The Three Christs of Ypsilanti

a play by Dan OBrien

Representation: Beth Blickers Abrams Artists 275 Seventh Avenue 26th Floor New York, NY 10011 646.486.4600 Beth.Blickers@abramsart.com Draft 6/1/08

Characters: Dr. ROKEACH. Early 40s. LEON Gabor. Late 30s. JOSEPH Cassel. Late 50s. CLYDE Benson. Close to 70. African-American. Miss ANDERSON. Late 20s. Time: 1959-61. Place: Ypsilanti State Hospital, Ypsilanti, Michigan. Specifically, were in one room, with one table and four chairs, and a portable reel-to-reel tape recorder. Notes: The Three Christs of Ypsilanti attempts a faithful adaptation of the psychological study of the same title by Dr. Milton Rokeach (Knopf, 1964). In order to find a more cogent dramatic structure Ive had to alter the chronology of certain events somewhat, which has of course changed the nature of these events to a certain extent, and in the process no doubt changed the nature of these characterizations. Throughout Ive tried to keep the dialogue of the men (and woman) in their own words, as recorded in Dr. Rokeachs book, and in the case of the three Christs I feel Ive been largely successful. A special thank you to Dr. Ball-Rokeach for the opportunity to adapt her husbands work for the stage.

LEON: I love truth even though it hurts. JOSEPH: If it hurts too much, man is wise to turn away from it. LEON: Thats your belief, sir. Transcripts, undated.

1: Thats Your Belief, Sir (A high-ceilinged, rectangular room off the main recreation hall of building D-23, Ypsilanti State Hospital in Ypsilanti, Michigan. One shadeless window, the lower portion of which can be raised only slightly for ventilation. A large dirty mirror beside that, roughly the size of the window. On the wall, a phone. There is only one door, on a swinging hinge, with a small, cracked glass panel in it. Four men sit in four mismatched, folding metal chairs. On the table nearby: a glass pitcher full of water; four spotted glasses; and a small, portable, reel-to-reel tape recorder. ROKEACH presses Record as lights rise . . . Hes about forty, wears a suit and tie of conservative cut and color, a gold wedding band. The chair he sits in is subtly fancier than the others: some upholstery, maybe, arms. ROKEACH speaks for the tape recorder, at first:) ROKEACH Welcome, gentlemen. We find ourselves, this morning, in a room off the main ward, that is D-23, of Ypsilanti State Hospital, in Ypsilanti Michigan. The time by my watch is 10:00 a.m. The date is the first of July, 1959. Now, as you may know, the three of you have been brought here for a reason. An investigation, if you will. That may take the better part of the next few months. Or longer, well see! Its entirely up to you . . . As you can see Im using a tape recorder. I trust none of you will object to this? Do any of you object? (No one responds.) ROKEACH (contd.) Good. Lets begin then, shall we. I know youve all met each other before, over the years. But I understand also that you dont like to spend much time together . . . Which is understandable, I assure you! But Im new here, so humor me. (No one responds.) ROKEACH (contd.) My name is Dr. Milton Rokeach. You may call me Dr. Rokeach. (JOSEPH raises his hand high in the air.) ROKEACH (contd.) Yes.

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(JOSEPH appears to be in his mid- to late-50s, of medium height and build, balding, with some very dirty, misshapen if not altogether missing teeth. Hes an impish man, ready with an easy, wide grin. While he will claim to be English, his accent is distinctly American, with a hint of the Canadian perhaps. He wears a dirty shirt and dirtier still pants, with pockets that bulge full of books, magazines, letters, cigarette papers, tobacco, pens, pencils. Large stained rags he uses as handkerchiefs. He wears three pairs of socks: yellow, pink, yellow, in that order. On a chain, he wears a pair of womens horn-rimmed glasses without lenses, to which hes attached a lorgnette. He often holds the lorgnette to his face, like hes doing now:) JOSEPH My name is Joseph Cassel. ROKEACH Is there anything youd like to tell us about yourself, Joseph? Yes. Im God. JOSEPH (An awkward silence; at least for the other two men, who shift uncomfortably in their chairs, or snort, or blink too much.) ROKEACH All right. Whos next. Dont be shy. Youre safe here. My names Clyde Benson. Clyde. Thats my name straight. Thank you, Mr. Benson. (CLYDEs around 70 years old, African-American, over six feet tall, though seated now. Hes quite thin, though in apparent good health for his age: a tall, lean, wiry build. Hes dressed like a farmer, in dungarees, a rough-hewn shirt. Yet theres something the slightest bit dapper about him. He carries an old tobacco pipe neatly CLYDE ROKEACH CLYDE ROKEACH

