Actors all come on stage, humming "Blessing". Humming continues over the opening montage:
JAN:
Thank God. She's here. Bob must have talked to her.
RONNY:
They all seem so close.
BILL:
I wonder what's wrong with Carole?
HENRY:
Thank God I'm home. I hate travelling
JOHN:
I still remember the first night we met.
BOB:
From the look of things, I'd better talk about relationships tonight.
CAROLE:
A desire to STOP drinking.
HENRY:
Either she's late, or she's not showing
RONNY:
Maybe I SHOULD start talking about it.
Humming stops, lights up to full
BOB:
(reading) Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength, and hope...
(JO enters. All follow BOB's eyes to her. BOB and Henry motion her to the empty chair)
BOB:
Experience, strength and hope with each other so that they might solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. There are no dues or fees for AA membership, we are self-supporting through our own contributions. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. (no longer reading) And welcome to the Sunday night open discussion meeting of the Lambda group of Alcoholics Anonymous. Do we have anyone with us for the first time tonight?
(JO raises her hand, shyly)
BOB:
Would you like to give us your first name?
JO:
Jo. My name is Jo.
ALL:
Hi, Jo.
JOHN:
Welcome
BOB: (handing folder to HENRY)
Henry, would you like to read how it works?
HENRY:
Sure. These are the twelve steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. One, we admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.
(HENRY's voice slowly fades down as lights dim except for a spot on JO)
HENRY:
Two, came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. Three, made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him....
JO: [Sings "Phoenix (refrain)"]
And I will rise, purified
From the ashes of my pain
And I will fly like a bird
Through the sunshine and the rain
I will let go the things I lose
I will accept the things I gain
Keeping my mind's eye
Centered on a higher plane.
Spot down on JO, up to full on stage.
HENRY:
Twelve, having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. Oh, and my name is Henry, and I'm an alcoholic.
ALL:
Hi, Henry.
BOB:
My name is Bob and I'm an alcoholic
ALL:
Hi, Bob
BOB:
Hi. Tonight, I'd like to talk about what it was like, since we have a newcomer. I want to focus on the topic of relationships and sobriety, or how our sobriety has changed our sex lives. For me, this has been pretty important to staying sober. I don't think I ever had sex sober until I started this program. Even when I thought I had a good healthy attitude about myself and my sex life, I still had to hide behind drugs and alcohol for courage. I think a lot of it stems from my first sexual experience.
SPOT on BOB, music begins while he continues. Others begin a "doo-wop" background, clear chairs to create a small stage/dance floor.
BOB: (continuing)
It was when I was still in high school, which for me was in the late fifties. Yes, I'm that old! It was my senior year, and I was at the school prom. Everybody was sneaking out to their cars, spiking their cokes with rum or bourbon. I went along, since this was my senior prom, a "rite of passage". In an hour or two my inhibitions were dropping pretty fast.
BOB sings "Senior Prom"
Or view at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jo1ggpemP7E&feature=youtu.be
The first time I met you was at our high school dance
I was shy, I hesitated, afraid to take a chance
You walked by and you asked me if I want to walk with you
I do, I do, I do
We walked in the moonlight, we had lots of fun
I saw fire in your eyes, felt your hand on my left bun
I have waited for a lifetime but at long last I knew
I do, I do, I do
We went to the car for our first kiss
We went too far we found true bliss
We made sweet love the whole night through
I do, I do, I do, I do, I do
So both of our girlfriends had to walk home from the prom
Annette told your father, Carol Sue told my mom
We lost our reputation, but we found love so true
I do, I do, I do
We went to the car for our first kiss
We went too far, we found true bliss
We made sweet love the whole night through
I do, I do, I do, I do, I do
School days are ending graduation is near
And the entire senior class knows that you and I are.....lovers
'Cause I cannot tell a lie when they ask if I love you
I do.
BOB steps out of the spotlight, and is replaced by JAN. JAN "dials" a telephone. Ring tone. Other cast members act like bar patrons. The following dialogue is over the intro to CAROLE's song
CAROLE:
Hi. This is Carole. I'm not able to take your call right now, but if you'll leave a message I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Wait for the beep. (beep)
JAN:
Um, hello, this is Jan, it's about 8:30 and you were supposed to be here an hour ago. Call me.
