Text and lyrics by Jean-Claude van Itallie, music by Richard Peaslee, directed by Joseph Chaikin. The cast: Tina Shepard, Paul Zimet, Shami Chaikin, Margo Lee Sherman, Murray Moss, Bernard Duffy and Charles Stanley. Dramaturg: Mira Rafalowicz. A Fable, developed collaboratively in 1974, previewed at the Lenox Arts Festival in the summer of 1975, then opened at the Westbeth Exchange Theatre, NYC, on October 18, 1975.

SONG: The Fable

When did it happen?

Once upon a time that was not this time.

Where did it start?

In the Village of People Who Fish in the Lake.

Once upon a time

In the Village of People Who Fish in the Lake

They were repairing the net

But forgot that the lake was dry...

2^nd VILLAGER: In the Golden Time

In the Golden Time

Everything was exactly as it is today, they say.

1^st VILLAGER: Only

6^th VILLAGER: There were no differences between places then.

8^th VILLAGER: Of course there were differences.

5^th Villager: But people moved dancing.

And people spoke music....

SONG:

And so the journeyer left the Village

   of People Who Fish in the Lake

And journeyed to the King of the Country

   of People Who Fish in the Lake

To find out what was wrong.

In the small courtyard of the palace

She saw hundreds of people.

They seemed strange,

As if they had seen something terrible.

There was a smell.

The journeyer knew

Something had passed through the courtyard.

AFFLICTED PERSON:

In the middle of the night

I am hidden.

In the middle of the night

I am cold.

In the middle of the night

There is screaming

But no face...

In the middle of the night

There is crying

But no child....

SONG:

And the journeyer left the king

And journeyed through all the villages of the kingdom

Until she reached the end.

And then she crossed the border

Into a country where they speak another language.

And then she asked directions

And then the journeyer journeyed

Until the days were short.

And then she saw the sea...

And then the journeyer was cold and went to sleep.

And then she dreamt of what she’d seen.

And then awoke quick.

The stone had moved under her head.

PERSON HIDING UNDER THE STONE:

Stop it. Leave me alone.

"The tale is Thurberish, William Steig-like, a picaresque journey filled with pluck, luck and comic roadblocks. … A Fable is a jaunty excursion. It has the potential of being popular music theatre." Mel Gussow, New York Times, October 28, 1975.

"...it seems to me what A Fable is getting at in all its awkward beauty, the understanding of God’s success, man’s dark struggle past easy victories toward, as I said, a triumphant defeat." Arthur Sainer, Village Voice, November 10, 1975.

"...once again a provocative experiment...more [writing] please, van Itallie." Walter Kerr, Sunday New York Times, November 10, 1975.

Published by Dramatists Play Service, and in 1978 (out of print) America Hurrah and Other Plays (Grove Press).