The Phantom of the Dining Hall
Hi-Teens 1991

Cast:
The Phantom:Michael Gilmour
Andre:Victor Wong
Charlotta:Carrie Gibbons
MissTeen Dry,eh?:Julie Sliskovic
Faoul:John Martin
Primary Camper:Neil E. Dainio III
Narrator:Katie Burkhardt
Chorus:Kyla Gilmour, Alana Smith,
Richard Pepper
Organist:Karen Fowler

Act One

**=Phantom theme on organ.

Narrator: There are many mysteries surrounding Dorion Bible Camp: Where do Elaine's pencils go? Why are there usually at least six vehicles parked past the "No vehicles past this point" sign? Who does Dicky Marvellous' hair and why? But no mystery is greater than the mysterious affair of (dramatic pause) The Phantom of the Dining Hall.**

Little is known of this shadowy figure, his origins being shrouded in conjecture and legend, giving rise to a number of questions, the deepest of which is this: How can he be much of a mysterious Phantom when every time he appears, great blaring theme music is played?

(Enter Phantom. ** He shakes his fist at music and exits.)

Many years ago Camp Dorion was taken over by Monsieur Andre and his Prima Donna, Charlotta, and all their pets. At times their pets were so numerous that the Camp was said to be run by Andre and vermin.

(Enter Andre and Charlotta) Soon they noticed that Camp life was not all rosy and wonderful. Small things began to annoy them: weeds, mice, chipmunks, insects, children. (Mime.) What was causing all these annoyances-or who? Little did they realize that deep in the bowels of the old dining hall lived a lonely, haunted, twisted creature who dreamed of the glory and fame that could be his, were he to run the Camp.

All the problems of Camp were of his making, especially the mosquitoes, the result of a genetic experiment involving piranhas, vampire bats and humming birds. These pests were his special emissaries, the very embodiment of his warped character and he alone held the solution to their ravages, which he soon made available to Andre --at a hefty profit.

(During songs Andre, Charlotta and Phantom mime.)

Andre & Charlotta: Where in the world can we find safety? These BUGS are driving us crazy!
I only wish I knew the secret. What is this new polluter?
Phantom: Insolent boy, this slave of caffeine, itching in your Chevy.
Ignorant fool, this Archery shooter, scratching in my Triumph.
Pic is the only solution. To buy it you must come to me.
It's $2.29 for a package, plus G.S.T..
All three: Angel of Pic for house and garden. Buy it for friends and strangers.
Black Flag is quick but not effective. Buy all your Pic at Shoppers'.
Phantom: I am your Angel. Come to the Angel of new Pic.
I am your Angel of new Pic. Come to the Angel of new Pic.
Andre: In sleep they feed on me. In swarms they come.
That noise that bothers me. That constant hum.
Their master comes with them in evening's gloom.
The Phantom of the Dining Hall is there inside my room.
Phantom: Swing once again, my sweet, and try to do it.
Increase your body heat. Again you blew it.
And though you look for them, search everywhere,
The Phantom of the Dining Hall is there inside your hair.
Charlotta: Those who have seen my legs draw back in dread.
Behind the Muskol I wear my legs are red.
It looks like I have caught the chickenpox.
The Phantom of the Dining Hall is there inside my socks.

Narrator: The mosquito situation became so bad that Andre had installed the giant Pic coil you see above your heads in order to prevent the campers from being distracted by bugs during his ten minute introduction to Camp life.

Soon the Phantom's hopes began to centre on a young kitchen girl named MissTeen Dry,eh? whom he hoped to train as a champion pillowfighter, but his plans were confused by the entrance of a charming assistant counsellor into her life. This young man's name was Faoul. (They enter and gaze into each other's eyes.)

In an attempt to scuttle their relationship, the Phantom sent another of his emissaries their way-a Primary camper. (Enter camper. Mime.)

Camper: Let me be your buddy. Let me cling on you.
Come on. Allow me to bug you, to pinch you and to slug you.
Say you'll share with me your tuk and bedtime snack.
Let me tip the red canoe.
Say you'll give to me a daylong piggyback.
Anywhere you go let me go, too.
Counsellor, that's all I ask of you.

(Faoul gives the camper a chocolate bar and the camper exits.)

