ACT II

CHILDREN AND ART

(Marie looks up at Dot in the painting. George and Elaine stand to one side watching.)

MARIE
You would have liked him,
Mama, you would.
Mama, he makes things-
Mama, they're good.
Just as you said from the start:
Children and art...
(starts nodding off)
Children and art...

He should be happy-
Mama, he's blue.
What do I do?

You should have seen it,
It was a sight?
Mama, I mean it-
All color and light-!
I don't understand what it was,
But, Mama, the things that he does-
They twinkle and shimmer and buzz-
You would have liked them...
It...
Him...

Henry... Henry?... Henry...

GEORGE
(coming over)
It's George, Grandmother.

MARIE
Of course it is. I thought you were your father for a moment. (indicates painting)
Did I tell you who that was?

GEORGE
Of course. That is your mother.

MARIE
Isn't she beautiful?
There she is-
(pointing to different figures)
There she is, there she is, there she is-
Mama is everywhere,
He must have loved her so much...

GEORGE
Is she really in all those places, Marie?

MARIE
This is our family-
This is the lot.
After I go, this is
All that you've got, honey-
(as George starts to protest)
Wasn't she beautiful, though?

You would have liked her.
Mama did things
No one had done.
Mama was funny,
Mama was fun,
Mama spent money
When she had none.

Mama said, "Honey,
Mustn't be blue.
It's not so much do what you like
As it is that you like what you do:"
Mama said, "Darling,
Don't make such a drama,
A little less thinking,
A little more feeling-"
(as George looks at her sharply)
I'm just quoting Mama...
(indicates Louise in the painting)
The child is so sweet...
(indicates the Celestes)
And the girls are so rapturous...
Isn't it lovely how artists can capture us?

GEORGE
Yes, it is, Marie.

MARIE
You would have liked her-
Honey, I'm wrong,
You would have loved her.

Mama enjoyed things.
Mama was smart.
See how she shimmers
I mean from the heart.

I know, honey, you don't agree,
(indicates painting)
But this is our family tree.
Just wait till we're there, and you'll see-
Listen to me...
(drifting off)...
Mama was smart...
Listen to Mama...
Children and art...
Children and art...
(Elaine starts to wheel Marie our of the gallery.)
Goodbye, Mama.

LESSON #8


1984. The island of La Grand Jatte. There are high-rise buildings everywhere. George sits down on the grass in the one small area of park left. He has with him Dot's red grammar book, which she had given to Marie.

GEORGE
(leafing through the book, reading)

"Charles has a book..."
(turns a page)

"Charles shows them his crayons...
(turns back a few pages)

"Marie has the ball of Charles...
(turns the book to read writing in the margin)

"Good for Marie..."
(smiles at the coincidence of the name, turns a page)

"Charles misses his ball..."
(looks up)

George misses Marie...
George misses a lot...
George is alone.

George looks around.
He sees the park.
It is depressing.
George looks ahead.
George sees the dark.
George feels afraid.
Where are the people
Out strolling on Sunday?

George looks within.
George is adrift.
George goes by guessing.
George looks behind.
He had a gift.
When did it fade?
You wanted people out
Strolling on Sunday-
Sorry, Marie...

See George remember how George used to be,
Stretching his vision in every direction.
See George attempting to see a connection
When all he can see
Is maybe a tree-
(humorously)
The family tree-
Sorry, Marie...

George is afraid.
George sees the park.
George sees it dying.
George too may fade,
Leaving no mark,
Just passing through.
Just like the people
Out strolling on Sunday...

George looks around.
George is alone.
No use denying
George is aground.
George has outgrown
What he can do.
George would have liked to see
People out strolling on Sunday...
(Dot appears. George looks up and sees her.)