Arriving at Dorothy's house, Hermie finds the door open, enters and sees an empty glass, a liquor bottle and a telegram. He picks up the telegram and reads the terrible news that Dorothy's husband has been killed in battle. Dorothy enters, face streaked with tears, as she gently takes the telegram from Hermie and puts on a record of the '40s pop tune she and Pete sang to each other before they parted...their favourite song. While it plays, Hermie quietly approaches her and asks her to dance. Hermie tries to comfort Dorothy as they awkwardly move in each other's arms to the music. As the song ends, Dorothy breaks down, crying uncontrollably, stopping only when Hermie holds her tighter. They kiss, and a devastated Dorothy is moved by his tenderness. Slowly, they undress each other and she leads him to the bedroom. The next morning Hermie exits the house as Dorothy is on the front porch, gazing out to sea. It is the last time he will ever see her. Hermie runs into Oscy and they sit, staring out at the ocean, still friends. Oscy reports that Miriam dumped him and that Benjie required six stitches in his nose, which he cut while trying to catch a seagull with Gloria. Oscy wants to know how Hermie's evening with Dorothy went, but Hermie is silent. Oscy says he and his family are packing up to leave the island and offers his parting words of wisdom: "You know, sometimes life is just a big pain in the ass." Hermie returns to Dorothy's house and finds that she has already departed fo the mainland to deal with Pete's death, leaving a note on the door. The note assures Hermie that she will always remember him and that she prays he is never visited by senseless tragedy. It is signed "Always, Dorothy." As Hermie studies the note, the voices and faces of the summer come rushing back, and he is transformed again into the older Herman. One by one, the characters who peopled the man's long-remembered summer each salute him and exit. Finally Dorothy appears, standing on the porch of her beach house as she was first seen. She looks first to Herman, and then to the younger Hermie, who magically reappears on stage. The lights fade on the three figures: Dorothy, the silhouette of Herman, and the boy Herman once was. CASTING: - 5 men, 4 women. • Dorothy • Hermie • Oscy • Benjie • Aggie • Miriam • Gloria • Pete • Mr Sanders • Walter Winchell MUSICAL MUMBERS • Prelude • The Summer You'll Always Remember • The Terrible Trio • Here and Now • Will That Ever Happen To Me? • Winchell report #1 • You're Gonna Miss Me • Little Did I Dream • Mr. Sanders #1 • The walk • Dorothy's house • Like They Used To • I Think I Like Her • The Heat / winchell report #2 / Here and Now (reprise) • Before the Movies • The Movies • After the movies • Winchell report #3 • Benjie and gloria • The boxes • Man Around The House • Someone to Dance with Me • Entr'acte • Unfinished Business • Make You Mine • Mr. Sanders #2 / Here and Now (Reprise) • The Drugstore • The Jitterbug • The Marshmallow Roast • The Campfire • Hermie And Dorothy • Promise of the Morning • Oh Gee, I Love My G.I. / Winchell Report #4 • Oscy and Hermie • Dorothy's House • The Dance • Finale • Bows • Exit Music • Our Story So Far • Losing Track of Time INSTRUMENTATION: Piano/Vocal, Keyboard 2, Percussion, Bass, Cello, Reed. Libretto: ISBN: 0-8222-1878-X
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODU3MzQ=