jcogtas: The Lost Princess

THE LOST PRINCESS

---Jeanille B. Cogtas----

CHARACTERS

Queen Taenia – the evil queen; stepmom of Princess Crystal

King Uthor – King of Illuminasia; father of Princess Crystal

Princess Crystal/Sandra Verrater – banished princess of Illuminasia

Prince Castor – searched for the lost princess

Freya Verrater – adopted the princess

Clara Verrater – daughter of Freya; the fake princess

The Palace Guards:

Leandro – the palace guard who helped Crystal

Fabian, Jumbo, Draco, Conrad

Some guards

Palace Servants

Chorus- narrators

Children Characters:

Little Crystal, Little Clara

SCENE 1

In a rich Victorian inspired castle, where most things glimmer like diamonds. QUEEN TAENIA, looks ravishingly wicked in her dress, stands at the upper center stage. KING UTHER, clad in combat uniform, stands in the lower left.

QUEEN TAENIA:

Lights on. The queen sings then dramatically moves down to the center stage.

I’m through with love

It cut my heart

It shattered me, my dreams and my fantasies

But now look at me

I’m clad with fancy elegant dresses

tailored with perfection

embellished with intricate needlework

I got servants who bow in my presence

And they all call me QUEEN

KING UTHOR:

All that I have is yours my beloved

QUEEN TAENIA:

Oh thank you……..but why d’you have to leave?

KING UTHOR:

I am the king and there are things I need to attend to dear … at

times I’m here and most of the time I’m not…and so as this very instant….

QUEEN TAENIA: (angrily)Now?

KING UTHOR:

(Uthor moves toward the queen, the queen looks away)

…the army needs the king…. I have to go… and please take

care of my little princess…

QUEEN TAENIA:

(Pushes the king aside)

Then leave, leave if it pleases you!

(She sings.)

It’s amazing I feel so good

Not a drop of solitude

I don’t care if he’s here at times

And most of the time not

I don’t need his presence

I’m through with love

Oh, I feel so good

I feel fiercely magnificent

The world loves me

But I just got one problem to solve

Illumine thinks I’m not the fairest of all

ILLUMINE: (voice over)

Crystal is the fairest of all

QUEEN TAENIA:

(surprised) Crystal!

SERVANTS: (chanting) the princess Crystal is the fairest of all of

ILLUMINASIA!

The queen grows furious as the chanting becomes louder.

QUEEN TAENIA: (sings)

Hold your tongue!

Then Crystal shall be banished!

Banished? Did I just say banished?

(the servants nod their heads)

No, no,no… the king was pretty clear

Take good care of Crystal dear

My dear little princess…

The servants reply chanting

SERVANTS: the princess Crystal is the fairest of all!

The queen grows even more furious, while singing she pushes the servants away then sings.

QUEEN TAENIA:

No,no,no,… this isn’t right

I am no nanny!

She’s no child of mine

(she calls the guards)

Guards! Guards!

Two guards hastily run toward the queen then bow.

GUARDS: at your service madam

QUEEN TAENIA:

(irritated)Queen! you fool… I am no madam of yours

Fair queen! Is how you address me!

GUARDS:

Apologies FAIR queen…

QUEEN TAENIA:

Bring Crystal to the woods and let the wolves feast on her

flesh…. And…. Bring her heart to me as a proof of her death.

The chorus starts to narrate through a song. While singing is going on acting goes on.

CHORUS:

(The queen commands the guards to take Crystal out of the palace. LEANDRO, the head of the palace guards, grabs the Princess by the arm. They walk out of the palace.)

Banish the princess Crystal

Oh the princess Crystal

Order of the fair queen

Whoever disobeys shall dwell in the dungeon

For the rest of his life

(The army halts as Leandro has second thoughts on the

errand. He walks to and fro. The princess walks to the down right stage.)

But the king

The king shall be very upset

The king is not thither

This would be a stubborn spot

In his heart he could never get rid

(Leandro attempts to walk toward the princess but thinks twice then goes back to his position)

Dear Crystal is our princess

But our queen so orders

That she be banished

Why so

Because she is the fairest of all

(Two other guards join the chorus in singing)

The princess Crystal is the fairest of all

(Leandro, hit the two guards by their nape)

The guards are strong

They fear the dungeons

(The queens evil laugh is heard, then the guards tremble in fear)

They fear the queen but not war

(Leandro walks to the down center stage, the other guards stand at ease. Then one guard walks to exit.)

