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THE FOUR KINGDOMS, PART 3 (ROCKS, PLANTS, ANIMALS, MAN)

INSPECTOR 1
Bonjour, Mister Doran.

MARCUS
(facing the audience)
Good morning.

MONSIEUR FIENNES
Bonjour, esteemed members of the commission scolaire. Valued parents.

PARENT
Cut the pleasantries, Monsieur Fiennes. What's happening to our teachers?

MONSIEUR FIENNES
I have excellent news for you.

INSPECTOR 2
(to MARCUS)
You have something rather unorthodox for us today.

MARCUS
I think you'll find it refreshing.

INSPECTOR 1
You don't say.

MONSIEUR FIENNES
I daresay a new era is dawning at Summerhaven. The licensure inspections are underway.

INSPECTOR 1
You may get underway when you're ready.

(The music stops.)

MARCUS
(after a deep breath, to the CHILDREN, enthusiastically)
Okay. So. Who can tell me what the word interdependency means? Anyone?

(The CHILDREN sit in silence. They look back and forth at each other. A beat. MARCUS takes some props out of a bag, a yellow ball, some little human dolls of various ethnic backgrounds, a plastic tree, and a plastic cow. He juggles them.)

MARCUS
Well, there’s the sun. And the sun gives us, what...?

(Awkward silence.)

MARCUS
Um. It gives us light, heat, and energy. And the trees and plants, they use the sun’s gifts to grow and survive. And what do the trees and plants give us, the people, and the animals...? What? Can anyone tell me...?

(Silence. MARCUS lets everything fall to the floor. A beat.)

MARCUS
Alright. Circle up.

(Music resumes as, during the following, the CHILDREN cheerfully move into a circle surrounding MARCUS, all facing the center and pantomiming with their arms raised above their heads.)
LOOK UP AT THE SKY.
SEE THE BIRDS TAKE FLIGHT.
SEE THE WAKENING EARTH
BATHED IN WARMTH AND LIGHT.

AT THE TOUCH OF A SUNBEAM.
EVERY FLOWER AND PLANT
LIGHTS UP WITH COLOR,
LIKE A REMBRANDT!

MARCUS & CHILDREN
FROM THE ROOTS OF THE TREES,
FEEL THE WATER FLOW.
AS THEY STRETCH OUT THEIR LEAVES
UNDER THE SUN'S LOVING GLOW.
AS CREATION RECEIVES
THIS DAILY REBIRTH
A CONNECTION WEAVES
BETWEEN THE SUN AND THE EARTH!

(As MARCUS sings the following refrain, the CHILDREN all step clockwise in a circle around him while performing the following gestures: On, "Moon and stars" they lift their arms above their heads, spread their fingers, and twirl their bodies right. On "wind and rain", they stoop over slightly, with straight back, and make swishing gestures back and forth in front of their bodies as they cross step. On "earth and fire", they cross step counter-clockwise, bend over to touch the ground. On "water, air" they their arms above their heads again, spreading their fingers. On "everybody plays their part" they join hands above their heads, making arches.)

MARCUS
MOON AND STARS,
WIND AND RAIN:
ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER.
EARTH AND FIRE,
WATER, AIR:
EVERYBODY PLAYS THEIR PART.

(With raised hands joined, the CHILDREN change direction and walk clockwise around MARCUS.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
NOT ONE SURVIVES WITHOUT THE OTHERS
DAUGHTER EARTH, NOR MOTHER SUN.
(The CHILDREN move forward into the circle and bend down, and then back out of the circle and raise their bodies and arms up.)
ROCKS AND PLANTS,
ANIMALS, MAN:
(The CHILDREN join raised hands and let their arms fall behind each other, so that each child is cradling another child's back with his or her arm.)
THESE ARE MOTHER NATURE'S KINGDOMS.
(Music vamps under the following. The CHILDREN, humming, continue to step around MARCUS.)

PARENT
Monsieur Fiennes, are you or are you not firing our teachers?

MONSIEUR FIENNES
The ones who pass will stay.

PARENT
I heard that none of them are expected to pass!

(The CHILDREN release hands and move to the center of the circle, crouching down as low as possible, with arms wrapped around their knees.)

CHILDREN
ROCKS DO NOTHING ON THEIR OWN.

MARCUS
THEY HAVE A FORM BUT THEY LAY THERE PRONE.

CHILDREN
THEY LIE IN WAIT.

