Cadence

A Play in Prosody

The musical emotion springs precisely from the fact that at each moment the composer withholds or adds more or less than the listener anticipates on the basis of a pattern that he thinks he can guess, but that he is incapable of wholly divining.... If the composer withholds more than we anticipate, we experience a delicious falling sensation; we feel we have been torn from a stable point on the musical ladder and thrust into the void - Claude Levi-Strauss

cadence n. /ked ns/ Etymology: from Old French, from Old Italian cadenza,from Latin cadere to fall] In verse and music 1. a.The flow of verses or periods !"ohnson#$ rh%thm, rh%thmical constr&ction, meas&re' b. The meas&re or (eat of m&sic, dancin), or an% rh%thmical movement$ e')' of marchin)' 2. a. The fall of the voice !"ohnson#' b. *ometimes, the )eneral mod&lation of the voice !"ohnson#' c. Local or national mod&lation, accent ' 3. usic' The concl&sion or close of a m&sical movement or phrase'

TOUCH AT A DISTANCE mother goes through the our ty!es o In ant Directed S!eech tone to her "a"y# a!!ro$al, negati$e, soothing, and %loo&% +,-FO-.,soothes the "a"y as i they "egan to cry, notices the dia!er is smelly she/s 0&st like ever%one else, she 0&st wants to (e chan)ed (% someone who loves her' "a"y seems to calm, mother tal&s to them, 'hile e(iting it/s reall% all a(o&t me, %o&/re 0&st one of m% appenda)es someone 'histles a minor se$enth and trails o lea$ing it unresol$ed

SOUND THE)AP* the !er ormer transitions "et'een tal&ing, tal&+singing in the style o some ra!!ers ,i-e- &endric& lamar., and ull+"lo'n song, the musical sense has a /azzy eel T&rn %o&r ne&ral vol&me &p hear dr&ms on repeat internal m&sic monolo)&e s%naptic (ack1(eat let it flow thro&)h %o& manifest it snap fin)ers, tap feet' ra! sing em(race the state wait anticipate the wei)ht the rh%me/s the (ait (ate %o&r fate and leave the eternal white ra((it state that makes %o& feel ever late late late' sing 2rop the pocketwatch toss the )olden chain re)ain %o&r (rain and e3p&n)e the pain of the tic tock time the incessant chimes that attempt to cr&sh %o&r so&l and mine' ade rom song to tal&+song to s!eech rom here to the end Involve %o&r mind and evolve in kind thro&)h rh%thm, rh%me, and three/fo&r time' "oin in with me chant rant with me as we )et a little so&nd therap%'

