Cinderella Script - Scenes 9, 10 and 11
SCENE #9
DANCING IN THE CASTLE
Narrator 15
So it was on the night of the Autumn Festival, the night
everyone had looked forward to for weeks, the night
everyone had dreamed and planned for, on that night...
something else had happened... something completely
unexpected. Somewhere down in the valley, a girl whose
heart had always been true found out at last the truth about
who she was.
Narrator 16
You can imagine how she felt. It’s not that her heart wasn’t
ready. Her heart had been pure and free, just like a child, all
along. It’s just that so many years of doing things someone
else’s way, had dimmed the horizon. And now the sun had
come up so quickly, it was almost too bright to look at. But
her good friends, the mice, were there to keep her steady,
and the Mouse Queen helped her get ready for the Ball.
Narrator 17
If you had stood outside the castle on that moonlit night in
autumn, you would have watched a girl walking silently up
the path leading to the castle steps. She was wearing a
beautiful dress which was a gift, and jewelry which had once
been her mother’s, and shoes which shone like crystal in the
moonlight. But most important of all, in her heart she carried
the wonder of a new name.
Narrator 18
The interesting thing is, no one in the castle had any idea all
this had happened. They were in their own world, busy with
their own thoughts and ideas, and they were dancing the
night away to the music of Mr. Pops.
(The curtain opens in the middle of the song. Mr. Pops is
leading everyone in a group dance. The choreography may
be traditional, but it doesn’t have to be. It could, for
example, have hints of ballroom dancing mixed with line
dancing, and at times even look a little unusual. The King
and Queen watch from one side. Nona, Elsa and
Renata are watching from the other side. Some guards are
standing at attention around the edges while others, if
needed, may be part of the dance.)
Song 7 - The Way Stuff Goes (Reprise)
And oh, doesn’t it make your mind
kind of go split-fancy
over the hill , start dancing
You could be one of the happiest people of all
And oh, doesn’t it make your feet go
rumble-a-toe-tapping
don’t want to be caught napping
You can sing it winter, spring, summer and fall
winter, spring, summer and fall - hey!
winter, spring, summer and fall...
(All dancers fall down.)
Mr. Pops
Ah, time for a little rest, hey?
King
Anna Rose, I don’t see anyone who looks like
a match for our son.
Queen Anna Rose
I know what you mean. We’ll have to keep watching.
Mr. Pops
(walking over to Nona, Renata and Elsa)
Would you like to join in our dance?
Madame Greadmore
You call that a dance? Not in my book.
Renata
I’ll save my dancing for the prince, thank you.
Elsa
Me too. The big fish, or nothing at all.
Mr. Pops
Okay, but you’re missing out on the fun.
Renata
(as Mr. Pops is walking away)
Did he say fun? I wouldn’t dance with
Mr. Pops if they gave me half the castle.
Elsa
You got that right. Hey, I have a name for him...
“Book Brain with a Cane.”
(Renata and Madame Greadmore laugh.)
Marcello
Mr. Pops, why don’t you let me take over while you go find
Prince John. People will soon begin wondering where he is,
and whether he’s going to show up at all.
Mr. Pops
Perhaps you’re right. I’ll look around for him.
Marcello
Okay, everyone at the ready. Strike up the band!
(can be sung or spoken... dancers answer each line)
The spinning wheel goes round - “Yeah”
The wagon wheel goes round - “Yeah”
The hands on the clock go round - “Yeah”
I’ll tell you what I’ve found - “You tell us”
A bunch of stuff goes round and round
“We already knew that.”
So this is what we found
A bunch of stuff goes round and round
A bunch of stuff goes back and forth
A bunch of stuff goes up and down
It isn’t hard to show - and we think
Everyone should know
That’s the way - that’s the way
That’s the way stuff goes
Round and round, back and forth
A bunch of stuff goes up__ (yeah) and__ (yo)...
