Chicago was first performed on Good Friday, in 1965, at Theatre Genesis, St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, with the following cast:
| POLICEMAN: | Warren Finnerty | |
| STU: | Kevin O’Connor | |
| JOY: | Lyn Hutt | |
| MYRA: | Lenette Reuben | |
| JOE: | Paul Plummer | |
| SALLY: | Susanne English | |
| JIM: | Lee Kissman |
It was directed by Ralph Cook on a double bill with The Customs Collector in Baggy Pants by Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Chicago was subsequently presented at Cafe La Mama on March 13,1966, on a double bill with This is the Rill Speaking by Lanford Wilson and again on March 17, 1966, on a triple bill with The Recluse by Paul Foster and Thank You, Miss Victoria by William M. Hoffman.
Chicago was presented off-Broadway at the Martinique Theatre as part of 6 From La Mama by Circle in the Square. It was directed by Tom O’Horgan. It opened April 12,1966, with the following cast:
| POLICEMAN: | Warren Finnerty | |
| STU: | Kevin O’Connor | |
| JOY: | Lyn Hutt | |
| MYRA: | Jacque Lynn Colton | |
| JOE: | Victor Lipari | |
| SALLY: | Stephanie Gordon | |
| JIM: | Michael Warren Powell |
The lights dim down in the house. A POLICEMAN comes out in front of the curtain with a club. He beats the curtain several times with the club, then walks into the audience and up the center aisle. He goes to the back of the house and bangs his club three times on the back of a chair. Someone reciting the “Gettysburg Address” comes on very loudly through the sound system. The curtains open. The lights come up slowly on a bare stage. Upstage center STU is sitting in a bathtub splashing water and talking in a singsong manner. The “Gettysburg Address” fades out as STU continues.
STU: And ya’ walk through the town. With yer head on the ground. And ya’ look all around through the town fer yer dog. Your dog Brown. He’s yellow but ya’ call him Brown anyhow. And sit in the hay. And ya’ say. What a day. This is it. It’s the day that ya’ say is okay. Anyway. Anyhow. You know by now. That yer dog is dead and ya’ don’t care anyhow. ’Cause ya’ didn’t really like him in the first place. So ya’ say. What a day. In the hay. Anyway. And ya’ walk through the town and around. Then ya’ see another tree. And ya’ pee on the ground. ’Cause it’s nice and ya’ don’t think twice. Ya’ just do and it’s done. And it’s fun. Ho, ho.
JOY: (Off right) Biscuits!
STU: Biscuits in the sun. And ya’ run. And it’s fun. Ya’ have a gun. It’s yer own. Ya’ don’t care. You can even shoot a bear. If ya’ have any hair. If ya’ don’t. Ya’ don’t. If ya’ do. It’s true. And yer through anywho.
JOY: (Off right) Biscuits are ready!
STU: Teddy and Freddy and all the stupid people having fun with a gun. And ya’ run all around. Through the town. What a way. To spend a day. In the hay. By the way. It’s okay. Stay away.
JOY: Biscuits! Biscuits! Come on!
(She goes off right. STU stands suddenly in the bathtub; he is wearing long pants and tennis shoes without a shirt.)
STU: Just a second! Just a second!
(JOY comes back on from right.)
JOY: What?
STU: A towel.
JOY: Just a second.
(She goes off right.)
STU: If it was warm I could go without a towel. Seeing as how it’s cold, I’ll need one.
(JOY comes back on with a towel; she throws it at STU, then goes back off right. STU stays standing up in the tub drying himself.)
Thanks.
JOY: (Off right) Okay.
STU: I meant if the sun were out. That kind of warmth. Not just warm but a sun kind of warmth. You know? Like the beach.
JOY: (Off right) The beach has sun.
STU: I know. You just lie there and the sun dries you and the sand gets all stuck to you. It sticks all over. In your toes. In your ears. Up your crotch. Aaah! Sand between your legs! Aaah! Sticking in your pores. Goddamn!
(He sits back down in the tub and puts the towel over his head; he talks like an old lady, using the towel as a bandanna.)
All you young little girlies out there paradin’ around in yer flimsies. Makes me all ashamed and pink in the face to think a’ that.
