Act I:

It’s the early 2000’s, in Bloomington, Minnesota, close to Christmas at the Clearhaven Nursing Home. Samuel Howard, a resident, is sitting in the entryway watching the beginning of another day. He’s noticing the weather is getting worse – cold and snow – much to the nurse, Camilla Jackson’s dismay. Samuel continues to observe from his bench, (“Sittin’ on This Bench” – which continues through the rest of the scene) commenting as the rest of the morning unfolds.

Resident Althea Berglund complains about her breakfast and the staffing. Resident Clarence Brown skips breakfast so he can get upstairs to visit his dementia-consumed wife, Emily. Althea criticizes him for doing that, much to Samuel’s irritation. Clarence asks if Samuel wants to join him, but Samuel refuses, saying he’s busy today.

Prudence Dallman, a wheelchair-bound resident, enters from the dining room and Althea attacks her for sitting at her table – the wrong table. Prudence explains it’s warmer there, closer to the kitchen. Althea won’t have anything to do with it, and rudely sets Prudence straight. This irritates Samuel even more, while Prudence just wants to give up.

Althea then starts complaining to Camilla, while Samuel continues to stew. Before she leaves, Camilla ponders her work, knowing the pain that these residents are facing, and knowing that they do, deep inside, need her.

Clarence enters Emily’s room. Bedridden, all Emily says is “mah mah mah.” Clarence is totally dedicated her, even though she is just a shell of who she was. He ends his visit with a kiss and a “I love you.”

Althea continues on her rampage with Camilla, while Samuel gets more and more angry. He finally lashes out and starts talking back to Althea. They start to bicker with each other. Camilla tries to calm Samuel. Prudence then gets involved in the spat, while Clarence enters from being upstairs, and observes. Finally, Samuel gets so agitated that he begins to take a punch at Althea. Camilla catches his arm, and tells him stop. The scene is over as well as the song, “Sittin’ on This Bench.”

Later that afternoon, the weather is getting much worse, to the point where buses have now been taken off the roads. We see Samuel, Clarence, Prudence, and Althea in Elizabeth Backscheider’s Social Services office. Beth wonders whether they should postpone the meeting due to the weather. Beth calls the Highway Patrol – the interstates have closed. Camilla pops in stating that the next shift of nursing workers can’t in.

Beth starts the meeting, stating that this feuding between the four residents has grown more volatile in the past month, and that it can no longer be tolerated. If it doesn’t change quickly, some or all of the four may be asked to leave the Home. She explains that she has to think about the safety of all of the residents there, not just the four of them. (“A Safe Place”) Beth then leaves the office for a few minutes to check on staffing, and to allow the four to think about what they need to do to solve their issues.

Suddenly, the storm cuts the power in the Home and all is dark except for the generator’s emergency lights. Samuel talks about his memories of losing power in his house when he was a child. They are thankful for the generator at Clearhaven. Suddenly a clunk, hiss, and the generator is out. Complete darkness, with the four of them stuck in the room together, with Clarence trying to cheer up folks by singing a Christmas carol, much to the chagrin of Althea.

A while later, they all are still in Beth’s office, in candlelight. They have blankets over them along with sweaters or coats. Althea complains that she wants to be in her own room, but Camilla explains that they can’t take any chances moving any of them in the dark hallways. They can’t get a maintenance person in either, due to the storm and closed roads. Camilla leaves to take care of the other residents.

Suddenly, they hear music in the distance and they all begin to feel unsettled and trapped, knowing who is coming. It’s JC Brooks, the young, urban music therapist, and he enters to see if he can get any of them to participate in some music therapeutic activities. (“The Art’s the Thing”) He tries to talk Samuel or Clarence into some movement, or singing, but to no avail. Seeing there are no takers at this point, JC decides to move on and come back later.

Clarence begins to worry about Emily, and thinks that maybe he should go and visit her. Samuel tries to calm him, telling him it’s too dark in the stairwells to go up there, and that the nurses will continue to care for her. Althea starts to get more and more irritated with Clarence’s worries, and Prudence’s complaining of being cold. Samuel starts to get agitated again. Althea and Prudence start bickering more until Prudence goes over to the office window to get away from Althea and calm down. Samuel asks if she is ok. Prudence begins to reminisce at the window, (“This Pain of Glass”) and then begins to fall back into a memory.

