High School Musical

ACT ONE

Kensington High School is having an annual concert that is held for the graduating students who are leaving. It is going to be held on the 8^th of November. This year, the Secondary One students are called to perform for this concert and each class has to present something related to music. Orchid’s class decides to stage an 881 inspired musical number and auditions for the lead role will take place next week.

Orchid, Cynthia, and a few other girls are chosen to audition for the lead role. Back at home, Ahma tells Orchid not to take part in the audition, as chances are that it might reveal her Getai identity.

However, wanting to be part of the 881 musical so much, Orchid still goes for the audition but pretends to sing horribly and is then allocated to be part of the backstage crew. She is put to be in-charge of the costumes and the designing of the set for the musical. Cynthia successfully auditions for the lead role in the 881 musical and is very contented with her own achievement.

Three weeks before the actual concert, the rehearsals start. While Cynthia and her backup singers are rehearsing for the concert, Orchid is instructing the other backstage crewmembers on how to design her dream Getai stage while she finds suitable costumes for the performers. Orchid is curious about what the cast is rehearsing so she goes to the stage.

ACT TWO

Orchid, dumbfounded, sees Cynthia pole-dancing away like a bargirl. Cynthia arrogantly remarks with an egotistical tone “Oh, I was just rehearsing my signature steps.” Due to her numerous experiences in theatre, she has decision on the plot and choreography. She thinks that traditional Getai is too outdated and wants something spectacular to present to the audience. She decides to perform two songs – ‘Toxic’ and ‘Opps I Did It Again’ by Britney Spears and adds pole dancing. Cynthia shows Orchid her own costume – Bright purple tank top and black sequined mini skirt, together with wire-mashed stockings and high boots.

Orchid becomes furious at how Cynthia cheapens the Getai image and asks Cynthia not to change the Getai image, but Cynthia turns down her plea.

Orchid goes home and sits at her doorstep, sulking while thinking of a solution. Khairul then comes back from school and asked her “Girl, why the black face? You need to chill.” He just came back from a discussion with his professor about his latest project, which is to design costumes for Chinese musicals and presenting them after they are made. After hearing about how Cynthia is trying to cheapen the Getai image, Khairul immediately comes up with a plan. He already designed a new set of Getai costumes and wants to present them in a unique way so he decides to lend the costumes to Orchid to help salvage the 881 musical. Also, he compiles a few of the famous Getai songs into a CD for her.

Meanwhile, Orchid thinks of how she can convince Cynthia to change the musical to traditional Getai but to no avail. In the end, she decides to carry on with the proposed set by Cynthia, hoping that a miracle will happen on the concert day so that Khairul’s costumes and CD can be put to good use.

ACT THREE

On the day of the graduation concert, Orchid meets with Khairul before the concert to get the costumes and CD from Khairul. Khairul then fetches his Professor to the Kensington High’s graduation concert. He is excited on how the presentation will turn out, as it will determine his grade for the costumes.

After heading back to Kensington High, he quickly finds Orchid because he is eager to see how his costumes look being displayed by real human models. Of course, Orchid does not want to disappoint Khairul, so she did not tell him that she failed to convince Cynthia to put on his costumes.

Khairul gets angry and upset with Cynthia and starts arguing about the costumes. Just then, Cynthia comes rushing to Orchid, panicking. She asks Orchid if she can help fix her costume as she accidentally ripped her skirt’s zip while getting ready. Taking the chance, Cynthia quickly stares at Khairul and demanded who he was. Khairul lies that he is a fashion designer and Cynthia desperately begs him if he has any spare costumes for the show. Delighted, Orchid produces Khairul’s project.

With the new costume, Cynthia cannot do pole dancing anymore, and she requires a different plan. Orchid then hands Cynthia Khairul’s CD and since the songs are famous Getai songs, Cynthia and her backup singers manage to memorize on the spot without any difficulty.

