A Stranger Unaware or To Whom Much is Given… THE SETTING The action of the play is centered on a P.O.W. camp in Germany. It is late winter in 1943. The main P.O.W.s are Colonel Hogan, Sergeant Carter, Corporal LeBeau, Corporal Newkirk, and Sergeant Kinchloe. Their opposition, the Germans, are General Berkhalter, Major Hocksteter, Colonel Klink and Sergeant Shultz. The story centers around one nameless character, called only "The Girl". ACT ONE Scene 1: (The lights come up on a clearing in the woods. The wind is blowing and snow falling. The sun is beginning to rise. Only a stump is seen in the clearing and a girl is moving towards it.) THE GIRL: Cold, so tired...Gotta keep moving... (She trips and falls.) Get up! (Starts to crawl to stump. Grabs stump with one hand, and then falls unconscious.) (Lights fade out.) Scene 2: (Lights come up on a small, dimly lit, room. In the middle of the room Kench sits at a table with a radio on it. The radio is beeping out a code.) KENCH: (Writing a message on a scrap of paper, calls to Hogan (offstage).) Colonel! A message from London! HOGAN: (Walks in from offstage) What's up? KENCH: They ask if we have seen anything strange lately. Something showed up on their radar and disappeared around this area. HOGAN: I guess I'll have a look. I'll take Newkirk with me. (Turns to get Newkirk) (Lights fade out.) Scene 3: (Lights come up on Hogan and Newkirk walking through a forest clearing. Newkirk walks toward a stump.) NEWKIRK: Sir. I've got to sit down. My legs are killing me! We’ve been searching for hours! (Goes to sit on stump) (Hogan shakes his head and follows Newkirk. Before Hogan can catch up to him, Newkirk freezes.) HOGAN: What's the matter? (Jogs to catch up and looks where Newkirk is staring.) NEWKIRK: Is that what I think it is? HOGAN: (Whispering) Oh my God! (Yelling)There's someone under the snow! (Hogan and Newkirk run to the body. Hogan brushes the snow off and turns the body over.) NEWKIRK: It's a bloody girl! Is she...? HOGAN: (Taking her pulse with two fingers) She's alive! Help me get her out of the snow! (Newkirk helps Hogan lift the girl.) (Lights fade out.) Scene 4: (Lights come up on the underground room. Kench, LeBeau, and Carter are sitting around on stools drinking coffee, waiting for Hogan and Newkirk to return. A cot sits in the corner.) (Hogan and Newkirk come in carrying the girl.) HOGAN: Help us! Put her on the cot, and get some blankets. (Men put her on cot and cover her with blankets.) CARTER: (Turning to Hogan) We can't do anything more than hope, now. Who is she? HOGAN: I don’t know. We found her lying in the snow, but there was nothing around for miles. KENCH: What happens if, I mean when, she wakes up? What if she is a loyal Nazi or a spy? LEBEAU: A beautiful girl like that would not betray us! HOGAN: Hold it guys! I don't know who she is, but why was she out in the middle of nowhere? I want some answers! (Lights fade.) Scene 5: (The men form a circle in a back corner. The lights come up only in an area around the girl's cot, leaving the rest of the room in shadows.) MEN: (Whispering in shadows) What do you think? I don’t know. Maybe… GIRL: (Moans and awakens. Room goes silent.) Hello? Anyone there…? Hello? NEWKIRK: Well, she speaks bloody English. HOGAN: That doesn't prove anything! GIRL: (Pauses) Who are you? Come into the light, and let me see you! NEWKIRK: (Sarcastically) Demanding ain't she? LEBEAU: She has a right to be! We are the ones hiding in the shadows. GIRL: Who ARE you? You sound familiar. Do I know you? HOGAN: Somehow I doubt that. (Waves men forward. They walk into light together.) GIRL: (Whispering) No! It can't be! HOGAN: You know us? GIRL: Of course I know you! You're Hogan, and Carter, and, and Kench, and LeBeau, and you're Newkirk. (Looks at each man as she names him.) HOGAN: How do you know us? GIRL: Well, that’s a dumb question! I know you because I...I...I don't remember how I know you! (Confused look) HOGAN: Yah! I bet! Okay then, what's your name? GIRL: (Shakes head) I...I don't remember. HOGAN: Uh huh... I