INT -- THE DARK ROOM -- UNKNOWN
(The young man stands in the center of the room, surrounded by the players. The leading player steps out of the crowd and addresses him.)
LEADING PLAYER
Welcome. We thank you for joining us this evening. This evening, for your entertainment pleasure, we present our most mysterious and miraculous tale. A stunning example of....
A PLAYER
Magic!
A PLAYER
And merriment!
LEADING PLAYER
You will witness acts of....
A PLAYER
Lust!
A PLAYER
MUrder!
A PLAYER
Holy war!
LEADING PLAYER
All leading up to a spectacular climax!
(A player rushes through one of the many doors. He carries and lit torch excitedly.)
Not now, later.
(The player leaves.)
Our tale today concerns Prince Pippin, the first born son of Charlemagne, but before we begin, let me assure that what you are about to see is the true life story of Pippin. You see, there have been many misconceptions about Pippin. Stories saying he was....
(The doors light to reveal the following characters.)
A HUNCHBACK
A hunchback!
A MAN ON STILTS
Enormously tall.
A BOY WITH NO HAIR
Completely bald at the age of fourteen.
LEADING PLAYER
But please, cast all that aside and accept what we enact for you today. The life of Pippin begins.
(A doorway lights up showing a woman holding a baby. The lights go off again.)
Pippin as a child showed a tremendous thirst for knowledge.
(Lights up in the same doorway, showing a young boy reading a book. Lights down again.)
Immersed in these pursuits, the years passed by quickly.
(Lights up in the doorway showing Pippin grown up. This is the Pippin we will come to know. The leading player signals a female player to take care of Pippin. The player takes his hand and leads him through the doorway. Once they are gone, the leading player turns to the young man and bids him to follow her through the doorway.)
INT -- THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA -- AFTERNOON
(The forum at Padua is packed with students. A stately tutor stands at the podium. The leader play whispers into the young man's ear as she leads him to his seat.)
LEADING PLAYER
Charlemagne sent Pippin to the University of Padua and the faculty granted him the special title of scholar of the house.
(They sit and watch the ceremony.)
TUTOR
And now, ladies and gentlemen, a speech from our scholar of the house.
(The audience applauds as Pippin approaches the podium.)
PIPPIN
(Clears his throat nervously.)
Thank you.
(The crowd is silent.)
Gentle tutors, respected members of the faculty, I'm very grateful for the knowledge that you've given me, but I'm afraid what I'm looking for can't be found in books. You see, I know there's something....
LEADING PLAYER
(To herself.)
Fulfilling? Something completely fulfilling?
PIPPIN
Something completely fulfilling.
LEADING PLAYER
(To herself.)
Fantastic.
PIPPIN
And I'm going to find it.
(Underscoring begins.)
Although I'm not really sure what I want to do or where I want to go.
(Sung. Pippin walks through the audience as he sings.)
Everything has it's season.
Everything has it's time.
Show me a reason and I'll soon show you a rhyme.
Cats fit on the window sill.
Children fit in the snow.
Why do I feel I don't fit in anywhere I go?
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.
(Pippin has by now reached the young man. They exchange glaces. The scene changes.)
EXT -- A MEADOW -- MIDDAY
(As the underscoring continues, we are transported to a beautiful meadow. Pippin runs into it, followed by the young man who seems to gather some excitement from Pippin's words.)
PIPPIN +
Every man has his daydreams.
Every man has his goal.
People like the way dreams have of sticking to the soul.
Thunderclouds have their lightning.
Nightingales have their song,
And don't you see I want my life to be something more than long....
(They stop at a river.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
(An eagle flys overhead.)
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.
(Pippin runs excitedly to the top of a hill. The young man looks up at him from the base of the hill.)
So many men seem destined
To settle for something small,
But I won't rest until I know I'l have it all,
So don't ask where I'm going,
Just listen when I'm gone,
And far away you'll hear me singing softly to the dawn:
(He looks at the young man, as if encouraging him.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
(With hightening excitement, singing to the world around him.)
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner
Of the sky....
(The young man stands in the center of the room, surrounded by the players. The leading player steps out of the crowd and addresses him.)