8pm comes and the graduation concert starts. Cynthia and her backup singers look gorgeous and stunning with the new costumes in their class’s 881 musical, especially Cynthia. Khairul’s professor is mesmerized by Cynthia – mainly because of the costume Khairul made. His presentation goes well and the concert becomes a success. In the end, not only did Orchid manage to change Cynthia’s perception of Getai, Cynthia also thought that Orchid’s idea is actually better than her original and apologizes to Orchid for her lousy attitude. Khairul’s decision to help Orchid ended up killing two birds with one stone!

This is a sample episode for a television drama series.

The title of Show is: Orchid Oh! (A light hearted Getai drama series)

Module: Conceptualizing Stories

Written By: Alicia Ho

The Escape

Running as fast as he could with all this might, there was only one thing on Taylor’s mind that drove him on to escape with his little sister May. That thing was how his dear friend died. As he was running, flashbacks of how everything started played on his mind…

-

It was one of the early mornings in 1867, when the streets of London were filled with fog, dust and smell of machines. People were walking around din thick suits, reading papers given out by young boys and girls. Taylor was one of those boys. Selling newspapers at six shillings each, his commission was a meager amount of six pennies per paper. After efficiently reaching the quota of papers he had to sell, Taylor returned to the headquarters to report his earnings. The headquarters was an old shop house, where many other kids gathered. His boss gave him a small allowance of twenty-four pence, which he could use to buy some treats for little May and himself.

Taylor was only eleven-years-old, and May, four. Their parents had abandoned them on the streets alongside the bustling markets in London since little May was born. Since then, they had to make do with cardboard houses in the narrow alley behind the market. Taylor had been forcing himself to work ever since he was seven-years-old because when he was six, he was caught when trying to steal some food from a storeowner, and handed over to an aristocrat who was passing by. Johnson, the aristocrat, then picked Taylor up and easily convinced him by offering him work with good pay and lodging if he followed him home. Without any hesitation, Taylor pulled May along and followed. Back at Johnson’s so-called home, Taylor and May were nabbed and caught. And that was how Taylor started working.

On that fateful day, Taylor cuddled his tattered pouch filled with twenty-four pence and went to show them to May. “Here May, I love you.” Taylor said while hugging her.

They could afford only a bottle of soda and eight tiny gumdrops. So quickly they went, to the nearest provision shop to get their treats before it was time for them to reach home. Their home was a dormitory next to the shop house, shared by a hundred of other kids who were being brought into this ‘industry’ by Johnson and his men. Every day only two meals were provided, a piece of bread and water for breakfast, and a measly bowl of potato rice porridge for dinner.

After their breakfast, Taylor and his sister started on their daily chores. That day was their turn, together with three other children’s to clean the dormitory. Amongst the three children, Taylor made a new friend, Drake, who was the same age as him. The appearance of Drake changed his life from that day on.

“Hey you there, what’s your name?” Drake asked.

Taylor replied, “I’m Taylor and this is my sister, May.” “You?”

“Drake. Let’s meet for a chat at the rooftop tonight, see ya.” Drake said swiftly and left to do his work.

When it reached 8pm that night, all the children automatically went to bed. Seeing that the other eight children sharing the room with them were already fast asleep, Taylor and May sneaked out to the rooftop to meet Drake. Drake spotted two shadows, one towering over the other, appearing from the stairs, and knew that they had come to meet him.

Drake then greeted, “Hey. Was expecting you. Where do you live?”

“No where, here. Got abandoned since May was born.” Taylor answered.

Looking at Taylor pitifully, Drake then revealed his plan to him. “I’ve been here since I was six, initially doing machinery but switched here since I injured my arm.” After showing Taylor his dislocated left arm, Drake continued. “Was caught while on the streets trying to look for food for my family. I hate it here, thought we would have good lodging and pay. That rogue Johnson lied. I’m planning to escape”

Drake’s plan was to leave in the middle of the night the next day, which was a Saturday, when Johnson’s men would be off duty until 5am in the morning.

