FADE IN: Title Card: "ACT ONE: THE PRODUCTION" EST. SKY - NIGHT Jesus Christ Superstar Overture by Andrew Lloyd Webber plays faint in the background. It sounds like an old record complete with scratch blips and grinding dust. We can see stars in the sky as the already faint music fades into a light wind blowing. The tree leaves bounce in the breeze. EXT. FRONT YARD - NIGHT A security light illuminating a garage door. Dead leaves swirl on the driveway. Behind the garage door someone is whistling the Jesus Christ Superstar overture note for note. [Ref. Music: "Overture" - Whistling only] INT. GARAGE STUDIO - NIGHT The inner workings of a Music Studio heavily decorated with a mixture of music icons from all generations and genres. Artwork, literature, artifacts, and instruments from an array of cultures adorn a corner of the studio. Artifact-like items from several different religions are scattered alongside the wall. The whistling continues. KEYBOARD RISER Behind the Keyboards are posters of Yes, Stevie Wonder and Thelonius Monk. Pieces of Buddhist articles and an old tape machine sit atop a ledge. DRUM RISER Iconic Muslim items outline the pictures of Public Enemy. TuPac and Aretha Franklin are side by side. Sketches of John Bonham and Neil Pert perfectly dress the opposite side. Art Blakey is in a special corner lit in a special light. 2. BASS AMPS Disturbing pictures of the Holocaust drapes the side of one amp. Beautiful pictures of Jewish families in various countries dress the opposite side. On the wall behind are posters of a local band on tour. The number twelve is plastered on all of them. One poster has a loose corner. Scotch tape flutters lightly from a small fan blowing back and forth. DISSOLVE TO: GUITAR SECTION A guitar case is covered with "THE TWELVE" bumper stickers. The station is donned with items of various new age posters and literature. Spiritual books both modern and antiquated are aligned on a mantle. Philosophical quotes are hap-hazardly organized on the wall behind the Bogner amplifier. The microphone stand is slightly bent to the left. Whistling continues as we hear typing on a keyboard and buttons being pressed. A MAN comes into view at his music workstation. He places a set of headphones on his ears then presses a button on the drum machine next to him. His whistling fades into... CUT TO BLACK: FADE IN: INT. ARENA STAGE (MONTAGE) - DAY [Ref. Music : "The Drum Beat for Heaven On Their Minds"- Crystal Method style] Hundreds of historical events and news worthy images of wars, sex, cult and the occult flash between the picture of the real life hustle and bustle on an ARENA stage. Stagehands are shuffling about getting ready for a concert. The images funnel abruptly to a workman carrying a 2 by 4 across an entrance. JUDE SCOTT, 40’s, in a very nice European suit stands with a scowl. 3. His cuff links don the initials "J/S", as he holds the PDA up to his ear. The Rolex shines in the stage lights. [Ref. Music: Heaven On Their Minds - Dance/Tech/Pop] JUDE My mind is clearer now! At last, all too well I can see where we all soon will be! He travels down a workman's pathway being as discreet as possible. Pulling the phone from his ear and buries it in his chest as a person walking past him. He ducks into the elevator at a pathway intersection. The door closes. INT. ELEVATOR - DAY The elevator moves upward. It's empty. Jude speaks freely. JUDE If you stripped away the myth from the man - you will see where we all soon will be. We close in on his face as he snaps his PDA closed. He steps off the elevator into a large room. INT. GREEN ROOM - DAY JC, 30’s, short-haired and young-looking sits cross-legged on a mat in front of a single candle. The room is filled with other dimly lit candles and several meditation beads. JUDE JESUS! JC is annoyed but remains remarkably calm. JUDE (CONT'D) You're starting to believe the things they say of you. You really do believe this talk of God is true? JC blows out the candle, gets up and immediately rolls up his mat. He grabs the guitar case on the way to the elevator. He tries to get past Jude but he pulls JC face to face. 4. JUDE (CONT'D) Then all the good you've done will soon get swept away. You've begun to matter more than the things you say! They both step on the elevator. Door close. CUT TO: EXT. SIDEWALK IN FRONT OF THE ARENA - DAY Jude catches up to JC walking out of the front doors to a parked limo at the curb. He motions to the driver to pop the trunk. Jude is in his ear as JC loads his bags in the car. JUDE Listen, Jesus I don't like what I see. All I ask is that you listen to me. Please remember I've been your right hand man all along. JC slams the trunk closed. Jude points to the large crowd of protesters and news reporters across the street. Crazed fans are waiting on line. JUDE (CONT'D) You have set them all on fire. They think they've found the new Messiah. And they'll hurt you when they find they're wrong! JC angrily moves past Jude to get in the limo. