Dirt

All About Blue

Play | 43 min read

All About Blue is set in a Manhattan townhouse where Karen McDermott and her six year old daughter Casey move in with elderly Mrs. Glenrose and her 38 year old intellectually disabled son Peter, Karen having taken a position as Peter's caretaker following a car accident that killed Casey's young friend Max. Casey and Peter form an unlikely friendship—playing games, building castles, sharing secrets and Coke in the bathroom—while Casey carries Max with her as an imaginary presence she can't yet let go. What Karen eventually witnesses between Mrs. Glenrose and Peter reframes everything the audience thought it understood about the household's quiet rhythms. Contains sexual abuse, death of a child, grief. "He never had a life"

Characters

Scene 1

There’s a knock at the door. An old woman opens it. She is Felicity Glenrose. A woman in her forties stands outside. A child hides behind her dress. They are Karen and Casey McDermott. Karen’s left hand is bandaged.

MRS. GLENROSE. What is it, honey?

KAREN. I’m here..for the interview.

MRS. GLENROSE. We spoke on the phone. Come inside now. I’ll take your coat.

KAREN. Thank you.

MRS. GLENROSE. Who is this little one?

KAREN. This is Casey. Say hi.

MRS. GLENROSE. They can be shy at that age. How old is she?

KAREN. Six.

Casey looks from behind her mom at a retarded adult sitting on a stool blowing hot air on his face with an electric hairdryer. This is Peter Glenrose.

KAREN. Casey don’t stare.

MRS. GLENROSE. He likes when people look at him. Peter, I’d like you to meet Karen..and Casey.

PETER. ’lo Casey / ’lo Karen

MRS. GLENROSE. They’re here for an interview.

Peter shuts off the hairdryer.

PETER. interview

MRS. GLENROSE. Yes, an interview. Like the other day. Please have a seat. And, Casey, if you’d like, you’re welcome to use any of the toys we have situated in those bins over there. There’re some blocks, or you’re welcome to draw and Peter might even join you if you let him. So, how did you hear about the position?

KAREN. I saw your ad in the Times.

MRS. GLENROSE. And what was it particularly about this position that made you think it would be suitable?

KAREN. There were—well we—I’m just looking for anything I can find.

MRS. GLENROSE. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to grill you, I’m afraid I’m not very good at giving interviews.

KAREN. No, you were fine, I just—I’m sorry—

MRS. GLENROSE. No, let’s start things over, shall we? Would you like a cup of coffee?

KAREN. No, thank you.

MRS. GLENROSE. Come now, a cup of decaf?

KAREN. No, I’m fine.

MRS. GLENROSE. Well I’m having one. I was just pouring it when you came to the door. Are you sure you won’t have a cup?

KAREN. No, I appreciate it, but—

MRS. GLENROSE. Alright, alright. Casey, I see you found the blocks. Peter favors the yellow ones..those arched ones there? He likes to make castles but even more he likes to knock them down.

Mrs. Glenrose goes to the kitchen.

KAREN. Casey. Don’t make a mess.

Peter climbs down from the stool. Carrying the hair dryer with him, he goes to where Casey is stacking blocks on the floor. Casey finds one of the yellow blocks that is arched and hands it to Peter. He takes it with his free hand and stares at Casey. Casey looks away and focuses on the blocks. Peter watches her meticulously select block at a time from the pile and place it delicately into a developing structure. After watching her for a moment, Peter cautiously ventures his block onto what Casey is building. Casey lets him place it there but she taps it to make it less crooked once he has released it. Peter stares at the little girl. Casey hands him another block. Mrs. Glenrose comes back carrying two cups of coffee.

MRS. GLENROSE. Just in case you change your mind. I though I’d save myself a trip later on. People get to talking, you know, and next thing you know it’s middle of the afternoon. I get the sun through those windows in the evening. Where do you live, Karen?

KAREN. We live in Washington Heights.

MRS. GLENROSE. Where exactly?

KAREN. One-hundred and fifty-sixth street.

MRS. GLENROSE. My other son teaches at Columbia. What happened to your hand, sweetie?

CASEY. We were in an accident. Max didn’t make it.

Karen chokes up. She covers her face. Mrs. Glenrose puts her hand on Karen’s arm.

MRS. GLENROSE. Oh, I’m sorry for asking. Dear. We’re not off to a very good start, are we?

PETER. Max?

CASEY. Max was my boyfriend.

PETER. I have a boyfriend

CASEY. What’s his name?

PETER. Max

MRS. GLENROSE. How about we just sit here and look out the window and I’ll try not to say anything.

KAREN. That’s okay.

MRS. GLENROSE. Well, no, no it’s not. Here I am trying to put you at ease and I can’t help it but I keep saying the wrong things.

KAREN. You’re fine. I’m just—I’m just a mess right now and I keep trying to pretend that everything is okay, put on a happy face, but you can only smile so much and everything..everything..

MRS. GLENROSE. Everything is not okay.

KAREN. No.

MRS. GLENROSE. Of course it’s not. Have a sip of this coffee. Tell me what you think.

Karen takes a sip.

MRS. GLENROSE. Not bad for decaf.

KAREN. It’s good.

MRS. GLENROSE. It’s not good, but it will do.

KAREN. No, it’s fine.

MRS. GLENROSE. I used to drink it every day. My husband gave me such a hard time but I held my tongue. He drank scotch. Casey, does your mother let you drink scotch?

CASEY. I’ve never had it.

MRS. GLENROSE. It tastes like gasoline, and now that you know what it tastes like, you won’t have need to try it.

CASEY. Max loves to drink scotch. He likes the smell of gasoline.

KAREN. Stop talking about Max, Casey, you know I don’t like that.

CASEY. Max already knows you don’t like him.

PETER. you don’t like Max?

KAREN. Casey..

