"THE MAN WHO SEARCHED FOR TOMORROW"

 

                           by

 

                     Charles Deemer

 

 

 

 

 

 

                          CAST

               CASSANDRA (Cassy), a child

             AASHA, the actor playing Cassy

                 UNCLE MIKE, a manchild

         MICHAEL, the actor playing Uncle Mike

 

 

                          TIME

               It's nearer than you think

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                        The Haven Project


 

 

 

                         (LIGHTS UP. MICHAEL, an adult

                         actor, and AASHA, a child actor,

                         face the audience.)

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Italian)

Good evening.

 

                         AASHA

           (translating into English)

Good evening.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Italian)

Tonight's performance will not be in Italian.

 

                         AASHA

Tonight's performance will not be in Italian.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Italian)

Thank you.

 

                         AASHA

Thank you.

 

                         (BLACKOUT.)

 

                         (LIGHTS UP. As before.)

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Czech)

Good evening.

 

                         AASHA

Good evening.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Czech)

Tonight's performance will not be in Czech.

 

                         AASHA

Tonight's performance will not be in Czech.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Czech)

Thank you.

 

                         AASHA

Thank you.

 

                         (BLACKOUT.)

 

                         (LIGHTS UP. As before.)


                                                            2.

 

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in English)

Good evening.

 

                         AASHA

Good evening.

 

                         MICHAEL

Tonight's performance will not be in English.

 

                         AASHA

Tonight's performance will not be in English.

 

                         MICHAEL

At least not the English you usually hear.

 

                         AASHA

If you don't like our play, leave through the rear.

 

                         (BLACKOUT.)

 

                         (LIGHTS UP. Michael faces the

                         audience alone.)

 

                         MICHAEL

There was a manchild, once upon a time, / who whenever he

spoke would speak in rhyme. / This condition had a fancy

name / and brought the manchild considerable fame. / But all

he ever wanted to do / was be able to speak like me and you.

 

                         (Michael moves to other area, where

                         a suitcase and a sign await him. He

                         becomes UNCLE MIKE. He holds up the

                         sign, which reads "Bound for

                         Tomorrow! Every ride helps!" He

                         holds out his thumb, hitch-hiking.)

 

                         (Cassandra, or "Cassy," played by

                         Aasha, enters. She wears sunglasses,

                         a sun hat, gloves -- complete

                         protection against the sun.)

 

                         CASSY

Uncle Mike! Do you know how many people are looking for you?

Didn't you hear the alarm? Look at you -- no hat, no gloves.

I bet you came outside without putting on sun screen, didn't

you? What am I going to do with you? And what's this sign?

What do you think you're doing?

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I'm trying to get to tomorrow today / but with traffic so

light, there's prob'ly no way.


                                                            3.

 

 

                         CASSY

Going to tomorrow -- I swear, you put the child in Manchild.

Come on, we have to get underground before the sun breaks

through the shield.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I don't want to go and hide. / I'm waiting here to catch a

ride.

 

                         CASSY

Just what do you think you're going to find in tomorrow?

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

To tell the truth, I've never been there. / But it's gonna

be great, from what I hear. / Today I speak  and every time

/ the words I speak come out in rhyme. / A doctor told me if

I wait / Until tomorrow, I'll speak great!

 

                         CASSY

Did the doctor tell you the sun's rays can kill you? How

about that? The alarm sounded an hour ago. The weatherman

says there's going to be a break in the shield this

afternoon, and we all have to get underground.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I remember when the sun / Was warm and safe and full of fun.

 

                         CASSY

Well, I don't, and those days are long gone. We don't have

all day here. You remember what happened to Daddy and your

cousin when they didn't go underground.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

God rest their souls, I remember well. / It's deadly to

ignore the warning bell. / But this is a crisis that happens

today. / I'll be in tomorrow, safe from harm's way.

