by Eric Goudie

Created on: August 17, 2009

Time: The present. Early one morning on a beautiful midsummer's day.

Place: A bench on the edge of Central Park, in New York City.

Music # 1: Overture

Music begins. The stage is in darkness. The lights begin to rise ever so slowly, revealing the scene. The scene consists of a park bench, a garbage can, streetlamp and a fire hydrant. Large, thick undergrowth forms an impenetrable wall upstage, and two large bushes form an entrance on either side of the stage. As the lights come up it is apparent that someone is lying on the park bench, covered by a newspaper. As the Overture finishes it is replaced by the sounds of the city, intermingled with the sounds of the park. Suddenly, a loud siren goes past. The figure on the bench is startled awake, and frantically tries to pull the newspaper off of her and get up. This is Eden. She is about 20 years old and absolutely gorgeous, even though it's clear that she has been asleep on the bench all night long. She wears a tight, white "I NY" T-shirt, blue jeans and sandals. She rubs her eyes and tries to get her bearings. Once she does she looks towards the rising sun.

Music #2: What a Beautiful Day

Eden: What a beautiful day it's going to be.

Music begins, as Eden yawns, stretches and continues to look at the sunrise. Over the course of the song she will pick-up all the newspapers that are strewn about the stage (as well as any other litter), put it in the garbage, and find a small, dry tree branch, which she will pretend is a wide variety of objects: a flute, a baton, a microphone, etc.

Eden (sings):

My life's been like a journey,

A voyage on stormy waves

Back and forth across the seas

To the sunset of yesterday

I knew not where I was going

Or that today I would arrive

At this glorious place this glorious morn

It's so great to be alive!

What a beautiful day it's going to be

What a beautiful day I'm sure

Today is the day things are going to change

A beautiful day will be my cure

I've felt the rain and heard cold winds roar

My heart's been wrecked upon the rocks

I've been betrayed and sinners and saints

Got a PhD from the school of hard knocks!

What a beautiful day it's going to be

What a beautiful day I've got

Today is the day things start going my way

A beautiful day is my best shot

The song fades to underscore as Eden continues to play with the tree branch, taking an almost child-like fascination with all the things that she can pretend it is. She is clearly enjoying

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