Under Pressure - episode 4

Aunt Alyssa, the owner of the  radio station of the Paranormal Creepathon has some new ideas for Jeremy's show,  Duncan goes into town to find Vince to get some help, the ghosts reveal how they came to be and get ready for the upcoming party, and will Mildred  be able to help Duncan find his amulet?

We will be taking a week off - and posting the next episode December 4th.

Thank you for listening to Save Erce
Brio Integrated Theatre Production

Directed by Margo Attaya
Written by the Brio team

In order of appearance, this episode stars:
Nicolas Stavre as Jeremy Hamilton
Alexandra Sturm as Gabriel Hart
Mary Hummon as Aunt Alyssa

Maya Feldman as Layla
Yuma Feldman as Noah
Hannah Dardashti as Jenny
Brian Hunt as Duncan, the dragon/changeling
John Zeisel as Vince
Stacey Lightman as Zikki the snake

Timothy White as James
Sonia Rollins as Judith

Linda Doucette as Mildred
Marianne Diblasi as the Cauldron Customer
Margo Attaya as Nero the Cat

Sound design  and audio editing by Margo Attaya and Alexandra Sturm

Music: Theme is True Strength by Caleb Etheridge
other music from storyblocks.com and soundstripe.com.

Special shout out to NuPath and Wincam
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Winchester Cultural Council,
a local agency which is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency.
 
Save Erce is produced by Brio Integrated Theatre, an all abilities production 
If you’re enjoying the adventure so far, let us know by leaving us a 5 star  rating or review! This really helps us find new listeners.

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Transcript

SCENE 1 - Back Story of Jeremy Hamilton

BEHIND THE SCENES (radio station)
In the studio, Gabriel Hart is the host

GABRIEL hosting the Creepathon
Hello, everyone. It’s me, Gabriel Hart, and only Gabriel Hart. Jeremy’s just taking a break for now, doing a little R&R, if you know what I mean. Which means until he returns…I’m going to run this show MY way! That’s right. I’M CONTROLLING THISE PARANORMAL NARRATIVE NOW!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Now, first item on the agenda, why the idea of the Loch Ness Monster is stupid and there’s no way it could possibly exist. First off-

Outside the studio
Aunt Alyssa Knocks on Jeremy’s office door

JEREMY
Come in.

Aunt ALYSSA (the aunt) radio station owner 
walks into his office
Can I have a few words while you are on your break, Jeremy. 

JEREMY 
Good afternoon Aunt Alyssa.  Is it the afternoon?! 
*sigh* 
This  non-stop marathon sure is exhausting. 
But, it’s ALL worth it in the long run. 

(takes a sip of Mountain Dew to keep himself awake)
Mountain Dew - my preferred pick-me-up of choice. 
Coffee tastes like Bigfoot droppings.

Aunt ALYSSA (the aunt) radio station owner 
(pause, looking at the studio)
This is Gabriel’s first time hosting the show. How is she doing?

JEREMY
She’s more of a skeptic than I am but she has a lot of passion. I haven’t figured her out yet, but there must be some reason she’s here, she really wanted this job. 
(pause)
Say, did you check what our show’s current listener count is?

Aunt ALYSSA
It’s never been higher! I knew that doing a non-stop “Creepathon” would be a great idea. You’ve elevated your Graveyard shift show to daytime! 
That’ll show your parents!

JEREMY
Yeah. I remember after I graduated from college, I told them I wanted to start a radio show about ghosts and monsters….and they just looked at me like I grew a tail.
 
They told me it was a waste of my time and my degree in business administration. They’re always judgy towards me …over everything.

Aunt ALYSSA
Well, I support you… and my radio station does too.
As well as thousands of your listeners. You’ve got to believe in yourself.
You do want to be a success?

JEREMY
Of course.

Aunt ALYSSA
I’ve been thinking ….you spend a lot of  your time talking about this stuff from your cushy chair. You know, focusing on guests and call-ins can be limiting. 
Have you ever thought about actually going out into the field… you know… where the action is?  

JEREMY
You mean, leave the studio?

Aunt ALYSSA
Yes. 

JEREMY
The last time I had an up-close encounter, I nearly died. You remember that, right?

Aunt ALYSSA
That was a long time ago. Weren’t you 8 years old?

JEREMY
I was 10. It has left an indelible image in my mind.

Aunt ALYSSA
Well, iIt's time to let it go. You need to rise above your fears. Don’t you want to know more?

JEREMY
Well, I don’t think I’m ready to go head-to-head with some kind of monster or spirit.

Aunt ALYSSA
But, think of how many new listeners that would bring in, you could even go National. That would put our station on the map.

JEREMY
National?