Prudence gets out of her wheelchair, and joins the memory. It is now 1941, Christmas Eve in South Minneapolis, at Mabel’s Bakery. Prudence is now 16 years old and an apprentice to baker Mrs. Mabel Johnson (played by Camilla). They are in the middle of making and baking Christmas breads. Pru is complaining about being hot and thinking that this dough is more important than their comfort. Mabel, the truest of a patient mentor, stays positive through Pru’s constant complaining and mouthiness. Pru begins kneading bread and punching her frustrations on how she doesn’t want to be there. (“Kneadin’ Bread”) Mabel tries to teach patience, that just like dough, the development of a child takes slow kneading.

Pru gives up and wants out. But before she can leave, Mr. Asherton Roberts (played by JC), Director of the Children’s Home comes to the bakery for a visit. He states to Mabel that he finally has found a home for Pru – with a rich couple. Mabel questions him more and more about the couple until she finds out who they are. She figures it out – a couple who only wants Pru for the work help – and so refuses to give Pru over to him. Roberts is furious. Mabel states that she will adopt Pru herself, much to the chagrin of Pru. She’ll be over to sign the paper the day after tomorrow.

Roberts leaves, and Pru is given the choice that she can stay with Mabel, or she can go off on her own – a dismal alternative, but one that Pru stubbornly chooses. As much as she longs to be safe, cared for, and loved by Mabel, Pru’s outside coarseness and chip-on-her-shoulder attitude won’t allow her to accept. She leaves, (the ending of “Kneading Bread”) never even knowing where her next place of rest will be. Pru walks back to her wheelchair and becomes old Prudence again at the window. The memory is over.

Prudence has such heavy regret that she never had the chance to be able to share her true feelings of love and gratitude to Mabel. Beth and Clarence try to comfort her. Althea strikes out at Prudence for her selfishness. This upsets Samuel. He snaps back at her stating that even though one can work hard all their lives, there still can be pain, and that she should have a bit of compassion. Samuel then walks to the window and looks out. Beth asks if Samuel has something he’d like to talk about. As much as he doesn’t want to, he can’t help but fall into a memory. He tells Althea that she has no idea what real pain is, and then his memory begins.

It’s 1961, Moose Lake, Minnesota, at Sam’s Barbershop. Samuel crosses down to bench in front of the shop, with a newspaper and cup of coffee next to him. Mr. Bill Carlson (played by Clarence) walks by ready for his weekly haircut. Sam gets him in his chair and begins to give him the haircut, while they discuss the news of the day in Moose Lake. (“At the Barbershop”) Sam finishes the cut and Bill leaves.

Mrs. Piggly (played by Prudence) and her 4-year-old niece Becky (played by Althea) come by the barbershop. Becky needs her hair trimmed but is shy about getting into the chair. Sam crouches down to her and plays a little guessing game with her. Something is in his hand. Becky can’t guess what it is. It’s a yoyo, and Sam gives it to her if she sits in the chair. She does and Sam trims her hair. Mrs. Piggly and Becky leave.

10-year-old Davey (played by JC) then enters the shop in his swim suit. He and Sam are best buddies. Davey catches up on Sam’s doings for the morning and then tells Sam that he’s playing third base in the baseball game this afternoon. Sam encourages him by practicing hard – that’s how Sam’s hero, baseball great Harmon Killebrew got to be so good. Davey gives Sam a stick of Juicy Fruit gum, wet from his suit, but the thought was there. Davey has to get home before his mom gets angry with him – translation to that means that his mom can be abusive, and Sam gets this.

A few days later, Sam must go to the Barnum police station, where the Officer (played by Clarence) informs Sam that his son Davey was caught shoplifting by checkout girl Penelope (played by Prudence). Sam doesn’t tell them that he is not Davey’s father, and approaches Davey to find out a solution. Sam asks the Manager of the store (played by Beth) if Davey could do chores for her for two weeks to make up for his transgressions, and that Sam would make sure he’s there every day. They are in agreement and they all leave except for Sam and Davey. Sam asks Davey why all of a sudden he was Davey’s father. Davey explains that he was scared and knew that if he called his mom instead, he would be switched for sure. And why he shoplifted? Davey admits it was Sam’s birthday, he had no money, and he wanted to give Sam a special Harmon Killebrew baseball card that he saw in the window. He shows the card to Sam. Sam understands, tells him to learn from this, and finally that Davey is his best buddy. (“Secret-Reprise 1) Sam also won’t tell Davey’s mom, since she can be abusive and that is wrong. Sam offers him a peppermint, saying that many problems can be solved with one. Davey hugs Sam and tells him that if he could have a pa, it would be him.

