The Many Colors of a Rainbow

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Info: A man with multiple personalities is knocked unconsious shortly after murdering his daughter. He then "wakes up" in a world entirely of his own where his personalities roam free as individuals. All of his past relationships (excluding his daughter) are forgotten, as he believes he has known these new "individuals" all his life... which he has... but not in the sense he imagines. He has no recollection of his daughters murder, because one of his sub-personalities had actually done the killing. Soon he is questioned by a detective, who believes very strongly that he really is the murderer. But John (the main character) completely denies it. He later finds Max (the killer personality), who he is conviced is the murderer. Soon he begins having nightmares, in which he is in a courtroom, hearing out his sentence for her murder. He is horrified that if he doesn't prove Max did it, they will inevitably find him the murderer.

I havn't put much thought into the middle of the story yet, I'm still figuring that out.

But the ending will be him finally having an epiphany. He realizes he is the murderer, as well as all these other people. As soon as he rids himself of the personalities, his neck becomes tight, and he begins to choke to death for no apparent reason. Until the lights shine on the tree from where he is hanging.

So basically his dreams were real, and his real was dreams.


<IMPORTANT>

Please give me any comments you have. I really need the support right now, because this is the first play I have ever really written. So please, andything at at.








Characters: (not complete)
John Fuller
Max Orwell Pastor
Real estate women
James Copperfield
Mr. Strickland


Scenery:
(Stage right = An open space. A tree is barely visible to the audience on the far right. One of its limbs is 8-12 feet off the ground, protruding 8-10 feet from backstage right onto the stage.
Center back stage = small house scene
Stage left= A turn table sort of scene instrument (just like the one used in the Christmas Carol) which will have a bedroom scene on one side, and a judge scene on the other)


The Many Colors of a Rainbow

(Curtain opens. The scene begins on center right stage, near the large tree protruding from stage right. There is a funeral scene in the mists of the small field. John is standing in front of the coffin with his head down, holding his hat limply)

(A priest is upstage center, with his back to the audience. 3-4 Friends are standing, listening to him as he preaches. One man is lying vertically on the tree trunk. John is standing in the middle of the small group)

(The priest is seen commencing the ending funeral acts)

Priest: ……may her soul rest in peace, Amen

Crowd: Amen

(the crowd leaves. John stays sitting. As the crowd is leaving, you also notice the man lying on the tree also stays. He, James Copperfield, is dressed in formal apparel, with a trimming hat, and pocket watch (maybe smoking a cigarette as well) watching John spill out his emotions)

(pause)

John: (hopelessly mournful) Heaven… Oh God… What has happen to your ethics? All my life, I have thought you an honest institution… but this was clearly the work of a swindler. You have taken my only child, my bloodline…  (pause,  now more sympathetic) Where have you taken my blessed angel? My Marie?  (slight pause) (looks at the coffin, as to talk to Marie’s spirit) Your passing was like that of an untimely winter freeze… (touches the coffin) numbing my heart... (sorrow fills him)  Oh Marie… I can’t imagine how anyone could be so twisted as to spoil your unwavering beauty in this (spouts) ugly world. (pieces himself together) 
  (gets up, and stares at the sky) But, by God, will find out! I have never posed a threat to any man thus far… but upon this occasion… I feel I must erase the presence of this (slams fist on casket)… thing… this criminal demon behind your silence. (looks around)So if you’re listening, you snake! Hear me out! (begins to tear up/cry) If I ever find you, whoever you are! I will break any law, spare any expense, and exploit any means to bring you back to the fires! Did you hear me? I’ll kill ya! (yells) Kill ya!(breaks down and weeps)

(As he sees John beginning to leave, James springs into action, and walks up to him)

James: Hello, uh—(looks at his book pad) John—F-Fuller is it?

John: (wipes the years from his eyes) Who’s askin’?