Casey puts her finger up to her pursed lips in a “silence” gesture. She scowls at her mom.

KAREN. Max is her imaginary friend.

CASEY. He’s not imaginary.

KAREN. Well, actually, he is imaginary. She’s been doing this for months. I don’t know if I need to take her to see someone or what.

..

MRS. GLENROSE. Does Casey play with friends her age?

KAREN. She had a little boyfriend. His name was Max, but he died—

CASEY. He’s not dead.

Karen holds her breath and closes her eyes. Then swallows and lets her breath out.

KAREN. He died..

Mrs. Glenrose again puts her hand on Karen.

MRS. GLENROSE. Well, you need the job..

KAREN. Yes.

MRS. GLENROSE. You’ll have to live here, if you take it. It’s hard enough to get myself up and down these stairs, and he needs help getting in and out of the bath, making sure he eats. We have an extra room on the third floor. It’s very dusty now. And its not big.

Karen smiles at Mrs. Glenrose.

MRS. GLENROSE. But it will do.

Casey and Peter’s castle has grown tall. Casey taps Peter on the leg and pantomimes that she is knocking down the castle. Peter becomes excited. He waits for Casey to knock down the castle and when she does not, he pantomimes to her a knocking-down-the-castle motion.

CASEY. You do it.

Peter points to himself. Casey nods. He knocks down the castle and bounces up and down on his knees. He switches on the hairdryer and points it at Casey. Her hair flies up and she closes her eyes.

PETER. Max is my boyfriend / Max is my boyfriend

Scene 2

Casey is practicing her violin. Karen is cutting slices of apple and handing them to Peter. Mrs. Glenrose is reading, and not openly paying attention to anyone in the room.

KAREN. Remember what Vaughn says about the way you hold your pinky. There you go. And it’s not—E..and A—flat and it’s lightly..prancing..dah dah dah dah da..good.

PETER. beautiful

Casey stops and lowers the bow.

CASEY. Thank you.

KAREN. Practice.

CASEY. When are we going to Vaughn’s house again?

KAREN. Vaughn lives in California.

CASEY. I miss him.

KAREN. So do I, Case.

Casey starts playing again. She sightreads from a book. Her mother turns the page when it’s time.

CASEY. Why is my hair a different color than yours?

KAREN. What do you mean?

CASEY. Mine is lighter than yours and we’re in the same family.

KAREN. Even in the same family, people’s hair can be different colors.

CASEY. At school, there’s this girl named Kristen. She has red hair and her mom has red hair and both her brothers have red hair.

KAREN. Sometimes people’s hair is the same color and sometimes its different.

CASEY. Why is ours different?

PETER. why is our hair different colors?

CASEY. Yes, that’s right. Why is our hair different colors? Peter’s hair is brown and Mrs. Glenrose’s hair is white.

KAREN. Casey!

CASEY. It is. And they’re in the same family. Was I adopted?

KAREN. Keep practicing.

CASEY. Was I?

KAREN. No. Keep practicing.

Casey starts playing. She plays for a while, then stops.

CASEY. We need to go shopping for new clothes for me.

KAREN. Oh yeah?

CASEY. I need a black dress.

KAREN. Pray tell, why?

CASEY. What does pray tell mean?

KAREN. It means please.

CASEY. Please tell. Because I need a black dress for when I do recitals.

KAREN. Girls who don’t practice don’t get to do recitals.

CASEY. I am practicing.

She plays a few more notes of the song. She leaves the book behind and dances around the room as though she were at a ball. She continues playing while she dances. Her playing and speaking are interleaved.

CASEY. I will have a black dress that is very long and very black with no sequins or anything shiny. This will all be very formal and my hair will be dyed to match your color exactly and it will be pulled back in a very tight bun that will stretch the hair on the side of my head and stretch my face and my eyes back to the sides and I will have brown eyeliner like yours and as I cascade into the ballroom I will dip my knees to the audience..

Casey courtseys to Mrs. Glenrose.

CASEY...and they will smile at me from behind their programs and then I will play for them the most beautiful recital..

Mrs. Glenrose claps.

KAREN. And how will you know what to play at this recital if you haven’t practiced?

CASEY. I’m practicing.

She starts playing. After a moment she stops and looks at her mother, who at the silence has already raised turned to her daughter.

CASEY. What does cascade mean?

KAREN. It means to fall or flow down in a beautiful way.

CASEY. Because they have commercials for it on TV and it means something else.

KAREN. It’s also dish soap.

CASEY. I thought it was dish soap. But I thought it would be nice for the audience if I could cascade into the ballroom.

PETER. you can cascade into the ballroom

CASEY. Thank you. I think I might. Will you come see my recital?

PETER. yes / yes I will see your recital

Karen points to the music practice book. Casey restores her playing posture. She shoots a glance at Peter.

CASEY. I’ll get you a free ticket.

Casey winks and starts playing again. Mrs. Glenrose closes her book and goes to the table.

MRS. GLENROSE. Come with me Peter.

KAREN. I can watch him.

MRS. GLENROSE. You’ve watched him all day and I’m almost through my book, so thank you, but he’ll come with me for a while and you can rest. Come on.

Mrs. Glenrose heads out of the room with her son. Peter goes first.

MRS. GLENROSE. Go on up, dear. I’ll meet you at the top.

Mrs. Glenrose goes back into the kitchen and fishes on top of the refrigerator. There are flats of Coke there and she takes a can.

KAREN. I’ve set you up with a new teacher here—

CASEY. But I want Vaughn!

KAREN. I know you loved Vaughn. Vaughn loves you, too. Do you want to call him on the telephone later?

Casey nods.

KAREN. We’ll do that. But tomorrow you have a lesson with Alex French. I know he’s not Vaughn, but I’d like you to go and see if you can get along with him just well enough for him to teach you.

CASEY. Alex French? Is he really French?

