“ODE TO THE BIG TOP” Music: Nathan Wang
Lyrics: Noelle Donfeld
(Curtain rises. Circus performers are back stage at dressing tables. Some are applying make-up and getting dressed. There are SANDY, a beautiful, young tightrope walker, wearing wings, IGOR and his sons, IVAN and REX, muscular trapeze artists, HUGO, a swarthy fire eater, ESTELLE, ADELAIDE, MARC and JIMINY, clowns, a snake charmer, ASPIRA, in a belly-dancer-type costume, who enters kissing her cobra and TIM, a gorilla trainer. GEORGE, the dapper, middle-aged ringmaster/owner is in his top hat center stage.)
Ensemble
FLASHING, BEDAZZLED,
ANTICIPATION RISING IN THE AIR.
FRANTIC AND FRAZZLED,
I HOPE THAT I DON'T MELT BENEATH THE GLARE.
I LOVE TO SEE THE PEOPLE STARE;
AT LEAST I HOPE THAT THEY WILL STARE.
WITH ANY LUCK,
THE CROWDS WILL CHEER
THAT'S IF THEY'RE HERE.
WHICH ISN'T CLEAR.
Estelle
HAPPY AND HEADY, IMAGINING THE LAUGHTER LONG AND LOUD
Clowns
PUMPED UP AND READY,
CONNECTING WITH A FLIP AND FEELING PROUD
TO HEAR THE CHEERING FROM THE CROWD
Ensemble
FOR I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THEM
WOWED AND ROWDY, HEAR THE SHOUTING,
NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR DOUBTING.
Sandy
EVERY EVENING I GO ON
HOPING THAT HE'LL SEE A SWAN
WHO'S WINGING HIGH ABOVE HIM.
HOW I LONG TO SEE HIS HANDSOME FACE
SMILING AT MY STYLE AND GRACE.
HE'LL TAKE MY HAND
AND DANCE WITH ME UPON THE WIRE.
I WILL BE HIS HEART'S DESIRE
SETTING ALL THE SKIES ON FIRE,
HIGH, SO HIGH.
Igor, Ivan and Rex
ALWAYS IN TRAINING,
WE LOVE HOW WE ATTRACT THE FAIRER SEX..
FLEXING AND STRAINING,
AND WATCHING ALL THE LADIES CRANE THEIR NECKS.
Rex
THEY LOVE TO SEE ME PUMP MY PECS
(Estelle approaches him and feels his muscles.)
Igor, Ivan and Rex
AND SIGH WHEN EVERYONE CONNECTS.
WHEN RISING HIGH
ABOVE THE FLOOR
AH, THE RAPPORT,
THEY BEG FOR MORE.
George (in the center of the Ring)
AWESOME, AMAZING,
COME SEE THE MAGIC UNDERNEATH THE TENT.
DARING AND DAZING,
THE MOST EXCITING MOMENTS YOU'LL HAVE SPENT
GLUED TO YOUR A SEAT AT AN EVENT.
Ensemble
I SEE EXCITEMENT IN YOUR EYES,
AND THEN YOU'LL RISE
IN HUGE APPLAUSE
IT'S ALL BECAUSE YOU LOVE US
ON THE FLOOR OR HIGH,
WE'LL LEAP, WE'LL DANCE, WE’LL GLOW
(Hugo lights his torch)
I HOPE THE CROWDS ARE GOING TO GROW.
WE’RE ON,
TIME TO GO.
WELCOME TO THE SHOW.
LET’S GO!
“I WANT TO DANCE WITH BARYSHNIKOV” c)Lyrics: Donfeld Music: Wang
(Sandy, a circus tightrope walker, reveals to Bill, the circus newcomer, who is obviously attracted to her and has high aspirations himself, the reason why she is constantly practicing on the high wire.)
Sandy
EVER SINCE MY MAMA BOUGHT MY TUTU
EVER SINCE I LEARNED TO PIROUETTE,
I WOULD PRACTICE AT THE BARRE,
ALWAYS PLANNING TO GO FAR
OFF TO MOSCOW,
Bill
”Gee!”
Sandy
BUT THE CIRCUS WAS AS FAR AS I COULD GET.
I WANT TO DANCE WITH BARYSHNIKOV.
DANCE AT THE BOLSHOI, BE HIS SWAN,
SO I PRACTICE EVERY DAY…
I’VE PERFECTED MY PLIE,
AND I ALSO LEARNED TO TAP AND TWIRL BATON.
I WANT TO DANCE WITH BARYSHNIKOV.
I WANT TO LEAP INTO HIS ARMS,
BUT THE ONLY TIME WE LEAP
IS WHEN I AM FAST ASLEEP,
AND INSTEAD OF MOSCOW, ALL I SEE ARE FARMS.
