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Summer 2013

SCENE 1
SAIL Dance

Interrupted by
ANTHEM SONG
(To the melody of Sail)
Atro-City we pledge ourselves to thee
United as one we use technology
No war, No hate, No famine, or poverty
In Atro-City
Strength is for free!

At the end of the anthem, an announcement begins on all of the citizens’ eye-screens. All
citizens remain frozen, forced to watch the report.

LOTUS
Good morning, citizens of Atro-City! Today is March 21, 2163. Happy Spring! Expect a
high of 72 today, and a low of 48 tonight. As your great and powerful Atro-Leader I am
proud to announce the release of Improvement #23.4, which will include the incredible
feature of Shape-Shifting! The lucky citizens who receive a (ping) on their eye-screens at
the end of this report will have the honor of receiving Improvement #23.4, and must
immediately report to the nearest General Hospital. Updates for current hybrids are also
available today. All previous upgrad-ees must report to the nearest General Hospital for
the newest enhancements. This concludes our “have a nice day” transmission! As you
were!

The citizens snap back into the real world, and there are murmurs through the crowd as
people react to the news. We see the 4 subjects (STACY, DEZERAE, RACHEL and
RIKKI) taking an extra moment as they receive their *Pings*.

CITIZEN #1
Those lucky subjects!

CITIZEN #2
I know, I’m jealous. I want my name to come up one of these days.

CITIZEN #3
Yeah, all of Atro-City’s jealous. I probably won’t get called for a long time.

(STACY, DEZERAE, RACHEL and RIKKI finally snap out of it.)

STACY

1
 Yay! That’s me! I am so shape shifting into a triangle!

RIKKI
(sarcastically)
Great. It’s finally my turn. I’ve been waiting for ages.

STACY
No wait. I’m gonna turn into peanut butter and have infinite peanut butter. Wait. Doesn’t
that mean I’ll be eating myself?!

DEZERAE
Ugh this is annoying. My schedules packed and now I have to take time out of my day to
walk all the way over to the hospital.

CITIZEN #4
Stop complaining. After this Improvement, you’ll be able to turn into a car and go
anywhere you want.

DEZERAE
Yeah, with my luck I’d get in a crash.

RIKKI
Can’t they just leave us alone? I don’t even want this stupid update.

CITIZEN #1
Really? You are so fortunate!

CITIZEN #2
Yeah. Stop complaining.

RACHEL
I gotta say, I don’t really need a lot of improvement. I’m pretty awesome already. Am I
right?

CITIZEN #3
Whatever. It’s going to happen to everyone eventually.

CITIZEN #4
Yeah. It took a while for us all to get our eye screens, but we all have one now right?

CITIZEN #2
When Her Atro-ness promises something, it always happens.

CITIZEN #3
Yep. For better or worse.

2
 CITIZEN #1
I just don’t want to have to wait for like Improvement #40 or something!

CITIZEN #4
Aren’t you guys supposed to report immediately?

DEZERAE
Yeah, I guess we better get going.

STACY
Yay! Let’s go!

STACY starts skipping off in the wrong direction.

RIKKI
Wrong way, genius.

RACHEL
Why don’t you guys just let me lead the way.

The subjects all exit to go to the hospital, and the citizens go about their regular business.

SCENE 2
The GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS, DR. ATRO STEIN, PAMELA, and AURORA are
all in the hospital waiting room waiting for the subjects to arrive.

AURORA
(Whispering to PAMELA)
I hope nothing goes wrong this time.

DR. ATRO STEIN

Shh! I’m sure there won’t be any problems this time. We’ve worked so hard on this one.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

Hush you two. Things don’t go wrong here. The improvements have been mostly
successful.

The SUBJECTS enter.

DR. ATRO STEIN

Welcome to the General Hospital. You are very fortunate to be receiving update 23.4,
which includes the shape-shifting selection. I’m Dr. Atro Stein, the City’s leading
scientist, and I’ll be in charge of your improvement today.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

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Thank you for reporting immediately. You’re very lucky to have met the criteria for this
selection. And please don’t be concerned. The success rate of these operations is very
high.

AURORA
If you’ll please follow me this way to the laboratory, we’ll get you all set up.
(Starting to exit, gets a message in eye-screen)
Sorry, I have to take this. Just go down this way, and it’s the room on your left.

STACY
Right, got it.

DEZERAE
Whatever, let’s go.

They go down the hallway and get to two doors. STACY starts to go to the right.

RIKKI
No, this way. That’s right.