KAREN. No, but he’s excellent. He’s so good, Casey, I think you’ll like him.

CASEY. He’s not as good as Vaughn.

KAREN. Unfortunately, Vaughn’s in California.

CASEY. We should have brought him with us.

KAREN. We can ask him tonight if he’d like to move here.

CASEY. And he can live with us in the attic?

KAREN. If he says yes, we can ask Mrs. Glenrose.

CASEY. If he says no?

KAREN. Then you’re stuck with Alex French.

CASEY. I don’t want to be stuck with Alex French.

KAREN. You can learn from him.

CASEY. I like it when you teach me.

KAREN. I can’t teach you now. You need someone who can take you farther. You want that, don’t you?

Casey nods.

KAREN. Well, you’ll see, Alex French can make you into the best violinist you can possibly be. You want to be a good violinist, don’t you? You want to play recitals?

CASEY. I want to play—

KAREN. Then you will.

CASEY. I want to play like you do.

Mrs. Glenrose has been going toward the door but she falters in her step. Karen looks at her bandaged hand.

Scene 3

Casey and Peter are playing. The adults are elsewhere.

CASEY. Who do you want to be, the owl or the pussycat?

PETER. I want to be the owl

CASEY. Okay, you will be the owl and I will be the pussycat. This is the rehearsal for our play. Tonight will be our opening night. This is the dress rehearsal. We have to practice so that we’ll know all our lines. Have you ever been in a play before?

PETER. no I’ve never been in a play before

CASEY. You’ll do fine. As long as you learn your lines and pay attention during rehearsal, you’ll know exactly what to do. Are you nervous?

PETER. about the people going to see me?

CASEY. Yes, the audience.

PETER. all the people in their seats looking at us with the programs?

CASEY. Right. The people with the programs. You won’t be able to see them because of the footlighting. Do you know what footlighting is?

Peter is confused and made uncomfortable by this question. Casey puts her arm around him and shows him around their stage.

CASEY. I’ll tell you. The footlighting is downstage, at the front. The back of the stage is called upstage and the front part near the..audience..is called downstage. We’re downstage now. These are the footlights. They come in different colors, red, white, and blue, and when you want everything to be bright you turn them all on and they mix together to make white. So when we’re singing, they’re going to turn on all the lights on us?

PETER. they’re going to see us in the bright lights?

CASEY. Yes, it’s okay, you can touch them..see..they’re not hot right now. But once they turn on you can’t touch them cause they get very hot.

PETER. this is a red one

CASEY. Yes! And this..is a white one.

PETER. this is another red one

CASEY. No, that one’s blue.

PETER. this is a blue one

CASEY. Right. They go, red, white, blue all the way across.

PETER. and they mix together?

CASEY. They all mix together to make white. But if you turn off just the white ones then the red and blue mix together to make purple.

PETER. I like the blue one

CASEY. Oh! Be careful, they just turned them on!

PETER. and they’re hot!

CASEY. Let’s go over here so we don’t burn ourselves.

PETER. the blue

CASEY. But later on, you’ll have a solo and we’ll turn on only the blue ones for you to sing in. Have you been practicing your solo?

PETER. I’ve never singed solo before

CASEY. I’ll teach you. Have a seat. Now, I’ll be Vaughn. And you’re here for your lesson. You say, ”Good morning, Mr. Goggins.”

PETER. good morning Mr. Goggins thank you

CASEY. Just good morning will do. Vaughn doesn’t like it if you add extra words to things. Now, Peter, have you practiced your solo?

PETER. I haven’t practiced my solo

CASEY. You haven’t practiced! What have you been doing?

PETER. what?

CASEY. Instead of practicing your solo? What’s been keeping you from your studies?

PETER. I am keeping me / from my studies

CASEY. Let’s hear from one of our other students. Max, how is your solo coming? Oh, excellent! Is that what I heard you practicing in your room this morning? No, I couldn’t hear it clearly, would you play it for us now? Thank you, Max.

Casey makes room at the front of the classroom. Max comes up to the front and plays his solo. Casey folds her arms and listens to the music.

CASEY. Max, that was excellent. Thank you very much.

PETER. max was excellent / you’re my excellent boyfriend

CASEY. No! Actually Max can’t be your boyfriend. Max already has a girlfriend.

PETER. Max does not have a girlfriend

CASEY. How long have you known Max? I’ve known him since I was born and I happen to know that he does have a girlfriend.

PETER. how do you know?

CASEY. Because I am Max’s girlfriend. You can still be his friend but he can’t have both a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time. Understand?

PETER. yes I understand

CASEY. Now. How’s your solo coming? Peter! How’s your solo coming?

Peter distresses.

PETER. I don’t have a solo

CASEY. Peter. Peter, not in the game. It’s okay, that class is over. We’re not in the game anymore.

PETER. you’re not Mr. Goggins?

CASEY. No. I’m Casey. Mr. Goggins went home to be with his family.

PETER. game is over?

CASEY. Yep. Now we’re just sitting here twiddling our thumbs. Peter, keep twiddling!

She shows him how. He does it, and it puts his mind at ease. Casey twiddles as though she is being watched.

CASEY. Just twiddling all the live long day.

PETER. twiddling all the day?

CASEY. Yes. Just like John Henry.

PETER. and Max!

CASEY. No. Max isn’t here right now.

PETER. why not?

CASEY. Because. Sometimes he needs a break from you.

They just sit for a moment. Then Peter says:

PETER. I miss Max

Casey sighs.

CASEY. Well, if you miss him that much..we can go visit him if we hurry.

PETER. why do we have to hurry?

CASEY. Because he won’t be there long.

PETER. where is he?

CASEY. He’s at the hospital. We’ll have to drive if we want to get there in time. Come on! Get in!

Buckle your seatbelt.

Casey buckles her own. Peter is confused.

CASEY. Here.

