Plot Outline
Scene 1
The play begins with Lynn answering the phone, hearing the ship’s whistle blow – typical telemarketing opening – but this time, it is the Prometheus’ purser on the line. He addresses her concerns about the nature of the free trip by assuring her that no credit card is required, and that the only thing asked of her will be to complete a short survey about her cruise experience. Lynn is bored and lonely and since she is just finishing a contract job and has some time before the next will start, she decides to go on the cruise.
Scene 2
Boarding the boat.
In this scene, we are introduced to all of the main characters of the play. At the boarding dock, the purser and the doctor greet the new arrivals who are boarding the ship. There are two groups – the poor dupes who are only there to provide organs but do not know it, and the rich but ill folk. The donors are dressed in their Wal-mart best, and are in awe of the attention they receive during the boarding process and the luxury of the ship. The rich are less awed – they are clearly accustomed to luxury and to being served. Included in this group are a wealthy elderly lady in a wheelchair and her young companion, who is approximately 8/9 years old. Grandma needs a new heart; Jodi needs Grandma, as she is the only caregiver.Scene 3
Luke and Lynn meet on the deck of the ship. Lynn thinks she’s seen Luke before but is not sure where – eventually they figure out that they have crossed paths at the medical clinic, and marvel at the coincidence. They begin to fall in love. Jodi is somewhere in the background here – the audience learns that s/he is a nosy little snot who wanders all over the ship minding everyone else’s business. When Luke and Lynn kiss, Jodi gags.Scene 4
The first kidney has been transplanted and Doc and the Purser are discussing the plan for putting the donor off the ship at the next available opportunity. The surgery went very well for the recipient. The Purser throws the bad kidney removed from the patient overboard.In this scene, the audience learns that it is the purser who is a greedy, evil man who has no remorse for the plight of the donors. The doctor, on the other hand, while he does participate, does so reluctantly, and rationalizes his motives – he is doing the surgeries not for the money but rather focuses on the ill people who need the transplants. He is very distressed over the plan to transplant Luke’s heart into Grandma, and wants no part of killing Luke – but once Luke is dead, he will do the transplant as it would be a shame to waste the heart – and anyway, G. Is a deserving recipient because she is so selfless in her willingness to take care of Jodi.
Scene 5
You’ve Gotta Have Heart
The purser is singing about his plan to remove Luke’s heart; Luke is singing to Lynn about having given her his heart. Jodi is visible in the background, and is starting to put the pieces all together; suspects out that in order for his Grandma to get the heart she needs, the purser intends to kill Luke.Scene 6
Song between Grandma and Jodi – shows how much they love and need each other... Jodi doesn’t know what to do, but does not explain the conundrum to Grandma.Scene 7
Luke and Lynn are together and obviously enjoying each other’s company and notice Jodi hanging around. They invite Jodi to go along to play shuffleboard with them and Jodi accepts. While they are playing the purser comes along and asks them to stop by his office to do their surveys. He asks Luke to come at 11 a.m. and Lynn at 2. They want to go at the same time, but the purser persists in insisting on the schedule he has set. Jodi already knows that there are two transplants planned for the next day. The dude in Cabin 43 is to get a kidney, and Grandma’s surgery is set for 4 p.m.Jodi sings another verse of You’ve Gotta Have Heart, and leaves, clearly still undecided about what to do.
Scene 8
The next day, Jodi attempts to keep Luke from keeping his appointment but is unsuccessful; Luke disappears into the Purser’s office, and from there we see him being wheeled, laid out on a stretcher, towards the infirmary. P. Is humming.Jodi runs to Lynn and tells her what is going on. Distraught, they run toward the infirmary and finding the door locked, pound on it, which draws a crowd. It forms into an angry mob who eventually give up on the doc letting them into the infirmary and head up on deck where the purser was last seen to confront him.
Scene 9
On the deck of the ship
The purser tries to assure Lynn that everything is fine and that Luke just wasn’t feeling well, so he walked him over to the infirmary where the doc was going to have a look at him as soon as he was done in surgery.Jodi continues to insist that Luke has been killed for his heart; Lynn sings “My Heart will go on” (only minor changes to lyrics needed). Luke staggers onto the deck, groggy and disoriented. As Lynn runs to him, she knocks the purser over and he falls overboard where the shark is waiting for his preferred snack, human body parts.
Jodi is in tears because now Grandma won’t have a heart, but Luke and Lynn promise that they’ll help them – the audience left knowing that even if G. Doesn’t get a heart in time, Jodi will have a home with them.