~ Synopsis ~

Robert Whalen Gately - Book & Lyrics
William Keck - Music

Act One

Introduction/Overture

Under the throbbing pulse of the space colonizer Zeus's engines, the beeping of an earth-orbiting broadcast satellite is heard. The static cluttered voice of a folksy commentator is relating the tale of how Rather Knot, an early twenty-first century media mogul, had come to launch the Zeus on a privately funded mission to found the first human colony in space as a communications center on Mars.

The universal commentator tells of the first Terraformers and how upon arrival they began the process of making the red planet habitable for humans. We hear of the giant ship's descent and the sound of the Porto-biosphere being deployed over an ancient Crystal Pueblo.  The whining of the engines is replaced by a haunting Indian drum beat and echoes of plaintive other-worldly voices chanting from the void. Then comes silence… now broken by a low howling wind. The Zeus's engines had mysteriously gone dead.

The Terraformers were left without a means of escape from the quakes and shakes of the great Martian Wobble, a phenomenon that occurs every fifty thousand years when the planet turns on its axis to correct its orbit with the Sun. It's showdown at high noon on Mars as our story begins.

With the quickening of the overture, Alexander Greatly, the 25 year old first human born in interplanetary space travel is heard riding his trusty wind and solar powered ATV across the Martian outback, heading into the Crystal Pueblo to meet with Pandora Knot the Zeus's first computer officer and beautiful brainy daughter of Governor Gordius Knot.

Alexander's images of Earth are all green from a lifetime of viewing old western video discs. Like his heroes of old, he has chosen to live the dangerous life of the outsider and wander the Martian outback studying its geology and writing odes to the new Martian experience. He lives in a Porto-biosphere high atop Mount Elvis, a rocky mesa that looms large behind the Crystal Pueblo and bares an uncanny resemblance to the rock and roll icon of an earlier Earth epic.

On this early ROCKY MARTIAN MORNING, Alexander Greatly pauses on a hill overlooking the Crystal Pueblo and envisions a great spirit eagle appearing over the still-sleeping colony.

Rocky Martian Morning

At the end of Alexander's ode to the Martian sunrise, the ground under his feet begins to tremble. He leaps aboard his scout and high-tails it down into the Crystal Pueblo Mall where the Aquanoids are spilling from their homes and apartments, screaming and wailing in great fear as the shakes and quakes of the dreaded Martian Wobble grow more threatening. The Aquanoids spy Alexander, their perceived musical Messiah, and demand to know; "ALEXANDER GREATLY WHERE YOU BEEN LATELY?"

Alexander Greatly Where You Been Lately?

As the tremors subside, Alexander implores the crowd to go with the flow of the Wobble's shakes and quakes so they won't be harmed, and to trust that by working in harmony, they will find the solution to the Zeus's impairment.

Midas Knot, Pandora's heavy metal monster brother, roars into the mall on his golden hog cycle, jealous of the attention Alexander is getting from the crowd. He is accompanied by his lead singer, Ms. Imagination and their robotic band, the Squeaky Wheels. He challenges Alexander to a musical duel at today's "Mars In Motion Festival."

Midas Challenge/Turbo Sword

Alexander accepts Midas' challenge and departs for more important business at the studios of Ace The Oracle, cosmic Afro-American boss jock of YNOT, Mars' main communication station. Ace is pacing back and forth on a platform in his studio high above the Crystal Pueblo, excitedly ruminating on the puzzle of what binds the Zeus in its computer stupor. He is joined by Alexander.

Ace's Vision

First computer officer, Pandora Knot and her father, the Martian Governor, Gordius Knot arrive. She tells Alexander of her Harmonious Box, a gift from her Earthly grandmother, Harmonia Knot, which has programmed into it all the music ever composed in the history of humankind on Earth. She asks Alexander to join her on a journey into the labyrinth of the Alpha 8 computer system to test a musical theory based on Grandmother Harmonia Knot's Enigma: "A soft note in harmony creates accord."

Harmonious Box

Alexander and Pandora depart for a journey into the Alpha 8 computer system but not before Governor Gordius warns the couple that the Harmonious Box has within it a curse and if it is not played in harmony all the bad vibes in the history of humans on Earth will be unleashed on Mars.

The Curse

Back in Midas' Golden Star Studio, Ms. Imagination hears of the Harmonious Box but not the Bad Vibe Curse, and plots with the Squeaky Wheels to steal the box so that she and Midas can use it to take command of the Zeus.

Cop The Box

In Pandora's apartment, high above the Crystal Pueblo, she and Alexander are sharing a look at the Earth through their telescope. This is their first real moment alone and he is overwhelmed by her and the image of the Earth he has only dreamed of visiting, rising on the giant video screen before them.

Duet

Pandora replies: "Slow me down softly and all things will come to us."

As the not-quite-lovers end their duet, the sneaky Squeaky Wheels steal the Harmonious Box.

End

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Act Two

Introduction

Governor Gordius and Ace the Oracle envision the Zeus as a great intergalactic tour bus, back on the road again, playing one night stands to worlds not yet imagined, wondering, "Are we a dream being dreamed?"

A Dream Being Dreamed

The Wobble strikes again, and at the end of the rocking and quaking Pandora arrives to tell her father and Ace that the Harmonious Box is missing! Meanwhile, Midas and Ms. Imagination investigate their stolen treasure unmindful of the Bad Vibes. Ms. Imagination turns on the Harmonious Box and it begins to growl and emit a low gnarly hum. They wonder, was this, "A BAD VIBE BLUNDER?"

Bad Vibe Blunder

Alexander, Ace and the Aquanoids spill into the mall looking for the source of the Bad Vibes and are led to the door of Midas' Golden Star Studios. There, they confront Midas and he tries to lay the blame on Ms. Imagination and the Squeaky Wheels. He's not to blame, he exclaims, it's, STRESS!

Stress!

Gordius directs Pandora to play a harmonious melody to quiet the Bad Vibes. He pleads for everyone to, "SLIP THE KNOT OF CIRCUMSTANCE" and work in harmony to loose the Zeus.

Slip The Knot of Circumstance

Governor Gordius welcomes all to the Mars In Motion Festival. As the Wobble's quakes and shakes grow more threatening, Midas and Ms. Imagination break into a Wobblewalking dance tune that sets everyone to rockin' and rollin' with the flow, but elicits nary a hum from the snoozing Zeus.

Wobblewalking

As a major tremor begins to rise, the Aquanoids freak out! Midas, wild with rage at his failure to wake the Zeus, lunges forward and attacks Alexander. After a full-frontal-attack guitar duet, Alexander's intense picking brings Midas to his knees. Pandora tosses Alexander a note from her Harmonious Box. Alexander drills Midas with his solitary note which blends with Pandora's and all implore Midas to add a note of harmony. Midas relents and plays the harmonious chord and lo and behold, the Zeus begins to hum in harmony with their hymn. The holographic head of Great Grandfather Rather Knot appears overhead and tells the Aquanoids that they have now found harmony and are free again to return to Earth and to explore the Universe.

People Like Me (Words & Music by Jon Sargent)

A golden stairway descends from the belly of the Zeus and the Terraformers sing and dance their way aboard.

Cowboys On Mars?

Pandora must go with the ship, as Alexander knows he must stay with his rocking, quaking planet. Each must do their duty. Ace the Oracle steps forward and proclaims: "And this is just the beginning folks."

End