One in the Beginning, Two in the End
Residents of Eden’s Hollow
Moishe Lovestonosh – A fishmonger. (Joel Taras)
Rufus Kahn – A fisherman. (Tom Edwards)
Zebulon Nebuchadnezzar – A shepherd. (Chris Bullough)
Benjamin Barnabas – A baker. (Michael Watt)
Sam Ael – A fallen angel. (Randy Brososky)
Chad Luke – Jesus’ #1 Fan. (Kristi Hansen)
Sharron – Manager of Herod’s department store. (Caley Suliak)
John – One of The Little Guitar Boys. (Jason Hardwick)
Salomé – Deli owner. (Stephanie Wolfe)
Myrrh Incense – Town scribe. (Kirsten Throndson)
GOD (our Director) - Jake Tkaczyk
Musical Messiah - Paul Morgan Donald
Producer - Nicole Thibault
Technical Magic - Olivia Bogaard
The Original Writer Downer of Things - Jim Cej
Act I
In the town square, we meet the residents of Eden’s Hollow.
Salome and Benjamin have shops near each other. He is surprised to hear that Salome sells bagels. Flat bagels. He sells non-flat bagels. She tries one. It has notes of bubble gum and shoelaces. She demands to know where he got the recipe. He points to his head, but she is skeptical.
Moishe and Rufus talk about the fish. Moishe says that people complain that they cannot understand his wandering accent. Sharron has a proposition for them. Herod’s can make life easier for them. Herod’s is looking at expanding. Maybe they can communicate to the masses about the store that will rival all stores.
Myrrh interviews John. He wants to be sure that she mentions his twin brother, Paul. They both play guitar. She finds it strange to hear of a band with two guitarists. He plays a bit of music about his friend Michael and his boat. John and Paul had a great band. There were three, but then one left. He was the little drummer boy. He was invited to this big birthday party and played a solo. Sam bursts in, looking for his sheep. She says that they were just talking, but Sam thinks they should be completely honest.
Zeb and Chad are counting sheep on the mountainside. They’ve come a long way since they did it when they were younger, and on ilicit substances. Zeb says that they can leave their horrific past behind them. Chad thinks mom would be so proud of them. Would she, though? Their family name is tarnished, but the land lives on. Their brotherly love will nourish them while their family is far away. Chad wishes that Zeb would come to Jerusalem to see Jesus. Chad has to spread the word and make amends. Zeb needs Chad to be there with him. Chad has to make his own family now.
Salome demands to know who Benjamin is. She feels that she shouldn’t confide in him, but his bagels reminds her of her long departed family. Maybe they can work together? My deli, your bagels. My deli, your bagels. They agree to shake on it, but aren’t clear on how that’s done.
Sam can see that Myrrh and John have the hots for each other. For journalistic integrity, she feels that she should should continue her interview alone. Sam takes the hint and leaves them. Moishe and Rufus try to talk Myrrh and John into going to Herod’s. They sell clothes, fish and fish clothes. Sharron asks them to step aside and talks with the others. John can come and play music in her store. Clothes for fish must be really cute. He’s like to see them in his sunflower submersible.
Salome is visited by Zeb with a lamb. He’s a little short on cash. He wonders if she will give him a few shekels for George the lamb. She drops her abacus and dirt burns when she tries to pick it up. It burns! It’s am omen! Zeb tries to help her. Chad arrives to tell Zeb that 14 of the sheep have gotten away. It’s a terrible mistake, but it happened after a terrible omen. They blame Salome and leave, walking backwards.
Moishe and Rufus have concerns about Sharron and Herod’s. Sam has found 14 sheep and is looking for Zeb. Moishe is interested in his sheep. But Zeb can never know where he got them and he got them from Sam. There’s a price for this intrigue. It will cost more than goods and services. It’s more of a commitment. Well, 14 sheep would be a good dowry. No, but this is a commitment for the rest of his life. Moishe tries to make a deal. Rufus wonders what is it about these sheep that is worth the commitment? Souls.
Ben is still shaking on it when he is joined by John. He could be bagel man for John. Ben has been networking. John finds it all very interesting. Ben giggles. Myrrh interrupts them. She has lost her journal and she doesn’t know what to do with her hands now. John says that he’s busy right now. Ben asks who she is. Myrrh and Ben compete for John’s attention. He feels like they are fighting over him. He’ll compromise. He’ll help Myrrh find her journal and he and Ben fuck. Myrrh prays for God’s help finding her journal and then she can get her revenge.
Act II
Ben and John have finished getting to know each other. Ben feels that it was special for him, was it special for you. Yeah, I had a good time too, Bradley. John gaslights Ben. Ben shows John that he has Myrrh’s book. Why did you take it? For the thrill!
Rufus, Moishe, and Sam discuss the sheep. Sell them to Moishe, or he’ll tell everyone that Sam sleeps with the sheep. All that Sam wants is to get to Sharron. Moishe will make a deal. He and Rufus leave Sam. He knows that he was sent up there to find Jesus Christ, but he likes it here and would like to stay.
Zeb and Chad need to find the missing sheep. Moishe finds them in a compromising position with one of them.
Hours later, despite the heroic efforts the lamb dies. They are stricken. Zeb had saved her from Daddy’s knife. Janice the sheep revives!
Benjamin draws faces over what Myrrh has written in her book. She bursts in and calls John a dirty whore. John tells her that he’s found her book. Benjamin sneaks out, and John tells her that her that Ben has it. John only went with him to get her book back. He’ll get it for her, buy he’ll probably have to done some unsavoury things to get it.
Benjamin goes back to his stall, where he runs into Salome selling her flat bagels. They’re selling like hotcakes. Maybe they should sell those too! Ben has a recipe for that, too. When she sees the book, she asks if it a special book of prayers because he holds it to his chest. Yes! Who do you pray to? I pray to me. He sings to her how he does it. Salome puts her trust in him. She tells him that he has the confidence of a mediocre white guy. He thinks it’s because he is good.
Sharron counts her shekels. Sam walks into Herod’s. She hasn’t seen him in a testament! He knows that she buys and sells souls. He is the only one that can supply her. He has a few connections. Sam can see if he can impress her. She is looking for his soul, but she can’t find it. She is shocked. He is not from around there. She traps him and won’t let him leave until he gives her a soul. She is a sheep.
We see the sheep reviving again, but it turns into Sharron and disappears. Zeb and Chad cry out for Janice. Burn her! Burn the witch!
Everyone has gathered together. Zeb says there is a witch among them. Salome appears and they chase after her. Burn the witch! Moishe tells Sharron that she is not a witch. She raised him for a while when he was little.
Salome runs to Myrrh for some PR help. She is afraid, and everyone is calling her a witch. Myrrh says that she needs to put the blame on someone else. Tell them that everyone is against her because she is a woman. They blame a stranger watching them all. When everyone rushes in, she points out that Salome is old and frail. She would never do anything to harm them. Chad tell her to bring Janice back. Sharron turns into Janice the sheep. Zeb is so confused. When they want to sacrifice her, Zeb stops them. Everyone notices that the sheep is dressed in Sharron’s clothes. When the sheep stands up and talks, they are even more confused. Sharron escapes. Myrrh misses her book, she wants to write this all down. They think that Sam is a witch instead. He says that maybe the one that changed into a sheep is a witch. Zeb and Chad try bring her back, using the power of Jesus Christ. Sharron appears once more.
All Photos by Janna Hove
