ROSE’S CLEARING – EVENING
The first star appears next to a new moon.
FAINT SPOTLIGHT ON
BRIAN, sitting on the rock, playing the magic harmonica.
He cups the instrument in both hands. He has mastered it. He spins, sits, cross-legged, chin-on-wrists, like Peter Pan.
ENTER
ISAAC leading REBECCA in the darkest woods at the edge of the clearing.
ISAAC
How can you walk so fast? I’m supposed to be in front.
(beat)
OHMYGOD!
REBECCA
What is it?
ISAAC
It, it, it, it…
He jumps into her arms, almost knocking her down.
A Marker appears out of the darkness so suddenly it terrifies him. It looks more like FLINT than ever – the broad black hat, the greatcoat, etc. In one upraised hand is a blunt, threatening stick. REBECCA touches it.
REBECCA
It’s just one of Daddy’s Markers.
ISAAC
Sometimes I feel like every leaf every twig every bird every everything is staring at me. It ain’t natural.
ISAAC makes the Sign of the Cross. REBECCA puts him down and walks quickly, unaided into the clearing.
BRIAN is sitting on the rock with his back to them. He stops playing. He turns and looks at ISAAC. He winks. ISAAC winks back.
REBECCA
It stopped. I can’t hear it.
BRIAN puts his finger to his lips and closes his eyes. His eyelids flutter with interior pictures. So do ISAAC’S. ISAAC is mirroring him.
BRIAN passes the harmonica over his head, across the perfect evening sky, as the sound of crickets intensifies. ISAAC, coming out of it, slaps himself across the face.
ISAAC (laughing)
He’s a freak.
REBECCA
Does he know we’re here?
ISAAC
I bet he knows everything.
BRIAN
Come on over here, Rebecca.
ISAAC
I’m history.
He runs off, careening down the mountain.
BRIAN
Please.
REBECCA
I can’t. You know that. I don’t even want to be here. I came because I…
BRIAN
Like a cat in the dark. Make it up, like a promise.
She hesitates, then moves towards him. Her posture is more confident.
BRIAN
Promise yourself, if you can’t promise me. You can do this.
She moves more surely towards the rock.
MUSIC: “WHY WE DREAM”  (song)
BRIAN
Exactly. You can see me now, can’t you?
REBECCA
Sort of.
BRIAN
Well…’sort of’ come closer to where I am.
REBECCA
How can you do this to me? I don’t want any part of it. I don’t want to make anything up. I came here to ask you to leave me alone. I came here to try and explain. And if I’m caught…
BRIAN
Isaac will warn us from the Tree.
He reaches out to her.
BRIAN
You are an incredible, courageous, beautiful girl.
REBECCA
Where are you?
BRIAN
WELL WE’RE TWO OF A KIND
TRYING TO FIGURE LIFE OUT
SOMETIMES WE DANCE
SOMETIMES WE DISAGREE

REBECCA begins to smile. She tries an awkward impromptu dance step.
BRIAN
TIME AFTER TIME
WONDERING WHY
IT’S ALL BEEN WORTH IT
CUZ YOU BOIL IT DOWN
BEST THAT WE HAVE
ARE DREAMS

She’s nearly there.
BRIAN
THE HEROES IN LIFE
THEY STILL TAKE CHANCES
ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
THEY REACH FOR THE GOLDEN RING

She catches his hand.
BRIAN & REBECCA
DURING THE WAR
DAY AFTER DAY THE BOMBS FELL
NIGHT AFTER NIGHT
HOUSES WERE TURNED TO SAND
WHAT DID IT TAKE
FOR THEM TO KEEP ON GOING
BUILDING THE WALLS
STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN?
THE HEROES IN LIFE
THEY STILL TAKE CHANCES
ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
THEY REACH FOR THE GOLDEN RING

BRIAN
YOU GOTTE BE STILL

BRIAN & REBECCA
FOR JUST ONE MINUTE

BRIAN
LOOK IN MY EYES AND

BRIAN & REBECCA
REMEMBER WHY WE DREAM

They hold each other. Warm lights flicker in the cabin. ROSE appears, scrambling though the pages of a gigantic, dusty Book Of Magic.
BRIAN & REBECCA
WE PROMISED OURSELVES
I THINK I’M OUTA MY MIND
I’M CERTAIN THIS TIME
THAT WE’RE BOTH INSANE
STANDING FOR SUNLIGHT
BELIEVING IN WHITE LIGHT
WHEN IT’S POURING RAIN
THE HEROES IN LIFE
THEY STILL TAKE CHANCES
ON THE MERRY-GO-ROUND
THEY REACH FOR THE GOLDEN RING

