T HE A U T H O R A U D IO N OTE

Mr. Benjamint most recenr play, Mary MacGregor,was produced for
Marathon '98, The EnsembleStudio Theatret renownedfestivd of one-act
plays.Three of his one-actshave appearedin EST's Octoberfest('95, '96,
'97). A fourth was presentedat Naked Angels in rheir "Tiresdaysat 9:00"
series.Mr. Benjamin is a graduateof the BerkleeCollegeof Music in Boston
and the Neighborhood PlayhouseSchool of Theatre in NYC. He alsostud-
icd privately with Sanford Meisner. Mr. Benjamin is a member of the
Dramatistt Guild. Inc.
Vhen Mary rurns on the Boom Box, the music should zot continue to play
until sheshuts it off. The music should begin a slow fadewhen shesays"I
lovethis piece,"and shouldbe offby the time shesays"...To you...aboutus,
about.. . " It should fadeback up startingat "lt wasa secretbond berweenme
and Claire." This keepsthe music from becominga distractionduring rhis
sectionofthe play.

CHARACTERS
MARY
O RI G I N AL P R OD U C T IO N DAVID
Mary MacGregorwas first produced at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, in
Marathon '98, the 2lst Annud Festivalof One-Act Plays(Curt Dempster,
futistic Director; Jamie Richards,ExecutiveProducer)in New York Ciry in
|une, 1998. It was directed by Joe 'Vhite. Lighdng design by Greg PLACE
MacPherson,scenicdesignby Ann \?'augh,costumeby Julie Doyle, and the An apartment on the Upper'West Side in Manhattan.
stagemanagcrwas Marina Bridges.The castwas asfollows:
D.rvlo. ..Andrew\7eems
M en v . ..A nneO' S ul l i van
TIME
The Present

AUTHOR'S NOTE
Maryt didogue is a continuous monologueand no attempt should be made
to arbitrarily find pausesfor David to speak.Much of this didogue is ro be
spokensimulraneously.It is the director and actors'dury to find the natural
pausesand rhythms (based,in part, on rhe activitiesthat Mary doesthrough-
out the play).That will allow the fluidiry of the play.I encourageall suchper-
sons to experiment with the interplay and overlapping dialogue of rhese
characters.
No particular ethniciry is requiredfor theseparts.Any actors,in almost
any agerange,are eligible to perform thesecharacters.

IO KEITH ALAN BENI AM I N M AR Y M AC GR EGOR TT

 As the lighx come up we seeDauid seated,on
a sofa center stage worhing on
a crosswordpuzz/e. room is a/most empty exceptfor some-paching weighr this year, and wirh whar
boxes hair hes still got going gray, he is
_The begin-
and a boom box. Mary is seencrossingbori ning to look more and more like
arodforth-through ,h, opr) door_ the p..f..i .o__i,]...' (Sh, *)*, n
wa! to the bedroom and she begins talhingfom aownttage window.)
there.
DRVID:Ronnie! been
MaRY:Jesus,how many T-shirts can one
man have?I mean didnt we get rid
upinyonkersr.i;HTfi l;: j::';:Uffi:::,'n:;XH:t
of a couple of boxesof theserhings just
a few monrhs ago?Do ,h."y.op-
Italian, she feedshim pastaeverytime.No wonder het put on weight.
ulate while rhey sir in those drawers?ve,,
the rhrift store will certainly
Sly not only squeezedrhoselove handles,
she createdrhem.
appreciate them' (She crossesilte dooruay traary:The leavesare realrychanging
canying a pite of T+hirts.) The fast now in the park. (shewarhsback
next rime I seesome homelessperson tbe sofaand sits') you know ho- it to
with an SS Titanic crew Member is here, fou. mo.rths .i.fp**i".
T-shirt on, we can both feel good. I'm summer,four months of oppressive
going ro keep this one, rhough, winter, three and a half months of
irt ugly, but thar trip to Idyllwild was
so beautiful ih"ts all I think of obscuregray thatt neither here nor
rhere,and rwo really beautiful days
when I see it. youd wanr me to keep of fall, when rhe lr
doorway again with a T+hirt.) Oh, i _.t
rhis one, I know. (She crossesthe
the new renanr on Monday,
,osee
r*",,h,,.
