Of Saints and Sinners

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    Of Saints and Sinners

    By John McCarrick

    One Steve Glendenning

    Jefferson High School

    110 Mordington Avenue, Charles Town WV, 25414

    Thespian Troupe 2774

    December 8th

    , 2010

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 3List of Characters:

    Alexander

    Caroline

    Despair

    Jessica

    Judgment

    Madness

    Officer Bornholm

    Retribution

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 4(The play opens with three distinct scenes in the dark created in any way the director

    chooses. The first is ALEXANDER alone under a large industrial bridge [this can be implied

    with a flat painted to look like such in the distance].The second is a crime scene with OFFICER

    BORNHOLM and JESSICA laying dead on the ground covered by a bloody sheet and

    surrounded by crime scene tape polls [From here on referred to as Jessicas House set].The

    third is CAROLINEin her and Alexs home[known from here on out as Home set],sitting on a

    couch alone with a box of tissues.)

    (Lights up on Alexs scene, from here on referred to as the Bridge set)

    ALEXANDER: (holding his head in his hands) What have I done God whathave I done

    (light on Bornholm immediately)

    BORNHOLM: (shouting towards the audience, music starts) I WILL bring you to justice! I

    swear to you, you son of a bitch!

    (lights up on Caroline immediately, music builds up during lines)

    CAROLINE: (crying) Alexander! Where are you! Come home, please

    (all lights out immediately, music climax and loudly, abruptly, ends)

    ALEXANDER: (over a microphone two seconds after the music ends) What have I done?

    (a single light fades onto center stage, focusing on Alex only. He is kneeling over on the ground,

    still with his hands on his face)

    JUDGEMENT: Murder. You have committed murder.

    (JUDGEMENT stands on a pedestal, with a morose stone pair of wings in the background as

    well as a light. He stands almost perfectly still, except for hand movements and the like, the

    entire play)

    ALEXANDER: (snapping his head up and standing quickly) WHOS THERE?

    MADNESS: Why, YOU are there!

    (lights up on MADNESS, whom leaves his cluttered and messy desk to start slowly/creepily

    crawling or stalking towards Alexander and around him.)

    DESPAIR: Alone, in the dark.

    (lights up on DESPAIR, sitting at a chair and desk with a single hour glass on it. He has a set of

    dice that he occasionally plays with. The motions he makes are stiff and skeletal)

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 5MADNESS: (Skulking behind Despair in the light, giving Madness the iconic moose-antlers

    before popping out from beside him to speak, despair shows no response) With us. (Madness

    moves back to his own desk with a dance or skip)

    ALEXANDER: (looking at Despair and Madness, then back to Judgment) Where am I?

    RETRIBUTION: Silence, listen now.

    (As RETRIBUTION is talking above, lights up on Retribution and Alexander turns to face him.

    [now with all lights up, this is referred to as The Trial set from here on out]Retribution is sitting

    behind his own desk, which is neatly organized with an ink well, quill, and several papers)

    DESPAIR: It is all you can do.

    JUDGEMENT: Alexander Hanes (Alexander responds to his name immediately and turns his

    back to the audience) you are hereby on trial for the murder of Jessica Bornholm. What say you?

    ALEXANDER: (turning shamefully back to the audience, moving forward in the light some) I

    God I dont know what happened. She was being so cruel, so spiteful, years she hurt me and

    Caroline God I just, I snapped! I didnt mean to kill her!

    RETRIBUTION: That does not change the fact. (turning his chair or simply in his chair

    towards Judgment, as if petitioning) I for one stand that Alexander should face justice at the

    hands of the legal enforcement that are currently perusing him as we speak!

    MADNESS: (leaning his head on his arm as he is speaking, drumming his fingers on the desk

    with the other hand) Oh NATURALLY you would wish that, wouldnt you? (Retribution faces

    Madness, Madness has a quick change in attitude to bright and happy, but while speaking thelines slowly change to a twisted violent anger) I say we let him lose! Go wild! Have a party! Kill

    a few more whores, no ones going to miss them!

