Stark
Characters:
Jude: Jude, (a hearty baritone), is a young sickly man of about 24 years old, who is a bit secluded and a virtuoso. His family is very rich and owns the beach house they are staying at in the Eastern Outer Banks. He has a dark secret hidden from everyone, and refuses to accept it himself
Millie: Mille, (a soprano-alto) has been Jude’s closest friend since they were children. She brings out the best in Jude, and secretly wants their relationship to be more than that.
Harry: Harry is Jude’s best friend and current roommate at UNC Asheville. He is a southern boy at heart, with all of the charm and sophistication that comes with growing up in a small town, but is a bit outspoken
Act 1 Scene 1
(Set in modern day with new technologies and ideas. On the Outerbanks of North Carolina. The curtain opens to a large sea foam room adorned with sand dollars, starfish and lighthouses. Jude has collapsed on the tacky fabric-covered couch with suitcases scattered on the floor. Harry is standing near a door in a white tee and swim trunks, holding an orange surfboard)

Harry: Jude, you coming? I’m heading down to the water
Jude: Nah, I’m gonna stay here for now.
Harry: Man, come on! We have to hit the waves, meet the chicks; the whole shebang.
Jude: (closing his eyes) Harry, I just drove 10 ½ hours to get here, and I’m exhausted. Just give

me a minute, all right?!
Harry: What’s wrong with you, Jude? Now a days you’re all-work-no-play.
Jude: (exasperated) Seriously, I’ll meet up with you later, just let me rest, okay?
Harry: (Sighing and throwing up his free hand) Whatever, Jude.


(Harry exits stage right, out the door, and Jude sighs, sits up and buries his head in his hands. The music begins to play)
Jude: I can’t keep avoiding this…them…they’re going to find out anyway, somehow… (sighs)

1A. Glycerine
Jude: IT MUST BE THIS SKIN, I’M SINKING IN
MUST BE FOR REAL, CAUSE NOW I CAN FEEL
I DIDN’T MIND. IT’S NOT MY KIND-
NOT MY TIME TO WONDER WHY
DON’T LET THE DAYS GO BY; GLYCERINE
I DON’T WANT THIS, REMEMBER THAT
I’LL NEVER FORGET WHERE YOU’RE AT
I’M NEVER ALONE, I’M ALONE ALL THE TIME
ARE YOU AT ONE OR DO YOU LIE
YOU TREATED ME BAD, YOU BRUISE MY FACE
I’LL NEVER FORGET HOW THIS TASTES
DON’T LET THE DAYS GO BY
COULD HAVE BEEN EASIER ON YOU
I COULDN’T CHANGE THOUGH I WANTED O
SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASIER BY THREE
OUR OLD FRIEND “FEAR”, YOU, AND ME
GLYCERINE, GLYCERINE
DON’T LET THE DAYS GO BY; GLYCERINE
(Music stops and Millie enters from stage left wearing a floral sundress and sandals)
Millie: (smiling) Hey! I could have sworn I heard you talking to someone out here. (Jude smiles while she pauses and glances around) Where’s Harry?
Jude: He said something about going surfing. You can go down if you want; I think I’m going to rest for a little while
Millie: Oh, (she sits on the couch beside him) is everything okay?
Jude: Yeah, just tired, that’s all (he smiles) no need to worry
Millie: Are you sure Jude? I mean, you haven’t…we haven’t been the same since…well you
know.
Jude: Mil, this has nothing to do with you. Don’t worry about that, I’m just tired.
Millie: Okay (picks up Jude’s hand with hers) Thanks for persuading your parents to let us use
their beach house. I can only imagine what a struggle that must have been
Jude: (eyes filling with unnoticeable sadness) It wasn’t so bad, Hey, I’m going to rest for an
hour or so, okay?
Millie: (standing) Alright, I hope you feel better.
Jude: Thanks. (As Millie is about to leave) Hey, Millie?
Millie: (turning around) yeah?
Jude: Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.
(Millie nods and exits stage right out of the door. Jude exits stage left offstage)
Act 1. Scene 2
(The scene opens to Jude and Harry sitting on the tacky couch in the middle of the large room watching a movie on the TV. Millie enters the scene with the same sundress and sandals on as before with only spotlights on Millie and the duo on the couch. She steps in front of them)
Harry: My my, you look nice for (glancing at the clock on the TV) 8:30 on a Monday night
(spotlights turn off and stage lights turn on)
Millie: (glaring) I was going on a walk, and I was wondering if either of you wanted to come with
me (room turns silent) or not…?
(Jude looks around and glances at a smirking Harry. He sighs)
Jude: I’ll go with you, let me put on some shoes.
Millie: (stepping out of the door) Thanks Jude. I’ll…be outside (the door closes)
Harry: (jumping up) This is your chance man! Take her out of the beach, butter her up, sing a song…
Jude: (laughing) I have no chance, Harry. (sitting on the couch, he begins to put on his shoes)
Harry: Sure you do. Read some of that poetry that I always find you writing, and she’ll be putty in your hands.
Jude: Come on, you know as well as I do that she’s not that easy. I need to head down.
Harry: Remember, Putty!
Act 2 Scene 1
(The curtain opens to a lovely sandy beach with the moon shining on the white powdered sand. A bench is placed stage left and various shells are scattered on the ground. Jude and Millie come walking into the scene. Lights remain dimly lit with a single spot on them)
Jude: I have forgotten how beautiful the beach was at night…
Millie: Yeah, it really is…
(They both sit on the bench)
Jude: I want to remember this… (he whispers and then raises his voice again) Remember when
we were kids and my parents would let us spend the entire day on the beach making sand
castles?
Millie: (laughing) And then I would go back home looking like a lobster because I hated
sunscreen and refused to wear it? Man, those were the days.
Jude: and we carved our names on the side of the pier. I think that was the year you had your hair
dyed that pink color
Millie: (mortified) Oh shut up! (smiling) What about when you grew out that rat-tail? I miss
this…just spending time together. (she places her hand on his-resting on his lap) you’re

