Dreamcatcher-Rev-Sept-2016.Pdf
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dreamcatcher about dreamcatcher There are two stories of how the dreamcatcher came to be. The Lokota tribe believes the dreamcatcher captures the good dreams and lets the bad dreams pass through the centre. In this way you will always carry good dreams with you. The Cherokee believe that the dreamcatcher ensnares bad dreams in its web which are burned up in the morning sun. Good dreams pass through the centre to the sleeper. For pragmatic reasons I have used the Cherokee legend in this play. This story is in the play’s opening. I am extremely grateful to Native American historian Bearded Wolf for the dreamcatcher legends, and for the extraordinarily beautiful ‘Silver Bear’ message of friendship that you will hear (slightly amended) at the end of this play as ‘the words of the Dreamcatcher’. I am also hugely indebted to Jenifer Toksvig for her great assistance in moulding this show – and I still think “Shake, Ripple & Roll” is the best children’s musical for years! Dreamcatcher was written specifically to meet the needs of our theatre school, Best Theatre Arts, where we make a promise that every child will be fully involved in the show, and simply couldn’t find anything at the time we felt did the job. It is episodic (for ease of rehearsals), has a CD of the backing music available (we always have trouble getting bands together) and has sections which give children of any age between 6 and 15 (or so) a chance in the limelight. The play was first performed in its original form by students of Best Theatre Arts on 26 March 2002 at The Sandpit Theatre in St Albans. It was performed in an amended version in 30 March and 2 April 2007. This version was completed for intended performance in March/April 2017. Performance Rights No part of this play shall be performed, copied or otherwise transmitted without permission. All applications for rights for performance / production / copying should be made to David Bevan Best Theatre Arts 61 Marshalswick Lane St Albans Herts AL1 4UT Tel 01727 759634 Email [email protected] David Bevan, 11 October 2001 Page 2 of 73 Version 10.0 Amended 11 January 2016 dreamcatcher synopsis Act 1 Scene 1 Overture. Sam reads a bedtime story about the Cherokee’s legend of the Dreamcatcher (song: Connections). Her dad has given Sam a wonderful dreamcatcher to hang over her bed whilst he is away working. She talks to her Mum about her troubles at school, missing her Dad and her sadness at the loss of her teddy bear, Benny. She settles down to sleep and after a dumbshow of the various weird and wonderful characters she is about to meet, the Dreamcatcher arrives (song: Dreamsong). They go off into her dream in search of the lost Benny Bear. Act 1 Scene 2 Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive at the Dreamticket Office and have to go through various bits of silliness from Martha the Dream Ticket Master including a demonstration of a method for flushing away weirdness. Eventually they manage to buy a Dream Ticket for three wishes – to go back to her old school, to see more of her dad, and to sing in a pop group. Martha warns Sam about being too trustful (song: Appearances Can Be Deceptive). Sam and Dreamcatcher leave to report the bear’s loss to the Police. Suddenly, the evil NightMare appears and calls in her minions the Bed Bugs (song: Bed Bug Boogie). She orders them to help her find and destroy Benny Bear whilst she aims to capture Sam. Act 1 Scene 3 In a brief sketch The Dream Police demonstrate their total incompetence and obsession with tea. Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive and Sam is interrogated as to the bear’s whereabouts (song: The Police Stomp). The Police eventually believe her and tell her of a sighting of the bear in the Frozen Forest - but go off for a tea break rather than helping immediately. Act 1 Scene 4 Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive at the Frozen Forest. She meets four menacing older children who threaten and insult her. But Sam begins to understand how bullies work and successfully defuses the situation. The bullies leave telling Sam to watch out for the trees. Sam and Dreamcatcher find themselves being entangled in trees and branches (song: Coldwood, Darkwood). Sam realises they are only trying to keep warm and in doing so she breaks the spell on the Frozen Forest and the trees burst into leaf. They hide Sam and Dreamcatcher from the passing Bed Bugs, before Martha arrives with the tea trolley, warning them that there is turbulence ahead. They are about to leave