Act. James Dean Scene. Writes a Letter

---The First Movement: Only the gentle are ever really strong.---

James Dean sits on stage.

By himself.

He is smoking a cigarette. 

He is writing a letter. 

Barbara Glen walks on.

Barbara. It was as if suddenly you ceased to exist and he couldn't care less. You were an annoyance. And it was something, when he did it to me, that I just couldn't cope with. He wasn't a very social human being, or a nice person to a lot of people. Jimmy was not good at reaching out, he was so frightened of letting people in. He's show you some of himself, you'd really share something, and then you'd feel him backing off. He sensed his isolation, though he often caused it.

Paul Newman walks on stage.

Paul Newman. Hey Jimmy. What you rebelling against today?

James Dean. What you got for me, Paul Newman?

Jonathan Gilmore walks on stage.

Jonathan Gilmore. He asked me a great deal about myself. But he gave little in return- and then he seemed to regret sharing anything at all, as if to share was to give part of himself away. His intense interest in gay sex seemed as intense as his passion for the heroics of bullfighting or sculpture. He wanted to fool around, to do the forbidden thing, to be artsy, a renegade and an outside. But as for being a hustler or a whore -well, I don't know anyone who had an indication that was true. He never had to hustle, and he certainly was not some promiscuous madman.

James Dean looks up.

James Dean. Tell 'em about the night we had sex.

Jonathan Gilmore. Jimmy-

James Dean. Tell 'em! Hahaha

Jonathan Gilmore. Frankly... It just didn't work. He liked to do the weirdest thing.

James Dean. Tell 'em about Greenwich Village. That one time we went there. Hahaha

Jonathan Gilmore. Jimmy likes to go to Greenwich Village together. I would be dressed up as a woman. Very convincing, I might add. And he would go as my date. We would look like just an ordinary couple. Jimmy looked like the strange one. Everyone whispered and asked why is that handsome man with such an awkward, tall, lanky woman. We would have a few drinks in a bar and we would kiss and then pull the wig off my head and be completely shocked I was a man. We would stage a fight and then get drunkenly kicked out of the bar.

James Dean. Hahaha. It was fun.

Jonathan Gilmore. You were fun.

James Dean reads the letter he wrote.

James Dean. Got a new pair of shoes, honey. Shit! I'm so proud of them. Got a pair of pants, too. My uncle sent me 30 bucks and besides I deserved it. Made me feel good just to go in and get something. I would like to see you very much. I miss you too. Didn't figure on that too strong. But you just can't tell always, I guess. I'm getting sleepy. You write me real soon. You hear? Then I'll write again.

Barbara Glen. I wrote back. So did he.

James Dean. I never suspected on could know as few nice people as I know. My own damn fault. Everything is not just illusion. You are my proof. You have gone to Israel but you have not. I am very lonely for you. I am alone. THoughts are sweet, then wicked, then perverse, then penitent, then sweet. The moon is not blue. It hangs in the sky no more. 

James Dean takes a swig of Whiskey. 

He is almost to the bottom.

Almost.

James Dean. Please forgive me for such a sloppy letter, I'm a little drunk, drink quite a bit lately. You see, I don't know what's going on any more than you do. Remarkable lot, human beings. I care too.

Another swig.

James Dean. In antiphonal azure swing, soulds drone their unfinished melody... When did we live and when did we not? In my drunken stupod I said a gem. I must repeat it to you loved one. Let's see... "Great actors are often pretentious lives. THe pretentious actor, a great liver." (Don't get a headache over it.) God damnit!! I miss you... You're terribly missing. Come back. Maybe I can come up and see you. You think you need understanding? Who do you think you are? I could use a little myself. You're probably running around up there with all those handsome guys. When I get my boat, you'll be sorry.

Another swig.

Hope you're okay up there. Working pretty hard I guess. More than you can say for us poor thespians back here in the city. Got to move out of this crappy old apartment. Can't get along with nobody I guess. Make you feel good when you're not wanted.

James Dean stands up and smashed his bottle on the floor.