She buckles it for him and steps on the gas. She makes car screeching noises.

PETER. why are we going so fast?

CASEY. Because we have to get there in time.

PETER. people get in accidents

CASEY. Don’t you think I know that, Peter? But sometimes people need to drive fast because they need to get someplace in a hurry and we don’t always do the smartest things when we’re not thinking clearly we sometimes do things we regret later!

Casey is out of the car. Peter gets up but Casey screams at him.

CASEY. No Peter it’s too late! We didn’t make it on time! We didn’t make it!

Peter is mortified.

PETER. to see Max..?

Casey sees Peter’s state. It calms her. She proceeds matter-of-factly.

CASEY. Max is dead now. We didn’t make it on time.

Karen comes into the room.

KAREN. What are you screaming about!?

PETER. max is dead now

CASEY. We were playing car and Peter didn’t put his seatbelt on fast enough.

KAREN. Okay. Time for a different game.

Mrs. Glenrose comes into the room.

MRS. GLENROSE. Is everything alright?

KAREN. Just a pretend game that’s gotten a little out of hand. Maybe you and Peter can play seperately for a while.

CASEY. That’s fine with me.

Mrs. Glenrose speaks to Casey:

MRS. GLENROSE. Would you like to take a walk?

Karen speaks to Peter:

KAREN. Ready for a different game?

Casey shakes her head. Peter looks at Casey from across the room, then looks at the floor.

PETER. painting

KAREN. Sure, we can paint. I wish you would be a little nicer to him.

CASEY. He didn’t put on his seatbelt.

PETER. red white and blue colors

CASEY. That’s right. Like the footlights.

Karen moves toward her daughter. Peter stands up and fishes around on a high shelf for the painting supplies.

KAREN. You can be more patient with him.

CASEY. Some things have to be done quickly.

KAREN. But it’s important that you go easy with him.

MRS. GLENROSE. Oh, he can take it.

KAREN. But I wish she’d be nicer.

MRS. GLENROSE. It’s tough for both of them. They do pretty well.

KAREN. I feel awful, though..

MRS. GLENROSE. Don’t worry about it so much. He’s gotten much worse from me on my bad days. You’re sure you wouldn’t enjoy a short walk?

CASEY. Not right now.

MRS. GLENROSE. Maybe later, then.

CASEY. Maybe.

Karen sees that Peter is struggling to retrieve the painting supplies. She rushes over to him to help..

KAREN. Oh, Peter..

.. but she’s too late. He pulls the painting box off the shelf and it crashes onto the floor. Brushes scatter everywhere. A can of blue paint comes open when it hits the floor. Blue splatters over the floor, the furniture, and Peter. Karen is shocked. Mrs. Glenrose chuckles.

KAREN. Oh, no!

MRS. GLENROSE. It’s fine..

KAREN. I should have gotten it down for him first before I started–

MRS. GLENROSE. Dear, it’s of little consequence. He wanted to paint..

Peter is rubbing the paint into the floor with his fingers.

MRS. GLENROSE...and now he’s painting.

KAREN. I’ll clean this up—

MRS. GLENROSE. No! We’ll clean up after he’s done.

KAREN. I should learn to keep a better eye on him. I should—

MRS. GLENROSE. You should get me a Coke. And take a short walk with me, if Casey won’t.

Casey looks up at Mrs. Glenrose to see if she’s mad. The old woman isn’t mad. She shrugs innocently at the child. Karen is getting a Coke from the top of the refrigerator.

MRS. GLENROSE. Would you like to take a walk, child?

CASEY. I’d like to stay here and paint.

Casey and her mom pass each other on their way across the room, Casey going toward Peter, Karen going toward Mrs. Glenrose. Casey tentatively enters Peter’s playspace. He takes her hand and puts it in the paint. Karen helps Mrs. Glenrose put on a sweater, then opens the Coke for her and puts it in her hand. The women are on their way out when Mrs. Glenrose stops and turns to speak to her son.

MRS. GLENROSE. What did you learn today, Peter?

Peter looks at his mother.

PETER. today I learned all about blue

Scene 4

Mrs. Glenrose is reading on the couch. Peter is not around. Karen and Casey are walking toward the outside door. Casey stops walking.

KAREN. What’s wrong?

CASEY. I’m not going.

KAREN. What do you mean you’re not going?

CASEY. I am not going.

KAREN. Casey. You have to be there in twenty minutes.

..

KAREN. Is he that bad?

Casey nods.

KAREN. He can’t be that bad. He’s the best teacher in the city.

CASEY. He’s not nice.

KAREN. What’s not nice about him?

CASEY. Vaughn was nice.

KAREN. Vaughn? I seem to remember Vaughn could get not-so-nice sometimes.

CASEY. He was nice most of the time.

KAREN. Vaughn is in California. Alex French is in New York, and he’s expecting you for a lesson in..nineteen minutes. Are we gonna be there?

CASEY. No.

KAREN. Case! Every day it’s this battle with you. I got you the best teacher I could find and he’s not Vaughn, of course, but it’s the best I can do. Maybe you don’t really want to play the violin.

CASEY. I do.

KAREN. Then show me by not putting up such a stink when I’m taking you to your lesson.

Casey freaks out.

CASEY. I’m not putting up a stink!

KAREN. Casey, quiet!

Casey puts her fingers in her ears and screams.

KAREN. Casey, Mrs. Glenrose is trying to read.

Mrs. Glenrose makes a “forget about it” motion and turns the page. Casey plants herself on the floor.

KAREN. We have..eighteen minutes to get you to your lesson.

Karen waits. Casey doesn’t move.

KAREN. If we have to take a cab I’m taking it out of your allowance.

CASEY. Mom!

KAREN. Well, what do you want me to do? We still have time if we hurry.

CASEY. I don’t like hurrying.

KAREN. Then you need to get ready earlier next time.

..

