An Adaptation of the story of five Chinese brothers, by Renee Erickson
Cast:
Emperor
4 Court Attendants: Han, Chin, Lu, Shou
2 Court Guards: Sha, Huang
6 Imperial Guards: Peng, Bo, Wong, Min, Sung, Ming
5 Children: Deng, Chou, Jiang, Li, Yan
2 Parents: Zian, Mah
Narrators / Water bearers (the Sea & the Fleet)
Scene I:
Emperor: behind the screen
4 Court Attendants / 2 Court Guards: stage right “frozen” at chores
6 Imperial Guards: Upstage center, clustered near the benches, “frozen”
5 Children: Stage left, “frozen” in front of the dungeon wall
2 Parents/Narrators: Downstage center – reading from a scroll
Narrator 1: Sometimes it’s not easy to know where a piece of the puzzle fits. It can turnout to be quite a surprise, as in our version of an old, old folk tale.
Narrator 2: Once upon a time and long ago in a far, far kingdom by the sea lived a people who knew what was important.
Narrators: (move downstage left)
Guards: (unfreeze but remain in position of disinterest and boredom)
Children: (move downstage and sit on the steps, observing the scene)
Court Persons & Court Guards: (stand as they speak, dramatically emphasizing their attributes – stay standing)
Huang: It’s important to be handsome. I’m glad I’m handsome.
Chin: It’s important to be smart. I’m glad I’m smart.
Han: It’s important to be fast. I’m glad I’m fast.
Emperor: (comes from behind the screen and listens a moment)
Shou: It’s important to be strong. I’m glad I’m strong.
Sha: It’s important to be tall. I’m glad I’m tall.
Lu: It’s important to be graceful. I’m glad I’m graceful.
Emperor: (moves downstage to the throne) It’s important to obey the emperor. I’m glad I’m the Emperor. (moves to the throne and sits)
Guards: (snap to attention)
All Court Persons: (bow and kneel to Emperor)
Han, Chin: (exit behind screen)
Lu & Shou: (move downstage to stairs and sit)
Court Guards: (stand beside the throne)
Narrator #1: But, she isn’t (motions “tall”)
Narrator #2: It doesn’t matter. She is the emperor.
Emperor: (moves to the throne) (Clap Clap) Servants of the kitchen!
Han & Chin: (hurry in from the screen – bowing – move to center stage facing the emperor) Yes, emperor. Yes, emperor.
Emperor: My breakfast is late. Why is that?
Han: We’re sorry, O imperial one, but the stove could not be lit.
Chin: Yes, o exalted one, someone left the cover off the woodpile last night and all the wood got wet from the rain.
Emperor: And who was that someone?
Han: Not me!
Chin: Not me!
Emperor: Well, who was it?
Han: It was that short, clumsy cook’s helper.
Chin: It was all his fault.
Emperor: (considering a moment) Off with his head! (Clap, clap) Guards, see to it!
Peng & Bo: (moving from Up stage center to Center facing Stage right) (bowing to the emperor) Yes, your imperialness.
Peng & Bo: (Bowing, back away from the throne, exit behind the screen)
Offstage (sound of a loud whack.)
Court Guards and all on stage: (shudder)