Ruhl - Passion Play

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Table of Contents

CHARACTERS

P	plays Pontius Pilate and Satan (was Pontius the Fish Gutter in Part One)
J	plays Jesus; Ps brother (was John the Fisherman in Part One)
MARY 1	plays the Virgin Mary (was Mary 1 in Part One)
MARY 2	plays Mary Magdalen; Mary 1s sister (was Mary 2 in Part One)
VA PSYCHIATRIST	also plays ensemble roles (was Visiting Friar in Part One)
VIOLET	Mary 1s child, three years old when we first meet her (was Village Idiot in Part One)
CARPENTER 1	also plays ensemble roles (was Carpenter 1 in Part One)
CARPENTER 2	also plays ensemble roles (was Carpenter 2 in Part One)
DIRECTOR	(was Director in Parts One and Two)
YOUNG DIRECTOR	(was Machinist in Part One)
PRESIDENT REAGAN	also plays Queen Elizabeth and Hitler

NOTES ON CASTING

There is some flexibility in terms of how to cast the ensemble roles; one of the Carpenters or the Visiting Englishman could play the Young Director, for example. The special effects guy could be played by the Machinist (which makes sense thematically); but if one of the Carpenters or the Visiting Englishman is more suited to the role, so be it. However, it seems important that the Visiting Friar become the VA Psychiatrist in terms of the transition toward secular confession in the modern world...

SET

Open space.
The suggestion of a tollbooth.
A horizon line.

1970: Spiritual need as there never was before. The turning away from God and modern mans flight before the world to come have in this world led to perplexity, helplessness, and resignation, to a fight of all against all... Man wanting to be like God and to redeem himself by his own strength has failed deplorably. Is this the reason why scores of people flock to Oberammergau?

DR. KARL IPSER,
Das Passions Spiel Oberammergau,
official illustrated catalogue, 1970

ACT ONE

ONE: PROLOGUE

ENSEMBLE

Spearfish, South Dakota, 1969!
Picture red earth
dead tribes
knickknacks, ghost towns
big signs for miles
telling you, somethings comin
the corn palace
a real palace made entirely out of corn,
thats right, corn
Ever been to the badlands?
You could go crazy
one stretch of rock looks
just like another stretch of rock.
In French the badlands means something like
this land is not so good for living in
but not many people speak French out here anymore.
Keep going, keep driving
Youll pass the Battle of Wounded Knee
wasnt really a battle, more like a massacre
it snowed a lot that daythe blood got covered up.
Drive past the Harley convention,
people riding with their beards
flapping in the wind.
Keep going, keep driving
youre smack dab in the middle of this country
the Black Hills all around
then youll hit exit twelve:
the Passion Play of South Dakota.

TWO: 1969BACKSTAGE

Backstage at the Passion Play
after a performance.
J, who plays Jesus,
and P, who plays Pontius Pilate.
Theyre brothers.
Theyre taking off their costumes
and their makeup and drinking cold sodas.
Its hot out.

J

People were crying today, front row. I was glad, for your last one.

P

Till I come back.

J

Thats what I meant.

Mom wants everyone up at the house tonight. Everyones real proud.

P

Yeah. Youll look after Mary when Im gone, wont you?

J

Course I will.

P

I wanted to give you something before I left.

He gets out a reel to reel.

J

Music?

P

No, I recorded the wind. On top of the mountain.

J

Youre always doing something funny.

P

I thought maybe you could use it, for concentrationhelp you study.

J

Uhthanks.

P

So, what are they teaching youup there at the university?

J

Philosophy.

P

Who you at now?

J

Saint Augustine.

P

Aw, Saint Augustine. Good stuff. Gotten to the part where he goes to the hooker?

J

Im behind.

P

Well, he goes to a hooker.

J

But hes a saint.

P

I know. But he repents. Thats the whole thinghe repents.

J

I bet they have hookers overseas.

P

Ill be thinking about Mary.

J

I know. Just kidding.
Lookthanks for the wind thing.
I mean it. Ill miss you.

P

Dont talk like that.

A crowd enters, all dressed in Biblical costume.

CROWD

Surprise!

For hes a jolly good fellow, for hes a jolly good fellow, for hes a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!

P

You didnt have to do this!
Mary 1 enters in her Virgin Mary costume.
She carries in a cake with candles.

MARY 1

Make a wish.

P

Its not my birthday.

MARY 1

But your birthdayll be over there. Were celebrating early.

P

Okay.

He blows the candles out.
P and Mary 1 kiss.

Wanna know what I wished for?

MARY 1

Its against the rules!

P

Okay, I wont tell you. Ill show you.

He gets down on his knees.

Will you?

MARY 1

Did you plan this?

P

Got the ring right here!

He takes the ring out of his Pontius uniform.
Queen Elizabeth enters, slow, silent.
Everyone suspends,
P kneeling before Mary 1.

THE QUEEN

My loving people.

I am resolved to live or die amongst you all, to lay down, for my God, and for my kingdom, my honor and my blood. For I am married to England!

She takes Ps ring for a moment.

She considers the ring. She puts it on her wedding finger.

We shall shortly have a famous victory over the enemies of my God!

Queen Elizabeth places her hand on Ps head as he kneels.

Go forth into battle, my son, and go with God!

She places the ring on Mary 1s finger.
She moves to exit.
Mary 2 snaps a polaroid. A flash.
The scene continues as before.

P

(To Mary 1) Take that veil off!

She does.
He kisses her.
Everyone finishes singing:
For hes a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!

Queen Elizabeth slowly processes across the stage, waving to the crowd.
She exits.
No one notices.

THREE

A backstage tour, out of time.

MARY 2

(To the audience) That was the day everyone remembered. The day Pontius Pilate proposed to the Virgin Mary. Heres a polaroid I snappedsee, Pontius Pilate is kneeling down... proposing to my sister backstage.

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