see. Spy! GIRL: No! I'm NOT a spy! I promise! I...I just can't remember! HOGAN: If you can't remember, how do you know you're NOT a spy? GIRL: How do I know YOU'RE not a spy? Same reason. I just know! LEBEAU: I believe her! How are we going to help her mon Colonel? HOGAN: We'll discuss it in a minute. First we've ALL got something to do upstairs. (Men file offstage.) GIRL: I don't care WHERE I am! I've got to get out of here and back where I belong! (Girl goes opposite way of men and disappears offstage.) (LeBeau comes to apologize to girl and finds her missing.) LEBEAU: (Yells to Hogan (offstage).) Colonel! She's gone! (Men run in from offstage.) NEWKIRK: There’s a storm brewing up. We’ll never have time to find her! CARTER: I hope she'll be okay... (Lights go out.) Scene 6: (Lights come up on a field of snow. The girl struggles through the storm, and then falls. Shultz comes in from offstage and goes to where her body lays.) SHULTZ: (Talking to self) I thought I saw something move out here. (Sees body and calls offstage) Colonel Klink! I've found someone out here! KLINK: Bring him in! SHULTZ: He's unconscious, sir! KLINK: Well pick him up, dumbkouf! SHULTZ: (Turning the body over with one foot) Sir! It's not a he! It's a she! KLINK: A woman? Well, bring her in! SHULTZ: Yes, sir. (Gently picks up girl and walks offstage) (Lights go out.) Scene 7: (Lights come up on Klink's office; a picture of Hitler is on the wall. A cot sits in the corner with the girl laying on it. General Berkhalter sits behind a desk.) GIRL: (Moans and awakens. Looks around in confusion, then horror.) Oh, no! BERKHALTER: (Smiling evilly) Oh, yes, my dear! I see Klink was right, for once. You ARE American, are you not? (Girl shakes head.) BERKHALTER: No need to deny it! What are you? A spy? (Girl shakes head again and presses back into corner) BERKHALTER: Come now, my dear! You have a pretty voice. Let’s hear it! (Girl remains silent.) (Lights go out.) Scene 8: (Lights come up. On the far right of the stage snow lays on the ground, but on the left side, which is separated by a doorway, the men sit on chairs waiting for Hogan to come inside. Outside, Hogan and Klink stand facing each other, talking.) KLINK: Tell me, Hogan. HOGAN: (Sarcastically) Oh, anything, sir. Anything! KLINK: Are Americans in the habit of using young girls for spies? (Grins) HOGAN: No... Why? KLINK: Oh, no reason, no reason. (Chuckles and walks away) (Klink goes offstage; Hogan goes through door to men. The men stand up.) NEWKIRK: What did Klink want, sir? HOGAN: They have her. LEBEAU: No! They can't keep her! I'll rescue her; I'll break every bone in their bodies! (LeBeau runs to door. Men catch and hold him there.) HOGAN: (Pacing) THAT’S why Berkhalter‘s here! Klink must have called him. KENCH: What are we gonna do sir? HOGAN: I think... (Interrupted by the sound of a car pulling in) Who is it? KENCH: (He looks out door at car (offstage).) It’s Major Hocksteter! NEWKIRK: The bloody Gestapo! They'll kill her! (Lights go out.) Scene 9: (Lights come up on Klink’s office. Klink and Berkhalter stand beside the desk. Hocksteter stomps in.) KLINK: Major! Such a pleasure to see you! HOCKSTETER: Shut up, Klink! General, what have you learned? BERKHALTER: Nothing yet, Major. No matter what we do, she refuses to talk. HOCKSTETER: Only for you, General! We have WAYS of making people talk! (Hocksteter stalks to the girl and grabs her arm. He drags her a few feet while she tries to get free. Hogan walks in from offstage.) HOGAN: Major! HOCKSTETER: What is this man DOING here?! (He looks at Hogan.) (The girl sees he isn't watching her and bites him on the wrist. Hocksteter lets out an abrupt screech and releases her. The girl runs to Hogan's side. Hogan shoves her behind him. Hocksteter and Berkhalter exchange a look while Hocksteter rubs his wrist.) KLINK: Give her back, Hogan! HOGAN: Sir, you know holding her is against the Geneva Convention. KLINK: I don't care! If you (Interrupted by Berkhalter) BERKHALTER: Very well, Hogan. You take care of her. (Hogan looks at him