The Black Parade, The Musical (Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back)

A Stage Play by Krista Franks

Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back scene from The Black Parade, The Musical

Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back

[Lights up to a dark setting. Boulders and rocks are scattered about the stage. Old men and women sleep on these boulders, covering themselves from the torn flags that hang from the walls of Purgatory. The children and young adults sit in groups, huddling around fire pits, trying to keep warm. REAGAN and MUNRO sit closest to the wall that separates them from Hell. They’re the only Killjoys that have ever gone to purgatory.]

[MUNRO sighs, looking around the depressing scene. He shakes his head, and then turns to look down at his twiddling thumbs.]

[REAGAN watches as her fellow Killjoy slowly loses hope.]

Reagan

Don’t do that.

Munro

[Doesn’t look up from his hands.His words come barely above a mumble.]

Do what?

Reagan

[Sternly]

Don’t you give up on her, Munro. Don’t give up on Gretchen.

Munro

[Shrugs]

I’m not.

Reagan

[Leans in and grabs MUNRO’S hands.]

Please, look at me.

Munro

[Glares up between his black bangs directly into REAGAN’S eyes.]

She’s probably happy, Reagan. She did this to herself.

Reagan

How could you say that? You know she didn’t have time to ask for salvation. They told us that at the House of Wolves. Do you really think she wanted to go to Hell?

Munro

[Sneers]

No. But I do know that she wasn’t happy enough with me to stay alive.

[REAGAN sits there for a minute, watching MUNRO as he continues to twiddle his thumbs, picking at his nails and biting them occasionally. He clearly isn’t happy. Then, after about fifteen seconds of silence, she leans in and cracks MUNRO right across the face.]

[ENSEMBLE all wake up and look at REAGAN, appalled. Violence didn’t happen to often in Purgatory, so the OLD WOMEN and OLD MEN gasped. The children stood up, and the young adults’ jaws dropped. Scattered reactions happen throughout the ENSEMBLE.]

[REAGAN stands. She looks at the ENSEMBLE, who then all look away or down at whatever they were doing. They weren’t going to mess with her. REAGAN then turns to the wall. She eyes the height of it. Five miles in height of nothing but stone wall. There are imprints of places where prisoners had tried to escape the torturous boredom of Purgatory, but they had never succeeded.]

[Guitar riff begins to the song of “Save Yourself, I’ll Hold Them Back.” REAGAN turns to the ENSEMBLE again, who all exchange glances and slowly and scattered-like look in REAGAN’S direction.]

Reagan

[To the ENSEMBLE]

Munro may be hopeless for once, but I’m not. I’m going to get us out of here.

Old Man #1

[Stands up from his boulder.]

How? That wall is five miles high. And the only thing on the other side of it is Hell. We’ll never escape to life again.

Reagan

You’re going to have to trust me.

Old Woman #1

[Puts her hand on OLD MAN #1’S shoulder.]

How can we? You just got here. We don’t know what you’re in for!

Reagan

[After a pause]

Clearly you’ve never heard of the amazing lives of the fabulous Killjoys.

Munro

[Looks up at REAGAN. His frown turns into a slow, small smile.]

What did you just say?

Reagan

ARE YOU READY Y’ALL WHERE YOU ARE?

Are you ready y’all where you are?!

WE’RE COMIN FOR YOU NOOOOW….

[Offstage Killjoys sing back up as Reagan runs around the scene getting everyone motivated.]

Reagan and Killjoys

NA NA NA NA NA

Reagan

Right now!

I HOPE YOU’RE READY FOR A FIRE FIGHT.

‘CAUSE THE DEVIL’S GOT YOUR NUMBER TONIGHT.

Killjoys

They say!

[Four of the YOUNG ADULTS stand from their group on STAGE RIGHT.]

Four Young Adults

[Harmonizing]

WE’RE NEVER LEAVING THIS PLACE ALIVE!

Munro

[Stands from his spot slowly and watches REAGAN stand the crowd of people.]

BUT IF YOU SING THESE WORDS WE’LL NEVER DIE!

Munro, Reagan, and Killjoys

GET OFF THE LEDGE,

AND DROP THE KNIFE.

NOT A VICTIM OF A VICTIM’S LIFE.

Killjoys

Because!

Munro

THIS AIN’T A ROOM FULL OF SUICIDES.

Reagan and Munro

[Run to each other’s sides and grab hands, raising them in triumph as the ENSEMBLE watches them, confused.]

WE’RE BELIEVERS, I BELIEVE TONIGHT!

