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    Angels in America 01

    Uploaded by

    ogorodriguez

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    of 65
    cAnezzs c America A Gay Fantasia on National Themes ‘Part One: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES Part Two: PERESTROIKA Tony Kushner Theatre Communications Group Coy © 9b Tony Kater Ange in Ae, Pete Mie Appracs “py © 993 by Tony Kishor Ange inc, Pt Ts Prete copie © asa by Tony Kater Area Ai, A Gay Fti on Natal Ths pbb by “Thats Conmuions Gop le 0h Ave, New Yok, NY oa Al ight exe Except fr be pages quoted ews magne ‘al or eon vcr 0 part oth sk ay be pode in ty frm ty ny man cco omc cg pcp feo Ingo by a infra trge ad eel ten, thou perminn in sting om te bier, Pofsioals nd amatea ate ay waned that thi materi Being ly ‘proved unde the Coyigh Law fhe Usted States of Ames eal ‘he contr of he Bere and Unie Copp Conetons is ier ‘© tol Al igh incaig, but nein, pein amar, ‘eer tion pica ean, ling pb edna and le on brndeasig, andthe ight of tanto no fn Inggs we Cpl rere Perla phage onthe gueion fending tad ‘ons fh ook yet ints, prminion fr which mt be Secu fom the authors repent Joe P Keay, The Genk Agency, {Madson Ave 6h FL, NewYork, NY te) 957 “This poco ee oie npr with pb ads om {he New York Ste Coucion the Ars. Sate Agency “TOG book ae xchat tothe ok te by Conarae Book Sle and Dito, gs Went Dr, Se Pal MN 54 IP aaa infront fea he Library of Congres, Watkinson, DC. Book sgn by Lita Gorn companion by The Sabu res Fst Combine! Papen Eaton, September soos Eighth Pong, 2009 Contents Part One Millennium Approaches Part Toe: Perestroika Afterword a cAneers in MERICA ‘Part One: MILLENNIUM APPROACHES ‘The actor, directors and designers who have worked on the play transformed it. What fllows is alist ofthe play's profes- sional productions to date, Millemnium Approaches was fst performed in a workshop production presented by Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum, May 1990. It was directed by Oskar Eustis. Sets were designed by Mark Wendlend, costumes by Lydia Tai, lights bby Casey Cowan and Brian Gale, and music by Nathan Birnbaum. The cast wat as follows oy conn Richard Frank sor errr ef King MARPER pret Lorri Holt peuize Harry Waters J LoUIs oNsoN Jon Matthews PRIOR WALTER Stephen Spinella HANNAH PEFT Kathleen Chatfant ‘THE ANGEL Ellen MeLaughin ‘The World Premiere of Millenium Approacbe was presented bby The Eureka Theatre Company, May 99 twas directed by David Esbjornson, Sets were designed by Tom Kam, cos- tumes by Sandra Woodall, and lghte by Jack Carpenter and Jim Cave. The cat was a fllows: oy conn Job Belsi jor rier Michael Scott Ryen HARPER errr Anne Darragh neice Harry Water fr 1o0UIS 1RoNton Michael Ormtin PRIOR WALTER ‘Stephen Spinella HARNAME PITT Kathleen Chatfant ‘Tur anon, Ellen McLaughlin ‘The play opened in London, January 19g, in a production at the Royal National Theatre of Great Britain, directed by Declan Donellan, designed by Nick Ormerod, wth music by addy Cuncen and lights by Mick Hughes. The cast was a8 fellows: Henry Goséman Nick Reding Felicity Montague Joe Mydell tours Mercis D'Amico PRIOR WALTER Sean Chepman ANAH Pie Resemary Martin ‘THe ANGEL Nancy Grane Prion + Jeffey Chiswick ‘The fist production of Anges in America, Parts One and Two, vas presented at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, direced by Oskar Eustis and Tony Taccone. The sets were designed by John Conklin lights by Pat Collins, costumes by Gabriel Berry, and music by Mel Marvin. The case wat 20 follows soy conn Ron Leman Jor Pree Jetfrey King haneen ore Simba Mac mauze K. Tod Fremen 10018 trowson Jee Mantle Psion watren Sipe Spina sannan rive Kathen Chalet Tar ance. len Manin ‘Millennium Approaches opened in New Yorkat the Walter Kerr ‘Theatre in April 993, in a production directed by George C. Wolfe. The sets were by Robin Wagner, the lights by Jules Fisher and costumes by Toni-Lesie James. The cast was as follows: nor conn Ren Leibman Jor rier David Marshall Grant anPeR ore ‘Marcia Gay Harden muze Jefey Wright 1ouI8 ronson Joe Mantle PRIOR WALTER Stephen Spinala ANNAN PITT Kathleen Chatfnt THE ANCE, Elen MeLaugbin ‘The national touring production of Millennium Approaches ‘began is run on September 25, 1994, at the Royal George ‘Theatre in Chicago. It was directed by Michael Mayer, with sets by David Gallo lights by Brian MacDevitr, costumes by ‘Michael Krass and music by Michael Ward. The cast was at or come Jonathan Hladary soe rrr Philip Earl Jobnton Manes errr ‘Kate Goering seuze Reg Flowers tours ronson Peer Bikenbead PRIOR WALTER Robert Sella RAKNAM PITT Barbara Roberton Carolyn Swift Acknownedcments Te been working on Angels in America, of which Millennium Approaches the frst par, for several years, and in the process have accumulated many debts: [received generous support during the writing ofthis playin the form of grant fom the National Endowment fo the Arts, the Gerbode Foundation, and the Fund for New American Plays/ American Express, Further financial and abundantemo- tional support came from my parents, Bll and Syivia Kushner, Martha Deutacher, and Dot and Jey Edestien. Joyce Ketay the Wonder-Agent, and her associate Carl Mulert have been ‘awesomely protective and farsighted; and from Jim Nicola of New York Theatre Workshop I have gotten wonderflly smart advice. Gorton Davidson and the staf of the Mark Taper Forum Provided the play and its author with the best circumstances for evelopment and production any artist could hope for, Richard Eyre andthe staff ofthe National Theatre made a timorous and occasionally querulos visitor to British theatre fea hae. Den Donan nd Nick Ormerod made he nce ees ie oat act Raber vow, Philip Kan Gotan, Leon Ke nd Elen Mlauph;and C.D conte mature to nd Rada Queen, Sid Wonca exsarine andangl oh, remain wih he pli though tet the ma Bil Anienon, Ary Hold n Krams eer Minor, Sam Sore dn Ry ae ery ns ply ‘Dav Ejpnin ped shape he al eon of Me so an bgt lly Sn Pace, “Tony Tasos ghey yen mene Lon Angas (Oskar Busts guidance, talents, intelligence and friendship hhave been indispensable; he called Angeli America nto being, shepherded it through many perilous places, and brought it safely home. Without him it would have neither been begun nor completed. ‘To Kimberly T Flynn forintelleetal and politcal instruction, and forthe dificult education of my hear, Lowe my profound est debts of gratitude, Millennium Approaches for Mark Bronnenberg, my former lover, my forever fiend, my safe haven and my favorite hhomosemul ‘Tue Cuanacrers OFM, COMM, fl Nrw Yor per nd uy mcm ee on nfl pur Jostrutronven erry, cif clerk fr tice Toedere Wikom of the Federal Court of Appeals, Second Cire MARTER aMATY FIT, Je wf, an agoraphobic with a mild Valium ddision ours 1RONsON a werd prcer working for the Second Cir Court of Appa PHioR WALTER, Loi oyiend. Ocasonally works ata cb ligne or ctor, eerie ives cary moeily but with at syle of «smal tat fd NANNAM onTER Pir, Jock mote, crendy riding in Sele Lake City ving of ber decazed husband’ army pension. aauize, a former drag quen and former lover of Prior. A reitered mare. Bald name wea orginally Norman r= riage: Bice sa drag name tat such TWH ANGEL, four divine emanations, Flor, Pbspbor, Lumen and Cale manifest in One the Continental Principality of America She bas marifent tel gray wing, Other Characters in Part One ‘anni isip0R cHemenwrrz, an orthodox ewith rabbi, played dy the actor playing Hanna ‘x. Lins, Harper? imaginary fiend, a rave! agent, eb in tle of ress and perch suggests jee musician; be aay oars 4 lerge lapel Badge emblazoned “TOT” (Te International Onder of Trowel Agent). He is played by tbe actor plying Belize “THE MAN IN THE ARK, Aleed by the ator playng Prion. ‘tue voice, #e woe of The Ange nny, Raps dato played bythe ac playing Hanna. sotby, a mur, played by te ator plying The Ang DManrin HELLen @ Reagen Adminiaton Justice epertment Packman, played by te actor plying Harper SHOTEN ELLA CHAPTER, al: Lake Cty maleate salertoman, layed by th ator paying Toe Angel asoR 1, the ghost of «dead Prir Walle from the 1th entry, played by the ac plyig Jo. He ia Ban, img med cl farmer with a gute Yorkshire een. ‘aio 2 te ghot of a dead Prior Walter fom te 1 century, layed by te act plying Rey. Hes a Londoner, opis tated, with a High Brith cent Te rsnimo, played Byte ater playing Je ‘THLE WoMAN iN THE SOUTH BRON, played by Be actor playing The Ange rues nosewnene, played by the ctor playing Hannah Prarweicut’s nores ‘ pisctammen: Roy M. Cohn, the character, is based on the late Roy M, Cohn (1927-1986), who wa all too real; fr the ‘most part the acts attributed tothe character Roy suchas his legal conferences with Judge Kaufinann during the tral of Ethel Rosenberg, are tobe found in the historical record. But thi Roy is 2 work of dramatic fiction; his words ae my invention, and liberties have been taken. ‘ANoTe anoUT THE stAcINo: The play benefits from a pared- down style of presentation, with minimal scenery and scene shifts done rapidly (no blackouts), employing the cast as well, 1s stagchands—which makes for an actor-drven even, a8 this rust be. The moments of magic—the appearance and disap- pearance of Mr. Lies andthe ghosts, the Book hallucination, and the ending—are tobe flly realized, as bits of wonderful ‘beatrica'llsion—which means its OK ifthe wires show, and ‘maybe is good that they do, but the magic should at he same time be thoroughly amazing In 2 murderous time the heart breaks and breaks and lives by breaking ‘Stanley Kunite "The Testing-Tree" ACT ONE: Bad News October-November 1985 Scene r ‘The las days of October. Rabbi Lider Chemewits alone onstage witha small cofin, It is a rough pine box witb a0 swoaden pgs one at te fot and one at the Bead, holding the ‘id place A prayer shawl embroidered witha Storof David is draped over te lid, and by the Bead a yarzhit candle is uring SIDOR cHEMELWrTZ (Hespeaks sonar, witha beavy Easter European acent, unapelegeialy conculting a sect of notes for the family names) Hello and good morning, 1 am Rabbi Isidor Chemetwite of the Bronx Home for Aged Hebrews. We are here this morning to pay respects atthe passing of Sarah Tronson, devoted wife of Benjamin ronson, also deceased, loving and cating mother of her sons Morris, Abraham, and Samuel, and her daughters Esther and Rachel, beloved grandmother of Max, Mark, Louis, Lise, Maria... uh... Lesley, Angela, Doris, 5 Annus 1m Axrnica 6 Lake and Eric. (Laks more ely a paper) Eric? Thisisa “Jewish name? (Shrugs) Eric. large ad loving family We assemble that we may mourn collectively this good and righteous woman. (Ee lok a the coffin) ‘This woman. I didnot know this woman. T cannot accurately desribe her atwibutes, nor do justice to her dimensions. She was... Well in the Bromx Home of ‘Aged Hebrews are many like tis, the ol, and to many 1 ‘speak but not to be frank with ths one. She prefered silence. So I do not know her and yet I know her. She (He touces the coffin) nota person but a whole kind of person, the ones ‘who crossed the ocean, who brought with us to America the villages of Russia and Lithuania—and how we strug- ‘led, and how we fought, fr the family, forthe Jewish home, 0 that you would not grow up Bere in this strange place inthe melting pot where nothing melted. Descen- ‘ants of this immigrane woman, you do not grow up in America, you and your children and thir chien with the goyische names. You donot iv in America. No such plice exist. Your clay is the clay of some Litvak shtel your airhe air ofthe steppes—becaute she carried the old world on er back aros the ocean in boat, and she put indown on Grand Concourse Avenue, orn Flatbush and she worked that earth into your bones, and you pass it to your children, this ancient, ancient culture and home. (Little paws) ‘You can never make that crossing that she made, for such Great Voyages inthis world donot any more exis. But every day of your lives the miles tha voyage between Mitensius Arexoacnes ‘that place and this one you cros. Everyday. You under~ stand me? In you that journey is, So... ‘She was the lst of the Mohicans, this one was, Pretty s00n «all the old willbe dead. Scene 2 Sameday. Rey and Joe in Roys office. Roy at en impressive des, bar except fra very elaborate phone system, rows and ros of lashing buttons wbich bleep and beep and whistle incesanty, making chaotic music underneath Rey comveria- ‘ions Joeissting, eating. Rey conduct busines with great energy, impatience and tentual abandon: gestcuating, ‘outing cajoling, coming, playing the phone, reciver and ‘old button with viewesiy and lve or (Hiding a button): Hold. (Teor) wish was an octopus, a facking octopus. Eight loving arms and all hove sucker. Know what I mean? yor: No, I oy (Gesturing toa dl platter of litle sandwiches om bis desk): ‘You want hunch? 1308: No, that’s OK really T just... oy (Hitting a button): Alene? Roy Cob. Now what kind ofa sreetingis, ... I thought we were friends, Ai... . Look ‘Mn. Soffer you dontt have to get... You're upset. You're yelling. You'll aggravate your condition, you shouldnt yell, you'll pop litle Blood vessels in your face if you yell....No that was 2 joke, Mrs. Soffer, I was ” Aworts 1N America joking... I already apologized sinteen times for that, ‘Mrs. Soffer, you .. . (While set fudminating, Rey covers ‘he mouthpiece with bis band and talks to Joe) This take 1 minute, ear already, what is this tasty sandwich here ie (He takes a bite of a sandwich) Mmom, liver ot some... Here, (Ue pitches thesandsoch to Jo, abo catches it and returns it 10 the platter) roy (Back to Mrs Soffer: Uh uh, uh bub... . No, Laleady told you, it wasn vacation, ie was business, Mr. Soffer, I hhave cients in Haiti, Mrs, Soffer I... Listen, Alene, YOUTHINKIMTHE ONLY GODDAM LAWYER IN HISTORY EVER MISSED A COURT DATE? Don't make such a big fucking. .. . Hold. (He bits the ‘ald button) You HAG! 108: If this i a bad time. oy: Bad time? This is a good time! (Button) Baby dol, get re. .. Oh fuck, wait... (Button, button) Hello? Yah Sorry to keep you holding, Judge Hollins, I... . Oh Mi. Hbllins, sorry dear deep voice you got. Enjoying your visit (Hand over mouthpice again, 0 Joe) She sounds ike a truckdrver and he sounds ike Kate Smith, very confus- ing. Nixon appointed him, all the geeks are Nixon ap- ppointecs ... (Tb Mrs. Hollins) Yeah yeah right good 10 hhow many tickets dear? Seven. For what, Catt, 42nd Sire, what? No you wouldnt like La Cage trust me, 1 know. Oh for godsake.... Hold. Button, buton) Baby oll, seven for Cats or something, anything hard to ge, dont give a fuck what and nether wil they. (Button; to Jo) You s00 La Cage? so: No. Munuenwium Avrroactes ‘nov: Fabulous. Best thing on Broadway. Maybe eve. (Bu‘ton) ‘Who? Aw Jesus H. Chris, Harry, no, Harry, Judge John Francis Grimes, Manhattan Family Court. Do T have t0 ddoevery goddam thing mysel? Touch the bastard, Harry, and dont call me on this line again, Itold you not to... 4308 (Starting to get up: Roy, ub, should I wait ouside or Roy (To oe) Oh sit. To Harry) You hold. pay you to hold fuck you Hanry you jerk. (Button) Half-wit dick-brain. (stanly phlsopbica) I see the universe, Joe a8 kindof sandstorm in outer space with winds of mega-huricane velocity, but instead of grains of sand it’s shards and splinters of plas. You ever fel that way? Ever have one of those days? 108: Tim not sure T ov: So how's life in Appeals? How's the Judge? 