User:Davemann88/Beware The Eyes Of Mars

'''ABOUT THE MUSICAL:

"Beware The Eyes Of Mars" is a modern musical about alienation. David Mann wrote the book and music. The musical opened in 1991 at the University of Miami; it was completely rewritten and restaged at Fort Lauderdale Public Library's main theater in 2006. The musical benefited the children’s charity, “Kids In Distress” and the cast and crew donated their talents as work for hires. The 2006 production starred Kristofer Yager Hyland as Captain Mars and was directed by David Richman.

As of the date of this writing, it is still the first (1991) and only full fledged stage musical about aliens; the 2006 staging also included the first known use of singing robots in a stage musical. '''

SYNOPSIS: (WARNING! SPOILER ALERT!)

Act One:

Captain Mars is the main character and pilots the cruise ship Flight No. 63 in outer space in the distant future. He is five feet tall, thin with crazy green eyes and wears a strange red hat. Mars is half-Martian and half-Delrizian and has special powers that he has yet to fully comprehend. Mars welcomes the strange-looking alien creatures aboard in “Welcome Aboard” (song) as they are served by android flight comfort units Darci (who resembles Marilyn Monroe) and Carmen (who looks like Carmen Miranda). There are actual robot servers Phobos and Deimos whose only function is to serve cocktails! The cruise ship in space is the melting pot of the future where aliens of all races and sizes get along beautifully, despite their physical differences.

Mr. Oog is an undercover agent for Galaxy Central Command and is posing as a passenger to find Mars and give him the “Chakra” – an ancient Martian amulet that looks mysteriously like a peace sign! Unfortunately, Mr. Oog has the ‘hots’ for Carmen and is momentarily distracted from his mission. When Carmen presents Mr. Oog with Bronhilda One Series, the oldest flight comfort unit, Mr. Oog is offended and shows Carmen that can still do the “Alien Heatwave” (song).

When turbulence rocks the space ship, Mars is alerted to some ancient Martian ships that appear to be creating a wormhole in space. Mars tells Darci to make sure the passengers are distracted from the turbulence by going on with the show; Darci introduces the next act, “The Delrizian Triplets” (song). The Triplets are the Supreme(s) beings with huge green bouffant hairdos; throughout the song they constantly try to upstage each other.

A Delrizian scout ship comes to aid the civilian space ship Flight 63. The scout warns Mars that the Martian ships are Amazons from Mars; the Amazons intend to use the wormhole they created to go back though time to change history in their favor and win the war they lost long ago. The scout ship is destroyed, leaving Flight 63 unprotected. The Amazon women from Mars board Flight 63 and take it over in “Amazon Women From Mars” (song). The Amazons are very sexual and tall, wearing purple jump suits, with Mohawks and wraparound visors. Their leader wants to know out why a civilian ship is interfering with their plans; Flight 63 was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. Under duress, Mars suddenly is able to channel his powers and knock the Amazons unconscious with his mind. Flight 63 is pulled into the wormhole along with the Amazon ships and they are thrown back in time to the year 1969. With little time to transport the passengers to Earth before the ship crashes, Mr. Oog gives Mars the Chakra that will help Mars focus his powers and help him fulfill his destiny to bring peace to the galaxy when he meets ‘the golden one.’

As Flight 63 tumbles toward Earth, Darci and Carmen are the only ones left on board and try to make the smoothest crash landing possible. The Delrizian Triplets materialize on a street in New York City, scaring some bystanders before they are chased by Amazons who appear shortly after, in “Stranger On The Earth” (song). As luck would have it, the Triplets escape into the back door of the WHAM radio station while the station is auditioning new acts; the Triplets are hired to sing the radio jingles!

Meanwhile, groovy hippie chick Little Nikki performs in Club Groovy Road, the hippest club in Greenwich Village in “Little Nikki and the Slikks” (song). Nikki visits her Psychic Mary-Ann to understand the strange premonitions she has been having. Mary tells her to “Beware The Eyes Of Mars” (song).