    RETRIBUTION: (rebuking Madness) Enough blood has been spilt!

    DESPAIR: (rolling his dice before talking, very calmly) Not enough. No, there is only one end

    to this. Come Alexander, let us find a nice high bridge

    RETRIBUTION: (scoffing) A cowards way out, he deserves to be punished!

    MADNESS: (said inquisitively) Or he could be really ballsy and try to take on the entireBornholm line!

    RETRIBUTION: (overlapping argument) (standing quickly from his chair and pointing

    accusingly at Madness, very dramatically like an upper class stereotype offended) How dare you

    say such a thing! Do you have no concept of morality and law, cretin!

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 6MADNESS: (overlapping argument) (jumping up on his desk and mimicking Retributions exact

    movements while speaking) Dont be so boring! Morality is for the weak, law abiding puppets!

    (starts breaking his mocking and plays with an imaginary marionette, giggling)

    DESPAIR: (overlapping argument) (hissing whilst standing and loudly tapping his scythe on the

    floor) Youre both wrong! His fate is clear, allow him to embrace it with clear mind!

    JUDGEMENT: (holding out his hand after the rest have argued, cutting them off) ENOUGH!

    (Retribution sits back down and folds his hands, with a scorn on his face. Despair likewise sits

    down and taps the hour glass on his desk, then points to Alexander, and continues rolling the

    dice. Madness, whom is giggling, finally is aware ofwhats happening and back flips or melts to

    the floor and gets in his chair before continuing playing with his imaginary puppet and silently

    talking to it under his desk. As Madness is off his desk, Judgment clears his throat and continues)

    Alexander, can you recount exactly what happened?

    ALEXANDER

    : Yes I can, it started. It started (closes his hands over his face, stressed)

    JUDGEMENT: (annoyed, but still very calm) We do not have time for this, speak!

    ALEXANDER: (dropping his hands and pleading) Please, I dont understand it! Its

    shattered. Broken. (calming down to explain) I was drunk, and I think I blacked out somewhere

    downtown running away.

    RETRIBUTION: Go on.

    (lights fade down, lights on Bornholm, whom is sitting at a cluttered and messy desk with a

    phone [from here on out known as the Office set].A phone rings with lights)

    BORNHOLM: (on the phone, lights up on Caroline and the Home set) Caroline? Its me again,

    you have to tell me where he is. He is clearly dangerous, you MUST report him. Caroline I know

    youre there! Answer me! (growls while hanging up) Damn it Where is he?

    (lights fade down on Bornholm, but remain up on Caroline)

    CAROLINE: (ignoring the phone) Hesnot dangerous. I know what he did was wrong, but

    God she was ruining him! He had every reason to hate her. I have to find you, Alex. Before

    that vulture does. (Carolinestands up to gather her things, anything handy that would make

    sense [keys, a purse, shoes, ect] will do)

    (lightsfade down on Caroline, blue lights go up on Alex at the Bridge scene)

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 7ALEXANDER: (stumbling around, he has blood on his hands and clothes, and has a bottle of

    liquor) She deserved it! She had it coming! She was trying to ruin our life! (continues drinking

    from the bottle) Ive shit, Ive got to hide! Ive got to hide! (runs off stage)

    (blue lights down, lights up on Bornholm and the Office set)

    BORNHOLM: (on the same phone) The suspect were looking for has the following

    description. [race, hair color, weight, height, and eye color description of actor playing

    Alexander optional]

    (lights fade down on Bornholm, and back up on at The Trial set)

    ALEXANDER: What were we fighting about this time

    MADNESS: (no longer under the desk, but leaning on it as if bored with the story) Who cares?

    The bitch deserved it, and she isnt the only one. (suddenly growing excited, smacking his lips

    like a dog and cocking his head) How about her pappy? (picking up an over-the-top Britishaccent, or alternatively mocking Retributions voice and posture) I would rather relish in the sport

    of it, what ho!

    RETRIBUTION: Hold your tongue, foul thing!

