The Stories We Tell - Ballet 1

1. Creation, by Gerald McDermott
Adapted for performance by David Domkoski
Draft of 01/03/09
The performers
Men: Actor 1, 3
Women: Actor 2, 4
Either (split 3 & 3) 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
ACTOR 1
I was born before time.
I was everywhere.
ALL
There was nothing.
ACTOR 1
I was there.
ACTOR 2 (F)
My spirit moved over the deep.
ACTOR 3(M)
I floated in darkness.
ACTOR 4 (F)
Then I breathed light into the dark.
ALL
The light became day.
The darkness became night.
ACTOR 1
I divided the mists, sweet and salt.
ACTOR (ALL M)
There was water above.
ACTOR (ALL F)
There was water below.
ALL
Between them there was heaven.
ACTOR 1
I gathered together the waters below and made the sea.
ACTOR (ALL F)
Out of the sea

2. ACTOR 1
I brought the earth.
ACTOR (ALL M)
Out of the earth
ACTOR 1
I brought grasses and herbs,
ACTOR 1 & ALL M
seeds and roots,
ACTOR 1 & ALL F
flowers, trees, and fruit.
ACTOR 1
I put shining lights in heaven.
ACTOR 2
The great light is the sun.
ACTOR 3
The small light is the moon.
ACTOR 4
The smallest lights are the stars.
ALL
Son, moon, stars.
ACTOR 2, 3, 4
These signs mark the seasons.
ACTOR 1
Between heaven and earth my spirit soared on the wings of birds.
My creatures began to fill the world.
ACTOR 5, 6, 7
They swam in the seas.
ACTOR 8, 9, 10
They crawled in the grass.
ALL
They moved over the earth.

3. ACTOR 1
Out of myself I brought man and woman.
I gave my gifts to them.
They would be the keepers of all this beauty.
DIVIDE SO THAT THIS TRAVELS AROUND THE STAGE
Darkness, mist, water, light.
Seed, root, flower, tree and fruit.
Sun, moon, stars.
ACTORS 2, 3, 4
Creatures that swim.
ACTORS 5, 6, 7
Creatures that crawl.
ACTORS 8, 9, 10
Creatures that fly.
ALL EXCEPT ACTOR 1
Creatures that move over the earth with man and woman to care for them.
ACTOR 1
I am all this.
All this I am.
ALL (SLOWLY BUILDING TO A CACOPHONY)
I am all this.
All this I am.
SILENCE
ACTOR 1
I am all this.
All this I am.
BLACKOUT