JOY: (Off right) What?
STU: Two-pieces and one-pieces and bare-chested things going on. No upbringin’. That’s it. That’s where it comes from. A lack a’ concern on the part a’ the parents and all. Flimsy morality. Dirty shame.
(JOY comes on fast from right.)
JOY: Cold biscuits! Do you dig cold biscuits? The butter’s cold, too. The jam’s cold. I hope you’re glad.
(She goes off right. STU stands again with the towel still draped over his head; he talks like an old lady.)
STU: Looky here, missy. Don’t be so high and mighty and flashy, all of a sudden. Just ’cause ya’ got big boobies. Thank the Lord fer that. But that happens to be a gift. Ya’ were bestowed with that chest a’ yours. And don’t forget it. Praise the Lord!
JOY: (Off right) Fuck off!
(STU takes the towel off his head and starts drying himself again; he talks in a normal voice.)
STU: Biscuits. Who needs biscuits at this hour? Who ever needs biscuits? Joy?
JOY:(Off right) What?
STU: Who needs biscuits?
JOY: Peasants in Mexico.
STU: Peasants make their own. Biscuits were invented to trick people into believing they’re really eating food! They aren’t any good at all. They’re just dough. A hunk of dough that goes down and makes a gooey ball in your stomach. It makes you feel full. Biscuits are shit!
(JOY throws a bunch of biscuits from off right; they hit STU in the head, STU picks one up and takes a bite out of it, he sits back down in the tub and continues eating the biscuit; a phone rings off left, JOY crosses the stage and exits left still wearing the nightgown, she answers the phone, she talks off left.)
JOY: Hello. Hi. Oh, you’re kidding. Is that right? Oh Myra. Well when’s he leaving? He left? He’s gone? You do? Oh fine. Yes. I got the job. Yes, it’s final. Well they called last night. Last night. Uh-huh. Two weeks. A week maybe. The sooner the better. I’ll see. Well I have a few things to do. Yes. Okay. ’Bye.
(She hangs up; she comes on from left dressed in a bra and slip, she crosses the stage.)
How’s your biscuit?
STU: Good. How’s yours?
(She exits right.)
JOY: (Off right) Myra’s coming.
STU: Did you say you got the job? Did I hear you say that?
JOY: I said Myra’s coming.
STU: On the phone. Did you say you got the job?
JOY: Yes.
(STU stand suddenly in the tub and starts yelling.)
STU: You did not!
JOY: (Off right) Yes!
STU: They hired you!
JOY: Yes!
STU: Good! I’m really glad!
JOY: Good!
STU: I’m really, really glad. When are you going?
(JOY comes on from right brushing her hair and still wearing the bra and slip.)
JOY: Oh, I don’t know.
STU: You don’t?
JOY: Soon.
STU: Good.
(JOY climbs into the tub with STU.)
Don’t! You can’t get in here!
JOY: How come?
STU: Because there’s not enough water.
JOY: Don’t be stupid. We can fill it up.
STU: It’ll overflow.
JOY: Myra’s coming.
STU: You told me.
(JOY kisses STU; they embrace for a while, then sit in the tub facing each other; JOY brushes her hair.)
JOY: It’s really nice out here.
STU: Out where?
JOY: On the water.
STU: (Putting the towel on his head and talking like an old lady) All you young things are the same. Corny. Corny young girls. That’s what.
JOY: I love the water.
STU: Ya’ all love the water. Water in the nighttime. With the moon hangin’ over yer filthy little head.
JOY: It’s so quiet.
STU: Yeah. Ya’ like the quiet ’cause ya’ don’t take the time to listen when it’s not quiet.
JOY: Listen to the waves.
STU: Listen yerself, missy. I heard water slappin’ on the pier before. I got ears.
JOY: I could stay here forever. Feel the breeze.
STU: A corny young virgin. That’s what.
JOY: It’s so nice.
(She leans over the side of the tub as though it were a boat.)
STU: Nice, nice. No nicer than most things.
JOY: Look at the fish.
(STU leans over and looks.)
STU: Them’s barracuda, lady. They eat people when they feel like it.
