Knock on Wood

Knock on Wood

The story and music of Stax records

1

Pre show music CDs of Stax 50th Anniversary

Tues (12 grades) Wed (12 grades)

PH PJ PK PO PS PT

1C 1F 1J 1L 1/2M

2A 2K 2L

3J 3K 3M

4M 4/5Z 4T

5J 5S

6J 6R

StaxStaxSoulsville Soulsville

USAUSA

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MontereyMontereyPopPop

FestivalFestival

WattstaxWattstaxLos Los

AngelesAngeles

19721972Academy Academy

AwardsAwards

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones1 Handheld2 Handheld3 Headset4 Headset5 Headset6 Headset

Justin Brendan

GerardAndy

Jack Chris

Jim Stewart (Young) T Jackson E W Bryn Estelle Axton T Zakiya W Lydia

Jim Stewart (Old) T Andre W Sonny The Staple Singers (I’ll take you there)

T Amy (Stella - Maile - Emily M) W Julia (Ines – Zali – Indi)

The Who: T Spencer, Sam, Will Smith, Alex K, Niamh

W Joel Nic Harry Oscar Buzz

The Staple Singers (If you’re ready)

T Indigo (Diamond China Matilda) W Oscar (Emma Sophie Nicola)

Candy man

T 1 Jarred 2 Xanthia

W 1 Maddy 2 Gabriel

The Staple Singers (Respect yourself)

T Myra (Grace, India Macleod, India McClure)

W Tenee (Imara, Zoe, Isabelle)

Booker T T Quincy W Cal Linda Lyndell T Casey (Gemma/ India Macleod)

W Greta (Steph / Tara)

Isaac Hayes T & W Tom Gloria Gaynor T Stella W Georgie

David Porter T & W Jonathan Lo Amii Stewart T Eliza (Ella Stella) W Alex (Billie Tiana)

Jesse Jackson T Yves W Finn Jean Knight T Izzy (Stella / India McClure)

W Bonnie (Anna / Jessica)

Jimi Hendrix T Josh (Alice & Niamh) (Izzy & Casey) Diana Ross T Vanessa (Izzy / Casey)

W Annabel (Victoria / Jayne)

W Thomas (Jason & Jamie) Aretha Frankin T Maile (Dene / Chiara)

W Anna (Sofia / Indigo)

Al Bell T Riley W Daniel

Otis Redding T Sam W Jackson Starting all over again (T Remi / Lilly) (W Jessica C / Caitlin)

Memphis horns

T 1 Timothy 2 Angus 3 Charlie

W 1 Oliver 2 Nelson 3 Ethan

Angie Dickinson T Ingrid W CJ

Joan Blondell T Ana W Tully

Don Davis T Jack W Alex Newsreader T Naomi (6J) W Safire (6R)

Rufus Thomas T James W Rami Carla Thomas T Ursula W Amelia

Mayor of Memphis T Lachlan W Jasper Anne Porter T Raphaella (2A) W Clancy (2L)

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Soundtrack1. Hold on I’m coming2. Last night3. Soul limbo4. You don’t know like I know5. Never can say goodbye6. Soul finger7. My generation8. Wild thing9. I’ll take you there10. (Sittin’ on the) Dock of the bay11. Starting all over again12. Green onions13. Respect yourself

1. Soul man2. Mr Big stuff3. Baby love4. Theme from Shaft5. Respect6. Son of shaft7. Time is tight8. If you’re ready (come go with me)9. Do the funky chicken10. What a man11. Lift every voice and sing12. Knock on wood

1. Hold on (I’m coming)2. Last night3. Soul limbo4. You don’t know like I know5. Baby love6. Never can say goodbye7. Soul finger8. My generation9. I’ll take you there10. (Sitting on the ) Dock of the bay11. Starting all over again

12. Green onions

13. Respect yourself

14. Soul man

15. Theme from Shaft

16. Respect

17. Son of shaft

18. Time is tight

19. If you’re ready (come go with me)

20. Do the funky chicken

21. What a man

22. Mr Big stuff

23. Knock on wood (Original)

24. Knock on wood (Disco)

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Announcer:Welcome to tonight’s performance of “Knock on Wood”. May I take this opportunity to remind you to turn off mobile phones and to refrain from using cameras during the performance.

Microphones1 Announcer23456

Props:

Cast:Isaac HayesDavid Porter

Item:Hold on (I’m coming)

Blocking:Curtain is raised after the announcement

Isaac enters from OPDavid enters from P

Both run back to band during ending and collapse to finish.

Tom Jonathan

5

Lights: Follow spots x 2

Candy Candy barbar

Grade 2 waiting P

Microphones1 Isaac2 David3456

Shared lines (and yeahs) in bridge. Isaac Hayes first, David Porter second.

Old Jim Stewart: It all started in Memphis Tennessee back in 1957.

Anne Porter: What started?

