Cyclops a Rock Opera
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cyclops a rock opera Music & Lyrics by J. Landon Marcus w/ Benjamin Sherman Book by Chas LiBretto Draft date: 12/2/20 Agent contact: Katie Gamelli [email protected] A3 Artists Agency Literary Division The Empire State Building Fifth Ave. 38th Floor New York, NY 10118 DRAMATIS PERSONAE Polyphemus, a CYCLOPS ODYSSEUS, a Greek General SILENUS, a Satyr MARON, a Satyr KROTOS, a Satyr KOMOS, a Satyr SIMOS, a Satyr DIONYSUS, God of Wine PENELOPE, wife of Odysseus Maenads (ensemble) Time/Place: A Cave on Aetna, shortly after the end of the Trojan War Link to Composer Demos: https://soundcloud.com/landon-marcus/sets/cyclops-a-rock-opera-original-demos Set List: 1. For Your Gaping Gulf 2. O Dionysus 3. Strophe/Epode 4. Put Your Elbow Right 5. Here Comes the Cyclops 6. Bloodier Than the Cherry 7. Monster Like Me 8. Sing Muse 9. Cyclops Suite 10. Galatea 11. Put Your Elbow Left 12. Sodomy 13. Soon a Crab 14. Hasten and Thrust (music by Benjamin Sherman) 15. Nobody Nowhere 16. I'm a Cyclops 17. There Goes the Cyclops Darkness. We hear the distant sounds of waves and sea creatures: gulls and seals and then...what almost sounds like faints screams and yelling. A low roaring can be heard. The lights begin to brighten and we see that we are inside a cave. SILENUS, a Satyr (half man, half goat), prepares body parts on platters to something in shadow...a monster, not clearly seen in the darkness of the cave. There is blood, and bones, and limbs, as well as various cutting instruments and seasonings. His sons, younger Satyrs, each behind a musical instrument, bleet and ‘bah’ and cower in fear as Silenus does the dirty work of preparing and serving their master’s ghastly meal. SONG: “FOR YOUR GAPING GULF” SILENUS (singing) FOR YOUR GAPING GULF! AND YOUR GULLET WIDE! THE RAVINE IS READY ON EVERY SIDE! THE LIMBS OF THE STRANGERS ARE COOKED AND DONE! THERE IS BOILED MEAT, AND ROAST MEAT, AND MEAT FROM THE COAL! YOU MAY CHOP IT, AND TEAR, IT AND GNASH IT FOR FUN! AND HAIRY GOAT-SKIN CONTAINS THE WHOLE! LET ME BUT ESCAPE AND FERRY ME O’ER THE STREAM OF YOUR WRATH TO A SAFER SHORE THE CYCLOPS AETNEAN IS CRUEL AND BOLD Bones and skulls roll out of the shadows, as SILENUS serves the Cyclops each course. SATYRS HE MURDERS THE STRANGERS THAT SIT ON HIS HEARTH AND DREADS NO AVENGERS TO RISE FROM THE EARTH! 2. SILENUS HE ROASTS THE MEN BEFORE THEY ARE COLD HE SNATCHES THEM BROILING FROM THE COAL AND FROM THE CAULDRON PULLS THEM WHOLE! The figure in shadows stands to its full height, still unrevealed. The CYCLOPS. AND MINCES THEIR FLESH AND GNAW AT THEIR BONE WITH MY CURSED TEETH! TILL ALL BE GONE! FAREWELL FOUL PAVILION! FAREWELL RITES OF DREAD! THE CYCLOPS VERMILION, WITH SLAUGHTER UNCLOYING, NOW FEASTS ON THE DEAD. CYCLOPS IN THE FLESH OF STRANGERS JOYING! The CYCLOPS departs, leaving SILENUS and his sons to clean up the mess. SILENUS begins picking up plates