Chapter 1
The script to:
A Nightmare before Easter
Based on Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
NARRATOR
’Twas a long time ago once again you might know, longer now than it seems we had last met, in a place that perhaps you’ve seen in your dreams or in a before-based movie scene I bet. For the story that you are about to be told this time, took place in the holiday world of old as recalled now and as once before found. By now, you’ve probably known where holidays come from. If you haven’t, I’d say it’s time you began, let me remind you one more time so your memory can start to run, like an old-time shadow puppet show.
This Is Halloween
SHADOW
Boys and girls of every age
Wouldn’t you like to see something stranger?
SIAMESE SHADOW
Come with us and you will see
This, our town of Halloween from our story exchanger
PUMPKIN PATCH CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Pumpkins scream in the dead of night
GHOSTS
This is Halloween, everybody make a scene
Trick or treat till forever as there is no light
It’s our town, everybody scream
In this town of Halloween.
One more gloomy now more ribbons all around his head as we celebrate now the East Bunnies dead.
CREATURE UNDER BED
I am the one hiding under your bed vail
Were just kidding this is not the easter bunny's tail.
MAN UNDER THE STAIRS
I am the one hiding under your stairs
Planting old moldy sweets on your teddy bears
CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
VAMPIRES
In this town, we call home
We use to hail to the pumpkin song. But sins he became all jolly and kind...
MAYOR
In this town, don’t we love it now?
Everybody’s waiting for the next surprise
CORPSE CHORUS
Round that corner, a clown hiding in the ice cream van
Something’s waiting now to pounce, and how you’ll scream
HARLEQUIN DEMON, WEREWOLF, MELTING MAN AND SCARECROW
Scream! This is Halloween
Red ‘n’ black, slimy green
WEREWOLF
Aren’t you scared?
WITCHES
Well, that’s just fine
Say it once, say it twice
Take the chance and roll the dice
Ride with the moon in the dead of night
HANGING TREE
Everybody scream, everybody scream
HANGED MEN
In our town of Halloween
SCARECROW
I am the scarecrow that loves to hug
I leave your body crawling with bugs
SECOND GHOUL
I am the “who” when you call, “Who’s there?”
I am the wind blowing through your hair
OOGIE BOOGIE SHADOW
I am the shadow on the moon at night
Filling your dreams to the brim with fright
CORPSE CHORUS
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
Halloween! Halloween!
CHILD CORPSE TRIO
Tender lumplings everywhere
Life’s no fun without a good scare
PARENT CORPSES
That’s our job, but we’re not mean
In our town of Halloween
CORPSE CHORUS
In this town
MAYOR
Don’t we love it now?
MAYOR WITH CORPSE CHORUS
Everyone’s waiting for the next surprise
CORPSE CHORUS
Skeleton Jack might catch you in the black,
If his not wearing his red present sack,
Make you jump out of your skin
Everybody scream, in our town of Halloween,
Won't ya please make way for a very special guy
Our man Jack is the king of the pumpkin patch
Everyone hail to the Pumpkin King.
EVERYONE
This is Halloween, this is Halloween
Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween!
CORPSE CHILD TRIO
In this town, we call home
Everyone hail to the pumpkin song
EVERYONE
La-la-la-la, Halloween! Halloween! (etc.)
EVERYONE
[applause]
WITCHES
Cackling
CLOWN
It’s over!
BEHEMOTH
We did it!
[tummy bump]
WEREWOLF
Wasn’t it Better than our Christmas try, No more jolly Santa guy?
HYDE & CYCLOPS
What a night, most def better than that!
MAYOR
Greatest Halloween ever. Back to a somewhat ordinary year.
JACK
It was horrible great, but not our best one yet!
Thank you everyone it was a good try.
MAYOR
No thanks to you, Jack. Your mind was all gone, not with us this time, somewhere stuck in a song -
JACK
I am sorry Mayor.
VAMPIRE (fat)
You were a bit of a drag, Jack.
WITCH
Perhaps you missing something, Jack a red suit and a goodie sack!
