ACT III
Scene 1
Mr. N.E. Body comes home from work and goes through the same routine as the last acts. The act opens with the same psychedelic scene as where we left off in the second act. Joel is behind the curtain and the evil dancers are still tormenting him. Mary can be seen laughing at him. You only see silhouettes. The scene goes from a nighttime scene to sunrise. As the sun comes up the evil dancers disappear. Joel stands up looks around still hazy. The street people start a new day and occasionally go in and out of doors fronts. Joel stumbles from behind the screen to center stage. The band is heard but not seen. Monitors, sunrise.
Nightmares
Joel
Ah, day breaks in the city… If it weren’t for the way I feel… It just might look pretty…
My head aches… And I feel dirty… If all of this is real… I got up too early…
(Monitors, pictures of Susie)
Baby, you’re driving me crazy… I can’t sleep at night… I’m so uptight… Nightmares stampeding on me…
Every night… Same old dreams… You are so close to me… I could touch you it seems…
But everything was… Beyond my means… You will not talk to me… And I wake up and scream…
Baby, you’re driving me crazy… I can’t sleep at night… I’m so uptight… Nightmares stampeding on me…
Joel
But what can I say… You are so far away… This is so unreal… The way that I feel…
Baby, you’re driving me crazy… I can’t sleep at night… I’m so uptight… Nightmares stampeding on me…
There is a knock and the door and Mary walks in freely.
Mary
Hey sugar boy, how about loaning me a couple hundred to get my sick mother a get well card?
Mary goes to kiss Joel and he pushes her away. Joel
looks out at the audience, then back at Mary.
Devil Dead Ringer
(Joel sings)
Half a day I’ve been up… Son’s already going down… You know I can’t take it no more…
(Mary still teasing Joel sings to her)
Don’t want you hanging around…
You got me in this lake of sin… And I think I’m gonna drown… Give up hope, even cast-iron rope… Cannot keep you on the ground…
Mary primps herself with a compact mirror.
The evil dancers can be seen behind the
screen coming to life again.
Joel
Because your flighty…
(Evil dancing becomes more aggressive.)
Naughty nighty…
(Male plant actor whistles)
Shaky lady… Sexy baby…
(TV cameramen are now in the audience shooting)
After all you cut up and passed around… I still won’t put you down…
(Monitors all live action)
Chickened out won’t play no more… You won’t see me around…
I began to learn to swim… And I ain’t gonna drown… You won’t change your ways, until that day… Your 6 feet underground…
Cause your flighty… Naughty nighty… Shaky lady… Sexy baby…Ah, you, you, you,
Dancers exit from behind the screen half are in
black half are in white. Monitors, pictures of Mary.
Had me round your little finger…Ah, you, you, you,… Devil dead ringer… Just a beginner…
(Video crew start filming audience)
It’s okay the way you play… It won’t bring me down… You know I can’t take it no more…Don’t want you hanging around… Got me in this lake of sin… I ain’t gonna drown… Give up hope cast-iron rope… Couldn’t keep you on the ground…
Cause your flighty… Naughty nighty… Shaky lady… Sexy baby…
Mary leaves. Bits of past scenes of ACT 1 and 2 flash on the monitors. The dancers create hysteria and act as if they are hallucinating and seeing things that are not there. To create this every person who has been seen in the play is seen in the mass confusion running about. One cameraman swings from the top level over the audience on a rope like a Tarzan vine. Mr. N.E. Body, moving stiffer and faster than normal, goes and gets a beer, opens it, then puts it back into the refrigerator and goes back to sit down. Then he gets up and does the same thing again and again. The plant actors in the audience act as if they are seeing things. The lady who has been seen with her straight husband, is freaking out and grabbing him. People are running through the audience. There is a heavy psychedelic light show. Joel finds himself standing on a fence that is white on one side and black on the other. The dancers are on the matching color side, white or black. When Joel leans to the dark side, everything gets crazy and scary. The actors on the street act like city people going crazy dashing about and screaming. When Joel looks to the light side, everybody acts straight and orderly. When Joel looks to the dark side the monitors show the past mistakes and possible bad future. When he looks to the light side, he remembers his mother saying. Monitors show his mother speaking.
