The Fourth Messenger, featuring Vienna Teng, by Vienna Teng and Tanya Shaffer (2024)

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SIDEvery choice that we makeis a pebble in a lake,spreading ripples beyond our sight.Every choice that we makeimpresses its shape on a galaxy of lives.ENSEMBLE (OFFSTAGE)Every choice that we makeis a pebble in a lake,spreading ripples beyond our sight.With every step that we takelet the choices we makebring us closer to the light.(Spot focuses sharply on RAINA.)RAINAEvery false move she’s made,every trust that she’s betrayed,left a wound that will never heal.Though she may think she’s safe,got away without a trace,one day all will be revealed.The past isn't gone,its ghosts gather round,they live and they breathe,they hunger for answers.The moment has cometo call you to account.And I will make my name;my breakout story will be your shame.For the truth will, the truth must come out

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REPORTERSThe truth, the truth, the truth will come outThe truth, the truth, the truth will come outThe truth, the truth, the truth will come outThe truth must come outJILLHe said, she saidBILLFact check, follow up REPORTERSThe truth must come outBEVI just have a few more questionsKEVYour story doesn’t line upREPORTERSThe truth must come out.(Overlapping groups)REPORTERSI just have a few more questionsYour story doesn’t line upThe report from your departmentTells a different storyA different story A different storySAM(Spoken) Staff meeting!REPORTERSThe truth, the truth, the truth will come outThe truth, the truth, the truth will come out The truth, the truth, the truth will come outThe truth, the truth, the truth, the truth-(All move into place around a long table.)SAMThe truth is we’re in deep sh*t. Subscriptions are shrinkingAd rates are sinkingOur website’s a stinking messBloggers and tweetersAre poaching our readersIn fifteen words or less!We’ve gotta break something viralTo flip this downward spiralRevitalize our dying baseWe need a shock so volcanicIt spreads like a panicFrom print to cyberspaceWe need...The next big storyPitch it to meThe next big storyALLThe next big storyWhat’s it gonna be?The next big storySAMWe need watergate, wikileaks, lewinsky scale The holy grail of reporters’ payOr you'll be writing little league play-by-plays!What’s the next big storyPitch it to meSAM AND REPORTERSWhat’s the next big story?RAINA(Spoken) Mama Sid.SAMRaina! What are you doing back so soon?BILLYeah, didn’t your dad just die?KEVINJesus, Bill!BEVERLYEver hear of tact?SAMWe’re glad you’re back, Raina. (Pointedly) All of us. And we’re sorry for your loss.(All murmur sympathy. They lack sincerity.)RAINAThanks, Sam.SAM Sure. (Slight pause.) So...whatcha got?RAINA(Holds up book) An exposé of Mama Sid.SAMThe guru?BILLThe self-help lady?BEVThe spiritual master?RAINAThat’s the one.(Sings) This “spiritual master”Her name's grown fasterThan a hot tech start-up stockYou can’t help but notice The millions devotedTo her touchy-feely new age schlockShe's posing as the mother of the whole damn planetHanding out answers and curesOne hundred percent pureShe's our next big story…BEVHoney, that’s great, but if all you’ve got is a hunch...(Reporters grumble their agreeement with BEV.)RAINAInterviews are rare, no one dares to squeeze herShe keeps a tight grip on how the public sees herAsk about her past, you get the mona lisaHer private life: off-limits, please!(All start tapping on their smartphones and computers)KEVINShe’s on Wikipedia but needs citationsBEVNothing on Google but urban legendsBILLHer mother was an elephant like DumboJILLNo, her mother’s lover was the jumboSAMSo her mythology’s outsizedThat’s hardly a lead on a pulitzer prizeBILLIt was really sweet of you to give it a tryAmbitious internBEVERLYSam, this might flyRAINAHave you ever seen a brick wall with nothing behind it?No one puts a lock on an empty cabinetNow we’ve got this guru keeping her silence“nothing to see here, folks”I don’t buy itSomeone’s gonna scoop us sooner than laterDebunk nation ought to be the paperTo spill her scandalous secretJust gotta find it, unwind itAnd write the big bright headlineOf our next big storyBEVERLYWe’d better act nowIf we want the gloryALLThe next big storySAMIf we hunt it downRAINAWe’re talkin’ big-time quarryALLNothing like a goddess falling down to earthTo strike a nerve with the massesThat's how we'll save our assesWith the next big storyThe next big storyThe next big storyThe next big storyThe next big storyThe truth must come out

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RAINAThis storyIt's got my name on itThere's no one else can do it rightI brought thisI’ve got a claim on itI’m getting on that arctic flightGood yogi I'll beShe'll gain trust in meThen I'll strikeSAMYou know something about this lady?RAINAI know something About hypocrisyI know a lot about denialI know something About committing crimes And never standing trialOne glance in her eyesUnveils her disguise, and I knowThis story is mineI am all over itThere's no one else can do it justiceThis story is mineSometimes you feel it so deepYou just have to trust itSo give up, give in, give me the green lightThis is the story I was born to write.(SAM looks at her for a long moment. Something in her passion persuades him. He sighs.) SAMOkay. RAINAYes! (Kisses him passionately.)SAMJust land it, okay? We wouldn’t want anyone to think I was playing favorites.(SAM exits.)RAINAJust like thatIn a single breathYour entire life can changeA heartbeat stoppedA tether droppedThe whole world rearrangedThere’s truth to be toldAnd nothing to holdMe back now'Cause I know somethingAbout duplicityAnd something about lossI know something About blind ambitionAnd a lot about its cost And oh, do I know angerIt’s my old and trusty friendNow it's time for me to learn Something about revengeThis story This story This story is mine

