Summary and Purpose of the Play

BRIEF SUMMARY AND PURPOSE OF JFK: LIGHT THE WORLD:

BRIEF SUMMARY: John F. Kennedy: Light the World is a ceremonial, multi-media, theatrical presentation. Featuring quotations from his speeches, accounts of his heroic actions in World War II and as President, and depictions of how his assassination impacted individual Americans.

After an invocation by the players, quotations from his speeches and commentary on his actions, the play describes the public grief and fear generated by the assassination. By late 1963 Kennedy’s chances for reelection seemed very good. The play refers to President Eisenhower’s warning about the Military Industrial Complex and notes other parties with motivation to eliminate JFK. The play collectively and metaphorically describes this cadre as a monster of Biblical proportions, a Leviathan, a conspiratorial group of evil men who carefully planned and covered up the political assassination that brought him down. Though personnel changed over time, the Leviathan’s anonymous animators have continued to influence America for the worse over the decades. For example, the nation’s heroes and its National Story have been attacked and diminished. Today, we are divided by hateful hostility and venomous anger. For the first time in many years, assassination is even part of the Zeitgeist. The play closes by remembering and honoring JFK’s call for unity and reminding citizens that they hold the power to block the Leviathan, reduce the hatred and incivility, as well as restore our National heroes and the narrative (or Myth) that is so necessary for unity.  

PURPOSE:

The play's purpose is to honor JFK the man and the President and – because of the increasing vitrol and hatred in politics today -- to urge the immediate adoption of his ideas on unity and civility.

“Let us not emphasize all on which we differ but all we have in common. Let us consider not what we fear separately but what we share together."

John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States.

Outline Including Songs and Transitional Music

John F. Kennedy: Light The World

 

 

(Note: Except for the theme music and Jerry Webb’s guitar work on “Wayfaring Stranger,” no transitional music is included on the CD or digital download. The band would provide this in a live production. All artists and vocalists received a one time, flat fee for their work on the accompanying album, CD/download)

 

Front Material

 

Title Page with disclaimer, Information about the play for readers, theater directors and producers, royalty fee. Dedication, Acknowledgment Note, Cast, etc.

 

Prologue: Processional, Invocation

 

As the ceremonial play’s instrumental theme music is performed, the actors enter in a procession through the audience. They state their goal, and in the manner of ceremonies of old, they pray for assistance from God and ask for inspiration from the Muses. 

Processional Instrumental Music: “Londonderry Air melody”

Song: “The Golden Cup”

Transitional Music: Organ plays powerful chorus of “The Golden Cup”

 

Part One: JFK’s Speeches and Deeds

 

The actors present several important selections from John F. Kennedy’s speeches

and describe his heroic actions in World War II and after.

Song: “Amazing Grace”

Song: “Armageddon”

Transitional Music: Instrumental version of the first and second verses of the song “He Was Born to Live.” A full performance of this song follows in Part Two.

 

Part Two: Enduring Words

 

The actors identify numerous enduring words associated with John F. Kennedy’s assassination and describe how they have become a part of our National Memory and our culture.

Song: “He Was Born to Live”

Transitional Music: The musicians begin “The Golden Cup” theme which quickly becomes off key and cacophonous with all amplified instruments playing different chords; this chaotic sound then flows into a single, loud chord played by and held by all the instruments -- the electric organ and guitars dominating – for 10-20 seconds before stopping abruptly.

 

Part Three: Atomic Fear and Trembling

 

The actors refer to a Biblical monster, the Levithan, as a metaphor for the group of conspirators who killed President Kennedy. The animators and agents of this beast planned and executed the assassination as well as manipulating the public through shock and fear in the aftermath. Should the director decide on including an intermission, this would be ideal spot for it.

Song: “The End of November, 1963”

Transitional Music: Instrumental: “Poor Wayfaring Stranger”

 

 

Part Four: A Grief for the Ages

 

The actors express the grief and sorrow of citizens at the loss of their beloved President.

Song: “The Day Jack Kennedy Died”

Transitional Music: The keyboardist plays a portion of the foreboding first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” on the electric piano

 

Part Five: Aftermath: Chaos, War, and Hell

 

The actors explain briefly what social, cultural, and foreign events

followed the assassination in the rest of that doomed decade.

 Song: “Hero”

Song: “When the News Came Through”

Transitional Music: The organist at first plays a slow, almost funereal instrumental version of the first verse of the play’s theme, “The Golden Cup,” Then the music becomes brighter and more upbeat with the second verse.

 

Part Six: New Hope

 

The actors note that although the nation is still divided and poisonous political invective continues, there is hope that the appearance of strong new champions of America’s traditional values and remembering President Kennedy’s calls for unity and his bipartisan approach to issues will contribute to unity and support a revival of the American Spirit.

Song: “America the Beautiful”

Transitional Music: The band continues a softer and quieter instrumental interlude of “America the Beautiful” and then fades out.

 

Epilogue: The Myth Makers

 

The actors remind citizens that in our democratic republic, only the citizens themselves have the power to restore and recreate the country’s National Story and Myth

which is a powerful key to ensuring unity and survival. 

Song: “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”

Song: “The Golden Cup” 

 

End of Play