SPIRITED, Scene I

Let me present, SPIRITED. As my final project for my school's drama class, we have been tasked to create our own drama based on a theme we picked together: Disney. Now, I did not really know a real good Disney movie to my liking, but I recently finished Spirited away, so...

Hey, technically it was a Disney Production. In the US. Anyway people don't care in class.

Here we go with the first scene. Notes in the end for sake of spoiler freedom.

SPIRITED

An adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s Spirited Away

by Nathan Hartanto

Scene 1 – Abandoned Amusement Park, near sunset

[Chihiro the young girl wakes up on a dry riverbed.]

Chihiro          : Ugh, my head… Mom? Dad? [Stumbles to her feet. After hesitating for a while, she crosses the riverbed to the amusement park.] Mom…? Dad…? Where am I? [Starts panicking as she moves through empty stalls. Finally, collapses in front of a large building, the Bathhouse, where she stops.] A… Bathhouse?

[Enter Haku the young boy.]

Haku              : [approaches, eyes widening] What are you doing here? [approaches closer] You must return!

Chihiro            : I’m lost, please, Sir, you must—

Haku                : There’s no time—look! They’re opening, they will be here soon!

[Sounds of opening doors, soft murmurs of people]

Chihiro            : [increasingly confused] Who—who are they… what is this place?

Haku             : No time to explain. Cross the river before the sun sets. I’ll hold them off for a little while.

Chihiro            : Hold who… why? Please, I’m—

Haku                : Just go before it’s too late! Now!

[Haku rushes out to exit. Chihiro runs back, past several spirits in black robes, to find the river is already filling up.]

Chihiro            : [Screams] The water! No, no! No… This must be a dream. A dream. [Pinches and slaps her face] Just a dream… come on, wake up. Wake up! [slumps down, defeated, sobbing] Wake… up…

[Re-enter Haku, who suddenly grabs Chihiro’s shoulder, embracing her]

Haku             : Shh… It’s okay. It’s okay. We’ll try again tomorrow. But now, come, follow me, before the witch finds out! Come on!

[Chihiro, still sobbing, nods, and they run back near the front of the bathhouse.]

Haku                : Now, look at me. Chihiro.

Chihiro            : Yes, Sir?

Haku                : Do I really look that old? Call me Haku.

Chihiro            : Haku. Okay…

Haku                : Chihiro, listen. Go under this bathhouse and look for Kamaji. He’s a friend of mine. Go there and ask for work.

Chihiro            : Work?

Haku              : You must, so that the Witch can’t touch you. She doesn’t like people from the Outside.

[Chihiro nods. Rain starts softly.]

Haku                : Get it? If he doesn’t listen, ask and ask again. Now, you really should go. It’s raining. Quick, quick, before the Witch finds out!

[someone off-set calls for Master Haku and he turns around.]

Haku             : Yes! I’m here. Look, I’ve never met someone from the Outside before, and… [sighs] it would be a pleasure to work with you, even for a day.

Chihiro            : [grabs Haku’s shirt] Wait, before you go, how did you know my name?

Haku                : I… don’t know, actually.

Chihiro            : Oh well. But I’ve never met anyone here… could you be my friend here? I have no one else I could trust.

Haku               : [looks as if thinking hard] I… I will. But really, you must go. Be brave. You could do it.

[Chihiro runs off, calmer and even smiling. Blackout, Haku exits.]

___

So, there you go. I thought to remove Chihiro's parents from the story as I only got to write a 30-40 minute show, and I just thought I would better develop other parts of the story. Does feel rushed, though.

By the way, I have no use for this script--no one would perform it, in the end, as it would only be made as a compilation book. So, if anyone wants to use this for their school drama, or any drama with consent from Ghibli, go ahead.

Spirited Away © Hayao Miyazaki / Studio Ghibli