1999 **Faith.** Opera in One Act. Based on the story by James Patrick Kelly. Commissioned by OperaFest of New Hampshire, Jane Cormier, Producer. Carol Castel, Director. Premiere April 25, 1999. Multiple performances as school show. Vital Theater, New York, September 1999. World Science Fiction Convention, Chicago, September 2000. #selflicensed #opera #comic #oneactopera [[SELF LICENSED]] [Perusal scores](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1psyubcsOD8EGB2qSchnvz8TnKqAX3q6t?usp=drive_link) Contact me, [contact form.](https://operaandbeyond.blogspot.com/) **FAITH** **(DWF, 35)** Opera in one act by Michael Ching Based on the story by James Patrick Kelly [audio link to story]([https://archive.org/details/Free_Reads_14_Faith](https://archive.org/details/Free_Reads_14_Faith) Libretto adapted by the composer Commissioned and premiered by OperaFest of New Hampshire, 1999 Produced by Vital Theatre Company in New York City and at Worldcon. Cast Faith, 35, recently divorced soprano (A) Betty, her friend mezzo soprano Flip, Faith's pre-teen son speaking Gardiner Allen, a horticulturalist tenor (B) ![[2000 Faith at Worldcon little poster_Page_1.png|300]] The story, "Faith" was first published in ISAAC ASIMOV'S SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINE in June 1989. It is anthologized in THINK LIKE A DINOSAUR AND OTHER STORIES, published by Golden Gryphon Press in 1997. Synopsis Scene I. The opera begins with a narrative theater introduction spoken by Faith and Betty. Faith is a thirty five year old woman who has just divorced her husband Chuck. She has a pre-teen son, Flip. After a period of waiting after the divorce, she has decided to begin dating. Scene II. Faith begins her search for a new man by composing and then placing a personal ad. Scene III. At Faith’s house, Faith tells Betty about the results. There are some promising leads and a strange poem from one Gardiner Allen. The poem begins, “somewhere a stranger is sleeping alone, dreaming of gardens.” All in all, she’s a little disappointed. She invites Betty to come along to a screening of PLAN NINE FROM OUTER SPACE at the library. She is taking her son Flip. Betty reluctantly agrees to come along. Alone, Faith dozes off while reading the mysterious poem. She wakes up and writes to Gardiner Allen. Scene IV. Faith, Betty, and Flip have just seen PLAN NINE, which they parody while out front of the ice cream parlor. Scene V. A man who was at the screening comes up to them—it is Gardiner Allen. We find out that Gardiner breeds plants for a living. Gardiner strikes up a conversation with Flip about science fiction which then moves along to the subject of reading Shakespeare. He asks if he could call her and Faith encourages him. Scene VI. Faith tells Betty about her dates with the men who answered the personal ads. All of the dates have been disasters. The phone rings, it is Gardiner. They agree to get meet at Anthony’s Restaurant. Scene VII. Faith arrives at Anthony’s. Gardiner is their waiting for her. He has brought along a beautiful hosta. Faith jokes that she’s never been out with a perennial. Gardiner becomes defensive about it. Eventually he tells her that he talks to plants. Now all worked up and defensive, he tells Faith that its okay if she wants to leave. Usually women he meets think he has a problem. Faith stays on and says she’s sorry she teased him. Relieved, Gardiner loosens up and begins to tell her about himself. He talks about the famous horticulturalist, Luther Burbank, who is a kind of role model for Gardiner. He says Burbank talked to plants to create a “vibration of love.” Gardiner says that he’s making suggestions to his hosta in order to produce a certain kind of hybrid. Surprised, Faith asks Gardiner if he’s using telepathy on the hosta. Gardiner becomes defensive again and says that if Faith would just come out to his farm, he could show her more about it there. Scene VIII. Faith tells Betty about the trip to the farm. Gardiner has other odd habits, including nibbling on the plants and eating the bugs that prey on them. Gardiner has named a new day lily after Faith. Faith had a wonderful time at the farm and ended by kissing Gardiner. She says to Betty that she can’t believe she’s falling already. Betty assures her that it’s okay. They all plan to go to the Arts Festival at Prescott Park, where they will meet Gardiner. Alone, Faith asks herself what she should do about Gardiner and his vibrations. Scene IX. Faith, Betty, and Flip watch a brief performance. (optional) Gardiner arrives and the two of them go for a walk. Alone she asks Gardiner if he can read her vibrations, or even read her mind. He says he can’t and that maybe it all can be explained by his sensitivity to the cues that other unconsciously give. As for himself, he is a “sender” of signals, not a reciever. He broadcasts his feelings—antipathy and, now, love. They are ever so close and the mood is electric. Gardiner asks Faith if she knows what a feedback loop is. Perhaps his love for her is reflected by Faith back to Gardiner and on and on and on. She doesn’t know. He says if it is a kind of emotional feedback loop, they should separate and the distance will allow her to decide what she feels. Separated, they each ask themselves a question. Faith asks herself what she should do about Gardiner and he asks what can he do to get her to fall for him. Faith decides she must trust the way she feels and runs back to Gardiner’s waiting arms. They are lost in a swirl of blossoms, shed in their honor by the plants in the park.