KAREN. We have three minutes before we have to take a cab.

CASEY. I don’t like cabs.

KAREN. If we leave right now you don’t have to. But only if we leave right now.

Casey doesn’t move. Karen goes to the table and sits. There is a long moment when nobody talks. Karen starts making coffee. Casey opens her violin case and takes out her instrument. She plucks the strings. Mrs. Glenrose continues to read. Karen accepts that they are not going to the lesson. She calms. She goes gently to her daughter.

KAREN. You don’t have to go if you don’t want to.

Casey gently ignores her, continuing to pluck at her instrument. Karen goes back to the table and stands with her back to the room. Casey gathers her things and leaves to go upstairs. She accidentally leaves behind her practice book. Karen sits at the table. Mrs.

Glenrose puts down her book and goes to sit by Karen. They have their moment, then Karen says:

KAREN. She used to beg me to see Vaughn. On days she didn’t even have lessons I would find her standing by the door with her case, ready to go.

..

MRS. GLENROSE. I think she misses Max.

Karen clenches her eyes and bows her head. Then she really starts to cry, and, keeping it as much to herself as possible, she covers her face with her hands. Ultimately she lays her head on her crossed arms on the table. Mrs. Glenrose sits quietly, thinking, and then goes to the couch and takes one of the decorative pillows and brings it back to the table. She lifts Karen’s head and puts the pillow underneath. Then she goes pours cups of coffee for both Karen and herself, placing them on the table. Karen is still laying on the table. Mrs. Glenrose does not drink from her cup. In a moment, Casey comes back into the room, looking around for what she’s lost. Her violin and bow are in hand. She sees the practice book lying on the floor and goes to pick it up. She puts the bow under the arm that is holding her violin and takes the book with her other hand. She starts to leave again but Mrs. Glenrose stops her:

MRS. GLENROSE. Child..come here.

Casey stops and goes to the old woman, who scoots her chair back from the table.

MRS. GLENROSE. Give me that thing.

Casey hands the woman the child-sized violin. Mrs. Glenrose takes the bow from her as well. The rests the instrument on her shoulder and holds the bow above the strings. Her movement is halting, arthritic, painful to watch. She closes her eyes and starts to play. Its first note raises Karen’s head and strikes fear into Casey’s eyes. The old woman’s arms lose their frailty. All softness in her face drops away as the expert shrieking of her music wrapts the small audience. It is a stark improvisation, momentary, longing, gone. When she is finished she hands the violin back to the child. Casey’s eyes never leave the old woman. Casey places the violin on the table. She pulls a chair over until it is next to the old woman. She takes her violin from the table and sits in the chair. She sits up straight. She looks earnestly at Felicity Glenrose.

CASEY. I want you to be my teacher.

Scene 5

Mrs. Glenrose and her son are in the room. Peter plays with blocks on the floor and Mrs. Glenrose cleans the house around him.

PETER. where’s Casey?

MRS. GLENROSE. Casey and her mother have gone out for a while.

PETER. where have they gone out to?

MRS. GLENROSE. I don’t know, exactly. I think it’s good for them to see the city, though.

PETER. where did they go?

MRS. GLENROSE. Well, I’m not sure. They may have gone shopping.

PETER. clothes shopping? / member clothes shopping? / we went clothes shopping?

MRS. GLENROSE. Of course I remember. How could I forget? We had such fun last time we went out. I could use some sun myself.

PETER. I like the yellow lemonade

MRS. GLENROSE. I like the pink lemonade. Shall we go out later and get some lemonade?

PETER. with Garland

MRS. GLENROSE. And we’ll say hello to Garland.

PETER. I miss Casey

MRS. GLENROSE. Oh, I know you do. You have such a good playmate in her.

PETER. she’s pretty

MRS. GLENROSE. Do you think so? Well, she’s too young for you.

PETER. she’s not too young / she is six years old

MRS. GLENROSE. How old are you, I forgot..

PETER. you forgot how old I am?! / you can’t forget how old I am!

MRS. GLENROSE. I didn’t forget, I’m just teasing.

PETER. don’t tease about my birthday / I scares

MRS. GLENROSE. Okay, I’m sorry.

PETER. how old am I?

MRS. GLENROSE. You’re thirty-eight.

PETER. I am not thirty-eight I’m thirty-nine

MRS. GLENROSE. Well, I must have missed your birthday—

PETER. you missed my birthday too?! / we missed my birthday presents! / you forgot how old I am and missed my birthday

MRS. GLENROSE. I didn’t miss your birthday. You’re thirty-eight and we haven’t skipped a party the entire time.

PETER. you skipped my party?!

MRS. GLENROSE. We haven’t skipped a party. We’ve had thirty-eight parties for thirty-eight years. Every year we have a party.

PETER. every year like the trampoline

MRS. GLENROSE. What–? No, last year you got a tape recorder.

PETER. I wanted a trampoline

MRS. GLENROSE. You’ll hurt yourself with a trampoline.

PETER. I hurt myself with the tape recorder

Mrs. Glenrose chuckles.

MRS. GLENROSE. You’d hurt yourself worse with a trampoline.

PETER. I won’t hurt myself with a trampoline

MRS. GLENROSE. Well.

..

PETER. next year I want a trampoline

MRS. GLENROSE. I wouldn’t hold my breath.

PETER. why not you hold your breath?

MRS. GLENROSE. I mean I wouldn’t wait around forever.

PETER. what you waiting for?

MRS. GLENROSE. I’m encouraging you not to wait around for a trampoline.

PETER. no I don’t want to wait

MRS. GLENROSE. Exactly.

PETER. ready for our lemonades party?

MRS. GLENROSE. It’s not going to be a lemonade party, it’s just going to be a lemonade walk, alright?

PETER. I want a party

MRS. GLENROSE. You can pretend we’re having a party.

