by Peter Glazer
adapted from the novel by Karen Shepard 5-1-2021
The Celestials a play by Peter Glazer
adapted from the novel by Karen Shepard
Copyright © 2020 Peter Glazer
The Celestials A novel by Karen Shepard
Copyright © 2013 Karen Shepard
Published by Tin House Books
For information: Peterglazer1@gmail.com
The Celestials 5-1-2021 photos
CAST
The play is written for 12 - 14 actors: 6 principal characters, 2 narrators, and 4 - 6 ensemble members The listed ages are for the year 1870, when the play begins This script represents the casting for the February 2020 workshop
PRINCIPAL ROLES:
CALVIN T. SAMPSON - A FACTORY OWNER, 42
JULIA HAYDEN SAMPSON - HIS WIFE, 42
CHARLIE SING - FOREMAN OF THE CHINESE WORKERS, 22
ALFRED ROBINSON - FACTORY WORKER, 19
LUCY ROBINSON - ALFRED’S SISTER, 16
IDA VIRGINIA WILBURN - LUCY’S BEST FRIEND, 16
NARRATOR 1- CHINESE OR CHINESE AMERICAN, ALSO AH CHUNG
NARRATOR 2 - CHINESE AMERICAN, ALSO ALICE
ENSEMBLE
ENSEMBLE TOBY
ENSEMBLE PETER
ENSEMBLE DECLAN
ENSEMBLE LILY
ENSEMBLE MINSUH
SETTING
The action takes place in and around North Adams, Massachusetts, between 1870 and 1893. Specific locations include rooms in the Sampson Shoe Factory, the Sampson apartment in Wilson House, Alfred and Lucy’s small, rundown apartment, and many exteriors, including the North Adams train depot, Balance Rock in Pittsfield, and Natural Bridge in North Adams The locations should not be fully realized - the action likely moves too quickly, and too often
ACT 1
SCENE 1 - PROLOGUE: THIRD BROTHER
SCENE 2 - ARRIVAL
SCENE 3 - CHARLIE
SCENE 4 - FAMILY DINNER
SCENE 5 - LABOR
SCENE 6 - SUNDAY SCHOOL *
SCENE 7 - STRIKING BACK
SCENE 8 - PHOTOGRAPHS
SCENE 9 - THE CASCADE
SCENE 10 - INTERLUDE
SCENE 11 - A LETTER
SCENE 12 - IDA’S NEWS
SCENE 13 - LUCY’S DILEMMA
SCENE 14 - THE DEPOT
SCENE 15 - UNDONE
SCENE 16 - BALANCE ROCK
ACT 2
SCENE 1 - THE RETURN
1 1 - QUEUE
1.2 - CHANGE IS COMING
1 3 - BEST AMERICAN PORTRAIT
1.4 - NAMES
1 5 - BACK TO SCHOOL
SCENE 2 - AH CHUNG
SCENE 3 - A BARGAIN IS STRUCK
SCENE 4 - ARRANGEMENT
SCENE 5 - BONDS
SCENE 6 - WIDOW ALLEN’S BARN
SCENE 7 - IDA
SCENE 8 - STRIKE
SCENE 9 - RESPONSIBILITY
SCENE 10 - BLACK FRIDAY
SCENE 11 - METHODISTS
SCENE 12 - AS ALICE SLEEPS
SCENE 13 - LO YUEN
SCENE 14 - “HOW CAN WE KNOW?’
SCENE 15 - LUCY’S DECISION
SCENE 16 - DEPARTURES
SCENE 17 - EPILOGUE: 1893
17 1 - PORTRAITS
17.2 - THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM
Thoughts on adaptation:
This is a theatrical adaptation of the 2013 novel The Celestials by Karen Shepard Novels, as experienced by their audiences (readers), are driven by the written word, and plays are driven by dialog, by speaking One of the tasks, and joys, of adapting literature for the stage is to find a way to negotiate and energize that difference Reading a book aloud, on stage, in its entirety is an option, but not a very theatrical, or practical solution. What it would do, though, is render and protect the novel’s narrative voice - or everything that isn’t dialog - which, of course, is an essential element in the writing and experiencing of any novel. Similarly, retaining only a novel’s dialogue, in a stage version, could be equally impractical (more for some novels than for others), even though dialogue is the way plays express themselves. Most authors don’t speak through their characters’ voices alone, but in descriptive passages, in setting the scenes, by sharing a character ’s thoughts, narrating action, etc.
What makes theatrical adaptation exciting, to me, is the ability to reimagine the novel in a theatrical form that explores the particularities and beauties of the novelistic in the theatrical; to allow theater to bring a novel to life in a way that only theater can To adapt a novel is to reimagine it in a form that is governed by very different rules Any adaptation is also an intervention The Celestials, as a novel, tells a fascinating and emotional story, but it wasn’t simply the story that captivated me It was also Shepard’s writing of that story: her prose, her insights into the characters that often go beyond what they know about themselves, her love for the Berkshires in and around North Adams, Massachusetts, and her understanding of the human condition, among many other things.