and bowls and bloody bones. One of his sons hands him a mop and he sings as he mops the bloody floor. SONG: “O DIONNYSUS” SILENUS O DIONYSUS, WHAT A WORLD OF TOIL, BOTH NOW AND ERE THESE LIMBS WERE OVERWORN WITH AGE, HAVE I ENDURED FOR THEE! FIRST WHEN THOU FLED’ST THE MOUNTAIN-NYMPHS WHO NURSED THEE, DRIVEN AFAR BY THE STRANGE MADNESS HERA SENT UPON THEE; THEN IN THE BATTLE OF THE SONS OF THE EARTH, WHEN I STOOD FOOT BY FOOT CLOSE TO THY SIDE, 3. NO UNPROPITIOUS FELLOW-COMBATANT, AND DRIVING THROUGH HIS SHIELD MY WINGED SPEAR, SLEW VAST ENCELADUS. CONSIDER NOW, IS IT A DREAM OF WHICH I SPEAK TO THEE? BY ZEUS IT IS NOT, FOR YOU HAVE THE TROPHIES! AND NOW I SUFFER MORE THAN ALL BEFORE. FOR WHEN I HEARD THAT HERA HAD DEVISED A TEDIOUS VOYAGE FOR YOU, I PUT TO SEA WITH ALL MY CHILDREN QUAINT IN SEARCH OF YOU, AND I MYSELF STOOD ON THE BEAKED PROW AND FIX’D THE NAKED MAST, AND ALL MY BOYS LEANING UPON THEIR OARS, WITH SPLASH AND STRAIN MADE WHITE WITH FOAM THE GREEN AND PURPLE SEA, AND SO WE SOUGHT YOU, KING. WE WERE SAILING NEAR MALEA, WHEN AN EASTERN WIND AROSE, AND DROVE US TO THIS WILD AETNEAN ROCK; THE ONE-EYED CHILDREN OF THE OCEAN GOD, THE MAN-DESTROYING CYCLOPS INHABITS, ON THIS WILD SHORE, HIS SOLITARY CAVE, AND ONE OF THESE, NAMED POLYPHEMUS, HAS CAUGHT US TO BE HIS SLAVES; AND SO, FOR ALL DELIGHT OF DIONYSIAN SPORTS, SWEETS DANCE AND MELODY, WE KEEP THIS LAWLESS GIANT’S WANDERING FLOCKS, ON FAR DECLIVITIES, YOUNG THINGS THEMSELVES, TEND ON THE YOUNGLING SHEEP, BUT I REMAIN TO FILL THE WATER-CASKS, OR SWEEPING THE HARD WOOD FLOOR, OR MINISTERING SOME IMPIOUS AND ABOMINABLE MEAL TO THE FELL CYCLOPS. 4. I AM WEARIED OF IT! AND NOW I MUST SCRAPE UP THE LITTER’D FLOOR WITH THIS GREAT IRON RAKE, SO TO RECEIVE MY ABSENT MASTER AND HIS EVENING SHEEP IN A CAVE NEAT AND CLEAN. EVEN NOW I SEE MY CHILDREN TENDING THE FLOCKS HITHERWARD. HA! WHAT IS THIS? ARE YOUR SICINNIAN MEASURES EVEN NOW THE SAME, AS WHEN WITH DANCE AND SONG YOU BROUGHT DIONYSUS TO ATHENA’S HALLS? SILENUS bows to his sons. His son SIMOS approaches his father with an instrument, gives a bleet, and then begins to sing. SONG: “STROPHE / EPODE” SIMOS WHERE HAS HE OF RACE DIVINE WANDER’D IN THE WINDING ROCKS? HERE THE AIR IS CALM AND FINE FOR THE FATHER OF THE FLOCKS; HERE THE GRASS IS SOFT AND SWEET, AND THE RIVER-EDDIES MEET IN THE TROUGH BESIDE THE CAVE, BRIGHT AS IN THE FOUNTAIN WAVE. NEITHER HERE, NOR ON THE DEW OF THE LAWNY UPLANDS FEEDING? OH, YOU COME! – A STONE AT YOU WILL I THROW TO MEND YOUR BREEDING; GET ALONG YOU HORNED THING, WILD, SEDITIOUS, RAMBLING! SILENUS BUT WHERE FOR ME? THE DANCE, THE GLEE? OF DIONYSUS AND HIS MAIDS DIVINE! THE TIMBREL’S CLASH, THE FOUNTAINS FLASH, THE ENLIVENING CUP OF WINE? 5. KROTOS NYSSUS’ HILL IS FAR AWAY, MARON HERE NO NYMPHS AT TWILIGHT PLAY SIMOS YET STILL THE DINOYSIAN LAY SATYRS I CHANT TO BEAUTY’S QUEEN. HOW OFT, HER WITCHING SMILES TO GAIN, I’VE SOUGHT EACH HALLOWED SCENE, WHERE LOVELY PLAYED