James: (bends down to meet him face to face) James Copperfield’s askin’.  (gets back up, and paces) I need to ask ya a few questions, John. Simple ones… for my report. ( shows him his police badge, then he slaps him on the shoulder and smiles) Come on, it won’t be difficult…

John: (annoyed) I’m a difficult man---( looks from his head to his feet and replies sneeringly) James…

James: (cheerfully counters) Ah, so you are! (begin pacing again) Then so is this case.!(talking to himself) Very… very…(looks at John) difficult…

(small pause)

James: (“good cop” personality) So what do you say we go down to my place?  I’ll give you a nice cup o’ joe, and we can talk things over, hmm? Come on!

(he sees John doesn’t seem to care what he has to say)

James: John?

(John grunts in sorrow)

(James looks around to see if anyone else is there)

James: I don’t think we’re seeing the same picture here, John...(looks around)  I need your cooperation! (bends down to look face to face again)Are you going to cooperate with me? Hmm? Or are you just gona sit there! (brushes back his hair from lack of patience)

John: (finally cracks) Let me have a minute, James! Good God (softer and more distant) Let me just have a minute…

James: (angrily brushes him off) Oh hell John, (disgusted) stop your moanin’… (shakes his head, and talks as if it’s a matter of fact) you’re not foolin’ anyone…

John: (can’t believe he heard that) W-what?

James: (begins pacing again, cigarette in hand))Yes sir, sorry to tell ya. (pauses) But I have to say, (slightly laughs and waves his cigarette at him) that was a pretty good show you put up for the crowd, John. Eh well, how long did it take you to think that up, anyhow?(looks at him) hmm? A day? An hour? (starts to pace and begins mumbling) Ya, it must have been an hour… (stares directly at John) As a matter of fact, you can do a lot of things in an hour, (grins and pauses) can’t ya, John?

John: (angered and suspicious) What do you mean?  Wha –  what are you sayin’?

James: (tries to roll it off, while knowingly provoking John) Well, I mean you can
cook a meal… Feed the stock... go to church… Well, (laughs) When you really think about it, you can really do just about anything in an hour, (grins and pauses again, for an effect) can’t ya John.

(pause)

James:  (sighs, and then walks up to John) Tell you what, I’ll let you in on a little secret… (goes up to his ear and talks slowly and deliberately) I just learned yesterday what you can do in an hour…

John: (jumps up and punches him to the ground) What the hell did you just say to me, boy?

James: (wasn’t intimidated, goes all out) All we need is now is the clear and cut evidence, John… You know that.  (pushes John aside, and gets back up and begins to pace around him) You should have thought before you killed her. You were the only one within 10 miles of that house when she died. You were the only one with blood on your shirt, John. (talks with utter disgust, brushing his coat with his hands) Lying on the ground… in a pile of your own feces…

John: I can’t believe what I’m hearing…

James: (thinks to himself for a moment) Ya, that was a clever little trick you pulled back there--  knocking yourself unconscious and all... (laughs)I’m still trying to figure that one out—(looks at him) can you help me out with that one, John?… What exactly did you do, Hmm? I didn’t see any metal pans around…  maybe… (comes to a realization and laughs) My God! Did you – (catches his breath) Did you purposely just fall on the tile floor-- head first? (laughs harder) That was it wasn’t it? You clever devil…  As if you (sarcastically) bravely fought back against the intruder, bravely tried to save your little Marie… Is that’s what you told the cops, hmm? He hit you with a frying pan? Ha! Now that’s just too much!

John: How dare you accuse me of this! (gets up) You’re a monster… a monster…

James: We know you through and through, John. We know what you are and we know what you did… (takes out a small note pad) It just happens you and your daughter were not on the best of terms that night, John, is that right? Why was that, hmm? I hear it was a marriage… (recollects) yes, it was wasn’t it? I drove to William’s house today, and he told me how they were getting married…next July was it? Was that enough to make you angry, John? I heard it was.

John:  Stop!

James: What is it people do when they get angry, John? Shake it off?

