"BLACKOUT” © Copyright 1988 Rick Harlowe. All Rights Reserved. This script is provided under a license. No part of "BLACKOUT" may be used for any other purposes including published, performed, reproduced or redistributed without express written permission. Contact information for Rick Harlowe is as follows:
11211 South Military
Apt. #4722
Boynton Beach, Florida 33436
561-737-7261
MRRICKFLA@CS.COM
Copyright #PAU 888 227
August, 1988
BLACKOUT/About BLACKOUT
REVIEWS
‘BLACKOUT’ a powerful production
BOCA RATON NEWS headline May 27, 1988
“Had ‘Blackout’ been…made into a film, the role of Greta Wickersham would have been ideal for Bette Davis or Joan Crawford…but the most extraordinary performance is delivered without a line by Christopher Cushing as Aaron.”
Skip Sheffield, BOCA RATON NEWS, May 27, 1988
“…Rick Harlowe’s ’BLACKOUT’ will thrill and chill you.”
Producer/Director Brian C. Smith, The Off Broadway Theater, Wilton Manors, Florida September, 1988
Premiere
BLACKOUT received its World Premiere at THE DELRAY BEACH PLAYHOUSE in Delray Beach Florida on May 26, 1988. BLACKOUT was directed by Randolph DelLago.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
(in order of appearance)
Greta Wickersham - FRANCELIA WILLIS
Aaron Wickersham - CHRISTOPHER CUSHING
Phillip Wickersham - JAY HARMON
Sarah Beauregard - REBECCA TROTSKY
Rosemary Wickersham - HILARY BOURNE
Peter Conroy - RICK HARLOWE
Bill Fitzgerald - DENNIS DUNNE
Martha Wickersham - MARCIE HALL
Kate Beauregard - ANN PATRICE GOMERSALL
Characters - Scenes
CHARACTER DESCRIPTION
GRETA WICKERSHAM – Cold, dominating and manipulative. Uses fear as a weapon. After the Prologue she spends the rest of the play in a wheelchair as the result of a stroke. Matriarch who uses her controlling personality beyond her family.
AARON WICKERSHAM – Mid-thirties. The son of Greta Wickersham who is an idiot savant. Aaron is able to play brilliant music on the piano from memory. He communicates only with Greta by grunting and groaning. He lives in his own world.
PHILLIP WICKERSHAM – Weak-willed. Dominated by his mother, Greta.
SARAH BEAUREGARD – Young teen who is very intelligent. Strong-willed with a very mature personality.
ROSEMARY WICKERSHAM – Two years older than Sarah but very immature and silly. Greta’s granddaughter.
PETER CONROY – Mid-thirties. Hard working and an easy manner. He a lawyer who is the Mayor of Jericho, Maine. Greta’s political rival. He conceals a deep problem.
BILL FITZGERALD – Police chief who is older than Conroy. A very solid and loyal person
MARTHA WICKERSHAM – Wife of Phillip. Very weak and spineless who has been drained of any spark of life by her dominating mother-in-law Greta Wickersham. She lives on the estate of her mother-in-law with her daughter, Rosemary.
KATE BEAUREGARD – Childhood friend of Peter Conroy and Martha Wickersham who went to college out of state. A successful writer of children’s books who is visiting where she grew up for the first time in years. Willful and determined. Her and Conroy were high school sweethearts. Staying on the Wickersham estate with her daughter, Sarah.
SETTING – The entire play takes place on three different set locations located on stage that represent the Wickersham estate. Upper Stage Right is on a raised platform, the living room of the Guest House. Upper Stage Left is the Living Room of the Wickersham mansion. Downstage is the terrace of the Wickersham estate. Floor plan is available by contacting playwright. On the scrim in the background trees are painted. Between the cottage and the living room is a path that goes from the Wickersham estate to the forest.
ACT I
Scene 1 (Prologue) - August, 1929. The Living Room of the Wickersham mansion, night.
Scene 2 - August, 1939. On the terrace of the Wickersham Mansion. Late morning.
Scene 3 - Follows Scene 2, in the guest cottage on the Wickersham estate.
Scene 4 - Same day, early afternoon. On the terrace.
Scene 5 - Time frame goes from evening to late night of the same day to early the next morning. All scenes will shift from the different settings of the Wickersham mansion.
ACT II
Scene 1 - Later that morning
Scene 2 - The next day, early afternoon, on the terrace
Scene 3 - The following day, late afternoon at the guest cottage
Scene 4 - A few minutes after the previous scene on the Terrace
Scene 5 - That evening at the cottage
BLACKOUT/ACT I/Scene 1/Prologue
IT IS LATE ON A SUMMER NIGHT IN AUGUST, 1929. SUGGEST OPENING MUSIC OF THE TIME THAT IS BRIGHT AS THE STAGE IS DARK. AS THE LIGHTS COME UP THE MOOD OF THE MUSIC SHIFTS FROM BRIGHT TO VERY SOMBER CLASSICAL. IN THE LIVING ROOM OF THE MANSION OF THE WICKERSHAM ESTATE, GRETA WICKERSHAM READS FROM THE BIBLE TO HER SON, AARON. AARON IS SEATED AT HIS MOTHER’S SIDE ON THE FLOOR. THE LIVING ROOM HAS FLOWERS PLACED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS. CLEAN AND TIDY.
