Return to the Forbidden Planet (Musical) Plot & Characters

Overview

Synopsis

Fasten your seatbelts, return your tray tables to the upright position and prepare to blast off! In this Olivier-award-winning musical, the many works of Shakespeare are aligned with a fabulous rock 鈥榥鈥� roll score to create a fun-filled, jiving-in-the-aisles musical. Loosely based on Shakespeare鈥檚 The Tempest and the 1956 sci-fi classic film Forbidden Planet, Return to the Forbidden Planet finds a spaceship, helmed by Captain Tempest, making an emergency landing on the uncharted planet D鈥橧llyria. The only residents there are the mad scientist Doctor Prospero, his daughter Miranda, and their robot Ariel. They were banished into hyperspace when Miranda was just a baby, and she has known no other world than this. Featuring rock 鈥榥鈥檙oll hits of the 50s and 60s (鈥淕reat Balls of Fire鈥�, 鈥淭he Monster Mash鈥�, 鈥淕ood Vibrations鈥�, and others), a B-movie atmosphere, and dialogue in iambic pentameter, Return to the Forbidden Planet is Shakespeare鈥檚 unwritten rock 鈥榥鈥� roll masterpiece. Throw in a roller-skating robot, unrequited love, and a scary space monster, and you鈥檝e got one groovy show!

Show Information

Book: Bob Carlton

Based on the Play/Book/Film: The Tempest [play], Forbidden Planet [1956 film]

Category: Musical

Age Guidance: Youth (Y)/General Audiences (G)

Number of Acts: 2

First Produced: 1989

Genres: Comedy, Fairy Tale/Fantasy

Settings: Fantasy/Imaginary, Unit/Single Set

Time & Place: space, the future

Cast Size: medium

Orchestra Size: Rock Combo

Dancing: Musical Staging

Licensor

Ideal For: College/University, Community Theatre, High School, Regional Theatre, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast

Lead Characters

View all characters in Return to the Forbidden Planet

Context

Plot

Characters

Name	Part Size	Gender	Vocal Part
Captain Tempest	Lead	Male	Tenor
Doctor Prospero	Lead	Male	Baritone
Miranda	Lead	Female	Alto
Ariel	Supporting	Either Gender	Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Baritone
Cookie	Supporting	Male	Tenor
Gloria	Supporting	Female	Mezzo-Soprano
Bosun Arras	Supporting	Male	Baritone
Navigation Officer	Supporting	Female	Alto
Damage Limitation Crew	Ensemble	Either Gender	Soprano, Mezzo-Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Baritone, Bass

Songs

Act One

*Wipe Out - Navigation Officer

It鈥檚 a Man鈥檚 Man鈥檚 Man鈥檚 World - Captain Tempest, Gloria,

*Great Balls of Fire - Ensemble

Don鈥檛 Let Me Be Misunderstood - Prospero, Ensemble

*Good Vibrations - Captain Tempest, Ariel, Miranda, Ensemble

*Yeh, Yeh - Cookie, Bosun

Ain鈥檛 Gonna Wash for a Week - Cookie, Ensemble

I鈥檓 Gonna Change the World - Captain Tempest, Ariel, Prospero

Teenager in Love - Miranda, Ensemble

Young Girl - Captain Tempest, Ensemble

*She鈥檚 Not There - Cookie

*Shaking All Over - Prospero, Miranda, Captain Tempest

Gloria - Gloria, Navigation Officer, Ensemble

Act Two

*5-4-3-2-1- / Gloria - Gloria, Navigation Officer, Ensemble

Who鈥檚 Sorry Now - Ariel, Ensemble

Tell Her / Gimme Some Lovin鈥� - Gloria, Bosun, Cookie, Navigation Officer, Captain Tempest, Ensemble

War Paint - Captain Tempest, Ariel

*Robot Man - Miranda, Ensemble

*Shake, Rattle and Roll - Ariel, Cookie, Ensemble

Go Now - Gloria, Ensemble

Only the Lonely - Cookie, Ensemble

*The Young Ones - Miranda, Captain Tempest, Ensemble

Born to Be Wild - Captain Tempest, Cookie

*Mr. Spaceman - Miranda, Ensemble

*I Can鈥檛 Turn You Loose / Monster Mash - Prospero, Ensemble

*Great Balls of Fire - Cookie

A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.

Monologues

All monologues are the property and copyright of their owners.. Monologues are presented on 星空娱乐官网 for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this monologue, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

Scenes

All scenes are the property and copyright of their owners. Scenes are presented on 星空娱乐官网 for educational purposes only. If you would like to give a public performance of this scene, please obtain authorization from the appropriate licensor.

星空娱乐官网