John: (covers his ear)

James: But not you, oh no, not you. You couldn’t keep in John, could you?

John: Stop!

James: It just kept building and building and---

(John pulls out a pistol)

John: Stop it! Stop it! That’s enough!

(James gets up)

(pause)

James: (casually) I would ask you to give me the gun, but it was a knife that killed her. (he repositions his suit and starts to walk away, but turns to say one last thing) ) Don’t run off now, ya hear? …

(he wipes himself off and looks at the casket for a few comforting words)

John: (as if you calm her down, he strokes the coffin)  Don’t worry Marie, your father will work all this out, ok?… I swear on my life I will find your murderer… and no policeman will convince me otherwise. This is my vendetta… (looks in the direction that James left) The police should be left out of it. Especially when they have their facts so terribly wrong. It’s not their fault, though… their just doin’ there job.

(John wipes his eyes and puts his gun away. He then sits down under the tree(stage right) and opens his suitcase, the contents of which can’t be seen.  As he is doing so, he spots another man (Max Orwell) walking up to the grave. The only people on stage are John and the man. Max Orwell is a very fishy looking character. He has a scraggily jacket and hat both brown. It looks like he’s been on the run, or that there’s just something wrong with him. His face is dirtied, and he talks almost as if he has a speech impediment. Also, he talks as if talking to a baby; soft and gentle like. He also has a slight limp. He turns his head to see if anyone is watching him and begins to talk, intended for the casket’s ears only.)

Max:  Hello? Marie? Are you there? (takes his hat off, and starts fiddling with it) Ooooh… I hope your there… I wanted to say I’m sorry for what I’ve done to you. It was never suppos’ to happen that way at all, honest. I don’t know what happened… it was just like an impulse… that grew stronger… and became an erg… and grew stronger… and—and became reality, I guess... Like someone released me… and I just… snapped… (becomes slightly frantic, gets on his knees) Can’t you tell ‘um to forgive me, Marie? Huh? Please, Teddy! I need your help… they’s gona hang me if you don’t tell ‘um to forgive me!

(As he looks around again, he spots John looking at him. His piercing eyes fix on him as he begins walking up to his spot with heavy footsteps, almost as if he was going in for a kill. As the man is walking towards John, the pastor and the person talking to him walk back on stage, having a conversation. The man looks back at them, and realizes there are witnesses, so he pauses for a second, and walks off. John watches him leave, and then walks up to the two people and intrudes on their conversation)

John: Do you know who that man was?—that man near the coffin?

(they both turn)

Pastor: I’m sorry, what now?

John: That man! He just came over here not a minute ago and stood in front of her coffin!

Pastor: Uh—no, sorry, ‘fraid not…

Women: Maybe I know him, what’s he look like?

John: Tall, black hair, … had a slight limp it seemed. Looked like he was in his 20’s.
Women: A slight limp you say? Well, there’s only one man I know that has a limp in this town… his name is Max Orwell… Or was… I lost contact with him a few years back. He lived on Cornfield Drive, ‘bout a half mile from here, last time I checked.

Pastor: Why? What’s your business with him?

John: (in a trance) I’m… I’m not sure…

(pause)

Pastor: (anxious) John?

William: (thinking of other things) Hmm?

Pastor: Will you be alright, son? I know how much Marie meant to you…

William: No—no, I’ll be fine…

Pastor: If that’s how you feel... I have something to give you. (pulls out an envelope ) It’s her will, John… its entitled to you…

John: Oh… yes… of course, thank you father.

Pastor: Now go get some sleep, a clear head is what you need!

(The pastor pats him on the back)

Pastor: Some good rest never hurt anyone.

(he walks away)

(John turns to the women)

John: I’ve heard you work real estate?

Women: Ye—yes, I do. Why? Are you looking?

John: Do you have anything open on Cornfield Drive?

Women: Why, uh… I’d have to check the list, but I believe one just went up for sale there last week.

