Crazy People Incorporated: the abuse survivor's musical

	Synopsys: The story in a nutshell At age 40, the heroine, Melissa, a victim of extreme sexual abuse in her childhood, finds herself in a situation where for the first time in her life she is receiving effective support and counseling for the distressing mental and emotional state in which she has spent most of her life. Her mental condition expresses itself in the form of Melissa hearing voices inside her head. The voices occasionally become so demanding and persistent that Melissa has no option but to let them take over and turn her into whoever they want her to be - the usual result of such episodes being that Melissa often 'wakes up' in disturbing and/or otherwise unpleasant situations with little or no knowledge of how she got there or why. A cynical person would probably blame the drugs and alcohol to which Melissa was addicted... A more insightful person, however, might realise that Melissa's misuse of drugs and alcohol was merely a mechanism she employed which enabled her to cope with something far worse. The support that Melissa is currently receiving is almost exclusively from Susan, her closest friend and former councillor. Susan is familiar with most of Melissa's alter egos, and is now retired, but has maintained a close personal interest in Melissa ever since the met. The play begins on a bad day for Melissa. She has called Susan in desperation, amid fears of an onset of depression, and Susan has popped round to see if there is anything she can do. Melissa conveys her feelings of utter abandonment to Susan [Pity The Child] but is not much cheered by the visit and turns to alcohol to block out the voices the moment Susan departs. The alcohol reacts badly with Melissa's prescribed medication; and instead of growing less, the confusion in her head becomes a full blown riot [Whore Slag Slut Baby], as childhood memories of her abuse come flooding back. This distresses Melissa even more, but thanks to the alcohol she is in no condition to fight off the invading voices and soon passes out on the kitchen table, leaving Tapes, (one of her more demanding alter egos), still drinking steadily. As Melissa falls into a drunken stupor she is visited by Badbits, a sad and lonely child alter who expresses her sense of abandonment [Were You There] to an unconscious Melissa, and succeeds in deepening her depression even more. Melissa, or more rightly Tapes, since it is she who is most affected, is then visited by The Feelings Monster, an ego so steeped in troubled emotions [Walk In My Shoes], that her mere presence is sufficient to induce the hitherto dominant Tapes to mutilate her arms and legs with a serated kitchen knife in an effort to block out the emotions that are being invoked. The remainder of CPI are shocked the following morning when they discover the unconscious body of Tapes lying covered in blood. They interrogate her, only to find that she recalls little of the experience except that it was deeply disturbing, but are soon distracted from her story by Princess, who, unknown to her, has something to do with Tapes' experience. Tapes then takes the unprecedented step of deciding to go 'Deep Inside' (Melissa's heart) to find and if necessary destroy the monster. She is however astounded to discover that when she does so she is confronted not with some hideous monster, but with the apparition of an entirely wholesome and beautiful child with thoughts so pure and gentle toward her abusive father [Deep Inside], that when Tapes eventually returns to the surface to recount her adventure to the others she discovers that they will not even tolerate the child's existence - let alone her existence in their life. Being more perceptive than the others however Tapes knows that the existence of such a monster child has to be of major significance in their lives, and despite the attempts of all the others to dissuade her, she reluctantly decides that she must return Deep Inside [Mad At You] to settle once and for the meaning of such conflicting pieces of evidence. Returning once more to the monster's lair inside Melissa's heart, Tapes quickly discovers that she was indeed correct about the loving nature of the child, and that not only was she drawn to protect her but also that there was a great deal she could learn about their relationship with their father and the way they had been abused so may years ago. It is a major revelation for Tapes; and much as she knows they will miss her on the surface, she determines to remain deep inside with Feelings [Melting Ice] and devote herself entirely to her care and broadening her own sketchy education regarding abuse issues. End of Act I Meanwhile, back on the surface, things are beginning to change in subtle ways. Without the domineering Tapes in their midst to dictate what should happen; the others are reluctantly forming previously unheard of alliances and unwittingly sowing the seeds of a new found democracy and sense of comradeship that is destined to change their lives for ever. As Tapes, (who, so far as the rest are concerned, has abandoned them), continues her education Deep Inside, the effects of it are permeating Melissa's very being and glimmers of friendship and reconciliation begin to appear in their reaction to outside influences. Religion has always been a difficult subject for Melissa - but Susan, (who's husband, John, is a lay preacher - and who's son, Stephen, has long been the focus of a crush by one of Melissa's pre-teen alters), invites them to church one Sunday where things go disastrously wrong - but for some reason [The Sunday Afternoon Song] that fact does not manage to prevent Melissa from coping better than usual anyway. Indeed, even in her saddened state, instead of becoming more depressed and turning to drink as she would normally have done - Melissa's nervous (and pretty much abandoned herself) pre-teen alter took it upon herself to assume Tapes' duties with regard to looking after Princess, [The Best of Your Dreams] a controversial part of Melissa who had previously regarded Tapes as the be-all and end-all of her world. This too impacts on Melissa; and when Badbits sees the attention that Princess is getting and comes out to mourn her own sense of abandonment [It's Me] Melissa not only hears her heart felt plea, (a major event in it's own right), but for the first time in her life actually acknowledges ownership of Badbits' sense of abandonment and promptly resolves to care more for her younger selves - a decision which is reflected in their duet. The following morning, and greatly encouraged by their unexpected ability to cope with the situation the previous day, Melissa allows herself to take up Stephen's invitation to spend an afternoon in the park - and on her return home is thrilled to find that not only had she had a thoroughly enjoyable time, but that she had even managed to reward her pre-teen alter for her kindness of the night before by allowing her a little leeway with thoughts of a romantic nature towards the unsuspecting Stephen. [Headway] Melissa basks in this new found sense of closeness with an outside person and realises also that since Tapes' disappearance things in general were beginning to make a little more sense and that she might, perhaps, become a survivor after all. Melissa calls Susan to tell her about these important developments, and one by one the different parts of Melissa come out to express their growing love for one another and their recenty discovered feelings of companionship. [Crazy Day] And as they do, Harmony, arguably Melissa's most spiritual side, suddenly begins to receive an urgent message from Deep Inside; it is Tapes - she is nearing completion of her study of parental love and is checking in to warn the others of her imminent return to the surface, and to the fact that she has 'found a real good friend of ours deep inside' [Focus] who has important news regarding The Way Things Ought To Be in their future as a mature and fulfilled human being. The End Site Map

