General Knowledge

A Theatre Play

by

4th Year Economy

Based on the film

by

Lee Unkrich
SUMMARY
Scene 1
The film Coco begins with the story of the Rivera family. Many years
ago, Miguel's great-grandmother, Imelda, was abandoned by her musician
husband, causing her to ban music from the family. Since then,
everyone in the Rivera family has dedicated themselves to making shoes
and has a strict rule: no music. Miguel secretly loves music and
dreams of being like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz, a famous singer and
guitarist who has passed away. Miguel hides a small television and a
guitar in his hiding place and practices in secret. As the Day of the
Dead comes, Miguel discovers an old photo in the family offering. In
the image, his great-grandfather's face is broken, but Miguel notices
that the guitar he is carrying is identical to Ernesto de la Cruz's.
He then believes Ernesto could be his great-great-grandfather.
Determined to demonstrate his talent, Miguel enters a talent show, but
his grandmother breaks his guitar upon discovering him. Desperate,
Miguel goes to Ernesto de la Cruz's grave to borrow his famous guitar.

Scene 2
The scene begins in the mausoleum (a tomb in the cemetery) where
Miguel, strums Ernesto de la Cruz’s guitar who was a famous singer,
and magically enters the Land of the Dead. He discovers that skeletons
can see him and that he is now a part of their world, he learns that
he can’t return to the Land of the Living without a family blessing.
He sees the marigold bridge, which is the path back but only if he
earns the blessing. Miguel and his skeleton family, tío Oscar, tío
Felipe, Imelda and tía Victoria, head to the Department of Family
Reunions to try to send him back.

Scene 3
While he is running to escape from Mother Imelda, he meets Hector, a
skeleton. He realizes that Miguel is alive, then he sees an
opportunity to return to the World of the Living, if Miguel places his
photo in the offering. To help Miguel not to be recognized, Hector
makes him up as a skeleton. Both agree to help each other, Hector will
help Miguel find Ernesto de la Cruz to have his blessing, and Miguel
will take Hector's photo and put it in the offering of the world of
the living.
Meanwhile, Miguel's family is looking for him with the help of their
pet who can track him.

Scene 4
This scene takes place in Ernesto’s mansion while they were at a party
in the Land of the Dead. Hector tells Miguel to put his photo in the
offering, but Ernesto takes it from Miguel's hand and recognises
Hector as his friend. Hector gets mad with Ernesto because he had
stolen his songs and because of that, he's being forgotten, because
Ernesto didn’t tell anyone that he had written his songs. Ernesto says
that they used to make a good duo, and that when he died, he wanted to
keep one part of him forever. Hector tells Miguel how the night he
died was, and then he says that they cheered together and Ernesto said
that he would move heaven and earth for him. Miguel notices that what
Ernesto said was from Don Hidalgo’s movie, and after saying that, he
poisoned his friend.

Scene 5
After Miguel came back from the Land of the Dead without Hector`s
photo, he went quickly to Coco`s bedroom, closing the door so no one
could enter. Miguel tried to make Coco remember Hector through words
but Coco didn't answer. Then Abuelita, Mama Rivera, Papa Rivera and
the Rivera family entered the room and forced Miguel to apologize to
Coco but instead of that Miguel played the guitar and sang a song
called, Remember me. That song was the song Hector used to sing to
Coco when he was alive and Coco was a child. After that, Coco gets
sentimental and starts singing with Miguel and remembering Hector.
When the song ends, Coco shows Miguel the photo he had of Hector that
fit perfectly with the torn photo.
The entire Rivera family (the dead and the living) celebrate the Day
of the Dead and the family lets Miguel pursue his dream of becoming a
musician.

ROLES
Director(s): Valentina Ottonello.
Stage manager(s): Martina Beccassino, Julieta Merelas.
Set crew: Martina Beccassino, Benicio Marinozzi, Jazmín Gomiz, Serena
Smith, Valentina Ottonello.
Props crew: Julieta Merelas, Valentino Girola, Camilo Aira, Marco De
Luca.
Costume crew: Miranda Guzmán, Malena Alvarez, Florencia Motta, Lihue
Mattivi, Catalina Colazo, Sofía Milano, Morena Aveiro.
Sound crew: Ignacio Condina, Daiana Vidal, Simón Gonzalez Mallo.