 

                         CASSY

I can't believe you're trying to leave. Won't you even miss

me? I'll miss you. Who else will I read stories to? You're

the only adult who treats me like an equal.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

Saying so long is not saying goodbye. / You can come visit

me by and by!

 

                         CASSY

Uncle Mike, I want you to come with me, right now!

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

Let me do my way this time, / Whatever it takes to break

this rhyme.


                                                            4.

 

 

                         CASSY

But you can't catch a ride to tomorrow. Tomorrow never comes.

Tomorrow is always tomorrow, and today is always today.

Listen up!

 

                         SONG (CASSY)

Living for tomorrow / Fills your life with strife /

Everything's a plan / Waiting is your life / Living for

tomorrow / There's never time to rest / The forest hides the

trees / Right here is never best

 

                         CHORUS

Yesterday's a memory / Tomorrow is a dream / Today's the

beating of your heart / Today is where the living starts /

Today you taste the cream

 

                         SONG (CASSY)

If you live for today / The here-and-now is real / Each

moment has a life / Each life is what you feel / If you live

for today / You open up your heart / You welcome each

surprise / Whether sweet or tart

 

                         CHORUS

Yesterday's a memory / Tomorrow is a dream / Today's the

beating of your heart / Today is where the living starts /

Today you taste the cream

 

                         CASSY

You get it now? You'll never reach tomorrow because as soon

as you get there, it's already today.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

But the doctor said this was the cure. / I am, I fear, no

longer sure.

 

                         CASSY

What's wrong with rhyming anyway?

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

It makes me different and a freak! / And don't tell me

"you're so unique."

 

                         CASSY

I've always thought it's amazing how you can rhyme. I could

never rhyme like that.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I don't do it from craft and skill. / It just comes out

without my will.

 

                         CASSY

I think you should be proud! You're different from anyone

I've ever met, and you're my very favorite uncle. So come

on--


                                                            5.

 

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

My speaking always brought me shame. / Aren't we supposed to

be the same?

 

                         CASSY

You need a new attitude. Diversity is great! And you know

what you are? You're a poet!

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

My o my, where do I start? / This doggerel is not high art.

 

                         CASSY

I don't know about dogs but I know it sounds like poetry to

me, and I like it. I want you to tell me more about Hiawatha

and gitcheegumee, just as soon as we get underground. Come

on now ...

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I remember when the sun / Was warm and safe and full of fun.

 

                         CASSY

You already said that. You can't live in the past, Uncle

Mike, any more than you can live in the future.

 

                         SONG (CASSY)

If you live in the past / Then everything is old / Everything

is gone / And everything is cold / If you live in the past /

There's nothing to be done / Everything is stone / The race

already run

 

                         CHORUS

Yesterday's a memory / Tomorrow is a dream / Today's the

beating of your heart / Today is where the living starts /

Today you taste the cream

 

                         CASSY

You can only live in today, and today the alarm went off and

the sun is coming out and we have to get underground before

it does. So let's go!

 

                         (Uncle Mike shakes his head, No.)

 

                         CHORUS

What am I going to do with you? ... Okay, how about this?

I'll teach you how to talk without rhyming. Then you'll come

with me. Is that a deal?

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

If you can stop the way I rhyme / I'll come with you, yes,

any time!


                                                            6.

 

 

                         CHORUS

Now listen up. In order to rhyme, you have to speak two

sentences at a time. Right? So just speak one sentence at a

time. You can't rhyme if there's nothing to rhyme with! Try

it -- just speak one sentence.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

One sentence is all I say? / But a second comes out right

away.

 

                         CHORUS

Well, don't let it! Hold your mouth!

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

One sentence is all I say ...

 

                         (He holds his mouth with one hand.

                         A second sentence is trying to come

                         out.)

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

Ummm! Ummm!

 

                         (He clamps a second hand over his

                         mouth.)

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

UMMMM! UMMMM!

 

                         (The second sentence has great

                         force, trying to get out. It's all

                         he can do to stop it.)

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

UMMMMMMMM! UMMMMMMMM!

