Sample: The Pit

Everything in italics is descriptive/action, everything in quotations without a "speaker" is a song title that I'm working on. Please feel free to contact me with any recommendations or resources for more properly formatting a musical!

Cast
Main Characters
Calypso - Female Lead
Alexander - Male Lead

Calypso’s Mom - Penny
Alexander’s Dad - Chris

Theater Tech
Estella - Calypso’s “friend”
Tessie - Calypso’s “friend”
Bryan - Bryan’s Boyfriend

Pit Kids
Hazel - Mallet Percussion
Drew - Drumset
Troy - Synth
Mark - Saxophones
Adera and Max - Piano
Bryan - Guitar
Tiani - Strings

Band Director
Mrs. Violee Gray

Play Director
Mr. Hudson Bates

Play Leads
Annalise - Female Play lead
Mason - Male Play lead (Group of friends to be comprised of ensemble)

Other Theater Troupers
12 extras
Other Band Kids (Class)
6 Extras
Mason’s Friend Group
Kevin - Bryan’s boyfriend, theater tech
Lloyd - An up-and-coming Musical Writer
Maurice - Theater tech, in charge of lighting
Camden - Bass (In pt band, but his character is more defined by his friendship with Mason)

Act I, Scene I

{Outside of School, Calypso is carrying her bag waiting for the bus with her friends on one side of the stage, on the other, Hazel is waiting with her friends}
"The Pit"
{Piano twinkle}
Drew: The sun is shining on another beautiful day.
{Piano twinkle}
Tiani: It's warm, and the breeze is so soft.
Adera: The air even smells good!
{Piano tutti with speech}
Max: But…
Hazel: There's something foul stinking up our day, and she's right there.
{Tempo change}
All: Calypso

{Players are "playing" their parts, Calypso on flute, Mark on sax, etc.}

{Hazel's group exit, focus is drawn to Calypso and her friends}
Tessie: Hey Calypso, whatcha doin’ after school today?
Calypso: I’m practicing for pit band auditions. {Holds up her flute case}
Estella: {Rolls her eyes} of course, that’s what you're always doing. “I’m practicing for all-district auditions, I’m practicing for pit band auditions, I’m practicing to suck up to my band director.”
Calypso: you KNOW I’ve never said that, but I get what you’re saying. And I rebuttal by saying all you guys ever do is walk around downtown and flirt with seniors. You’re Sophomores, for lord’s sake.
Estella: {Giggles embarrassedly} Well it’s not my fault that Mason is a senior.
Tessie: You’re STILL stuck on him? Estella, he’s the best actor in the whole school. Rumor has it he has an acting scholarship to Juliard. So he’s roughly 96% out of your league.
Calypso: Though Estella has a point, shoot your shot while he’s still around. Who knows, he might actually like you.
Tessie: You’re too hopeful for your own good and mine.
Estella: And mine.
Calypso: Well, one of us has to be a little more than a die-hard pessimist.
{A group of kids, Hazel, Adera, and Drew, approaches}
Hazel: Hey guys, look; it’s Calypso. Whatcha doin’, scaring away all the boys? With that face I can’t blame them!
{Hazel, Adera, and Drew laughs}
Calypso: Me scaring off the boys? You’re the one screeching like a flying monkey. Oh wait, my apologies, you’re the wicked witch of the west. Why aren’t you sicking your flying monkeys on me, Hazel? Are they just too stupid to listen to you or do they know you’re their master?
Drew: You’re the one with a face like a monkey, So-So.
Tessie: Don’t you DARE call her So-So, Drew. If you taunt her, you’re taunting us too!
Adera: And why would that be a problem? We’re smarter, more talented, and more popular than you, not to mention our hair doesn’t look like a squirrel nested in it.
Estella: Well, our hair might be messy, but at least it’s natural. Your hair color is so fake it scares away the boys: It shows them how truly toxic you are, Adera.
Tessie: Yeah, the only boy that’d hang around you would’ve been eliminated by darwinism. Except for you, Drew. It seems like you’re the only moron who’s managed to survive so far.
Drew: I choose to take that as a compliment.
Tessie: As it was unintended. I want you to get mad, you idiot!
Hazel: Oh, and Drew’s the toxic one? What about you? Baiting someone into an argument just to blame it on them?
Tessie: You’re the one who started it, you radioactive waste-dump.
Hazel: {Getting in Tessie’s Face} What did you call me?
Tessie: {Getting up closer} I called you a radioactive waste-dump.
{Hazel slaps Tessie}
Hazel: You need to learn to respect your elders. I’m a senior, you freshman scum.
Calypso: Apparently you’re a senior citizen. With your apparent dementia, you’ve forgotten we’re sophomores.
Adera: You… asshat!