CAST AND THEIR CHARACTERS

MIGUEL RIVERA - Marco De Luca
HÉCTOR - Camilo Aira
ERNESTO DE LA CRUZ - Benicio Marinozzi
MAMÁ IMELDA - Jazmín Gomiz
ABUELA ELENA - Serena Smith
MAMÁ COCO - Malena Alvarez
PAPÁ JULIO - Valentino Girola
TÍO OSCAR - Catalina Colazo
TÍO FELIPE - Daiana Vidal
LUISA RIVERA (MUM) - Julieta Merelas
MARIACHI - Simón Gonzalez Mallo

SCRIPT
FADE IN:
EXT. PARK - DAY​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 1

MIGUEL (O.S.)
(nostalgic)
Everything started with the Rivera family. One day, my
great-great-great grandfather abandoned his family to show his
music to the world. So my great-great-great grandmother took
control of everything, and banned all the music. Then, she opened
a shoe store so her daughter and all her family could forget
music.
Nowadays, all the generations work there and hate everything
related to music… except me.
 My favourite singer is Ernesto de la Cruz. I have all his albums,
watched all his movies, and I created a guitar just like the one
he has.
Tonight there’s a music festival at the central Plaza,
(sighs, sadly)
but my family won’t let me participate…

A nearby MARIACHI overhears him.

MARIACHI
(jaded)
Bueno, bueno, I didn’t ask for your life story, just go on and
show your family what you can do. Here, take my guitar.

MIGUEL
Do you think I can do it?

Suddenly, MIGUEL’S ABUELA ELENA storms into the plaza.

ABUELA ELENA
(mad)
Miguel, ¡¿qué haces con esa guitarra?!

MIGUEL
I… I was-

ABUELA ELENA
(to the Mariachi, fed up)
What are you doing with my nietito?

MIGUEL
No, grandma, he was just-
 ABUELA ELENA
Shut up, let's go home.

Minutes later, Miguel, angry, hits a wall from his bedroom wall. From
a box, a photo he'd never seen before falls out: a photo of Mama
Imelda, with Coco, and a man with Ernestos's guitar.

MIGUEL
(surprised)
That’s Ernesto’s guitar! That must be him… it all makes sense now!
(smiling, excited)
Ernesto de la Cruz is my great-great-great grandfather!

ABUELA ELENA
Miguel, come here! What did we say about music in this house? You
will never be like him.

MIGUEL
But music is my passion, I don’t care about these stupid shoes!

Miguel runs away.

ELENA
Mijo! Come back with your family!

MIGUEL
(desperate)
I need a guitar… Does anyone have a guitar?

(AUDIENCE)
No!

MIGUEL
 I have an idea, I will steal my great-great-great grandfather's
guitar!

Miguel goes to Ernesto de la Cruz's monument and hides inside of it.

When nobody is watching, he grabs Ernesto's guitar.

FADE IN:
2
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Miguel strums Ernesto de la Cruz's guitar. A bright golden light glows
around him. He looks around—everything is quiet.
MIGUEL
(confused)
Huh? What was that?
He walks outside into the cemetery. Everything looks the same… but
also strange. He sees people walking nearby. They’re skeletons!
MIGUEL
(scared)
What is going on?!
He walks backward and bumps into someone. He turns and sees a skeleton
in a dress.
TÍO FELIPE
(smiling)
Miguel! There you are!
MIGUEL
(shocked)
Tío Felipe? You’re… you’re a skeleton!
TÍO FELIPE
Yes, mijo. So are all of us here.
TÍO OSCAR
(walking up)
Welcome to the Land of the Dead!
MIGUEL
 The what?! No, no, I don’t belong here! I need to go back!