Aunt ALYSSA
Remember Orson Welles? ‘The War of the Worlds’? The rukus he stirred up?

JEREMY
I’m not Orson Welles and that was fiction - a play.

Aunt ALYSSA
He had listeners on the edge of their seats. 

JEREMY
True. 

Aunt ALYSSA
Radio is such an immersive medium … It allows the  listener’s imagination to run wild in a safe place. 

Listen, how about  ‘Jeremy Hamilton’s Strange Encounter Special’ , You can  investigate a place, or sighting or such.  - As you experience this place, they'll be listening to every creak and step. You can edit to add suspense- that can be one exciting show.
The potential is there to make your demographics and numbers explode! 

JEREMY
Hmm, I kinda of like …. 
An investigator of the Paranormal … and  a Special?  That means I could concentrate on one subject and really go in depth! hmmm….

Aunt ALYSSA
Yes you got it! 
In the radio biz, you need to keep evolving or you’re yesterday's news.

JEREMY
Well, I’m still kind of terrified. 

But I see it now…. I could be like the Indiana Jones of the Paranormal. No need for a whip, just a Sony TC-D5 recorder and a bandolier of cassettes and batteries. 

(says like a announcer in a movie trailer) Jeremy Hamilton : Investigator of the Paranormal who takes you One Step Beyond!

Aunt ALYSSA
That’s the spirit!  I’ll get your equipment tonight. 


==============
SCENE 2
Try with a lil’ help from your friends

Duncan find Vince’s place -Hear the sounds of kids painting with parents at stores . 

LAYLA:
Mom, I think I liked to paint a witch…

JENNY: 
“Alright, first let’s get our paints out and mix our colors…
How about adding a black cauldron like in Mildred’s sign?

DUNCAN: 
Excuse me, I’m trying to locate my friend’s house.  Where is ….88... Elm Street?

JENNY:
Go straight ahead and take a right at the lights.. 
It’s the big Victorian. It’s purple - you can’t miss it!

LAYLA:
They have cool Halloween decorations!

DUNCAN:
So many wee ones painting on the windows…  for Halloween?

NOAH:
It’s my favorite time of the year!

DUNCAN: 
Well, Thanks for the direction!

LAYLA:
Mom, instead of a broomstick we can have the witch flying on a dragon!

NOAH
Cool! 

JENNY:
Why not? It’s your picture, Layla.

He walks thru the town

DUNCAN: 
“This is it. 88  Elm Street. WoW! He must love the color -purple!”

Walks up the front stairs, Rings the bell
Hear rock music. Opening door.

VINCE: 
“Yes? Can I….. ”

DUNCAN:
“It’s me Vince….. Duncan! 
From last night… The fellow changeling.”

VINCE:“Oh Duncan! My smoky friend! 
I never would have recognized you! 
Like your green hair!

DUNCAN: “You said you lived in town so I came here to find you. 
I bumped into Draco and Dexter, those weird wee pumpkins or Jacks? 
They gave me your address.”

VINCE: 
Over here, we call them Jack O’Lanterns. 
They like to be called Magic Jacks! 
I heard they love scaring the Unmagicals!!”

Slithering ZIKKI says:
“It’ssssss that time of the year!”

VINCE:
Duncan,  this is my friend, Zikki - she’s the protector of my glorious garden. 
And one great drummer.
Zikki, this is Duncan, he is from far away -  the hills of Scotland.”

ZIKKI
Nicccccce to meet you! What clan are you from?

DUNCAN:
Ciamar a tha thu'  Zikki! My clan of Sgorr Dhearg. 
You’re a wee Wind-ees! 
In Scotland we say ‘of ye ‘la Fhéill-Bridghe thig an righinn as a toll ‘

VINCE:
What does that mean?

DUNCAN: 
‘In Scotland they celebrate on Saint Brides Day when ‘the nymph or princess will come out of her hole.’

ZiKKI:
‘I must be a princesssssss too then….  of the Bassssilisssssk clan. 

VINCE:
Takes his guitar and strums.
“Zikki and I were working on a song for the big Halloween bash.”

ZIKKI
Beating a drum 
“It’s for his sssssweetheart! “

VINCE:
Mildred! She is the one for me! 
I want the whole world to know I love her! 
We hoped to play it at the party.”

DUNCAN: 
That’s Great! I am really glad for you.
But listen Vince, I got myself in a terrible jam!

VINCE:
What’s wrong? 

DUNCAN: very frantic
“Oh I’ll never get home! 
My mission…. my grandfather, the clan…. will never forgive me!

VINCE: 
Slow down. Tell me what happened?

DUNCAN: 
It’s gone! ….. My amulet! It’s gone!

VINCE: 
Amulet? 

ZiKKI
What doessss it do?