Peter knocks down his block castle.

PETER. don’t want to pretend!

He crosses his arms in front of his head. Mrs. Glenrose continues with her cleaning. Peter pokes an eye out from behind his arms, watching her. He hides again. He takes a fuller look at her, then crawls across the floor to the shelf where the toys and painting supplies are. He takes item after item from the shelves and throws them into the room.

MRS. GLENROSE. Peter! Stop!..Peter! Come now, what’s the matter?!..Listen, Peter, when we have disagreements it isn’t necessary for you to begin throwing things. Can’t you see I’ve been tidying up?..Peter?

Peter thows something that hits his mother. She halts in her approach, sits at the table. She begins to cry. Peter throws a few more things but is disturbed by her crying. Gradually he calms and approaches her.

PETER. Mom you okay?

MRS. GLENROSE. No.

PETER. why you not okay?

MRS. GLENROSE. You’re upsetting me.

PETER. what’s upsetting you?

MRS. GLENROSE. Your throwing things. It scares me. You scare me sometimes, Peter.

PETER. I can not scare you

MRS. GLENROSE. You do scare me. You’re scaring me right now.

This pushes Peter over the edge.

PETER. I’m not scaring you!

MRS. GLENROSE. You frighten me in my own home! I don’t feel safe from you sometimes. You’re hurting me, Peter

PETER. I’m hurting you by throwing things..?

MRS. GLENROSE. Yes, by throwing things! You hit me and now I’m hurting!

PETER. I didn’t mean to hit you!

MRS. GLENROSE. It doesn’t matter, you hit me anyway. You can’t do that, Peter. I’m too fragile for it.

PETER. fragile?

MRS. GLENROSE. I’m delicate, Peter. You have to be gentle with me or else you hurt me.

PETER. I’m sorry I wasn’t gentle!

MRS. GLENROSE. Well remember that the next time you want to throw things.

PETER. I won’t throw things!

MRS. GLENROSE. I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t.

PETER. I won’t! / I’m sorry I did it / you okay?

MRS. GLENROSE. No, I’m bruised. You see that?

As she says ”You see that?” she forces her arm in Peter’s face in a way that startles him.

PETER. I see I’m sorry / oh I’m sorry Mom I’m sorry I hurt you

She won’t talk to him. Peter sulks. The old woman gets up and stands at the sink with her back to her son.

MRS. GLENROSE. Peter. It’s time to play our game.

..

PETER. I don’t want to play our game today

MRS. GLENROSE. You hurt me. You made me feel bad.

The old woman waits. Peter struggles, in his own way, with what he’s about to do. He stands up. He takes his pants off.

PETER. you want to feel good now?

Mrs. Glenrose turns around and looks at her son. She motions to him to come close to her.

PETER. can I have yellow lemonade later?

Mrs. Glenrose nods. Peter goes to her. She touches his penis. The outside door opens and Casey walks in, holding a shopping bag. She sees what the old woman is doing. She drops the shopping bag. Mrs. Glenrose hears this sound and sees that Casey is there. The old woman points to the door that leads upstairs. Peter gets his pants and goes upstairs. Mrs. Glenrose follows. Casey is staring, shocked to stillness, when her mother comes in the house behind her. Karen goes past her daughter into the kitchen, talking.

KAREN. We’ll have to hit the market next time. I’m starving. Are you starving? Remember those ginger muffins? Those looked sooo good. I bet we could make those here if we wanted to. All you’d need to know is what spices they put in them? Did you smell them? They definitely had ginger, and cinnamon. I think I smelled cardamom—

Karen has put her bags down and seen her daughter standing shocked in the doorway.

KAREN. Case. What’s wrong?

Scene 6

Peter is in the bathtub. The door is ajar. Someone walks by on the outside.

PETER. hello?

The person comes back and peeks into the bathroom.

CASEY. Hello?

PETER. hey Casey it’s Peter what you doing now?

CASEY. I’m going for a snack.

PETER. what’s in your snack?

CASEY. A sandwich.

PETER. what you having to drink?

CASEY. I don’t know..

PETER. you have to have a drink with your snack / what kind of drink you having?

CASEY. I’m not thirsty.

PETER. you have to have a drink with your snack / will you bring me a drink? / Casey?

CASEY. Yes.

PETER. you bring me a drink I’m thirsty / please

CASEY. What do you want to drink?

PETER. Coke

CASEY. You’re not supposed to.

PETER. Coke

CASEY. I’ll bring you some water.

PETER. no! / I want to bring Coke!

CASEY. Shhh! If I bring you Coke you have to be quiet about it.

PETER. our little secret?

CASEY. Yes.

PETER. Casey?

Peter waits for her response but none comes. He sings and talks to himself, trying to be quiet about the Coke part.

PETER. I get Coke / I get Coke / Casey is bringing Coke for me to drink / Casey has the Coke and a sandwich in a can for me / Coke is in a can with fizz / Casey has a sandwich for her snack / and I have Coke to drink / my bathtub will have a Coke / this is our little secret / between Casey and me / we have a secret that is a private times / Coke feels good / Coke feels good in my mouth in a bathtub and secret time / friendly Casey / Casey is friendly / my friend is Casey with the beautiful beautiful hair and tied in a knot / Casey is my friendly girl and Casey likes the blue paint too and Casey on the way to get a snack in the bathtub sandwich / sandwich time / sandwich time / we have our sandwich time in the bathtub room and Casey is the beautiful beautiful Casey and she plays the violin! / Casey, Casey / playing the violin / she is my baby and violin girl! / she is my friend / she is my baby / she is a little little baby and I am her dad / she is a beautiful little baby I am her dad / I am her dad / I am her dad / she is the beautiful violet musical sound / violet violin / violet sound

His song becomes a chant.

