The Opera

Introductions

A yellow spot comes up on Ricky stage right. Ricky, in simple yellow shirt and pants, sings, earnest and winning, solid and sure. Ricky sings Hey Yea. Full song>  Light down.

A white spot from behind Ricky comes up.  Ricky, outlined by the light from behind, sings Freedom And Mercy. Full song>  Light down.

A blue spot comes up stage left, the Rev. Dr. Gaylord, in a simple white stately gown, sings of his heavy-handed stride in glory.  Gaylord sings Heavy. Full song>    Light down.

A white spot comes up center stage, where Helen sings, in a simple blue dress, eager for what is right and good.  Helen sings I Can't Sing You. Full song>    Light down.

Cool yellow spot, Margo is alone center stage, holding a simple acoustic guitar.  Margo proclaims:

"Did you ever have that light in your eye, that gleam, that magical moment when you knew right then and there that you were right with this wondrous universe we find our pitiful selves in?  Folks, welcome to Suntown, where our favorite son Ricky has come in from the hinterlands.  Stay a while, and maybe you'll find yourself soaring with the eagles, up so high you're blinded by the light!"

Whoopin it up

Lights up, the band starts midway through Margo's monologue, the scene is in a public house of simple tables and chairs, a bar at stage left.  Town folk are dressed in western attire that's sharp but simple.  A few town folk are seated at tables, one at the bar, most town folk are up and grooving to the music, whooping it up together in camaraderie.  Helen, working with her hand held computer device, sits in simple urban attire alone at a table, stage left front.

Ricky strides to front and center, confident and cheered on by the others.  He, Margo, Gaylord, and Bo sing Suntown-Out On A Limb. Full song>
 

Ricky and Margo stay front center stage, the others fall back, some sit at tables, others mill around the bar. Ricky notices Helen at her table and likes what he sees. Margo, with her guitar, tells us:

Now Ricky is as free and right as the jewels in the midnight sky, but he's taken by my niece Helen, who's paying us a visit here in Suntown.

Margo and Ricky sing Hey Ho. Full song>  Margo goes to behind the bar, putting down the guitar.  Ricky moves over to Helen's table, and Ricky, Helen, and Gaylord sing I Hear A Note-Uncertainty. Full song>

Margo comes around the front of the bar with guitar, white spot on Margo, the band fades out.  Margo tells us:

Out in the hinterlands lives the wise old shaman Shima.  Shima's been here as far as anyone remembers, and her and Ricky have always had a sort of understanding, you might call it spiritual or something.  She's gonna do another healing ceremony and Ricky invites the ever inquisitive Helen along.  Ah, red sky and high heaven, the magic builds...

A sacred, simple act

Spot down.  The beginning of the next song chimes in.  Lights come up to half, a simple room with earthen floor, where an old man lies unconscious under a patterned blanket.  Several simple Native American ceremonial items are on the floor around the old man, a small fire burns in a bowl.  Shima is at the left side of the old man's head, an anonymous man is to the right side.  Shima motions off stage right and Ricky and Helen solemnly enter.  Ricky is reverent.  Helen is doubtful but quiet.  They both kneel beside Shima alongside the old man.

For the first instrumental part of the next song, Shima performs a healing ceremony on the old man.  Reverence and awe fill the room, Shima holds the moment with dignity and respect. 

Shima rises to sing her vocal part center stage, sings White Man Has No Words For. Full song>  During the second instrumental part of  White Man Has No Words For, Shima returns to her place by the old man's head.  Helen rises in wonder of the event, and Ricky follows her up. 

Helen says nothing but exhibits her displeasure with this event to Shima, and then to Ricky. Shima regards Helen who is silent in her rage and confusion, but Shima remains composed, trying to soothe Helen and help her understand the healing.  Ricky is silent in his trying to understand Helen during this sacred moment.  Helen stomps out stage right, Ricky resigns to follow her stage right, questioning silently.

Drum beat continues on then fades out.  Lights go down.

Passion's flame

Lights come up, band plays at low volume.  Stage has simple chair-size blocks, lighting is a fiery cloud strewn sunset.  Margo is reclining on a block stage left with her guitar.  Margo marvels at the young pair:

Despite Ricky and Helen's awkward moment at Shima's ceremony, they end up taking a shine to each other.  Hoowee, you can feel the heat! Shine on you kids, shine on...

Ricky and Helen sing to each other I Have A Picture-Give-Freedom & Mercy. Full song>  Ricky motions for Helen to get up and dance with her in joy.  They embrace, then release and pull back.  Margo puts down the guitar, comes center stage.  Margo proclaims:

Jump for joy and love eternal in the young at heart!  Damn if they don't see the fire at their fingertips and the mysterious pangs of new breathlessness.  Come on you two, quit gallivanting and let's show them what you got!

Margo intertwines between and around Ricky and Helen as she sings a spirited Face The Fire. Full song> Margo pulls back, as Helen comes to front looking sullen and in despair.  Margo sadly admits:

Dang if her doubts play those tricks on her!  Day and night, black and white, poor Helen...

Helen gingerly steps to the beat of the music, not paying much attention to Ricky and Margo.  Helen, with Margo, sings  How Many Time Have I Heard This? Full song>

Helen pulls back, Ricky hugs her with understanding.  Margo steps up and sighs at Helen, remarking tenderly to her niece:

Oh sugar, easy now, blessed be the tangled heart, the slippery face of love.  Look out there, beyond that fiery sunset, are those sweat-filled nights out there, trembling?  Are those the troubled dreams left behind?  Ain't that the quiet resign of a dried up soul?  But let me be clear...

Then into the spirited Twilight Shine Full song>  Margo and Ricky start into a good natured hug but is interrupted as Helen moves between them to the front silently pleading to the audience.  Margo comforts Helen:

That's all right child...

Helen returns to Ricky and buries her head in Ricky's chest, then they pull back as they about to embrace.  Helen pulls free and takes Ricky's hand confidently and the two stride off stage right.  Margo chagrins at the couple:

Shine on you two lovebirds, sing your song!

Margo exits stage right.  Lights down, band ends.

It gets ugly

Blue spot from below shines on Gaylord alone center stage, dressed in dark blue shirt and trousers with grey trim.  Stage has simple chair-size blocks, lighting is a fiery cloud strewn sunset from the previous scene.  Gaylord sings No Helen Full song> 

During the latter instrumental part of No Helen, Gaylord writhes in emotional pain, confused by this new feeling.  After a moment, his face lightens up and a look of dark glee comes upon his face.  He has a plan, and whips around as he dashes off stage right.

Spot down, band ends.  Wind sound comes up.

Band starts, lights come up.  Stage is a gleaming mountaintop with some small boulder structures and a simple sturdy tree stage left.  Margo is stage left near the tree with guitar.  Wind sound fades out as she tells us:

By now, Ricky and Helen are enraptured by their passion as young hearts often will, and Ricky entices Helen to one of his beloved spots, atop Mount Cathedral outside of Suntown.  It's here that they will consummate their new love.  Oh aching hearts!

Ricky and Helen stride to center stage, gleeful with anticipation.  Ricky and Helen stand tall and true, bold; they sing out New Land Full song> 

Afterwards, Bo comes loping along, and they sing Out On A Limb 2.  During which, in his gleeful absentmindedness, he accidently shoots Ricky as Ricky charms Helen from the mountaintop tree.  Shocked and stricken, Bo and Helen try to comfort their friend and lover.  Bo leaves to get help while Helen is left soothing Ricky, who is dying in the dirt. Full song>