Mouse Without A Tail: Part Deux

©July 24, 2010 Art by Anita Rivera, text by Ruben Rivera (except * and **). Characters Mozes and Miss Moussie are original creations of The Dutchess.

Tea Rat: Cheese and crackers! There's a real Blakenrosentauber, a criminal no less? I just made up the disguise to get an audition for Miss Moussie's new show.

Mozes: Miss M., what do you want me to do? I'm guided by you here.

Miss M.: Well...Tea Rat's masquerade was good enough to get him past SMASH, and good acting is, after all, what we're looking for. Also, he has been our most devoted supporter. OK THEN. My dear Tea Rat, I have just the part for you in my show. Mind you, it's only a teeny, tiny part.

Tea Rat: Anything, anything. You won't forget it. I mean, beget it. I mean, you won't regret it.
*♪ ♫..They're gonna put me in the movies. They're gonna make a big star out of me..♪ ♫.*

OPENING NIGHT:

**♪ ♫..Overture, curtains, lights.
♪ ♫..This is it, you'll hit the heights.
♪ ♫..And oh what heights you'll hit.
♪ ♫..On with the show this it...♪ ♫..**

♪ ♫..Prince Mouse searched over hill and-a-dale,
for to find his Princess most beauteous fair.
♪ ♫..But the evil Duke Badger, O' foul beyond pale,
Kidnapped the fair Princess, her honor to scale.
♪ ♫..Whilst he waylaid our hero and cast him in jail,
maimed cruelly his body, a set him to wail.

♪ ♫..But his love for his lady kept him vim and in hale.
He escaped his tormentor and resu-med his grail.
♪ ♫..Yet, should love ever find them, would love-lone avail?
For he was now and forever a Mouse without a tail..♪ ♫.

((Cheese and crackers! That's the real Blakenrosentauber, right in the front row. I've got to alert SMASH, but I can't interrupt the show. Whatever do I do? I've got it, I've got it!))
Hurrumph...
♪ ♫..Ohh, Mozes of SMASH pay attention with ardor.
The felon you seek's not to port nor to starboard.
He haveth the gall in this theatre to harbor.
Front row center, the rouge Blakenrosentauber.♪ ♫.

SNAP!
"Oh, oh!"

♪ ♫..But his love for his lady kept him vim and in hale.♪ ♫..

"Oh, Tea Rat, that was a brave thing you did."

♪ ♫..Yet, should love ever find them, would love-lone avail?

"Miss M. whatever are you doing here? Is this heaven?"

♪ ♫...he was now and forever a Mouse without a tail..♪ ♫.

"This is Mozes, coming out with the fugitive Blakenrosentauber. Copy that?"
((That's great, boss. Way to SMASH 'em!))

♪ ♫...he was now and forever a Mouse without a tail..♪ ♫.

Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap, clap...
"Bravo...bravo....Wonderful....Sensational...Awesome"
Clap, clap, clap, clap....
Great surprise ending! Bravo!
Clap, clap, clap, clap....
I can't stop crying! Sniff!
Clap, clap, clap, clap....

......

EPILOGUE
......

------
*From "Act Naturally," The Beatles (originally by Buck Owens).
**From "Bugs Bunny Overture."

A Mouse Without A Tail: The Musical

©Art by Anita Rivera. Text by Ruben Rivera.

PART ONE: THE AUDITION

The crowd of hopefuls was lined up at the entrance to the theatre, every one of them dreaming for a part in Miss Moussie's new stage production, "A Mouse Without A Tail: The Musical." For, in the past, even minor roles in her "Travelin' Show" had vaulted the career of many a hitherto unknown.

Security was tight and needed to be.

Fans and freaks just wanted to get a look at the real stars. Kooks and kranks just wanted their fifteen minutes of fame. And press and paparazzi just wanted dirt for their next salacious gossip column.

Tea Rat, he just wanted to be next to the "Divine Miss M," as Miss Moussie had come to be known. At the last "Travelin' Show" the love-stricken rat vaulted from the balcony upon the stage and joined the Can-Can line. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It wasn't. He was ejected instantaneously. Public apologies followed.

This time, Tea Rat would see Miss M. by being in the show properly. So there he was in line, in an outlandish disguise to match his outlandish plan.

"Hi, Mozes. It's me, Tea Ra.... Er eh. I mean, hurrumph. Good day dear fellow. I am Mr., er...Bla-ken...rosen...tau-ber. Yes, Mr. Blakenrosentauber. Actor, dancer, singer, etc., etc. I think, if you'll check, you'll see that I am scheduled for an audition.

"Humm. Let's see. Ah, yes. Blakenrosentauber. Go right on in."

Security was tight, and needed to be. Miss Moussie hired the best, of the best, of the best: Mozes the Bear's "Security Mobile Action Strike Help," or SMASH. But even the best can make a mistake.

"Whoo-hoo. I'm in. I'm here, my love.
♪ ♫..And then I saw her face, now I'm a believer. ♪ ♫ Not a trace of doubt in mind. ♪ ♫ I'm in love...oooh...I'm a believer, I couldn't leave her if I tried... ♪ ♫"

The plot thickens.

"Mozes."
"What?"
"Sir, you need to take a look at this."

"Humm."

"We've got a security breach!"

Meanwhile, at the auditions.

Miss Moussie: "Next!"

"That's me. In F flat and peppy. Up, up, up, up, up.
Hit it, toots!"

♪ ♫...Que sera, sera. Whatever will be will be.
The future's not ours to see... ♪ ♫

"I don't know how you managed to repair your physical injury, Mr. Bla...ken...rosen...whatever, but you're not fooling anyone.
Coming out with a live one. Copy that?"

"NEXT!"

Lost Keys

The auditions are scheduled for today... so hang on everyone, Mozes, head of security has lost the keys to the main door! As soon as he finds them, all actors, dancers, and singers are to form a single line as the AUDITIONS for The Mouse Without a Tail The Musical COMMENCE!!!!!!

Warmin' er up with Gretta and Company

Gretta and company of eight or more are ready for the show...practice, practice and more practice...anticipating, and waiting for show time to begin!

Summer Stock Theatre in Nowhere

Rattus: "Old thing, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

Through Thick and Thin

Rattus: ABSOLUTELY NOT! I CAN'T LOOK AT IT! Old thing, I have been through thick and thin with you, dirigible crashes, outrageous episodes at the theatre and failed attempts to get Miss Moussie to marry you, but there is no way that I am going to apply sunburn cream to your, er....back side...

Tea: Oh dear fellow, it is the least you could do for an old mate, besides, I can't reach that far down.

Rattus: I told you to wear your bathing suit and sunblock, but you wouldn't listen! You insisted on wearing your Wellies on the beach....what good did it do you other than to protect your ankles? I REFUSE!