    ALEXANDER: She got Caroline fired, they argued. She called her a slut, called me a useless

    drunk. Later, she called us. She threatened to put Caroline in jail for verbal assault. Told me it

    would (using a feminine voice, mocking her words in contempt) at least be a step up from the

    streets, where youre going to live. (Alex sighs and slumps his shoulders, ashamed) I went to

    the bar, had a few drinks, and decided I had to stand up for myself and for Caroline. So I went

    to her house

    DESPAIR: (sighing deeply, bored) Despair leads only to further despair. (throws the dice once

    again)

    MADNESS: (wild excitement) Oh I like where this is going!

    ALEXANDER: I knocked loudly. She answered, but kept it only partially open

    (lights fade down on Alex as he speaks, lights up on Caroline who is traveling through the

    streets, the Bridge set)

    CAROLINE: ALEX? ALEX? WHERE ARE YOU?

    (blue glow lights up on Alex, who is outside the door of Jessicas House set. He knocks loudly on

    the door, Jessica opens it partially)

    ALEXANDER: (slurring his words) You, you cant fire her! Whatd she do to deserve that!

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 8JESSICA: Suits you right, you drunk stalker. Get off my property, or so help me Ill call my

    father and have you arrested for harassment! In fact, my father will hear about this! Go! GET

    LOST!

    ALEX: NO! NO I WONT GO! LET ME IN!

    (Blue lights fade, but Jessica screams as the door continues to be banged on loudly, bringing

    lights up immediately on Alex on trial)

    JUDGEMENT: And then what happened?

    ALEXANDER: (shocked at the realization) I I killed her.

    MADNESS: (Madness jumps on top of his desk, then poses as a super hero and slightly overlaps

    Alexs line) Justice! And he should be free to doll it out! Vigilante of the new world!

    RETRIBUTION: (curiously) Wait, Alexander, who was this woman toyou?

    ALEXANDER: Jessica was an ex lover of mine. Shes been taking Caroline and I to court

    constantly, Im not entirely sure why. She wants me to be in jail orwanted. (a slight chuckle to

    himself, shrugging) Knowing herfather, Id die in jail anyways if he didnt shoot me on the spot.

    (blue lights up onJessicas Home, with Caroline and Jessica. Jessica stands at the door,

    Caroline stands facing them outside the door)

    JESSICA: How dare you accuse me!

    CAROLINE: I was just promoted! They would only fire me if someone complained or gave

    them reason to! Jessica please, we NEED this job! Just call them and tell them that it was a

    misunderstanding,please Ill be happy with my old position!

    JESSICA: What about Alex? Still havent found a job, or is he too drunk to do that?

    CAROLINE: He doesnt drink anymore! Your constant court appointments keep him from

    being able to hold down a job long enough! Why do you hate him so much?

    JESSICA: I dont have to tell you that! I have my reasons, and I have more than enough reason

    to get every penny I can out of you two! Maybe he shouldnt hit a girl so hard when hes drunk!

    CAROLINE: We both know he never touched you now stop it!

    JESSICA: What, he doesnt hit YOU?

    CAROLINE: No, he doesnt! Never has, and he never hit you anyways! Your lies are as hollow

    as your heart, I hope you and your father rot in hell!

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 9JESSICA: (very angrily yelling) ILL SAVE YOU AND THAT USLESS DRUNK SEATS,

    SLUT! (slams the door)

    (immediately with the door slam, blue lights go down and lights up on The Trial set)

    DESPAIR

    : It is the lot of mortals to live as such and die in despair. (clearing throat, he holds upthe hour glass, sets it down, and gestures with his hand to hurry up)

    JUDGEMENT: And her father is Gregory Bornholm, am I correct?

    ALEXANDER: (bitterly) Yes, her father is the city chief of police. (exploding in anger) He

    brought up false charges against me to help her! Hes a crook! Bending the law to protect his

    bitch of a daughter! (sedated, calming down) God, hes hunting me down right now I bet. He

    probably wants to find me himself just so he could have the pleasure of killing me himself.

