ACT I
Scene 1:
The theatre was dark as the play began. The curtain was still closed, but sounds were already coming from the stage - rain and small rumbles of thunder. Heavy breathing as Reck's character, Lucian, sits down in a confessional. We then hear the preacher speak:
"What are your sins, my son?"
Another heavy weary breath is heard, and then "Father, forgive me, for my life itself is a sin. The things I've seen. The things I've done. Everything. Listen, and let me recant my tale."
Scene 2:
All sounds die down, and after a short moment the curtain pulls open and the lists come on stage, dim. It appears that we are in a basement - somewhat grubby, and looking somewhat like a surgical unit. There are various funeral home paraphernalia, including a table with a covered body - all except the face. The face is that of a woman, and we see a man, Lucian, applying makeup to it.
Lucian is wearing a labcoat over his simple victorian clothes. He has long blond hair with darklights added(to darken Recks' hair. Recks' bangs have also been slicked back) and a subtle wave. His face, though young, had a crease between the brow, and lines under his eyes.
We hear a knock at the basement door.
Lucian: "Enter"
The Funeral Master, Virgil Reinhard enters. He is a short, pudgy, man with very good clothes, and a clean appearance.
Virgil: "Fine work as ever, Lucian. Why, I remember when you were just starting out. You've always done such wonderful work." Virgil says as he walks over and studies the woman's face, putting a hand on her cold dead cheek. It is then that music begins the play. The number is called "Beautiful Dead"
The deep voice of the Funeral Master begins: "From your skillful hands, my Lucian, you create beauuuuty from the dead. Their untimely end, and they depend on those like youuuu to bring back their beauuuu' till at last their layed to reeeeeest~
Beautiful dead.
No one but youuuuu could make them be. Corpses that look aliiiiiive as you and meeeee.
Beautiful dead.
Here's your scalpel and the needle. In your haaaands I know you can haaaandle.
Beautiful dead."
Then Lucian, tenor, cuts in taking the scalpel and needle fro, Virgil
"These hands are not all you praise them to be. They once stooole and they thieved, committed siiiiins unknown to theeeee. I was an orphan found cold and almost deaaad on your dooooorstep. It was yuuou wooo taught me to create~
Beautiful dead.
Faces of the elderlyyy so sweet and tenderlyyyy, I make them look like the grandparents Iiii know they'd been.
Beautiful dead.
Young and oooold, I've seen them aaaall, tended to their booooodies readied them for heaven.
Beautiful dead...." Lucian sang solemnly.
Funeral master again, with a hand on Lucian's shoulder.
"The stuuuuuudent haaaaas surpassed his master cleeeeearly it's plaaain to see, that thooooooough I haaaaaave taught you well, you are the angel of the dead~"
Lucian tears away back to Virgil, hands propped on and empty table and head hanging. The song's over.
"I'm no angel."
"No, but you are be best mortician in the province. Which is why, as your employer I request your appearance at miss Echardt's funeral."
"But," Lucian tries to interject, looking back over his shoulder at Virgil.
"No buts! You are to attend the visitation!" Virgil then chuckles. "It's not like you have anywhere better to be, unless you're going to stay locked up down here."
Scene 3:
The scene blacks out, then changes to the upstairs part of the funeral home. There is the visitation room, and outside of it a hall with some nearby steps. There is an aristocratic crowd in there, gossiping and looking at the body. Lucian nervously stands off to the side, dressed nicely, but trying not to be seen. It is obvious that he is nervous. however, the main going-ons happen to be in the visitation room, where Virgil and Dietrich are talking. Suddenly music begins, and we are able to hear their conversation.
Dietrich; "It's medical perfection! Saaaay you haaave, and ugly face (lower, a whisper) and trust me sir, you do, (back to normal) They've come to a solution! Surgery is no longer just for saving a limb, or chopping it off. Taaaaake a faaaace so ugly and hooorriiiiiiiiiiiiid and with your scalpel and your needle craft in to perfeeectioooooooon~"
Dietrich then puts his arm around the stunned virgil's shoulders and motions to his daughter who is looking down at her dead mother in the casket. She is old enough to be married, but has the face of a young child.
