opera script: Bynoe-Walker's class

Opera- P5 (Ms. Bynoe-Walker’s class)
Setting: Ancient Egypt –
Year: 747 BCE (the year in which Egypt is taken over by the Nubians under King Kashta)


Characters:

● Karnak and Alik (slaves) – main characters; descendants of captured Nubians from 1950 – 1100 BCE when Egypt ruled Nubia.
● Nefti an old slave
● King Kashta
● Nefti an old slave
● King Kashta King of Nubia
● Mean trader
& his 2 workers Greedy
● Head soldier of the
● Nubian army
● 2 Nubian soldiers
● Pharaoh of Egypt
● Head of the Egyptian army
● Egyptian soldiers
● Mr. Herman Grade 5 teacher
● Sima Grade 5 student
● Grade 5 students

Act I


Scene 1:

This scene is set outside the building site of a pyramid


MUSIC #1: (Slaves sing in unison)

They beat us, they hit us
They can't make us slaves
We want our freedom, we want it right now
We want our freedom for everything we gave
So give it to us, so give us our freedom


Slave 1: This is too hard to pull! (pulling a block).

Slave 2: (shouting at slave #1) We have to do it before the Pharaoh comes out!

Slave 3: Let’s team up and do it before sunset.

Slave 4: On the count of 3 pull. 1,2,3, pull!!

Slave 5: It’s not moving (trying to pull it hard).

Slave 6: Let’s use those logs that the pharaoh doesn’t use to help us pull the stone.

They all start arguing.

Slave 7: Shouldn’t we ask the pharaoh first? (wondering and scared).

Slaves 1-6: (shouting at slave 7) No, he doesn’t use them!

Soldiers come to where the slaves are.

Soldier1: (pointing to a slave and in an angry voice) Get back in line!

Soldier 2: (shaking water in his face and drinking) No food or drink until this work is done!

Soldier 3: (angrily) Get back to work or I’ll punish you! (raises whip in the air).

Soldier 4: (pointing at limestones; angrily) Stop building and get those limestones!

Soldier 5: (thinks and puts hand on chin) This won’t be good enough for the pharaoh’s body (shakes his head).

Soldier 6: (shakes a slave and kicks and shout) Stop resting and get back to work!

Soldier 7: (pointing and yelling) Get back to work all of you!

Soldier 8: (screaming angrily and pointing to the pyramid) This pyramid needs to be done by the end of the year!



Scene 2:

Karnak and Alik are on another side of the pyramid

Karnak: This is very heavy. How am I supposed to lift this?

Alik: You have to try or else you’ll be whipped!

Alik: I’ve been whipped before. Trust me, it really hurts.

Karnak: I’ll try.

Alik: Watch out! There’s a rock. You’ll trip over it.

Karnak stumbles and falls.

Alik: Are you okay?

Karnak: Ow!!

Alik: Do you need help? Let me help you before the soldiers come.

Alik goes over to help Karnak.

A soldier comes and whips Alik.


Scene 3:

This scene is back at the slave village, at bedtime.

Alik is asleep.

Karnak: Psst! Alik, stop sleeping. I was thinking that we should go back to our ancestors’ home, Nubia.

Alik: (Alik yawns and wakes up) Yeah, I was thinking of the same thing earlier. I just had a dream of getting whipped really hard!

Karnak: Then why don’t we go?


MUSIC #2: (Karnak and Alik sing about the greatness of Nubia)

Nubia is great, Nubia is strong
We could have all the freedom we want
We could be kings, we could be queens
We could have all the gold we need


Nefti: (sleepily) Hey guys, what does an old man have to do to get some sleep around here!

Karnak& Alik: Sorry for waking you up.

Nefti: (coughs a lot) I feel sick. Sometimes I think I should just kill myself.

Alik: Why don’t you just come with us to Nubia?

Alik peeks outside.

Alik: Now how are we going to get past the guards?

Nefti: I am old. I have nothing to lose so I will distract them.

MUSIC #3: (Nefti sings):

O young people, I will help you
My time here is almost up
I will die to give you your freedom
Go somewhere else and be free
Don't worry about me
With my spirit I'll guide you
Run away, just go and be free
Run away, just go and be free

Karnak and Alik escape.


ACT II


Scene I:

This scene is on the outskirts in the desert.


Karnak: (in a tired voice) Yes, we finally escaped!

Alik: Yeah, but we have to be very careful.

A mean trader and his workers hear footsteps.

Mean trader: What’s that sound?

Worker 1: Let’s find out.

The mean trader and his workers walk a bit and see Karnak and Alik.

Worker 2: Hey, those are slaves. I mean look at their ripped clothes.

Mean trader: Get them and tie them up and put them on the camel!

The workers capture Karnak and Alik.

Karnak: (whispering to Alik) Oh no, we’re going to be taken back!

Alik: Yes we are.

Karnak: Um, sir, this hurts.

Mean trader: (shouting) I know it does. Now be quiet!!


MUSIC #4: (Mean trader sings song):

Imagine my luck, I'm gonna be rich
No one can stop me, I'm gonna be rich
I'll catch them and sell them and ha, ha, ha!
I'll sell them to Egypt for money hoorah!
Everyone goes to sleep.

Alik: (whispering) Psst, psst! Wake up Karnak. I saw a knife. They’re sleeping so we can cut the ropes.