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YOGISIn, out, in, outIn, out, in, outAt last RelaxNo more clutter, no more clatterTime For mindTangle and chatter fadeJungle is far awayOnly breath, body, snow, silenceOn this remote islandRemembering how to restRemembering how to breatheRemembering how to beJust be…At peace…Just me…RAINAIt's quietIt is way too quietIt's insanely quietI hear every little sound:Bellies grumblingOld pipes rumblingSnowflakes tumbling all around!Look at these nut cases. Sam would have a field day. Sam. He wouldn’t last ten sec-ALLConcentrateRAINAWhat will I say to her?My first question?Should I play the skepticOr the worshipper?This is stupid.Sitting freezing on the ground.This is stupid.Why does she make us wait around?It’s Just a power trip.I’m getting out of here.But I just got here!What the hell is wrong with me?It’s like there’sMonkeys in my mindMonkey mindMonkeys in my mindMonkey mindScolding and carping, my head’s in a viceWon’t you shut up monkeys, won’t you play nice?Monkeys in my mindMonkey mindMonkey mindWho is Mama Sid,Guru beloved by all?Will she look like her picture?Will she be larger than life or smallLike the rest of us?MYRAI think I left the stove on.ALLConcentrate...MYRAConcentrate...I just know I left the stove on!Scrambled eggs, medium highMy house will burn downMy plants will all dieMy photos, my clothes,Everything I ownEverything I’ve savedDamn it!ALLConcentrate...Concentrate...MIKE“Small man in a big man’s shoes”How could my own brother say that to me?“Small man in a big man’s shoes”In front of the entire family?DEREKHI’m not going to think about my major‘Cause if I don’t think about my majorthe answer to what should be my majorWill just...come to meHARMONYTwelve months, six days, seven hoursTwelve months sober and cleanTwelve months, six days, seven hoursAnd five minutesMIKEDid he pass the bar on the first try?He’s just jealous, of course that’s whyI should feel compassion, I knowBut I don’t feel compassion, oh no,I hate him!ALLLet goMIKEI hate him!ALLLet goAnd love...MIKEBut I can’t!ALLBut I can’tBut I can’tIt’s like there’sMonkeys in my mindMonkey mindMonkeys in my mindMonkey mindRunning and swinging and screaming and singing andLaughing and talking and squeaking and squawkingLike monkeys in my mindMonkey mind, monkey mind, monkey mind.(While RAINA sings the following section, YOGIS rhythmically chant “In, out, in, out, in, out, concentrate”)RAINAHelp!I know cutthroat competitionI know the merciless routineI know the headlong rush to deadlineFueled by sugar and caffeineBut sitting so stillMakes me want to killI’m a city girlTake me back to the cityWhere the snow is blackAnd the air is grittyGive me some familiar aggravationLike shoving my way through a crowded train stationGive me noise and filth and degradationAnything but this total deprivationOf any stimulation at all!Dad would have kept me from doing thisOh Dad, I miss-Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut UP!!DEREKHEconomics, my dad says that’s where the jobs are Or engineering, safe bet thereHARMONYCan I trust myself?Can I love myself?MYRAIf my house burns down, my homeowner’s policyMight be enough to cover my surgeryDEREKHBut all I want here is to be outsideLike a park ranger or a river raft guideHARMONYCan I face myself?Embrace myself?DEREKHDon’t think about that!Don’t think about that!MYRABut I shouldn’t have to set my house on fireTo pay for surgery to keep me aliveMIKE“Small man in a big man’s shoes”Is that what everybody else thinks too?ALLThat’s what everybody else thinks too!MYRAI’m gonna die!ALLI’m gonna die!MYRAI’m gonna die!ALLI’n gonna die!I’m gonna die!I’m gonna die!I’m gonna die!(All freeze. SID enters.)SIDKinda noisy in here, isn’t it?ALLMonkeys in my mindMonkey mind, monkey mind!

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SONG: THE HUMAN EXPERIENCESIDSee the fearMYRAI see the fearSIDWhat color is it?MYRAWhite.SIDWhat shade?MYRABlinding. SIDLike sun on snow?MYRAYes.SIDBreathe through the fearMYRABreathe through the fearI’m trying to breathe through the fearBut how can I breathe through the fear?SIDFeel the fearName the fearIt’s just anotherTexture hereFeel your Heart rate rising The sweat appearPart of the human experienceMYRAPart of the human experienceSIDNow see the fearThe shape of the fearFocus till it’s crystal clearYou’re outside of it now, peering inAt all of this human experienceMYRAAll of this human experienceSIDNow you are a painterNoticing the light on the treesnow you are a scientistGazing through a microscopeYou are a detective gathering cluesSo keenly attunedTo everything around and inside you.SID (GRADUALLY JOINED BY ENSEMBLE)Joy and doubtFear and rageFeel them spark, ignite, and blazeLet them burn themselves cleanAnd evaporateLike all of this human experienceSIDNow see the griefName the griefMENSo tired of holding on so tightSIDThe act of naming brings reliefWOMENSo tired of keeping up the fightSIDHeavy, light, shallow, deepALL EXCEPT SID AND RAINAStep outside your sufferingALL EXCEPT RAINAPart of the human experience(SID returns to Myra.)SIDSee the fearFeel the fearMYRAHello, fearI know you, fearYou’re part of the humanSIDPart of the humanALLPart of the human experience.

