Looking for a community or high school theatre group who wants to do the first performance. This will be my opportunity to tune the script. The advantage to the theatre troupe is I will work with them and there will be no license fee for the performances. All of the materials are electronic. The script is in Final Draft and will be delivered in PDF format so you can print as many as you need. The group does not have to be local. We can discuss over Zoom.
Set and costuming can range from very simple to Steampunk depending on how far the director wants to take it. All music and sound effects provided. A sample script can be sent of the first few scenes.
Rich Helms
rich@richhelms.com
Setting and Time
Duchy of Grand Fenwick Castle – Mid 1960’s
Acts
I – Up to agreement to ship the rocket to Grand Fenwick
II – One year later. Trip to the moon
Stage
The stage is static through out the play. The rocket interior is covered with a stone printed drape in Act I. The drape is lowered to represent the launch. In the book the rocket is launched from the Jericho Tower.
When an area is active, it is lit.
Cast
Dr. Vincent Mountjoy | M 20’s | Brilliant but naive in the workings of state. Count’s son. |
Dr. Theodore Kokintz – Professor | M 50’s | Brilliant, an idealist but not comical. He looks like a typical mad professor. |
Count Mountjoy | M 50’s | Prime Minister. Flashy dresser. Bit of a con man, but good hearted. |
Duchess Gloriana XII | F 20’s | Sovereign of Grand Fenwick. |
Tully Bascomb | M 20’s | Gloriana’s husband. Honest. He is the straight man to Mountjoy schemes. |
David Bentner 2 | M 40’s | Opposition leader. Man of the people. |
Cynthia Bentner | F 20’s | David’s daughter. Vincent Mountjoy’s love interest. |
SOS – US Secretary of State 2 | M 50’s | Key man in US negotiations. |
Frederick Paxton Wendover 2 | M 30’s | Assistant to US Secretary of State |
Neil Armstrong * 1 | M 39 | First man to walk on Moon |
Larry * 1 | M 20’s | Radio technician |
Glenn * 1 | M 23 | Louisville Courier-Journal reporter |
Alex Kingfisher | M/F 20’s | MIT grad student. Keeps showing up in period costume. |
Jamie Spender | M/F 20’s | Assistant at US Embassy in France. |
Alex’s dialog is written as female. Jamie’s dialog is written as male.
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- 1 Neil Armstrong and Larry OR Glenn could be played by one male person.
- 2 David Bentner and the US Secretary of State OR Frederick Paxton Wendover could be played by one male person.
Cast: Male (8-10); Female (2); Male or Female (2)
* Real people from History
Music/Audio
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- Before Act I – 1. Pomp-and-Circumstance.mp3
Length: 6:10 – Chorus at 1:30
https://www.classicalarchives.com/midi/composer/2480.html
Military Marches (‘Pomp and Circumstance’), Op.39 7 midis
Caio S. Prado Contributor
No.1 in D ((p.tr.)) (1901)
- Before Act I – 1. Pomp-and-Circumstance.mp3
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- Scene Rocket Takeoff – 2. Land-of-Hope-and-Glory.mp3
Land-Of-Hope-And-Glory-original-score.pdf (1902)
- Scene Rocket Takeoff – 2. Land-of-Hope-and-Glory.mp3
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- Scene on Moon, Salute flag – 3. Rule-Grand-Fenwick.mp3
Rule-Britannia.pdf (1740)
https://www.8notes.com/scores/10600.asp
- Scene on Moon, Salute flag – 3. Rule-Grand-Fenwick.mp3
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- Nixon call on moon – 4. Nixon-call.mp3
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- Ending scene – 5. mario-lanza-show-ah-sweet-mystery-of-life.mp3
Works in public domain:
https://archive.org/details/Mario_Lanza_A_Compilation_Of_His_Works_
- Ending scene – 5. mario-lanza-show-ah-sweet-mystery-of-life.mp3
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- Rocket Engine sound – 6. Rocket-engine.mp3