TURNING CARBON INTO GOLD

The educational musical Turning Carbon into Gold contains seven main songs to be sung within the context of the musical.  In order to bring about more awareness with respect to such topics as global warming, climate change, emissions of greenhouse gases, and renewable energies, Magic Bubble Music would like to offer the musical in its basic form (i.e., script and vocal-guitar music to the songs) FREE OF CHARGE for a limited time (see Terms of Use below).  In addition, lessons to teach the songs will be available for download from the MBM Podcast page and iTunes.

Below are links to help navigate on this page:

• Introductory Comments

• The Story / The Mystery

• Within the Context of the Story - Towards a 2020 Green Vision

• Target Ages / Possible Uses

• Additional Materials / Suggested Activities

• Terms of Use (of free basic version)

• Character List

• Breakdown of Scenes

• Tracks of Musical Numbers (on Rehearsal / Performance Audio CD), View Extract of Script

• Request Form to receive link for downloading the full script and vocal-guitar scores for the songs

Introductory Comments

The educational musical “Turning Carbon into Gold” was written to bring about awareness of an extremely serious challenge we face today: global warming and the potential climate change associated with it.  In the musical I attempt to point out some of the reasons – i.e., excessive emissions of human-caused greenhouse gases, namely CO2 and methane gas,  – as well as some of the possible solutions – i.e., renewable energy sources as an alternative to fossil fuels, efficiency and conservation – in the context of, hopefully, an adventurous story taking place at the fictitious Sandwalk Island Earth Academy, a creative research and teaching institution on Sandwalk Island in the Pacific Ocean (Hawaii is its closest big “neighbor”).

The Story / The Mystery

Four of the students – Simon, Charlotte, Josephine and Matthew – come from London and they have shown a particular interest in the mysteries they have heard lie in Underground Secret Passages at Sandwalk Island.  Legend has it that there is gold hidden someone in the dozens of kilometers of tunnels and caverns.  But the students are less interested in the legend about a chest of gold bars than in discovering the many historical laboratories developed by some of the world’s best known scientitsts active in the second half of the 19^th century.  Why does this so fascinate these young scientists?  Of course they would like to know what sort of experiments great minds like Michael Faraday and James Clerk Maxwell were working on.  Naturally, they want to see what kind of science equipment was still in place after all these years.  But what is it that catches their interest so?  “Quite elementary,” as one great detective had said on many an occasion.  They are indeed drawn in by the fact that they are absolutely and without exception, not allowed to go down into the Underground Secret Passages of Sandwalk Island. But through a set of rather suspicious encounters with a certain Dr. Richard Ristercraft – who noone had actually heard of before -, the four students from London decide to risk (nearly) everything to “discover” the Underground Secret Passges on their own.  This leads to some unpredictable events and surprises in identity.

Within the Context of the Story - “Towards a 2020 Green Vision”

Talented students of science from around the world have been invited to Sandwalk Island to study global warming, climate change, renewable energy and energy efficiency with Dr. William Wannaknow and his team of scientists under the catch phrase “Towards a 2020 Green Vision.”  Forming the special “Darwin Group,” the students are involved in informative discussions with Dr. Wannaknow, Professor Carbonikki, Professor Grouchkopf, and Professor Curiosity.  They also hear about Dr. Richard Ristercraft’s research on the development of a volcanic algae which promises to supply a nearly endless supply of biofuel (due to its fast growth) and, at the same time, absorbs huge amounts of CO2.  A real double benefit for the environment! (Seems almost too good to be true.  Does that mean it probably is?).

Through the insights of the intellectual exchanges between the students and professors as well as the knowledge obtained from a variety of sources, the Darwin Group was given the task of writing proposals for the next Climate Change Conferences (i.e., Mexico in 2010, South Africa, 2011).   The proposals they are challenged to write should reflect the potential for developing and implementing the use of renewable energy (i.e., solar, wind, wave, hydro, etc.) – in favor of fossil fuels -, increasing the efficiency of the energy used (i.e., through conservation, insulation of buildings, smart grids, etc.), and decreasing the amount of greenhouse gases (i.e., CO2 and methane) emissions through sequestration (i.e., re-planting forests and preventing further deforestation), and burning less fossil fuel in favor of renewable sources, etc.  And the proposals should reflect the specific challenges in each of the students’ country of origin.

