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Thriller live June 14th 2018 7.30.p.m.

Programme Notes Act 2

Good evening Ladies and gentlemen

Welcome back to Thriller Live. I am Pam and I will be describing act 2 for you.

The scenery is the same as in Act 1 and, as in act 1, the music and songs run into each other so I will tell you as much as I am able to now about the action and the costumes then will remind you if I get the chance as the musical progresses.

At present we see the words Thriller live on the lower screen. As drumbeats start the image of a white figure appears on a screen high left kicking a white football to a similar figure on a screen high right. That figure kicks it and it turns into a large orange ball which falls and wipes out the words on the screen. In low light two dancers perform as the music starts for “Wanna be starting something.” They are joined by other dancers mainly in sports gear. The performers include acrobatics in their dance routine. Later Michael joins them wearing black trousers on which are many and varied metal attachments. Over this he has on a loose white blouson.

The images on the lower screen change to those of moving machine parts as the song changes to “Dancing machine.”

This is followed by “Pretty young thing” where male dancers try to attract the attention of the female singer.

When there are sounds of a gong that is the start of “Beat it.” The dancers are still in their original costumes and dance and do acrobatics while the song proceeds. During the song the lead guitarist comes forward to play an impressive riff then retreats.

All goes dark then the narrators appear in turn.

The lower screen changes to pink and a female singer is silhouetted against it. She makes a few exaggerated moves then comes forward singing “The way you make me feel.” 4 male dancers join her dressed in black trousers with short shiny blue jackets tied at the waist over white tee shirts. They all leave as the lower screen shows a large building. A female singer is joined by a male singer for “I just can’t stop loving you.” The man wears a plain blue suit while the female wears a loose white coat over a black close fitting outfit.

At the end of the song they kiss.

All goes black.

For “Smooth Criminal.” long red seats have been placed in front of the lower screen. On the higher moveable screen is a film of Michael’s head with his hand smoothing the edge of his white panama hat. Male dancers wear pale grey waist coated suits over dark shirts with ties, they also wear grey trilby’s. Michael wears a white suit over a blue shirt with white tie together with the white Panama hat. The girl dancers all wear sparkly knee length dresses of various colours. Michael appears to be in charge as he knocks one man to the floor, a shot is heard and he appears to put something back in his pocket.

The girls sit on the men’s laps and flirt with them.

Lights flash and the song changes to “Dirty Diana” when all but one of the girls leave.

The scene ends with drums making the sound of gun shots.

A narrator explains how Michael wanted to change his life and “Man in a mirror” follows.

One male singer is joined by three other men. They are all wearing white trousers and a variety of jackets decorated with gold. Later other singers and dancers join them. They are dressed all in white with a white chest cover decorated with gold stripes.

As they sing, behind them on the lower screen appear the words I have a dream followed by black and white pictures of various people who promoted peace such as Martin Luther King, Mother Theresa, Nelson Mandella and John Lennon with the symbol of peace. As the song finishes the image of the head of Michael Jackson appears on the high screen.

The song “They don’t care about us” is next and the following words appear on all the screens, hate, war, conflict, racism and hunger. 4 of the dancers beat side drums as they dance. The words then change for the Earth song to give, love and change and the large word war changes to Peace. All is quiet then an image of green trees comes on the high screen and on several other screens. Gradually this changes to pictures of cities and then of the world. The people on the stage simply walk around looking at the screens and mirroring the words of the song.

All goes dark.

There are the sounds of a heartbeat. On the high screen the image of a hand opens a case, takes out a sparkly glove

and puts it on then takes out a black fedora and strokes it and puts it on Then we have the whole image of Michael as the screen rises and he is behind it on the balcony. Coming down to the stage he sings “Billy Jean”, dancing as he does so and he uses all his famous moves including the crotch grabbing and the moon walk.

All goes black then on the lower screen small houses can be seen

with a sign saying Drive in Movie Theatre. Lights of cars arriving takes its place then the whole front of a car takes over the screen. That disappears as a sky and clouds replace it. A male singer in a red suit meets a girl in a black trousers and blue top. They sing in front of the screen where there is now a cemetery. That changes to a full moon. They kiss and the screen now depicts the cemetery again with strange green shapes rising from the tombs. From the back and from the auditorium come dancers wearing rags and ugly masks to dance. At one point the man in red repulses the ghouls but they rise again to surround him but he manages to drive them away.

All goes black.

As the lights come up a dancer seems to be writing BAD in Capital letters in orange paint on the lower screen. He leaves as three male singers and one female singer in a yellow suit and striped tee shirt arrive to sing the song, They are joined by the dancers. At one point it goes dark and then there are red flashing lights as they change to the song Black and white.

As they sing a reprise of Thriller and Smooth Criminal one of the narrators introduces all the cast members finishing with the man who took the part of Michael Jackson then the screen is rolled back so that he could introduce the band.

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