PLAY TRACK #1- OVERTURE (All composers should be on stage frozen into statues, and all other students are waiting in the hallway. When the music begins, the students will walk up the aisle to their spot. )
SCENE 1
Glass (Hayley):I can’t believe they made me stand there like that for all these years!
Handel (James):Hallelujah! I’m glad to be out of that pose!
Haydn (Conor):(rubbing neck) I’ve got a Mozart Effect right here in my neck!
Mussorgsky (Alena):What’s a Mozart Effect?
Mozart (Natalie):(very proudly) Well, researchers have found that listening to MY music actually makes you smarter!
Bach (Alison):Mozart effect? Bah humbug! Why not a BACH Effect?(pronounced Bahk)
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):Or a Mendelssohn Effect?(pronounced Men-dell-son)
(All the composers go on to say their own name….”or a ______Effect!”)
Mozart (Natalie):Never mind all that. Look at that! (points to sleeping students)
Verdi (MacKenzi):What are they?
Tchaikovsky (Kellen):Are those……aliens?
Haydn (Conor):No, I think they’re just kids.
All composers:Ooo, scary!
R. Strauss(Grant):Should we wake them up?
Mahler (Eva):(loudly) Of course we should wake them up!
All Composers:Hey kids! Wake up!
(All students abruptly wake up)
Stravinsky (Jeremy):That’s more like it! Hit it, maestro!(pronounced My-stroh)
PLAY TRACK #2: HELLO EVERYBODY
AT THE END OF THE SONG, WHEN WE ARE TRANSITIONING TO SCENE 2, PLAY TRACK #3 SYMPHONY #5
SCENE 2
Student #1 (Luke):Wow that was the wildest thing I’ve ever seen!
Student #2 (Max):(scared) I don’t think we’re in Virginia anymore.
(All the composers laugh and say things like, “Oh, that’s very funny!”….”Not in Virginia, indeed!”…..etc..)
Beethoven (Mason):(loudly) What’s a Virginia?
Handel (James):Quiet down, Ludwig. You’re scaring the children! (pronounced LOOD-vig)
Tchaikovsky (Kellen):Don’t worry, kids. His bark is much worse than his bite.
(Beethoven growls at all of the composers, who jump back)
Student #1 (Luke):Who are you people anyway?
Student #2 (Max):And what’s with the weird outfits?
All Composers:Who are WE? Who are YOU?
J. Strauss (Avery):And what’s with your weird “outfits?”
Student #3 (Ariana):Well, that’s easy. We’re students and we’re here at this museum to research famous composers for our music class.
Student #4 (Kianmehr):Yeah! We’re supposed to be writing a report on our favorite music from a loooong time ago. Like the Classical Period or the Baroque Period. You know, that boring stuff.
(pronounced Bah-roke)
All Composers:(gasping in horror) BORING?!?!
Mozart (Natalie):Hold me up, Johann, I’m feeling faint.(pronounced YO-hahn)
Beethoven (Mason):(angrily) Boring?? What do you mean, boring?
Student #3 (Ariana):Well, it’s just that we’re really not that interested in music written by a bunch of old dudes who have been dead for hundreds of years.
All Composers:Old dudes?
Beethoven (Mason):(angrily) What do you mean, dead?!
Handel (James):(in a friendly manner) What Ludwig means is,….(pronounced LOOD-vig)
All Composers:(angrily) What do you mean, dead???
Student #4 (Kianmehr):All of you… Handel, Bach, Mozart, Strauss, Beethoven, you’ve all been dead for a long, long time. (HAN-dell, Bahk, MO-tsart, StrOWs (ow like now))
All Composers:We have?
Glass (Hayley):Haven’t you heard, kid? Writers of great music never die, they just ‘decompose!’
(All the composers laugh hysterically and slap their knees. They say things like, “Oh, that’s a good one.”…..”They just
decompose!” …. ha, ha, ha!.etc.)
Student #5 (Selina):This is getting totally weird.
Brahms (Aariv):Look kids. It’s okay if I call you kids, isn’t it? I am MUCH OLDER than you, after all. I was born in 1833!
Student #5 (Selina):Hey, you’re Johannes Brahms! (pronounced YO-hann)
Brahms (Aariv):Bingo! I am Brahms, it’s true, and these are all my composer friends.
