CYTHEREA

SYNOPSIS:

Audrey meets Trevor in a bar. He tells her he’s come to this small southern town to find a friend who once lived there. Audrey is lonely. She tells Trevor that her best friend, Celeste, had moved to New York in search of a career and adventure. Trevor and Audrey start dating. Trevor decides to stay, finds a job and moves in with Audrey.

Audrey idolizes Celeste and talks of her and her success in the big city obsessively. Eventually, she realizes that the woman Trevor came to look for is Celeste. He confesses that he and Celeste had lived together for a while, but she became restless and left him, promising to return. When she didn’t come back, he decided to look for her in her home town.

Audrey begins to suspect that Trevor sees her only as a link to Celeste. Trevor insists that he no longer has feelings for Celeste. Audrey tries to call Celeste in New York, but can reach only her answering machine. She notices that Celeste now includes the name of a man in her voice mail. Audrey leaves a message. Celeste doesn’t call back, but sends Audrey a letter, in which she describes her new lover, Lindy. The letter disappears mysteriously, and Audrey becomes progressively more disturbed. About a month later, another letter from Celeste arrives. She writes that Lindy has been in an accident and isn’t well; that seeing her home town and meeting Audrey would do him good. She suggests that they spend the holidays with Audrey. Audrey tells Trevor about the letter. Trevor doesn’t think that Celeste and Lindy should visit them.

Audrey is adamant that the visit must take place. She recounts stories from her childhood to show Trevor how much she owes Celeste. Trevor yields reluctantly.

On the day that Celeste and Lindy are to arrive, Celeste enters alone. She is crippled and prematurely aged. Audrey wants Celeste to move in with her and Trevor so that they can take care of her. Questions abound as the play concludes: What happened to Lindy? Was there a Lindy? What in the childhood stories Audrey told Trevor was real and what was fantasy?

CHARACTERS:

AUDREY - 24, with a bohemian bent. Somewhat fragile. Speaks with a Southern accent.

TREVOR – 28, clever, easy going. Likes to joke, but can also be serious and thoughtful.

CELESTE - 25, a mysterious femme fatale-type. She is glamorous, probably blond. Speaks with a Southern accent.

WAITRESS – played by the same actress as CELESTE.

LINDY - 26, attractive (a male version of CELESTE). Several brief appearances, always seen through Audrey’s eyes.

MANAGER – played by the same actor as LINDY.

OFFSTAGE VOICES - a caterer and a taxi driver

SAMPLE DIALOGUE:

AUDREY (Opens the letter from Celeste.)
Oh my God! Oh my God! Is this possible?

(As AUDREY reads, CELESTE enters. CELESTE reads her own words aloud while AUDREY paces about with the letter. There is no eye contact. Their lines overlap somewhat.)

CELESTE
My sweetest friend, confidante and protege of summer days long past…My dearest Audrey.

AUDREY
You haven’t forgotten….

CELESTE
Forgive me for my neglect of you since we parted. I think of you often…

AUDREY
…like, how am I supposed to know that…

CELESTE
…and each time I feel a pang of guilt. I thought of calling you…

AUDREY
…You know my number…

CELESTE
…but then I thought it easier to break my long silence in writing.

AUDREY
Oh Celeste! Do you talk to me out loud, like I talk to you?

CELESTE
New York engulfed me. It’s a kaleidoscope; a shimmering, ever-shifting world of colorful and stimulating impressions. At times, I forget that I existed before I came here.

AUDREY
Didn’t I exist?

CELESTE
But as I am embarking on this exciting new phase of my life, I realize that I wouldn’t be where I am without you.

AUDREY
It’s the other way around.

CELESTE
You are the only person in the world who always supported my dreams.

AUDREY
You gave me so much to dream about…

CELESTE
But now I’m actually living out my dream.

AUDREY
Did I hold you back?

CELESTE
I was afraid you’d judge me. I didn’t wish to cause you distress.

AUDREY
You taught me how to be tough, remember?

CELESTE
I hope I get a chance to explain all this to you in person. Soon. In the meantime, please forgive me, trust me and rejoice with me.

AUDREY
I’ll try, love, I’ll try.

CELESTE
I’m sure you’ll understand why I didn’t want a huge, stiff, silly society wedding back home.

AUDREY
So you did get married...