Star of the North
TV Series Proposal by Jan Wilson
After visiting the popular ice slides one winter Catherine the Great gets a radical idea that revolutionizes thrill-seeking forever. She wants an ice slide that she can ride year round. Yes, Catherine was responsible for the invention of the roller coaster!
As serf rebellions simmer and her own son plans to dethrone her, Catherine falls in love and pursues her folly with wild abandon.
“The pursuit of pleasure must be the goal of every rational person.”
~ Voltaire
As serf rebellions simmer and her own son plans to dethrone her, Catherine falls in love and pursues her folly with wild abandon.
“The pursuit of pleasure must be the goal of every rational person.”
~ Voltaire
NEW SUMMARY, INCLUDE SERF THEATER AND LINK THE SUBPAGE
Star of the North combines the sprawling scope of Game of Thrones, the Boardwalk Empire approach of blending of real historical characters with fictional ones, and the ‘masters and servants’ dynamic of Downton Abbey. As Catherine the Great was the empress of all Russia, and the serfs were the slaves of the nation, this is the ultimate upstairs-downstairs of all stories.
Star of the North touches on the issues of putting the love of a child ahead of your own love affairs, pursuing art for the sake of art, fun for the sake of having fun, and the tricky concept of true freedom.
Take a ride on a digital recreation of Catherine's roller coaster based on the original blueprints.
Star of the North touches on the issues of putting the love of a child ahead of your own love affairs, pursuing art for the sake of art, fun for the sake of having fun, and the tricky concept of true freedom.
Take a ride on a digital recreation of Catherine's roller coaster based on the original blueprints.
Main Characters
Catherine the Great (actual historical person) (55) - Empress of Russia from 1762-1796. She was a minor German princess. Yes, the greatest tsarina ever to rule Russia had not one drop of Russian blood in her. Catherine was a fair, intelligent and kind leader, her people liked her. Though she was German-born she immersed herself in all things Russian, learned the language and culture and became as Russian as possible. Under her rule Russia experienced a surge of culture and art, education and reform. She was a believer in the French philosophy of “Enlightened Absolutism” – basically meaning that it was best for everyone to be ruled by an enlightened despot than to allow the many mediocre minds of a democracy be in charge. She idolized Voltaire and based her entire reign on his philosophies.
Nikolai a serf (fictional character). 40s. A rugged, yet handsome serf who earns extra money by acting as a guide on the ice slides. He’s a widower with a teenaged daughter who at 18 is past-due for marriage. He lives on the estate owned by Veadovsky, his owner, which is adjacent to land owned by the empress. As a serf Nikolai was never educated, cannot read nor write, but is highly intelligent and has a natural aptitude for engineering and mechanics. These talents however go to waste, as his most important job for his owner is menial labor and tending to the crops on the estate. He’s got a upbeat attitude and a love of life. He does his best to serve his owner and provide for his daughter and himself. Like Catherine, he’s an adrenaline junkie and satisfies this habit by riding horses out on the estate, but he loves it when winter comes and the ice slides are constructed – there’s no greater thrill than speeding down the ice slides at dangerous speeds, much faster than a horse. He tells everyone he does it for the extra money, but he loves it, he’d do it for free just for the exhilaration of it.
Anya (17) – Nikolai’s pretty daughter, also Veadovsky’s property. She is in love with a boy from a neighboring estate and wants to marry him, but needs Veadovsky’s permission to marry off-estate instead of someone from her own estate. She is a very good seamstress and makes all of Veadovsky’s clothing.
Nikolai a serf (fictional character). 40s. A rugged, yet handsome serf who earns extra money by acting as a guide on the ice slides. He’s a widower with a teenaged daughter who at 18 is past-due for marriage. He lives on the estate owned by Veadovsky, his owner, which is adjacent to land owned by the empress. As a serf Nikolai was never educated, cannot read nor write, but is highly intelligent and has a natural aptitude for engineering and mechanics. These talents however go to waste, as his most important job for his owner is menial labor and tending to the crops on the estate. He’s got a upbeat attitude and a love of life. He does his best to serve his owner and provide for his daughter and himself. Like Catherine, he’s an adrenaline junkie and satisfies this habit by riding horses out on the estate, but he loves it when winter comes and the ice slides are constructed – there’s no greater thrill than speeding down the ice slides at dangerous speeds, much faster than a horse. He tells everyone he does it for the extra money, but he loves it, he’d do it for free just for the exhilaration of it.
Anya (17) – Nikolai’s pretty daughter, also Veadovsky’s property. She is in love with a boy from a neighboring estate and wants to marry him, but needs Veadovsky’s permission to marry off-estate instead of someone from her own estate. She is a very good seamstress and makes all of Veadovsky’s clothing.
