The Me Nobody Knows (libretto) 56143w

The Me Nobody Knows A New Musical

Adapted by Robert H. Livingston and Herb Schapiro Music Gary William Friedman Lyrics Will Holt

Libretto

SAMUE L FRENCH F O UN D E D

J 83 0

SAMUE LFRENCH.COM SAMUE lFRENCH-lONDON.CO.UK

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OBIE AMIUU> - BEST MUSICAL

-t"'ME #o&OoY l

Libretto/PTincipal-Chorus Book

Adapted by Rober t H. Livingston and Herb Schapiro Music by

Lyrics by

Gary William Fr iedman

Will Holt

Baaed on

the

book ''THE ME NOBODY

mows"

edited by Stephen M .Joseph and an Or isinal Idea by Herb Schapiro 1'dditiona l Lyric• by Heb Schepiro Arrangements and Orchestrations by Gary William Pr iedman Or iginal New York Production d irected by Rober t H . Livingston Originally Produced on Broadway by Jef f G . Br.itton


1700 Broadway , NYC 10019

International Copyright Secured Made in USA , Al1rights reserved

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN RHODA

Black 12-13 studies hard - will go to college and get out of ghetto - is not a snob but is the best off financially - loner - likes and trusts animals - wears glasses,

LILLIAl

Nhite 15-16 sort of a tomboy - but is interested in boys - a little!- very mischievous - not evil - father is preacher - mother is nice - most stable home life,

CARLOS

lfuite (Puerto Rican) 17-18 second poorest - very optimistic - even in jail - he can get schooling there - steals cars to get away from ghetto - got caught returning a car - was put in jail for ste. aling jewelry {he gave the ring to CA'l'llERil)I£ his girlfriend).

LILLIE

Black 10-11 She is out for herself - steals from everyone - thoughts, ideas - material possessions. Hates her brother Benjamin - believes he gets more attention from Melba.

11AE

BENJAMIN

Black 10-11 constantly talks - is afraid that one day he will come home and no one will be there wants to be independent but can't make it yet.

CATHERINE White 16-17 really frightened of life - everything. Works at 5 & 10. Hardly ever sees parents - alone most of time - friends are younger kids - they are easier to relate to - accepts Carlos• gifts and love - ive except for rare moments.

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MELBA

Black 17-18 very responsible - takes care of Lillie Hae and Benjamin - may or may not be related to them ey all live together - afraid of being lost in life very flirtatious in order to find someone.

LLOYD

Black 18 artistic - very gifted - well liked - has seen more of NYC than any of the others. Has been to the south - frightened by that - aware of possibility of failure - clothes are important thought he could handle dope - not a junkie but shoots up more and more often .

OONALD

White 15-16. Totally ntrustworthy - steal, lie, cheat, flirt - whatever works. Poorest falllily alcoholic father - no family unity - constantly hungry.

CHARACTER BREAKOOWN (Continued)

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CLOROX

Black 17-18. Large family - 2 year old brother died - tests everyone - not sure what he wants to be - friends are not sure how far he can be pushed . Biggest fear is whether he can deliver when the time comes•

WILLIA!

Black 13-14. Everything is new - exciting - life is waking up for him - needs a friend who is not a threat - cannot risk getting into trouble fairly reliable.

NELL

Black 18 - observer - doesn't get involved calculating gets out of the ghetto everyday because she works afternoons in a dress shop cynical - will get out of ghetto and open own business.

PRODUCTION NOTES The show actually moves in time from early morning while everyone is asleep and dreaming - thru the school day, classes, lunch, recess, assembly, after school gathering, and nighttime in the streets, ending with everyone going back to sleep, nightmares and dreama. Scenically, you need levels, platforms, or scaffolding. Many small areas are better than too much space. Ghettos aro terribly overcrowded and expand vertically rather than horizontally . If possible, use flats or wood for the backing and masking pieces, All platforms, backin , levels, and the floor should be painted in a monochromatic city soot color. Grafitti can be evident . If you are able to use slide projections, you should project on the scenery (a wall), rather than a screen. The projections we use are mostly children' s art work - drawings - school and street scenes. Use them primarily during the songs or as a background to a scene, never to be important in themselves. We use twelve ungeled specials on each kid' s sleeping position - this is called their •house" and is ti e opening and closing position. Many of these specials can be wsed in other scenes and songs . Here again lighting follows the daily pattern - darkness sunrise - r.lOrning - afternoon - night - darkness. Costuming is casual - comfortable, late spring school clothes. Some of the girls do wear pants - but some sk'irts are necessary to make it look right. Clothes should be neat and clean - but poor and old; try not to have too many blue jeans. There should be NO props in the show . If you must, use them in rehearsal - but on stage piease resist temptation! Now to the problem of casting:Look first for STRONG voices, then see if the part5 can•t be found froru these voices. \e use 8 black and 4 white kids, this number is not sacred: however, the ghetto is primarily black and Spanish. With a little thought and taste, you could change a few speeches when necessary to accor.U'Tlodate color. Keep your sense of humor about the show and the kids in it. Read the book - it really helns! Play c;ames during rehearsal - kids ' games - street '?ames - discuss 9Who do you like?", •trust•, •fear". The show is a collective effox-t - never a show for an individual star. Mart.ila Knight

*

* Martha Knight was Production Stage Manager of THE ME when it opened at the Orpneum Theatre and later when it moved to Broadway. 7830

TllE HOP1':LESS TREE There was a man waiting under a bab· tree . He was wai ting for an apple to i;irow on it. !:!e wou lcl j us t sit there and wait and wait, bu t it never. grew . He wa tel'."ed it every day but it just didn ' t grow. No ma tter wha t lle did, 'it did not grow. So the man got discou raged and gave up hope for the tri;.e . He wanteo:i to .;:1,1t it <.1ov1n. So one
These are children's vo ices from the ghetto. In their struggle lies their hope, and ours . They are the voices of change .

7830

ACT I

l-1

There is no Overture. Late night. 4 :00 A,H. R:10DA

(Fantasy -- dreamworld)

Ihave felt lonely, forgotten or even left out, set apart

from the rest of the world. I never wanted out. If anything, I wanted in.

LILLIAi I am not like all the other children. I•m different because Ilike to hear birds singing but I don't like to hear people shouting. I t is not nice to hear people yelling in the street. CAP.LOS

I like to lay in on my bed looking up at the stars. I wonder what is really out there. Iwonder if there is life on any planet in the entire universe. And if there is, I wonder if they would understand us. LILLIE HAE Windy windy windy skys deep blue fallen over m:,• eyes. The birds so loud and clear as if you feel a soft hand in the air. Bi::tUAMIN (Sitting up) Iwas the first man on the moon and, believe me, it' s really made of cheese. Anu if you think they need us in South Vietnam you are crazy. \here uo you think all this dope is comin 'from ! As for these foreign aid programs, we can keep t:.ilem. Those people abroad need more than aid, they need help! And if you don't believe me, ask anybody in Dead Patch, Kentucky! CATHERINE 'l'he only true time Ifeel at peace s 'When Iam asleep. Because Ihave no fear and no needs. But you know what? I very rarely f eel like going to sleep. And 'When I do feel llke going to sleep,I don't £eel like wakin9 up. SONG:

"I>RElt:M BABIES"

MELBA

( Big Sister - puts others to bed,

soothing afte bad dream) DREAM BABIES CHILDREN OF NIGHT 'llBA'l' 00 YOU DREAM? 7830

1-2 MELBA

(Continued)

IS ANYTllilqG REAL OR DOZS IT JUST SEEH IS EVERYHING NROi;G IS ANYTHI G RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU DREAl-1 BABIES TONIGHT? WHERE DO YOU GO IN YOUR OREArlS CAN YOU FLY?

DO YOU RI DE ANY RAI Nl:lOWS TOUCH AT THE SKY OR DO YOU FIND YOURSELF NOYIHE RE 00 YOU l AKE UP WITll A C R'i? WHAT CAN YOU WIN IN YOUR DREAH

nILL YOU TRY? WILL YOU REACH FOR TOJ.10.RRON NEVE R ASK WHY AN D IF YOU S E YOUR STAR FALLING DOES YOUR DREAM BEGIN TO DIE? DREAM BABIES Cn I LDREN OF N IGHT WHAT DO YOU DREAM IS A1'1YTliING REAL IS YOUR DREAM MADE OF COLORS OR JUST BLACK AND l'IHITE IS ANYTllIHG RIGHT?

WHAT 00 YOU DREAM BABIES TONIGHT? LLOYD

(Spoken) My dream is to be an artist. In the future I will have my own studio drawing naked women . I love drawing faces and especially women faces. I love drawing figures. DONALD

(Spoken; joy of race) Nhen I grow up I want to be A big bold man to ride waves on a sea;

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1-3 001'11\LD (Continued) A rean who swims an ho•.lr Without get ting tir ed . And I ' 11 go pas t the f inish line, I'll go right past it. \ilhen Iget my medal Iwil l say : "I 've had a hara day ." CLOROX

(Spoken ) How abou t ;:ieopl in a 'a lace wearing luxury clothing? Many people ea ting and drinking rum till t:1ey cannot move. Ten slaves serving the f ood and rum. A big orchestra play ing sweu t music. Ise a person throwing dollars to the air, like if he don ' t care tha t he lose his monev . 1-?ILL!.!\l (Spoken ; to himself ) For sone odd reason on Chr istmas Ihave bad luck . I wou ldn ' t wan t any expensive thing because your f r iends get jealous . 'd wish l bad a f a t. er and a real mother. I don ' t t·mnt to live in a I!.' ansion because people are ready to roi:> you . R.:..gn t now I am alright te way I am. tJELL (S;::ioken ; rel""ting comical exper ience) It w. s dea til in my mother ' s f rienc •s family . We were invi tea to the f uneral. Iwas in my black suit .Iwas sca red to dea th . T!le ;:>eople w;i:::e cry ing . Then the man said we could co. e up to st.e t;1e man 's body . ly mother was pushing me up there . F'i;)d ly we got up there. Iwas so mad that I push the man . I pol:e him in the eyes. I even pull h is ears . Bxpec t na!ce-up to come of f . T11en the man got up and said , H i f ol:.s . \/" were running f or our lives . !IELllA

(Sung) l'liiE RE DO YOU C-" 0 IM YOUR GREANS CAN YOU FLY?

:.LOYD

(Spoken) NaX.ed women day c.nd n ight OOi ALD (Spoken ) A big bold man r ides sea waves (Sung)

MELBA

00 YOU R DE ANY RAINBOWS

TOUCil AT THE SKY

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l-4 CLOROX

(Spoken) Many people dr inking ruru (Spoken) I 'm alright tile way Iam

\lli:.LIAH

( Af ter their speeches , THEY stay awake, rerner.J:>cring dreams) MT::LBA

(Sung)

OR DO YOU FIHD YOURSELF NO!JHBRE DO YOU SE YOUR$ELP ALONE?

( Spol,en) Hi folks! Hi fo lks !

HELL

Hi f olks!

Hi folks !

MELBA

(Sung) lffl.'\T 00 YOU DF.EAM BAIHl::S TONIGHT?

