BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!

by
Jami Brandli

Part One of Reclaimed Greek Myth Cycle

Jami Brandli Samara Harris

11035 Otsego St, Apt 209 Robert A. Freedman Dramatic Agency
N Hollywood, CA 91601 1501 Broadway, Suite 2310
[email protected] New York, NY 10036
Cell: 617 549-9169 212-840-5751 (New York)
www.jamibrandli.com 773-472-4755 (Chicago)
[email protected]
Title: BLISS (or Emily Post is Dead!)

Character Breakdown (a total of 5 actors are needed):

Clementine (Clytemnestra): White, mid 30s, sarcastic, sees beyond
the shiny veneer and is therefore unhappy. She's holds a grudge
against her husband, an acquirer of businesses, for several
reasons. She is currently in love with her doctor who supplies her
amphetamines. Pill popper.

Maddy (Medea): Part Hawaiian, part white, early 30s, an overly

happy, June Clever type who loves the latest kitchen gadgets and
Emily Post. Therefore, she is easily swayed to the dark side when
she uncovers the truth about her husband's infidelity. Because
she's part Hawaiian, she tries to mask it with looking as
“American” as possible. Pill popper and former ukulele player in a
family band.

Antonia (Antigone): White, 17, is beholden to her Uncle and

sheltered from life. She is full of youthful passion, but she
doesn't know how to channel this passion...yet. She's in love
with a black boy named Gil.

Cassandra (Cassandra): Black, early 20s, seer of past, present and

future, and a typist. Clementine's husband acquired the business
Cassandra worked for and she was transferred to his place of
business. She is trying to break this curse laid on her by
Apollo. She is desperate to convince the women they can change
the course of their lives. She does not smile.

* Apollo: Ageless and beautiful. God of many things. He's cock-

sure to the nth degree, but he's having trouble sleeping.

* Doctor Smith: White, mid 30s. A widower and who is in love with
Clementine and supplies her pills.

* Uncle's Voice

* NOTE: One male actor will play the parts of both Apollo and
Doctor Smith, as well as Uncle's Voice.

Location and Time:

North Orange, NJ. September, 1960.

Settings:
The three bedrooms of Clementine, Maddy and Antonia. The pieces
of their homes enliven the stage with popular bright colors of the
day like lime green, sunshine yellow, pink, sky blue and
tangerine.

Maddy's dining/living area. This is where the women have their

tea and conversation.
Doctor Smith's office with an examination table.

Clementine's sitting room.

A Bus Stop in North Orange, NJ.

 1.

ACT ONE
SCENE ONE:
Monday Morning
(Lights up on the three separate
bedrooms of CLEMENTINE, MADDY and
ANTONIA. Each woman is dressed in a
robe and sits at her vanity. They
carefully put on make-up.)
CLEMENTINE
Dear Mrs. Post--
MADDY
Dear Mrs. Post--
ANTONIA
Dear Mrs. Post--
CLEMENTINE
I have a question about:
MADDY
Toasted crumpets.
ANTONIA
Boys.
CLEMENTINE
Writing a letter to a man who is not my husband.
MADDY
I understand that toasted crumpets are an English food, not
American, but when I serve tea to the neighborhood ladies, I
want it to be a proper tea. And I ask you Mrs. Post, how can
tea be proper without toasted crumpets--?
ANTONIA
Gil is different from most boys. Special. Even though he’s
not treated special, particularly by Danny. Gil has already
asked me to the school dance twice, but I had to say no
because my uncle would never let me see a boy unsupervised--
CLEMENTINE
This man is my doctor, and he’s been very helpful to me over
the last two years. The poor soul is a widower and I feel--
Look, Mrs. Post. I understand that you strongly advise a
married woman to NOT write a letter to a man who is not her
husband, but I strongly feel my doctor deserves my letter of
gratitude. Where does this rule come from? I don’t agree with
it. As a matter of fact, I don’t agree with most of your
rules--
MADDY
The problem with my crumpets is I can never get them to rise
enough. And so, I burn them. The whole batch. Every time.
I’ve invited the ladies over to my house for the last three
months and I have yet to serve a proper tea.
 2.

I guess this means the problem is me. That’s what my husband

says. That I am the problem when I ruin things--
ANTONIA
I really like Gil. But I’m afraid if I say no again, he’ll
look for a girl who will say yes. So what am I to do--?
CLEMENTINE
I know you’re a divorcee. Most halfway intelligent women know
you’ve been a divorcee for over fifty years. So my question
is why do you give us, the female sex, so many rules that
only contribute to a man’s freedom?
I want you to answer my question--
MADDY
I want to be clear, Mrs. Post. I’ll always love my husband no
matter what he says or does--
ANTONIA
No matter what, I know I should adore my uncle, Mrs. Post.
But--
CLEMENTINE
You’re not going to print my concerns, are you, Mrs. Post?
You never do--
ALL
I--
(Each woman is about to continue, but
stops. They gaze into their mirrors,
unsatisfied with what they see.
Maddy shakes her head at her silly
notions and softly laughs to herself.
Antonia pushes through with a smile.
Clementine takes in a breath.)
CLEMENTINE
In any case. Other than this:
ANTONIA
Boy,
MADDY
Crumpet,
CLEMENTINE
Letter to a man who is not my husband, my life is just--
ANTONIA
(smile)
Swell.
MADDY
(bigger smile)
Grand.
 3.

CLEMENTINE
(no smile)
Lovely.
(Each woman stands and removes her
robe:
Maddy wears a bright, fashionable dress
with heels.
Antonia wears a sweater and knee length
skirt with saddle shoes.
Clementine wears capri pants, a button
down shirt with Keds.)
CLEMENTINE
Yours truly:
MADDY
Befuddled Baker--
ANTONIA
Tormented Teen--
CLEMENTINE
Exasperated Epistler--
ALL
From North Orange, New Jersey.

SCENE TWO:
Monday Afternoon
(Lights up on Maddy’s dining/living
area. There is a couch, two chairs, a
record player stand, and a coffee
table. On her coffee table is Emily
Post’s book, Etiquette: The Blue Book
of Social Usage. Off to the side of the
couch is a perfectly sized tea table
with a pitcher of water and glasses.
Maddy enters holding a highly polished
silver tea tray filled with a tea set
of china, linen napkins, cream, sugar
and lemon. She walks steady towards the
table, striving with every fiber of her
being to be perfectly graceful.)
MADDY
Graceful, graceful, graceful, graceful, graceful...
(Maddy sets down the tray on the tea
table, adjusts it for perfect
presentation. Maddy suddenly sniffs the
air and quickly exits.
Clementine, now wearing a head scarf,
enters with a HOOVER VACUUM.
 4.

She sniffs the air and crinkles her

nose. Then, with a smile, she hides the
vacuum behind the couch.)
MADDY (OFF STAGE)
No, no, no, no, no!
CLEMENTINE
Just throw them out!
MADDY (OFF STAGE)
Who’s there?
CLEMENTINE
Me.
MADDY (OFF STAGE)
You’re rude not to knock, Clementine. And you’re early. It’s
positively uncivil to show up early--
CLEMENTINE
That’s what you get for keeping your doors open. One unruly
housewife crashing your Monday afternoon tea party.
(to self)
But what else is new?
(Maddy enters, depressed. She removes a
tissue from her bra and dabs her eyes.)
MADDY
I shouldn’t have to lock my doors. We live in a very safe and
pleasant neighborhood.
CLEMENTINE
Sure we do, honey.
(kind)
You burned your crumpets again?
MADDY
Yes--
(disappointed)
Clementine. You’re wearing a head scarf. And Keds. To tea?
CLEMENTINE
The ladies are actually attending this time?
(Slight beat.)
MADDY
The ladies sent their regrets.
CLEMENTINE
All of them? Again--?
MADDY
They sent very polite regrets--
 5.

CLEMENTINE
Sounds like a very polite conspiracy--
MADDY
Conspiracy--?
CLEMENTINE
Which is why it doesn’t matter what I wear because there is
never anyone here except us. I honestly have no idea why you
keep having these tea parties.
MADDY
Because I strive to be civilized. And besides, Antonia is
coming and how are we supposed to have an intelligent
conversation about art or politics when you’re sipping Earl
Grey in a ratty head scarf?
CLEMENTINE
Excuse me, but when have we ever discussed art or politics?
MADDY
Well. It’s possible. It is possible. Please, Clementine.
CLEMENTINE
Fine.
(removing head scarf)
I’m sorry about the head scarf, but I’m not sorry about the
Keds.
MADDY
I most certainly deserve an apology for your sneakers--
CLEMENTINE
Nope. I’ve been fulfilling my family role as the “indentured
servant.” All day. Scrubbing and shining. And Oscar’s room?
He leaves his dirty socks and sporting gear everywhere--
MADDY
Bobby and Timmy are darlings. They’re in the back yard right
now, playing so quietly. I positively can’t complain about my
sons.
CLEMENTINE
Of course you can’t.
Anyway, the last thing I want to do after five hours of
cleaning is slip my feet into a pair of three inch heels just
so I can have “proper” tea while we possibly discuss Pablo
Picasso or Senator Kennedy--You’re smiling.
MADDY
You’ve been cleaning all day.
CLEMENTINE
Unfortunately.
MADDY
No, no. Fortunately. That must mean--
 6.

CLEMENTINE
Yes. Arthur is finally returning from his epic business trip
in Troy, Ohio. He’ll be home in time for supper.
MADDY
And he made all of his acquisitions?
CLEMENTINE
Oh, I’m sure my husband made plenty of acquisitions on his
business trip, if you know what I mean.
MADDY
(she doesn’t)
That’s wonderful.
CLEMENTINE
Right.
MADDY
(stuffs tissue into bra)
And here I am, sniffling over burnt crumpets. I truthfully
don’t know how you survive a three-week business trip. Sure,
Jason works long hours at the firm--really long hours lately--
but he always comes home at night. Always. I believe I
couldn’t last one night without Jason.
I believe I could possibly die.
Aren’t you happy Arthur is coming home?
CLEMENTINE
He’ll bring Elizabeth and Oscar a mountain range of presents,
so if my children are happy, I’m happy. We’re all happy.
Speaking of happy...
(reveals the Hoover vacuum)
Ta da!
(Maddy rushes to the Hoover and beams.)
MADDY
May I?
CLEMENTINE
You want to now?
MADDY
I just want...a little. You’ll take a little with me?
CLEMENTINE
Might as well. I’m exhausted.
MADDY
Me, too.
(Maddy opens the vacuum filter bag and
pulls out a bottle filled with green
pills. She hands two pills to
Clementine and takes two for herself.)
 7.

CLEMENTINE
We don’t need two each.
(Clementine places her hand on Maddy’s.
Maddy then slowly replaces one pill.
Clementine replaces hers. Together,
they each pop one green pill.)
MADDY
How’s Doctor Smith?
CLEMENTINE
Still giving me these pills. I’m seeing him next Monday.
MADDY
For what?
CLEMENTINE
More pills.
MADDY
Clementine. It’s not a good idea if you see him too much--
CLEMENTINE
And how would you get these?
MADDY
I’m just saying--
CLEMENTINE
He’s my doctor--
MADDY
And a widower. And your husband goes on long business trips--
CLEMENTINE
And that’s somehow my fault?
MADDY
No. But people will get suspicious--
CLEMENTINE
You think I didn’t notice Mrs. Grundy and Mrs. Bruno spying
on me for the last three weeks, just hoping to see some
strange man enter my house? Those two biddies were desperate
to find something scandalous to spread around North Orange.
Well, let them smother this town with lies. See if I care--
MADDY
But you should care. Your standing in the community--
CLEMENTINE
My standing in the community? They didn’t take that into
account two years ago, did they? They still managed to start
horrible rumors about--
 8.

MADDY
Everyone knew they were rumors, and you don’t know if it was
Mrs. Grundy and Mrs. Bruno who spread them. And you don’t
know if the other ladies believed them. So perhaps it’s best
if you--
CLEMENTINE
I DON’T CARE ABOUT MY STANDING IN THIS DAMN COMMUNITY.
(Beat.)
MADDY
I forgot that it’s already been two years. Perhaps, in time--
CLEMENTINE
In time? A part of me is no more...You don’t understand.
MADDY
You’re right. I don’t. But I believe we should be grateful
for the healthy children we do have. That’s what matters now--
CLEMENTINE
Scientists really need to figure out how to make these pills
work faster.
(Clementine quickly swallows another
pill, then hands Maddy another.)
MADDY
It’s just a little more than a little.
(swallows the pill)
We’ll be fine. We’ll be better than fine!
CLEMENTINE
Listen. I’ll need the Hoover back next Monday for transport,
so don’t let Bobby and Timmy play with it.
MADDY
I would never let them play with the Hoover--
CLEMENTINE
Because we don’t want any accidents--
MADDY
My boys are well-behaved and they always listen to me--
CLEMENTINE
And you need to make the pills last for the entire week.
MADDY
I can do that...What about you?
CLEMENTINE
What about me?
MADDY
What will you do?
 9.

CLEMENTINE
I don’t take them everyday.
MADDY
You don’t?
CLEMENTINE
You do?
MADDY
(a little laugh)
Don’t be ridiculous.
(Maddy takes the bottle and replaces it
in the vacuum bag. Her hand caresses
the handle. She’s in love.
Clementine notices Etiquette: The Blue
Book of Social Usage and picks it up.)
MADDY
Gosh. How I love this Hoover. It’s just so majestic. A marvel
of modern science.
CLEMENTINE
More like a goddam ball and chain--
MADDY
What?
CLEMENTINE
You’re displaying Emily Post’s Etiquette: The Blue Book of
Social Usage.
MADDY
Of course. Jason just gave that to me as a gift.
CLEMENTINE
A gift?
MADDY
This is the latest edition--number ten--which has updated
rules for the modern woman and...
(opens book for Clementine)
Pictures! Look here: “Correct place-setting for each course
at a formal dinner.” I get goose bumps looking at these
pictures. Don’t you?
CLEMENTINE
Not exactly.
Mrs. Post should have done us all a favor and stopped
updating Etiquette after the first edition--
MADDY
Oh no, Clementine. I think she needs to update it more. The
world is changing at such a fast pace these days like the
invention of lasers and pace makers and instant mashed
potatoes and Sweet & Low.
 10.