While Nikki performs at Club Groovy Road, Mars materializes; his crazy glowing green eyes scare everyone out of the club except Nikki. Mars explains where he is from and tells Nikki to not be afraid in “Flight 63 – You’re Meant For Me” (song). With Nikki’s elaborate stage digs and long blonde hair, Mars thinks that Nikki is ‘the golden one.’ Nikki takes Mars to visit Mary and find a way to get in touch with Galaxy Central command. On the way, Mars confronts horrified pedestrians on the streets of New York City. They escape into a shop where Nikki gets him a pair of white shades to cover his eyes so they can continue to Mary’s apartment undeterred.

Meanwhile, the Delrizian Triplets perform on live radio in “WHAM Radio Jingle” (song), followed by the news report of strange U.F.O. sightings in the New York/New Jersey area and a possible U.F.O. retrieval by the military. The scene cuts to Psychic Mary’s apartment, where she is listening to the broadcast just as Mars and Nikki arrive. Using all her psychic powers, Mary tries to help Mars get in touch with his people so he can get back home in “Psychic Mary-Ann to Touch-Tone Aliens” (song). They reach the Galaxy Operator, but due to her rudeness they are unsuccessful in establishing contract with Galaxy Central Command.

Newcomer Miss Lady Love is Little Nikki’s rival for the top billing at Club Groovy Road, as she introduces herself in “My Name Is Lady Love” (song). She is tall, dark and self-centered, wearing a long purple flowing dress and a huge Afro hairdo that seems to grow larger in every scene. The Lady makes a pass at Mars but Nikki intervenes and asks Mars to dance. While dancing, Mars and Nikki realize a strange man is following them; he is smoking a cigarette and wearing a hat that covers his eyes. Nikki tells him he needs to hide and takes him to her dressing room so he can to hide out and get some sleep. Mars is feeling alienated and homesick and won’t let Nikki kiss him. Nikki leaves and Mars alone in the dressing room, feeling “Alienated” (song).

The Triplets perform “WHAM Radio Jingle” (song), followed by a news report about the Vietnam War.

Mars and Nikki revisit Mary to try once more to contact the Galaxy Operator in “Psychic Mary-Ann to Touch-Tone Aliens – Part II” (song). They finally get through to Galaxy Central Command and learn that Flight 63 is still intact; but the Galaxy Operator cuts them off from receiving the coordinates due to insufficient quatniks (credits) per light year, even though there is no place to put the money! When Mars learns that Nikki and Mary will be attending a ‘sit-in’ for peace in Central Park, Mars realizes it is his destiny to help them. Nikki realizes that the Chakra Mars wears would make a great symbol for peace and makes copies for all the peaceniks.

The sit-in reaches fever pitch in Central Park as the protesters chant “Make Love, Not War!” (song). Mars and Nikki join the protesters. Nikki helps Mars feel at home on Earth, singing “Everywhere Is Family” (song); Mars seems right at home amongst the hippies and decides to take off his sunglasses and reveal his true form. At first the peaceniks are aghast at his crazy green eyes but they finally accept him in “Peacewave” (song). Mars discovers writings on the back of the Chakra and knows what he must do. When a television reporter tries to interview Mars, he realizes this is his chance to bring peace and tells everyone to join hands and “…think peaceful thoughts to transmit to the nations. Through the power of mine eyes we send our love vibrations…” By rubbing the Chakra to focus his mind powers, Mars lets the positive energy of the peaceniks to send a ‘peacewave’ that circles the entire Earth, momentarily causing everyone to feel calm and peaceful. Unfortunately, it does not work on the Amazons since they also have mind powers and they continue with their conquest of Earth and all inhabitable planets in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Meanwhile, General Bragg of the secret services is watching the ‘sit-in’ that is being broadcast live, he identifies Mars as the alien they have been looking for. The general dispatches the mysterious Cigarette Man to capture Mars and his friends. The police disrupt the sit-in and there is havoc in Central Park and on the streets of New York. Nikki and her friends are taken to jail while the Cigarette Man takes Mars into custody. As Nikki and Mars are torn from each other, they both realize they are in love.

Act Two:

Nikki and her hippie friends demand to be released and Nikki is interrogated for Mar’s whereabouts in “Set Us Free Now!” (song). The Cigarette Man’s mission was to return with the alien; when he did not return with Mars; the military assumed that the Cigarette Man was a double agent. Everyone is released except Nikki, since she had relations with Mars. She is alone in jail and now she feels “Alienated (reprise)” (song).

