Four by Sondheim

by Stephen Sondheim

  DOT: I was in Charleston when I heard. At first, I was surprised by the news. Almost relieved, in fact. Perhaps I knew this is how it would end — perhaps we both knew.

  (She exits)

  OLD LADY: A parent wants to die first. But George was always off and running, and I was never able to keep up with him.

  NURSE: No one knew he was ill until the very last days. I offered to care for him, but he would let no one near. Not even her.

  (OLD LADY and NURSE exit)

  JULES (Too sincere): George had great promise as a painter. It really is a shame his career was ended so abruptly. He had an unusual flair for color and light, and his work was not as mechanical as some have suggested. I liked George. He was dedicated to his work — seldom did anything but work — and I am proud to have counted him among my friends.

  YVONNE: George stopped me once in the park — it was the only time I had ever spoken to him outside the company of Jules. He stared at my jacket for an instant, then muttered something about beautiful colors and just walked on. I rather fancied George.

  (JULES looks at her)

  Well, most of the women did!

  (JULES and YVONNE exit)

  BOATMAN: They all wanted him and hated him at the same time. They wanted to be painted — splashed on some fancy salon wall. But they hated him, too. Hated him because he only spoke when he absolutely had to. Most of all, they hated him because they knew he would always be around.

  (BOATMAN exits. The stage is bare.)

  (Lights change. Electronic music. It is 1984. We are in the auditorium of the museum where the painting now hangs. Enter GEORGE. He wheels in his grandmother, MARIE [played by DOT], who is ninety-eight and confined to a wheelchair. DENNIS, GEORGE’s technical assistant, rolls on a control console and places it stage right. An immense white machine rolls on and comes to rest center stage. Our contemporary GEORGE is an inventor-scutlptor, and this is his latest invention, Chromolume #7. The machine is post-modern in design and is dominated by a four-foot-in-diameter sphere at the top. It glows a range of cool colored light. MARIE sits on one side of the machine, and GEORGE stands at the console on the other. Behind them is a full-stage projection screen)

  GEORGE: Ladies and gentlemen, in 1983 I was commissioned by this museum to create an art piece commemorating Georges Seurat’s painting “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” My latest Chromolume stands before you now, the seventh in a continuing series. Because I have a special association with this painting, the museum director, Robert Greenberg, suggested I assemble a short presentation to precede the activation of my latest invention. I have brought my grandmother along to give me a hand.

  (Introducing her)

  My grandmother, Marie.

  (What follows is a coordinated performance of music, text [read from index cards by GEORGE and MARIE], film projections of the images referred to, and light emissions from the machine. The first section is accompanied by film .projections)

  MARIE: I was born in Paris, France, ninety-eight years ago. My grandson, George.

  GEORGE: I was born in Lodi, New Jersey, thirty-two years ago.

  MARIE: My mother was married to Louis, a baker. They left France when I was an infant to travel to Charleston, South Carolina.

  GEORGE: Georges Seurat.

  MARIE: Born: December 2, 1859.

  GEORGE: It was through his mother that the future artist was introduced to the lower-class Parisian parks. Seurat received a classical training at the Beaux Arts.

  MARIE: Like his father, he was not an easy man to know.

  GEORGE: He lived in an age when science was gaining influenceover Romantic principles.

  MARIE: He worked very hard.

  GEORGE: His first painting, at the age of twenty-four, “Bathing at Asnières,” was rejected by the Salon, but was shown by the Group of Independent Artists.

  MARIE: They hung it over the refreshment stand.

  (Ad-libbing)

  Wasn’t that awful?

  GEORGE: On Ascension Day 1884, he began work on his second painting, “A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.” He was to work two years on this painting.

  MARIE: He always knew where he was going before he picked up a paint brush.

  GEORGE: He denied conventional perspective and conventional space.

  MARIE: He was unconventional in his lifestyle as well.

  (Ad-libbing again)

  So was I! You know I was a Florodora Girl for a short time — when I left Charleston and before I was married to my first husband —

  GEORGE (Interrupting her): Marie. Marie!

  (She looks over to him)

  The film is running.

  MARIE: Excuse me.

  (She reads)

  They hung it over the refreshment stand.

  GEORGE: Marie!

  (He reads)

  Having studied scientific findings on color, he developed a new style of painting. He found by painting tiny particles, color next to color, that at a certain distance the eye would fuse the specks optically, giving them greater intensity than any mixed pigments.

  MARIE: He wanted to paint with colored lights.

  GEORGE: Beams of colored light, he hoped.

  MARIE: It was shown at the Eighth and last Impressionist Exhibition.

  GEORGE: Monet, Renoir, and Sisley withdrew their submissions because of his painting.

  MARIE: They placed it in a small room off to the side of the main hall, too dark for the painting to truly be seen.

  GEORGE: The painting was ridiculed by most. But there were also a handful of believers in his work.

  MARIE: He went on to paint six more major paintings before his sudden death at the age of thirty-one. He never sold a painting in his lifetime.

