Heath

Heath Hodge (hodhea31078@evergreen.edu)

Rachel Thoe-Schechter (thorac17@evergreen.edu)

"Underground Army"

TREATMENT.
Within a small dark tomb, thousands of soldiers await battle. They are soldiers of the Shi Huang Tiwho are waiting for the Jiang Chai Han and the Han Emperor to come and try to defeat them. They are nervous because they know that they are not ordinary soldiers but rather ones of a magical origin and need a bit of magic to be able to win the war against the Han. They wait and the Han grow closerand closer. When the magic happens, it comes in the form of a small girl who believes that they canfight and win. Will they? Only time tells.
CAST.

Han: A soldier in the Shi Huang Ti.

Ho: A soldier in the Shi Huang Ti.

Chen-Ko: A Soldier in the Shi Huang Ti.

Han Emperor: The leader of the Jiang Chai Han.

Little Girl: The little girl who believes in the clay soldiers.

SCRIPT
Shi Huang Ti tomb. The tomb is lit by a single candle. Ho and Ha are standing on a very dark stage in front of a screen backdrop witch holds the image of the famous photo of the Shi Huang Ti tomb. The front of the stage has rough sawn timber supports like those found at the entrances of what one might think of as a mine shaft from the 1800ís. The stage is cluttered with boxes. Ho and Ha are standing very stiffly center stage.
Ho

They say Chen Ko is coming to organize us the Underground army. (Long pause).

Ha

(Nervously). Against whom? And how can we fight? We are clay, we are earth.

Ho

(Pulling his sword from the sheath and holding it in the candle light). To fight against theHan Emperor,

who, jealous of the power of the Underground Army of his imperial predecessor, wishes to destroy us.

He will come down to chop us and to chip us into subservience to his will,

Ha

(Excitedly). In that case we must fight. But how shall we fight? Since we are not living things.

Ho

(Looks off to the side as if reflecting on something not said, yet). That depends, perhaps on how we

are thought of. If someone, if only one person believes that we exist, that we live and that we matter.

Then perhaps, for him or for her, we will exist and will be able to fight.

(Enter Chen Ko).

Chen Ko

Hail and hello on this hot, dusty day, my marvelous clay soldiers? Time has come that we shall have

to do battle for our lives, for ourselves and for the glory of our Emperor which is still undimmed.

Ha

I do, sometimes still feel the Emperor among us; although not always. But, tell us, how can we fight?

Ho

Listen-

A young Asian girl is Kneeling on the ground with her hands cupped over her mouth.

Little Girl.

(Wishfully pleading). I believe in the Underground Soldiers, they will fight to protect us. I know

they are brave. They will fight for China.

Chen Ko

Her comes the armies of Jiang Chai, Emperor of the Han.

Han Emperor comes rushing in screaming. The sounds of thousands of screaming men is heard as the army approaches.

Han Emperor

Come break those bodies, break them into dust! No one shall rule in the underworld but the Jiang Chai Han!!!

The stage goes dark. The sound of battle grows louder and louder as it builds to a climax. Then silence.

Little Girl

Oh my clay soldiers. May they, so brave, remain.

The stage goes dark. Shortly we hear someone perhaps the girls mother call her to dinner in Mandarin.

CONTINUITY SCRIPT
Shi Huang Ti tomb. The tomb is lit by a single candle. Ho and Ha are standing on a very dark stage in front of a screen backdrop witch holds the image of the famous photo are thought of. MS of both characters from directly above them. If someone, if only one person believes that we exist, that we live and that we matter. Then perhaps, for him or for her, we will exist and will be able to fight.
(Enter Chen Ko).

Chen Ko

1.LS over the shoulder of Ho as Chen ko enters and walks towards them. Hail and hello on this hot, dusty day, my marvelous clay soldiers? Time has come that we shall have to do battle for our lives, for ourselves and for the glory of our Emperor which is still undimmed.

Ha

2.CU of Haís eyes. I do, sometimes still feel the Emperor among us; although not always. But, tell us, how can we fight?

Ho

3.CU of Hoís face. Listen- Camera looks down on them as they look up. Camera begins to turn as it ascends up into the roof of the cave looking down on them