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in his breast pocket, which he will occasionally take out and smoke, or simply chew on the stem. Always he speaks in a low, mumbling, resonant voice. He is very hard to understand sometimes.) ROKEACH (contd.) Do you have any other names, Mr. Benson? CLYDE Well, Ive got other names, but thats my vital side . . . And I made God five, and Jesus six. Does that mean youre also God? ROKEACH

CLYDE I made God, sure! Made it seventy years old a year ago today! Shoot! I passed seventy years old! Sirs, if I may interrupt: Of course. And you are? LEON It just so happens, Mr. Rokeach, that my birth certificate says I am Dr. Domino Dominorum et Rex Rexarum, Simplis Christianus Pueris Mentalis Doktor. Here is my card: (He produces a card with a flourish, with some handwritten words on it, presumably Dr. Domino etc.; and he hands this card over to ROKEACH to read. LEON looks a lot like Christ, in factat least the Hollywood kind. Long hair, bearded. Somewhat fair-complected. Hes in his mid- to late-30s, tall, thin, an ascetic face of intensely earnest expression. He sits with great dignity, some rigidity, staring straight ahead with his hands in his lap, right palm over left, as if hes about to receive the Sacrament. He wears a white suit, somewhat yellowed with age and wear. He speaks eloquently, unhaltingly, often unceasingly.) (reading the card) . . . What does all this mean, Leon? ROKEACH LEON ROKEACH

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Please, sir: call me Rex. Rex? Its Latin.

LEON ROKEACH LEON

ROKEACH I dont know that much Latin, Im afraid . . . And you call yourself a doctor! LEON

(LEON chuckles disbelievingly.) ROKEACH Im not a psychiatrist, or a psychoanalyst, Rex . . . My trainings in social psychology personality theory to be precise. Im interested in why we believe what we believe. How we change what we believe . . . Im not here to cure you. (The three men appear entirely uninterested.) ROKEACH (contd.) Anyway, Rex. My file says your name is Leon Gabor Oh, no, sir: thats my dupe name. Whats a dupe name . . . ? LEON ROKEACH

LEON The name given me by the Old Witch Mother. Among others. (ROKEACH returns the business card to LEON.) LEON (contd.) The translation from the Latin, sir, for those who care to know it, reads roughly: Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Simple Christian Boy Psychiatrist. (CLYDE laughs and shakes his head.) ROKEACH Does that mean youre a psychiatrist, Rex?

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Ive learned a few things in this place. And youre also Christ?

LEON ROKEACH

LEON I am the reincarnation of one Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Thats true. And I saluteI want to say thisI do salute the manliness of Christ. (JOSEPH has been raising his hand again, enthusiastically.) Yes, Joseph. ROKEACH

JOSEPH I dont get it. He says he is the reincarnation of Christ. ROKEACH Thats right. He does. JOSEPH Thats not me! Im God-Christ-Holy Ghost-in-one, and if I wasnt by God I wouldnt lay claim to such a thing. I know this is an insane house LEON Please sir and you have to be careful Do not generalize, sir! I know who I am! JOSEPH LEON JOSEPH

LEON Christ, will you let me get a word in edgewise? Dont you use my name that way! CLYDE

JOSEPH I do my work! defending the stronghold of the English! Thats the only thing one can do in this place is carry on

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Mr. Cassel, please!