when suddenly NightMare and her ghoulish sidekicks arrive (song: The Nightmare Scenario). Dreamcatcher suffers but Sam manages to use a Dream feather to escape, realising that it is her dream and if she really wants something to happen, it will. NightMare runs away – for now – and Sam and Dreamcatcher leave. The Police arrive just too late, and send out the audience for the interval. But as they do so, a Pirate Captain crosses the stage behind them unseen, and in his clutches… Benny! End of Act One David Bevan, 11 October 2001 Page 3 of 73 Version 10.0 Amended 11 January 2016 dreamcatcher Act 2 Scene 1 The Dream Police bring people back into the auditorium and briefly recap the story so far. Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive and sing of their growing friendship (song: Webs We Weave). They leave, closely followed now by the Dream Police. Act 2 Scene 2 Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive at a daytime TV studio where two presenters and a roller skating weather girl introduce the fabulous girl band, Little Mixed Sugarspice. During the interview the band argue before introducing the newest member of their group, Sam! Sam joins them to sing their new song (song: I Feel Surreal) before deciding that perhaps being in a band isn’t that cool after all. She flushes them away. In the song was a clue to Benny’s whereabouts – with the Pirates. Sam and Dreamcatcher leave to find them. Act 2 Scene 3 On Pirate Island we find the Pirates rehearsing their obligatory Pirate musical number (song: Pirates on Parade). Sam talks to the captain and we gradually realise that he is, in fact, her ‘Dad’. At last she is able to tell him how she really feels and he reciprocates. A new understanding is reached. He then explains that they are holding the bear for ransom as that is what pirates are supposed to do. He shows her a treasure map – in fact a map of the Dreamcatcher’s web – showing Benny’s location. Sam and Dreamcatcher hurry off. The Dream Police arrive and the pirates are deputised to help in the search for the bear and the fight against NightMare. Act 3 Scene 4 The Bed Bugs are on parade and are confronted by Sam. They try and laugh her off but only succeed in making themselves look even more stupid (song: The Mess March). Having been ordered to leave Sam to NightMare, they head off to try to get to Benny first, closely followed by Sam and Dreamcatcher. The Dream Police and Pirates arrive in hot pursuit. Act 3 Scene 5 The map shows that Benny’s hiding place is at the end of Memory Lane. Here Sam must try to remember something good in order to pass. She recalls her last day at her old school where her class were taken on a country walk, and lay on the grass, making imaginary shapes out of the passing clouds (song: Skypainting by Numbers). Her Mum arrives to take her away, and she leaves her old classmates with a tender farewell. Now she knows she always has friends, wherever she is. It’s time for the final battle! Act 2 Scene 6 Sam and Dreamcatcher arrive at the centre of the dreamcatcher, only to find NightMare waiting for her. Dreamcatcher is captured by NightMare who also grabs the Bear, but the Dream Police and Pirates arrive and snatch the bear back. They are in turn confronted by the Bed Bugs, but when Martha arrives to check everyone’s Dream Ticket she retrieves the bear. She realises her perilous position and runs off. There is a huge chase involving just about everyone which results in NightMare and Sam confronting each other. Sam and Dreamcatcher retreat to the centre of the Dreamcatcher where NightMare cannot go. She is now caught in the strands of the Dreamcatcher’s web and will be burned up in the morning Sun. Sam relents and puts her and her minions in the custody of the Dream Police, feeling that she can now cope with nightmares if ever she has them. Sam falls asleep in dreamcatcher’s arms… David Bevan, 11 October 2001 Page 4 of 73 Version 10.0 Amended 11 January 2016 dreamcatcher Act 2 Scene 7 …and is taken back to her bed. The Dreamcatcher bids her farewell in the words of the ancient Cherokee message of friendship. Sam awakes but can’t remember her dream. Her Mum tells her there is a surprise waiting for her downstairs. She leaps out of bed - and finds Benny! Memories come flooding back (song: Dreamsong reprise). A voice calls her to breakfast. It is her dad, unexpectedly returned. She runs off in total delight as the lights fade to spot on the dreamcatcher hanging over her bed. Blackout. Walk Down and Finale (song: The Webs We Weave reprise) production notes This show is meant to be ‘production light’.