THEATER OF
THRILLS AND HIGH ADVENTURE!
"The Mighty Red Warlock of Charity Cove Triumphs Again!"
by Richard Nathan
Before the lights come up, a voice introduces the story:
VOICE
In the old Massachusetts Bay Colony in
1692 many innocent women were condemned
to hang as witches. Their only hope was -
THE MIGHTY RED WARLOCK OF
CHARITY COVE!!!
Lights come up on the office of Reverend Hanesworthy in Charity Cove, Massachusetts in 1692. JOHN PINTON, alone on the stage, is cleaning the office. Enter REVEREND HANESWORTHY, who is unusually cheerful.
PINTON
Good morning, Reverend Hanesworthy.
HANESWORTHY
Good morning, Pinton! And a very good
morning it is, too!
PINTON
Is everything all right, Reverend?
HANESWORTHY
It would take a holy miracle for things to be better.
Why do you ask?
PINTON
You do not seem your dour and gloomy self, if you
don't mind my saying so.
HANESWORTHY
It is true that I do not like frivolity. There is little reason
for it in a world so cursed with sin. But perhaps, after
today, the world will be a trifle less sinful, due to the
impending capture and execution of one if its principal
sinners. I speak of course of that fiend who calls himself
the Mighty Red Warlock of Charity Cove.
PINTON
The one who frees all the women you accuse of
witchcraft?
HANESWORTHY
Do you know of any other Mighty Red Warlock of
Charity Cove?
PINTON
No. He's the only one. But what makes you think
you're finally going to catch him?
HANESWORTHY
I am convinced he is a resident of Charity Cove! When he
is not dressed in his scarlet cape and mask, he must seem to
be an ordinary, unassuming man. But today I shall discover
his real identity!
PINTON
How do you plan to do that?
HANESWORTHY
I am bringing in an expert! Ann Hill, the most celebrated
witchfinder in all of Massachusetts! Her father is Sir Nathanial
Hill, one of the wealthiest and most esteemed men in the New
World. His daughter Ann will recognize the Red Warlock
even without his costume. She will lead me to him!
PINTON
When are they coming to Charity Cove?
HANESWORTHY
They're here! They arrived lat last night. I stopped by
the inn just now to welcome Sir Hill. He said Ann
was still abed. I told him he must rouse her at once!
There is God's work to be done!
PINTON
And you really think Ann Hill can find the Red Warlock?
HANESWORTHY
She cannot fail! She has an uncanny sensitivity to depravity
and sin!
There is a knock on the door.
HANESWORTHY
I think that must be them now. Come in!
Enter SIR NATHANIAL HILL and his daughter ANN HILL. Ann should be approximately eight to twelve years old.
HANESWORTHY
Sir Hill! And you must be Ann! What an honor
to meet you.
NATHANIAL HILL
Ann, this is Reverend Hanesworthy. He is the man
we came all this way to help.
Ann looks up at Hanesworthy, and after a moment, she screams at the top of her lungs.
ANN HILL
Aaaaahhhhhh!
Until the point noted in the stage directions below, Ann acts as though she were being tortured.
NATHANIAL HILL
Daughter?
ANN HILL
Why? Why do you do this to me? Why?
NATHANIAL HILL
You know you can't stay in bed all day. We must
find the evil in this town.
ANN HILL
Why do you bring me to the devil's servant? The evil
one is here! His spirit is pinching me! He's hurting me!
NATHANIAL HILL
Here in this room?
ANN HILL
Yes! He's hurting me! Make him stop!
Hanesworthy look around the room. The only one he can possibly suspect is Pinton.
HANESWORTHY
Pinton? My trusted clerk? All this time, has it been
you???
ANN HILL
Not him!!! You!!!
She points an accusing finger at Hanesworthy.
ANN HILL
This man is the devil's slave!
HANESWORTHY
No, child, you are mistaken!
NATHANIAL HILL
I doubt that. There have been over a score of
witches caught here in Charity Cove, and not one
hanging.
HANESWORTHY
But I tried to hang them!
NATHANIAL HILL
Am I to believe that any human being could be so
incompetent as to let every witch escape?
HANESWORTHY
It was the Red Warlock! He is the agent of Satan!
NATHANIAL HILL
And no doubt he has another agent of Satan assisting
him!
ANN HILL
He pinches me! He pinches me!
Nathanial Hill looks at Pinton and points at Hanesworthy.
NATHANIAL HILL
Restrain him.
PINTON
But Sir Hill...
NATHANIAL HILL
I am Chief Magistrate Hill. Restrain him, or I will
have you both executed!
PINTON
Sorry, Reverend.
Pinton leads Hanesworthy to a chair and ties him to a chair. As soon as this happens, Ann stops acting as though she were being hurt.
ANN HILL
May we go back to Salem now? I don't
like it here.
