AIDA   Scenic Flow Chart, as scripted, and Comments                        February 26, 2006

ACT ONE

Prologue – The MUSEUM

The Egyptian wing of a major museum.  A contemporary crowd.
Various Artifacts, all under glass including a mannequin in ancient Royal Egyptian dress.
Ancient burial chamber, a tomb, also under glass.
Musical moment, magical moment, the mannequin (AMNERIS) comes alive and emerges from the glass encasement.

“Every Story Is a Love Story”

During the number, the MUSEUM disappears.  We see Nubian Women captured by Egyptian Soldiers.  Then, a SLAVE BARGE comes into view.

PROPS:  Egyptian swords and soldier weapons, chains for slaves.

SCENE 1:  A SLAVE BARGE

River.  Sand and water.

PROPS:  Riches and spoils loaded on the barge.

“Fortune Favors the B rave”

PROPS:  Chains for Aida.
Map . p. 5
Sword that Aida takes from a soldier (Sword fight)

“Radames leads Aida to the ship’s lower quarters.”

SCENE 2:  RADAMES’ QUARTERS

PROPS:   “Remove your shackles?”  Unlocks them (Keys)
“scrub the filth of battle from my skin.”  Basin, sponge, towel, water pitcher.
Table for washing stuff.
Stool .

“The Past Is Another Land”

SCENE 3:  THE DOCKS  and dissolves into the Catacombs beneath the Pharaoh’s Palace.  Secret passageways.

PROPS: Egyptian Soldiers unloading Nubian Women in chains.
Mereb enteris with several casks of wine.  (on a cart?)
Purse of Gold.
Zoser with staff or prop of status???
Ministers with props???

 “Another Pyramid”

During this number, Docks dissolve into Catacombs.

DANCE number.

 PROPS:  Assassin Minister kills Accused Minister with a knife.
Vial of Arsenic.

 SCENE 4:  HALLWAY IN THE PHARAOH’S PALACE

 “How I Know You”

 SCENE 5:  THE BATHS  and dissolves into AMNERIS’ CLOSET

 PROPS:  Women of the Palace enter wrapped in sheets.  (Costumes?)
Slaves stand by with trays of fruits, oils and cosmetics.

“Ladies, let’s polish this gem.”

 “My Strongest Suit”

 DANCE number.

 PROPS:  Maybe nothing.  Women dress Amneris for banquet.

 SCENE 6:  THE PHARAOH’S PRIVATE BANQUET ROOM

 DANCE:  Three exotic dancers dance during transition.

 PROPS:  Banquet Table with seating for Radames, Amneris, Pharaoh, and Courtiers.
Aida and Servants prepare the banquet table
Discuss props.
Pharaoh makes a grand entrance on a special sedan chair carried by servants.
Wine chalices.
Aida pours wine.  Pitcher.

 “Fortune Favors the Brave (Reprise)”

 “Enchantment Passing Through”

 SCENE 7:  AMNERIS’ DRESSING ROOM

 PROPS:  Amneris is discovered sitting at her dressing stand brushing her hair.
Bedchamber… scenic bed “in there”.  Bed must be concealed but present.
“Pour the Princess a cup of wine.”

 “My Strongest Suit (Reprise)”

 SCENE 8:  THE NUBIAN SLAVE CAMP

 “The Dance of the Robe”

 DANCE number.

 PROPS:  Robe (Costume???)

 SCENE 9:  THE NILES EDGE

 PROPS:  Washing day at the Nile’s Edge.
Baskets of laundry on women’s heads.
Ritualistic rhythm as the linens are soaked, wrung and beaten dry. 

DANCE number

“Not Me”

 During this number, scene dissolves into a market place.

 SCENE 10:  MARKETPLACE           

 “Not Me” continues

 PROPS:  Merchants hawking their wares. 
Tables? Merchandise?  Discuss.
“Amneris and Aida enter and walk between blankets and stand looking at displays.”
“Aida picks up fabric”
“Nehebka … arms filled with fruit.”
“new cloth thrown over her shoulder.  It billows out behind her.”

 SCENE 11:  RADAMES’ TENT

 “Not Me” continues

 PROPS:  “Radames appears from the tent with a basket of food, and a jug of wine.”
“Mereb appears with another basket handing out fruit.”
“During the song, Radames and Mereb give away all R’s possessions.”  Discuss

 TENT DISAPPEARS DURING NUMBER

 “Elaborate Lives”

 PROPS:  “Radames gives Aida his Amulet”

 SCENE 12:  THE NUBIAN SLAVE CAMP

 “The Gods Love Nubia”

 ACT TWO

 SCENE 1:  STARSCAPE  (Aida, Ramades and Amneris are alone in their thoughts.)

 “A Step Too Far”           

 SCENE 2:  THE PRISON

 PROPS:  A sack of gold.

 “Easy as Life”

 During this song, Prison disappears dissolving into a solitary place where Airda is left alone.

 SCENE 3:  THE WAR ROOM OF THE PALACE

 PROPS:  A giant map of the Nile (scenic?)
Large table covered with maps and scrolls.
Amneris’ necklace, which she must remove.  (Costume???)

 “Like Father Like Son”

 SCENE 4:  NUBIAN SLAVE CAMP”

 PROPS:  Aida is handed a folded note.  Ramades appears in her imagination, singing the letters contents and then dissolves out.

 “Radames’ Letter”

 Guards storm the camp.

 “How I Know You (Reprise)”

SCENE 5:  RADAMES’ GARDEN along the Nile River

 “Written in the Stars”

 “I Know the Truth”

 SCENE 6:  AMNERIS’ DRESSING ROOM

Dressing Amneris for wedding.

 SCENE 7:  THE ROYAL WEDDING

 Pharaoh presides.  Probably wedding decorations, etc.

 SCENE 8:  THE DOCKS with small boat

 Boat is tied to Dock with rope that needs to be cut on cue.
Boat must move away and off.

 SCENE 9:   THE JUDGEMENT HALL

 PROPS:  Guards shack Ramades and Aida’s hands and feet.
Pharaoh and ministers enter.  Props?

 “Elaborate Lives (Reprise)”

 SCENE 10:  THE INTERIOR OF THE TOMB (1^st seen in the Prologue)

 Guard force Aida and Radames into the tomb.

 “Enchantment Passing Through (Reprise)”

 “As the lights fade out on Aida and Radames, a single shaft of light appears followed by a starburst which fills the stage with light.”

 EPILOGUE:  THE MUSEUM

 “Every Story Is a Love Story (Reprise)”

 END OF ACT 2