MARIE (Indicating red book): I have a book, too. My mother’s.
It is a family legacy, as is this painting. And my mother often spoke of Louis’ waffle stove!
BLAIR: Louis. Yes, you mentioned him in your presentation.
(GEORGE re-enters; stays off to one side)
MARIE: Family. You know, it is all you really have.
BILLY: You said that before.
MARIE: I say it often.
HARRIET: Excuse us.
(HARRIET and BILLY exit)
MARIE: You know, Miss Daniels, there are only two worthwhile things to leave behind when you depart this world: children and art. Isn’t that correct?
BLAIR: I never quite thought of it that way.
(ELAINE joins them)
MARIE: Do you know Elaine?
BLAIR: No. I don’t believe we’ve met. Blair Daniels.
ELAINE: I’ve heard a lot about you.
BLAIR: Oh, yes.
MARIE: Elaine and George were married once. I was so excited. I thought they might have a child. George and I are the only ones left, I’m afraid.
( Whispers)
I want George to have a child — continue the line. You can understand that, can’t you, Elaine?
ELAINE: Of course.
MARIE: Are you married, Miss Daniels?
BLAIR: Awfully nice to have met you.
(She shakes MARIE’s hand and exits)
MARIE: Elaine, fix my chair so I can see Mama.
(She does. ELAINE crosses to GEORGE)
ELAINE: George. I think Marie is a little too tired for the party. She seems to be slipping a bit.
GEORGE: I better take her back to the hotel.
ELAINE: I’ll take her back. You stay.
GEORGE: Nah, it’s a perfect excuse for me to leave early.
ELAINE: George. Don’t be silly! You’re the toast of the party. You should feel wonderful.
GEORGE (Edgy): Well, I don’t feel wonderful.
ELAINE: Poor George. Well... tonight was a wonderful experience for Marie. I don’t remember seeing her so happy. It was very good of you to include her.
GEORGE: She is something, isn’t she?
ELAINE: Yes, she is ...
(ELAINE begins to leave; GEORGE stops her; they embrace. Then she exits. The preceding has been underscored with the chords from Act I. MARIE has been staring up at the painting)
MARIE (Sings):
You would have like him,
Mama, you would.
Mama, he makes things —
Mama, they’re good.
Just as you said from the start:
Children and art...
(Starts nodding off)
Children and art...
(Awakens with a start)
He should be happy —
Mama, he’s blue.
What do I do?
You should have seen it,
It was a sight!
Mama, I mean it —
All color and light — !
I don’t understand what it was,
But, Mama, the things that he does:
They twinkle and shimmer and buzz —
You would have liked them...
(Losing her train of thought)
It...
Him...
(Music continues, speaks)
Henry... Henry? ... Henry...
GEORGE (Coming over): It’s George, Grandmother.
MARIE: Of course it is. I thought you were your father for a moment.
(Indicating painting)
Did I tell you who that was?
GEORGE: Of course. That is your mother.
MARIE: That is correct.
(Sings)
Isn’t she beautiful?
There she is —
(Pointing to different figures)
There she is, there she is, there she is —
Mama is everywhere,
He must have loved her so much...
GEORGE: Is she really in all those places, Marie?
MARIE:
This is our family —
This is the lot.
After I go, this is
All that you’ve got, honey —
GEORGE: Now, let’s not have this discussion —
MARIE (Before he can protest further):
Wasn’t she beautiful, though?
You would have liked her.
Mama did things
No one had done.
Mama was funny,
Mama was fun,
Mama spent money
When she had none.
Mama said, “Honey,
Mustn’t be blue.
It’s not so much do what you like
As it is that you like what you do.”
Mama said, “Darling,
Don’t make such a drama.
A little less thinking,
A little more feeling — ”
GEORGE: Please don’t start —
MARIE:
I’m just quoting Mama...
(Changing the subject, indicates LOUISE)
The child is so sweet...
(Indicates the CELESTES at center)
And the girls are so rapturous...
Isn’t it lovely how artists can capture us?
GEORGE: Yes, it is, Marie.
MARIE:
You would have liked her —
Honey, I’m wrong.
You would have loved her.
Mama enjoyed things.
Mama was smart.
See how she shimmers —
I mean from the heart.
(ELAINE enters and stands off to the side)
I know, honey, you don’t agree.
(Indicates painting)
But this is our family tree.
Just wait till we’re there, and you’ll see —
Listen to me ...
(Drifting off)
Mama was smart...
Listen to Mama...
Children and art...
Children and art...