BRIAN
YOU GOTTA BE STILL

BRIAN & REBECCA
FOR JUST ONE MINUTE

BRIAN
LOOK IN MY EYES AND

BRIAN & REBECCA
REMEMBER WHY WE DREAM

MUSIC: “WHY WE DREAM” - EXTENDED INTRUMENTAL 
ROSE pounces on the page she’s been looking for. She snaps her fingers.
ENTER
‘SOUL FIGURES’ (DANCERS) of the MEMBERS rush into the clearing. They wear nylon stockings over their heads. They have mirrors for eyes. The mirrors catch light. They dance in unison with BRIAN and REBECCA.
At the finale they spin madly, like whirling dervishes. REBECCA stops herself abruptly and staggers about, dizzy, laughing.
REBECCA (out of breath)
This almost feels like…
BRIAN
…you can see?
REBECCA
Not really. But I feel happy. I haven’t felt like that in a long time.
ROSE begins to rig up a standing mirror; she throws odd and ends into a big pot. SNAP! The SAMURAI BOY appears and rushes about helping.
Northern Lights fill the sky. The light from the DANCERS ‘eyes’ shoot across the stage.
BRIAN, REBECCA, ROSE, SAMURAI BOY & DANCERS
(fingers crossed and held up against the night sky - sing)
WE PROMISED OURSELVES
REBECCA leans up to kiss BRIAN.
The DANCERS cover their ‘eyes’.
BRIAN interrupts her with the tips of his fingers against her lips. This is not easy for him.
REBECCA
What’s wrong?
BRIAN glances at the cabin. It is shaking with wild light.
REBECCA
Is it me?
BRIAN
No.
REBECCA
I don’t understand.
He pulls out his magic harp and plays the theme: “I WANT TO BE LOVED”. He watches her closely.
REBECCA
I must…get back…before…
The DANCERS collect around them – heads bowed. They hum - a buzzing effect, which reveals that they are the ones who make the heightened cricket sounds we’ve been hearing.
REBECCA transforms into an 8-year-old girl, playing in the dirt at BRIAN’S feet. The harmonica CROSS-FADES from melody and merges with the dissonant buzzing of the DANCERS’ VOICES.
The small cloud, which has hovered near the moon, begins to cross it.

TABLEAU (OR FILM PROJECTION):
INT. CHILD’S BEDROOM – NIGHT
In a chilling slanted light, seated in an armchair, is FLINT. All else is dark, except for the dim figure of BRIAN playing/observing in the background.
REBECCA
Daddy? Is that you?
FLINT
Will you play with me, my darling?
She jumps up eagerly.
FLINT
Come sit on my lap. I’ll tell you a story.
REBECCA
About the boyfriend and the girlfriend?
FLINT
If you wish.
He places his hand on her thigh. He strokes her hair.
REBECCA
I love you, Daddy.
FLINT
My perfection.
He shifts her position in her lap.
BLACKOUT
TABLEAU ENDS.
The DANCERS exit.
REBECCA comes out of it.

REBECCA
What was that?
BRIAN
The truth.
REBECCA
Why did you stop?
BRIAN
I freaked. I didn’t want him to hurt you.
REBECCA
I feel sick.
A bell tolls down the mountain. Four times. ISAAC bursts out of the bushes, hiding his eyes behind splayed fingers.
ISAAC (talking and running)
I wasn’t looking honest I wasn’t an’ I shouldn’t be but that ain’t the point. Beck!
(catching his breath)
We gotta get down off th’ mountain like pronto can you hear it?! They’re kickin’ th’ banger outa th’ Sleep Bell!
He takes REBECCA’S free hand, pulling her away.
She’s ready to go. She ‘looks at’ BRIAN. His face is covered with sweat.
The lights in ROSE’S cabin are blinding.
BRIAN, ISAAC & REBECCA
(singing, acapella)
WE PROMISED OURSELVES

EXIT
ISAAC and REBECCA.
BRIAN leaps up on the rock and turns, like a Satyr. He stretches his arms towards the moon and howls. He rotates, like a music box statuette; as if he were their Planetarium and the night sky his gigantic, domed canvas – which merges into:

