Toy Box Part One

So this script below is essentially what Daddy came up with today.  It was a bit of a work day all around, with lots of travel time back to that warehouse, and then some scripting, some work on the stage, the look for a bit of music behind the series - we found a gem of a site that lets us get the theme music for video games, which is a big deal for a small non-profit stage production for kids.  To that extent, we've been playing the Toy Story video games a little lately - tomorrow, we'll probably dive right back into Toy Story Mania once more!  But things are coming along for the new series.  The new books arriving area always a small thrill, the smell of print shop and just the culmination of all that hard work.  We're talking sixty something pages every single series, and it's all from this little ol' noggin.  Lots of work go into that, but just as much work is spent on other areas too, including the costuming.  I can't wait to share the pictures of Woody's costume and Jessie's costume.  Mommy has been sewing the chaps and the vest for Jessie and Woody, finding the material at a fabric place nearby and then getting them cut and sewed just right.  She has Buzz Lightyear finished up, thanks to the folks at the warehouse we were just visiting.  There are other costumes that have arrived from online, and others we're putting together, including the sheep from Toy Story, who have the names Billy, Goat, and Gruff.  Madison gets to pick one of those to be - we'll have three girls playing that part.  The script was a little tougher to write this time around, as these are characters that are already established, and there are a lot of them.  And they don't 100% fit the actors we have - but we're making it work, I think.  It's helped to watch online a few plays done with the characters, along with all the movies and shorts of course.  And yes, the video games too.

Today wasn't a banner day for Madison in math, but it's super early in the year.  In short, she fell short with one of her grades.  We'll have to work on that.  We're working on all kinds of scheduling with her, as she's wanting to do Live to Give this year as well.  Add this to taekwondo, piano, church, and the other activities, and it's a balance that you have to work hard at.  Grades can't slip, so here we go, making adjustments.  We may have to do a little work tomorrow on Saturday.  Fortunately, tomorrow we don't have much scheduled - at least, Madison doesn't.  We're nearly done with the Toy Box series intro, and things are looking well for that.  Hopefully, we'll even get a good night's rest on Saturday night.

Tonight we were working on costumes late into the night, working on music and working on scripts and working on props and working on visuals.  It was a team effort, with Madison helping out a little as well.  Only two days to go until our first official start of the series.  Here below is a rough draft of the script:

KidPak Adventures:  Toy Box

To Infinity and Beyond

CUE SLIDE: ANDY’S ROOM

CUE TRACK:  TOY STORY BACKGROUND 

GI-JOJO is at CENTER STAGE, frozen in place.

NARRATOR:  “It’s playtime!  The toys are back in town, and it’s all fun and games – no batteries required!   Bonnie has brought some of her toys over to a new playroom, and a new adventure!  Get ready for an amazing time, because we’re about to open up the KidPak Adventures Toy Box!”

LIGHTS ON

JESSIE sneaks out STAGE LEFT.

REX (offstage):  “Where did Bonnie put that new toy?”

JESSIE:  “It’s out here.  (looking over GI-JOJO) Well, would you look at that!” 

JESSIE circles around GI-JOJO, who remains frozen in place.

REX (offstage):  “Is it safe?”

JESSIE:  (eyes rolling) “Yes, Rex!  Get out here and see!”

REX enters STAGE RIGHT, making way to GI-JOJO

REX:  “What do you think it is?”

REX and JESSIE slowly get closer and closer to GI-JOJO, until…

GI-JOJO:  (loud) “GI-Jojo reporting for duty, sir!”

REX and JESSIE jump backwards, startled!  GI-JOJO looks around in awe.

JESSIE:  “Sweet mother of Abraham Lincoln!”

GI-JOJO:  (speaking into walkie-talkie) “GI-Jojo has just landed in the drop zone. (looking at JESSIE and REX)  The local natives here seem a little skittish, but seem mostly harmless.”

JESSIE:  “Harmless?  What in tarnation are you talking about?”

REX:  “You weren’t scared of me?  Not even a little bit?  (facing GI-JOJO)  How about now?  (loudly) ROAR!”

GI-JOJO:  “You were almostslightly scary there.”

GI-JOJO moves to STAGE LEFT, exploring her new surroundings.

REX:  “Oh, great.  Now I have self-confidence issues!”

JESSIE:  (running up to GI-JOJO)  “Well don’t that beat all!  A new soldier toy, and she’s a girl!”

GI-JOJO:  “A toy?”

JESSIE:  (not listening) “Yee-haw! I’ve got someone new to talk to.  We should go tell Buzz.  Hey, Buzz!”

REX:  (moving to STAGE RIGHT towards screen) “I don’t think he can hear!”

JESSIE:  (to audience)  “Why don’t we all try calling him out together?  One… two… three…”

ALL:  “Hey Buzz!”

BUZZ:  (offstage)  “To infinity… and beyond!”

BUZZ slowly comes out STAGE RIGHT, moving sideways to fit through entrance.

REX:  “Why’s he moving so slowly?”

BUZZ:  “Playtime here was a little vigorous.  One minute I was soaring through hyperspace, and then suddenly I was under attack. I crash-landed so hard, my terrillium carbonic alloy wings …got stuck in permanent flight position.”

GI-JOJO:  “What?”

BUZZ:  “Bonnie dropped me.”