(She falls asleep and ELAINE crosses to her and wheels her off. As they go:)
Goodbye, Mama.
(GEORGE looks at the painting for a moment)
GEORGE: Connect, George. Connect...
(GEORGE exits; the painting flies out)
(The island is once again revealed, though barely recognizable as the trees have been replaced by high-rise buildings. The only tree still visible is the one in front of which the OLD LADY and NURSE sat. DENNIS kneels, studying his blueprints. GEORGE enters, camera in hand)
GEORGE: Are you certain this is the best place for the Chromolume?
DENNIS: George, this is the largest clearing on La Grande Jatte.
GEORGE: Where’s the still?
DENNIS: It has been built and should arrive tomorrow morning a few hours before the Chromolume. I wanted it here today, but they don’t make deliveries on Sunday.
GEORGE: And fresh water for the cooling system?
DENNIS: We can draw it from the Seine. As for the electricity —
GEORGE: Did you see this tree?
DENNIS: No.
GEORGE: It could be the one in the painting.
DENNIS: Yes. It could.
(GEORGE hands DENNIS the camera and goes to the tree. DENNIS takes a picture of him in front of it)
GEORGE: At least something is recognizable... Now, about the electricity?
DENNIS: The wind generator’s over there.
GEORGE: You have been efficient as always.
DENNIS: Thank you.
GEORGE: I will miss working with you, Dennis.
DENNIS: Well, I can recommend some very capable people to help you with the Texas commission.
GEORGE: I turned it down.
DENNIS: What?
GEORGE: Dennis, why are you quitting?
DENNIS: I told you, I want —
GEORGE: I know what you told me! Why are you really leaving?
DENNIS: George. I love the Chromolumes. But I’ve helped you build the
last five, and now I want to do something different.
GEORGE: I wish you had told me that in the first place.
DENNIS: I’m sorry.
GEORGE: Why do you think I turned down the commission? I don’t want to do the same thing over and over again either.
DENNIS: There are other things you could do.
GEORGE: I know that. I just want to do something I care about.
(Beat. GEORGE puts camera in pocket and pulls out DOT’s red book)
DENNIS: I see you brought the red book.
GEORGE: Since Marie has died, I thought I would at least bring something of hers along.
DENNIS: Marie really wanted to make this trip.
GEORGE: I know.
DENNIS: I hope you don’t mind, but I took a look at the book. It’s very interesting.
GEORGE: It’s just a grammar book, Dennis.
DENNIS (Imploring): Not that part. The notes in the back.
(GEORGE leafs through it to the back)
Well, we just have to wait for it to get dark. I’m not certain about the ambient light.
GEORGE: You go, Dennis. I’d like to be alone actually.
DENNIS: Are you sure?
GEORGE: Yeah. I’ll see you back at the hotel.
(He sits on the ground)
DENNIS (Begins to exit): George. I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.
GEORGE (Smiling): You’re not the only one, Dennis.
(DENNIS exits. Music. GEORGE sings, leafing through the book, reading)
“Charles has a book...”
(Turns a page)
“Charles shows them his crayons...”
(Turns back a few pages)
“Marie has the ball of Charles...”
(Turns the book to read writing in the margin)
“Good for Marie...”
(Smiles at the coincidence of the name, turns a page)
“Charles misses his ball...”
(Looks up)
George misses Marie...
George misses a lot...
George is alone.
George looks around.
He sees the park.
It is depressing.
George looks ahead.
George sees the dark.
George is afraid.
Where are the people
Out strolling on Sunday?
George looks within:
George is adrift.
George goes by guessing.
George looks behind:
He had a gift.
When did it fade?
You wanted people out
Strolling on Sunday —
Sorry, Marie...
(Looks again at the name in the book)
See George remember how George used to be,
Stretching his vision in every direction.
See George attempting to see a connection
When all he can see
Is maybe a tree -
(Humorously)
The family tree —
Sorry, Marie...
George is afraid.
George sees the park.
George sees it dying.
George too may fade,
Leaving no mark,
Just passing through.
Just like the people
Out strolling on Sunday...
George looks around.
George is alone.
No use denying
George is aground.
George has outgrown
What he can do.
George would have liked to see
People out strolling on Sunday...
(DOT appears. GEORGE looks up and discovers her. He stands)
DOT: I almost did not recognize you without your beard. You have my book.
GEORGE: Your book?
DOT: Yes.
GEORGE: It is a little difficult to understand.
DOT: Well, I was teaching myself. My writing got much better. I worked very hard. I made certain that Marie learned right away.