The !ieutenant of Inishmore the !er ormers 'ill "ase their $ocal 'or& on listening to Irish accents, "ut more im!ortantly "y listening to traditional Irish music or the timing and melody o the s!eech- They 'ill also ma&e use o the ull range o their $oice at e$ery a$aila"le moment"4.,* !screamin)# 5o ' ' ' 6 - - - 'hen the cell!hone in Padraic0s "ac& !oc&et rings loudly+42-4IC 7ill %o& han) on there a min&te, "ames ' ' ' 8 Padraic ans'ers the !hone, idling a'ay rom 1ames, 'ho is le t sha&ing and 'him!ering "ehind him!Into phone'# 9ello8 2ad, %a (astard, how are %o&8 !To "ames'# It/s me dad' !+a&se'# I/m )rand indeed, 2ad, )rand' 9ow is all on Inishmore8 :ood1oh, )ood1oh' I/m at work at the moment, 2ad, was it important now8 I/m tort&rin) one of them fellas p&shes dr&)s on wee kids, (&t I can/t sa% too m&ch over the phone, like ' ' ' "4.,* !cr%in)# 2ari/uana, +adraic' +42-4IC The% are terri(le men, and it/s like the% don/t even know the% are, when the% know well' The% think the%/re doin) the world a favo&r, now' !+a&se'# I haven/t (een &p to m&ch else, reall%' I p&t (om(s in a co&ple of chip shops, (&t the% didn/t )o off' !+a&se'# ;eca&se chip shops aren/t as well )&arded as arm% (arracks' 2o I need %o&r advice on plantin) (om(s8 !+a&se'# I was pissed off, an%wa%s' The fella who makes o&r (om(s, he/s feckin) &seless' I think he does drink' ,ither the% )o off (efore %o&/re read% or the% don/t )o off at all' One thin) a(o&t the I-4 an%wa%s, as m&ch as I hate the (astards, %o&/ve )ot to hand it to them, the% know how to make a decent (om(' !+a&se'# *&re, wh% wo&ld the I-4 (e sellin) &s an% of their (om(s8 The% need them themselves, s&re' Those (astards/d char)e the earth an%wa%s' I/ll tell %a, I/m )ettin) pissed off with the whole thin)' I/ve (een thinkin) of formin) a splinter )ro&p' !+a&se'# I know we/re alread% a splinter )ro&p, (&t there/s no law sa%s %o& can/t splinter from a splinter )ro&p' 4 splinter )ro&p is the (est kind of )ro&p to splinter from an%wa%s' It shows %o& know %o&r own mind !7hisperin)'#, (&t there/s someone in the room, 2ad, I can/t (e talkin) a(o&t splinter )ro&ps' !To "ames, politel%'# I/ll (e with %o& in a min&te now, "ames' 1ames shudders slightly+42-4IC 7hat was it %o& were rin)in) a(o&t an%wa%s, 2ad8 Pause- Padraic0s ace suddenly "ecomes $ery serious, eyes illing 'ith tears,h8 7hat a(o&t 7ee Thomas8 !+a&se'# +oorl%8 9ow poorl%, have %o& (ro&)ht him to the doctor8 !+a&se'# 9ow lon) has he (een off his food, and wh% didn/t %o& tell me when it first started8 !+a&se'# 9e/s not too (ad8 ,ither he/s poorl% or he/s not too (ad now, 2ad, he/s either one or the feckin) other, there/s a ma0or difference, now, (etween not too (ad and feckin) poorl%, he cannot (e the feckin) two at feckin) once, now, !Cr%in) heavil%'# and %o& wo&ldn/t (e feckin) callin) me at all if he was not too (ad, now6 7hat have %o& done to 7ee Thomas now, %o& feckin) (astard8 +&t 7ee Thomas on the phone' 9e/s sleepin)8 7ell,

p&t a (lanket on him and (e strokin) and strokin) him and )et a second opinion from the doctor and don/t (e talkin) lo&d near him and I/ll (e home the first feckin) (oat in the feckin) mornin)' 4r, %o& fecker, %a6 Padraic smashes the !hone to !ieces on the ta"le, tries to shoot the "ro&en !hone "ut his gun /ams, rustrated, he sits there crying 3uietly- Pause"4.,* Is an%thin) the matter, +adraic8 +42-4IC .e cat/s poorl%, "ames' .e (est friend in the world, he is' "4.,* 7hat/s wron) with him8 +42-4IC I don/t know, now' 9e/s off his food, like' "4.,* *&re that/s nothin) to )o cr%in) over, (ein) off his food' 9e pro(a(l% has rin)worm' +42-4IC -in)worm8 Is that serio&s, now8 "4.,* *&re, rin)worm isn/t serio&s at all' "&st )et him some rin)worm pellets from the chemist and feed them him wrapped &p in a (it of cheese' The% don/t like the taste of rin)worm pellets, cats, so if %o& hide them in a (it of cheese he/ll eat them &n(eknownst and never know the differ, and he/ll (e as ri)ht as rain in a da% or two, or at the o&tside three' "&st don/t e3ceed the stated dose' </know, read the instr&ctions, like' +42-4IC 9ow do %o& know so m&ch a(o&t rin)worm8 "4.,* *&re, don/t I have a cat of me own I love with all m% heart, had rin)worm a month (ack8 +42-4IC 2o %a8 I didn/t know dr&) p&shers had cats' "4.,* *&re, dr&) p&shers are the same as an%(od% &nderneath' +42-4IC 7hat/s his name8 "4.,* ,h8 +42-4IC 7hat/s his name8 "4.,* ,m, 2ominic'