Most of elements concerning the above-mentioned topics are discussed in Act I, Scene 2 in a quasi seminar style approach.  Every effort has been made to maintain continuity of dialog so that the personalities of the characters (i.e., Dr. Wannaknow, Professor Curiosity, students, etc.) may bring the story forward with a sense of logic and humor.  It is hoped that this approach will inspire the actors and actresses to give their best both as students of science and as interpreters / performers on stage (and/or in the classroom).

Target Age / Possible Uses

An age range from 10 to 16 is seen as being the main target group, especially when it comes to understanding the concepts used.  Younger (and older) students may be interested in being part of the singing of the songs (the more the better).   The musical may be done in the context of a series of science lessons (dialog read out loud with songs sung) in the classroom, or perhaps a whole school project while highlighting the all or part of the following topics: global warming, climate change, renewable energy, fossil fuels, energy conservation, environmental science, greenhouse gas emissions, climate change conference, and so on. 

Additional Materials / Suggested Activities

After the script, you can find the vocal-guitar scores to the main songs.  On the Magic Bubble Music website, there are (or will be) additional materials which may be freely downloaded and printed off the site.  In addition, the teaching of the main songs by Daniel Laubacher should eventually be on iTunes as a podcast entitled The “What should I teach in Music Today?” Podcast.  This may be subscribed directly from iTunes or downloaded from the Podcast link.

Terms of Use

Should you decide to download the materials for the FREE BASIC VERSION (full script and vocal-guitar sheet music), you agree to...

·        not to charge admission (i.e., ticket sales, donations) to any performance of any part of this musical (i.e., songs, script) without the expressed permission of Daniel Joseph Laubacher, composer, writer and copyright owner

·        to use materials for your organization only and will not pass the materials on to any other individual or organization without the knowledge of Daniel Laubacher

·        that the materials are to be used in thei current state and that revisions / additions may occur in the future

·        to allow Daniel Laubacher to contact you for the purpose of collecting feedback about the educational musical.

Dr. William Wannaknow (m) –  Leads Darwin Group, scientist teacher at Sandwalk Island Earth Academy; Doubles as

Pirate Pete (in script as “Wannaknow Pete”, Act II, Scene 2)

Professor Burt Curiosity (m) – among other things, researches renewable energy; a kind and intelligent person, possesses a naivety, at times seems a bit confused.

Desmond Dippledoodle, (m) – doubles / disguised as

Dr. Richard D. Ristercraft (m) – visiting professor, arrogant, unpredictable, forgets names and places, leads people on for his own agenda; does not understand concepts in science

Director Patricia Peaderbody (f) – Director of the SWI Earth Academy

Professor Carbonikki (m or f) – specializes in greenhouse gas reduction; patient teacher who can communicate well

Professor Grouchkopf (m or f) – specializes in energy conservation, very grouchy mannerism, blunt, speaks “the hard truth”

Ms. Ruth Simpleton (f) – Personal Assistant of Director Peaderbody, friendly

Ms. Milly Tilly (f) – Ristercrafts’s “assistant”, smart, efficient, honest, a bit gullible

(Note: Roles doubled or disguised as other characters may be played by second actors to distribute the lines of the script)

Darwin Group (dress up as “Pirate Petes” in Act II, Scene 2):

Charlotte (f): flexible, perceptive, easy going

Matthew (m): imaginative, open to try new things, a tad naughty, often gets lost

Simon (m): A living dictionary, lots of common sense, logical

Josephine (f): Practical, clear in explanations, curious

Other students (from a variety of countries, m or f); any speaking roles will be marked with Student __________ on which line the student may put their name (real or made up) on the script.

