The Myopia and Other Plays by David Greenspan

Dead Mother, or Shirley Not All in Vain

Dead Mother, or Shirley Not All in Vain David Greenspan in Dead Mother, or Shirley Not All in Vain. New York Shakespeare Festival/Public Theater, New York, 1991. Photograph by Thomas McGovern. Dead Mother, or Shirley Not All in Vain First produced by Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival / Public Theater, New York City, January 1991. Harold David Greenspan Daniel Ben Bodé Sylvia Terra Vandergaw Maxine Mary Shultz Uncle Saul Ron Bagden Melvin Steve Mellor Set Design by William Kennon Lighting Design by David Bergstein Costume Design by Elsa Ward Directed by David Greenspan Characters: Acts 1, 3, and 5 Harold Daniel, Harold’s brother Sylvia, Harold’s wife Maxine, Daniel’s ‹ancée Uncle Saul, Maxine’s great-great-uncle Melvin, Harold and Daniel’s father Act 2 Harold plays Eris Daniel plays Peleus and Paris Sylvia plays Thetis Maxine plays Aphrodite, Athena, and Hera Uncle Saul plays Prometheus Melvin plays Zeus Act 4 Harold Daniel plays the Narrator Sylvia plays the Whale Maxine Uncle Saul plays Alice B. Toklas Melvin plays the Ferryman 86 Notes: Harold never dresses as a woman! As with the other characters in Act 2, fanciful Greek costuming may be used. Aside from that, he should remain in his own clothing throughout the entire escapade. A single strand of pearls is added when he assumes the character of Shirley. No more than that. Aside from the few props indicated in the script, the only “set” is a couch. It should remain center until the moment in Sylvia’s Epilogue when Sylvia pushes it (and the tea cart) to the side. Scene titles are for the reader only; they should not be announced or projected during performance . Scene changes are instantaneous. No change of set. No music. Uncle Saul speaks with a thick East European (Yiddish) accent. He doesn’t need to be played by an elderly actor. No intermission is necessary. If one is taken, it should occur between Acts 3 and 4. Dead Mother, or Shirley Not All in Vain / 87 Act 1 introduction Maxine: I would just like to say that I’ve come to this theater now for many years—since the early seventies—I’m a subscriber. And I really— I’m a big supporter of the work that goes on here—I really love it—I love this theater. But lately, I’ve . . . I’m beginning to feel a little . . . alienated because . . . well, the last three—I think—plays we’ve seen here the leading characters have been . . . gay people, and I’m just beginning to feel a little on the outside—I don’t know. Now I don’t feel . . . my—you know my son is gay and I don’t have a problem with that—I think it’s great—it’s important that that kind of thing is seen on stage, etc. It’s just—and I say this with the greatest appreciation for what you do here—it’s just that I’m feeling a little left out. I guess I would like to see a play . . . more plays—with heterosexual characters. And . . . well, that’s all. I think that’s all I wanted to say. (Pause.) I hope I haven’t offended anybody. [Light changes.] sylvia remembers Sylvia: Yes. Yes, I remember, Daniel, I remember that night you arranged for Harold to come to me you did. It was dark the night air rushed in about me I left open my window. I regard the moon out my window— it is there—full circle in the sky is the white blot beyond the open window it hangs there bright moon hanging there I look to the moon is there. The breeze gently blown I feel it on my legs it blows against my ankles I rub together from the chill of the breeze blown in through the open window out which I regard the distant white moon bright stop. Heartbeat. Stop. Heart beating faster now heartbeat I hear sound of I here still gazing at the moon out the window I hear steps nearing below the wind oh! steps feet meaning some thing/one climbing up the— “Oh, the trellis!”—oh, legs quivering now heart stopping breath stop moon human silhouette climbing in the sky someone covering the moon as Daniel said it would it be it, “Harold?”—climbing up the trellis ? blotting out the moon out the window I...