“Take this and read it and you’ll know why I’m determined to escape. Take care of it though, bought it with all the earnings I saved up through the years.” Just then, Drake shoved a book title “Oliver Twist”, into Taylor’s hands.

Wanting to escape from this poverty cycle and child labour just like Drake, Taylor was inspired to break free to find a decent family to live with. He nodded in agreement with Drake’s plan and decided to flee with him the next day.

Everything was as usual the next morning: Taylor bringing newspapers to sell followed by receiving money from his boss. This time, Taylor and May saved aside a few gumdrops they bought from the provision shop for Drake.

On the way to the lavatory to get pails and mops to clean the shop house, Taylor bumped into Drake and quickly stuffed the leftover gumdrops into his pocket. At that point in time, Drake knew that Taylor was sincere in joining him in the escape plan and thus gave him a quick wink before continuing with his work.

Then, Taylor brought May and crossed over to the shop house to start cleaning the place. May aided her brother by picking up rubbish from the floor while he swept and mopped it from the third level to the first. After that, Taylor went to wash all the lavatories. Cleaning the house had taken up the entire day and before they knew it, it was already evening. The children went back to the dormitory for dinner and have a quick shower before heading for bed.

Taylor was lying next to May, who was fast asleep, patiently waiting for the clock to strike twelve. His imagination was running wild, thinking of the possibilities of what might happen if they did not succeed in escaping. A heavy punishment to be imposed on him? A harder life for May? Taylor looked at his little sister with remorseful eyes and made it a point that no matter what they had to leave that place. Just as the clock struck twelve, May jerked awake, probably knowing that it was time. Taylor quickly put on May’s cloak for her and led her out to the back gate to meet Drake.

Drake was already waiting for them. Seeing Drake, Taylor and May quickened their pace and off the three of them went. Drake thought that nothing would get in their way, as they would definitely make it in time to escape as Johnson’s men were off duty.

As they climbed out of the gate, the three of them did not know that some of the older boys were playing poker behind the guards’ shed. Initially, the boys did not suspect anything, until one of them shouted, “They are escaping!” The children then realized that Johnson had the older boys to substitute his men instead. They had no choice but to rush straight to the subway.

Not wanting themselves to be punished by Johnson, the older boys chased after them. Taylor, May and Drake just continued running as fast as they could even until they had reached the subway, and dashed past the passengers. The four boys were closely behind them.

That scene caught many people’s attention, and that included one of Johnson’s men who were at the side waiting for his co-workers to come back from the washroom so that they could board the train.

That man recognized the boys who were running, so he grabbed hold of one of them and asked what was happening. While the boy was explaining that three children have escaped, Johnson and his other men came along and heard what happened and immediately they gave chase.

Soon, the steam engine started and the train was about to leave. Knowing that they had came to the crux of the situation, the children quickly grabbed onto the side railings of the train. Drake was still running, while the two other children were eagerly and tensely waiting for him to get on.

“Drake! Hurry!” Taylor yelled after him.

Drake, with all his might, ran quicker and his fingers managed to touch the last cabin’s railing. But just as he was about to grasp it, a gunshot sounded. That day, that moment, that sight, would be engraved onto Taylor’s mind forever. It was a shot at Drake by Johnson himself. Drake lost grip and collapsed onto the ground.

Not wanting to leave his dear friend in a lurch, Taylor quickly pulled May and hopped off the train without hesitation. When Drake saw that Taylor and May were coming for him, and that Johnson’s men were behind, he used his last breath and shouted, “Just go! I’ll be fine!”

Leaving Drake with a wretched heart, they rolled down a short hill and continued running.

-

So there Taylor was, recalling how everything led to where they were. They were lost and running, trying to find a way out of the wilderness; they gambled to a direction and hoped it would lead to a town fast. After 2 long hours of walk, gallops from horses came by. Taylor’s face glistened while he stopped and stood in the middle of the road hoping for a carriage to stop. Indeed it was a carriage, a Wagonette.