(standing)

LEON

(LEON has their attention now. He sits down immediately, speaking calmly:) LEON (contd.) I dont agree with the fact that you were generalizing and calling all people insane in this place. There are people who are not insane. Each person is a house. Remember that. JOSEPH Each person is a? House. Home. Or a building. This is an insane house nonetheless LEON JOSEPH

LEON My belief is my belief, sir. And I dont care for your belief. All Im stating is what I believe. I know who I am! JOSEPH

LEON And I do not want to take that from you, Mr. Cassel! Please! You can have it! its yours! ROKEACH . . . Clyde, what do you think of this disagreement? (CLYDE mumbles unintelligibly at first.) ROKEACH (contd.) Mr. Benson? CLYDE . . . takes a heck of a lot to rock my boat . . . ROKEACH Well now, Im having a little trouble understanding you CLYDE Theres been a heck of a lot of money coming down from heaven! and from the old country, and from the sea of heaven . . . thats truckloads, trainloads, boatloads . . . Its seventy-seven hundred cars a mile that runs from Upper Stock LakeGod marked eight of his trails himself!

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(LEON laughs.) Whats so funny, birdy-burger? CLYDE (contd.)

JOSEPH I know why the old mans saying all that. Why, Joseph? ROKEACH

JOSEPH He has it on his mind. Thats all. Hes trying to discharge it. Its fine! as far as Im concerned . . . Hes trying to get it out of his mind! Get what out of his mind? ROKEACH

JOSEPH What he said. You know: he made God, was God, etc. CLYDE Dont you pull that on me because I will prove it to you! Im telling you Im God! JOSEPH

CLYDE Youre going to do just what I tell you to because I am God Almighty! Im your father! Im Yahweh! LEON People use the same Bible, sir! But some of them worship Christ instead of worshipping God through Christ! Well we worship both! CLYDE

LEON I dont worship you! I worship God through you, through him and him CLYDE You oughta worship me, Ill tell you what! JOSEPH Its all right, theres nothing wrong! Its sweet! Its swell!

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LEON (overlapping) I will not worship you! You are a creature, sir! You better live your life and wake up to the facts! CLYDE I am living life! You dont wake up! You cant wake up! JOSEPH (quite loudly) He raised me up! He raised me up in England! (Pause. JOSEPH has their attention now.) CLYDE . . . Who did? My father did. JOSEPH

ROKEACH . . . What does that mean, he raised you up, Joseph? JOSEPH Well, I died. Then I got reproduced by him. CLYDE Oh, so youre a re-rise then . . . ? (JOSEPH nods his head solemnly.) CLYDE (contd.) Well now, see, I didnt know that . . . He is a re-rise from the cemetery! and I did not even know that . . . ! (The three men sit back in their chairs, calmed somewhatsomehowby JOSEPHs disclosure.) ROKEACH Now, Joseph, as I understand what youve said just a moment ago: youre God, Christ, and the Holy Ghost JOSEPH Thats right. ROKEACH Nobody made you, you made the world, because youre God.

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Thank you. Thats me!

JOSEPH

ROKEACH That means everybody was made by you? Everyone in the entire world, since the world began? Righty-o! Clyde, did you make this world, too? CLYDE Well nowI shoot quicker than the Devil . . . I dont monkey with no patients . . . LEON Mr. Rokeach, I defer to the habeas corpus face . . . Whats a habeas corpus? ROKEACH JOSEPH ROKEACH

LEON Why, it is the cosmic living parchment that states a man is who he is, why he is what he is. There is no escaping the habeas corpus face. And my habeas corpus face says I am a Christ. A Christ? ROKEACH

JOSEPH There is only one God and his name is me! LEON I will acknowledge that these gentlemen are hollowed-out instrumental gods. Lower-case g gods. Sir, I will go thus far. (Pause.) ROKEACH . . . Whats an instrumental god, Rex, are you one? LEON I am. As are you, Mr. Rokeach. Its my sincere belief to respect the Devil for who he is. (Another pause.)

