Sappong Libretto

Opening Scene: Funeral

Priest: Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to mourn over our friend Mr. Louis. He was a big part of our town, faithfully driving a bus for 42 years. He was a beloved model citizen, who worked diligently in our community, without one sick day… (Drones on)
[Amazing grace playing in background]

George the loner: What he’s saying isn’t HALF of what a good person Mr. Louis was…
Polish father: You are sooo right! He was a great friend to others; he wasn’t only loved because he was a good worker.
Hayley: Yes! If it wasn’t for him, I’d be DEAD right now!
Priest: (Talks Louder) …he has definitely made a grand impact in ALL of our lives and has changed us all as well as this community that we live in today… Now, if you would please come forward to say your goodbyes, and reflect.

(People go into small groups to share stories. Skaters, Polish family and George come together)
George the Loner: He helped me get my life back on track one day when I got on his bus.
Polish Mom: Byl nasz pierwszy kolega, tutaj w Kanadzie.
Polish Dad: He was our first friend here in Canada when we got on his bus.
Larry: Mr. Louis stood up for us on his bus the other day.

Song:
Welcome to my bus,
Welcome to my bus.
Big or small, short or tall,
I’ll accept you all

Welcome to my bus,
Welcome to my bus.
Come take a seat, new friends you’ll meet
Your ride ‘ll be a treat.

Welcome to my bus!

ACT 1 – GEORGE THE LONER

Underline - recitative/underscore etc.

(Ladies on bus casually talking)

Peacock lady: “Oh, that’s such a nice purse! Where did you get it?”
Lady 2: (gloating) “Oh, this old thing? I bought this yesterday at Coach. Where did you get those heels?”
Lady 3: “These are just something I had lying around… that I had designed by Chanel.”

(George the loner drags himself up the bus stairs; stumbling. He goes to sit in the middle and the ladies start whispering negative comments about him.)

Chorus:
Get off the bus! You’re not like us! X3
We don’t want you here.

Ladies: You can’t afford this (Lady 1 points at something)
You can’t afford that (Lady 2 points at something)

Chorus: You can’t afford this Gucci hat (point at rich lady)

Ladies: Your smell is rank, Fills us with dread (pinching nose)
Chorus: You’ve got no roof over your head

Chorus:
Get off the bus! You’re not like us! X3
We don’t want you here.

Mr. Louis: (yelling) Hey! (Music stops)

Lady 1: (loudly whispers - sung) Maria, hide your purse!
Peacock lady: Bus driver! Kick him off the bus! He smells so bad! Get him off or I’m leaving! (Talking over underscore)

Chorus:
He has no job. He has no friends.
When he gets off, our misery ends.
Ladies: (loudly) Just get off the bus!

Chorus:
Get off the bus! You’re not like us! X3
We don’t want you here.
(Music abruptly stops)

(The ladies move to the back of the bus, covering their noses; except the peacock lady. lady 1 and 3 hide their purses)

Mr. Louis: There’s nothing wrong with him. It’s a free country. Leave if you want. (Recitative) (Peacock lady leaves in a stuck-up manner, when “bus” stops)

Mr. Louis: “Come sit beside me.” (Spotlight goes on as others reset stage)
George: (moves to front of bus) “thanks, I guess you’re wondering how I ended up like this.”
Mr. Louis: a little, yes. (Mr. Louis& George walk offstage on stairs as spotlight follows them. Stage is dark as it is being re-set. Lights go on actors act on stage)
George: My parents died and I was in a foster home. Later in life I was accused of the murder of my love Sally. I was released from jail years later and no one would hire me.
Mr. Louis: it looks like you had a tough time
George: yes, I’m glad I got on your bus. I can’t make much out of my life, but you’ve definitely made something
Mr. Louis: yes it’s just like they say, when you have nothing, you can gain something.

(Mr. Louis gives George his coat)

Mr. Louis: Here you can have this. It’s cold outside.
George: Thank you. It’s my stop. Thanks again Mr. Louis.

(George puts on coat and walks off bus)

ACT 2 – THE POLISH FAMILY

(Bus door opens, family steps in.)

Mr. Louis: Welcome to the bus.

(Family sits down, speaking talking with each other in polish. English family moves away and starts to stare and whisper.)

Canadian child: Dad, who are those people?

Canadian dad: They are another one of those immigrants stealing our jobs in a town that already has very little!

Canadian child: Why are they stealing the jobs?

Polish child: Hey stop criticizing our parents!

Song:
Polish Mother: Dla czego wszycy pascza sie Na nas.
Na autobusie to jest nasz pierwsy ras
(dla chego lshist-tsi pachshau sheau na nas
na owto-busheh toh yest nash pierfsheh ras.)
English Family: Hey family, why are you stealing our jobs?
You belong on the streets with the dirty dogs.