The horseman was initially remarkably flared at Taylor and wanted to lecture him, but judging by his appearance, he knew he needed some help. He got off his Wagonette and asked if his boss allowed the two kids up. He agreed.

The man inside introduced himself as Watson, a businessman. He gave some bread to both of them and watched them gobble up. Watson could deduce that they were running. So he asked them “Who was chasing you? Where did you come from?”

Taylor stammered while trying to catch his breath, “My… My friend… This man Johnson shot him when we were escaping. Child labour…” Upon hearing Johnson’s name, Watson asked if they were living in London. Knowing that the answer was positive, he was furious that Johnson was using children in his business and that was illegal. As a businessman, Watson was an aristocrat and highly influential person in London. He then took them home to Oxford Street Mansion for a night.

The next day, Watson appeared at Johnson’s place with 2 inspectors with him. No doubt, Johnson got his just desserts for tricking children into child labour and for murder. He got sentenced to 15 years’ jail and lost the entire business. As for Taylor and May, Watson adopted them. The shop house and its business were taken over by him, and he turned the dormitory into an orphanage.

Module: Creative Story Making

Written By: Alicia Ho

A Children's Tale

One fine day, the Cookie Monster brought his big jar of cookies out to play at the playground.

They played together at the slides for a while, and then suddenly the Cookie Monster got thirsty. He decided to go and buy a packet of milk at the NTUC supermarket opposite the playground.

The Cookie Monster left his big jar of cookies on the bench next to the slides. “Goodbye Cookie Jar! I’ll be back!”

After a while, a little boy, Maxie, came along. Maxie saw a big jar sitting on the bench, so he was curious and decided to go and have a look at what was inside it.

The chocolate-chip cookies in the jar looked so nice, and so delicious! Maxie was tempted to eat them, but the cookies in the jar were not his.

However, the more he looked, the more he wanted to try. The more he looked, the more he wanted to eat!

In the end, Maxie decided to take one cookie, just one.

“One small cookie is okay, right? Okay, just one, I promise.”

Reaching out, he put his little right hand into the big cookie jar and pulled out one chocolate-chip cookie. Looking at the small cookie with gleaming eyes, Maxie popped it into his mouth.

“OM NOM NOM. OM NOM NOM.”

“Mm it’s yummy!”

The cookie was so delicious! There were so many chocolate chips filled inside it and it was so chewy!

Crunch crunch crunch.

Maxie was wishing for one more cookie; he wanted another one so much! And so he reached into the jar for a second cookie.

“Just another one. One more, I promise!” and he ate it.

After the second cookie, he continued reaching in for another cookie. And another. And another, and another, and another, and another…

While Maxie was reaching into the cookie jar for another cookie, he realized that there was not a single cookie left! He had finished the big jar of cookies. So feeling happy and full, he stood up and ran off to play at the playground.

Soon, The Cookie Monster came back with his milk, and what did he find?

An empty cookie jar!!!

The cookie monster was so sad to find all his cookies gone. He felt as if he lost his best friend. Sadly, he sat on the bench, hugging the empty cookie jar, and began to cry big, big tears.

Maxie, who had eaten all the cookies, was playing on the slide.

Suddenly, he had a stomachache! It was so painful then he hugged his stomach and squatted on the floor. L

Maxie was looking around until he saw the Cookie Monster, who was crying on the bench. He continued squatting and wondered what happened.

Just then, Maxie looked at the Cookie Monster’s empty cookie jar. He suddenly realized that the cookies that he ate just now were actually Cookie Monster’s! Maxie knew that his stomachache was probably a punishment for eating Cookie Monster’s cookies when he was not around.

So Maxie, hugging his stomach, started walking slowly towards the bench that the Cookie Monster was sitting on. He looked up at the Cookie Monster and started talking to him.

