1 act Book show rated GOriginal Theatrical Version

The curtain rises and four people enter carrying ladders and tools for building.

Two on stage right from the city of “Love”, two on the stage left for the city of “Sharing”.

They meet, separated by a red river between them. They put down their tools, mirroring each other. When they approach each other (near the river), a rumbling is heard and they step back. This happens three times until they decide to just start building a bridge. The hammering is done in a “Stomp-like” fashion creating the percussion for the first song;

Song One: “Building Bridges”. Sharing with your neighbors.

During the song, all the people from the two cities enter onstage.

Scene One: A visitor named Acara enters and the group explains to him why they want to build a bridge to bring the two cities together and rise above the river of fear that has developed between them. 

Song two: Hear Me/Right Understanding. A song that asks for our eyes to see and to have the strength to understand.

Scene two: Working on the bridge. The builders point out what they need to build the bridge; metal, wood, water, fire and most important …. food!

They share their thoughts on food: This is a chance for comedic wisdom and to show unity with all the children. They all agree that; you can’t hide broccoli in your milk, in your dog’s bowl, in your mashed potatoes or in your sister’s hair.

Song Three: Broccoli.  A song about the foods they love and their dislike of Broccoli. A giant broccoli comes out and shows them the ways that broccoli can be tasty. In the end they decide  “Hey, Broccoli, you’re not so bad after all!… besides you really can’t hide broccoli”.

Scene four – The children continue talking about food and share humorous words of wisdom. This brings them to their favorite holidays. One of the children talks about lighting the candles at holidays and what that means to him.

Song four: My Light.  When we light a candle with intention, we bring light into all of the world.

Scene five: The children talk about their parents, their pets and what they love. More opportunities to be united on the simple everyday things.

Song five: Hold Me. . A song about faith and trust in people.

Scene six: Now the children officially welcome Acara to their team. They show him a special dance but Acara is afraid to try it.

Song six: Opportunity Knocks. Working together and sharing.

Scene seven: A two headed stranger named Sheth-um enters. He looks different, he is loud and his two heads keeps arguing. Some of the children are afraid of him, some are suspicious of him and some are curious. As he talks about his life the children are torn between welcoming him and wanting to send him on his way.

Dance seven: Broken Dreams – Sheth-um does a dance with flower, at the end he offers the flower to the children but everyone refuses it.

Scene eight: The children who are sympathetic to Sheth-um, argue that the others are treating him unkindly. This makes the ones who distrust Sheth-um more upset.

Song eight: Not for Me. A song about rejecting what it different.

Song nine: River of Fear: How the two cities became separated by the river of fear.

Song ten: Let Peace Ring Out: A song of peace and understanding

Dance eleven: Broken Dreams (Reprise) – Sheth-um does the flower dance. One by one, the children join him in the dance. At the end, the head of the dissenters accepts the flower.

Scene eight: The children discuss when we should welcome people who are different than us and still keep safe in an ever-changing world.

Song twelve: Welcome Home: We are all strangers in a strange land.

Scene nine: Sheth-um shows the people the “One Rope”. The rope that ties us all together. It is in oneness that all is created and in fear (which is about separation) that the oneness disappears. In our spirit dreams, we are one. Find your dreams and become one. Sheth-um give them the rope which is the final piece to complete the bridge.

Song thirteen: Dreaming: Finding our dreams.

Scene ten: Sheth-um asks the audience: How many people live in the city of sharing?

How many people love in the city of love? How many people have seen the river of fear?

Sheth-um invites them all to begin to build bridges.

Song fourteen: Building bridges (Reprise): Sharing with your neighbors.

Costumes: Although the children never refer to their specific cultures, their names and costume represent: Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Aboriginals.