Eloise - The Musical

Act I: Scene I
Click to listen to music
Chloe enters from the audience dressed in a beautiful blue ball gown and a
spotlight following her as she sings.
As Chloe enters the room where
Freeman is writing at his desk the
room lights up.Freeman joins in
at the end of the song to form
a duet. Chloe continues humming
as she moves from room to room.
Each room she enters lights up
showing another inhabitant.

Chloe
Can I forget the sunshine in this night of sorrow?
Can I forget because you bid me dear?
Give up the past because our life holds no tomorrow?
Heart of my heart!

Freeman/Chloe
...Heart of my heart! Heart of my heart!
Can I forget the love...

Chloe
...of yester-year?

Freeman
Whispers in the halls
Ghosts in darkened rooms
Long have these walls
Warned of grief and doom

Beatrice
Locked up in my mind
I witness horrid scenes

Bennett & Beatrice
There is nowhere to hide

Bennett
from her whispers...

Beatrice
... my dreams


Beatrice, Bennett, and Freeman
In the asylum
in my mind
she is haunting me
from another time
the asylum in my mind
Enter Tommy and Harry through the front doors.

Gertrude
Are you the boys Dr. Bennett hired from Detroit Mercy?

Tommy & Harlow
Yes Ma’am

Gertrude
The doctor will be down in a minute to show you your duties.

Which one of you is Harlow?
(Harry raises his hand)
You’re to take charge of Bee. She lives across the street in the farm complex. You can see it through the window there. You must bring her breakfast and dinner; though she prefers to each lunch in the cafeteria. Bee’s scared off her last few caretakers, so just make sure you’re not alone with her. The doctor keeps her across the road because her mother was a friend to the owner. Or at least that’s what the doctor says. It’s more likely that he doesn’t want to hear her fits. Scares the life right out of ya.

You must be Tommy. Our librarian moved away recently, and the library doesn’t need much upkeep - only on the weekends really.
This main buildin’ is called the courthouse, and this main area ‘the ballroom’. It used to be the county house where they’d have court, and when there wasn’t court they’d have the local entertainment here including some of the finest balls in the country. It wasn’t until a few years ago that this building became a part of the asylum.

Tommy
Where do we stay?

Gertrude
There’s a loft above the library. I hope you brought enough bedding. It gets quite cold here in the winter. I also must warn you. The workers and residents here are quite used to it by now, but this asylum makes strange sounds sometimes. There’s tale of a woman committing suicide here years ago. At night, some of the workers have even heard her singing...
enter Dr. Bennett

Dr. Bennett
That’s enough Gertrude. No reason to frighten our new guests away...yet! I trust it was easy to find?

Harlow
It’s like it’s own city just outside Detroit.

Dr. Bennett
Remind me to introduce you to the ‘Mayor’ of this city tomorrow. There are over 10,000 people living here. 8000 patients, and just over 2000 employees. There’s a fire department, police station, school, and even the library which you’ll be working in. Everyone here has a job. The patients mostly work on the farm complex across the way. Some work in the bakery here.

Gertrude
The best bread in all of Michigan!

Dr. Bennett
Come. I’ll introduce you to Beatrice.

Company
In the asylum
in my mind
she is haunting me from another time
the asylum in my mind
(fade out)
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Act I: Scene II

INTRODUCTIONS
Beatrice’s room softly lit with candles.

Beatrice
Can I forget the sunshine in this night of sorrow?
Can I forget because you bid me dear?
Give up the past because my life holds no tomorrow?

There’s a knock on the door.

Come in.

Enter Dr. Bennett, Tommy, and Harry.

Dr. Bennett
Bee, I’ve brought some gentlemen to meet you. This is Mr. Anders, and Mr. Davok. Mr. Davok is charged to care for you.

Beatrice
Are you from the city?

Harlow
Not originally, but we’re going to the University of Detroit Mercy.

Tommy
(somewhat smitten) Yeah, but don’t ask Harry what he’s going to study. He has no idea what he’s going to do with his life.

Beatrice
That’s good. Because you’re here for a reason Mr. Davok.

Harlow
If you mean a place to stay, and money in my pocket you’ve got it spot on.

Beatrice
No, something much more important than...

Dr. Bennett
Bee... (warning her, and turning to Harlow) Mr. Davok, you are to bring her food for breakfast and dinner, and any book she desires. She doesn’t like to travel around the estate because her hallucinations increase. Once a week you will deep clean her room with Gertrude - the woman you met in the courthouse. You are never to be alone with her. She hallucinates, and though Beatrice may look fragile she becomes dangerous very quickly. When you’re on duty I expect you to help Mr. Anders with the library when you’re not tending to Beatrice. Understood?

Harlow
Yes sir.

