The story of Francesca and Claudio

{With a crescendo of music the lights brighten to reveal Francesca holding a mop and a bucket of dirty water.  In front of her is a regal looking woman}

Woman: (sings) Francesca!

Echo: Francesca!

Woman (sings) Francesca!

Echo: Francesca!

Woman: (sings) Francesca go and clean!

{Francesca waltzes over to the toilets with a soft innocent look in her eyes, she holds the mop up to her face and starts to sing to it}

Francesca:  But I'm just a poor girl and nobody loves me!

Hidden chorus: (jumps out behind Francesca and sings)  She's just a poor girl from a poor family, who cleans toilets to earn some money!

{The scene changes to Claudio who is on bended knee in the woods looking up adoringly into the cold eyes of a raven haired wench}

Raven haired wench:  (whispers) boys (sings loudly) easy come easy go I have to let you go!

Hidden chorus:  (pokes their heads out from behind different trees and sings in unison)  Claudio!  yes- she must let you go! (goes back to hiding behind trees)

Raven haired wench: (throws her arms wide and sings) let you go!

Hidden chorus:  (pokes their heads out from behind different trees and sings in unison)  Claudio!  yes- she must let you go! (goes back to hiding behind trees)

Raven haired wench: (throws her arms wide and sings) let you go!

Hidden chorus:  (pokes their heads out from behind different trees and sings in unison)  Claudio!  yes- she must let you go! (goes back to hiding behind trees)

Raven haired wench: (throws her arms wide and sings) let you go!  I don't want to see you! Oh no no I don't want to see you,  oh anymore! No, no, no, no , no, no, no!
(she runs off into the depths of the forest to leave Claudio staring at where she had stood with a look of deep sorrow on his face)

{the scene changes to Francesca and her mother talking while Francesca cleans toilets}

Francesca: (sings)  Mamacita, mamacita, mamacita I need love!

Francesca's mother: (sings)  I think there is a boy in the forest for you, for you, for you!

{Fancesca throws down her mop and runs out of the house towards the woods}

{As the scene changes back to Claudio, he stands and raises his hands to the sky}

Claudio:  So you think you can kiss me and wave goodbye!  so you think you can use me and leave me to cry!  oh baby!  I loved you so much baby! Just gotta get on.  Just gotta find a new love for me!  (he checks to see if anyone is watching and then sways his hips) do do do do do do do do (he becomes more subdued and sits on a nearby rock, still singing) Nothing really matters, now that love is gone, nothing really matters, nothing really matters to me!

{suddenly there is the sound of breaking twigs and Francesca falls out of a scattering of bushes and lands at Claudio's feet, they both freeze and stare deep into each other's eyes}

{Someone in the woods hits a switch and music starts to play, Claudio helps Francesca to her feet and still holding her hands in his starts to sing}

Claudio:  Some people say I move too fast but I can't help falling in love with you.  Shall I ask to hold you near me?  If I can't help falling in love with you.

Francesca: (blushes and starts to sing)  It seems I've waited all my life for you.  So the story goes, this must be meant to be.  Take my love, take everything I can give you.  I can't help falling in love with you.

{the hidden chorus forms a line in back of the two lovers swaying}

Hidden Chorus: (sings) ooooooooooooooooooo

Chorus man one: (sobs) it-its just so beautiful!

Chorus man two: There there Ted.  There there.

{Francesca and Claudio kiss and hold each other close for a moment.  Then hand in hand they walk out of the forest and into the sunset.  The hidden chorus attempts to follow but a man in a purple suit stops them}

Purple suit man:  Now now let them be.  Anyways, you know how this story ends. (he thinks for a moment) Ah yes, and Francesca and Claudio lived happily ever after.

{The man in purple hits a switch and the scene blackens out}