(The song stops unexpectedly. Marisse arrives at the Castle
and walks in. The dancers move back to the edges of the
dance floor, and all eyes turn to look at Marisse. The Queen
is standing near the door.)
Marisse
Hello. Am I too late for the Grand Ball?
Queen Anna Rose
No. You’ve arrived at a wonderful time.
Come in. May I ask your name?
Marisse
My name is Marisse... Marisse of Windswept Hollow.
Queen Anna Rose
Marisse? What a pretty... Did you say...
Marisse of Windswept Hollow?
Marisse
Yes.
Queen Anna Rose
Would you wait here? (calling to the King)
John, would you come here for a moment?
King John
Yes, Anna Rose, what can I... (he looks at Marisse)
Queen Anna Rose
There’s someone I’d like you to meet. She just arrived.
King John
Welcome to the Castle on the Hill.
Marisse
Thank you.
Queen Anna Rose
And John, her name is Marisse... of Windswept Hollow.
King John
Marisse of... Windswept Hollow?
Marisse
Yes.
King John
Marisse, my name is King John. This is my wife, Queen
Anna
Rose. And over there, just coming in, is our son.
Would you like to meet him?
Marisse
Yes, thank you.
Queen Anna Rose
You may walk over and introduce yourself.
(Marisse walks slowly across the floor. Prince John comes
from the other side. He looks at her without saying anything.)
Song 8 - Something More
Prince John
I’ve waited all my life for a moment just like this
But I didn’t know what I was waiting for
Marisse
There was a dream in me I thought could never be
But that’s a dream and this is something more
Prince John
Where is love planted and how does it grow
Marisse
Or is it something that no one can know
Prince John and Marisse
Is it something no one can know
Prince John
Will you dance with me?
(Marisse curtsies. They dance while
the King and Queen sing.)
Queen Anna Rose
You thought she wasn’t here and then before your eyes
The missing one comes knocking at the door
King John
He comes into the room and there to his surprise
She walks to him across the ballroom floor
Queen Anna Rose
If love is a river then where does it flow
King John
Or is it something that no one can know
King John and Queen Anna Rose
Is it something no one can know
Prince John
There’s a place I want to show you, high on the castle wall.
You can look down across the whole village.
It’s right over here. Come.
Marisse
What a beautiful scene. And such a clear, moonlit night.
Prince John
I haven’t even asked your name yet.
Marisse
My name is Marisse... Marisse of Windswept Hollow.
Prince John
That’s a very beautiful name.
Marisse
Thank you. What’s your name?
Prince John
Nothing unusual. Just John.
Marisse
Prince John?
Prince John
Yes.
Marisse
I’ve never met a prince before.
Prince John
And I’ve never met a princess. Where are you from?
Marisse
A long, long way from here.
Prince John
You are real, right? I mean, you’re not going to suddenly
disappear, are you?
Marisse
No, I’m not going to disappear.
Prince John
I’ve waited all my life for a moment just like this
But I didn’t know what I was waiting for
Marisse
There was a dream in me I thought could never be
But that’s a dream and this is something more
Marisse
Do you see how the moonlight plays with the shadows? It
almost looks like people walking through the gardens.
Prince John
Where?
Marisse
Down there. See?
Prince John
(He looks for a moment.)
Those are not shadows. Those are warriors.
The castle is being attacked.
Marisse
What?
Prince John
Marisse, promise you’ll do as I say. Find the safest place
you can find, and don’t let anyone know where you are until
this is over? Do you promise?
Marisse
Yes, I promise.
Warriors (charging in)
(We want Marisse!) (We want Marisse!)
(Gasps from the startled crowd as they back up
to the edges of the stage.)
Head Warrior (yelling)
Don’t anyone move! Give us Marisse and we’re gone!
King
This is treachery... attacking in a time of peace.
Head Warrior
Give us Marisse!
Prince John
(charging in) Castle Guards to Arms!
Song 9 - A Story to Tell (Reprise)
Left... March... 1... 2...
Right... Thrust... Block... Thrust
Lend your hand to a cause that’s just...