TÍO FELIPE
You can’t go back yet. You used a dead person’s guitar, remember?
MIGUEL
I didn’t mean to do anything bad! I just wanted to play music!
TÍO OSCAR
It 's okay, mijo. But now you’re stuck here. You need a family
member’s blessing to return.
MIGUEL
A blessing?
TÍO OSCAR
Yes. That’s the only way you can cross the bridge and go home.
They walk toward a glowing golden bridge made of marigold petals.
Miguel looks around, amazed.

MIGUEL
Wow… this place is beautiful.
TÍO OSCAR
Come on. Let’s go to the Family Office. They’ll help us give you
a blessing.
CUT TO:
INT. DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY OFFICE – DAY

MAMÁ IMELDA
I'm going to give you a blessing, but you have to promise that you
won’t play music again.
MIGUEL
(angry)
It 's not fair, I love música!

MAMÁ IMELDA
 It’s the only way that you can go back to the World of the Living.

MIGUEL
Ugh,ok…

Mamà Imelda gives a blessing to Miguel and he comes back to the World
of the Living.

MIGUEL
Sii! I came back. Well, now that I'm here, I can take Ernesto de
la Cruz’s guitar…

Miguel tries to grab the guitar but he goes back to the Land of the
Dead.

MAMÁ IMELDA
What are you doing here? You broke our promise.
MIGUEL
I’m sorry but I need music, music is my whole life.
MIGUEL
(running and tired)
I wish to meet Ernesto, I need to see him!

HECTOR
Hey, kid! What are you doing here? You’re not dead!

Miguel turns around, surprised.

HÉCTOR
(approaching quickly, looking around nervously)
You’re alive! In the Land of the Dead! Do you have any idea how
much trouble you’re in?

MIGUEL
(defensive)
I didn’t mean to! I was just trying to play music, and then I took
a guitar, and—

HÉCTOR
(cutting him off)
Let me guess… It was a very special guitar?

MIGUEL
Yeah! It belonged to Ernesto de la Cruz!

HÉCTOR
(sighs, frustrated)
Of course it did. Great. That explains a lot.

MIGUEL
Wait—do you know him? Can you take me to him?

HÉCTOR
(suspicious)
Why would you want to meet Ernesto de la Cruz?

MIGUEL
He’s my great-great-grandfather! I need his blessing to go home!

HÉCTOR
(squinting)
Your great-great-grandfather? Huh… interesting.

He glances around again, checking for nearby authorities.

HÉCTOR
Look, kid, I might be able to help you… but I need something from
you too.

MIGUEL
(confused)
What?
 HÉCTOR
You help me visit the Land of the Living… and I’ll help you find
de la Cruz.
(worried, sad)
I need to see someone. Someone who forgot about me…

MIGUEL
(deep breath)
Okay. Deal.

Héctor extends his skeletal hand. Miguel hesitates, then shakes it.

HÉCTOR
(grinning)
Alright, chamaco. Let’s get to work.

FADE
IN:
EXT. LAND OF THE DEAD – DAY 3

MAMÁ IMELDA is looking for Miguel Rivera desperately and in

order to find him faster, she asks for help from her
spiritual guide.

MOTHER IMELDA (O.S)

(annoyed)
Where is this mocoso? I need my
spiritual guide, Pepita.

FATHER JULIO (O.S)

(with a trembling voice)
Take this petal that Miguel
touched. Pepita can track his
spirit using it!
 CUT
TO:
EXT. BRIDGE – DAY
MIGUEL RIVERA and HECTOR are on stage. They are hiding
behind a tree, preparing to meet Ernesto de la Cruz.

HÉCTOR
You will need this makeup and no
one is going to know that it is
you. Look at me, look up, down.
Well, I've finished. Now you’re
one of us.
(sad)
Listen, chamaco, if someone from
the World of the Living puts your
photo in the offering, you can
cross the bridge, unless you're
like me and no one remembers you.
No photo… no bridge…

MIGUEL RIVERA
But that can change if I put your
photo in my offering. I’ll
remember you. I’ll put your photo
up!

HÉCTOR
(excited)
Yes, what a great idea! The only
thing is that de la Cruz is quite
difficult to find, so don't you
have any other family here?
Because I really really need to
cross the bridge tonight.

