Our Road Show, Trouble in Paradise, was loosely based on a true story. Chris Jessop, who wrote and directed our Road Show, tells about his pioneer ancestors who came to settle Cache Valley.
"pioneer children sang as they walked and walked and plodded and wretched and gagged and hurled..."
In our play, some of the settlers, especially the children weren't always happy to be traveling.
(never heard of that in our day-" Mom, are we there yet?"
(never heard of that in our day-" Mom, are we there yet?"
Brett, as Henry Smith, was so glad to have arrived in the beautiful Cache valley.
"My name is Johns. Val Johns"
" We are Warriors. Warriors. We like making trouble. We are hoodlums at the core."
The Indians in the area were not happy to see the new settlers. They threatened to make trouble for the new arrivals.
"ENOUGH! Warriors must learn - new song!"
" Father, how did Pouncing Cougar get her name?"
"I Look out tee-pee, see pouncing cougar. Name your sister, Pouncing Cougar.
Why you ask, Bear Behind??"
"Anyone have a bucket?"
"Why, papa?"
"Cause, I am gonna kick it..."
"no, papa. You will live.. You're going to live..."
 |
| "Isn't that Brother Cistern's wallet?" " He owed my 50 dollars!" |
 | ||||||||
| "Agh. Indians." "Give. Said Little Stream." |
"It's the Legendary, Pouncing Cougar!" (BYU fight song plays...)
"Can I have your Autograph???"
"I told my daughter- should have never marry you. You can't keep track of own son.
Let alone whole tribe. You- Chief Molting Turkey."
Meantime, the warriors go off (without permission) and kidnap a bunch of settlers.
"You can't keep us. We are here to settle this land.
You don't get to keep it, just because you were here first!"
The girls are kidnapped.
Rob ( I mean Val Johns) get shot in the derriere.
"I had a dream my life would be so different..." BOINK
"Empy Chairs at Empty tables.." BOINK
"Who am I?..." BOINK
"who are you????"
BOINK- and falls down
"Great. She been doing that for hours...."
"White Man leave Now. Or we make arrows fall from sky."
So, the settlers move 3 miles to the north to establish Paradise.
Brett, as narrator, explains that eventually the Indian problems resolved and the settlers again returned to the original settlement and named it Avon, in honor of Mrs. Orson Smith's favorite author, William Shakespeare
The show ends with Rob returning from the dead, as an angel. (And the Les Mis references continue..)
The settlers and the indians sing "Do you hear the people sing in our Lovely Deseret..
Who will be strong and make the peace..."
Yea. What a great experience the kids had putting on this production. The kids got to share their talents and to strengthen their friendships. I enjoyed playing the piano and being able to help with the Indian costumes and makeup. What a fun way to hang out with my own kids for a short time in Young Mens!
No comments:
Post a Comment