Old Jim Stewart: Stax records.

Anne Porter: What’s Stax Records?

Old Jim Stewart: I’ll show you. This photo album is like a who’s who of soul music.

Anne Porter: Who?

Old Jim Stewart: Everyone.

Anne Porter: I don’t know anything about Stax records.

Old Jim Stewart: Stax is the company I made with my sister, your grandma Estelle. Stax is from our names: S T from Jim Stewart and A X from Estelle Axton. Anyway we started in an old movie theatre back in 1957…

Props:Stax photo albumCouch

Cast:Old Jim StewartAnne Porter

Item:Intro

Blocking:Young Jim and Estelle enter immediately from OP as the couch is rolled off stage.

2 Grade 4 children move the couch in black costumes

6

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones12 3 Old Jim Stewart4 Anne Porter56

Grade 2 waiting P

OJS AP

Couch moversTAvaOliver R

WHenryTom

Estelle Axton: I love this old theatre. It’s so…..

Jim Stewart: Old?

Estelle Axton: Right. Everything is just perfect.

Jim Stewart: Yes, I can see it now. (pause looking into the audience) What if we rip out all of the seats?

Estelle Axton: What!

Jim Stewart: Well we don’t need them but we do need the space.

Estelle Axton: What about the floor? It’s all uneven.

Jim Stewart: That’s alright. It will help the sound not to bounce around too much. We’ll have special acoustic properties unlike any other recording studio.

Estelle Axton: Knowing you Jim, it’s because it’s cheaper not to level the floor.

Jim Stewart: That too. Trust me on this one. We can always level it later.

Estelle Axton: It makes me nervous when you say “trust me on this one”.

Booker T: (entering from Prompt) I hope I’m not interrupting anything.

Estelle Axton: May I help you?

Jim Stewart: I’m sorry. This is our new musical director Booker T Jones.

Booker T: Pleased to meet you maam.

Estelle Axton: (quietly) I thought you might have run this by me Jim.

Jim Stewart: Trust me on this one. This guy is amazing.

Booker T: Well I’d best get to work. (Memphis horns knock on the door) I’m auditioning Brass players for the house band. That must be them now. (Horns enter from OP as Jim and Estelle exit OP nearly colliding)

Estelle Axton: Don’t mind me I’m just the owner.

Jim Stewart: Co-owner.Props:

Cast:Estelle AxtonJim StewartBooker TMemphis horns x 3

Item:Movie theatre

Blocking:Jim walks around excited. Estelle is stationary like the rock of reason.

JS EA

7

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones12 3 Booker T45 Jim Stewart6 Estelle Axton

BT

Booker T: OK gentlemen, let’s try a simple blues.

Horn 1: What key are we in?

Booker T: Let’s try it in G.

Horn 2: So what you really mean is that the horns should play it in the key of A major because we’re Bb transposing instruments?

Booker T: Just play and leave the talking to me.

(Booker T hums and plays through “Last night”)

Booker T: Now to get this gig you’ve got to be able to dance.

(dance is shown and song is performed whilst Booker T plays with the house band)

Horn 3: Why would we have to dance if nobody sees us?

Booker T: I was just messing with you.

Horn 1: So did we get the job?

Booker T: Welcome aboard. We pay by the song around here rather than the hour so it’s up to you to know your parts.

Horn 3: That’s fine.

(Jim and Estelle enter from OP)

Estelle Axton: Are you guys still here? We don’t pay by the hour you know.

Horns: We know.

Jim Stewart: Ignore her. I do.

(Estelle hits Jim with her handbag)

Booker T: OK. We’ll see you all tomorrow. (all musicians exit OP)Props:Handbag

Cast:Booker TMemphis horns x 3T Timothy Angus CharlieW Oliver Nelson EthanJim StewartEstelle Axton

Item:Last night

Blocking:

8

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones1 Memphis horns2 Memphis horns3 Booker T45 Jim Stewart6 Estelle Axton

Props:Handbag

Cast:Estelle AxtonJim Stewart

Item:

Estelle Axton: I’ve got some plans of my own you know.

Jim Stewart: Like what?

Estelle Axton: Like, what if we take out this Candy bar and replace it with a record store?

Jim Stewart: A record store?

Estelle Axton: Why not? We make records don’t we?

Jim Stewart: We sure do. I’m just surprised to hear you say it.

Estelle Axton: Why?

Jim Stewart: Because it’s so logical.

(Estelle hits Jim with her handbag)

Blocking:

9

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones123 45 Jim Stewart6 Estelle Axton

JS EA

Props:Potato chips

Cast:Estelle AxtonJim StewartCandy staff x 2T 1 Jarred 2 XanthiaW 1 Gab 2 Madie

Item:Candy bar transition

Blocking:Curtain is lowered as Jim steps backwards. Estelle waits while the one-liners enter from P.

Estelle Axton: Of course, some staff will have to go.

