A Pyramid Built For Two

Bio
A Pyramid Built For Two is a romantic action Broadway play located in Ancient Egypt which would have featured Ginger Grant in the starring role of Cleopatra. It was to be Ginger's first starring role, specifically written for her, and would have launched her career had she not been shipwrecked on the island by the loss of the S.S. Minnow. The loss sends her into depression until Gilligan convinces Mr. Howell to put on the play and finance it after they are rescued. Unfortunately, Mrs. Howell prefers the role of Cleopatra during rehearsals, and Ginger breaks down with the recasting. Gilligan, meanwhile, reminds Mrs. Howell of everything she does have, and Ginger gets the role of Cleopatra back for rehearsals with Gilligan in several roles, the Skipper as Marc Anthony and the Professor and Mary Ann working behind the scenes. The characters of the play revolve around the romance of Cleopatra and Marc Anthony with the supporting roles of a Maid, Slave Girl, High Priestess, Lady In Waiting, Royal Messenger, a Major Domo and possible others. During the re-write, Mr. Howell reads the opening: Narration - "Marc Antony brings you news from Rome. The battle goes well and the armies moves onward and ever onward..." Not much of the plot is known, but a good portion of dialogue involving Cleopatra trying to contact Marc Antony is revealed by Ginger and Gilligan, but much of it seems improvised, mostly by Gilligan rushed through his extra roles: Cleopatra - "Look! A ship! In the harbor! I see a ship!" Maid - "I bring you nectar, my queen." Cleopatra - "Oh no... No, no, no, no, no, I'm too excited. My lover's ship is in the harbor. I must send him this message. Send in the Royal Messenger." (pauses) "No, no..." (Maid exits, Royal Messenger enters) Royal Messenger - "You sent for me, oh queen?" Cleopatra - "Oh yes, yes, I want you to send this message to my lover, Marc Antony (She hands note over but to jerk it back. ) "But wait, no, you will be recognized. Send in my maid." Royal Messenger - "Huh?" Cleopatra - "Send in my maid Send in my maid." Royal Messenger - "Yes, oh queen..." (Royal Messenger exits, Maid re-enters) Maid - "You sent for me, oh queen?" Cleopatra - "Oh yes, yes, I have decided that you must send this message to my lover, Marc Antony." Maid - "Yes, oh queen..." Cleopatra - "Wait, you will be suspect. Send in my aged, my trusted major domo. Send him immediately!" Maid - "Yes, that figures, look... why don't you just give me the message, and I can give it to him." Cleopatra - "No, no, no, no, no, I must entrust to him with my own hands." (Maid exits, Major Domo enters) Major Domo - "Your maid said you wanted me, oh queen?" Cleopatra - "Yes, yes, deliver this message, but be careful, Caesar's spies are everywhere." Major Domo - "I will be careful, oh queen." Cleopatra - "You know what to do if you are caught?" Major Domo - "I'll eat it." Cleopatra - "Good, good, this message must not fall into Caesar's hands. Hark! I hear footsteps. It's Caesar!" (Cleopatra checks the door. The Major Domo quickly eats the message.) "No, no, I was mistaken; it was not Caesar. Give me back the message." (slight pause'') "Give me back the message." Major Domo - "Too late, oh queen" In the Second Act, Marc Antony finally arrives. During rehearsals, these lines were frequently interrupted by Gilligan even into the play itself: Cleopatra - "Hark, my heart beats so. I can scarce hear my lover's approach." (Pause) "Slave, open the door." (repeated) "Slave, open the door..." Marc Antony - "Oh, gracious queen, greet thy happy sailor..." During the play, Gilligan's foot is on the Skipper's costume, resulting in it ripping off his body and preventing him from saying his line, also previously interrupted by Gilligan. Marc Antony - "Oh, my fair queen, come away with me and share my lot. Our love will last all through eternity..." Unfortunately, a slave revolt interrupts Cleopatra and Marc Antony's escape, represented only by a line Gilligan recited earlier which Mr. Howell confused for a mutiny. Slave -"Quiet! Not another word! I will take this sword and split your skull. I will throw off these chains. I will no longer be your slave! I will no longer toil for a thankless tyrant who...." It is unknown if the play is faithful to history with the deaths of both Cleopatra and Marc Antony or if it is more fantasy with the characters successfully escaping Caesar's armies. It is unknown if another actress replaced Ginger or if the play's opening night with Ginger's absence. It is not known if Mr. Howell financed the play after all with the Castaway's rescue.

Trivia

 * During rehearsals, Ginger compare Mrs. Howell to TV critter Mr. Ed.
 * Gilligan describes the Skipper's performance to a parrot, who repeats the criticism in Mel Blanc's voice back to the Skipper.

Episode(s)

 * Angel on the Island