{Spoken) Nigh t, Some people love it ,. Sorne hate it , Some are born in it and some d ie in it . I know Icould not live in the n igh t . And here you are staring into tne stars . It looks like the moo::i is a toy and the stars are litt le children playing on a blanket of black coals . A".ld thea the children go away , father and motiier -;;et up a11d it 's the sun. A new day is bor n . No more darkness . SOHG:

"LIGHT SINGS"

WILLIAM (Sung; ge tting ready for sc. ool; f.resl1 enery ) THE SUi'l COl'lli UP

THO:: ;.10m• GO.t:S Dm'11

AND Ni>l·J DAY '$ ON ITS \.!AY

THE ST.l\RS IN TtIB SKY ARE

lAVIN GOODBYE

AND f ;()Ri :i:HG'S NEAR, BR! NGING

THE KIDS START TO SHOUT /.IOTH:<:R AND

FATHf.!P. GET UP

AND IT 'S Till:: SU1i

THE SUN CONES UP Ai D A l-IEH DA'l IS BORN

7830

IN THE DAY

1-5 ALL LimiT Sii GS ALL OVER TKE WORLD LIGHT SUIGS ALL OVER THE ;.'10RI.D LIGH't SIHGS LIGHT Sli•GS ALL OVER 'l'H£ WORLD LIGHT SINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD LIGHT SINGS THE NIGHT IS OOi•IE TH£ LIGnT HAS C0"1E

WILLIAl·i

A i!EW DAY HAS BJ::GUN

Tlli:: lra;\THSR rs CLEAR

TllE PI::OPLE APPEAR AND

iO\UUHG 'S HERE 1 CALLli G !;'JERYOtra

Tim ltlDS S'l'AR'l' TO SHOUT !JROTlfli:RS Ai D SISTERS COME OUT RHODA, CLOROX , LILLIE l·IAE ANO IT 'S 'l'HE SUN THI> SUN A

m;w

COMES UP

DAY IS BORN

LIGHT SINGS ALL OVER THE llORLD LIGHT SINGS ALL OVER THE WORLD

LIGilT SINGS

LILi.Il\iJ LICKT SINGS /\LL o• r::n THIS 110RW LIGltT SINGS .!\LL OVER THE '.)ORLD LIGHT SIUGS N!OOA f. CLOROX LIGHT SI: GS ALL OVER TnE WO:t,D LIGHT SL!GS .'\Li. OV-t:!l TH; .;GtlT SitlGS

(The Street) LLOYD

When I f irst get up in the morning it seems like it wou ld be a good day to me. bEiiJAl-111

( Rela te to LLOYD) The early bird catches the worm.

l'ot always the worm get caught. Sometimes he is too fast for the early bird .

830

l-6 LILL IAN I wish I had a bet ter block than I have now . i·iy landlord said tha t i1e was goi!l<; to put swir.gs in roiy backyard . How can he do tioa t when i:he backyard i.s so j unky? LILLIE i•!AE Windy windy windy skies Shut up .

ALL C.ll.Til£Rii E

( Older k id , asser ting hers.e lf ) When I was a k id I was always playi!'lg and dancing w ith the other >< ids . Life is easier when you ' re Siaall. HC:Lotl The mos t importan t thing I wou ld wan t are clothes beca use on my block t:1e k ids talk abou t the uay I dress . CA P.LOS

Don ' t f eel sorry for her beca use it • s all her mother 's fault the way s:1e 's dressed . LILLIE

MAE

Windy windy windy skies

DONALD (Get ting into the ac t) \hen Iwa.; a l it tle boy , my f a ti1er was always bea ting on me and rn'! br others for just about any thing we wou ld do. RIIOI>A

For no r eason a t a ll! \'1hy he has only live in the neighbor hood six mon ths und he has cause trouble wi th all the you ths an
born at my house because my mother did not get to the hospi tal on time. .ELL Sometimes I ha te to get up in the morning. to school .

For what?

To go

CLOROX

I like to be sur rounded by guys and gals of my own and be h ip and k now wha t ' s going on around is messed up world . Every body ha tes school I lii'e to see and hear the i
7830

l-7 SONG :

"THIS WORLD"

LILLIJl.N THIS »IORLD THIS WORLD /.IY NINO HOLDS THIS WORLD MY MIND HOLDS THIS WORLD IN ITS HJ\NOS THIS WORLv THIS \ICRLD MY MIND HOLDS THIS WORLD MY MINi:l HOLDS THIS WORLD Il-1 I'l'S ilAf OO

LILLIE MAE AND W!IEN I THINK AaOU'l' THIS WORLD I CAri SHAPE IT JUST LIKE CLAY I CAN l·!Ai<E 1-!YSELF A GARDEN OF EIDEN OR Tri ROW IT ALL AiiAY

ALL ALL AWAY THIS liORLD THIS WORLD MY MIN D HOLDS THIS WORLD IJY Nit!D liO!.DS THIS WORLD IN ITS HANDS THIS WO%D THIS \•JCRLD M'i !·U N O HOLDS TH IS IORLll MY !-tIHD HOLDS TH IS \·JORLD IN ITS ;:ANDS Bk:NJAMIN 1\i D lill!':ll I SPIN THIS l'IOiU.D AROUN D I CAi ..,RN NIGHT INTO DJ\Y I Cl\i. ·lAKE IYSELF A StTllNY TOMORROW

ALL OR BRING BACl\ YESTLRDAY-AY-AY-AY THIS \iORLD THIS :ORLD i•IY .i-IIND HOLDS TlllS >·IORLD MY MI N D HOLDS THIS l IORLD IN ITS liANOS

7130

l-8 ALL (Continued)

THIS t /ORLD

THIS WORLD

MY HIN D HOLDS THIS WOP.LD i-IY MIND HOLDS THIS l·JORLJl IN ITS HA DS

( School) LILLIE MAE ( Givin9 informati.on to audience} I when this school :first open, was a big dra9 at

first.

BENJA:dli

Then about two months after the school open some kid tried to blow up the school, RHODA

I know this boy , his name is Willie and about two ur three

weeks later caught these i;ids taking pot. It' s 9etting pretty bad. Just the other day some kid asked me do Iwant to buy an "up" . WILLIAM

Iknow a boy he only l year old be believes in free love.

LLOlt'D

school is all right but teachers are a drag. CATJ'IE I.IilE I think if the teachers would take it into COllSideration

that we are Hwnans, school would be much more fun,

They treat us like do95.

CLOROX

MELBA

I treat my do9 bettQr than what IRising)

ey treat us.

CARLOS

We're computers and they just want to sink it into our heads but don't care h°"' we feel. So are we to blame if the teachers are punks? They never kid around with us, JELL

As long as they 9et their paychecks they don't care. LILLIAN

Most of the time in Mr .Nesbit class we talk and crack jokes. Mr .Nesbit doesn't mind a bit. We like him because he is

l-9 LILLI1\N (Con tinued) always play in9 with us and hitting us with the ruler . He must like us or he 'd never let us g"t awa;: with things. CARLOS

It all started five years ago in the sixth graue . The

teacher gave us an asignmen t to do andIwas the f irst cne f inished so Ithought that Iwould have some f un . SoIdrew a picture of a man conu11itting suicide and Iwrote that the man said that he was going to kill himself . And my teacher saw it and though t that Iwas going to :cill mys el:, She gave it to the principal and the pr i1v::ipal ga ve it to my doctor and he gave it to a psychiatris·c up in New Jersey and the psychia tris t said tha t Iwas men tally distur bed , LLOYD

{Teasing CARLOS -- crosses down to him; THEY figh t) Carlo4 is retarded and when Iknew he was retarded Itook him to the retarded hospital and they give me SlOO for him. 'l'he doctor said he su::e is retarded and thani< you . t-m!.BA

I t's awf ul t.'1e way these tachers make up lies , this is wha t sum of them wr ite to Mr . Colaramo Dear Mr . Colaramo Isaw Richard Hudson snif f ing his feet , DONALD My paren ts hardly never unders tand my problems because sor:>etimes Iwill qet in trouble like on Aoril fool day , I would tell a teacher her toes are bleeding then I ' ll ge t in trouble, when t wou ld be on ly foo!ing around . one of the teachers in this school he 's a man . lfae11 he be walking in the halls he would tap me on r.;y shoulder and so l ta pped this teacher on the shoulder . Iwas jus t playing and he went down to the principal and tel l them Igave him a CAAATE Chop Chop and then I got in trouble righ t then. My mot-'ier had to co:ne to school and a lot of crap. And Itried to explain to her I was jus t playing with teacher . Bu t she just didn ' t belie•1e r:\e. She think tha t Ica n 't do nothing by myaelf . ALL

You can ' t!

r::NJ'Ai-1 ;

That is just like another ti!'le Foster was at my house. eats like a dog .• . (Bell .ringa . Sc!1ool f ilm)

7'830

He

1-10 FILM AO LillS Hey Lloycl , there 's your mama..

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-S

An ounce of wha t, my man . Cheap dadoy . SCHOOL CflA. T (Ou traged i>y f ilr.t; SIX KIUS are •questioners" , SIX KIDS are •answerers") ALL

7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Coun ti11 nu.'1\bers can be fun That 's rig!1t! Goodnig:it aar bara l QUESTIONERS one th ird , one quar t, one pin t, one fif tn

ANSWER!::RS

One, one, one, one, one, one, one, one

ALL Dr ink it down , and Goodnigh t Barbara Six-eight denomina tor Qlil::STIONERS Pour score and more later QUESTIOtlERS One third , one quart , one pin t , one f if th

MSW!::RERS

One, one, one, one, one, one, one f if tll ALL

Dr ink it down QUES'l'IOWENS

Sleep tigh t QUESTIONA::RS Add the one and car ry ten AilS1ir;RERS

Subdivide the subtrahend QUESTIOHERS Four X times '.l'h ree Y ALL

All ra ts multiply 7830

1-11 QUES'f IONE RS

What 's four teen hundred and ninety two? i-!.ELBA The reta il price on a wholesale shoe QUESTIOt E RS

What's seventeen 1und::ecl and seventy-six? CLOROX Whitey 's price for one rnore fix LILLIAN Ihave

a family of ra ts in rny house LLOY D

Wha t 's n ine ty-six anr\ one hundre
AlS]],;RERS RT

CARLOS Wha t 's minus f.ive point two per cent? Ai<SHEJfil RS Wha t we got towa rds next n;on th 's :rent

... ...

L:CLLIA1•I

the:re 's John Ra t auci l·lary Ra t, Ronald Ra t and Car la

Ra t

QtJES'f IONJ,;RS

Who won the French and Indian War? AiS'./ZRERS

Henry Rutherf ord Gr!ield Taylor LILLIAil

• • • and Sy lvia B. Ra t • • . ALL

Thats r ight and Goo
l•lha t 's twen ty four to thir t}' th ree? The pay day hike at the • • • Thomas Rat, Jr .

7830

AU. &? LILLIAN

1-12 ALL

And the twins L.;ionai:;-d and Richard . Coun tin numbers can be f '-IO 7-6-5-4-3-2 -l Fuck you Barbara !!!

LILLIA!< Ra t!