MARCUS
THEY MAKE NO SOUND.

(The CHILDREN slowly rise from "rock" position and twirl until they're back in place in the circle.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
'TIL WIND OR WATER BREAKS THEM DOWN.

(Every other CHILD moves from a standing to a lying position on their stomach directly in front of their place in the circle as the other children pantomime wavelike gestures above them.)

CHILDREN
SOIL COMES WHEN WIND AND RAIN ERODE

(The CHILDREN on the ground pantomime growing plants as they stand upright again.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
THE ROCKS TO DIRT SO PLANTS CAN GROW.
(The CHILDREN join hands and step clockwise around MARCUS crouches low, pretending to be a rock.)
WE GIVE YOU ROCKS
OUR GRATITUDE
FOR YOU ARE ONE OF NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The CHILDREN repeat the gestures from the previous refrain as they sing the following.)

MOON AND STARS,
WIND AND RAIN:
ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER.
EARTH AND FIRE,
WATER, AIR:
EVERYBODY PLAYS THEIR PART.
NOT ONE SURVIVES WITHOUT THE OTHER:
DAUGHTER EARTH, NOR MOTHER SUN.
ROCKS AND PLANTS,
ANIMALS, MAN,
THESE ARE MOTHER NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The CHILDREN continue to step around MARCUS and hum as the music vamps during the following.)

MONSIEUR FIENNES
Madames et Monsieures, the test is completely objective.

PARENT
If Doran doesn’t pass, I will pull my Giulia!

(The CHILDREN pantomime the following lyrics with their arms and hands as they step clockwise around the circle. MARCUS, in the center, pantomimes being a plant.)

MARCUS & THE CHILDREN
PLANTS, LIKE MINERALS HAVE FORM
BUT THEY DO THINGS ROCKS COULD NEVER DO.

GIRLS
THEY MAKE THEIR FOOD.

BOYS
THEY REPRODUCE.

(CHILDREN raise their arms up and spread their fingers, then lower their hands.)

GIRLS
THEY BREATHE AND THRIVE.

CHILDREN
FOR THEY'RE ALIVE.

(The CHILDREN take the hands of the partner to their left, turn so that one of the partners stands in the center, forming now two concentric circles. The CHILDREN on the outside circle pantomime being plants, while the CHILDREN in the inside circle pretend to take things from them.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
PLANTS, LIKE ROCKS CANNOT MOVE
YET THEY SHARE THEIR LEAVES AND SEEDS AND FRUIT.

(The CHILDREN join hands with their partner and half-turn so that all are back in one circle, with hands joined. They step counter-clockwise. MARCUS continues to act like a plant.)
WE THANK YOU, PLANTS
FOR ALL YOU DO,

(During the line "for you are one of nature's kingdoms" the CHILDREN break off into a circle of groups of four, with partners facing each other. Each represents Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Earth and Fire face each other, Water and Air face each other.)

FOR YOU ARE ONE OF NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(Each group performs the following movements during the following refrain. On "moon and stars," they side R touch L, on "wind and rain" side L touch R. Then on "all the pieces fit together", the group extends right hands on top of each other in the centre and forms a wheel; they skip clockwise for 8 steps until they're back in their original places.)

CHILDREN
MOON AND STARS,
WIND AND RAIN:
ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER.

(On "earth and fire" the Earth and Fire couple hold hands and make an arch while the Water and Air couple take hands and skip under the arch take position in 4 steps. On "everybody plays their part" they repeat, with Water and Air making arches and Fire and Earth skipping under.)

EARTH AND FIRE,
WATER, AIR:
EVERYBODY PLAYS THEIR PART.

(During the following, the groups of CHILDREN spin around MARCUS and unwind, eventually forming a circle with hands joined again on "mother sun.")

MARCUS & CHILDREN
NOT ONE SURVIVES WITHOUT THE OTHER
DAUGHTER EARTH, NOR MOTHER SUN.
ROCKS AND PLANTS,
ANIMALS, MAN:
THESE ARE MOTHER NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The CHILDREN continue to step around MARCUS and hum as a SOLO BOY and a SOLO GIRL skip into the center of the circle to join him. The others step around in a clockwise direction, pantomiming with their whole bodies various animals and miming the lyrics.)

SOLO BOY
ANIMALS, LIKE PLANTS ARE ALIVE.