Jim Stewart: How are we going to do it? I’ve never fired anyone before.

Estelle Axton: It’s easy. You just say “You’re fired”.

Jim Stewart: If it’s so easy. I’ll let you do it then.

Estelle Axton: You’re the one who thinks you’re the big boss around here.

Jim Stewart: Fine, I’ll do it.

(Jim rings on bell and the Candy bar staff come out)

Candy staff 1: Hello Mr Stewart. What can I get you?

Jim Stewart: One packet of potato chips please.

Candy staff 2: Here you go.

Jim Stewart: Thank you.

(Jim walks back over to Estelle with his chips)

Estelle Axton: How’d it go?

(Jim has his mouth full of chips)

Estelle Axton: You didn’t say anything did you?

(Jim shakes his head still crunching on the chips)

Estelle Axton: Well I suppose we’ll still be needing staff for the record store.

10

Candy Candy barbar

Microphones123 Candy 14 Candy 25 Jim Stewart6 Estelle Axton

JS EA

Old Jim Stewart: The funny thing was that I startedthat company to record country music.

Anne Porter: I thought you said that Stax was thewho’s who of soul music.

Old Jim Stewart: It became a soul label becausethat’s what the people wanted to hear.

Grade 2 boy: The beat don’t match my feet.

Staff 1: The beat doesn’t match my feet.

Grade 2 boy: Me neither.

Staff 2: Well why don’t you and your feet have alisten to this.

Props:Xylophones x 3Sign changes from “Candy bar” to “Stax”

Cast:Old Jim StewartAnne PorterCandy staff x 2T 1 Jarred 2W 1 Gab 2 MadieT Yuot (2A)W Jesse Creighton (2L)Estelle Axton(holding microphone during solos)

Item:Soul Limbo

Blocking:Main curtain is lowered after song.

Xylophone soloT Soara LeitchT CamillaT Philippa

W Elsa FoleyW DanaW Patrick

1. Lucinda 4M / Livi 4T Estelle Axton had turned the theatre’s concession stand into the Satellite record shop, welcoming anyone who wanted to buy something or just listen. Her store soon became the neighbourhood hang-out.

2. Tui 4M / Dylan 4T During the summertime she would put a little speaker thing out there on the door so we could hear it and we would dance out on the sidewalk.

3. Lu 4M / Jasmine 4T Before that I had to drive 20 minutes out to Sears to look at records and all the records out there were only country music.

4. Ben 4M / Bela 4T Mrs Axton had her pulse on the creativity. She knew what the dance beats were, she knew what sounds were popular back then.

5. Amy 4/5Z / Courtney 4T She wasn’t involved in the production in terms of being in the studio, but all of her influence went on in the record shop. “Hey you guys need to listen to this. This is the hot new beat, this is the kind of song we’re going for”.

Estelle: That’s how you learned in the music business. You talked to the person that’s buying the product and that’s how you knew what to make.

11

Conga lineT Eva 2AT Annabelle Flett 2KT Ravenna Pellizzari 2K

W Grace HW JackW Tuesday L

X1


USAUSA

X2 X3

Microphones1 Storytellers23 Candy 14 Candy 25 Grade 2 boy6

OJS AP

PercussionT W1 Laura Mia 2 Bud Danielle3 Anya Lloyd4 Elliot Alejandro5 Flynn Amy6 Ethan Jesse7 Leon Arian8 Liam Shivam9 Zac Pollyanna10 Zali Lucy11 ---- Toby

Props:Keyboard

Cast:Carla ThomasRufus ThomasIsaac HayesDavid Porter

Item:You don’t know like I know

Blocking:The song commences as the others take their seats.Tom sings to the others

David Porter: You don’t know like I know

Isaac Hayes: What that woman has done for me

David Porter: In the morning she’s my water

Isaac Hayes: In the evening she’s my cup of tea

David Porter: What?

Isaac Hayes: Can you think of something better?

David Porter: No.

Rufus Thomas: We’ve come to check it out down here.

Isaac Hayes: Well Rufus, make yourself at home (both sit).

David Porter: Is that your lovely daughter there?

Rufus Thomas: This is Carla. She’d like to be a singer just like her daddy.

Isaac Hayes: Is that true little lady?

Carla Thomas: Yes sir Mr Hayes.

Isaac Hayes: Oh please, call me Isaac.

Rufus Thomas: So what can you do for her?

David Porter: It depends if she wants to perform. You and Isaac are born performers but some people like me are happy just to make the music and keep a low profile.

Isaac Hayes: Why don’t you sit back and have a listen to our latest song and see if you’d like to be like David here or me.

IH

CT

RT

6. Mille 4/5Z / Adam 5S Isaac Hayes and David Porter were one of the greatest song writing teams in music history.

7. Matilda 4T / Ruby 4T They were just two local kids from the neighbourhood who started their careers at Stax.

8. Diamond 4T / Shwshanni 6J They were with Stax records since the early days in what was a very colourful neighbourhood, much like this one.