;;;:F;:?jlf:ru:,.'r
:,lil::,ff#,f
:
she'sthis nice young girl from california our last walk. I mean, I know thatt
who wants to be in the theatre, what you wanted. you alwaystold
so she'sbroke, of course. Have you ever me "!7.henI die, jusr spreadmy ashes
noriced that a lor of people in in cenrrar park," I could never
the rheatre seems ro_come from really 0gureout why that meanrso much
privileged or really i,'pou.ririr.a to you.
backgrounds? The decline of the midil. DAWD:Hey, rent free on rhe upper
.l"rr, rhatt rhe proof of it. wesr,ide for eternity, areyou kidding?
Ary-"y, I m leaving her the sofa and rhe M.\RY:(Sbeeyesa half empty bottb
coffee table. She was thrilled, of scorchnear the sofa andpours herself
she'sgot no furniture at at' oh, and rhe drinh.) Vell, I m not.going to both., a
bed, Im leaving her the bed. I to pack this. How about a drink
knew you wouldn't mind. They were never beforewe go?Vhat should we drink
you, favorites. you always ro?
Iiked thar modern stuff,, leather and chrome.(s/ DAVID:How about to me?Cause
e crotte, the daoruay guesswhat, I,ve stoppedsmokingl
again') God, you fought roorh and nair M.+Ry:(Sheclinhs thegtassto the um
with me to bring that junk over and drinhs.) H.r.i ,o .r, b"bi you
and
here' Good thing real rasrewon out. But
I really donineed this stuff
me, and to all the dreamswe had together.
now and neither do you, so ir,s nice to Dawp: Thar was a joke. I,ve sropped
be able ro help someone elseout ,_oki.rg. Dont you get it? Cremation?
as they sraft over. Smoking?Forget ir. Even when I *",
iilr. you never heard me, you
(Mary has comeout of the bedroom, nevergor my jokes.
Dauid ignoresher and continues worh-
ing on the puzzh. Mary dumps some 7:shirts MaRy:Oh, Jesus,David, why didnt
next to the boxes and returns you take berrer care of yoursel' you
to rhe bedroom whire still tarhing. she comes knew heart diseaseran in your family,
bach out carrying a sma/r urn why couldn,ryou h"u.
containing Dauidi ashes.she pracesit on a the park, rather rhan_justsir there,*iry.o.rta.,t ;. .J i"
smail tabt, nra, th) rofa and goes you have.h";gfr;;..
to fold and pach T:shirx.) dier just a little bir? (Shetahesa sip of
her drinh.)
MARy:I saw Ron and Annie yesterday and DawD:Youie right, I should havesruck
gave them my new address. It was with rhe turkey bacon.
nice to bump inro them again under normal MIRY:\Zhy couldnt you haveeased
circumstances.I hadn,t seen offthe drinking just a bir?
them since rhe funeral- DA\4D:Here we go. Health lectures
as she hoists another round of scorcri.
(For thefirst time, Dauid loohs up.) The MacGregordouble standardlives
on.
uaRv: Theyie leaving the ciry you kno*. u*v: (Shepours herselfsomemorescotch
Annie,s pregnanr and Ronnie just and returnsto tbe boxes.)I mean, one
got promoted, so they're getring some place momenr youte therear rhe ofiice with
up on rhe Hrdror, n.", Ronnie and claire fighting abour
Cold Spring. I sajd Id be sure to visit rh._ the nexr project, and rhen youie just
orr.. rhey gor settled in. I gone.
just can'r imagine Ronnie commuting DAWD:Yeswell, lett not forget rhe excitingiand
every day, but he,Jp,rr on a lor of I might add, expensiveEMS
taxi to rhe hospital, but lett not split
hairs now.