(This is the end of the first movement)

--The Second Movement: A Scene from Jimmy's Broadway debut show, " The Immoralist"

Marcelline is played by Barbara Glenn.

Michel is played by both Paul Newman and Jonathan Gilmore. They are tied at the waste with an obese man's belt.

MARCELLINE: Tell me how to accept it or to ignore it- to say to myself, this is only a fraction of him... How would we live together?

MICHEL: There are many kinds of marriages, and people sacrifice many things to hold on to them... We must promise nothing- except to like each other as we are.

MARCELLINE: You want me to accept all of you.

MICHEL: That's what our child will want.

MARCELLINE: I can do it for him.

MICHEL: Can you? Can I? And what will happen to him if we don't?

MARCELLINE: We must learn, Michel. A good way will be to practice on each other.

They stand there contemplating what to do.

Forever.

(This is the end of the second movement)

---The Third Movement: Another scene from the immoralist---

Bachir is played by James Dean.

Michel is still played by Paul and Jonathan under the same conditions.

BACHIR. Soon the warm season will come and I can spend the nights in the orchards.

MICHEL. The orchards?

BACHIR. Yes, sir- the trees are filled with fruits; dates, figs, oranges, everything grows in the orchards. Many boys tend the crops, the earts, the goats. They are very beautiful, those places.

MICHEL. Where are they?

BACHIR. Which one, sir?

MICHEL. I don't know- the one you seem so poetic about.

BACHIR. They are all out there beyond those walls. It is always green and cool and they live like a thousand years ago.

MICHEL. And do whole families live there?

BACHIR. There are no families. Only men and boys Beautiful men. They live without women.

MICHEL. Oh. That is not very interesting.

BACHIR. You asked me, sir.

MICHEL. You misunderstood me! And you eat disgustingly, Bachir!

BACHIR. Yes, sir. I think so. I am very healthy and disgusting.

James Dean breaks from the scene.

James Dean. Kiss me.

Jonathan Gilmore. What?

James Dean. Kiss me.

Paul Newman. I didn't hear that.

Jonathan Gilmore. Okay.

They kiss.

(This is the end of the Third Movement)

---The Fourth Movement: A bottomless well- no love was enough---

James Dean is back with another whiskey.

He is writing another letter.

James Dean. I don't like people here. I like it home in New York. and I liked you and I want to see you. Must I always be miserable? I try so hard to make people reject me. Why? I don't want to write this letter. I would be better to remain silent. Wow! I am fucked up!... I DONT KNOW WHERE I AM.

Takes a swig

James Dean. Rented a car for 2 weeks it cost me 138 bucks. I WANT TO DIE... I HAVEN'T BEEN TO BED WITH NOBODY and won't until after the picture and I am home safe in NYC. Sounds unbelievable but its the trust I swear. So hold everything. Stop breathing, Stop the town-- all of NYV until (should have trumpets there) James Dean returns.

Takes another swig

James Dean. Am I fucked up! I got no motorcycle, I got no girl. HONEY- shit, writing in capitals doesn't seem to help either. Haven't found a place to live yet, still living with my folks. HONEY. Kazan sent me out here to get a tan, haben't seen the sun yet (Fog & Smog). He wanted me healthy looking. I look like a prune. Don't run away from home at too early an age or you'll half to take vitamins the rest of your life. Wish you cooked. I'll be home soon.

Another swig.

James Dean. Write me please. I am sad most of the time. Awful lonely too isn't it. I hope you're dying, Because I am.

James Dean stands up and smashed the bottle on the floor.

(This is the end of the fourth movement)

--The Fifth movement: Razor Blade Bed---

Marlon Brando comes on stage.

Marlon Brando. A very tough guy- James Dean was. They say he slept on razor blades and put cigarettes out on his hand. He needed people to love him, never mind that he didn't love them in return. He was like a bottomless well. He latched on to people he liked, took what he needed and was quick to drop them before they might drop him. A bottomless well. No love was enough.

(This is the end of the fifth and final movement.