Ah___ Ah___
Close... Now regroup...
1... 2... 3... 4...
Mark your spot and hold to the line...
Attack___ Ah____
Step to the left... Jump... Thrust...
Close... Now regroup... Hey
March... March... March and then
Thrust... Block... Thrust again...
Ah___ Ah___
Ah___ Ah___
1... 2... 3... 4...
Hold the shield, raise the sword
Enemies fear whenever they hear
the sound we make -
the sound of the trumpet
and the earth that shakes beneath
We are the warriors defending
the Castle on the Hill
Mighty warriors of Prince John
Mighty warriors of Prince John
Mighty warriors - mighty warriors
of Prince John
Prince
Guards, chase them out of the land. Go!
(The Guards run offstage and down the aisle.
One guard finds something and returns.)
King
Is everyone safe? Is everyone accounted for?
Queen
(pause) May I ask... where is Marisse?
Antonio the Guard
Look, I found something. It’s a glass shoe.
Prince
A glass shoe? This is one of the shoes Marisse was wearing!
King
Where did you found this?
Antonio the Guard
On one of the side paths leading away from the castle.
Queen
Oh, John. That means....
Prince
The warriors may have found her.
(to Antonio) Come, we’re going after them.
King
(to all the guests)
The ball is over. Everyone look for Marisse.
(All exit the stage as though looking or calling for Marisse.
The curtain closes.)
SCENES #10 and #11
SCENE 10 - PREPARING FOR WAR
(This scene takes place in front of the curtain.)
Narrator 19
It was a dark moment in the Castle on the Hill. The joy and
wonder of the Autumn Festival had given way to treachery
and then to loss. The girl whose name the King and Queen
had recognized... she was gone. The one the Prince knew to
be his bride... she had disappeared into the night.
Narrator 20
The thoughts of everyone were with Marisse. Had she been
captured and taken away? The warriors fled on horses, and
the prince and guards chased them into the western
mountains, but they returned in the early morning hours with
sad faces... no one had seen the girl.
Narrator 21
If they had known what had happened, their hearts would
have been at peace, for Marisse, promising to find a safe
place, went running down a back stairway in the castle, and
stepping through a door, discovered she was alone in one of
the castle gardens. When the door closed and latched
behind her, making it impossible to get back in, she realized
there was still one safe place where no one would know
who she was. That place was Greadmore Manor.
Narrator 22
When Nona, Renata and Elsa returned home after the ball,
Cinderella was there, playing the part of a servant girl and
listening to their stories. But no one knew where Marisse
was, and back in the castle, preparations were being made
for war.
King
Have all the letters been written?
Scribe
Yes, one for each of our allies.
Queen
War is a terrible thing. To think yesterday
was such a happy day... and now this.
King
If it was just the attack, we might have forgiven them.
But it seems they got Marisse. For her, we must go.
Queen
I know.
King
Are all the messengers ready?
Marcello
Yes, sir, they are.
Scribe
Sir, your signatures.
(The King signs the letters as the dialogue continues.)
Vladimir
(peeking around corner from curtain opening)
Marcello... pssst... Marcello... over here.
Marcello
Vladimir?
Vladimir
I have an urgent message for you.
Tell Mr. Pops to meet Cinderella in the park an hour
before sunset. She has information about Marisse.
Marcello
What?
Vladimir
Mr. Pops, an hour before sunset, in the park... bye.
Marcello
(to the King) Sir, where’s the prince?
Herald
In the armory, with some of the guards.
Marcello
May I suggest we hold the letters until this evening?
King
Why?
Marcello
A girl in the village may have some
information about Marisse.
Queen
Who is this girl?
Marcello
A servant girl named Cinderella.
Queen
Was she at the ball?
Marcello
No, I don’t think so.
Scribe
If she wasn’t at the ball, maybe she saw
something when Marisse left
King
I hope you’re right. Hold the letters until we check this out,
but all other preparations must continue.