1 2 KEITH ALAN BENJ AM I N

M AR Y M AC GR EGo R I3
 heart,"and althoughI knew
what you weresaYingir took a
MARY: longtime Forme to exPerience
(As she rearrangesand Packs it that waY,but You took me
boxes.) rhere.(Mary turnsthe taPe
thing
And goddamnit, the last olaveron. Dauid smilesand
about was that 'moues
we €ver talked behindthesofa,
That was it'
stupid Visa bill' lisrcning.)Thatt how I reallY
oru l"r, conversation' and what You werea good travelerMary
tVho made the traveledwirh You/Shesitson
was it about? you alwayswere.
thearm of thesofa) There was
decision to get four side somethingYou showedme about
I
tables instead of rwo' And yourselfthat onlY surfaced
and DAVID:
at
started Yelling You' You
kind "SnarkY?"'Whered You comeuP whenwe heardmusicrogether
got quiet in that snarkY and ld laughat You,I know it
know with "snarkY?" (Hds embanassedbYthis')
You do when You was terrible, but the sight of
"f*"y I wasntwrong, I" '
youre wrong but cant admit Oh God, not this again'
(Dauid risesand mouesuPstage you crying while PlaYingKind
to
it, a.rd then You went off of Bluewasiust too much for
it' I stormed to the mble.)
bed and that was me. I guessit washard for me
for half
around the living room to seejust how deePlYYou Felt
inro Your favorite trick to get mY
an hour, and when I came somethings. It scaredme' I
attention.
bed You were alreadYasleeP''We Maybeyou wereafraid of two
dont know whY,I guessall
didn't touch each other
all Marysliving in the samehouse'
that stuffabourwomenwanring
night, and the next morning You
men is a little
sensitive
to work
goi ,rp .",1Y and went differentwhen You'resitting
I
and I never saw You again' in a room watching a grown man
here' Good idea.
dorit want to get morbid weepto Kind of Blue' (Sla
sorry I dont want
Jesus,I'm drinkssomemore')I love
just
to be this waY, here' I'll
this piece' I alwaYswanted to
have another drink' and Put on
(Dauid rnouesdownstage' dancewith You,but You never
her
some music'(S} ef'lk uP
standingouer Mary asshe would.You saidYoucouldnt
n the Well, I couldnt.
glass and. goes downstage
siftsthroughher taPes') dance,and I guessthat was
boom box.) I left some taPes
in vue.(Shetouchesthe urn')
know' Oh great,anYMiles Davis
out. Packing music' You
there?I surehoPeI get to Funny,Youhad suchgracewhen
I never reallY listened to Tiue, true'
meethim soon' you madelove,but in Public
I mean' Oh, thanla'
music until I met You'
you alwaYsseemedawkward'(She
I loved to go bars and
nka her drinh and headsbach
sat down
dance, but I never iust
I
to Paching.)I alwaYssaid to
and listened to music until
saYing Tiue enough. Claire that therewas a secret
met You. I remember You
sideofYou that nobodYsawbut
"You dont hear music with Your
ears' You hear it with Your M AR Y M AC GR EGOR I5

1 4 KEI TH ALAN BENJ AM I N

me. Claire always saw that
though. She got you more than
anybody except me. She always
said you were sexy, thar she
could feel what you must be
like in bed. I like that she
felt thar. I guess that's why
we're so close, Claire and me.
I mean, she knew things about
my life without even having me
explain them. Like rhe nighr
you called from Los Angeles on
businessto tell me rhat youd
be there another three weeks.
I was devastated. I felt like
I was never going to seeyou
again, and she held me in her
arms and I sobbed,I jusr
collapsedin her arms, and she
didnt say anything to me at
first. She just held me.
Shet the only other person I
know who understandssilence
the way you do. I hate
silence,well obviously, listen
ro me carry on rhis way, but
you and Claire really feel ar
easewith silence. Itk still
hard for me, but now and rhen I
ger it. I dont run away from
it. I don'r try to fill it
with TVt and telephones,I
just try and let it take me
wherever itt going. Itt
really hard right now, I just
think of all the things we
could have said to each orher
in those spaces.I mean, now I
can add up exactly how many
16 KEI TH ALAN BENJ AM I N
Yeah,well that'strue about
any couple,Mary not just us.
(He mouesabout the room,
uncomfortably.)