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ROKEACH You realize you keep calling me Mr. Rokeach. (Pause.) I am a doctor . . . (LEON speaks simply and suddenly to ROKEACH:) LEON Do you think Christ is with us in this room, sir? (Another pause.) ROKEACH I think its possible . . . Doesnt it say somewhere in the New Testament that after Christ died he walked among his followers? I was murdered, by the way. JOSEPH

ROKEACH (overlapping) and they knew him not? That story of the men who walked with him on the road from Jerusalem: they didnt know who he was until they broke bread with him. Then he disappeared. Luke 24:13-35. I thank you. I wrote that. LEON JOSEPH

LEON Not bad for a man with a Jewish nose! Are you, sir, of Jewish extraction? I am. So what? ROKEACH

LEON My uncle told me about your case . . . And sincerely I believe hes right: you are the reincarnation of one Jewish High Priest named Caiaphas. Its befitting of you, you with the Jewish nose . . . And your foster father was a donkey. However, I do believe, sir, you have a human soul! May I be personal again? My uncle said to me: Doesnt he have a large head on his penis? My other uncle said, Yea, that is true. And its also true a donkey has a largeheaded penis. In the Philippines once I was a soldier. I was walking on cobblestones and a man with a cart and donkey passed by, and that donkey, due to the fact that he hadnt had any releasehe had a hard-on! Man! It had a piece as long as my arm, hitting up against

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his stomach . . . and I couldnt help but admire the fact that this donkey prayed in a cold, physical fashion. (JOSEPH giggles somewhat.) ROKEACH Im afraid I dont know how you want me to respond to that, Rex . . . (LEON just smiles and looks straight ahead.) ROKEACH (contd.) Are you trying to upset me . . . ? (After another awkward moment:) ROKEACH (contd.) Id like to ask you all another question, if I may: What do you think youve been brought here for? what purpose? (JOSEPH raises his hand. LEON gestures regally as if to call on him:) Speaketh: LEON

JOSEPH To iron things out. To help convince these two that theyre crazy, so that I can do my work. And then to just laugh it off, laugh off the opposition. Have fun! (JOSEPH laughs.) ROKEACH You think youve been brought here to have fun? Why not? (to Joseph) This is a hospital, sir . . . ROKEACH Does that mean youre unwell somehow? because youre in the hospital? JOSEPH I havent had any hallucinations, if thats what you mean. Nobody says nothing to me about being insane. Im logical. JOSEPH LEON

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What do you mean by logical, Joseph?

ROKEACH

JOSEPH Saying the right things at the right time. I certainly havent been insane in quite a while! (LEON laughs at JOSEPH, who is taken aback:) JOSEPH (contd.) You dont believe God could be in this hospital as I am now? LEON I believe that God is in this chair. He is in my dung and farts and burps (laughing) JOSEPH

Thats crazy!

LEON You, sir, are a false individual! Ive got news for you: youve made my uncles dung list. JOSEPH I came here in 1940 and now its 1959I certainly deserve to be dismissed from here . . . I dont think they do that, Mr. Cassel. LEON

JOSEPH So then I just say, fuck all! Im going back to England and rule the world! (CLYDE growls at JOSEPHs language, apparently. LEON turns to face JOSEPH suddenly, aggressively:) LEON Mr. Cassel: Id like to give you some advice: the Fourth of July is not far away. And theres going to be a hell of a lot of fireworks. Theres going to be a hell of a lot of dung carried out of this place. A hell of a lot of bodies . . . (JOSEPH shrinks back, obviously disturbed. He stands, if hes not standing already, begins pacing the room. He opens the window to its six inch limit.) ROKEACH . . . Joseph? Has Rex frightened you somehow?

