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Authors: Dale Wasserman
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I’ll—
DON QUIXOTE (
Voice weak but commanding
) Let be.
DR. CARRASCO Señor Quijana—
DON QUIXOTE In my house there will be courtesy! ( DR. CARRASCO
reluctantly steps aside
) Come closer, girl.
( ALDONZA
approaches
) Now. What is it you wish?
ALDONZA (
Incredulously
) Don’t you know me?
DON QUIXOTE (
Puzzled
) Should I?
ALDONZA I am Aldonza!
(
A movement forward from the others. A pause
)
DON QUIXOTE (
Blankly
) I am sorry. I do not recall anyone of that name.
ALDONZA (
Looks about wildly. Sees
SANCHO .
Points to him
) He knows! ( DON QUIXOTE’
s eyes go to
SANCHO ,
who steps forward as though to speak.
DR. CARRASCO
warns him fiercely with a gesture.
SANCHO
closes his mouth, shrugs feebly. Panicky, to
DON QUIXOTE ) Please, my lord!
DON QUIXOTE (
Curiously
) Why do you say “my lord”? I am not a lord.
ALDONZA You are my lord, Don Quixote!
(
The others react, then hold very still
)
DON QUIXOTE Don Quixote. (
Rubs his forehead, troubled
) You must forgive me. I have been ill … I am confused by shadows. It is possible I knew you once, but I do not remember.
( ALDONZA
is stunned
. DR. CARRASCO
smoothly steps forward and takes her by the arm
)
DR. CARRASCO (
Moving her along
)
This way
.
( ALDONZA
allows herself to be led. But she stops, pulls loose suddenly, and in a rush comes back and flings herself to her knees beside the bed
)
ALDONZA Please! Try to remember!
DON QUIXOTE (
With helpless compassion
)
Is it so important?
ALDONZA (
Anguished
) Everything. My whole life. You spoke to me and everything was—different!
DON QUIXOTE I … spoke to you?
ALDONZA And you looked at me! And you called me by another name! (
She sings, pleadingly
)
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
Once you found a girl and called her Dulcinea,
When you spoke the name an angel seemed to whisper—
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
( DR. CARRASCO
takes her by the arm, leads her toward the door but she resists, holding back to sing
)
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
Won’t you please bring back the dream of Dulcinea …
Won’t you bring me back the bright and shining glory
Of Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
DR. CARRASCO I’m afraid I must insist—
DON QUIXOTE Let be! (
Disturbed, mind stirring
) Then perhaps … it was not a dream …
ALDONZA You spoke of a dream. And about the Quest!
DON QUIXOTE Quest?
ALDONZA How you must fight and it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose if only you follow the Quest!
DON QUIXOTE The words. Tell me the words!
ALDONZA (
Speaking to music
)
“To dream the impossible dream …”
But they’re your own words!
“To fight the unbeatable foe …”
Don’t you remember?
“To bear with unbearable sorrow …”
You must remember!
“To run where the brave dare not go—”
DON QUIXOTE (
Remembering, speaks, then sings
)
To right the unrightable wrong,
ALDONZA (
A whisper
) Yes …
DON QUIXOTE
To love, pure and chaste, from afar,
ALDONZA Yes …
DON QUIXOTE
To try, when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!
ALDONZA (
Seizing his hand, kisses it
) Thank you, my lord!
DON QUIXOTE But this is not seemly, my lady. On thy knees? To me?
ALDONZA (
In protest as he tries to rise
) My lord, you are not well!
DON QUIXOTE (
Growing in power
) Not well? What is sickness to the body of a knight-errant? What matter wounds? For each time he falls he shall rise again—and woe to the wicked! (
A lusty bellow
) Sancho!
SANCHO Here, Your Grace!
DON QUIXOTE My armor! My sword!
SANCHO (
Delightedly, clapping his hands
) More misadventures!
DON QUIXOTE
Adventures
, old friend! (
Rising from the bed, and as
ALDONZA
and
SANCHO
support him on either side, he sings
)
Oh the trumpets of glory now call me to ride,
Yes, the trumpets are calling to me,
And wherever I ride, ever staunch at my side,
My squire and my lady shall be …
I am I, Don Quixote—
DON QUIXOTE, ALDONZA and SANCHO
The Lord of La Mancha,
Our destiny calls and we go!
