The Play's The Thing

I wrote a pre-ceremony play. It was a fairy tale version of how Mike and I got together in the style of Midsummer Night's Dream. I thought it semed like a fun idea, but I was afriad that Mike would try to overcomplicate the production or our non-actor wedding party wouldn't want to do it. It was also a surprise to eveyone except the cast. It was super hard not to get excited and spill the beans.

In the end everyone did a wonderful job. I was beyond thrilled. I knew my lines, but it hardly mattered. I was getting married and my brain was buzzing so I could bearly remember my own name. The end got muddled because a cue was missed and my stool was in the wrong spot, but on the whole I give it two thumbs up.

So here for your reading pleasure is our play:

Prologue:

Narrator Enters Clears Throat Loudly

Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my charge to narrate the tale which led to this exchange of vow. A quick bit of business first, belief in magic and fairies is not required but would greatly enhance your evening. Also, photography is encouraged and sincere applause is more than welcome. Now, we begin as is customary, at the beginning...(short pause Oberon and Titania enter) There once was a king and a queen. Their passionate love for one another caused storms aplenty as well as sweet breezes and flowers, they were fairies. Fairies' love runs deeper and lives longer than that of any mortal, frustrating as that may be.

Their love blossomed into a beautiful girl child. She had golden hair and emerald eyes. Her parents loved her intensely even when they railed at one another. During one severe disagreement, Oberon secretly gave her to a mortal family on Earth to spite his queen. You see, fairies are not born with wings.

Oberon mixed up a forgetting potion and gently administered it while Titania was asleep. Years passed as they are inclined to do.

Enter Puck, Oberon joins.

Oberon: Greetings mysterious servant mine. Whither dost thou wander?
Puck: (giving a short bow) Her majesty is plagued, your grace, with fitful dreams and bade me gather forget-me-nots. She will mix a memory potion and free the lost thought that haunts her sleep so.
Oberon: (fearful) Aye me... Imp. If such thought be found, I will be lost.
Puck: (delighting in the King's sudden panic as it's an opportunity for mischief) Sire?
Oberon: Do as the queen bids you, else she will sense something amiss. Report her reclaimed memories to me with haste.
Puck nods his understanding and exits with purpose.
Oberon exits.

Titania enters, applies a potion to her eyes and lays down to sleep.
Puck creeps in quietly.
Puck: Dream you, my lovely mistress?
Titania: (talking in her sleep) Aye, wanderer. Echoes of memories rain down upon me.
Puck: Be they pleasant or most foul, lady?
Titania: A chaos most daunting. Voices and songs.
Puck: Songs, highness?
Titania: I sung lullabies most sweet.
Puck: Sung to what manner of creature? Use fingers to make donkey ears
Titania: An enchanting babe with golden hair. A fairy?
Puck understands at once and crosses to Oberon who paces on the other side of the stage

Puck bows very low. He is abuzz to see what the king will do with his news
Oberon: Oberon reads Puck's expression She has remembered much...
Puck smiles
Oberon: Smile you on my misfortune, knave? What must we do to soothe her wrath when so much can not be undone.
Puck: Perhaps, sire, if the girl returned?
Oberon: She can not. I was foolish to make the deal I did, but once the bargain was made it could not be undone. Even upon the death of the human child I traded her for. Foolish was that contract. What woe will my queen wake to now?
Puck: Shall I spy upon your daughter now grown so you may comfort your queen with tales of her?
Oberon: Your scheme intrigues, but be she dead or downtrodden we are undone. Go you hence. Make your discoveries and report with haste. All must be discovered before my queen awakes.
Puck exits
Oberon paces
Puck returns
Oberon: Why so long gone my minion? Found you her in good health and high spirits, speak some comfort fool!
Puck: She is lovely, wise and kind.
Oberon: That is no news, sprite. How doth she?
Puck: Aye, lord there's the rub.
Oberon grabs Puck by the shirt and shakes him
Oberon: (threatening) If you have been up to your foolish tricks-
Puck: Not I sire! I merely did your bidding! All that is unwell is the doing of mortal folly, none of my own, great king.
Oberon releases Puck
Oberon: She knows not who she is?
Puck: No sire.
Oberon: Have neither she nor he followed the dreams?
Puck nods
Oberon: We will simply, unite them so she may return to us. Mortals are easily led.
Puck laughs mischievously
Oberon: (shoots Puck a warning glance) Do as I behest. If you botch or confuse your charge I shall smite you with twice the fury that my spiteful queen will do so unto me when she wakes.
All exit

