(July 22nd. Approaching early morning. Central Park.

The stage is still dark. The spotlight comes up on MAGDALENE. She is sitting on the floor, center stage. Next to her lays a wine chalice and ancient texts. She is again dressed in the clothing of her time – in a red coat with a simple white floor length dress underneath.

The UNICORN squats by a bush in the background. He remains dressed in black, but his horn has been broken from his head. He is relieved to have found MAGDALENE and seeing she is safe, he sits by the bush, wiping the sweat from his brow and finally catching his breath.

MAGDALENE picks up the chalice and looks at it. She is quiet. MAGDALENE hears the faint sound of the UNICORN breathing. Slowly she looks around.)

MAGDALENE
Is that you, Master ? I sense you are near…

(MAGDALENE stands up and takes a few steps.)

Oh, my beloved – how I wish it were you. I have been separated from you for so long that my soul cannot bear it any more. Could it be that I would see you again – as my beloved ? Or am I just fooled by the hallucination of my love-struck delirium ?

I thought by my coming I could clear up the confusion. Transcend my myth. Give them a piece of my mind. Surely they could understand – they are smart people that live in this place. This busy, busy place.

I sense your presence here. Why do you tease me ? I was your most persistent disciple.

You know where I came from. I was a witness to the contrast of rich and poor in our culture. I have seen the different treatment given to the clean and unclean. You know my world and how it affected me. My world was your world.

Why can I not join you now ? Please tell them it’s over and that the darkness, the shadows wish to fade away. Nothing compares to my love for you except if I were to be rejoined with you. Please don’t leave me standing here alone anymore.

(The voice of JESUS CHRIST can be heard at a distance calling out her name.

MAGDALENE walks from stage left to stage right, looking everywhere for the voice of JESUS.

The UNICORN remains hidden but points in the direction of his voice.)

MAGDALENE
Surely I have gone mad. It’s George’s fault. He provoked me, pushed me. I tried to tell him. But he wouldn’t listen. Just didn’t get it. Even in death…

(The voice of JESUS CHRIST can be heard at a distance calling out MAGDALENE’S name. The voice is getting closer.)

Does anyone else hear his name but me ?

(MAGDALENE walks over to the ancient texts, picks one up and starts reading aloud “The Song of Songs” from the Old Testament.)

“I hear my love. See how he comes leaping on the mountains…My love lifts up his voice, he says to me, ‘Come then, my beloved, my lovely one, come. For see, winter is past, the rains are over and gone…”

(MAGDALENE looks up and then continues to read.)
“On my bed at night I sought the man who is my sweetheart: I sought but could not find him ! So I shall get up and go through the city; in the streets and in the squares, I shall seek my sweetheart…”

“What is this coming up from the desert like a column of smoke, breathing of myrrh and frankincense and every exotic perfume ?”

(There is a rustling in the bushes and UNICORN scurries away. MAGDALENE’S excitement is building.)

“-While the king rests in his own room my nard yields its perfume. My love is a sachet of myrrh…”

“Draw me in your footsteps, let us run. The king has brought me into his rooms; you will be our joy and our gladness. We shall praise your love more than wine; how right it is to love you.”

JESUS CHRIST
(Entering from the bushes)
Magdalene, it is you. It WAS your voice that I heard !

MAGDALENE
(Turning around in awe)
“How beautiful you are, my beloved, how beautiful you are ! Your eyes are doves”.
JESUS CHRIST
(Taking the text from Magdalene and placing it gently on the ground)
“You ravish my heart, my sister, my promised bride…
You ravish my heart with one of your glances, with a single link of your necklace.
What spells lie in your love, my sister, my promised bride !”
(MAGDALENE falls to her knees.)

(Turning to audience)
“She is a garden enclosed, my sister, my promised bride; a garden enclosed, a sealed fountain.”
(Turning back to Magdalene and kneeling)
“Your shoots form an orchard of pomegranate trees, bearing most exquisite fruit…I belong to my love and my love to me.”

MAGDALENE
(Taking a deep breath and touching his throat)
“Flowing down the throat of my love, as it runs on the lips of those who sleep. I belong to my love and his desire is for me.”

(MAGDALENE and JESUS touch their faces, cheek-to-cheek,
touch their arms hand-to-hand.
They slowly stand together and embrace.)

JESUS CHRIST
Our favorite melody…the ancient song.

MAGDALENE
At last you have come !