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SIDNow close your eyes, and imagine, with each breath...You’re building a containerPicture an enormous wooden bowlBuilding a containerAnd there’s nothing it can’t holdA vessel deep and wideTo hold all of your lifeYou’re building a container called awarenessSo whatever you are feelingHowever subtle or intenseA part of you is largerThan even the darkest circ*mstanceThe ocean holds the wavesThe fire holds the flamesSID AND YOGISAnd you can hold it all In your awareness...SIDWelcome to the winter retreat. (SID watches RAINA for a moment. “The Human Experience” theme continues as the lights and scene shifts. SID exits.)RAINA(Softly) Hello, grief.

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RAINA Something about the way you workReally gets under the skinIf I don’t cling tight to what I knowEven I could be taken inI’d lay down my armsFall for your charmsAnd be lost...But that's not how this story goes'Cause I'm not such easy preyThe next time we come face to faceI'll be prepared to playi’ll be your new best friendthe one you can trust inuntil in the end you’ll confessto meThis storyThis storyThis story is mine

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DEREKH While Mama Sid’s own mama lay sleeping in her bed, her husband sawing logs beside her, like he always did...Into her dream there burst a strangerAn elephant as white as the foaming seaShe tried to scream; no sound escaped herThe elephant dropped gently onto its kneeThen From its trunk it pulled out a flowerShe swooned to feel its heat and its powerIT drew her close and they danced intimately!HARMONYVery intimately.DEREKHThen all at once, the elephant, It disappeared into her side!HARMONYThen came a knock upon the doorRight In the middle of the night...

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CLARAThe elephant came to you, is it true?MAYWhat?CLARAThe white elephant came to you, is this true?MAYWell, yes, that is, I did dream of an elephant, but–CLARAI knew it! (VLADIMIR, DEREKH, and HARMONY cheer and embrace.)CLARA (CONT’D)The ancient prophets all foretold itDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIRHa!CLARAThe pachyderm now bears it outDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIRHa!CLARAThe long-awaited day is finally hereDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIROompah, oompah, oompah, oompahOompah, oompah, oompah, oompahMAYI'm sorry, I don’t follow you.CLARAWith his immense well-formed proboscisDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIRHa!CLARAThe giant mammal plants the seedDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIRHa!CLARAFor a flower which has no earthly peerDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIROompah, oompah, oompah, oompahOompah, oompah, oompah, oompahSUNNYCome again?CLARAWithin your womb the seed is growingDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIRHa!MAY What?!CLARAA couple months and she'll be showingDEREKH, HARMONY, VLADIMIR Ha!SUNNY AND MAYHuh?CLARAWhat part of “you’re knocked up” isn't crystal clear?MAY AND SUNNYWe’re pregnant!(MAY and SUNNY embrace. VLADIMIR and DEREKH slap SUNNY on the back, congratulating him in their language.)CLARAAnd this is not just any baby, oh no. A being such as this comes but once in ten thousand years! A being so noble, so majestic, that even the birds and the beasts bow down to pay their respects!(VLADIMIR and DEREKH again slap SUNNY on the back, shouting further congratulations.)SUNNYYeah? What's he gonna be? A captain of industry like his papa?CLARAThe possibilities are boundlessSo many paths that fate could takeBut you can trust in a life beyond compareMAYHow exciting!SUNNYa general...MAYcommanding troops on land and waterSUNNYA president...MAYCreating law with the wave of a handA movie star...SUNNYOr the world’s first SUNNY & MAYTrillionaireMAYA super-athlete - top of the gameSUNNY A power broker, a money machineMAY, SUNNYgreater than the world’s ever seen...CLARAAll of that is possible, yes. But there is another option:A noble teacher your child could beA kind of tour guide to the mysteriesRenouncing the materialist classTo pursue the spirit’s pathHoly mendicant roaming the landSpreading wisdom and joy with the touch of a handMAYOh, my!SUNNY(Alarmed) Holy...mendicant?! A beggar, you mean?CLARAOnly in the most trivial sense! SUNNYSo my kid will either be rich and powerful or some kind of homeless wacko?!CLARAI never said-SUNNYWhat's gonna make the difference? What's gonna tilt the scales between option number one and option number two?CLARAWell, since you ask... (Closes her eyes, enters a trancelike state. VLADIMIR, DEREKH, and HARMONY join her.)CLARA, VLADIMIR, DEREKH, HARMONYHmmmmmmmmmm....CLARAIf the child is to become the awakened one, the holy mendicant, the great wandering sage...(She opens her eyes.)CLARA (CONT’D)Four messengersFour messengerswill be the stormthat bursts the damALLFour messengersFour messengersSUNNYcould do much harmI need a plan!So who are they? What do they look like? What are their names? CLARAMessengers number one, two and threeAmbassadors of life's fragilityHarbingers of every creature’s plight:Existence is both harsh and fleetingAll that's strong shall one day weakenWe are born to sicken, age and dieSUNNYSo these first three messengers who will transform my kid into a... spiritual peddler… will be icons of sickness, aging, and death?CLARAYou could put it that way.SUNNYWhat about the fourth messenger? CLARAThe fourth. Ah...the fourth.A grain of hope, a hint of lightA spark of possibility…SUNNYSo that's grain, hint or spark?CLARAA glimmer that this earth just mightHold more than what the eyes can seeWith a pure and shining presenceThis messenger inspires a dreamOf a pathway to transcendenceA path to set all creatures freeOnce your child has seen this visionNo force on earth can stem the tideCompassion streaming into wisdomSpurring on your noble childCLARA, VLADIMIR, DEREKH, HARMONYFour messengersFour messengersWill point the wayTo what’s beyondFour messengersFour messengersWill spur this young soul to becomeVLADIMIRThe teacherDEREKHThe prophetHARMONY The seerCLARAThe sage,The one who shines light on this desolate ageThe one whose compassion is vaster than earthALLWho unlocks the secrets of death and rebirth-SUNNYNo way in hell!CLARAYou don’t have to yell.SUNNYSickness, aging, death, and some holy freakThese are the four my kid’s never gonna seeThen he’ll grow up to be a tycoon like me!I will surround him with young, healthy peopleI’ll build a fortress, the walls will be stoutAnd i will keep those four damn messengers out!