Mother
Now, Joel, when things get bad, you can always pray to the Lord Jesus for help. All you have to do is have faith and believe. Remember read your Bible. And call upon his name.
The band can be heard in the background starting
to play the music to Jesus is my friend. Again Joel
flashes to reading the Bible. As he balances on the
fence he hears the band playing and getting louder.
When he leans to the dark side the music becomes un-
together. Leaning the other way changes the music and
the attitude. Joel somehow finds a new testament in his
knapsack. He takes it out and reads.
Joel
For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.
Jesus is my friend
Joel sings
Jesus is my friend… Always on my mind… Feel him at my side…
(Monitors pictures of Jesus)
III-1 Page 70
I don’t have to pretend… He has been so kind… Turn the raging tide…
Jesus is my hope… So I don’t feel lost…
(Monitors, scenes of Calvary)
Or feel I’m alone… With him I can cope… He has paid the cost of my ticket home…
Joel takes out his rock from his pocket he looks at it and thinks for a moment then speaks directly to the audience with a dry microphone.
Joel
This rock is a piece of Michigan. With it I always have a little piece of home with me. I have been powered by rock ‘n roll. But now I stand on the rock of ages.
Dancers start to drift out amongst the
audience. They will mimic what Joel
does with the invisible stones.
I put this rock in my pocket to keep my feet on the ground while my eyes were on the stars. Right now, right where you’re setting, I want every person in this auditorium to hold out your hand and receive my gift to you.
Joel holds his hand out flat and instructs
the audience on what to do. He looks around
to make sure everybody is ready. The white
dressed dancers look around the audience
and demonstrate with their hands what Joel
wants everybody to do.
Joel speaks
Now, y’all got your hands out? Now I’m going to place this imaginary rock in your hand right now here we go.
(He pretends to do so)
You got it? Can you feel it? It’s the rock of ages. Now close your hand around it. And pretend to put it in your pocket. That rock is now there for you to stand on while you look to the stars. Everybody,… got your rock? Well here’s what you say when a brother or sister asks you if you, got your rock. You say, in my pocket.
(Puts his hand up to his ear and listens)
Got your rock?
(He waits for audience response)
Got mine in my pocket to!
(He puts his rock back in his pocket)
Joel sings
Jesus is my star… He leads me through the night… Helps me find my way… When I go too far… And I’ve lost my site… He makes day from night…
Jesus, dear Jesus… What can I do… To show how much… That I love you…
Jesus, Sweet Jesus… I praise your name… Someday we will all be the same…
ACT III
Scene 2
Bright flashing lights for the scene change.
The scene changes to Joel’s motel room again.
He is now completely sober and acts straight
as an arrow. His prayers have been answered.
He wanders around singing and praising in
amazement. All the dancers dressed in white
surround Joel and they now have wings of angels.
Overdose
When I woke this morning, Lord… The mountains where the sea…
(Monitors, earthquake)
What my eyes behold to me… I find it hard to believe… I walked the shores of what was left… Of what was no more… Realizing that life reaps what you so… Stone on a high that no drug can hold…
(Band short instrumental)
The road that brought me to this state…
Monitor, youth in California partying.
Is followed by the young… I keep on trucking, Lord… I know now what I’ve done…
Parties, sex, TV, anything that’s fun… Heeding no one’s warning that a quake would soon come…
Easy life in the city, a big social hum… Stoned on a high less than an overdose…
The Band plays an instrumental. The black
dress dancers come in again and reenact
the overdose. The white dancers overpower
them and escort them off the stage. They
come back and surround Joel again.