    RETRIBUTION: (standing, pacing back and forth on a rant) Why, that vile worm! And you!

    Youre both vile! All of you disgust me! (turning as if pleading to Judgment) Let us kill thecharlatan (turning and pointing to Alexander) and then turn yourself in!

    MADNESS: (playing patty cake with Despair, whom is not responding at all, his concentration

    not broken as he looks to Retribution and responds) Finally I like something youve said! Except

    for the whole turn yourself in part. (at this point he stops playing patty cake and begins to

    inspect his shoes for marks)

    DESPAIR: (annoyed with the further debate) Why kill him too? (returning to his typical cold

    voice) No, he could never get away with it. (leaning forward, smiling) Why sit and wait for your

    death when you can giveyourselfpeace?

    MADNESS: (while checking his shoes, he takes one off and ties it onto his head while saying his

    line [if unable to tie it onto his head, alternatively wear it like jewelry around his neck]) Peace

    no peace. Hahaha! Never peace! Only the warm, loving embrace of madness! (Madness then

    begins to loudly hum Hall of the Mountain King[as this is done, optionally fade the song in into

    a sound cue] and dance spinning around in circles around of Alexander)

    JESSICA: (Jessica enters sprinting into Alexs circle as Madness continues to dance around

    him. Alexander falls backward and pulls himself away from her as she talks. She is in full gore)

    Look at me Alex! LOOK AT ME! DO YOU SEE WHAT YOU DID TO ME ALEX? DO YOU

    LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? DO YOU WANT ME ALEX? DO YOU WANT ME TO TAKE YOUBACK? KISS ME ALEX! MAKE LOVE TO ME!

    ALEXANDER: NO! Please! I didnt mean to kill you! Please! (Alexander crawls to the middle

    of the light and into a fetal position and covers his face)

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 10(both Madness and Jessica laugh wildly, Jessica shows her many wounds off and attempts to

    seduce Alex sickeningly before mirroring Madnesss dance and dancing off stage. Madness

    continues to dance until he is upstage left of Alex after Alexs next line)

    ALEXANDER: (explosively sitting up and shouting[music stops immediately if played]) SHUT

    UP! Shut up shut up shut up! (Madness frowns and covers his heart, then has a great big smileand classily walks back to his desk emphasizing his fashionable new shoe hat [or necklace].

    Alexander wipes his face) God, please! Let me live to see Caroline one more time. Please

    JUDGEMENT: Tell us more about her, Alexander.

    (lights fade, lights up on Caroline, still in the Bridge set)

    CAROLINE: (leaning on a wall or kneeling on the ground, looking sorrowfully defeated)

    Where could he be? Alex if you can hear me somehow, stay hidden! Ill find you, I promise. I

    love you, I always will! Ill find you, Ill find you if I have to search every tunnel, bridge, and

    abandoned shack in the entire city!

    (lights fade down on Caroline, blue lights on Alex and Caroline in the Home set. Theyre sitting

    close to each other sweetly)

    ALEXANDER: (holding Caroline, and Caroline holding him like a couple) Im so sorry about

    this, this is all my fault

    CAROLINE: (comforting Alex) No, no it wasnt your fault.

    ALEXANDER: I cant help but feel bad Caroline. I love you, and I hate seeing you punished for

    it.

    CAROLINE: I love you, Alex. You dont have to feel guilty, I chose to stay. Money isnt so

    important anyways, besides I still have my job. Well make due. I promise. Another couple

    weeks and youll have a job again, dont worry.

    (blue lights fade down, lights back up on The Trial set)

    JUDGEMENT: So she will help you, should she find you?

    ALEXANDER: She hated Jessica too, weve been under her and her fathers thumb for years

    now. The constant court cases caused me to lose my job three months ago, and kept me fromgetting another one since. Then she got Caroline fired too somehow, it must have been her!

    JUDGEMENT: So, you dont know that she did?

    RETRIBUTION: (haughtily, mockingly) What proof do you have that she DID?

    ALEXANDER: Honestly I had none.

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 11DESPAIR: (chuckling to himself) None was to be had.

    ALEXANDER:No! Youre wrong! (facing the audience still he pivots slightly to Despair, who

    looks up at him curiously) Maybe no physical evidence (turns back to the audience for a

    moment) but I know she was involved! (still speaking, turns facing toward the audience) She

    always is!

    RETRIBUTION: (continuing the previous haughty and mocking attitude) Why? Are you so

    important that she focused her life on making yours miserable? Hahaha! Ridiculous!

    ALEXANDER: I dont know. We broke up years ago, then she started taking me to court

    over and over again! Supported by her father, we spent a fortune on lawyers. In the last two

    years, Caroline and I could barely afford an apartment together. Now with both of us out of the

    job If this wasnt stopped, it was only a matter of time before we both really were on the

    streets.

    MADNESS: (lounging on his desk) The streets arent so bad you know, (jumping down and

    rushing under the table) not as bad as the zoo you call a prison! (Holding and shaking the legs of

    his desk like bars on a cage, a massive frown to audience, looking for responses, nodding and

    smiling pending audience response)

    DESPAIR: (leaning back in his chair, comfortably) And there is something more, isnt there

    Alexander?

    ALEXANDER: Well, yes Shes pregnant, we hope. (Madness slinks up, back towards

    Alexander, and pivots himself slowly towards him with a stone pose and expression of frozen

    disgusted surprise) We finally started saving up enough money to support a child last year anddecided to, and Caroline just got promoted too! It was going to be what we always wanted!

    RETRIBUTION: (very serious and accusing) And THIS is why you murdered Jessica

    Bornholm, isnt it?

    ALEXANDER: (panicking)No! I didnt mean to! I swear I didnt mean to!

    RETRIBUTION: Lies! You knew you didnt have the stones to do it sober, so you drunkend

    yourself up first! Tell me, why are you such a coward that you cannoteven stand up for your

    own actions!

    MADNESS: (breaking his statue form by shaking his head and body wildly for a moment, then

    continuing to twitch during his line) Stop being so boring! Always boring! Always angry! Never

    any exciting changes! Look at it this way, you got your stupid retribution when he killed her!

    (leaning in Alexs direction) ten points! (winking, then returning to facing Retribution directly) I

    propose something new! (jumping up on the desk, acting like a cat) How about we. Gut the

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 12old bastard hahahaha! Then we can gut another! And another! Then maybe plow Caroline before

    you go plow fifty more hahahaha!

    ALEXANDER: STOP! DONT talk about her like that!

    MADNESS

    : (turning around and slapping his buttocks) OOohhh dont you want a piece of that!Ahahahahahha! (jumps down with a twist and sits down, silently posing like a polite little girl)

    DESPAIR: (no longer content with his dice, Despair starts to twist his scythe in his hand) If

    youre quite finished, may we continue? This trial is a waste of time. Alexander, you dont have

    a choice. (Alexander turns to Despair) Dont you see? One way or another, you will die. If you

    go to the police, Officer Bornholm will have you put on death row. Then wheres your lovely

    fianc left? If you kill Bornholm, you risk death there and then. Even if you do manage to kill

    him, or anyone else really, youll be on the run until youre hunted down like an animal. If you

    try to escape, or hide, you will eventually die alone. Come, let us finish this ourselves. (Despair

    gets up, slowly walking towards Retributions desk. Retribution looks on horrified. Despair holdsup the quill and inkwell as well as some paper from Retributions desk, then walks towards

    Alexander and drops the paper in front of him, still holding the ink well and quill) Write a nice

    little letter to the ones you love. (Despair plucks the quill from the ink well and hands it to

    Alexander, whom takes it and picks up the paper) Let them know where youre going. Its

    somewhere very beautiful. You will never fear for them again, you will never have to worry

    about false charges of court, never disappoint your darling fianc or children. I promise theyll

    still love you, and youll be just at home with me. (he begins running his finger along his scythe

    while welcoming Alex to him with hand gesture. As he does this, Madness and Retribution both

    stand in shocked defiance)

    RETRIBUTION: No! No dont listen to him Alexander! We can work through this!