Keeping these ideas in mind, you will see that this play follows its own set of rules, some familiar, some perhaps not. Characters will often voice what they are thinking, not just what they are saying in a particular moment. Narrators will get inside a character ’s head, and give us insight into their inner monologues. We thereby become privy to the conflicts that lead people to say what they say, and do what they do. Some passages will be shared by a set of voices, an ensemble or chorus, allowing different perspectives to enliven that language, instead of the dominant voice we have in our heads when we read - our own. In a novel, there is often an implicit relationship between the narration and the characters. In a play such as this, that relationship becomes explicit Narration is embodied, sometimes by the narrators, sometimes by the ensemble, sometimes by the characters themselves
For me, there is no one way to adapt a novel for the stage, because novels don’t always follow the same rules A dialogue driven novel might warrant one style, a novel written in the first person another, and a novel with an omniscient narrator, like this one, might argue for yet a different approach. What they would all share, hopefully, is the desire to bring that particular book to life, on a stage full of actors, in ways that celebrate the novel both for what it is, and for what it can’t be in book form - a living, breathing, communally shared experience.
Miscellaneous notes on the script, for actors, directors, and other readers:
In some of the play, I have retained the dialog tags, such as “he said,” or “she added ” * There are also times when characters will speak of themselves in the third person And you will find other traces of the literary form as well These are included for a reason For one, they are reminders of the play’s origins Every stage character in any play is the invention of a playwright; in a way, the dialog tags in theater are implicit. In this play, these literary devices are a convention of the (play)writing, and should be treated as such. In this world, they are normal. Actors should find choices for themselves that normalize and energize these conventions. These elements also crucially participate in the rhythm of the writing, and speaking.
There is a fair amount of overlapping dialog in this script, when one character begins speaking before another character has finished, often picking up the last few words of the prior character ’s speech, and doubling them. When an asterisk (*) appears over a word, the next character ’ s line of dialogue should begin at that point. These are not meant to be played as interruptions (unless specifically indicated in the stage directions), but are meant to facilitate the transitions from narration to character speech, or from description to dialog They should generally feel fluid, not competitive Note that this will change what might be a character ’s normal cue to speak
Characters will sometimes speak their inner thoughts, observations, and ruminations as dialog Actors are encouraged to make these passages as active as possible, and not simply reflective. Thinking through a problem, or confronting a challenge, though internal, is an active attempt to move forward even if it results in standing still. These passages should accomplish more than giving the audience insight into a character ’s thinking; they should also give us a sense of what an individual is wrestling with, and how they are going about it, what they are trying to do. Inner monologues can be deliberative, argumentative, obsessive, speculative, etc. Our inner monologues drive us, make us into the people we are.
If a character speaks of something that happened to them in the past, they might connect to the feeling of that moment, or the feeling it evokes.
Direct address should be handled just as any dialog in a play would be In this case, the audience is the character to whom the actors speak, from whom they need something, or with whom they have something to accomplish Their objectives can be various: to pull the audience into the story, to engage them, to prepare them to be moved and surprised, to provide them with the necessary tools for the story to work It is also important for * anyone who voices narration to be invested in the telling, to have a perspective, a point of * view. They are not just telling a story; they are telling this particular story, for a reason. * *
Be open to the potential for humor in the writing. The rhythms, nuances and
contradictions revealed when dialog is shared by different characters, or when individuals wrestle with their own decisions, can generate lively and funny exchanges, depending on the situation Don’t be afraid of these moment, even if the larger story is serious
Members of the ensemble will find that some of their characters appear throughout the play, and some have only one or two lines Characters with only a few lines should be no less vivid than ones with more stage time.
Actors should also attend to the syntax of the writing. The sentences are constructed in what might seem unfamiliar, or awkward ways; may seem more formal than much contemporary writing. That is all intentional and important. Become familiar with that style, so you can approach it naturally. Also, one of the pleasures of voicing prose is attending to its rhythms. There is a great attention to rhythm in Karen Shepard’s writingenjoy it, savor it, and allow it to come forward.
Occasionally throughout the play, prose taken from the novel will be arranged as blank verse. This technique is meant to support and call attention to the shapes and rhythms of the writing Putting it into this form is not done to require the actor to perform the words in any particular way, but to encourage their attention to the language It is done to give the writing a visible shape, in response to its own inner structures and meanings, as the playwright sees them The shape of the lines, where they break, what words are chosen to begin lines, etc , can hopefully guide actors towards what might otherwise be unexpected stresses, connections, or nuances These sections should still sound like prose, perhaps slightly heightened, and perhaps reveal more than they would in standard paragraph form.
Notes on casting:
This is a book, and a play, about tensions around race and nationality in the United States in the late nineteenth century, that manifest when 75 young Chinese laborers arrived in North Adams, Massachusetts, June 13, 1870, imported by a factory owner to break a strike The local residents had little to no experience engaging with Chinese people, and the Chinese who arrived had only been in the United States for a relatively short time. The Chinese own interactions with whites were also limited. There was significant discomfort, unfamiliarity, and curiosity on both sides, though there was a clear power imbalance favoring the local residents. A white businessman brought the workers there in the first place. Sampson had the capacity to offer the Chinese the gainful employment they needed, or terminate that employment, if he saw fit. Whites were obviously in the majority, and there remained deep-seated racism among large sections of the US population, with the Civil War having ended only 5 years before.