Joel
When I woke this morning, Lord… The sun was in my eyes…
(Monitors, sunrise)
Crowded, misty memories… Are all that’s left behind… Of a dream that left its scar upon me in fright… Knowing that I could have died in my sleep that night…
(Monitors, ambulance ride)
Stoned on a high that no drug could hold… less than an overdose…
ACT III
Scene 3
A Good Old Time Gospel country/rock band comes out of the Church. Joel passes out new Testaments to his band they look through them and then pick up their instruments and get ready to play. Two members of the band look at their new testament, shake their heads and toss them back at Joel and leave the stage. On their way out they both say.
Two band members
You’ve changed!… You’re not the same… You’re no fun anymore… You’re not cool…
The scene is like good old time gospel singing. The dancers dressed in white continue to protect Joel to the end of the performance. All the actors on stage sing-along and clap of the band. The street people are now aware for the first time of the acting on center stage. The words to the songs are displayed on the monitors. The plant actors are singing and clapping through every gospel tune from now until the end. The ushers, ticket people and concession stand people all join in the atmosphere. The straight lady is now trying to get her husband to join in. He tries to calm her, tries to get her to leave, but she won’t. She now has been swept up in it all. The cameraman shoot live scenes of all over the audience and they are flashed on the monitors. The following songs are basic summary of what happened in the play.
Things have changed
(Monitors, flashback scenes of the play. Joel proudly sings)
Things have changed since yesterday… I stand alone in what I say… Old friends turn their heads and walk away…
Monitors, instant replay of Joel passing out
new Testaments and friends walking away.
They say I’ve changed since yesterday…
Faith is what I really need…
(Monitors, Bible stories)
To build my life on what I cannot see… Faith in what I believe… Satisfies my every need…
All the actors sing the chorus. The plant actors in
the audience now stand up and join along singing.
All the actors sing
I love my fellow man… You’re my brother and sisters… I’ll do the best that I can…
Monitors, charity work, people helping
each other in time of need
Loved by my fellow man…
Monitors, pictures of Christ
And I tell you, he’s waiting to hear from you…
Joel sings by himself
Yes I’ve changed since yesterday… Same old me with a different face… Yes the change is here to stay… A thing to stand on that will not fade away…
All of the actors sing
I love my fellow man… You’re my sisters and brothers I’ll do the best I can… Loved by fellow man… Do for him what you can…
Joel sings
Things can change for you today…
(Monitors, sunrise brand-new day)
All it takes is a little faith… The Lord can change your every way… Pray to him, you’ll change right away…
All actors sing
But now he’s waiting… Waiting to hear from you… But now he’s waiting… Waiting to hear from you
ACT III
Scene 4
Without closing the curtain and in front of the audience the set is changed to the rock party seen as an act one. During the next song, the lady in the audience rips off the bottom of her dress, stands up on the arm of her chair, and boogies through the rest of the play. Her husband acts as if he doesn’t know her, and is hiding in his chair. Joel grabs a guitar, goes out onto center platform to tell the story of Find One. Band is visible on center stage boogieing. Dancers are in the aisles. Monitors display fast-changing at random color pictures. Mr. N.E. Body gets another beer.
Joel stops the show and acknowledges his presents. He tells Mr. N.E. Body that him and the audience will wait for him this time until he’s done. This is the first time there has been any communication between the beer drinker and the rest of the other actors. Mr. N.E. Body gets up and tries to change the channel on his TV. All of his channels have the same live video. He sits down and continues drinking his beer. From now until the finale Mr. N.E. Body is in his own little world and no one pays him any mind. During the last few minutes of the performance the beer drinker does join in the celebration.
Fine one
Joel sings
Once I had a friend…
(Monitors, flashbacks of Susie)
A special kind of friend… A fine one… Like none of the other…
(Monitors, quick flash of Susie)
Above all the other… A fine one…
Dancers only sing
Then her heart began to wonder…
(Monitors, Susie and Smarty together)
Joel
I was left all alone… All alone… All alone… All alone…
All the female players/dancers sing
I’m looking for a friend… A certain kind of friend… A fine one… Like none of the other… Sweeter than the others… A fine one
All the plant actors are now rocking n rolling
in the audience. The dancers tried to encourage
members of the audience to get up and dance
with them.
Joel sings
Then my heart began to wonder…
Monitors showing members of the
audience participating with dancers.
