Show Synopsis:
A poet named Charles hides in a department store to take refuge from the world and write, and he discovers that there is a whole group of people who have been doing the same thing for years. He begins to fall in love with Ella, who has spent most of her life in the store, and decides to leave it with Charles. He is not ready to leave his new life yet, but wants Ella to be happy. The rest of the group finds out what they are planning and send the "Dark Men," mysterious figures who allegedly turn people into mannequins when they try to leave the store, after Charles and Ella. The next morning, two new mannequins that appear to be Charles and Ella appear in the store window, and two people who appear to be Charles and Ella look at them from outside.
Character:
Ella, a nineteen-year-old girl who does not know life outside of the department store; unhappy with her life but scared of trying something new.
Song Context:
Ella tries to hide her unhappiness by telling Charles what her happy memories are from the time before she went to live in the department store.
Fun Facts:
1. This television musical was based on a short story by John Collier.
2. Stephen Sondheim based the lyrics of this song off of a speech James Goldman, the book-writer, wrote to describe Ella's thoughts.
3. Charmian Carr, who is most famous for her portral of Leisel Von Trapp in the film adaptation of The Sound of Music, played the role of Ella. Those are her only two film roles to date.
"I remember sky
It was blue as ink
Or at least I think
I remember sky.
I remember snow
Soft as feathers
Sharp as thumb tacks
Coming down like lint
And it made you squint
When the wind would blow.
And ice like vinyl
On the streets
Cold as silver
White as sheets
Rain like strings
And changing things
Like leaves.
I remember leaves
Green as spearmint
Crisp as paper.
I remember trees
Bare as coat racks
Spread like broken umbrellas.
And parks and bridges,
Ponds and zoos,
Ruddy faces,
Muddy shoes,
Light and noise and
Bees and boys
And days.
I remember days,
Or at least I try.
But as years go by
They're sort of haze,
And the bluest ink
Isn't really sky
And at times I think
I would gladly die
For a day of sky."