SCENE 11 - IN THE PARK AGAIN
Narrator 23
And that’s the way it happened. All the armor was polished,
the horses made ready, provisions assembled and packed.
All afternoon they worked until the sun began going down in
the west. Then, hoping against hope for some good news,
Mr. Pops and Marcello made their way around the bend
and into the park.
(The curtain opens. The park is empty as they enter.)
Marcello
No, I have no idea what he meant. He said Cinderella
had information about Marisse. That was all.
Mr. Pops
Cinderella wasn’t even at the ball.
Marcello
I know, but if she wasn’t there maybe she saw
something the rest of us didn’t.
Mr. Pops
If so, she’s a hero. No one else saw anything.
Marcello
We’ll find out soon enough. Here they come.
Vladimir
Hi, Marcello. Hi, Mr. Pops.
Mr. Pops
Good evening, Vladimir. Cinderella, would
you like to sit down?
Cinderella
Yes, thank you.
Mr. Pops
Your young friend, Vladimir, came to the castle today
and said you had information about Marisse.
Cinderella
Yes, Mr. Pops. I sent Vladimir.
I need you to tell the prince something.
Mr. Pops
Something about Marisse?
Cinderella
Yes.
Mr. Pops
(removing disguise) Cinderella, this may surprise you, but the
one you thought was Mr. Pops... is actually the prince.
Cinderella
(surprised) Prince John?
Prince
Yes. It’s been a little unfair, I know, but I wanted to teach in
the village without people knowing who I was.
Cinderella
Oh, I never guessed. I really thought you were a tutor.
Vladimir
That was a pretty good disguise, sir.
I’ve been in the castle, and I never knew.
Marcello
It was a secret known only by a few.
Prince
I’m sorry about the surprise, but if you really do know
something about Marisse, and you want the prince to know,
now would be the time to say it.
(Elsa’s voice is heard offstage.)
Elsa
Yes, I know where she is. I saw her heading for the park. I
hope she isn’t talking to that ridiculous Mr. Pops.
(Nona, Renata, and Elsa enter.)
Renata
She’s there on the bench. And you were right...
Mr. Pops is there too.
Elsa
That doesn’t look like Mr. Pops.
Madame Greadmore
Cinderella, what are you doing talking with
Mr... are you... the prince?
Prince
Yes, I am Prince John X. And I am also Mr. Pops.
Renata
Mr. Pops is the prince??? Ohhhhh...
Elsa
And you wouldn’t dance with him
if they gave you half the castle.
Renata
You called him “Book Brain with a Cane.”
Renata and Elsa
Ohhhhh.......
Madame Greadmore
Girls, silence. Cinderella, come at once. We’re going home.
Marcello
No one leaves yet. Cinderella claims to have
some information about Marisse.
Madame Greadmore
How could she? She wasn’t even at the ball.
(The King’s voice is heard offstage.)
King
“Mr. Pops” is in the park now. Let’s see what’s going on.
(The King, Queen, Scribe and Herald enter from one side.
The Mouse Gang silently comes in from the other side.)
King
Mr. Pops, we came to...
Queen
Son, what happened to your disguise?
Prince
Cinderella says she has a message for the prince.
I decided the disguise was no longer needed.
(The Queen very gently takes over the conversation.)
Queen
Child, do you know anything about Marisse?
She came to the ball, and then disappeared suddenly.
My son, Prince John, loves her. Do you know anything?
Cinderella
He... he loves her?
Queen
Yes, dear one, he does. Now... do you
have anything to tell us?
Cinderella
I do. But, this might seem hard to believe.
Queen
Try us and see.
Marisse
Marisse... is me.
Prince
What did you say?
Marisse
I said... Marisse is me. I didn’t know that was
my real name until yesterday.
Queen
What do you mean?
Marisse
Governess Duvanne told me my real name was Marisse of
Windswept Hollow, and that she had been my nurse, and
that after a battle I was sent away to friends in a distant land.