CAROLE sings "I Need a Love Affair". CAROLE sings to other cast members in the "bar" until the end of verse three, when she heads to where JAN is.
I'm in a bad space, such a sad case
I need a love affair
Someone to dream of who'll bring me sweet love
I need a love affair
Oh I know that I need to find someone who will free my mind
To be gentle and soft and kind
I need a love affair
JAN (over the instrumental break):
Hi. Me again. It's 10:00 now and I'm getting worried that your OK. Call me. Please?
CAROLE:
It's such a dark night, I need a soft light
I need a love affair
Someone to share my bed who understands my head
I need a love affair
I need somebody warm to hold
When the night wind is hard and cold
I'm just lonesome and sad I'm told
I need a love affair
Jan (over the instrumental break):
This is your ex. Ignore those other messages. It's midnight and I'm going to sleep. I'll talk to you tomorrow.
HENRY (over the instrumental break):
LAST CALL!
CAROLE:
Where do I go? That's all I need to know
Where do I go? To find my lover, to find my love affair
Tell me where
I need a love affair
Tell me where
Do you hear my song? Do you think I'm wrong to need a love affair?
Or do you think my song is coming on too strong? I need a love affair
Or do you think that you could maybe see me through and be my love affair?
Could you hold me tight and help me through the night I need....I need.....
JAN goes straight into "I Guess I Forgive You"
Or can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoGhXW1xGEY&feature=youtu.be
You call me on Monday, we make plans for Tuesday
Tuesday came, you didn't show
I called you on Wednesday, we make plans for Thursday
Why I believed you I'll never know
And now without warning at three in the morning
You're knocking at my door
You say you regret it, say to forget it
Promise it won't happen no more
So I guess I'll forgive you
And I guess that I'll let you stay
And I guess I'll still love you
Well I guess that I'm crazy that way
And I guess that you're love so right
Will make up for those lonely nights
And I guess I won't feel the pain as we love again
I'll let you hold my heart in your hand
And I'll love you while I can
You say you're afraid of the things I am made of
The chains that tie you down
So you try to refuse the love you don't want to lose
But the feeling keeps coming around
Well babe, I can read and in your eyes I see need
And that need is stronger than your fear
And when you learn how to live and you're ready to give
Baby, I'll still be here
And I guess I'll forgive you
And I guess that I'll let you stay
And I guess I'll still love you
Well I guess that I'm crazy that way
And I guess that you're love so right
Will make up for those lonely nights
And I guess I won't feel the pain as we love again
I'll let you hold my heart in your hand
And I'll love you while I can
And you'll call me on Monday, we'll make plans for Tuesday
Tuesday comes, you won't show.
JAN walks away from center stage, CAROLE remains, "sleeping". HENRY enters, getting dressed for a business day, and sings "Best Twenty Minutes"
Or can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTwKTwkBkwg&feature=youtu.be
I've been on the road since January and I've seen a lot of Holiday Inns
Made me a little money in my work
Travelling sales can be awful demanding and the last thing I really need
Is some dumb gin soaked honey calling me a jerk.
I've given you the best twenty minutes of my life, baby
So how come you insist upon making me crazy
Filling up my motel room with all your sorrow?
Just close your eyes now, try not to weep
I'm sorry if I called you the wrong name in my sleep
Promise to buy you a real nice breakfast tomorrow.
I'll be leaving for Little Rock in the morning, Shreveport the day after that
But I got your email address and I promise to write
It was an awful good pleasure to make your acquaintance and you might feel better to know
I'll probably call somebody else your name tomorrow night
I've given you the best twenty minutes of my life, baby
So how come you insist upon making me crazy
Filling up my motel room with all your sorrow?
Just close your eyes now, try not to weep
I'm sorry if I called you the wrong name in my sleep
Promise to buy you a real nice breakfast tomorrow.
