Radiance Synopsis

RADIANCE synopsis p.1

RADIANCE or How President Richard Milhous Nixon, in Death, Saved the Universe and Himself, Maybe. A phantasmagoria in three acts with Devilishly Delightful Song, especially “The Song of the Orgone,” as performed by THELMA RYAN “PAT” NIXON & DR. WILHELM REICH et. al.

By

John O'Brien

Copyright © 2009 by John O'Brien

RADIANCE synopsis p.2 THE PLACE: Hell and an alternate reality. THE SETTING: Essentially a bare stage. Projections of historical persons and newspaper headlines might be used to good effect during the play, especially at the beginning of Act 2, when the “Nixon Performer” sings the rehash on Nixon's career. THE TIME: Later. THE CHARACTERS: PRESIDENT RICHARD M. NIXON - could be played by an actor 30 to 40 years old, keeping in mind that our Nixon, here, has died at age 84 -a very long time to wear the Nixon “character armor.” The unique Nixon speech patterns should be strong during Nixon's opening speech but fade afterwards, suggested. Nixon wears his usual blue suit and tie throughout, with a costume change for Act 3, into a well-worn suit. OLD NICK – the Devil's right claw; a mignon of the Big Guy. Played by an older man with white hair so as to resemble Clarence the Angel, in It's a Wonderful Life. PAT NIXON – roughly the same age as the Nixon actor, though younger would do nicely. One might easily think that Dr. Reich conceptualized “character armor” after studying Pat. THE PULLING MAN - played by a Stagehand. He pulls the Cart of Deeds. His job can only be filled by lawyers. He wears a tattered business suit with a new, bright red neck tie. THE SITTING MAN - played by a Stagehand. He sorts stones, deeds, judging each as good or bad. This job is reserved for leaders of great nations. In this case, the Sitting Man, except for wearing tattered, once-white underwear, and a too-large cowboy hat, is naked and dirty. THE LOST SOUL – a grotesque, played by a Stagehand. DR. WILHELM REICH – early 50s. THE SOLDIER – a young doughboy; died in the War to End All Wars, the Great War, the War to Make the World Safe for Democracy. Played by a Stagehand. JULIE and TRISHA NIXON – played by Stagehands as the Nixon children.

RADIANCE synopsis p.3

PAT RYAN'S GIRLFRIEND – played by a Stagehand PAT RYAN'S DATE - played by a Stagehand THE NIXON PERFORMER - played by a Stagehand

OLA FLORENCE WELCH – Nixon's first love. Ola was 16 when she met Nixon. Played by a Stagehand. AUDIENCE MEMBERS/REPORTERS – played by the Stagehands THE OLA TROLL – Ola's true Hell form; exceedingly ugly though she wears a pretty dress. THE STAGEHANDS – besides taking on the roles of various other characters, the Stagehands act as black-clad puppet masters, not only placing and manipulating props and set pieces but also lifting and manipulating Pat and Nixon as required

RADIANCE synopsis p.1 SYNOPSIS RADIANCE/NIXON ACT ONE President Richard Nixon, caught in a spotlight on a bare stage, begins a mishmashing of his historic speeches. A stagehand, dressed in black, enters with a small cart, an ice bucket, whiskey bottle and a glass. Nixon proceeds to drink copiously during his speech, eliciting canned laughter and applause. Part of his speech is set to music as “The Song of Truth.” He ends on a drunken note of rage and vindictiveness underscored by the laughter. Nixon is then approached by Old Nick, a character with a striking resemblance to Clarence the Angel in It's a Wonderful Life. Nick, a mignon of the Big Guy (AKA Satan), recruits Nixon to help foil a plot brewing in Heaven to persuade the Big Boy (AKA God) to forgive all souls, past, present and future. Universal forgiveness would mean the end of Hell and more importantly, for Nick, the end of power. Nixon understands the need for power and continuation of punishment. He agrees to help. Nick's mobile phone rings; he moves to the side of the stage to take the call. The Sitting Man and Pulling Man enter, with the Cart of Deeds. The one is condemned to pull the cart, the other must sit and contemplate each of the small stones that rest in a child's coffin on the cart, judging each stone as good or bad; when not sitting, the act of standing is unbearable; when not contemplating a stone, sitting is intolerable. The pulling job is reserved for lawyers; the sitting job is reserved for American Presidents. Nixon, interacting with the Sitting and Pulling Men, is almost trapped by their tricks but Nick returns, in the nick of time, to mete out a bit of punishment and send them on their way. The Cart of Deeds and its crew is seen again in the following acts and at the end of the play. Nick introduces Nixon's new assistant: Dr. Wilhelm Reich. This prompts an outburst of Nixon's Antisemitism and his abhorrence of mental therapy (despite Nixon's visits to a psychoanalyst in the pre-Presidential years; this same analyst held Nixon's hand while Nixon wept at Pat's funeral). Reich tells briefly his history: his mother's suicide after an infidelity; his father's odd suicide later; fleeing the Nazis; his research, in America, into the Orgone; his imprisonment, the burning of his books and his death in prison for his ideas. Nixon tells how he, Nixon, was nearly killed in Caracas for his American ideas, which causes Reich and Nixon to quarrel. Nick interrupts them, reminds them of the utmost seriousness of their mission and tells them about the rumor: the Big Guy has fashioned a Doomsday device; if the Forgiveness Plot appears to be succeeding, the Doomsday thing will create a massive black hole, sucking in and destroying everything. Pat Nixon enters. Nick leads in the song of “How Dick Found Pat.” During the song