JOY: They wouldn’t eat me.
STU: They’d eat you like nobody’s business.
JOY: They’re really big.
STU: Big as they come.
(MYRA comes on from left dressed in a fur coat and dark glasses and carrying a suitcase. She stands looking on.)
JOY: That’s awful.
STU: See the way they flash around. That’s ’cause they’re hungry.
JOY: Really?
STU: Starvin’ to death.
JOY: Damn.
STU: Just lookin’ fer a nice young virgin.
JOY: They don’t eat people.
STU: Just lookin’ fer somethin’ to bite.
(He grabs her and tries to push her out of the tub.)
JOY: Stop it!
STU: All them fishies gettin’ ready fer a feast.
JOY: Cut it out!
(They stand struggling with each other.)
STU: Big striped fishes with long teeth and pink tongues.
JOY: Stop!
STU: (Normal voice) They like you. They want you for their very own. They want to eat you up!
JOY: No!
(They kiss for a while.)
STU: Myra’s here.
MYRA: Hello, Joy. Are you ready?
JOY: No.
STU: She’s ready.
JOY: I am not.
STU: She got hired.
(JOY climbs out of the tub and starts brushing her hair.)
MYRA: It’s a good job.
JOY: It’s all right.
(JOY exits right brushing her hair, MYRA follows behind her, they go off. STU stands looking down at the floor.)
STU: Tough luck, fish. You’re really ugly anyway. Eat some little fish. Minnows or something. Seaweed. Try some seaweed for a change. You’re going to be in bad shape if you keep going around like that. In schools. In all that crappy black water. Bumping your dumb heads into rocks and boulders and making your tongues bleed. Stupid. Swim. Go ahead. Let me see you. Don’t just hang there treading water.
(He kneels down in the tub looking over the edge.)
What’s wrong? I see you, stupid. Go down. Dive or something. Beat it! All right! Stay there. See if I care.
(He lies back in the tub and puts his feet up on the edge.)
You can’t wait forever. You’ll have to go when it gets dark. People will start looking for you when it gets dark. They’ll be out in boats. They’ll have long hip boots and pipes and mosquito juice on their faces. They’ll have bottles of worms and poles for you. They’ll get in all their little boats and push them out in the water. Then they’ll whisper to each other about what a nice night it is and how still it is and look at all the fireflies. Then they’ll row very softly out to the middle. Out in the deep part. And they’ll break out their thermos bottles full of coffee and split-pea soup. And they’ll drink and whisper about you. About how big you are and how striped you are and how nice it would be to have your head cut off and mounted over the fireplace. They’ll get out their poles and the worms and the hooks and drop them over the side. The worm will just float for a while, then he’ll have a little spasm and wriggle on the hook. Then he’ll drown and sink all the way to the bottom and die in front of your long noses. You’ll watch him for a while, see. Then you’ll move a little bit. You’re pretty hungry but you’re not sure. So you take your time. You’re down there moving slowly around this worm, taking your time. And they’re up there drinking split-pea soup and grinning and pointing at the moon and the pier and all the trees. You’re both hung up.
(The phone rings off left, JOY crosses the stage and exits left. STU remains standing and looking off left.)
JOY: (Off left) Hello. How are you, Joe? Sure. Okay. Yes, I got the job. Of course. How about you? Well, pretty soon I guess. Yes, I bought my ticket. Uh-huh. Well, as soon as I can. Yes. Sure. Come on over. Okay. Good. ’Bye.
(She hangs up and comes on from left carrying a fishing pole; she crosses to STU and kisses him on the stomach, then exits right.)
STU: That was Joe, huh?
(He sits.)
JOY: (Off right) Yes. He’s coming over.
STU: Good.
MYRA: (Off right) Good biscuits, Joy.
JOY: They’re all right.
STU: Are you packing, Joy?
JOY: What?
STU: Are you getting your stuff ready?
JOY: Yes.
STU: That’s going to be a good trip.
JOY: I guess so.
STU: All that way on a train. The seats fold back so you can sleep if you want to. You can look out the window too. You can see all kinds of different houses and people walking around.
