Perseus+6

Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, But Gorgons Will Never Harm Me

media type="file" key="perseus6.mp3" The Radio Play

SCENE ONE (KINGDOM OF ACRISIUS)

__MUSIC: SOFT CLASSICAL MUSIC__ 1. NARRATOR: Once upon a time there lived a beautiful girl who was the  daughter of King Acrisius. Her name was Danae. An oracle told Acrisius that he would die by the hand of Danae’s son, so he locked her in a chamber that had  no windows or doors just an opening in the roof. One day Zeus descended upon her.

2. ZEUS (DEEP, POWERFUL, HAPPY): You are the beautiful Danae  and I wish to marry you!

3. DANAE: (HAPPY, CHEERFUL) Why I would be honored!

4. NARRATOR: Now that Danae was to be the wife of Zeus her days were no longer gloomy. Danae soon became pregnant with a boy. When Acrisius heard the crying of an infant named Perseus, he was  not too happy.

5. KING ARISIUS: (DEEP, MEAN) How did this happen? You were not to marry or to have children! I will kill your son! Who is the father of this boy?

6. ZEUS: (PROUD) Why I am the father.

7. KING ACRISIUS: (STUNED) Oh, well then I am very happy   for the both of you!

8. NARRATOR: Acrisius lied.

9. DANAE: (EXCITED) Thank you father!

10. NARRATOR: Acrisius, not wanting the blame  for the death of Danae and Perseus, put them in a chest and  threw it into the ocean. This way, if they drowned, Poseidon, king  of the sea, would be to blame.

11. ZEUS: (DEEP, SAD) Goodbye my child. I wish you luck! I will protect you always!

12. DANAE: (SAD) Goodbye!

SCENE 2 (ISLAND)

__13.PEACFUL SOUNDS: OCEAN WAVES

14. MUSIC: TRANSMISSION MUSIC;__ __SOFT, PEACEFUL, SAD

15. SOUNDS FOR SCRIPT: REELING OF NET__

16. NARRATOR: Zeus steered the chest to the shore of an island. The kind fisherman who found them took Danae and little Perseus to his hut where he raised Perseus as his own. After several years on  this island, the king spotted Danae’s beauty and wanted her  for his wife.

17. KING: Will you marry me?

18. DANAE: No! Zeus is my one and only husband!

19. KING: (ANGRY, FORCIBULLY) I am king! You will marry me if I want you too!

20. PERSEUS: (CALM) She won’t marry anyone she doesn’t want too.

21. KING: (SHOCKED, ANGRY) Well, I never!

__22. (LOUD FOOTSTEPS)__

__23. MUSIC: SOFT, SLOW__

SCENE 3 (KINGDOM OF THE ISLAND)

24. KING: But how do I get her hand with her consent?

25. ADVISOR 1: As your advisors, we felt an obligation to make a plan in  advance. We all know that Danae is not your wife yet only because of Perseus.(PAUSE) Fellow  advisors, are you thinking what  I’m thinking?

26. ADVISOR 2: Exactly! With Perseus gone,  Danae will have no one to   protect her. So you can carry her off.

27. KING: But how do I get rid of Perseus?

28. ADVISOR 1: Simple, pretend you are marrying someone else. Danae  and Perseus are so poor they will have nothing to give you as a royal wedding gift except   services in your favor.

29. ADVISOR 2: And who will complete your service?

30. KING: Perseus!

SCENE 4 (KINGDOM OF THE ISLAND)

__31. SOUNDS FOR SCRIPT: ROYAL INTRODUCTORY__ __HORN__

32. SQUIRE: A proclamation from the king! He is to be married to a princess from the neighboring kingdom of Biblos. He is having a feast for the people of this island in honor of his marriage. In other words, he expects gifts.

33. DANAE: (WORRIED) Oh no! We have nothing to give  him!

34. PERSEUS: (Caringly) Don’t worry Mother, I shall offer my services to his Majesty.

__35. MUSIC: CLASSICAL UP TEMPO__

36. KING: (Impatiently) Welcome to my royal wedding feast! Your gift?

37. PERSEUS: My gift is my services for whatever you wish.

38. KING: (OPTIMISTICALLY) Ah… well in that case, you can bring me the head of Medusa!

__39. MUSIC: SCARY__

__ 40. SOUND FOR SCRIPT: FOOTSTEPS COME IN AND FADE OUT  __

41. ADVISOR 1: Perseus will never be able to kill Medusa and return alive.

42. ADVISOR 2: And with no Perseus…

43. ADVISOR 1: Hello Danae!

44. NARRATOR: Back at the fisherman’s hut…

45. DANAE: (WORRIED) No! I won’t allow it!

46. PERSEUS: (BRAVELY) I’m sorry Mother, but I must go whether you like it or not.

__47. MUSIC: SAD, DISTRESSED__

SCENE 5 (ON THE QUEST)

48. NARRATOR: Perseus looked and looked, but nobody wanted to tell him where the Gorgon Sisters lived. Until one day…

49. PERSEUS: (WORRIED) I’m never going to find Medusa!

__50. SOUND FOR SCRIPT: BOOM__

(ATHENA AND HERMES APPEAR) 51. ATHENA: I think not!

