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SCRIPT/GAME OUTLINE

POLAR PERIL
Holiday Improv
December 22, 2004
By Jen Kokoski
(New Season: Lost in Translation)

BACKGROUND

Improv based on the American movie "THE POLAR EXPRESS". Most of the scenes are inspired by the movie. In short, on Christmas Eve a magical train appears outside the homes of every kid on the verge of doubting Santa Claus. These children are invited aboard on a special trip to the North Pole to meet the infamous man before it's too late and the magic of childhood is gone forever.

See www.thepolarexpressmovie.com for images and synopsis about the movie.

CAST

The Doctor - in his 9th regeneration, the wandering timelord.

Phineas - a Minyon scientist of advanced years, now traveling with the Doctor.

Conductor - From the movie "Polar Express", a man in his mid-40's, balding head covered by a train conductor's blue cap and in a perfectly tailored conductor's blue uniform. He carries a pocketwatch that he continually checks to ensure the train is on schedule. He is very particular about the train finishing its journey as scheduled and that everyone on board is supposed to be there. He makes sure everyone has an authentic Polar Express yellow ticket and has been punched. Incidentally, when he punches tickets, he usually does it in a pattern of a letter or word.

Mysterious Figure - a dark figure, always masked in a black hooded robe. he's a typical pantomime bad guy who seems to have a special dislike for the Doctor. His identity is revealed at the end.

Doubting Boy - From the movie, a boy in yellow pjs and a blue robe (with a hole in the pocket). He is aboard the train because he wants to believe but has serious doubts about this journey.

Know-It-All Kid - From the movie, a boy in Rocket Ship pjs, who thinks he knows everything about everything. He's always asking questions, many he answers himself. Most amusingly, his answers are almost always wrong. But his voice and pestering questions can get very annoying.

Leader Girl - From the movie, the little African-American girl in pink nightgown who is a natural born leader and filled with all the best of the spirit of Christmas.

Lonely Boy - From the movie, his real name is Billy and he lives "on the other side of the tracks". His family is very poor, as evidenced from the tattered nightshirt (a man's old shirt) and grown-up boots he wears. He's always wished for a good Christmas but Santa never seemed to have time for him. 

Hobo - From the movie, a disheveled train hobo in tattered clothes, carrying his belongings on his back and mysteriously showing up when most needed. He speaks in riddles.

BEGINNING

Discarded Toy Car

The Doctor and Phineas step outside the newly arrived TARDIS and find themselves inside a darkened train car. (It's near pitch black inside, so use flashlights/torches.) The car appears spooky because it is lined with discarded, broken toys. Dolls are under foot, crying loudly when stepped on. Broken Jack-In-The-Boxes pop out from the seats. Tickle-Me Elmos do spastic dances across the floor. And marrionnettes hang from the ceiling threatening anyone who comes by. After a while of curious exploring, our travelers become wary. It seems someone is watching them. The mysterious figure looks down from a roof hatch and operates controls. First the TARDIS is blocked off then the marrionnettes turn hostile and start attacking the Doctor and Phineas.

MIDDLE

PASSENGER CARS (Doctor, Phineas, Conductor & Children)

The Conductor rescues the Doctor and Phineas from the attacking toys and pulls them into the cheerfully lit passenger car. It is filled with excited children, all in their pajamas, singing carols. The Conductor is not pleased at all to see the grown-up intruders. The train is not meant for them and never before in his career has he experienced this. He demands to know where their tickets are. Phineas stumbles, but the Doctor quickly pulls a couple of magical tickets from his coat. (They say "What's the point of being grown-up if you can't be childish sometimes.") The Conductor punches the tickets and instructs them to take a seat.

First they end up beside the Know-It-All kid who prattles on about how impossible it is for grown-ups like them to even be on this train. The KIA kid becomes a major annoyance when he conitnues pestering the Doctor with logical questions he only knows wrong answers to (i.e. how did you get here? No adults can even hear the train since it operates at supersonic speed. Only dogs and cats can hear it, but they aren't allowed because it is against Railway Operations Code. Etc.)

Having enough, the Doctor and Phineas get up and move to the next passenger car, also the last. There they find three children alone in a private car. They are on the balcony at the tail end of the train watching as they pass over icy tundra and see the Northern Lights. The Doctor realises where they are headed and explains it all to Phineas. (They're headed to the North Pole on Earth.) The Leader Girl says they are going to meet Santa. Phineas doesn't know this person and needs another tactful explaination from the Doctor. But the adultish answer makes the Lonely Boy sad. The Doubting Boy wonders aloud if this is just a dream, or nightmare.

Just then the Mysterious Figure reappears hanging from the top of the train. He snatches Leader Girl, taunts the Doctor (i.e. "Now you're mine foolish Doctor!") and disappears over the top of the train.

ENDING

Train Top to Engine (Doctor, Phineas, etc.)

The Doctor and Phineas spring into action. They climb atop the train roof and begin chasing down the Mysterious Figure. Through a blizzard of snow and wind, they lose sight of him but hear the faint cries of the Leader Girl. The Doctor and Phineas slip and slide on the roof, eventually falling and rolling precariously to the edge. Despite being told to wait, Lonely Boy and Doubting Boy followed and now reach out to pull the grown-ups back on top. They despair at losing sight of the girl, until Doubting Boy suggests asking the Hobo for help. Before Phineas can ask what Hobo, the disheveled figure appears with his rucksack on his shoulder. He seems to know already about the situation and offers the Doctor use of his skis to make the trip to forward. The adults strap on their skis, Phineas and the Doctor each taking a boy with them. But as they start off (with the train going down a steep mountain and pitching everyone forward) the Hobo calls out a warning. "Drop to the engine before Flat Top Tunnel or be squashed!" With that, the four ski rooftop to rooftop as the train takes impossible downhills toward the extremely tight tunnel. Just when it seems they will be crushed by the tunnel, the foursome drop to the coal tender and out into the engine room.

There they find Leader Girl strapped to the engineers chair while the Mysterious Figure gloats in the dim light of the engine fire. Figure has his hands on the train controls and threatens to derail the train to at last foil the Doctor. The children are appalled as this means they'll never get to the North Pole and meet Santa. The Figure snarls at them saying there is no such thing as Santa Claus. The boys are aghast. But Leader Girl rightly calls the Figure a "Grinch". While the children argue with the Figure, the Doctor takes the opportunity, with Phineas' help to capture him bundled in his own dark cape. Once they have him subdued, they discover the Mysterious Figure is actually the Master.

FINALE

Destination: North Pole (All)

The train safely makes it to its last stop. The Conductor appears calling out "THE NORTH POLE". The train glides into a festive town all decorated with holiday lights and streaming Christmas music. When the train rolls to a stop, they find themselves in the town square, at the foot of a giant Christmas Tree, and surrounded by thousands of partying elves. Phineas can't believe his eyes and assumes this is some sort of wild dream. The children are too excited to care as they join the party. The Doctor tries to explain once more but is interrupted. A pair of giant doors open to the largest house on the square, and out comes a reindeer drawn sleigh driven by a man in red and white fleece. The reindeer are bound together by bright, silver sleigh bells. Everytime they move, the crowd cheers. Phineas is confused by the spectacle since it seems the crowd hears a noise (the sleighbell) that he can't. He asks the Doctor if he can and only receives a wistful grin. The Doctor offers his old scientist friend some very wise unscientific advice: "Sometimes it's what you chose to believe that matters more than what you think you know."

With a final wave to the crowd, Santa drives off in his flying reindeer sleigh wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Next Time...

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