Coastside Young Actors Workshop


	Coastside Young Actors Workshop Creative Theater for and by Kids

Play Synopsis

Act I

On Mount Olympus, the Gods enjoy the music of Zeus' harp. The Gods are also pleased to hear that things are going well in the mortal world. They are less than pleased, however, to have to watch another in a long series of plays, with which they have become bored. But today there is a new director, the unknown God Eduardo.

Eduardo's first play is Sleeping Beauty, featuring the Muses as actors. In the climactic scene, Sleeping Beauty, played by the Goddess Katharine, pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and dies. Her death scene is so realistic that she earns a standing ovation from the Gods. But Katharine does not get up to take her bows. She is examined and found to be truly dead, unprecedented for an immortal. The Gods conclude that Katharine must have made a supreme sacrifice, giving up her immortality to make sure that her performance was realistic and pleasing to the Gods.

Hades comes to take the dead Katharine to the Underworld. Zeus stops him. Finding Katharine's performance worthy, and key to a long overdue entertaining play, Zeus uses his power to bring her back to life.

Eduardo's next play is Snow White, with Katharine in the title role. When Katharine eats the poisoned apple and dies, Zeus knows what to do. But his power is not strong enough this time; he needs the combined power of several other Gods to bring her back to life.

The next play is Cinderella. When the story seems to be coming to a happy ending without a death scene or an appearance by Katharine, the Gods become displeased. In what seems a hastily added scene Katharine appears and dies. This time it takes the combined power of all the Gods in attendance to bring Katharine back to life.

Eduardo's fourth play is Bob the Builder. The actors get right to the point as Katharine is killed in the first scene. The Gods try to revive her put even their combined power is not enough. The continue to try until they burn themselves out. Soon all the Gods are dead!

Hades enters and reveals that he is the God Eduardo. The Gods have fallen into his trap! He will now rule them all in the Underworld!

Act II

The Gods despair because they are trapped in the Underworld. Meanwhile, with the Gods no longer on Olympus, the mortal world is suffering. Hades is ready to try out his new rule as he orders Zeus to play the harp for him. Since Zeus' harp was left on Olympus, Hades brings out his own "harps" -- a saxophone, tuba and electric guitar, which other Gods play at his command. Tiring of this, Hades demands that the Gods put on a play for him. Artemis has a plan for escape, asking Hades for time to prepare a proper play. She explains that although the dead Gods have no power, Hades, as a living God can restore the other Gods to life. Now can the Gods learn to play dead?

Their play is Three Billy Goats Gruff. The Goats and the Troll come to an impasse at the bridge. Each side gathers forces for the coming battle until all the captive Gods are in the play. The battle results in the apparent death of all the players. When they fail to get up, Hades figures they must have gone for Katharine-style realism, actually dying, which will now deprive him of his entertainment. Hades observed Zeus bring Katharine back to life. He now uses the same technique to revive the Gods. To his horror, Hades realizes that he has not returned the Gods to an Underworld existence, but to life itself.

The living Gods now take their rightful place on Mount Olympus. The mortal world stabilizes and all (except Hades) live happily ever after.