{Mrs. Gray enters}

Mrs. Gray: Hi Calypso, Adera, Drew. Is there a problem?
Calypso: Ye---
Hazel: No Mrs. Gray.
Mrs. Gray: I didn’t ask you, Hazel. Clearly you have a problem as you just smacked a fellow student in the face. Do I need to report this or will you take care of it?
Hazel: No, please, please don’t report it!
Mrs. Gray: Then I expect an apology out of you to Tessie.
Hazel: But she started it!
Mrs. Gray: I don’t----
Tessie: Actually, I did start it, Mrs. Gray, I got angry and wrongfully called her a mean name. I’m sorry, Hazel. I’m sorry, Mrs. Gray.
{Hazel looks horrified}
Mrs. Gray: See, Hazel, at least Tessie can admit her mistakes. Now you say that you forgive her and apologize.
{Reluctant Pause}
Mrs. Gray: NOW!
Hazel: {Deep breath} I forgive you, Tessie. {Through gritted teeth} I’m sorry for hitting you.
Tessie: It’s no big deal, I forgive you.
Mrs. Gray: Good, now I don’t want to see you around each other any time soon, and as I recall Calypso and her friends were here first.
{Hazel scoffs and leads her friends away}

Calypso: Thank you, Mrs. Gray.
Mrs. Gray: For what? I did what was right and what the law demanded of me.
Calypso: You stepped in on behalf of my friends.
Tessie: Yeah, you don’t even know us.
Estella: Yeah.
Mrs. Gray: I do know you. Even if you’re not in my band, you’re friends with one of my students. And it was also one of my band students who beamed your cheek. Either way, it’s my responsibility. No thanks. I apologize for my student’s rude behavior.
{Mrs. Gray leaves}
Estella: Your band director is so cool.
Calypso: Oh, and what was that you were saying earlier about me? “Oh Calypso, all you do is practice to suck up to your band director”
Estella: Sucking up to a cool teacher isn’t something to be ashamed of.
Calypso: Has anybody told you lately that you’re terrible at backpedaling?
Tessie: {Raising hand} I have.
Calypso: You don’t count. Oh, there’s my bus. I’ll see you guys later!
{Calypso leaves}

Estella: Is she gone?
Tessie: Yeah.
Estella: Thank God. Dealing with her is just exhausting.
Tessie: How dare you say that!
Estella: Oh don’t be so high and mighty, you tool.
Tessie: I’m not a tool, thank you very much. If you wanna talk about a tool, let’s talk about that trainwreck. {Points the way Calypso left}
Estella: True. Then again it doesn’t take much to be more of a trainwreck than her.
Tessie: She is such a disaster.
Estella: She dumped her boyfriend who loved her, she acts like she’s better than everyone.
Tessie: She floats around like she’s God himself.
Estella: Or herself.
Tessie: Whatever.
Estella: Remind me why we hang out with her?
Tessie: Because I like Daniel.
Estella: But they’re already broken up. Shouldn’t we get rid of her now?
Tessie: Makes sense, but what if they get back together?
Estella: Unlikely. He hates her just as much as we do.
{Both exit}

Act I, Scene II
{The next school day, in the band room, all band students are there talking amongst themselves, Calypso is standing by Mrs. Gray’s desk}
Calypso: Hi Mrs. Gray, how’s it goin’?
Mrs. Gray: Fine, just waiting for school to be over. I’m ready for pit band auditions to be over and done with.
Calypso: Me too. Have you heard anything about the acting audition results yet? I know the auditions were a few days ago.
Mrs. Gray: Yeah, the results were posted on the school website this morning. Mason got the male lead, no surprise there, and a freshman got the female lead. I was so surprised, but she can sing like I have never heard.
Calypso: Wow! It sounds like the musical this year will be really good.
Mrs. Gray: I think so too.
{Alexander, at this point a stranger, walks up to Mrs. Gray’s desk}

