The Scarlet Libretto

Act One. Scene One

1 Act One Scene One It is June. Lights rise on a common in old Boston, a space serving as marketplace and green. On one side the hulking jailhouse where, surprisingly, a blooming rose bush thrives. Next to the jailhouse door, steps rise to a scaffold about shoulder height. Across the open space a community meeting house rises. It too has steps outside it, leading to a balcony that is significantly higher than the scaffold. With an aura of excited anticipation, townspeople gather in the space between these two edifices, most of them dressed for laboring, a few with the dark tunics and broad white collars of the seventeenth century Puritan. A SAILOR Over the teeming sea we sailed. Out of the secret woods we carved a settlement for man and God. A FARMER Good is the land we cleared for Him. Free from the lash, the stranger’s law. Into the light of God we come. SAILOR Mark how the town has taken form. FARMER Mark how the will of God has farmed from Governor to lowest worm. The dignitaries have begun to gather on the meeting house balcony, including Governor Bellingham in his finery, the elder minister John Wilson, and the pale young minister Arthur Dimmesdale. 2 GOODWIFE 1 The winter’s past, the rose in bloom. Now sunlight has dispelled the gloom though forest shadows crowd our homes. CHORUS We framed the cabins of our faith. We cleared the ways and muddy lanes. This clarity we do embrace. New England is our home, the shore and forest ours for evermore. Our Lord has opened up the door. WILSON (to the people) Repent. The world was born in sin. BELLINGHAM Repent. Let freedom here begin. DIMMESDALE Repent and hide thy shameful skin. CHORUS We do repent our sins to God who gave His son in earthly blood. We mark His law in every deed. We built this town in praise to Thee. In freedom know we are not free. From Thy swift justice nothing flees. The forest shadows crowd our homes. Redeem the day, the rose that blooms. The winter’s past and all its harms. 3 Hester Prynne is led from the jailhouse by the grisly townbeadle with staff in hand. They turn to the steps, their backs to the audience, though we have just made out that Hester carries a baby in her arms. Slowly they ascend the scaffold. CHORUS One law for the sea we crossed. One law for the forest dark. One law for the savage heart. One law for the babe in arms. Roger Chillingworth has entered the crowd in the company of an Indian in feathered regalia. He looks about with deep interest at the scene, taking in the levels of balcony, scaffold and street. GOODWIFE 2 The Devil lives in yonder wood. Hester Prynne is of his brood. At night she eats his pilfered food. GOODWIFE 3 She leveled shame upon us all and now must wear the bitch’s pall and letter of the broken rule. Having mounted the scaffold, Hester turns so that all can see the embroidered A fastened to her bodice over the heart. She stands bare-headed, beautiful and dignified, holding her baby. CHORUS One law for the sea we crossed. One law for the forest dark. One law for the savage heart One law for the babe in arms. 4 One law for the fallen world. One law for eternity. One law for the woman’s child. One law, our community. Save us from the Evil One. Save us till all time has run Save us! Save us! Winter from the world is gone. God’s light on the town has shone. Save us! Save us! Passionate loving One, give us Thy blessed Son. Save us! Save us! CHILLINGWORTH Who is to be saved? SAILOR Those born in sin. CHILLINGWORTH Meaning us all? SAILOR And her—Hester Prynne. Chillingworth starts at the name, looks up at the woman on the scaffold. FARMER You must be a stranger, friend, and do not know the scandal in Master Dimmesdale’s church. Our fine young minister 5 now must dispel the bad effect of this deed. CHILLINGWORTH Long was my journey by land and by sea, my bondage far off among the heathen. Today this Indian kindly has brought me out of captivity. SAILOR...