CATHE R!i £ I Rising , introspective) Can th is be for rea l? Is th is happening to me? I vary much oppose this life. Y<'s , l 'rn g<J t ting out sor.:e way . CLOHOX

( R isin

spoken )

I HAVE '"O J.11\HHOOO -- HAT AH I? YOU MADE HY •. o:.:t.N HEAO OF THE liOUSI;; -- :/HAT Ar i ? YOU !\O'l'HERS AND SIS'l'ERS -- i•IH AT l "'. I? YOU i•USPRONOUNCE NY NAME AND SAY I ;111VE NO SELF-RJ::SP&CT -- Nl!Nf Ai i I ? YOU GIVE OE A DI!.i' P1Df,T:u l::D:JCATION SYSi''Ell Ai
1-!ITH YOU -- WiiAT AM I? YOU SAY I IJAVZ l Y C UL'l'URE -- WHAT AM I? YO:J CJ.LL l·IE A .SOY , DI RT'i L01iDOl·/i{ SLU'l: -WHAT A; l I ? :JOI I 'f•I /'. VICTl rt OF THE •·iC:i:.FA RZ SYSTEM -lllAT AJ.l I ? YOU 'l'l::i.L •<E 'CO :·11u·r FOR Ci1;,"GJ.:; '.!.'O COHI::, cluT 400 YEARS HAVE .:O AND CHANGE A il• 'T con:: Ur.'\T Ah I ? I AM ALL OF YOUR SliS l AN ' :IE ShE:O:.ETOtJ I;J You r: CLOSETS I AN THE u;.,;·1I1;!T"J>D so.is iu·rn DA UGli'i'ERS Ii ..15 I ANIJ !U:: JECTED BIBS I MAY ae YOUR o:::STRu C:L'IOtl . au ·r AOOVE ALL l l\M , AS YO U so cin;:::L:L'l PUT I'f , "IOUR i1IGGErt. 1

(LILLIAN r ises ) SOIJG :

"WHAT l1 ,J:'PE1 S l'O LIF'I:" LILL IAL''1

(Sung)

WHAT 1iAPPENS TO LI FE CAUSED :CY BIRTH \· HER'.: DOES IT S TAR'r?

7830

l-13 LILLIAN (Continued) WHAT CAUSES THE EYE AND t!li D TO SF. WHAT TiU GGSRS THE HEART? (LLOYD rises } LILLI.All & LLOYD WHAT HAPPENS TO LIFE CAUSED SY BIRTH AND WHERE DO WE GO l?HEN T 'S THROliGH ? NHAT BEAUTY IS LEFT WHEN THE DREAM OF DEF..TH COMES TRU.'.::? WHAT llJ'\PPENS TO LIFE AFTER DEAr'H Wfil::RE DOES T GO?

OR CJ\u IT BE TRUE THERE IS i O ENO DOES HOBODY KNOi;? Wlil\T HAPPSHS TO L FE? DOES T t•IELT .Lil\E SHOW N Tl:t.C: KEJ\T OF THE iJAY? LLOYD

OR DOES T START ALL OVER AGAIN IN A DFFERENT WA? (hUSIC aRIDGI::) (Spoken) Ido not wa.1t to become old bec:ause wnen you are old you are nex t to death and Iwant to ve forever. CLOROX

(Spoi<.en) Ihate f owers and the smellof them. funerals ano ook at dead people.

Last year

Ihate to go to

!..SLBA (Spoken) n November t":, unc e was shot amlki

001'1-\LD (S,.,oY..en) And the man took allthe belon'1 n9s that he had.

7830

ed.

1-14 (Sung)

LILLIAN & L!..OYD

WliAT Hl\PPENS 'l'O LI FE? DOC3 IT 1·1E LT

LI KE s;,;m1 HI THt: 1ii::A'l: OF 'l'll.C: [),\Y ? OR DOES IT START ;.Lr. ov.::R AGAIN IN l\ DI FFEmlm'ir NAY? OR CAi

IT ilE 'l'RUE?

NE DI2?

('i'HBY sit) !lHOUA.

( Spoken) Since the begin ning of til:le , man has had sor.1e form of religion . In r.:iis <.ige wh ere •an i1.imse lf is ma::ing i'lirac les, are 1·1e wors i 1ipr.ing j u!> c l.dols lik e men o f tn.e pas t? 'l'he f ate of man is obvious . i an w ill Jes troy iiir.1solf an..:l all wi th h im . I see h ippi.;s wear ing i>u tto,1s sayi119 Cod is auau and I disagree w ith them for only wor tals are born and die . .tlut God is not a rnor tal . r.ocl ga ve me my lif e, not only me but the whole wor lo . He gave you and you and you lif e.

SONC : "TAKE :!OLD THE CRU'.i'Cll" NELL (Spoken <>.rJ a ins t rhy thm) Hea ru it Yes , I n eara it before U carJ er•· te l l it /in<.I $(>Cl 1 i t i\n
And teac,1 i t J\- r1 sel l i t .some :·ore A :..r..

/\nd scl l it sor.•e mor e I believe i t I believe it

i :E:LL I believe it 's the sure way to sccre

7830

l-15 HELX.

(Continued)

(Sung)

TAKE .!OLL: THE CRU'!'CH , YOU LAI·;) 31::..IE:VERS LHIP 'i'H R{i LIFE UPOW T:IE SACRED llOD YOU LJIHE OF 1i.::ART , YOU SORZ O' SO:JL YOU SHALL BE SAV:>D, Tll(; CROSS YOU llY.i>R ONCi;;

aoai:; Ai. OTll,;R

JESUS ' PAIN SiALL oE EN DU1IBD YOU POOR OI' Mlii!:l, TAKE HEART AND Fil D YOU SALL BE CUR.::D.

ALL

l·';ELL NOii YOU llAY \EEP AND YOU IA'! NAIL !ORK YOUR TAIL TO i O AVAIL GRJW riOLD THE CR:JTCh 1'., Wl..i.K IT OUT A1 D YOU CAN STAHD

YI:S , LORD OH, YEAH OH, YEAH OH, Y:O:AH

SN \V , Pi'l':l\CK , Pll-'.V A10

STAlllO/S!·f,>,Y/

LAY A\IAY YOUR DOUB'l:S

PREACH/PRAY

ALL LAY A<'IAY , LAY ANAY , LAY AWAY YOUR DOUBTS

NELL OF THE SPIRIT BRE/\...K TilE l:lONDS .>.. O 'l'AI;E YOUR STMD RIS;> UP A. I· HALI , UPOi Tiii: ROCK OF'!H ' E PnQ;.;ISED LAND . SHAKE OFF THI:: SHACKLES

ALL DIP , DIP YOUR <'ldGE RS IN THI:: WATE;i WASH., :ASH YOUR sr. s A 'fAY. TESTIF'i Ai D Di' AdD &'/ i i;LL YOU SHALL ol;; DRY YES , YOU MAY Cru::EP YOU t.;\,y CRA L START TO!USE START TO FALL RISE AGAI;< sm:::i::T AMEN

Ai'1D Ti!;:;,; YOU 'LL CR.'\ L , CREEP , ST.fuD, LEAl'

AN D NEVER FALL AGAll-1 NEVE R FALL, ••EVE R FALL , NEVER FALL AGAI·N

7830

1-16 ALL TAKC J;OLD THE CRUTC: i , YOU LAfl:. DE LIEVE RS LI!·iP 'lrRU LI i- r:: UPOi-1 '!'l1C: SAC;? D \::JRi..i Al jAJ -lITl! SI.:, Jus·r :.RIL'.I G GOD 1-J YOU Sl-IALI, OE S.t\\r D 1 1J!: .

CARLOS Oear t-1r . Grady : i·iow arc }'Ou and tile f CJ.111i ly t.loirig? Just f ine I hope . As for ll\YSelf , I 'm f i.ne, coul<.!n ' c f et:l any bet ter . I rece ivet: your lot ter today aad was very happy to hec.r f rom you. Just ':o know sowecne carc.d made i.ie fee l liJe a real person , I 've be.:,n h r., going on two months now . I had given up all man kind, anci was going. into a wor ld of my own . I haven 't yet to hear f rom ;:iy pe:opl<;: . I 1·1ave rec ived a money orcier , i.>uc no letter . •lothing te;:lling me l.f everyth ing s all righ t . Nr . Grady , I 'm real ly h ur t! Th.is n•oriiiug when they sa.id I hatl m<1il, I f<..l t goo jec t f or now . I f inally got in Voe. Draf ting , aaci ta ken it as a :r.ajor subject . I ' m doing very we ll in shop. Still tryi ng to ge in school . I 'm plann ing to go to summer scnool. liy the way Iwould appr eciate thu t shir e, size 14 . I been w·caring the sa,,1e clothes since I been here . In pau ts I wear 29 x30. t-Jr . Grady , you any pages wou ld I get? So it ' s abou t time for bed in a few ;oinu tes . I 'd like to see a pie tu-re on t.v. bef ore time is up. So I hope to i1ear f rom :;ou soon . Sincerely , Car los ( Essays:) LILLIA1 ( Rise, cross Cen ter ) WHY NAM HAS NAILS In the beginning man found tha t he had little gray circles on the tips of his f ingers . He d idn ' t know wha t they were f or , so he tried to use them in eve ry way he cou ld think . !lhen

7830

1-17

LILLIAN (Continued) he was nervous, he chewed on them, when he picked up a thin dime he used them. When he hacl an itch on his body he scratched it with his nails. And sometimes when no one was looking he even picked his nose. That's why man has nails. MELBA WH'l DI 0 EVE GIVIS ADAM A Pil::CE OF Hl::R APPL£

one day Eve came upon an apple. The apple was gleaming in the sun . She looked at it with big e;•es. She ran all the way to where Adam was and said Adam come to see my apple. So they went. She said •Adam would you like a piece of my apple?'' ae said, "No ." "Adam, if you don•t take a piece of my apple Iwon•t give you a piece of myself ." CLOROX (Rise, cross to Center) THE TRANSFORMATION by Clorox Johnson Working in a plastic corporation, day in and out I have grown weary of this automatic cycle of life. Problems arise when one must strain to produce new inventions in rny type of work. Recently Iwas taken by surprise when a pile of synthetic type material fell upon me. Desperately trying to escape Ifound myself transformed into a pen. Arriving at the assembly line Icould feel a slight twitch in the refill of myself. Iwas being filled with ink. A metal point pushed up into my refill gave me an uncomfortable reaction. Just then a top was placed upon my head giving me protection from the constantly moving pens approaching. my surprise I was shipped and put onto display in my community and .bought by my younger brother . Fortunately he took care of things that he had to buy on his own. And as long as Istill can hold onto my reserved refill, my brother's hand shall be guided by me. To

SONG:

"FLYING

MILK

AMO RlnAWAY PLATES"

BENJA!-Ui (Rises; sung) M'i FAVORITE SUBJCT IS LUNCH EACH NORNING AFTE:R SPl::LLING IS LUNCH IT'S BETTER THAN THE CIRCUS IT'S BETTER THAI TV IT DOESN'T COST YOU NOTHING LOOK WHAT YOU GET FOR FREE . SEE FLYING MILK AND RUNAWAY PLATES AND Ml.SHED POTATOES ON THE WALLS AND LOTSA FIGHTS AND SMASHING LIGHTS (HE moves Center) 7830