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SUNNYIt’s another lovely day inBois Riche, Bois Riche!Bois Riche, Bois Riche!HARMONYSun is shining, flowers bloomingDEREKHBrooks are burbling, children singing,COMMUNITY MEMBERSThe ice cream truck jingles down the streetSUNNY(Confidentially) It’s actually nonfat yoghurt with Sucralean - the kids don’t know the difference! Childhood obesity is a problem you won’t find here.COMMUNITY MEMBERSEverything is ideally proportioned inBois Riche, Bois Riche!Bois Riche, Bois Riche!Nothing unlovely troubles the eyeFrom the soft green grass to the clear blue skyBois Riche, Bois Riche!RAINAWhat does Bois Riche mean, anyway?DEREKH“Rich wood,” I think.RAINAAnd this town is where?DEREKHSearch me.HARMONYYou had to have money to live thereMENWe say that without any shame DEREKHDozens applied and got turned asideCOMMUNITY MEMBERSThough we sympathize, we're not to blameWOMENWe're wealthy because we are worthyMENWe've all worked so very hardOLDER COMMUNITY MEMBERSOr our parents did for usYOUNGER COMMUNITY MEMBERSOr their parents did for themCOMMUNITY MEMBERSWell let's not pursue the matter too far…HARMONY AND DEREKHEveryone is beautiful in Bois Riche, Bois Riche!Bois Riche, Bois Riche!MENOur bodies toned, we’re Olympically fitWOMENAll that nature has denied usplastic surgeons can fixALLOh ugliness is something that we will not abideIt starts skin deep but then it rots you insideIf you’re looking for substance let style be your guideIn Bois Riche!SUNNYThinking of buying in? Come on out here, Sidney! This is my little girl. Shall we tell these good people about a few of the amenities we have to offer?SIDYou bet!SUNNYBotanical gardensSIDOur own private zooSUNNYMovies and concerts SIDAnd theatre too!SUNNYEvery type of cuisine you could possibly wishSUNNY AND SIDStablesAn ice rinkSUNNYa pond stocked with fishSaunas and steam rooms, infinity poolsState-of-the-art gyms and outstanding schoolsSynagogues, Churches, boutiques and a mallProfessional golf course, oh we’ve got it allWould you like an application?(Pulls out a tome the size of a phone book.)It’s a little thick, for security reasons. For the sake of the children, you understand. Our children these precious creaturesFull of innocence, purity, joyI can’t bear the mere thought of theirFragile little psyches destroyed by ALLViolence, hatred poverty crimeSUNNYWe’ll keep these far away from their minds.WOMAN 1Children grow up somedayALLBut ours won’t if we fulfill our design.SUNNYHere, children can be children, into adulthood and beyond!ALLSo lock that gate and let the riffraff chokeInside paradise we’re full of hopeAnd nothing unlovely troubles the eyeFrom the soft green grass to the clear blue skyBois Riche, Bois RicheBois Riche, Bois RicheBois Riche, Bois RicheBois Riche!

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ANDYTake me with you.SIDWhy?ANDYYou’ve got something.SID(Laughs) Like...the flu, maybe?ANDYI’m serious!SIDI’m sorry. I’ll miss you too.ANDYI need you.SIDAndy.ANDYYou’ve got something I can’t name.SIDWe’ve been through this. It’s nothing personal. I’m just not interested in that kind of relationship.ANDYThat’s not what I mean.You’ve got a glowYou shine like the sunI want to be near youAnd I’m not the only oneWe’re drawn to your orbitReflect back your lightSo let me come with youDon’t walk out alone into the nightSIDAndy, all of that is just what you’re projecting onto me.ANDYNo. It’s more than that. You’ve got a glowYou awaken my mindThe moment you enterThe room just comes aliveIt’s not infatuationIt’s Deeper than desireSo please take me with youDon’t walk out alone into the fireSIDI’m just a pilgrimThe glow that you seeIs simply your own burningNeed to arise and be freeI’ve nothing to show youNo magical sparkSo I can’t take you with meWhen I walk alone into the darkMy hands are empty of giftsI’m still trying to learn how to liveANDYLet me follow you, SidSIDAndy I’ve nothing to teachThere's no wisdom to in following meANDYThen at leastLet me walk beside youThat's all that I askLet me shoulder some weightIn this daunting taskWe share the same dreamA dream that will growSidney, dear SidneyYou know more than you know...You've got a glowSIDNo more than your ownANDYYou shine like the sunSIDSo does everyoneANDYI'm seeking the answersSID & ANDYAnd I'm not the only oneI'm drawn into orbitPropelled into flightCompelled to keep searchingUntil I emerge into the lightANDYSo please take me with youDon't walk out alone into the night

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ANDYThe privilege to walk beside youIs all I've ever askedJust to shoulder some weight in your daunting taskTo share in the dreamTo bask in your glowSidney, dear Sidney, it means more than you know...