52. HERMES: (Reassuringly) It’s ok Athena, I don’t think  he was trying to insult you. Zeus sent us to help you on your quest. He wanted us  to give you this.

53. ATHENA: I don’t think it is quite wise to be giving a demi-god these items Hermes…

54. HERMES: Do you ever take a risk?

55. PERSEUS: (pressingly) Uh, guys? You wanted to give me something?

56. HERMES: Ah, yes. Here’s my sword, sharp enough to cut through the hardest metals.

57. ATHENA: All right, let’s go.

58. HERMES: Your shield?

59. ATHENA: (RELUCTANT) Fine. My most polished shield, it  has such a good reflection that you can see your self in it, which  is the key to seeing Medusa.

60. PERSEUS: (PROUDLY) Thank you, finally I am now able to slay Medusa!

61. ATHENA: Wait! You need three items from the Nymphs of the North that we don’t have. Do you know where to find these nymphs?

62. PERSEUS: Well…no.

__63. SOUNDS FOR SCRIPT: CRICKET SOUNDS__

64. ATHENA: (SMUGLY) Not exactly the god of wisdom, now, are you?

__65. SOUND: JOKE NOISE: BUDUMDUMSH__

66. HERMES: (PROTECTIVELY) Stop giving the boy such a hard  time! You don’t even know where the nymphs are!

67. ATHENA: (GRUMBLY) You’ll need three magic items  from the Nymphs of the North to defeat Medusa. The only problem is that no one knows where they live, not even myself… Only the Three Gray Sisters know of their   whereabouts. You’ll have to go there first.

__68. MUSIC: STRONG SUSPENCEFUL__ __MUSIC__

69. PERSEUS: But how do I get there?

70. ATHENA: Maybe the guy in winged sneakers could help.

71. HERMES: (PROUDLY) Swell! I’ll take you there in no time!

72. ATHENA: (TIREDLY) Well then it’s settled. Hermes will take you to the Three Gray  Sisters, while I get back to my physics book, it really is quite fascinating. Cheerio!

SCENE 6 (THREE GRAY SISTERS CAVE)

73. NARRATOR: With Athena’s shield and Hermes' sword, Perseus and Hermes set out to try and make the Three Gray Sisters talk.

__74. MUSIC: STRONG, HOPEFUL MUSIC SOUNDS (FIGHTING ALL THE WAY THROUGH)__

75. SISTER 1: (BRITISH) Give it to me; you know that it’s  my eye.

76. SISTER 2: (JAMAICAN) It is my turn to look through it.

77. SISTER 3: (MEXICAN) Sisters break it up; it is my turn to  look through it.

78. SISTER 1: (BRITISH) Then take it, if you can!

__79. SOUND FOR SCRIPT: SCRAMBLING NOISE__

80. PERSEUS: Ah ha! Now it is mine.

81. SISTER 2: (JAMAICAN) Give it back, man!

82. ALL SISTERS: (DRAWN OUT) Please!

83. SISTER 3: (MEXICAN) We will do anything.

84. PERSEUS: Then tell me where I can find the Nymphs of the North.

__85. SOUND: SCARY NOISE: DUN DUN DUN__

86. SISTER 1: (BRITISH) They live far to the north, past the north wind where the sun never sets.

87. PERSEUS: Thank you!

88. SCENE 7 (FAR NORTH, WITH NYMPHS OF THE NORTH)

89. (NYMPHS: HARMONIZED) Hello!

90. NARRATOR: When Perseus and Hermes arrived the nymphs of the north  received them kindly and welcomed them to their homes.

__91. MUSIC: HAPPY__

92. Nymphs: How may we offer you our services?

93. PERSEUS: I am on a quest to behead  Medusa the Gorgon and return it to the King. Do you have items, which will assist me in my quest?

94. NYMPHS: Yes, of course! We will gladly give you some of our magical gifts. Here, take this cap of invisibility… and these sandals with wings, they are a great asset! And… hmmm…take this bag that will hold anything you put into it. It will help you after you slay Medusa!