One of them has a stronger heart

The one who stayed behind

Gave his word to watch the princess die

(Leandro kwalks to the left side of the stage as if pulling a thing from there then raise his hand holding a wolf’s heart.The other guard takes the wolf’s heart then walk toward exit.)

Caught a wolf instead

Ripped its heart

Gave it to the queen

The fair queen

All hail the fair queen

(The princess falls to the ground and falls asleep. Leandro looks at her direction.)

Poor princess

Our dear little princess

Poor princess Crystal

Poor Illuminasia

(Leandro moves to the upper left stage takes a microphone.)

Princess Crystal is fairest no more

(the queen’s evil laugh is heard)

Leandro sings

LEANDRO:

Why is all gone

For me tonight

Why’s this girl to fade

Beyond those trees

How can I feel good

When nothing’s right

Why is it cool

When there is no breeze

Crystal, I don’t desert a good friend

Just questions that don’t ever end

Why God, why today

I’m all through here

On my way

There’s nothing left here that I missed

Why send me now

A night like this.

(Leandro returns the microphone. Little Crystal stands and get her microphone at the lower right stage. Then she sings. Leandro sits on the lower left looking disturbed.)

SCENE 2

LITTLE CRYSTAL:

Where do I go from here

This isn’t the place that I used to play

Where are my toys

I don’t remember a thing

That I used to do

Deep in my heart I am screaming

Pain in my heart that she caused me

Made scared of this world that I live in

Frightened what ‘s to become of me

Who will love me

(while the princess sings Little Clara sneaks and tries to run away when the princess stops singing)

CRYSTAL: hey, don’t be scared of me… what’s your name?…

CLARA: (bowing)Clara your highness, Clara Verrater

(palace guards approaches)

FREYA VERRATER: come quick , hide…

(Leandro stands hastily toward the princess. The princess and Clara hides. Leandro gains his composure then sings.)

LEANDRO:

Once I was a selfish fool who never understood

never looked inside myself

but on the outside I looked good

then we met and you made me

the man I am today

Crystal I will serve you no matter what they say

Coz without love

life is like the seasons with no summer,

without love

life is rock n roll without a drummer,

Crystal I’ll be yours forever

coz I never wanna be without love

Crystal I will set you free

I ain’t scared

I set you free Crystal oh oh oh

(The princess sneaks and whispers)

CRYSTAL: thank you Leandro

LEANDRO: oh, your highness, you recognize me

CRYSTAL: (excitedly) of course I do…. I know all your names, Draco, Fabian, Jumbo, Conrad…

LEANDRO: (walks toward the princess) your highness you are

wonderful but princess there’s not

much time before the queen finds out. You have to disappear until you hear of the king’s coming, which none of us knows when…please princess… don’t throw my sacrifice in vain. This kingdom needs you.

(Clara’s mother, Freya, enters)

FREYA VERRATER: you can stay in our place. We can hide your

identity. You could be my daughter. We could give you a new name like… like uhm…Sandra.. yes Sandra. Sandra Verrater.

LEANDRO: please leave now hurry

Crystal and the Verraters exit.

(the rest of the guards come to catch Leandro)

DRACO: hey buddy, I’m so sorry it had to come to this…

LEANDRO: I totally understand Draco, the princess needed me

DRACO: I envy your bravery which reminds me what a big coward I

am…

LEANDRO: It’s alright one fool is enough… the king needs us so

stay and obey the queen for the king’s sake… for the princess

Crystal…

FABIAN: we have to go now

LEANDRO: I am ready, take me to her…

CONRAD: She’s here

QUEEN TAENIA:

Well, well, well…look what we got here…I can’t wait to listen

to your plea, now beg for your life…

LEANDRO: I’m not going to, I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I’m ready for whatever you wish to befall unto me… but I’ll never regret what I did.

QUEEN TAENIA:

(smiling sarcastically)What you did? Oh, it can’t upset me because I’ll find her. I will, even if it’s the last thing I’ll do. Now get rid of him!

GUARDS: yes, your majesty

QUEEN TAENIA:

(to the guards)Shoo!

