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Jump the Bright Line

The threefold responsibility of the artist is: to creation, the individual talent, and to humanity.    Charles Philip Brooks

Edna St. Vincent Millay, deceased, is brought before the Highest Court to answer for her offenses.

The Charge: Crimes against humanity through willful debasement of the artist’s body and mind.

The Problem:Does an artist have the right to destroy her life and hence her particular and unique talent with sex, drugs, alcohol?

Mightn’t it be right and proper to hold artists to a higher standard than we hold more common types of humankind?

What does an artist owe the world of Art in light of the fact that many artists are denied the space, time, support, even physical and mental safety by which they may be allowed to pursue their vision?

What right does an artist have to ruin lives, not her own and not even those who have chosen to participate, but the lives of innocent bystanders?  Should an artist be held responsible for any and all collateral damage?

Cast: 
4 women; 2 men Court Clerk Judge Gordon Oliphant Douglas – a grotesque dummy, to be carried on stage by the Court Clerk Prosecutor – a man with guilt to expunge Edna St. Vincent Millay Norma Millay – Edna’s older sister Kathleen Millay – Edna’s younger sister Cora Millay – Edna’s mother Henry MacCracken – President of Vassar College during Edna’s student years Arthur Ficke – Edna’s lifelong friend and lover Mrs. James Lawyer (played by same actress playing Kathleen or Norma) Eugen Boisevain – Edna’s husband Clerk, MacCracken, Ficke, Boisevain may all be played by the same actor, however this will require an actor with significant flexibility.
Authors: 
Karen Ackerman