RADIANCE synopsis p.2 Stagehands dressed as the two Nixon children, run in to beg Nixon to tell them, again, the story of how he met their mommy. The song ends; Nixon tells his “children” that he will tell the tale. The actors freeze and the Pulling Man and Sitting Man cross the stage with the Cart of Deeds. When the Cart passes the actors, the actors exit behind the cart, except for Nixon and Pat. Nixon, once again in a spotlight, thrusts up his arms and his V-victory salute; Pat remains frozen, smiling, behind him. ACT TWO Under the guidance of Old Nick, Pat, Nixon and the stagehands re-enact Dick and Pat's first meeting, their two-and-a-half year courtship (dogged pursuit by Nixon; slowly fading resistance from Pat) and, at last, the proposal of marriage and Pat's “Yes.” The happy moment ends when stagehands carry Pat offstage. Nixon then learns that the Big Guy, the Devil (heard, never seen), insists that Nixon audition for the “role.” The “President” refuses: the President's record speaks for itself! But Nick uses a power of Hell to put Nixon on the floor, in agony, and only relents when Nixon agrees to do what he is told. Nick exits. Nixon and Reich slowly exit, bonding a bit through their shared loneliness of genius. Stagehands and the Nixon Performer enter to sing “Making It: The Song of Dick Nixon.” The song is a cornball, self-serving rehash of Nixon's political 'highlights.' This is so hokey that the Big Guy threatens to throw Nixon and Nick into the sulfur pits and only changes his mind when Nick, Nixon and Pat re-enact the emotional callousness Nixon displayed towards Pat, on her birthday, 1974. Nixon and Pat had flown into Nashville on separate planes: he on the last leg of Republican stronghold tour; she straight from Brasilia, after a South American earthquake relief tour; Pat arrived, feverish and exhausted. They went to, and were part of, the grand opening of the new Grand Ol' Opry. In front the packed house, Nixon horsed around; Roy Acuff knew it was Pat's birthday and asked the President to play the Happy Birthday song for Pat. “Hunched over,” Nixon goes to a piano, bangs out “My Wild Irish Rose” and finally launches into the birthday song. The entire audience sings along. At song's end, Pat, visibly moved, touched deeply, rises from her chair on the stage, her arms out for a hug from her husband but Nixon completely ignores her, goes back to Acuff and the microphone to joke around some more. Hearing and seeing that story the Big Guy agrees to give Nick and Nixon another chance. Pat then brings up the subject of Nixon's first love, Ola Florence Welch, a matter that gives Nixon a great deal of pain, though it all started when he was 16 years old and ended badly (for Nixon) six years later. Old Nick interrupts the Ola-narrative by taking Pat aside to ask her a few questions. She sings