D*NA2ICS O4 AN E5ENT In this scene the moment is to "e rehearsed 'ith the !er ormer, then recorded once !er ormance ready- It should then distilled into musical inter$als "ased on the actor0s real !rosody- Each line should ha$e no more than our inter$als !er line- This distilled orm 'ill then "e used to sha!e the actor0s !er ormance!er ormer ans'ers their !hone +,-FO-.,oh hi !happ%# mhm mhm oka% okaa%% !s&spicio&s# then what8 !Fear# mhm mhm &m what8 !s&rprise# hold on1 !*adness# no no I 0&st1 please if1 (&t wh%8 no, wh%8 so now8 !an)er# (&llshit reall%8 That/s it8 no no no f&ck %o&'

A 6OOD PE)SON 7I88 CAUSE A 9:+CA) PI8E+UP TO A5OID A 4ENDE) ;ENDE) C9O-=* they s!ea& in a held chord =&&&&&&&&&&)h s!o&en well I mean s!ea& so t minor chord f&ck

"amlet the !er ormer < director should rehearse the monologue until normal s!o&en !er ormance ready, then use the contour o their !rosody to $ocally choreogra!h the !iece to luctuate along the s!ectrum rom monotone to song to indicate lac& o eeling to e(treme !assion= er$or- These luctuations should "e decided "et'een actor and director a ter deciding the direction o the monologue94.L,T O, what a ro)&e and peasant slave am I6 Is it not monstro&s that this pla%er here, ;&t in a fiction, in a dream of passion, Co&ld force his so&l so to his own conceit That from her workin) all his visa)e wanned, Tears in his e%es, distraction in his aspect, 4 (roken voice, and his whole f&nction s&itin) 7ith forms to his conceit8 4nd all for nothin), For 9ec&(a6 7hat/s 9ec&(a to him, or he to 9ec&(a, That he sho&ld weep for her8 7hat wo&ld he do 9ad he the motive and the c&e for passion chorus hums a "are minor melody That I have8 9e wo&ld drown the sta)e with tears 4nd cleave the )eneral ear with horrid speech, .ake mad the )&ilt% and appall the free, Confo&nd the i)norant, and ama>e indeed The ver% fac&lties of e%es and ears' chorus "uilds in intensity <et I, 4 d&ll and m&dd%1mettled rascal, peak Like "ohn1a1dreams, &npre)nant for m% ca&se, 4nd can sa% nothin)' chorus goes silent on %nothing% 5o, not for a kin), chorus $ery 3uietly dissonantly chants %re$enge his oul and most unnatural murder, strange and unnatural% in di erent orders o the 'ords =pon whose propert% and most dear life 4 damned defeat was made' 4m I a coward8 7ho calls me villain8 (reaks m% pate across8 +l&cks off m% (eard and (lows it in m% face8 Tweaks me (% the nose8 )ives me the lie i/ the throat 4s deep as to the l&n)s8 7ho does me this8 chorus "egins again

9a, /swo&nds, I sho&ld take it, for it cannot (e ;&t I am pi)eon1livered and lack )all To make oppression (itter, or ere this I sho&ld ha/ fatted all the re)ion kites 7ith this slave/s offal' ;lood%, (awd% villain6 -emorseless, treachero&s, lechero&s, kindless villain6 O, ven)eance6 7h%, what an ass am I6 This is most (rave, dissonant chanting "egins %no' 'ears his cro'n, the ser!ent% That I, the son of a dear father m&rdered, +rompted to m% reven)e (% heaven and hell, .&st like a whore &npack m% heart with words 4nd fall a1c&rsin) like a ver% dra(, 4 stallion6 Fie &pon/t, foh6 4(o&t, m% (rains' 9&m ? I have heard that )&ilt% creat&res sittin) at a pla% 9ave (% the ver% c&nnin) of the scene ;een str&ck so to the so&l that presentl% The% have proclaimed their malefactions' For m&rder, tho&)h it have no ton)&e, will speak 7ith most mirac&lo&s or)an' chorus "egins chanting alternating "et'een consonant and dissonant %The Play, the !lay% I/ll have these pla%ers +la% somethin) like the m&rder of m% father ;efore mine &ncle' I/ll o(serve his looks' I/ll tent him to the @&ick' If he (&t (lench, I know m% co&rse' The spirit that I have seen .a% (e a devil, and the devil hath power T/ ass&me a pleasin) shape, %ea, and perhaps O&t of m% weakness and m% melanchol%, 4s he is ver% potent with s&ch spirits, 4(&ses me to damn me' I/ll have )ro&nds .ore relative than this' The pla%/s the thin) 7herein I/ll catch the conscience of the kin)' chorus s!ea&s %>ill the &ing% so that they line u! 'ith Hamlet0s ending line