And the
DON QUIXOTE (
Voice weak but commanding
) Let be.
DR. CARRASCO Señor Quijana—
DON QUIXOTE In my house there will be courtesy! ( DR. CARRASCO
reluctantly steps aside
) Come closer, girl.
( ALDONZA
approaches
) Now. What is it you wish?
ALDONZA (
Incredulously
) Don’t you know me?
DON QUIXOTE (
Puzzled
) Should I?
ALDONZA I am Aldonza!
(
A movement forward from the others. A pause
)
DON QUIXOTE (
Blankly
) I am sorry. I do not recall anyone of that name.
ALDONZA (
Looks about wildly. Sees
SANCHO .
Points to him
) He knows! ( DON QUIXOTE’
s eyes go to
SANCHO ,
who steps forward as though to speak.
DR. CARRASCO
warns him fiercely with a gesture.
SANCHO
closes his mouth, shrugs feebly. Panicky, to
DON QUIXOTE ) Please, my lord!
DON QUIXOTE (
Curiously
) Why do you say “my lord”? I am not a lord.
ALDONZA You are my lord, Don Quixote!
(
The others react, then hold very still
)
DON QUIXOTE Don Quixote. (
Rubs his forehead, troubled
) You must forgive me. I have been ill … I am confused by shadows. It is possible I knew you once, but I do not remember.
( ALDONZA
is stunned
. DR. CARRASCO
smoothly steps forward and takes her by the arm
)
DR. CARRASCO (
Moving her along
)
This way
.
( ALDONZA
allows herself to be led. But she stops, pulls loose suddenly, and in a rush comes back and flings herself to her knees beside the bed
)
ALDONZA Please! Try to remember!
DON QUIXOTE (
With helpless compassion
)
Is it so important?
ALDONZA (
Anguished
) Everything. My whole life. You spoke to me and everything was—different!
DON QUIXOTE I … spoke to you?
ALDONZA And you looked at me! And you called me by another name! (
She sings, pleadingly
)
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
Once you found a girl and called her Dulcinea,
When you spoke the name an angel seemed to whisper—
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
( DR. CARRASCO
takes her by the arm, leads her toward the door but she resists, holding back to sing
)
Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
Won’t you please bring back the dream of Dulcinea …
Won’t you bring me back the bright and shining glory
Of Dulcinea … Dulcinea …
DR. CARRASCO I’m afraid I must insist—
DON QUIXOTE Let be! (
Disturbed, mind stirring
) Then perhaps … it was not a dream …
ALDONZA You spoke of a dream. And about the Quest!
DON QUIXOTE Quest?
ALDONZA How you must fight and it doesn’t matter whether you win or lose if only you follow the Quest!
DON QUIXOTE The words. Tell me the words!
ALDONZA (
Speaking to music
)
“To dream the impossible dream …”
But they’re your own words!
“To fight the unbeatable foe …”
Don’t you remember?
“To bear with unbearable sorrow …”
You must remember!
“To run where the brave dare not go—”
DON QUIXOTE (
Remembering, speaks, then sings
)
To right the unrightable wrong,
ALDONZA (
A whisper
) Yes …
DON QUIXOTE
To love, pure and chaste, from afar,
ALDONZA Yes …
DON QUIXOTE
To try, when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!
ALDONZA (
Seizing his hand, kisses it
) Thank you, my lord!
DON QUIXOTE But this is not seemly, my lady. On thy knees? To me?
ALDONZA (
In protest as he tries to rise
) My lord, you are not well!
DON QUIXOTE (
Growing in power
) Not well? What is sickness to the body of a knight-errant? What matter wounds? For each time he falls he shall rise again—and woe to the wicked! (
A lusty bellow
) Sancho!
SANCHO Here, Your Grace!
DON QUIXOTE My armor! My sword!
SANCHO (
Delightedly, clapping his hands
) More misadventures!
DON QUIXOTE
Adventures
, old friend! (
Rising from the bed, and as
ALDONZA
and
SANCHO
support him on either side, he sings
)
Oh the trumpets of glory now call me to ride,
Yes, the trumpets are calling to me,
And wherever I ride, ever staunch at my side,
My squire and my lady shall be …
I am I, Don Quixote—
DON QUIXOTE, ALDONZA and SANCHO
The Lord of La Mancha,
Our destiny calls and we go!
And the
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