oddly, and then backs offstage with the girl.) KLINK: Why did you let Hogan have her? HOCKSTETER: The General obviously thinks Hogan will get her to talk. BERKHALTER: He CAN and he WILL! (Evilly) He will. (Lights fade out.) Scene 10: (Lights come up on the prisoner barracks. Hogan walks in with the girl. All the men rush to help her to a cot. She collapses on it, succumbing to tears.) NEWKIRK: (To Hogan) What did they do to her, sir? HOGAN: I don't know. I don't think she told them anything, or they wouldn't have let her go so easy. They think I'm gonna get her to talk. We've got to get her out of here! The only problem is, how? The Gestapo are watching the girl too closely to go out the tunnel with her, and, if we did get out, they'd blame the other prisoners. We've got to escape, but I've got to take the blame when we do. Hmm... I think I've got an idea. (Rubs his chin) I need three volunteers. (LeBeau, Carter, and Kench immediately raise their hands.) HOGAN: Okay you three, your job is to escape out the tunnel and go home. KENCH: But, sir! CARTER: We want to stay with you! LEBEAU: We're not leaving. HOGAN: Yes, you are! That's an order. Now pack your stuff, and get going. Newkirk, it looks like it's you and me. NEWKIRK: That's what I get for not volunteering. HOGAN: This is what we're gonna do... (The lights go out.) Scene 11: (The lights come up on Shultz, guarding the main gate.) SHULTZ: (Turns when footsteps are heard) Halt! Who goes there? NEWKIRK: Just me Shultzy. SHULTZ: Oh, Newkirk. Don't scare me like that! One day I might shoot you. NEWKIRK: Somehow I doubt that'll be a problem anymore. (Moves to Shultz's side and motions to someone offstage) You see, the girl needs to get out of here. (Girl runs onstage to Newkirk.) Guess what. You're our ticket. (Draws a small gun on Shultz) SHULTZ: Now, Newkirk... NEWKIRK: Not a word Shultz! Drop the gun! (Shultz drops his gun, and they walk offstage thru the gate.) (Lights go out.) ACT TWO Scene 1: (Lights come up on Klink’s office. Hocksteter, Berkhalter, and Klink sit around the desk, drinking. The sound of a knock disturbs them.) KLINK: Come in! (Hogan comes onstage.) HOGAN: I'm afraid your little scheme won't work. The girl has escaped. HOCKSTETER: What? Impossible! (The Germans run offstage past Hogan. Hogan watches them leave, then begins to sneak out the other way. When Hogan is about to escape, Hocksteter runs back in.) HOCKSTETER: Hogan! Trying to escape in the confusion? Ha! (Calls offstage) Guards! Arrest him! (Three guards run in and grab Hogan. He fights back. One guard falls, then, while the other two hold Hogan’s arms, gets up and punches Hogan in the stomach. Hocksteter walks to where Hogan has collapsed, breathlessly.) HOCKSTETER: Now we shall get the girl, and YOU will be the bait! (Hogan looks up and glares at Hocksteter.) (Lights go out.) Scene 2: (Lights come up on a snow filled forest. Newkirk, Shultz, and the girl are running through it. They stop to catch their breath and hear Hocksteter's voice (offstage).) HOCKSTETER: Girl! If you can hear me, give yourself up! NEWKIRK: Like THAT'S gonna work. HOCKSTETER: If you do not give up in 5 minutes, we will shoot your beloved Colonel Hogan. NEWKIRK: No! He can't do that! (Hands clench into fists as he turns toward the voice.) GIRL: I'll have to go back. (Puts hand on Newkirk's shoulder) (Hogan's voice comes through (offstage).) HOGAN: Don't come! Go! Go! (Hogan screams.) HOCKSTETER: Hear that, girl? That's the sound of a man being tortured! The longer you wait to turn yourself in, the louder the screams will get! (Hogan screams again.) (Newkirk and the girl look at each other, then run toward Hogan's voice.) (Lights go out.) Scene 3: (Lights come up on the prison camp. Hogan is bleeding and on his knees with Hocksteter and the guards standing in front of him as an impromptu firing squad.) HOCKSTETER: Girl! You have wasted too much time! Now he shall die! (Stands behind guards) Ready! (Guards lift Hogan to his feet, but he can’t stay up. He falls to his knees. The guards back up and lift