9. China 4T / Nicola 4M Some Stax artists were family members who worked together to record music in the studio.

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Microphone is shared with DO, CT and RT during outro


USAUSA

Microphones1 Lead vocal2 Storytellers3 Isaac4 David5 Rufus6 Carla

Entire cast starts moving towards wings.

OP 2,4,6

P P,1,3,5

Props:Mirror ball

Cast:

Isaac Hayes

David PorterCarla ThomasRufus Thomas

T Stella

W Georgie

Item:Never can say goodbye

Blocking:

Carla tries to join in

Carla Thomas: I’d like to be like you Isaac.

Rufus Thomas: Glad to hear it.

Isaac Hayes: Good for you Carla but remember, it’s not about the spotlight but the royalties.

Carla Thomas: Royalties?

David Porter: Money. When you write a song you get paid even when someone else performs it.

Isaac Hayes: We’ve written another new song that Gloria Gaynor wants to record.

Carla Thomas: I could do it.

David Porter: We’ll write another hit for you Carla.

Isaac Hayes: We’ve already promised this one to Gloria. It’s going to light up the dance floor.

Gloria

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USAUSA

Microphones12 Lead vocal3 Isaac4 David5 Rufus6 Carla

Props:

Cast:Whole cast

Item:Soul finger

Blocking:Grade 2,4 & 6 enter from OP.

Grades P,1,3 & 5 enter from P

Radio announcement: Thanks for listening to Soul train right here with the latest hit from Stax records “Soul finger”.

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Dance leaders

TuesdayLucinda KTui LHilary RCharlie H

WednesdayGretaAnnaAnnabelBonnie StaxStax

Soulsville Soulsville USAUSA

Microphones1 Announcer2 3456

10. Allie 5J / Arif 4M Now if you can imagine, nobody had ever heard R & B music before. White kids had never heard it. You can imagine what that did to us. It was like going to another planet, a really good planet.

11. Timothy 4/5Z / Oscar 5S When I came to Memphis everything was segregated. There was not one thing integrated. Nothing. From the cradle to the grave was segregated. And I never really understood why the graveyards had to be segregated because dead people get along just fine, they don’t bother nobody.

12. Callum L 6R / Luke 6R Once we were traveling with the band and we stopped at a diner. There was a line for coloured people and one for white people. I thought, “If I go with my friends in the coloured line, I might get beaten up, but if I lined up with the white people it would be a long ride home in the van with my black band mates”. In the end I gave my friend $5 and said “Get me a cheeseburger and a milkshake, I’ll wait in the van”.

13. Remi 4/5Z / Mitchell 6J When we got to 1967 and went to Europe and saw the reaction, we knew that we were onto something. We knew that we were making a difference.

14. Emily 4/5Z / Mei 5S To be treated like stars by the bell hops or attendants at the hotels in London was new to us. We hadn’t felt that or experienced that before. Like Dr King said: “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I’m free at last”.

15. Ella 5J / Liliana 5S The Monterey Pop Festival was a real highlight for us as there were over 50,000 people there. As well as the Stax artists there were plenty of other big names such as Jimi Hendrix and The Who.

Props:

Item:

Blocking:

Curtain is drawn as one liners are said about Stax on tour.

Microphone is passed from OP to P

Cast:One liners15


FestivalFestival

Microphones1 Storytellers2 3456

Grades P, 1 and 2 return to holding room.

Grade 3 move the stage into place and then waits OP.

Announcer: And now from MemphisTennessee, let’s make them welcome, it’s “The Staple Singers”.

I’ll take you there

Props:Disposable instruments for The Who

Cast:Musicians from each band.

Item: Monterey Pop festival

Blocking:

16


FestivalFestival

Microphones1 Announcer2 Lead3 Back-up4 Back-up5 Back-up6

Announcer: Turning heads across the

Nation, it’s the wildest man on 6 strings,

Jimi Hendrix.

Wild Thing

Announcer: From across the

Atlantic, making history wherever

they go, it’s the voice of a new

generation. The Who.

My Generation

Announcer: For anyone else that would

be a hard act to follow, but not for our

next act. Please welcome the heart and

soul of the Stax record label, Mr Otis

Redding.

Dock of the bay

Microphones1 Announcer2 Lead3456

Microphones1 Announcer / Back-up singer2 Lead3456

Microphones1 Announcer2 Jimi3 T Back-up4 T Back-up56

Old Jim Stewart: Otis Redding was loved all across America so losing him and his entire band was a tragedy felt around the whole country.

Anne Porter: Did they ever find him?

Old Jim Stewart: No I meant losing him in a plane crash.

Anne Porter: Oh.

Old Jim Stewart: The other problem at Stax was that the fine print of our distribution agreement with Atlantic said that we had signed away our rights to everything we’d released.

