MBOAF 3 - Detrick

"Man: Biology of a Fall"
Music by Evan Hause, Libretto by Gary Heidt
Act I, Scene 2
Performed 10/6/07 at Kumble Theater in Brooklyn, NY

Directed by Jyana S. Gregory
Conducted by Evan Hause
Sets: Rumiko Ishii
Costumes: Jessica Ford
Lights: Matthew Richards

Olson (Steven Ebel) and Benjamin Wilson (Raemond Martin) are working on a squirtflower of death in the laboratory at Camp Detrick. Later, Sidney Gottlieb (San-ky Kim) enters to observe the experiment.

SCENE 2
Fort Detrick Laboratories

Wilson: I'm so glad you're back in the lab.
Olson: In my brief reign as chief I nearly went mad.
W: I thought the chief drinks martinis and drives a golf cart.
O: He needs those martinis just to ease his heart.

It's hard work killing monkeys for freedom
Filling shells with germs to kill North Koreans
It's a top secret weapon, but we sell them to Britain
That's how we buy monkeys for killing for freedom

O: Ben, hand me that anthrax. Take care with the bulb.
W: I've taken extra care since Jimmy was killed.
O: If I'd have been there, the truth would be told.
W: Jimmy died for freedom, God bless his soul

It's high risk killing monkeys for freedom
The same things that kill them will also kill women
And children and then we'll be like them and die on an island,
Who are we to kill monkeys for freedom?

O: You learn to laugh at the face of death.
W: You know how many monkeys we slaughter?
O: But it all looks strange to a man of faith
W: If you found the answer, they'd put it in the water

It's really hard work killing monkeys for freedom
The ethical aspects alone can exhaust one.
Creating new methods to kill and disable,
To make the world free or at least keep it stable,

Spending our days...
Earning our pay...
Making our way killing monkeys for freedom.

(GOTTLIEB enters)

GOTTLIEB
I hope that water's pure, Olson.

OLSON
Autoclaved.

GOTTLIEB
We need some more condoms tainted with syphilis.
The ones you gave us last week were tainted with anthrax.

O&W: A most potent new venereal disease! What a shame! To whom did you give them...

G: None of your business.
O&W: To anyone in particular? Or the public at large?
G: We stay away from servicemen's bars.
O&W: Thank God for that.
G: Of course I'd never tell you what they were actually for.
O&W: We'd never believe it even if it were true.

GOTTLIEB:
You keep doing the work you do, and we will too...
By the way, Olson, loved your idea.
A squirt flower of death.
It's just sublime.
I can't wait to observe this fine monkey dying.
Just remember.... keep your syphilis pure.
Is our squirt flower ready for testing?

OLSON
Squirt the monkey.

WILSON, GOTTLIEB
Squirt the monkey!

Cameras: Orin Buck & Yuji Takematsu
Sound: Dan Gaydos
Video editing: Evan Hause

www.manbiologyofafall.com

This opera is a work of fiction based upon true events and people.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Frank
• Olson
• Sidney
• Gottlieb
• Detrick
• Contemporary
• Opera
• Evan
• Hause
• Gary
• Heidt
• Defenestration
• Trilogy