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unearthed in the Smelling Salt Amusements archive: |
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B
U R I E D__A L I V E |
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Buried Alive was presented by the Simultaniacs in 1998-1999. It is the story of Floyd Collins, an explorer who was trapped in Mammoth Cave in 1925. |
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Here
are excerpts from a performance at the 14K Kabaret, Baltimore: |
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In
This Hole play movie 21
mb |
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| A
Shocking Saturnalia play
movie 15.8 mb
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Quicktime
Player is required. |
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| Text: |
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The Great Cave Wars The children here don't come to school They spend their days in the darkness of the caves These children are losing their pigment too No one knew This world is full of jewels untold Many bigger than their arms could hold Some have been opened for the world to behold Under the land of the fortunate few Another hole anew It just grew No one knew how it began It just grew Everyday another hole anew Every clan had a claim That theirs was the same As the one sparkling name Mammoth Cave And every clan protected their claim Roads had been paved Tracks had been laid Fortunes had been made Mammoth Cave No one knew how it began It just grew Everyday another hole anew Floyd Collins grew up here He explored every cave anywhere near He had seen the wonders inside It just grew
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He Had Magnetism He had magnetism He had a love for the cold and damp The dark and airless space Deep in the earth He had magnetism He walked through mazes for miles and miles He discovered the great Crystal Cave! He had magnetism He ventured through Tunnels unknown before Leading to magical rooms Full of glorious sights!
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The Crystal Cave Stalactites! Stalagmites! Salamanders and Bats! Blinking and Twinkling Rocks! Blind Fish and Bats!
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In This Hole It was a tangled thread An enclosing vein A tight squeeze remained But that can't stop me I used dynamite To pave the way The rock began to move Under my sight I slithered and crawled Through unforgiving faces Through damp and slimy walls To more inviting places A vertical drop Just a meter or two Into the unknown Splendid and new I am a spelunker! I am an invincible discoverer! I was daring, brave and strong! Until I was caught by a rock In this hole The lantern tipped and with it went the light Alone in the dark I did not feel fright Not even when I heard the snap That pinned my foot tight It was a rock The same size and shape as a ham hock I scrambled and grabbed it But it would not nudge I pulled at the loose pebbles and sludge They rained down on me Soon I could not budge I was buried up to my chest! I did my best not to cry But I did, I screamed too No one can hear me! Oh! I am a spelunker! I am an invincible discoverer! I was daring, brave and strong! Until I was caught by a rock In this hole
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Where's Floyd? Floyd, where are you? Floyd, where are you? He didn't come home last night He went looking under Bee Doyle's land For a cave, beautiful and grand He must be under the ground We must go down, down, down Floyd, where are you? There in the squeeze With a rock caught below his knees We've got to get him out I'll go No I'll go No I'll go No I'll go This is a terrible place! It is dark and cold! Water is dripping down the walls It is too small I can barely breathe I must leave How will we get him out I know No I know No I know No I'll go
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A Shocking Saturnalia It was a shocking saturnalia Send someone into the shaft! It is slimy and soft He must be skinny To shimmy into the squeeze Floyd is inside Scared and sad Sorry to be stuck in the hole Saying Oh for a sip to soothe my throat He is shrunken and shriveled and starved Save him! Somebody! Send someone into the shaft Sorry. They're not spelunkers. They're drunkards! Scared they don't care Several are saying So long, Floyd.
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The Endless Wait and a Vision I had a dream, dear You had one too Mine was the best, for it was of you The light was streaming from your gown Of golden weave that can't be found You kept me warm through the night With whispers of hidden delight Your sweet breath blew away the wet Tears from my cheeks And although I could not move my legs Nor arms nor chest nor head I went running through spaces vast and wide You took me to the other side What do you say, dear? Now is the time You tell me your dream I'll tell you mine
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Outsiders Cut In In a fit of restriction Lines were drawn Ropes pulled tight And the lieutenant governor said no. All of you Who grew up with this man And these hills Please Get a hold of yourselves Get out of here And let us get him out Organization of men and plans Shifts and guards Engineering will bring Floyd out All of you Who grew up with this man And these hills Please Stay out of the cave Stay out of the way And let us get him out Around the clock A shaft was sunk, trussed and drilled Ten days later he was found One eye was open, the other was closed His mouth was tight And his gold tooth shone cold Dead was the one word His rescuer spoke Floyd Collins is dead.
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