GRETA
‘…so take the talents from him and give it to him who has ten talents. For to every one who has, more shall be given. (PHILLIP HAS ENTERED. SHARPLY DRESSED AND A BIT OBNOXIOUS BECAUSE HE IS DRUNK. HE LOOKS ON FOR A MOMENT BEFORE HIS MOTHER HAS RECOGNIZED HIS PRESENCE) He shall…”
PHILLIP
Now isn’t this a touching scene.
GRETA
(LOOKS UP BUT CONTINUES) ‘…but from him who has not shall be taken even that which he has and cast out the worthless servant into the outer darkness where men weep and gnash their teeth…’
PHILLIP
Sorry to interrupt, Mother. (BODY LANGUAGE IS MENACING AS HE LOOKS AT AARON. AARON COWERS.) But I need to speak to you. Alone.
GRETA
(SHE GETS UP FROM HER CHAIR AND APPROACHES HER SON) How ironic that you appear as I read this passage from the Word of God. You, who have taken your talents and buried them. While Aaron, dear sweet Aaron, has invested his single talent so wisely and beautifully.
PHILLIP
Alleluia, alleluia!
GRETA
(SLAPS PHILLIP ACROSS THE FACE) How dare you mock the Word of God. (PAUSE) You have been drinking. You break not only the laws of God but the laws of the United States. (FROM MEMORY) ‘And do not get drunk on wine that is debauchery.’
PHILLIP
Wrong Mother. I’ve been drinking some wonderful gin. (MOVES THREATINGLY TOWARD AARON) I want him out of this house!
GRETA
How dare you threaten me in my own home!
PHILLIP
Lock him away in some ritzy hospital. You can afford it. Then throw away the key. But I don’t want him living here.
GRETA
(LAUGHS MOCKINGLY) Only when you are filled with alcohol do you have the courage to speak to me like that. (THREATENING) This is my house. I decide who stays under its roof.
PHILLIP
(NODDING) Fine, Mother. Then Martha and I are taking David and baby Rosemary and leaving.
GRETA
You will not take my grandchildren away from me!
PHILLIP
You have no say in the matter!
GRETA
You and your milquetoast of a wife may leave. But my grandchildren stay. And if you take David and baby Rosemary from me, I will fight you in the courts. And Phillip, as you well know, I always win.
PHILLIP
Not this time. I will fight you. Peter Conroy has said that he will help me.
GRETA
And how will you pay him when I cut off all your money?
PHILLIP
Peter will do anything to defeat you after how you ruined his father.
GRETA
If Peter Conroy proves as incompetent a lawyer as his father was mayor of this town, I have nothing to fear. (LAUGHS) And you don’t stand a chance. The court will see my grandchildren’s parents as unfit…
PHILLIP
Unfit!
GRETA
A father who squanders his money in speakeasies and loses my hard-earned money with his gambling. Who keeps a woman in Boston…
PHILLIP
What are you talking about?!
GRETA
(MENACINGLY LAUGHS) I had an interesting visitor this afternoon. Jake McAllister traveled many miles to see me. Seems you owe him a lot of money. (PHILLIP TURNS HIS BACK) Your debt is so great that he even threatened my grandchildren.
PHILLIP
Mother this is none of your affair. I will take care of him. Where is he staying? Tell me where…
GRETA
You know that no one threatens me. You have no need to be concerned with Mister McAllister.
PHILLIP
I…I suppose that I should thank you.
GRETA
And you will Phillip by committing Martha to a hospital.
PHILLIP
No…No, Mother.
GRETA
At this moment your drugged wife is walking the beach with a drunken Peter Conroy.
PHILLIP
I know exactly where she is. She is talking to Peter about representing us against you.
GRETA
Aaron has indicated that they are doing much more than walking the beach…
PHILLIP
Aaron is spying for you? (MOVES TOWARD AARON AS AARON COWERS AND MOANS) I want him out of this house!
GRETA
Leave this innocent child of God alone!
PHILLIP
Do you know that this ‘innocent child of God’ locked your grandson in a wooden box in the tool shed? (GRETA TURNS HER BACK AND WALKS AWAY, VISIBILY UPSET)
GRETA
(NOT BELIEVING) No…
PHILLIP
Yes, Mother. The gardener told me today…
GRETA
John is lying…
PHILLIP
He heard little David’s screams. ‘Hysterical’. That’s the word he used to describe your grandson’s screams. ‘Hysterical’.
GRETA
He must have been taunted…Little David must have taunted Aaron…
PHILLIP
David is only six years old.
GRETA
And your brother doesn’t even have the intellect of a six year old.
PHILLIP
Don’t call that goddamn abomination my brother!
GRETA
Don’t you talk like that in my house!
PHILLIP
And don’t you take defend Aaron against David!
GRETA
Understand this Phillip: with one phone call Jake McAllister will cut you off from this family like a diseased limb. (PHILLIP SINKS ONTO A COUCH, HEAD IN HANDS. GRETA STANDS OVER HIM) Now, I will support you until the last breath you take. But this is what I want…
ALL EXIT AS THE LIGHTS SLOWLY FADE. THE STAGE GETS DARKER. THEN THE VOICE OF A LITTLE BOY. PHILLIP COMES OUT ONTO THE TERRACE A BIT MORE DRUNK AND DISHEVLED
PHILLIP
David…David…Where are you?
(The voice of the little boy continues screaming. PHILLIP runs up center stage toward the woods, yelling DAVID's name)
(There is a final scream from the little boy.)
(From a distance PHILLIP yells "David!")
(Lights out.)