*Sung lyrics in bold.
(Theatre begins to rotate from Act I.)
FATHER & CHORUS
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day.
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow,
And tomorrow is just a dream away.
Man has a dream and that’s the start.
He follows his dream with mind and heart.
And when it becomes a reality,
It’s a dream come true for you and me.
So there’s a great big beautiful tomorrow
Shining at the end of every day.
There’s a great big beautiful tomorrow,
Just a dream away.
(Theatre finishes rotating.)
FATHER
Whew, boy, hottest Fourth of July we’ve had in years. We’ve come a long way, though, since the turn of the century over twenty-some-odd years ago. You know that pilot fella, Charles Lindberg? He’s about to fly a single-winged airplane all the way across the Atlantic. (Chuckles.) He’s never gonna make it. And sports stadiums are springing up all over. And boy, nobody hits that old horse hide like that new fella, Babe Ruth. Jazz music is the cat’s meow, and there’s been ads in the paper for months for a movie starring Al Jolson—and he’s going to talk! And sing! Boy, I’ve gotta see that. (Car horn sounds outside.) Hahaha. There goes Schwartz in his Hupmobile. He sure loves that horn. You know, in my new Essex, I’ve got an electric starter—now I don’t have to crank! We can travel from New York to Los Angeles by train in only three days. And we’ve got a house full of new electrical servants. Mr. Edison sure added life to our home. (All the appliances in the house come to life. To machines.) Whoa there! You’ll blow a fuse! (Lights in the house go dark.) Drat! That’s the third one this week. I buy fuses by the case. (Lights outside the windows go dark.) Uh oh. And I’ve blown the whole neighborhood again!
NEIGHBOR WOMAN
Henry! He did it again! Go over and give that neighbor of ours what for!
(ROVER growls.)
FATHER
Easy, Rover. (Calling offstage.) Jimmy! Hurry up with that fuse!
JIMMY (Offstage)
Shucks. Every time he has company, he blows a fuse. And guess who always has to change it.
FATHER
I heard that young man! I heard that!
(Lights come back on. They also reveal SARAH behind the right scrim. She is dressed in colonial garb and is sewing a costume.)
SARAH
Oh, well that’s more like it. John, yours is the last costume I’ve got to finish before the parade starts.
FATHER
Sarah’s ladies’ club is responsible for our town’s Fourth of July celebration tonight. She’s got us all roped into performing in their program, and I—
SARAH (Interrupting)
And I’ve decided that we’re going as George and Martha Washington, dear.
FATHER
Oh, the father of our country! (Chuckles.) That’s a role that really fits me! You know, I—
SARAH (Interrupting)
I’m so glad we installed an electric light fixture here on the porch, because it’s just too darn hot to be sewing inside.
FATHER
Yes Sarah. You know, next year I’d like to go as Benedict Arnold! (Chuckles.) I—
SARAH (Interrupting)
Wait until you see what I’ve got planned for the fireworks show tonight.
(ROVER barks.)
FATHER
Rover! Don’t interrupt, while Sarah’s interrupting.
SARAH
And guess who volunteered to choose the music for the program?
(Lights out on right diorama and up on left diorama, where JIMMY is standing next to the radio and GRANDPA sits in the chair.)
JIMMY
I did, Pop! Listen to this!
(JIMMY turns on the radio, which plays “Stars and Stripes Forever.”)
FATHER
Oh, that’s a nice tune, Jimmy. (To Audience.) Y’know, with our new Crosley radio set, we can get news and big-time entertainment from all over the country. Even Pittsburgh!
RADIO ANNOUNCER
People are starting to arrive downtown for a spectacular Fourth of July parade and fireworks event tonight. Mayor Reed said…
(RADIO dies down and lights out on left diorama. FATHER addresses right diorama, which is still dark.)
FATHER
Oh, Patricia.
PATRICIA
Yes Father?
FATHER
Better get a move on! The radio says people are arriving downtown.
PATRICIA
Do I really have to go?
(PATRICIA is revealed behind right scrim wearing a Statue of Liberty costume.)
PATRICIA
If my new boyfriend Theodore sees me in this, it’ll scare him away!
FATHER
(Chuckles.) Well dear, if that happens, you’ll always have that torch you can carry for him. (Laughs.)
(ROVER growls exasperatedly.)
PATRICIA
Oh, father!
(Lights out on right diorama.)
FATHER
Calm down Rover. I was only kidding! (To Audience.) By the way, we have indoor plumbing now! Oh boy, that’s really great on cold nights. Especially for our perennial houseguest, old Uncle Orville.
(Lights up on left diorama, where UNCLE ORVILLE sits in the bathtub wearing an Uncle Sam hat. He has a fan blowing on him over the top of a large block of ice.)
FATHER
Uncle Orville’s taken over the coolest spot in the house, of course, and he’s rigged up a real clever contraption. He calls it “air cooling.” Hmph. Too bad he’s not reading the help wanted ads.
(Lights out on diorama.)
UNCLE ORVILLE (Offstage)
No privacy at all around this place!
FATHER
Sorry, Orville. (To Audience.) You know, considering all the—
SARAH (Offstage)
John, costume’s ready!
FATHER
Oh, coming Martha! (To Audience.) As I was saying, considering all the conveniences we now have, I’ll say that we’re really on Easy Street these days. It just can’t get any better! Just goes to show that…
(Theatre begins to rotate to Act III.)
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