 

                         (Finally he collapses, exhausted.

                         He still has his hands over his

                         mouth. Cassy looks down at him.)

 

                         CASSY

See? It worked.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

           (tentatively, hands still over mouth)

Ummmm .... ummmmm . . .

 

                         CASSY

Take your hands away.

 

                         (Slowly he does. Silence. Then:)

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

I think it worked. What a great day!


                                                            7.

 

 

                         (But it hits him that he made the

                         rhyme.)

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

It didn't work at all, you see? / I'll be rhyming til

eternity.

 

                         CASSY

We won't survive the day unless we get underground.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

It's sad to have to run away / When the sun comes out today.

 

                         CASSY

We only have to stay underground until they reseed the

protective shield.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

It's sad that birds no longer sing, / that geese no longer

take to wing.

 

                         CASSY

You can't live in the past, Uncle Mike.

 

                         UNCLE MIKE

It's sad that crops no longer grow; / It's sad that we reap

what we sow.

 

                         (An alarm sounds, like an urban

                         emergency alarm.)

 

                         CASSY

Come on, we don't have much time! You can't live in the

past, Uncle Mike, and you can't live in the future either.

You have to concentrate on today.

 

                         They sing.

 

                         CHORUS

Yesterday's a memory / Tomorrow is a dream / Today's the

beating of your heart / Today is where the living starts /

Today you taste the cream

 

                         SONG (CASSY)

Live in the present tense! / Embrace each daily hour / Make

each moment count / Whether sweet or sour / Live in the

present tense! / All your senses tuned / The ground beneath

your feet / And overhead the moon ... Now come on, Uncle

Mike! There's not much time!

 

 

 

                         (She runs off to BLACKOUT except

                         for SPOT remaining on Uncle Mike.)


                                                            8.

 

 

                         SONG (UNCLE MIKE)

Live in the present tense / I look around and see / Water I

can't drink / Dead fish in the sea / Live in the present

tense / An earth that we destroyed / Living underground /

And nobody annoyed ...

 

                         (BLACKOUT. In the DARKNESS:)

 

                         AASHA

Wait a minute! Bring up the lights! We can't end the play

this way!

 

                         (The LIGHTS COME UP FULL. Aasha

                         comes on stage alone.)

 

                         AASHA

           (calling backstage)

Michael, get out here!

 

                         (Michael peeks out from backstage.)

 

                         MICHAEL

Aasha, the play's over.

 

                         AASHA

No! This is too depressing.

 

                         (Michael comes on stage.)

 

                         MICHAEL

Maybe so, but it's the ending Mr. Deemer wrote for you.

 

                         AASHA

I don't care! This is my play, and I'm ending it my way!

 

                         MICHAEL

My o my.

 

                         AASHA

I'm too young for this downer ending. I believe kids can

save the world. Sure, things can get bad, and then they can

get worse, but that doesn't mean they can't also get better.

If enough people want change for the better, if they do

things in the present tense that support change for the

better, then it will happen.

 

                         MICHAEL

Good point, Aasha. Can we end the play now?

 

                         AASHA

I have more to say! Listen up, people! When you're all

growing daisies, I'm still going to be here. Got it? What

you do today is going to shape the world I live in when I'm

your age. Got it? So get your act together!


                                                            9.

 

 

                         (Michael takes Aasha's hand to lead

                         her off stage.)

 

                         MICHAEL

Come on, Aasha. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.

 

                         AASHA

Kids rule! Tell them in Italian.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Italian)

Kids rule!

 

                         (Michael picks her up.)

 

                         AASHA

Kids rule! Tell them in Czech.

 

                         MICHAEL

           (in Czech)

Kids rule!

 

                         (He starts carrying her off stage.)

 

                         AASHA

           (being carried off stage)

All over the world, and in every language, kids rule! Kids

rule! Kids rule! Kids rule! ...

 

                         (They are gone, and the play is

                         over.)