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RAINA Knock knockSIDWho’s there?RAINASomeone who wants to know youThe you when you were younger, still becomingKnock knockSIDWho’s there?RAINASomeone who needs the whole truthSomeone who wants to know the steps and stumblingYour students open up And reveal themselves to youIf you would do the same, We could see you’re human tooAnd start to feel we also can break through!SIDKnock knockRAINAWho’s there?SIDThe welcome mat is emptyThe clamor in your ears is your soul callingKnock knockRAINAWho’s there?SIDI know it can be temptingBut focusing outside yourself, you're stallingThe road map of our suffering leads right back to ourselvesThere’s nothing to be gained Imitating someone elseI offer you a compassBut my path isn’t yoursYou’ve got to open up your own doorsRAINAI see.SIDYou see?RAINAOh sure.Knock knockSIDWho’s there?RAINANow everything is clearerHow carefully you craft these lessons for usKnock knockSIDWho’s there?RAINAYou’re holding up a mirrorFor us to understand ourselves—how generous!And how convenient that you’re standingBehind the one-way glassA teacher never shows Any weakness to her classOr if she ever screwed up Somewhere in her past...Now you are a guru Though of course you never use the nameNow you are a heroEven as you seem to shun your fameRise high above the restNo secrets to confessYou're building the mystique of the Beautiful, flawless, untarnishedAnd wise Mama SidIt's a brilliant storyA brilliant story-SIDPeace.RAINAHm?SIDWhy are you here?What is it that you yearn for?I'd like to understand what drives your angerRAINAKnock knockSIDWho’s there?RAINAI'm doing you a favorI'm giving you a chance to live with candorSID AND RAINAYou're clinging tight to somethingThat's bringing you to griefUntil you can release it, You'll never find reliefAnd don't you know the truth will set you free?RAINAKnock knockSIDWho’s there? Knock knockRAINAWho’s there? SID AND RAINAKnock knockKnock knock.

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SID Knock knockANDYWho’s there?SIDSomeone demanding answersWho’s gonna keep on knocking till she gets themANDYKnock knockSIDWho’s there?ANDYThat girl is like a cancerPoisoning our peace with her resentment She stands in your glowDraws warmth from your sunSo many flock to you for guidanceBut not that oneI don’t trust her motives, SidneySIDShe says that I am hidingAm I?There’s healing in confidingThat is trueOh who is it that she reminds...ANDYWhy won’t she Respect your boundaries?I don’t believeThat she is what she seemsMaybe I should just ask her to leaveSIDWe cannot turn away one who comes to us in needANDYBut since you’ll never tell her your life storySIDI didn’t say that.ANDYYou mean... After all these yearsAll these long and silent yearsWhy?Why her?

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SONG: FORCE OF NATURESIDNoticing the lightFilter through the blindsSomething about her faceNoticing the chillCreeping up my spineAnother time and placeNoticing the blood Pounding in my headAn overwhelming drawNoticing the thrillNoticing the dreadA frozen stream must thawDeep withinWarmingSpidery cracksFormingIs it just the moon that turns the tidesAnd the sun that melts the ice?There’s a force of nature in her eyesA mighty powerAfter all these yearsLong and silent yearsAn urge to speak arisesWatch the feeling growAsk it what it knowsOpen to life’s surprisesThoughts lead to words, and words lead to actionsBut silence too Can mean attachmentIs it just the moon that turns the tidesAnd the sun that melts the iceThere’s a force of nature in your eyesA mighty powerSid, let goOh, don’t resist the flowNow I’m noticing the airNoticing the fearStop holding on nowBe strong nowLet it go(Raina appears upstage, in shadow)SID AND RAINAIt isn’t just the moon that turns the tidesAnd the sun that melts the iceThere’s a force of nature in your eyesA mighty powerSIDAfter all these yearsLong and silent yearsNow it is timeNow it is time