“Hello Cookie Monster….” Maxie said, embarrassed.

The Cookie Monster looked up at Maxie with teary eyes.

“Yes…?”

“I have something to tell you… I am very sorry for eating your cookies. They were so delicious and I could not help it. Please do not cry anymore. LLLLL”

The Cookie Monster looked at Maxie and realized that he was very sorry.

“Alright, I forgive you.” He said with a smile, drying his tears.

Maxie then felt his stomachache getting slightly better. He smiled, and the two of them shook hands. They became friends, and decided to meet each other at the playground to play everyday.

The next day, the Cookie Monster and Maxie met up in the afternoon, and guess what did Maxie bring along with him?

That’s right! Chocolate-chip Cookies!

The Cookie Monster was very surprised and at the same time, happy at the packet of cookies Maxie specially brought for him.

“I ate all your chocolate-chip cookies yesterday, Cookie Monster, so I brought you some today! J We’ll eat them together, okay?“

The Cookie Monster was very, very happy. He smiled at Maxie and together they sat down on the bench and enjoyed the chocolate-chip cookies together.

The end.

Module: Children's Story Making

Co-written together with Felicia, Zany and Angie

Water Vs. Fire

Ordinary World

Atlus, 23, was born in his hometown called, Sentinel. Sentinel was a town that had an abundant supply of fish. He was born on 17^th January 1517, a year when a special Dark Oracle Eclipse occurred. This eclipse occurs every 755 years and is when all planets are aligned, causing imaginary world, Dearth, to be blocked from the Sun by Mercury. There would be complete darkness on Dearth for approximately 10 minutes and if there were to be any childbirth, the child would be born with a special power, which at first is unknown to everyone. Atlus’ power was to be able to control the elements of water, but initially did not know how to use it.

Also on 17^th January 1517, Bringer was born in his hometown called Scrouge. Scrouge was a town that had an abundant supply of oil and was very rich. He was of the same age as Atlus and his power was to be able to control the elements of fire and being able to withstand any amount of heat.

Call to Adventure

Even though Atlus had a power, he did not know how to use it. 9 years after 1517, intruders came to attack Sentinel to take over its fishing port. Not knowing how to use his powers, Atlus watched helplessly as his town was attacked, leaving its villagers either wounded or dead. Fortunately, Atlus managed to escape and went to the City of Lorencia, a place where people train their powers and learn how to control them.

The intruders were ninjas and assassins from across the pirates’ ocean and were out to seize every hometown that would be profitable to them. Bringer’s hometown was no doubt, also being seized and taken over, so he fled to Lorencia too.

Meeting with the Mentor

In the City of Lorencia, there were 5 regions: North, South, East, West and Centre. A guardian was assigned to each of the regions to protect and keep it in order. The centre region acts as the headquarters and only King Lich, the master of many disciples, oversaw the centre region. In the City of Lorencia, Atlus and Bringer came together to train and became sworn brothers. Both of them were two of the rare few that were able to withstand King Lich’s tedious trainings and eventually became his disciples.

Crossing the first Threshold

On one fateful day of 1537, King Lich put Atlus and Bringer to a battle as part of their training. Even though it was just a normal training, it changed both the lives of Atlus and Bringer. Both their powers were put to the test, and Atlus won. King Lich was pleased with Atlus and Bringer became envious of him, thus yearning for more power so as to prove that he was in every way, better than Atlus.

Bringer decided to resort to evil ways to boost his powers. When Atlus knew that his brother wanted to leave Lorencia to the dark side, he was worried tried stopping him but ended up in a duel, leaving Bringer lying on ground, defeated. Bringer was not disheartened but instead set his mind on leaving and swore that after 5 years, he would come back for revenge.

