Who Lives? (A Play)
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Synopsis:
A drama that's in line with Reginald Rose's "12 Angry Men," this play is inspired by a true event and has a group of people who need to decide who lives. In the early 1960s, an anonymous committee of ordinary citizens in Seattle had to select people for an experiment that might save their lives. The newly perfected kidney dialysis machine might save a small number of people from a sure death from kidney failure. There was only this one machine, however. Only twelve could live from over 135,000 people dying from kidney disease in America. Who from a group of candidates would get to live? On what basis would the committee make its decisions? Attorney Gabriel Hornstein desperately needs what the committee offers.
Book Excerpt:
WHO LIVES?
by Christopher Meeks
Act I
Scene 1
Setting: Seattle. 1963. A bedroom. Evening; dark.
At Rise: Still in darkness, we hear the sound of TV commentators discussing the moving of Lee Harvey Oswald through the basement corridors of the Dallas City Jail to a safer place. A VIDEO screen comes up, showing the scene in the corridor and Oswald coming around the corner.
On stage, SOFT LIGHTS rise over a bed. A woman, MARGARET HORNSTEIN (35), watches the TV, mesmerized, while her husband, GABRIEL HORNSTEIN (45), sleeps in the bed next to her. As Oswald is shot by Jack Ruby, the screen freezes.
MARGARET: I wonder... (leans into husband) Do you think Oswald believed in God?
GABRIEL: (waking) Huh?
MARGARET: God. Do you think Oswald believed in God?
GABRIEL: You woke me up to--
MARGARET: I'm sorry, I didn't think you were asleep just--
GABRIEL: Can't they show anything else today? Hasn't the flag come up yet?
MARGARET: It's still early. (GABRIEL scratches what seems a horrible itch on his back.) You have a rash or something?
GABRIEL: Who knows? (getting amorous) Nothing contagious.
MARGARET: (trying to ignore his roving hands) Oswald was only twenty-four. I never saw anyone real die before. You think he believed in God?
GABRIEL: What's it matter? We're all dying. Carpe diem.
MARGARET: Come on, not now. First the president, now Oswald. How can you get so-
GABRIEL: Shhh. Let yourself go.
MARGARET: I'm- I need to breathe.
GABRIEL: Fine. Fine! (gets out of bed, scratching and walks toward bathroom) Did you put sesame seed oil in that chicken tonight?
MARGARET: I know all your allergies. You know I don't have a drop of-- What're you thinking?
GABRIEL: This isn't just an itch! I had to have eaten something.
MARGARET: For lunch?
GABRIEL: Maybe.
MARGARET: You have to eat better.
GABRIEL: I eat fine... I can always depend on you to come up with a rule, can't I?
MARGARET: What? Eating better? I can't wait for my vacation away from you this week.
GABRIEL: Let me pee in peace.
Topics/Categories:
1960s, drama, kidney dialysis, kidney disease, medical experiment, medical history, Seattle, two-act play
Genre:
Entertainment, Performing Arts
Type of Work:
Publishers:
Original Publish Date:
March 1, 2006
Publishing Notes:
The play received its world premiere on July 19, 1997 at the 24th Street Theatre in Los Angeles.
Formats:
Paperback
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