(JOE comes on from left wearing a suit and dark glasses and carrying a fishing pole and a suitcase; he looks at STU for a while, then crosses the stage and exits right.)
They have one whole car where you eat. And another car just for drinking. The tables are nailed to the floor so they don’t jiggle. You can buy a whole dinner for about five bucks. They even give you a full pitcher of ice water. They just leave it on the table so you don’t have to keep asking for water. And a silver cup full of toothpicks. You sit there and pick your teeth and look out the window. Then you have to leave. They force you to leave because there’s a whole line of people waiting to eat. They’re all hungry.
JOY: (Off right) Hi, Joe.
JOE: (Off right) Hi.
MYRA: (Off right) Have a biscuit.
JOE: Thanks.
STU: They stop once in a while but you can only get off at the big stations. You can only get off at places like Saint Louis or Cincinnati. None of the small towns. And your butt aches after a while. Your butt really starts to ache. You can hardly stand it. So you have to get up and walk around. Up and down the aisles. Back and forth.
JOE: (Off right) Hm. Real butter.
JOY: (Off right) Yes. It’s starting to melt though.
STU: Your butt aches so bad that your legs even start to ache. Your legs can fall asleep on a train. Then your feet. You have to walk fast. It’s better to sit in the restroom because you can stretch. You can stretch your legs out in there. And there’s old men in there taking nips on little wine bottles. They get drunk in there and throw up on the floor. Their wives don’t even know it because they’re asleep in the folding chairs.
MYRA: (Off right) Delicious.
JOE: (Off right) Good jam, too.
STU: Then everyone falls asleep. Almost everyone at once. It’s dark so they figure they have to, I guess. The porter turns the lights out and right away everyone’s asleep. There’s a little girl running up and down the aisle. She doesn’t make any noise because everyone’s sleeping. There’s a Marine making it with somebody’s wife because her husband’s drunk in the restroom. There’s a cowboy picking his teeth and spitting little gobs of food into the aisle. Some fat guy is farting and he doesn’t even know it. The smell drifts down the aisle and stinks up the whole car. One fart after another. Big windy farts that sort of make a whizzing sound. Nobody can hear him but it stinks the whole car up.
(SALLY enters from left wearing dark glasses, fur coat, and carrying a suitcase and a fishing pole; she watches STU for a while, then crosses to the tub and stands there.)
He moves a little in the seat because he can feel it, I guess. His wife moves a little and rubs her nose. Then they keep on sleeping. The car stinks more and more. The smell gets into the seats and the pillows and the rug. Everyone’s smelling it at the same time. They sleep more and more. Then it’s morning.
SALLY: Hi.
STU: (Sitting up and yawning) Whew! What time is it?
SALLY: Seven.
STU: Are you going, too?
SALLY: Yep.
STU: Do you have all your stuff?
SALLY: Yep.
STU: It’s a good day to leave.
SALLY: Why?
STU: I mean’s it’s sunny. The sun’s out.
SALLY: It’s cold though.
STU: But when the sun’s out you don’t notice it.
SALLY: I guess. I’m going to eat.
STU Okay.
(She exits right.)
The water’s up. The sun’s on the water already.
(He stands and yells off right.)
Hey, everybody! The sun’s on the water!
MYRA: (Off right) Really?
STU: Yeah. And the tide’s up. We should take a swim.
JOY: (Off right) It’s too early.
(STU puts the towel over his head.)
STU: (Talking like an old lady) Dainty little things. Too early. Too early to swim. Water’s too cold. There’s a little bitty wind skippin’ over the sand. The shells are too sharp for them dainty feet. Tsk, tsk. Got to wear your tennies on account of the shells.
(JIM comes on from left wearing a suit and dark glasses and carrying a suitcase and fishing pole; he watches STU.)
Got to wear a shirty on account of the sun. Can’t lay around in the sand on account of your crotch. Smear a lot a’ chicken fat on yer tiny fragile legs. Get back in the cabin, girlie! Don’t go faintin’ on the beach!
JIM: Are you going, Stu?
STU: (Still old lady) None a’ yer business, sonny! Get away from this beach! Go on! Get off my sand! Get away from the shells! Git! Git!