Alexander: {Stuttering shyly} Hi, um, Mrs. Gray?
Mrs. Gray: Yes, hi! Are you our new student?
Alexander: Y-Yes, Alexander Green.
Mrs. Gray: It is so nice to meet you. Your previous band director told me so much about you! Is it true you were first in the state at your old school?
Alexander: It’s not that big a deal, ma’am.
Mrs. Gray: Nonsense. Are you trying out for the pit band this afternoon?
Alexander: {Shyly and quietly} Yes ma’am
Mrs. Gray: {Loudly, warmly} Good! Very good! Now go sit in that chair in the center. You're first chair. You outrank all our other clarinetists.
Alexander: Are you sure? M-Maybe I should play a little for you first. I don’t… I don’t wanna c-cause trouble.
Mrs. Gray: Nope. I want you to sit in the first chair. In all honesty I don’t think any of the other clarinetists would care.
Alexander: Oh… Okay, I guess.
{Alexander exits}

Calypso: Who is that?
Mrs. Gray: Alexander Green. First chair clarinetist in the state of Rhode Island.
Calypso: Really? He’s so quiet. I’d think first chair would have a little more confidence.
Mrs. Gray: You’d be surprised. You handle the brutality of sitting first chair very well. A lot of people don’t. I never did.
Calypso: Hmm. Wait, doesn’t first chair flute and first chair clarinet sit together?
Mrs. Gray: Yep, I actually wanted to ask you if you’d be willing to show him how everything works here.
Calypso: Are you sure about that? People don’t tend to like me.
Mrs. Gray: Nonsense. A lot of people here like you.
Calypso: Name one student in this room who does.
{Mrs. Gray looks around; a pregnant silence}
Calypso: I thought so.
Mrs. Gray: That’s beside the point. You’re the best person to do the job, and quite frankly I think Alexander could relate to you more than anyone else. You’re the only other one who has qualified for all-district at all in this band.
Calypso: Errr… Okay, I’ll do my best.
{Calypso sits down in the left center seat}

Calypso: {Talking to herself} Okay, I need to not screw this up. Why is this so scary? It’s just a new kid; he’ll end up hating me just like everyone else anyways, so it shouldn’t matter.
{Alexander enters and sits in center right seat}

Calypso: Hi, you're Alexander, right?
{Alexander, looking down, nods his head}
Calypso: It’s nice to meet you. I’m Calypso. Mrs. Gray asked me to help you out around here. While you're getting acclimated.
Alexander: Thanks.

Calypso: So, where are you from?
Alexander:
Calypso: Where?
Alexander: Rhode Island.
Calypso: Oh! Whereabouts? My Aunt Gini lives in Newport.
Alexander: {A little more confidently} oh really? I lived half an hour outside of Newport.
Calypso: That is so cool!
{Awkward silence}
Calypso: Oh, class is starting. Do you have your warmup book yet?
Alexander: {Shyly shakes his head}
Calypso: Okay, I should probably get you a book.
Alexander: Oh no no no, I don’t want to interrupt class. Can I share your book?
Calypso: I only have a flute book. We use different music.
Alexander: I know, but I can transpose your music into clarinet music.
Calypso: Wait, really?
Alexander: Yeah, can’t everyone here transpose?
Calypso: No, I can barely transpose. I certainly can’t do it in my head.
Alexander: Oh, uh, well, can I use your book?
Calypso: Yeah, sure.
{Plays a few long tones}


Mrs. Gray: Okay, everyone practice our next piece.
{Quiet random playing, Calypso goes up to Mrs. Gray’s desk}
Calypso: Mrs. Gray, I need Alexander’s music for the pieces we’re playing in class.
Mrs. Gray: Oh thank you, it totally slipped my mind.
{Hands Calypso 5 papers from her desk}
Calypso: Thanks.
Mrs. Gray: No problem, and I was right, you’re doing a fine job with Alexander.
Calypso: I dunno, I got him to talk a little, but then he went straight back to being shy. Maybe he just doesn’t want to talk to me.
Mrs. Gray: Patience, Calypso. He's shy and you’ve known him for maybe half an hour! Take it easy, both on him and yourself.
Calypso: Okay.

{Calypso walks back to her seat}
Calypso: Here’s your music.
Alexander: {Nods shyly} Thanks.
{awkward silence, and then phone rings}

Mrs. Gray: Alexander, you’re needed in the front office.
Alexander:
Calypso: I’ll see you later.
{Alexander leaves without answering}
Calypso:
Mrs. Gray: Okay, let's get out our first piece.
Class: Yes ma'am {ruffling of papers, then everyone prepares to play}
"The New Boy"

Act I, Scene III
{Set in the auditorium}

{Mrs. Gray, Mr. Bates, Kevin and Maurice already sitting at a judging table, enters Hazel, Adera, Drew, Mark, Tiani, Bryan, Troy, Max, Camden, Lloyd, and Maurice}
Mrs. Gray: Hello everybody, welcome to pit -- where is Calypso and Alexander?
Adera: Who is Alexander?
Mrs. Gray: Our new clarinetist. Where are they?
{Calypso and Alexander run in from opposite sides of the stage, both looking disheveled and panting}
Alexander and Calypso: I'm so sorry I'm late.
Mrs. Gray: It's fine, just put your instruments together and get ready.