Anne Porter: What does that mean?

Old Jim Stewart: It means that suddenly we were a record company without any records.

Props:

Cast:T Remi / LillyW Jessica C / CaitlinOld Jim StewartAnne Porter

Item:Starting all over again

Blocking:•Singers wheel the couch on.•Three grade 3s wheel the couch off.•Grade 3s remove the stage as the singers move from one piece of stage to another.

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USAUSA

Microphones123 Old Jim Stewart4 Anne Porter5 Singer6 Singer

OJS AP

Cast:NewsreaderMayor of MemphisGrade 3 childrenT 1/ Lucas 2/ AngelicaW 1/ James C 2/ Georgia D

Item:Green onions

Blocking:Grade 3s are alreadyon stage.

During “GreenOnions”:1. Back curtain

raised.2. Garbage props

brought on.3. 3 cubes

brought on.

Newsreader: Memphis is now entering the 63rd day of the city sanitationstrike.

Grade 3 child 1: Some people think that collecting garbage is dirty workand I suppose it is but that’s not why we’re striking.

Grade 3 child 2: We’re striking because we work hard all day for peanutsinstead of wages.

All Grade 3s: Yeah!

Mayor of Memphis: We have an illegal strike here, but this city, like mostcities, is caught in the product of our times caused by what’s happeningcountrywide.

Rear curtain raised revealing back wall including scaffolding

Props:6 x Brooms8 x Garbage bins17 x Placards4 x Pipes

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16. Mille 4/5Z / Shwshanni 6J When you listened to the music that came out of Stax you would think that Memphis was this special oasis of inter-group love and affection and coexistence and that type of thing but it was really just the opposite.

Microphones1 Storyteller2 Newsreader3 Child 14 Child 25 Back-up singer 36 Mayor

Child 1 and 2 exit P to give their microphones to the other 2 back-up singers.All back-up singers enter together.

Cast:Grade 3sMayor of Memphis

T “Myra”, Grace, India Macleod, India McClureW “Tenee”, Imara, Zoe, Isabelle

Item:Respect yourself

Blocking:Rear curtain is lowered as Grade 3s take the nearest exit

Rear curtain still raised revealing back wall including scaffolding

Mayor of Memphis: If there’s one man on this planet who can help us and sort this mess out, it’s Dr Martin Luther King Jr.

Grade 3s: Dr King! x 5

(Gunshots are heard as all grade 3s run off stage using the closest exit)

(Main curtain is lowered)

Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, there will now a 20 minute interval. The show will commence promptly at ?:?? (add 20 minutes to current time) Thank

you.

19

Children hiding in bins

Frisbees during 4 bar mid sectionT Dart (3M) Alain (3M)W Portia (3J) Miranda (3J)

Microphones1 Lead singer2 Announcer3 Back-up singer 14 Back-up singer 25 Back-up singer 36 Mayor

Props:

Cast:

Al Bell

Jim Stewart

Estelle Axton

Item:Intro of Al Bell

Blocking:Storyteller in front of curtain.

Estelle Axton: These are troubled times Jim. I don’t feel safe anymore.

Jim Stewart: I’ve got a plan Estelle but I need you to trust me on this one.

Estelle Axton: I don’t want to hear it. I just don’t think you’re cut out to be a businessman.

Jim Stewart: I agree. That’s why I’m interviewing a new guy to run this company. I’d like you to meet Al Bell. (calling to OP) Al. Could you come out here please?

Al Bell: Thanks for inviting me down Jim. This must be your sister Estelle.

Estelle Axton: Pleased to meet you.

Al Bell: Likewise.

Jim Stewart: I’ll get straight to the point. You know what we’re going through Al. In the last 4 months we’ve lost Otis Redding and now Dr King.

Estelle Axton: Thanks to that dodgy Atlantic deal we’ve become a record company without any records.

What can you do for us?

Al Bell: Firstly. I loved the music Otis made. In my radio shows on the East Coast I played all of his stuff as much as I could.

Estelle Axton: We all loved Otis.

Al Bell: As for Dr King, I had the privilege of hearing him speak many times. I have a vision for us black people too you know. It’s about economic empowerment.

Jim Stewart: How would you achieve this?

Al Bell: Why don’t you get all your artists together in here and I’ll show you.

Jim Stewart: Could everyone come out here please?

20

17. Grace 5J / Johnny 5S Everything changed. It had to. Gone were the heroes, the stars, and all the records they’d made, yet among the ashes an ember still burned.

Act 2


USAUSA

Microphones1 Storyteller2 3 Jim Stewart4 Estelle Axton5 Al Bell6

17

JSEAAB

Props:

Cast:

T Izzy (Stella R / India McClure)

W Bonnie (Anna / Jessica)

All Stax artists

Item:Mr Big Stuff

Blocking:Artists come in one at a time checking out Al Bell as they walk past him.