  GEORGE: On this occasion, I present my latest Chromolume —

  MARIE: — Number Seven —

  GEORGE: — which pays homage to “La Grande Jatte” and to my grandmother, Marie. The score for this presentation has been composed by Naomi Eisen.

  (NAOMI enters, bows, and exits)

  MARIE (She reads a stage direction by mistake): George begins to activate the Chromolume machine as ...

  GEORGE: Don’t read that part, Grandmother.

  MARIE: Oh ... don’t read this ...

  (Music begins to increase in volume and intensity. Strobe lights begin emitting from the machine along with side shafts of brilliant light. Colors begin to fill the stage and audience, creating a pointillist look. Just as the sphere begins to illuminate, producing various images from the painting, there is a sudden explosion of sparks and smoke. The lighting system flickers on and off until everything dies, including music. There is a moment of silence in the darkness)

  GEORGE (Under his breath): Shit.

  (Calling out)

  Robert Greenberg?

  GREENBERG (From the back of the house): Just a minute, George!

  (Some light returns to the smoke-filled stage)

  DENNIS (Offstage): It’s the regulator, George.

  (Lights come up on GEORGE, who is looking inside the machine. He steps downstage toward the audience)

  GEORGE: My apologies, ladies and gentlemen. For precise synchronization of all the visual elements, I’ve installed a new state-of-the-art Japanese microcomputer which controls the voltage regulator. I think that the surge from the musical equipment has created an electrical short.

  (Beat)

  Unfortunately, no electricity, no art. Give us a moment and we’ll be able to bypass the regulator and be back in business.

  (After “no electricity, no art, ”GREENBERG has entered and stands to the side of the apron. DENNIS enters and joins GEORGE at the Chromolume)

  GREENBERG: I am very sorry, ladies and gentlemen. We seem to be having a little electrical difficulty.

  (NAOMI has entered and rushed to the machine)

  NAOMI: There’s no juice!

  GREENBERG: You must realize this is the first time we have had a collaboration like
this at the museum and it has offered some extraordinary challenges to us here.

  (NAOMI and DENNIS exit arguing)

  Now, I hope to see all of you at the reception and dinner which will follow the presentation. It’s right down the hall in the main gallery, where the painting hangs. And we have a very special treat for you. As I am sure you have noticed, in order to raise additional funds we have chosen to sell the air rights to the museum — and some of the twenty-seven flights of condominiums that stand above us now will be open for your inspection after dinner. You may even wish to become one of our permanent neighbors!

  GEORGE: We’re ready, Bob.

  GREENBERG: Well ... proceed. Proceed!

  (He exits)

  GEORGE (Into his headset): Dennis! Lights.

  (Lights dim and the presentation continues. Music gathers momentum. The Chromolume begins several seconds before the speaking resumes, with images from the painting projected on its sphere, illustrating the lecture)

  MARIE: When I was young, Mother loved telling me tales of her life in France, and of her work as an artist’s model.

  GEORGE: Her mother showed her this great painting and pointed to this woman and said that it was she.

  MARIE: And she pointed to a couple in the back — they were holding an infant child — and she said that was me!

  GEORGE: Shortly before my great-grandmother’s death, she spoke of her association with the artist of this painting. She told Marie that Seurat was her real father.

  MARIE: I was shocked!

  GEORGE: My parents never believed this story. After all, there was no proof. I do not —

  MARIE (Produces a red book, unbeknownst to GEORGE): My mother gave me this small red book.

  GEORGE: Marie!

  MARIE: Oh, George, I wanted to bring the book and show it.

  (To audience)

  In the back are notes about his great-grandfather, the artist.

  GEORGE: Actually, this book is really just a grammar book in the handwriting of a child, and though there are notes in the back which mention a Georges — they could be referring to anyone.

  MARIE: But they do not.

  GEORGE: I do not know that there is any validity to this story.

  MARIE: Of course there is validity!

  (To the audience)

  He has to have everything spelled out for him!

  GEORGE: The facts are sketchy. The tales are many. I would like to invite you into my “Sunday: Island of Light.” It will be on exhibition here in the upstairs gallery for three weeks.

  (Music crescendos, as laser beams burst over the audience. When they complete their course, the sphere begins to turn, sending out a blinding burst of light. The painting flies in)

  (We are now in the gallery where the painting hangs and in front of which the reception is beginning. HARRIET and BILLY enter, closely followed by REDMOND, GREENBERG, ALEX, BETTY, and NAOMI. Cocktail music under)

  BILLY: Well, I can’t say that I understand what that light machine has to do with this painting.

  HARRIET: Darling, it’s a theme and variation.

  BILLY: Oh. Theme and variation.

  GREENBERG (To REDMOND): Times change so quickly.

  REDMOND: Lord knows.

  GREENBERG: That’s the challenge of our work. You never know what movement is going to hit next. Which artist to embrace.

  (Rhumba music)

  NAOMI: I thought it went very well, except for that electrical screw-up. What did you guys think?