And of course there’s space travel, which is exciting just to

think about! There have been at least a dozen American and
Russian monkeys shot into space, but did you know that a few
of them were female monkeys? And you know what that means.
CLEMENTINE
American housewives are next?
MADDY
Exactly.
CLEMENTINE
Probably to clean up all the space dust.
MADDY
I’m being serious, Clementine. It is positively clear the
modern woman needs to keep up otherwise she’ll be left behind
with the barbarians. Emily Post once said, “Etiquette is the
science of living. It embraces everything. It is the code of
sportsmanship and honor. It is ethics.” Ethics. I always feel
more intelligent after I read her. Don’t you?
CLEMENTINE
I admit I read her advice column in the newspaper, but...
MADDY
But what?
CLEMENTINE
Have you ever written her a letter?
MADDY
Me? Oh, yes. Many. None have ever been printed though. You?
CLEMENTINE
Emily Post would never print one of my letters.
MADDY
Of course she would. You’re very witty--
CLEMENTINE
Trust me, Maddy. She would not.
MADDY
But why?
CLEMENTINE
Because I make it clear in my letters that I think she’s full
of crap.
MADDY
You’re being funny...right?
(realizes she isn’t)
Oh.
(Maddy gets a burst of energy and
begins to fluff the couch pillows.)
 11.

MADDY
Look at these pillows, pillows, pillows, pillows, pillows--
CLEMENTINE
Where’s Antonia?
MADDY
She’ll be here on time, which is approximately in one minute.
She knows to never be early or late because it is rude.
CLEMENTINE
Maddy. You’re training her in the ways of etiquette, aren’t
you?
MADDY
(even more fluffing)
As far as we both know, that poor girl has no mother or
father, so I’m doing what any concerned citizen would do. She
has been an exceptional student and she loves the book.
CLEMENTINE
What Antonia needs is to leave that old uncle of hers and buy
a one-way bus ticket out of this town--
MADDY
(FURIOUSLY FLUFFING)
That’s not rational. She just started her senior year of high
school--
CLEMENTINE
Her uncle is a tyrant who has her under lock and key and she
needs to leave him. Just because he’s North Orange’s “Dry
Cleaning King” doesn’t mean he can act like one--WILL YOU
STOP FLUFFING FOR A SECOND.
(Maddy stops fluffing, her face red.)
CLEMENTINE
Her uncle is a bully. We both know that’s the truth.
MADDY
Perhaps...But the truth isn’t always best for a person.
CLEMENTINE
Then what is best?
MADDY
Routine.
(The clock strikes three times.)
MADDY
Tea time!
(Maddy quickly exits into her kitchen.
There’s a knock on the door.)
 12.

CLEMENTINE
Impressive...Door’s open!
(Antonia enters, a bit nervous.)
ANTONIA
Hello, Clementine.
CLEMENTINE
Antonia. Not a second late for tea. Is there something wrong?
ANTONIA
Oh, no.
(gently calling out)
You can come in, Cassandra.
(CASSANDRA, wearing a conservative
sweater and skirt, enters slowly with a
small suitcase. She sees Clementine and
her face registers restrained fear.
Maddy returns with a plate of muffins
and a tea kettle and stops short at the
sight of Cassandra. Cassandra’s eyes
widen. Clementine smirks, anticipating
Maddy’s reaction.)
MADDY
Did your uncle hire a maid?
ANTONIA
No. This is Cassandra. My new friend.
MADDY
Friend?
ANTONIA
I met Cassandra at the bus stop twenty minutes ago and she
told me she was new in town. So I invited her to tea, just as
Mrs. Post suggests in Chapter 23.
MADDY
Of course. Chapter 23.
ANTONIA
Did I do something wrong?
CLEMENTINE
You did the polite thing, Antonia. So let’s be polite, Maddy.
Hello, Cassandra. I’m Clementine.
(Cassandra doesn’t answer.)
MADDY
Perhaps she’s a mute. Are you a mute, Cassandra?
ANTONIA
She can’t be. Cassandra told me she’s a single working girl.
 13.

CLEMENTINE
Well, that’s rather exciting.
ANTONIA
That’s what I said! I said, “How exciting and modern to be a
single working girl where you have your own job and make your
own money!” She’s starting tomorrow as a typist at--I forget
where. Isn’t that right, Cassandra?
(Cassandra doesn’t answer, her panic
building.)
CLEMENTINE
Here’s an easy one, Cassandra. Where are you from?
(Cassandra backs away from Clementine
and Maddy.)
MADDY
Is she frightened of us--?
CASSANDRA
Woe, woe! Sky! Earth! Mother Earth!
(shrieks)
APOLLO!
(They’re startled by her outburst.)
MADDY
Apollo--?
CASSANDRA
(ranting)
APOLLO! MY DESTROYER! You have destroyed me once, destroyed
me thousands of times! RUINED ME WITH VISIONS! When will you
set me free of these visions, these disasters, these deaths?
Tiny deaths, big deaths! Repeating, repeating! Tiny deaths,
big deaths everywhere! DEATHS EVERYWHERE!
(Cassandra collapses on the couch.
Beat.)
CLEMENTINE
Well, she’s different.
ANTONIA
Cassandra?
(rushes to Cassandra’s side)
She’s not responding!
MADDY
Call Doctor Smith!
(At too far a distance, Maddy fans
Cassandra with a pillow. Antonia pats
Cassandra’s hand. Clementine pours a
glass of water.)
 14.

MADDY
Why aren’t you calling him?
CLEMENTINE
No need.
MADDY
This negress just had an episode! I’ve never had one in my
house let alone collapse on my couch and I don’t want any
trouble with this negress--
CLEMENTINE
Stop calling her that. This isn’t Montgomery, Alabama. We’re
trying to be civilized, remember?
(kneels next to Cassandra with
water)
Cassandra. Wake up, honey.
(Cassandra opens her eyes. She’s
frightened for a second then looks
around and takes it all in. She accepts
her situation with a sigh, resigned.)
CASSANDRA
I am here.
CLEMENTINE
In North Orange, New Jersey. My condolences.
(Clementine takes out a small folded
piece of paper from her bra. She
unfolds it to reveal a green pill.)
CLEMENTINE
Take this and you’ll be fine in a jiffy.
(Maddy shoots Clementine a surprised
look.)
CLEMENTINE
Like you don’t have a backup.
ANTONIA
What is that?
CLEMENTINE
Some people call it a green demon. I call it a housewife’s
best friend.
ANTONIA
I don’t understand.
CLEMENTINE
You will when you’re married with children.
Cassandra, please. Just take the pill. It will help.
CASSANDRA
It will not be by the knife this time.
 15.

CLEMENTINE
What won’t be by the knife this time?
(Clementine looks to the others.
They’re just as confused as she is.
Cassandra washes the pill down.)
CASSANDRA
I was acquired by your husband.
(Clementine stiffens, then stands.)
MADDY
Oh, dear.
CLEMENTINE
And who is my husband?
CASSANDRA
Arthur.
MADDY
Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear--
CLEMENTINE
Maddy.
So. You must be one of Arthur’s new typists from the Troy,
Ohio office.
CASSANDRA
I start tomorrow.
CLEMENTINE
And that’s all you are?
CASSANDRA
Yes.
CLEMENTINE
You’re sure?
CASSANDRA
Yes.
ANTONIA
I don’t understand--
(Maddy shakes her head at Antonia.
An extended moment as they wait for
Clementine. Then Clementine smiles.)
CLEMENTINE
Well. That’s settled.
MADDY
It is?
 16.

CLEMENTINE
It is.
MADDY
Ladies, tea time has officially begun! Please, sit.
(Maddy and Antonia go to the tea table.
Clementine sits on the couch next to
Cassandra. Clementine never takes her
eyes off Cassandra.
Maddy sets down tea cups and saucers
then sits on a chair, trying to be
inconspicuous as she inches away from
Cassandra.
As Antonia pours everyone tea, Maddy
closely watches. Antonia then takes a
seat. A moment.)
ANTONIA
Who is Apollo?
MADDY
Antonia.
CASSANDRA
He has cursed me.
ANTONIA
Cursed you?
CASSANDRA
With visions.
ANTONIA
Cursed you with visions--?
CASSANDRA
That no one will ever believe.
ANTONIA
I don’t understand.
CLEMENTINE
Cassandra isn’t cursed. It’s called being a woman.
ANTONIA
Now I really don’t understand--
MADDY
Let’s not discuss this subject.
CLEMENTINE
Too political for you?
MADDY
I’d like to enjoy our tea is what I’m saying--
 17.

CASSANDRA
There will be a death of a voice.
(Beat. The three look at each other.)
MADDY
Excuse me. Did you just say--?
CASSANDRA
There will be a death of a voice.
ANTONIA
A death of a voice?
CLEMENTINE
When?
CASSANDRA
In time.
ANTONIA
A death of a voice in time.
CLEMENTINE
Whose voice?
ANTONIA
Is it one of us--?
MADDY
PLEASE. I really, really, really, really, really want to
enjoy our tea.
(Beat. Antonia and Clementine sip their
tea. Maddy sips hers. Then Cassandra.
Maddy puts on a grand smile with
gritted teeth.)
MADDY
Well now, Cassandra. Welcome...to our neighborhood.

SCENE THREE:
Monday Evening
(The bus stop with street lamp, a
bench, a sign and a garbage can. The
street lamp turns on.
Underneath the lamp is Cassandra,
dressed in a long brown gabardine coat.
From her purse, she pulls out a pack of
cigarettes and a lighter. Her hand
violently shakes as she tries to light
the cigarette. No luck. She looks up.
Her rage comes from an ancient place
and her voice shakes the night sky.)
 18.

CASSANDRA
APOLLO!
You will not be silent this time. I demand you. Show your
face.
APOLLO!
The pains I feel. The fearful labor pains of true prophecy
seize me, as they begin once more.
(looks at shaking her hands)
My unquiet mind. And this town. Its bones stink of hatred and
slaughter. My routine commences yet again, as it has
thousands of times before. But this time, there is a twisted
twist that will undo me. It stops now.
(deep ancient rage)
APOLLO! If you do not show your face, I swear, by all the
gods: YOU. ARE. A. COWARD.
(Cassandra goes to light her cigarette,
then the twang of A LYRE is heard.
Cassandra looks around. The flame is
blown out.
On the edge of the light, the
silhouette of APOLLO appears. His
silhouette is majestic, beautiful, and
ominous. She steels herself to stay.)
CASSANDRA
Show your face, Apollo. No longer will I bear your torment.
No longer. I am going to--
APOLLO
What?
(Apollo takes a step forward. A slice
of his naked flesh is illuminated.)
APOLLO
What are you going to do?
(Apollo steps completely into the
light. He’s wearing only a loin cloth
and cradling his golden lyre. Cassandra
reluctantly takes in his beauty.)
APOLLO
You’re staring at me, darling.
CASSANDRA
Because you are so--
APOLLO
Magnificent?
CASSANDRA
Only you would show up to a summoning half naked with your
lyre in the modern world.
 19.

APOLLO
(strums his lyre)
Did you know that when Hermes created this for me eons ago, I
was able to play the most beautiful song man has ever heard?
On my first try.
CASSANDRA
That is not true.
APOLLO
Oh, it is true because I say it’s true. After all, I am a
god.
CASSANDRA
You are utterly vain.
APOLLO
How could I not be? BEHOLD...
(turning around)
I am a divine deity. God of the sun, reason, prophesy, music,
the arts, et cetera, et cetera. Worshipped and idolized and
feared, let’s not forget feared, for thousands and thousands
and thousands of years. Here’s a little fact. At just four
days old, I saved my mother by slaying the dragon at Delphi
with my trusty bow and arrow. Four days old. Imagine. Ever
since then, I have been the patron of Delphi, orchestrating
prophecies--
CASSANDRA
ENOUGH. I have heard it all before.
(Beat.)
APOLLO
I see your tongue has grown some teeth in this “modern”
world.
Contrary to what you may think, Cassandra, it isn’t always
easy being me. When your father is Zeus--thee supreme god who
isn’t exactly known for his kind heart--there is no such
thing as ”free will”. I’m under a tremendous amount of
constant pressure to execute my righteous duties--
CASSANDRA
Do not forget, Apollo. You have raped women and men--
APOLLO
Rape? Please. Rape is so subjective.
CASSANDRA
Innocents have been killed because of you--
APOLLO
They have not. Because no one is innocent.
CASSANDRA
Do not forget. Your beautiful young lover. Hyacinth--
 20.

APOLLO
Don’t say his name.
CASSANDRA
Hyacinth--?
APOLLO
DON’T say his name--
(begins to yawn)
Just don’t--
(Apollo yawns an expansive god-like
yawn. The yawn is getting the best of
him and he forces it to stop. He’s
quick to cover up his embarrassment.)
CASSANDRA
Tired?
APOLLO
Of course not. I’m just a little...
(Cassandra looks through him.)
APOLLO
Why are you looking at me like that?
CASSANDRA
Like what?
APOLLO
Like that.
CASSANDRA
(changes look slightly)
Like this?
APOLLO
No. Like how you were looking at me a second ago.
CASSANDRA
(changes again slightly)
Like this.
APOLLO
No. Like the second before that second. You know how you were
looking at me--
(sudden yawn)
Dammit. Ah! There it is. You’re looking at me with that look!
Right there...
(moving close to her)
Why did you summon me?
CASSANDRA
Why did you come?
(He steps away.)
 21.

APOLLO
I asked you first. Out with it.
(Her ancient rage erupts.)
CASSANDRA
For thousands of years, Clytemnestra has killed me thousands
of times, and every time I could foresee my own death. And
every time, I could foresee how Clytemnestra would take
vengeance and butcher her husband. Then, in turn, how her son
would take his revenge, his hands soaked in his mother’s
blood after the slaughter. And for what? To fulfill your
prophesies only to be repeated a thousand times more?
APOLLO
It’s thee cycle of Birth, Death and Rebirth. And each cycle
continues in a different form, but it is still the same. It
will never take pause and it will never end--
CASSANDRA
Your words are useless.
APOLLO
Watch that sharp tongue, woman--
CASSANDRA
Medea and Antigone. Engaging in their lives was never part of
our arrangement.
APOLLO
Arrangement? We never had an arrangement. You denied me
bodily pleasure and I cursed you with visions that no one
would ever believe for all eternity. In whatever form I want.
CASSANDRA
But all three women together in a twisted twist. As the god
of reason, what cause do you have to bestow upon me this
triply cruel and unnatural fate?
APOLLO
(hesitates)
My, ah, Oracle at Delphi has been kind of quiet lately. And
things have been sluggish around Mount Olympus. I’m not
exactly sure why...
(rebounds)
So, during my downtime, I had this thought to put you women
all together!
CASSANDRA
You said you were under constant and tremendous pressure to
perform your righteous duties.
APOLLO
I am. But when a thought comes to me, a thought comes to me.
CASSANDRA
(looks at her shaking hands)
Homicide, mariticide, filicide, matricide and suicide.
 22.