Mars escapes to the dressing room of Club Groovy Road where he finds Miss Lady Love primping in front the mirror. He asks her to help him get Nikki out of jail. She says she will help him if he just plays along and has a drink with her. Mars agrees if she will help Nikki. He soon learns that the Lady is a little on the kinky side as she asks to “Let Me Tie You Up!” (song). With Mars tied up, the Lady snatches the Chakra from around Mar’s neck, exclaiming, “I’ve got it!”

Nikki and the Lady enter a deserted Club Groovy Road. Nikki manages a weak show of appreciation for helping her get out of jail. When Nikki tries to see if Mars was able to escape to the dressing room, the Lady blocks her path. A catfight breaks out as both divas shout, “I Want Mars!” (song). The back door of the dressing room slams. Nikki is too late; the Cigarette Man is taking Mars away again! The Lady laughs and says it’s too late for Nikki too; she takes off the huge fur coat to reveal the uniform of the Amazons from Mars. Once she puts on the wraparound visor the transformation is complete; she is The Lady Queen of the Amazons – Ruler of the Martians! Nikki screams as she realizes who she really is.

Mars awakes to find himself strapped into a metal bed with a strange device heading toward his head! Suddenly the Cigarette Man appears, stops the device and frees Mars. The Cigarette Man takes off his hat – It’s Mr. Oog! He explains he had to let them capture Mars so he could find out where they were hiding their space ship Flight 63. Darci and Carmen lead them to the ship and they escape. Mars takes Flight 63 into a low orbit to transport the passengers back to the ship; as he is about to leave orbit he realizes that he cannot be without Nikki and sings “Days of the Moon and Sun” (song). Flight 63 is hit by a huge Amazon mother ship. With the view screen damaged, they open a communication channel and hear a familiar voice - the Lady! She tells Mars she has kidnapped Nikki and to do as she says. The Lady tells Mars to transport to her ship and become the King to her Queen. Once Mars transports he is quickly captured and put in a holding cell with Nikki. Realizing they may not have much time left alive, they kiss. Mars uses his powers to put the guard to sleep and they escape back to Flight 63. Meanwhile, the Lady has the Chakra she stole from Mars and accidentally knocks out her entire bridge crew. Thanks to Darci’s precise laser shooting, she knocks out the Amazon mother ship’s engines. With an unconscious crew, the Lady is left to try to save her ship from blowing up. The overloaded engines implode and the mother ship explodes.

Mars and Nikki make it back on Flight 63; Mars realizes that the wormhole is closing and they need to get through it to return to their own time and place. With an Amazon ship on their tail, they make it through the wormhole just before it closes, destroying the Amazon ship. Nikki is introduced to Darci, Carmen and the crew of the ship. She is happy to be with Mars but feels homesick and unsure about staying on the ship. In an ironic twist, Mars tells Nikki that “Everywhere Is Family (reprise)” (song) and that the ship can be her new home; she wasn’t going to be alone. Carmen is relieved that Mr. Oog has returned safely and says she would love to do the “Alien Heatwave (reprise)” (song) with him.

Mars was no longer alone — no longer alienated. In his travels he had seen aliens of all shapes and sizes and all the fantastical beings that gave color and life to the universe. Mars realized that his green Martian eyes were also a strange and fantastical gift. His eyes were nothing for the kindhearted to fear; and with the Chakra, were also a powerful weapon that could be used to fight evil.

REVIEWS OF THE MUSICAL:

Reviews and interviews of the 2006 stage show are available here, here and here.

ABOUT THE COMPOSER:

David Mann was born in Flushing, New York and started taking piano at an early age. He is an alumni of the University Of Miami where he received a Bachelor's Degree in Music and is an accomplished pianist and vocalist. David was in several theatrical productions and was in the University Of Miami Jazz Vocal Ensemble. He has produced several live albums and has performed as a piano bar entertainer in piano bars all over the United States, Europe and on cruise ships worldwide. He has performed for Universal Studios, Walt Disney World, Holland America Lines, Royal Caribbean Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines and in several dueling piano bars including Howl At The Moon Saloon, Crazy Pianos in Holland and the New York, New York Hotel in Las Vegas.

