GERALD BURNS is a Harvard senior, living in Adams House; he has studied with Archibald Macleish. His play, The Prophet, was first produced in Agassiz Theatre as an HDC Workshop on May 11, 1960. Of his play and others, Mr. Burns says, "The Prophet is largely a physical experiment in uses of staging. In general, I'm against self-conscious plays; and I dislike anti-plays in particular. I don't like plays that could have been written more effectively as essays--didactic essays. I like plot. I like colors, movement, and loud noises. What The Prophet tries to do is what all fantasy does, take a basically incredible theme, and develop it as logically and as realistically as possible."
CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
Beggar. Soothsayer. Scene I--Just outside the town of Armageddon Scene II--Armageddon Scene III--Just like Scene I Scene IV--Armageddon SCENE I Just outside Armageddon. The time is one o'clock in the afternoon. The first scene is acted in front of the closed curtain. The only furniture is a bench, which is downstage right. MINISTER (offstage right). Let's get a move on, Martha, I see a bench just ahead. (Enter the Minister and his wife, right. He is carrying a large suitcase, an umbrella, and a canteen. She carries another, smaller suitcase covered with travel stickers, and has a huge purse slung from her shoulder. He wears a black, vested suit with Episcopalian collar; She is plainly and decently dressed, past middle age and, like her husband, obviously of tough pioneer stock. They both seem overheated and fatigued.) MARTHA. Edward, please wait.... Edward, listen to me! MINISTER. We can rest here for a few minutes. (They reach the bench and sit down heavily. He unstraps the canteen and passes it to her.) Read more in News