"You see my daughter is well on in age, however she has a lamentable face. The faaace of a chiiild is her blessing and her curse! With medical perfection she can look just like her mother! But fiiiiirssst I'll neeeed someone of skill! Not just any man to shape my baby's face."
Virgil looks proud and puffs up his chest. "Well! If you insist sir!"
"Not you! (whisper again)Hiiiiiimmmmmm! (back to normal) I saw the work he did to my wife and I say, though young, his work is divine. I'll paaaay the priiiiice and send him of to Universityyyyy~ And when he returns my daughter, Margarete, shall receive the face of the woman she most certainly is! It's and offer he can't refuse." Dietrich grins, almost eevily.
"So, do we have a deal? You and I shall go talk to your boy, and get things under way."
"Now? Here!? Sir, it's your wife's funeral! Surely you need time to think!"
"Oh, I've thought long enough. I've grieved and now I am trying to make my wife's final wish come true."
"I see."
Scene 4:
The set has shifted with more of a focus on the outside room where Lucian is standing. He seems to have not overheard Dietrich and Virgil's discussion. As Virgil's hand comes down on his shoulder, Lucian jumps, and sees another man with Virgil.
"Hello?"
"Lucian, my boy!" Virgil begins. "This is Dietrich Echardt, husband of the late Beatrice Echardt."
The two shake hands. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Yes. I have a proposition to make Lucian....?"
"I have no last name."
Dietrich laughs. "Well that's preposterous!" He sees Lucian give him a sour look, "Well, Fine then," He waves it off.
"You said you have a proposition?"
"Lucian! Manners, boy!" Virgil says, elbowing him. Lucian also gives him a look.
"Yes. It is an offer you cannot refuse. I guess that you have received little to no education, I assume?"
"I don't see what that has to do with anything," Lucian says, going on the defensive.
"Yes well, you can read and write, at least?"
"Yes. And tie my shoes and count. What are you getting at?"
The funeral master is getting nervous at Lucian's attitude.
"I am looking for someone to send to University to learn about the new study of cosmetic surgery. It's not too different from what you do now, only it's on living people. Making ugly people beautiful."
"Why would anyone want to do that? God gives us a certain set of features, and be they good or bad, we are to learn to deal with them. The trial we face are sent to us to make us stronger."
"That may very well be," Dietrich is getting irritated. "but either way, I am making this offer to you. I pay for your schooling for however long it takes. Say....oh....two years. Then you come back, and fix my daughter, Margarete's face."
"I see nothing wrong with your daughter's face." Lucian says looking into the visitation room at the baby-faced girl he assumes to be Margarete.
"Would you marry someone with the face of a child? Be careful how you answer that, or you may just end up looking like a *****, my dear Lucian."
Silence, and then, "I'll consider it."
Deitrich again gives his villainous grin. "Good."
Scene 5:
The scene changes to the basement again where Lucian is sitting at a table. He seems troubled as he contemplates the offer made earlier that day. He runs his hand through his hair, and shakes his head with a sigh.
He stands up and begins pacing. Music begins.
"Every day doctors try to defy god.
Every day some scientist in his lab discovers a new cure.
Shooooould I throooooow myyyyyy mooooraaaals out the dooooor? Fooor a chaaance at what I never haaaaad?"
Lucian grabs a picture off his desk. It's of his mother and father.
"I was raised with death. Mother and father gone to the heaven up aboooooove. I'm Left in a hell with corpses left and right, ghosts of saints and murderers in my heaaaaaad~ (next comes the highest part of the song)
This crossroad between the unknown and all I've ever haaaaad. A literal choice between life and deeeeaaaaath.
(the song takes back on a more somber tone.)
"I saw her face. Sweet and innocent as any of god's children. I thought medicine was to saaaave life not destrooooooy. To answer Echard's question - yes, I would. To marry and angel to light up this life of DEATH around me....would be......."
Scene blacks out.
Scene 6
The next scene opens to the outside of the Echardt's home, where Lucian knocks on the door, which is opened by Margarete.
"Hello. Come in." She says, and sends for a maid to go get her father.
The two walk over to the couch, Lucian watching Margarete closely. The two sit, and silence falls between the two.
Margarete finally speaks up. "So, I suppose you're hear to accept my father's offer..."