1-18 ALL ANO TEACHE RS SCREE::CllING 001'/N THE HALLS BE NJANii• TAKE OFF YOUR SHOE:S AND Si•'1FF YOUR FEi-;T ANO POUR SOM.I-: GRAPE JUICE ON YOUR MEAT A LL AN O SMITH N ILL MAKE THE COCKROACH CRUNCH

ft,Y

BENJANI N FAVORITE SUBJECT MOST OF ALL IS LUNCH

COME TWELVE O 'CLOCK WH ILE SOME PLAY BALL I EAT LUNCil WH ILE OTHE RS YEL L ANO SCREAM AND ALL I EAT LUNCH THERE 'S THOSE WHO WASTE T IE HOU R ON DOPE /\ND SEX AllD STU:Fr

I FIN D THE TIME IT TAKES TO EAT NEVl:!R TH!E El'iOUGH FOR ALL FLY lNG MI LK AND RUNAWAY PLATJ::S ..ND MASiiE D POT/\ TOES ON "l'IJ E WALLS ANO LOTSA FIGll'rS AN D SMASH ING LIGHTS AN D TEACHERS SCRE E'.:HING 001;N THE HALLS TAK..> OFF YOU R SHOES AN D S<>;IFF YOUR FEET AND POU smiE GRAPE JUICE ON YOUR MEAT A< D SiiI Tr'l I'll LL:-JAK E 'l'ilE COCK ROACH CRUNCH BEi•JAMHI MY Ff,VORITE SUi"IJECT MOST OF ALL IS LUNCH. ( DANCE :

"COCK ROACH CRU,•CH ")

THE RE SURE IS SOME E XCITEMENT WliEN CLOROX COMES TO TOWN DON 'T H MIG AROUi< D TH E L UNCH ROOM l'IH EN CLOROX MESS AROUN D HE WH IZ ZES llOTTLES TH ROliGH THE l\IR AN D POURS CHOP SUEY IN YOUR ilAIR JUST LIKE TfiE TV \·IESTBRNS SURE W ISH YOU COULD SEB /'\LL THE FI,YiilG MI!.K Mi!:: Rv1 A\IAY PLATES AN D ii\SHE D POTATOJ:S ON THE WALLS AN D LOT3A FIGHTS AND SMAS11ING T,IGHTS AN D T1'ACHERS SCREECH I:-
l-19 LLOYD (To WILLIAM id.th great authority) Growing up is a problem for you and your mother. The.things I had to do when I want to avoid a beating ! Like saying please, thank you, you're welcome, yes, no, thinks like that can drive you crazy. Ifeel that you can grow up without knowing the proper way to talk and act, But it was worth it in my wonder years when Iwas in the ages of l-12. Now, Iknow the meaning of right and wrong. When you grow up the years seem wonderful for a while and then you seem to get along alright one day, and e next you' re in bad shae. Tht: h.ight:r you get in lite the more you want to know about things. Like the facts of life, which your parents talk about the birds and the bees. By now you are mature enough to date girls, go out to dances and enjoy yourself. Then after a while girls will mean more than a kiss on the hand or a handshake. You will develop the sense enougn to take the girl out and give her a good time. Then if you have the feeling you can't let go of her, invite her to your house and get tight with her and if you are still in the loving moo
What?

LLOYD You will date her more than you have in the past. Now that I 'm finishing, Ihave something to tell you. Ilove girls and now some love me . Then if you ever are happy with a girl try to keep it that way. You know why? ALL

Why?

LLOYD Because, girls are the seeds of our civilization and don't you forget i . Iha h spoken. DONALD

I th ink tha t women are the grea tes t th ing tha t happen to

man because men and women have the power to produce. And that all Igot to say. SONG:

"I LOVE WHAT THE GIRLS HAVE"

(Nith great brav
7830

1-20 :x:><'ALD (Continued) THAT TH ING THAT THE GIRLS GOT THAT TH ING SURE: r s alG AN D FI!IE CAN 'T YOU SEZ HOU IT BLOWS NY MI ND HAKES HE llOT THE THI NG THAT THE GIRLS GOT MOVES ME ALOT THAT TH ING THAT THE GIRLS GOT TURNS MY FI RE TRUCK FIRE-TRUCK RE D MAKES MY BEL L DING DI NG AN D TE L[,S ME GO AHEAD CAUSE IT 'S SO GOOD SO GOOD BEI; C IHTH

MY

GI!lL

IN BED A LL N IGHT TOSST NG , TURNING TEACH I NG , LEA RN ING I F YOU lo/ORK IT RIGHT YOU CAN WORK IT ALL NIGHT OUTAS IGHT! CAUSE IT 'S SO GOOD I LOVE; GI RLS I LOVJ:: lo/HAT THE GIRLS GOT IIRE THE 'l'!IIN G THAT THE GIRLS GOT ALL GI RLS LOVJ:: TO SEE THE BOYS GET HOT ALL BOYS NAN':'H i lliiAT THE GI RLS H AVE GOT ( D.l\NCE ) AL[,

MELBA

IN BED ALL N I GHT

WHAT! CATH E RINE

LILLIM

TH ING

TOSSI O.: I LI:.L IAN

CATH E RINE

DIIG

NELL

t.m!.iDA

FIRE TRUCK

lo/ORK IT R IC.HT

NELL er G AN D FINI::

OUTASlGHT

ALL

DONALD ILOVE GIRLS I LOVE WHAT THE GIRLS GOT

LOVE THAT TH ING THAT TH ING 'l'HAT THE GIRLS GOT

7830

l-21

DONALD (Continued) THAT THING SURE IS BIG A>lU F NE CAN 'T YOU Sl::E HOW IT BLOl·IS MY MIND

CAUSE IT' S SO GOOD AN D THAT' S ALL I GOT TO SAY (HE sits)

WILLIAM

(Boring experience -- like long church service} One night r.J!:! mother raae me go to a dance with my friend and a old lady. And when 'lie went inside I felt like I was 65 years old. There was so many old people there that it looked like a old folks convention. That dance was so old-fashion that Benjamin Franklin 'llas there. And when Isaw that Iwas so hot that the sun would look like a ice cube. And a other thing parents are always doing is (some of them) makin9 kids wear clothes that is too old for them. An Example is my friend ("The Fox"). His clothes are so oldfashion that he'll make a old man look like he's a teenager. And his shoes, those things are so old looking shit Ihate to talk about them,

NELL

The thought that man has evolved from a fish destroys a

youn9 person's belief in the first men and women.

LILLIE MAE Iwas walking in the woods and fell into an open grave. I

was down there. A wino was coming home through the graveyard and he heard someone say "it's cold down here.• So he looked around -- he said •no wonder you' re cold •cause you kic:·, 1 all your dirt off.• (Rising) Dear Mr , Grac:iy,

CARLOS

How would the city be treating you at this point? Just fine l hope. As for myself, I'm fine but havi.ng a little trouble with the fellas on my wing. A wing is a dorm. 1 received the packages from you Monday and was very glad to get them . &verything came in handy. Since lgot the

book hasn't any body been able to tell me anything (smile). Isoupose to be a book writer. I haven't yet to hear nor see my parents. Why I don't know. I'm sure it's not a money problem, because my parents both 7830

1-22

CARLOS (Continuecl) work, and rrrt n1ot' .ler ets a little help from the city, which we aren't doing too ad for a family of sixteen lcids. They sent iny sistE'r to school in Texas just a few months ago. My older brot.'lers and sisters work, Mr. Grady, do you know how I feel? There' s no reason for them to treat ;oe this way. I 'm human too. I understand you have kids to take care of and you can't play the part of my real father. Not saying I ' Ve gall'e you up . But don' t you think it•s wrong for me to look on you for n1Y pei::sonal n<.?eds .

(t.ltJSIC under) You're the only one r can really express my feelings to. l 've lost my girl friend. sh,, gave me .ip! I mean, l have a child by this woman and if I lost her, I' ve lost all hope and dreams of ever becoming any thing . I had my life planned out just swe11.

!IARD TO

CATHERINE

TELL YOU llOW I FEE L EVERiTliING IS SO UNREAL LORD , TJ-IIS LIFE IS A HARO ':'liHiG TO GET TO

Sl\W

MY SHADOl ON THE NALL SAW MY LOVE NOl-IHE RE l\T ALL SAW MY LIFE AS A H ARD TilI> Jlil::i YO U 'RI:: GONE , THJ::Y SURY YOU

DI BETNEEN YOU 1llE Ui.11 YOUR OWN HA RD 'fO STAND THJ::RE ALL AL0tl£

CRYDlG DOWN THE HALL DYING CRIES, THEY TELL IT ALL SO!EOt!::

LORD, 'l'H IS LIFE IS A HARD TH ING TO LIVE AND .Hl\ ROER STILL TO LEAVE

(MUSIC under) CARLOS

(Spoken) Now I don't even care to 90 co class. Look at me, a bum, and nothing but rny clo'les are sc dirty it's funny. Ican bea t dust out of them . So I'll change the subject tor now . I don't like talking about it at times, because it makes me feel real bad. So I 'm vety thartkful for everythinq. What would l do ithout you, Mr.Grady? Whom could I write to when I write or think about y· ou, l«IY n1ind is put to ease. So until the next letter is posted, · m g out. Yow: second son, Carlos. 7830

1-23 CARLOS (Continued) (Sun9) WHl::N YOU 'RE BOR. TUEY CARRY YOU WHEN YOU 'RE GONE, THEY BURY YOU IN BETWEEN YOU'RE ON YOUR OWN

HARD TO STAND THERE ALL ALONE

CARLOS & CATHERINE LORU THIS : ,ILL IS HARD TO CLIMB GONlA CLIMB IT ONE MORE TI.ME LORD TH IS LIFE IS A HARD THING TO LIVE AND HARDER STILL TO LEAVE. (Assembly, PIANO SOLO MARCH -- "'!' HIS NORLO") ilENJAUN

(Spoken) Lawrence of Arabia was an exciting movie. Every time I went out to aet som thing to eat and came back to watch the l\'\OVie, tilere WdS always some killing, l ELL

(Spoken) In the primitive age, the cavemen would go around dragging their women through the growing grass and by their hair. Then one day the women united and went around bf!ating up the men individua lly. The men then started copping pleas. This was the cause of love. RHODA (Spoken) One day in 196 4 , l was in Baisley Park, feeding a big s·an . I nad two sandwiches, an apple, and a banana . l handed the swan the banana peel and that joker pulled me in.

LILLIAN (Spoken) In the swnmer vou can turn on the pump . You can spray the water and when.people have tileix windows up, you make a home made swimming pool. (CLO· ROX gooses her. PIANO CHORD) MELBA

Money is ma11's helper • OONALD Mony is one thing in the world I' d like better than girls.

