Mrs. Taylor's Opera Script Outline

Our Opera Script

Act 1

Mrs. Taylor’s Grade 5 class is spending the day at the Royal Ontario Museum to visit the Ancient Egyptian Exhibit. Several children wander off to explore on their own. They are particularly interested in hieroglyphs and stop to see the famous Rosetta Stone. As they read, what they think is written on it, they are suddenly transported back to the year 2435B.C. during the Ancient Egyptian Civilization.

They find themselves standing next to the Nile River when suddenly they hear a roaring sound and see people running for their lives. They turn to face a wall of water about to engulf them and ultimately drown them. They race for their lives towards the entrance of one of the pyramids in Giza. (research inundation)

Act 2

Inside the pyramid they are met by two spirits that look rather royal and very important. One of the students, named Howard Carter Jr., recognizes them as Queen Hatshepsut and King Tutankhamen. He has seen photos of them and heard many stories from his family members. He has been told that the family has been cursed and as a result, the family has experienced bad luck and many untimely deaths.

The spirits acknowledge who he is and explain the quest. They must find 6 amulets (the keys to immortality), located in various areas of Egypt and return them to the King and Queen so that they can move to the afterlife and the children can return home. If they are successful, the curse will be lifted from the Carter family.

The Queen hands them the first amulet and a piece of a map. They follow the map through tunnels and chambers until they find a secret chamber, one that contains treasures not found by Howard Carter and the grave robbers. Among the riches, they find the second amulet and another piece of the map. It leads them to the Valley of the Kings.

(Still needs to be researched) They climb the cliffs to find the entrance into the Tombs of the Pharaohs. Unfortunately, the treasures had been stolen; however, the one remaining amulet is found by the students, wrapped in the next piece of the map. It leads them to the Temple of Dendera (still to be researched).

Once inside, they find a scribe that teaches them about the temple and its importance. The map directs them to the Goddess Hathor. Hanging around her neck is the amulet wrapped in another piece of the puzzle. (research religion and gods) The map leads them to the Nile River where they are met by a marsh man.

He explains his trade and the dangers of the Nile. He lets them use his boat made of reeds (research papyrus) and with the help of a sailor, they travel downriver to the village. Along the way, he explains his trade. Attached to the oar is another piece of the map and an amulet. The bird netter meets them at the shore, next to a village. He explains his trade and attached to his net, they find another amulet wrapped in a piece of the map.

Act 3

They are distracted by a group of men running through the streets of the village. They are carrying small gold statues. They are the grave robbers the children are to follow. They chase them back to the pyramids. As the robbers disappear into the entrance of the pyramid, they drop the last amulet, wrapped in the last piece of the puzzle.

The children piece the puzzle together to reveal the message. Just before the message is revealed, the two spirits reappear, each with a big smile on their face. The message is “Now leave the amulets here alone, and go back to the time of your own”. The children chant the message together and in a flash they are gone and reappear at the ROM, in 2009.

Howard JR. suddenly feels a sense of peace and relief. Could this be the end of the Carter Curse? Has he lifted the spell bestowed upon his Great, Great Grandfather Howard Carter 1st?

In front of the children, an engraved message appears before them. It says, “We are finally back at last, so we can tell the story of the past”. In unison they chant the last message to the class, who is standing there, mouths wide open, wondering what really happened?

Howard Carter Jr. grows up to be a famous Egyptologist, explaining much of the unexplained mysteries of Ancient Egypt.