APOLLO
I know. It’s brilliant--
CASSANDRA
I am going to break your curse.
(Beat.)
APOLLO
You’re joking.
CASSANDRA
I do not know how to tell a joke.
(Apollo explodes into a laughing fit,
really making a show of it.)
APOLLO
Oh my, Cassandra. You summoned me for this--?
CASSANDRA
I will NO longer be your prophetic slave.
I am going to break your curse.
(Apollo becomes deadly serious and
takes a step toward Cassandra. They are
very close to touching.)
APOLLO
And how are you going to do this, my sweet?
CASSANDRA
Someone will believe me.
(His knees give the slightest of
buckling.)
APOLLO
No one will believe you. You’re a black woman in a white
town. That was also part of my brilliant plan--
CASSANDRA
I just need one to freely believe.
APOLLO
Oh? And who will that some one be?
CASSANDRA
We shall see who it is that believes me. You cannot control
what someone believes, Apollo, or how they make their
choices. You can only predict.
(pointed)
And things are different this time. Thanks to you.
APOLLO
You’re forgetting yourself, Cassandra. I am the god here, and
each of those strong-headed women need to know their place
and fulfill their fate according to my needs.
 23.

(smug smile)
By the way, it will take more than just belief to break my
curse--
CASSANDRA
Belief...and a kiss.
APOLLO
(another crack)
That’s right.
(rebounds)
But what upstanding white woman would ever kiss a negress?
(He brings his lips very close to hers.
She stands firm.)
APOLLO
Do you remember how I kissed you that day at the temple?
CASSANDRA
The sweetest of breath. The softest of lips. A struggle and
sudden yank of my hair. Then you spit into my mouth.
APOLLO
Which sealed the curse.
I picked you because you are beautiful. Not as beautiful as
me of course, but you are something to behold.
(Apollo smiles. He then raises his hand
close to her face and produces a flame.
Cassandra lights her cigarette.)
APOLLO
You might want to think about having some fun before
Clytemnestra kills you...for it will be soon.
(Apollo disappears into the shadows.
Cassandra takes a deep drag and exhales
a long plume of smoke, determined.)

SCENE FOUR:
Tuesday Morning
(The doctor’s office with an
examination table and cabinet.
Wearing a doctor coat and glasses,
DOCTOR SMITH writes in his notebook as
he smokes a cigarette.
Clementine, in a pretty fresh dress,
enters holding a Tupperwear container
shaped like a bunt cake. They look at
each other and smile.)
CLEMENTINE
I brought you something to eat.
 24.

DOCTOR SMITH
Thank you. But today is--
CLEMENTINE
I know it’s Tuesday and that my appointment is for next
Monday, but since I made you something to eat this morning, I
had to come in today.
(She sets the Tupperwear on the side
table and removes the cover. It’s a
mold of Jell-O, the color of magenta.)
CLEMENTINE
Wild Strawberry. A new flavor.
DOCTOR SMITH
Oh. Thank you.
CLEMENTINE
I didn’t want it to get eaten by the children or Arthur. So
here I am. With your J-E-L-L-O.
DOCTOR SMITH
That’s quite a bit for one person.
CLEMENTINE
I pre-sliced it into six sections so you can have one piece
each day for the next six days. And when I pick it up on my
scheduled appointment, you’ll have finished it all.
Will you eat a piece?
DOCTOR SMITH
Now?
CLEMENTINE
I’ve never seen you eat anything I’ve ever made you. Whenever
Arthur eats, it’s just functional. He doesn’t seem to like or
dislike anything I make. So, will you? Please?
DOCTOR SMITH
Of course. How will I--?
(Clementine pulls a fork and knife from
her purse and hands it to him. He
places his cigarette in the ashtray and
cuts into to the Jell-O. She watches on
intensely as he places a jiggly piece
into his mouth. He chews, then smiles.)
DOCTOR SMITH
It doesn’t taste exactly like wild strawberries...But it does
taste like science. Like progress.
CLEMENTINE
(a smile)
Progress.
 25.

DOCTOR SMITH
I do like it.
CLEMENTINE
That makes me so happy.
(Beat.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Arthur is finally home?
CLEMENTINE
Yes. He arrived last night.
I’m feeling something again.
DOCTOR SMITH
Mrs.--
CLEMENTINE
Please, Tom. No need to be so formal.
DOCTOR SMITH
Clementine. I’m not sure what else I can do to make this
feeling go away. I told you I know a highly competent doctor
in Manhattan--
CLEMENTINE
No. You are the only doctor I will ever need.
I’ve been thinking these past three weeks with Arthur gone.
Really thinking. About Reno.
DOCTOR SMITH
Reno. Really? And?
CLEMENTINE
Tom...Will you? Just take a moment--?
DOCTOR SMITH
But I have another appointment--
CLEMENTINE
It will just take a moment. Please.
(She lays down on the examination
table. He places his stethoscope on her
chest. They look into each other’s
eyes. This is intense for both.)
CLEMENTINE
My heart?
DOCTOR SMITH
Strong.
(He places his hands on her abdomen.
Tenderly. She melts into his touch.)
 26.

DOCTOR SMITH
Breathe in.
(She does.)
CLEMENTINE
I’m feeling that feeling again. Like something is buried
somewhere between my breastbone and my pelvis. Like perhaps
there were still pieces inside of me when you removed
my...And now the pieces have turned dark. Like rotting
leftovers. Sinking. Deeper.
It will be two years next week.
DOCTOR SMITH
I know. May I press down?
CLEMENTINE
Please.
(He does. She’s silent, but her body
reacts as if he’s entered her and he
melts. They’re locked into each other.
It soon becomes too much for him, and
he looks away, still examining.)
CLEMENTINE
Every fall, I knit a red scarf for Arthur made of superfine
Alpaca. One of my “wifely” duties. I just want to finish the
damn scarf, but I am completely and utterly distracted. Guess
what I’m distracted by? A letter. I’m writing you a letter to
show my gratitude--
DOCTOR SMITH
You shouldn’t.
CLEMENTINE
Oh, I know I shouldn’t. It’s not proper. And I’m sure Mrs.
Grundy and Mrs. Bruno would find a way to get their grubby
hands on it--
(He lifts up his hands.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Who?
CLEMENTINE
Please, continue.
(She returns his hands to her abdomen.
He continues his examination, and they
melt into each other again. It builds.
He suddenly stops, all but exhausted,
then picks up his cigarette and smokes.
She’s near tears. A moment.)
CLEMENTINE
Well?
 27.

DOCTOR SMITH
You’re completely fine.
CLEMENTINE
But I’m not fine. I can feel something buried.
DOCTOR SMITH
There is nothing there.
CLEMENTINE
No leftovers?
DOCTOR SMITH
No.
(Beat.)
CLEMENTINE
Then I need more pills.
DOCTOR SMITH
I just gave you pills.
CLEMENTINE
I’ve been exhausted. It’s exhausting to do the same thing
everyday and think about writing the letter that I shouldn’t
be writing to you--
DOCTOR SMITH
It would be unethical to give you more--
CLEMENTINE
I only need a few, Tom. Not the whole bottle.
DOCTOR SMITH
And I need you to make up your mind.
CLEMENTINE
That’s why I’m writing you the letter--
DOCTOR SMITH
I don’t want a letter. I want you to go to Reno. You can end
this life and we can begin our new one.
CLEMENTINE
And Oscar and Elizabeth? Where will they go while I’m on the
other side of the country for six weeks “getting the cure”?
DOCTOR SMITH
We discussed the options.
CLEMENTINE
I don’t want options for my children. I want a plan. You know
damn well Arthur will do everything in his power to ruin me
more than he already has.
DOCTOR SMITH
I know.
 28.

(Clementine resets. She gets off the

table, buttons up, smooths out her
dress, then smiles.)
CLEMENTINE
I met a new woman in my neighborhood. A single working girl.
Afro-American. Her name is Cassandra. She is definitely
different...And now I think I have a plan for Reno.
DOCTOR SMITH
What do you mean?
CLEMENTINE
I need a handful of pills to get me through to Monday.
Please, Tom.
(Doctor Smith puts out his cigarette
and with some reluctance, he reaches
into the cabinet and places several
green pills into a small white envelop.
He hands it over.)
DOCTOR SMITH
What do you mean by this plan, Clementine?
CLEMENTINE
I wonder what it would be like to touch one of those big,
tall cactus plants. To place your finger in between the long
sharp spines and then make contact with the succulent flesh.
I wonder.
(touches his cheek)
Thanks for my best friends.
(She exits, leaving him perplexed, but
also instilled with hope. He pokes the
Jell-O. It jiggles. He smiles.)

SCENE FIVE:
Wednesday Afternoon
(Maddy’s dining/living area. Nice
dresses hang over the couch. Etiquette
sits on the coffee table. A stand up
mirror is off to the side.
Maddy, in a bright checkered housecoat,
stands across from the Hoover. She
crosses her arms, then uncrosses them.
She approaches, freezes, then breaks.
She zips open the vacuum bag and pulls
out the bottle of green pills. She
shakes the bottle. Only a quarter full
now. She closes her eyes, clutching the
bottle to her chest.)
 29.

MADDY
Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday, Monday. But it’s only
Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday.
(She reaches into her bra and searches
for something: Thankgodit’sthere.
Then Maddy breaks again, opens the
bottle and pops one green pill. Relief.
The doorbell rings. She quickly
swallows another pill and scrambles to
put the bottle back in the vacuum
cleaner. She evens out her housecoat.)
MADDY
You may enter!
(Antonia enters in her school girl
outfit. Maddy “tests” Antonia.)
MADDY
Hello, Antonia. Can I offer you something to drink? Orange
juice? Milk? Soda pop?
ANTONIA
No, thank you, Maddy. I’m watching my figure.
MADDY
A very ladylike answer. Well done!
ANTONIA
Thank you.
MADDY
Let’s begin.
(Maddy rolls the mirror over to Antonia
then picks up Etiquette and reads.)
MADDY
Chapter 39. Emily Post states: “Clothes do more than add to
our appearance; they are our appearance. The first impression
that we make upon others depends almost entirely upon what we
wear and how we wear it.”
This is so very true. What do you think of your appearance?
(Antonia looks into the mirror and does
her best not to frown.)
ANTONIA
I think I look like a little girl.
MADDY
And we’re about to transform you into a lady with one of my
dresses!
ANTONIA
They all look wonderful.
 30.

MADDY
But the key is finding the perfect dress to attract the right
kind of man.
(sly girl talk)
And this Gil who asked you to the dance. Is he respectable?
ANTONIA
Gil? Oh yes. He’s respectable and sweet...and different.
MADDY
Different?
ANTONIA
In a good way. Gil and I are in chorus together and he has
this stunning voice. It’s a combination of Sam Cooke and Ray
Charles with a dash of Nat King Cole--
MADDY
That is different--
ANTONIA
(can’t help but get lost)
I melt every time I hear him sing.
MADDY
(a knowing smile)
I completely understand.
(Maddy places a dress against Antonia.)
MADDY
What are your thoughts on this one?
ANTONIA
It’s very pretty.
MADDY
And it works wonderfully with your coloring. I’m sure Gil
will have to fight off all the other boys who want to dance
with you. You’re quite fetching, you know.
ANTONIA
Oh, I don’t think so.
MADDY
A lady mustn’t be too prideful, but do know you are
attractive.
ANTONIA
Uncle says I’m ugly.
MADDY
Ugly? He must be teasing you. Someone who takes such care in
dry cleaning other people’s clothes couldn’t possibly intend
to be rude. He’s not North Orange’s Dry Cleaning King for
nothing--
 31.

ANTONIA
He calls me a mutant.
MADDY
(covering shock)
A mutant? That’s just...I don’t understand.
ANTONIA
Neither do I.
MADDY
Well. Never mind about your uncle.
(then a beaming smile)
What do you think about this dress?
(Maddy dramatically removes her
housecoat to reveal her dress. It’s
tropical, but not too tropical. And it
certainly suggests something other than
New Jersey. She turns around to give a
complete view. Antonia is astonished
and reaches out toward the dress.)
ANTONIA
Oh, Maddy. You’re a vision. It’s so lovely...and exotic.
MADDY
Thank you...
(nearly bursting)
I’m going to let you wear this dress to the dance!
ANTONIA
What? Oh, I couldn’t possibly--
MADDY
You can and you will--
ANTONIA
But--
MADDY
I insist, Antonia.
(slyly)
And guess what? I made this dress.
ANTONIA
You made that dress?
MADDY
Yes. With my magical powers. It was the very dress I was
wearing when I first met Jason seventeen years ago.
(slyly)
In Hawaii.
ANTONIA
You lived in Hawaii?
 32.

MADDY
Yes. With my family.
ANTONIA
You’re HAWAIIAN?!
MADDY
(a ROAR)
I’M AMERICAN.
(catches herself)
Goodness.
What I meant to say is I am American, but I grew up in
Honolulu is all. My father, mother, brother and I were in a
family band. We all played ukuleles and sang.
ANTONIA
You play the ukulele?
MADDY
Not anymore of course. But we did play at USO dances and for
American diplomats and many rich and powerful people,
including the Doles. As in the pineapple.
ANTONIA
Golly.
MADDY
(looks in the mirror)
Anyway. After that horrific day when Pearl Harbor was bombed,
martial law was declared for all of Hawaii. It was a scary
time that seemed to last forever, but you could always count
on a USO dance to lift your spirits. BUT there was one dance
in particular that changed everything. Summer. 1944. I’m
sixteen and unsupervised when I sneak into The Downtown Club
with some girlfriends. There’s music and dancing and laughter
but no one catches my eye. Then, by the punch bowl, I see
him. Jason. In his glorious Navy uniform. I think, “Is this
my wondrous soldier sent here by the gods to whisk me away
and make me his bride?” He turns from the punch and sees me
in this dress, the dress I made to catch the right man, and I
feel this charge rush through my entire body...
I positively knew, in that moment, we had fallen in love.
ANTONIA
Love feels like a charge rushing through your body?
MADDY
I believe so.
ANTONIA
(uh oh)
Oh.
MADDY
I shouldn’t tell you this, but Jason wasn’t always the
upstanding lawyer type he is now. While he was stationed in
Honolulu, he was thrown into the brig.
 33.

