|
Scene
1 - Prologue/Opening
Dorthesther enters from one side
of stage; Mother and Father enter from other side of stage. Dorthesther
throws down the books she is carrying.
Dorthesther: That’s it. I’ve had
it with all this studying and memorizing. I don’t want to go to Hebrew
School anymore… Not now, not never.
Mother*: Now, now dear. You
know it’s important. It’s one of the ways that we pass our religion
from one generation to the next and anyhow everyone here in Judea has a
Bat Mitzvah.
*Mother is played by actress who later appears as Witch
of the East.
Dorthesther: Well as far as I’m
concerned, it’s about time to have a generation gap… I don’t see the
point. I wanna be like all the other girls at my regular school. They
don’t have to learn Hebrew or study Torah. They just want to learn how
to do their makeup.
Father**: Your mother is
right, dear. We Jews have always believed that studying torah is a
great blessing. Besides, you can’t have your Baa-aaat Mitzvah… I mean,
Bat Mitzvah… unless you study Torah.
*Father is played by actor who later appears as Dr.
DillyDally.
Dorthesther: What happened to your
voice just now?
Father: What?
Dorthesther: Your voice… you said
Baa-aaat Mitzvah.
Father: Oh, it’s just
foreshadowing, dear. Don’t pay any attention to it.
Mother: Now march right
into your room and start studying, young lady…
Dorthesther: (Exasperated) Mother…
you can be such a witch sometimes!
Mother and Father exit. Dorthesther crosses stage and
sings.
SONG: SECULAR
Dorthesther finishes song while spinning in circles.
She grows dizzy.
Dorthesther: Ohhhhhhh… I shouldn’t
turn around like that… I’m really dizzy. Oy vey. The whole room feels
like it’s spinning.
She drops to her knees, holding her head.
MUSIC: CYLONE
Scene
2 - Pershkinland
Lights dim during cyclone music.
Pershkins (Munchkins) enter and circle around Dorthesther, waving their
arms and shouting out “Secular” intermittently in a barrage of sound.
All at once they stop – still in a circle around Dorthesther. When the
music and shouting stop, they back away upstage. Dorthesther rises to
her feet, looks to her left and to her right.
Dorthesther: Oh my. I’ve got a
feeling I’m not in Judea anymore. And it doesn’t look much like Boca,
either. Where am I?
Glashti enters and moves to center stage with
Dorthesther.
Glashti: Why, you’re in
PersOZ, dear. Anyone around here knows that.
Dorthesther: But that’s just the
point. I’m not from around here. Where’s the deli? Where’s the
butcher? Where’s the temple? And who are you?
Glashti: I’m Glashti. The
Good Witch of the North.
Dorthesther: You can’t be a witch.
Witches are old and ugly… But you’re beautiful.
The Pershkins laugh.
Glashti: Thank you, dear.
The King – who is also a very powerful Wizard - used to tell me that,
too, when I lived in the Emerald City.
Dorthesther: You lived with the
King? How do you get a job like that?
Glashti: Well, the beauty
part doesn’t hurt… But it didn’t last. The King – his real name is
Ahashverosh, but hardly anybody can pronounce it - wanted me to come
down to the throne room to do some sort of silly dance for him, but I
was too busy doing my makeup, so I told him no. Then he banished me and
I had to come here – to Pershkinland… which if you don’t mind my saying
so is a pretty big step down from the castle.
Dorthesther: Oh, so that’s the name
of this place. Pershkinland.
Glashti: Right. So now
that you know who I am, who are Jew? Er, I mean, you?
Dorthesther: Is it that obvious?
Glashti: That six-pointed
star you’re wearing on your jumper is a pretty big clue. (Pause) You
might as well make yourself at home. I think you’ll find that the
natives are friendly. |