LEADING PLAYER
Welcome. We thank you for joining us this evening. This evening, for your entertainment pleasure, we present our most mysterious and miraculous tale. A stunning example of....
A PLAYER
Magic!
A PLAYER
And merriment!
LEADING PLAYER
You will witness acts of....
A PLAYER
Lust!
A PLAYER
MUrder!
A PLAYER
Holy war!
LEADING PLAYER
All leading up to a spectacular climax!
(A player rushes through one of the many doors. He carries and lit torch excitedly.)
Not now, later.
(The player leaves.)
Our tale today concerns Prince Pippin, the first born son of Charlemagne, but before we begin, let me assure that what you are about to see is the true life story of Pippin. You see, there have been many misconceptions about Pippin. Stories saying he was....
(The doors light to reveal the following characters.)
A HUNCHBACK
A hunchback!
A MAN ON STILTS
Enormously tall.
A BOY WITH NO HAIR
Completely bald at the age of fourteen.
LEADING PLAYER
But please, cast all that aside and accept what we enact for you today. The life of Pippin begins.
(A doorway lights up showing a woman holding a baby. The lights go off again.)
Pippin as a child showed a tremendous thirst for knowledge.
(Lights up in the same doorway, showing a young boy reading a book. Lights down again.)
Immersed in these pursuits, the years passed by quickly.
(Lights up in the doorway showing Pippin grown up. This is the Pippin we will come to know. The leading player signals a female player to take care of Pippin. The player takes his hand and leads him through the doorway. Once they are gone, the leading player turns to the young man and bids him to follow her through the doorway.)
INT -- THE UNIVERSITY OF PADUA -- AFTERNOON
(The forum at Padua is packed with students. A stately tutor stands at the podium. The leader play whispers into the young man's ear as she leads him to his seat.)
LEADING PLAYER
Charlemagne sent Pippin to the University of Padua and the faculty granted him the special title of scholar of the house.
(They sit and watch the ceremony.)
TUTOR
And now, ladies and gentlemen, a speech from our scholar of the house.
(The audience applauds as Pippin approaches the podium.)
PIPPIN
(Clears his throat nervously.)
Thank you.
(The crowd is silent.)
Gentle tutors, respected members of the faculty, I'm very grateful for the knowledge that you've given me, but I'm afraid what I'm looking for can't be found in books. You see, I know there's something....
LEADING PLAYER
(To herself.)
Fulfilling? Something completely fulfilling?
PIPPIN
Something completely fulfilling.
LEADING PLAYER
(To herself.)
Fantastic.
PIPPIN
And I'm going to find it.
(Underscoring begins.)
Although I'm not really sure what I want to do or where I want to go.
(Sung. Pippin walks through the audience as he sings.)
Everything has it's season.
Everything has it's time.
Show me a reason and I'll soon show you a rhyme.
Cats fit on the window sill.
Children fit in the snow.
Why do I feel I don't fit in anywhere I go?
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.
(Pippin has by now reached the young man. They exchange glaces. The scene changes.)
EXT -- A MEADOW -- MIDDAY
(As the underscoring continues, we are transported to a beautiful meadow. Pippin runs into it, followed by the young man who seems to gather some excitement from Pippin's words.)
PIPPIN +
Every man has his daydreams.
Every man has his goal.
People like the way dreams have of sticking to the soul.
Thunderclouds have their lightning.
Nightingales have their song,
And don't you see I want my life to be something more than long....
(They stop at a river.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
(An eagle flys overhead.)
Eagles belong where they can fly.
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner of the sky.
(Pippin runs excitedly to the top of a hill. The young man looks up at him from the base of the hill.)
So many men seem destined
To settle for something small,
But I won't rest until I know I'l have it all,
So don't ask where I'm going,
Just listen when I'm gone,
And far away you'll hear me singing softly to the dawn:
(He looks at the young man, as if encouraging him.)
Rivers belong where they can ramble.
Eagles belong where they can fly.
(With hightening excitement, singing to the world around him.)
I've got to be where my spirit can run free.
Got to find my corner
Of the sky....