Narrator: In a rage of insane jealousy, the Phantom unleashed upon the camp a disaster beyond their imagination.**

(Phantom screams "go" and the giant Pic "chandelier" falls on the crowd.)


Entr'acte

Act Two

Banquet date! Ev'rybody wants a date.
Banquet date. Send a friend so the girl/boy will not reject you.
Banquet date! Ev'rybody sit up straight.
Banquet date. Comb your hair and let a girl/boy select you.
Boy and girl, fair and foul, happy face, angry scowl.
Chew and chat, flirt and feast, face of angel, face of beast.
Chases! Take your turn, take a ride on the teeter totter.
Banquet date! Grinning smiles, spinning heads.
Banquet date. Get upset. Let the thing preoccupy you.
Banquet date! Put on all your classy threads.
Banquet date. You're in love but the Gospel goes right by you.

(Phantom appears in Dicky Marvellous suit and hands a script to Andre and exits.)

Narrator: At the Awards Dinner for Teens Two the Phantom handed Andre the script for a skit he had written and ordered that it be performed the next week. The title: "Don Tulloch Triumphant", the earthy story of men and women seduced into working on the dining hall by the promise of chocolate chip cookies and pie at coffee break.

In this scene of the Phantom's skit we see Don, portrayed by the Phantom, taking a bit of time off and enjoying a football game. His team is a point behind and he is giving his intructions to his centre played by MissTeen.

Pass the punt of no return. Our final chance is
To boot the ball clear into their own end.
And score 2 points for no return.      ** on tape

(Phantom knocks out the organist with a pillow. In the huddle MissTeen pulls his mask off, sees his face and screams. The audience does not see his face. They both run off in opposite directions.)

Narrator: We won't see any more scenes from the Phantom's skit because Richard couldn't figure out the music.

The Phantom has lost. All his hopes are dashed of ever turning MissTeen into a champion pillowfighter. In the daze of emotions she feels for Faoul she can't even remember to keep her hand to the level of her eyes to ward off those illegal headshots. The Phantom is crushed. Allow yourselves to feel a touch of compassion as we bid adieu to Edrik, for that is his name, the Phantom of the Dining Hall.

(Waits for music. None. Phantom sits and "plays" organ during song.)

Richard: Snacktime sharpens, heightens hyperactive
Campers who scamper And ask that they be wacked, if
Stupidly the senseless abandon their defences.

Slowly, gently as a kitchen blender.
Gasping, tense, like meeting a truck's fender.
Turn you face away. You had better start to pray.
Don't you know your pillow is too light?
Listen to the Music of the Fight.

Close your eyes and surrender to your counsellor.
Purge your thoughts of the life you knew before.
Close you eyes and your body will be sore.
And you'll hurt as you've never hurt before.

Softly, deftly your cabinmates surround you.
Hear it. Feel it as they start to pound you.
Open up the door. You can't take it anymore.
In the darkness better wave a flag that's white.
It's over now, the Music of the Fight.

(Phantom reveals smiling normal face and says, "Hi folks". Audience reacts in horror. He wraps his cloak about himself and disappears behind the organ. The cast assembles and sings. Phantom joins them for the second half of the song.)

Give us a place to camp and a place for fun.
And call this pla-ace "Camp Dorion".
A place to swi-i-im where waves are high.
The grea---------------te-est place -- underneath the sky.

Give us a ball and bat and a volleyball
And don't forge-et the old dining hall.
A place to ca-a-amp and a place for fun
At Do-----------ori-ori-ori-ori-i-on.

FINIS


Unused song:
See Madonna
(Parody of "Prima Donna")

See Madonna, first lady of bad taste.
She is not chaste, although she's chased by a multitude.
How can she sing "Like a Virgin" at all,
Dancing all around half nude?

See Madonna, she's singing once again.
Her belly button is really nuttin' to adore.
Now she is starring in Tru-uth or Dare,
But we, Madonna, don't care.

[ List of Skits ]


To further memories of Dorion Bible Camp, CSSM Ministries
[Seventies] [Eighties] [Nineties] ['00/'01] ['02]
To "Am I Stuck in the Past?"
To "Life After Camp"
To Camp Comments Explanation.


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Last Update: Sept. 3, 2007

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