(then she sings)

See little princess hold on tight

I swear to find you tonight

you caught that guard by the nose

take your cover who knows

call me wicked I’ll like that

ILLUMINE: (replies singing)

that princess I Can’t trace

QUEEN TAENIA: (still sings)

you said she’s easy to track

you said you’d turn a trick

you gotta prove it and quick

ILLUMINE: (stops singing; gets irritated)

Can you just hire another ILLUMINE

QUEEN TAENIA:

(as if hitting the mirror with her voodoo power)No!

ILLUMINE:

(as if hit)Aahhh… (the mirror is thrown near the exit, then vanishes)

The queen follows the Illumine to exit furiously.

SCENE 3

Little Cyrstal enters singing then she eventually transforms into the older Princess Crystal.

CRYSTAL:

I still I still believe

you will return

I know you will

my heart against all odds

hold still yes still

I still believe

I know as long as I can keep believing

I live I live you cannot die

Father dear you will return

Please come home

The older Clara Verrater enters proudly trying hard to behave like a princess.

CLARA VERRATER:

Oh come on Sandra it’s been 10 years… you still believe your father’s alive?

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

He is alive, Clara. He is out there somewhere. I can feel him…

CLARA VERRATER:

You are hopeless Sandra, really hopeless. You’ll never be the princess again and besides you don’t even look like a princess anymore. You’re a pauper my dear. If it weren’t of my mom you would have been 6 feet under or worse.

Freya enters noticing Clara’s clumsiness.

FREYA VERRATER:

Clara, how d’you walk?

CLARA:

(trying to remember what she’s been taught)Glide mother,

FREYA VERRATER:

Then glide, chin up, stomach in, back straight… excellent job dear.

(to Sandra sarcastically) Sandra, I’m going to get Clara a good dancing instructor… we’re going school hopping.. I know none of these interest you…so just do the things that please you….bye… and be back very late so don’t wait up and lock the doors…. Bye…

(They head toward exit then Freya comes out from there to say…)

Dear you can go visit the meadows…the place is wonderful…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

I’m on my way…

(She walks around the stage until as if she reaches the meadow. Then she sings.)

I’m 17 and I’m new here today

the village I come from seems so faraway

all of the girls now are so thrilled for the day

but I know I have a heart like the sea

a million dreams are in me

(Prince Castor enters singing then they eventually sing together)

SANDRA:

I want to see what it means to live and be loved in a home with my family with everything I could want like pretty dress by a magic wand

SANDRA AND CASTOR

life’s so full with everything

oh but just a dream

PRINCE CASTOR:

If I could cast a wish I’ll dream of peace and harmony

But who am I to be dreaming a life I don’t belong

Alone and you’re without a humble home

Where you can call your very own

SANDRA:

When will I be home (PRINCE CASTOR: When will you be home)

SANDRA:

I just wanna be home

(After singing Castor curiously walks around Sandra then says….)

PRINCE CASTOR:

You are the princess Crystal aren’t you?

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

(tries to hide who she really is)Crystal?..you’re kidding! Do I look like a princess to you? The princess Crystal is as white as snow… look at me , am I as white as snow?

PRINCE CASTOR:

The color of your skin isn’t… but your royalty glows and it’s blinding…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Ugh…spare me with your poetry, you’re giving me goose bumps…

PRINCE CASTOR:

I don’t know what happened to you when you are supposed to be as white as snow but I’ve been looking for you and it’s been a year now…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

And what are you doing wasting your time talking to me…

PRINCE CASTOR:

Don’t you get it? You are the one I’ve been searching for. You’re the princess Crystal… (he moves closer to the princess) we have a destiny together…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

You don’t know anything about destiny… you don’t know anything about me…

PRINCE CASTOR:

Then let me… let me understand…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

(irritated)What made you so sure that I am the princess Crystal

PRINCE CASTOR:

Because I’ve seen the fake Crystal and I didn’t feel anything around her…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Fake Crystal?... (smiles) you mean my father has arrived?

PRINCE CASTOR:

Yes princess and if you do not come with me then it’ll be too late…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

(excitedly) Then take me…

(they sing together)

SCENE 4

A Victorian inspired courtroom. The servants busy preparing for a banquet. The fake princess being ressed, combed, beautified and the like.