Reagan, Munro, and the Killjoys

WE CAN LEAVE THIS WORLD,

LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND.

WE CAN STEAL THIS CAR,

IF YOUR FOLKS DON’T MIND.

WE COULD LIVE FOREVER,

IF YOU’VE GOT THE TIME.

Reagan

IF YOU SAVE YOURSELF, TONIGHT!

IF YOU SAVE YOURSELF TONIGHT!

Killjoys

NA NA NA NA NA

Male Young Adult #1

[Singing to Reagan and Munro, as if he’s arguing with them about the idea of escaping.]

I’LL TELL YOU ALL HOW THE STORY ENDS.

WHERE THE GOOD GUYS DIE, AND THE BAD GUYS WIN.

[A group of other YOUNG ADULTS, CHILDREN, and ELDERS ( Group #1) run to MUNRO and REAGAN’S sides, as if backing them up on their idea.]

Group #1

Who cares?

Reagan

THIS AIN’T ABOUT ALL THE FRIENDS YOU’VE MADE.

Group #2

[Stands from their section behind MALE YOUNG ADULT #1]

BUT THE GRAFFITI THEY WRITE ON YOUR GRAVE!

Group #1, Group #2, Reagan, and Munro

[Swarming to different parts of the stage]

FOR ALL OF US WHO’VE SEEN THE LIGHT,

SALUTE THE DEAD AND LEAD THE FIGHT.

ALL ENSEMBLE

Hail, hail!

[An African American Male runs to center stage and faces the audience with his arms outstretched.]

African American Male

Who gives a damn if we lose the war?

ALL ENSEMBLE

LET THE WALLS COME DOWN LET THE ENGINES ROAR!

[At this time, Killjoy and Danger Days flags roll down in front of the other Purgatory flags that hang from the ceiling to the beat of the song. Every time a flag rolls down, the fire pits and lights shoot out either bigger flames or brighter lights, giving the dance routine some emphasis. EMPHASIS!]

[MUNRO leads a routine with REAGAN and GROUP #3 on top of the large, center stage boulder as they all sing.]

ALL

WE CAN LEAVE THIS WORLD,

LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND,

WE CAN STEAL THIS CAR,

IF YOUR FOLKS DON’T MIND.

WE COULD LIVE FOREVER,

IF YOU’VE GOT THE TIME!

ALL ENSEMBLE

WHOA!

ALL MALES

I’M THE ONLY FRIEND

THAT MAKES YOU CRY.

ALL FEMALES

YOU’RE A HEART ATTACK

IN BLACK HAIR DYE!

ALL

SO JUST SAVE YOURSELF,

AND I’LL HOLD THEM BACK TONIGHT.

[The lights dim out to a starry, yet foggy night. The moon exchanges places with the sun, showing a five year time lapse as the song continues. We see people training and tying ropes to the Purgatory Wall. MUNRO does push ups while REAGAN does a choreographed fighting routine with the ENSEMBLE.]

[Time continues to lapse until the stage is completely empty. Then as the next line is screamed by REAGAN, the whole PURGATORY SCENE CAST runs onstage, 21-YEAR OLD REAGAN and 23-YEAR OLD MUNRO splitting the middle. They’ve grown to be stronger, as well as the rest of the cast.]

[From now on, REAGAN and MUNRO are going to remain their new ages, which will probably require a new actor/actress that appears older with a more matured voice.]

Reagan

Cause I’ll hold them back!

ALL

WE CAN LEAVE THIS WORLD,

LEAVE IT ALL BEHIND.

WE CAN STEAL THIS CAR,

IF YOUR FOLKS DON’T MIND.

WE COULD LIVE FOREVER,

IF YOU’VE GOT THE TIME.

ALL MALES

DON’T SAY IT’S OVER!

ALL FEMALES

WHOA!

[Finally, they ALL point to the wall on the word “BROKEN” and start quickly and roughly in that direction. Some will tumble, some will climb the rope, and some will climb the actual wall. REAGAN is the last to climb however, and on the final lyric, “TONIGHT,” she makes her left hand into a gun sign and points it to the opposite side of the stage (right stage, preferably) ending the scene.]

ALL

YOU’RE THE BROKEN GLASS

IN THE MORNING LIGHT.

BE A BURNING STAR

IF IT TAKES ALL NIGHT.

SO JUST SAVE YOURSELF

AND I’LL HOLD THEM BACK TONIGHT.

NA NA NA NA NA

IF YOU SAVE YOURSELF TONIGHT!

[LIGHTS OUT]