Parsons ten minute play Born into Death is
about how the past and the supposed past
influence life and can be seen as a metaphor for spiritual and intellectual growth. Cary, a female artist, interacts with
her birthmother Marilyn in a historic graveyard while looking for remnants of family and the truths behind them. The
ghost of Maria, a 17th c. Austrian princess,
comes into view and many secrets are revealed. Cary finds a key piece in the puzzle of her lost birthfather and her world view becomes new and the veil of mystery is lifted.
1
Playwright
Lisa Parsons
Title
Born into Death
Cast
Cary
Artist and birth daughter of Marilyn
Marilyn
Retired teacher and birth mother of Cary
Maria
The ghost of a 17th c Austrian princess and distant relative of Marilyn
Set
Grave yard in Indiana. Site of Marilyn's father's grave
At rise
Marilyn and Cary are placing red poppies on the grave of Marilyn's deceased
father. It is early morning, just after sunrise
CARY
How old was grandfather when you were born?
MARILYN
He was 32. I was his first born. He and my mother had just bought the farm.
CARY
That's right. You told me that he built an out house right after you were born.
MARILYN
It seemed to be a symbol of my birth.
CARY
That's an interesting way to look at it. I can't believe that you used an out house
as a child. 2
MARILYN
They used it right up to the time my mother died of cancer.
CARY
Grandmother was taken too early. How old were you when she died?
MARILYN
I was twenty five. Just two years before you were born.
CARY
Sometimes I worry whether I will get cancer. It's a horrible thought.
MARILYN
Where is the prayer you wrote last night? Why don't you read it.
CARY
It's in my notebook. I'll read it. Blessed art thou among men. With these
flowers I christen you.
MARILYN
I wish you had been able to meet your grandmother and grandfather. I wasn't
able to tell them about you at the time. It was a shameful thing to have a
child out of wedlock.
CARY
But now you won't let me meet your daughter who lives in New Mexico.
MARILYN
It would make her very uncomfortable. You don't know much about your other relatives. There was an Austrian Princess in my mother's family. Her son was in the Revolutionary War.
CARY
I've got to meditate upon her spirit. I need to conjure up her creative energy
for my artwork. OM for the spirit. OM for the body. OM for peace.
MARILYN
She once appeared to me in a dream. She was dressed as a soldier and carrying
a sword.
CARY 3
OM for her spirit.
MARIA
Listen to my voice. I've been waiting here too long. My needs are many.
CARY
Can't you see her. She's dressed like a widow in black carrying red poppies.
Her face is like a young woman's. She's very beautiful.
MARILYN
Does she look like you?
CARY
Well she's very exotic in a different way. She's more beautiful and
noble than I am.
MARILYN
My father liked to imagine himself an opium smoker. He wasn't really that
conservative.
MARIA
My son was a soldier like your father and grandfather. He needed opium
after he was wounded in the war.
CARY
Listen to her. Where was she buried?
MARILYN
I don't know. I'll have to consult my cousin Ann. She has all of the family
papers.
MARIA
I'm lying right here. Close to him. Just look down the row for the headstone
with my picture.
MARILYN
Your grandfather knew where she was buried, but he never told us.
I don't know what she really looked like. There weren't any photos
back then.
CARY
Let's look down the rows. I need to connect with her.
MARILYN 4
The clouds look ominous. It might even snow.
CARY
Let's start down the rows.
MARILYN
You know, I never would have searched for you. But now that you're here
I'm perplexed. It brings up bad memories of your father.
CARY
Why are you bringing this up now?
MARILYN
My father's grave made me think of it. The past seems to recreate itself in the
present.
CARY
I've never asked you much about my father, yet I know from the adoption papers
he was born in Iraq. Now that we've invaded Iraq it seems to be on my mind.
MARILYN
War time. That's the connection. Maria's son was in the war and now
the U.S. is involved in Iraq.
They walked down the rows of grave stones. It started to thunder and lightning.
MARIA
Come closer. Come closer.
MARILYN
I want to turn back and go to the car. The weather is frightening.
CARY
Let's search a little longer.
MARIA
You're here. Look to the side.
CARY
I don't see anything yet.
MARILYN
Let's go back.
MARIA 5
Look further. I'm here.
CARY
I see the image of a woman in black. There are red poppies on her grave.
MARILYN
It couldn't be here. Or could it?
The grave marker read Maria Louise Nogel.
It was toppled over on its side and the grave had been disturbed.
CARY
Someone has opened the grave. I wonder if the body is still there?