Calypso: Why are you late?
Alexander: I’m so sorry
Calypso: No, I’m not mad, it’s just if you got lost or something, maybe I should show you around.
Alexander: No, no, I’m fine. {Looks away}
Calypso:

{After a small awkward silence, instruments are assembled, and the Judges call for the auditioners by instrument}
Mrs. Gray: Keyboarders please.
{Adera and Max}
Mrs. Gray: Adera and Max, since there are two keyboard parts, you’ll both be playing. Auditions are purely for part assignment.
Adera and Max: Yes ma’am
Mrs. Gray: Adera, you go first.
{Piano solo plays}

Hazel: {to Drew} Look, Calypso showed up.
Drew: I can’t believe the nerve of that girl.
Tiani: Ugh yeah. But I guess music is the only thing she doesn’t suck at, so she has to be a showoff about it.
Hazel: Ha, you said it, Tiani.
Bryan: Can you guys be quiet, I’m trying to hear?
{Drew scoffs at Bryan but reluctantly quiets down as Max goes up to the piano}
Mrs. Gray: Good job, Adera. Your turn, Max.
{Max starts playing}

Adera: {To Bryan} Hey, why were you talking during my audition? That was so rude.
Bryan: {Pointing to Hazel and Drew} They were the ones who were talking, not me. I wanted them to quiet down.
Adera: Oh, now you’re talking again and interrupting Max’s audition. You have NO class, Bryan.
{Bryan looks down and away}
Hazel: Now the coward won’t even explain himself! Ha.

{Max’s audition ends}

Mrs. Gray: Excellent, Max. Percussion?
{Hazel, Drew, Troy, and two extras step forward}
Mrs. Gray: Okay, who wants to do what?
Hazel: I want to do mallets.
Troy: Synth.
Drew: I wanna play drumset.
Lloyd: Me too.
Maurice: Me too.

Mrs. Gray: Okay, Hazel, you’ve got Mallets, and Troy, you’ve got synth. Go ahead and sit down; you don’t need to worry about an audition.
{Hazel smirks at Troy, who ignores her}
Mrs. Gray: Okay, first {points at Lloyd}, second, {points at Maurice}, and third {points at Drew}
Mr. Bates: Wait a minute, Maurice, aren’t you on lights?
Maurice: Yeah, so?
Mr. Bates: You can’t be on lights and in pit at the same time.
Maurice: Why not? I took a look at the music and I can coordinate the lights team to handle the lights when I’d have to play.
Mr. Bates: No, sir! Pick one.
Mrs. Gray: Hudson, you might wanna give him a shot. I’ve had this music locked down pretty tight. If he managed to get to it, especially while he’s not taking my class this semester, he’s really gotta want it.
Lloyd: At least let him audition for it. Worst case he gets the role and I’ll take over lights if he can’t do it.
Mr. Bates: But this is your musical, Lloyd. You’re already helping with choreography. You shouldn’t be auditioning for set either.
Lloyd: Just because I’m doing choreo doesn’t mean I can’t spend a few rehearsals with the lights team and learn what lights to run. I sure won’t be doing anything during performances. Same goes for playing set.
Mr. Bates: You should be watching!
Lloyd: And I can watch just fine from the light deck or the pit.
{Mr. Bates sighs}
Mrs. Gray: You ain’t gonna win this one, Bates.
Mr. Bates: Okay, fine, but don’t come crying to me when this gets too confusing to handle.

{Lloyd’s drum solo}
Hazel: Hey Max, they’re saving the best for last. I know Drew’s gonna make it. Everyone else sucks.
{Max and Adera snicker}
Bryan: Would you PLEASE stop? No one cares about what petty things you have to say.
Hazel: Oh, so you’re saying that we’re being petty after you wouldn’t answer me? What a hypocrite.
Bryan:
Max: Hey! Answer her! You’re being rude to a girl. You’re digging your own grave!
{Bryan ignores them}
{Hazel scoffs}
{Drum solo ends and drummers switch}
Mrs. Gray: Okay, Maurice, take me away!
Hazel: Wait, Mrs. Gray! Bryan keeps talking during auditions and it's rude. I want to hear everything.
Mrs. Gray: Mr. Bates and I remind all our auditioners to be quiet and respectful.
Mr. Bates: Yes. Please refrain from conversation. Now Maurice, play on.