JIM: Hey Stu.
(He gives STU the finger and goes off right.)
STU: That don’t shock me, sonny! I been around. That kind a’ smut don’t bother no one nowadays. This is the twentieth century, buddy!
MYRA: (Off right) Hi, Jim.
JIM: (Off right) Hi.
JOY: Are you ready?
JIM: Sure.
STU: You ain’t gonna’ bother nobody nowadays. You’re a bunch a’ sissies! A bunch a’ pantywaists! Nobody cares about the likes a’ you! No moxy! No spunk! Can’t even swim on account a’ the smoke ya’ put in your lungs. A bunch a’ fatsoes. A bunch a’ fag-prancin’ around. Dancin’ in the streets with yer make-up on. Swishin’ into yer gay restaurants! No balls! That’s what! No hair on yer chest!
JOE: (Off right) Do you have everything?
MYRA: (Off right) I think so.
JIM: Toothpaste?
JOY: Yep.
STU: (Still old lady) Anyway the water’s up. There won’t be a boat for days. They don’t come in when it’s high like this. The tide and all. Boats are chicken, too. Chickens run boats. A bunch a’ cowards. They’ll wait for it to calm. It’ll warm up and they’ll come in with their sails down and their nets hangin’ over the edge. They’ll all be drinkin’ gin and singin’ sea songs. They’ll all be horny for the young virgins that walk the beaches in their two-piece flimsy things. Then they’ll come onto the land and start screwing everything in sight. The boats’ll be hung up for days because everybody’s screwing on the beach. They’ll like it more and more. Once they get the taste for it they won’t stop. The boats will be there for months because everybody’s screwing. Nobody wants to go nowhere because screwing is all they need. Screwing and screwing. And all those boats just sitting out there with their sails down and their nets hanging and rotting in the sun. Years go by and they’re still screwing. Old sailors with bald heads and old virgins with gray hair. The whole beach littered with bodies on top of each other. The boats are sinking! All those rotten boats falling into the ocean. One at a time. They sink. Pieces of wood float and wash up onto the beach but nobody cares. Nobody needs boats or wood or sails or nets. There’s a whole new crop of corny virgins walking around. Up and down the beach in their two-pieces. Nobody stops. More babies from the virgins. Males and females up and down the beach. No clothes anymore. A mound of greasy bodies rolling in sperm and sand sticking to their backs and sand in their hair. Hair growing all over. Down to their feet. Pubic hair without bows or ribbons.
(He talks in normal voice and takes the towel off his head.)
Hair on their toes. Fires! Fires at night. All over the island there’s huge fires flaring and they all lie around. They lie there fucking by the fire and picking each other’s nose. They lick each other’s arms and growl and purr and fart all they want to. They roll around farting and spitting and licking up and down. Long tongues and wet legs. Then they build a house. A big house way up on the side of a hill. It takes a year to build. It’s one house with one room and fire pit in the middle. They all go in and sit on the floor and make rugs. They make rugs because the floor is cold and they don’t like the cold. They start weaving and sewing. Big huge heavy rugs with fringe around the edge and diamond shapes in the middle. Orange and red rugs with yellow diamonds. They stop screwing, see, and they just make rugs. All day. Years of making rugs until the whole house is covered. The walls are covered and the ceiling and the floor. The windows are blocked up and they sit. The fire’s out because of the rugs. It’s warm. They’re very warm inside. Sitting. It’s dark, see. Pitch black and no sound. Because of the rugs. Then they start to giggle. One of them starts and they all start. One after another until they can’t stop. The whole house is giggling. Then they scream, see. They start screaming all together because they can’t breathe. On account of the rugs. The rugs are all sewn together and it’s very warm. It’s boiling hot inside. They start to sweat and run around. They bump into each other because it’s dark. They can’t see so they hit and claw each other with their nails. They have long nails. They kick and scream and the sweat is rolling off them. They can’t breathe and it’s hot. They’re screaming, see.
(Off stage right the actors giggle, STU sits slowly in the bathtub, the giggling stops.)