Synopsys: The story in a nutshell

At age 40, the heroine, Melissa, a victim of extreme sexual abuse in her childhood, finds herself in a situation where for the first time in her life she is receiving effective support and counseling for the distressing mental and emotional state in which she has spent most of her life.

Her mental condition expresses itself in the form of Melissa hearing voices inside her head. The voices occasionally become so demanding and persistent that Melissa has no option but to let them take over and turn her into whoever they want her to be - the usual result of such episodes being that Melissa often 'wakes up' in disturbing and/or otherwise unpleasant situations with little or no knowledge of how she got there or why. A cynical person would probably blame the drugs and alcohol to which Melissa was addicted... A more insightful person, however, might realise that Melissa's misuse of drugs and alcohol was merely a mechanism she employed which enabled her to cope with something far worse.

The support that Melissa is currently receiving is almost exclusively from Susan, her closest friend and former councillor. Susan is familiar with most of Melissa's alter egos, and is now retired, but has maintained a close personal interest in Melissa ever since the met.

The play begins on a bad day for Melissa. She has called Susan in desperation, amid fears of an onset of depression, and Susan has popped round to see if there is anything she can do. Melissa conveys her feelings of utter abandonment to Susan [Pity The Child] but is not much cheered by the visit and turns to alcohol to block out the voices the moment Susan departs.

The alcohol reacts badly with Melissa's prescribed medication; and instead of growing less, the confusion in her head becomes a full blown riot [Whore Slag Slut Baby], as childhood memories of her abuse come flooding back. This distresses Melissa even more, but thanks to the alcohol she is in no condition to fight off the invading voices and soon passes out on the kitchen table, leaving Tapes, (one of her more demanding alter egos), still drinking steadily.

As Melissa falls into a drunken stupor she is visited by Badbits, a sad and lonely child alter who expresses her sense of abandonment [Were You There] to an unconscious Melissa, and succeeds in deepening her depression even more.

Melissa, or more rightly Tapes, since it is she who is most affected, is then visited by The Feelings Monster, an ego so steeped in troubled emotions [Walk In My Shoes], that her mere presence is sufficient to induce the hitherto dominant Tapes to mutilate her arms and legs with a serated kitchen knife in an effort to block out the emotions that are being invoked.