NATHANIAL HILL
Now, Ann! Don't you want to stay for the
hanging tomorrow?
ANN HILL
All right.
NATHANIAL HILL
That's my girl! We'll go back to the inn, and see this
sinner hanged first thing in the morning!
ANN HILL
Then may we go back to Salem?
NATHANIAL HILL
Then we may go back to Salem!
Nathanial and Ann exit.
HANESWORTHY
Pinton, you know I'm not in league with the Red
Warlock, don't you?
PINTON
No one knows that better than I.
HANESWORTHY
Do something, Pinton! Do something to help me!
Blackout. After a moment, we hear in the darkness the voices of the RED WARLOCK (who is really John Pinton) and Ann Hill.
ANN HILL
(in the darkness)
Where are we? And where's my father?
RED WARLOCK
(in the darkness)
That's the surprise I promised you. It's part of
the game.
ANN HILL
(in the darkness)
I like your cloak, but it's hard to see it now.
Will you turn on the lantern again?
RED WARLOCK
(in the darkness)
Soon.
ANN HILL
(in the darkness)
I'd like to have a cloak like that. But
Father won't let me wear red. He never
lets me go out at night like this. He is so
boring! Are you sure he wanted you to
bring me to him? It's late, isn't it?
RED WARLOCK
(in the darkness)
First you must show me that you are as powerful
a witchfinder as you say you are. Remember
that man you claimed was pinching you this
morning?
ANN
(in the darkness)
He was pinching me!
RED WARLOCK
(in the darkness)
We're back in his office. See?
The Red Warlock slides open a panel in the dark lantern he is carrying. Light from the candle within the lantern streams out, revealing that the Red Warlock and Ann Hill are in the office of Reverend Hanesworthy. Someone is tied in a chair with his back to them. Presumably, it is Reverend Hanesworthy. Ann begins acting as though his spirit was hurting her.
ANN HILL
Owww! He's doing it again! He's pinching me.
RED WARLOCK
Who is? Show me!
ANN HILL
Him! That man in the chair!
RED WARLOCK
Are you sure?
ANN HILL
Of course I'm sure! He's sending his evil
spirit right out of that chair to pinch me!
The Red Warlock turns the beam of his lantern so that it shines on the man in the chair, revealing it to be Nathanial Hill, bound and gagged.
RED WARLOCK
My goodness, Sir Hill. It appears that based
on what your daughter has told me, you must be
hanged tomorrow.
ANN HILL
You tricked me!
The Red Warlock unties Nathanial Hill and removes his gag.
NATHANIAL HILL
Nonsense! Ann, explain yourself!
ANN HILL
It was the devil! The devil must have fooled me!
NATHANIAL HILL
Do you realize what you've done? You've cast into
doubt all the testimony you've ever given!
ANN HILL
It's his fault! He made me do it!
NATHANIAL HILL
Yes, I believe he did. He's the one who brought me
here by force, and bound me in that chair.
Nathanial draws his sword. The Red Warlock draws his sword.
RED WARLOCK
I warn you, I am a master swordsman!
NATHANIAL HILL
That may be, but I have God on my side.
With a single swipe of his sword, the Red Warlock easily disarms Nathanial Hill.
RED WARLOCK
You were saying?
Nathanial turns on his daughter.
NATHANIAL HILL
This is all your fault, you wretched little girl!
RED WARLOCK
I suggest you both take the next ship back to England,
if you want to live.
NATHANIAL HILL
Yes, this colony of Massachusetts no longer appeals
to me. We'll sail to England!
RED WARLOCK
See that you do.
ANN HILL
Can I find witches in England?
Nathanial cuffs her. They exit. The Red Warlock steps off stage and then re-enters bringing Hanesworthy, who is bound and gagged. The Red Warlock removes the gag, but leaves Hanesworthy tied up.
HANESWORTHY
This changes nothing! You are still my sworn
enemy, and I will hunt you down, you and every
witch in Charity Cove.
RED WARLOCK
You'll try.
HANESWORTHY
Why did you do it? Why did you help me?
RED WARLOCK
It's as Sir Hill said. It is hard to believe anyone could be
so incompetent as to let all those women escape. You
are my ally after all, even if an unwitting one.
The Red Warlock exits.
HANESWORTHY
Curse you, Red Warlock! Curse you and all those
who seek to seduce Massachusetts into vile debauchery!
But you will never succeed. Massachusetts will be ruled
be a ruled by God fearing Puritans forever!
BLACKOUT!
THE END
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scripts
© 2006 by Richard Nathan. All rights reserved
The author grants all internet uses to print these scripts for their own, personal, non-commercial use. No other use may be made without the author's permission. Without limiting the foregoing, the plays may not be staged without the author's express permission.
Send e-mail to the author at Richard-Nathan@att.net.