PETER. and when do we get the Coke? / and when do we get the Coke? / Coke is my favorite drink / when do we get to drink the Coke in my bathing room / in my bathing room / Casey will come in the room / Casey will come in the bath / when will you come into the room with Coke and with your snackwich? / snackwich, snackwich / I have a bite of your snackwich / can I feel good in the bath with a sandwich / where is my Coke and my sandwich? / Casey little daughter where are you? / Casey? / Casey can you hear me? / Casey I want the lemonade!

His chant becomes a rant.

PETER. Casey where is the lemonade! / where are you Casey in the kitchen can you hear? / Casey, Casey / hear me?! / hear me in the kitchen?! / oh, no / I am fall / oh, oh / Casey, Casey no / oh, no no no / no! / no!! / no!!! / no!!!!!

The door opens. It is Casey.

CASEY. What’s wrong? What’s wrong?

PETER. I miss you Casey

The children hear their parents voices.

KAREN. What is going on in there?

MRS. GLENROSE. What’s the matter?

KAREN. It sounded like he fell.

MRS. GLENROSE. I suspect he’s grown lonely.

The parents’ voices get louder. Casey flips the latch on the door.

KAREN. Peter, what’s wrong?

They try the door. Casey and Peter see it wiggle from inside.

MRS. GLENROSE. Unlock this door.

PETER. fine I’m fine

KAREN. Let us in, Peter. Are you okay?

PETER. fine!

KAREN. Did you fall?..Did you fall?

PETER. I did fall no / no / I’m fine in here alone

MRS. GLENROSE. Unlock the door, Peter.

PETER. I can’t unlock the door I’m in the bath / in the bath

KAREN. We want to make sure you’re okay.

PETER. fine fine fine / be out in a minute / have to dry off in a minute or two

KAREN. Let us in..

MRS. GLENROSE. He’ll be fine. Let him take his bath. He’s okay. You’re sure you’re okay?

PETER. fine fine

MRS. GLENROSE. He’s fine. Let’s let him alone for now, he needs time to himself.

KAREN. I’m worried about him.

MRS. GLENROSE. He gives me such a start sometimes..

As the parents voices grow quieter, Casey tiptoes away from the door. She sits on the toilet. She balances her plate on the edge of the tub. There is a Coke under her arm. She takes it out, opens it, and gives it to Peter.

PETER. thank you thank you

CASEY. Shhh..

He says it more quietly:

PETER. thank you thank you

CASEY. You’re welcome.

Casey takes a bite of her sandwich.

PETER. your sandwich?

CASEY. I put cheese on it.

She holds it out for him to take a bite.

PETER. you put cheese on your sandwich?

CASEY. And peanut butter.

PETER. you put cheese with peanut butter?

She holds it for him. He shakes his head.

CASEY. It’s good. Try it.

He won’t try it. Casey shrugs her shoulders.

PETER. okay okay

She gives him a bite. He smiles. He takes another bite from her and holds his head back with his mouth open. He pours in some Coke. Some gets on his face. He sloshes it all around and swallows it. It takes some effort.

PETER. it’s good all together

CASEY. That stuff makes me burp.

PETER. it makes me burp too / sometimes when I burp it hurts

He takes a huge gulp of the drink.

CASEY. If you drink slowly it won’t hurt as much.

PETER. no / I like how it tastes

CASEY. Can I have a sip?

PETER. your mom says you’re not allowed

Casey begins to reproach him.

PETER. just teasing / teasing, Casey / here / you like that taste?

CASEY. Yeah.

PETER. let’s give Max a taste / does Max like Coke?

Casey nods. Peter gives invisible Max a taste of the Coke. It falls through his body into the bathwater.

CASEY. Not too much!

PETER. sorry

CASEY. He won’t be able to sleep.

PETER. I didn’t give him too much

CASEY. He can have a little. But no more. No! No more, Peter!

PETER. don’t want him to be awake all night

CASEY. He has to wake up early.

PETER. for a recital?

CASEY. No.

PETER. he can play his recital for us now?

CASEY. He doesn’t want to right now.

PETER. why not

CASEY. He’s tired of practicing.

PETER. he has to practice if he wants to be good

CASEY. He already practiced today.

PETER. he can play a little song for us in the bath?

CASEY. He doesn’t like to play in the bath.

PETER. because the instrument

CASEY. Can’t get wet.

PETER. I know / maybe later

CASEY. Well..

PETER. he can play his recital in the hallway / does he want a bite of your sandwich?

CASEY. No, he—

PETER. maybe he wants some more Coke

CASEY. Max is—

PETER. maybe he wants decaf

CASEY. He doesn’t drink decaf. Max is tired. He wants to go to sleep.

PETER. because he’s tired

CASEY. Max is very, very tired now. He’s had a big day.

PETER. and he’s ready for night now?

CASEY. Actually—

PETER. and he needs to sleep till noon

CASEY. No, actually—

PETER. and he’s very tired—

CASEY. Peter. Max is going on a trip.

PETER. he’s—

CASEY. He’s taking a trip. And he’ll be on a boat. And he’s going away for a long time.

PETER. how long

CASEY. Several years.

PETER. we can visit him where he’s gone—

CASEY. No. He’s too far away. We can’t visit him.

PETER. is he going to play his recital

CASEY. He’s going to play his recital for someone else.

PETER. he doesn’t like us—

CASEY. He likes us. But he has to play on the other side of the ocean now. He’s taking a boat to the other side of the ocean. Right now he’s in a storm and the waves are rocking his boat so much he’s afraid he’ll fall out into the water and sharks will eat him

PETER. he!—

CASEY. He’s afraid of that, but that won’t happen.

PETER. the sharks won’t eat him

CASEY. No. His boat will go through the storm and when he gets to the other side of the ocean the waves will lie down and his boat will slide into the sand on the beach and..everything..will be..very..quiet..he’ll wake up..and he’ll pick up a seashell and use it to drink from the ocean..then he’ll take out his violin and he’ll stand at the ocean and play his recital..and his music will float across the water, all the way through the calm and all the way through the storm to the beaches on this side of the ocean..and we’ll be able to hear it.