108: He sends his best. Rov: He's a good man. Loyal. Not the brightest man on the bench, but he has manners. And a nice head of silver hai. 4308: He gives me a lot of responsibilty. ox: Yeah, like writing his decisions and signing his name. et z signing or: He's a nice guy: And you cover admirably, sor: Well, chanks, Roy, I ov (Button): Yah? Who is thi? Well who the fuck are you? Hold— (Button) Harry? Bighty-even grand, something like that. Fuck him. Eat me, New Jerse, chain of porno ‘il stores in, uh, Weehawken. That'—Harry, that’s the beauty of the law. (Button) So, baby dol, what? Cats? leah, (Button) Cas Tes about cats. Singing cats, you'll love it. Bight o'clock, the theatre's always a eight. (But fon) Fucking tourists. (Button, then Joe) Oh live alice, Joe, eat something for Christ stke— so: Um, Roy, could you . ‘Aces in Astenica ov: What? (To Harry) Hold a minute. (Button) Mrs, Soffer? Mrs... (Button) God-fucking-dammit to hell, where 408 (Overlapping: Roy, Ta really appreciate it if. ‘ox (Overlapping): Well she was here a minute ago, baby dll, (The pone starts making tree diferent beping sounds all at once) nov (Smashing buttons: Jesus Fuck this goddam thing . 4308 (Overlapping) really wish you woulda or (Queene Baby do? Ring the Po get me Suny sx (The phone sorts whiting loudly) ror: CHRIST! Jor: Ray. OW (to recive): Hold (Baton oo) Whe? 408: Could you plese not tke the Ler’ ame in ain? (Pau) Tm sory. Bat plese. Atleast whe Tn tor (Laugh then: Right. Soy. Face Onlin Americ. (Pances ution) Baby l,l ‘emallto fckoff Tellme. You handle Mi. Sof Taher onthe wy. Teller nschrpping se judge Teall er bac Teil ell eras how ch 1 borrowed. Sh got four hundred timer tha tafe up het» Yehy el her id that, Buon, Te pone sie) So, Joe. Munuewnrum Approactes sor: Tim sorry Roy, I just. . ‘ov: No no no no, principles count, T respect principles, Tm ‘not religious but I like God and God likes me. Baptist, Catholic? 108: Mormon, ‘ov: Mormon. Delectable. Absolutely: Only in America. So, ‘he. Whanya think? sor: is. . well nov: Crazy life, 108: Chaotic, Rov: Well but God bless chaos. Right? 0: Umea . ox: Huh. Mormons. I knew Mormons, in, um, Nevada. 408: Utah, mosy or: No, these Mormons were in Vegas. ‘So. So, howd you ike to go to Washington and work forthe Justice Department? 4308: Sorry? ‘ov: How'd you lke to go to Washington and work for the Justice Department? All I gota do is pick up the phone, talk to Ed, and you're in, sor: In... what, exact? Rov: Associate Assistant Something Big. Internal Affirs, heart of the woods, something nice with clout. yor: Ed...? ov: Meese. The Attorney General 108: Oh, oy: I just have to pick up the phone 4308: have to think. Rov: OF course, (Passe) tsa great time to be in Washington, Joe. Acris im Avenica 1308: Roy, it’ incredibly exciting .. ‘ov: And it would mean something to me. You understand? (itl powe,) 4308: I. cant say how much I appreciate this Roy, I'm sort of. well stunned, Imean..... Thanks, Roy But Ihave to give it some thought. I have to ask my wife nov: Your wife. Of course soe: But I really appreciate ov: OF course. Talk to your wife. Scene 3 Later that day, Harper at bome, alone, She is listening to the ‘radio and talking obese as be often dee. Se pest tbe caudione ‘anren: People who are lonely, people left alone sit talking nonsense to the it, imagining ... beautifal systems ing, old fied onder spiraling apart. ‘When you lok atthe ozone layer, fom outside, fom 8 spaceship, it ook ikea pale blue halo, a gentle, shim meting aurcole encircling the atmosphere encircling the carth. Thiny miles above our heads thin layer of three tom exygen molecules, product of photosynthesis, which ‘explains the usr vegetable preference fr visible ight, its ‘jection of darker rays and emanations. Danger frm ‘without. Isa kind of gif rom God, the crowning touch tothe creation ofthe world: guardian angels hands linked, make aspherical net blue-green nesting oxb a shel of Muntennium Arproacies safer for lft But everywhere things re collapsing, lies surfacing, systems of defense giving way... This hy, Jo, this is why I shouldat be left alone. (ite pawe) Ti like to go traveling. Leave you behind to worry. send postcards with strange stamps and tantalizing mes- sages on the back. “Later maybe.” “Nevermore.” (Mr. Lies, a travel agent, appears) ‘anrex: Ob! You startled me! Mn. ties: Cath, check or creditcard? aren: I remember you. You're ftom Salt Lake. You sold us the plane tickets when we flew here. What are you doing. in Brooklyn? 1m, us: You sad you wanted to travel. ‘MaRreR: And here you ate. How thoughtful Mn. Lips: Mr. Lies. Of the Intemational Order of Travel Agents. We mobilize the globe, we set people adrift, ‘we stir the populace and send nomads eying across the planet. We are adepts of motion, acolytes of the flux. Cash, check or creditcard, Name your destination, anrex: Antartica, maybe. I want to sce the hole in the ‘ozone. T heard on the radio Mn. tins (He basa computer terminal in bis briefease): can aurange a guided tour. Now? ‘anran: Soon. Maybe soon. I not safe hee you see. Things sei right with me. Weird stuf happens an, 1185: Like? anren: Wel ike you, for instance. Just appearing. Or last week... well never mind, People are lke planets, you needa thick ski. Things 2 ‘Anonis x Anenica {ge 10 me, Joe stays say and now... Well ook. My dreams ae talking back to me. un. ns: It's the price of roodesnes. Motion sicknes. The only cure: to keep moving. wanren: Tin undecided. I feel .. that somethings going to ge Is 985. Fifeen year ill the third milleni= tum. Maybe Chis wil come again. Maybe seeds wll be planted, maybe ther'be harvests then, maybe ery igs to et, maybe new if, maybe fesh blood, maybe com panionship and love and protection, sfety from what’ ‘outside, maybe the door wil hold, or maybe. maybe the roubles wll eame, and the end will come, and the sky vileollpse and there willbe tele rains and showers of poison light, or maybe my life i relly fine, maybe Joe loves me and Tim oly ray thinking otherwise, or maybe ‘ot, maybe it'seven worse than Tknow, maybe Twant to kaow, maybe I dont. The suspense, Me. Lis, ts ailing me. sux. us: T suggest vacation. anren (Flearng someting) That asthe elevator. Oh God] shoul fic mee up, .. You have to go, you should be here. «you arent even rea, vax, cis: Call me when you decide sanrer: Go! (be Travel Agent vanishes as Joe enters) sor: Buddy? Buddy? Somry Tm late. Twas just... out, Walking, ‘Ace you mad? anren: I gota litle anxious 108: Buddy kiss (They bss) 4 Mintenntum Arproacnes 108: Nothing to get anxious about. So. So howd you like to move to Washington? Scene 4 Same day. Louis and Prior outside the faera home, siting on a bench, both dreued in funereal finery, tating. TBe fimera service for Sara Tonson bat concuded and Louis is about t leave for te cemetery. ou1s: My grandmother actually saw Emma Goldman speak. In Yiddish, But all Grandma could remember was that she spoke well and wore a hat. What a weird service. That rabbi. ‘nion: A definite find. Get his number when you go to the graveyard. I want him to bury me. ‘ovis: Bete head out there. Everyone gets to put drt on the coffin once ie lowered in, a1oR: Oooh. Cemetery fun. Don't want to miss that ‘outs: Ie’san old Jewish custom to express love. Here, Grand ima, have a shovelful. Latecomers run the risk of finding the grave completely filled. ‘She was pretty crazy. She was up there in that home forten years, atkng to herself. never visited, She looked too much like my mother. "ton (Flugs im) Poor Louis. Um sorry your grandma is dead. ours: Tiny lite coffin, huh? Sony I dda introduce you to... 1 always get so closety at these family things. Prion: Butch, You get butch. (Tmitatng) “Hi Cousin Doris you dont remember me I'm Lou, Rachels boy.” Lou, 5 Anons in Amtenica rot Louis, because if you say Louis they'll hear the sibilant S. ovis: I dont have a ‘rion: I dont blame you, hiding. Bloodlines. Jewish curses are the worst. I personally would dissolve if anyone ever looked me in the eye and sid “Feh,” Fortunately WASPs dont say “Fe.” Oh and by the way, darting, cousin Doris isa dyke ovis: No, Really? aro: You dont notice anything. hadnt spent the ast four years fllating you Ta swear you were straight. ovis: You'te in a pissy