Breakdown of Scenes

Turning Carbon into Gold is in two acts (a prologue and 9 scenes).  Below is a short description, along with the musical numbers intended for the full production (see the information about the Audio CD below):

ACT I

Prologue - In a Tunnel of the Underground Secret Passages - (Dippledoodle, Choir)
Instrumental: excerpt from Underground Secret Passages Music (seques to)
Song: I have found the Gold…

Scene 1 - Café Faraday in Sandwalk Island Village - Charming scenery with a touch of an old English seaside village. (Charlotte, Simon, Josephine, Matthew, Ms. Simpleton, Ristercraft, Ms. Tilly, extras as passerbyers in the village)
Instrumental:  excerpt from “Through the Wonders of Science” (to open scene)

Scene 2 – Lecture / Discussion on renewable energy, greenhouse gases, conservation - Seminar Room at Sandwalk Island Earth Academy (Darwin Group, Wannaknow, Curiosity, Carbonikki, Grouchkopf, Peaderbody, Ristercraft)
Song: “If we don’t play by her (Mother Nature’s) Rules”

Scene 3 - Director Peaderbody tells Wannaknow and Curiosity they will be going to Iceland (Wannaknow, Peaderbody, Curiosity, Ristercraft)

Scene 4 – Dr. Ristercraft presents his Alg-Oil research to Darwin Group - Seminar Room (Ristercraft, Darwin Group)
Song: “Turning Carbon into Gold”
Instrumental: excerpt from “Turning Carbon into Gold” (transitional music)

Scene 5 - Wannaknow and Curiosity, ready to depart, realize something is terribly wrong (Wannakow, Curiosity)
Song: “Why did I not see this coming”
Instrumental:  excerpt from “Why did I not see this coming” (closes Act I)

ACT II

Scene 1 - Café Faraday (Charlotte, Matthew, Josephine, Simon, Ristercraft, Tilly, Waiter or Waitress)
Instrumental:  excerpt from “Underground Secret Passages Music” (transition to scene 2)

Scene 2 - Laboratory in the Underground Secret Passages (Darwin Group, Ristercraft, Wannaknow)
Song:  “Through the Wonders of Science”
Instrumental / Song:  “Hide n Seek with Pirate Pete” / “Dippledoodle Day”

Scene 3 - Dippledoodle wtih the chest of gold floating on a boat in the Pacific Ocean (Dippledoodle, Choir)
Instrumental:  variation to “Dippledoodle Day”(opens scene 3)
Song / Instrumental-Narration:  “I will plan another Deed” /  excerpt from “Underground Secret Passages Music”

Scene 4 - Closing remarks, explanation of events, celebration – In the Maria Frances Edwards Banquet Hall (Entire ensemble except Ristercraft / Dippledoodle)
Song:  Finale - Medley

Tracks of Musical Numbers (included on the Audio CD):  The tracks below include all of the musical numbers:  Tracks 1 through 14 are the musical numbers which may be used for the rehearsals and / or performances.  Some of the tracks are played between scenes to allow for both closure and an opportunity to change the sets.  The remainder tracks - 15 to 22 - are vocal demos to help with the teaching of the songs in the musical.  If you are interested in purchasing the accompanying audio cd, it will soon be available at the Magic Bubble Music – Laubacher Edition eShop (mbm.le.eShop) for purchase. Below is a complete list of tracks on the audio CD with musical extracts (mp3) for the vocal selections.

REQUEST FORM TO DOWNLOAD FULL SCRIPT and VOCAL-GUITAR SHEET MUSIC

To receive the link for the free download of the basic version (full script, vocal-guitar chord sheet music of the songs) of the educational musical Turning Carbon into Gold, please carefully complete the form below.  Once completed you will be redirected to the download page.  An email will also be sent to you verifying the information you submitted.  (Note:  The information you submit will NOT be shared with any third parties)