Act One, Part 1 Summary

This acclaimed musical, winner of several of Broadway's prestigious Tony Awards as well as the Pulitzer Prize, is the story of a family traumatized by death and struggling with issues related to the mental illness of one of its members. As it explores aspects of the power and function of memory, the work also considers thematic questions relating to the nature and value of loyalty and the need for hope in the face of adversity.

Scene 1 - Following a brief prologue, Diana, awake very early in the morning, speaks with the late-returning Gabe, confessing that once again she's been imagining how he might die. Dan calls down, and Diana says she's just talking to herself, adding that she'll be up right away for sex. Music starts, uptempo with a rock feel ("Just Another Day"). Dialogue and singing intercut the...