UNKNOWN SOLDIER
Book by Daniel Goldstein Music by Michael Friedman Lyrics by Michael Friedman & Daniel Goldstein
Playwrights Horizons, Opening draft March 2020
This play takes place in 1918-1920, 1973, and 2003 to the present. There are seven principals and a chorus. (Young Ellen doubles as Lucy Rabinowitz.) 1918-1920 LUCY LEMAY - 20s - A young woman. We see her in the years immediately following World War One. FRANCIS GRAND - 20s - A soldier, recently returned from World War One. An amnesiac. DOCTOR - any age. CHORUS - two men, two women. 20s. 1973 LUCY ANDERSON - 80s - She is LUCY LEMAY as an old lady. We see her in 1973. She is NOT played by the same actress who plays LUCY LEMAY. YOUNG ELLEN - 11 years old. LUCY ANDERSON’s granddaughter to the present. 2003 to The Present ELLEN RABINOWITZ - 40 - LUCY ANDERSON’s granddaughter, grown up. ANDREW HOFFMAN - 40 - a librarian who lives in Ithaca. LUCY RABINOWITZ - 10 years old - ELLEN’s daughter. Played by the same actress who plays YOUNG ELLEN.
2 SONGS 1. 2. 3. 3A. 4. 5. 6. 7. 7A. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
THE GREAT WAR........................Young Ellen THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK...........Ellen & Andrew THIS IS A—...........................Francis GRAND CENTRAL INTRO..................Lucy Lemay THE FIRST TIME.......................Lucy Lemay & Company WHERE IN THE WORLD...................Doctor & Chorus THE PEOPLE STARE.....................Francis A HUSBAND TAKES CARE OF THE THINGS...Lucy WORST TOWN (REPRISE).................Ellen MILKSHAKE INTRO......................Andrew MILKSHAKE............................Ellen DO YOU WONDER........................Lucy Lemay & Francis ANDREW’S STORY.......................Andrew THE MEMORY SONG......................Doctor & Chorus I GIVE AWAY CHILDREN.................Ellen THE CLOCK............................Francis PENELOPE.............................Lucy Anderson, Lucy Lemay, Ellen, Young Ellen 16. THE ENDING...........................Lucy Lemay
3 PART 1 - FAMILY HISTORY YOUNG ELLEN enters. It’s 1973. She recites to the audience. SONG 1 - THE GREAT WAR YOUNG ELLEN DID YOU KNOW THAT WORLD WAR ONE WAS CALLED THE WAR TO END ALL WARS? DID YOU KNOW THAT IT WAS ALSO CALLED THE GREAT WAR? DID YOU KNOW THAT WORLD WAR ONE BEGAN ‘CAUSE SOMEBODY DECIDED TO ASSASSINATE THE ARCHDUKE OF AN EMPIRE THAT NOBODY REMEMBERS ANYMORE? AND EVERYONE RUSHED TO FIGHT NOT REALIZING MEN WOULD DIE AND THEIR BODIES MIGHT NOT EVER COME HOME ANDREW enters. He takes a book report from someplace on stage and hands it to YOUNG ELLEN. ANDREW This is a history report on World War One that a girl named Ellen is practicing in her kitchen in Troy, New York in 1973. YOUNG ELLEN DID YOU KNOW THAT DURING THE WAR THERE WAS ALSO THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION AND MODERN ART AND A KILLER BIRD FLU? ANDREW She wanted to do a really good job. YOUNG ELLEN MY GRANDFATHER FOUGHT ON THE WESTERN FRONT IN THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME WHILE MY GRANDMOTHER WAITED HERE IN TROY FOR HER HUSBAND TO COME HOME THE SOMME IS IN FLANDERS WHICH IS NOT A REAL COUNTRY (IT’S A PART OF BELGIUM) AND TROY IS IN NEW YORK BUT IT’S NAMED AFTER ILIUM WHICH WAS ONCE A REAL PLACE BUT NOW IS PART OF TURKEY ANDREW gets a clipping from another part of the stage.
