MusicalsPage

Plot summary

Accompanied by two teachers, a group of North American students travel to Europe for an educational holiday, but their exploration of the Old World becomes complicated by romance and an inept tour guide, Jose. The two teachers, Emily and William, have been dating for some time, but uptight William can't bring himself to declare his love for the less-inhibited Emily. Two of the students, Mike and Diana, are "going steady" but Mike is uncomfortable with Diana's desire to explore new places and new experiences. As they make their way through London, Paris and Athens, the loving couples become feuding couples -- but finally the course of true love becomes clear.

Set

A flexible set, with elements that can be set and removed quickly, is highly recommended, as scene settings include two airports, a variety of hotels in Europe, a lonely road in Greece, a London rock club, an embassy party, and the streets of various European cities. Rear projection on screens, with furniture moved on and off, is one way to achieve this.

Character list

Five major parts with solos (William, Emily, Mike, Diana, Jose), two supporting parts, each with a solo (Niceone Mate, a British rock star, and Stephan Nuchinsky, a famous Canadian novelist living in Europe), two supporting parts with a duet (Lisa and Eddie, fans of Niceone Mate's music), two cameo parts with a duet (Lionel and Carla, two struggling actors making a movie in Europe), and any number of chorus parts (students, parents, and European citizens).

Songs

Gate 9 at 11:52 (the students and their parents)

Ode to Air Canada (if show is produced in Canada)

Walk a Bit, Look a Bit - London (the students, Emily and William)

Walk a Bit, Look a Bit - Paris (the students, Emily and William)

In Other Worlds (Diana)

We Need a New Word for Love (William)

Yeah, Oh Yeah (Niceone Mate)

Rock Around Europe (Eddie and Lisa)

Novel Thoughts from Abroad (Stephan Nuchinsky)

Everything in Life is Relatives (Jose)

In a Losing Cause (Emily)

Where Else? (the students)

We're Makin' a Movie (Lionel and Carla)

The Road to a Woman's Heart (Mike)

Finale (the entire cast)

Sample of Script:

Act I, Scene 1:

(During the last few bars of the Overture, curtain rises and lights come up on a busy airport Departure Hall, filled with travellers bustling around with luggage. Signs, restaurants and gift shops provide the backdrop, along with large flight information displays and signs pointing to gates. As Overture ends, two students, Nancy and Suzanne, wander on from S.L. with luggage, just as a voice comes over the public address system.)

Public Address Voice: Air Canada (or British Airways) flight 623, departing at 11:52 for London, England, is now boarding at Gate 9. Air Canada (or British Airways) flight 623 is now boarding at Gate 9...

Nancy: That's us! That's our flight!

Suzanne: (looking around frantically) And I don't see Gate 9 anywhere!! (totally freaking out) We're going to miss the plane!!

Nancy: Don't panic, Nancy! Just say to yourself, "we will make the flight, we will make the flight" -- and start looking for a sign. (shouts to offstage Left) Come on, you guys! Our plane's boarding and we're supposed to be down at Gate 9! (turns back to Suzanne) So have you seen a sign?

Suzanne: No. But I'm not very religious....

(The rest of the Students rush on from S.L., clutching flight bags, books, magazines and cameras)

Song: Gate 9 at 11:52

Gate 9 at 11:52!

Clear the way now -- we're coming through!

Got a date to fly into the blue....

Gate 9 at 11:52!

Soon the Old World's gonna meet the new!

What's in store there? Only wish we knew!

Got our passports, travellers' cheques,

Got our cameras hung around our necks;

Got our maps and tickets too,