ANTONIA
The brig?
MADDY
Navy jail. My father didn’t want his innocent daughter seeing
him and this made Jason crazy. So, one night, Jason got so
drunk he stole my father’s golden Buick and drove it into the
Pacific Ocean.
ANTONIA
Jeepers.
MADDY
Ask me how Jason got out of the brig.
ANTONIA
How?
MADDY
Me. I told my father I would quit our family band if he
didn’t drop the charges. And so he did.
When the war ended, Jason and I ran off and eloped. I didn’t
tell my father or mother or even my brother. And they were...
(a switch)
I regret breaking my family’s heart--truly I do--but I knew I
belonged with Jason. To Jason. He promised to love me forever
and give the life I’ve always wanted. And he’s kept true to
that promise, for I am his queen.
ANTONIA
You must miss playing the ukulele with your family.
MADDY
I do.
ANTONIA
I miss my family, too.
MADDY
My father still lives in Honolulu, but sadly my mother and
brother are no longer with us.
ANTONIA
Neither are my mother or two older brothers. Or my father.
MADDY
They’re all dead?
ANTONIA
That’s why I’ve been living with Uncle for the nearly two
years. My mother committed suicide. Then my brothers were
killed in the Korean War. So it was just my father and me.
Then he started to go blind. He told me he was cursed, but I
didn’t believe him. When he completely lost his sight, he
died. They’re all dead. I’ve never said that out loud before.
 34.

MADDY
(stunned)
Oh. I had no idea.
ANTONIA
Sometimes...I get this dark feeling. It starts in my chest
and spreads out into my entire body. And then I become
darkness. I’m afraid that one day I’m going to wake up and be
darkness for the rest of my life.
MADDY
Antonia, you should not believe that. We live in an age of
endless possibilities! Think of all that has been invented in
the last decade: hover crafts, nonstick teflon frying pans,
the hydrogen bomb, something called a computer--!
ANTONIA
What’s a computer?
MADDY
I don’t know, but my point is the future is bright and
promising, so you mustn’t think about dark things. You must
fight this darkness.
ANTONIA
But how?
(Maddy reaches into her bra, pulls out
a small folded piece of paper and opens
it to reveal a green pill.)
ANTONIA
A green demon?
MADDY
I call it an emerald angel. Now, the next time the darkness
appears, you take this angel and I promise you the darkness
will be cast out.
(Maddy hands Antonia the pill.)
ANTONIA
Thank you.
MADDY
Just make sure your uncle doesn’t see that.
(Antonia looks at the pill, then at
Maddy’s dress, and feels guilt.)
ANTONIA
Maddy, I’m truly sorry for not telling you earlier, but I’m
not going to the dance Saturday night. Uncle never allows me
to do anything or go anywhere. I guess I just wanted to
believe I had a chance at going to the dance with Gil.
MADDY
You’ve never been on a date?
 35.

ANTONIA
No. I have to be supervised by Uncle and he would never...
I’m not leaving North Orange, am I? Uncle will keep me
trapped in his house forever and I will rot there like a
piece of spoiled fruit!
(fights tears)
I’m sorry. It wasn’t proper of me to have said that--
MADDY
I’m going to supervise your date with Gil!
ANTONIA
What?
(Maddy rushes to the record player and
looks through her albums.)
MADDY
(super slyly)
But we won’t tell your uncle about Gil. I will, however,
assure him that I’ll chaperone your every move at the dance
and you’ll just meet Gil at the school. And of course, you
will wear my magical dress.
(finding the album)
Here we go.
(Maddy places the record on the player
and drops the needle. “Moonlight
Cocktail” by Glenn Miller plays.
Antonia is beside herself and puts the
pill in her pocket.)
ANTONIA
Thank you, Maddy.
MADDY
Thank me after I teach you to slow dance. I’ll be the boy.
(Maddy and Antonia come together and
assume a slow dance position. Antonia
follows Maddy’s lead.)
MADDY
Put your hand on the boy’s shoulder so you can follow him
wherever he moves. That’s right...Good. You’ll want to have a
light conversation during the dance to occupy your mind and
his, especially his. So let’s just practice some light
conversation. How is that new colored friend of yours?
ANTONIA
Cassandra and I rode the bus together this morning--
MADDY
You sat together?
ANTONIA
Yes. I saved Cassandra a seat. She certainly seems to have
recouped from her episode. But she said something very queer.
 36.

She said that I have lived out these moments of my life

before, but in different forms. Something about my life being
part of a cycle of birth, death and rebirth. And then she
said that you and Clementine have lived out these moments in
different forms, too.
MADDY
But. What are these forms? When did they happen?
ANTONIA
Cassandra wouldn’t say what or when exactly. What do you
think?
MADDY
That sounds ridiculous.
ANTONIA
Ridiculous. Right. But. She also said something else. It’s a
bit embarrassing, but she said to me, “Antonia, you are
capable of greatness.”
MADDY
Greatness? But how?
ANTONIA
She wouldn’t say. But after she said that, I felt this
change.
(The song skips. They stand for a
moment in the skipping. Maddy goes to
the player and removes the needle.)
MADDY
Did Cassandra say I was capable of greatness?
ANTONIA
No.
MADDY
Oh.
ANTONIA
But that doesn’t mean you aren’t capable. And just because
she said I was capable of greatness, doesn’t mean that I
am...But I do feel changed somehow. Just a little.

SCENE SIX:
Thursday Afternoon
(Clementine’s sitting room with two
chairs and a coffee table furnished
with a coffee pot and one cup. To the
side is a hutch stocked with china and
bottles of expensive alcohol.
 37.

In one chair, Clementine knits the long

blood red scarf for Arthur, while
Cassandra sits in the other holding a
cup of coffee. A basket filled with
blood red yarn balls and knitting
needles rests at Clementine’s feet.
Cassandra looks at her coffee and
hesitates, unsure if there is anything
else in this coffee.)
CLEMENTINE
Something wrong with your coffee?
(Cassandra finally takes a sip.)
CASSANDRA
No.
Thank you.
CLEMENTINE
My pleasure. It’s not everyday I get to host a single working
girl in my home. I must admit though, I’m a bit surprised you
accepted my invitation to join me for coffee.
CASSANDRA
I wanted to come.
CLEMENTINE
Really? Well, I’m happy to hear that.
How was your second day of working for my husband? You’re
being treated properly, yes?
CASSANDRA
I have been placed in a room by myself, away from all the
other girls, but that was to be--
CLEMENTINE
Expected?
CASSANDRA
Yes.
CLEMENTINE
You know what’s funny? I haven’t a clue if Arthur is a
pleasant boss or not. He spends most of his time--the time
he’s actually conscious--away from the kids and me, and I
don’t really know how he behaves when I’m not around. I have
to trust and have faith. Virtues of a happy housewife. I
think trust and having faith are overrated. But you? All the
single working girl needs to do is trust and have faith in
herself. Which is why I wanted to be one ever since I was a
little girl. I was going to be an archeologist and travel to
faraway places to uncover hidden histories. So I went to
college and studied the classic civilizations. But then I met
Arthur during my senior year at a dance. The spring formal.
Boy, was he charming...And I changed my plans.
(beat)
 38.

But, if I were that single working girl, I would never wash

my dishes. The second I’d dirty my dishes, I would throw them
in the trash and buy new ones the next day.
CASSANDRA
No, you would not--
CLEMENTINE
DON’T TELL ME WHAT I WOULD OR WOULD NOT DO WITH MY DISHES.
(slight beat)
Sorry. That was rude.
(Clementine puts down the scarf and
turns on a smile.)
CLEMENTINE
Let’s start over.
I’d like to know if you slept with my husband when he
acquired you in Troy.
CASSANDRA
I did not sleep with your husband--
CLEMENTINE
Perhaps he forced himself on you.
CASSANDRA
He did not--
CLEMENTINE
Either way, I won’t be mad if you slept with him. As a matter
of fact, it’s positively fine if you did sleep with him.
CASSANDRA
But I did not--
CLEMENTINE
Look, Cassandra. I’m trying to plan a trip to Reno so I can
begin my new life.
CASSANDRA
Then go.
(Slight beat.)
CLEMENTINE
I can’t just go.
CASSANDRA
Yes, you can. You can pack a bag, gather up your children and
go to Reno.
(Another beat. Then Clementine busts
out laughing.)
CLEMENTINE
Now that’s a funny joke.
 39.

CASSANDRA
I did not tell a joke.
CLEMENTINE
You’re actually suggesting that I have a choice to just leave
my husband?
CASSANDRA
Yes.
CLEMENTINE
I appreciate your optimism, but what you’re suggesting is
inconceivable.
CASSANDRA
No, it is not--
CLEMENTINE
Yes, it is. So here’s my point. I need proof of his
wrongdoings--my form of protection--before I can go to Reno
for the “six-week cure” and file for a divorce. A wife needs
to be thoroughly prepared before she goes into battle with
her husband.
(Clementine plucks a pair of KNITTING
NEEDLES from a ball and approaches
Cassandra, who stands, steeling
herself.)
CLEMENTINE
Now, Cassandra.
(Clementine raises her knitting needles
and presses them to Cassandra’s neck.)
CLEMENTINE
I simply want you to tell me that you slept with my husband.
CASSANDRA
I cannot admit to something I did not do.
CLEMENTINE
I will give you money--
CASSANDRA
I--
CLEMENTINE
It can happen however you’d like it to happen. A dinner in
Manhattan and a night at The Plaza. You’ll have to enter
through the back door, but still, Arthur will treat you nice.
He’s actually not a bad conversationalist when he’s loosened
up with some spirits. I’ll pay you a year’s salary so you can
leave town, no questions asked. But either way, I’ll need my
proof. Which includes a receipt and your panties, preferably
soiled.
This is for my children. They’re the innocent victims here.
You love children, don’t you?
 40.

You can let me know your answer in a few days.

(lowers the needles)
I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never
threatened somebody’s life with knitting needles before.
CASSANDRA
But it feels familiar, does it not?
CLEMENTINE
Familiar?
CASSANDRA
Your desire to destroy for the sake of revenge. Your wrath,
ancient and fierce. As if this has happened before. As if
this has happened many, many times before.
CLEMENTINE
I don’t know what you’re talking about.
CASSANDRA
Then I should go.
(Cassandra turns to leave.)
CLEMENTINE
Cassandra?
(hesitates)
What did you mean when you said to me: “It won’t be by the
knife this time...”
(Cassandra looks through Clementine.
Clementine is slightly unsettled.)
CLEMENTINE
What?
(Cassandra exits. Clementine gazes at
her knitting needles. Then she clutches
them. Hard.)

SCENE SEVEN:
Friday Evening
(The bus stop. The street light turns
on.
Cassandra, in her gabardine coat, sits
on the bench and removes her cigarettes
and lighter from her purse. She flicks
the lighter and brings the flame to her
cigarette. The flame is blown out. She
knows who’s toying with her and stands.
The strum of the LYRE. Apollo appears
in shadow with his lyre. He puts his
foot and part of his leg in the light.)
 41.

APOLLO
I see you’ve been waiting for me.
CASSANDRA
I did not summon you.
APOLLO
Didn’t summon? Of course did. You can’t get enough of me--
CASSANDRA
I did not summon you. Leave. I am busy.
(He enters into the light, his nearly
naked body illuminated. He’s stunning.)
APOLLO
Would you like me to leave now?
(He stands for a moment, waiting for
her to do something. She looks ahead.)
APOLLO
Perhaps I’ll get your full attention if I remove my loin
cloth--
CASSANDRA
Do NOT--
APOLLO
But I’ve just been groomed by a flock of nymphs. And it’s
really quite spectacular to gaze at...Just a peek?
CASSANDRA
No.
APOLLO
Well what’s the use of having something nice if no one is
going to look at it? I guess I have to look myself.
(looks down his loin cloth)
Oh, it is glorious. Cassandra, you’re really missing out--
But wait.
(looks closer)
What is that? Oh my. Oh dear. Is that? It can’t be...
(Cassandra tries to steals a glance.)
APOLLO
Ha! I can’t believe you didn’t see that coming!
(Apollo busts a gut. Cassandra returns
to staring ahead. Apollo slows down his
laughter and then stops.)
APOLLO
Come now. It’s not fun to laugh by one’s self. Laugh with me.
I said, laugh with me.
Very well. I must say, you really need to work on your “sense
of humor.” It’s as if you’re completely void of any joy.
 42.

CASSANDRA
You took that away when you gave me visions no one would
believe.
APOLLO
You can’t tell me that every single vision you have is full
of destruction, depravity and death.
Really? No joy? Well then. I think the problem is you.
CASSANDRA
Me?
APOLLO
Yes. Because there IS joy and laughter and pleasure in life.
Even moments of bliss that are so pure you think to yourself,
“I will never feel pain again.” Surely I can’t be held
accountable for your predisposition to always see the
negative side, and obviously, this is tainting all of your
visions. So how about you try to see the positives instead of
just the doom? Like a wedding or the birth of a child. When
was the last time you smiled?
CASSANDRA
The day I met you.
APOLLO
Well. That’s depressing.
CASSANDRA
Leave.
(Apollo fidgets, then plucks his lyre.)
APOLLO
I just have to ask...Why did you deny me that day?
CASSANDRA
Because.
APOLLO
Because? You can admit you made a mistake by denying me.
Women make mistakes all the time--
CASSANDRA
It was not a mistake.
APOLLO
Then why?
CASSANDRA
Because I did not want to give myself to you.
APOLLO
But why?
CASSANDRA
Because I did not want to give my self to you.
 43.

APOLLO
But. Why? Is there...Is there something wrong with me?
CASSANDRA
Is there something wrong with you?
APOLLO
Of course not.
CASSANDRA
If you say so.
APOLLO
I do say so. There is nothing wrong with me.
(quickly)
I am god of the sun, reason, prophesy, music, the arts, et
cetera, et cetera. Worshipped and idolized and feared, let’s
not forget feared, for thousands and thousands and thousands
of years. Why, just today, a village in the mountains of
Crete sacrificed a goat in my honor.
CASSANDRA
A goat.
APOLLO
A very large and majestic goat!
(Cassandra looks through him.)
APOLLO
You’re doing it again.
CASSANDRA
Doing what again?
APOLLO
You’re giving me that look.
CASSANDRA
This look?
APOLLO
No. The other look.
CASSANDRA
This look? Or was it this look--?
APOLLO
YOU CAN NOT MANIPULATE ME LIKE ONE OF THOSE BITCHES.
(Cassandra faces ahead.)
CASSANDRA
I am not manipulating. I am trying to show them that they can
make choices in their lives. That they have the power to
break out of this infernal cycle that has supposedly been
predetermined. That they can take a new direction and create
change--
 44.