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL LOBBY - DAY A few tourists recognize the superstar and point fingers. Jude follows JC through the registration waiting area. They walk toward the entrance of the garden area. EXT. HOTEL COURTYARD ENTRANCE AREA - DAY Dozens of paparazzi and press members mix with fans waiting for autographs. JUDE I remember when this whole thing began. (MORE) 5. JUDE (CONT'D) No talk of God then, we called you a man. And believe me, my admiration for you hasn't died. JC tries to continue on. Jude grabs his arm closer. JUDE (CONT'D) But every word you say today gets twisted 'round some other way. And they'll kill you if they think you've lied! JC breaks free. Crowds begin to form in a semi-organized fashion. Reporters are vying for position as the fans get their autographs signed one by one. JC stands with a smile. Jude gets lost in the melee and falls back. JUDE (CONT'D) Nazareth your famous son should have stayed a great unknown. Like his father carving wood. He'd have made good. JC walks on toward the hotel suite entrance. Jude turns to a reporter to finish his thought. JUDE (CONT'D) (To Reporter) Tables chairs and oaken chests would have suited Jesus best. He'd have caused nobody harm. No one alarmed! CUT TO: INT. HOTEL ESCALATORS - DAY Jude catches up to JC at the foot of the escalators. They both ascend to the second floor. JUDE Listen Jesus do you care for your race? Can't you see we must keep in our place? We are up too high, have you forgotten how far down we are? 6. They step off the escalators and pass by the railing where JC waves to the crowd one more time. Jude speaks under his breath. JUDE (CONT'D) I am frightened by the crowd, for we are getting much too loud. And they'll crush us if we go too far-- JC moves on annoyed more than ever now. Jude calls after. JUDE (CONT'D) --If we go too FAR! EXT: HOTEL (MONTAGE) - DAY [Ref. Music: Musical Break - Original arrangement] Reporters are feverishly jabbering away in front of cameras, reading notes and fighting the wind. Fans multiply in front of the hotel by the dozens. INT: HOTEL (MONTAGE CONT.) - DAY Police and hotel security, rush to the front lobby. They stop, look at each other then back at the front doors. It's completely blocked by fans. Hotel security, bell hops and the Registration manager are facing the police with a "what do we do now" look. EXT. STREET AT THE ARENA (MONTAGE CONT.) - DAY Roadblocks are set up as traffic is being diverted. Fans out number the authorities. The protesters are civil but are more dominant. They pump their fists at the crowd waiting in line. On all sides of the street, signs of atheism, Islamic statements, Hebrew and other non Christians slander the arrival via posters and signs. CUT TO: INT. HOTEL HALLWAY PENTHOUSE FLOOR - DAY Jude leads JC to the penthouse suite. He has the security key to get in. 7. JUDE Listen Jesus to this warning I give! Can't you see that I want us live? But it's sad to see our chances weakening with every hour! The door is open. INT. HOTEL PENTHOUSE SUITE - DAY The rest of the band and crew are scattered in several spots around the suite. JC turns back into the room. Jude explodes. JUDE All your followers are BLIND! [Ref. Music: No music] BOMBSHELL! Everything is silent except for the sound of the live MTV News update on the plasma TV. MTV NEWS --Meanwhile congress is trying to pass a bill where it will soon be legal to charge some recording artists a fine for select content in their lyrics. The academy of recording arts and sciences said that today’s raunch culture initiated the new law. But the growing concern over religious content in song lyrics is actually a bigger issue. Our entertainment correspondent-- Peter quickly grabs the remote and hits the mute button.