mood. Cat stil missing? (ite paw) prion: Nota furball in sight It's your ful. outs: Ii? rion: I warned you, Louis. Names are important. Call an ‘animal “Litde Sheba’ and you cant expect it to tick around. Besides, it's a dog’ name ours: I wanted a dg in the fist place, nota cat. He sprayed ouls: Cats are stupid, high-strung predators, Babylonians sealed them up in bricks. Dogs have brains. ‘patoR: Cats have intuition, ours: A sharp dog is as smart as a really dull two-year-old child Prion: Cats know when something’ wrong. ovis: Only if you stop feeding them, Prion: They know. Tha's why Sheba lft, because she knew. 6 Mutewmium Aprroactes ovis: Knew what? (Pause) ‘prtoR: I did my best Shirley Booth this morning, foppy slip- pers, housecout, curlers, can of Lite rskies; “Come back, Little Sheba, come back. . "To avail Le chat lle ne reviendea jamais, jamais (ie removes bs jace, rolls up bis eeee, shows Lous 4 dark-purple spot on the underside of bis arm near the shoulder) See. ‘ours: That’ just a burst blood vesel. raion: Not according tothe best medical authorities. ours: Wha? (Passe) Tell me, Prion: KS, baby. Lesion number one. Lookit, The wine-datk. kiss ofthe angel of death, Louis (Very eft olding Priors arm): Oh please... ‘prton: I'ma lsionnaire. The Foreign Lesion, The American Lesion. Lesionnare’sdiseace. ours: Stop, prion: My troubles are lesion. outs: Will you sep raion: Dont you think Im handling this well? Tm going to die, ours: Bullshit rion: Let go of my arm, ouys: No rion: Let go, ovis (Grabbing Prior, embracing him feecoutly: No, ” Awonis 1% Astenica 110k: cant fnd away to spare you baby. Nowa ke the wall of hard scientific fact. KS. Whar, Bang your head on that. ours: ck you. (Letting go) Fuck you fuck you fack you. rnrox: Now thats what I like to hear. A mature reaction. Lets go se ifthe eat come home, Louis? Lovrs: When did you find this? aio: I coulda rl you. ours: Why? rarox: Iwas sued, Lou. ovis: Of what? 1ron: That youl leave me. ous: Ob, (ite powe) ‘prion: Bad timing, funeral and all, but I figured as long as were on the subject of death... outs: T have to go bury my grandma. ‘prion: Lou? (Passe) Then you'll come home? ‘ours: Then Tl come home. Scene 5 Sameday ltr om Spt nen: ot and Horr bom Louis atthe cemetery with Rabbi lider Chemehaite and the ‘ite ein Miturnmun Arpnoacies 4308: Its an incredible honor, buddy, and... manrex: Ihave to think. 108: Of course. MARDER: Say no, 1308: You said you were going to think about it Hanrex: I dont want to move to Washington. sor: WallT do, anrex: Ita giant cemetery, huge white graves and mauso- leurs everywhere, 4308: We could live in Maryland, Or Georgetown, manren: We're happy here. 408: That's not really true, buddy, we - ‘anren: Well happy enought Pretend-happy. That’ better than nothing. 10: It's time to make some changes, Harper. ‘anren: No changes. Why? 108: Te been chief clerk for four year. I make twenty-nine ‘thousand dollars a year. That's ridiculous. I graduated fourth in my class and I make less than anyone I know. ‘And Tm. .. Tm tired of being a clerk I want to go where something good is happening, ‘nanren: Nothing good happens in Washington, Well forget church teachings and buy furniture at... at Conran and ‘become yuppies. I have too much to do here. sot: Like what? anrex: I do have things... 408: What things? Naren: I have to fish painting the bedroom. 108: Youve been painting in there for over year, Warren: [know I... I just isnt done because I never get time to finish it » Awonis in Astenica 4308: Oh that's... that doesn't make sense. You have all the ‘in the world. You could fnih it whet Tm at work. ‘anpen: Tm afraid to go in there alone. 4308: Afraid of what? ‘anrex: I heard someone in there. Metal sraping on the wall. A man with a knife, maybe. 4302: Theres no one in the bedroom, Harper uanren: Not now. 4308: Not this morning either. 'aRPER: How do you know? You were at work this morning. ‘There's something creepy about this place. Remember Rosemary's Baby? soe: Revemarys Baby? ‘uanren: Our apartment look ike that one. Wait that apart- ‘ment in Brooklyn? J0E: No, it was . aren: Wel, it looked like this e did. ot: Then let’ move. anpen: Georgetown's worse. The Exorcist was in George- Jot: The devil, everywhere you turn, huh, buddy. anren: Yeah. Everywhere. 108: How many pills today, Buddy? anren: None. One. Three. Only thee. Louis (Pointing at the coffin): Why are there just two litle ‘wooden pegs holding the id down? ‘RABBI 1S100R CHEMELWrT2: So she can get out easier if she ‘wants t0, ovis: [hope she stays put pretended for years that she was already dead. When they called to say she had die it was a surprise. T aban doned her. xe Munexniom Avpronctes aub1 is1DoR cHeseLw1rz:“Sharfr vi di tson fun ashlag iz an umdankbar kind!” ours: I dont speak Yiddish, ‘apat 1stD0R cHEMELWrTZ: Sharper than the serpents tooth is the ingratiude of children. Shakespeare. Kenig Lear outs: Rabbi, what does the Holy Writ say about someone who abandons someone he loves ata time of great need? rsipor cHEMELwirz: Why would a person do such a thing? outs: Because he has to Maybe becsuse this persons sense of the world, tha it will change for the better with struggle, maybe a person who has this neo-Hegelisn positivist sense of constant historical progress towards happiness or perfection or something, who fels very powerful because he felscon- nected to these forces, moving uphil all the time ‘maybe that person cant, um, incorporate sickness int his sense of how things are supposed to go. Maybe vomit and sores and disease... eallyfighten him, maybe be fart so good with death. rsipor cltMeLw1Tz: The Holy Scriptures have noth- ing to say about such a person 5: Rabbi, Im aad of che crimes I may commit rs1poR cteseeiwrrz: Please, mister. Tin 1 sick old ‘abi fing along drive home to the Bron. You want to confess, better you should find a priest. : But Fm not a Catholic, Im a Jew. IsipoR cHeMeLwrrz: Worse luck for you, bubbulah, CCatholicsbeiewe in forgiveness ewsbetieve in Guilt. (He pats the coffin tenderly) outs: You jst make sure those pegs are in good and tight. anor isipoR cuemeLwirz: Dont worry, mister. The life she ‘had, she'l stay put. She's beter off ” Anonis 1m Astenica 10: Look T know this is sary for you. But try to understand ‘what it means to/me. Wil you ty? annex: Ys 08: Good. Really ty 1 think things are starting to change in the wold manren: But T dont want 408: Wit. Forthe good. Change fr the good. Ameria has e- discovered itsel Ts suced poston among nation. And peopl arent ashamed of that ike they used tobe. Thi is 4 great thing. The truth restored. Law cestored. That's what President Reagars done, Harper. He says “Truth casts and can be spoken proudly” And the country re- sponds to him. We become beter. More good. [need to be a part of that, I need something big to lif me up ‘mean, six yeas ago the world seemed in detne, horrible, hopeless, full ofunsohble problems and crime and con- fasion and hunger and. ‘aren: But it sill seems that way. More now than before. ‘They sy the ozone layer is so: Harper "anrex: And today out the window on Adanic Avene there wat schizophrenic trafic cop who was making these 108: Stop it Te tying to make a point. sHanrex: So am I. 40k: You are even making sense, you... ‘eaxren: My point is the word seems jst a¢ 10: ony seems that way to you because you never go out in the world, Harper, and you have emotional problems. anpen: Ido so get out inthe world 430: You dont. You stayin all day, retin about imaginary sanren: I gt out. T do You dot know what Ido, 108: You dont sty in all dy. a Munuewnium Aprroacies vuanree: Tha what you think, sor: Where do you go? nanpex: Whar do yo go? When you wale (Pas ther engriy) Ard DO NOT have emotional problems so": Fm sory {aRPen: And if do have emotional problems i’ fom ving wih you. Or. sor: Fim sory buy, I ddrt mean 29 sanrex: Or ifyou do think I do then you should never have ‘mated me, You have all thee secret and es sot: T want be mrtied t you, Harper ranean: You shouldnt. You never shold (Pause) Hey by. Hey buddy. yor: Buddy kiss». (Prey bi) anrex: [heard on the radio how to give a blowjob. sor: What? anPen: You want to try? 4308: You really shoulda listen to stuf ike that HARPER: Mormons can give blowjobs, 108: Harper MARPER (Imitating bis tone: Joe ‘Ie was alittle Jewish lady with a German accent. ‘This is good time. Por me to make a baby (ite pause Joe turns area.) 8 Anonis in Asenica anpen: Then they went on toa program about holes in the ‘ozone layer. Over Antarctica, Skin burns, bifds go blind, icebergs melt. The world’s coming to an end Scene 6 Firs eck of November. In the mei rom of te ofiesof tbe Brookyn Federal Court of Appeal; Lois is eying over the sink; Joe enter 108: Oh, um... . Morning ous: Good morning, counselor. 