The next afternoon at the Five and Dime in Barnum, Davey is sweeping the floor while Sam is sitting, reading a newspaper. Davey talks about wanting to live with Sam, since his ma beat his brother last night, and he was scared. Samuel again says that beating is wrong and he’s going to give her a good talking-to the next time he sees her. Davey runs to Sam and hugs him. Suddenly, his ma, Mrs. Sommers (played by Althea) comes in and is livid. Sam hadn’t told her that the chores were to be done in Barnum, not Moose Lake. She grabs Davey and starts to pull him out the door, threatening Sam to stay away from her kid or she will charge him with kidnapping and maybe even molesting Davey. Davey screams for help, but Sam just freezes, and Davey disappears with his ma.

Back at the office window, Samuel states that that was the last time he ever saw Davey. By the time he decided to confront his ma, they had already moved out and left town. While Samuel is drowning in regret, Althea lashes out at him, not wanting to wallow in memories. Beth admonishes her but Althea just keeps going until Samuel strikes back with hurtful comments. The four residents all separate frustrated, hurting, and afraid that they are going to have to leave Clearhaven. (“Act 1-Finale”)

Act II:

It is still candlelit, and Clarence is making his way into Emily’s bedroom. He kisses her and asks her how she is doing. He offers her some water and then begins to sing to her (“For So Long”) about how what it is like without her with him totally in his life. Beth finds Clarence and encourages him to come back downstairs – they are short-staffed up on the second floor. Before he leaves, he kisses Emily one more time and tells her he loves her.

Back at Beth’s office, the other three hear JC coming again. He enters with a toy glockenspiel, and tries to persuade Prudence to play it. (“The Art’s the Thing-Reprise 1”) Sam tells JC that another resident was interested, and that he should try him. JC agrees and leaves.

Clarence comes in with Beth, and Althea immediately becomes gruff. She keeps egging Clarence on, saying how foolish he was to go up to the crazy, smelly floor. Clarence, for a first time, loses his temper and tells Althea to shut up. Clarence goes to the window and looks out. He starts to sing Daisy Daisy, a tune popular with him and Emily when they were young. Beth asks him to tell them about that time, and so Clarence goes into memory.

It is July 4, 1932, the waterfront carnival at Duluth, Minnesota. It’s Emily and Clarence’s first date, and Clarence is pretty nervous. He’s a reserved kind of guy. Emily wants Clarence to dance, and so she grabs him and starts to waltz, even though Clarence is too embarrassed to enjoy it. (“Welcome to the Carnival”) They walk up to the Ring the Bell game and the barker Alfie (played by Samuel) tries to get Clarence to try it. He refuses – too shy again. Meanwhile, two high school girls Cindy (played by Prudence) and Sassy Patty (played by Althea) try their hand at it. Sassy grabs the sledge hammer and tries 3 times, but loses. It’s now Emily’s turn. She gets it close, but still loses. When Clarence asks why Emily did it, even though they know the game is rigged, she replies that she did it for the thrill of the moment. That intrigues Clarence.

Suddenly, a firework booms and Emily reacts as if she forgot something and runs off toward the fireworks. Clarence runs after her to the singing of the barker.

At the fireworks grounds, all characters are now seated on the side of the hill, ready to watch the show. Pops Olsen (played by JC) is lighting up the fireworks with his cigar. Emily runs in. Pops, glad to see her, gives her a punk to help light the fireworks. Clarence is amazed and surprised that Emily works them. Fireworks begin. Emily finds Clarence hiding behind a barrel because he’s scared of being so close to the fireworks. Emily assures him that there isn’t anything to be afraid of, and so she shows him how to shoot a firework off. Clarence does, falling backwards as he lights it, but is amazed at the beauty and excitement of it. Emily is proud of him. Clarence realizes that he burned himself and so Emily quickly gets out the first aid and wraps the wound professionally. It turns out she’s a med student in St. Paul, doing fireworks as a summer job. Clarence is overwealmed with her spunk and spontenaiety. Pops lights more fireworks as the crowd sings oohs and aahs. Clarence and Emily share in the magical moment. (“Emerald Green”) As the finale of the fireworks begin, Clarence and Emily embrace and kiss underneath the different shades of emerald green. Immediately afterward, they split apart, Clarence back to the office window, and Emily to her hospital bed, followed by a few quiet “mah mah mah’s.”