Madame Greadmore
Cinderella, you’re having delusions. I apologize, your
majesties. I’ll take her home now. Come, Cinderella,
at once.
Queen
No, wait. There is a resemblance. Look me in the eyes a
moment. Do you have anything to help us know that what
you’re saying is true?
Marisse
I have my birth certificate... and if it helps...
here’s the other glass shoe.
Prince
You really are Marisse, aren’t you?
Marisse
Yes.
Madame Greadmore
Cinderella, I still don’t know what you’re talking about.
You have work to do at home. Come at once.
King
Excuse me a moment, but am I to understand that you have
been raising Marisse of Windswept Hollow all these years as
a servant girl?
Madame Greadmore
Come Renata. Come Elsa. Since we are not
wanted around here, we’re leaving.
Vladimir
Not so fast.
(Vladimir and the Mouse Gang, doing a piece of the guard
drill, slowly drive Madame Greadmore toward Marcello.)
Attack___ Ah____
Step to the left... Jump... Thrust...
Close... Now regroup... Hey
March... March... March and then
Thrust... Block... Thrust again...
Madame Greadmore
Ah_______
(Marcello grabs Madame Greadmore and takes her away.
Renata and Elsa follow... moaning.)
King
(to Vladimir) Good job, young knight.
Prince
His name is Vladimir. (Vladimir bows.)
King
Looks like we have some new recruits for the Guards.
Speaking of which, I guess we can call off the war.
Scribe, would you do the honors?
Scribe
Yes, sir. Come on, Harold.
Herald
It’s not Harold. It’s Herald.
Scribe
Don’t bother me with vowels. Come on.
Herald
(salutes) Okay, Scrubb.
Scribe
I’m not Scrubb. I’m the scribe.
Herald
Hey, don’t bother me with vowels either.
Scribe
(looks at Herald, but doesn’t answer... then deliberately)
Regarding the war... (BLAST)
Scribe and Herald
Foggedaboutit!
(The Queen motions the court officials away. The Mouse
Queen motions the mice away. Only Prince John and
Marisse remain on stage.)
Prince
Marisse, to think we sat on this bench so many times...
Marisse
And we never knew.
Prince
Did you really read all those books?
Marisse
I did... but I didn’t realize I was borrowing
them from the prince.
Prince
My mother says when love comes, you don’t always
know what to say.
Marisse
Is that how you feel now?
Prince
(taking her hands) Yes.
Marisse
Me, too.
(All motion freezes and the song begins... the prince and
Marisse leave their places to participate in various
pantomimed scenes from the play... each scene unfolds,
and then stops, those characters freezing... gradually the
stage fills up with the various play scenes... as the song ends,
the prince and Marisse are back where they were when the
song began...)
Song of the Storyteller
Song 10 - Someplace, Sometime
Someplace, sometime, and who can tell
Exactly when the story comes around
Some words that rhyme, a heart that’s true
A story line that touches me and you
And paints a picture bright as dawn
Paints a picture bright as dawn
And who can tell what Love will bring
When once the curtain has been opened wide
A few more lines, a song to sing
And then the word that changes everything
And makes the picture bright as day
Makes the picture bright as day
There was a girl, her heart song seemed
forgotten by the world
No place to sing, nowhere to shine
No storied past, no hills to climb
Through leaves of fall, winter’s cold
Flowers of springtime, summer’s haze of gold
Each and every day the same
Never even knew her name
Then autumn comes, and on its path
Bright truth forever sets her free at last
To be the one she’d always been
When days were dark, and all her dreams grew dim
And how could she who played her part
Even when it meant a broken heart
Know that in the end she’d find
Love would write the final line
Give her one last hill to climb
Someplace, someplace, sometime
Someplace, someplace... sometime
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Curtain Call
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The Ocean Grove Children’s Show - 2007
Book and Music - Steve Mugglin
Some supporting names suggested by
Jen Jenkins, Director
Copyright 2007 Steve Mugglin