John: Not anymore…

Women: I’m sorry?

John: I want a look at it, are you free right now?

Women: Right now? Well… I guess I could… I mean, you’re sure? I’ve seen your house, it’s far better than anything on that street, I assure you.

John: (looks at the audience) I want to get to know this… Max fellow better. Become good neighbors with him, you know?

Women:  Very well then, right this way…

(blackout)

(remove the chairs and coffin from under the tree)

(lights shine on the house scene now, upstage center. John and the women walk through the front door, and John takes a look around)

Women: (rambles on as John looks around. Not even paying attention to her) It’s small, but it does have some worthy mentions. It’s fully furnished, and practically brand new.  It’s of course a Victorian, but it also has some very modern elements, such as a-

(John casually speaks to the women without even looking at her)

John: I’ll buy it.

Women: Wha --Did you say?

John: Ya, you heard me right, I’ll buy it!

Women: (dumbfounded, she looks at her clip board) Well, the asking price is $40,000, Mr. Ful--.

John: Can’t you hear me? I’ll buy it! I’ll buy it! I don’t care how much it costs… (he looks out the window)

Women: (astounded still) Uh… very well… sir. I’ll need that money before you can move in, though. You could choose one of our payment plans, if you like.
John: (calm now) Just sell my house. That thing’s got to be worth well over 50. You can keep what’s left…

Women: (almost chuckling) Oh, I know it’s worth more then 50, sir. (thinks for a moment) Very well, you can move in tomorrow if you like.

John:  I would like to move in now. And you want my money, you’ll let me stay now.
Women: That’s fair… I don’t think the past owner will mind anyway…

John: Who is he?

Women: I don’t know, they don’t usually give us that information… but from what I hear, he was in a hurry to sell. Dropped the price $1,000 dollars every day it didn’t sell. (looks at him, and realizes what she said) Well—Of course, not anymore! It’s a rock solid 40,000 now…

John: Huh…

(she senses there isn’t any more to be said)

Women: Well, I’ll guess I’ll be off then, Mr. Fuller. I have to get the paperwork filled out for house exchange.

John: Ok then, good day to you.

Women: (excited) And to you as well! (she begins to walk out the door, but pokes her head back in) Oh, and John?

John: Hmm?

Women: You know this deal in non-refundable right?

John: (gives her a mean glance as well as stance)

Women: (not wanting to get on his nerves) Right…

(she leaves)

(John takes off his hat, and wipes the sweat off his head, and he walks around the house. He then sits on his bed for a moment, just thinking. After a little while, he opens his suitcase and pulls out a picture of his daughter, and places it on the table next to his bed, and fiddles with its position for a bit)

John: Don’t worry honey, I’ll get to the bottom of this… (sighs) I’ll get to the bottom of it if it kills me…(pause) (lays on his bed, with his hands beneath his head) Tomorrow, I’ll have a look around, maybe get a talk in with the neighbors. Won’t that be nice, Marie? (looks at the picture again, then reassures himself) Ya, you always did love meeting new people… you can come with me if you’d like, right in my suitcase. (he gets back up, almost as if she responded) Don’t worry about Max either, I’ll be right here. I’ll find him by tomorrow’s end don’t you worry. I’ll give him a talkin’ to, until he confesses. (looks at the ceiling) Then I’ll kill ‘im. Heck, maybe it’s not him… but I’m pretty sure he had somethin’ to do with it. Pretty sure… (thinks to himself for a moment) Well, I guess I should talk the advice of our pastor, and get some shut eye, hmm?  (looks at the clock) Well would you look at that? It’s not even 6:30 yet, and I’m dead tired! That’s odd. I’m never tired at this hour…  (positions himself on the bed, to get comfortable)  must have been this whole ordeal… (looks at her picture one more time) Good night, sweet heart.

(by this time, the lights should show a very dark, muddy color, to signify the time of day)

(he turns off his lamp, and puts his hat on the table and goes to sleep)

(blackout)