D*NA2ICS O4 AN E5ENT In this scene the moment is to "e rehearsed 'ith the !er ormer, then recorded once !er ormance ready- It should then distilled into musical inter$als "ased on the actor0s real !rosody- Each line should ha$e no more than our inter$als !er line- This distilled orm 'ill then "e used to sha!e the actor0s !er ormance!er ormer ans'ers their !hone +,-FO-.,oh hi !happ%# mhm mhm oka% okaa%% then what8 mhm mhm &m what8 !s&rprise# hold on1 !happ%# no no I 0&st1 please if1 (&t wh%8 no, wh%8 so now8 (&llshit reall%8 That/s it8 no no no f&ck %o&'

DUET 7O.45 he sent me a dick pic .45 he sent %o& a dick pic 7O.45 %es, a dick pict&re, a phall&s photo 1 he sent it via snapchat .45 !la&)hs# well8 7O.45 what8 .45 well8 7O.45 it/s fine .45 eeeeech !ch as in l/chaim# 7O.45 it is' it/s a perfectl% accepta(le even nice penis .45 and'''8 7O.45 7ell, now that he/s shown me his penis, I kinda have to have it 1 it/s like takin) somethin) off the shelf at the )rocer% store, it/s reall% hard to p&t (ack'

80CHAI2 4LL To life6 L/chaim6 chorus mem"ers stand "ehind lead and tal& to him con$ersationally .OT9,relationships are like havin) two creat&res from different planets come to)ether and tr% to sociali>e' The% don/t speak the same lan)&a)e, the% don/t event eat the same food' .45 the )&% at the scrap%ard said a lot of people hold onto their car ke%s 11 %a know for a keepsake' .OT9,her son pirates les(ians, no wait, her da&)hter was a les(ian pirate' F4T9,%o&/re )onna find %o&rself in times where %o& don/t know what happened, where %o& f&cked &p, when %o& reall% tho&)ht %o& were one of the )ood )&%s' 7O.45 %o&, them, %o&/re 0&st like ever%one 1 wo&nded children

D*NA2ICS O4 AN E5ENT In this scene the moment is to "e rehearsed 'ith the !er ormer, then recorded once !er ormance ready- It should then distilled into musical inter$als "ased on the actor0s real !rosody- Each line should ha$e no more than our inter$als !er line- This distilled orm 'ill then "e used to sha!e the actor0s !er ormance!er ormer ans'ers their !hone +,-FO-.,oh hi !happ%# mhm mhm oka% okaa%% !s&spicio&s# then what8 !Fear# mhm mhm &m what8 !s&rprise# hold on1 !*adness# no no I 0&st1 please if1 (&t wh%8 no, wh%8 so now8 (&llshit reall%8 That/s it8 no no no f&ck %o&'

PHOENI? 4O)E;EA)S all re!eated !arts are ha$e a musical relationshi! to one another, each mo$ement is accom!anied "y the singing or humming o an emotionally a!!ro!riate inter$al or chordL&ck means different thin)s to different people .% )randparents teena)ers teena)ers emer)ed from the sacrifice cons&med in fire &ncons&med &ncons&med &ncons&med, (&t not &n1charred, not &nmarred not &n1scarred chorus @ alls or'ard to the loor m% AB %ear old C>ech matriarch now an asthmatic chorus A alls or'ard onto the loor her AC %ear old 9&n)arian mate stoic narrator hel!s 'oman u! their (ond smelted from tears 11 2eath, smoke chorus A < @ stand and 'al& the% walked from the )ates to the (oats (are (are (arefoot narrator shouts women D children in this (oat men in the ne3t' To (e co&nted as

