From: Professor Christopher Kelly
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 8:48 am
Dear Tara,
Outstanding work last night. Very theatrical, moving, honest, and funny.
Well done!!!!
Congrats!
best
cbk
***
Writing in Florence/Professor Chris KellyJune 13, 2006“Acting Piece: Identity” by Tara Rose Stromberg
PEACE BE WITH YOU
NOTE: This piece was preformed in front of a student audience for critique. We each picked a theme out of a hat. Mine was "Identity."
NARRATOR: Just like every God-fearing Christian in town, Mrs. Claire Newman takes great pride in attending Sunday mass.
[Outer Claire begins to stroll and greet “church-goers” in the audience. Inner Claire is hidden behind her, following suite.]
OUTER: Hello there Anne Marie!
CLAIRES: (Inner slides to the left of outer, as she simultaneously does the same, waving gesture) How lovely to see you!
[Inner, still somewhat behind of the Outer Claire, continues to imitate each gesture and facial expression as Outer.]
OUTER: Oh, Ms. Nesbit, I’d love to talk with you later about this week’s St. Peter Pot Luck...
INNER: (shakes head for a moment, embarrassed, then mumbles) St. Peter Pot Luck....?
CLAIRES: (Inner returns to cheeryness and follows Outer)...don’t forget to remind me!
OUTER: Martha you look positively darling in that dress, why you look twenty years younger-
INNER: -Older....(grimacing in disgust.)
[Outer giggles nervously and tries to compose herself.]
OUTER: How do you stay so fit? Are you on a new diet?
INNER: (sarcastically sweet) The Hostess plan; ten Twinkies per meal?
OUTER: Oh you’re too much! Heaven’s no....not me. (proudly) I’ll never diet-I don’t deny myself of any food...
INNER: (thoughtfully) ...unless it has calories...
CLAIRES: (doting) Oh, Father Pat! How good to see you again....
OUTER: Oh, I’m doing wonderful.
A beat.
CLAIRES: (changing her tone) Oh...my family...?
[They both freeze. Outer stands smiling, but stiff. Inner wears a threatened and fearful expression, standing the same way. ]
OUTER: ..yes, the rest of the family is a little busy today, I’m afraid, so they won’t be coming. Last night, Harold was simply drowning in paperwork...
INNER: (through her teeth) ...and a bottle of Jack Daniel’s...
OUTER: And the kids are at my mother-in-laws for the weekend.
INNER: I have no idea what my children are doing.
OUTER: Oh, well of course!..
CLAIRES: ....Bonnie is doing so much better now! She’s out of the hospital and back in school. She was a bit ill, and had felt a little faint-
INNER: -on account of the all the acid she took-
CLAIRES: -but she’s fine now!
[They wave goodbye to Father Pat, adjust their clothing, and breathe in deeply in preparation.]
NARRATOR: During mass, Mrs. Newman always prays with great admiration and love towards the Lord.
[Both Claire’s kneel, one next to the other, hands folded. Outer Claire’s eyes begin to wander along with Inner’s. Outer Claire tries to resist but is obviously distracted.]
CLAIRE’S: Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name...
INNER: (annoyed) Jesus, I thought we said this one already...
CLAIRE’S: Thy kingdom come,
INNER: (rolling eyes) This is fucking dumb...
OUTER: On Earth, as it is in heaven...
INNER: (looking around uncomfortably) ...and I’m in hell...
OUTER: Give us this day our daily bread...
INNER: (looking at someone in congregation hungrily) Oooh, Ben Harper, hottie at twelve o’clock...
OUTER: ...and forgive us our trespasses....
INNER: I’d like to get my hands on those hot buns of his...
[Outer begins to say the prayer towards her inner self, trying to shut her up.]
OUTER: As we forgive those who trespass against us...
INNER: (her face becomes horrified) Is he sitting with that tramp Carrie??!!!
OUTER: And lead us not into temptation...
INNER: I could bang him better than she ever could...
OUTER: ...but deliver us from evil...
INNER: I will kill that slimy little bitch...
CLAIRES: (standing up, triumphant in those words) Amen!
[She freezes, feeling stupid.]
NARRATOR: Ms. Newman always enjoys sharing God’s blessings with others.
[Outer and Inner Claire both shake people’s hands, each next to eachother, both smiling sweetly, while Inner Claire mumbles through her teeth.]
OUTER: (whispers) Peace be with you...Peace be with you...
INNER: I don’t even know who the fuck this is...
OUTER: (whispers) Peace be with you...
INNER: This chick’s in desperate need of a manicure...
OUTER: (whispers) Peace be with you...
INNER: Eww, your hands are GROSS...
OUTER: (whispers) Peace be with you..
INNER: I hate you’re guts...
OUTER: (whispers) Peace be with you...
[They each sit, Inner plopping down looking annoyed and exhausted.]
NARRATOR: At once, Mrs. Newman is filled with the joy of other’s love.
OUTER: Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
INNER: (head in hands) I feel so goddamn retarded right now....
NARRATOR: Peace be with you.
OUTER: And also with you.
INNER: Oh, just shut the fuck up...
NARRATOR: And when the time comes for Confession, Mrs. Newman withholds nothing from the Lord.
[Inner Claire goes behind Outer Claire, as she sits as in a confessional, both their hands folded.]
CLAIRES: Forgive me father for I have sinned
OUTER: (hesitant)...uh...twice...
INNER: Ten times.
OUTER:....three times...
INNER: Seven.
OUTER: Six.
CLAIRES: Five, five times this week.
OUTER: I took a grape from the supermarket without paying for it.
INNER: I also pocketed a grapefruit and a box of Advil.
OUTER: I lied and said that the slice of cake I gave Anne Marie was fat free.
INNER: ...after I spit in the batter.
OUTER: I believe I was a little too harsh with my children. I told them to shut up Wednesday morning...
INNER: (trying to get closer to screen to speak) I told them to shove a goddamn sock down their throats....
OUTER: (swatting her away) I was trying to shoo my little one away from the hot stove...
INNER: (now proclaiming it into Outer Claire’s ear)...using a four inch butcher knife...
OUTER: I was on the phone with my mother, and I was very disrespectful.
INNER: I made her cry.
OUTER: She wasn’t being fair.
INNER: She was being an insensitive whore.
OUTER: (shaking her head, getting upset, trying to cover it up) Uhh...and the other day Mr. Harper was helping me with groceries, and he kissed me...
INNER: (she clenches Outer’s shoulders, holding her back) I kissed him!
OUTER: (resisting) I...I put my arms around him-
INNER: (clenching her harder) -put my hands down his pants!
OUTER: (fighting her) I didn’t know he was married!
INNER: We hid in their bedroom closet when she came back for her keys!
OUTER: (almost breaking down) My husband means the world to me!
INNER: He’s a useless pile of shit!
OUTER: I think about him all the time...
INNER: ...only when I’m fucking someone else!
OUTER: He’s always there for me! -together- INNER: He’s never there for me!
OUTER: I love him! -together- INNER: I hate him!
OUTER: I love my life! -together- INNER: I hate my life!
CLAIRES: (They are holding on to each other in grief) I’m lonely!!!!
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