HENRY and CAROLE move away from center stage to join the others as BILL comes downstage center to address the audience for his monologue:
BILL:
- My name is Bill and I'm an alcoholic. (wait) There's not much to say about what it was like. I drank, a lot. My main contact with the outside world was my daily trips to the convenience store for more beer. I never thought about whether I wanted to drink , or whether I liked to drink. I just drank. I didn't really eat much, or change my clothes very often. Sometimes I would run out of money before the monthly check came, and that would get scary. I'd start seeing things. My brother came to see me during one of those spells and convinced me I was killing myself. He got me to my first meeting, and I got sober. The first few weeks were sort of a fog, but the next thing I knew I was starting to get chips for two months and three months of sobriety. After about a year I was able to go back to work again. As far as tonight's topic, sex has never been very important in my life. I did find, though, that very often me being sober interfered with my relationships. It was hard for people who were drinking to accept the fact that I wasn't. And let's face it, a lot of guys you meet in gay bars drink too much. So I tried to hide my sobriety. I realized with John, though, that I had a chance for a real relationship, so I let him know. When he decided he wanted to stop drinking, I didn't push him. He had to do it for himself, and not for me. But I helped him and supported him, because I knew having a good sober relationship would help keep me sober. And I had a feeling, from the first night I met John, that this relationship might be special. It took him a while to believe I could be sincere, though. He had a lot to learn about trusting.
JOHN sings "Scrapbooks"
Or can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXYOV7nhXhA&feature=youtu.be
I'll sing softly now, I'll sing slowly now
I'll sing love songs to your eyes
Rivers flowing now, meadows growing now
Dandelion fluff in the skies
You should listen now
Lie quiet and watch me
How I try to share a feeling that is true
Scrapbooks of your past
Pressed flowers and photographs
Add a page for the day I touched you.
Babies in the night, candles burning bright
Time for you to go to sleep
Angels in the sky reach to help you fly
Too real to lose, to frail to keep
You should close your eyes
And till the morning skies
I'll stay beside, to see your dream trips through
Scrapbooks of your past
Pressed flowers and photographs
Add a page for the day I touched you
Would you care to stop by again?
Would you care to be my friend?
Would you care to be my love?
Or would you care? Would you care?
Scrapbooks of your past
Pressed flowers and photographs
At least add a page for the day I touched you.
JOHN
And that was 30 years ago. We've been together ever since, through good times and bad.
JOHN and BILL go back to the others, RONNY comes forward for her "monologue"
RONNY:
My name is Ronny and I'm an alcoholic. (Sings "Miles to Go" directly to the audience)
Or can be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChDyOPvRA14&feature=youtu.be
High school yearbook, Senior year
Beneath our pictures did appear
A favorite quote that we did choose
Words of wisdom we would use
Karen chose a Bible verse
Lee chose humor, quick and terse
As if I knew what life would cost
I chose these words by Robert Frost.
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.
I sang in Athens, and Atlanta
A theme park up in Cincinnati
A Georgia coast resort hotel
Then Panama City knew me well
The first Gay Pride in New Orleans
Then Birmingham, between drag queens.
Hollywood, Palm Springs, Reno
Austin, Omaha, still I'd go
For I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep
And miles to go before I sleep.
I've written songs, I've written plays
Sometimes love has filled my days
I've made good friends and watched them die
I've prayed to God and asked him why
And now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I pray tomorrow I'll still live
And have another day to give
And now I take my AZT
And wonder what will come of me
I hope a cure may soon be found
Before we're all beneath the ground
For I have promises to keep
And miles to go, before I sleep
And miles to go, before I sleep.
RONNY:
I have AIDS. I haven't told the group yet.
As RONNY walks back to the group, BOB starts talking
BOB:
I want to thank everybody for sharing tonight. It's been a good meeting for me. There are no dues or fees, but we do pass the baskets. While they are going around, does anyone else want to share? No? OK does anybody want to get a desire chip, showing that you have a desire to stop drinking?
Everyone looks at JO
JO:
I think I better get one of those. I'm going through a lot right now. I'm going to need all of you to help me get through it
ALL: (all at the same time, while applauding)
Keep coming back! We are here for you! I'll give you my phone number! etc.
JO:
Thanks everybody
BOB:
We close our meetings with the Lord's prayer. Jo, would you like to lead us this time?
JO:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come.....
(Fades out, music starts for "Blessing" to segue into Act II)
End of Act I
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