The mood is broken immediately by Althea screaming for everyone to get out of the office. They all are appalled by her request, and Samuel finally loses his temper and yells to her that it has gone too far and that she should get out. It is at that point that Samuel notices that underneath Althea’s chair, there is urine on the floor. Althea had voided. Beth takes Althea’s arm and helps her to Beth’s office bathroom. Camilla goes to get some clean clothes. Samuel starts scolding himself for what he had just said to her. But the three of them understand the pride and humiliation of it all. Beth comes out and Samuel asks what they can do. Beth and Prudence state that they don’t need to say anything. (“Kneading-Reprise 1”) As the door opens and Althea timidly comes out, she has a soliloquy about what is left of her. (“What is Left?”) Samuel tries to apologize and Althea thanks him and explains how hard it is for her to be alone. Beth asks Althea if maybe it is time to trust all of them. Althea goes to the window and looks out, as her memory begins.

It’s 1947, Althea’s house in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Elsie her maid (played by Camilla) has found Althea’s quilting bag and Althea is so grateful. Mannie Berglund, her husband (played by Samuel) enters the house from work and immediately swoops Althea off her feet into a huge kiss. Mannie role-plays proposing to Althea. (“Will You Be My Bride”) He then tells her that he got the job promotion he’s been working so hard for. They are ecstatic. He reminds her it’ll require him to take the train down to Milwaukee once a month for a couple night. They want to celebrate, but instead of going out, Althea takes him upstairs.

Althea and Mannie are at the Elkhart Lake train station platform. Mannie is heading down to Milwaukee for work. The two of them keep kissing goodbye, and finally, since Althea is going to be singing at church that morning, she has to leave. As she leaves, a mother (played by Beth) and her small child carrying a teddy bear (played by Clarence) come onto the platform to wait for the train’s arrival.

Althea arrives at church late; the service has already started. Organist Ruthie Guggenheimer (played by Prudence) waves to her and they begin to chat during the scripture reading. Annoyed at their noise, the minister Reverand Schultz (played by JC) finally just quits the reading and announces that Althea will be singing the anthem. (“I Hear the Train Bell Ringin’”) As Althea starts singing the anthem, the stage splits and we see her at church singing, and we also see the train platform with the three passengers waiting for the train silently. As she sings, we see the little boy drop his teddy bear on the railroad tracks. He jumps down on the tracks to retrieve it, but his foot gets caught in the track. We hear the train coming. Mannie jumps down to help the boy, finally getting his foot free, and throws the boy up to his mother. But then Mannie immediately covers his face with his arms, seeing that he’s going to be run over by the engine. Dark. Althea finishes her song and then slowly starts to cripple down as she reacts to the news of her dead husband. Memory is over.

Althea just stands there in front of the group in the office, and immediately Samuel walks up to her and opens his arms to her. She cries years of pent-up tears. The four realize that they all have been hurt in life, and Samuel tells Althea that she never has to be alone again because they are all here for her.

The power suddenly goes on and the lights are bright. They celebrate the light and heat. Samuel then notices that Althea isn’t celebrating – she is quite still. Camilla quickly comes in and checks her – she has died with a smile on her face. Camilla takes Althea out of the room. This totally unravels Samuel. He starts to question what’s the point in life with Clarence and Prudence. (“What’s the Point”) Beth finally ends it by saying that sometimes things like this in life just happen, that they must learn from it, and then be supportive of each other.

Samuel goes to the window and suddenly green Northern Lights appear outside, shining in. Prudence and Clarence join him. (“Emerald Green-Reprise 1”) Samuel asks Clarence if he’d like Prudence and him to join Clarence up to the second floor to see Emily. They shake hands. Finally, Samuel says that afterward, they all need to go see JC to do some singing. They all leave the room laughing and singing. (“The Art’s the Thing-Reprise 2”)

This leaves Beth alone in the room. She walks over to the window, and looking up, admires the Northern Lights. Smiling, she says, “Well done, Mrs. Berglund,” as the lights fade to black.