Monday, February 17, 2014

The Cross, 1977

Begins with a actor dressed all in black or brown.  The actor is curled up in a ball.  There is a little twitching and out pops a finger.  Then an arm; then a leg; until a tree emerges from "the seed".  He starts to sway in the breeze and is happy to be alive with facial expressions and upper body movements, but feet stay planted firmly to the floor.  Tree is very innocent and full of wonder.

Hello world.  I don't know where I came from, but here I am.  Oh, I love the wind.  It feels so good.  And the sunshine?  It's so warm.  Hello little birdie.  Do you want to sit on one of my branches?  You have a pretty song.  (whistles like a bird)  Oh, this is nice.  Let me see if I can reach up and touch the clouds.  No, not quite, but I will one day.  (looks down toward the ground)  Oh, there's a man down there.  Hello Mr. Man.  Whatcha doing down there?  What do you have in your hand?  Ow!  That hurt.  Ow!  You did it again.  Why are you hurting me, Mr. Man?  I didn't do anything to you.  (The outstretched arms like branches come down to his side as a board)  Hey, where are you taking me?  I don't want to go with you.  I want to stay with my friends.  (one arm is stretched out rigidly and then the other in the shape of a cross.  The actor must hold this position for the rest of the monologue)

Hey, what's this?  Why did you make me look like this?  I can't move anymore.  I can't reach toward the sky.  What's going...  (bounces as being put in a hole with a thud  Well, thanks for putting me in that hole.  I was kind of afraid of falling over without my roots.  Hey, what are you doing to that man?  He looks like a nice guy.  Why are you beating him?  And you're putting him up here?  Ow!  Why did you put that nail in him and then in me?  Ow!  You did it again.  Hey don't say those things to him.  He seems like a nice guy.  Hey Mister.  Why are they throwing things at you?  They're hitting me too.  Ow!  What did you say?  It is finished?  What does that mean?  Mister?  Mister?  Oh no.  He's dead.  And they are going to blame it on me.  Why me?

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