Quake Synopsis

Setting: Los Angeles Coffee Shop, Café Ithaka

Scene 1: The CHORUS sits in a Los Angeles coffee shop, Café Ithaka, on their laptops and
discuss the chatter about ATHENA, a famous singer and diva whose singing career has been
lagging in the wake of her taking time away from music to focus on political activism. They
gossip that a famous producer, OTIS, is rumored to be on his way to LA to assist ATHENA in
recovering her career. The coffee shop is run by CY, the wry barista who is good friends with
regular customer, PENÉLOPE, a divorce lawyer and OTIS’ ex-wife. CY observes that OTIS
may be interested in rekindling his relationship with PENÉLOPE, who in turn remarks that OTIS
would have to have changed dramatically for her to take him back. PENÉLOPE leaves the café.
A moment later, OTIS arrives at the café carrying a cup of coffee he bought elsewhere
specifically to annoy CY. CY advises OTIS to be careful if he wants to show PENÉLOPE that
he’s changed. OTIS sits by himself at a table and thinks about how he longs to return to some
form of home after so much travel over the years. ATHENA dramatically appears for her
meeting with OTIS. They discuss his decision to leave Nashville, where he’d been working but
was forced out after a confrontation with a peer. OTIS tells ATHENA that he can help her star
rise again. She warns him in turn not to give himself the credit for her work and talent. They
recognize that they each have something to offer each other to get both their careers back and
agree to work together. A small earthquake shakes strikes.

Scene 2: PENÉLOPE talks with CY inside Café Ithaka, wondering if OTIS could ever truly
change. In turn, CY and PENÉLOPE note that whether or OTIS has changed, the city of Los
Angeles has changed dramatically over the years, always reinventing itself. OTIS enters the café
and approaches PENÉLOPE, who pretends not to recognize OTIS. She leaves a baffled OTIS
and amused CY in her wake. ATHENA arrives, furious with OTIS for writing her a song better
suited to an ingénue than a diva. They have a confrontation in the café, ATHENA demanding
that he write a song as mature and powerful as her voice. OTIS wonders when he’ll ever find a
home, as the stress is eating away at him. PENÉLOPE stands outside the café, looking at OTIS,
remembering that he never could compromise, and thinks that if can learn to work with
ATHENA, he must truly be a changed person.

*Orchestral Interlude*

Scene 3: ATHENA sits, sunglasses in place, in Café Ithaka as people stare and gape at her. She
is famous once again and happily notes the attention from the CHORUS while CY distributes
drinks. At the table next to ATHENA, PENÉLOPE drinks coffee and reads messages on her
phone, oblivious to the excitement. ATHENA notices PENÉLOPE and says that she knows that
PENÉLOPE and OTIS once were married. ATHENA remarks that OTIS is a decent person and
asks if PENÉLOPE has plans to reunite with him, to which PENÉLOPE responds that the OTIS
described by ATHENA sounds like a stranger. OTIS enter the café and goes to sit at the table
where ATHENA is, but focuses entirely on PENÉLOPE. ATHENA’s new song comes on the
radio and she stands and sings over it. The CHORUS wearing earphones pull them off theirs
heads to listen. PENÉLOPE leans forward with her head on her hand as she listens. OTIS
watches PENÉLOPE. As the song comes to its dark and powerful conclusion, an earthquake
rocks the café. OTIS and PENÉLOPE dive under the same table. OTIS has a battle of wits with
PENÉLOPE and catches a mistake that demonstrates that she clearly knows and recognizes him.
They both talk about how although the city of Los Angeles continues to change around them,
they long to be home, which is with each other. ATHENA notes with amusement that the
wayfarer has returned and she sweeps out of the café. PENÉLOPE gets up to leave, but then
gestures that OTIS is welcome to join her. He eagerly follows and they are reconciled. CY and
the CHORUS note that Los Angeles is a city that constantly makes its own stars and reshapes
constellations even as the earth is always moving and shifting below their feet.

END