Present Day Topic: Homelessness and having hope
Scene: Alleyway; Football feild
Cast:
(J) John – Homeless Man
(A) Anne – Lady
Lighting: Dark centered around these two characters; Natural lighting
Backstory: John has been homeless for the past 15 years due to the fact that we had to pay off medical bills and had major debt issues. John has no idea how to get back on his feet and seeks shelter in a dark alley where we barely feed himself and easily gets sick. Anne walks by and notices the man in deep despair so she decides to flip his life around.
Storyline:
Scene 1:
John: What will I ever do? I am lonely, homeless, hungry and have no clue on how to get back on my feet. This just isn’t fair, I make enough money to buy a pack of chips for breakfast lunch and dinner. I’ve starved myself for 15 years straight. This is all because of that stupid football injury. I should’ve just been smart and took the day off, relaxed a little. No, no, no, no. This just isn’t fair; can someone help me!?
Thunder strikes, rain begins to pour onto John who beings to weeps
Anne: Hello? Is anyone there? I know there’s a man here! I’ve noticed you ever since I was little. I just want to give you some lunch, I figured you were hungry. Please show yourself!
…………….
Anne: Okay! If you need anything my name is Anne, I just want to help!
John: Hello…..
Anne: Hello sir, my name is Anne. I’ve been keeping my eye on you ever since I was a toddler and was trying to drop by because I wanted to help. Every day I saw you struggled with trying to get a proper meal so I wanted to help out little by little.
John: I do appreciate the food but I am not in need of food, I need a job. I’m a retired NFL player with a degree in engineering and I’m trying to get back on my feet just so I can make ends meet again.
Anne: John TeHowen right? Yes, I do know you. That’s why I’m here.
John: Of course, another person coming here to laugh in my face, be gone!
Anne: No John, my father has been a huge fan of you for the longest and when he heard you were injured and retired from an off-season accident it broke his heart. Then we sw you one day and it tore him apart that his favorite player was now homeless. I’m here to offer you a chance to get back on your feet, in football.
John: But how, I’m retired and too old.
Anne; Follow me.
Enter High School Gym with John and Anne
Scene 2:
Anne: John, this is my old high school. 4-time national football champs, but sadly their coach has retired and they need someone new. Someone with experience. This is where you come in. 3 time NFL champ with 104 touchdowns in one season, surpassing any previous record. C’mon John give it a chance.
John: Boy I don’t know, I’ve been out for a while I don’t even remember the game the same.
Anne: Let’s find out…
Scene 3:
John begins coaching the high school team. They lose their first game and the team begins to lose hope in John. The first lost in 4 years. But John rebounds, learning play by play and dusting off his old skills. Slowly but surely the boys win the state championship, but that’s not all, they went on to nationals where they face their all-time rivals who haven’t been present in nationals in 6 years. John takes every old play he made and reenacts it into the national game. John is now a national football champion. He went on to coaching college and then back into the NFL.
Conclusion:
After watching, The Magic Flute, I was happy that this assignment was given to us. It gave us the chance to really show off the creativity we have built up throughout the semester. Overall, in my opera, I wanted to give off the same ending as the opera we watched had, a happy ending. I made sure to make it a super sad story that later on progresses into this inspirational opera on never giving up and really having hope in all cases. Overall, I think the lighting in the alley really sets off the beginning mood of being sad and having no hope and then the natural lighting of the outdoors for the rest of the opera shows that life can really turn around. Overall, the opera was a great experience and if I had more time I definitely think this opera can be another cliché football movie that comes out every year.
Kevin Hasa
