Stained Glass Mark S.P. Turvin Characters: Man Woman 1st Nun 2nd Nun Monsignor Jansen Scene: The hidden recesses of the memory. UC are two straightbacked wooden chairs facing DS slightly angled away from each other. Time: The modern era The lights come up on...the Man slouching in a chair. He wears a stained t-shirt and jeans. He is dozing, listening to a voice on a radio. The Woman is moving around the other. She is wearing a tight blouse, a short skirt. She is dressing. Preacher (VO) Remember that God is love! Congregation (VO) Amen! Preacher (VO) Remember that Jesus is our savior! Congregation (VO) Amen! Preacher (VO) Remember that Christ died for our sins! Congregation (VO) Amen! Man (Groggily, syncopated with above) Amen. (Snorts sarcastically. The Woman is putting on her high- heeled shoes. The strap is broken on one of them) Woman (Angrily) Goddamnit! (She tosses the shoe violently onto the floor) Nun 1 & Nun 2 (VO) (Simultaneously, whispered) God is love. (The Man jolts out of his slumber. The woman looks around suspiciously) Man & Woman (Simultaneously, sarcastically) God is love. Nun 1 & Nun 2 (VO) Peace be with you. Man & Woman (Simultaneously, bewildered--a programmed response) And also with you. The nuns enter from their respective sides of the stage. Nun 1 is standing beside the Man, and Nun 2 beside the Woman. The Man and Woman sit up straight in their chairs, folding their hands in their laps. They are now listening to lectures given by different Nuns in separate class rooms. Through this section, when the Man is moving, the Woman is frozen, and vice versa. The faint sound of a boys choir in rehearsal is heard in the background throughout the scene until near the end. 1st Nun (VO) Name the seven deadly sins. 2nd Nun (VO) Name the seven cardinal virtues. Man (Fast) Anger. Woman (Fast) Courage. Man Covetousness. Woman Virtue. Man Envy. Woman Charity. Man Lust. Woman Fidelity. Man Gluttony. Woman Purity. Man Pride. Woman Humility. Man Sloth. Woman Faith. 1st & 2nd Nun (Simultaneously) Good. 1st Nun These are the sins that we are warned about by God. 2nd Nun These are the seven cardinal virtues that God has given to us to lead us to him. And since God is love, we all want to follow his rules. (The Man is actively looking SR, as though looking through a window. Sharply) Nun 1 Is there something I can help you with, mister? Man (Child-like) I'm sorry, it's just that it stopped raining. The sun's coming out. (Man points to the window and freezes. The Woman keeps shifting in her seat, and shaking her head in a confused way) Nun 2 Do you disagree with that, little miss? Woman (Child-like) If God is Love, than why would he make things so hard for us? (Woman freezes, Man unfreezes) 1st Nun (Angrily) That is why you've interrupted this class? Let's all thank our little weatherman here. Do you realize how important these lessons will be on Sunday? (Woman unfreezes) 2nd Nun (Angrily) It's a test, little miss. A test which you seem intent on failing. Do you realize how important these lessons will be on Sunday? (Both Man and Woman act surprised at their treatment) 1st Nun Do you understand what's at stake here? 2nd Nun (Syncopated with above) Do you want to be tempted by evil? Man (Syncopated with above) Yes, ma'am. Woman (Syncopated with above) No, ma'am. 1st Nun Do you care more about the weather than God? 2nd Nun (Syncopated with above) Does it matter that your impertinence could land you in Hell? Man (Syncopated with above) No, ma'am. Woman (Syncopated with above) Yes, ma'am. (There is a smacking sound, a ruler on their desks, and the Man and Woman pull their hands away) 1st Nun It's obvious you don't care to listen. 2nd Nun It's obvious I care more about your soul than you. 1st and 2nd Nun (Simultaneously) Monsignor Jansen's office. (Beat) Now! The both of them stand. They move behind the straightbacked chairs. They are both lit by colorful lights shining from what appears to be stained glass in front of each of them. Monsignor (Softly) You know why you're here. (Both nod) Don't you know that you have been showing the church nothing but disrespect and scorn. My poor, misguided children. What must God think of you? Man (Looks to audience) The stained glass window's a still-life of the shattering of a beautiful rainbow into shards; bright with the sunlight streaming from behind. (Looks back to the desk before him) Monsignor There are temptations everywhere. It's obvious that you don't take your religious studies seriously. Can't you see that this is an affront to God. Be honest. You know it, I know it, and He knows it. A sin against your teacher, or against me, or against yourself, is a sin against Him. (Pause) Right? (Man and Woman nod) Answer me! Man and Woman (Simultaneously) Yes, Monsignor Jansen. Monsignor You want to be saved, right? You don't want to end up in Hell, do you? Man and Woman (Simultaneously) No, Monsignor Jansen. Monsignor Then you know what to do. You've brought this on yourselves. May God forgive you. (Hesitantly, the Man and Woman stand up) Quickly, now. (They each move to the desk before them. They put their hands on the desks and bend over. There is the sharp cracking sound of a riding crop, and each of them reacts accordingly) Woman (To the audience) This is a memory of pain, held pressed against the desk, Monsignor panting behind: I concentrate on the suspended colors ahead. (She looks back at the window) Monsignor You know that I don't want to do this. You make me do this. It's the evil inside you that makes me have to do this. (The sharp cracking sound once more, and once more their reaction) It's how little you care about God, and how much He cares about you. (The sharp cracking sound once more, and once more their reaction) And how much I care about you. I want you to be good. (The sharp cracking sound once more, and once more their reaction) For His sake. (The sharp cracking sound once more, and once more their reaction) Do you understand? Man and Woman (Simultaneously, with pain) Yes, Monsignor Jansen. Monsignor Tell that to God. Man and Woman (Simultaneously, louder) Yes, Monsignor Jansen. Monsignor (Whispered) Humble yourself in the face of God. (The Man looks down and begins to unbuckle his pants) Man (While he's taking off his pants and underwear, to the audience) This is a memory of pain, held pressed against the desk, Monsignor panting behind: I concentrate on the colors ahead. (He looks back at the window) Monsignor (Whispered) Humble yourself in the face of God. (The Woman looks down and raises her skirt, lowering her underwear) Woman (While she's doing the above, to the audience) I concentrate on the colors ahead. (The sharp cracking sound once more, and once more their reaction) Monsignor Jesus was given 39 lashes, and He was the Son of God. (There is a sharp sound, but this time it is flesh hitting flesh. They react accordingly) For what you have done, you deserve more. You must learn piety. You must learn to love God as He loves you. I will show you how much He loves you. Your pain is a gift to God. (They both react larger than before as there is the sound of flesh against flesh, but this is no slap) Man (Turns slightly to the audience, in obvious pain) The Yellow pieces of glass catch the eye first. Woman (Turns slightly to the audience, also in obvious pain) The Blue and Green are both soothing... Man The imperfections and bubbles within them... Woman ...completely out of place in the scene that their darkness reflects back to me-- Man ...cause the faint silhouettes of trees to pucker and warp... Woman ...hundreds of tiny colored tiles that beam with my tear-strained face... Man ...with each of the painful gyrations he's forcing me through. Woman ...and the flushed Monsignor's jiggling above. Monsignor Body of Christ. Man The Orange is the fire that is raining down on me... Woman (Quickly) ...that is filling me... Man (Quickly) ...that he's ramming into me... Monsignor Body of Christ. Woman (Quickly) ...and the Red is like the blood of my sacrifice... Man (Quickly) ...the tearing, throbbing of the pain... Monsignor Body of Christ. Man and Woman (Simultaneously) ...and the secret that he commands us to keep, or our delicate souls will never make their desired journey, despite our First Communion in three days. (Silence. The Man and Woman put their clothing back on, and then kneel before the audience in obvious pain. They fold their hands in prayer in front of them and lower their heads) Monsignor (With power, as during a sermon) This is the holiest of days for you, my children, for today is the day that you have reached adulthood and can be trusted to choose between good and evil. Always remember that God loves you, and will do all he can to protect you from evil, for as the Holy Bible says in Genesis 18:23, "Abraham drew near God and said, 'Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?'" (The Man and Woman look at each other, then up. The Man makes a move to stand, but the Woman grabs his arm and holds him back. He looks at her, and she shakes her head He returns to the kneeling position, still looking at her, pleadingly. The Monsignor goes to give the Eucharist to the Man) The body of Christ. (He moves to the woman and gives her the Eucharist) The body of Christ. Man, Woman, 1st Nun and 2nd Nun (Simultaneously) (They look away from each other, bowing their heads once more. Strongly) Amen. Blackout STAINED GLASS--Mark S.P. Turvin Draft #3-January, 1997 Printed STAINED GLASS MARK S.P. TURVIN