David

And the Evil That Can't be Slain

Synopsis

Act One: David Vs. Goliath

The show opens with two young women, in different settings, each caring for a child. One is Goliath's mother. With her is 7-year-old Goliath. The other is Nitzevet, holding her infant, David. Goliath has schizophrenia and is haunted by a demon named Kabus. As a child and throughout his life he struggles discerning between what's real and what isn't. In the opening scene he references Kabus as he pleads with his mom to stay with him until he falls asleep. The opening scene is followed by an instrument-only Prologue. The background screens on the stage show a 17 year time lapse displaying painted scenes from both David and Goliath's early lives. Goliath's mother passes away during that timeframe, and, besides the chronic presence of the demon, he grew up alone. Now, in the present time (around 1000 BC), the conflict between the Israelites and Philistines is escalating causing Saul, the King of Israel, significant stress. David, a musical prodigy shepherd boy, performs for the king, members of his family, and the prophet Samuel. Samuel prays for the conflict to end. Goliath challenges Israel to nominate a warrior for a winner-takes-all, one-on-one battle. Saul accepts the challenge but without a warrior in mind. David meets and instantly loves Saul’s daughter, Michal. She is there when he slays the lion in the field (she helps and gets a gnarly scar across her face in the process). Saul appears to be mixed up with a witch. After 40 days of Goliath taunting the Israeli army for not presenting a warrior, David learns of Goliath’s challenge and volunteers to represent Israel in battle. The audience is introduced to Bathsheba and Uriah as they converse in their home about the upcoming battle. Just before the big fight, the play introduces Goliath's wife who is expecting a child. She and Goliath sing a loving duet, and she pleads with him to be around more considering their growing family. The next day, to everyone's surprise, David slays the giant. As the warrior Goliath lies dead in the background, Young Goliath (the 7 year old from the opening scene) and his mother experience an emotional, heavenly reunion. The demon, Kabus, confronts his new victim, David, as Act One ends.

Act Two: David Vs. the Demon

The first scene in Act Two is a glimpse into David’s haunted state of living since he slew Goliath. David marries Michal. Bathsheba and Uriah hold another conversation in their home that serves as a summary of recent events: David’s popularity was growing. Saul chased him away and tracked him down in a cave intending to kill him. David had a chance to take revenge, but he spared the king's life, temporarily healing the strained relationship with his father-in-law. The Prophet Samuel dies of old age. Saul, again, feels threatened by David’s success, attempts to kill him, and David flees to Gath where he makes friends with and lives among the Philistines. Saul, worried about an upcoming battle, seeks advice from the Witch of Endor. She summons “Samuel” (it's Kabus in disguise) who tells Saul that he will perish. Saul and three of his sons, including Jonathan, fall to the enemy as foretold. Michal rebelliously also joins the battle where she finds her slain father and brothers. She kills Philistine soldiers and survives. David mourns when he learns of Saul and his sons’ passing. The quasi narrators, Bathsheba and Uriah, converse in their home revealing the political events that followed Saul’s death: The House of Judah defected from Israel and made David their king while Saul’s remaining son, Ishbosheth, became the king of Israel. David, through an alliance with an Israeli captain, Abner, was able to reunite with Michal despite her having married someone else while she and David were apart. Soon after, Abner was killed. Back to the present, Ishbosheth is also killed. David becomes the king of reunited Israel. Michal, despite having just recently reunited, ends her and David’s relationship. David meets Bathsheba and makes several serious, poor decisions. His depression peaks when their infant child dies. The demon, Kabus, has David where he needs him: hopeless and burdened with guilt. Just as David acts to take his own life at Kabus’ command, the spirit of Goliath enters and triumphantly slays Kabus, setting David free from the demon's grasp. Goliath saves the life of the very man who ended his! David and the chorus sing a powerful anthem about the evils of war and tribalism. The play’s final scene is about a year after David’s suicide attempt. Bathsheba is holding and singing to her and David’s healthy baby boy, Solomon, in the palace garden. Act Two ends as Act One began: a loving mother holding her precious child.

Characters

David

Michal

Jonathan

Saul

Kabus

Goliath

Young Goliath

Bathsheba

Samuel

Witch of Endor/Goliath's Wife

Nitzevet

Uriah

Philistine Lieutenant

Eliab

Chorus Male 1/Philistine Captain

Chorus Female 1/Goliath's Mother

Philistine Soldier 1

Philistine Soldier 2/Lion

Abinadab

Malchi-shua

Chorus Male 2

Chorus Female 2

Chorus Male 3

Chorus Female 3

The Concept Album

The concept album is an amateur, homemade production utilizing mostly VSTs and SynthV vocals. Thank you for imagining with me what these songs will sound like someday with professional singers and musicians.

Ways to Listen

Spotify

Apple Music

Credit

Logo designed by Kelsey Anne Crnich with goodworksgoods.com
Various sound effects in demos obtained from https://www.zapsplat.com

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