WITCH (little)
Not again I can’t deal with that!
WITCH
No not the jolly one, no please not that.
DR. FINKELSTEIN
Why are you trying to kill me before your big day, not meeting my grandkids would be such a shame, Sally?
SALLY
Let go, why are you still like this. I cannot handle this prison anymore. My ankles are swollen and my feet are sore!
DR. FINKELSTEIN
You should sit back this excitement is too much!
SALLY
It is my life I don’t need you as a crutch. I have Jack now!
DR. FINKELSTEIN
You can stay here with me, Jack won't know what to do when the twins come. He is soulless and dead you are in over your head!
SALLY
No, I’m not!
[Sally puts a knot in the thread that’s holding her leg on as she stumbles backward]
DR. FINKELSTEIN
Come back here, you foolish oaf! You need me!
CREATURE FROM BLACK LAGOON
Ooo Jack, you use to make wounds ooze and flesh crawl. You haven’t been the same. Is it the stress of all the strain?
Being the skeleton king and a dad. Is it too much coz you look bad?
JACK
Thank you, thank you, thank you -- very much, your honesty is insightfull.
MAYOR
Hold it! We haven’t given out the prizes yet! If you would do the honors jack...
[applause]
Jack
If we must let's just get it over with. Must we do this every year?
MAYOR
A frightening and horrible thought it would be, to not congratulate such big screams.
SAX PLAYER
Get on with it, Bone Daddy. We are dying of anticipation.
JACK
Yeah, I guess so. Just like last year and the year before that and the
the year before that.
[entering graveyard]
Jack’s Lament
Performed by Danny Elfman
There are few who’d deny, at what I do I am the best
For my talents are renowned far and wide
When it comes to surprises in the moonlit night that sometimes I must share the spotlight
I excel without ever even trying
With the slightest little effort of my ghostlike charms, there is another that had caused such harm
He invaded all their nightmares and turned them into dreams, O have you ever Sean such a frightful thing.
With the wave of my hand, and a well-placed moan
He tosses mounters full of sand in their eyes.
As they burn and go read they lay there seaming dead. For this, we only thank one guy.
The trophy goes to the Sandman.
It might not seem so scary but with the dreams they have, I fear of stuff that is alive like rainbow and rainier.
Yet year after year, it’s the same routine. So here is your trophy
Take the boring thing.
I grow so weary of the sound of screams And sometimes I miss that Christmas theme.
I, Jack, the Pumpkin King..
Have grown so tired of the same old thing. Cant, we try out a new regime.
Oh, somewhere deep inside of these bones.
An emptiness began to grow.
There’s something out there, far from my home I know because I have been there before.
A longing that I have known and am asking for.
I’m the master of fright and a demon of light
And I’ll scare you right out of your pants
To a guy in Bredell, I’m a nightmare from hell
And I’m known throughout Africa and Europe
And since I am dead, I can take off my head
To recite Shakespearean quotations
No animal nor man can scream as I can
With the fury of my recitations
But who here would ever understand
That the Pumpkin King with the skeleton grin
Would tire of his crown, if they only understood
He’d give it all up if he only could
Oh, there’s an empty place in my bones
That calls out for something unknown
The fame and praise come year after year
Does nothing for these empty tears
[leaving the graveyard and entering the forest]
SALLY
Jack, I hope this news I bring will change what’s within. I bear not just one but I will bless you with twins. I hope this might fill your void.
You have my love and baby someday my hand. If you like you can carry it with you
[Sally pulls her arm off]
You can hold it when you miss me and place it inside your pocket to hold onto your heart like a chest piece locket.
[She picks it up and turns away not waiting for a reply]
[back at Dr. Finkelstein’s castle]
DR. FINKELSTEIN
Sally, you’ve come back.
SALLY
I had to.
DR. FINKELSTEIN
For this?
[showing her arm]
SALLY
Yes.
DR. FINKELSTEIN
Shall we then, once again.
You are constantly falling apart my dear I know you are scared but I will always be here for you even if you don’t want me two, especially if you don't--