7830

1-24 CATdERii·i::

Honey kee s you out of trouo le . LLOY D

Hy moti1er says money ma;.:es the wor lci go round . A LL

Your ma.Mi don ' t k now nothin ' ! OONA LID

Nhen c:irls

o and t'.ie ( i\LL come to atten tion on "die")

on you r.lOney 1-1ill live on a nd on . SONG :

"IF I HAO A l U LLIOtl OOLLARS"

LLIOY O IF I I F I W\O A liI LLIOil ..ILLI O'ti DOLLARS T:::LL YOU l'lnA'i' I ' O DC . I !IOULOt< 'T TAI\!:; 110 «!ORE UVL!.'.iHIT FROi; A.lYOi r: '107 FROI i THE :J\il Aii 0 N-0'•' FROi 1 YOU I ' 0 d Ul LO MZ A FOP.'i'Ri:SS i.Alli:: OUT OF 1:ARJ3LE

HIG.i Oll A 1.0UH' 'Alol A14D 1EV.::R COi 2 :'.lO\n·I I 'D 3UY i-iE A PENT:JOU3C

IiI :;::'.!ARK HI:: I JERSI:Y LEAV:: THIS BEH INU ,i;:: AN D Nl VI:R TUR»I ' ROU\ l D .

O•I Y EArl .

I ' D u UY !·ii:: l\ iiAiSIOil 'i".llMTY ROCi .S TO A l'LOOil GOLD :;IO<>S 01/ THI:: DOOR FI Rl:!PI.ACZ . ASY CriAI R . TV E V:"C:RY.IH<:R::: FORTY dELLS I COU LD RI.IG Si;RVAi lTS FOR EVERYTtllilG Slllt JlldG POOL . SAtJHA .JA "<"H . 0011 'T i"IOW !n!1IT IT IS . DO l\.lOil TiiAT I 'D t iAVE OilC: . IF I I F I af AD A I ilLLI01< lULLI01l DOLLARS TELL YOU lltiAT I 'D DO 7830

oa

Yl::All .

Orl Yi::All.

1-2 5 BENJAMIN HOULON 'T GIVE !O PART OF HO'.i'IUN • TO A. Yoirn 1 0T TO THE PRESIDE1 T ANO HOT TO YOU . I '0 BUY i iE A FOUR SPEE D lOHOERllriEEL BICYCLE EQUIPPED WI 'f H SPEEOOmTE R RETRACTABLE SEATS AHO Tl!Ed I llOULO BUY I ii:: A i Ii li:-TEI::i FORTY-TH Ri;;.:': HI LITARY SURPLUS AliPHiiHAi JEEP. OH Yi::A.i.

OH '1EAri.

OH YEAH .

HAN I llOULO BUY iiE SOt:ETHI.: PRACTICJ'.L oUY A TOLL BRIDGE TilEN I '0 SAY : Hi::Y , i ;A;J -- PAY! MILLIO !J CARS A DAY HOVHl U::I THl::R llAY TILL I LE'<' E1 i THROUGH llHEi HY l
IF I

I F I HAD A lilLLION lilLLIOi DOLLARS T;!;LL YOU llHAT I I D 00. 1IELSA I 10 GI VE S01·t.:: PART OF Sot!ETH Il TO EVERYONi:: A NICKEL TO UNICEP A PEi
1w

LILLIAN (SHE s tands ; hugs 3CdJAHiiir ) I ' u GO oo m TU<: sTREJ::T Hn<:RE THEY 'RE LI.Hi! UP FOR H:::LFARJ:: AN D ilUY C:VE RYBOOY SO!IE !iTON<:Y -PONY 'IIL'li::

7830

l-26 ALL OH , YEl\K , 01! YEA'1, Oh YBA:I . LLOYD (Rises)

l'IJ GIVE US A olG BASH OPEcl TO Vi' ::YON RUL PUi:iCi:t . CO>GA DRU.IS

HOT DOG STAtlDS ! l!ILLIAH FOUR ROCi< JAtH.>S ! CATiiERim:: ( R ising) ROYAL ROBi.::S TO 1/EAR FLO l'C " :RS .,;\r.,RYNHE HE t\LL i\dOi\RP iiY S.IIP FOR A HIP PLEASURJ:: TRIP D01i I T 1<.1011:·>HERE WC: I D GO 00 i{i 01.1 Ti;A'i' ·.1£ • D DIG IT . ALL

IF I IF I HAD A i-lILLIOi HILLI01 DOLLARS iSLL (Rises )

1 ·lOULDi>I ' T or;- :;L:::. A SOUL

I UOULl:1•T '•r SAY >OTHI1IG AdOUT I'.i' TO tlO 01-l C: AS soo,; l\S '.i.i' !E Y SEE IT YOU:l i iOHBY GSTS S'i'OLl!: LILLI!:: i!AE I 'D i.l UY J.;f; A PET STORE LLOY D

DRUGSTOHE CATciERiiii:! HOSPITAL CARLOS bOVH.-HOUSE D01iALD COURTROOl1

7830

l-27 (R ising) TIJEi-1 I ' 0 BU¥ A

ioo

I 'D OPili THE Ci\.GES FR.::.::: .i\LL Td.!: A;•H.illLS NATCH Ei1 <:SCAPE H01 D£R l'IHAT Tr'lf;;'i ' 0 DO CLOROX, i i:!LL, i•.U::LJ:lA

(Trurapet ing crouching t igers) TIGE RS WITH THEIR PAHS ;(!LLlNG l IITH THEIR CLAllS ROA'.Ui!G DOHN T"rlE STREET LOO.Kit•G FOR -- PEOPLE L T LEOPARDS -- TE.

ALL FEET TALL

U:API N OFF 7HE WALL ( ALL risel

L IOC<S ' GIAlT JAl'IS OPElJ '. IIDZ .

PEOPLF. 11TOF. !

I oo..r ,T :rnol'l l!!iAT I I D DO DO :mm ? I 'D BE LAUGHir! , ELL

IF I I F I iiAC A i! LLIOil l·ILl,IO:' DOLL.'RS •rELL \'.OU !k!O I 'D 3E

(AL L sit, except dl::LL} I HOULO.I'T J:i;; iJO o 'l:t: iO o.•;> :.JOULD R!:COG1U z;;; \·:OUi.DU '·r Bl:: .•romn:RE \IHEPJ:: YOU COUL:J SL:2 •

ALL I llOULf.li-! 'T BE STl\;·IOii! \·JAITiaiG OH A PRO:IISE '10ULDL i 'T i;; SMILI;J T.::LL YOU '.foAT [ 'D ilf:: I 'D ilE SOHEONE DI FFE !ill"!T SONZBODY OT1JZR THERf: t IOULON ' T oi:: NOBODY flBTTI::R THAL• l :B

Oil YEAH! OH YILJUl l

DH YEAH !

Oh YEAH ! Oii YEAH! OH YBN-1 !

Oil YEA.I ! !JLACi
2-l ACT II Af ternoon . A moment in an af ternoon of aloner.ess • .• quiet • .• \1aiting for a bus/changing clothes between activities . SOi·IG:

"FUGUE FOR FOUR GIRLS" LILLIE

JAE

(Sung) l'IIilDY I '.11.DY . 11.<0Y SK IES SO ULUE FALLEi FALLE • ov..R i :Y EYES-OOH -OOH RHODA

(Spoken} Of ten I ' ll be in my room doing homework when my mind will j us t wander and I think to myself . I 'm growing old so f ast and there ' s no tit.\e in life to really do any tiling . I/hen I think back f ive yea rs aqo and Ican speci f ic inciden ts and th ings tha t people have said to me Isomehow can ' t believe tha t it 1·1as f ive yea rs ago when it seems like yesterday . LILLIJ\il

(Sung) SP!litlG TURNS I1 TO S Ui;)·iE R 1f'i HATE INTO LIKE AilO FALL COlitS OllCE AGAIN-OOH-OOH BENJAllI•

( S..,oken) In the Surnr.ter you can go wa ter skiing in Central Park the only th.i.ng you have to do is to get you self a tow and make sum fool go fas t enough to ski . You can go f or a train ride and pu ll the emergency clutch under the chair and the door f rom that car will open . You can visit your relati.ves and then it 's t ime for rotten school . (Sung) s;1o IFL/IJ(ES FALL WITH GRACE AHO COlr.:::R 'l'H:E CITY OI:

NHY 00 YOU LEAVE SO SOOi'I? 00-00

7830

2-2 !-!E LBA

(Spoken ) When children see you in the Sllll.mer, Sun -they like you. They swim, laugh and play , Sun under your wa rmth . 13ut in w inter, sun

ey ose their affection for you. You melt their snow the dislike you. But 11hy sun

mus t I always : ave winter? ) (Direct .segue to:) SOi-iG :

"REJOICE C:iILDREN"

(Sung)

CLOROX

s

R3J01Cil CliILDJlEN , LITTLE cROTilE R, HE ' De AO. WHY , THAT ' 'lr'iE llEST THI• G THA'l' COULD .liAVE 11APPEN TO Hlt·i ' Fii::i·.BER riO;J DARK liE IAS HtiY , t.t\:: ' P i-l"EVE:R HAVE

GOTTE1l FUR'I'HE R 'l'i1A1 HIGH SCliOOL . rui COULON • T LI i(E YOU DO Roo.:<:Y OH rO ! SO llHAT , HE llAS <MLY Ti IO Y<:;ARS OLD. !-1011 HE 'S GONJ::, '.LH:t:RE 'S i'lO RE FOOD TO GO ROUND , RA'!S ' GOT TO Hil1 IN HIS CRIB AND ThE:Y HAO

A FEAS'l'

.ow

l CAN GO BACX TO SCHOOL AHO GROOV!> I"J TH<: AFTERNOOd . 1 CAUSE I DON 'T ;rAVE TO BAL!YS IT . 11E OOi 'T HAVE TO PAY .-10 HOR<; DOCTOR ilI LLS : 1:.:: CAfl PAY MR. CH/\RLIC: ALL 'i'HE BACK RENT iiAYBE l
TOILET i!O!:L REJOICE CHILDREN , I i SO GLAD LITTLE BROTHER IS DZAO. CAUSE HE DON ' T iiAVE TO GO T!IROUG!I 1.•A'l' \1£ liAVE • .NJ::LL LIT'I'LE BIRD ALOi E Ul A DRAHCli OF SN(){·1Y PINE PLEAS<: OOi ''l' BB SO SAO

2-3

(ncl of fugue. Immediate action. LILLI ;k;.:: & CLO::tOX hopscotch. RllODA & LILLIAN tal. cENJ&-Ui exitsI DOi•ALD Your mother look like wolfman. LLOYD You're looking fo a fat lip . OONALD

Are you telling me or asking me? LLOYD I' m telling you that your lip is goin to be as big as a water melon. That little son of a bitch ••• ne's always taH.ing bullshit when I' m tell.ing the truth. tie thinks ne 1s so smart. He's always getting into your face with his stink breath. 11hy llis breath smells so bad you could get nigh from it! DONALD

Corne on, I' ll get you high . LLOYIJI

Yeah come on .