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CLYDE Hes aint alive. Neither of them is. Machines in them are talking. Take the machines out and they wont say nothing! . . . You cant kill the ones with machines in themthey dead already. ROKEACH Whos dead, Clyde? Both of them is. Who killed them? Well, Nelly shot Leon. I dont know no Nelly . . . And Josephs wife shot him. CLYDE CLYDE ROKEACH CLYDE LEON

JOSEPH (turning from the window) That is at least partly true. ROKEACH Where are these machines located, Clyde? the machines that speak for these men? (JOSEPH has drifted closer to the circle again. CLYDE reaches out now and pokes the side of JOSEPHs prodigious stomach. JOSEPH squirms away, giggling again.) ROKEACH (contd.) Joseph, would you mind unbuttoning your shirt . . . ? (JOSEPH unbuttons, shyly.) ROKEACH (contd.) Would you mind if Clyde felt around in there, for a machine? Fine by me . . . JOSEPH

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(CLYDE feels around. JOSEPH suppresses laughter.) ROKEACH Can you feel it, Mr. Benson? CLYDE Thats funny . . . mustve slipped down where he cant feel it . . . (JOSEPH buttons up again. Somewhat bashfully, JOSEPH rejoins the group, sits down.) ROKEACH How do you explain Clydes extraordinary claim, Joseph? that theres a machine inside you? I cant! JOSEPH

ROKEACH Theres no machine inside Joseph: is there, Clyde? LEON I believe, sir, that these three men claim to be Christ in order to gain prestige. And because of prejudice, jealousy, hatred, negativism, duping, interferences, and electronic imposition. ROKEACH You said three men LEON Joseph, I am beginning to see, is actually a fallen angel I thank you sir but JOSEPH

LEON and the reincarnation of the Englishman, Captain Davy Jones. JOSEPH Thank you! Gee! LEON Captain Jones, will you get up there and talk about your subconscious institution pertaining to your character? Therefore, do you have any past subconscious reflections that you wondered about pertaining to? (JOSEPH stands up.)

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Are you making fun of me, Rex?

ROKEACH JOSEPH

(with a smile) I am simply God and I work for the cause of the English! (JOSEPH salutes.) ROKEACH If Joseph is the reincarnation of Davy Jones, is that to say hes not God? LEON Hes an instrumentaldont you try to upset him again! Please! My salute to you, sir, in as many times as you are a hollowed-out instrumental god! (LEON stands and salutes JOSEPH six times.) JOSEPH Quite right . . . (bowing) (JOSEPH sits again.) ROKEACH And Clyde? Who do you think he is really? LEON Im not sure . . . possibly a buccaneer-general, a reincarnation of King Mathias, a pirate . . . How many times have you been hollowed out, sir? Six. CLYDE

LEON Do you understand that this particular place has the electronics in many instances to depress, fool, confuse, bewilder, and dupe people? CLYDE I did not know that . . . ROKEACH What do you mean by electronics, Rex? LEON (overlapping) Yes. And because of this you can come to feel youre somebody way up

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Thats right! I do!

CLYDE

LEON But this isnt you, Clyde! When you feel this way: its initiative in the wrong direction! CLYDE I thank you. I made God. Does that mean you made Rex too? ROKEACH

CLYDE Is that any of your business? It dont concern you, birdy-burger! I worked myself up to a saint! I got the light around my heart, that is Jesus, right? But Rex says youre a pirate ROKEACH

CLYDE I dont care what Rex says, hes a gosh darned Catholic! LEON I am genuine Protestant, sir. Held under duping to a certain extent by the Catholic Church until I broke away. CLYDE Youre a Catholic! No, sir! I believe in truthful bullshit! LEON

CLYDE Dont you say shit to me, Im too good! LEON There are two types of bullshit, sir! Genuine is truth, and must be compared to dung: looks like it, smells like it, and acts like dung too. When you put it on soil, truth makes things grow! ROKEACH Which word would you prefer he use, Clyde? I dont want to hear no junk . . . Have you ever been a farmer, sir? CLYDE LEON