CHORUS:

Welcome the princess Crystal

Oh the princess of Illuminasia

Oh it’s her the fair princess

Whoever disobeys shall dwell in the dungeon

For the rest of his life

And the king

The king shall be very happy

The king is now here

This would be a stubborn spot

In his heart he could never get rid

The princess Crystal

Of course she is the fairest of all

The princess Crystal is the fairest of all

(When the Bishop has crowned the fake princess, Prince Castor enters)

PRINCE CASTOR:

She is not the princess Crystal…

CLARA VERRATER:

(confidently)I beg your pardon?

(The real princess, Sandra/Crystal, enters)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

(shocked)Clara?

FREYA VERRATER:

(shocked and nervous)What are you doing here Sandra…did you lock the doors?

PRINCE CASTOR:

(surprised)You know each other?

(The King stands from his throne.)

KING UTHER:

(irritated) Can anyone explain to me right now, what just happened.

(Freya Verrater walks toward the King’s throne but she’s outrun by Sandra/Crystal. Crystal bows then kisses her father’s ring.)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Father, you’re alive!.. I knew it. I never stopped believing…

KING UTHOR:

(pulled his hand from her grip) Who are you? (calls the guards) Guards! (Jumbo, walks toward the sing and stands at ease.) Why did you allow this girl to come and speak in my presence without permission.

(Crystal moves toward the king and insisted.)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Father it’s me… open your heart father because at this instant your eyes wouldn’t be enough….

(Fabian walks beside Jumbo, bows then faces the king.)

FABIAN:

Permission to speak, your majesty.

KING UTHOR:

(almost shouting)Speak!

FABIAN:

The princess Crystal knows our names, your majesty.

Who between them can identify us is the real princess Crystal.

(Fabian walks toward the fake princess Clara, then asks her to…)

FABIAN:

Now princess, what is my name?

(Clara panics then pretends to know the answer.)

CLARA:

Ahm… that’s easy… you are Diego, ah Chester or ,,,or maybe

Sebastian… (with conviction) yes you are Sebastian…

(Crystal walks toward Fabian then enumerates the names of the palace guards.)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

No Clara, he is Fabian and this is Jumbo, oh I missed you

Draco , Conrad and… (sadly) poor Leandro…

(Leandro enters that surprises Princess Crystal.)

LEANDRO:

I’m right here little princess

(Crystal runs toward Leandro. Her eyes filled with happiness and gratitude.)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Leandro, you’re alive…. I’m so glad to see you… I owe you my life.

(Leandro bows in Princess Crystal’s Presence then he walks toward the rest of the palace guards.)

LEANDRO:

(to the palace guards) And I owe mine to these guys…

CHORUS:

(to Crystal and Freya) Impostor!

(The furious king walks to the center stage and calls on the guards. Draco and Conrad responds to his call.)

KING UTHOR:

Guards! Bring these two to the dungeon…

(Draco grabs Clara and Conrad grabs Freya. Crystal runs toward then and pleads)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

But father, they are family to me …

KING UTHOR:

(unmoved)I understand, but they need to learn their lesson… guards now!

(Conrad and Draco dragged Freya and Clara to exit. Crystal follows them but she doesn’t go exit.)

CLARA and FREYA VERRATER:

Sandra…help us…. Sandra….princess…

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Don’t worry I’ll talk to my father again….

(The king call Crystal.)

KING UTHOR:

Crystal!

(Crystal kneels in front of her father but the king commands……)

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

Yes father,,,

KING UTHOR: come near me… here sit on beside me.

(Crystal hesitates.)

PRINCESS CRYSTAL: but this is queen Taenia’s throne.

KING UTHOR: she is queen no more! She forever banished from Illuminasia….

(the prince approaches and the king introduces him to the princess)

KING UTHOR: Oh, your knight in shining armor, Prince Castor.

PRINCE CASTOR:

Princess, I am Prince Castor…

SANDRA/SNOWHITE:

I am Crystal, but you can still call me Sandra.. Well if father allows me to still use the name….is it alright father?…

KING UTHOR:

Of course dear…but you can’t keep verrater.. From now on, you are Princess Crystal Sandra of Illuminasia

SANDRA VERRATER/CRYSTAL:

I’m so sorry our first meeting wasn’t what you expected.. We started on the wrong foot… Let me start again. Prince Castor, I am Princess Crystal Sandra of Illuminasia, your damsel in distress.

PRINCE CASTOR:

And I am your knight in shining armor…. Princess Crystal Sandra of Illuminasia.

(They sing their duet then everyone prepares for the finale.)