Now I’m left all alone… All alone… All alone…
Joel is cordless and runs around to the
audience playing the guitar while the
dancers sing.
Dancers sing
If you have a friend… A special kind of friend… A fine one… Keep above the others… Like none of the others… A fine one… Don’t let your heart ever wonder… And you’ll never be all alone… All alone… All alone
Joel and everyone sings
Now I have a best friend…
(Monitors, pictures of Jesus)
Special kind of friend… A fine one… Like none of the others… Above all the others… A fine one… Never let my heart wander… And I’m never alone… Never alone… Never alone…
Joel speaks
Well that could be the first rock ‘n roll hymn…
A dancer speaks
It’s got a good beat, I’ll give it an 86 on the, that’s a good song scale.
Joel
Well let me sing you a song you can listen to.
People are now listening out of the windows on
Main Street. Even a passing cop is lost in the
show. The same lady from the first act yells out
of the window at her daughter.
Lady in window
Get back in here and do them dishes.
The daughter does not respond. Joel is brought an
acoustic guitar and he makes the switch. A barstool
is brought to him and he sets down on it like a folk
singer. The lady in the window becomes interested
in the performance and tries to get Joel’s attention.
She finally whistles at him.
Lady in window
Hay young man how about a country song. Play me some of that you-all, music. Give me some of that pure American, homegrown sound. Can you do that?
The other ½ of the Dancers come on stage dressed
in country outfits and form a square dance on center
stage. All the street people walking up and down are
now wearing cowboy hats. A cordless harmonica player
is in the street any place in the background as Joel sings.
I Don’t Know
Joel
Search your mind and you’ll find… Joys of things left far behind…
(Monitors, flashbacks of Joel’s life in the play)
I owe my life, my love, and all to my friend
(Monitors, Jesus)
Younger days, foolish ways… Built my life so strong… Home, I say is where you’re at… I travel on… The past is only yesterday in time… Before the present as a guiding line…reflecting the future in your mind…
(Monitors, scenes of extreme poverty)
Count the ways that others pay… For the things you have today… Instead of wishing pointlessly for more… Daily bread, to feed your head… Make life grow strong… Ain’t found in all homes around the world …travel on…
In solitude greed is what you’ll find…
(Monitors, forts and castles)
Actually never reaching peace of mind… Live together and will outlast the end of time…
(Monitors, people getting along)
If all who walked the earth were here…
(Monitors, world heroes great men and women)
To tell us in their wisdom years… The things you would have to live to understand…
(Monitors, nuclear war)
To save us all from a terrible fall… That could mushroom over this land… To fall victims of our oldest enemy, man….The time is now for uniting all the lands…
(Monitors, world leaders)
You can do anything if you think you can… Start today with prayer and the word of God hand-in-hand…
Lady shouts from window
Hey Sunny that ain’t enough country for me…
Joel speaks
Okay here we go bring me a bale of hay…
A bale of hay is brought out. Joel rests
his foot on it. Joel holds his fingers on
his nose as if you smelling something bad.
Joel jokes with audience
I could’ve asked for something else to give it that country aroma..
All other actors
Wheeoo… No way José
Take some time to make it easy
Joel sings
Take some time to make it easy… Life’s so short, you must live as if… Death were by your side…
One single dancer still in black runs out from
backstage around Joel and disappears backstage.
Make up your mind… It eight easy… Set your mind for some changes… Anything could happen any time…
Now if you try to lead a straight and noble life… Like getting a steady job and taking a wife… You’ll find all that is difficult can be taken in stride… If you’d take time to make it easy, do what’s right.
Band member 1
Take some time to make it easy… Life so short you must live as if… Death were by your side… Make up your mind it ain’t easy… Set your mind for some changes… Anything could happen any time…
Band member 2
Now if you wonder why the law aint on your side… And everyone is taking you for a ride… With all who are around you… You can only fight… Then you wait make it easy… Or doing it right…
The band plays an instrumental. The dancers
take over the stage during the instrumental.