21


USAUSA

Microphones1 Back-up singer2 Back-up singer3 Jim Stewart4 Estelle Axton5 Al Bell6 Jean Knight

Whole cast sings last chorus

Props:

Cast:

Al Bell

Jim Stewart

Estelle AxtonAll Stax artists

Item:28 albums

Blocking:All artists disperse except for Isaac Hayes and David Porter.

Jim Stewart: I’d like you all to meet Al Bell.

Jean Knight: I’ve heard about you.

Al Bell: (Stepping down) Well no offence darling but I’ve never heard of you.

Jean Knight: No offence taken!

Al Bell: I’m from New York and we just don’t get to hear you guys up there. Otis was the only one who broke through.

Estelle Axton: So what’s your grand plan Mr Bell?

Al Bell: How many artists are represented here?

Jean Knight: (pretending to count) 28.

Al Bell: Well I’d like each of you to record your own album.

Jim Stewart: 28 albums?

Al Bell: 28 albums. We’re in the business of making records aren’t we?

Estelle Axton: I don’t know about this.

Al Bell: If you want me to work here you’ll have to trust me on this one.

Estelle Axton: Not you too!

Jim Stewart: I think it’s a good idea. We’ve got to do something.

Estelle: If he stays, I go.

Al Bell: What needs to go is this small time attitude and I’m here to make it happen.

Estelle Axton: That’s it! You can have it! You two dreamers belong together. (Estelle storms out P)

(Some artists go after Estelle to comfort her. Others have stars in their eyes)

Artist: My own album.

22


USAUSA

Microphones123 Jim Stewart4 Estelle Axton5 Al Bell6 Jean Knight

David Porter: Don’t worry Mr Stewart. We’re gonna make this work.

Jim Stewart: Well. I hope so.

Al Bell: We might just be the first company to be run and owned by a black man and a white man working together.

Isaac Hayes: Now I get it. I’m not a black man or a white man. I’m a soul man.

Props:

Cast:Isaac HayesDavid PorterJim StewartAl Bell

Item:Soul man

Blocking:Al Bell and Jim Stewart stay on stage sitting on the silver cubes.

Isaac Hayes and David Porter exit P after their song.

23


USAUSA

Microphones1 Isaac Hayes2 David Porter3 Jim Stewart45 Al Bell6

Grade 1 start making their way towards the stage.

Girls OPBoys P

Props:Chair with wheels.

Cast:Al BellJim StewartDon DavisT Vanessa (Izzy / Casey)T Annabel (Victoria / Jayne)

Item:Baby love

Blocking:All three men exit OP passing the entering singers (OP) on their way.

Al Bell and Jim Stewart carry off the 2 silver cubes.

Don Davis brings on the microphone stand and then exits OP.

Al Bell: I’ve arranged for Don Davis to visit.

Jim Stewart: From Motown?

Don Davis: (entering from OP) The one and only.

Jim Stewart: I respect what you’ve done there in Detroit Don but we have our own sound down here.

Don Davis: They sound like famous last words to me.

Al Bell: I’ve invited Don here because he knows how to market soul music to white people too. It’s a bigger market and we need in.

Don Davis: That’s right Jim you’re going to have to trust me on this one. I make records which are heard around the globe.

18. Romahn 5J / Na Young 6R Stax threw open its doors to capture the sound of the street. Feeling was all that mattered. Meanwhile, up north up in Detroit, another label was packaging R & B for crossover appeal.

24


USAUSA

DR

Microphones1 Diana Ross 2 Storyteller / Both back-up singers3 Jim Stewart4 Don Davis5 Al Bell6

Isaac Hayes: I’ve been asked to write my first soundtrack.

David Porter: Do you need any help?

Isaac Hayes: I actually thought I might try something new and feature a guitar on this one.

David Porter: So you’re going solo?

Isaac Hayes: No, I’m just doing this one on my own. (David exits P)

(To the band) I need hi-hats playing at the tempo of my walk.

(Song starts as Isaac walks around)

Yeah, keep it funky.

Props:Afro wigs

Cast:Isaac HayesDavid PorterAll Grade 1

Item:Theme from Shaft

Blocking:

Isaac and David enterfrom P.

Grade 1 enters withgirls from OPboys from P.

1. Circle walks2. Dodgem cars3. High 5 / low 54. Stair formations in

groups of 3

Grade 1 exit andremain P

25


USAUSA

Microphones1 2 3 Isaac Hayes4 David Porter56

Tuesday

Girls

Tuesday

Boys

Wednesday

Girls

Wednesday

Boys

Ella Finlay Isabella Macoy

Asha Angus Maddy Zac

Charli Charlie Lucy Patrick

Willow William Bronte Sebastian

Claudia Tyler Phoebe L Hugo

Entry:

Aurora

Entry: Quentin

Entry:

Romy

Entry:

Luke C

Voice over: Welcome back to our coverage of the 1972 Academy Awards. And now, making the presentation for “Best original song” please welcome Angie Dickinson and Joan Blondell.