STACY
I know it’s right. Duuuuh.
(leads SUBJECTS to a locked door on the right. Tries to open it.)

RACHEL
Obviously it’s locked. Use your head, Stacy.

STACY
Okay.
(She headbutts the door, and it opens into room where GLITCHES are being held.)
See! People! I knew this was the right place.

BLAIRE
Who are you? More Glitches?

RIKKI
What’s a glitch?

RAVEN
We’re mistakes. Accidents.

DUSTIN
Yeah, happy accidents! Buh-dum-chhh!! Eh? Eh?

NED
They locked us in here.

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 BLAIRE
We’re the government’s trash. Failed experiments they keep hidden from the public.

RAVEN
We’re just the aftermath of Improvements gone wrong.

NED
I miss the world.

DEZERAE
I’ve never even heard of Glitches.

RACHEL
Yeah, I thought these Improvements always worked.

RIKKI
Are we gonna end up like you?

NED
Who knows. I went in for an awareness update a year ago. The system didn’t work, and
now I’m over-aware of everything.

BLAIRE
I came in 17 years ago for Improvement #3.4 which was supposed to be X-Ray vision.
Nothing happened, so they decided to keep me here, and keep the public thinking it
always worked. I’ve been here the longest.

RAVEN
4 years ago I came in and they told me I would be able to fly. Now I can’t even jump.

DUSTIN
And I was coming in for increased likeability, and now I’m HILARRIOUS!!

DEZERAE
This could happen to us. We need to do something.

AURORA and PAMELA enter.

AURORA
You aren’t supposed to be in here. Let’s go.

RIKKI
Wait. You didn’t tell us these improvements could go wrong.

RACHEL

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 What do you think you’re doing to people?

AURORA
We’re only doing our job. Please just come with us. Your update awaits.

NED
But this isn’t right! You’re keeping us in here locked away from the outside world!

DUSTIN
We have to inform the public. The food here is ter-ri-ble! Buh-dum-chh. Eh? Eh?

AURORA
(Aside to PAMELA)
Ok, seriously. This has gone too far. It’s time to stop.

PAMELA
You’re right. We need to get you out of here. I have been working on a plan to hack the
system to let everyone know what they’re doing to you.

AURORA
But it sounds like a bad idea going against the government.

PAMELA
(To SUBJECTS)
You three need to get out of here.

STACY
But where should we go.

PAMELA
Just head to the edge of the city, and follow your eyes. You’ll see what I mean when you
get there.

AURORA
Be careful getting out of the building. It’s too bad we didn’t get you that shape-shifting
update. Just get out quickly.

(The SUBJECTS exit)

PAMELA
Ok. Here’s what I’m going to do. I’ve hacked into the system. I’m going to wait until
General Populous or Dr. Stein comes in here to treat you, and then I’m going to send a
live feed of what’s happening to you to the eye-screens of the entire population. At the
end of that transmission, I’ve installed a virus that will deactivate every single eye-screen
forever. Let’s go

6
 They all exit.

SCENE 3
Back in the city streets, a large group of citizens go about their daily business, suddenly
going rigid as iScreens pop on. Screens show glitches in the lab, screaming and crying
out in pain as GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS injects them with vials of various liquids,
while LOTUS looks on. This continues for 15-20 seconds until the screens fade out. The
public snaps back to life, several clutching their eyes, one fainting.

AQUARIUS
What have they done
To those poor people
The government’s been telling lies
The confusion will drive us all to madness
Our eyes are open wide
This is the dawning of the age of rebellion!
The age of rebellion! Rebellion!

CITIZEN #1
Oh my goodness! Did you see that?

CITIZEN #4
What was that? Was that supposed to happen?

CITIZEN #3
I don’t think so. Who were they?

CITIZEN #1
Was that at the General Hospital? And was that Her Atro-ness?

CITIZEN #2
Help, help! My iScreen has gone off!

CITIZEN #3
Mine too!

CITIZEN #4
Mine three! What’s happening?!

CITIZEN #2
I can’t see what time it is or anything! They’re broken!

CITIZEN #3
Where am I?

CITIZEN #2

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 Who are you? My facial recognition app isn’t working either!

CITIZEN #4
Ok I don’t know exactly what’s happening, but something weird is going on.

CITIZEN #2
Ummm, you guys… has it always said “Get to the Woods” all over the walls?

SCENE 3a
In the government offices, LOTUS, GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS, DR. ATRO STEIN,
and PAMELA are all gathered around a conference table, looking grave.