  (Short embarrassed pause)

  HARRIET (Sings):

  I mean, I don’t understand completely —

  BILLY (Sings):

  I’m not surprised.

  HARRIET:

  But he combines all these different trends.

  BILLY:

  I’m not surprised.

  HARRIET:

  You can’t divide art today

  Into categories neatly —

  BILLY:

  Oh.

  HARRIET:

  What matters is the means, not the ends.

  BILLY:

  I’m not surprised.

  HARRIET and BILLY:

  That is the state of the art, my dear,

  That is the state of the art.

  GREENBERG (Sings):

  It’s not enough knowing good from rotten —

  REDMOND (Sings):

  You’re telling me —

  GREENBERG:

  When something new pops up every day.

  REDMOND:

  You’re telling me —

  GREENBERG:

  It’s only new, though, for now —

  REDMOND:

  Nouveau.

  GREENBERG:

  But yesterday’s forgotten.

  REDMOND (Nods):

  And tomorrow is already passé.

  GREENBERG:

  There’s no surprise.

  REDMOND and GREENBERG:

  That is the state of the art, my friend,

  That is the state of the art.

  BETTY (Sings):

  He’s an original.

  ALEX: Was.

  NAOMI:

  I like the images.

  ALEX: Some.

  BETTY:

  Come on.

  You had your moment,

  Now it’s George’s turn —

  ALEX (Sings):

  It’s George’s turn?

  I wasn’t talking turns,

  I’m talking art.

  BETTY (To NAOMI):

  Don’t you think he’s original?

  NAOMI:

  Well, yes ...

  BETTY (To ALEX):

  You’re talking crap.

  ALEX (Overlapping with NAOMI):

  But is it really new?

  NAOMI:

  Well, no ...

  ALEX (To BETTY):

  His own collaborator — !

  BETTY (Overlapping with NAOMI):

  It’s more than novelty.

  NAOMI:

  Well, yes ...

  BETTY (To ALEX):

  It’s just impersonal, but —

  ALEX:

  It’s all promotion, but then —

  ALEX and BETTY (To NAOMI):

  That is the state of the art,

  Isn’t it?

  NAOMI (Caught between them):

  Well...

  BILLY (To HARRIET):

  Art isn’t easy —

  HARRIET (Nodding):

  Even when you’ve amassed it —

  BETTY:

  Fighting for prizes —

  GREENBERG:

  No one can be an oracle.

  REDMOND (Nodding):

  Art isn’t easy.

  ALEX:

  Suddenly —

  (Snaps fingers)

  You’re past it.

  NAOMI:

  All compromises —

  HARRIET (To BILLY):

  And then when it’s allegorical — !

  REDMOND and GREENBERG:

  Art isn’t easy —

  ALL:

  Any way you look at it.

  (Chord, fanfare. GEORGE makes a grand entrance with MARIE and ELAINE. Applause from guests. GEORGE and MARIE move towards the painting. Lights come down on GEORGE, who sings)

  GEORGE:

  All right, George.

  As long as it’s your night, George ...

  You know what’s in the room, George:

  Another Chromolume, George.

  It’s time to get to work ...

  (Music continues under)

  MARIE: George, look. All these lovely people in front of our painting.

  GREENBERG (Coming up to GEORGE): George, I want you to meet one of our board members.

  (He steers GEORGE over to BILLY and HARRIET)

  This is Harriet Pawling.

  HARRIET: What a pleasure. And this is my friend, Billy Webster.

  BILLY: How do you do.

  GREENBERG: Well, I’ll just leave you three to chat.

  (He exi
ts)

  BILLY: Harriet was so impressed by your presentation.

  HARRIET: This is the third piece of yours I’ve seen. They are getting so large!

  BILLY: What heading does your work fall under?

  GEORGE: Most people think of it as sculpture.

  BILLY: Sculpture ...

  GEORGE: Actually, I think of myself as an inventor as well as a sculptor.

  BILLY: It’s so unconventional for sculpture.

  (Lights down On GEORGE)

  GEORGE (To audience and himself, sings):

  Say “cheese,” George,

  And put them at their ease, George.

  You’re up on the trapeze, George.

  Machines don’t grow on trees, George.

  Start putting it together ...

  (Lights up)

  HARRIET: I bet your great-grandfather would be very proud!

  (They are joined by MARIE and ELAINE, who have been nearby and overheard the conversation)

  MARIE: Yes. He would have loved this evening.

  BILLY: How do you know?

  MARIE: I just know. I’m like that.

  HARRIET: Hi. I’m Harriet Pawling.

  BILLY: Billy Webster.

  MARIE: How do you do. This is Elaine — George’s former wife.

  ELAINE (Embarrassed): Hello.

  MARIE: Elaine is such a darling, I will always think of her as my grand-daughter. I am so happy that these children have remained close. Isn’t that nice?

  BILLY: Yes. Harriet has just gone through a rather messy divorce —

  HARRIET: Bill!

  (Awkward pause)

  What a fascinating family you have!