shaking…
Jude: I’m fine.
Millie: I know you better than you think I do, Jude.
Jude: Millie, drop it (He jumps up and begins to storm off)
Millie: What the hell is wrong with you? (she moves in front of him) I’m concerned about you
and
you continually push me away! I have always been here for you; the least you owe
me is your honesty!
Jude: (strained) I can’t…
Millie: Oh really now? What’s your excuse this time?
Jude: Dammit Millie, haven’t you realized I’m in love with you? That’s why I can’t tell you!
(Millie stands speechless) Okay Millie? Is that what you really wanted to know?
Millie: Jude…
(He leans into her slowly, almost brushing his lips against hers, but pulls always. The music begins to play)
Jude: I can’t do this…I should go…
1B. Too Close for Comfort
Millie: I NEVER MEANT THE THINGS I SAID TO MAKE YOU CRY- CAN I SAY I’M SORRY
IT’S HARD TO FORGET, AND YES I REGRET
ALL THESE MISTAKES
I DON’T KNOW WHY YOU’RE LEAVING ME
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR REASONS
THERE’S TEARS IN YOUR EYES, I WATCH AS YOU CRY BUT IT’S GETTING LATE
WAS I INVADING IN ON YOUR SECRETS
WAS I TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
YOU’RE PUSHING ME OUT WHEN I WANTED IN
WHAT WAS I JUST ABOUT TO DISCOVER, WHEN I GOT TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT…
GUESS I’LL NEVER KNOW
(Millie sighs and walks past him)
Jude: REMEMBER WHEN WE SCRATCHED OUR NAMES INTO THE SAND
AND TOLD ME YOU LOVED ME
BUT NOW I FIND THAT YOU’VE CHANGED YOUR MIND- AND I’M LOST FOR WORDS
AND EVERYTHING I FEEL FOR YOU YOU WON’T UNDERSTAND
HOW MUCH IT HURTS TO LET YOU GO
Jude/Millie: WAS I INVADING IN ON YOUR SECRETS. WAS I TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
YOU’RE PUSHING ME OUT, I WANTED IN.
WHAT WAS I JUST ABOUT TO DISCOVER, GUESS I’LL NEVER KNOW
Millie: AND ALL THIS TIME YOU’VE BEEN TELLING ME LIES. HIDDEN IN BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES
AND WHEN I ASKED YOU I KNEW I WAS RIGHT
BUT IF YOU TURN YOUR BACK ON ME NOW WHEN I NEED YOU MOST
BUT YOU CHOOSE TO LET ME DOWN. WONT YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE ABOUT TO DO TO ME
Jude/Millie: WAS I INVADING IN ON YOUR SECRETS. WAS I TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT
YOU’RE PUSHING ME OUT WHEN I WANTED IN
WHAT WAS I JUST ABOUT TO DISCOVER, GUESS I’LL NEVER KNOW..
(the music begins to slow)
Jude: I’m dying, Millie. I have Huntington’s disease, and my cells are disintegrating. Guess now you
know…
(He begins walking away, but doubles over and collapses on the ground)