Gregory Potemkin (actual historical person) (45) – The love of Catherine’s life. It is said that Potemkin had great sex appeal, despite his sometimes ‘unruly’ appearance. Tall, shaggy, with one bad eye and a lightning fast wit. He could be a bit boorish, outrageous, overly dramatic, yet passionate and a great military leader. He would walk around the palace in just a nightshirt with his robe open, hairy chest, long hair and bare feet, looking like a wild bear and loudly crunching on radishes or beets. Catherine turned into a lovesick schoolgirl around him in the initial stages of their affair. Today it is believed that he was bipolar. Great military genius, eventually became Field Marshal of the Russian Army.
Paul (actual historical person) (30) - Catherine’s son. Delicate, not attractive, had a pug nose due to a childhood bout of typhus. Immature, insecure and at odds with his mother his entire life. Jealous of her many lovers; they got all the attention he never got. Very loving to his young children and wife.
Igor Veadovsky (50s) – Foppish and vain minor nobleman and landlord. Owns several hundred serfs, including Nikolai and his daughter Anya. His land and home are not impressive, but Veadovsky gains his status from his exquisite clothing that others see when he goes into St. Petersburg. He seeks one thing in life: more status.
Anna Protasova (actual historical person) (40) – Catherine’s lady-in-waiting and closest confidant. Was also known as “The Tester” – she would “test” potential lovers for Catherine when she was ready for a new “favorite.” Anna was devoted to Catherine and very trustworthy.
Voltaire (actual historical person) – Great French philosopher, part of the ‘Enlightenment’ movement. Corresponded with Catherine the Great for 15 years until his death, she considered him her greatest teacher. They never met in person. He is already dead during the time of our story – Catherine occasionally ‘has conversations’ with him in her mind when she needs to sort through her feelings. He can ‘appear’ as any age, though when Catherine corresponded with him he was 69 years old, and he was 83 when he died.
Felix Yurasov (based on the real-life Prince Nikolai Yusupov) (30s) – A wealthy nobleman and landlord. He owns a very grand serf theater, but he is abusive and cruel to his serfs, particularly the females. He used his serf theater as his own surreal sexual playground, and the females serfs were his own personal harem.
Kira (17) - A pretty serf girl who sings in Yurasov’s theater. She does not want to be onstage, but she has a nice singing voice and she must do as she’s told by her owner. She wants to be with fellow serf performer Yuri, but the male and female serfs are not allowed any interaction whatsoever offstage because Yurasov wants to keep the females all for himself.
Nina (18) - A serf in Yurasov’s household who longs to be onstage. She is idealistic about being a performing serf, she thinks it will be all glamorous and is blind to her owner’s lecherous true intentions.
Olga (30s) - She also belongs to Yurasov, she is a matron who looks after the performing serf girls. She is extremely strict and does not allow anyone any freedom. Generally disliked by all the girls.
Viktor (50s) – A performing serf owned by a kindly landlord, Menschikov. He truly enjoys acting and is better than most serfs who only perform by force.
Ludmilla (50s) – Viktor’s down-to-earth wife, who also is a great actress. She has no aspirations of fame, she simply enjoys her craft.
Vladimir (30s) – Also owned by Menschikov. He’s learned great acting from Viktor and Ludmilla and is anxious to expand his horizons.
Felix Yurasov (based on the real-life Prince Nikolai Yusupov) (30s) – A wealthy nobleman and landlord. He owns a very grand serf theater, but he is abusive and cruel to his serfs, particularly the females. He used his serf theater as his own surreal sexual playground, and the females serfs were his own personal harem.
Kira (17) - A pretty serf girl who sings in Yurasov’s theater. She does not want to be onstage, but she has a nice singing voice and she must do as she’s told by her owner. She wants to be with fellow serf performer Yuri, but the male and female serfs are not allowed any interaction whatsoever offstage because Yurasov wants to keep the females all for himself.
Nina (18) - A serf in Yurasov’s household who longs to be onstage. She is idealistic about being a performing serf, she thinks it will be all glamorous and is blind to her owner’s lecherous true intentions.
Olga (30s) - She also belongs to Yurasov, she is a matron who looks after the performing serf girls. She is extremely strict and does not allow anyone any freedom. Generally disliked by all the girls.
Viktor (50s) – A performing serf owned by a kindly landlord, Menschikov. He truly enjoys acting and is better than most serfs who only perform by force.
Ludmilla (50s) – Viktor’s down-to-earth wife, who also is a great actress. She has no aspirations of fame, she simply enjoys her craft.
Vladimir (30s) – Also owned by Menschikov. He’s learned great acting from Viktor and Ludmilla and is anxious to expand his horizons.