Voice in the Dark: A Salem Story - Setting. Voice in the Dark: A Salem Story - Character Descriptions

Transcription

1 Voice in the Dark: A Salem Story - Setting Winter of 1692 Salem Village and the surrounding forest (present day Danvers, Massachusetts) Characters are all based on actual 1692 residents of Salem Village. Their existence (and for those accused and executed, their deaths) are a matter of public record, however the events in this play are imagined, and intertwined with many different theories and records from the time. Voice in the Dark: A Salem Story - Character Descriptions Abigail Hobbs - A quiet, hardworking fifteen year old girl who has strong morals and believes in the power of the truth. Sarah Nurse - A reckless and sometimes impertinent sixteen year old girl who loves to gossip with her best friend, Abigail, and can t resist picking a fight with Mary Warren. Rebecca Nurse - A well-liked and virtuous woman with keen intelligence whose resistance to Thomas Putnam s advances results in being accused as a witch. Francis Nurse - A loyal family-man, farmer, and church committee member who ignores the politics of the town, to his detriment. Deliverance Hobbs - A cautious and frightened mother who encourages her daughter, Abigail, to stay silent to protect their family. Thomas Putnam - A wealthy landowner and head of the church committee who uses his influence to craft the demise of townspeople who don t follow his wishes. Goody (Ann) Putnam - A shrewd and jealous woman whose subservience to her husband, Thomas, pits her against Rebecca Nurse. Reverend Parris - A dedicated and enthusiastic man of the cloth whose desire to drive out evil from his congregation blinds him to Thomas Putnam s true intentions. Mary Warren - A sixteen year old servant to John and Elizabeth Proctor whose calm and devout manner disguises an underlying malice. Beggar Woman (later, Sarah Good) - A mysterious figure that shows up to intensify drama and point out the goods and evils of society who ends up actually being Sarah Good, an accused witch who has disappeared. Ensemble: Townsman #1 - An enforcer of Thomas Putnam s edicts. Townsman #2 - An enforcer of Thomas Putnam s edicts. Witches (Chorus) - Outcast townspeople of Salem who have found refuge in the forest surrounding the town. Witch #1 - offers bread to Abigail & Sarah Good Witch #2 - offers blankets to Abigail & Sarah Good Witch #3 - lights a fire to warm Abigail & Sarah Good Townspeople - Any persons, named or unnamed in the play, who can fill out the crowd scenes in a non-speaking capacity.

2 Voice in the Dark: A Salem Story Audition Pieces Beggar Woman Bright sun, dark death Lord of the winds, lord of the breath Back to my blood and back to my veins, Back to my heartbeat, one and the same. He circles around the boundaries of earth, He is everlasting, he is darkness, birth ( She begins to laugh, then begins a frenzied manic dance. ) He has come to us, Salem! HE HAS COME! ( Twirling, laughing as she exits the stage. ) Parris I want to tell you that it warms my heart to see our humble church overflowing, even in these trying times. Seeing you all here is proof to me, that though we live in dark and troubling times, there is hope. I look at your faces, and I see not the devil, but God. He is here with us. But we also know that the devil shows no mercy. He spares no one. No one, no matter how pious, how righteous, how devoted, is safe. I have heard rustlings in town. Talk of witchery. Talk of conjuring. Talk of black magic. For the safety of this village, our children, our legacy...and for the salvation of our souls, we must act quickly. Like a disease, the devil spreads. He is a sickness and he must be contained through our own virtue, honesty and courage to remain faithful servants of the Lord. Go with God, and please take care. We will see you at Wednesday service.

3 Francis & Rebecca REBECCA Are we selling our homestead, Francis? ( He is quiet) I take the meaning from your silence. ( She turns away ) FRANCIS Tis not a finished match. The crops this year...we need the profit-- REBECCA You are my husband, and I will do as you command, sir. FRANCIS (Exasperated ) Rebecca! I know what you do! REBECCA I do nothing but what my good husband tells me. FRANCIS ( Wryly ) If only that were the case. REBECCA ( Angrily ) Do you challenge my vow-keeping, sir? FRANCIS Of course not. My, but you are surly. REBECCA I suppose it s unreasonable to ask you to see why the thought of you selling this house without the slightest bit of consult might render me so. FRANCIS We can discuss the Porters, Rebecca! Since when have I bent you to my will unfairly? REBECCA ( Sighing, relenting, going to him ) Never. FRANCIS Nothing is assured yet, know that. (He strokes her cheek, or something tender. ) FRANCIS You know how I hate when you are cross at me. REBECCA ( Smiles a little. ) I know, please forgive me. Putnam has addled my nerves most terribly. FRANCIS ( Taking her hand ) What has he done? REBECCA He told me to tell you that if you sell to the Porters, he will-- FRANCIS What? He will WHAT? REBECCA He didn t say exactly. He just said...and the children FRANCIS ( Exploding ) He mentioned the children?!? That pompous, bloated, pathetic excuse for a man! REBECCA Francis!

4 Mary, Sarah Nurse, & Abigail ABIGAIL Sarah! Enough, let s go. MARY I am not afeared, good Abigail. Sarah, I m so sorry to have caught your ire. I am only meant to be a servant and follower of Christ. SARAH Please, you re a servant and follower of no one but your own interests. ABIGAIL Sarah, your mother said-- SARAH Oh what of my mother! I m not afraid of the likes of Mary Warren! ( Mary laughs quietly ) MARY. Sarah Nurse. You d best be careful. There are spirits about. I have seen them. They carry the mark of the devil. I should hate for that mark to find its way to you. SARAH I bet you would. ( Abigail looks at Sarah sternly ) MARY ( Coming very close to Sarah ) You d do well to watch what you say to whom, Sarah Nurse. There are those of us with power, and those of us without it. You d be smart to know who is who. Abigail I am ashamed to admit, twas fear that held my tongue. I am sorry for not having the courage to speak up. But I am more sorry for everyone here who stays silent. Because soon it will be you standing up here. Soon, Mr. Putnam, there will be no one left to accuse. Everyone will be swinging from the gallows. And then, I suppose you ll have your wish. You will own all of Salem.