It would be optimal if Chinese or Chinese American actors could play all the principal Chinese roles in the play, especially Charlie Sing, the two Narrators, Alice and Ah Chung, and be well represented in the Ensemble as well If that is impossible, there may be other options, but those specific roles should not be played by white actors if at all possible At the same time, this is an ensemble piece with a cast of 12 to 14, and a certain amount of doubling will be essential to tell the story In the Ensemble, doubling across a cast member ’s race, nationality and gender, if done thoughtfully and without pretense, would be acceptable, and may, at times, be required
Presenting the play without any actors of color would be a mistake. In situations were an appropriate number of Chinese or Chinese American actors is not available, producers should consider casting actors from other Asian backgrounds, cast other actors of color, or simply choose another project. Without question, the experience of the Chinese in the US in the nineteenth century was particular, and should not be conflated with that of any * other Asian populations, or other peoples of color. At the same time, the ways in which the Chinese were unfamiliar to the majority white population in North Adams, and demeaned and discriminated against, was not wholly dissimilar from biases against other minority populations of color, including Asian populations.
The play has been developed in North Adams itself, and no descendants of the Chinese workers remain in the area, to my knowledge Nor is there a local Chinese population of any significant size Those facts are significant, and, to me, encourage revisiting this * history, and the casting challenges it presents Every effort should be made to attract Chinese or Chinese American actors and audiences
I have one additional suggestion for presenting the play. Either in the program, or preferably live on stage, as a prelude to the performance, each actor could introduce themselves simply with their name, how they personally identify regarding race,
ethnicity, nationality, or gender - whatever feels important to them, as actors in this particular piece - and then name the character or characters they will play There should never be an attempt to pretend an actor is someone they are not, nor caricature any of the characters they may play But they do play these roles for a purpose They are actors, after all What I do hope will energize and focus everyone involved is the desire to share this story honestly, openly, and with sensitivity to its complications
ACT 1
SCENE 1 - PROLOGUE: THIRD BROTHER 1
The entire company is gathered on the stage, in a semicircle Two young men move downstage, sit on the floor, and begin to play, as though they were 10 year olds These boys are CHARLIE, and THIRD BROTHER The NARRATORS describe the action; the boys, and other characters, enact it. The scene has the feeling of a memory - at times in sharp focus, at times blurry.
NARR 2
As a boy, he and his brothers had played warlords Each designating a corner of their courtyard as his fiefdom, and battling with fists and wooden swords in the middle
NARR 1
Warlords commanded the most power, the most land and men, wives, and concubines. Their larders were filled, their kangs always heated. What boy would not have aspired to that life?
ENS TOBY / THIRD BROTHER
Only the weak Or the scholarly,
Third Brother had suggested.
Same thing,
Charlie had said.
NARR 1
CHARLIE
NARR 2
NARR 1
But then Charlie had had occasion to enter an actual warlord’s house,
These next characters describe themselves, their actions
ENS PETER / HOUSEBOY
and had watched a houseboy rake the packed dirt into uneven rows,
ENS LILY / CONCUBINE
seen the concubines bundled into one corner of the garden, their babies at their feet,
ENS EVI / WIFE
the wives, jealous and unhappy, in mismatched rosewood chairs,
CHARLIE
and had understood the warlord’s power to be as much bluster as truth.
A chair is moved center Charlie sits Some of the described action is suggested in the staging.
NARR 2
Sometimes, beneath a tree or in an open meadow, in the face of some extraordinary beauty, or sometimes in church, much later, Charlie could entice a stillness to enter his body, as if the divide between it and the world had been bridged.
CHARLIE
In church, the feeling was better. The same bridge between earthly and heavenly could be forged, if he was patient enough. Here was terrestrial; here was celestial. And across that bridge always walked Third Brother, miracle and torment.
Charlie recalls these images...
ENS TOBY / THIRD BROTHER
Bringing water from the well, his bamboo pole bouncing like rubber as he walked Spying on his older brother...
CHARLIE
as Charlie unwound the red string holding the evenly braided hair of the neighbor girl.
ENS TOBY / THIRD BROTHER
(reliving the feelings of the experience) *
On the ship to Gold Mountain...sick with *something
CHARLIE
(starts speaking at “*something” as will be the case throughout with all asterisks) something Charlie didn’t know how to fix.
ENS TOBY / THIRD BROTHER
His eyes wide...as Charlie readied his own bundle for the descent down the gangplank.
ENS BRAXTON / SEAMAN
“Isn’t he kin?” one of the seamen had inquired, indicating the barely breathing figure on the pallet.
CHARLIE
Charlie had shaken his head and repeated what he had been told to recite by those from his village who had already been to Gold Mountain and returned successful and safe:
ALL EXCLUDING CHARLIE (Charlie listens, stung)
“I not know anything. I not have anything.”
The scene dissolves
End of Scene
The Celestials 5-1-2021 photos