After which the dancers drift back out into the
aisles. The words to the song are now displayed
on all monitors.
Joel speaks
Now if you ever pass by someone’s side… Who is taken to wander, in need of a ride… You know you’re losing instead of saving time… It takes time to make it easy, by doing it right…
Joel and the dancers try to encourage the audience
to sing along with the words on the monitor screens.
When the audience is obviously ready to try Joel
conducts and starts to sing.
Everybody sings
Take some time to make it easy… Life’s so short you must live as if… Dath were by your side… Make up your mind… It ain’t easy… Set your mind for some changes… Anything could happen any time…
Joel sings
Now if you were I, and me be you… We could see things different… The same would be true… For the rest of our lives… We could be less uptight… If we take time to make it easy… And do it up right…
Lady from window
I like that one that was a good one…
Joel walks from center stage over to stage right on
the street and sings to the lady in the window.
Joel
This is just for you because you are so nice.
The band starts to play the song, ”I can’t stand the
loneliness”. Joel goes down on one knee and sings to her.
I can’t stand the lonelyness
I can’t stand the loneliness… Another night without your kiss…
(Joel blows her a kiss)
I can’t take much more of this… I can’t stand the loneliness…
The lady in the window uses her apron to dab the
tears from her eyes. Then she takes a double take
and brushes him off and goes back to shaking her
rugs. Joel stands up and still sings at her.
Ever since I went away… I don’t have very much to say… Seems all I can think of… Is missing her sweet love…
I can’t stand the loneliness… Another night without your kiss…
I can’t take much more of this… I can’t stand the loneliness…
Monitors, flashbacks of Susie sweetheart. Joel makes
his way back to center stage and continue singing.
Only fond memories… Are all that comes back to me… Of times when you were here…
(Joel shows his open empty arms)
And I held you oh so near…
I can’t stand the loneliness… Another night without your kiss…
I can’t take much more of this… I can’t stand the loneliness…
There is a loud bang and flash of white light and the
theater goes completely dark so you cannot see your
hand in front of your face for about 10 seconds.
ACT III
Scene 5
All action suddenly stops and actors freeze. All of
a sudden the room is filled with red and blue police
flashers. The emergency test tone signal is flashed
on the screens. A voice with heavy effects on the
microphone is heard over the PA speakers.
Emergency voice
Attention! Attention! This is just a play! This is just a play! This is not real life! This is just a play on your mind to get you to think about seeking him. If this had been real life, you would have been told what forms to fill out and where to stand in line. Remember, this is just a play! This is just a play! Your life is not! We now return you to your regular scheduled programming… which is …
(Long pause)
The microphone for the emergency voice goes flat. The voice carries on a direct conversation with Joel making a request. It is hard for Joel to get him to shut up.
Dry voice
Say, you down there, Joel,
Joel
Yeah, (he whispers) what are you doing your interrupting the performance? This is not in the script! This is not in the script!
Dry voice
You guys have been playing all this good music, and that lady…
(spot light on lady in window still frozen)
…made a request to play something country and you did so..
Joel
I take it that you have a request?
Dry voice
Yep
Joel
If I take your request can we get back to the script please?
Dry voice
Well ok…
(Joel takes a deep breath then pauses)
Ok, then what is your request?
Dry voice
Well I haven’t heard any blues yet… That’s another all-American music. Let’s hear some good old blues.
Joel
All right, we can do that. Are we ready now? Can we get started again? Pick up at your line.
Dry voice
All right
Flashing lights and sirens continue
Emergency voice
(Tons of echo on voice)
We now return you to your regular scheduled programming… which is … Already in progress…
(Flat microphone)
Dry voice
How is that, better?
Joel
That’s fine. It would’ve been fine the first time. Now let’s get back to the script.
(Looking at the audience)
Sorry folk’s union help.
The scene brightens up in the blues are being played
by the band. Timing is important so there is no pause
between the voice and the music.
Joel sings
Who says the blues have to bring you down? …
(He points at Mr. N.E. Body)
Who knows, maybe we can even cheer you up Mr. N.E. Body.