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SLEAZY MANHey lady, sweet lady, hey where you headed to?DRUNKEN MANHey kiddos, wait kiddos, I think I remember youRECENTLY UNEMPLOYED MANHey buddy wanna score some crystal?HOMELESS WOMANI just need a place to squatSCARED WOMANMy man is raging and he’s got a pistolSLEAZY MANHey girl, you’re lookin’ hot!Can I have your number?RECENTLY UNEMPLOYED MANWon’t you cut me a break?HOMELESS WOMANI just need a hot mealSCARED WOMANOh please keep me safeRECENTLY UNEMPLOYED MANSome money for train fareDRUNKEN MANMoney for beerSLEAZY MANCan I have your number?MENJust blow in my ear.ALLYou wanted the real thingThe real thingThe sharp stingYou’re craving the hard dark flavor Of what life isI’ll show you the real thingThe real thingThe real thingThe harsh flingI’ll give you a wake-up smackAnd you’ll start to liveJust look at meJust look at me(The crowd parts to reveal DELILAH, a drag queen, dressed in layers of ragged lace and beads. She looks emaciated and very sick, with sores in plain view. The others give her a wide berth. She is lit in a luminous way, to indicate that she is the first messenger.)DELILAHJust look at meIn my face you will seeBrutal reality(DELILAH coughs.)SIDYou're sick.DELILAHYes. And you are?SIDSid. Sidney. Sidney Arthur. DELILAHPleasure to meet you, Miss Sid Arthur. I’m Delilah.Back when I ran this cityThey called me “Empress D”Little girl you’re so prettyYou remind me of meBack when I was a sweet thingThe belle of the ballBoys and girls, queens, kingsI dazzled them all.But now you see that my youth hasBeen nipped in the budBy this ruthless intruderInvading my bloodDevouring my musclesConsuming my bonesLeaving only the memoriesOf all that I’ve knownSIDIs there anything that I can do for you?DELILAHAre you God? If you are, there’s a thing or two.Startin’ out with a fat shot of morphine for the painThen you can add a clean pair of lungs andKindly vanquish the chills and the runs andWhile you’re at it, can you sharpen up my brain?(DELILAH collapses in a fit of coughing)DELILAH (CONT’D)So are you God?SIDNo, I am not.DELILAHThen you can’t help Me or anyone else,No, not even yourself.(SID stares. The crowd closes in around her.)ALLYou wanted the real thingThe real thingThe sharp stingYou’re craving the jagged edges ofWhat life isWell this is the real thingThe real thingThe deep springThis is the moment when youBegin to live(HAG, an old woman, hobbles onto the stage, carrying bags of groceries.) HAGHag coming throughHag coming throughOut of my wayOut of my wayOr inhale the bouquetOf my new pepper spray!(Homeless people part to reveal SID and YASHA.)HAG (CONT’D)Well lookie here. A coupla freshly minted swells fromBois Riche, Bois RicheBois Riche, Bois RicheSIDHow’d you know?HAGSneaking out while daddy’s snoozingfor hanky panky, smokes and boozingSIDNo!HAGNow don’t play the innocent with me. (Sid stares.)HAG (CONT’D)Just close up that gaping squeak-holeDon’t stare at me like i’m a freakOr do i divine this is the first timethat you’ve ever seen an antique?SIDOf course I’ve seen old people before.HAGThose face-lifted, botoxed fifty-year-olds in Bois Riche?SIDSome of them are fifty-five, I think.HAGHa! This jowly face and flabby bellyBreath that reeks of rot and moldVeiny legs and tit* like jellyThis is what it means to be old.And believe me, it feels as bad as it looks. Aching back, swollen feet, and a frozen kneeFailing eyes, failing ears, fading memory Hard to sleep, hard to pee, and libido is a jokeAdd to the pain and humiliationThe booby prize for this drawn-out staycation:Is watching all your friends and family croak.See what you have to look forward to?(She exits. Homeless people close in.)ALLYou ran from your mansionIn search of the realFor one night to slum itAnd learn how it feelsTo make eyes at dangerTo flirt with the knifeTo move to the muscular rhythms of lifeYou came for the real thingAnd now that you've found itYou want to escape butYou find you're surroundedYou're starting to feel likeYou're under attackBut once you have gone thereThere's no turning back(Scene shifts to Bois Riche. SUNNY lies on the floor, a paramedic covering him with a sheet. SID and YASHA enter.)SIDWhat...Dad?! What happened? PARAMEDICHeart attack. I’m sorry, Miss. He’s dead.SIDNo! Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no.(The people SID met in the city appear around the periphery, creating a psychological backdrop to the action.)ALLYou wanted the real thing The real thingHAG AND DELILAHFour messengersALLThis is what life isThe real thingThe real thingHAG AND DELILAHFour messengersALLThis is what life isThis is the path This is the pathThis is the pathAnd there’s no turning back.

18.

YOGISEvery choice that we makeIs a pebble in a lakeSpreading ripples beyond our sightEvery step that we takeImpresses its shapeOn a galaxy of livesEvery choice that we makeIs a pebble in a lakeSpreading ripples beyond our sightEvery step that we takeImpresses its shapeOn a galaxy of livesEvery choice that we makeIs a pebble in a lakeSpreading ripples beyond our sightEvery step that we takeImpresses its shapeOn a galaxy of livesSIDEverything that we feelEverything we think is realIs elusive as rising steamEverything that we buildIs a promise unfulfilledNo more solid than a dreamWhat is the point of moving forwardOur fate is set no matter which road we chooseWhat is the point?YASHAI was beside you, I saw it all tooI realize there's no easy answerLook in my eyes, I'll tell you what I know is trueThis much I'm certain ofMaybe it's not enoughBut Sidney-I love youI always haveAnd I always willSIDEverything that we've knownYASHAYou don't have to feel aloneWhen you think of what you saw that nightSIDEverything that we feelYASHAYou can trust that this is realCome let me hold you tightSIDWhen I feel your arms around meI can believeBOTHWe'll be alright somehowYASHALet my love shelter youSIDYasha, I love you tooBOTHMaybe this is all we need for now.

19.

SID And put an end to all my wanderingAnd put an end to striving to learn the truthI’ve had enough, I’ll go no fartherAnd from this moment on I will not be movedI will sit calm and firm as a mountainClear as empty airOpen as skyUntil I touchWhat doesn’t dieI will not eatI will not sleepI will not rise

20.

BREADComin’ fresh from the ovenI'm golden and hotGive your taste buds some lovin'Yeah I'll hit the spotThe aroma's risingRich and surprisingYum yum yum yum, aaaaaaah!CHORUSYum yum yum yum, aaaaaaah!BREADSlather me with butter, babySpread me with a sweet red jamOoh baby don't you know who I am?SIDBread…CHORUSBread!SIDI'm hungry…CHORUSSo hungrySIDAnd thirsty too...(A glass of WATER runs on.)WATEROo, that's my cue!You're a scorching desert insideEvery inch of you crumbled and dryI can heal you, I can provideThis cool, cool waterCHORUSCool, cool waterWATERIt's easy, I'm here for youPour this glorious river right into youWATER AND CHORUSGlug glug glug glug glug glugGlug glug glug glug glug glug aaaaah!SIDGo away. Mine is a thirst you cannot soothe.(BREAD and WATER approach ominously.)WATER AND CHORUSGlug glug glug glug glug glugGlug glug glug glug glug glugBREAD AND CHORUSYum yum yum yum yum yumYum yum yum yum-SIDI said shoo! I have a job to do.

21.