RADIANCE synopsis p.3 “Buddy's Hard Times,” a brief overview of Pat's truly hard life as a child and young woman. At the beginning of her song, stagehands forcibly put Nixon in a chair; Ola and Reich use the song's chorus to 'lecture' Nixon. At the end of the song, the story of Ola and Nixon resumes: They were in the same Latin class at Whittier High School and performed together in class: she as Dido, Queen of Carthage and he as the heroic Aeneas. The stagehands run in with chairs to form an audience; they drape Nixon and Ola in white sheets. The climax of the little play is when Aeneas embraces Dido. Nixon, always awkward around girls, had never come close to embracing a beauty such as Ola. Adding to the embarrassment are the catcalls from the young audience. Under the direction of Pat, the scene turns into something of a press conference cum trial of Nixon's heart. Ola tells how shabbily Nixon treated her, of his weak, clinging side. The 'reporters' ask embarrassing questions regarding Nixon's political statements, such as during his run for Governor of California: asked about the poor turnout at a Nixon rally in a rural community, Nixon replied, “What can you expect from these fucking local yokels.” The 'press conference' and re-union are a disaster for Nixon and is topped off when Ola produces Nixon's last love letter (he wrote dozens to her). Dr. Reich reads aloud the letter, which includes: “...I've realized more than ever the perfection, the splendor, the grandeur of my mother's character. Incapable of selfishness she is to me a supreme ideal. And you have taken her place with her in my heart....” Ola bids Nixon goodbye and exits. Pat slaps him, says, “You won't have Patricia Ryan to kick around anymore” and exits. At the end of the second act, Nixon is alone on stage, weeping, asking for forgiveness from his mother. Laughter offstage, however, stops his tears, turns him back into Nixon. ACT THREE Commotion and uproar in Hell opens the act. The Forgiveness Plot has reached through the souls of babies, toddlers and children to now include the souls of the 12 and 13 year olds. The voice of the Big Guy clears the stage and he summons Old Nick for a dressing down. Nick assures him that Nixon will win the day. Alone, Nick sings a lament, “What's a Devil to Do?” Reich and Nixon enter. Old Nick tells Nixon that they must use their final weapon: stagehands wheel in an enormous heart with “Pat” written on it. (Towards the end of his life, Nixon was asked what one word would be found written on his heart when he passed away. Nixon replied, “That's easy: 'Pat.'”) Nick tells Nixon that Nixon must divorce Pat. Nixon refuses until Nick sweetens the deal: Ola enters. She apologizes for not having loved Nixon enough and not having been more understanding. She tells Nixon that she is ready to marry

RADIANCE synopsis p.4 him. Nixon can barely contain his joy. He and Ola run off happily. Pat enters. Reich is left alone with her, except for stagehands who manipulate her as if she were a stiff doll. During Reich's therapeutic session, he and Pat sing “Analysis,” an effective bit of therapy that removes her character armor, leaves her weeping with joy and ready to continue the work: Pat removes her blouse and skirt. Nixon and Ola re-enter. Ola is no longer the pretty young woman but has reverted to the form of a troll, a fact that Nixon cannot see. Nixon becomes upset that Pat is undressed. He orders the big heart with “Pat” on it be turned around; the reverse is a black heart with “Ola” on it. Pat and Reich point out that Ola is monstrous but Nixon refuses to hear any criticism of his beloved. Reich asks if Nixon has yet given his Ola a kiss on the lips, not sexual, just affectionate. Nixon takes Ola's hand and, just before kissing her, realizes her monstrosity. Ola grabs him, as if to eat him. At that moment, the big heart bursts apart as a World War One soldier, who has been seen during the first two acts, crashes through the heart, grabs and threatens to kill Nixon. After some calming down, the soldier briefly tells of killing a German soldier. Heavenly music then washes over the stage. The soldier, transformed, joyous, exits, talking about going home. Old Nick enters with terrible news: The conspirators in Heaven are succeeding. Stage lights flash on and off; denizens of Hell rush hither and thither and the Voice of the Big Guy is heard, blaming Old Nick and announcing that there is no choice left but.... blackout. Lights up to reveal Old Nick and Reich reclining on lawn chairs, gazing up at the stars. They comment on the heavens, the flexibility of time and space and Reich's unwavering belief in the indestructibility of the Orgone. Their plot against the Big Guy has succeeded. They exit, looking for something to eat. Lights come up on Nixon and Pat, driving in Nixon's “Model A.” Four stagehands stand behind them, changed out of 'stagehand black' into sky blue costumes. Nixon and Pat sing a bit of the children's song “On the way to Grandpa's farm” and engage in some private humor. As they drive, Pat sees a hitchhiker, a soldier; she then realizes that they have passed by the soldier twice that day, hitchhiking, and she realizes that she's seen no other cars at all on the highway. She then sees an odd light on a nearby hill. Nixon, too, sees it. Pat hears the heavenly music. She tells Nixon to stop the car on the shoulder. She gets out of the car; the music grows louder and Pat runs off to the hill and light. Left alone, Nixon paces and is soon joined by the soldier, still on his way home, which is now just up the hill in the light. Nixon asks the soldier to wait with him until Pat returns; the soldier declines and Nixon's rage surfaces, followed by a hasty apology. The soldier tells