MIGUEL RIVERA
(confident)
 No, de la Cruz is my only family
(relative) here. If you can't
help me, I'll find him by myself.

HÉCTOR
(anxious)
Wait, wait, I'll help you find
your great-great-grandfather.
(shakes hands with Miguel)
Okay, chamaco. Let’s find your
great-great-grandfather.
Together.

THE TRUTH COMES OUT

FADE IN:
[Link]’S MANSION - NIGHT​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 4
MIGUEL and HECTOR arrive at Ernesto’s mansion.

MIGUEL
(doubtful)
Are you sure that this is Ernesto’s mansion?

HECTOR
(grinning)
Of course it is! It is the most popular house on the Land of the
Dead.

ERNESTO enters the scene and notices Hector.

ERNESTO
(surprised)
Wait a second… I think I know you from somewhere..

HECTOR
(thinking)
I'm not sure who you are…
Ernesto pulls out a small photo from his jacket pocket and holds
it up.

HECTOR
(emotional)
But… what? That picture is mine! That’s me! Miguel, put my photo
in the offering, please!

Hector gives Miguel his photo, but Ernesto takes it out of his
hand.

ERNESTO
You were my friend, Hector. Do you remember?

HECTOR
(bitter, disappointed)
Yes, I remember you, you have stolen all my songs! I have been
forgotten because of you.

ERNESTO
(uncomfortable)
What do you mean? You’re being dramatic!

HECTOR
(angrily)
Of course I’m mad, you’ve never recognised that I wrote all your
songs. You are famous because of me!

MIGUEL
(disappointed and sad)
I can’t believe it, I thought you were the author of all your
songs.

ERNESTO
(emotional)
We were a good dúo, but you died, and I wanted to keep a part of
you forever.
 HECTOR
Can you remember the night that I died? We cheered together and
you said you would move heaven and earth for
me.

MIGUEL
(surprised)​
Wait, this is just like Don Hidalgo's movie! I remember that after
he said that he poisoned his friend.

HECTOR
(sarcastically)
And how do you think he killed me?

Ernesto and Hector start to argue until their voices are

unrecognizable. Miguel takes his photo from Ernesto’s hand and
runs to put Hector's photo in the offering.

MIGUEL
You will be remembered! Trust me, you will.

HECTOR
(hopeful, tearful)
Really? How?

MIGUEL
(seriously)
I think that I know how to. I have to go now… but it was an honour
to meet you.

Miguel goes back to his world.

FADE IN:
COCO REMEMBERS​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 5

EXT. RIVERA'S FAMILY HOUSE - DAY

MIGUEL and ABUELITA are on stage. The RIVERA FAMILY (ELENA, etc.)
enters. Miguel grabs the guitar that is on the Rivera's patio.

ABUELITA

(surprised)

Where were you, chico?

MIGUEL

(desperate)

Move!

ABUELITA

(angry)

Why do you have a guitar?

Miguel enters Coco’s room, closes the door, and leaves the guitar
on the bed.

MIGUEL

(sad)

Mama Coco, do you remember your dad?

Coco doesn't answer.

MIGUEL

(desperate)

Mama Coco, please! Your dad, remember him!

The Rivera family enters Coco’s room.

ABUELITA

(disappointed)

What is this? Leave the poor woman in peace. Oh, poor Mama Coco.

ABUELITA

(angry)
 Miguel, say sorry to Mama Coco!

Miguel, instead of doing what Abuelita says, grabs the guitar.

MIGUEL

(melancholic)

[sings “Remember Me”]

A moment passes. Coco doesn’t move. Then, slowly, she joins in,
her voice weak but filled with emotion.

Coco starts crying and remembering Héctor.

COCO

(nostalgic, melancholic)

That song was the one my father used to sing to me. Look — here
are the lyrics and his photo.

The entire Rivera family hugs Coco and Miguel. After that, the
whole family (living and dead) celebrates the Day of the Dead.

LOUISA

This is wonderful! Now let’s go celebrate together.

ABUELITA

(happy, tearful)

It’s good to celebrate the Day of the Dead as a family again.

MIGUEL

I’m so happy!