"1776" Reprise Script

		1776 'Reprise' for NH Theatre Awards Script Feb. 4, 2005 Scene with empty chamber, one piece of wall center and 3 or four tables set with quills etc. ADAMS: (appears alone in the chamber) "This Congress won't grant any of my proposals on Independence even so much as the courtesy of open debate! Good God, what in hell are they waiting for?! (from the shadows the Congress emerges, conservatives holding hats/canes & Franklin with hat on) CONGRESS (FULL CAST) SIT DOWN, JOHN! SIT DOWN, JOHN! FOR GOD'S SAKE, JOHN SIT DOWN! SIT DOWN, JOHN! SIT DOWN, JOHN! FOR GOD'S SAKE JOHN, SIT DOWN! VOICE SOMEONE OUGHT TO OPEN UP A WINDOW! CONGRESS IT'S NINETY DEGREES! HAVE MERCY, JOHN PLEASE IT'S HOT AS HELL IN PHILDADEL -- PHIA! TWO VOICES SOMEONE OUGHT TO OPEN UP A WINDOW! JOHN I SAY "VOTE YES!" "VOTE YES" VOTE FOR INDPENDENCY CONGRESS "A" SOMEONE OUGHT TO OPEN UP A WINDOW! JOHN I SAY VOTE "YES!" CONGRESS SIT DOWN, JOHN! JOHN VOTE FOR INDEPENDENCY! VOICE FROM CONGRESS "B" SOMEONE OUGHT TO OPEN UP A WINDOW! CONGRESS "B" NO! NO! NO! TOO MANY FLIES TOO MANY FLIES CONGRESS "A" BUT IT'S HOT AS HELL IN PHILDEL -- PHIA ... ! VOICES FROM CONGRESS "A" ARE GOING TO OPEN UP A WINDOW? CONGRESS "A" CAN'T WE COMPROMISE HERE ...? JOHN VOTE "YES!" CONGRESS "B" NO, TOO MANY FLIES HERE ... ! JOHN VOTE "YES!" CONGRESS (FULL) OH, FOR GOD'S SAKE, JOHN, SIT DOWN! (All leave except Cool Considerate Men and John Hancock, who comes center with Dickinson) DICKINSON Mr. Hancock -- you're a man of property -- one of us. Why don't you join us in our minuet? Why do you persist in dancing with John Adams? Good Lord, sir, you don't even like him! HANCOCK (singing) THAT IS TRUE HE ANNOYS ME QUITE A LOT BUT STILL I'T RATHER TROT TO MR. ADAMS' NEW GAVOTTE DICKINSON But why -- for personal glory? For a place in history? Be careful, sir -- history will brand him and his followers as traitors! HANCOCK Traitors to what, Mr. Dickinson -- the British Crown? Or the British half-crown? Fortunately, there are not enough men of property in America to dictate policy. DICKINSON Perhaps not -- but don't forget that most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor. And that is why they will follow us -- CONSERVATIVES -- TO THE RIGHT EVER TO THE RIGHT NEVER TO THE LEFT FOREAVER TO THE RIGHT WHERE THERE'S GOLD A MARKET THAT WILL HOLD TRADITION THAT IS OLD A RELUCTANCE TO BE BOLD DICKINSON I SING "HOSANNA" ... :HOSANNA" INA SANE AND LUCID MANNER ... ! CONSERVATIVES WE ARE COOL! WE'RE THE COOL COOL CONSERVATIVE MEN! WHOSE LIKE MAY NEVER BE SEEN AGAIN! WITH OUR LAND ... CASH IN HAND ... SELF-COMMAND ... FUTURE PLANNED ... AND WE'LL HOLD ... TO OUR GOLD ... TRADITION THAT IS OLD ... RELUCTANT TO BE BOLD ! WE SAY THIS GAME'S NOT OF OUR CHOOSING WHY SHOUD WE RISK LOSING... WE ... COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL, COOL COOL ... COOL .... MEN .... (they don the hats and canes and return to the shadows as ADAMS, FRANKLIN & JEFFERSON re-appear) JOHN (singing) IT'S A MASTERPIECE, I SAY THEY WILL CHEER EV'RY WORD, EV'RY LETTER ... ! JEFFERSON I WISH I FELT THAT WAY ... FRANKLIN I BELIEVE I CAN PUT IT BETTER! NOW THEN, ATTEND AS FRIEND TO FRIEND OUR DECLARATION COMMITTEE ... FOR US I SEE IMMORTALITY ... ALL IN PHILADELPHIA CITY ... FRANKLIN A FARMER ... A LAWYER ... AND A SAGE! A BIT GOUTY IN THE LEG ... YOU KNOW IT'S QUITE BIZARRE TO THINK THAT HERE WE ARE ... PLAYING MIDWIVES TO ... AN EGG. JOHN WE'RE WAITING FOR THE ... ALL CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP! OF AN EAGLET BEING BORN WAITING FOR THE CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP! ON THIS HUMID MONDAY MORNING IN THIS -- CONGRESSIONAL INCUBATOR! FRANKLIN GOD KNOW'S THE TEMP' RATURE'S HOT ENOUGH TO HATCH A STONE ... LET ALONE ... AN EGG! JOHN WE'RE WAITING FOR THE ... ALL SCRATCH! SCRATCH! SCRATCH! OF THAT TINY LITTLE FELLOW WAITING FOR THE EGG TO HATCH ON THIS HUMID MONDAY MORNING IN THIS -- CONGRESSIONAL INCUBATOR! JOHN GOD KNOWS THE TEMP'RATURE'S HOT ENOUGH TO HATCH A STONE! JEFFERSON BUT WILL IT HATCH AN EGG? (lights dim and a spot appears stage left and Secretary Thompson appears reading a letter; FRANKLIN & JEFFERSON exit ) THOMPSON (singing) "I HAVE BEEN IN EXPECTATION OF RECIEVING A REPLY ON THE SUBJECT OF MY LAST FIFTEEN DISPATCHES ... ! IS ANYBODY THERE ... ?! DOES ANYBODY CARE ...?! DOES ANYBODY CARE ... ?! Y'r humble & ob'd't __ " (Drum roll and spot goes out, lights up again on ADAMS as McNAIR & LEATHER APRON each appear with a keg) McNAIR Mr. Adams -- ADAMS What? McNAIR These 're for you. ADAMS What are they? (ABIGAIL appears suddenly in the stage left spot - Slowly the delegates appear and begin to sign the Declaration behind Adams) ABIGAIL (singing) COMPLIMENTS OF THE CONCORD LADIES COFFEE CLUB AND THE SISTER HOOD OF THE TRURO SYNAGOGUE, AND THE FRIDAY EVENING BAPTIST SEWING CIRCLE, AND THE HOLY CHRISTIAN SISTERS OF ST. CLAIRE .... ALL FOR YOU ... JOHN ... ! I AM, AS I EVER WAS, AND EVER SHALL BE ... YOURS ... YOURS ... YOURS ... YOURS ... JOHN (spoken) Abigail -- what's in those kegs ?! ABIGAIL SALT PETRE ... JOHN !!! (cast gathers for group bow)