DUNCAN: 
It guided me here. And it was supposed to get me home! 
It was to help me…. save Erce - the world!    

You got to help me!

ZIKKI: 
Sssssave the world!  We better call 9-1-1!

VINCE: 
Zikki, this is serious!”
(pause)
Duncan, Where was the last place you had it?

DUNCAN:
It guided me here. And it was supposed to get me home!
It was to help me…. save Erce - the world!   

You got to help me!

ZIKKI:
Sssssave the world!  We better call 9-1-1!

VINCE:
Zikki, this is serious!”
(pause)
Duncan, Where was the last place you had it?

DUNCAN
Ahh! I was in the caves...deep in the mountain.
These goblins started bothering me, driving me crazy. Burping their mouths off.  They never heard of personal hygiene! Or manners!  I tried to catch one, and I  … and then and then. They were just gone. And the amulet disappeared!

VINCE
Calm down my friend.  You know that song “  from my friends”
- You got me, Zikki, and all the Magicals in this town to help you.

At least you know somewhat where it is. Somewhere in the mountain.

ZIKKI:
We should ask your ssssweetheart! S   he could help…. She’sssss a witch!

VINCE
Good Idea Zikki! And I get to see her again before the party!
She’s at her shop, The Cauldron, this afternoon. It’s not far from here.
She’ll know what to do. Let’s go!

DUNCAN
Pure Dean Brilliant!


===============
SCENE 3

One Two Cha Cha Cha

In the bakery Bakery sounds,
(music) Note: Big cake Haunted Mansion with graveyard,  Chocolate cake, buttercream frosting,

JAMES
“Tomorrow is the big night!  The day I look forward to… every year.”
(pause)
“Now can we go over our menu? Where are we on these dishes?
(pause)
“Red Devil Eggs? “

JUDITH
“Finished. They’re in the walk-in.”

JAMES
“Ahhh  Darling, this reminds me of the old days.
We were quite a team when we were alive, weren’t we?”

JUDITH
“Yes, we were the busiest caterers in town and may I say, the most creative!”

JAMES
“If only we didn’t stack up our truck so high for that wedding! Remember that big beautiful wedding cake?
I had to swerve to miss that cute little doe”

JUDITH
“Yes I know, and then it was  -... ‘Death by Frosting’!
Oh dear, we do sound like a cheesy mystery novel!”

JAMES
“It was a bit of bad luck for us, Hon!
 But we’re still together …. And that’s what counts.”

JUDITH
“But what are we now?”

JAMES
Creative Caterers…. who just happen to be dead, now fabulously ghostly, and still very light on our toes.

JUDITH
“Well, I am sad that we died, but a good bake always lifts me up …. especially with you!”

JAMES
“Well, I almost finished prepping the’ finger food’ -  Skeleton finger breadsticks ….
You’re making the Red Sauce, right?”

JUDITH
“All done! And I put the dough in the fridge for The Creepy Pizza Hands.  A big hit last year!”

JAMES
“My piece de resistance this year will be my Beef Wellington Mummy-style.
I am cooking two dozen for the party, plus special ones for the werewolves and Vince - extra rare of course! HA HA!
perhaps a bit of steak tartar for them too!”

JUDITH
“Now James, I was looking at our blueprint of the Spooky Mansion Cake.
Have you baked all the layers for our grand Halloween cake?”

JAMES
“Yes of course, all the layers are baked and cut.
My, It’s going to be the biggest cake we have ever made!  ”

(pulls out the blueprint of the cake.)

“You are the true Artist of our Team!
With your sculptural and painterly wizardry!”

JUDITH
“Oh darling, It would be nothing without your rich chocolate cakes and dreamy chocolate ganache.”

JAMES
You know, even in our death, we just keep on getting better!
Add some candles, a little dry ice and voila!

JUDITH
“It’ll be a big hit at the party!”

JAMES
“All this work makes me want to dance. Cha Cha perhaps?!”

JUDITH
“Let’s!”

CHA CHA MUSIC PLAYS

===============================
SCENE 4
The Cauldron
Shop has big cauldron, books, candles, charms, special room where she reads palms tarot cards,
Future. Music ?

Emily, CUSTOMER:
“HI Mildred, I love coming into your store! The herbs, cute charms, and those yummy ‘potions’ - better than anything at Starbucks!

The ‘laughing’ candles I bought here… I lit them last weekend and my dinner guests and I were in stitches all evening! I never had so much fun!
Now you would think the candles were magic!”

MILDRED:
“Only the good magic! Hee Hee!”

CUSTOMER:
“I think I found everything I need for my Halloween Party.”

(She puts down her items.)
“You know your cat has the most intense eyes!
I feel like he understands everything I say.”