Puck and Oberon Enter. (Titania no longer sleeps on stage)
Oberon: How now? Doth all go to plan?
Puck: They were many, many miles apart and preoccupied each with their own folly when I came upon them in their sleep. Each I commanded to listen to their dreams. Each woke and embarked on a journey to find the other. They are drawn one to another without my tricks.
Oberon: Where doth the young man?
Puck: Here comes he, great Oberon
Enter Mike and groomsman engaged in quiet conversation
Oberon: Is he...worthy?
Puck: An artist of fame in this land.
Oberon: And she?
Puck: Comes a great distance, sire.
Oberon: Fie! The queen will surely wake. Can mortals do nothing quickly?
Puck: No.

Mike and groomsman unaware they are being watched begin to speak in a normal volume
Mike: (defending himself) And I say it was more than a mere dream.
Petevolio: I merely suggest that your immediacy is unfounded. How can you know she is near? Or whether she lives at all?
Randalt: A hallucination, surely. A dream phantom, no more.
Mike: Much more. I'll not be dissuaded by you or any man.

Oberon: He speaks well, perhaps I'll not hate him as a son in law
Petevolio: Least we make merry at this folly of a celebration!
Randalt: A celebration of love before even an introduction
Mike: You jest, but you will see that all is more than well my friends
Petevolio: Let us go and crush a glass to our friends happy delusions
Randalt: There are less pleasant ways to pass the hours
The mortals exit

Katie and her bridesmaids enter
Puck: She comes!!

Dianamona: excitedly Is this the estate you so dreamt? Is it as the dream foretold?
Sandelia: It matters little now. We have arrived.
Katie: Have we? I don't feel weary though the journey was long.
Sandelia: Are you sure you are not unwell my lady? We left in such haste. I feared...illness
Dianamona: Aye, me. I am winded, but it's so romantic a task I need not rest
Katie: Our destination is here and...a ball is beginning
Sandelia: Should we just enter so? Taking no precautions? What if the fairies are having sport with us?
Dianamona: Then they shall have it! Let's be merry awhile.
Dianamona starts to walk on, but Sandelia stops her
Sandelia give them masks
Sandelia: I pray you ladies wear these awhile. If all is well you can cast them aside.
Katie: Onward, onward I am not driven all this way to be so still

Mike enters with groomsman behind guests
They seem in better spirits now that the party's started
Mike scans the wedding guests and doesn't see who he's looking for
Katie's bridesmaids surround her onstage

Puck: Our work is all but done.
Oberon: Aye, let's away before the queen wakes!
Puck and Oberon exit

Narrator enters
Bride, Groom etc exit
Narrator: I shall tell you, gentle folk, first and show you anon. Patience, as I unfold the ending joy of our tale. The king and servant returned as the queen began to stir.
Oberon, Puck and sleeping Titania have taken their places while he spoke Titania stirs, but doesn't wake yet
Puck and Oberon exchange glances
Through all that has come to pass Oberon loves his queen deeply. Looking upon her beautiful face melted all his fear away and he was left with only the desire to bring her peace about their child.
Titania wakes
Oberon helps her to her feet
Embracing her he gestures for Puck to leave
Puck leaves bowing
Oberon whispers in her ear
Titania's face reflects sadness, but not anger
Cast minus Puck resets
He leads her to the other side of the stage where it is as it was before
As for the fairy child and her separated love, they must of course unite under the watchful eyes of the rulers of the fairies.
Boys come forward
The girls part to reveal Katie
Mike sees her, knowing her even with the mask
He takes her hand and leads her to her stool
All is as it must be. Love prevails for fairy and mortal alike. Surmounting all distance and obstacles within and without. As true love must. So, in as a brief a tale as I could manage all is well. Things are and will be as happy (or not so) as love allows.

Call forth someone to unite these two with vows!

Aunt Nancy takes her place, nods to narrator
(Even briefer still those promises shall be, then all present rejoice and feast with me)
Katie turns her back to Mike
He removes her mask
She turns back, they smile
Wedding party takes their place
Send the ring bearer & flower girls across

CEREMONY!!