4 ANDREW This is a clipping from a magazine that Ellen found in the back of her grandmother’s closet. He hands the clipping to YOUNG ELLEN. YOUNG ELLEN “HAS UNKNOWN SOLDIER FOUND TRUE LOVE?” ANDREW Her teacher gave extra credit for primary source material. YOUNG ELLEN MY GRANDMA DOESN’T TALK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WAY BACK THEN AND SHE CONSTANTLY REMINDS ME THAT SHE’S STUCK HERE WITH ME AND SHE TELLS ME TO BEHAVE NOT TO ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS LUCY ANDERSON, YOUNG ELLEN’S grandmother enters and hovers for a moment, unseen. BUT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED LUCY ANDERSON What is that? Nothing.
YOUNG ELLEN
LUCY ANDERSON Where did you find it? LUCY ANDERSON picks up the clipping from the table. It was-
YOUNG ELLEN
LUCY ANDERSON Have you been snooping again? YOUNG ELLEN Grandma, who is thatNo.
LUCY ANDERSON
YOUNG ELLEN But is that you in the-
5
No.
LUCY ANDERSON
YOUNG ELLEN And who is that man? No!
LUCY ANDERSON
YOUNG ELLEN You’re not my mom. LUCY ANDERSON I am well aware of that. LUCY ANDERSON takes the clipping and walks away from YOUNG ELLEN. YOUNG ELLEN sits at the table. YOUNG ELLEN DID YOU KNOW THAT WORLD WAR ONE WAS HOW WE KNOW THAT WAR CAN MAKE PEOPLE CRAZY LIKE A BOMB RIPPED OUT A PART OF WHO THEY USED TO BE? ANDREW In the clipping is a photograph of that old lady... LUCY LEMAY I’LL WAIT FOR YOU AS LONG AS IT TAKES ANDREW ...when she was this young lady. LUCY LEMAY enters, in 1918. is LUCY ANDERSON, but much younger.
She
LUCY LEMAY NOTHING WILL CHANGE E’EN THOUGH MY HEART BREAKS FRANCIS enters, in 1918. ANDREW gets a letter and gestures toward LUCY LEMAY. ANDREW And this is a letter that this young lady sent to this soldier... ANDREW moves toward FRANCIS.
6 LUCY LEMAY EVEN IF DEATH SHOULD PART US, DARLING I’LL WAIT FOR... ANDREW ...which he never received. ANDREW does not give FRANCIS the letter. He puts it in his pocket. DID AND AND AND
YOUNG ELLEN YOU KNOW THAT WORLD WAR ONE CHANGED THE MAP OF THE WORLD? COUNTRIES AND PEOPLE AND TRIBES AND FAMILIES KIDS AND LANGUAGES AND TOWNS WERE ERASED PEOPLE FORGOT THEM
BUT I THINK SOMETIMES YOU SEE A PICTURE OR HEAR A SONG OR READ A LETTER AND A PERSON THAT’S FORGOTTEN COMES ALIVE FOR A MOMENT THEY CAN TELL YOU THEY CAN TELL YOU THEY CAN TELL YOU THEY CAN TELL YOU (IT’S NOT FRENCH) THEY CAN TELL YOU
A STORY WHO ARCHDUKE FRANZ FERDINAND WAS WHAT YOUR GRANDFATHER WAS LIKE WHAT LANGUAGE THEY SPEAK IN FLANDERS WHAT HAPPENED ANDREW takes the clipping out of LUCY ANDERSON’s hand.
ANDREW The clipping ended up back with this little girl when she was older. ANDREW hands the clipping to ELLEN as she enters. ELLEN sits at the kitchen table beside YOUNG ELLEN. ELLEN opens her laptop and begins writing an email. As she waits for responses, she fiddles with a lighter, flicking it open and closed, not lighting it. It is 2003. She is sitting at the same table in Troy, New York in 2003 where thirty years earlier she spent hours perfecting her report. She is writing an email. To me. Everyone except for ANDREW and ELLEN exits.
7 ELLEN To info@research.cornell.edu, I’m trying to find some information about a place called St. Anne’s in Ithaca. Are you the right person, Info, to help me? Sincerely, Ellen Rabinowitz ANDREW is writing an email. in Ithaca, NY. ANDREW To erabinowitz764@aol.com, AOL?