Bach (Alison):Johann Sebastian Bach, 1685-1750. (YO-hann Sebastshun Bahk)
Mozart (Natalie):Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 1756-1791. (WOLF-gang Ah-mah-DAY-us MO-tsart)
Handel (James):George Frideric Handel 1685-1759.(George FREE-drick HAN-dell)
Haydn (Conor):Franz Joseph Haydn 1732-1809 (Franz YO-sef HIGH-din)
J. Strauss (Avery):Johann Strauss, Jr. 1825-1899.(YO-han StrOWs)
Tchaikovsky (Kellen): Pyotr Tchaikovsky, 1840-1893.(PYOH-ter Chiy-KOHV skee)
Brahms (Aariv):And you’ve already meet Beethoven.
Beethoven (Mason):1770-1827!
Brahms (Aariv):(each one of these composers waves or bows) And that’s Mussorgsky, the other Strauss, Richard...Schubert, and so on and so on.
Glass (Hayley):So, what can we do to help you kids?
R Strauss(Grant): We know a few things about music, you know.
Student #6 (Romina):Wow, we don’t even know where to start with our reports.
R Strauss(Grant):Well, a good report will need a grand opening, don’t you think? A really powerful piece of music! And I’ve written just the thing!
(Richard Strauss conducts in the air as it plays from a CD)
PLAY TRACK #4: ALSO SPRACH ZARATHUSTRA PLAYS
(All of the composers give a huge round of applause)
Bach (Alison):Look, Strauss! You call that an opening? Bah, that sounds like something from outer space!
R. Strauss(Grant):And I suppose you think you can do better, Bach? (Bahk)
Bach (Alison):Stand back, young man and let a true master show you how it’s done.
(plays Toccata and Fugue on the piano)
(All of the composers give a huge round of applause)
Bach (Alison):Now, that’s an opening! Thank you all for my well deserved applause.
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):Now, hold on a minute, everyone. No offense, Bach, but that piece could scare everyone away. Now, I’ve got an opening that’ll leave them standing in the aisle.
Mussorgsky (Alena):Oh, go ahead Felix, but not another sappy love song, if you don’t mind.
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):Ha! This one is sure to “tie the knot” or my name isn’t Felix Mendelssohn!
PLAY TRACK #5: WEDDING MARCH
Handel (James):(holding a bouquet of flowers) I do! (quickly tosses the flowers to the side) I mean, I don’t understand how we’re ever going to decide on an opening theme for these reports!
(All of the composers start arguing, saying how wonderful their music/contributions are)
Mussorgsky (Alena):Get a Handel, grip! I mean, get a grip, Handel! I’m sure we’ll figure it out.
Student #7 (Natasha):Excuse me. I know that to start her day, my mother just loves to play a little Mozart as she has her coffee and reads the paper.
Mozart (Natalie):(a little put out) Suddenly, I’m background music.
R. Strauss(Grant):I agree that Mozart is a fantastic way to start the day. Let’s give it a whirl. Hit it, Wolfgang!
PLAY TRACK #6: A MOSTLY MOZART MORNING (wait until everyone is back in their spot)
While we are transitioning to Scene 3, PLAY TRACK #7 EINE KLEINE NACHTMUSIK
SCENE 3
Student #8 (Donovan):That was wonderful. What a terrific way to start the day and my report. I’m definitely going to stick with Mozart for my assignment!
Mozart (Natalie):Wise choice, kid. Studies show that I can have quite an “effect” on you!
Bach (Alison):Well, I wrote more than 600 different types of music! Masses, cantatas, wedding chorales, arrangements for voice, organ, preludes, fugues…...you name it! (Can-TAH-tahs, core-ALS, PRAY-loods, FYOOGES)
Beethoven (Mason):He also had two wives and 20 kids!
Bach (Alison):I was very busy.
Wagner (Naomi):Music from long ago is divided into several Periods, you know. Like the Baroque, the Classical, the Romantic, and others!
Handel (James):Yes! Both Bach and I were very busy writing music during what we call the Baroque Period, which lasted from 1600 to 1750. Wouldn’t someone like to do a report on us? (Bah-ROKE)
Talking Group 1:Oh yes, Mr. Handel! We remember singing one of your songs around Christmas time! (they
(Angela/Camila/Sophie)sings loudly and off key) Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Handel (James):(looking worried) I wrote that?
Talking Group 2:Oh yes, sir! And it’s one of our favorites. (they sing) Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
(Matthew/Logan/Arjun)
Handel (James):(defensively)Oh, dear. Well, I only had 21 days to write it in, you know.
Student #9 (Jack):A report on the Baroque Period is a wonderful idea! I think I’ll call it, Going For Baroque.
(Bah-ROKE)
Handel/Bach:Splendid!
