EINSTEIN INSIDE OUT. by Russell S. Dowd. Performance Rights

Transcription

1 EINSTEIN INSIDE OUT by Russell S. Dowd Performance Rights It is an infringement of the federal copyright law to copy this script in any way or to perform this play without royalty payment. All rights are controlled by Eldridge Publishing Co., Inc. Contact the publisher for additional scripts and further licensing information. On all programs and advertising the author s name must appear as well as this notice: Produced by special arrangement with Eldridge Publishing Co. PUBLISHED BY ELDRIDGE PUBLISHING COMPANY by Russell S. Dowd Download your complete script from Eldridge Publishing

2 - 2 - STORY OF THE PLAY If it s true that someday we have to confess our pluses and minuses, then Einstein is in deep trouble, for counting everything seldom gives you the score you want. Einstein, realizing this, is stalling. But the real issue must be faced and since we ve found him somewhere in the hereafter, it s as good as time as any to rehearse to his relativistic tune. As such we set off, wandering through Einstein s life, and as we do we encounter other players, two actors (a male and a female in multiple roles) who portray the important people in Einstein s life. In the telling of the story, Einstein gets to count the pluses of his scientific genius by telling us the story behind their discoveries. But lest we get carried away with his insights, there are other voices to contend with. Through their interactions and Einstein s own self revelations, we learn that the man of the century was deep down, flawed and ultimately, just an ordinary man. Einstein Inside Out is a theatrical portrait of Einstein, the man, the scientist, and the public figure. And the pictures don t match. That s why Einstein is building a house of cards. But only to pass the time. It s his life s pluses and minuses that lie on his mind. Attempting to explain it all he comes to discover that in the weighing of a life, there s more to count than mere counting. A relativistic journey in more ways than one.

3 - 3 - CAST OF CHARACTERS (2 male, 1 female) EINSTEIN: In his mid-fifties with a halo of white hair. FEATURED ACTRESS: Plays all female parts. Mama Mileva Elsa Secretary Reporter FEATURED ACTOR: Plays all male parts. Papa Uncle Jacob Teacher Mileva s father Herr Haller Friend Speaker Reporter Mathematician Visitor Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes. Note: An intermission may be taken after Einstein says, I will have to concentrate like never before. (Noted within script.)

4 - 4 - SETTING A stage with a projection screen at the rear. The stage is filled with objects and places from Einstein s life. They include: A house of cards A child s bed A blackboard A radio circa 1945 A drafting table and stool A cafe table and 3 bentwood chairs A music stand and chair A box with a light in it A three-step unit A school desk and chair Folding screen (used by actors to change costumes)

5 - 5 - EINSTEIN INSIDE OUT (AT RISE: A dark stage. A single SPOTLIGHT illuminates EINSTEIN lying on the floor playing with a house of cards the size of a large wedding cake. He takes a card and puts it on top, completing the fourteenth story, and counts the stories in German as he does so. He speaks in a soft, slow, cello-like voice.) EINSTEIN: Eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn, elf, zwölf, dreizehn, vierzehn! Vierzehn! (Noticing HE has an audience, he stands.) I was nine the last time I did this, and my sister, she came running by and it went kaputt. So I chased her out of the room and into the garden and hit her on the head with a hoe. Ever since, my sister, she says to her friends... Oy, to live with a genius, you need a hard head! Ach, what does she know about a hard head? (HE points to the house of cards.) It s fourteen stories that takes a hard head! (EINSTEIN smiles and takes a playing card out and is about to kneel, but stands up instead.) Ach, enough already! (To the audience.) So, what are you doing here? You ve come to hear the story of Einstein maybe? I tell you the story of Einstein... One day I couldn t wait to get up, then, I wasn t sure I wanted to get up, and the next thing I knew, I couldn t get up!

6 - 6 - (EINSTEIN smiles.) So, now you can all go home... (EINSTEIN moves.) Me, I wait here. I m arranging my arithmetic for the Ancient One. (EINSTEIN smiles.) I fear I might be forced to tell all the pluses and minuses of my life. So I m stalling. Can you blame me? Every time I can think of a plus, the devil, he remembers a way to give me a minus. Oy vey, what I need is a good accountant! (EINSTEIN moves.) Oh, you think... Einstein, it can t be that bad. You re a Great Genius: A Jewish Saint to some. You have no worries with the Old One. But the truth is: there is a difference between what is and what ought to be. Between my public face and my private persona. Ach, between the inside and outside. (HE paces about, then stops.) How can that be, you want to know? Come, come draw closer to the beast... (A wry smile.)

7 - 7 - and we wander through my life, and I practice my pluses and minuses... And you see why I stall. (The LIGHTS come up.) The very beginning I start. The day I m born... (EINSTEIN walks to the bed and sits. The FEMALE ACTOR appears as MAMA, wearing an apron.) MAMA: Ach, look at his head. It s too big! And he s too fat! He s going to be a nincompoop for sure! EINSTEIN: (To the audience.) Mama, she worries about the possible disgrace. MAMA: He s past two already, and hasn t spoken a word yet. (EINSTEIN stands as MAMA exits.) EINSTEIN: But what does a two-year old have to say? Nothing of course, so I don t utter a word until I m three. (EINSTEIN smiles and walks to the blackboard.) When to school it is time for me to go, I do not go. Instead, Mama, she hires a private tutor to teach me. But I don t like him, so I chase him out of the house. My first minus, ja? (At the blackboard, EINSTEIN draws a line from top to bottom. He will periodically return to it to give himself a plus or minus. He gives himself a minus and after a moment of contemplation, erases it. He turns to the audience.) It s a just little minus, ja?

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