Drawing upon his own life experiences and travels, David composed and staged his second original musical, "Beware The Eyes Of Mars," in the Broward theatre in downtown Fort Lauderdale in March of 2006. In addition to composing the book and music, David also co-directed the show, which had 24 players and 24 musical numbers. The musical was a benefit for the charity 'Kids In Distress.' The music for the show was recorded in David’s Pro Tools recording studio, Delrizian Studios. David Mann currently resides in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.A.

THE CAST AND CREW (2006 MUSICAL)

KRISTOFER YAGER HYLAND (Captain Mars) KAILA KATESH FREAS (Little Nikki Batalia) LATRICIA ARNETTE MOBLEY (Ms. Lady Lawanda Love, Amazon Queen) MIRACLE RESHUN BAKER (Delrizian Triplet Zoot) BRANDI MARLENA VARDIMAN (Delrizian Triplet Andora, Amazon) JAIME LYNN ALLEN (Android Darci, Sunny) CHRISTOPHER BOSWELL (Mr. Roads, Cop, MP, Dancer, Man Slave, Guy in Love) MIREYA MAIDA KILMON (Android Carmen, Starshine) DEIRDRE FRAMPTON (Krishna Protester, Alien Ambassador Nonchalant) MARIA PIA SANZ (Alien Medusa Starr, Dancer) RACHEL LOUISE GALVIN (Miss Pussywillow, Galaxy Operator, Moonbeam) YOLANDA ELIZABETH HAYES (Psychic Mary) FRIDA HESLES (Mexican Protester Jesus) CAROLINA MARIA (Amazon, Dancer) DON STANSFIELD (Mr. Oog, Cigarette Man, Krishna Protester) CHENNETTA ELVINA STONE (Delrizian Triplet Chicklet) TIFFANY ANN MAXWELL (Amazon, WHAM TV Reporter, Girl in love) LOUISE VANESSA HARPER (Amazon) JAY PARKER (MS. Slikk, Alien Ms. Hidea) MERRIE RONA BIGHAM (Ensemble) ROY WALKES (Radio Boss, General Bragg, Sir Unigent, MP) PETER ZARAGOZA, LC BROADDUS (Voice-overs for Admiral Botox, Computer Voices, and Announcers) ALEX, KRIS & BRAD MAXWELL (Alien Consort, 2 Amborguous, Phobos Robot Unit) SAPPHIRE (Phobos, Lighting) Bronhilda One Series played herself.

DAVID RICHMAN Director, DAVID MANN Musical Director, Sound Engineer, CANNON STARNES Choreographer, JOHN VINAZZA, ROB SMITH, ULSMEDIA Animation, MICHAEL SERA, CHRISTINE DEBRATTO Make-up Artists, RUSTY ELLISON Lighting Designer, MEREDITH C. SHASKAN Costume Designer, JERRY ADATO, DAVID MANN, CHRIS SCHLENKER Musicians, WILLIAM VALLENILLA Set Designer, SHERRIE JOHNSON Stage Props, LISA ELAINE WALKOWITZ Stage Manager, ANGEL SANTOS Alien Masks & Headpieces, OMAR BAIN Stagehand, LIZA TRAINER Videographer, DAVID MANN Film Editing.

ABOUT THE NOVEL: The novel entitled "Alienated" by David Mann was released in 2009 and is based on the musical, “Beware The Eyes Of Mars.”

ABOUT THE UPCOMING MOVIE:

A video and cast album of the stage show “Beware The Eyes Of Mars” is in production at David’s Pro Tools recording studio, Delrizian Studios. The footage came from the taping of the live stage show and will be enhanced with re-recorded audio tracks. The upcoming promotional film version of the stage musical, re-titled "Alienated” is based on the story in part two of the novel “Alienated.”

'''RELEVENT LINKS AND SOURCES: '''

http://www.marsmusical.com

http://creativerachel.tripod.com/BLOG/index.blog?entry_id=1436779

http://delrizian.com/mars/news.html

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2005-11-13/news/0511110259_1_distress-kids-alienation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Galvin#Writer

http://www.amazon.com/ALIENATED-ebook/dp/B002ZG7HIK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1259915454&sr=1-2

--Dave (talk) 05:15, 28 November 2010 (UTC)