JESUS CHRIST
There was much work to be done, Mary. You have known that for a very long time.

MAGDALENE
(Touching JESUS)
I thought I would never see you again. In this way.

JESUS CHRIST
And your faith was ?

MAGDALENE
Strained.

JESUS CHRIST
Mary…my sweet Mary…
(Pulls a flower out of thin air)
I brought you a rose. White as the dove.

MAGDALENE
Thank you, my Lord.
(MAGDALENE sits down at his feet.)

JESUS CHRIST
(Turning to audience)
The prophets and mystics have said it. Over and over again. The model for the Bridegroom and his bride is found in the garden.

The fish swims by…his time has passed…and now Aquarius springs forth with Her life-saving substance. And with it, the end of the separation. Of male and female within the spiritual house.

MAGDALENE
It is finally time, Jesus ?

JESUS CHRIST
That time is beginning…Magdalene ?

MAGDALENE
Yes ?

JESUS CHRIST
Pick up the chalice. The grail – pick it up.

MAGDALENE
(Picking it up)
What is it ?

JESUS CHRIST
The time for anointing.

MAGDALENE
But –

JESUS CHRIST
Look inside.

MAGDALENE
The oil. I smell the cinnamon – I am always amazed by you.
(She laughs.)

JESUS CHRIST
Before the sun comes up.

MAGDALENE
“For the king’s banquet, my nard gives forth its fragrance.”

(MAGDALENE then walks slowly around JESUS, anointing first his head, then his forehead, his throat, and stops at his heart.
MAGDALENE smiles at JESUS, and then continues to anoint him – his stomach, his legs, and his feet.
The golden light surrounds them as the anointing is completed.)

JESUS CHRIST
It is time for the healing. They who named you prostitute ! Let their voices be silenced. And let the truth emerge. Gently but with conviction.

MAGDALENE
And if the sacred marriage is to be believed…

JESUS CHRIST
The sacred union is to be accepted.

MAGDALENE
The feminine principle must be restored to its original temple of majesty. Then healing, my beloved, will bloom as the rose. As this rose you have given me today.

JESUS CHRIST
(Waving his hand by her pelvic area and smiling)
Mary…

MAGDALENE
And our spiritual connection will resume its place of importance. Then -

JESUS CHRIST
Mary…

MAGDALENE
Yes ?

JESUS CHRIST
My Magdalene…

MAGDALENE
Yes, my beloved ?

JESUS CHRIST
You are the unmistakable feminine. Sacred and sensual and sublime, all in one.

MAGDALENE
I am…and I thank you for recognizing that. And the principle ?

JESUS CHRIST
The principle has been restored.

MAGDALENE
Who restores it ?

JESUS CHRIST
I do.

MAGDALENE
And my voice ?

JESUS CHRIST
Your voice ?

MAGDALENE
They have always heard YOUR voice. They may not have fully understood it, but they have heard it. But…this time…this day…have they finally heard mine ?

JESUS CHRIST
(Smiling at MAGDALENE)
Your voice has been heard.

MAGDALENE
This day ?

JESUS CHRIST
This day.

MAGDALENE
This time ?

JESUS CHRIST
This time.

(They are standing side by side. They turn and look at the skyline.
And they turn back towards the audience.)

MAGDALENE
Finally ?

JESUS CHRIST
Yes.

MAGDALENE
Yes ! Finally !

JESUS CHRIST
Some things take time, Mary.

MAGDALENE
Some things take forever, Jesus.

JESUS CHRIST
But this time -

MAGDALENE
This time ?

JESUS CHRIST
(nodding to Mary)
This time –

MAGDALENE
Today ?

JESUS CHRIST
This time. Today. It is finished.

MAGDALENE
Then…my beloved…you having said that…today…this time…they will believe you. You have restored me from a place of tribulation…to a place of celebration.

And having said that, let the dancing begin.

(MAGDALENE dances around JESUS.
JESUS laughs.

JESUS dances around MAGDALENE.
MAGDALENE stares adoringly.
They bow in each other’s presence.

JESUS turns around and unveils a large shoulder sack.

MAGDALENE removes her red coat, folds it and places it in the sack.

She then bends down, picks up the chalice and ancient texts
and carefully places them inside the sack.

JESUS places this sack over his shoulder.

MAGDALENE and JESUS look around.
They walk hand in hand together.

Lights fade.

THE END