SUGARBUSH – NIGHT
CHILD ANGELS (like the DANCER ‘SOULS’ moments ago these are CHILD ‘SOULS’ spirit bodies of the youngest MEMBERS of the Kingdom). They sit on the forest floor, hang from branches, float in mid-air.
They hold candles which, superimposed, take the place of BRIAN’S Planetarium stars. They sound the magical cumulative buzzing of hummingbird wings.
ROSE is seated in front of the Big Tree. She is wearing a spectacular, glittering gown.
REBECCA enters, following ISAAC.
ISAAC
This is like a movie!
REBECCA
What?
He approaches ROSE. Strangely he is able to see her. She is silent, but looks at him with overwhelming tenderness, eyes brimming. The closer he gets, the fainter she becomes, until she dissolves altogether, leaving behind no more than a handful of fireflies.
REBECCA
Get me downhill, Iz, please? I’ve got to tell him.
ISAAC
I don’t wanna…tell who?
REBECCA
The Judge.
ISAAC
Are you insane?
REBECCA
Maybe. But I can’t stand it any more.
ISAAC
You know what will happen.
REBECCA
Brian said no harm would come.
ISAAC
Brian says a lotta things.
They travel across the forest floor in silence.
ISAAC
You think we was in Heaven back there? You think that’s what Heaven is like?
She says nothing.
ISAAC
Betcha Brian did that.

SCENE 12

TOWN SQUARE – NIGHT
FLINT stands alone on the Widow’s Walk, high atop the Kingdom House. He is pacing and glaring at the path leading out of the square and up into the woods.
ENTER
ISAAC and REBECCA. They run into the Square and hurry into the Kingdom House. They do not look up. They do not see the JUDGE watching them. He climbs down a ladder off the Walk.
DIM LIGHTS UP ON
INT. FLINT’S BEDROOM (CUT AWAY IN THE KINGDOM HOUSE)
The room looks more like a brothel than a preacher’s quarters. The walls are hung with red silk. There are huge red silk pillows on a large bed made up with black satin sheets. A standing lamps is draped with a red silk scarf. An ebony Crucifix hangs on one wall, a smaller version of the grotesque figure above the altar.
ENTER FLINT, smoking a cigarette.
There are three knocks on his door. Everything stops – his breathing, the cigarette in mid-air.
REBECCA (behind the door)
Father?
No response. She knocks again.
REBECCA
Father? It’s me. Are you awake? I need to talk.
He snuffs the cigarette, pushes his fingers through his hair and lifts his head. He roughs up the sheets and pillows.
REBECCA
It’s urgent.
He disguises his voice, pretending to have just awakened.
FLINT
Is that you, daughter? At this hour?
REBECCA
Yes.
FLINT
Can’t it wait?
REBECCA
No.
FLINT
Very well.
He opens the door. REBECCA is in her nightgown. She looks exhausted. She reaches for his embrace. He does nothing. She falls forward into his arms and hugs him. He remains withdrawn, cold.
REBECCA
Do you mind if we go outside? It’s a beautiful night.
Reluctantly he puts one arm around her shoulders. She leans against him.
REBECCA
We must stop fighting each other. It’s all we ever seem to do.
They descend the stairs into the lobby of the Kingdom House.
FLINT
I hadn’t noticed.
REBECCA
I can’t take it anymore. Neither can you.
He pushes open the screen door onto the.
KINGDOM HOUSE PORCH
REBECCA
Have I hurt you?
FLINT
What do you think?
REBECCA
I’m asking you.
FLINT
You contradict me. You embarrass me. You go against my word and against the Rules.
REBECCA
I behaved badly and I’m sorry. It makes me sad. You’ve been my heart and soul all these years, showing me the Path.
(beat)
I remember the night Mama left and the house burned when I was just a kid and you were devastated. I felt real close to you then.
MUSIC: “REIGN OF TERROR”  (song)
FLINT
THERE’S A RUMOR GOING ROUND
ABOUT A HOUSE UP ON THE HILL
WHERE THE TWO OF THEM BEEN LIVING
ALL THOSE…

FLINT & REBECCA
…YEARS

FLINT
HOW A FIGHT BROKE OUT

FLINT & REBECCA
AND ALL THE LIGHTS WERE ON

FLINT
AND FEAR REPLACED THE LOVE
THEY HELD SO DEAR

FLINT & REBECCA
REIGN OF TERROR
ALL FIRE AND SMOKE
AND THE TEARS COME TEARING DOWN
COULD OF KILLED EACH OTHER
IF THEY HAD ENOUGH ROPE
BUT THEY SAY IT WAS TRUE LOVE
THAT BROUGHT ‘EM BACK AROUND

He looks at her longingly. It is his love for REBECCA that he is singing about, not the loss of his wife.
REBECCA closes her eyes. FLINT leans down, close enough to kiss her. He refrains. He puts one hand over his mouth so that she cannot feel his breath. At the last second, he pulls back.
FLINT
THEY SAY THAT HE BEGAN IT
HE WAS SEEING A LOCAL GIRL
SHE OVERHEARD HIS PHONE CALL