MAY AND ANGELSSleep, sleepSleep, sleepMAYPoor sweetheart. You’re exhausted.SIDMama? MAYWho else?SIDOh, Mama. I've missed you so. All my life.MAYThen join me.SIDRight now?MAYOf course.SID(Rousing slightly) But...you're dead.MAYExactly. It's so peaceful! Isn’t that what you want: to be at peace?SIDBut my work here’s not done.MAYYou’ll finish it some other time.There are many lifetimes to be livedMay and angelsMaybe next time you’ll have more to giveNow sleep, sleepWhat's one little lifetime, anyway?(As SID sings the following, the ensemble enters and stands behind May, a sea of faces stretching back.)SID Then suddenly I seeStretched out behind meThe bodies I have occupiedThe people I have lovedThe tears I have criedThe deaths I have diedA hundred thousand lifetimesSearching, searchingA hundred thousand lifetimes Is enoughThis time I'll see it throughIt's what I have to doMAY AND ENSEMBLE You break my heart.SIDI know it.I break my own heart too.

22.

YASHAMy Sidney, why'd you run away?I’ve been aching for you night and day,Day and night, with all my soulSIDOh, Yasha, I didn't mean to hurt you...YASHAWhy won't you let me wrap my arms around youAnd feel your troubles melt into the groundI'll make everything right; I’ll make you wholeSIDYasha, I miss you!YASHAThen come back to me(Ensemble joins in, singing “ah” and “mm” in the background.)YASHA (CONT’D)Come back to meI've learned so much, I'm no longer a boy – You'll see!I'll kiss you where you're soreDon't suffer anymoreCome back to me, there's much to enjoySIDOh, I would like that...Oh Yasha, how I miss the heatThat electric tingle, sharp and sweetPressed against you in the darkDelicious urgency in every moveMaybe this is the only kind of truthSkin on skinSID & YASHAHeart to heartSo come back to meENSEMBLEIt's not too late forSID & YASHACome back to meENSEMBLEWhat we're made forSID & YASHAI/You have wandered so long, now it's time to come homeENSEMBLESweet homeYASHAAll is forgivenENSEMBLEAnd moreSIDThe moment I walk inCHORUSThat doorYASHASo come backCHORUSAhYASHACome backSID & CHORUSAhYASHACome backSID & CHORUSAhYASHACome back to me...SID & CHORUSOh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh yes, oh–SIDNo! I can’t. Go away, Yasha.

23.

SID I feel my world expandAnd now I understandYou are every child on earthEvery child is youi see we’re one nowAnd somehowI must raise us allAnd that is when I knowI know I have to goRAINAI don’t understand.SIDThe fourth messengerThe fourth messengerIt was youOh, It was you.

24.

RAINA Every time I’d see your faceFlash across a TV screenEvery time your name appearedIn another glossy magazineEvery time I’d hear you quotedEvery time I’d hear you praisedBy some student so devoted,Somebody whose life you saved,Every time I’d hear a strangerRave about how much you giveHow you walk divine among usHow you show us how to liveI’d want to rageI’d want to cryI’d want to tell them it's all a lieI’d want to howl up to the sky:What about me?What about me?How can it beThis miraculous “she"Could forget about me?SID(Tries to take her hand) Raina.RAINANo!Every time I’d see a womanLift a baby to her breastWalk a toddler ‘cross the streetOr Scold a teen on how she's dressedEvery time I read aboutHow every mother loves her childIn my mouth the taste grows bitterIn my chest my heart beats wildEvery time I think of howYou left me when I had no voiceNo words to tell you how I need youNo power that could sway your choiceI want to rageI want to cryI want to tell them it's all a lieI want to howl up to the sky:What about me?What about me?How can it beThis miraculous “she”Could forget about me?To sit there in the room with youHear your laughter, see your smileIt’s not as I imagined it would beMy heart’s a knot, a book shut tightUnreadable even to meEvery time you meet my eyesI lose my tether, lose my driveWhy do they love you?Why can’t I hate you?Oh why don’t you know that I’m aliveHow can it be This miraculous sheThe teacher, the prophet, the seer, the sageThe one who shines light on this desolate ageThe one whose compassion is vaster than earthWho shows us the cycle of death and rebirth...Oh how is it trueThis miraculous youCould just walk awayStray till todayFrom your own body's issueYour sinew, your tissueThis stubborn but vulnerableStill, I hope, lovableMe?

25.

SIDThis is the part where I kiss your headYou’re sleeping soundly; I don’t want to wake youThis is the part where I pack my bagI pack light, I can’t afford to take too much...This is the part where I fold up the noteThat I wrote to Yasha, I prop it on the table, This is the part where I stop at the door, Drop my bag and run to kiss your head ONCE MORE...This is the part where tears comeThis is the part where I turn to runThis is the part where I double overThe pain is overwhelming as the day you were bornThis is the part where I split in twoStrange as it sounds, there’s no other way to say itOne of me turns, but the other scoops you up, And you’re so light, you don’t weigh a thing...That’s how I bring you with meAnd everywhere I goYou are always thereA thousand miles from homeYou are always thereWe gaze at the planets, Sleep on a park bench,Wake to a flashlight’s glare,You are there.You are always there.Scavenging to eatYou are always thereI sing you to sleepA lullaby prayerAnd you give me strengthTo keep on searchingYear after wandering yearA reason to careYou are thereRAINAWas I there?SIDYou were thereRAINAWas I always there?SIDYou were always thereSID AND RAINAIn this life we shareRAINAI am always thereSIDYou are always...(SID positions herself beneath the freeway, exactly as she was during the temptations sequence.)SID (CONT’D)This is the part where I face the truthAdmit to myself that I left you long agoRAINANo...SIDThe part where all illusions dieRAINADon’t leave me, MamaSIDThis is the moment I leave behindAll that I knewRAINAOh Mama, NoSIDAll that I wasRAINAMama, noSIDAll that I heldAll that I lovedGoodbyeThis is the moment I am no longer “I”...(An earth-shaking rumble starts, low at first, then building. As RAINA watches helplessly from the edge of the stage,SID’s breathing becomes louder. On the scrim her shadow grows larger and larger until it is enormous. The music rises and rises. SID reaches out her hand and touches the earth. She speaks in a voice unlike any she has used before.)SID (CONT’D)As the earth bears witness to the work I’ve done over a hundred thousand lifetimes, I have the right to be free.