(INTRO BANTER)

Joan Blondell: And the nominations are:

Angie Dickinson: “The Age of Not Believing,” from Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, music and lyrics.

Joan Blondell: “All His Children,” from Sometimes a Great Notion, Henry Mancini, music; Alan and Marilyn Bergman, lyrics.

Angie Dickinson: “Bless the Beasts and Children,” from Bless the Beasts and Children, Barry DeVorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr., music and lyrics.

Joan Blondell: “Life Is What You Make It,” from Kotch, Marvin Hamlisch, music; Johnny Mercer, lyrics.

Angie Dickinson: “Theme From Shaft,” from Shaft. Isaac Hayes, music and lyrics.

And the winner is:

Together: “Theme From Shaft,” Isaac Hayes, music and lyrics.

Cast:

Tuesday:

Angie Dickinson - IngridJoan Blondell - Ana

Wednesday:

Angie Dickinson - CJJoan Blondell - Tully

Item:Academy Awards 1972

Blocking:Angie and Joan enter P.

Isaac also enters from P when his name is called.

26

Props:•Academy award sign change•Lectern•Cue cards


AwardsAwards

Lights: Follow spots x 2

Microphones1 Joan / Angie2 3456

Isaac Hayes: I came here with my Grandma tonight. This woman raised me so I’m so proud she could be here with me tonight.

I am also proud to be the first African / American musician to receive an Academy Award and I hope to be the first of many.

I’m very proud to be associated with the Stax record company and I’d like to thank all of my friends there. Our first big star at Stax was Mr Otis Redding so I’d like to introduce Miss Aretha Franklin to sing a song Otis wrote called “Respect”.

We’re finally starting to get a little bit of respect and I would say it’s about time, for the times, they are a changing. Otis, this one is for you.

Cast:Isaac Hayes

Tuesday:

Angie Dickinson - IngridJoan Blondell - Ana

Wednesday:

Angie Dickinson - CJJoan Blondell - Tully

Props:•Lectern•Cue cards

Item:Academy Awards 1972

Isaac

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AwardsAwards

Microphones1 Isaac2 3456

Blocking:Aretha and her singers enter P.Isaac, Angie and Joan exit P

Item:Respect

Props:

CastTuesday: Maile (Dene / Chiara)Wednesday: Anna (Sofia / Indigo)

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AwardsAwards

Microphones1 2 Aretha345 Back-up6 Back-up

Blocking:Aretha and her singers enter P.Isaac, Angie and Joan exit P

Singers remain on stage after the song until curtain has lowered.

All grades start moving towards the stage.

Grade 2, 4 and 6 OPGrade P,1,3 and 5 P

19. Lucinda 4M / Minsoo 4M The African / American community in Watts has been scarred by riots in the mid 1960’s leaving 34 dead.

20. Tui 4M / Emily T 4/5Z In August 1972, Stax organised a benefit festival of peace and music in Los Angeles. Tickets were only $1.

21. Athok 4M / Ruari 6R It drew more than 100,000 people, a fifth of the city’s black population.

22. Jay Hun 4M / Pip 4M All the great music has soul, it’s just that Stax has more than so many others.

23. Hilary 4M / Finlay 6R At Stax records, forget skin tone. The only tone that mattered came out of your instrument.

Props:Staging x 13

Cast:Entire cast

Item:Wattstax intro (set / up)

Blocking:

Curtain is drawn as one liners are said about Wattstax concert.

Stage is brought on by Grade 3

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AngelesAngeles


1. Time is tight (Grade 4)

2. If you’re ready (come go with me) (MFFF)

3. Do the Funky Chicken (Rufus Thomas) Preps T Joanna Angus W Caitlin Asgard

4. What a Man (Crowd claps rest 2 rest 4)

Wattstax concert “Son of shaft” (set up music)

Props:

Cast:T Casey (Gemma/ India Macleod)W Greta (Steph / Tara)

Item:Wattstax concert

Blocking:Children sit facing the stage from either side.

30


AngelesAngeles

Microphones1 Announcer2 3456

Microphones1 Lead singer2 3 Back-up singer4 Back-up singer5 Back-up singer6

Microphones1 23456 Rufus Thomas

Microphones1 Lynda Lyndell2 3 Back-up singer4 Back-up singer56

T M D C

WS E N

Announcer:Time is up, band is ready, “Time is tight”.

Linda Lyndell: And now will you please welcome to the stage the Right Reverend Jesse Jackson. (applause)

Jesse Jackson:

Being here today, it’s easy to feel a sense of destiny and a sense of belonging. (applause)

Today, we’re making history because we have strength and unity. People may put us down, but nobody can keep us down. (pause)

Tell me if you feel it. (yeah)

Show me that you mean it. (applause)

If you really mean it, then repeat after me:

I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I may be young (echo), but I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I may be poor (echo), but I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I may be unskilled (echo), but I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I may be unemployed (echo), but I am (echo), somebody. (echo)I may be misunderstood (echo), but I am (echo), somebody. (echo)

One day we will all treat each other as equals.