(THEY grab each other and rush off-stage to fignt, followed by the OTHERS , with the exception of CATdERINE anc:i ••ELL and CARLOS) SO> i iC :

"SOUNDS"

( llarning of danger CATilERI. •E and i' lELL, perpetrators of Clanger) CATH;;;RINE

NELL SOIJNOO SOU'•DS TO ME LIKE THJ::RE 'S SOUNDS

(Repeat)

FLOATii• FREE SOUWDS YOU CAN<•OT SEii:

Lil\E A HESSAGE SOl-lEOilE 'S ON

'l'.APPIi T.N.T. TAPPIN CLAPPIN AAPPii

OU'l'

NELL & CATHERii-JE

THE SOUND OF Fil GERS SNAPPIN 7830

2-4 NELL Ii CATHERI NE

(Continued)

TAPPIN SNAPPIN KNOCK Ia I RAPPIH A LITTLE somm GROllil AiiD A-GOlti ALL THE Tii.iE K. Ol'IIN THAT 1 ·r•s GETTii STRO'i GE R liAIT A LITTLE SIT LOHGER IT ' LL GI::T A LITTLE STRONGER

cou.

LATE AT iIGHT SAFE BEHIND YOUR LOCKED DOORS TRY AND FEEL , TRY Al•D FEBL THE SPIRIT LATE AT iHGllT LISTEi•I OUT THE W INDOI'/ MAYl:lE YOU CAii liEAR IT

ll"S GETTiil ilEARER i EARE R EVERY DAY CATllERii f::

1-JELL IT 'S A RAP SOlJNO CLICK SOUND

A ROCK SOUND CLOCK SOtrdD

A SWEJ!OT SOUHD

A S'l.REf:T SOUND

(ALL enter to give warning} NELL & CATHE RINE A STAMPI" l:IA1'iD ArlO FEET SOUN D HELL l. TRASH SOUND

CATHERINE A SHASH SOI.MD

Hl::LL & CAT"dE RINE A \qH ISTL::: AliD A CLASH SOUND A HOOD AGAINST THE HEAD SOU1 D CATUl'!;RlNll A SOUN D 'l'l!AT COULD BE THUimER

i ELL BUT VERY PAR Al-JAY NELL & CATHI::RINE IT 'S FAR OFF dUT GETTii NEARER NEARER E'./ERY DAY SO SOFT BUT GI::TTIN CLEARE R CLEARER EVERY l>AY

7830

2-5 NELL ' CATHERINE (Continued) LA'l'E AT NIGHT SAFi;LY Itl YOUR UBD TRY JUID FEEL THE SPIRIT LATE AT IGHT i.IS7Eii OUT TJ.c; lllrlDOff l lAYBE YOU CA.I liEAR IT (lNSTRUl!ENTAL • .KIDS eo11ncl • • •

CATHERINE & NELL find .KIDS , but Tlll':Y disap:>earl imLL & CATHERINE I'l''S A RAP SOUN D CLIC.K SOUtlD A SllEET SOUND

ALL A ROCI< SOI.MD CLOCK SOUN D A STRIIBT sot.r

.k!LL 5 CATHERI NE A STAllPii.i HANO MD FEET SOU\ID rHiLL & CATHERlttE

A TRASH SOOND rlELL • CATHER NE A t111ISTL;; AilD A CLASH SOUN D A 1-IOOD AGAINST THE HEA D SOUND

CATHERiiE A SOUl D THAT COULD BE: 'l'HUl Ol:':R HELL BUT W RY FA R A 'lAY

ALL (Enter) IT 'S FAR OFF oUT GETTill NEARER HEARE R EVERY DAY SO SOFT DUT GETTIN C"l£A RER

CLEARER EVERY DAY LATE AT l!IGHT SAFELY IN YOUR BED TRY Afl:l L THE SPIRIT LA'lE 1\T NIGHT LISTB· OU'l' Th e wr. oow ·IAYJ31> YOU CAN lfl!!AR

T

( Disappear) Nl:!L L SOUN DS

CATllE RlilE ( Repeat)

SOUNDS TO l·iE

LI.KE THERE 'S SOUN DS PLOATiiol PREZ SOUNDS YOU Cl\NrlOT Se!!

LI.KE A i'!ESSAC;E SOi-IEONE 'S TAPPIN OUT ON T .tl .T.

7830

2-6 NBLL (Continued) LIKE A NESSAGE SOilEOaE 'S TAPPii OUJ'.' ON T.N .T . Lil<E A MESSAGt:: SOi·lEON£ ,s TAP PIH ouo;· ON T.N .T. ilELL

&

CATHE RINE (Continued)

CATH£RI1 E

SOON .YOU 'LL SEE CLORO:X (Crosses dm·mstage) Balk ing down to droati•1ay to 9e t a con1 for r-:a th and a pack of ciga ret tes . A t 90 th on the . .11. corner there were a group of police cars and a few people ga thered . ileca use people were involveu, :wen t over expecting to see the remains of a f ight . A t f irst all I saw was a gi:oup of people, includin<J cops, lookin9 down . Then when I got closer I saw a very b lack Negro sit ting down against Starks (Restauran t) . i ext to h im were ilis crutciies . One leg was stretched out anci the shoe was fa lling apart . He was jabbering and crying . A strange f eeling grabbed me -sonieth ing ,.,as missing! Then I not iced -- he haci no r ight leg ! One man was try ing to make him dr ink a coke f i:om Starks , wh ile the stup:.d cops were sta nd ing around h im talking . He kept mut tering , "They trahd to ).;ill me, they trah ing ta kill me , just like they did President :<ennedy -- they tr ahing ta kil l me" and he kept sobb ing and ye lling. About ten people were there, look ing at h im wh ile the man wi th the coke said , "I guess we bet ter cal l an ambulance, " as if he could think of no bet ter way to 9et r id of h im. Then the cop said, "I wonder why these guys always get drunk?" and another cop said , "They 're all alcoholics anyway .• A few minutes later an aml:J ulance came and tney jerked h im up into a chair and I saw a bi9 red gash benea th the kinkey blacl• hair . A wor.ian star ted to cry . I f el t sick myself 'cause I was all mixed up. Then as they were putting h im in the ambulance a big man said to a cop, "He 's been in there more times than the at tendant has ." Tiley both laughed . I walked up to them on the street and said, "That 's pretty f unny isn ' t it • • • you dumb bastards! " 'I'hey both shrugged and started talking again . As ti1e doors closed the man was st.i 11 cryin9.

I watched the ar.lbulance go away .• • forever . 1 cou ldn •t cry , so I took a bot t le out of a trash barre l and smashed it as hard as I cou ld against a dime-meter on aroadway .

7830

2-7

CA RLOS

Ti!IS Hl1N I .t\• O>l HAS Ai APPLE 'REE iiE 'S tiOPii-i ;JILL GROI DAY AFTER DAY 1IE \/AITS , d UT \·MAT DOES llE SEE? i OT OdE APPLE Oi THi> TREE . THIS l IAl I KNOU

wos ALL IHi TER . BUT THE TREE WILL NOT GROW 'l'ILL LATE Iii SPRIHG , !/ ITH STILL NO FRUIT TO dE FOt110 HE GOES OUT 'l'O CHOP IT DOWN. LO A1l0 BEHOLD! .I:<E A i:IRACU: S!1EPT < FROl1 Tiii.> SEA LO A
tJE XT iJORNiiJG HE .'l LL El CITED, HE COJ..iES RtT iHiG TO rll:; nICHT THERE ron ALL 'l'O SEE ·/AY U:.> ON A BOUGtl SNALL A't D NEAK BUT HIU GING Oi SOUEl!Oll IS A BABY APPLE N0\·1.

RHODA

l.t0St

(Sitting) normal men arc noi:orious sex ?Ots.

OOi'll,' l.D (Crosses over rignt of center) Now boys is becoming interested in it. They go around grabbing ladies' asses and some just laugh because they like it. I'm interested in it because Idone it with a lot of hoes. LLOY D

You ain't done nothin, Donald, that's why you always talk about it . OOi ALD

(Crosses upstage by LLOYD) And if you're interestea as to where you can find them, 42 and roadway • {LILLIAN & LILLII: o!AE

RHOOA)

IHLLIAJ·i

C!'OS s

to

They make men pay but us boys, if it makes them feel good maybe not. There are lots around this neighborhood. l kno
2-8 LILLIA

Bailey Hatch is a nut. RrlODA

Yeah , he 's always fight somebody . LILLIE llAE

He look like a ,.orrn . SONG :

"ROBERT, ALVI1'1, WENDELL ANO JO-Jon LILLIAtl, RHODA, LILLIE f•lAE

SiiOO BEE 000 BEE t·7AH ·1AH

SHOO BEE DO SHOO o3EE 000 BEE '«!AH 1'1Af! SHOO l3EE DO LILLIA ALVIN ROBBINS TALKS WITH A SISSI«G sotr.D AN D SOi·if:TH!ES STU-STU-STUT'£ERS iiE ALSO l:IL NKS vt:RY RAPIDLY HIS i:;ys ARE aLACK

A.
{IJENJAl·lli

crosses to f ront anu

sits) HIS HOUSE IS BROKEN OOl>fl'l ( llILLIAM crosses upstage of THREI:; GIRLS)

the

LILLIA; , RHODA, LILLIE NAE SHOO '3EE 000 DEB

WAR NAH SHOO o3EE DO

SHOO BEE 000 8EE

WAH H!\H SHOO tlEE DO

7830

2-9 RHODA ROBERT Tt!OMAS IS A oO'i l'IHO SLAN'l'S tlHEl>I H E S'i'ANOS NhEN HE \-IAL!<S HE t'IALKS WITH A J30UNCii G E FFECT HE IS TH IN ANO NEARS GLASSES MOST OF THE TIME HE ALSO WEARS BRACES ON U IS Tl:.ETi:! . HIS FACE IS SORT OF TKii ANO STRAIGHT H IS EARS STICJ( OUT FROH H IS HEAD BUT NOT ALL THE \IAY (Spoken ) Rober t carries a knapsack to school with h is books in it! (NI LLIAl·i sits riqh t of RHODA. GI RLS move to Cen ter . l:IENJAl'i1'l crosses down fron t , sits on steps above LLOY D) LI LLIAtl , Ri:!OOA , LILLIE HAE SHOO BEE 000 BEE llAH ilAH SHOO BEB DO SHOO ;!El:: 000 l:IEE ilAH ;/AH SHOO SEE 00 LILLIE •·IA£ l·IEN IJELL JAMES I LlKB BXCEPT FOR HIS ilAiiE WH ICH IS l'IEi>I OBLL JANES tlEHCELL JANES IS A l AJ.JE FOR SO!lEl:IOOY TALL HE IS Sl:ALL AHO CAN 'T TI!:: n IS Si:!OELACES RIGHT AHO HE 'S ALSO A DJ::VI L t·IHEN HE GETS 14AD. !Yi::i'IDELL JAliES IS NAO ALL. DAY BECAUSE HE 'S CALLEO i'?EdDELL JA!;ES BUT THA'J' IS !iIS i!AHE . (Spoken) I can ' t help it if I giggle when Ihear it . Lil lie nae .