408 (He watches Louse) Sor... donitknow your name. 10v1s: Dont bother. Word processor. The lowest of the low 408 (Holding out bend: Joe Pie I'm with tice Wilton . touts: Oh, I know that. Counselor Pt. Chief Clerk. soe: Were you... are you OK? ovis: Oh, yeah. Thanks. What a nice man. 08: Not s0 nice Louis: What? Jot: Not so nice. Nothing. You sue youte outs Life sucks shit. Life. just suck shit sor: What’ wrong? ours: Run in my nylons. soe: Sony. ..? ovis: Roget it son: Well Louis: I mean it realy nice of you. (Ce stare eying again) Sorry, srry, sick fend 308: Oh, Tm sory Look, thanks for asking ™ Minuenniom Avproacntes touts: Yeah, yeah, wel that sweet. ‘Three of your colleagues have preceded you to this baefl sight and yout the fst one to atk. The others just opened the door, saw me, and fled. I hope they had to pee real bad. soe (Handing bim a wad of tilt paper}: They ust dnt want to ineude. outs: Hab. Reaganite heartless macho asshole lawyers. Joe: Oh, thats uni outs: What is? Heartless? Macho? Reaganite? Lawyer? Joe: I voted for Reagan. sours: You did? yor: Twice. LOUIS: Twice? Wel, boy. A Gay Republican. sor: Excuse me? ours: Nothing Joe: Tm not Forget it. ours: Republican? Not Republican? Or sor: What? sours: What? Joe: Not guy. Tm not gay outs: Oh, Sorry (Blows is nose loudly) Wes jose yor: Yes? tours: Well, sometimes you can tel from the way a perion sounds that... Tmean you swnd ikea. 10: No I dont. Like what? ours: Like a Republican, (Citte pase Joe knows beh being teased; Lous knows be Ino. Joe decides to bea Hite brave) 3 Awonus 18 Anznica 08 (Making sure noone ce it arund): DoT Sound like a. ..? ovis: What? Like a... ? Republican, or... Do I? sot: Do you what? outs: Sound like a... ? yor: Like a...? Tm... confused. ours: Yee. ‘My name is Lous. Bu all my fiends call me Louise. [workin Word Processing, Thanks for the tilt pape. (Conis fers Je is and Jo reaches, Luis fens and pcs Joe onthe check, ten ext) Scene 7 A week later: Mutual deem sene. Prior is ata fantastic makeup table, having a dream, applying the fae. Harper is aving a pillinduced hallucination. She bat thee from time to time. For some reason, Prior bas appeared in this one. Or Harper bas appeared in Prior dream. It is Bewild- oving. rion (Alone, puting on makeup, then examining the result in ‘the mirror: tothe audienc) "Ten ready for my closeup, Me. DeMille” ‘One wants to move through life with elegance and grace, blossoming infrequently but with exquisite taste, and perfect timing, lke «rare bloom, a zebra orchid, ‘One wants... . But one so seldom gets what one wants, does one? No. One does not. One gets fucked. Over. One. .. dies at thirty, robbed of... decades of majesty. 36 Mitennius Arproacnes Fuck this shit, Fuck this shit : (He almost crumbles be pul imsef together; be studies bis bandizork in the mirror) look Like 2 corpse. A compsette. Oh my queens you know you've hit rock-bottom when even drag is drag. (erper appears) HanpeR: Are you. ... Who are you? prion: Who are you? anren: What are you doing in my hallucination? prion: I'm not in your hallucination. You'e in my dream. anren: You're wearing makeup. rion: So are you apex: But youre man, rion (Fegning dismay, sock, be mimes slashing bis throat with ‘is lipstick an des, fabulously tragic. Then} The bands and feet give it sway anpen: There must be some mistake here. I dant recognize you. You'e not... . Areyou my... some sort ofimagi- nary fiend? raion: No, Arenit you fo0 old to have imaginary fiends? anpex: I have emotional problems. I took too many pills. Why are you wearing makeup? raion: Iwasin the proces of applying the fice, trying to make myself fel berter—I swiped the new fall colore at the Clinique counter at Macy’. (Showing Aer) anpen: You stole these? raion: Iwas out of cash; it was an emotional emergency! APE: Joe will be so angry promised him. No more pill raion: These pills you keep alluding to? a Aonis 1s Ascenica anne: Valium. I take Valium. Lots of Valium prion: And you're dancing as fst as you can, tanren: Im not addicted, I dont believe in addition, and 1 never «well, T never dink. And I never take drugs prion: Well, smell you, Nancy Drew. anvex: Except Valium, prion: Except Valium; in wee stfu Marre: It's terble. Mormons are not supposed to be ad- dicted to anything. I'm a Mormon. ‘rion: Tn a homoserul ‘anren: Ob! In my church we dont believe in homosexuals raion: In my church we dont believe in Mormons arpen: What church do... cht (She lang) get it 1 don't understand this. If didat ever se you before and I dont think I did then T dont think you should be here, in thie hallucination, because in my experience the mind, which is where hallucinations come from, shouldrit bbe able to make up anything that wasrit there to star ‘with, that didst enter i fom experience, from the real ‘world, Imagination cant ereate anything new, can it? It only recycles bits and pices from the world and rassem~ bles them into visions. ....Am T making sense right now? raion: Given the drcumstances, yes. ‘warren: So when we think we've escaped the unbearable ‘ordinariness and, well, untruthfulness of our lives, is really only the same old ordinariness and falsenestre- arranged into the appearance of novelty and truth. Nothing unknown is knowable. Dont you think it's depressing? prion: The limitations of the imagination? anven: Yes. 8 Mriesntom Arproacites raion: Ie’ something you learn after your second theme party: It’s All Been Done Before. nanpen: The world. Finite. Terbly, terribly. ... Wall ‘This is the most depressing hallucination I've ever had. prior: Apologies I do try to be amusing. anver: Ob, well, dont apologize, you... . I cant expect someone who's really sick to entertain me. ‘ior: How on earth did you know .. sanren: Oh that happens. This is the very threshold of revelation sometimes. You can see things... how sick yous, Doyou eating shut me? anpen: What? snion: You are amazingly unhappy. anve: Oh big deal. You meet a Valium addict and you fig- ture out she's unhappy. That doesntt count. OF course 1... - Something els. Something surprising, rion: Something surprising, Harve: Yes. raion: Your husband's & homo. (Pause) anes: Oh, ridiculous. (Pause the very quietly) Really? mor (Shag): Threshold ofeveation seanren: Well I don ke your revelations. I don think you ‘nti wel at al Jo’ a very normal man, be ‘Oh God. Oh God. He... Do homos tak, lk, lots of ong walls? » ‘Awcens iw Amteaica raion: Yes. We do. In stretch pants with lavender coi, just looked at you, and there was MARDER: A sort of blue streak of recognition, prior: Yes. Hanrex: Like you knew me incredibly well. ‘pnton: Yes. anrer: Yes, have to go now, get back, something just... fll apart. ‘Oh God, I fel so sad. ‘rion: 1... Ti sory. I usually say, “Pack the truth,” but mostly, the truth Fucks you. anrex: I see something else about you rior: Oh? Hanrex: Deep inside you, there apart ofyou, the most inner pare entirely fice of disease. I can se that. ‘pruon: Is tha... . That ist ue, anren: Threshhold