Dream of The Scarab: A Beetle Bagatelle

An original theatrical piece written, arranged, directed, and produced by Rosin Coven.

First run - February 1-3, 2001 at San Francisco's Venue 9 Theatre. Three sold-out nights under the Big Top, Pagan Lounge style. It is the tale of Beetle B. Bulkowski, World's Most Ordinary Circus Beetle, and his aspirations to rise above the dung heap of humdrum existence. He has performed 73,246 shows, each the same as the last, each the same as the next. Until one day something happens. Something changes. But what? Is it real? Is it a dream? One thing's for certain...our little Beetle B. will never again be the same.

Below are some scenes from the Venue 9 performances. A tremendous Big-Top THANK YOU to Brock Hansen for his excellent photography. Click on 'em for larger images, and enjoy the show!

Beetle's journey.		"Ladies & Germs!" he barks.		This show doesn't start until the fat lady sings!
	The band plays on.		The blur of the Big Top.		Beetle's dung to bear.
All the way from Palermo...		Federico Fedora's Flying Flea Circus!		The one and only Smedly-O!
	The jester looks on.		The crowd goes wild!		Compound Eyeballs!
Elyea Eagle		Gingerbread's vision.		Reflections of a Beetle.
	I'm just a Beetle, nothing less, nothing more.		Insect angst.		Elyea Beetle
Beetle revs up		A pause in barking.		Beetle's ragtime flop
	Barker's understudy		The Firey Countess Kalicula		Bzzzzzzzz goes the Beetle
Beetle loses his way.		Visions and dreams.		Beetle faces his own dung.
	Tech prepares for his ardous tasks.		"Let us then consider the incessant now..."		Melancholy lament.
They dance.		Midnight & Elyea in a brief moment of rest.		Midnight backstage.
	The offering.		Exalted Beetle worship.		The Golden Scarab.
Tech assess the crowd.		You dare question my readings?		Beetle checks out.
	Beetle B. will be no more?

Cast of Characters:

Brian Bulkowski.…..Beetle B. Bulkowski

Andrea Walls……...Dancing Bear, violin

Beth Vandervennet...Bearded Lady, cello

Patrick Kaliski.........Applause Technician, drums, percussion

Carri Abrahms.……Eagle, Beetle's Voice, Luna Moth, accordion

Tim Carless…….….Jester, bass trombone

Carrie Davis-Katz....Popcorn Girl, Beetle's Voice, Luna Moth, guitar

Justin Katz….……..Circus Barker, contrabass

Tim O'Keefe............Lion, marimba, glockenspiel, percussion

Rosin Coven.…..….Greek Chorus, vocals

With essential performances by:

Gitty Duncan…….....Federico Fedora, Snake, Japanese Maiden

Sue Mell……………Snake Charmer, Fireflies, Ladybug

Stephen Lewis………Conjoined Twins, Sneering Old Man

Kalico………...……Countess Kalicula, Elsie

Bryan Welch………Smedly-O

Costume & Set Design…Puppets & Pie, Rosin Coven, Ken Reeser

Lighting Design, Video, & Sound…Robert Bastian, Adam Buck

Beetle Costume, Dung Heap, & Dung Ball…La & Loretta Cesari

Window Display…Ken Reeser

Graphic Design...Justin Katz

Beetle Collection...Generously loaned by Paxton Gate

The Opera:

Prologue

Pre-dawn Emergence from the dung heap

FIRST SEGMENT - HEAD

Scene 1 - Dawn; outside the circus The Daily Grind

Scene 2 - Day; at the circus Circus Theme, Countess Kalicula, Federico Fedora, Smedly-O, Beetle's Ragtime (73,246th Performance), Greek Chorus I - "The World He Travels"

Scene 3 - After the show; backstage Beetle's Last Way Out, Beetle's Melancholy Lament, Greek Chorus II - "From My Thorax"

Scene 4 - Evening; inside the dung heap Beetle Fact Rap "Oh Beeeetle," says the Eagle Scatological Departe (Flying 101)

SECOND SEGMENT - THORAX

Scene 1 - Twilight; forest Beetle is Lost (Lone Trombone), Lullaby of the Luna Moth, Reality Blurs: Descent into Dreams

Dream 1: Dance of the Fireflies

Dream 2: Ladybug's Pas De Deux

Dream 3: Beetle's Bagatelle

Dream 4: The Golden Scarab: Beetle's Triumph and Transformation

THIRD SEGMENT - ABDOMEN

Scene 1- Here; Now Reflections of a Beetle Wake Up Waltz

Scene 2 - The End

Epilogue

Pre-dawn - Emergence from the dung heap