Mr. N.E. Body is startled when Joel speaks directly to him. He pauses as he looks at the screen and sees Joel pointing at him. Then he brushes it off goes back to drinking his beer. Monitors show pics of classic old blues players like Louis Armstrong. Joel sings the blues while a harmonica player plays along with him. The harmonica player stands on the street. All monitors show the lyrics to the song funky blues.
Funky Blues
Joel sings
I think I’m gonna write a funky blues song… It’ll have the kind of words you all can sing along… If you don’t mind my guitar play’n… I won’t mind your Whalen… So come on, sing-along, and have some fun…
(Joel sings to the audience)
Now just what is it that’s bothering you? … Describe all your feelings, add the seventh, to make it blue… With a minor third, coming on through… That’s the blues… Ain’t it the truth… It’s up to you… You’ve got to choose…
All actors sing
Singing the blues for you is really good to do…
(Stage in house lights bright)
Takes all your cares away and brightens up your day… Bringing the blues to you ain’t really hard to do… Unless you had your way, every single day… Look around… All you see could make you blue are happy… I’d rather be glad, not sad… Don’t you see, how easily, it can be had?
Joel shouts to the Harp player
Hey fella! Come on up here and step up to the microphone and let us hear the blues!
The Harmonica player comes to center stage
and blows a lead with the band. The dancers are
back on stage featuring the harmonica player. After
his lead they drift out into the audience again.
Joel sings
Now who says the blues got to bring you down? … If you are already there, it’ll just make you frown… Presented in the right way… Blues can lighten up your weight… So look around… At what can be found…
The Harmonica player backs up Joel and dances
with the dancers. Mr. N.E. Body gets up, gets another
beer and goes back and sits down continuing watching
television.
Joel sings
Singing the blues for you is really good to do… Takes all your cares away and brightens up your day… Bringing the blues to you ain’t really hard to do… Unless you’ve had your way every single day… Look around… All you see… Could make you blue… Or happy… I’d rather be glad… Not sad… Don’t you see…How easily…It can be had…
The street people respond by dancing to the music. Joel sings.
Don’t you think you like this funky blues song… Don’t the kind and friendly music make you want to sing-along… With the guitars playing… And all of us Whalen… Will have some fun.
ACT III
Scene 6
Band now joining Joel performing center stage. They start the music to “I want ‘a have fun”.
Joel
Yeah I want to have fun!
Let go, all you people… You know what were going to do… We’ll do a dance and play for you… And all night long we can boogie to…
Monitors show flashbacks of the previous acts. They
show not only actors but the audience reaction to the
performance.
Joel sings
I want to have fun… I don’t want to fight… I want to have fun…
Lady in window
Hey you guys! Hold it down out there! I can’t hear my TV!
Complainin’
Joel sings
Complainin’ … About the way things could have been… Relates with what you have and are losing now… All is over and lost if you don’t realize somehow… While awaiting… Won’t you please hear my plea? …Wile away and you’ll be all alone…
Lady sticks her head back in her window. Joel
is walking around talking to different people on the
stage and pointing out different situations on the
monitor flashes.
That about thinks it up
Joel
That about thinks it up… My mind is ready for a change…
(Asking the audience)
How about you?
Plant actors in the audience respond along
with the dancers a hearty yeah.
Joel singing again
I’m going to fill my own cup… Done the old-fashioned way…
That about thinks it up… You know that I’m going to stay… Talk is cheap by the way… Time runs out day by day… Till your heavy, unsteady, and the burden is too great… Don’t be afraid today to change.
ACT III
Scene 7
Mr. N.E. Body orders another pizza. The straight lady stands up on her chair again and starts dancing. This time her husband covers his head with his coat. Some of the plant actors are in the aisles dancing with the dancers. The scene again is in Joel’s hotel room. A back drop is brought out with an open window. He occasionally glances out the window. Two dancers come out. One has a big pan and the other one has a flower watering can full of water. One dancer lays down the pan and the other dancer sprinkles water into it whenever Joel looks out the window. All of this is visible to the audience.