SOLO GIRL
BUT THEY WALK, RUN, SWING, SING, SWIM, AND FLY.

SOLO BOY
THEY FEEL HUNGER, FEAR,

SOLO GIRL
ANGER, LOVE.

CHILDREN
THEY BELONG TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEY LIVE.

SOLO GIRL
THEY CAN SENSE THINGS LIKE DANGER AND FOOD.

SOLO BOY
THEY MAKE SOUNDS AND SIGNS TO EXPRESS THEIR MOOD.

(The CHILDREN stop pantomiming animals and join hands, facing MARCUS and the SOLO BOY and SOLO GIRL in the center.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
ANIMALS,
WE THANK YOU, TOO
FOR YOU ARE ONE OF NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The SOLO BOY and GIRL rejoin the CHILDREN'S circle. The CHILDREN continue to step around MARCUS and hum as the music vamps during the following.)

MONSIEUR FIENNES
That would be unfortunate. The commision scolaire feels this is the best way to assess his fitness.

PARENT
If you think we're going to stand by while you break our children's hearts, Monsieur Fiennes...

(The CHILDREN open up the circle and stand in rows in front of MARCUS, pantomiming all together the following lyrics.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
NOW WE HUMAN BEINGS ARE DIFFERENT ALTOGETHER
WITH NO CLAWS, NO FUR, NO FANGS, NO FEATHERS.
WE CAN SPEAK. WE CAN THINK. WE CAN REMEMBER AND ENVISION.
WE CAN CHOOSE TO REFLECT ON THE EFFECTS OF OUR DECISIONS.

(The CHILDREN break off into groups of various members, depending on the activity they're going to pantomime. Some children are alone. Each group and individual pantomimes some human activity or small scene.)

MARCUS & CHILDREN
WE ARE SELF-AWARE. WE LAUGH, WE LOVE.
OUR HANDS CREATE WHAT OUR BRAINS THINK OF
HUMANS, WITH OUR SPECIAL GIFTS,
HAVE A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.

(All flowing back into the circle, hands joined)

WE CAN CARE FOR THE WORLD.
WE'RE THE STEWARDS OF THIS PLANET.
THIS BEAUTIFUL PEARL
THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL TO INHABIT.

(The CHILDREN raise their joined hands and form arches. One child, pretending to be an animal, and another child, a human being, step through the arches.)

WE'LL MAKE A PLACE OF PEACE
FOR MAN AND BEAST

(The two children going around the arches rejoin the circle. All sing with hands joined.)

AND EVERY ONE OF NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The CHILDREN continue to circle around MARCUS and hum as the music vamps under the following.)

PARENT
Four years my Georges has been with Mister Doran! If he goes, we go!

MONSIEUR FIENNES
I implore you, all of you. No need to be rash. The inspections will separate the wheat from the chaff, and, I tell you, the children will be better for it.

MARCUS & CHILDREN
(pantomiming the actions)
MOON AND STARS,
WIND AND RAIN:
ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER.
EARTH AND FIRE,
WATER, AIR:
EVERYBODY PLAYS THEIR PART.
NOT ONE SURVIVES
WITHOUT THE OTHER
DAUGHTER EARTH, NOR MOTHER SUN.

(The CHILDREN pantomime being rocks, plants, animals, and man, respectively.)

ROCKS AND PLANTS,
ANIMALS, MAN:
THESE ARE MOTHER NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(The CHILDREN form a semi-circle behind MARCUS, who faces the audience.)

THESE ARE MOTHER NATURE'S KINGDOMS.

(Music plays out as MARCUS and the CHILDREN strike a tableau. A beat of silence.)

INSPECTOR 2
(clearing throat)
An interesting presentation.

(The CHILDREN hum and chatter quietly amongst themselves as they exit. The music plays out under the following.)

INSPECTOR 1
Tell me: what did the children learn from this presentation, Mister Doran?

MARCUS
(beaming, proud of the children)
How to be in the universe. Their cosmic task. The symbiosis of all things.

(A beat. The INSPECTORS exchange glances.)

INSPECTOR 1
Well, I believe we've made our decision, Mister Doran. There is no need to waste everyone's time with deliberations.

MARCUS
And?

INSPECTOR
We won't be granting you a license, Mister Doran. You have 14 days to clear out your classroom. Good day to you, Monsieur.

Words and Music by Michael Johnson
© 2022, Zubsongs, Ltd.