Dr. Bennett
(as they’re leaving)I’ll get Gertrude to feed you, and I’m sure you’ve had enough adventure to tire you out for the night.

Beatrice
Pleasure to have met you Mr. Davok, Mr. Anders.

Thomas
Pleasure’s ours Ma’am.

Beatrice
I suppose I’ll see you for breakfast Mr. Davok.

Harlow
Suppose so.

Enter Freeman. As he enters Beatrice has a visceral reaction to him, and moves away from him.

Freeman
I have some good news for you Bee. I’ve secured a place for you at one of my other hospitals in Maine. It’s absolutely gorgeous there...

Beatrice
I didn’t ask to leave here.

Freeman
This was my decision. I thought it would be better to give you closer supervision. Who knows, maybe the new scenery would help you.

Beatrice
This is my home.

Freeman
I know it will be hard. All change in life is hard.

Beatrice
This is all I’ve ever known. Do you want to take that away from me?

Freeman
End of discussion. It wasn’t really supposed to be a discussion. I just wanted to let you know.

Freeman exits. She tidies her room as she sings. As she finishes she falls asleep in bed

Beatrice
Why won’t he look at me?
Is he so ashamed?
I know nothing more than these four walls
and now he wants to take even that
to take me away from my home.

This is all I know
All my books and comfort
This is all I know
A man like him could
Never understand

But this new man
Davok has kind eyes
Though doubting
I feel a strength
Beyond anyone I’ve met
I may be saved yet
To stay here in my home

For this is all I know
All my books and comfort
This is all I know
A man like him could
Never understand
...but Harlow
Harlow...
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Freeman is sitting at his desk writing. Dr. Bennett is above him.

Bennett
I realize what a difficult decision this was for you. It’s the best thing for her.
(Freeman glances at bennett - pause)
The best thing - the only thing you can do for her is to let her get the treatment she needs.

Freeman
Thank you for your professional opinion Dr. Bennett. It will certainly be a load off of my back.

Bennett
We’ve tried everything to help her except what she really needs. It will be easier for you if you don’t know what they’re doing. You have too soft a disposition to use the modern techniques on her.

Knock at the door
Freeman
Come in.
enter Thomas and Harlow
Good morning boys. Did you sleep well?

Harlow
Actually I slept like a baby. Apparently Thomas didn’t sleep a wink though.

Thomas
I swear I heard humming all night.

Dr. Bennett
That must’ve been my pet ghost. I actually have one chained up in the basement of the library. If she doesn’t hum all night long she doesn’t get a cookie in the morning.

Freeman
(chuckling to himself) He’s only joking. Now, I just have some paperwork for you to sign before I send you off to work. (hands them paperwork and pens) Just sign at the Xs. This is just to make sure you stay around for the duration of the year, and to let you know that we’re not liable for our patient’s actions if they somehow hurt you in any way. Though, if something unfortunate happens I personally take pride in taking care of our employees.
pause
Any questions?
Thomas and Harry hand back their paperwork signed and shake their heads

Harlow
Nope.

Dr. Bennett
Good, then after you’ve a bite for breakfast let’s put you to work. Thomas I need you to start putting books away, and check the lists at the front counter to make sure we have all of the books back from the patients when they’re due. Harlow, you need to take Bee’s breakfast up to her, and you can join Thomas when you’re through. If you have any questions from now on ask Gertrude. She’s generally in this building or one of the asylum buildings. Unfortunately I’m generally quite busy with the patients.

Harlow
(exiting) Thanks, we’ll get right to it.

Thomas
Hey, when do we get paid?

Harlow
Sorry, he means he’s excited to get to work. (exit Harlow and Thomas)

Dr. Bennett
That reminds me. I’ll need to be taking some more trips to Detroit. Once the new buildings are finished we’ll need even more hands to deal with the patients including some new specialists from the college.

Freeman
You know you can spend whatever money you need.

Dr. Bennett
Thank you. (exit Dr. Bennett)

Freeman
Somehow I envy her
to be free
far away
from this hellish dream

She was such a sullen widow
How could I let her fall?
I felt the danger in the wind
Though I couldn’t hear her call

Your memory’s so distant now
Though I remember your sweet smell
From my guilt and sorrow
I’ve spent many nights in hell

What would I give
To hold you once more
Without your love
What is life for?

I can’t remember the face
I loved so long ago...


{That fateful night
I should have seen
I would hurt you so
I can never let you go



Or not told you the truth


My mind isn’t right it seems
Locked up tight within these walls
I see faces in the windows
I hear whispers in the hall


Memories so distant
Like a sickening weed they’ve grown
A happy kind of madness
Like a fire from below

I can’t even remember the face
I loved so long ago...}
Blackout.
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