I ought a
Joel sings
I see the summer sun sit in on the water… I notice that the nights are getting shorter… I hear the rain… on the windowpane…
(Monitors, rainstorm)
I don’t complain but I ought a…
Monitors, geese flying south for the winter.
Joel moves over to the street stage right. He
sings while walking down the street.
Joel
I wonder which way the birds fly this time of year… The way they all live ain’t exactly clear… I hear the rain on the windowpane…
(Joel looks out the window)
They don’t complain, but ought a…
Joe in the dancers sing
Life’s a bitch… Got an itch… Hey, don’t we all… Life’s a switch… A different twist… Beat yourself till you ball… Is that all?
(Joel looks out the window)
All sing except the plant actors
Life’s a bitch… Got an itch… Hey, don’t we all…
Joel sings alone
Life’s a switch… A different twist… Beat yourself till you ball… Is that all?
Everybody sings and points to the audience.
It’s up to you… You’ve got to choose… You’ve got to be a mother… Act like a brother… Love each other… You got to help one another…
All the music suddenly stops. The setting goes
to a black light. The dancers now have Day-Glo
body paint with psychedelic designs on them
that glow. They crowd around Joel and sing with
him a Capella the lines…
Joel and dancers
It’s up to you… It’s up to you… It’s up to you…
This is an improvised section. Scat singing. The dancers
hold up microphones to the people in the audience to get
them to join in. Monitors show live play-by-play. This can
continue as long as comfortable. Then the band joins in.
Joel
I hear the rain… on the windowpane
The rain dancers sprinkles water for the last time. They both exit, one takes the pan the other carries her watering can. The second Joel the fake character, comes out real quickly with the mop cleans up any water and disappears quickly. He keeps his back to the audience. The real Joel turns and looks. He takes a double take, then shakes his head and says “no can’t be”. Band pauses until he is ready to sing next line.
Joel
I don’t complain but I ought a…
Mr. N.E. Body’s pizza comes. He pays for it,
gets a slice and sits back down. The pizza
delivery boy comes and goes by the same
route as before, from the bar restaurant on
the street of Anywhere USA. Monitors,
flashback to a scene with Joel’s father.
Father
You will never amount to anything. All you want to do is have fun. I just don’t believe anything you tell me anymore.
(Father scene fades)
“People call me a lie” should begin with a percussion
introduction and finger snapping. The dancers drift
through the audience snapping their fingers and
encourage them to join in. When the singing starts
the dancers direct the snapping to stop. The dancers
direct snapping to start during the theme and stop
again. The snapping resumes during the ending.
People call me a lie
Joel standing at the piano sings
People call me a lie… How can you be satisfied? … People call me a lie… How can you keep it inside? …
Seems no matter how I try… To make ends meet and get by… Someone’s trying to make me cry… By telling me that it’s a lie…
Pause, Joel speaks to the audience
It’s really hard to keep going when people downgrade everything you’re trying to do. Young people need to be encouraged not discouraged. The best way to do this is by being a good role model for someone. If everybody picked just one person to help nobody would ever be left alone. Most important take all things to him and prayer.
Joel sings
Seems no matter what I do… To listen to them, you’d think I was through… Someone’s trying to make me cry… By telling me that it’s a lie…
People call me a lie… How can you be satisfied? … People call me a lie… How can you keep it inside? …
Instrumental 1
Joel speaks during instrumental
I’m not a preacher, I’m certainly not a saint. I have done things wrong in my life that I regret. I thought by maybe sharing these things with you, you might be able to avoid some of the problems I got into. Ya got your rock?
(Joel holds hand to his ear listening for audience response.)
Plant actors shout
In my pocket !!
Joel
Great, take all things to HIM in prayer. The most important things I’ve learned is about the Lord Jesus. May he plant the seeds of desire in your heart to seek HIM.
Monitors, flashback of Susie and Smarty.