    MADNESS: I TAKE BACK EVERYTHING I SAID ABOUT PLOWING YOUR WOMAN!

    MOSTLY! PLEASE, DONT KILL US!

    ALEXANDER: (turning back to the audience, after a moment of thought, nodding his head no)

    If I kill myself, where would that then leave her? No, no I wont do it! (tosses the quill back to

    Despair and crumples up the paper and throws it away)

    DESPAIR: (disappointed, Despair sighs and calmly returns the quill and ink well to

    Retributions desk and walks to his own desk before replying) The offer stands until youve

    realized the error of your ways. (Madness and Retribution both sit down relieved, Despair sits

    down and picks up his dice and throws them)

    JUDGEMENT: You know your options Alexander, make your choice.

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 13(lights fade down on the trial, come up on Bornholm, at the Office set)

    BORNHOLM: (on the phone) Yes? Yes? FANTASTIC! You will be promoted as soon as this

    case is over, I swear it! (hangs up, stands up triumphantly) Finally, answers! So the little tramp

    thought she could go looking for her sweet heart without being noticed? Ha! Hell probably

    come running out into the open if she finds him. Perfect (grinning, loudly exclaiming) yes, yesperfect!

    (lights fade down on Bornholm and rise on Caroline, still at the Bridge set)

    CARONLINE: (speaking to people outside of the light or in the audience, she holds a picture in

    her hand of Alexander) Im sorry, have you seen this man? Damn it! Please help me, have you

    seen this man? Shit! Please, tell me, have you seen this man? Its my fianc hes missing, please

    tell me where he is! God damn it! Alexander where are you? (sound cue of car pulling up, or a

    police siren) Oh God now what? Are they following me? (she runs off stage wherever is closest,

    Bornholm enters from the opposite direction OR from the audience)

    BORNHOLM: Just keep running Caroline! Just keep running. Well find you, and well find the

    monster that murdered my little girl!

    (lights fade on Bornholm and rise on The Trial set)

    (Despair is twisting his scythe and resting his head on his fist, Madness is playing imaginary

    chess with himself going back and forth in front of and behind his desk, taking on different

    personalities with each player. Retribution is stressing, hands held on his head thinking of

    what best to do. Judgment, as always, is like a statue. Alexander is pacing around in his personal

    light)

    ALEXANDER: Wait a minute, why do I HAVE to do anything any of you say? ([all

    simultaneously]Retributions face raises an eyebrow and looks sternly annoyed as he sits slowly

    straight into his chair, Madness spazzes out as he hears that and flips the imaginary chess board

    before sitting down and listening, Despair picks up a single die and inspects it closely before

    placing it down and giving attention to Alex) Why cantI return home, and pretend this never

    happened? Why cantCaroline and I run away from this? This terrible city! Somewhere green.

    Somewhere nice. I dont care if Id have to live the life of a mountain hermit, anything is better

    than here!

    JUDGEMENT: You dare defy your own guilty conscience, Alexander? You cannot run away

    from us. You know that.

    MADNESS: (crawling[contortionist or crab walk preferable] towards Alexander, in the

    creepiest voice possible) Dont talk like that, Alex! Were the best of friends! You cant leave

    us! We cant leave you! (rolling and shoving his face intoAlexanders, growing suddenly very

    violent and angry) WE WILL BE FRIENDS FOR EVER ALEX! FRIENDS FOREVER!

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    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 14RETRIBUTION: (getting up from his desk and slowly, confidently, walking towards Alexander)

    Your thoughts are our thoughts, our existence is your imagination. If you run from your

    punishment, youll be damned to live in this trial of your heart forever.

    DESPAIR: (getting up slowly, picking up the exact same die that he inspected earlier, and stiffly

    walking, using his scythe as a walking stick) You cannot escape destiny, and your destiny waspurchased when you ended anothers life. (holding the die over Alexander) You are no more able

    to escape than we are from this trial. Make your choice Alexander. Make. Your. Choice. (drops

    the die ontoAlexanders lap, and readies his scythe)

    ALEXANDER: (getting up, shoving all of them back) I CHOOSE LIFE! I CHOOSE

    FREEDOM! I CHOOSE JUSTICE! I CHOOSE CAROLINE, THE BABY, A NEW LIFE!