Act 2. Scene 1
(The scene opens to a hospital scene- Jude sitting up in the bed with the steady sounds of beeps. Millie and Harry are sitting on either side of him. Millie’s eyes are red from tears and confusion. Jude is pale and obviously weak with IV drips running beside him)
Jude: I was diagnosed with Huntington’s when I was about five. The past two years I have
progressively gotten worse and worse. Last month, my doctor said that I…I only had a few
more weeks, a month or so left…I…I wanted this trip to be…to be something that you would
always remember…to remember the good in me by.
(the tears in his eyes begin to spill over his eyes, and he breaks down)
Harry: Jude…
Jude: No, I…I didn’t want the last impressions of me to be sick, and having everyone pitying me.
Treating me differently. I guess that was a mistake. I’m sorry…so, so sorry that I kept this
from you for so long. It isn’t fair to you, especially this way.
(he is stopped by a fit of coughs, and Millie makes a whimpered sob)
Harry: (standing) Bud, I will be right back. I need do something…
Jude: (weakly nodding his head, and smiling) Go. I’ll be fine.
(He exits the stage)
Jude: Mil, I’m so sorry. I was selfish, and I should have cherished the time that I had with you…I didn’t want to see this pain in your eyes. I love you so much.
Millie: Jude…don’t you dare do this to me. This is not goodbye. Not yet.
Jude: Mil, don’t cry. (struggling to swallow) Please let me get this out. I need to say this.
(the music begins to play in the background)
Jude: A DROP IN THE OCEAN. A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER,
I WAS PRAYING THAT YOU AND ME MIGHT END UP TOGETHER.
IT’S LIKE WISHING FOR RAIN AS I STAND IN THE DESERT, BUT
I’M HOLDING YOU CLOSER THAN MOST, CAUSE YOU ARE MY HEAVEN
I DON’T WANT TO WASTE THE WEEKEND, IF YOU DON’T LOVE ME
PRETEND
A FEW MORE HOURS, THEN IT’S TIME TO GO
AND AS MY TRAIN ROLLS DOWN THE EAST COAST, I WONDER
HOW YOU KEEP WARM
IT’S TOO LATE TO CRY TO BROKEN TO MOVE ON
STILL I CAN’T LET YOU BE
MOST NIGHTS I HARDLY SLEEP
DON’T SEE WHAT YOU DON’T NEED FROM ME.
JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN, A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
I WAS PRAYING THAT YOU AND ME MIGHT END UP TOGETHER
BUT I’M HOLDING YOU CLOSER THAN MOST CAUSE YOU ARE MY HEAVEN
MISPLAED TRUST AND OLD FRIENDS. NEVER COUNTING THE REGRETS
BY THE GRACE OF GOD, I DO NOT REST AT ALL,
AND NEW ENGLAND AS THE LEAVES CHANGE;
THE LAST EXCUSE THAT I’LL CLAME
I WAS A BOY WHO LOVED A WOMAN LIKE A LITTLE GIRL
JUST A DROP IN THE OCEAN, A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
I WAS PRAYING THAT YOU AND ME MIGHT END UP TOGETHER
IT’S LIKE WISHING FOR RAIN AND I STAND IN THE DESERT
BUT I’M HOLDING YOU CLOSER THAN MOST CAUSE YOU ARE MY
HEAVEN DOESN’T SEEM FAR AWAY ANYMORE, NO NO,
HEAVEN DOESN’T SEEM FAR AWAY. HEAVEN DOESN’T SEEM FAR AWAY
A DROP IN THE OCEAN, A CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
I WAS PRAYING THAT YOU AND ME MIGHT END UP TOGETHER
ITS LIKE WISHING FOR RAIN AS I STAND IN THE DESERT
BUT I’M HOLDING YOU CLOSER THAN MOST CAUSE YOU ARE MY HEAVEN.
Jude: Millie, I will always love you. You… (struggling) you need to know that.
Millie: I know, I always knew… (She grasps hold of his hand tightly, kisses it, and doesn’t let go)
(Jude’s breathing begins to stag and the monitor scatters. Tears remain falling down Millie’s cheeks until the final line appears signifying his rested state)