Ny name 's

LILLIA: , RHODA , LILLIE i1Al:: SHOO J.l;.;;E 000 BEE NAfi :·IAH

SHOO 3EJ:; DO SHOO BEE 000 SEC: WAH 11AH SHOO BEE 00 7830

2-10

JO JO JOlalS IS 1 B BIGGEST BOY IN nIS CLASS, lNCLUOING MB HE 'S NOT SCARED OF i'llTdS OR HRS. McFEB HE WILL STOIJP WHOEVER SAY TllEY DOi 'T IKE HIM SO I SAY I LIKE HUIFINE . HE MJSTLY SMELLS BAD IN HIS PANTS I SIT SEl:iIND HIM IN SCHOOL BUT HOT ALL THE TIMB

(DANCE release)

SHOO BEE

ALL

DOO BEE WAH 11AH

SHOO BEE DO

SHOO BER DOO BEE NJl'i UAh

SHOO .OEE 00 SHOO BEE DOO BEE H;uf

ti.Aft

SHOO Bl::£ 00

(HELBA, RriODA ' BElJAz.JIN exi t

Center) t!ELL

As we know, there are a couple of thousanu criminals in Hew York City. New York Ci ty also has a couple of thousand policemen , and law-enforcers, Now, opposing there were no criraes, or criminals to be caught, in New York City, can you imagine how many people would be out of work. Let' s name a couple of jobs that would have to be given up7 1) 2) 3) 4)

police man (in uniform) police man (plain-clothes) detectives builders of building for jU&tice

5) judges 6) lawyers

7830

DONALD

2-ll 7) steno-typers 6) gua rds in cour ts

NCLL

CATH E:Rim;; 9)

1 0 ) 1 1 ) 1 2 )

secretar ies wardens jail guards d irectors of Youth Houses and many more positions.

i ow l ask you , doesn • t tile er iminal provide jobs for thousands? Therefore I feel tha t all criminals should be treate
stay up .nes t of the nigh t t•orrying about going to cour t . l·londer ing if the j udge is going to let me go home, or w ill he send me upstate . lget up in the morning and to:ke a s11ower and then the supervisor will be calling the names of boys who are supposed to go to court, and he calla my name . '·Ye ge t on the bus and think a ll of the way through the long bus r ide. Once we get there 'le go upstairs to a room and 11ai t ' t il they ca ll for me. lsit and wai t and wonder . t'ina lly they call me . (Crosses Cen ter ) l 'm s tanding up in cour t . I fee.l. sick to my stomach,. bec:ause I am scared to dea th . The j udge looks me up a. d down. He said something to me and I answer him back . And finally, af ter about 15 minutes , because he has spoken to my parents, he saiJ tila t I am paroled. A smile comes to my f ace. I leave the cour t room in a h urry . Ou tside Ij11111Ped for joy because once aga in , Iam free again . SOi'lG :

''3A IL-L FE NALK"

1·1ALK U! THE DAY NAL < N TriE Nl\uiT COWlT OFF TH:C: TI!U::

om:: TO

TE.

TILL YOU ' RE FREE Ffil:i:: AGAIN • TO HALK THE \IORLD FR!:E AS AIR

7&30

:?-12 ( Sung) WITH YOUR MYS AND YOUR NIGHTS ALL ACLO''f EVERYtmE!IB

YOU GO.

LLOYD

(Sooken)

' .l'.LK ttITHOUT PAIN t·TAU: !ITHOUT CJ\RE

That' s if you're·a jWlkie That's if you' re president

WALK TILL YOU SEE

LLOYD (Sung) SEE THE SIGN IN THEIR "lINO 1'11.'.LR IN LIME

& CLOROX

CLORAX

(Sooken) That'•right listen

DONALT>

(Sung)

TREl'f l•)Af.K IN HATE "AL'.< IN FEAR SEE THE ANGER APPEAR IN THEIR EYE

WALK THE

NALR VERY 14ISE

NALK WITHOUT PAIN WALK '4ITHOUT CARE

WORLD FREE AN D CLEAR

JUST BY AI.KIN BY tqAI,'.{ VERY WELL

STILL YOU ttILL BE WALKIN ROUND

IN A YEAR

JAILllOUSE BOU!'IO "'ALI< IN P,ACE •·J)>.LJ( I•J LI'lE ANO.HE ONLY THING FREE

FREE FREE FREE BE FE TO •·IALI< THE ';'O!U.D t••AL.r; ON AIR

l•JAL:{ ON STARS

IS YOUR HIND

PREE TO COUNT THE TitU::

AS YOU "!ALI( IN LINE

ALL (Sung)

AND THE COUNT IS TEN

l\M D YOU 'RE DOU! FINE AND THE COIJ?'lT IS NINE

AND YOU KEEP IT STRAIGHT .!IND '!'HE COUNT IS EIGHT

AND YOU'RE DOIN FINE ANO YOU NALi< THE LINE AND YOU 11ALK THE LIN!!: .AND YOU'RE COUNTIN TI:!:

7830

2-13

LILLIE ;:: •fllen my mother is very very W1ha!31?YItry to find some way to cheer her un. t-Jhen my father ani.' mother qet into a little fight it makes the whole house unha9py. Sometimes SOl!le of us ?rea. 1< down and crlf' or go to our room . Someti111e I' d go to my friend's house and aske her if she'd wanted me to qo to the store for her and she gave me some money and Irun home and give some of it to mv r.other and it makes her very happy so tien Ibeoome ltat:iPY and Igo on through the day feeling very happy because I gave My mother some money to get something to eat in the house. LILLIAtl

My best friend is my mother. She never slaps us. First she gets all the facts toqether. She asks questions. then puts the answers together and starts yellinq. (nise) f-'Y father is one of the nicest men !know . 11y father is a preacher. '"ell, your father is a J'.)rotector of you. He loves vou. '·!hy he hits me he is protectif'g for the future . CAR.T.,OS

Dear l'r.C.rany· Thank you for vour letter. About the shirt, vou can tell your wife she has very good taste. Because the .sJhirt was wonderful. Iwore it to church Sunday and :;> lan to wear it this Sunday . ''ell , about my 9irl friend,Idon' t know. s:he <1icll>'t write and tell me it was all over. She just didn' t •·•rite me back at all. I wrote her fivg or six letters: asking her to forqive me for all my wron<:'<"oings and Iask her nic9ly to write me because Iwas so lonely· ithout her.But it didn't work out right. Mr. Grady vou have brouqht hapiness into my life. How canIdo the same for you? Sincerely, Carlos. t1ELBA o trains stop here anymore, and the old train station

seem11 to have become just a natural part of the landscape. The shutters look like cell doors, locking in our prisoner the past. l'J'ln t'lose pll>tfo.nn'a legs look exhausted from the lonq years of ing a building Nhich we once called proczress. But, just as the wind must cease to blow, so must we cease to e:-rist, and eventually we become just a natural part of the landscape . SONG

"SOl

THil1G i3!".l\UTI UL" ro!ODA

(Sunq) TODAY , TODAY

IS N•) ON A FENCE

S01ETHIMG BEAUTIFUL !'111 ITE J>._"ll> GRAY

7830

2 -14 llHOOA

(Continued)

I TRIED TO REAOI IT BUT IT 1•10ULDN 'T STAY SOl'lETllING !IEAUTIFUL FLElf N:'ll"Y

MJD AS IT FW•l OFF !1HJ&T. COULD I SAY 'l'O SO lETHING BEAll'l'IFUL THAT '•100Ltt>l ''l' STAY TODAY , TODl';Y I SAW ON .'\. FENCE SOl '!!:THIHG BEAUTIFUL Wl!ITE AND GRAY

FLY ll.WAY (Late afternoon) "IILLIAM I hate pigeons because they're one of the dirtiest birds in the world. In Rarlem where I live all you see is pigeon shit and it's so dirty. One day when I was in the fifth grade a bird, 9igeon, was flying over me and a couple of seconds later some pigeon turd was on my shirt. Also in Harlem pigeons just kee flying arouna you, they annoy you because they fly so low and just keep dropping it all over the place. If it was up to me I'd kick a r>igeon straight up its 90ddamn ass just aa long as they didn't shit on me . BENJA!

M

Yesterdav I was in the store. And then a little white boy came in the store and orders some milk and a nigger. All the people in the store look at him. I said to JnYSelf, he made a mistake. He meant Hero or a doughnut or sorrethin9 like that. But then again he said, "may I have some milk and a nigger." He was looking at me. No respect. io damn respect. :RHODI\

I think that the Brothers of Islam is a good organization because of the fact that they teach you your true belief. Like the fact that the black man is supreme. They tell you your true history a.bout yourself. You learn your reason for being on the earth . Like before I used to say that the black man can't succeed at nothing.But I have proven my own self wi:ong. fly finding out about the true black an.I can't express myself any better than this. CLOROX

Like they say, ft.!' man got to walk someday." So it might as well be now. It' •time the man saw just who he is messing t1ith 7830

2-15 CLOROX (Continued) Not your little pink-lipped Black -f aced slave But a man and a people who are 9oin9 to win So listen,!Ir . •lh ite !•an , liaten 9ood (i1USIC)

SONG : ,.3LACK" (Celebration ot black -- not militant) !ELBA

(Sun9) SOUNDS 0UNDS TO

!E LIKE T!iI:::.lE 'S SOl1l'!DS BOUND TO BE SOt.'1'105 FLO'ITIN FP.EE LI• E A 'lESSAGE SOMEONE'S TAPPIN OUT ON T N T

CHLOROX, LLOYD, f1ELI3.., RHODA , B1'!-IJAMIN , LILLIE MAE , WILLI/l.M

NELL

(Sung)

(Sun9)

BLACK

'4F. DIE BLAC !<

YOU CRY BLl\O< ICRY BLACK

•'IE DIE

BLACK

YOU CRY CLCROX & '1ELBA

(Sun9) DOES WHITE THEY

CRY

CAUSE BL/I.CI< WE DIE lmY THEY

KILL

l:E?

CLonox . LLOYD, MELB/I , :RHODA '3<mJIUI , LILLIE !J'l..E , !IILLIA?l, (: ELL) •·!HAT CRiii?:: YOU .!' ND l:E?

O!I , YB'; I

NELL

NON ISEE

BI.AO< WE CRY BLACK

7830

DBPY

2-15 CLOROX, LLOYD, MELBA, RHOOA , BENJAMIN , LILLIE MAE , tfILLIAM , (NELL)

NELL

(Continued)

BLACK

'"ITH PRIDE (Rise) BLACK

INSIDE BLAQ(

l'fB RISE (BENJAMIN c.ros•es · - plays drWllll)

CLOROX, LLOYD, RHODA, BENJAMIN , LILLIB MAE, !1ILLIAH (SW'lg)

BLACR IS OUR COLOR AN D WE ' RE GOtlNA BE PREE (Repeat)

NELL (SW'lg)

YES , BLACK WE ' RE OONNA BE MELBA (SW19)

THAT THEY CAtl SEE

NELL (Sung)

OP YOU AND ·lE MELBA (Sung)

YES, BLACR WE GONNA BE (Rie)?eat)

llOALD, CA'n!ERINE , LILLI.!IN , RHODA r LILLIE MAB {Sung)

BUT HJU\T OF THE SOUL THAT YEARNS TO BE FREE

ALL {Sung)

THIS 'l"f!EY DO r!OT SEE IN YOU OR I TR IS IS THAT THIS CJINrtOT DIE

783-0

2-17

YeahI

(Spoken)

1.'LL

( Continued)

LILLIE MAE I don' t like people to thro"t junk and I demand pretty good houses and more food to eat. That's what I demand and I better get it. CATHERINE

In l'f'J buildin9s there are fights, killin9s, and shootin99. A man raped a woman on the roof and killed her. DONALD

Mother man stole a TV, a hifi, and some money. BJ>NJAMIN

$500,000 dollars in cash .