FLINT & REBECCA
FROM UPSTAIRS

FLINT
SHE LIT THE BED ON FIRE

FLINT & REBECCA
SHE USED A CIGARETTE

FLINT & REBECCA
SHE SAID SHE’D RATHER DIE
HE SAID A PRAYER

They hold hands.
FLINT & REBECCA
REIGN OF TERROR
ALL FIRE AND SMOKE

FLINT
AND THE TEARS COME TEARING DOWN

FLINT & REBECCA
COULD OF KILLED EACH OTHER
IF THEY HAD ENOUGH ROPE
BUT THEY SAY IT WAS TRUE LOVE
THAT BROUGHT ‘EM BACK AROUND

He draws her close. For him - lust. For REBECCA – compassion.
REBECCA
It’s choking me, father – what I’m holding back. I’ve lied so many times for Isaac. For others. Don’t you see? I’ve not only sinned against the Rules, but in my pride, against you. Against your Judgement. Against all you’ve built. And worst of all…
She falls to her knees.
REBECCA
…I’ve hated you.
He slaps her across the face. The force of it turns her head.
The MEMBERS come to the windows of the Kingdom House. They do no look down. They draw the curtains. We see their backs in silhouette.
FLINT & REBECCA
REIGN OF TERROR
ALL FIRE AND SMOKE
AND THE TEARS COME TEARING DOWN
COULD OF KILLED EACH OTHER
IF THEY HAD ENOUGH ROPE
BUT THEY SAY IT WAS TRUE LOVE
THAT BROUGHT ‘EM BACK AROUND

MEMBERS
OH OH OH
OH OH OH
AH AH AH
AH AH AH…ETC.

REBECCA
I used to come to you and you would smooth my feathers.
She lowers herself and takes his feet in her hands, pressing her forehead against them.
FLINT
What is it you want?
REBECCA
The Punishment.
FLINT (not liking this at all)
You have a confession?
REBECCA
I have sinned.
FLINT
Say it.
REBECCA
I have desires.
FLINT (his jealousy mounting)
In the Name of the Father.
REBECCA
My body…
FLINT
In the Name of the Son.
REBECCA
I would give my body to him!
FLINT
Whore!
REBECCA
I want him. I love him so help me God I love him and he despises our home and our way of life and still…
She grasps at him, pulling his clothes. He pushes her away.
FLINT (a new approach)
Listen. Can you see? In your Darkness? Can you see the Light?
REBECCA
What are you talking about?
FLINT
Find it. Find the Light; find the brightness in your pathetic, sentimental heart.
He shoves his hand into his pants. His eyes are shut. He massages her neck. Suddenly, aware of his behavior, of it’s one-sided aspect, he stops. He grabs her chin.
FLINT
Look, God damn it!
REBECCA
It’s not there. It never was!
FLINT
Of course it is, you fool! Look for the door in the flames. The Kingdom lies beyond.
REBECCA (sobbing)
It’s hopeless.
ENTER
BETSY at the front door, behind the screen. She is carrying the cane. FLINT has his right arm stretched back to receive it.
REBECCA
He can make it work. With Brian I can almost see! With him, not with you.
FLINT
In the Name of…
In one motion BETSY places the cane in his hand as he brings it down hard on REBECCA’S back.
FLINT
…God!
He straddles her and hits her again. She screams.
BLACKOUT

SPOTLIGHT ON
BRIAN sitting bolt upright in his sleeping bag. He is screaming at the top of his lungs. His hands and fingers gnarl. His arms go rigid and rise. His eyes roll back in his head. Power surges through his body and flies out of hands.
ROSE appears, a wizard-at-bat, grasping the standing mirror. The force of BRIAN’S power whips at her clothes and hair.
ROSE (shouting)
Atta boy, Brian. Give him everything ya got!
She catches BRIAN’S energy with the mirror. She angles it away from her body reflecting the force outward like a gigantic cosmic homerun.
Suddenly we hear a disturbing, mournful, unearthly groan – as if the beams of a thousand wooden ships, lost in a storm, cry out in despair.
ROSE crumples to the ground.
BRIAN
No! Not you!
He runs to her and lifts her in his arms. She is fading.
BRIAN
My only friend! I’ll kill myself.
Her shoulders vibrate with silent laughter.
ROSE (faintly)
Too many Mexican soap operas.
BRIAN
What was that sound? It nearly broke my heart.
ROSE
We done good, kid. We done real good. We got him by the shorthairs. We booted that genius plan of mine…into the end zone.
He hugs her.
BRIAN (quietly)
Far from the Light…
ROSE
…far from the sound,
TOGETHER
…fox in the night, chasing the hounds.
She passes out.
BLACKOUT, CURTAIN

END OF ACT I