SETTING:

The circus. The exterior of a big top.

AT RISE:

Clowns warm up the audience as vendors pass up and down the aisles. As the overture plays circus goers pass in front of the big top hurrying to get in before the matinee. A young boy appears in the crowd. When there is a gap in it he slips under the canvas and into the big top. Two roustabouts see him. Too large and dignified (and adult) to follow him they hurry off to the ordinary entrance to see if they can find him inside. Faintly and far away a calliope can be heard. It grows closer and closer. The shadow of a march can be heard. It builds. A loud whistle sounds and, suddenly, a Circus Parade appears.

CHORUS

CIRCUS LIFE,

COME JOIN THE PARADE.

CIRCUS LIFE,

NOW YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.

CIRCUS LIFE,

FALL INTO THE BEAT.

CIRCUS LIFE,

JUST FOLLOW YOUR FEET.

WAGONS ROLLING,

WHISTLES BLOWING,

WE'RE STRUTTING AND CROWING,

IT'S TIME TO GET GOING.

CIRCUS LIFE,

SPIT, POLISH, AND BRASS.

CIRCUS LIFE,

HORNS, CYMBALS, AND FLASH.

(The curtain rises on the interior of the big top. We see the two ROUSTABOUTS chasing the boy.)

WHEN THE CIRCUS COMES TO TOWN

EVERYBODY GATHERS ROUND

TO WATCH THE LIONS AND THE TIGERS

AND TO LAUGH AT ALL THE CLOWNS.

COMING QUICKLY DOWN THE STREET

CALLIOPES TOOT OUT THE BEAT.

DOO DOO DOO

DOO-EEE, DOO-EEE, DOO-EEE, DOO

ALL THE RIDERS TAKE A CHANCE

WHEN THE HORSES SKIP AND PRANCE

TO WATCH THE LADY AND THE TIGER

TEACH THE ELEPHANTS TO DANCE.

(Elephants dancing music.)

CIRCUS LIFE,

COME JOIN THE PARADE.

CIRCUS LIFE,

NOW YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.

CHORUS GIRLS

PRIMPING EVERY MORNING,

PERFORMANCE EVERY NIGHT.

CHANGING COSTUMES IN THE RUNWAY,

WHO CARES IF IT'S POLITE?

DANCING THROUGH THE BIG TOP

WITH A SMILE PINNED ON MY FACE.

I'LL NEVER LIVE TO THIRTY

IF I KEEP UP AT THIS PACE.

CHORUS

CIRCUS LIFE,

SPIT, POLISH, AND BRASS.

CIRCUS LIFE,

HORNS, CYMBALS, AND FLASH.

(ORCHESTRA---Chorus showdown.)

ORCHESTRA

TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA.

CHORUS

TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA.

ORCHESTRA

TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA.

CHORUS

TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA TA.

ORCHESTRA

TA TA TA TA TA.

CHORUS

TA TA TA TA TA.

ORCHESTRA

TA TA TA TA TA.

CHORUS

TA TA TA TA TA.

ORCHESTRA

YA TA TA.

CHORUS

YA TA TA.

ORCHESTRA

YA TA TA.

CHORUS

YA TA TA.

BOTH

YA TA TA TA TA TA TAÑ.

(The CHORUS sings a capella, in six parts.)

SOPRANO II (melody),

TENOR II (off beats), &

BASS (on beats)

CIRCUS LIFE,

COME JOIN THE PARADE.

CIRCUS LIFE,

NOW YOU'VE GOT IT MADE.

CIRCUS LIFE,

FALL INTO THE BEAT.

CIRCUS LIFE,

JUST FOLLOW YOUR FEET.

SOPRANO I

WAGONS ROLL, WHISTLES BLOW, WHAT AN ECHO.

TRUMPETS FLASH, CYMBALS CRASH, SEE THE BRASS GLOW.

STRUT AND CROW, HERE WE GO,

COME AND SEE THE SHOW.

NO MORE FROWNS, SEE THE CLOWNS HAVE A SHOWDOWN.

WATER GUNS, OH WHAT FUN. WELL HE COULD DROWN.

LITTLE HOUND, WITH A BOUND,

KNOCKS A BIG CLOWN DOWN.

ALTO

SEE THE WAGONS ROLL,

RUMBLING AND ROLLING DOWN THE STREETS,

SEE THEM COMING,

TRIM AND NEAT. THEY'RE FILLED UP WITH

BEARS AND TIGERS TOO,

GRUMBLING AND ROARING. AND THE BAND,

SEE IT MARCHING

TO THE BEAT.

TENOR I

AHHH, THE CHORUS GIRLS,

DRESSED IN FEATHERS,

DANCING BY

WITH KICKS SO HIGH THEY TOUCH THE SKY, AND

WHEN THEY LEAP AND TWIRL,

ALTOGETHER,

I'D GIVE MY HEART

TO MEET A CHORUS GIRL.

(ORCHESTRA joins in.)

ALL

CIRCUS LIFE,

FALL INTO THE BEAT.

CIRCUS LIFE,

JUST FOLLOW YOUR FEET.

CIRCUS LIFE,

COME JOIN THE PARADE.

NOW WE'VE GOT IT MADE!

THE ACTION CONTINUES INTO THE NEXT SCENE

End of Scene 1