Are you a Cornell student?
Yours, Andrew Hoffman ELLEN Dear Mr. Hoffman, No, I didn’t get in, which I still think was the wrong decision on their part. ANDREW Dear Ms. Rabinowitz, I’m sorry, I’m confused. ELLEN No, I’m sorry, Andrew. Let me clarify. I’m not a Cornell student. I’m an OBGYN from Manhattan, but currently I’m stuck in a house in Troy, New York - which I just read somewhere was voted SONG 2 - THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK I’M IN A HOUSE THAT I DON’T WANT AND I CAN’T SELL IN THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK AS A GIRL I WOULD DREAM OF THE PLACE THAT I’D LIVE ‘CAUSE I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK ANDREW Dear Ms. Rabinowitz,
He is
8 ANDREW (CONT'D) I am employed by Cornell as a liaison between faculty and graduate students in the department of History and Humanities, housed in the Olin Library. Perfect!
ELLEN I’m so glad I found you!
ANDREW Except I’m not authorized to assist you as we have established that you are not a student. I am sorry to hear you’re in Troy. I live in Ithaca which is THE BEST TOWN IN NEW YORK THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE ALWAYS SAY "DON'T YOU LOVE IT! IT'S THE BEST TOWN IN NEW YORK!" WITH THE LAKES AND THE VINEYARDS AND THE MOOSEWOOD CAFE ONLY SEVEN MONTHS OF WINTER AND THE SKIES ARE ALWAYS GRAY EVERY STREET RUNS UPHILL EVERYBODY IS A VEGAN BUT IT'S WHERE I GREW UP IT SEEMED LOGICAL TO STAY IN THE BEST TOWN IN NEW YORK ELLEN Can I at least tell you the story? My grandmother just died and she left me this house. The house where I grew up. My mom died when I was born, my dad was not in the picture, so I was raised by my horrible grandma. And now here I am. The plan is to clean it out and sell it and I’m throwing away mountains of stuff. And in the piles, I find a magazine clipping from 1920, a photograph with the caption, ELLEN & YOUNG ELLEN “HAS UNKNOWN SOLDIER FOUND TRUE LOVE? ELLEN St. Anne’s, Ithaca, NY.” It’s a picture of a man and a woman sitting under a tree, having a picnic. The woman is my grandmother, Lucy. But what is she doing in Ithaca? And who is the man? He’s not my grandfather. My grandfather died in World War 1. She looks so pretty in this picture. My whole life, I never saw her look so pretty.
9 ELLEN (CONT'D) Or happy. Did he make her so happy? And why does this look so familiar to me? Please help me figure out who this man is. And maybe what my grandmother was doing having a picnic with him. ‘CAUSE I’M STARTING TO FEEL LIKE I HAVE THE WRONG STORY I FEEL LIKE I’M MISSING A PAGE ELLEN (CONT'D) AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
YOUNG ELLEN AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED
ELLEN (CONT'D) MAYBE THE STORY HAS A DIFFERENT BEGINNING A DIFFERENT MIDDLE MAYBE THE ENDING IS REALLY THE PROLOGUE AND CLEARLY THE NARRATOR IS UNRELIABLE WHICH WOULD EXPLAIN HOW I ENDED UP BACK IN THIS WONDERFUL BEAUTIFUL HORRIBLE HOUSE IN THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK IT’S SO QUIET YOU CAN HEAR YOURSELF THINK AT LEAST THERE ARE TWO BARS SO YOU CAN DRINK AND THE TREES THE SPACE THE LIGHT ANDREW I hear what you’re saying. I MEAN ITHACA’S BEAUTIFUL ITHACA’S LOVELY ITHACA’S GORGEOUS THE GORGES BUT SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE I’M IN THE WRONG STORY I FEEL LIKE I’M MISSING A PAGE AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THE STUDENTS MY COLLEAGUES MY LACK OF AMBITION AND ALL THE FRESH AIR MAKES ME FEEL LIKE I’M CHOKING THE LIBRARY FEELS LIKE A PRISON THE GORGES MAKE ME KIND OF SUICIDAL