PETER. then he’ll come back to us?

..

CASEY. No. He’s not coming back.

Casey allows herself to feel this. Peter understands. He sits quietly. Casey takes a bite of her sandwich and wipes her face with her arm. Peter drinks the last sip of his Coke. Casey gets up to leave.

PETER. I need to dry off

Casey hands Peter a towel. He wipes part of his hair, then drops the towel in the water and picks up the hairdryer. He fiddles with the switch. Click. Click. It does nothing. Casey is halfway out the door.

PETER. it’s not working

Casey stops, turns around. She sees Peter trying to use the hairdryer, but it’s not plugged in. She picks up the cord and moves it toward an electrical outlet. The last two seconds of her movement are in slow motion. When she plugs in the cord the stage lights go out and in the darkness there is an exaggerated sharp blue spark and its corresponding pop! We hear the sound of Casey’s sandwich plate hitting the tile floor. Peter wails and gurgles. Casey screams:

CASEY. Peter! Peeeeeter!!! Moaaaaaaaaaaam!!!!! Moaaaaaaaaaaam!!!!!

As Casey is screaming, the lights flicker and come back on. Mrs. Glenrose has a key. She and Karen scramble into the bathroom.

KAREN. Oh, Casey! What happened!? Oh, god! Casey! Get away from the plug! Get back! Back! Fuck! Oh..!

Karen jerks the cord out of the wall. Peter isn’t moving. Karen grabs Casey by the shoulders and shakes her.

KAREN. Casey! I’ll call 9-1-1.

Karen leaves the room.

MRS. GLENROSE. Step away from the tub, dear.

Casey is too shocked to move. Mrs. Glenrose helps her aside, goes to the outlet, and re-inserts the electrical cord.

CASEY. He’s dead?

MRS. GLENROSE. He never had a life.

Mrs. Glenrose sits on the edge of the tub and lets herself fall backward. Lights out.

Scene 7

There is no curtain call. A lawyer reads the old woman’s will with the house lights up as the audience leaves. The lawyer doesn’t have to read the whole thing, but the lawyer does have to read until everyone has left, or until the end of the text, whichever comes first.

LAYWER. I, FELICITY M. GLENROSE, of the City, County and State of New York, do make, publish and declare this to be my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all wills and codicils at any time heretofore made by me. I direct that there be no funeral service or memorial service of any kind for me and that I be buried at sea. I give my eyes to THE EYE BANK FOR SIGHT RESTORATION INC., New York, New York, and I hereby ratify all that anyone theretofore may have done toward carrying out this gift. I give and bequeath to my son PETER H. GLENROSE, if he survives me, my Greek alabaster head of a woman if owned by me at the time of my death. Except as hereinabove otherwise effectively bequeathed, I give and bequeath all my tangible personal property, including, without limitation, my collection of letters, papers and documents, my personal effects, my furniture, furnishings, rugs, pictures, books, silver, plate, linen, china, glassware, objects of art, wearing apparel, jewelry, automobiles and their accessories, and all other household goods owned by me at the time of my death to CASEY S. MCDERMOTT and KAREN E. MC-DERMOTT, if they survive me, to be divided between them by my Executors, in the exercise of sole and absolute discretion, in as nearly equal portions as may be practicable, having due regard for the personal preferences of these two individuals. I direct my Executors to set aside the amount of Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000) for CASEY S. MCDERMOTT, and I give and bequeath the sum so set aside to the Trustees hereinafter named, IN TRUST, NEVERTHELESS, to hold the same, and to manage, invest and reinvest the same, to collect the income thereof and to dispose of the net income and principal for the following uses and purposes and subject to the following terms and conditions: 1. Payment of Annuity Amount. The Trustees shall hold and manage the trust property for a term (the ”trust term”) which shall commence with the date of my death and shall end on the tenth (lOth) anniversary thereof. At the end of each taxable year of the trust during the trust term (other than any short taxable year thereof for which specific provisions are hereinafter made), the Trustees shall pay over to such organization or organizations, to be selected by the Trustees, in the exercise of sole and absolute discretion, and only-to such organization or organizations as are described in and satisfy the requirements of both of sections 170(c) and 2055(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (hereinafter sometimes referred to as the ”Code”), at the time any such payment or payments to such organization or organizations are maybe (such organization or organizations shall herein be referred to collectively as the ”qualified charitable beneficiaries”) in such amounts or proportions, equal or unequal, as the Trustees,’in the exercise of sole and absolute discretion, shall determine, such amount or amounts as shall, in the aggregate, equal ten percent (10%) of the initial net fair market value of the trust assets as finally determined for federal estate tax purposes. Such aggregate amount shall hereinafter be referred to as the “annuity amount.” The annuity amount shall be paid first from the ordinary taxable income of the trust (including short term capital gains) which is not unrelated business income and, to the extent not so satisfied, the annuity amount shall be paid from the long term capital gains, the unrelated business income, the tax exempt income and finally out of the principal of the trust, in that order. In any taxable year of the trust in which the net income exceeds the annuity amount, the excess, at the end of such taxable year, shall be added to trust principal and thereafter shall be held, administered and disposed of as a part thereof. Should the initial net fair market value of the assets comprising the trust, and hence the annuity amount, be incorrectly determined, then within a reasonable period after the value of such assets is finally determined for federal tax purposes, the Trustees shall pay over to the qualified charitable beneficiaries, in the case of an undervaluation, or, in the case of an overvaluation, shall receive from such beneficiaries to which amounts from the trust were paid, in proportion to the payments made to each, an aggregate amount equal to the difference between the annuity amount properly payable and the annuity amount actually paid during such taxable year.