music
[Procession in]
[set up tree banner and 2 building banners](Printed Banners)
music ends
“Ladies and Gentlemen, The Story of Fred and Ed”
[Black Bird in](Amusing Bird)
“Fred was a waiter at Windows on the World in the World Trade Center.”
[Pink Bird in]
“Ed was a stockbroker at Smith Barney in the same building.”
“On September 11, 2001, they were both at work.”
music
[2 flying birds in, fly around and attack birds and buildings, out, buildings collapse,
pink and black birds entwine necks, red dragon in, circle in triumph,]
“Fred and Ed died in one another’s arms.”
[ birds hide behind tree banner.]
music ends
“Everybody mourned Fred and Ed.”
“Fred left a widow, Fredrika.”
[Black Bird in with ladies hat on]
“Fredrika was given a compensation check.
“Ed left a widow, Edwina”
[Pink Bird in with a ladies hat on]
“Edwina was given a compensation check .”
[Black Cat and Small Bird in](Hat Cat)
“Fredrika was appalled by the death of her husband. With her small compensation check,
she took her young son, Ned, and moved back down south to her mother, Betty, in New Orleans.
To bring in some much-needed extra cash, she joined the National Guard.”
“Edwina was appalled by the death of her husband. With her large compensation check,
she moved to Connecticut, bought a small estate, and became a Republican.”
music
[they process around the ring, ending up where they were]
music ends
“Bush calls for war”
music
[Bureaucrat Opera Singer in “war speech”](Opera Singer)
“Edwina, understandably anxious about national security, is in favor of the war.”
[red dragon in, is petted by Pink Bird](Ground Dragon)
“Fredrika is sent to Afghanistan, then to Iraq.”
[dragon takes Black Bird away, leaving cat and small bird]
music ends
“Edwina goes to New Orleans to celebrate for a Fund-raiser. Little does she know that Fredrika’s mother and son are living there.”
music
[blue faces in](Fathead)
(speaks into music)
“When the hurricane arrives, Edwina’s cousin Ted, who owns a limousine company, comes to fetch her.”
[pink guy and taxi in](Purely Cardboard)
[taxi takes her out]
“Fredrika’s son Ned goes out to fetch food and water for his grandmother, Betty. While he’s at it, he picks up a CD player. Maybe he’s shot as a looter. At any rate, he doesn’t come back.
[Small Bird hidden by Blue Faces]
“With no one to care for her, Betty also disappears.”
[Black Cat hidden by Blue Faces]
[2 Opera Singers in]
“Now FEMA and the Army Corps of Engineers appear!
[Opera Singers push Blue Faces out.]
Bush is circling in Air Force One! Cheney is giving press conferences!”
[stage is left empty]
music ends
[Pink Bird in]
“Edwina, who is a bird with a good heart, comes back to help out in the local shelter.”
[Black Bird in]
“Fredrika comes back from Iraq to search for her son and mother.”
“They weep in each other’s arms.”
[Birds entwine]
-----------------------
(possible ending)
OR
“Fredricka wanders off, ever searching.”
“Edwina attends a charity benefit for hurricane victim; with a tear in her eye, she dances, only because she has a good heart.”
[Pink Bird dances]
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music - Kishniev