And they come out. One at a time. They walk in a line out of the house. One behind the other. Down the side of the hill. Through the woods. They don’t say anything. They don’t even breathe. They just walk in a line. Down to the beach. They walk across the beach and right into the water. One behind the other. They just keep walking until you can’t see them anymore.
(He lies back in the tub so that his head is out of view and his feet hang over the edge. JOY comes on from right dressed in a bright red hat and a red dress; she is pulling a wagon loaded with all the suitcases. The rest of the actors come on whistling and cheering, they all hold their fishing poles, they stand in a group stage right waving and throwing kisses at JOY as JOY backs up slowly with the wagon waving back to them.)
MYRA: Have a good time!
SALLY: So long, Joy!
JOE: So long!
JIM: Good luck out there!
JOE: See you, babe!
JIM: ’Bye!
JOE: ’Bye, ’bye!
JOY: ’Bye!
MYRA: Say hello for me!
JOE: Don’t forget!
JIM: Have fun!
JOE: Good luck!
JOY: Thanks!
JOE: See you later!
(JOY keeps backing up with the wagon and exits left. The four actors throw kisses, then walk slowly downstage; they stand in a line across the stage facing the audience, then they all cast their lines into the audience. They sit simultaneously and look at the audience while holding their poles.)
STU: (With his head still unseen) Then the water goes out again because it’s nighttime. I guess it goes out. Yes. At night the water always goes out. And the sand gets all dry in the place where the water used to be. You can hear it making little slapping sounds and getting farther away from the pier. There’s a breeze sort of. One of those high breezes that just hits the top of your head and blows paper cups down the beach. Your back shivers a little and you get goose bumps on your legs. Your toes start to sweat. The sweat runs down between your toes and your feet swell up and stick to your socks. You can’t move because your feet are stuck. You can’t move your head. Your head stays straight and your eyes are wide open. You can’t blink your eyes. Your hands sweat just like your feet. Your fingers swell up like your toes.
(The lights start to dim slowly.)
The sweat runs down your arms and down your legs. You’re looking out and you can see the water. You can see it in the dark because it’s white. Like milk. The whole top is covered with milk. It smells. Your nose is burning from the smell but you can’t move. You keep looking to the other side. The smell gets worse and your ears start to hum. You can see these little clots on the other side. These lights. Your eyes stay open. Then you move. You start to move slowly up the beach. Your feet hurt and your nose is bleeding from the smell. Then you see the light again. And they blink. One after the other. Between the trees. You can see them blinking. On and off. A whole town.
(JOY backs on stage from left again pulling the wagon; she exits right.)
Your eyes start blinking with the lights. Your feet start moving. You can feel them move inside your socks. Then your arms. You’re running. You can feel the breathing. Panting sort of. The wind comes in through your nose and dries the blood. You can taste it. Your mouth opens and the wind comes in. Your body’s moving. The sweat dries on your legs. You’re going now. Much faster and the breathing gets harder. You can see the lights better now. Yellow lights between the trees. The smell stops. The humming stops. The lights go out.
(The lights come up to their full brightness, STU jumps out of the bathtub and crosses very fast downstage center facing the audience, the other actors remain sitting and staring at the audience.)
STU: Good! (He breathes in and out very fast.) That’s great! See my stomach. In and out. It’s breathing. I’m taking it in. The air. What a fine bunch of air I’m taking in. Now I’m taking it in through my nose. See. (He breathes through his nose.) Aaah! Great! Now my mouth. (He breathes through his mouth.) Good! In and out! Ladies and gentlemen, the air is fine! All this neat air gathered before us! It’s too much!
(The other actors start to breathe slowly, gradually, making sounds as they inhale and exhale.)
The place is teeming with air. All you do is breathe. Easy. One, two. One, two. In. Out. Out, in. I learned this in fourth grade. Breathing, ladies and gentlemen! Before your very eyes. Outstanding air. All you need to last a day. Two days. A week. Month after month of breathing until you can’t stop. Once you get the taste of it. The hang of it. What a gas. In your mouth and out your nose. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s fantastic!
(They all breathe in unison as JOY backs on stage from right pulling the wagon; she exits slowly left as the lights dim and go out. There are three loud knocks from the back of the house.)