APOLLO
WRONG. This is not about choices. This is about fate. And who
do you think you are believing you can change fate? A god?
CASSANDRA
Even a god like you could not prevent fate.
APOLLO
Wrong. Again. I engineer fate.
CASSANDRA
Then you killed Hyacinth.
APOLLO
I could never kill that beautiful boy. It was Zephyrus,
consumed with jealousy because Hyacinth loved me best. It was
Zephyrus who changed the winds, which directed the discus to
strike Hyacinth with a fatal blow--
CASSANDRA
Do not forget, Apollo. It was you who threw the discus.
Perhaps if you had never thrown the discus, Hyacinth would
still be alive and you would not be so lonely.
(A moment.)
APOLLO
I see the teeth in your tongue have sharpened into fangs.
Here are the facts, my sweet:
You are rapidly running out of time to break my curse. You’re
a woman, which means you’re weak. You’re black in modern
society, which means you’re powerless. My dear Cassandra, you
are not making progress by “testing the system.” You’re just
making yourself even more crazy than you already are. And
honestly, it is not attractive. So just accept your fate.
(Cassandra takes a step toward him.)
CASSANDRA
Leave me be, Apollo, for I did not summon you here.
APOLLO
Woman, you are not behaving appropriate--
(a yawn)
Appropri--
(a yawn)
Appro--
(Apollo is finally overtaken by a huge
yawn. He tries his best to stifle it,
but the yawn runs its course. Cassandra
looks through Apollo. Slightly shaken,
he steps into the shadows.
Antonia quietly enters and watches on
for a moment.)
 45.

CASSANDRA
I suggest you get some beauty rest tonight. Or are you
finding it impossible to sleep?
ANTONIA
Cassandra?
CASSANDRA
Wha--?
ANTONIA
Who were you talking to?
CASSANDRA
No one.
(Cassandra tries to lights her
cigarette, but the flame is blown out.)
ANTONIA
But it sounded like you were talking to someone.
CASSANDRA
It was no one.
(containing frustration)
My lighter is not working.
ANTONIA
Let me try.
(Antonia takes her lighter, flicks and
brings the flame to Cassandra’s
cigarette. Cassandra takes a drag.)
CASSANDRA
Thank you.
ANTONIA
You’re welcome.
(Cassandra sits on the bench. Antonia
follows.)
CASSANDRA
Would you like one?
ANTONIA
Oh. I would like to try it, as it does seem fashionable. But
Uncle would positively flip if he smelled smoke on my breath.
CASSANDRA
You are going to have to make your own decisions one day.
(Cassandra places a cigarette and her
lighter between them.)
 46.

CASSANDRA
Let us talk about Gil and tomorrow night’s dance. This is why
you snuck out of your uncle’s house because you wanted to
speak to me in private, yes?
ANTONIA
(a bit surprised)
Um. Yes.
But can I ask you a question first?
CASSANDRA
You may.
ANTONIA
What do you see in your other visions?
CASSANDRA
You do not want to know.
ANTONIA
But I do. Truly.
CASSANDRA
Why?
ANTONIA
Because I think these visions are a burden that upset you.
And maybe if you talk about them with a friend--me--that
maybe I can help provide some relief.
(Cassandra is touched by Antonia’s
gesture, unsure what to say. Antonia
takes the lead.)
ANTONIA
Tell me about the future. What do you see in the year,
oh...2016? Surely by then, America will be a wonderful and
magical place--
CASSANDRA
(AN EPIC RUSHING FLOOD)
Bullets fly. Families shatter. Communities erupt. The body
count grows while HATE continues to feed the ancient beasts:
racism, sexism, classism and terrorism of all forms and
faces. And the LIES. The lies the liars tell to keep the old
guard in place as a demagogue rises to power. Meanwhile
oceans and lakes begin to BOIL. Is the past the present the
future? Tiny deaths, big deaths. Repeating, repeating. Tiny
deaths, big deaths everywhere! Repeating! DEATHS EVERYWHERE.
(Cassandra stops abruptly. Antonia is
stunned. A moment.)
ANTONIA
Feel better?
CASSANDRA
Maybe.
 47.

ANTONIA
Oh?
CASSANDRA
No. But. Let me try again...
(Cassandra tries to “see” something
positive in the future.)
ANTONIA
What is it? Do you see something...nice?
(Cassandra really tries. But fails.)
CASSANDRA
No.
ANTONIA
Oh.
CASSANDRA
Let us move on to Gil.
ANTONIA
Golly. Gil seems so inconsequential compared to what you see.
CASSANDRA
That is not true. Each person’s actions do have a
consequence. For better or worse. Now, tell me about Gil. And
be honest.
ANTONIA
(closes eyes)
I didn’t tell Maddy the entire truth about Gil and now she’s
supervising my date because Uncle would never let me go with
him because...Gil is black. I know Gil and I being together
is against the law in a lot of states, but it’s not illegal
in New Jersey, so I wouldn’t be committing a crime if I did
go to the dance with him.
(opens eyes)
Do you think it’s unnatural for me to be with Gil?
CASSANDRA
No.
ANTONIA
I honestly don’t understand why people believe it’s unnatural
to be with another person who isn’t the same color. It’s so
limiting. But I imagine Maddy would immediately tell Uncle
about Gil because she’d think she’d be saving me in some way.
Uncle would definitely have a fit and he’d probably...
So I have to cancel tomorrow night, right?
CASSANDRA
What does your psyche say?
ANTONIA
My psyche?
 48.

CASSANDRA
Your soul.
ANTONIA
Gil.
CASSANDRA
Choose to follow your soul and you can go on to do great
things. You are capable of greatness.
ANTONIA
I don’t understand why you keep saying that about me. Did you
see my greatness in a vision?
CASSANDRA
I...Not exactly in a vision. But I feel it.
ANTONIA
You feel it? I don’t understand.
CASSANDRA
If you go on this date, Antonia, your actions can change the
course of the future.
ANTONIA
That’s impossible.
CASSANDRA
Is it?
ANTONIA
What I do here, in this narrow-minded place, will not change
the course of the future. What this date will do is get me
into trouble and Gil into even worse trouble. And it will
certainly upset a lot of people in North Orange, including
Mrs. Bruno and Mrs. Grundy who can’t help themselves from
exaggerating certain details. My date might even cause a
riot. Which means maybe you’ll get hurt and I don’t want to
do anything that would hurt you--
CASSANDRA
Do not worry about me.
ANTONIA
But I can’t help it. I worry about so many things.
CASSANDRA
I can take care of myself.
What do you think your uncle will do?
ANTONIA
Uncle? He’d deem me even more of a degenerate and might even
send me to an institution where they give shock treatments
just so he can assure his customers that his niece would
never lay with a “darkie.”
(A SMILE)
Or maybe, maybe Uncle will throw me out of his house and
never want to see me again.
 49.

CASSANDRA
What do you think will happen if you do not go on this date?
ANTONIA
(hesitates)
Darkness will appear.
CASSANDRA
And you will become darkness and end it all by your own hand.
(Cassandra puts out her cigarette.)
ANTONIA
Is that your vision of me if I don’t go on this date?
Darkness...Am I cursed, Cassandra? My father said he was
cursed, but I didn’t believe him. He’s dead now. My entire
family is dead. Except for Uncle. And he is a terrible
person. So I’m starting to think that yeah, I’m cursed.
Because if I am, then at least my life would make some sense.
CASSANDRA
We are all cursed, Antonia. But I refuse to believe that our
actions do not matter.
(A moment. Antonia picks up the
cigarette and the lighter.)
ANTONIA
I have to start making my own decisions. Just like you said.
I can’t stay a child forever.
(confidence growing)
I’m going to do it. Cassandra. I am going to follow my soul.
My psyche--!
(Cassandra abruptly kisses Antonia on
the mouth. Antonia is flummoxed.
Cassandra slowly pulls away, saddened.)
ANTONIA
Oh my.
CASSANDRA
I thought, just for a second, that I could see...something.
But you do not believe one thing I have said about you.
ANTONIA
What does it matter if I believe you? I’m nobody, Cassandra.
I’m not going to change the future.
(a smile)
But at least I am going to do what I feel is right. For the
first time. And that’s something. Isn’t it?

SCENE EIGHT:
Friday Evening, later
(Spotlight on Maddy and the Hoover.
 50.

Maddy is dressed in a frilly night gown

and holding a basket of laundry. Maddy
stares at the Hoover. The Hoover stares
back at Maddy. She closes her eyes.)
MADDY
Three days, three days, three days, three days, three days.
(Maddy opens her eyes and slowly turns
away from the Hoover.
Lights up on the three separate
bedrooms of Maddy, Clementine and
Antonia.
On Maddy’s dresser is a gift-wrapped
box. Elated, Maddy sets her laundry
basket on her bed, then begins to
unwrap her present.
Clementine, dressed in a nightgown, is
on her bed knitting the deep red scarf.
Antonia is dressed in a robe standing
in front of her mirror. She takes it
off to reveal Maddy’s tropical dress.
She tries to smile but can’t.
Clementine suddenly stops knitting,
stands, and looks into the mirror. She
tries to smile but can’t.
Maddy unwraps the present to reveal a
brand new kitchen appliance--a brightly
colored handheld mixer. She’s overcome
with happiness and reads the note.)
MADDY
My dearest Maddy. I bought you this brand new, state of the
art, deluxe handheld mixer. Maybe this will help with your
crumpets. Oh, how thoughtful of you, Jason...
(a smile, then quickly fades)
I won’t be home tonight--won’t be home tonight?--so please
don’t wait up for me. Yours, Jason.
(calls out)
Jason? Jason, are you gone? How did you--? JASON?!
(convinces herself)
Never mind. He’s just busy at the firm is all. Making money
to provide for me and our sons. That is what he’s doing.
(Maddy looks at the handheld mixer
again, and tries to smile. She can’t.
Each woman reaches into her bra for the
tiny folded piece of paper, removes the
pill and then pops it.
 51.

As Clementine begins to methodically

ball up her scarf and Antonia stares
into the mirror, Maddy reaches under
her bed and pulls out hat box. From it,
Maddy removes two beautiful ukuleles.
She looks at them both fondly and
decides on one. She beams at it.)
MADDY
Oh, my dear Jason. I know you don’t want me to play the
ukulele anymore. But I can’t help remembering the nights of
when it was just us, so young, singing together. I’d sneak
out of my bedroom window with this very ukulele and meet you
at the bay under the tropical moon. You’d look at me like I
was your princess, and I would sit on your lap and play...
(Maddy plays the intro to Ukulele Lady
by Richard Whiting & Gus Kahn. Like
magic, Antonia and Clementine are
affected by Maddy’s music. Clementine
finishes balling up her scarf and
begins to rock it like a baby.
Antonia begins to dance with a ghost
partner. They keep in time with Maddy’s
playing, and her voice is like honey.)
MADDY
I saw the splendor of the moonlight
On Honolulu Bay
There's something tender in the moonlight
On Honolulu Bay
And all the beaches are filled with peaches
Who bring their ukes along
And in the glimmer of the moonlight
They love to sing this song
If you like Ukulele Lady
Ukulele Lady like a'you
If you like to linger where it's shady
Ukulele Lady linger too
If you kiss Ukulele Lady
While you promise ever to be true
And she sees another Ukulele Lady foolin' 'round with you...
(Maddy suddenly gets louder--as if a
memory floods her.)
MADDY
Maybe she'll sigh--
(Clementine and Antonia join in--)
CLEMENTINE ANTONIA
An awful lot An awful lot

MADDY
Maybe she’ll cry
 52.

CLEMENTINE ANTONIA
And maybe not And maybe not

MADDY
Maybe she'll find somebody else
ALL
By and by
MADDY
To sing to when it's cool and shady
CLEMENTINE ANTONIA
Where the tricky wicky wacky Where the tricky wicky wacky
woo woo

MADDY
If you like Ukulele Lady
Ukulele Lady like a'you
(A rest. Then the women get a BURST of
energy.
Maddy plays the instrumental faster.
Clementine rocks her baby faster.
Antonia turns on her radio.
A drum beat joins the song and then a
piano a la Ray Charles, which changes
the vibe and direction of the song.
Antonia dances up a storm. The three
women work themselves into a frenzy and
then--.)
UNCLE (OFF STAGE)
ANTONIA!
(The three stop.
Antonia rushes to turn off her radio.
Maddy looks at her ukulele, surprised
at what came out of her.
Clementine cradles her scarf baby to
her bosom.)
ANTONIA
Yes, Uncle?
UNCLE (OFF STAGE)
Are you dancing to that nigger music?
ANTONIA
No, Uncle. I’m not dancing--
UNCLE (OFF STAGE)
Keep quiet up there or I’ll lock you up for the rest of the
school year!
 53.

ANTONIA
Yes, Uncle...Good night.
(Maddy replaces the uke and begins to
fold the laundry. She notices something
sticking out of the pocket of Jason’s
slacks. She hesitates...
Clementine buries her face into the
scarf and the baby falls apart. She
splinters into tiny sobs.
Antonia pulls Cassandra’s cigarette
from her bra and lights. She coolly
takes a drag.)
ANTONIA
Go to hell, Uncle.
(Maddy removes a lacy pair of panties
from Jason’s pocket. These are
definitely not her panties. Maddy’s jaw
drops.
Cut to COMPLETE DARKNESS.
In the darkness, the sound of a drum
being beat.
BEAT. BEAT. BEAT.
BEAT. BEAT. BEAT.
And then--)

SCENE NINE:
Monday Morning
(Maddy’s WAIL pierces the darkness.)
MADDY
NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!
(Lights up on the bedrooms. Maddy and
Clementine are dressed in their robes.
Maddy holds the newspaper in shock.
Clementine is struggling to write a
letter; a tower of paper is near by.
Still wearing the tropical dress,
Antonia is now on the floor,
intricately tied to her bed frame with
thick rope. She also has a black eye.
Each wrist is tied in a noose knot and
as she moves her arms, the rope runs
along the bed frame. Antonia is stuck.)
 54.

MADDY
Dear Mrs. Post--
CLEMENTINE
Dear Mrs. Post--
ANTONIA
Dear Mrs. Post--
(Clementine stops writing. Antonia
tries to free her wrists from the rope.
Maddy reads the newspaper.)
MADDY
Mrs. Emily Post, for many years a leading authority on all
matters of social good form, died Sunday in her apartment at
39 East Seventy-ninth Street after a brief illness. Her age
was 86.
Was this who Cassandra was talking about? A death of a voice?
WAS IT MRS. EMILY POST, CASSANDRA? WHY DIDN’T YOU WARN US
WITH SPECIFICS?
(Maddy throws the paper to the ground
and explodes into a sob. She pulls
tissues from her bra, wipes away tears
and collects herself.)
MADDY
Dear Mrs. Post--
CLEMENTINE
I have a question about:
MADDY
Toasted crumpets.
ANTONIA
Boys.
CLEMENTINE
Writing a letter to a man who is not my husband.
MADDY
These toasted crumpets? Well, I still can’t get them right. I
burned several batches in the last few days because things
have become unhinged in my home--
(SCRATCHES ARMS)
But with you gone, there is NO chance of you ever responding
to any of my letters and now I have more questions--!
(Maddy continues to SCRATCH HER ARMS.)
CLEMENTINE
Now that you’re no longer with us, Mrs. Post, I believe I can
finally finish this letter without hearing your reprimanding
voice rattling my brain. You never answered any of my
questions of why you gave us, the female sex, so many rules.
All of these rules, and for what? You’re dead. But me?
 55.

