CINDERELLA Rolls Toward the Fire So That We See Her Face

SOUND: Music box

LIGHTS: In the loft a Red light from the fireplace lights CINDERELLA lying on the floor.

LIGHTS: Pin spot on a dancer wearing a dress that is very similar to CINDERELLA’s ball gown - dances as if she is on the music box.

CINDERELLA rolls toward the fire so that we see her face.

LIGHTS: PIN spot down.

Dancer hides upstage.

EIGHT a mouse (Philip) and ELEVEN a mouse (Connor) are in the dark at the SR end of the loft. EIGHT lights the candle (battery candle.)

ELEVEN: SHHHHHH!

EIGHT: (whispering) Light doesn’t make any noise!

ELEVEN: SHHHHHH!

EIGHT: Come on.

EIGHT and ELEVEN crawl across the loft to CINDERELLA.

ELEVEN: She is too close to the fire.

EIGHT: She is cold.

ELEVEN: The ash from the fire is landing on her dress and close to her face.

EIGHT: Help me.

EIGHT puts down the candle and with ELEVEN they roll CINDERELLA away from the fire.

ELEVEN: Poor little girl

EIGHT: Poor mice! Let us go.

ELEVEN: She is so sweet.

EIGHT: Her step sisters and Lady Tremaine are not.

ELEVEN: (full voice) They are evil.

EIGHT: SHHHH! This talking is not putting cheese in your stomach or more importantly mine!

ELEVEN: True.

EIGHT and ELEVEN start down the SL stairs.

LIGHTS: Blue downstairs.

LUCIFER (Blythe) is sitting in the chair.

Midway down the stairs…

LUCIFER: Beautiful music is it not?

EIGHT and ELEVEN freeze.

LIGHTS: Special on the chair between the staircases.

LUCIFER is admiring her beautiful claws.

ELEVEN: That is…

EIGHT: Yes she is.

LUCIFER: You are new. Names?

SOUND: Music out.

EIGHT: Eight.

ELEVEN: Eleven.

LUCIFER: Big family?

ELEVEN: Twenty-one.

LUCIFER: Do you know who I am?

ELEVEN: Lucy…

EIGHT: …fer, Lucifer.

ELEVEN: Pretty name.

LUCIFER points a claw a claw toward ELEVEN.

LUCIFER: You don’t know the rules.

LUCIFER stands and slow walks toward the SL stairs.

EIGHT: Rules?

LUCIFER: I am always in charge!

LADY TREMAINE: (voice) Lucy!

LUCY freezes.

LT enters SR arch and grabs LUCIFER by the arm.

LT: Bad cat. On cold nights you sleep with me!

LT drags LUCY out SR arch. LUCIFER struggles.

LUCIFER: (to ELEVEN and EIGHT) I’ll be back. I’m in charge.

LT LUCIFER exit.

LIGHTS: Special and blues down.

EIGHT blows out candle.

SOUND: music box begins again.

CINDERELLA rolls over again toward the fire.

Dancer and dancing prince enter. Dancing prince wears a costume similar to PRINCE’s costume.

LIGHTS: Pin spot up.

Dancers dance.

SOUND: Secret knock.

LIGHTS: Pin spot out.

Dancers exit loft.

EIGHT lights candle.

LIGHTS: Blues up.

EIGHT: (to ELEVEN) Stand guard.

EIGHT exits under SL stairway. ELEVEN stands DC worried.

CINDERELLA wakes and sits up. She rubs her eyes and yawns. CINDERELLA looks downstairs and sees ELEVEN. She stands and looks over the rail watching.

REYNARD a French mouse (Antonio) dressed in black and white stripped long sleeve pullover shirt, red scarf and black beret enters from under SL stairs. REYNARD wears a mustache. He crosses to ELEVEN.

REYNARD: (with accent) Is this your first transfer?

ELEVEN: You scared me.

REYNARD: I am Reynard.

ELEVEN: The fox?

REYNARD: You have heard of me, no?

ELEVEN: No. I am new and Reynard means fox.

REYNARD: Because I am sly. Today I move country mice to the city. Mostly I move city mice to the country, but something big is happening, perhaps a party or a festival. Do you know?

ELEVEN: No.

EIGHT: This way.

EIGHT brings in three mice, Gustav (Garrett), Octavos (Logan) and Jaq (Colton).

GUSTAV, OCTAVOS and JAQ huddle together and cross center. They look around the room.

OCTAVOS: This is it?

JAQ: This is “inside?”

GUSTAV: Where is the cheese?

CINDERELLA: (laughing) Hahahaha!

OCTAVOS/JAQ/GUSTAV: People!

CINDERELLA hides. She watches and laughs covering her mouth with her hand.

JAQ scurries under the chair.

GUSTAV exits SL arch.

OCTAVOS runs around the room followed by EIGHT.

REYNARD: (laughing) Hahahaha!

ELEVEN: SHHHHHH!

EIGHT points for ELEVEN to chase GUSTAV. ELEVEN exits SL arch.

OCTAVOS runs out SR arch. EIGHT stops and does not follow.

REYNARD: (to EIGHT) Problem?

EIGHT: That is Evil Lady Tremaine’s room.

REYNARD warms his hands, straitens his beret and exits SR arch.

EIGHT: He is so brave or such a fool.

EIGHT crosses to the chair and pulls JAQ from under the chair.

ELEVEN enters SL arch with GUSTOV in tow.

GUSTOV: I was promised cheese.

ELEVEN: There will be cheese.

GUSTOV: No people?

ELEVEN: I can’t promise that.

JAQ: Reynard promised us no people.

EIGHT: Reynard says many things.

REYNARD enters with OCTAVOS. OCTAVOS is gagged and his hands are tied.

REYNARD: Safe and sound.

EIGHT: Why did you tie him up and gag him?

REYNARD: I didn’t. It was la chat.

ELEVEN: The cat?

EIGHT: Lucifer. We must get them out.

BRUNO the old dog (Megan) enters under SR stairs.

BRUNO: We will have to hide them here. Something big is happening at the palace.

EIGHT: Lucifer knows they are here.

BRUNO: That cat is always trouble. I’ll put them with me until we can get them out.

ELEVEN: What about us?

BRUNO: Hide yourselves.

REYNARD helps OCTAVOS, JAQ and GUSTOV out under the SR stairs.

GUSTOV: Still no cheese?

REYNARD and BRUNO exit under SR stairs.

LUCIFER enters SR arch sees EIGHT and ELEVEN and begins to chase them. EIGHT and ELEVEN run up SL stairs. As they pass on to the loft CINDERELLA bocks the path and stops LUCIFER.

CINDERELLA: It is a wonderful morning is it not you mean old cat? How can such a pretty cat be so cruel?

LUCIFER exits SR arch with attitude.

LIGHTS: Blue out.

CINDERELLA picks up her music box.

SOUND: Music box plays.