(James/Alison)
Student #8 (Donovan):Or how about, “If it ain’t Baroque, don’t fix it!” (Bah-ROKE)
(Groans)
Student #9 (Jack):I like, “Getting a Handel On Bach!”
(Groans)
Student #8(Donovan):How about “Bach to the Future?”
Bach (Alison):(To Handel) Now look what you’ve started….
PLAY TRACK #8: A FAIRLY FRIENDLY FUGUE (wait until everyone is back in their spot)
While we are transitioning to Scene 4, PLAY TRACK # 8 LITTLE FUGUE
SCENE 4
Student #10 (Addison):Wow! That was a lot to keep up with.
Bach (Alison):You kids were fantastic! (chokes up) You make an old composer proud.
Beethoven (Mason):Now don’t start getting Romantic, Johann! That’s my territory! (YO-hann)
Mahler (Eva):And don’t confuse the children! They’re going to start thinking you’re talking about romance every time you say Romantic!
Students:Ew!! Romance!!
Stravinsky (Jeremy):Now, now, children. Remember when talking about music, the Romantic period is a time in history. The late 1700’s to the early 1900’s, as a matter of fact!
Schubert (Arisha):Well, if we’re talking about the Romantic period, you’d better not leave me out, Ludwig. When people think Romantic, Franz Schubert is one of the first names that come to mind. (LOOD-wig, Frahnz SHOO-bert)
Beethoven (Mason):Yeah, but you could never finish anything!
Schubert (Arisha):(terribly offended and hurt) Oh right, throw THAT in my face. You always have to bring up that one symphony I didn’t finish. I didn’t even plan to call it the “Unfinished Symphony!” You know, I DID write seven symphonies BEFORE that one.
Student #11 (Zahra):Ok, ok, settle down everybody! Didn’t any of you write any good dance music?
Student #12 (Andrew):Yeah, dude! I’d like to do MY report on some hot and happening dance tunes, man.
All Composers:Hot? Happening?
Verdi (MacKenzi):(whispers to Wagner)I think they might be aliens after all.
Wagner (Naomi):Yes, I quite think you’re right, Verdi. I certainly have never heard such talk!
J. Strauss (Avery):Did somebody say dance music?
Beethoven (Mason):Oh boy. Here we go.
J. Strauss (Avery):Johann Strauss at your service! (takes a bow) (YO-hann STROWS, ow like now)
Student #10 (Addison):What type of dance music did you write, Mr. Strauss?(STROWS, ow like now)
Student #11 (Zahra):Was it Hip Hop?
Student #12 (Andrew):Or was it Rap Music?
Student #10 (Addison):Ooh, I bet it was Punk Rock, right?
J. Strauss(Avery):(confused) NOW what language are they speaking?!? They’ve clearly lost their minds.
Tchaikovsky (Kellen):Johann Strauss is quite famous for writing over 500 dances of all kinds! (YO-hann STROWS, ow like now)
Wagner (Naomi):But he is most remembered for his fabulous collection of waltzes!
All Students:(shocked) WALTZES?!?!?
J. Strauss(Avery):(proudly) You see, Beethoven? I told you they’d love them!
PLAY TRACK #10: COME WALTZ WITH ME (wait until all dancers are on stage and in position)
While we are transitioning to Scene 5, PLAY TRACK # 11 ON THE BLUE DANUBE
SCENE 5
Student #13 (Camila):Okay, okay! I admit, that was a lot of fun. But please don’t tell my parents that you saw me enjoying a waltz, or my reputation is shot!
Talking Group 3:We think we’re actually starting to like some of your music, even if we’ve always been told you
(Mustafa/Kevin/Jace)should never trust anybody over 150 years old.
STARTS PLAYING “FUR ELISE”
Beethoven(Mason):(while the music is playing) Hey! That’s my song!!
Beethoven (Mason):(when song is ended)Well done! Well done. That’s one of my favorite pieces and you played it splendidly!
Student #14 (Leo):That’s one of MY favorite pieces, too! Mr. Beethoven, you have always been my very favorite composer!
Beethoven (Mason):You have exquisite taste! (ex-QUIZ-et)
Student #15(Divyanshu):But tell me, Mr. Beethoven…I am confused. Are you a Classical composer like Mr. Mozart, or are you a Romantic composer like Mr. Brahms?
Beethoven (Mason):Actually, I am both! Many people like to think that I was the composer that bridged the gap between the Classical Period and the Romantic Period. I pushed the limits of music and transformed it into something entirely new!
All Students:Awesome!