I’m the one left to struggle with--

No. I’m going to finish this letter to my doctor because he
deserves it.
(As Clementine begins to write
fervently, all three ladies build
toward a fever pitch.)
ANTONIA
I did it! I went to the dance with Gil. And despite Uncle
having tied me up to my bed for the last two days like a
prisoner, being with Gil was worth it and so much more.
Saturday night was magical--
MADDY
My first question is about a young lady who I am tutoring in
the ways of etiquette. She has deceived me. I offered to
supervise her date at her school dance because her uncle is
overprotective but she assured me that this boy was
respectable. I’m sure he’s an upstanding young man in his own
community, but he’s not--
CLEMENTINE
Page one, completed!
MADDY
What I mean to say is she should realize that a forbidden
dance can cause a riot in this town! At first, everyone was
silent as they watched them slow dance, but then one boy
shouted something and it quickly grew into a frenzy. So I
brought her straight home and told her uncle who smashed her
face with his fist, right in front of me. It was horrible.
Was this the right thing to do, Mrs. Post? I don’t know.
(WILDLY SCRATCHING ARMS)
I’m sure Mrs. Grundy and Mrs. Bruno are spreading the news
that this girl has upset the order of things here in North
Orange. That this girl has really started something--
CLEMENTINE
Page two, done!
ANTONIA
What’s different about Gil from most boys, especially Danny,
is that he has a plan to change the world. He’s taking a bus
to New Orleans where he’s going to sit-in at segregated
establishments until they serve him. Mrs. Post, I believe you
would agree with me that people who don’t serve other people
because of the color their skin have no sense of etiquette.
But back to the dance. As we swayed to the music, Gil told me
his plan and I had the most mature thought. I thought, How
brave. I thought, I want to be brave like Gil--!
CLEMENTINE
Page three, finished!
(Maddy stops scratching and removes the
lacy panties from her pocket. She turns
businesslike, still speaking fast.)
 56.

MADDY
I also have a question about my husband. He has committed
adultery and I confronted him. To my surprise, he was very
relaxed. Assured even. He said it was only natural for him to
pursue this young woman because she is the daughter of his
boss, and if he wants to become partner at his firm, he needs
to divorce me and marry her. He said I should understand
because in this new era of science and progress the only way
to get ahead is to hitch onto the star that will take you
far. I asked, “What will become of me and Bobby and Timmy?”
He said not to worry. That I could keep the house and we’d be
taken care of, especially since he’ll be making more money
once he becomes partner. Needless to say, I am and continue
to be baffled by this. So. WHAT AM I TO DO--?!
CLEMENTINE
Page four--!
ANTONIA
It’s done! I’ve made my decision. I’m leaving Uncle and North
Orange and going with Gil. It’s exciting and scary, but this
is something I have to do--
CLEMENTINE
Page five--!
MADDY
I mean, honestly. I followed all the rules. Your rules,
Jason’s rules, society’s rules. I did everything to make
Jason happy, which included giving up my beloved ukulele and
leaving my family behind in Hawaii--
(a switch to guilt)
That killed my mother and brother, didn’t it? Oh, father. My
dear makua kane. I can never return to you or my beloved
homeland, can I? I’m feeling--
(A BURST)
Oh how I wish a bolt of lightening would crack my head wide
open! What use do I have for this life now?
(a split)
Where have I...? Have I said? Have I felt those words before?
(a switch to rage)
Jason.
I deserve better than this, Jason.
I got you out of Navy jail, JASON.
I CHANGED for you, JASON.
What the fuck is wrong with you, you MOTHERFUCKING
COCKSUCKING BASTARD OF A HUSBAND!
(Maddy covers her mouth in shock.)
CLEMENTINE
Pages six, seven and eight! And there is more to write
because--
ANTONIA
I am in LOVE and I don’t care what anybody says--!
(A brick CRASHES through Antonia’s
window.
 57.

Maddy and Clementine hear the crash and

look toward Antonia’s house, concerned.
With her feet, Antonia drags the brick
toward her and manages to pick it up.
There’s a letter and a knife tied to
the brick. She reads the letter.)
ANTONIA
Use this knife to slit your nigger loving throat. Gil is next
if you don’t.
(In shock, Antonia picks up the knife
and looks at it. The darkness appears
and takes over Antonia. She considers
her option and puts the knife up to her
throat. She then considers her other
option. She fights the darkness and
uses the knife to cut through the rope.
Beat, beat, beat.)

SCENE TEN:
Monday Early Afternoon
(The doctor’s office. Doctor Smith
looks over his clipboard as he smokes a
cigarette. Clementine enters in another
nice dress. There’s a sense of urgency
about her. She gives him a huge smile.
He smiles back.)
CLEMENTINE
Hello!
DOCTOR SMITH
Hello--
(She swiftly moves to the examination
table.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Wait. I have something for you.
CLEMENTINE
Oh?
(He puts out his cigarette, reaches
behind the side table and presents her
with a hat box. He looks on nervously
as she removes a large, floppy sun hat
from the box.)
CLEMENTINE
A sun hat.
 58.

DOCTOR SMITH
Yes. I wish I could be with you for the whole six weeks--I
have keep my practice open for my patients you understand.
But I’ll meet you in Reno the second the divorce papers are
finalized. In the meantime, I wanted to protect you from the
brutal sun while you explored the cacti forests of Nevada.
CLEMENTINE
Thank you, Tom. The hat is very thoughtful. I honestly can’t
think of a more thoughtful gift. I adore it.
(Clementine returns the hat to the box
and then swiftly lays down on the
examination table. Doctor Smith regards
her as if he’s just caught most
beautiful creature. As he places his
stethoscope on her chest, she rises to
his touch. When they connect, they both
take in a sharp breath.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Breathe in for me.
(She breathes in. He listens. He moves
the stethoscope. His face contorts with
concern.)
DOCTOR SMITH
It sounds like your heart is muffled...May I unbutton you?
CLEMENTINE
Please!
(A bit confused, he unbuttons the top
three buttons on her dress and sees
something. He pulls out a sheet of
letter paper from the top of her dress.
Clementine lies perfectly still.)
DOCTOR SMITH
What’s this?
CLEMENTINE
I finally finished your letter!
(He undoes another button, removes
twenty more sheets of paper. She sits
up.)
CLEMENTINE
It turned out to be a long letter. Once I started writing,
the dam broke and everything gushed out. Please read it.
(Clementine smiles again. As Doctor
Smith reads the letter, his eyes begin
to well up. Then he cocks his head.)
 59.

DOCTOR SMITH
This is truly a beautiful letter so far--
CLEMENTINE
I mean every word of it.
DOCTOR SMITH
However, I’m confused by this line: I’m waiting for Cassandra
to give me her answer, and if I need to, I can give her more
money to close the deal. What do you mean by this?
CLEMENTINE
Read the rest of the letter. I say more beautiful things
about you. Like how you have unburied my heart whole and that
you showed me that I could love again. God, it feels so good
to finally say how I feel!
DOCTOR SMITH
But what do you mean by this?
(rereading)
I’m waiting for Cassandra to give me her answer, and if I
need to, I can give her more money to close the deal.
(concerned)
Clementine. Are you going to bribe this Cassandra to have
relations with Arthur?
(Beat. Clementine turns all business.)
CLEMENTINE
This is my plan for my children, Tom. Cassandra can provide
me services that I need before I can go into battle with
Arthur. I’m paying her very well to do what is necessary and
after that, she is no longer my concern.
(Doctor Smith flinches at Clementine’s
cold words and takes a step away.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Clementine. When I think of that day Arthur dragged you here
two years ago, I’m still overcome with a cold feeling. Him, a
deplorable man completely unfeeling about the death of his
new born child, paying me, a widower with no children, to end
your ability to ever give birth again. I remember thinking,
“This world is a cruel and utterly absurd place.” But you. So
wholesome and clean. You were able to show me beauty again--
CLEMENTINE
I’m still able to show you beauty--
DOCTOR SMITH
Clementine, he is a monster. And you, you are about to
intentionally ruin an innocent woman’s life.
CLEMENTINE
No one is innocent, Tom.
DOCTOR SMITH
There has to be another way.
 60.

CLEMENTINE
NO. There is no other way. I’m tired of playing by the rules,
because playing by the rules doesn’t get a woman anywhere.
Arthur didn’t think twice before he ruined me, murdered part
of my very soul. So if that means there is collateral damage
along the way to getting what I want, then so be it.
DOCTOR SMITH
Collateral damage?
CLEMENTINE
Blood must have blood, Tom.
(A moment. Clementine registers her
words, feels a shift. He takes another
step away.)
DOCTOR SMITH
Clementine. I didn’t realize you are capable of
such...darkness.
CLEMENTINE
How else is a woman supposed to get a divorce? Tell me.
DOCTOR SMITH
You’re remorseless. You’re...wicked.
CLEMENTINE
You don’t mean that.
(A long moment. She gets off the
examination table.)
CLEMENTINE
Tom. Please say something. Tom.
(a switch)
Fine.
If you could be so kind, Doctor Smith, I need a refill on my
pills. I’ve been feeling exceptionally exhausted these days--
DOCTOR SMITH
No.
CLEMENTINE
No? But I need them--
DOCTOR SMITH
Please take your letter and find another doctor who will give
you examinations and supply you pills.
I believe this is the end of our doctor-patient relationship.
(He hands back her letter.)
CLEMENTINE
Don’t do this, Tom--
 61.

DOCTOR SMITH
Please. I don’t want to have to call your husband to pick you
up because you’re having an emotional episode, a rupture in
logic, a split from reality, a meltdown of your faculties.
CLEMENTINE
But. No one has ever said my food tastes like progress. No
one has ever bought me a sun hat...Tom? Tom, please--
(Clementine leans in to kiss him. He
turns his back to her.)
DOCTOR SMITH
I loved you, Clementine. At times, I thought I loved you more
than my deceased wife. But now I realize we can never... Your
unexpected behavior has stained my heart.
CLEMENTINE
Stained?
DOCTOR SMITH
Don’t come back.
(A sad moment. Doctor Smith picks up
the hat box and exits, leaving
Clementine devastated.
Beat, beat, beat.)

SCENE ELEVEN:
Monday Afternoon
(Spotlight on Maddy. She clutches a
white linen as she stands next to side
table with the phone. She’s frazzled
and struggling to keep it together. She
picks up the phone and dials. Her fuse
is short.)
CLEMENTINE’S VOICE
Hello--
MADDY
Hello, Clementine. It’s Maddy. I’ve completely run out of--
CLEMENTINE’S VOICE
You’ve reached the house of Arthur Ames. Please leave a
message and have a wonderful day.
(BEEP.)
MADDY
Hello, everyone. Hello, Clementine. It’s Maddy. I forgot you
had one of these new answering machines! Which is wonderful,
but I really need to talk to you now. First, I want to make
sure you read the news about Mrs. Post’s death. It’s terribly
sad. But, in true Emily Post spirit, I’m still having tea
today!
 62.

The neighborhood ladies sent their regrets, as usual, but

don’t you forget to come on time. And don’t forget about your
Hoover and the, uh,...you know. Please, don’t forget, don’t
forget, don’t forget, don’t forget, DON’T FORGET. I’m
dreadfully exhausted. Goodbye.
(Maddy hangs up. Spotlight on the
Hoover. She stares at the Hoover. The
Hoover stares back.
Lights up on Maddy’s living/dining
room. She looks away from the Hoover.)
MADDY
Composure, composure, composure, composure, composure...
(Maddy suddenly throws down the linen
and attacks the vacuum. She zips open
the filter bag and reaches inside. She
pulls out the empty vile and tosses it
aside. She digs deeper into the bag,
searching. When she pulls her hand out,
it’s covered in dirt. She looks at it,
disgusted.)
MADDY
So much FUCKING dirt--
(Surprised at her profanity, Maddy
covers her mouth but winds up getting
dirt on her face. She begins to
unravel. She pulls out a tissue from
her bra and wipes her mouth. She steels
herself, then attacks the vacuum again,
now disassembling the Hoover, searching
frantically for any loose pills. In the
process, she gets covered in dirt.)
MADDY
There must be one emerald angel in here...
WHERE ARE YOU?!
(She yanks on the hose and it comes
loose. Dirt flies everywhere.
Cassandra enters.)
CASSANDRA
Maddy--
MADDY
Clementine!
(Maddy turns to see Cassandra.)
MADDY
Oh. It’s you. Where’s Antonia?
 63.

CASSANDRA
She is not here.
MADDY
Of course she’s not here! Why do you think I asked you? Are
you trying to be funny?
CASSANDRA
I do not know how to be funny.
MADDY
You are so. You are so, so, so, so, so...
(containing)
As you can see, I’ve had a cleaning incident. Excuse me.
(Maddy tries to gracefully wipe the
dirt off her face, hair, and dress.
It’s not working. Cassandra takes a
step toward Maddy. Maddy moves back.)
CASSANDRA
I can help you--
MADDY
I don’t want your help! Just stay where you are!
(Maddy moves to the couch and begins to
FLUFF HER PILLOWS.)
MADDY
Please note, it is rude to arrive early for tea and VERY rude
to just enter someone’s home without knocking--
CASSANDRA
You should lock your doors--
MADDY
Lock my doors? Lock my doors!? HA! Another joke from this
jokester!
CASSANDRA
I really do not know how to tell a joke--
MADDY
This was a nice, respectable neighborhood where I didn’t need
to lock my doors! And now, there’s a rumor that there’s going
to be a riot at the high school because of a forbidden dance--
A riot! In North Orange! I can’t even--
(FURIOUSLY FLUFFING)
I noticed something, Cassandra. I noticed that as soon as you
showed up here last week, things were immediately thrown out
of order. And now Mrs. Emily Post is dead! Is that who you
meant when you said there would be a death of a voice?!
(stops fluffing)
Is that who you meant?
CASSANDRA
I am sorry for your loss.
 64.