Tests, Allies, Enemies

(How Bringer made a comeback and went back for Atlus)

Since that day on, Bringer and Atlus went separate ways. Bringer then met a guy called Bile who told him he could help him increase his powers tremendously. To explore greater heights of powers, Bringer was told to soak himself in a ‘Black Blood’ bath for 13 days and nights without any interruptions. Meanwhile, Atlus was also undergoing intense training with King Lich as he was getting old and needed to impart all his powers and skills to someone trustworthy. After 13 nights, Bringer managed to achieve his goal in boosting his powers. However, Bile warned him he was too in the same situation before, but evil took over him and he kept killing innocent people. The only way to stop was to decapitate his arms. But Bringer was confident that he could control his powers. So Bile continued to train and took care of him.

Approach to Inmost Cave

Bringer started secretly guarding the City of Lorencia by defeating hellhounds, ninjas and assassins. In the meantime, King Lich died and handed over the city to Atlus. Atlus had a strong instinct that Bringer might be back, because whenever he reaches the destination to fight off the enemies, he would end up just finding badly burnt corpses. Days passed but Atlus still could not find Bringer, so he decided to lure him out by deploying his own troops to act as the enemy.

Ordeal

Finally, on the 5^th year, when Bringer was supposed to get revenge, they met again. While Atlus wanted to reunite with Bringer, Bringer recalled his motive in defeating Atlus. Flames spewed out from Bringer’s surroundings and the forest became ashes. Atlus was quick-witted and wanted to use his water elements to shield himself away from the heat but instead could not catch up with Bringer. His water shield was rapidly evaporating and he ended up badly burnt and injured.

Atlus fled back into the City. Knowing that Bringer would came back for him, he activated the city’s defense set-up, which shields the city and prevents anything from entering by turning it temporarily invisible. He then locked himself up to heal and recuperate.

Reward

Just then, he remembered that before his master died, he left a book of self-defense techniques for him in case of any emergency. Knowing that he would be off no match to Bringer, he quickly went into training and practiced self-dense techniques for 21 days.

The Road Back

21 days have passed; Atlus emerged stronger than ever before, prepared to have the final fight with Bringer. The city’s self-defense set up system was deactivated. Then, it was but the City’s birthday, when a massive celebration was held. Everyone was enjoying himself or herself; the sound of laughter, the smell of liquor… and suddenly “BOOM!” a loud explosion was heard. Immediately, Atlus knew that Bringer had come. The citizens went straight back into hideout, knowing that a battle was about to start.

Resurrection

Atlus’ newly learnt defense techniques were a tremendous help and he was able to catch up with Bringer. But upon that… Bringer became more intense and started losing control. His eyes started turning blood red, and overpowered Atlus. Atlus risked and tried to injure Bringer. Bringer’s arm was slit. Black flames started appearing everywhere as he unleashed his ultimate power; anything he sees would be set to flames and could not be extinguished. Atlus could only avoid Bringer’s sight and try to shield himself from the flames. Using his quick-wits, he observed that blood was trickling down Bringer’s eyes and realized his powers were coming from there. So he started blurring Bringer’s view by producing mist. After Bringer cleared his vision and turned to wear Atlus was, Atlus had 2 tiny stones in hand. Bringer’s eyes were shot and he became blind.

Return with Elixir

Even though Bringer injured Atlus, Atlus still saved Bringer and brought him back alive. He also managed to protect Lorencia against the hellhounds, demons, ninjas and assassins.

Bringer was taken back to Lorencia to be treated and taken care of until he was completely healed. But nonetheless, the evil would always have no good ending, thus, Bringer became blind for life and was reduced to being an ordinary villager.

Atlus, with the help of the city’s people, managed to bring back the other hometowns that were being seized by the assassins and intruders at first. Knowing that Atlus had defeated Bringer, the enemies became afraid and decided to sign a peace treaty with him. The City of Lorencia had then become a safe place; hence, Atlus stepped down from his position to return to Sentinel, where he originally came from.

Module: Hero, Myths and Legends

Written By: Alicia Ho