10 AT LEAST YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE TRYING TO GET WHEN YOU’RE STUCK IN THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK Sorry. You were saying? ELLEN TODAY I FOUND A POSTCARD HIDDEN THERE IN ALL THE DUST IT’S FROM 1914 BEFORE THIS TOWN TURNED TO RUST ELLEN & YOUNG ELLEN “WELCOME TO BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN TROY COLLAR CITY OF THE EMPIRE STATE THE BEST LITTLE CITY IN NEW YORK” ELLEN I REMEMBER WHEN I LIVED HERE I COULDN’T WAIT TO GET AWAY I HID FROM GRANDMA DREAMING DREAMS OF HOW MY LIFE WOULD BE SOMEDAY ELLEN & YOUNG ELLEN “WELCOME TO ELLEN’S AMAZING LIFE FULFILLING IMPACTFUL SHE HAS IT ALL” ELLEN AND THEN YOU WAKE UP AND YOU’RE FORTY AND YOUR LIFE JUST SPINS AHEAD AND YOUR ONLY LIVING RELATIVE CAN’T HELP YOU ‘CAUSE SHE’S DEAD AND YOU DIDN’T KNOW THE TIME WOULD COME WHEN YOU WOULD WANT TO ASK HER QUESTIONS THINGS THAT ONLY SHE WOULD KNOW AND THE ONLY FAMILY I HAVE LEFT IS THIS HOUSE I NEVER WANTED TO SEE AGAIN AND THE GIRL I WAS IS SHE A GHOST? IF I TURN MAYBE I’LL CATCH HER THERE - THERE - THERE... ELLEN thinks she sees her younger self. She might have. Pause. Andrew, you’re probably busy liasoning, but I just thought I’d check in. You want to get out of that dusty basement and play detective with me?
11 Pause. Are you there, Andrew Hoffman? Pause. All right, I won’t take up any more of your time. Sorry to have bothered you. Pause. ANDREW Okay I did a little poking around. Cornell has all the city archives before 1950. None of it has been computerized. There are hundreds of boxes of letters and clippings and photos that no one has ever gone through on floors I didn’t know existed. How can a school with this much money have this much stuff lying around. (shouting) Why has no one done their job?! All the library folk shush him. ANDREW (CONT'D) (whispering at first) But! This building? This basement in which I am squandering the best years of my life was acquired by Cornell in 1954 after functioning for more than 75 years as a state-run mental hospital called...St. Anne’s! St. Anne’s! Yes!!!
ELLEN ANDREW
ELLEN You’re in St. Anne’s right now? ANDREW Well, now it’s called Olin Library. Gutted and repurposed. But it was definitely St. Anne’s. ELLEN What was my grandmother doing in a mental hospital? ANDREW That’s what we’re going to find out. ELLEN Oh my God, I love you, I could kiss you.
12
You could?
ANDREW You do?
ELLEN (knowing what she’s typing) Come on over and find out! ANDREW (definitely knowing what he’s typing) See you in ten. Pause. ELLEN So are you going to help me? I am. Great...
ANDREW ELLEN
BECAUSE I’M MEETING WITH THE LAWYERS AND TOMORROW WITH THE REALTOR AND THE HOSPITAL KEEPS CALLING ASKING WHEN I’M COMING BACK AND MY HUSBAND NEVER ASKS WHICH MAKES ME WANT TO TELL HIM NEVER I’M NEVER COMING BACK... She hits one key a few times... “Delete Delete Delete” She types... THANK YOU. AM I NEVER COMING BACK? WHY DID I STAY?
ANDREW
ANDREW (CONT'D) WHY? WHY? WHY AM I STUCK? WHAT AM I DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? ARE WE DOING? ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? IN THE BEST TOWN IN NEW YORK
ELLEN WHY DID SHE STAY HERE? WHY DID I RUN AWAY? WHY? WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING? ARE WE DOING? ARE WE? WHAT ARE WE DOING? IN THE WORST TOWN IN NEW YORK