MADDY
Oh, like you care about Mrs. Emily Post! You’re probably
some African voodoo witch playing with the devil’s magic by
sticking pins in upstanding white women because you’re
jealous of our position in life. Is that what you’re doing?
CASSANDRA
I told you. I am cursed--
MADDY
Right, right. Some guy named “Apollo” has cursed you with
“visions.” Well. I DON’T BELIEVE YOU.
CASSANDRA
Which is part of the curse. As I said, I see many things, but
no one believes me--
MADDY
Oh, boo hoo hoo. At least your husband isn’t fucking some
little slut!
(covers mouth)
Oh my goodness. That’s the third time today I used profanity.
CASSANDRA
It is understandable.
MADDY
No, it’s not. I never use profanity. NEVER...
(ancient rage burst)
Oh, why isn’t there a mark engraved on mens’ bodies so we can
know the true ones from the false ones?
(Maddy is stunned by her words.)
MADDY
I don’t know where--I didn’t mean to say that about Jason.
(begins to tear up)
Excuse me. There’s a little dirt in my eyes.
(She turns away, pulls a tissue from
her bra and dabs her eyes.)
CASSANDRA
(singing softly)
I saw the splendor of the moonlight on Honolulu Bay...
(Maddy, shocked, slowly turns around.)
MADDY
How do you--?
(As Cassandra continues to sing, she
moves closer to Maddy.)
CASSANDRA
There's something tender in the moonlight on Honolulu Bay...
 65.

(Cassandra is now extremely close.

Maddy takes a small step away.)
MADDY
That was a popular song. Anybody could know Ukulele Lady--
CASSANDRA
You are a composite of disparate worlds. And yet, you have
but only one face. One that will never be completely accepted
here in North Orange. Your tea parties. Only Clementine and
Antonia attend. Why do you think that is?
MADDY
The other neighborhood ladies always send their polite
regrets--
CASSANDRA
Because they know you are half Hawaiian. They can smell it--
MADDY
I’m American.
CASSANDRA
Mixed with “the other.” You are hapa kanaka. I understand
your pain.
MADDY
You couldn’t possibly--
CASSANDRA
And now there is a darkness growing inside of you, Maddy. I
know you can feel it. And you are allowing this darkness to
strangle your heart so tightly that your blood will turn into
madness--
MADDY
Madness--
CASSANDRA
Just as your blood has turned into madness before; many, many
times before.
MADDY
And this has happened in different forms?
CASSANDRA
Yes. But this time, today, you have a choice.
MADDY
A choice?
CASSANDRA
Yes. You can leave Jason and start a new life with your sons.
(Beat.)
MADDY
And if I choose to stay?
 66.

CASSANDRA
There will be tiny deaths.
MADDY
Tiny deaths?
CASSANDRA
Tiny deaths.
MADDY
Tiny deaths.
(Cassandra takes a step toward Maddy
and looks through her. Beat. Cassandra
leans in toward Maddy for a kiss.)
MADDY
You’ve never been in love.
CASSANDRA
I--
MADDY
No.
You haven’t. Love doesn’t give you a choice to leave. I will
win Jason back. No matter the sacrifice. No matter the cost.
(Antonia enters with her black eye,
wearing pants, a peacoat and backpack.
She holds her Emily Post book.)
ANTONIA
Hello, Maddy.
(Maddy whips around.)
MADDY
DOESN’T ANYBODY FUCKING KNOCK ANYMORE?
(covers mouth)
I did it again.
(trying to maintain)
Please note, you are both early for tea. And this puts me,
the hostess, in a rather unpleasant position because, I am
not ready to serve you tea!
ANTONIA
I’m not here for tea.
MADDY
Then why are you here? To deceive me into supervising another
“date”? Why are you wearing pants? And is that back pack?
Where is my dress? I made that dress--!
ANTONIA
I’ve come to return the book.
 67.

MADDY
But I gave you Etiquette as a gift. This is not a respectable
way to honor Mrs. Post’s memory.
ANTONIA
I’m sorry about her passing, but everything I need now is in
here, my heart.
MADDY
Your heart? Your heart got you into trouble. Maybe if you had
paid attention to Emily Post, you would have read that a
young lady should date a young man who is appropriate. That
means you’re supposed to end up marrying a nice white man,
NOT dance with a with a colored boy and cause a riot!
ANTONIA
I’m sorry I wasn’t completely honest with you, Maddy, but I
am not sorry I went through with my date.
MADDY
Yes, you are.
ANTONIA
No, I’m not--
MADDY
Yes you are yes you are yes you are yes you are yes you are!
ANTONIA
No. I am not.
MADDY
What about your uncle? What about The Dry Cleaning King? What
about his reputation--?
ANTONIA
Uncle still thinks he’s got me tied to my bed, so I really
don’t care about his reputation. Look at my eye, Maddy. I
know you see it.
(Maddy turns away.)
MADDY
No, no, no, no, no. This is all...This is all wrong.
(points to Cassandra)
It was her, wasn’t it? She’s the one who forced you--strong
armed you with her devil’s magic--to go on that date with one
of her own kind. Isn’t that what happened?
ANTONIA
No--
MADDY
Of course that’s what happened! I’ll tell all the
neighborhood ladies that this whole mess is this negress’
fault, not yours, and they’ll spread that news so fast--
 68.

ANTONIA
NO. I made this choice.
MADDY
You did not make that choice. I trained you in the ways of
etiquette for days, weeks, months! And goddamit, you are
still my sweet girl next door who does NOT socialize with
niggers!
(Maddy covers her mouth. Antonia places
Etiquette on the coffee table.)
ANTONIA
I am not your girl anymore. I am in love with Gil.
MADDY
Love? That’s just what you think, Antonia.
ANTONIA
That is what I know. When I’m with Gil, I can feel a charge
rush through my entire body. So I hope everyone in North
Orange finds out I danced with Gil and that I LOVED IT. So
tell it, Maddy! Tell it to everyone in North Orange so my
love spreads like flames on a high wind piercing through
people’s home, singeing their hair, scorching their flesh,
charring their bigotry and hate into ashes! I hope my love
causes that riot. And I hope it’s a riot so huge and raging
that it bursts into a ball of flames as big as the sun and it
burns this whole place down to the ground!
MADDY
(struggling to maintain)
Young lady, I think you’ve lost your mind.
ANTONIA
No. I’ve found it.
(Antonia regards her hands. They’re
steady. She’s steady.)
ANTONIA
Gil and I are getting on the next bus to New Orleans where
we’ll be sitting-in at restaurants with other blacks who are
refused service. I believe this to be backward thinking and
extremely rude. I also believe society needs to be forward
thinking in order to have a bright future. But it’s not just
about table settings and technology and pills. It’s about
people. About everyone.
(kind)
I don’t understand why you can’t see this right now, Maddy,
but I know there is a place inside you that is kind and
accepting.
MADDY
Please, Antonia. So much is happening so fast. Don’t go.
Don’t leave me. Please.
 69.

ANTONIA
I can’t help Gil change the world if I stay here.
MADDY
But why do you have to help change the world?
(to Cassandra)
You told her that. And just how is this child going to change
the world?
(Antonia looks to a pained Cassandra.)
ANTONIA
How?
CASSANDRA
Antonia is going to die and the news will shock the country.
ANTONIA
I’m going to die? For Gil?
And my death will help change the future?
(finally understands)
Greatness.
MADDY
Greatness?
ANTONIA
I hope your vision is true, Cassandra. For it would not be
the worse death, which is a death without honor.
(Antonia immediately touches her mouth,
noticing something different.)
ANTONIA
For it would not be the worse death, which is a death without
honor.
(Antonia looks to Cassandra again,
smiles, then exits. Maddy is stunned.)
MADDY
You’re just going to let her go?
(Cassandra looks to the door, torn.
Beat, beat, beat.)

SCENE TWELVE:
Monday Evening
(Lights up on Maddy’s bedroom. Dressed
in her bathrobe, Maddy stands looking
at her special ukulele. She holds it
like a child, giving it an adoring
smile. Her smile fades.)
 70.

MADDY
Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason.
Why won’t you come back to me? What do I have to do?
I’m feeling...not so good.
(She strums the ukulele a few times and
then A STRING BREAKS. She stares at the
ukulele in her hands. The lights fade
on Maddy’s room as a spotlight grows on
Maddy. Soon, the sun rises...)

SCENE THIRTEEN:
Tuesday Morning
(Maddy’s room disappears, and she
finally puts away her ukulele.
A spotlight on a butcher block table
with her new handheld mixer, a bag of
flour, bag of sugar, a bottle of milk,
a mixing bowl and a baking tray. Maddy
looks at the table. It calls to her.
Her hands shake. She grows dark.
Beat, beat, beat.)
MADDY
Toasted crumpets, toasted crumpets, toasted crumpets, toasted
crumpets, TOASTED CRUMPETS.
(Maddy clasps her hands. She then
removes her robe to reveal a pretty
dress. She draws a smile on her face
and goes to the table where she
transforms into the blissful housewife.
She pours the flour, sugar and milk
into the large mixing bowl as she
addresses an unseen Jason and her two
sons. Maddy speaks and mixes the batter
with vigor and spunk.)
MADDY
My dearest Jason. I was thinking about what you said about
becoming a partner at your firm and that the only way to do
it is by marrying your boss’ daughter. Well, I’ve come to the
conclusion that you are positively right! But I do appreciate
you having given me the American dream: two kids, a house, a
car, pleasant neighbors, efficient home appliances, and your
eternal love. But alas, I hold no prestige. No wind for your
sails. It’s so clear that I won’t help you get anywhere in
this new decade of the 1960s. But how kind of you to allow me
to continue living here, in our house, with our sons. You
really didn’t have to do that, but that’s the kind of man you
are, Jason. Thoughtful.
Bobby and Timmy, isn’t your daddy just so thoughtful? Of
course they think that!
(a HUGE smile)
 71.

Anyway, I want to show you that I have absolutely NO bad

feelings toward your boss’ daughter, so I’m making her a
batch of my toasted English crumpets with this handheld mixer
you so thoughtful purchased for me. I’m going to finally get
these toasted crumpets right this time! You can count on me.
(Maddy winks. From the under the
butcher block, Maddy pulls out a large
dark bottle. She uncaps it and pours
the black liquid into the bowl.)
MADDY
What’s this, you ask? This, Jason, is a special flavoring
from the Hawaiian Islands. I snuck it into my bag the day you
and I left Honolulu because you never know, right? Anyway,
it’s an extract from of one of Hawaii’s native flowers,
Angel’s Trumpet. Doesn’t that just sound divine?
(She takes out handfuls of the batter
and begins to lovingly place them onto
the baking sheet.)
MADDY
But don’t you worry, Jason. It won’t be too exotic. The
Angel’s Trumpet adds a hint of a magical kind of sweetness.
And you know just how sweet I can be.
(With smile, she holds up the tray.)
MADDY
There. All I need to do now is bake these and let them cool
and then I will give them to your boss’ daughter myself. Oh,
I think that would be best, Jason. That I present them to her
to show that I give your new relationship my blessing.
(dead serious)
Now Bobby and Timmy, do not, do not, do not, do not, DO NOT
TOUCH THESE CRUMPETS. You listen to mommy like you always do,
okay? Okay. This is for daddy’s new wife for his new life and
we want to give her every single crumpet we’ve got.
(Maddy smiles. Hard.
Beat, beat, beat.)
SCENE FOURTEEN:
Tuesday Afternoon
(Clementine’s sitting room. Clementine
sits, intensely knitting her scarf. She
finishes her last stitch, cuts the
yarn, ties a knot, then snips the
remaining tail.
The doorbell rings.)
CLEMENTINE
Come in.
 72.

(Cassandra enters. Clementine stands

and the long blood red scarf unfurls,
as if a strange welcome mat for
Cassandra. Then Clementine smiles.)
CLEMENTINE
Thank you for coming. Please, sit.
(Cassandra slowly sits. Clementine
remains standing, placing the scarf
around her own neck.)
CLEMENTINE
Would you like something to relax you? Perhaps a Tom Collins
or a Manhattan? I imagine your days are exhausting, typing
away in a room all by yourself, while the other girls
socialize and gossip.
CASSANDRA
No, thank you.
CLEMENTINE
Very well. But I am exhausted, so I’m going to make myself a
cocktail.
(Clementine goes to the hutch and
begins to make herself an intricate
cocktail with several kinds of liquor.)
CLEMENTINE
Do you have an answer for me?
CASSANDRA
I prefer to keep my legs closed.
CLEMENTINE
I will give you more money.
CASSANDRA
I do not want more money.
CLEMENTINE
Surely you need more money. Everyone has a price.
CASSANDRA
I do not.
(Clementine ponders Cassandra’s words
as she finishes mixing her cocktail.
She takes a long sip.)
CLEMENTINE
Good for you, Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
Good for me?
 73.

CLEMENTINE
That you don’t have a price. Speaking for myself, I’ve been
bought off by Arthur since the day I got married. Kept quiet
by dresses and jewelry. Stifled with a car and a checking
account. He has done terrible things, and I have kept my
mouth shut. But there is one that is unforgivable.
(no tears)
Exactly two years ago, I gave birth to our third child. Iris.
To our surprise, she was born with phocomelia; she had no
arms and no legs. I loved Iris as I did Elizabeth and Oscar,
but Arthur? He was ashamed and didn’t want people to know
that his offspring was damaged. When we returned from the
hospital, Iris was hidden from our neighbors and even our own
children. Her first night home, I put her down in her crib
and gently covered her with a blanket I had knitted from this
very yarn. In the morning, I found Iris dead, her head
wrapped tightly with her blanket. The rumors spread in this
town like wildfire, and, needless to say, they were not kind
to me. Arthur then brought me to Doctor Tom Smith for an
operation of permanence. On the bright side, Tom and I soon
fell in love and things felt hopeful. Complicated, yes. But
hopeful. Love, however, does not care about balance.
My doctor finally realized what I’m capable of, and he
doesn’t want me anymore. But I still want my--
(a sudden realization)
No.
No.
But I do want something.
(beat)
I’ve never said any of this out loud before.
(Clementine throws back her drink, then
holds the scarf in her hands, feels its
weight. Her words are like steel.)
CLEMENTINE
Now I know. All these years, I’ve been biding my time with
words, endless words. Reno is no longer an option, but, as
you said, I have choices that I can make. So there is no need
for me to drag you down into my mud. I’m going to take care
of business myself. Something I should have done the morning
I found Iris dead.
(Clementine approaches Cassandra,
gently wraps her scarf around
Cassandra’s neck and smiles. Clementine
goes to her hutch, opens a drawer and
then pulls out A VERY LONG AND LARGE
KNIFE AND A SHARPENING STEEL. She feels
their weight in her hands.)
CLEMENTINE
When Arthur gave me this for a birthday gift, I was angry he
had gotten me a “domestic tool.” Because really, it was gift
for himself so I could slice him the perfect cut of meat. But
now, I am quite thankful.
(a hard shift)
I have to get prepared. Arthur will be home soon. Leave.
 74.