"You don't sound too excited."
"It's scary, but it's what my father wants."
"You are happy with how you look?"
Margarete nods. "God made me this way for a reason."
Lucian begins to smile, but then they hear the heavy footsteps of Dietrich coming down the stairs.
"Ah, Lucien."
Lucian stands. "Mr. Echardt, sir."
"So, you've come to a decision. Margarete, go to your room. There is man's business to be dealt with here."
Lucian looks to Maragaret who begins to get up, then to Dietrich who is at the base of the stairs. "This concerns her. Should she not be here too?"
Dietrich laughs. "She is a woman. She has no say."
Lucian watches lamentably as Margarete pushes past her father and goes upstairs. Dietrich walks over and he and Lucian sit down.
"I did not come here to accept your offer, but to say that I would marry your daughter."
"Ha! You think I would seriously let her marry a middle class mortician like you?" Dietrich laughs. "Come now. You can't be serious."
"She doesn't even want the surgery."
"And you think she'd want to live with you in a dead house?!" Dietrich laughs again. Lucien looks somewhat ashamed, and angry.
"To use your own words, sir; she's a woman. She has no say." His voice is steady, but detached, not believing the words.
"Touche."
Silence.
"I accept."
Dietrich looks a little surprised, but then that characteristic grin appears.
"Good. I knew you would."
Scene ends.
Scene 7
Back at the funeral home with Virgil and Lucian sitting in front of a fire, drinking tea.
Music starts
"I should have said no." Lucian says with trouble in his eyes.
"What?"
"I should have said no."
"Why?"
"I should have said no, I won't, I wont destroy the perfection, the beauty-"
"Lucian don't be crazy! You're helping the girl."
"I should have said noooooooooo~ She had no choice. Her father, a damnable man, a bigot, a villain, gave her no choooooooooooiiiiiiceeeee! Gave meeee nooo choiiiiiiiceeee~!"
"That's not your concern."
"It's too late to say no now, I've accepted SAAATAN's money in my hands - now I must dooo his deeeed."
"Watch your tongue! Lucian!" Virgil says, growing angry and slamming his teacup down on the table.
Lucian stands and steps away from the table.
"Don't you care!? Or have you been liiiiiving with the dead so long you caaan nooot seeeee~"
"Lucian, of course I dooo but you must uuuundeeeerstaaaand - all my HOPES and dreams rest in youuuuuuu~!"
The music dies down.
"I should have never accepted Dietrich's offer. It goes against every moral thing you ever taught me. How will I sleep at night? How can you be okay with it?"
Virgil walks over to Lucian and puts a hand on his shoulder.
"I know, my boy. I know." Scene blacks out.
Scene 8
The scene opens as Lucian is midway through school. He is sitting in a classroom with a guy, his new best friend, Gabriel. Gabriel has green eyes, fair skin, and blonde hair, though fairer and better kept that Lucian's own.
The two are chatting about something in their textbooks.
Lucian: "I can tell you for a fact that the author of this book knows nothing about formaldehyde."
Gabriel chuckles. "You most certainly would know. You smelt like the stuff for weeks when we first met!"
"Try living in it all your life."
"I feel sorry for whatever woman you marry."
The teacher clears his throat and the class is dismissed.
"I have somewhere to be tonight. Would you like to join me?"
"You spend to much time 'out.' You should be studying, Gabriel!"
"So I guess that means you are going to stay at home and study."
"I'm here on someone else's money."
"All the more reason to have some fun!"
"I can't"
"Suit yourself old friend!"
The scene darkens and is transformed into their dorm.
As evidenced by the window in the scene, time has passed, and it is night. Gabriel stumbles in through the door. He's obviously been out having a wild night. Lucian looks up from his book, shocked at his friend's state.
"Gabriel!"
Gabriel passes out in Lucian's arms,
Fade out
Scene 9
Lights come back on, and Lucian is studying by Gabriel's bedside when he finally wakes up.
Lucian holds up a thing of opium "So, this is why your grades have dropped. Why, Gabriel?" Lucian displays a timid, hurt, affection.
Gabriel looks away, ashamed.
Lucian gets up and walks away, leaving the dorm.