Beethoven (Mason):(smugly) Aren’t I, though?
Brahms (Aariv):As he has told you, Ludwig is absolutely right that he led the way for those of us in the Romantic Period to spread our wings.
Stravinsky (Jeremy):And he composed most of his music never being able to hear it.
Students:(shocked) WHAT?!?!?
Tchaikovsky (Kellen):Yes, it’s true. For a good part of his life, Ludwig van Beethoven was completely deaf.
(LOOD-vig vahn BAYk-toe-ven)
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):He would compose music never being able to actually hear it.
Verdi (MacKenzi):When he premiered his 9th and final symphony, he was completely deaf and couldn’t hear the audience applauding. Someone had to turn him around so he could see that everyone was standing and clapping for him.
Schubert (Arisha):Classical or Romantic, our hats off to you, Mr. Beethoven, truly one of the greatest of us all!
PLAY TRACK #12: CAN YOU HEAR? (wait until everyone is back in their spot)
While we are transitioning to Scene 6, PLAY TRACK #13 ODE TO JOY
SCENE 6
Talking Group 4:Well, no doubt about it…. you old guys wrote some pretty terrific stuff!
(Christopher/Ericson/Olvin)
Talking Group 5:So, what do you guys, like, think of the music WE listen to?
(John/Oscar)
Student #16(Sam):Yeah, we’ve listened to your fugues and minuets and waltzes. (min-you-ETS)How about a doing a little of OUR music?
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):Well, what is YOUR music?
Verdi (MacKenzi):Sure, tell us. We’ll give anything a try.
All Students:We like Rap!
Composers:Rap?
Mendelssohn(Wyatt):What do you mean, rap?
Mahler (Eva):My doctor told me about this one. It is Recurrent Abdominal Pain. R. A.P.!
Haydn (Conor):Ooh, I know! It’s what you do when you are giving someone a present! You “rap” it!
Glass (Hayley):My mother likes to rap my knuckles when I let my dogs run through her flower beds. Like this! (raps Haydn’s head)
Student #17(Penelope): No, no, no. We mean Rap music.
Student #16 (Sam):Yeah, come on, dudes! We’ll show you what we mean. Get a beat going and let’s get it started!
Wagner (Naomi):My goodness! Give it a whirl!
PLAY TRACK #14: COMPOSER RAP (wait until all composers are on stage)
While we are transitioning to Scene 7, PLAY TRACK #15 Badinerie
SCENE 7
Talking Group 6:Wehave plenty to get started on our reports about famous composers.
(Christian/Ethan)
Talking Group 7:Us too! We can hardly wait to get started.
(Sophia/Meylyn)
Beethoven (Mason):That’s our cue, fellows. It’s time for us to wrap this up.
(Some of the composers are having a bit of a private discussion off to one side. Out of it, Brahms is finally pushed
toward the center of the stage.)
Schubert (Arisha):You have to do it Brahms, you have to.
Brahms (Aariv):(nervously) But I…I…I….
Student #18 (Mya)What is it, Mr. Brahms? What’s the matter?
Brahms (Aariv):Well…before you kids get going on your papers, I…I…
Beethoven (Mason):Snap to it, Johannes! (YO-hann) You know you have to do it! (whispers) How else are they going to get to sleep and think this was all a dream?
Brahms (Aariv):Okay! Okay! Don’t rush me! Before you kids get going on your reports, I need you to listen to one last melody.
Student #18 (Mya):Go ahead, Mr. Brahms. We’re all ears!
Brahms (Aariv):Okay. Here goes.
PLAY TRACK #16-LULLABY then as soon as the song is over, immediately PLAY TRACK #17- SCHOOL BELL SOUND EFFECT
SCENE 8
(After the song ends, the kids wake up.)
Teacher (Kristina):Wake up, everybody! The field trip is over and we’re back at school!
Student #19(Patrick R):Wow, we all fell asleep on the bus. I don’t even remember leaving the composer museum. What a fun field trip that was!
Student #20 (Isabel):You wouldn’t believe the dream I had! All of these composer statues came alive and helped us all with our music reports!
Student #21 (Madison):Hey, that’s so weird! I had the exact same dream!
Students:Yeah, me too! So did I! Me too!
Teacher(Kristina):Alright now students. I suppose next you’ll be telling me Einstein visits you at home and helps you with your math homework!
Student #22(Patrick S):No! No, really, they came alive and sang with us and we waltzed and even did a rap!
Teacher(Kristina):Oh no, the pressure is really getting to you, isn’t it? We’ll have to go easy on that homework.