RADIANCE synopsis p.5 Nixon that he, Nixon, is as good as any man around and exits. Nixon sits, alone and miserable. He then takes his pulse (a recurring motif is that Nixon has no heartbeat). A small, miserly smile appears. The heavenly music is heard again. Stagehands in blue enter, forming a wall which blocks Nixon's retreat from the terrifying music. The other actors enter to sing the “Song of the Orgone.” The sound of ocean waves is heard, joining the music and the song of the vast, warm ocean of energy-love that embraces all beings, even Richard Milhous Nixon. Tears stream down Nixon's face. The stage lights begin to fade out; the actors freeze. During the blackout the Pulling Man pulls the Cart of Deeds onto the edge of the stage. The Sitting Man is contemplating a stone. Lights up for the curtain call. The actors exit in this order: Stagehands, Ola, Pat, Reich, Old Nick and finally Nixon. As Nixon makes his exit the Pulling Man pulls the Cart of Deeds center stage and stops. House lights come up. During the audience's departure the Pulling Man looks about, vaguely, at the audience. At some point the Pulling Man begins pulling the cart again and, before the cart is offstage, the Sitting Man stands with his stone and says, “Yes.” END

RADIANCE synopsis p.6 Two of the Devilishly Delightful Songs "MAKING IT: THE SONG OF DICK NIXON,” performed by the Nixon Performer and Stagehands, it offers delightful opportunities for perverse choreography. This song is at the beginning of Act 2; it is Nixon's “audition” piece for the Devil. THE NIXON PERFORMER Now's the time to hear the tale of a poor boy who made good. He went from low to very high, was misunderstood. Hated by the media, by his enemies. But he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never went to his knees. No, he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never went to his knees. Recruited at a tender age to run for congressman, A political whiz (Murray Chotiner) helped to make it fun. Buckets of bile both pink and red made a victorious son.. And he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never gave up his bum. No, he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never gave up his bum. Alger Hiss, a communist, one of the Eastern elite. A traitor to his country but Dick was on the beat. He found the proof in a pumpkin patch and Algie went to jail. And he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never sold his tail.. No, he never stooped to (clap clap clap), never sold his tail. On he went to Senator, then Ike's vice-President. Enemies claimed a secret fund enriched what he spent. But he proved 'em wrong on TV, bared his soul with Checkers. And he never stooped to (clap clap clap), he kept up his pecker. No, he never stooped to (clap clap clap), he kept up his pecker. Ike sent him to Venezuela to see what he could see. Reds mobs turned into violence, they hated democracy. Dick stood up to the cowardly Reds and put 'em in their place. Dick stood up to the (clap clap clap) and saved his nation's face. Yes, Dick stood up to the (clap clap clap), saved his nation's face. Then he went to Russia, home of Red slavery. There he met that Khrushchev so rich in knavery. Dick topped him in the the kitchen debate,

RADIANCE synopsis p.7 put Khrushchev in his place. And he never lost his (clap clap clap) but he got in Khrushchev's face. No, he never lost his (clap clap clap), but he got in Khrushchev's face. Nineteen sixty was the year Dick lost to a son of a bitch. Kennedy had that Kennedy charm, and a daddy who was rich. With money and their Mafia pals the election they did steal. So, Dick went out with a (clap clap clap), never let out a squeal. So, Dick went out with a (clap clap clap), never did he squeal. In Sixty-eight RFK, he decided to run but his older bro had spoiled the soup so Bobby got the gun. So who was the one? Nixon's the one! Should've seen him go! And so he won with a (clap clap clap), law and order hi de ho. Oh yes he won with a (clap clap clap), law and order hi de ho. In seventy-two he won big, the vote made history. How he changed the world, made his mark, there is no mystery. China, peace with honor, great achievements here at home. Oh, Nixon was a (clap clap clap) he threw you a goddamn bone! Yes, Nixon was a (clap clap clap) he threw you a goddamn bone! He resigned in seventy-five but he was not to blame. He came out of the wilderness with luster to his name Now he's dead but his fame lives on, never will it fade. Ah, Dickie knew his (clap clap clap), he outlived the grave. Yes, Dickie knew his (clap clap clap), he outlived the grave. Now this story has a moral. Does it start with “double you”? Or is it “E” for “enemy”? And if you wonder “who?” Just take your cue from the President, you'll find 'em ev'rywhere! Yes, Nixon knew his (clap clap clap), he found 'em everywhere. Dick Nixon knew his (clap clap clap), don't bother to fight 'em fair!

RADIANCE synopsis p.8 "BUDDY'S HARD TIMES." performed in Act 2. Nixon's first love, Ola Florence Welch, has just been introduced; just as the story of Ola and Dick begins to unfold, Old Nick takes Pat aside to ask some questions.