Later the next morning he returns, and Gabriel is cooking breakfast. He sees Lucian enters, and sets the small square table.
Lucian sits down and comments "I hope yu didn't add any 'extra' ingredients. I have better things to do than lose my future to the opium fad."
The comment makes Gabriel slam his fist down on the table and get up, knocking his chair over. He goes over to the window, brushing his hand through his hair.
Cue music.
"I can't take it anymore! This like is HARD and I need release!"
Lucian stands and walks over to him.
"What Iiiii not enough?"
"If I ever had a brother, I'd hoped he'd beeee just like you~"
"What do you mean?"
"I've arranged the carriage, I've told the professors, now I'm telling youuuu - I'm leaving here. Goodbye"
Gabriel brushes past Lucian and heads out the door, leaving Lucian with a sad, distressed look on his face.
Scene fades out.
Scene 10:
Back in the classroom, Lucian is without Gabriel. Someone comes in and whispers something to the professor. The guy leaves and the professor calls for Lucian. They exit into the hall.
"Lucian. I know how close you and Gabriel are-"
"Can this not wait till after the lecture?" Lucian interrupts, not wanting to hear about his friend leaving.
The elderly professor takes in a breath, and states calmly to the irate Lucian;
"Gabriel is dead. They found a letter with him, addressed to you."
Lucian's face looks expressionless as he uses the same reserve he has always used as a mortician, but takes the letter that the guy handed the teacher with a shaky hand.
The teacher returns to the classroom, and Lucian runs off stage.
Scene 11
Lucian is on the steps of the university, reading the letter.
"Dearest Lucian. If you are reading this letter, than I am, indeed, dead.
I regret my addiction, and my decision to leave. You have been like a brother to me ever since we met. I'm sorry I cannot write more, but I fear that I have miscalculated my body's abilities. My vision and strength are fading, my muscles spasming. I just want to say, before I go - I'm sorry."
Lucian closes his eyes with tears pouring over his cheecks, and balls his hands into fists, crinkling the paper together.
He opens his eyes an looks up at the sky.
"Gabriel, I'm soo sooorry, I can never say those words to youuuu~"
Cue music.
He rises from the steps, "You loved life so much, I neeever suspected, I never thought you'd DIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
Gabriel, my brother, come back to me. Without you here I don't think I'll make it throuuuughhh. You kept me from waisting my life away in the books. You showed me that there is beauty in liiiife.
Gabriel! I'm soo sooorry, I ever said those words to youuuu~
You gave me so much, I neeever returned, I never gave gack to YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU.
Gabriel, my lament is here broadcast for you. Let it fly on angel wiiiiings to heaven for youuuuuuu. You sheltered me from their sneers of contempt for the maaan whooo plays with the dead. You brought me out to the liiiiight!
Gabriel!
My lament, Gabriel!
Don't leave me, Gabriel...."
Lucian collapses back to the steps.
"Gabriel...."
Scene fades out.
Scene 12:
The lights come back on to reveal the end of the funeral. Gabriel has been put in the ground, and everyone is leaving...except Lucian, who gently tosses a rose on the grave.
Scene 13:
Back in his dorm, Lucian is packing.
"Two years of this. Two years..." He shakes his head. "I'm finally coming home...Margarete....I'm sorry.
The lights shift as Recks walks out the dorm door, and he's walking in the door of the Funeral Home. Cue Music as he heads to the basement.
"These hands once touched the dead and created angels. Now they touch the living and creates demons of (singing begins)vanityyyy~
Society's sin.
Tell meee gooood, what purgatory does one go for deeefaaaaacing yoooouuur creatiooons? Will the devil hold me a special throne, for spreading his disease?
DAMNED by society's sin. I'll see this WORLD to HELL!
Lucifer's faaall, now Lucian caaaalls knocking on your castle door. With devil's money I have learned the devil's art.
DEITRICH, society's sin, I'll see your SOUL to HELL.
Dear Maaargareeeete, If there was some way to save you, saaaaveee youuur face and my souuuul, I would! Reject the poison fruit, and sheild you from being
HOSTAGE to society's sin, I'll save you from HELL.
...I'm going to hell."
Lights go off.
INTERMISSION
