26 Hillary DePiano TRUFFALDINO. (Losing patience:) That's it. You're going to this stu- pid feast whether you like it or not! (He tries to tug TARTAGLIA out of the chair but TARTAGLIA holds on too tightly and he won't budge. TRUFFALDINO then aggressively begins to throw the medicine bottles off stage.) TARTAGLIA. (Jumping up out of his chair, trying to stop him:) Are you crazy? What are you doing? Stop! Stop, you lunatic! My medicines! Stop! Ill die without my medicines! (Chase music. TARTAGLIA frantically begins to try to retrieve the bottles. When he stands, TRUFEALDINO takes the blanket and hot compress from his head and throws them off stage. TRUE- FALDINO holds the last of the medicine, TARTAGLIA runs for it, They chase. This chase takes them through the audience and TRUFFALDINO may even elicit the help of an audience member to hide the bottle for a while. He finally tricks TARTAGLIA and catches him and, swings the prince over his shoulder.) TARTAGLIA. But I'm sick! TRUFFALDINO. Frankly, your highness, I don’t give a damn. TARTAGLIA. Stop! Stop! I'll die! I'm too sick to go out! Where's my air purifier? Stop! Stop... (Exit. The whole time TARTAGLIA is yelling, kicking and crying pathetically as he is carried offstage.) Scene 3 (NARRATOR turns the page to a court room in the palace. As- sorted CASTLE SERVANTS put the finishing touches on the decorations. Light music plays underneath. The NARRATOR oversees the scene change and then says to the audience:) NARRATOR. And so it was time for the royal costume ball and the kingdom prepared, throwing together the most elaborate and ornate costumes they could find, all hoping to make the prince laugh to save the kingdom and claim the King’s reward. Tartaglia’s illness had all but outlawed happiness in the kingdom and this chance to break free from the kingdom-wide mourning and cut loose created a feeling of hope and joy in everyone. And I do mean everyone. (He unbuttons the top of his shirt to reveal a costume underneath, smiles, and then exits the stage. LEANDRO enters and begins to pace downstage of those that are decorating.)