OLD NICK You had a hard life? PAT I don't care to talk about that. OLD NICK I wouldn't want you to, Mrs. Nixon. Your father owned a little ranch, didn't he? PAT My father... (Pause. During the first chorus ("Life was hard....") REICH and OLA unfreeze and sing at NIXON, using the chorus to 'lecture' him. At that time the STAGEHANDS ENTER with a chair for NIXON, forcibly sitting him in the chair, joining in the song from behind Nixon.) PAT William Ryan was my father. His ma and Da had come from Ireland to escape the Famine. Will Ryan knocked about the world, as a sailor and gold miner. He had hoped to strike it rich, when he went to South Dakota. My mother, Katherine Halberstadt, was a German immigrant, at age ten coming to the New World, South Dakota. Her first husband, died in a mining accident, She was twenty-nine. She had two children. Life was hard. Life was tough. Life was filled with terrible stuff.

RADIANCE synopsis p.9 Terrible stuff. Things better left unspoken. But the human spirit cannot be broken. Will Ryan at age forty-three, married Katherine. She had three more children. Will Junior, Thomas and lastly me: Thelma Catherine. Will and Kate and the children lived in a miner's shack, in Nevada, in Ely, with the gold out of reach the big strike nowhere near. Then my father fell ill his lungs fell prey to silicosis from working in the mines looking for his gold. And so the Ryans moved to a little ranch in Artesia, eight miles from Whittier, a million years from the White House. A trillion years from the White House. Life was hard. Life was tough. Life was filled with terrible stuff. Terrible stuff. Things better left unspoken. But the human spirit cannot be broken. Six kids and two grown ups lived in a two bedroom bungalow we did not have electricity we had no running water we were too busy to know we were poor. I walked a mile to grammar school walked a mile back home and we all worked raising vegetables for market. We planted and harvested peppers and beets, cauliflower and cabbage, tomatoes,

RADIANCE synopsis p.10 corn, and barley. And before the fruit: the flowers. And life was good. Yes life was good. One of my earliest memories. I rode to town with my father in a buggy pulled by horses. I never ever asked for anything but while I waited in the buggy while father did his business I hoped and prayed that he'd come back with something just for me: a strawberry ice cream cone. It was just like heaven. It was just like heaven. And life got better. Yes our life got better. With electricity and running water, and a piano. And strawberry ice cream cones. Oh yes but... Life is hard. Life is tough. Life is filled with terrible stuff. Terrible stuff. Things better left unspoken. But the human spirit cannot be broken. Then my mother after one year of suffering died of cancer at the age of forty-six when I was just fourteen. With five brothers and our father. I did the laundry, kept the house clean and went to school. I was busy. Then my father was laid low. Tuberculosis. He could not work. It was in my last year of high school, I still had the chores of the house and farm. And Dad's medical bills.

Life is hard. Life is tough.

RADIANCE synopsis p.11 Life is filled with terrible stuff. Terrible stuff. Things better left unspoken. But the human spirit cannot be broken. In my last year of high school, my dad slowly dying, I worked at part time jobs at the bank in Artesia. Rising early to clean the floors, coming back after school, working as a bookkeeper. I was also student body secretary and on my school's debating team and also in the drama club, I played the lead in The Rise of Silas Lapham I was very busy. Then tuberculosis took my father's life. (Spoken:) I don't want to go on. OLD NICK You don't have to. PAT (The song continues.) Life is hard. Life is rough. Life is filled with terrible things. Terrible things. Stuff better left unspoken. But the human spirit cannot be broken. The human spirit cannot be broken... I worked hard for everything. Nothing ever was given to me. All those others who had it easy could never ever ever understand that life is hard and not goddamn grand. But I would never show it. I was never angry. I was never bitter.

RADIANCE synopsis p.12 I was only what I am. I had learned the art of acting. Oh yes. As a graduate student at University. Southern California. I was an extra in the movies. The money was good but it was boring. All those takes, all that waiting. I was in Small Town Girl and Becky Sharp, where my one line ended up cut. PAT No, I never gave it a thought, Never gave it a single thought, not even a fleeting thought, that I might become a movie star.

CHORUS --never gave it a thought. --never, ever a single thought. --never, ever, never, never. --glamorous, beautiful movie star.

PAT and the CAST Because life is hard. Filled with shit. Awful shit. Better pinch your nose, hold your breath, pass straight through the human stench. Hold your breath, Keep your spirit from being broken. Hold your breath, The human spirit cannot be undone. Not even by Dick Nixon