    Leave me alone! Leave me alone figments of the mind! Ive no use for you to haunt my thoughts

    any longer! MY WILL IS MY OWN!

    (lights up on Caroline outside of the trial, lights remain up on the trial)

    CAROLINE: ALEXANDER! (runs to Alexander and embraces him, Judgment, Madness,

    Retribution, and Despair slink into the darkness ignored by Caroline and Alexander. The lights

    fade down on them as Alexander falls to the ground, Caroline holding him) Oh Alex! Itll be ok,

    I promise. I swear it!

    BORNHOLM: (appearing from the same side Caroline did with a gun in his hand) ON THE

    GROUND! BOTH OF YOU! (pulling out a pair of hand cuffs) Caroline, get over here! You are

    now an accessory to murder. (Caroline fights this, but is over powered and placed in hand cuffs.

    She is thrown to the ground again) And you, you bastard! (turns around gun first to Alexander)

    CAROLINE: NO!

    ALEXANDER: (Alex charges towards Bornholm and gets shot in the torso, but not before

    tackling Bornholm off the bridge [if possible, push Bornholm off the stage and have him scream

    with a loud thud sound effect].He stagers backwards, having been shot, and falls onto Caroline

    who worked her way out of the loosely placed handcuffs) Caroline Please, tell me

    CAROLINE: Alex? Tell you what? (holding Alex in her arms) Tell you what?

    ALEXANDER: Do you love me?

    CAROLINE: (kisses Alex) I love you Alex. (a light shines on Judgment alone above where he

    has been, watching Alexander) Please dont go, we can get you to a hospital. Please stay awake,

    stay awake!

    ALEXANDER: (looking up at Judgment, he waits for his response. Judgment nods approvingly,

    and waves his hand as the light that came faded back away [optionally, have him say this over a

    microphone while the light is fading]) I love you too.

  • 8/7/2019 Of Saints and Sinners

    15/15

    O f S a i n t s a n d S i n n e r s , P a g e 15(all lights fade on stage, entire set is now a wedding scene)

    (costume changes, Alexander is in a clean suit, Caroline into a white flowing bridal dress, both

    have their hair combed and make up cleaned off quickly. Judgment is much the same, except

    more lively make up blush is added, hes holding open a bible)

    JUDGEMENT: Do you, Alexander Hanes, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?

    ALEXANDER: I do.

    JUDGEMENT: And do you, Caroline Peirce, take this man to be your lawfully wedded

    husband?

    CAROLINE: I do.

    JUDGEMENT: (closing his bible and smiling) You may now kiss the bride.

    (Caroline and Alexander kiss and leave the stage hand in hand with organ music playing,Judgment follows after they departed from the light. The three guests, Madness, Despair, and

    Retribution, get up and slowly walk together down to leave)

    MADNESS: You know Ive always loved a happy ending!

    DESPAIR: I could hardly imagine.

    MADNESS: You could try having a personality once in a while.

    RETRIBUTION: You could try sticking to one personality for five minutes.

    MADNESS: (overlapping banter) You know I think Ive had just about enough of you two

    fibbily wibbily whops! What ho Mr. stereotypes! At least Im likable. (improvise till lights fade

    down)

    RETRIBUTION: (overlapping banter) At least I have a vocabulary consistent with the English

    language, madman! I mean really, fibbily wibbily whops? Mr. stereotype? Why I never!

    (improvise till lights fade down)

    DESPAIR: (slightly delayed overlapping banter) Please, spare me of an eternity with these two

    blundering idiots! (improvise self-monologue responses to the other two till lights fade down)

    (curtain call, Alexander and Caroline first. Then Officer Bornholm and Jessica come out.

    Lastly, the four figments come out at one time. Group bow)