Greek Mythology Play -- Reporter

Start of play

**REPORTER:** Hello and welcome to CNN, the Cyprus News Network! It’s a beautiful summer day today; you can expect sunny weather, with highs of 30 degrees and lows of 23 degrees celsius.

\
Today is also the day of the Festival of Aphrodite! Tune into the show after the next story to hear the latest on our loveliest festival. Before that, we will hear about the protests surrounding our dear king, Pygmalion. The second round of protests is continuing into its third consecutive week.

*Protester enters*

**REPORTER:** In the studio, we have Rachel, who organized the first round of protests a few months ago. Rachel, tell us a little about yourself.

**PROTESTER:** Good afternoon! My name is Rachel, and I am one of many women subject to Pygmalion-related verbal attacks.

**REPORTER:** What do you mean by that?

**PROTESTER:** Well, frankly, our king, Pygmalion, is a sexist pig!

**REPORTER:** Really now?

**PYGMALION:**…I hereby vow to never get married, for I will never find a woman good enough for me!

**REPORTER:** That certainly is a very strongly worded statement from Pygmalion

**PROTESTER:** …We cannot allow Pygmalion to continue to shame half the population of this island any longer.

**REPORTER:** Wow! Thank you, Rachel.

*PROTESTER exits.*

**REPORTER:** After the initial protests, Pygmalion revealed that he did, in fact, love a woman. One that he had carved himself from pure, snow-white ivory. Her name?

**PYGMALION**: Galatea! My one, true love! Galatea, oh, Galatea. 

**REPORTER**: Pygmalion, you can’t be here! 

**PYGMALION**: Psh! I’m the king! Besides, I need to introduce you to my one and only love…

**REPORTER**: Let me guess…her name is Galatea?

**PYGMALION**: Correct! 

**REPORTER**: Pygmalion, that’s a statue.

**PYGMALION**: A perfect statue. More perfect than any woman I’ve ever seen. Of course, only something created by a sculptor as skilled as myself could be so flawless. 

**REPORTER**: Pygmalion, I’m going to have to ask you to leave. 

\
*PYGMALION puts a hand up to stop REPORTER*

*REPORTER stops talking*

*PYGMALION wails and sinks to the ground*

*Beat. REPORTER kneels down beside PYGMALION*

\
**REPORTER**: Pygmalion, I’m sorry, but you can’t stay here. 

**PYGMALION**: Whatever shall I do? My life is nothing but misery when my love is not returned!

**REPORTER** *(thinking)*: Perhaps you could go to the Festival of Aphrodite today. If anyone can help you, it’s the goddess of love herself. 

*PYGMALION stands and runs off stage left, leaving GALATEA at the news station*

*REPORTER moves GALATEA off stage right.* 

\
**REPORTER**: Now, don’t move…Who am I kidding? You’re a statue. You can’t. 

\
*REPORTER returns to center stage*

\
**REPORTER**: Well, now that that’s settled, it’s time to take a look at our Festival of Aphrodite! Let’s head on over! 

\
*REPORTER exits stage right.*

*APHRODITE settles herself stage left, watching the scene from her chair.* 

\n

*FESTIVAL-GOER arrives stage right and tends to their cow.* 

*REPORTER enters from stage right.* 

\
**REPORTER**: Here we are, folks! The famed Festival of Aphrodite, known across Cyprus. Every year, the people bring incense and offerings for our goddess of love. 

\
*REPORTER approaches FESTIVAL-GOER*

\n **REPORTER**: Good afternoon! Would you like to tell us a little about your cow here?

**FESTIVAL-GOER**: Gladly! My name is \[your name\]. This here is Lulu. She’s a heifer—that’s a female cow that hasn’t had a calf yet. Admire those gold-tipped horns. I only pick the best for my goddess. 

**REPORTER**: What do you plan to do with Lulu?

**FESTIVAL-GOER**: Why, sacrifice her to Aphrodite, of course! 

\
*Meanwhile, PROTESTER wanders on from stage left, enjoying the festival and admiring the cow.*

\
**REPORTER**: Thank you, \[FESTIVAL-GOER’s name\]

**FESTIVAL-GOER**: My pleasure. 

\
*PROTESTER and FESTIVAL-GOER strike up a conversation in the background (not audible)* 

**REPORTER**: Alright, the next thing we’re going to take a look at is—

**PYGMALION** *gently*: Galatea? 

*Pause. Everyone holds their breath*

**PYGMALION**: I love you, too.

**REPORTER**: It seems by the power of the Aphrodite…Galatea has come to life!

**FESTIVAL-GOER**: I can already see it! They’re going to get married, and in nine months they’ll have a beautiful child named Paphos. They’ll grow old together, make each other happy…

**REPORTER**: Well, this will certainly make for some exciting reporting. *(to the camera)*: That’s all for now on CNN, the Cyprus News Network. If you missed it, come back tomorrow to hear all the juicy details of the story of Pygmalion and Galatea!