MARIA
Peace. Peace. I am here.
CARY
Let's look inside the coffin. I want to see whether the skeleton is still there.
MARILYN
Someone might come by and think we are the grave robbers. I don't think
this is a good idea.
CARY
But I need to see her. I'm going to open it up. It looks like a very shallow grave.
MARIA
Come to me. I need to see the light.
MARILYN
You're crazy Cary. I don't want you to open the coffin. Besides, the skeleton
has probably disintegrated after all of this time.
MARIA
Please. Please. Come to me.
Cary gets on her hands and knees and reaches for the lid of the coffin.
It creaks as she starts to lift the lid.
MARILYN
Stop it. I forbid you to open it, Cary. Don't disturb the spirits of the dead.
6
CARY
It looks empty. There are a few small bone fragments left and a ring. It
looks like a ruby. Do you think it could have come from the old country?
MARILYN
Don't touch it.
CARY
I think someone has stolen the skeleton. There might have been other jewels
inside as well.
MARLYN
That's probably what they were after. Since she was royalty they must have thought
she was buried with precious stones or jewels.
CARY
But why did they leave the bone shards and the ring?
MARILYN
Maybe they were caught in the act. Or someone came into view.
MARIA
You must bring me to the light. I'm starving for air and light.
CARY
I can see her spirit. It looks much older now. What has happened to the
beautiful young woman?
MARIA
Time has left me care worn. I need to feel your hand. Reach out to me.
MARILYN
Is this some kind of hoax. Do you really believe her spirit is speaking to us?
CARY
I don't know, but I see her right before me. I'll reach out to her.
MARIA
Touch my fingers. I'll give you my ring. It's from the court of the King.
CARY
Maria, what did you die from?
7
MARIA
I died in childbirth with my eighth son. He was a large child and I was so tired.
MARILYN
I think that you are hallucinating. Cary, shut the coffin and stand up.
CARY
I'm not hallucinating. Maria is here in spirit. I need her touch to bring
energy for my art work. She feels very creative to me. I can tell that about her.
MARIA
Come to me oh child. I need to see you. Step into my space.
CARY
I need to step into the coffin with her. She'll give me creative energy.
Cary steps into the coffin and lays down with her head on the shard of skeleton.
It starts to thunder and lightning again, this time much louder.
MARILYN
Cary come out. It's time to leave.
MARIA
It's good to feel you child. I always wanted another daughter. Stay with me
for awhile.
CARY
Shut the lid. I want to be alone with her.
MARILYN
I don't think I can lift the lid. Please come out.
The wind blew the lid of the coffin shut.
MARIA
Now I have you. You're mine forever.
MARILYN
Good lord, please help me. Cary come out, please.
CARY
I can feel her better now that the lid is shut. Leave me here for awhile.
Go back to your father's grave and meditate on his spirit.
8
MARILYN
I'm not going to leave you here. You might suffocate in there. Come out
now.
CARY
I'm going to stay here for a few more minutes.
MARIA
Peace. Peace. The dead are not happy in heaven. Bring me back to earth.
I must see my son.
MARILYN
This is becoming a nightmare.
CARY
It's time to come out now. Maria, I'll come back soon.
Cary lifts the lid of the coffin and steps out. Her face has aged five years and
she holds the ring in her left hand.
MARILYN
Put the ring back in. We must leave the dead alone.
CARY
She told me that she wanted me to have it. It connects me to the royal court
of the King of Austria and will give me a special artistic touch. I need that now.
MARIA
Take me with you, my daughter. I feel lonely here. Take me into the future.
CARY
She's asking me to bring her into the future. I must shut the lid so she will be
in peace. The grave robbers angered her when they stole her jewels.
MARILYN
The ring has a symbol I've seen on Iraqi coins and sculpture. Let me hold it.
CARY
What do you think it means?
MARILYN
I don't know, but I know that I saw this on a small sculpture that your father
had in his room.
9
CARY
The weather has calmed down some. I want to look at some of the other
grave markers.
MARILYN
They haven't been disturbed at all. It's curious why they broke into hers.
CARY
Look one marker to the right. There's an image of a man that looks just like her.
He has the same last name.
MARILYN
But it looks as if he was killed in the Middle East and his body brought back here
for burial.
CARY
It dates to 2004. And buried with him a son named Mohammed, just two years old.
MARILYN
This is the secret I've been keeping from you. The Austrian princess had relatives
that visited the Middle East and your father was there in 1945.
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