guns.) HOCKSTETER: Aim! (Guards aim at Hogan. Hogan gives the Nazis one last defiant glare.) (The girl’s voice comes from offstage.) GIRL: I give up! Don't shoot. HOCKSTETER: The girl! Get her! HOGAN: (Weakly) No! Run! Run! (Hocksteter looks at Hogan, the woods, then back to Hogan. Hocksteter smiles, and then aims his gun at Hogan.) HOCKSTETER: Well, I guess we don’t need YOU anymore. (Hocksteter fires.) GIRL: NO! Hogan! (Hogan collapses to one side.) (The Nazis run offstage after the girl. Newkirk sneaks in the other side and runs to Hogan. He lifts Hogan up, and they limp offstage.) (Lights go out.) Scene 4: (The lights come up on a clearing in the forest with a lone tree in the center of it. Hogan, Newkirk, and the girl run toward the tree. The girl sits Hogan and Newkirk on one side of the tree, stumbles to the other side, and falls on her knees. Shouting is heard offstage from the German guards. Hocksteter and the guards come on stage. The tree hides Hogan and Newkirk, but the girl is in plain view.) HOCKSTETER: (Raising gun) I don't care WHAT you know, or where you came from. You've caused too much trouble already. I'm afraid I'll have to kill you. GIRL: (Raising hands) Please...no! (Hocksteter aims gun and fires. Newkirk jumps from behind tree into the path of the bullet. He falls to the ground, just feet from the girl.) NEWKIRK: Ow. (Puts hand on chest, looks at bloody hand, and dies) GIRL: (Crying) Oh, Newkirk! HOCKSTETER: Ha! He would have died anyway! He just saved me the trouble of hunting him down. (Aims gun again) GIRL: (Bows head) Please, help me... (Hocksteter prepares to fire but, before he can, a sudden wind comes up, and the snow blinds him.) HOCKSTETER: No! Where did this come from? (Shields face with one hand) GUARDS: Come on, sir! We have to get back before we freeze! HOCKSTETER: But the girl! GUARDS: She’ll freeze to death. We’ll find her body when the storm blows over. (The Germans leave. The wind howls in the distance, and the girl crawls over to Newkirk's body.) GIRL: Oh, Newkirk... (Girl looks up, then closes her eyes. She lays her hand on his chest.) NEWKIRK: Oh… What a headache! (He looks at his fully healed chest then back at the girl.) How did you do that? (Girl smiles, helps him up, and goes over to Hogan, lying unconscious against the tree. She puts her hand on Hogan’s head. His bleeding wounds heal, and he looks up at her.) HOGAN: Who ARE you? (The girl shakes her head and gives him a hand up. He walks over to Newkirk. The girl looks offstage, nods her head, and then looks back to the men. She walks over to them.) GIRL: (To Hogan) Thank you, Hogan. For everything. (Kisses him on cheek, then goes to Newkirk) Thank you, and goodbye, my good friend. (Hugs him tightly) NEWKIRK: (Looks down at her and smiles gently) Goodbye, my little byrd. (The girl backs away and waves. The men bow slightly. The lights fade out, and she disappears. In the dark you hear the men's voices.) NEWKIRK: She disappeared, sir. HOGAN: I know... I know. (Curtians close.) AFTERWORD (Curtains open, and a spotlight comes up on the middle of the stage. In a half-circle, facing the audience, are all the actors, hidden by the shadows. The girl's voice is heard, but she is not seen.) GIRL: Let's just say that everyone got what he deserved. Hogan (Spotlight moves to Hogan.) made his way home, and, after the war, sold used cars in Florida. Newkirk (Light moves to him.) became a magician. LeBeau (Light moves) became a master chef. Carter (Light moves) went home to Indiana and owned a chain of pharmacies. Kench (Light moves) started a radio repair shop and had a patent on a new radio system. As for the Germans, Hocksteter, Berkhalter and the guards (Light moves) were sent to prison for war crimes. Klink (Light moves) was sent to a labor camp in Florida, and, after his sentence, Hogan showed him around Palm Springs. Last of all, Shultz (Light moves) was acquitted of all charges, and he returned to his toy factory. As for the girl, (Light moves to illuminate all actors.) well, we’ll never know… will we? That's It!