26.

ANDYSo many yearsI walked by your sideIn awe of the miracle That brought you to be my guideMy unearthly angelMy beacon of truthAnd as you depend on meI depended on youMy life's direction and courseI gave over in service to yoursBut there is so much you concealedThat I no longer know what is realYou taught me the pain of clingingAnd yet I held onTo an image of you that is finally goneI'm empty insideBut now I knowSidney, dear Sidney,I have to go.

27.

REPORTERSMama Sid, Mama Sid, would you give us a statement?YOGISMama Sid, Mama Sid, are they telling the truth?REPORTERSMama Sid, Mama Sid, does your own daughter hate you?YOGISMama Sid, Mama Sid, I am really confused.REPORTERSMama Sid, Mama Sid, do you have other secrets?YOGISMama Sid, Mama Sid, is this some kind of test?REPORTERSMama Sid, Mama Sid, do you prey on their weakness?(Indicating yogis)DEREKH, MYRAMama Sid, Mama Sid, just don’t talk to the press!REPORTER 1Mama Sid, will you quit teaching Now that your past has been exposed?MYRA AND DEREKHNo!REPORTER 2Mama Sid, how can you justifyBeing so hard, so brutal, so coldMYRAThis is totally unfair!DEREKHIf she were a man, nobody would care!REPORTER 3She left her boyfriend alone with an infantREPORTERSNever told anyone that she had a kidMIKEWe thought you'd achieved earthly perfection!(The following YOGIS’ and REPORTERS’ lines are sung simultaneously.)REPORTERSAren't you ashamed of what you did?Aren't you ashamed of what you did?Aren't you ashamed of what you did, what you did?YOGISMama Sid, Mama SidMama Sid, Mama SidWhat you did, what you didALLAre you ashamed?

28.

RAINAThis story was supposed to beA saga of revengeI'd sweep in on my righteous steedAnd that would be the endI'd ruin your name Witness your shameAnd then fleeFinally freeNow look at this spectacle:Hyenas swarming roundThey clamor for humiliationBut still you stand your groundThey hunger for bloodBut you give back... loveThis story This story This storyIs not what I planned for...If my opponent isn't mortified, then where's my victory?And even if you were ashamed, What good would it do me?If I can't drag you back And make you the mother I always wantedThe mother I thought I neededThe mother you will never be...And yet you saySIDPlease stayRAINAYou want me to staySIDI want you to stayRAINABut how can I stayWhen I still don't understandHow your love for meAnd your love for all the worldGo hand in handWhat can I be to you?SIDI want to find out tooWhat kind of familyRAINA AND SIDWe can be

29.

SID As long as I am livingThere are places yet to goAs long as I am humanI still have the chance to growthe river forks, each time it bendsI am upended in the flowAnd I go on...I go on...SID AND RAINAAs long as I am livingRAINAI can always be surprisedSID AND RAINAAs long as I am humanSIDMy ideas can be revisedSID AND RAINAOur hearts can always break againNo matter how we try to hideAnd we go onSID, RAINA, YOGISAs long as we are livingThe path will twist and windAs long as we are humanWe will stumble as we climbThe more we live, the more we seeHow deeply we're entwinedSID AND RAINAAnd we go on...YOGISFeel the joyFeel the griefThe act of naming brings reliefSID AND RAINAAnd we go onYOGISHeavy, light, shallow, deepSID AND RAINAAnd onAnd we goSID, RAINA, YOGISOn in the human experienceREPORTERSThis storySID, RAINA, YOGISWe go on in the human experienceREPORTERSThis story SID, RAINAAs long as we are buildingYOGISWe are lovingREPORTERSThe truth...SID, RAINAAs long as we are changingYOGISWe are laughingREPORTERSThe truth...SID, RAINAAs long as we are choosingYOGISWe are cryingREPORTERSThe truth...SID, RAINAAs long as we are humanYOGISWe are dyingSID, RAINAAs long as we are livingYOGISWe are livingREPORTERSThe truth...SID, YOGISWe areALLLiving the human experience.

30.

SIDSo let us look to the thoughtALLFor thoughts lead to wordsSID AND RAINALook to the wordALLFor words lead to actionsLook to the actionFor actions lead to habitsHabits lead to characterAnd character becomes destinySo may our thoughts be clearMay our words be kindOur actions skillfulOur habits wiseCharacter be trueDestinies joyfulSIDFor from the tiny seed of thoughtThe thicket of existence growsALLFrom the tiny seed of thoughtAll existence growsAll existence, all existence, all existenceAll existence grows.

31.

Isn’t it Amazing?OhIsn’t it amazingHow at times you awakenTangled up in a dream?But when you try to hold the moment closeIt streaks away from youlike a moving trainLeaving behindNothing but steam AwakenTo this waking dreamIsn’t it amazingHow urgent it seems?We fight our battles, pledge our sacred oathsConstruct our fragile, towering spiresOf hope and desire AwakenTo this rushing streamEverything we’ve createdEverything that we seem to beIs just as insecure and fleetingMercurial as your own heart beatingPure and strange, this too will changeJust like a dreamSlipping past like a dreamA miraculous dreamIsn't it amazing…