Joel sings
But just what is a friend?… Just someone to lose in the end… Someone’s trying to make me cry… By telling me that it’s a lie…
Monitors show flashback when the two band
members walked out before the song, Things
have changed.
Joel sings
People call me a lie… How can you be satisfied? … People call me a lie… How can you keep it inside? …
The band quits playing and all actors and dancers exit leaving just Joel at the piano. The auditorium is dark except for a single spotlight on Joel. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his rock. And sets it on the piano and sings to it.
ACT III
Scene 8
Again
Joel sings at the piano
Well it’s 3 AM… I find myself again… Sitten at the old piano…
I just can’t sleep at night… Seems like nothing is right… Today was a loss for all I know…
The band joins in but not seeing.
But given a chance… I would do it again… If not for romance… To make a new friend… Given a chance… I do it again… And again…
It’s so hard when you live alone… To ever really feel really ever at home…
Monitors, show flashback of Joel’s home and family.
You always feel so far away… Given a chance… You know what you’d say?
But given the chance… I would do it again… If not for romance… To make a new friend… Given a chance… I do it again and again…
All stage lighting stop. Full house lights are on.
All actors dancers and filming crew obviously
rush off the scene and disappear. No backdrops
or set can be seen on stage. Mr. Strickler is
visible at the back of the auditorium and he
has a clipboard in hand. He pounds on the
back of a seat and yells at Joel. Obviously
Joel’s dream is over. He marches through the
audience all the way up to Joel grumbling.
Mr. Strickler
You crazy kid! These people are here waiting, and expecting to see a show.
Joel has worked his way over to the single
microphone in the center of the stage. The
reverb and sound effects are off. Joel is
dumbfounded.
Mr. Strickler
I thought I told you to vamoose, amscray, skedaddle on out and leave that microphone alone. I just paid to have that piano tuned and now you’re banging on it. We still have a show to put on here tonight. No help from you! Now, you get on out of here!
(Strickler goes offstage saying)
Where is that stagehand? Mr. N.E. Body, where are you?
Joel
Ahh gee whizz…. I can still hear the music playing…
Vocal effects are back on the microphone.
The dancers run to the stage from the back
of the auditorium through the audience. The
band is playing. The psychedelic light show
is happening again. A shout for encore first
starts from the plant actors in the audience
then the dancers, and they try to get the
audience to respond shouting encore, encore.
The band starts playing the song Encore.
Joel picks up his guitar and starts to play.
Joel sings
Hang on to your socks… We are ready to rock… The way everybody talks… We are ready to rock…
Call and response. Every time the word encore
is said, the audience plant actors and dancers
and all other actors and band members
shout encore!
Encore
Joel sings
Encore… Will play some more… Hard-core… Rock ‘n roll… Encore… Ready for more… Encore!
I know it’s getting late… Time won’t hesitate… I know you’re going to hate… To leave this lovely state…
Joel dancers and band saying
Encore… We’ll play some more… Hard-core… Rock ‘n roll… Encore… Ready for more… Encore!… I got time for one more rock ‘n roll…
Encore… Will play some more… Hard-core… Rock ‘n roll… Encore… Ready for more… Encore!
Mr. Strickler is visible again backstage and makes
the same exact entrance as in Act I. He moves out
slowly and steadily to Joel and grabs his shoulder.
All actors dancers and band members quickly exit.
The house lights go back to the same as the
beginning when Joel is not dreaming.
Mr. Strickler
I told you to stop daydreaming and this foolishness and get out of here!
Mr. Strickler pulls Joel back as he yells to the stagehands.
Get that curtain shut now! The people are starting to come in! We have a show here happening tonight.
The lights go dim. The curtain slowly closes. All is
done. The end of the day sign is on all the monitor
screens. You can hear Mr. anybody’s snoring. His
TV is off the air. Plant actors accent like normal
paying customers but discussing loudly events
that happened during the play.
Plant actors
Well I was some kind of Opry…
All the art stands and food vendors are open for business as the audience leaves. Again the plan actors help to lead the audience through the vendors’ process by buying food and art projects.
“The end” is seen on all monitor screens.
The end