rising

competition from the sea-going Phoenicians, Phrygians, and others ---

the Golden Age of Crete is threatened for the first time . .

 

On the verge of two possible futures: a policy of trade and development --

   Or one of conquest and subjugation throughout the Mediterranean world.

 

The scrolling written words on the screen now fade away as camera appears to zoom in on Athens on the map.

 

Narrator Voice now returns ---  with map now in close-up :

 

“ Already with tribute colonies in Iberia, Gaul, and Britannia to the West -- and

disturbed by the growing economy and coastal trade of Athens to the North --

The Council of Crete has imposed an Imperial Tax on the lands of the Greek

peninsula -- with a surtax now on the rising young city of Athens:

 

( now montage of several “Bull-dance’ paintings / pictures ]-- with Voice:

 

“A demand for payment of athletes to perform in the famous Cretan spectator sport --The Bulldance -- the most popular stadium event of its time --

the ancient Spectacle of the Rich -- the Dance of Life over Death.

[ map returns now -- zoom in on Athens]

And the Council Edict has arrived in Athens --either pay the tax --

or pay the consequences”........

Shimmering, CHINESE GONG now goes off – MAP fades- lites up