### Act 1, Scene 1: The Lords of the Sky

- Backdrop: Savannah
- Stage Setup: Acacia Tree [4]
- Props: Naki's Pendant (Reesa)
- Puppets: Mbali (Pan), Nakisisa (Fairlight)
- PreRec: Nakisisa, Mbali
- Setting: Sunset. Nakisisa and Mbali are sitting under a large Acacia Tree [4], leaning against the trunk (Naki on the left [to 7], Mbali right [to 1]). The scene starts out in total darkness, and the opening story is being told in drawings on the projection screen. During the last few sentences, the light on stage fades in, and it becomes visible that it's Nakisisa and Mbali retelling their favorite story to each other in turn.

##### MAIN DIALOGUE

Curtain - open

Intro Projection showing the story in the form of cave paintings

0101 (Pan) Mbali: “Since the beginning of time, the earth has been the mother-goddess who rules all people, and who is the mother of all creatures. She lives and gives birth to ever new generations of beings. She will make the grass grow when heaven gives her rain and if there is no rain, she withdraws into her own depths, waiting for better times to come.”

0101 (Fairlight) Nakisisa: “Over time, she created many different creatures, keeping the world in a perfect balance so that everyone would receive a fair share of what the land provided. She created predators and prey. Creatures of the day, and creatures of the night.”

0101 (Pan) Mbali: “But it was a very delicate balance. So the goddess also created the lords of the sky. They would soar above them all, and speak justice wherever there was dissent. For they could see everything from above and always knew what the truth was.”

0101 (Fairlight) Nakisisa: “In the savannah however, where life's circumstances where rough, the people of two tribes were particularly reluctant to share their wealth equally among each other. No amount of intervention by the lords of the sky seemed to help, and the lords' patience began to wear out.”

0101 (Pan) Mbali: “Eventually, they gave the leader of the tribes their final offer. They would continue to speak truth and justice to them only under two circumstances: The lords would now merely speak to the shamans, and no longer to anyone else. And secondly, there was to be a new rule governing the use of the common land. One tribe should henceforth be known as “the tribe of the sun”, as the land would be all theirs during the day. The other tribe was to be “the tribe of the moon”, since they should own the same land, but only during the night.”

0101 (Fairlight) Nakisisa: “During the twilight, the land would be owned by everyone, allowing both tribes to hunt for food with equal chances.”

Light fades in slowly

01 - Savannah Day Ambience

0101 (Pan) Mbali: “Tired of the endless war, the leaders of the tribes agreed. The shamans and the lords then agreed on a secret symbol, so that impostors would not be able to abuse the power of the lords. And so, the pact was sealed, and from that day on the two tribes lived in peace.”

Nakisisa and Mbali sigh wistfully.

Mbali: “Oh, Nakisisa. This is such a beautiful story. I so wish it were true.”

Nakisisa: “Oh yes, so do I … so do I. *SIGH* But I'm afraid it's getting late, I have to go home. See you tomorow, Mbali! I love you!”

Mbali: “Oh, can't you stay just a little bit longer?”

Nakisisa: “I wish I could. But if my mother finds out I'm meeting with a lion every other night, she'll have me grounded for the rest of my life!”

Mbali: “And what do you think my father is going to say if he finds out I'm dating a hyena?”

Nakisisa: “I know, I know. But today mother gave me another of those lectures about how the situation between the tribes is getting worse and worse, and that I'm not supposed to meet with strangers under any circumstances, yadda yadda yadda. I don't think she knows it's you I'm meeting with, but we'd better not push our luck.”

Mbali sighs, sadly, standing up, making herself look like she's about to leave.

Mbali (pronounced): “I see. So I'll have to tell you the new story I heard from Uncle Makane tomorrow. Good night, sweetheart!”

Mbali kisses Nakisisa on the nose and turns to leave, teasing him.

Nakisisa: “What? You've got a new story? Stop! Please stay! I just changed my mind!”

Nakisisa runs after Mbali, getting in front of her, stopping her.

Mbali (smug): “Aha! How interesting! Everytime I mention a new tale, you suddenly have all time in the world!”

Nakisisa (humble): “Uhhh … well … that's because … I LOVE stories. And nobody tells them better than you!”

Nakisisa and Mbali walk back to the tree, sitting down again next to each other.

0102 - suspense

Mbali (all important): “All right. Then sit down, and listen. It's another story about the two tribes that Uncle Makane told me last night. After the pact with the lords of the sky was sealed, the tribes lived in peace. Whenever trouble arose between them, the shamans of both tribes would join and perform a secret ritual. By pure magic, they would rise themselves up to the sky and meet the Lords who would then serve justice. But effectively, this made the shamans the most powerful members of the tribe. Even more powerful than the kings. This is how it was for many generations. But you might ask yourself, why didn't the peace last, why doesn't the twilight belong to everyone any more? That is because, one fateful day, when a very severe situation had to be solved, the shamans went up to the sky as usual, and …”

Mbali makes a dramatic pause

Mbali (whispering): ”… never returned!”

Nakisisa gasps: “WOW!”

Mbali: “They sent out a search party, but the shaman's tracks just ended at the place where they had vanished into the sky. Nobody ever found out what had happened to them. War broke out the same day, and ever since, lions and hyenas were doomed to be enemies again, for all eternity! Uncle Makane told me the names of the last shamans, and that they shall never be forgotten: Jojo and Ndale.”

Nakisisa (in awe): “Unbelievable! Jojo and Ndale?”

Mbali: “You've heard their names before?”

Nakisisa trembles, and shows Mbali the pendant he's wearing around his neck

Nakisisa: “Yes, I did! Do you remember this?”

Mbali: “Of course, your pendant. You've been wearing it for as long as I've known you. It's very nice!”

Nakisisa (interrupting): “It's more than just nice. It's a gift from my mother. It's ancient, and it has been in the family for a long time. Mother told me the name of the one who made it. And his name was … Jojo!”

Mbali (in awe): “Wow! What a coincidence!”

Mbali and Nakisisa are getting all worked up about the issue

Nakisisa: “What if it's not a coincidence? Maybe you - lions - are really the tribe of the sun! And we - hyenas - are really the tribe of the moon!”

Mbali (rolls her eyes): “Oh come on! It's just a fairytale!”

Nakisisa: “But wouldn't it make perfect sense?”

Mbali: “Our tribes don't share the twilight. And if the lords of the sky really existed, don't you think there should be at least SOME evidence of some sort?”

0102 STOP
0103 hope

Nakisisa: “Who says fairytales can't have some hidden truth in them? And what about my pendant?”

Nakisisa starts to whisper, looking up at the sky

Nakisisa: “Maybe the Lords of the Sky are still out there … watching us!”

Mbali cuddles up to Nakisisa and SIGHS.

Mbali (whispering): “Oh, Naki … that would be SO ROMANTIC!”

Nakisisa: “If I found a way to rise up to the sky like the shamans did … would you go with me?”

Mbali: “Of course! I love you! I would go ANYWHERE with you!”

Nakisisa: “Together we would return as heroes and bring back peace to our tribes! Wouldn't that be wonderful?”

Mbali: “And there would be no more need for us to hide! We would officially be allowed to be together! You and me … a lion and a hyena … united in love forever. Wouldn't THAT be wonderful?”

Mbali and Nakisisa sigh

01 - STOP
0103 - STOP

Lights out

Curtain - close