of revelation. Home (he vanities) ‘prton: People come and go so quickly here (To bimslf in the mirror) dorte think theres any uninfected part of me. My heart is pumping polluted blood. I fel icy. (He begins to wipe makeup of wit bis hand, smearing it around A large gray father fall fom up above. Prior stops smearing the makerp and lols at the feather He goes tit ‘and picks it wp) [A-voIce (It isan incredibly beoutifl voice): Look up! ° Muenwtum Aprroacnes ‘prion (Looking up, not seeing anyone): ello? ‘A voce: Look up! prion: Who is that? ‘A voice: Prepare the way! ‘rion: I dont see any .. (There isa dramatic change in lighting, rom above.) A vorce: ‘Look up, look up, repare the way the infinite descent A breath in air Aloating down Glory to. (Silene) ator: Hello? Is that i? Helloooo! What the fuck... .? (He Boldt bimselp Poor me. Poor poor me. Why me? Why poor poor ‘me? Ob I done feel good right now. I really dont. Scene 8 ‘That nigh. Split scene: Harper and Jo at home; Prior and Louis in bed. Hanpex: Where were you? yor: Out. anren: Where? ‘Awonts in Astenica sor: Jus out. Thinking. nanren: Te ate Jo: Thad alo think sbout vanren: I burned dines 58: Sorry. uanren: Notmy dinner My dinner was fie. You inner [put itbackin the oven and turned everything up a high sit could go and I watched il it bumed black It sill hot. Very hot. Want i? sor: You dds have todo that nanrer: I know, It just seemed lke the kind of thing a mentally deranged sex-starved pill-popping housewife ‘would do. soe: Uh buh anren: So dit. Who knows anymore what Ihave todo? yo8: How many pill? nanan: A bunch, Dont change the subject. Jo: T wont talk you when you. tanner: No. No Dost do that! Im... Tm fin pil are not the prom, not our problem, I WANT TO KNOW WHERE YOUVE BEEN! 1 WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON! sot: Going on with what? The job? anren: Not the jb. Jor: si I need more time aRren: Not the jb! 0%: Mr, Cohn I talked to him on the phone, he ssid 1 had to huny. annen: Not the yor: But I ant get you to tall sesbly about anything so, saxren: SHUT UPt sot: Thea wha? Mitunnnion Avproaciies ‘MARDER: Stick to the subject. 108: I dont know what that is. You have something you want to ask me? Ask me, Go. aves: I... cant. Tm seared of you. 108: Tm tired, Im going to bed. anrex: Tell me without making me ask. Please. 40%: This is eazy Tm not . anreR: When you come through the door a ght your Face isnever exactly the way I remembered. Iget surprised by Something ... mean and hard about the way you look. Even the weight of you in the bed at nigh, the way you breathe in your sleep seems unfamiliar. ‘You tenify me. 108 (Cold: I know who you ae. ‘Ranvin: Yes. im the enemy. That's easy. That doesnt change. ‘You think youre the only one who hates sex; Ido; 1 hate it with you; do. I dream that you batter away at me Sill all my joints come apart, like wax, and I fll into pieces I's lke a punishment. It was wrong of me to ‘marry you. I knew you .. . (She stops bese) I's asin, and it’ killing us both. ‘can always tll when you've taken pills because it makes you red-faced and sweaty and frankly that’ very often why I dont want to Marvin: Because. s08: Well, you arent pretty. Not like ManPex: I have something to ask you. sor: Then ASK! ASK! What in hell are you... apes: Are you a homo? (Pause) ‘Are you? Ifyou try to walk ou right now Tl put your dinner back in the oven and tun cup o high the whole “ Anonis 1m Ascenica building wil fill with smoke and everyone in it will as- Phyaiate. So help me God I will. [Now answer the question. soe: What if] (Small pause) ‘anran: Then tell me, please. And we'll ee. 1308: No. Tm not. 1 don' se what difference it makes, ‘ours: Jews don't have any clear textual guide tothe afterlife even that it exists. Tdont think much about it Ise it a¢ 4 perpetual rainy Thursday afternoon in March, Dead leaves, ‘prion: Eeeugh. Very Greco-Roman. ovis: Well forus its not the verdict that count, t's the act of vdgment. That's why I could never be a lawyer. In court all that matters is the verdict, ‘rtoR: You could never be a lawyer because you ate oversexed, ‘Youte too distracted. outs: Not distracted; abstracted. Yim trying to make a point: prion: Namely: ‘ovis: Ie the judge in his or her chambers, weighing, books ‘pen, pondering the evidence, ranging fely over catego- ‘es: good, evil, innocent, guilty; the judge inthe cham- ber of creumspecton, not the judge on the bench with the gave. The shaping of the law, not its execution, raion: The point, dea, the point... ‘ovis: That it should be the questions and shape ofa life its total complexity gathered, arranged and considered, ‘which matters in the end, not some stamp of salvation (oF damnation which disperses all the complexity in Minuewnrus Approactes some unsatisfying litle decsion—the balancing of the scales mron: 1 lke this; very zen; its... easstingly incompre- hhensble and useless. We who are about to die thank you. ‘ours: You are not about to die. ‘1i0R: Is not going well really... two new lesions. My leg hurts. There's protein in my urine, the doctor says but ‘who knows what the fuck that portends, Anyway it shouldnt be ther, the protein, My butt is chapped fom diarthea and yesterday I shat blood. ovis: [really hate this. You dont tell me . aio: You get too upset, I wind up comforting you. Its outs: Oh thanks. ‘pxton: If its bad Tl tll you. ‘ovis: Shitting blood sounds bad to me. raion: And I'm telling you. ours: And Tm handling Rion: Tell me some more about justice. | ours: I am handling it rion: Well Louis you win Trooper ofthe Month, (Louie starts to ery.) ‘Prion: I take it back. You arent Trooper of the Month, ‘This isnt working... Tell me some more about justice. tours: You are not about to die. RIOR: Justice LOUIS: «is an immensity, a confusing vases. Justice is God Prior? 4s ‘Axcets 1 Autenica prion: Hmmm? outs: You love me, ‘rton: Yes. 3: What ifT walked out on this? ‘Would you hate me forever? (Prior Rises Lois om the forehead.) ton: Yes. 408: T think we ought to pray. Ask God for help. Ask him together anrex: God wont talk to me. Ihave to make up people to talk to me 108: You have to keep asking. annex: I forgot the question, ‘Oh yeah. Gods my husband a 408 (Sar): Stop it Stop it. Tim warning you Docs it make any diffrence? That I might be one thing deep within, no matter how wrong oF ugly that thing is so long as T have fought, with everything I have, to ill it. What do you want from me? What do you want from me, Harper? More than that? For Gods ‘he, there's nothing eft Tim a shel. There’ nothing eft to kl ‘As long 3t my behavior is what I know it has tobe. Decent. Comet: That alone in the ees of God. anrex: No, no, not tha, that Utah talk, Mormon tal, T hat it, Joe, tell me, sy it 48: All will sys that Tam avery good man who has worked very hard to become good and you want to destioy that. You want to destroy me, but am not going tolet you do that “6 Miienmum Arpnoacnes (Pause) anrex: I'm going to have a baby yor: Liar vmanren: You lar. Abbaby born addicted to pills. A baby who does not dream but who hallucinates, who stares up at us with big rirror eyes and who does not know who we are. (Powe) sok: Are you realy Harper: No, Yes. No. Yes. Getaway from me. Now we both have a secret, rion: One of my ancestors was ships captain who made ‘money bringing whale oil to Europe and returning with {immigrants—Irish mostly, packed in tight, so many dol- lars per head. The last ship he captained foundered off the coast of Nova Scotia in 2 winter tempest and sank to the bottom. He went down with the ship—la Grande Geste—but his crew took seventy women and kids in the ship's only longboat, this big, open rowboat, and when the weather got t00 rough, and they thoughe the boat was overcrowded, the crew started lifting people up 1nd hurling them into the sea. Until they got the ballast ‘ight. They walked up and dow the longboat, eyes to