(Clementine begins to sharpen her

knife. Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.)
CLEMENTINE
You’re still here, Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
You are not thinking about the consequences of this choice.
CLEMENTINE
Oh, but I am.
(Scrape. Scrape. Scrape.)
CASSANDRA
I will not let you do it, Clementine.
(Clementine puts down the sharpening
steel and turns toward Cassandra. She
clutches the knife.)
CLEMENTINE
Is that so?
CASSANDRA
If you kill Arthur, there will be more carnage.
CLEMENTINE
Let me guess. You’re having one of your “visions”--
CASSANDRA
If you kill Arthur, your children will seek revenge.
CLEMENTINE
I will simply explain that their father murdered their
sister.
CASSANDRA
They will not believe you. And you will die by the hands of
your son, Oscar.
CLEMENTINE
Not Oscar.
CASSANDRA
Yes, Oscar. Does not your husband’s volcanic blood run
through your son’s veins?
(Clementine considers.)
CLEMENTINE
Oscar? My sweet boy? He would...?
(a switch)
Why do you care so much if I kill my husband?
CASSANDRA
Because, I am part of the carnage.
 75.

CLEMENTINE
Collateral damage.
CASSANDRA
Think about what would destroy Arthur more. You slicing his
throat and paying the consequences? Or you leaving North
Orange with your children and beginning a life of your own.
(Cassandra waits, longing for belief.
She takes a step toward Clementine and
then--
Clementine then pricks her thumb with
her knife. She regards her blood, then
tastes it. Her ancient rage erupts.)
CLEMENTINE
No.
Arthur will go down, and the life will burst out of him--
great sprays of blood and the murderous shower will wound me,
dye me black, and I, I will revel like the Earth when the
spring rains come down, the blessed gifts of the Sky, and the
new green spear splits the sheath and rips to birth in glory!
I am going to set this house in order, once and for all, SO
STAY OUT OF MY WAY.
CASSANDRA
No.
CLEMENTINE
No?
CASSANDRA
Not this time.
(Clementine smiles as she places the
knife on the coffee table.)
CLEMENTINE
Has anyone ever told you have an interesting sense of humor?
CASSANDRA
Never.
(Clementine lunges at Cassandra, grabs
the scarf around Cassandra’s neck and
begins to strangle her.
And then: They hear Maddy SCREAM.
Clementine stops strangling Cassandra
and clutches her scarf. Cassandra moves
away, gasping for air.)
CLEMENTINE
Did you hear that?
(They hear Maddy SCREAM again.)
 76.

CLEMENTINE
Did you hear that--?
CASSANDRA
They are happening! Tiny deaths, tiny deaths--!
CLEMENTINE
What are you talking about?
CASSANDRA
Tiny deaths! I warned her that if she let the darkness take
hold, there will be tiny deaths--!
CLEMENTINE
Who?
CASSANDRA
Maddy’s sons!
CLEMENTINE
No--!
CASSANDRA
APOLLO! How I curse thee for these visions! Vomit, blood,
gasping for breath! This is too much! Apollo, this is too
much!
CLEMENTINE
Tell me what is happening--!
(They hear Maddy SCREAM again.
Clementine looks toward Maddy’s home.
A spotlight on a distraught Maddy. She
clutches her two ukuleles. Their necks
are snapped and their strings severed.
She tries to play them, but no tune
comes out.)
MADDY
Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby
Timmy...
CLEMENTINE
WHAT IS HAPPENING?
CASSANDRA
Maddy poisoned her crumpets and her sons accidentally ate
them.
CLEMENTINE
How do you know this?
MADDY
(wails)
Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!
 77.

(Clementine looks towards Maddy’s house

again, utterly terrified.)
MADDY
Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby Timmy Bobby
Timmy...
(Maddy cradles her ukuleles and rocks
them. She continues to say “Bobby
Timmy” until she finally loses her
voice.)
CASSANDRA
It is too late. The boys are gone.
(Overwhelmed, Clementine regards her
scarf in horror.)
CLEMENTINE
Why didn’t Maddy listen to you? Why?
CASSANDRA
Love did not give her a choice to see life without Jason.
CLEMENTINE
And Antonia? Does she believe in your visions?
CASSANDRA
Not completely. But she has left this town and is following
her soul.
CLEMENTINE
And me? What about me?
(A terrified Clementine moves closer to
Cassandra.)
CLEMENTINE
Do I believe you, Cassandra? Do I? DO I BELIEVE YOU?
(Cassandra remains silent. Clementine
looks at her hands. One shakes, the
other remains steady.)
CLEMENTINE
I feel as if I’m standing at the edge of a very tall cliff. I
cannot turn back to go home, for my home no longer exists.
And I don’t know how to move forward. Below me are sharp
rocks and dangerous waves. Above me, clouds cover what I know
is a beautiful blue sky, but I just can’t see it.
I am stuck.
If I take a step off this cliff, I will surely fall--
(Cassandra touches Clementine’s shaking
hand and steadies it.)
CASSANDRA
Or perhaps you will fly.
 78.

(Clementine looks to Cassandra, who is

surprised by her own positive words.)
CLEMENTINE
Fly?
(Cassandra nods. Clementine is suddenly
struck deep to her core...and something
inside her awakes.)
CLEMENTINE
Fly.
(Beat.
Cassandra looks through Clementine--a
moment that reaches back to the
beginning of time. Clementine waits for
her answer. Slowly, Cassandra leans in
to kiss her...then stops herself.
Another beat. Then an understanding.)
CLEMENTINE
Here.
(Clementine gently places her red scarf
around Cassandra’s neck once again.)
CLEMENTINE
You look lovely in red, Cassandra.
CASSANDRA
Thank you.
CLEMENTINE
Thank you.
(Beat, beat, beat.)

SCENE FIFTEEN:
Tuesday Evening
(The bus stop. The street lamp
illuminates the bench, the sign and the
garbage can. They are now spray painted
with the words: DIE NIGGERS! and other
racist graffiti.
Dressed in her gabardine coat with
Clementine’s red scarf, Cassandra
enters carrying her suitcase. She sets
it down and stares at the graffiti.)
CASSANDRA
Assholes.
 79.

(She pulls out a cigarette, then

searches for her lighter but can’t find
it. She regards the cigarette.)
CASSANDRA
These things could kill me one day.
(She tosses the cigarette in the
garbage.
The strumming of a LYRE. But this time,
it’s out of tune and sounds terrible.
Apollo steps out of the shadows,
mindlessly plucking away at his lyre.
He looks dreadful--hair a mess, loin
cloth askew, circles under his eyes.)
APOLLO
I believe I smell a riot on the horizon. Fists thrown. Lips
busted up. Glass shattering. A molotov cocktail here and
there. And then, fire. But you. You must definitely smell a
riot on the horizon. Always seeing the dark side of things.
CASSANDRA
Why are you here again?
APOLLO
I don’t need to be summoned by you if I want to show up at
the bus stop, woman.
(suspicious)
Why are you wearing that scarf?
CASSANDRA
Clytemnestra gave it to me. As a gift.
APOLLO
A gift?
CASSANDRA
That is what I said.
APOLLO
(very suspicious)
Huh.
Where are you going?
CASSANDRA
I am leaving North Orange.
APOLLO
I can see that you’re leaving. Where are you going?
CASSANDRA
I am sure you will find me soon enough.
APOLLO
Why?
 80.

CASSANDRA
Why what?
APOLLO
Why are you leaving?
(Beat.)
CASSANDRA
I am going to be a doctor.
APOLLO
(laughs)
A what?
CASSANDRA
A doctor.
APOLLO
Who ever heard of a black lady doctor in America?
CASSANDRA
There are black female doctors--
APOLLO
Why?
CASSANDRA
Why what?
APOLLO
Why do you want to be a doctor?
CASSANDRA
Not that it is any of your business, but being a doctor has
always been a calling of mine. I just never allowed myself to
say it out loud.
APOLLO
(wags his finger at her)
I’m on to you, Cassandra. This isn’t coming from some deep
ethical place. This is a tactic. You just want people to
believe what you tell them because only idiots and skeptics
don’t believe their doctors--HA! HA! HA!
(Apollo laughs in a delirious manner
and then crashes onto the bench,
exhausted. He plunks his lyre then lets
out a long sigh.)
APOLLO
I got Medea. Antigone looks like she’s on the fence about her
suicide, but she’ll wind up in jail after a protest, and then
she’ll off herself to make some sort of a “statement.” You’ll
see. I’ll get her, too.
CASSANDRA
Maybe you will not get Antigone.
 81.

APOLLO
Right, right. And just because Clytemnestra “gifted you” her
scarf and didn’t kill you or her husband today, doesn’t mean
she won’t kill you both later.
By the way, I know what you did with Clytemnestra. Why did
you stop yourself?
CASSANDRA
Because...This time, she needs to make her own decision to
change her fate.
APOLLO
(shakes his head)
Oh, my dear. All of this “work” you did. All this “trying to
be more powerful than a god and man.” And for what? You’re
still cursed and crazy, and you haven’t had one second of
fun. I told you. It’s useless to try to run away from fate.
Because in the end, fate always wins.
So why are you really leaving North Orange?
CASSANDRA
Because it is better than being stuck just because I am told
I have no choice but to be stuck. I am finally taking my own
advice this time and making a choice to move forward. And
maybe, maybe I will get so far ahead of fate that it will not
be able catch up with me.
APOLLO
But it will.
CASSANDRA
Or it will not.
APOLLO
It will.
(Apollo stands, wobbles a bit, and
catches his balance. Then, with some
hesitation, he holds out his hand like
a gentleman.)
APOLLO
Cassandra. Darling.
I would like you to come with me and live on my palatial
estate on Mount Olympus. We’ll be pampered by nymphs as we
feast on ambrosia. We’ll frolic in fields of poppies as we
are serenaded by my muses. We’ll watch the world go by as I
adore you and you worship me. And we will have plenty of sex.
What do we need with these mortals and their life of science
and progress? The answer? We don’t. Because we’ll have each
other. I will be so good to you, that in time, I’ll willingly
remove my curse, and you will never want to leave me.
(Apollo continues to hold out his hand.
A long moment. He becomes impatient.)
APOLLO
Come now. This should not be difficult to answer.
 82.

CASSANDRA
No.
APOLLO
Excuse me?
CASSANDRA
No.
APOLLO
So what you’re saying is you’d rather be cursed for all
eternity, than live with me in paradise forever?
CASSANDRA
Yes.
(Apollo is flummoxed and enraged. He
kicks and punches at the air.)
APOLLO
You. You. You. You. YOU--
(He yawns. He is so enraged at his yawn
that it causes him to yawn more. At the
end of the yawn, he collects himself.)
APOLLO
(full of venom)
You, Cassandra, have a sad sad life.
CASSANDRA
As do you, Apollo.
APOLLO
What?
CASSANDRA
My life is sad, and so is yours.
APOLLO
Weren’t you listening to me? The ambrosia, the nymphs, the
palatial estate on Mount Olympus? I have a wonderful life!
CASSANDRA
With no one to share it with.
(Apollo fidgets.)
CASSANDRA
That is why you cannot sleep at night. Because you are
feeling that creeping feeling that you will end up alone.
APOLLO
That’s not possible. I’ll eventually meet someone because I
am going to live forever--
 83.

CASSANDRA
You will. But you will be alone. And in time, you will also
become more insignificant than you already are.
APOLLO
Insignificant? Ha!
(FAST AND DELIRIOUS)
I am god of the sun, reason, prophesy, music, the arts, et
cetera, et cetera. Worshipped and idolized--the subject of
countless paintings and sculptures and poems and plays--and
feared, let’s not forget feared, for thousands and thousands
and thousands of years. Why, just the other day, a village in
the mountains of Crete sacrificed a goat in my honor!
CASSANDRA
Oh, right. That goat.
APOLLO
It was very large and majestic goat! And I’m sure there are
more goats to come!
(Cassandra looks through Apollo. He
fidgets.)
APOLLO
There are more goats to come...right?
CASSANDRA
I do not know what is worse. Being alone or becoming
completely insignificant. What do you think? I guess you do
not really have to answer that because you are going to end
up alone and you will become an utterly insignificant god.
For that is your ultimate fate.
APOLLO
How dare you speak of my ultimate fate!
CASSANDRA
I am only speaking of what I see, Apollo, which is the gift
that you so thoughtfully gave me.
But wait. There is something else.
APOLLO
What? What is it?
CASSANDRA
I see that we must suffer into the truth.
That we must all suffer into the truth. Including you.
(Apollo tries to muster up some rage
and puffs out his chest. But he soon
cracks and deflates.)
APOLLO
Oh, my poor Hyacinth. My poor, poor Hyacinth. I never meant
to. I didn’t mean to...And now I’m...And you. You won’t
even...I’m just.
 84.

(Apollo collapses on the bench and

breaks down into a big godlike sobs.)
APOLLO
What will happen to me, Cassandra? What will become of me?
(Cassandra sits next to him. She allows
Apollo to put his head on her shoulder.
Beat, beat, beat.
He clings to her and they embrace.
Beat, beat, beat.
Then he leans in...And they kiss. He
pulls back and smiles at her.)
APOLLO
More.
(He closes his eyes and opens his
mouth, hungry for another kiss.
BEAT, BEAT, BEAT.
Cassandra then SPITS in his mouth.
He jumps back.)
APOLLO
What did you do that for?
(Cassandra stands up. She looks around,
testing her skin.
BEAT, BEAT, BEAT.)
APOLLO
I mean honestly, we were having a moment together, really
connecting and then you go and--
(It dawns on him. It dawns on her.
Cassandra SMILES for the first time.
The beating grows in pace. The street
lamp begins to strobe.)
APOLLO
Oh no.
CASSANDRA
Ask me what Clytemnestra chooses to do this time--
APOLLO
Cassandra--
CASSANDRA
ASK ME.
 85.

APOLLO
(resigned)
What does Clytemnestra choose to do this time?
CASSANDRA
I do not know. I really do not know!
(HUGE SMILE)
Anything is possible.
(The street lamp bulb POPS and the
beating stops.
The curse is broken. Cassandra’s mind
is quiet. Finally.
And in the distance, North Orange is
set on fire.)
END OF PLAY