Polish Kids: We’re not stupid we know what you said.
We’re not imbeciles, but different instead.
Although our parents don’t understand,
They were doctors in the homeland.

(Music gets tenser by the line.)
(Kids whisper to parents, Parents look shocked and upset)

Polish Dad: Wiesz co, wy—
(viesh tso, vy)
Mr. Louis: Whoa! What’s going on?!

(Bus is already pulled over)

Polish Kids: (Pointing at the English family accusingly) They are being mean! They are saying our parents are dumb!

Mr. Louis: These people aren’t dumb, they are greatly educated!

English Family: We don’t care, these people are idiotic and badly mannered!
(Both dad’s get up in slow motion)
(Music is slowed)
(English dad punches and [Fast motion] Mr. Louis blocks the punch.)
(English family leaves the bus with sneers and obnoxious expressions on their faces.)

All Passengers:
We’re sorry for what had just occurred,
They don’t understand, that’s why they’re disturbed.
We hope these people will learn one day.

Mr. Louis:
I’ll give you a gift that will help on your way.
A dictionary is just what you need,
You’ll soon be able to write and then read!

Polish Kids: Thank you so much, we hope to meet you again!
(Mr Louis gives them their gifts.)
(Curtain closes)

Scene 3

(Mr. Louis sings welcome to my bus song) (Skateboarders walk on eating)

Allen: Get off the bus, you criminals! I saw you steal that food! They probably stole those skateboards too!
Matszuzaki: No way! We bought these skateboards to give to the poor kids who can’t afford to buy them.
Patricia: There was a beer store robbery last week, it was probably you guys!
Hayley: What makes you think is was us? You have no proof!
Allen: You guys are thugs on the street. You guys are the reason our streets aren’t safe.

Song:
Take away the clothes and the shoes We’re misunderstood
And then you’ll see we are pretty cool dudes We’re actually good
If you look inside, you will see that we’re kind These boards are for kids to have fun
People these days are judged all the time To get them out of the slums

There’s so much pressure to perform and be Taken away from my family
There’s so much I can’t breathe properly We started to skate so we could be free
You see my clothes you don’t like what you see There’re so many problems today
So you accuse me of a store robbery That kids can’t afford to buy skateboards and play

(Police come in bus)
Police 1: Why hello, we’re just on our break
Police 2: Isn’t there a doughnut shop nearby?!
Police 1: That doesn’t matter right now…though I do like doughnuts

(Matsuzaki smirks)

Police 1: What are you laughing at?
Matsuzaki: Nothing
Peacock Lady: Officer, those skaters stole food from that grocery shop back there
Larry: What? We didn’t steal anything
Allen: We saw them just take the food without paying
Hayley: We are sponsored by that grocery store don’t you understand?

(Police take out handcuffs)

Larry: What are you doing? We aren’t lying! We have proof!

(Smiles at Hayley)

Hayley: Oh yeah! We do! Here it is
Peacock Lady: Oh lord! She’s got a gun
Police 2: Freeze! Now!

(Skaters are forced to freeze) (Hayley doesn’t)
Hayley: You have no right to push us around like this! We’ve got proof! (Police motions to shoot. Mr. Louis jumps in front)
Mr. Louis: Stop this nonsense! (Mr. Louis falls to ground
Larry: Oh no, don’t die (Skaters surround Mr. Louis)

(Side) Police uses radio to get help

CLOSING

George: This is for Mr. Louis, since he gave it to me in the first place…

(George hangs Mr. Louis’ coat on his grave)

Polish Mom: Yes. These are for you Mr. Louis… they helped us all the way through out lives…

(Polish parents drop the dictionaries into Mr. Louis’ grave)
Hayley: Mr. Louis, you rock. I mean… you saved my life. That’s why we saved a board for you…

(Larry drops a skateboard into Mr. Louis’ grave)

Polish Mom: Thanks, Mr. Louis.
Matzuzsaki: Thanks, Mr. Louis.
George: Thanks, Mr. Louis.

Refrain: Oh, Mr. Louis, you were our driver, but now you rest in peace. X2

Verse 1: It was cold at night,
There wasn’t a light,
And I needed to get home.
People think I’m a slob,
I can’t get a job,
But I will prove them wrong.

(Refrain)

Verse 2: They misunderstood as much as they could,
But we were like the rest.
You gave us hope,
Like a priest,
Or a pope and now we are the best.

(Refrain)

Verse 3: Fightin’ for a cause,
That they reject because,
We wear different clothes.
Gotta get kids off the street,
Got a deadline that’s hard to meet,
But they still drive us down.

(Refrain)