Mary can we not rdk about
Claireright now?Jesus.
Sheknew aboutyour life
alright.
I'm sorry.
You're always so dramatic.
Nol
Not right now, I don't.
I nevertold you abour Claire
and me did I?
days,hours,and minuteswe had
together,exactly,and I start
rhinking aboutwhat I d give to
fill someof thosesilences
with words.To you. About us. I'll talk louderOK? Maybe
About...Clairesaysyou and rhen you can hear me.(Hemoues
I...1 nevertold you about behindMary and sitsin the
Claireand me. did I? chair.) Didn'r I just saythat?
SometimesI wantedto, I Can you hearme now?And what
thought about tellingyou, I the fuck do you mean "Claire
keptpicruringthe propertime and I"? Alright, I'll just say
and place,but it never ir-I sleptwith Claire-
happened.I loveClaire,I once, OK? I loved Claire, I
think I alwayswill, but there thought. I guessin someways
was that time, mayberwo years I st illdo.
ago,you know, when you were Thatt when I knew it was
out in L.A., when I wasso wrong. I was so lonely. I felt
lonely,so bereft for you, like like I wasnt sexualanymore,
now, and Claire was there for and therewasClaire,and...
me, holding me, kissingme, on
my eyes,my lips. It just
happened.I neededto be ...ir just happened.
rouched.I neededsomebodyt
warmth. I'd neverbeenwith a beenwith another
woman before.Clairehad. She l,*:::
told me later.Maybe thatt
why it felt so safewith her.
Sheknew how scaredI was. She
knew how to calm me. She
stayedall nighr, with me, in
our bed. I didnt know what to
sayin the morning. I didnt
know what to do. I didn't feel
guilry I just felt, different.
Claire was so sweet.She lay
back in the bed while I fumbled
for somethingto say,naked on
rop of the sheets,smiling at me
and as I kept sputtering she
M AR Y M AC GR EGOR I7
leanedoverand kissedme
deeply,slowlyand climbedout
of the bed and went into the
'We
bathroom.That wasit.
madebreakfast,and drank
mimosas.and then sheleft.
And I was happy.Vhen you
finally got back from L.A., I
felt guilry at first, like I
betrayedyou. Bur as the weeks
passedI felt really good about
it. It wasa secretbond
berweenme and Claire.She
neveraskedme to hide it from
you, thar was me, but whenever
we fought or I felt us drifting
apart,IU think about that
night. Oh Jesus,this music
reminds me of you. (Shegoesto
tbe boom-boxand turns up the
uolume.)Rememberhow I d dance
for you?Rememberhow youd
make us thosespecialrum
drinla ofyours, and youd put
on somemusic,and I just had
to dancefor you? I want to
dancefor you, right now, right
now, my baby.It's almost like
youie here. (Mary pretends
Dauid is lying on the sofa,and
dancesfacing him, shedances
around the room, retarnsto the
sofaand accidennlly hnochs
the urn to theJloor.)
Oh my God oh my God Goddammit
Goddammit David my David you
cant leave me. (Shecradhsthe
urn in her arms.)| want to feel
you. I want to seeyou, I want
I 8 K EIT H A L AN BE N IA M IN
I was miserable.
I felt guilry like I betrayed
you.
You did?
Yeah,I'll say.
Jesus,you and Claire.I
alwaysthought somethinglike
that might turn me on, but
Jesus,Claire?
Donr try to cheerme up now
please.
Yeah,I remember.
(Dauid leapsonto the sofa
factngMary.)
How about,betterthan almost?
'$7harcan I do ro get through to
you? (Dauid standson the sofa
and danceswith Mary.) Yep,you
really can dance-and I really
cant.
Itt ok, itt ok, I'm fine,
really-see ?
(He leansoaerher.)
I dont want to leaveyou.
Mary look at me, I'm right
to touch you. Oh God. I can't
do this. Oh, David pleasehold
me, pleasejust hold me.
(Shecolhpsesto thefloor.)
I'm all alone.Oh God. I'm all
alone.Oh David please
touch me pleaserouch me
I haveto feel you.