LOTUS
Today, the general populous was introduced to a side of our science centers we’ve tried
to keep under wraps. They’re going to be scared and confused.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

What’s worse, is that the every iScreen in Atro-City seems to have gone offline, and we
can’t get them back.

DR. ATRO STEIN

It seems like someone hacked the system, and we haven’t been able to track the source.

LOTUS
This is an outrage! This is treason! What idiot could have leaked this video?? It had to
come from the inside!

PAMELA
I’m so sorry, Madam. We truly have no idea.

LOTUS
General, how do you suggest we proceed?

DR. ATRO STEIN

What if we just told them the truth? That in order for us to continue improving our human
race the way we are, we have to make some sacrifices.

LOTUS
If the people realize the improvements can go wrong, they will avoid receiving them.
Besides, the Improvements do work over 95% of the time!

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

We don’t want other countries to start attacking us, right? If we want to have the
strongest, brightest, fastest, most enhanced citizens, and maintain a peaceful nation, we
can’t tell them the truth. We have no choice. We must address the citizens in a
nationwide press conference. And soon, before this gets out of hand.

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 DR. ATRO STEIN
How do we do that? The iScreens are all down, and it looks like they’re going to stay that
way.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

The old fashioned way. Face to face.

LOTUS
Face to *gulp* face??

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

I see no other choice, madam.

LOTUS
But do you know what this has done to my reputation!? I am trying to make this nation
stronger, and because of a few Glitches, I’m made out to be a villain.

DR. ATRO STEIN

We have to do this. The public’s faith in their government must be restored!

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

You must be reassuring, calm, trustworthy. You’ll tell them that the video was staged. A
horrible practical joke, or a movie of some kind.

LOTUS
(In as calm a manner as possible)
So help me, if this isn’t fixed by the time the sun goes down, none of you will see it rise.
Gather the citizens.

Scene 3b
The CITIZENS have gathered to hear what the LOTUS, GENERAL GINERVA
POPULUS, and DR. ATRO STEIN have to say.

LOTUS
Citizens, thank you for gathering here today for the latest updates. We have gathered the
leaders of Atro-city here to address what happened earlier. I’d like to introduce General
Populous and Dr. Atro Stein, our lead scientist at the General Hospital.

CITIZEN #2
We know who they are! What’s going on??!

Crowd erupts in agreement

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

Everyone please remain calm!

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 DR. ATRO STEIN
(Interrupting, but with halting speech, not a very good public speaker)
I’m sure you’re all asking yourselves what is this frightening video that has leaked out
into the iScreens, and why have they shut down? I admit I have no idea what kind of
virus could have shut down our beloved iScreens, but I assure you the video you saw was
not… umm…

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

We’re deeply sorry that this has caused a panic, and we are assembling the greatest minds
in Atro-city to get our iScreens working again.

CITIZEN #1
But what was that video!?

CITIZEN #3
Yeah, who were those people!?

CITIZEN #4
Yeah, and you were all in it!! What were you doing to them?

LOTUS
Ladies and gentlemen, the video was a fake. A trailer for a new movie that had not been
approved for all audiences. The people you saw in the video were actors made up to look
like us. We assure there is no cause for alarm.

DR. ATRO STEIN

At the General Hospital, there is not a lab full of Glitches.. er.. uh Improvements that
didn't wor… er.. um… We’re only trying to help. (eye twitches, and then a smile that is
way too big)

LOTUS
Well, there you have it folks. Just a big misunderstanding. Please resume your regular
activities, and we will notify you when more information comes to light.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

Ladies and gentlemen, the press conference is over! Return to your regular schedules
immediately!

SCENE 4
(At the edge of the city, the SUBJECTS, the GLITCHES, PAMELA, and AURORA are
gathered, heading out of the city and into the woods.)

DEZERAE
Has this writing always been on the walls telling us where to go?

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 PAMELA
Yes. The iScreen auto-erases any graffiti, so you wouldn’t have been able to see it before.

RACHEL
Are you sure? I’m pretty sure I would have seen that if it has always been there.

NED
Thanks for getting us out of the lab.

PAMELA
We’re not safe yet.

RAVEN
Where are we going?

STACY
The mall?

RACHEL
Really? Are you serious right now??

AURORA
Shhh. Quiet. You’re going to get us caught.

PAMELA
We have to head out into the woods.

(Movement piece going into the woods)

(PAMELA does some kind of secret call)

BARENT
Who dares disturb these woods??

TARA
Mom you’re finally here!

BARENT
Do you know these people?

AURORA
We’re here to help.

BLAIRE
Wait, what’s going on? Why are we helping them? Who are you?

