THE ELDERLY PRINCESS PROJECT

 

I. The Original Idea: December 1, 2016

     a) This is the story of two sisters. The older is a fabulous, thin spendthrift who has become Queen. The younger has lived in the shadows, and because of this has had a chance to develop into a better person.

     b) The Elderly Princess has learned to cook for herself and thus weighs more, but her digestion is better than the Queen's because of it. She is kind to animals, whereas the Queen is always wrecking her new horses, hunting, and using pets as accessories. The Elderly Princess creates; the Queen consumes. The Elderly Princess has aged naturally into a beauty suitable for her; the Queen looks like a weird parody because she always thinks she has to look eighteen.

     c) Hard times have hit the kingdom, and the Queen must try to woo the aged King of another realm. He arrives with his Grandson (his heir apparent, who sorely needs a parent), and while the Queen tries to dazzle the King, the Grandson gets to know the Elderly Princess. She becomes sort of a surrogate mother to him, and he in turn, tries to alert the King to her as a better alternative. The King slowly becomes aware of the Elderly Princess's virtues.

     d) When the Queen realizes the developing situation, she goes nuts with jealousy, not because she likes the King, but because he prefers the Elderly Princess, and she needs the money. There is an exciting fracas, in which the sisters fall down and the Queen breaks her hip. The Elderly Princess, who has more meat on her bones, is fine. The Queen, chastened by her accident, realizes that her sister is the better person.

     e) The Aged King marries the Elderly Princess which helps her kingdom, the Grandson now has a motherly figure in his life, the Queen gains perspective, and the Elderly Princess gains a loving family and recognition for her personality.

 

II. Names for the Characters

     a) The Elderly Princess: Maude or Beatrice

     b) The Queen: Madelaine

     c) The Aged King:

     d) The Grandson:

 

III. Proposed Supporting Characters

     a) Animal sidekicks for the Princess

     b) An animated inanimate object

     c) A councillor for the Queen

     d) Castle servants/confidants/"crew"

     e) Some sort of attendant for the King and Grandson

 

IV. The Background

     a) The Queen has had her own "Disney princess" experience. (Become queen on her own or married then lost prince. Has learned nothing from it.)

     b) Is the King one of her former suitors?

     c) The Grandson's parental loss. (Parents dead? Or distanced by politics, ruling another kingdom?)

     d) The Princess's view of marriage. Never felt it necessary unless she met the right person. She sees what a good man the King is, and sees the Queen's mere machinations weaving around him. Through concern for King she begins to grow fond of him. Also she feels real duty to kingdom.

 

V. The Mis-en-Scene

     a) This is a lamp-shaded trope (or parody, if you will), as well as a story.

     b) The Queen keeps trying to have a Disney-Princess moment (might try to re-enact several stories).

     c) The Grandson tries to play matchmaker.

     d) The King has to learn to quit living in the past, to see things clearly, and re-evaluate his conceptions of beauty.

     e) The Princess has to overcome a certain fuddy-duddiness to realize a new kind of happiness is in reach.

 

VI. Schtick

     a) Once upon a time there were two beautiful princesses...(tell backstory)...and she was the most beautiful in all the land...(scream cut from young Queen to old Queen)...once upon a time.

     b) A song about gussying up and playing the game...ends with Princess rejecting it.