Karnak: (worried) How do we get the knife?

Alik: (confidently) I know a way, just follow me.

Karnak gets the knife and frees himself and Alik.

Alik: I’m hungry. Let’s steal some food. (they grab food and water from the traders and steal a camel).

Karnak and Alik head off on their journey.

MUSIC #5: (Karnak and Alik sing):

You'll never catch us, we'll never be caught
We'll never be captured, or sold or bought
We need food and water or else we'll die
We won't give up, we'll always try

Scene 2:

This scene is set in a Nubian village near the border of Egypt and Nubia.

MUSIC #6: (Karnak and Alik sing)

Woohoo, hooray! We're really, really here
This has always been our dream
Now freedom is on our team
We had problems, now they're gone
We will now take them on
We will fight with all our might
Nubia will help our fight
Woohoo, hoorayWe're really, really here

Alik: What do you want to do now that we’re here?

Karnak: Dance joyfully!

Alik: It’s so peaceful here!

Karnak and Alik look around. They see people staring at them.


Villager 1: Who are these strangers coming into our village?

Villager 2: Why are they here?

As the villagers move closer to Karnak and Alik they stare in shock and happiness.

Villager 3: Could it be? Could it be that these are the gods of Nubia?

Villager 4: Yes, their faces are like those on our temple walls.

The villagers circle around Karnak and Alik.

Villager 5: Nubians, let us all bow down before our gods (the villagers kneel).

Villager 6: Nubians, please make our gods welcome. Bring some food and beverages.

Villager 7: Oh great gods, why have you come to our village?

Karnak and Alik: Egypt’s slaves are hungry and dying. You must save them, they are your brothers and sisters!

Villager 8: We must take them to the King!



Scene 3

This scene is set in King Kashta’s palace.

Villagers: We’re here at the Pharaoh’s palace (escorting Karnak and Alik).

Villager 1: (excitedly) (at the palace door) Dear Pharaoh, we found our beloved gods!

Soldier 1: Kneel before the Pharaoh you fools!

King Kashta: (to the soldier) Quit talking! I didn’t ask you to talk!

King Kashta: (takes Karnak and Alik aside) Who are you?

Karnak: We are slaves from Egypt. But these villagers think we are gods.

Alik: I don’t know why. All I know is I am an Egyptian slave.

King Kashta: Yes, you sure are! (the king smirks to himself).

MUSIC #7: (King Kashta sings):

I'm the king and I am strong
Egypt's ruled for far too long
I'm the king and it's time to fight
Our best chance is to attack at night
I'm the king, the god of the night
Our soldiers will fight when the time is right
Egypt's pharaoh will soon be gone
Egypt's mine from now on

King Kashta takes Karnak and Alik back to the villagers.

King Kashta: (happily) These are our real beloved gods. We welcome them!




ACT III

Scene 1:

This scene takes place near the border of Egypt and Nubia.

Karnak: I have been waiting for this day to fight Egypt.

Alik: (excited voice) Yes, finally this day came.

Karnak: (in a worried voice) Hey soldiers, do you think you could do this?

Soldiers: Yes we can!!(raising weapons in the air).

Alik: I’m sure you can.

Karnak: (angrily) Today we are going to take over Egypt! Forever!

Soldiers: (determined) Don’t worry, we won’t let you down!

MUSIC #8: (army sings)

We are powerful, we will win
We will fight until the end
No one can stop us, we're the best
We will fight you and the rest!

All together: (screaming and running) Charge!



Scene 2

Nubian soldiers enter Egypt.


Head soldier: Soldier 1 and 2, you are our top archers. You must go at once to the palace and assassinate the Pharaoh and his vizier.

Soldier 1&2: Yes sir! (they run off toward the pharaoh’s palace).

Head soldier: The rest of us will advance to fight the Egyptian army. Are we ready men?

Soldiers: Yes sir, we are!

Nubian soldiers meet up with Egyptian soldiers and they start to fight.

Head of Egyptian army: They are too many of them! Send a message to the Pharaoh.

A messenger goes to the palace and finds the pharaoh and vizier dead.

Messenger: (running to the Head of the Egyptian army) The pharaoh is dead! The pharaoh is dead!

Head of the Egyptian army: All is lost. We must surrender.

The Egyptian army surrenders to the Nubian army.



Scene 3:

This scene is at the slave village.

Karnak: Come out! Come out! You’re free to live.

Alik: Come out! Your masters are dead!

Karnak: Don’t be afraid. You have your freedom.

Alik: You won’t be slaves anymore.

Slaves: Freedom! Freedom! We have our freedom!

Karnak: You may go to your families.

Slaves: Thank you. You are like gods. You saved us.


MUSIC #9: (slaves sing):

We're free, we're free
Let's enjoy our destiny
Let's cheer, let's cheer!
Hooray, hooray!
We're free at last today!
Today! Today! Today!



Scene 4:

This scene is set in a Grade 5 classroom.

Mr. Herman: (reading a book to the class) So that’s how Nubia ended up ruling Egypt from 747 BCE until 647 BCE.

Sima: Wow, that’s cool!

Everyone looks at Mr. Herman.

Many students: (excited) Please, oh please Mr. Herman. Can I borrow that book?




THE END