HAZEL

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 Don’t worry, we’re your friends.

DUSTIN
Is that you Toby? I almost didn’t recognize you. Wait, of course I did. You still look
exactly like me, but I’m still prettier.

OCTOBER
Yes it’s me! I thought I’d never see you again. How did you get here?

BLAIRE
We escaped the lab, and we’ve come to help.

OCTOBER
You escaped?

PAMELA
The iScreens are down. It’s chaos.

TARA
So they know about the Glitches?

RAVEN
Hello! We are the Glitches!

DUSTIN
Awkward…

NED
Why are you out here and not in the city?

TARA
After my dad died, my mom asked Hazel to protect me from the dangers of Atro-City.
She now only visits when she can.

BARENT
I escaped after I learned what they were doing to their subjects. The risks were even
greater back then. I ran to the woods and deinstalled my iScreen.

STACY
But your iScreen is attached to your eye!

BARENT
I realize that.

NED
Why did you do it?

12
 BARENT
I couldn’t be part of their plan.

DEZERAE
What plan?

TARA
(To PAMELA)
They don’t know?

HAZEL
The government is building a super-human army from its citizens.

RAVEN
What? But war is outlawed.

OCTOBER
But the Dictator would never leave Atro-City truly unprotected.

RIKKI
Wait, what do you guys mean Dictator?

OCTOBER
Sorry, what do you call her? Her Atro-ness? Lotus?

AURORA
I’ve never thought of her like that before.

BARENT
That’s the point.

HAZEL
For the last few decades our camp has been growing. We’re developing a plan to
overthrow the government.

PAMELA
We can finally end this “atrocity.”

DUSTIN
Buh-dum-chhhh! Get it Atro – City… atrocity. HAHAHAHAHAHA!

(Everyone groans)

TARA
I think we now have enough people to put our plan in action.

13
 DUSTIN
Well, thank Atro we found you!

HAZEL
Do you know where that phrase comes from?

SUBS & GLITCHES

No / Not really / Why / etc

TARA
The Dictator has a small sphere called the Atro-sphere. It’s a kind of power source and it
controls all the technology in Atro-City.

HAZEL
It rose from the sea when this world was at nuclear war. The Atro-sphere was the only
thing that could end the war for good, and everyone wanted it. Your dictator was the one
who found it. She had a piece of it removed, and put into a necklace, which allowed her
to have absolute power.

BLAIRE
All the power is in that necklace?

RACHEL
Who does she think she is?

HAZEL
Well, originally, she knew that such great power in the wrong hands could be dangerous.
So she kept it for herself. But now she’s lost sight of what’s good for everyone else.

OCTOBER
We need to find the necklace and put it back with the Atro.

RIKKI
Will that get rid of all the improvements?

PAMELA
No, if we put the necklace back with the Atro it will make the sphere complete again. It
will give the power back to the people of Atro-city freeing them from the control of the
government.

BLAIRE
Well, what’s the plan?

AURORA

14
Well, I imagine they’ll be frantically working trying to fix the iScreens, in the tech center
on the 16th floor of the Capitol. But how will we get past security?

RACHEL
We need to get that necklace, and it’s sure to be wherever Lotus is.

OCTOBER
I have to admit, a flying improvement would sure come in handy right about now.

RAVEN
Don’t remind me. (Tries to jump, but just can’t.)

NED
That’s a good point. How are we going to get up there without any powers?

DUSTIN
Wait! Seriously you guys! I have an idea!

(He calls them all into a huddle to make a plan. Music starts)

LAND OF CONFUSION
I must’ve seen a thousand things,
Always connected to iScreens
But now that I can really see
The world that is around me.
They say the threat has gone away,
We’re going back to the old ways
But this is the rebellion time
I can see fear in their eyes

There’s no time for waiting

We’ll take down the people
Who have made us this way
And we’ll make his’try today!

Can’t you see this is a land of intrusion

Is this the world we live in?
Open the eyes we’re given
This is our final stand
This is the fight where it begins!

SCENE 5
(They all sneak up in front of the Capitol building)

BARENT
Alright. I got the grappling hook gun.

15
 OCTOBER
Aim for that ledge right there. That should hold us all.

STACY
Wait. Let me try this thing.
(Shoots and misses)
On second thought, maybe Rachel should do it.

RACHEL
I never miss.
(She shoots and hits the mark)
Told you.

HAZEL
Ok. Let’s go.

(As they claim the edge of the building, the GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS, LOTUS,
and DR. ATRO STEIN enter, still trying to fix the iScreens.)