GEORGE (Looks at the book): Marie...
DOT: It is good to see you. Not that I ever forgot you, George. You gave me so much.
GEORGE: What did I give you?
DOT: Oh, many things. You taught me about concentration. At first I thought that meant just being still, but I was to understand it meant much more. You meant to tell me to be where I was — not some place in the past or future. I worried too much about tomorrow. I thought the world could be perfect. I was wrong.
GEORGE: What else?
DOT: Oh, enough about me. What about you? Are you working on something new?
GEORGE: No. I am not working on anything new.
(Music begins)
DOT: That is not like you, George.
GEORGE (Sings):
I’ve nothing to say.
DOT: You have many things...
GEORGE:
Well, nothing that’s not been said.
DOT (Sings):
Said by you, though, George...
GEORGE:
I do not know where to go.
DOT:
And nor did I.
GEORGE:
I want to make things that count,
Things that will be new...
DOT (Overlapping):
I did what I had to do:
GEORGE (Overlapping):
What am I to do?
DOT:
Move on.
Stop worrying where you’re going —
Move on.
If you can know where you’re going,
You’ve gone.
Just keep moving on.
I chose, and my world was shaken —
So what?
The choice may have been mistaken,
The choosing was not.
You have to move on.
Look at what you want,
Not at where you are,
Not at what you’ll be.
Look at all the things you’ve done for me:
Opened up my eyes,
Taught me how to see,
Notice every tree —
GEORGE:
... Notice every tree...
DOT:
Understand the light —
GEORGE:
... Understand the light . . .
DOT:
Concentrate on now —
GEORGE:
I want to move on.
I want to explore the light.
I want to know how to get through,
Through to something new,
Something of my own —
GEORGE and DOT:
Move on.
Move on.
DOT:
Stop worrying if your vision
Is new.
Let others make that decision —
They usually do.
You keep moving on.
(Simultaneously)
DOT: GEORGE
Look at what you’ve done, (Looking around):
... Something in the light,
Then at what you want, Something in the sky,
Not at where you are, In the grass,
What you’ll be. Up behind the trees...
Look at all the things
You gave to me. Things I hadn’t looked at
Let me give to you Till now:
Something in return. Flower on your hat.
I would be so pleased . . . And your smile.
GEORGE:
And the color of your hair.
And the way you catch the light...
And the care...
And the feeling...
And the life
Moving on ...
DOT:
We’ve always belonged
Together!
GEORGE and DOT:
We will always belong
Together!
DOT:
Just keep moving on.
Anything you do,
Let it come from you.
Then it will be new.
Give us more to see...
(Speaks)
You never cared what anyone thought. That upset me at the time because I wanted you to care what I thought.
GEORGE: I’m sure that I did.
DOT: I am sure that you did, too.
GEORGE: Dot.
(He takes the book to her)
Why did you write these words?
DOT: They are your words, George. The ones you muttered so often when you worked.
GEORGE (Reads slowly):
“Order.”
(Chord. OLD LADY enters)
OLD LADY: George. Is that you?
(GEORGE turns to her. He looks back to DOT, who smiles, then back to the OLD LADY)
GEORGE: Yes.
OLD LADY: Tell me! Is this place as you expected it?
GEORGE: What?
OLD LADY, The park, of course.
GEORGE: Somewhat.
OLD LADY, Go on.
GEORGE: Well, the greens are a little darker. The sky a little greyer. Mud tones in the water.
OLD LADY (Disappointed): Well, yes, I suppose —
GEORGE: But the air is rich and full of light.
OLD LADY: Good.
(Chord. As the OLD LADY leaves, GEORGE reads the next word:)
GEORGE: “Design.”
(Music begins: “Sunday.” “The downstage right building begins to rise. The CELESTES appear and begin to cross the stage)
“Tension.”
(Two buildings rise stage right and left. More characters from the painting appear and begin to promenade)
“Composition.”
(Building rises)
“Balance.”
(Buildings rise. The stage is filled by the characters from the painting)
“Light.”
(The large building in the back rises)
Dot. I cannot read this word.
DOT: “Harmony.”
GEORGE
ALL (Reading again, struggling with the words):
(Sing):
Sunday, “So much love in his words ... forever with his colors ... how George looks . . . he can look forever . . . what does he see? ... his eyes so dark and shiny... so careful ... so exact . . . .”
By the blue
Purple yellow red water
On the green
Purple yellow red grass,
As we pass
Through arrangements of shadows
(DOT takes GEORGE by the arm and turns him to the group)
Four by Sondheim Page 46