
fiction
Life: The Tale of a Man, Woman, and Child
the SHITE in this story is the Child,
and she leads the Dances.
Notes on Costuming: No-one wears any masks, and the costuming is very simple, with all characters in simple linen clothing, except for THE CHORUS of FLOWERS, whose costumes are ornate and highly individual.
Notes on Choreography: This play is performed by 7 sets of 3 actors on stage at the same time (7 men, 7 women, 7 children). Each group of actors performs the same actions. The family at the center of the stage speaks the lines, but each family performs the actions of the play in unison.
at 7475 Azalia St
the MAN wears a mantle of service:
Military dress, with a metal badge of even, colored squares.
Round metal glasses, which he keeps clean with a small cloth.
A watch with a timer.
He is gentle, brave, and kind.
As he laces his boots, the Man says:
There are no great things to be done,
only small things to be done
with great love.
the WOMAN also wears a mantle of service.
Practical shoes and a sun-dress, with her child’s hand clasped in her own.
Pretty hair-clips that pull back her shiny brown hair.
A watch with a timer.
She is cheerful, patient, and kind.
As she assembles an IKEA chair with the help of her toddler, the Woman says:
There are no great things to be done,
only small things to be done
with great love.
The palms sway overhead,
gently experiencing the air as it passes through their fingertips.
Man & Woman thank God for their daily meals as they share a box of instant mac n’ cheese.
The stars twinkle and observe.
A fan whirs at the door of the patio, and a gray linen curtain rustles gently in the breeze.
Sunlight flows through the window in brilliant rays, haloing the gray fabric in a corona of gold, and permeating its natural fibers with warm light.
A soft crying permeates the air.
someone had a meltdown at the store, says the Grandmother.
the CHILD cries, her shoes hurt. No. No. she says.
The Mother is firm but kind.
With a kiss on the forehead, the Child smiles again.
The Child’s Dance
The Child choreographs her world,
and her dance is a microcosm of the dance of the cosmos:
to care and be cared for,
to live and learn and love.
She is both bossy and kind;
alternately joyful and world-weary.
This dance is for the seasons,
and for the Time and Place of All Things.
​
It is a Circle Dance that never ends.
​
she says YELLOW, and all things Yellow in THE CHORUS dance:
the sun, the bees, the hibiscus, the banana, the baby dandelion.
she says BUG, and all the Bugs in THE CHORUS stop for a moment to bow and say, hey lady.
​
(This part continues, with improvisation: The Child calls out letters, numbers, or colors, and The CHORUS dances for her).
​
Meanwhile, Man and Woman dance a slow, circular jig.
The Time Dance
A LANDSCAPE (made by the CHORUS of FLOWERS) unfurls.
The Landscape is the Year, unfurled into a circular timespace:
It is composed of one of every kind of flower,
organized by the order in which they blossom throughout the season.
the Families walk through the landscape, acknowledging each flower as they go.
SPRING – March, April, May
ACACIA—Tree, shrub with yellow flowers
AESCULUS (horsechestnut) — Tree, shrub with red, pink, or white flowers
AGAPANTHUS (lily of the Nile) — Clumps with blue flowers
BAUHNIA (orchid tree) — Tree with white, pink, or red flowers
BRUNFELSIA (yesterday– today– tomorrow) — Shrub with purple flowers fading to white
CALLIANDRA (pink powder puff) — Shrub with pink flowers
Callistemon (bottlebrush) — Tree, shrub with red flowers
CALODENDRUM (Cape chestnut) — Tree with pink flowers
CEANOTHUS (California lilac) — Shrub with white or purple flowers
CERCIS (Judas tree) — Tree with white, pink, or red flowers
CLIVIA (kaffir lily) — Clump with yellow or orange flowers
ERYTHRINA (coral tree) — Tree, shrub with orange or red
flowers
EUCALYPTUS — Tree, shrub with yellow or red flowers
FLOWERING FRUIT TREES (peach, nectarine, plum) — Tree with white, pink or red flowers
GREVILLEA — Tree, shrub with red, orange or yellow flowers
IRIS — Clump with purple, or yellow flowers
JACARANDA — Tree with white, or lavender flowers
LIRIODENDRON (tulip tree) — Tree with yellow-green flowers
MALUS (crabapple) — Tree with white, pink or red flowers
MELALEUCA — Tre, shrub with white, yellow or red flowers
PAULOWNIA (Chinese empress tree) — Tree with lavender flowers
TABEBUIA (golden trumpet, pink trumpet) — Tree with yellow or pink flowers
WISTERIA — Vine with purple flowers
SUMMER – June, July, August, September
AESCULUS ( red horsechestnut) — Tree with red flowers
Aloe — Clump with red, orange or yellow flowers
ALYOGYNE ( blue hibicus) — Shrub with lavender/blue flowers
BOUGAINVILLEA — Vine with red, pink or orange flowers
BRACHYCHITON (Australia flame) — Tree with red flowers
CALLISTEMON (bottlebrush) — Tree, shrub with green, yellow or red flowers
CALODENDRUM (Cape chestnut) — Tree with pink flowers
CASSIA (gold medallion) — Tree with yellow flowers
CASTANOSPERMUM (Moreton Bay chestnut) — Tree with red or yellow flowers
CATALPA — Tree with white or pink flowers
CISTUS (rockrose) — Shrub, groundcover with white, pink or red
flowers
COMBRETUM — Vine with yellow or red flowers
EUCALYPTUS — Tree, shrub with white, yellow or red flowers
HEMEROCALLIS (daylilies) — Clump with yellow, orange or red
flowers
HIBISCUS — Shrub with white, red, yellow, orange, or pink flowers
HYMENOSPORUM (sweet shade) – Tree with yellow flowers
JACARANDA – Tree with white or lavender flowers
LAGERSTROEMIA (crape myrtle) – Tree, shrub with red or white flowers
LANTANA – Shrub with yellow, orange, red or purple flowers
MELALEUCA – Tree, shrub with white, yellow or red flowers
NERIUM (oleander) – Shrub with white, pink, red or yellow flowers
OSTEOSPERMUM (tailing African daisy) – Groundcover with white or purple flowers
STENOCARPUS (fire wheel) – Tree with red flowers
FALL – October, November
BAUHINIA (Hong Kong orchid) – Tree with maroon pink flowers
CADDIA (crown of gold) – Tree with yellow flowers
CHORISIA (floss silk) – Tree with pink or white flowers
EUCALYPTUS – Tree, shrub with white, yellow or red flowers
KOELREUTERIA (flame gold) – Tree with pink or red seed pods
THEVETIA (yellow oleander) – Tree with yellow flowers
WINTER – December, January, February
ACACIA – Tree, shrub with yellow flowers
CHORISIA (floss silk) – Tree with pink or white flowers
DAFFODIL – Clump with white, yellow or orange flowers
EUCALYPTUS – Tree, shrub with yellow or red flowers
MAGNOLIA – Tree, shrub with white flowers
ORIENTAL MAGNOLIA – Tree with lavender/white flowers
OSTEOSPERMUM (trailing African daisy) – Groundcover with purple or white flowers
PRUNUS (Japanese flowering apricot) – Tree with white, pink, or red flowers
PSEUDOBOMBAX – Tree with white flowers
At Night,
Man, Woman, and Child say the prayers learned from their own mothers and fathers,
and they go to sleep, to wake up on time tomorrow.
​
The stars twinkle and observe.