THE DIONYSIAN TRAIN, MARON SAY, DIONYSUS, SAY WHERE THOU, SEQUESTERED, WANDEREST NOW THY GOLDEN TRESSES FLOATING ON THE GALE? REFT OF DEFENSE, IF THY PROTECTION FAIL, SATYRS CLAD IN THIS SHAGGY COAT, SNATCH’D FROM THE GRIM HE-GOAT, SILENUS DRUDGE OF THE ONE-EYED CYCLOPS, SEE FORLORN THY FAVORITE VOTARY. The Satyrs begin to chant a melody. It has an almost religious fervour and builds to a fever pitch. As it builds, a group of ethereal MAENADS enter the space, cavorting and dancing to their music. Their presense brings new energy to their cave. SATYRS AN IACCHIC MELODY TO THE GOLDEN APHRODITE WILL I LIFT, AS ERST DID I SEEKING HER AND HER DELIGHT AN IACCHIC MELODY TO THE GOLDEN APHRODITE WILL I LIFT, AS ERST DID I 6. SEEKING HER AND HER DELIGHT AN IACCHIC MELODY TO THE GOLDEN APHRODITE WILL I LIFT, AS ERST DID I SEEKING HER AND HER DELIGHT AN IACCHIC MELODY TO THE GOLDEN APHRODITE WILL I LIFT, AS ERST DID I SEEKING HER AND HER DELIGHT! The Maenads, in a frenzy, collapse to the floor. SATYRS WITH THE MAENADS, WHOSE WHITE FEET TO THE MUSIC GLANCE AND FLEET. SILENUS helps them up, and they weep together. He looks up to the roof of the cave. SILENUS IN THESE WRETCHED GOAT-SKINS CLAD, FAR FROM THY DELIGHTS AND THEE. The Satyrs and Maenads are broken-hearted. Their prayer to Dionysus has seemingly failed. Their God is nowhere to be seen. Suddenly, a bedraggled sailor enters the space. It’s the Greek General ODYSSEUS, fresh from his toils in the Trojan War. ODYSSEUS Friends? SILENUS Dionysus? ODYSSEUS (pointing to himself) Friend. Me friend. Can you show me some clear water spring, The remedy of our thirst? 7. The Satyrs murmur confusedly to each other, and whisper ‘Dionysus’ a few times. Odysseus seems frustrated. Will anyone furnish with food my crew of mighty Greek seamen? The Satyrs stop, and then have a laugh at this. SILENUS Heh. “Seamen.” ODYSSEUS I seem to be arrived at the blithe court of Dionysus. I observe this sportive band of Satyrs near the cave. First let me greet the elder – Hail! SILENUS Hail thou, O Stranger! Tell thy country and thy race. ODYSSEUS I am the Ithacan King Odysseus. SILENUS Oh! I know the man, Wordy and shrewd. ODYSSEUS I am the same. But tell me, friend Hast thou seen my companions? Six or so in number? Mighty Greek - SILENUS kicks a skull behind him. SILENUS No Seamen here! None that we have seen. ODYSSEUS Really? I could have sworn they went - SILENUS Whence sailing do you come to Sicily? ODYSSEUS From Ilion and the Trojan toils. The strength of tempests bore us here by force. 8. SILENUS The self-same accident occur’d to us. ODYSSEUS Were you then drive here by stress of weather? SILENUS Yes. Following the pirates who had kidnapp’d Dionysus. That’s how we ended up here. ODYSSEUS What land is this, and who inhabits it? SILENUS Aetna, the loftiest peak in Sicily. ODYSSEUS And who possesses the land? The race of beasts? SILENUS Cyclops, who live in a caverns, not in houses.