Thursday, June 13, 2024 | Trey Comstock
Scene 1
(The upscale reception hall of an ancient home with a door Down Left. Painted on the walls are important moments in the family’s store: Niaomi and Ruth setting leaving Moab, Ruth entering the threshing barn, Ruth’s marriage to Boaz, the birth of Obed. A shepherd’s crook and sling hang on hooks by the door. Lights Up. The older brothers and Jesse stand in a huddle Up Right. They talk with hurried agitation. Jesse’s face is visible to the audience. He shows the most concern of all, gesturing at each brother in turn as if handing out instructions for battle. David, visibly younger and more carefree than the others, wanders in through the door. He stands regarding Jesse and the older brothers for a beat and then crosses to the huddle trying to get a word in edgewise.)
David: Father?
(David tries to push his way into the huddle and gets pushed away.)
David: Father?
(David tries to push way into the huddle again and gets pushed away again.)
David: (Growing frustrated) Father!
(David tries to push his way into the circle with more force and gets rebuffed with more force pushing him to the ground and sliding some distance across the floor. Jesse leaves the huddle and crosses to David. David stands up and looks up at Jesse.)
Jesse: (Exasperated) David, the Prophet Samuel has arrived in Bethlehem and desires to meet with me and your brothers. We must prepare.
David: Can I come? I’m your son too. Maybe, he wants to meet all of us?
Jesse: (With finality) The prophet is a serious and powerful man. What would he want with a petulant and music obsessed child?
(Jesse immediately rejoins the huddle without another glance at David.)
David: (Hurt) I guess I’ll go tend the sheep then?
(Jesse and the brothers do not respond. David begins to cross to the door, when he’s gone a couple of steps, and heavy knocking is heard.)
Hearld: (From offstage) The Prophet of the Lord, Samuel, requests the presence of Jesse and the sons of Jesse at a sacrifice.
(Jesse and the brothers exchange glances and, with the feeling of a battalion marching into battle begin to exit, in single file, with Jesse at the head. They nervously fidget, straightening their garments as they go. David tries to join the end of the line. He gets pushed away, falling to the floor. He stands back up. The door gets slammed in his face. David stands staring at the door for a beat and then grabs the shepherd’s crook and sling off the wall, opens the door, and exits. Blackout.)
Scene 2
(Rocky hill country, outdoors. Sheep scattered in a loose group around rocky outcroppings. A larger boulder sits at Center. A lone olive tree, growing out of boulder with visible roots, sits Down Left. Lights Up, bright. David enters Up Right. He walks to each sheep in turn.)
David: Hello! Good morning! How is your leg this morning? Were you trying to eat those thorns again? You know how that went last time. No, I don’t care that he’s mean. You can’t eat his head.
(After checking on each sheep, Daivd crosses to the Boulder at Center, climbs up on it, sets down his crook and sling, and flops over – sighing. He sits back up, fumbles around for a rock, loads it into his sling, spins it above his head taking aim at the olive tree, lets it fly, and hits the tree with an audible knock.)
David: I’m a son of Jesse, too. Why can’t I meet the Prophet? It all seems like a lot of fuss, and they look kind of scared. Samuel’s this big, powerful guy. I know I’m a kid. My brothers are bigger and stronger. They don’t sneak into the courtyard to play the lyre. But, it’s not fair.
(David picks up another rock, loads it into the sling, swings it above his head, lets it fly, and hits the tree with an audible knock.)
David: (Confused) I keep feeling like I’m supposed to be there though. This thing in my head keeps saying, “David you need to talk to Samuel.” There’s something important that I’m supposed to do and talking to Samuel will help me figure out what that is. He’s the Lord’s Prophet, if anyone can explain this, it’s him. Right? (Looks around at the silent sheep. Loses confidence.) I’m losing my mind, aren’t I?
(David picks up around rock, loads it into a the sling, and begins to swing it above his head. Still swinging, he glances suddenly Up Right. He stops swinging and stands up on the boulder holding his swing by his side. He holds that pose for a beat looking increasingly bewildered.)
David: Why is the Hearld coming this way? Why is father chasing after the Hearld? He never comes up here. I didn’t know that he enough knew how to run.
(The Hearld enters Up Right crosses halfway to the Boulder and takes a deep breath. Just before he begins to speak, Jesse enters Up Right, out of breath.)
Hearld: David, Son of Jesse, the Prophet of the Lord, Samuel, requests your presence.
Jesse: (Panting, undignified) You must come now! Make yourself presentable! You’re our last chance! God didn’t choose any of your brothers.
(David continues to stand on the boulder, holding the sling for a beat. He breaks the pose, picks up his crook, attempts to smooth his hair, and begins to exit. Jesse puts his arms around his shoulders, tries to smooth his hair, and they exit together. The Hearld exits behind them with a dignified gate. Blackout)