REX and JESSIE:  “Dropped?”

REX:  “On the floor?!?”

JESSIE:  “Are you going to be okay?  You didn’t damage your Spanish mode, did you?”

BUZZ:  (looks at JESSIE oddly a  moment, and then continues) “Relax, it was an accident.  Bonnie felt really bad, and I think I heard her dad say that he’d take a look at it and see if he could fix it.  Until then, I think these wings of mine are stuck!”

REX:  “What are we going to do?”

BUZZ:  “You’re going to remember your training, Space Ranger!  Remember, no matter how you fall, the important thing is that you keep trying, and keep aiming for the stars.  You’ll always succeed, as long as you remember my Space Ranger motto!”

BUZZ, JESSIE and REX: “To Infinity, and beyond!”

BUZZ:  (to GI-JOJO) “It’s a pleasure to meet you.  I’m Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger.”

JESSIE:  “My name is Jessie!”

REX:  “And I’m Rex.  ROAR!  …did I scare you that time?”

GI-JOJO:  “Almost.   Is this your whole squad?”

BUZZ:  “Bonnie just took just a few of us here.  Jessie here is the local sheriff, ever since Woody was… well…”

GI-JOJO:  “What happened to Woody?  Has he been captured by enemy soldiers?”

JESSIE:  “Uh… no.  He’s gone off with Bo Peep and those little sheep.”

BILLY, GOAT, and GRUFF enter STAGE RIGHT, behind and unseen by all.

REX:  “Yes, whenever you see those sheep, you know that Bo Peep is nearby!”

BUZZ:  “Yes, we sure do miss them all.  But they’re off on a noble mission pretty far from here.  It could be a long time before we see Bo Peep again.”

BO PEEP enters STAGE RIGHT, standing next to building blocks.

BILLY, GOAT, and GRUFF: “Baa, baa, baa!”

JESSIE and REX:  (running towards BO PEEP) “Bo Peep!”

BUZZ: (turning to face BO PEEP)  “Or, it could be right now.”

REX:  “Bo Peep!  It’s so great to see you!” 

BO PEEP:  “We were just a couple blocks away.  (seeing BUZZ)  Now don’t you look surprised to see me.  You weren’t expecting anyone else now, were you?”

BUZZ:  “No, well yes.  Well I…”

WOODY enters STAGE RIGHT, sneaking up behind BUZZ

WOODY:  “Reach for the sky!”

BUZZ (raising his hands), JESSIE, and REX:  “Woody!”

BUZZ:  “What are you doing here?”

WOODY (sidling up to BUZZ): “I think you know that answer, space pal.  You’ve got a friend in me.”

BUZZ and WOODY give a side hug.  Because that’s all that Buzz can do.

BO PEEP:  “Since we last saw you, we’ve been on a mission going after ‘lost sheep,’ to coin a phrase.”

WOODY:  “That’s right.  Life’s only living if you’re being loved by a kid, and we traveled all this way, because we wanted to bring some lost toys to some happy owners.”

BO PEEP:  “I think you might remember one of them.  (looking off STAGE RIGHT)  Come on out, don’t be shy.”

WHEEZY nervously steps out STAGE RIGHT.

BUZZ, JESSIE and REX: “Wheezy!”

WHEEZY:  (timid) “Hello everyone.”

WOODY:  “Now Wheezy, we’ve been through this before.  What happened to your super confidence?”

WHEEZY:  “I’m just nervous I won’t be played with, and if I’m not played with I’ll wind up as a dog’s chew toy.  And that would be really, really, really…”

BILLY, GOAT, and GRUFF: “Baaaaaaad!”

WHEEZY:  “Yeah, that!”

BO PEEP:  “Wheezy, we’ve been through this.  You’re a very unique creation, made with love, and made with purpose!”

WOODY:  “You can’t go around living with fear.  In fact, I think Buzz is the one who always says it best. (to BUZZ)  What is it that great thing you say again, Buzz?”

BUZZ:  (thinking a moment, and then realizing)  “Oh!  Here it is: See the hat?  I’m Mrs. Nesbitt!”

WOODY and BO PEEP rush to BUZZ, and each whisper what he’s supposed to say to him from either side.

BUZZ:  “Oh, that. To Infinity and Beyond!”

WHEEZY:  “To Infinity and Your Mom!”

BUZZ:  “To Infinity and Beyond!”

WHEEZY:  “To Infinity and a Gong!”

BUZZ:  “To Infinity and Beyond!”

WHEEZY:  “To Immunity and Gaston!”

BUZZ:  (gives up) “Close enough.”

NARRATOR:  “And so, it seems all is well here with this nice toy reunion.  In fact, as far as I can tell, it looks like there’s no teaser here, no sudden thing that our cast is facing that will leave everyone hanging for another week.  And that’s good news, right?”

CAST:  “Right!”

NERDO races out STAGE RIGHT, grabbing WHEEZY’s microphone in the process.  

NERDO: “You’re not going to believe what I just found!”

WOODY:  “What is it?”

BO PEEP:  “Who are you?”

GI-JOJO:  “Whyare you?”

NARRATOR: “Okay, never mind.  I guess we’ll leave you with a teaser after all!  If you want to find out what happens next, do us a solid and join us this time, next time, on time as we open the KidPak Adventures:  Toy Box!”