__      95. MUSIC: HAPPIER__

    96. PERSEUS: (MUMBLES) Thank you so very much for assisting me with my quest. Please wish me luck!

97. NYMPHS: Good luck!

__     98. MUSIC: BRAVE, HOPEFUL__

    SCENE 8 (MEDUSA’S CAVE)

    99. PERSEUS: How should I slay Medusa?

    100. HERMES: You should look into Athena’s shield to look at her so you don’t  turn into stone. Then you will take my knife and cut off her head. However, if I were you, I  would keep my fingers crossed that all three Gorgon Sisters are   asleep when you arrive.

101. NARRATOR: To Perseus’s luck they were asleep. Perseus used Hermes’ plan of action and threw the head in the magic bag as soon as it was cut off.

102. PEGASUS: Neh! Neh! Thank you for freeing me from Medusa’s body! Perseus, was it? It’s horribly smelly in there.

103. PERSEUS: You’re welcome!

104. NARRATOR: But Perseus’s reply was drowned out by the flapping of the Pegasus’s wings.

__105. SOUND FOR SCRIPT: WINGS FLAPPING__

SCENE 9 (ETHIOPIA)

106. NARRATOR: Perseus was flying over Ethiopia when he saw a beautiful maiden named Andromeda.

107. PERSEUS: Fair maiden, why are you chained to that rock?

108. ANDROMEDA: My mother boasted that she was lovelier than the Nereids. Poseidon couldn't tolerate a mortal comparing herself to a sea goddess. As punishment, he  sent a terrible sea monster to ravage my parent's kingdom of   Ethiopia. Flee, before the sea monster kills you!

109. PERSEUS: Surely he wouldn't kill a beautiful  girl like you.

110. ANDROMEDA: I am to be sacrificed to stop this monsters ravage. Please go!

111. PERSEUS: I shall save you and you shall be mine.

112. SEA MONSTER: ROAR!

113. ANDROMEDA: (PANICKED) The sea monster is behind you!

114. SEA MONSTER: ROAR!

115. NARRATOR: Perseus, just in time, turned  around and in one deft swipe with Hermes' sword...

__116. SOUND: CUTTING SOUND__

Ever since, that sea has been  called the Red Sea from the sea monster’s blood.

117. ANDROMEDA: My savior! I am forever in your debt.

118. PERSIUS: You can repay your debt by marrying me!

119. NARRATOR: With Andromeda in his arms, Perseus flew back towards  home...

SCENE 10 (KINGDOM OF THE ISLAND, KINGDOM OF ACRISIUS)

120. NARRATOR: When Perseus got back to the island he took Medusa’s head to the king. The king looked up straight into the face of Medusa turning him and his evil advisors into stone!

121. DANAE: Oh! My son! You’re back! That  evil king tried to carry me off while you were gone, so  Fisherman took me into hiding. Then…

122. PERSEUS: Mother, I would love to hear your story but there is more important business at the moment. First of all, this is my wife, Andromeda. Andromeda, met my mother, Danae. (EXCHANGE GREETINGS) Second, Fisherman, come here. As son of Zeus, I crown you king of this island for as long as you shall live. __ 123. SOUND FOR SCRIPT: CHEERS __ 124. PERSEUS: Now that that business is taken care of, let us go make peace with   your father.

125. NARRATOR: When Danae’s father heard that Perseus was coming he was worried.

126. ACRISIUS: No! I don’t want to die. Servant! Saddle my horse and pack my bags! I am fleeing to the north.

127. NARRATOR: So, with Acrisius as gone, Perseus became king. But, he also  participated in games such as discus throwing.

128. CROWD: Go your majesty!

__ 129. SOUND: GRUNT, HUGE GUST OF WIND, SMACK __ 130. CROWD: The discus has hit an old man!

131. DANAE: Oh that poor man! Wait a second…that’s my father!

132. NARRATOR: Therefore, the oracle was fulfilled and Acrisius was killed by the  discus thrown by Perseus. After the funeral…

134. PERSEUS: Now Mother, your story?

135. DANAE: Well, right after you left that evil king tried to persuade me to marry him. But, I stood my ground. I said No! Zeus is my only husband!

__136. SOUND EFFECT: DANAE’S VOICE FADES OUT__

137. NARRATOR: Perseus didn’t feel comfortable  living in the city of his dead grandfather. So, he founded a city called Mycenae and ruled there with his wife on one side, his mother on the other, and his   father watching from above.

138. ZEUS: That's my son!

__ 139. MUSIC: MEMORIES

140. SOUND EFFECT: MEMORIES FADES OUT __ 