(Sheopensthe urn and
p hcesherfngers inside.)
I want ro be you David, I want
to be you.
(Sheslowlybnahesher
forehead,ber cheeks,and her
nechwith the ashes.)
Don't leaveme here David,
pleasedont leaveme. If we
go to the park, cant I spread
my ashestoo?Can't I come
with you?I want to come with
you. Lett both disappearinto
the world...oh, David I m
sorry.I'm sorry about so many
things. I know I waspushy,
well,sometimes, I mean,you
neededto be pushed,and
could be a pain in the ass.I
know, I know, bur oh, how I
lovedyou. I know what ir's
like to really love someone
now, thanks ro you. You raught
me. Teachme now how ro let go.
I haveto let go, I haveto let
you go. But I haveto keepyou
with me always,always.I
dont know whar it is. I dont
know what I m feelingrighr
now,bur ir hassomerhingro do
with making you a part of my
here.
Mary, I can't,goddamnir, I
cant, Mary I'm ok.
Pleasedon'r cry.
No youre not, you'renol Mary I'm
here,I'm righr herebeside
you. Cant you feel me?
(He tries to c'radleher in
his arms,sheslipsthrough.)
Cant you feel me?
Shit! FucklGod Damn It!
Mary fuck the ashes,they
aren'tme. I'm here.
Yes,let'sdo ir. Let'sgo
together.Just rell me what ro
do. Jesus,rell me whar ro do.
I m all alonenow roo. Just
tell me what to do.
Me roo.
Sometimes?
Yeah,well...
] can't.
Always, and forever.
\firh...
M AR Y M AC GR EGOR 1 9
life, everyday, about rejoicing
in the time we had together.
It's somethingabout trying to
usewhat I learnedwirh you in
my life, not lighting some
fucking candleeveryyearon
the day you died but maybe,
maybe,lighting a candle
everydayfrom now on so that I
keepyour spirit with me, no,
in me everydayof my life. I
dont know what I'm saying,I
dont . . .l d o n t...o hGo d
David, I wish I could feel you
herewith me right now, so I
can get offthis fucking floor
and rakeyou ro rhe park-
'$7here
doesit come from? \flhere
doesthe strengthto live what
I m sayingcome from?Are you
going to fadefrom me, like
everphing elsedoeswith time?
Am I going to think lessand
lessabout you as the yearsgo
by?The years.I've never
beenso frightenedofliving as
I am at this moment.Years
without you. \fill you remember
me?Can you rememberme?Do
you seeme sitting here?Vhat
are you feelingmy love,what
areyou feelingright now?I
wish I wassurewherewe went
when we die. I wishedI
believed some religion, any
religion.IU saya million
fucking Hail Maryt just to
feel I knew what was happening
to you right now. It's funny,
20 K EIT HA L AN BE N J AMIN
you feelso closeto me, yet so I feel kind of like, like, I
It is? far away.Will you walk with haveto go soon.Isnt that
me, my baby,my love?V'ill you weird?
put your armsaroundme aswe
walk throughthe park one last
time?I'll comeback there,I Sure Mary. Let'sgo to the
will, but I know you wont be park, one lasttime.
there.You'll be here.You'll
be everywhere, and nowhere,but Yeah,well...
somehow,thatt going to be
Really? alright.(Shegetsherselfup
fom thefloor.) Itt going to be
OK because ...me living is you Because, me living is like you
living, and aslong as I'm living.
I am. here,you aretoo, and, aw fuck I'm here.
it David, lett just go, OK? Ok baby.Youregoing to be
OK, OK, whatever you want, (Shepichs up herjachet, bag alright Mary MacGregor.Tiust
andf.nally rhe urn.)
(\Yith quiet accePtance.)
I dont know. I'm ready,I really am.
(Sheexits.Dauidfollous behind her.)
No, I dont think so...
FN D OF PLAY
Absolutely not, not you.
Oh God, Mary, of course.
Yes,yes.Yes.
I m feelingreally,redly sad.
Me too.
(He *ands and rnoaesupstage.)
I dont know, but, itt funny,
M AR Y M AC GR EGOR 2 I