the waterline, and when the boat rode low in the water they Arab the nearest passenger and throw them into the sea ‘The bout was leak, see; seventy people; they arrived in Halifex with nine people on boar. outs: Jews, ‘aroR:T think about that story alot now. People ina boat, ‘ting, terfed, while implacable, unsmiling men, ir. ” Anoris in America ‘esinibly strong, seize... maybe the perton nex o you, ‘maybe you, and with no warning a all with time only for a quick intake of sir you are pitched into freezing, tur- bulent water and salt and darkness to drown, 1 like your cosmology, baby. While time is running ‘out find myself drawn to anything thats suspended, that lacks an ending—but it seems to me that it lets you off| scot-free ovis: What do you mean? rion: No judgment, no guilt or responsibilty. ours: For me. ‘przoR: For anyone, It was an editorial “you.” ours: Please get beter, Please. Please dont get any sicker, Scene 9 ‘Third week in November. Roy and Henry, bis doctor in Hey’ of Henry: Nobody knows what causes it. And nobody knows hhow to cue it. The best theory is that we Blame a retro virus, the Haman Immunodeficiency Virus. Is presence is made known to us by the useless antibodies which appear in reaction to its entrance into the bloodstream through a cut, oran orifice. The antibodies are powerless 1 protect the body against it. Why, we don't know. The body's immune system ceases to funtion. Sometimes the body even attacks ise Ar any rate it lft open to a ‘whole horror house of infections from microbes which it usually defends against. “ Mitunexione Arenoacnes Like Kaposi's sarcomas. These lesions. Oryourtiroat problem. Or the glands ‘We think it may also be able to slip past the blood- brain barrier into the brain. Which is ofcourse very bad ‘Andit’ atalin we dont know what percent of people vith suppressed immune responses (Pause) ‘ov: This is very interesting, Mr. Wizard, but why the Fuck: are you telling me this? (Pause) ‘evry: Well, Ihave jut removed one of thee lesions which Biopsy results will probably tellus i a Kapos's sarcoma lesion. And you have a pronounced swelling of glands in your neck, groin, and armpite—Iymphadenopathy is an- ‘other sgn. And you have oral candidiasis and maybe a litle more fungus under the fingernails of wo digits on your right hand. So thats why . nov: This disease. sewRy: Syndrome. ewnv: Mostly, Hemophilacs are also at risk, or: Homosemals and drug addicts. So why ae you implying that T.. (Pete) ‘What are you implying, Henry? eney: I dont. nov: Tim not a drug addict. ” Anonis x Astenica ‘Mexy: Oh come on Roy. sor: What, what, come on Rey what? Do you think I'm a junkie, Henry, do you see tracks? eway: This is absurd. ov: Say it. pwr: Say what? nov: Say, “Roy Cohn, you are a. ewer: Roy. ov: “You area...” Go on. Not “Roy Cohn you are a drug fiend.” “Roy Marcus Cohn, you are a.” Go on, Henry, it stats with an “H.” enn: Oh I'm not going to... nov: With an °H,* Henry, and it int “Hemophilae.” Come enry: What are you doing, Roy? rox: No, sy it.I mean it. Say: “Rey Cohn, you are a homo- sexual.” (Pose) ‘And I will proceed, systematically, to destroy your reputation and your practice and your career in New York State, Henry. Which you know I can do, (Pose) nny: Roy, you have been seeing me since ips. Apart fom the Facts T have teated you for everthing fom phils... nox: Fom a whore in Dallas, exer: From syphilis to venereal wart. In your rectum, ‘Which you may have gotten from a whore in Dallas, but ie wasnt a female whore, Powe) Miturnniuse Arproacites nov: So say it ewe: Roy Cohn, you are. ‘You have had sex with men, many many times, Roy, and one of them, or any number of them, has made you very sick. You have AIDS. nov: AIDS, ‘Your problem, Henry, is that you ate hung up on words, on labels, that you belive they mean what they seem to mean. AIDS. Homoserual. Gay. Lesbian. You think these are names that tell you who someone sleeps with, but they dont tell you that, sewny: No? ‘ov: No, Like all labels they tell you one thing and one thing ‘only: where does an individual so identified fin the food chain, in the pecking order? Not ideology or senual ase, ‘but something much simpler: clout, Not who I fuck or ‘who fucks me, but who will pickup the phone when Ia, ‘who owes me favors. Thisis what label refers to. Now to Someone who does not understand this, homosexual is ‘What Iam because Ihave sex with men. But really this is ‘wrong. Homosexuals are not men who sleep with other smen. Homoseruals are men who in fften years of trying cannot get a pissant antidiserimination bill through City ‘Council. Homorenuals are men who know nobody and who nobody knows. Who have zero clout, Does this sound like me, Henry? ener: No, ‘ov: No, Ihave clout. A lot. ean pick up this phone, punch fifteen numbers, and you know who willbe on the other end in under five minutes, Henry? ewny: The President, roy: Even better, Henry. His wife. env: Tm impressed, s Ancais 14 Amteaica Rov: I dont want you to be impressed I want you to under- stand. This is noe sophistry. And this is ot hypocrisy. ‘This is reality. Ihave sex with men, But unlike nearly ‘every other man of whom this etre, bring the guy Tm screwing to the White House and President Reagan smiles at us and shakes his hand. Because bat Ta Aefined entirely by who I am. Rey Cobn isnot a homo- Senual. Roy Cohn is a heteroserual man, Henry, who fucks around with guys anny: OK, Roy. zor: And what is my diagnosis, Henry? enay: You have AIDS, Roy. oy: No, Henry, no, AIDS is what homosemils have Ihave liver cancer, (Pause) ‘ewey: Well whatever the Fockyou have, Roy, its very serious, and I havent got a damn thing for you. The NIH in Bethesda has a new drug called AZT with a two-year ‘ating list that not even Ican get you onto, So get on the hone, Roy, and dal the fifteen numbers, and tell the Fist Lady you need in on an experimental treatment for liver ‘cancer, because you can callit any damn thing you want, Roy, but what it boils down to is very bad news. so ACT TWO: In Vitro December 1985-January 1986 Scene r Night the bird sock in December: Prior aloneon the foo of bis bedroom; be i much worse ‘rion: Louis, Louis, please wake up, oh God. (Louis runt in) ‘PrtoR: I think something horible is wrong with me I cant breathe . outs (Starting to exit: Yim calling the ambulance rion: No, wait, I. . ou1s: Wait? Are you fucking crazy? Oh God you're on fr, your head is on fr rion: Ie hurts, it hurts... Louis: 'm calling the ambulance. ‘r10R: I dont want to goto the hospital, I dont want to goto the hospital please let me lie here, just. s Anoris 1x Astnica 10018: No, no, God, Pris, stand up rao: DONT TOUCH MY LEG! 1s: We have to... oh God this is o ray. m0: Tl be OK if | just ie here Lo, really iT can only sleep litle (Louis exits) Prion: Louis? NO! NO! Dont call, you'll send me there and 1 ‘wont come back, please, please Louis Im begging, baby, please (Sereams) LOUIS! ours (From of byxterca): WILL YOU SHUT THE FUCK, UP! rion (Trying o stand): Aaaah, Uhave.. to goto the bath- oom. Wait. Wait, just... oh. Oh God. (He sits bin ca tring Pit Thee. On Ont mo: tn ry ay. Soom We Shae ron Van cee (Louis gees to bm.) Louis: This lod rion: Maybe you shouldnt touch it... (Be “fins) ‘0018 (Quictyh Oh help. Oh help. Oh God oh God oh God help me I can T cat T cane Muntewwium Aprroactes Scene 2 ‘Same night. Harper is siting at bome, all alone, with no Fights on. Wecan barely se ber. Joe enters, but be des term on the Fights. Joe: Why are you sitting in the dark? Tun on the light. ‘MaRrex: No. heard the sounds in the bedroom again. [know someone was in there, 4308: No one was ‘anrex: Maybe actually in the bed, under the covers with a fe Oh, boy. je. 1, um, thinking of going away. By which I mean: I think Ti going off aguin, You... you ow what I mean? 40: Please don. Stay. Wecan fit. pray for that. This is my fault, but I can correct it. You have to try