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CLYDE Well, I guess I am a farmer! And youre a city pinhead! (JOSEPH laughs.) CLYDE (contd.) (threateningly) I know your psychology, boy. Youre a knick-knacker in your Catholic school in North Bradley, and in your educationI know all of it already! LEON Dung is a holy word, sir! Dung is in the Bible! (He intones like a bell:) Dung-g! Dung-g! Dung-g-gg! (CLYDE draws back his arm as if to hit LEON:) CLYDE Im gonna kill you, you son of a gun! LEON Calm down, Mr. Benson! You can not help it if youre under the influence of electronic duping! (CLYDE sits back in his chair, grumbling.) LEON (contd.) . . . Do you have a cigarette paper for me, Captain Davy Jones? (JOSEPH gives LEON a cigarette paper from out of one of his pockets. While LEON rolls a cigarette:) LEON (contd.) . . . Adam was a colored man . . . because his body was taken from the rich brown mud. Did you not know that, Mr. Benson? CLYDE Adam was a white! I made him when I was one year old! LEON I wish to mention while we are talking about Adam that he is reincarnated, and he happens to be my foster brother. And hes a colored boy! CLYDE You son of a bitch! There aint no such thing!

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You watch your language, sir!

LEON

JOSEPH I worked for England! I saved the world! CLYDE Hes an educated doggone fool! LEON Adam is the color of freshly formed dung, sir! CLYDE (standing) Adam is a white boy, the first child of light! Its sweet! Its sweet! Its swell! JOSEPH LEON

(overlapping) Will you kindly sit down, sir! I believe in truthful bullshit but I do not care for your brand of shit, sir! Shut up, you bitch! CLYDE

LEON I am not a bitch, sir, I am the Lamb of God! (CLYDE slaps LEONs face. LEON sits motionless, hands limply in his lap. The tobacco he was rolling is scattered in his lap, on the floor. Slowly, LEON turns the other cheek to CLYDE, as if offering it to be struck now too. Pause. As ROKEACH pulls CLYDE away, which is easy, as CLYDE appears stunned, gone limp himself. CLYDE sits again. After a moment, so does ROKEACH, attentively. LEON speaks quietly at first:)

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I know whats happening here. Whats happening . . . ?

LEON (contd.) ROKEACH

LEON Youre using one against the other. And that is mental torture. ROKEACH What do you mean by mental torture? LEON Using one against the other, trying to brainwash us through the backseat driving of electronic voodooism. You shouldnt change a mind. (Short pause.) LEON (contd.) This isnt a hospital in the true sense. It is noted for brainwashing . . . (quietly) I did not know that . . . Are you angry with me, Rex? ROKEACH CLYDE

LEON You come under the category, sir, where a person who knows better and doesnt want to know is also crazy to the degree he does not want to know. (Pause.) ROKEACH Do you think Im crazy? LEON I understand you would like us three to become a melting pot pertaining to who we are. But as far as Im concerned Im myself, hes him, and hes who he is. ROKEACH Youre telling me that Joseph is Christ, if he says he is? Thats my belief, sir. LEON

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And are you also Christ? That is my belief, sir. And Clyde? I do not wish to take that from him!

ROKEACH LEON ROKEACH LEON

ROKEACH That makes three Christs, in one room. (Pause.) How is that possible? There is only one! Thats me! JOSEPH

(CLYDE mumbles angrily.) LEON (quietly) There will be a showdown, Mr. Rokeach. Youre going to become dung when my uncle gets through with you. And I dont mean maybe. I was sent to this place to find out some information. And the breaking day isnt far away . . . Im telling you sincerely, man to man: I dont hate you, I feel sorry for you. I believe Ill have the privilege of making out the corpus delicti papers on you. I will request that of my uncle right now. (He closes his eyes.) Are you threatening me, Rex? ROKEACH

(JOSEPH laughs. LEON opens his eyes again. He stands:) LEON Sirs: on the merits that pertain to the personality I have cited my side and I do not care to repeat and repeat. But pertaining to truth it pays to repeat sometimes: you, sir, are a dupe man against me! Nobody is against you, Rex! ROKEACH

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LEON Yes, sir! The indirect psychologywith that I can agree! Awfully nice! JOSEPH

LEON But no, I will not compromise. I believe that right is right and wrong is wrong. I have told the truth pertaining to who I am, and who these gentlemen believe themselves to be. Thats all I know. Thats my belief, sir. Good day.