{Maurice’s solo starts}

Hazel: Mrs. Gray is the worst.
Adera: Yeah, anyone with the name Violee would be a lost cause.

Calypso: {Through gritted teeth} I am getting so sick of these idiots.
Hazel: What did you say?
Calypso: Nothing!
Hazel: I thought so…
{everybody watches through to the end of the solo}

Mrs. Gray: Good, Drew.
{Drew smiles cockily to the judges before starting and plays an absolute showoff solo}
Adera: Those losers don’t stand a chance.
{Calypso rolls her eyes}

{Solo ends}
Mrs. Gray: Good. I think that’s it for percussion. How about flute and clarinet?
{Calypso approaches, Alexander rummages for a paper in his disorganized folder.}
Calypso: There’s only two of us. Why are you auditioning us?
Mrs. Gray: {Plain volume} I want to see what you can do. I haven’t heard you play a solo in forever.
Calypso: {Whispering frantically} Uhh that didn’t really tell me what I was looking for…
Mrs. Gray: I know, just get up there.
{Calypso nods her head and stands front and center}
Mrs. Gray: Okay Calypso, go!
{Calypso plays an excerpt from The Young Prince and the Young Princess}
Hazel: Ugh, what a trashy showoff.
Adera: You said it.
{Alexander shifts uncomfortably away from the girls}
{Mason and Annalise enter from the same side of the stage and sit quietly beside the judges, solo ends}
Mrs. Gray: Good, and now Alexander.
Calypso: {passing by} Hi Mason, Kevin. Hi --- what’s your name?
Annalise: Annalise, I’m the female lead, and I’m sure you already know Mason is the male lead.
Calypso: Of course. Lovely to meet you!
Annalise: Nice to meet you too.
{Calypso sits back down}
Mrs. Gray: Okay, Alexander, what’cha got for us?
Alexander: I… I didn’t really prepare anything.
Mrs. Gray: What’s that you’re holding?
Alexander: {looks at paper} oh this? It’s just something I played in my old orchestra.
Mrs. Gray: That’ll do just fine.
Alexander: Oh, okay.

{Alexander plays the clarinet solo from Rhapsody in Blue, everyone’s jaw is hung open}
Hazel: Oh. My. God. He HAS to hang out with us.
Adera: You read my mind, you genius.
Bryan: Oh come on, can’t you leave the poor guy alone?
Adera: What, you think he’d prefer to hang out with you? Ugh.
Calypso: I can’t stand this anymore. You guys leave him alone. Bryan is the only one of you with any sense of morality.
Adera: No one asked you.
Calypso: Well, no one asked for your opinion about all the other auditioners either, but you still shared them.
Adera: This is a free country.
Calypso: It is for me, too. Now leave him alone.
Adera: Fine. {To her friends} You guys are done, right? We’re just waiting for Tiani.

Mrs. Gray: Strings, come on up and audition.
{Alexander picks up his stuff and moves to sit alone. Tiani goes up to audition}

Calypso: I’m sorry about them, Bryan.
Bryan: It’s fine, I just want to listen to the auditions.
Calypso: Me too.

{Solo starts, Hazel gets up and goes over to Alexander}

Hazel: {Playing with her hair} Hey, Alexander, right? Your solo was really impressive. I was wondering if you’d like to hang out with my friends or something.
Alexander: {Shyly looks away}
Hazel: Hey, I’m talking to you. Is there something wrong with you or something?
{Alexander doesn’t respond}
Hazel: I said I’m talking to you!
Alexander: {Calmly but obviously irritated} I didn’t ask you to.
Hazel: {Normal volume} What did you say to me?!
Mrs. Gray: Hazel, get back in your seat!
Hazel: {Whispers to Alexander} You’re a brat. You’ll never have any friends here. I’ll be sure of that.
Alexander: I already have a friend here.
Hazel: {To her friends} I can’t believe him. He’s almost as bad as Calypso.
Adera: Yeah, the nerve of him. He doesn’t deserve to hang around us.
{Solo ends}

Mrs. Gray: Good job. Guitars.
{Bryan and Camden go up}
Bryan: Camden’s on bass and I’m on regular.
{Camden nods}
Mrs. Gray: As was expected. Go ahead, Camden.
{Maurice cheers for Camden}
{Hazel and her troupe leave, Hazel sticking her tongue out at Bryan before exiting, Calypso also leaves, giving Bryan a thumbs up before leaving.}

Bass guitar segways into scene change.