DR. ATRO STEIN

I’ve almost got it working.

LOTUS
You said that 2 hours ago!

DR. ATRO STEIN

I could really use some help. I’m going to page PAMELA and Aurora to get them down
here. I need a second and third opinion.

(He pages them over the old fashioned loud speaker “Pamela and Aurora, please report
to the Tech Center. Pamela and Aurora to the Tech Center”)

DEZERAE
Oh there is no way this is working out this easily. Bound to go wrong at some point.

(Just at this point, the group has reached the right floor, and Pamela is able to enter
right on cue.)

LOTUS
That was fast.

PAMELA
Actually, I was already on my way to find you. I have some updates for your necklace.

LOTUS

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 I don’t have it on me, and we’re working on the iScreens right now. Can you focus?

(PAMELA steps back out to the group.)

RACHEL
Well, did you get it?

PAMELA
She doesn’t have it on her. What do we do?

RIKKI
What do you mean she doesn’t have it on her?

STACY
She probably gave it to her right-handed woman.

DEZERAE
I think you mean right HAND woman. Not right-handed.

STACY
What?

AURORA
The General! I’ll take care of it.

(She goes inside.)

DR. ATRO STEIN

How are you two coming in from that balcony??

AURORA
Nevermind that. (Going straight to the GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS) Um, excuse me
Madam General. I need to take Her Atro-ness’s necklace for an update.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

(Somewhat peevishly)
What do you mean an update? It’s never needed one before.

AURORA
Well, the um.. newest Improvement… doesn’t work with the system. We need to
calibrate the enhancement to the system.

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

Um… Okay… (She reluctantly hands over the necklace)

AURORA

17
 Uh. I’ll be right back.

DEZERAE
(On the balcony)
This isn’t gonna work.

AURORA
(Uncharacteristically enthusiastic)
YES IT WILL! (She produces the necklace and passes it around.)

HAZEL
We must return it to the Atro-sphere.

SCI TARAHT
This is the tricky part. We don’t know where it is.

STACY
(Studying necklace)
It’s a trash necklace!

RIKKI
Shut up, Stacy. It’s a very fancy necklace.

STACY
I know that, Rikki! It just looks like the trashcan!

PAMELA
What are you talking about?

STACY
There’s a trashcan in the Atro-City Center that glows like this necklace!

RACHEL
She doesn’t know what she’s talking about.

HAZEL
Please explain, Stacy.

STACY
After I got fired from the iScreen cleaning center I worked as a garbage collector! I was
really really good at it except for one trashcan that I couldn’t open! It’s big and silver and
it doesn’t open from the top but one time I tried to knock it over and it didn’t work except
I saw—

DEZERAE
Wrap it up, Stacy.

18
 STACY
Well, the necklace looks like whatever was in the trashcan.

TARA
Hazel, is that true? (HAZEL checks telepathically)

HAZEL
Indeed. It seems like the Atro it sitting unprotected in the heart of our city.

BARENT
I can see it from here!

BLAIRE
Really?

BARENT
Hey, the one I have works pretty well.

(An alarm starts blaring inside the building.)

LOTUS
(Offstage)
Where is my necklace!?

BLAIRE
Quickly!

PAMELA
(Quickly calculates with AURORA)
The City Center is approximately 512 feet away from here. From the sixteenth floor with
an angle of 30 degrees and the wind moving 4 miles an hour in the south-south-west
direction we must—

(NED takes the necklace from PAMELA and hurls it into the night.)

DUSTIN
COWABUNGA…!

(On the balcony, the crowd looks around. They’re terrified. The alarm still blares.)

DEZERAE
You missed, you stupid glitch—

(A loud bang and a flash of light from the Atro. LOTUS and GENERAL GINERVA
POPULUS stumble onstage.)

19
 LOTUS
My strength! It’s disappearing! What have you done?!

GENERAL GINERVA POPULUS

The Atro! You’ve ruined it!

PAMELA
And the People will rule the city again!

TARA
Your forced improvements are no longer!

HAZEL
Atro-City is now a place of true peace!

THE WORLD WILL KNOW

Her Atro-ness and Populous don’t rule us
Do they own us? No!
Atro-ness lying all these years
Do we believe her? No!
Even though we ain’t got iScreens on us
We’re united and our love will grow.

And now we’ve won

This battle’s done
Citizens of Atro-City united as one.
Now we have no fear
Now we all are brave
We’ve been locked away but we found freedom anyway
Now the people know
What you two have done
And now we’ve won, this battle’s done

20