a child he chan)ed his name from *torch 11 *tork man does ;ird 2o$ement ++ 'himsy ++ smile lost his name and a)e in the em(ers he then dro!s the ha!!iness into the deceit o a hardened iron mountain to one of the names on their list ,isen(er) Iron1mo&ntain for)ed in hate and horror They all 'al& across stage, suggesting %"oat% mo$ing together the% made it to ,llis Island to)ether, (reath taken made it to see the *tat&e of Li(ert% they regard the statue and e(hale together h&ddled, %earnin) to (reathe free the% came to)ether to the *ea *alt, *teel, *team, *k%line cit%' 7here people (&ilt (&ildin)s witho&t AEth floors the chorus "egins to "uild a nest seated in a circle, the narrator /oins them, they all remain in motion e$en 'hile seated, they are a ire nest To create a nest of fire(ird da&)hters, heat1hatched narrator ste!s out into the circle, slo'ly s!iraling to'ars the center as they s!ea& on the p%re amon) incarnidine com(&stin) ton)&es and on the tenement pavement stovetop near 9ell/s Fitchen and onto the ;ron3 7here AE %ears later m% mother wo&ld (e (orn' chorus @ stands 4nd AE %ears after that m% eldest co&sin, chorus A stands the first of the second )eneration' .% :eneration' The first 4mericans' chorus A < @ stand strong in a line 'ith the narrator L&ck%' chorus A < @ sit, heads do'n 9ow fort&nate or &nfort&nate is the +hoeni3 that the% m&st (e entirel% cons&med in flame (efore the% can emer)e (ea&tif&l and scarlet1pl&med8

#esus "opped the $ Train As 5aldez s!ea&s, the remaining !er ormers create a music=e ect soundsca!e or his story G4L2,H ;efore I (ecame a corrections officer, I worked for the 2epartment of *anitation ha&lin) )ar(a)e' !tr&ck (eep noise# It &sed to ama>e me, the val&a(le items people wo&ld cavalierl% discard' It an)ered me' Co&ches, alarm1clock radios, famil% photos' I often wanted to )o to people/s apartments and !diss interval# throttle them' One time I saw a )&% throw o&t a ver% nice color television set' I asked him if it still worked' 9e said, I<es'I I asked him wh% he didn/t 0&st )ive it awa% instead of trashin) it' 9e !held minor second# smirked at me' !stacatto minor second hit to stop# I slapped him' !performers (ein) a low (ack)ro&nd h&m that impercepti(l% increases in vol&me# +eople think ever%thin) is replacea(le' ,ver%thin) is not replacea(le' +eople (elieve the% )o thro&)h life acc&m&latin) thin)s' That is incorrect' +eople )o thro&)h life discardin) thin)s, tan)i(le and intan)i(le, replacea(le and priceless' 7hat people do not &nderstand is that once the% have discarded an irreplacea(le item, it is lost !on IlostI the (ack)ro&nd h&m c&ts o&t, leavin) silence# forever'''

CHO)US each !hrase or !iece is ta&en in turn "y di erent mem"ers s!ea&ing in /azzy inter$als or each sylla"le C9O-=* have %o& ever heard, listened, and known it was m&sic8 a drop of water, hammer on a nail, the wind whistlin), howlin), a mother/s cooin), or the pol%rh%thmic, pol%phono&s orchestrations of a .etropolis overwhelmin) nat&re and sin)in) it/s (o&ndless a&tomaton aria8

;+T)AIN +,-FO-.,The ;1train (rakes sin) me a 7est *ide stor% as I head &ptown the !er ormer 'histles A "B C, then a trio sings A "B C and slo'ly transitions into a short mashu! o Celtic 7oman0s %Some'here% < %;eyond the Sea% 'hich they sing in the "ac&ground there/s a place hmm, 5ew <ork, I wonder if %o& )ave me this m&sic to ass&re me ever%thin) will and there is somewhere (e%ond a place (&t re)ardless I/ve missed %o&' the singers inish the song singing %Some day% resol$e the chord and ade out