NERO:
fakes the sound
“Meow! Purrrrr!”

MILDRED:
“Don’t bother the customer, Nero - Scoot!”

She rings in the sale
Nero lands with a thud.

CUSTOMER:
As she is leaving
“I bet your Halloween Gatherings are a hoot!
Well, gotta go and pick up the kids!”
MILDRED:
“Thank you Emily, Have a Spooky Halloween!”

Door closes and then...
Door opens again,  squeaks a bit, Duncan and Vince come in!

NERO:
“Ta Da! The Undead has arrived!”

MILDRED:
“Don’t say that about him!”

VINCE
“MIldred, You look so wicked!”

MILDRED:
“Oh Vince, you are so sweet!”

NERO:
“so sweet with a touch of batty!”

DUNCAN:
“A talking cat?”

NERO:
“I sing too. (he sings) And who are you?”

DUNCAN:
Who are you?

VINCE
“Mildred, I’m here just on business.
I brought my new friend, Duncan, to meet you.
He is in a terrible mess”

DUNCAN:
“Oh! I hope you can help me!”

MILDRED:
“Of course I‘ll help you. Any friend of Vince’s is a friend of mine.
Come, Come into my reading room.”

We hear steps, She pulls the drapes
Everyone sits down.

MILDRED
“First…. give me your hand …. your right hand. I will read your future.”

DUNCAN:
“Alright…”

MILDRED
“Oh my!  You are a Powerful one.
From another land indeed! …...Fire is what you breathe.
You do have a kind soul and you wish to be a hero….I see a huge mountain
…. dragons flying in the air…… an old  gigantic tree…... leaves are falling…”

DUNCAN
“Yes! Yes! That is Yggdrasil - and save Erce, the earth.”

MILDRED
“There are others - I feel a deep sadness,  some are weeping….”

DUNCAN
“Is this the future? Because I lost my amulet?”

VINCE
“Mildred, we came here to find his amulet he lost in the caves.
He needs it to do his mission.”

DUNCAN
“That amulet was given to me by my grandfather.
It guided me here to your town - to your mountain -  to find the sacred elixir that will save that tree you saw. I must bring it back soon. With the tree healthy, then Erce will have a chance.”

MILDRED
“There are many ways to find things that have gone missing. Let me take a look into my books of magic. “

As she is looking at the books

Hmm. no not that one, yes, this one and this.”

VINCE
“He told me something about goblins in the cave”.

DUNCAN
“Yes there were four of them- pestering me like wee little gnats. Not sure if they took it!”

MILDRED
“Goblins you say? I think I may have just the thing! “

Hear her rummaging in a cabinet (you hear bang, weird sounds)

“This is it!”

VINCE
“Looks like a transistor radio…”

MILDRED
“Vince, this is what witches use to speak with the Unusuals. “

DUNCAN
“Yea, they sure were unusual!”

MILDRED
Hear the different station and blank hiss on some 

“Let me tune it to station WAND, and I will use a special spell for the Goblins”

“This station is for Goblins only
for you to speak and understand
then the truth for both will be at hand 
Rum-ifico-Con-municor”

“You might have to pull up the antenna to get the best reception.”

VINCE
“Mildred, you’ve done it again, this is fantastic! “

MILDRED
“I haven’t solved all yet, There’s one more thing he’ll need. 
The magical compass that can find the thing you seek, 
… which in your case Duncan is your amulet.
it’s in my closet….. Somewhere…. Hmmmmm. “

More rummaging around.   Breathless

“Ah….Here.
Take this- the compass of Azulle. Hold it tight with both your hands.”

DUNCAN
“Like this?”

MILDRED
“Yes. Now concentrate and visualize your amulet.”

DUNCAN
“I am.”

MILDRED    
“Do you see it?”

DUNCAN
“I do!  I think I’m feeling some kind of energy coming out of this thing.”

MILDRED
“Ok it’s working! 
When you go into the caves, it will point to where the amulet lies.”

DUNCAN
“Oh thank you, I hope it works!”

VINCE
“It will. 
What with Mildred’s magical powers, you’re assured to get your amulet back.”

DUNCAN
“I’ll search tonight, but first I must paint my homage to Erce.
I think it will bring me good luck.”

VINCE (looking at Mildred)
“Mildred, I would be honored if you let me walk you home.”

MILDRED
“I would enjoy that.”

VINCE
“I will come by tomorrow night to pick you up for the party, Duncan.”

MILDRED
“Oh, wonderful! Duncan!  it’s a great event and you will meet everyone!”

DUNCAN
“Ok. Thanks Vince, …. and thanks Mildred! 
Things are looking up now!”

MILDRED
“With magic in the air, all things are possible!”

VINCE
“...and love….”