HE MAKES ME SMILE,
MY SWEET MIKHAIL,
EVERY TIME I THINK OF HIM
IT GIVES ME SUCH A THRILL.
THOUGH I’VE BEEN TOLD,
MOSCOW IS COLD,
SNUGGLING WITH MIKHAIL,
I WOULDN’T MIND THE CHILL.
Bill
”In Moscow?”
Sandy
(Dreamily) “Oh, yes!”
I WANT TO DANCE WITH BARYSHNIKOV,
DROWN IN HIS LUSCIOUS BABY BLUES,
AND IT ALWAYS MAKES ME BLUSH
WHEN I PICTURE US IN RUSSIA.
Bill
“In Russia?”
Sandy
IN RUSSIA.
IN MY DREAMS IT’S ME THAT MISHA HAS TO CHOOSE.
“GOTTA SWING”
Bill
NOT A LOT TO DO DOWN HOME IN HOMEFORK,
SWIMMING IN THE POND AND CATCHING FISH. THEN I SAW A MOVIE AT THE BIJOU,
AND EVER SINCE I ONLY HAD ONE WISH.
GOT TO SWING
LIKE THAT APE MAN
WHO’D GO SWINGING ON A VINE.
HE WOULD FLY TREE TO TREE,
AND I WISHED IT WAS ME THERE
FLYIN’.
GOT TO SWING
LIKE THAT APE MAN,
BUT MY DREAM WAS CLOSE TO DYIN’
THOUGH WE HAD LOTS OF TREES,
DIDN’T HAVE A TRAPEZE FOR
FLYIN’.
So,
FIRST I BOUGHT A ROPE AND LEARNED TO KNOT IT,
George
A boy scout!
Bill
MADE MYSELF A SWING RIGHT BY THE CREEK.
Igor
A monkey.
Bill
REACHING FOR A BRANCH, I THOUGHT I CAUGHT IT...WHOOPS!
HAD TO SIT ON ICE CUBES FOR A WEEK.
Wooo! But “Never give up” is my motto!
George
I believe it.
Bill
HAD TO SWING LIKE THAT APE MAN.
TRIED AGAIN, AND IT FELT FINE.
AND IT GAVE ME A RUSH
SWINGING OVER THE BRUSH THERE
FLYIN’.
Bill
OFF I’D GO A FLIPPING AND A SOARING.
EVERY DAY I’D TRY ME SOMETHING NEW.
NEVER WITH A NET AND NEVER BORING.
NOW THERE’S NOTHING ELSE I’D RATHER DO.
Bill Ensemble
I COULD SWING LIKE THAT APEMAN DOO-WAH, BE DOO WAH
AND I CROSSED THE COUNTY LINE.
COUNTY LINE
THOUGH I RAN OUT OF ROPE, HE’S FLYING
I NEVER LOST HOPE AH-EE-AH-ING
OF FLYIN’, FLYIN’. ON TOP OF THE WORLD.
HAD TO SWING
LIKE THAT APEMAN BE-DOO-BE-DOO-WAH
AND I SAW YOUR CIRCUS SIGN, SAW A SIGN
SO I MADE ME A PACT DO-WAH
THAT I’M JOININ’ THAT ACT DO-WAH
I CAN SEE YOU REACT, DO-WAH
BUT I SWEAR IT’S A FACT DO-WAH
I’M FLYIN’, AH-EE-AH-EE-AH
FLYIN’. FLYIN’.
PERFECT MAN c) Lyrics: Donfeld Music: Wang
Estelle (man-crazy, loveless clown)
WHERE’S THAT PERFECT GENT,
SOMEWHAT...HESITANT?
SEEMS I JUST ATTRACT THE DREGS.
ONE IS LIKE THE REST
GROPING AT MY CHEST,
ONE TYPE GRABS, THE OTHER BEGS.
ONE’S A TWIT WHO HITS AND RUNS,
I LIKE BEING WOOED.
ONE’S A SLEAZE WHO’LL SQUEEZE MY BUNS,
TREATING ME LIKE FOOD!
NO ONE SEES MY INTELLECT
THEY JUST SEE ME NUDE.
WHY CAN’T I BE VIEWED
LIKE MOM, A PRUDE?
HOW I’D LIKE TO FIND
SOMEONE SWEET AND KIND,
FULL OF WISDOM, CHARM AND WIT.
THERE’S A PERSON HERE
WHO’S A PERFECT DEAR.
WHERE’S A PERSON WHO’LL COMMIT?
WILL I FIND THAT PERFECT FIT,
NOT ANOTHER PERFECT SHIT!
ONE WHO NOTICES HOW SWEET I AM,
NOT ANOTHER “WHAM, BAM,
THANK YOU, MA’AM.”
I HAVE GOT TO FIND THAT
PERFECT,
PERFECT,
TRULY PERFECT MAN!