LILLIAN A cop ran after them . He fired three times in the air, then he said, •stopl in the name of the lawl "

NELL I' m walkin9 in the street, 116th, two in the morninq all

by myselt. As I walk I tear ••fear soJDB crazy nigger

is behind me, walldn9 fast, faster I cross the street. As I cross I see a bunch of junkies in front of the bar and two lesbians making out in the qloomy tenement slum . As I the junkie•I see a friend tllltinq the st· uff in his arm. I feel like scum . I sneer at the cops who don't caret The preacher who on Sunday is so "yes Lord" and just as hi<]h from a nickel baq on Satur.day night. CATHERINE New York is full of dope addicts, pot smokers, speed and LSD. BENJAMIN

I feel that dope addicts should be loclced up because many of them are struq out. !HODA

Many of the addicts on the street will rob for dope. Others would kill for dope. DONALD

The wo111en that are strung out would sell their bodie•for money to buy dope it you don t have th$ dope itaelf . '

7830

2-18 SONG :

"THE HORSE" LLOYO

( Sun9)

:rHE WHITE HORSE , THE HOl!SE THE EVIL WHITE HORSE WHOSE COilTENTS COMES IN GRAINS nlITE SAN OP nt ICH I 'I ABOUT TO BLO\'! IN t!Y NOSE 1\ND THEN INTO MY VEil'lS TO UNLATCH t"Y SUBCONSCIOUS TO WASH ?Tl CONVOLUTIONS BARE TO ROS MY SOUL OF THE F BER

THAT ONCE WAS THE RE ENSIJ\VING ME TO ANGER ANI> DESPAIR FREEING ME OF HOPE, HAPPINESS AND LOVE 'S S•"EET TF.NDE R ISS FOR ALL IT IS TO YOU. rm . ANYONE IT IS TOO MUCH FOR ONE SOUL TO BEAR FOR ALL lT IS FOR JILL IT IS TO DO -FOR ALL IT IS THAT I SHALt. NEVER DO FOR ALL IT IS TO DLOfi THE t•mtTE Hf)RS°E THAT ENTERS THROUGH !11r NOSE AND DOWN /ff VEINS TO CLOSE MY CONSCIOUSNESS TO WIRE COLO THE B"REAST TRAT ONCE '·7AlU1ED THE REST

(Dar.ce release. Spoken) This story beqan on February 10, 1966. I was at a party with Irr'/ girl who was sixteen and I was thirteen and a half. Then Isaw my girl take out a needle. It was then that Isaw the neecle marks. Iwas so surprised that Ididn 't know what to do. She went into the bedroom: Ifollowed halt stupid at what Isaw . Istarted to talk to her about the mistake llhe had made, but the dope was taking effect. Ifelt like C..:vinq but no. Itook the needle and Itook a shot to see what would happen . It Nas painless.When my 9irl got up she tried to wake me up. But all I could feel were sexual effects. Then I woke up. I took three more shots and Iwas hooked. Ineeded the dope. ( Sung)

FOR ALL lT

IS

TO

YOU, HE , ANYONE

I'l' IS TOO MUCll FOR ONE SOUL TO BEAR FOR ALL IT IS FOR ALL IT YS TO 00 -FOR ALL IT IS THAT I SHALL NEVER 00 FOR ALL IT IS TO BLOW THS WH ITE HORSE THAT ENTERS THROUGH UY NOSE

11. !D DONN MY VEINS

7830

LLOYD (Continued) TO CLOSE Mr CX>NSCIOUSNESS TO MN<E COLD THE BREAST THAT ONCE WARMED THE REST NELL (Spoken; as if comin9 down from a hi9h) I speak but only in an iliusion For I see and I don't It's me and It's not I hear and I don't For these illusions belon9 to me I stole them from another Care to spend a day in my house of death took at my 9arden are you amazed No trees, no flowers, no 9rasa, no 9arden (Rise) I love and I don't I hate and I don't I sin9 and I don't I live and I don't (Moment of realization of coining down) For I'm in a room of clouded smoke And a perfumed odor Nowhere can I 90 and break these bonds Which have me in an illusion (l
" (Reprise)

CATHERINE (Sung) CAN 'T YOU HEAR THE l
7830

2-20

CATHERINE & NELL TRY TRY TRY TRY

1\NO DIG IT BEFORE YOU SI.1\M IT AND DIG IT BEFORE YOU DAHi IT ANO DIG IT BEFORE YOU SLAM IT. AND DIG IT BEFORE YOU D IT

SOUNOS SOUNDS TO ME LIKE THERE 'S

SOUNDS FLOATING F.REE SOUNDS YOU CANNOT SEE LIKE A MESSAGE SOMEONE 'S TAPPIN OUT ON T N T

( Direct seue to:) SONG:

" LET ME CO_£!"

(Demand not from audienee but from Li.fe)

BEN , RHODA, LILLIE MAE , WILLIJ\M (Sung) DAJU
HARDLY CAN SEE I FEEL A DARKNESS RISI NG IN ME

(Sung) OUT ON THE OUTSIDE

ALL

THAT 'S WHERE I 'VE BEEN OUT ON THE OUTSIDE LET ME COllE IN LOOR THROUGH THE W IND0!•1 GIVE t!E SOIAE LIGHT 'rELL ME YOU LOVE ME SAY IT 'S ALL RIGHT OPF.N TllF. DOOR NOW I LOST MY KEY SHUT OUT TIIE DARKNESS RISING IN ME IKEEP ON KNOCK IN NO ONE IS THERE

WINDOWS 1\RE R LACK AND THE WALLS AlIB ALL BARE ISTAND IN DARKNESS FOLLONED BY FEAR TELL ME I 'M DREAMING TELL ME YOU ' RE HERE

7830

2 -21 ALL (Continued) LOOK Tll:rl.OUGH TH E lnNDOW GIW ME SOME LIGHT

·rELL ME I ' M Mo11i.: NOW

SAY I'l"S ALL !UGH'!' OUT ON THE OUTSIDE THAT 'S WHERE I 'VE BF.EN !OTHER AND FATHER

t.ET 11e COME IN .

(NIGHT. J· :nd of a day reflective beware of depression) LLOYD

When I first get up in the morning it seems like it would

be a good day to me . But after I9et in school things change and they seem to tur.n into problems for me ••• then when I get home, I'm so tired I don't even feel young anymore. WILLIJ\M

I'm climbinq into my top bunk , my brother ia singing the Star Spangled Banner and saying the Pledge of Allegiance and singinq l\rrlerica the Beautiful. My eyes are starting to get heavy. LILLIAN

When Istart to go to sleep, get drowsy and see things like Little fircworko around me. CATHERI NE

You would never recognize the old nei9hborhood today. New buildings have been sprin9in9 up all over . It would be great fun for you to see the old crowd again. You will aee some old faces, also, some new onos. We could chip in and make our eyes bloodshot. Can you spend Thanksgiving with us. Our eyes can watch cars until they close. It will be a rare experience for your eye to watch . CARLOS Hello, Mr. Grady. I write to you once again but I bring the good feeling only. We11, I•111 expecting my 1110ther up this Saturday or Sunday. She called the people up and told them . I did just what you told me to.I wrote everybody in my family and I just knew that t would hear from someone . My sister wroto me and my girl friend came back to me . so I'm the happiest boy or ma. ,in the world today. Sincerely, Carlos.

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2-22 LILLI E MAE

I wish my mother would come back with my father. MELBA

Iwish

they would stop killing people around my block. LILLIAN

Darkness is a cloud formed in us. NELL

I'm having a terrible dream. My brother lies dead in the night and I watch him. His corpse mur.t be guarded. The moonlight brings ghosts to his side and I watch him. SONG:

*WAR 8.1\BIES"

LLOY D (Sung)

I SAW THEM AGAIN LAST NICHT DOWN BY THE RAILROAD TRACKS

PLAYING IN THE Tl'IISTE D RUBBLE

SLEEPING !.JNDER A BENT IRONING BOARD BLEEDING IN JIN ABANDONED TRUCK CRYING IN A FRESH DUG GRAVE

I WALKED DOWN BY THE SEA THT:: LITTLE DODIES OUT WITH THE TIDE ANO SAlf

FLOATING

WATCHED THEM WALKING DOWN

THE SANOS ON BROKEN

STUBS LOOKED IN A CLOUD AN D SAW THEM COUGH SCREAMED WHEN THEY HELD THEIR ARMS TO ME SOBBED AS THEY CRAWLED AW'AY CRIED AS I WATCHED THEM LEAVE

LLOYD

(Sung)

&

COMPANY

THEY HAVE NO FACES THEY H AVE NO FEET THEY HAVE NO MINDS

THEY

VE NO HEARTS

(Sung)

LLOYD

AND SO THEY SCREAMED WHEN THEY HELD THF.IR ARMS TO MP.

SOBBE D l\S

THEY

CRAWLED AWAY

CRIE D AS I WATO IED THEM LEAVE

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{Sunq) THEY HAVE NO FACES

LLOYD & COMPANY

THEY HAVE NO FEET THEY HAVE NO MINDS THEY

HAVE NO HEARTS

TllEY

HAVE NO HEARTS

THEY HAVE NO MINOS

THEY HAVE NO WORLD!

( LATE NIGHT. 4:00 A. H•• MUSIC under) LLOiD

Are fire escapes for frightened people, crouching, ready to creep from one inferno to another. BENJAMIN

Since Men and Rats are the only beings that purposely kill their own kind, and we eicterminate rats what does that make us? CARLOS

Ilike to lay in on my bed looking up at the stars.Iwonder

what is really out there.

LILLIE MAE

I' m growing old so fast there's no time in life to really

do anything.

WILLI AM

The last thing I is my hand hanging over the side of the bed and my brother playing with it. DONALD This is what Ithink about. Iguess you do not understand me and the way I think. Some people say I am a nut. Well if that's what they thinkIdo not care what they think. I know only what I like and do not want anyone to make me think different in any way. Iguess Ilike to think about the stars. SONG: "LET liE COME IN" (Reprise) ( Sung)

ALL

DARKN!SSS COME DOWN NOO H AROI,Y CAN SEE I FEEL A DARKNESS

RISING IN ME

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2-24 OU'l' ON TH!! OUTSIIE

ALL (Continued)

THM''S WHEn I' VE BBBN Ot71' ON THB OUTSlDE

LET Ml'! COMB IN (.Round)

LOOK T UtOOGH THE WINOOW

GIW MB SOMB LIGHT TELL ME YOU LOVE ME SU IT 'S ALRIGHT

00'1' ON THE OU'l'SID!: TBAT'S lfl!ERE I'VE BEEN MO'n!ER ANO FATHER

LET ME COME LET MB COME

LE'1' ME COME IN.

CORTAIN

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