The Visitor in the Doorway: New one-act play about Grief (literally)
This Spring, a theater company I often work with posted a call for submissions that were inspired by specific songs (skip to my new play, THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY). The plays selected would be showcased in a one-act festival, and after each play, the song which inspired it would be sung by a talented local musician (Anne Carpenter). I glanced at the list sent out by the Executive Director, recognizing a few songs, then went to the beginning of the list and began playing 30 seconds or so of each song to feel how it resonated. When I got to this rendition of Mavis Staples singing Hard Times Come Again No More by Stephen Foster, it kind of took my breath away. I’d heard this song before and had always loved it, but there was something majestic, inspiring, bitter-sweet, sad, but hopeful, and so powerful about this version. I knew this was the song that would inspire my new play.
I literally closed my eyes and let the song wash over me as I began to visualize... This refrain…
'Tis the song, the sigh of the weary
Hard times, hard times, come again no more
Many days you have lingered around my cabin door
Oh, hard times, come again no more
I loved how the lyrics have the singer speaking to Hard Times directly, as though Hard Times is a kind of entity, a Being that is lingering around her cabin door and just won’t leave. I could feel this weary, exhausted person, who had been through so much, just begging Hard Times to finally leave. Leave her alone. Leave and don’t come back.
While this song can be about many things, to me, Hard Times, this Being hovering at the of this exhausted woman, started to morph into…well…who comes during Hard Times? Grief himself.
And the character of Grief started to form…
Grief…a sort of apologetic, self-effacing, slightly humorous, but relentless character…Endearing, a little funny, a little oafish, kind, loving, caring—but also bringing pain, heaviness, suffocation.
Grief, who really isn’t at fault for death; Grief comes after death.
Grief, who makes you not able to eat or drink or sleep…
Grief, who proves that you have loved hard enough to warrant this pain.
Grief, who helps you process loss and death and pain and love.
Grief, who comes whenever he wants to, baring him, popping over when you least (or most) expect him.
Grief, who is a bit like a roller coaster you regret stepping onto: now you’re stuck riding this roller coaster that is so much bigger than you thought it would be. There is absolutely nothing you can do because the ride cannot stop; you have to sit in your seat, eyes open or closed (you choose), screaming or being silent (you choose)—it until it’s over. When it’s finally over, you get off, and you’re grateful the ride is over, but you’re still left with shaky weak knees and stomach, and don’t feel normal for quite some time.
Grief, who, once you become familiar with, you hate to have visit again, who chokes the air out, exhausts you, terrifies you…but…also heals you.
As Grief says to the woman he visits in the play, “We have a complicated relationship.”
Premier production at Westchester Collaborative Theater, starring Emily Aronoff and Shenendoah Thompson, directed by Marna Lawrence.
THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY is about this complicated relationship. Clare has experienced more deep loss than anyone should have to go through, and she knows Grief all too well. After an unimaginable death in her family, Clare runs off to her family cabin in the woods, isolating herself from everyone who might reach out to her. The only visitor she has is this lingering, hovering, persistent, annoying one who just. won’t. leave: Grief.
In THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY, Grief tries desperately to have Clare let him inside, but she refuses to let him in. The most she gives him is one foot in the doorway. Grief remains there, metaphorically and physically, stuck in the doorway for most of the play. His work is cut out for him. The play is a dark comedy, as Grief struggles to do his job; and it’s a drama, as Clare begins to process her genuine horrible pain and loss. The humor and gravity are a necessary team—to relieve and relax us, and then to hit us with the poignancy of tragic reality, as well.
The play runs about 15-20 minutes (although I’m working on a 10-minute play version), for 2 characters (1 female and 1 male/any gender). The setting is a cabin in the woods, which can be as real or impressionistic as you desire. This play has two truly fantastic roles for actors looking for a fun, deep challenge. There are great dramatic monologues and combative banter between the pair also. A director will also enjoy digging deep into this layered play.
Premier production at Westchester Collaborative Theater, starring Emily Aronoff and Shenendoah Thompson, directed by Marna Lawrence.
I was happy that THE VISITOR IN THE DOORWAY was selected for production at Westchester Collaborative Theater’s Living Music Event and I was so fortunate to have this amazing team bring it to life: Marna Lawrence directed it; Shenendoah Thompson played Grief and Emily Aronoff played Clare. They did a beautiful, remarkable job with this challenging play and the audience response was outstandingly positive. I was able to attend opening night and had the honor of speaking with many audience members at the opening reception, who shared how the play spoke to them and their personal journeys of loss and grief (and our small team working on the play was equally affected, one with very present grief). And to me, with my own personal relationship with Grief, this play gave me the opportunity to literally voice some of the very complicated love-hate feelings I have surrounding this entity in my life.
You can read an excerpt from the play here. The excerpt takes you about up until the point where Clare says Grief’s name for the first time (when the audience will get the reveal of who this mysterious visitor is). After this moment, once Clare and Grief are more open about his business there, they get into the meat of their relationship.
For the complete play, click below: