3
Café Society script (March 30, 2008)
Setting: Gloucester Coffee House 1850
As guests enter coffee house, music plays (Lord Byron) and reporter, Anne Royall, welcomes guests and offers her personal newspaper to them: The Capitol. The guests gather have something to eat (soup and sandwich) and drink a hot beverage while Coffee House Owner circulates and chats.
At 12:10 pm, characters enter:
1) Oscar Wilde plays in the corner already seated.
MUSIC TITLE: Romantic Period interlude
2) Leon Boellmann enters and sits in the corner, he begins to create a masterpiece of music.
3) Coffee house owner continues to move about the room.
4) Coffee house is decorated with photos of each character by the photographer
SCRIPT
Coffee House owner says to guests: Cued by CHO, music stops.
Welcome to the Gloucester Coffee House…….…. history of coffee houses:
Anne Royall enters.
Conversation between CHO and AR. Their conversation includes history of each character and their connection to this historic coffee house.
Clarinet players enter (Sarah Berndhart and Emily Carr), welcomed by CHO:
Caroline Frerderikke Muller and Emily Carr play solo. Crown claps.
Music: Ecossaise
German Composer Carl Maria von Weber (1786 – 1826)
Anne Royall initiates conversation to discuss the historic information about the piece they played and who they are. Photographer appears and meets Anne Royall who is interested in having him take a photo of her for her newspaper.
Conversation to bring out history of photographer.
(Tianna exit to prepare as Emily Carr: there is a painting of hers in the corner of the coffee house) CFR transforms into her character.
Photographer sets up his station to take pictures and proceeds to meet CFM. He can tell she is a high class character by the way she carries herself and by the way she is dressed. Anne Royall, recognizing the royal connection to CFM listens in and requests an interview.
Conversation to draw out story of CFM:
CHO asks Sarah Berndart to perform. Crowd claps. Music begins and she engages other characters to partake in the dance. All characters partake in dance.
MUSIC:
Photographer takes photo of Sarah Berndart.
Another musical number: soloists CHO and Anne Royall
MUSIC:
Anne Royall proceeds to meet Leon Boellmann in the corner.
Conversation to draw out history and information on LB:
Photographer requests their photo while LB proceeds with AR to the piano for his musical creation.
MUSIC:
While LB is having his photo taken, a short exchange between CHO and AR regarding the other character (Oscar Wilde), who has been writing and reading in the corner.
Conversation to bring out history of OW:
All: musical number
CHO thank guests for coming to the coffee house.
Café Society characters:
Timeline:
March 31: complete newspaper, teach dance number, listen to all music, review history of each character, run through script and edit.
April 7: dress rehearsal at Charlotte Street Arts Centre 8:45am to 11:45am. Guest speaker 10am. Characters take home their costumes to prepare for next weeks presentation.
April 14: dress rehearsal at Charlotte Street Arts Centre 8:45am to 11:45am.
LIVE presentation for parents, District 18 teachers and administrators and media 12 noon.
Colin: I sent you the photos of the group in an e-mail. Great job on your photography skills! You can manipulate them in your Colin fashion and prepare them for printing. I am not familiar with what photography would have looked like in the late 1800 era so I can not wait to see what you come up with! Bring the prepared photos to the next class on March 31st so we can see about printing them on 11 X 17 sheets at the District 18 office. How can we “frame” them to decorate the coffee house? Maybe we will need some easels? What can we work into the presentation with your guitar skills that fit into the 1800’s?
Sydney: I have touched up the newsletter for you and will send it in a separate e-mail. Use the history sheets (included in the original coffee house package I gave you) and speak to Shae regarding the history of the coffee house that will be included in the script. The name of our coffee house is Gloucester Coffee House (1828). You may want to research and put some information on this in the newspaper. If you have troubles working with the newsletter program please let me know and we will get together to work on it. Great job thus far! Also, when you complete your research on the reporter you are representing, note the type of questions she would ask to encourage historic tidbits about the era and the characters history (of those acting in our skit!). The guests to Gloucester Coffee House are mid to upper class. You are an encouraging focal point of the show! Go girl!
Ryley: you are working on the dance. I am looking forward to this presentation! Please let me know what music you are using and remember we are mid-1800’s. Maybe Rafael could help us out on the piano with this – or one of our other musicians in the group!! Please bring the music to our next class and let me know what your requirements are to play it. I mentioned to Tianna in her note regarding music for the clarinet – this music should be carefully selected from the proper time period as well. If we need guitars or piano etc ….. maybe we could create a musical ensemble! Are you singing?
Rafael: What reading have you decided on? Please let me know. Have you decided on some music from the 1800’s you could play the guitar to? I think your musical talent combined with your reading would be wonderful. I thought your dramatic beginning to your reading in class on Monday was wonderful and will add an interesting twist to our presentation. Awesome job. Maybe you could sing with one or two of our other characters.
Shae: You are doing a great job working through the “characters” and bringing out historic tidbits. I suggested to Sydney you may want to work together on some of the history for the newsletter. As soon as I finish typing the notes from class I will send them off to you. I had a thought you may be interested in too: we could have all our characters be “ghosts” until their era arrives in our presentation. So, beginning with the first character @ 1800, this character would be normal – the following characters will be included in the presentation but could “unveil” themselves as their time period comes up. For instance, Jack could be draped in a white sheet as he works at the piano until his presentation is up. When we reach 1860 he will be “unveiled” with a dramatic piano piece. Let’s chat ………………….
Tianna: You are an artist and will be playing music on the clarinet. AWESOME! What do you have that you can work on your painting in the coffee house during the presentation? I would like to see what art you are working on from the 1800’s! This gives your character a purpose and the art would be a great project for you to try. Also, what music are you playing on the clarinet? Remember we are the 1800’s – I would like to know who wrote the music and what the music is so we can explore whether Rafael can join in on your presentation with the piano or guitar.
Jack: I know you are working on your musical piece. I am looking forward to hearing your work! Please bring your completed piece to next class so you can play it for us. I will arrange to have a keyboard available if that is what you need. When you read above – is there anywhere else in the presentation we can use your musical talent for? We are the 1800’s – it would be wonderful if you could find some other music to play as well.
Remind your parents to block off in their calendar Monday, April 14th at noon. The presentation of our Café Society will be held at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre (Doodle’s Café) at noon. The address is 371 Queen Street.
NOTE: we will meet at 8:45am at Charlotte Street on Monday, April 7th for our dress rehearsal. Parents should drop you off there are pick you up at 11:45am to take you back to school.