The remainder of CPI are shocked the following morning when they discover the unconscious body of Tapes lying covered in blood. They interrogate her, only to find that she recalls little of the experience except that it was deeply disturbing, but are soon distracted from her story by Princess, who, unknown to her, has something to do with Tapes' experience. Tapes then takes the unprecedented step of deciding to go 'Deep Inside' (Melissa's heart) to find and if necessary destroy the monster. She is however astounded to discover that when she does so she is confronted not with some hideous monster, but with the apparition of an entirely wholesome and beautiful child with thoughts so pure and gentle toward her abusive father [Deep Inside], that when Tapes eventually returns to the surface to recount her adventure to the others she discovers that they will not even tolerate the child's existence - let alone her existence in *their* life.

Being more perceptive than the others however Tapes knows that the existence of such a monster child has to be of major significance in their lives, and despite the attempts of all the others to dissuade her, she reluctantly decides that she must return Deep Inside [Mad At You] to settle once and for the meaning of such conflicting pieces of evidence.

Returning once more to the monster's lair inside Melissa's heart, Tapes quickly discovers that she was indeed correct about the loving nature of the child, and that not only was she drawn to protect her but also that there was a great deal she could learn about their relationship with their father and the way they had been abused so may years ago. It is a major revelation for Tapes; and much as she knows they will miss her on the surface, she determines to remain deep inside with Feelings [Melting Ice] and devote herself entirely to her care and broadening her own sketchy education regarding abuse issues.

End of Act I

Meanwhile, back on the surface, things are beginning to change in subtle ways.

Without the domineering Tapes in their midst to dictate what should happen; the others are reluctantly forming previously unheard of alliances and unwittingly sowing the seeds of a new found democracy and sense of comradeship that is destined to change their lives for ever. As Tapes, (who, so far as the rest are concerned, has abandoned them), continues her education Deep Inside, the effects of it are permeating Melissa's very being and glimmers of friendship and reconciliation begin to appear in their reaction to outside influences. Religion has always been a difficult subject for Melissa - but Susan, (who's husband, John, is a lay preacher - and who's son, Stephen, has long been the focus of a crush by one of Melissa's pre-teen alters), invites them to church one Sunday where things go disastrously wrong - but for some reason [The Sunday Afternoon Song] that fact does not manage to prevent Melissa from coping better than usual anyway.

Indeed, even in her saddened state, instead of becoming more depressed and turning to drink as she would normally have done - Melissa's nervous (and pretty much abandoned herself) pre-teen alter took it upon herself to assume Tapes' duties with regard to looking after Princess, [The Best of Your Dreams] a controversial part of Melissa who had previously regarded Tapes as the be-all and end-all of her world. This too impacts on Melissa; and when Badbits sees the attention that Princess is getting and comes out to mourn her own sense of abandonment [It's Me] Melissa not only hears her heart felt plea, (a major event in it's own right), but for the first time in her life actually acknowledges ownership of Badbits' sense of abandonment and promptly resolves to care more for her younger selves - a decision which is reflected in their duet.

The following morning, and greatly encouraged by their unexpected ability to cope with the situation the previous day, Melissa allows herself to take up Stephen's invitation to spend an afternoon in the park - and on her return home is thrilled to find that not only had she had a thoroughly enjoyable time, but that she had even managed to reward her pre-teen alter for her kindness of the night before by allowing her a little leeway with thoughts of a romantic nature towards the unsuspecting Stephen. [Headway] Melissa basks in this new found sense of closeness with an outside person and realises also that since Tapes' disappearance things in general were beginning to make a little more sense and that she might, perhaps, become a survivor after all.

Melissa calls Susan to tell her about these important developments, and one by one the different parts of Melissa come out to express their growing love for one another and their recenty discovered feelings of companionship. [Crazy Day] And as they do, Harmony, arguably Melissa's most spiritual side, suddenly begins to receive an urgent message from Deep Inside; it is Tapes - she is nearing completion of her study of parental love and is checking in to warn the others of her imminent return to the surface, and to the fact that she has 'found a real good friend of ours deep inside' [Focus] who has important news regarding The Way Things Ought To Be in their future as a mature and fulfilled human being.

The End

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