too (Oe turns om the light. She tars it of again.) arrex: When you pray, what do you pray for? 108: I pray for God to crush me, break me up into litle pieces and start allover again, Manven: Oh. Please. Donit pray for that. 108: Thad a book of Bible stories when I was a kid. There was picture Td look at twenty times everyday: Jacob wrestles with che angel. I dont really remember the story, o why the wrestling—jst the picture. Jacob is young end very strong. The angels... a beautiful man, with golden hair and wings, of course. I stil dream about it. Many nights, Tim... Tes me. In that struggle. Fierce and unfair. The ‘angel is not human, and it holds nothing back, 3o how s Anoxus 1 Amenica could anyon human win what kindof fights tha? es ‘ot jus Laing means your sou thrown down inthe ds, your heart ou fom Go Bat you crt ot bee vanree: Inthe whole entire word you ae the only pon, ‘he only pet ove or hae ever loved. And ove you teribly. Tenby. That what so afl edly sel can mak op anything but Tan ream that wy 408: Ar you. are you ally going to havea baby? vanrex: Wey time, and there blood. dont realy kao. Tauppose emote reat thing, Maybe Tm jut not Medi because Take too many pil: Maybe give birth to pil. That would give anew meaing to pl peing, hak? Tthiskyou shuld goto Washington. Alone Changs Bite you si sor: Ti not going to lev you, Harpe anean: Wal maybe ot. But Ti ging tere you. Scene 3 One ans, the next morning. Lois and a nurs, Emily ae ing siting in Prior's room in the Beapital tye Hel be all right now tous: No be won. scr: Na guest gave him something that makes his step Louis: Dep ase? ste: Oring the moons of oper Louis: A good place to be, 56 Munuenwtum Arproactes nue Amplic beter than here You hi toon Yen huh iy: This mat be belo you tours is Hell The Aer Lift Whichisnoatallikea iy aftooon in March, by the wy, Poe. lot more vid than Té expected. Dead lve, bt the euney Kind. Sharp dys The kindof log ios ying ting that ras your hear eh, wel we al get to break or hears on this one He scm ike ance guy. Cte, towne: Not ike this Yes he i. Was, Whatere sy: Wad name. Pir Wales. Lik, “The Wales before this one” Los of Wales fore this on. ror isan oli old fail name in anol ol fay The Wales go back o the Mayflower and beyond. ack to the Norman Con. quest He aye theres» Pie Wale stitched into the Bayeux apes tT that presi? outs: Wal i’ oi. Very old. Which in ome cles equls impressive. rove Not ia my sie. Whats the name ofthe tapestry? sours: The Bayeux tapes. Embroidered by La’ Rei Mathilde save: Tl ll my mother, She embroider. Drives me nuts tours: Mana hry francs hands sue Mage you should ye ovis: Mathilde sched while Willan the Conqueror was ‘ff to war, She was capable of. more than ly, Devotion She wie or hi, he itched for ean, And ithe had comeback broken and defeated frm war, he would suk o Aworis 1m America have loved him even more. And if he had returned muti- lated, ugly, all of infection and horror, she would sill Ihave loved him; fed by pty, by a sharing of pain, she ‘would love him even more, and even more, and she would never, never have prayed to God, pleat let him die ifhe cant return to me whole and healthy and able to live ‘normal lif... If he had died, she would have buried her heart with him, ‘So what the fack isthe matter with me? (itl pause) Will he sleep through the night? omy: Atleast. outs: Tm going sty: Its one AM. Where do you have to goat outs: I know what time iti. A walk. Night air, good for the... The park. esr: Be careful. ours: Yeah, Danger. ‘Tal him, if he wakes up and you'r sill on, tll him goodbye, tell him Thad to go. Scene 4 ‘An our later Split scene: Joe and Ray in a fany (traight) ‘ar: Lous and a Men in the Ramble in Cental Park. Joe and Roy are sitting atthe bar; he place brightly lit Joe as 4a plate of food im fron of bi but be int eating, Rey oca- sionally reaches over the table and forks small bites off Joe's pate. Ry sin a tuxedo ow tie lotened Joe is dened ase ally, Rey is drinking heavily Je not at all. Lois and the ‘Man are eyeing each ether, cach alternating interest and indifference 8 Mituenstone Arproacites 4308: The ills were something she started when she misciried| (or. «no, she took some before that. She had a realy bad time at home, when she was a kid her home was really bad. I think a lot of dtinking and physical stuff. She doesn talk about tha, instead she talks about ... the sy filling down, people with knives hiding under sof, ‘Monsters. Mormons. Everyone thinks Mormons don't come from homes like that, we arent supposed to behave that way, but we do. I’ not lying, or being two-faced Everyone tries very hard to lve up to God’ strictures, which are very... um: nov: Strict. 4308: I should be bothering you with this. roy: No, please. Heart to heart. Want another... What is that, seltzer? 408: The failure to measure up his people very hard. From such strong desire tobe good they fee very fr fom goodness when they fl ‘What scares me's that maybe what I really love inher is the pat of her that’s farthest from the light, from God's love; maybe Iwas drawn to thatin the frst place. And Tn keeping it alive because I need it or: Why would you need i? 4308: There are things... I dont know how well we know ‘ourselves. I mean, what if? I know I marred her because she... because I Ioved it that she was always wrong, always doing something wrong, lke one step out of step. InSalt Lake City that stands out. never stood out, onthe ‘outside, but inside, it was hard for me. To pas sox: Pass? soe: Yeah. nov: Pass a¢ what? 9 Anozis 1m Asenica Oh, Well... As someone cheerful and strong. Those ‘who love God with an open heart unclouded by secrets and struggles are cheerful; God’ easy simple love for ‘them showsin how strong and happy they are. The saints. ‘ov: But you had secrets? Secret struggles... 108: I wanted tobe one ofthe elec, one ofthe Blessed. You feel you ought tobe, thatthe blemishes are yours by choice, ‘hich of course they arent. Harper's sorrow, that really eep sorrow, she didnt choose that. But it’s there. sor: You didnt put it there, 108: No. or: You sound like you think you did. 108: I am responsible for her. nov: Because she's your wife. sor: That. And I do love her ‘nov: Whatever. he's your wife. And so there are obligations. ‘To her. But also to yourself 408: She'd fll apare in Washington. nov: Then let her stay here. 40%: She'l fall apart if I leave her ov: Then bring her to Washington. 430%: I just cant, Roy. She needs me. ‘ox: Listen, Joe. Im the bese divorce lawyer in the business. 101 (itl pause) 4308: Cantt Washington wait? ‘ox: You do what you need to do Joe. What you need. You Let her life go where it wants to go. Youll bth be beter for that. Somebody should get what they want Maw: What do you want? ‘ours: I want you to fuck me, hurt me, make me bleed. 60 Munewntum Arproactes mane: want to, ours: Yeah? Maw: I want to hurt you, outs: Fuck me, maw: Yeah? ours: Hard, Maw: Yeah? You been bad boy? (Parse. Louis laughs, wf) ours: Very bad. Very bad, ‘Maw: You need to be punished, boy? tours: Yes. I do, maw: Yes what? (ite pase) ours: Um, I... MAN: Yes what, boy? outs: Oh. Yee si Maw: I want you to take me to your place, boy ovis: No, I cant do that. san: No what? ‘outs: No sit, I cant, T. 1 don lve alone, sx ‘Maw: Your lover know you're out with « man tonight, boy? outs: No sg, be. . [My lover doesnt know. ‘Maw: Your lover know you ‘ovis: Let's change the subject, OK? Can we goto your place? ‘wav: [live with my parents ours: Ob, o Ancats 1x Asenica ‘ov: Everyone who makes it in thie workd makes it because somebody older and more powerful take an interest. The ‘most precious asstin life, think, ithe ability tobe a good son. You have that, Joe. Somebody who can be a good son ‘toafatherwho pushes them futher than they would other- Wie go. Tvehad many father, Lowe mylifetothem, pow

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