The Divine Narcissus Sor Juana Ines De La Cruz

1690 2 M, 2 W, Musician, Chorus, and Dancers

Setting - it describes nothing about set, but does mention a scrim at one point. There are also
some tech effects needed, like trumpets and swords that can swell to intensity, and a shower of
lightning effects.

Plot – Music, Occident, and America hold a feast celebrating the God of Seeds, Huitzilopoxtli.
Religion and Zealot enter and offer religion to Occident and America. Occident and America
refuse and they argue. Since Occident and America refused religion, Religion and Zealot go with
plan B and start a war. Religion and Zealot win the war, but Religion insists on letting America
live so that she can be reformed, yet Occident and America claim that they shall always worship
their deities, like Huitzilopoxtli. Religion asks about this god, and uses him as a way to explain
God to Occident and America. Occident and America are receptive but say they need to learn
more about God. Religion and Zealot declare that they will write a play called The Divine
Narcissus and it will be performed to help Occident and America come to a saving knowledge of
God.

Items of note - It’s a style that's completely foreign to me, and I have no context for how to
envision it, much like the Chinese and Japanese theatre. How large of a role do the chorus and
dancers play? I find it interesting that in the second scene there's a stage direction for “loud
electronic sounds denoting” trumpets, swords, and shouts. Why have “electronic sounds
denoting” instead of simply the sounds? Is it a budget thing or “feature”? Or is that just a way of
saying it's a sound cue and not real sounds from offstage, and they're using sound through a
system so it can swell? Yo and then the play becomes self-aware! That kind of amused me. I
think it can be clever when comedies make jokes that are self-aware, but this isn't as a joke, and I
wonder why she did it. To make it clear without a doubt what the purpose of the play is?