The Calling Hour, a children’s musical by Avi Gross & Heather Herington The Earth Spirit, a.k.a. the Spell Queen, is so burned out from her job as Caretaker of Spell Forest that she has neither sent the chanimals (part bear, part human with a human brain) home nor summoned their replacements from the village below. Into this rising chaos enters the recently orphaned teenager, Grace Tallwood, who, having been sent to stay with her uncle, the greedy mayor, inherits the herculean task of proving she can take the founder’s place and restore the way of life outlined by the ‘Calling Hour’ pact signed more than a century ago. Meanwhile, up in Spell Forest, Gwyn, the gentle Wind Spirit, pledges to heal the ongoing discord from his end and thus save the Spellies and the wildlife under their care from annihilation at the hands of the Sun and Rain Spirits. Then somewhere along the way, something happens to put the ‘Calling Hour’ and the lives of all those under its care in dire jeopardy. SCENES TIME/PLACE A make-believe mountain, forest and village populated by spirits and humans, modeled after a North American mill town circa late 1880’s to early 1900’s. ACT ONE Prologue – The Opening Musical Number set in the Spell Queen’s Meadow in Spell Forest that commemorates the signing of the ‘Calling Hour Pact between the Spell Queen and the founder of Tallwood Village. Scene One – We go back thirty years to the Spell Queen’s Meadow at dawn, below the waterfall in Spell Forest. Scene Two - Early morning, that same day, on Main Street by the Train station in the heart of dreary Tallwood Village. Scene Three – Later that same morning, by the creek in the Spell Queen’s Meadow in Spell Forest. Scene Four – That same afternoon, in front of Gwyn’s aerie, at the top of Spell Forest. Scene Five – Early, that afternoon, in the Library of Tallwood Manor, moving to the river, the sawmill, and the hills beyond. Scene Six – Late afternoon, along the plateau of Spell Forest dotted by caves. Scene Seven – That evening, in Grace’s Bedroom in Tallwood Manor, that evening. Scene Eight – Returning to the Village Square in present day Tallwood, then going back in time the following day on the village outskirts and to Tallwood Manor. ACT TWO Scene One – Near the top of Spell Forest, early afternoon. Scene Two – That same afternoon, on the front lawn of Tallwood Manor Scene Three – later that afternoon in a “spellbound field” in Spell Forest. Scene Four - moving to the path that skirts the waterfall down to the Spell Queen’s meadow, Scene Five - and from there, down the cliffs, to the meadow itself. Scene Six – where the action resolves. MUSICAL NUMBERS ACT ONE 1. The Calling Hour Opening. . . . . Solly, Plooey, Gwyn, Young Spell Queen, Young Logger (Town Founder), Tree, Belle’C, Breen, Bailey, Ift, Zin. (Ballet) (pgs. 1-2) 2. This I Know (Instrumental) (p.3) 3. Why Is She Here? . . . . . . Grace, Charles, Mayor Tallwood, Mrs. Pufferson, Mr. Pufferson, Mrs. Ramsbottom, Emmy, Noah, Thaddeus, Charles, Foreman Gill, Gwyn. (Broadway) pgs.11-15 4. What’s the Problem? . . . . . . . Spell Queen, Oscar, Homelia, Jeraysen. (Jungle Beat) (pgs. 19-21) 5. Grumble Rumble. . . . . . . . . Gwyn, Belle’C, Breen, (Chanimals). (Meringue) (pgs. 27-29) 6. And What Is More. . . . . . . . Grace, Charles. (Tarantella) (pgs. 32-36) 7. Losers. . . . . . . . . . . . . Oscar, Homelia, Jeraysen. (show/rock) (pgs. 37-39) 8. Something’s Wrong. . . . . . . . . Grace, Louisa’s Ghost. (Ballad) (p. 46) 9A. We Want Our Children (reprise). . . Mr. Pufferson, Mrs. Pufferson, Emmy, Noah, Thaddeus. (march) (p. 48) 9B. The Witch’s Tail Game . . . . . . . . Grace, Emmy, Charles, Mr. Pufferson, Mrs. Pufferson, Mrs. Ramsbottom, Noah, Thaddeus, Foreman Gill. (step dance) (pgs. 52-55) 9C. The Witch’s Tail (Reprise) . . . . Emmy, Charles, Mr. Pufferson, Mrs. Pufferson, Mrs. Ramsbottom, Noah, Thaddeus, Foreman Gill. (step dance) (p. 57) ACT TWO 10 Star of the Show. . . . . . . . . Gwyn, Belle’C, Breen, Bailey. (Broadway) (pgs. 59-61) 11. I Apologize. . . . . . . . . . . . Mayor Tallwood, Charles, Emmy, Mrs. Ramsbottom, Mr. Pufferson, Mrs. Pufferson, Noah, Thaddeus, Foreman Gill. (shuffle/wing) (pgs. 67-70) 12A. The Language of Nature (Chord). . . . Belle’C, Breen, Bailey, Solly, Plooey. (p. 70) 12B. The Language of Nature. . . . . . . Grace, Belle’C, Breen, Bailey, Solly, Plooey. (gospel) (pgs. 74-76) 13A. Humming/Part 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . Grace, Chanimals, Breen, Bailey. (hip hop) (pgs. 80-82) 13B. Humming/Part 2. . . . . . . . . . Grace, Chanimals, Belle’C, Breen, Bailey, Spell Queen. (hip hop) (pgs. 84-86) 14. The Scroll (Instrumental) . . . . . .Entire Cast (p. 88) 15. The Calling Hour Finale. . . . . . . . . Entire Cast (folkgospel) (pgs. 90-91)
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