5 Putnam & Rebecca PUTNAM I had a chance to speak with your husband today before services, Goody Nurse. REBECCA (Trying to leave ) Good. Then it seems your errand to our home was not wasted. PUTNAM ( Blocking her way ) While he will not confess it, it seems he is drawing up papers with Porter. REBECCA As I have said, I know not of my husband s doings. PUTNAM With all respect, I do believe you to be telling me a falsehood. Your husband is a good and kind man, reasonable, eve. I do not believe he would sell his home without consulting his wife. REBECCA Tis not my affair whether you believe me or not. ( Putnam grabs her arms ) PUTNAM You listen here, Goody Nurse. I very well know how smart you are. And I am telling you that I do not take kindly to those who would go against me. If your husband insists on selling his land and ruining this town I can think of one thing I could do to him to punish him in a manner befitting his crimes. ( He leans forward to try and kiss him, she pushes him away ) REBECCA Sir. You will keep your distance! ( Putnam steps back, takes a breath, straightens his coat. ) PUTNAM ( Laughing softly ) I admire your tenacity, my dear woman. REBECCA I need not your admiration, Mr. Putnam. PUTNAM Fine, but nonetheless, you will do well to remember who I am. REBECCA And who is that?

6 Abigail & Deliverance ABIGAIL Mr. Putnam...he put his hands on her...he told her if Mr. Nurse sold their land to the Porters...he could tell everyone that she DELIVERANCE That she what, child? ABIGAIL That Goody Nurse is...a witch. ( Deliverance is silent. She bows her head for a moment. ) ABIGAIL And I m sorry I didn t tell you right away, I knew I should tell someone, and-- DELIVERANCE (Firmly ) No. ABIGAIL What? DELIVERANCE No. You tell no one else. ABIGAIL But Goody Nurse-- DELIVERANCE Goody Nurse is a fine woman. ABIGAIL But I know she s not a witch. And I don t want Mr. Putnam to tell everyone she is, Mother, that s wrong! And I have proof-- ( Deliverance slaps Abigail ) DELIVERANCE ( Grabbing her shoulders ) You know not of PROOF. You are a child. Do you think the committee men will believe you? ABIGAIL But Mother-- DELIVERANCE No! Quiet! You will speak of this to no one! Abigail, I know you want to do what s right, but what is right for us is for you to stay silent. We cannot have eyes the devil cast on this family!

7 Parris, Putnam, & Francis PARRIS We will hear everyone s word on the matter of Rebecca Nurse, who has been accused of witchcraft-- FRANCIS Because she stood in the way of this man s property gains-- PUTNAM Watch yourself-- PARRIS Mr. Nurse! Please! We must have decorum about this, good sir. FRANCIS Decorum?! My wife s good name is being torn apart for the whole town to see...and for what? So you can beat out Porter as top landowner in Salem-- PUTNAM Preposterous! I only want to protect this town from Satan s sure and steady hand. FRANCIS And you really think my wife who birthed your child... who birthed all your children is a witch? And I suppose you, Reverend, like to play marbles with the devil himself? PARRIS Careful, Francis. You re treading on uneasy ground. FRANCIS Listen! All of you! If we do not stop this. If we do not exercise reason and sanity...you will all be next! And then who will be left in Salem who is not jailed? ( Pointing to Putnam ) This man, his wife, his daughter, and Mary Warren? And anyone else to afeared to cross him? Ann (having a fit ) I see spirits--i see the devil! The devil has come to the Hobbs family! There is a beast with the face of Deliverance Hobbs! SHE IS A WITCH! Mary (having a fit ) FRANCIS NUUUURSE! He is speaking with Lucifer! The Devil knows FRANCIS NURSE! WITCH! WITCH!

8 Ann & Rebecca ANN You know if you re convicted, your family...they will be tried as well. REBECCA I am innocent. I have nothing to fear. I am right with GOd and he shall ensure the truth will protect me. ANN Spoken as a true woman of the cross. ( Rebecca doesn t respond ) ANN I see the way he looks at you. Men think their wives are foolish, but we know. REBECCA ( After a moment ) Aye. ANN I ve borne him four children. I ve sat by his sick bed. I ve struggled through winters and droughts and deaths and-- REBECCA So I am to be punished because your husband cast his eyes my way? ANN No, you are to be punished because your husband is a fool who cared not for the politics of Salem, and now you too shall pay the price. ( Rebecca says nothing ) ANN Don t cast me as the villain here, Goody Nurse. I am as you are...we are the spoils of men s battles. We have no say here. We do what we can. We get what we can. We love our children. We carry on. There is nothing more we can do. REBECCA That may be for you, Goody Putnam, but to Francis, I am no spoil. ANN And yet, here you are. ( Silence ) ANN I cannot help you, Rebecca. REBECCA Then why have you come? ANN To offer some advice. REBECCA Forgive me if I m not ready for that, Goody Putnam.

9 Abigail & Sarah Good/Beggar Woman ABIGAIL ( Nervously ) I don t believe in witches. God would not allow such evil SARAH/BEGGAR Oh I don t know. Perhaps witches are not any more evil than people. Perhaps they are just like them. Trying to make sense of a world they cannot control. ABIGAIL I am afraid of witches. SARAH/BEGGAR What if I told you I was a witch? Are you afraid of me? ABIGAIL No SARAH/BEGGAR Perhaps witches are searching for God, too. And hope and faith. Perhaps we all do.