Join with me as we sing “Lift every voice and sing”.

(Entire cast stands and faces the audience).

Props:

Cast:Jesse JacksonT Yves W Finn

Item:I am somebody

Blocking:Cast facing JJ

31


AngelesAngeles

Microphones1 Lynda Lyndell 2 Jesse Jackson3456

Props:

Cast:All

Item:Lift every voice and sing

Blocking:Curtain closes at the end of the song.

Boys exit PGirls exit OP

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Lift every voice and sing

'til earth and heaven ring

Ring with the harmonies of liberty

Let our rejoicing rise

High as the listening skies

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us

Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun

Let us march on 'til victory is won

Lift every voice and sing

'til earth and heaven ring

Ring with the harmonies of liberty

Let our rejoicing rise

High as the listening skies

Let it resound loud as the rolling sea

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us

Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun

Let us march on

Let us march on

Let us march on 'til victory is won


AngelesAngeles

Microphones1 2 3456

Don Davis: That concert was a highlight for Stax but it was all downhill from there. Clive Davis from CBS got involved and we just got in over our heads.

24. Ariel 5J / Amelia 6J We got involved in things that had nothing to do with music. We even bought the Memphis Grizzlies Basketball team.

Mayor of Memphis: I just couldn’t imagine Stax going under. To me Stax was like the Bank of England or the Rock of Gibraltar.

25. Joe 5J / Na Young 6R In the days when it was all closing in, the guy who kept our books and stuff went to get the cheques and he came back and said “There are no cheques”.

Jim Stewart: All this was a snowball effect. I put what money I’d received from the sale of the company back into it plus I pledged my personal assets, but it was not enough. Too little, too late.

Amii Stewart: I saw Jim get really hurt over this because it hurt his children. When you give away your children’s fortune, you hurt for them.

26. Ben 4M / Liza 4M We started watching the demise of everything, slowly. They started coming onto the lot and pulling cars and foreclosing homes and stuff like that and we knew it was on.

Isaac Hayes: I really didn’t realise what was happening until it was too late. I had a change of fortune.

David Porter: Sometimes growth and ambition can wreck a company. You know, you push one domino and they all fall.

27. Helena 4/5Z / Hyeon Kyu 6R A lot of people lost their homes, they lost their families.

Newsreader: The offices of Stax are closed. A lot of other problems have plagued the company. A judge yesterday officially declared the company “Bankrupt”.

Rufus Thomas: A lot of people were depending on Stax for a living. All the workers that we lost. It was just a sad thing like we were at a funeral or something.

Al Bell: After the close of Stax and after some time had passed, several years, I would drive back to Memphis Tennessee and I would just stare at that vacant lot and I would just cry. All that we had worked for and lived for was gone.

Props:

Item:One liners (Demise)

Blocking:Microphone is passed along from OP to P

Cast:

Jim Stewart

Al Bell

David Porter

Isaac Hayes

Don Davis

Rufus Thomas

Amii Stewart

Newsreader

Mayor of Memphis

Storytellers

33

Microphones1Storytellers2 3456


28. Ella 5J / Nic 5S As a young person going into record stores, you saw “Stax” labels everywhere. If you wanted to be an artist, you wanted to be a part of that train.

Booker T: The wealth of experience is priceless. It’s priceless and it’s mine.

29. Rory 5J / Emily T 4/5Z Stax lost everything but a quarter of a century later, those same songs were sold for tens of millions of dollars.

30. Conor 5J / Minsoo 4M In the end the studio was rebuilt to original specifications, and next door the Stax Academy gives neighbourhood kids the same opportunity that Stax records did in its day.

Props:

Item:One liners(optimism)

Blocking:A wireless microphone is passed from Op to P.

Cast:

Booker T

Storytellers

34



Props:

Cast:T Eliza (Ella Stella) W Alex (Billie Tiana)

Item:Finale / Curtain callKnock on wood

Blocking:Boys enter from PGirls enter from OP

Amii Stewart Intro

Grade 1s

Step bounce

V1

Grade 3s

1,2,3, bounce

Chorus

Grade 2s

Twisting

V2

Preps

Swimming

Chorus

4s

Piggy back

Breakdown

5s

Mexican wave

Bridge

6s

1. Storytellers

2. Singers

3. Actors

V3

All Chorus

Ending

35


USAUSA

Microphones1 Lead singer2 3 Back up singer4 Back up singer56

36

Knock on Wood

Documents

young jim

old jim stewartanne

old theatre

music of stax records

whats stax records

old movie theatre

music cds of stax

grandma estelle