Script

Madonna - Abby

Mom - Sam

Josephine - Nadya

Beginning

• Massacre
• Escape

Middle

• Visit to river
• Teaching the call and-response

End

• Dead baby

• Police
• End with madonna and child repeating game again?

Props:

• Blue fabric to cover triangles
• House set
• Bed
• Couch
• Desk
• Table
• Four Chairs
• Wings of fire
• Rock
• Fauna near river
• Doll Madonna

Sounds:

• Gunshots
• Screaming

Costumes:

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B_9iodcweTUoRW5BSWJyRE55ZDA

BEGINNING

Lights Rise. Setting is a kitchen with Grandmother and her daughter.  

Grandma: Did you hear what Trujillo said the other day? He will not stop at anything to insult Haitians.

Mom: I know. Edwidge’s family has already left. Their youngest is only four months old. They don’t want their children to grow up here.

Grandma: It may be our time soon as well.

Mom: In this state, I can’t go anywhere.  

Grandma: Let us pray. Bondye will watch over us.

(multiple gunshots, screams heard outside. Chaos and panic ensues in the room.)

Women shouting, screaming “What is going on?” “Run!!”

(gunshots getting louder and louder)

(ladies shuffle quickly offstage)

Gunshots/screams can still be heard during scene change.

Setting is now the living room of the house (gunshots can be heard in background)

Mom: (clearly stressed, frazzled) (talking to herself) What to bring? What to bring? (picks up a shirt) No, we don’t need this.

Grandma: We don’t have time for this. We must go. A single change of clothes, if anything.

Mom: I know, I know. But my child. My time is coming and we will have nothing.

Grandma: You will have me. It will have to be enough.

At edge of river (one side of stage) (gunshots can be heard, but faint)

Grandma: Come, faster. I see them over that hill. Faster

Mom: (clearly distressed) I cannot. I feel my child moving and kicking. I'm scared; please, Let me sit.

(sits on nearby rock?)

Grandma: You must go on, for the child. We both know it will be safe on the other side. Take the child away from all this violence.

Mom: I know. It’s hard. (takes a deep breath. Talking to Josephine) It’s going to be okay. We will get through this. (looking up to Grandma) We all will.

Grandma: Come here, while we still have time.

Mom: We will have more time on the other side.

Grandma: Stop. Focus. I am getting old. I am afraid our time together is very limited.

Mom: What are you talking about? (looks at Grandma and understands) Manman, I’m not ready to say goodbye.

Grandma: I know. Neither am I. But before you run we should discuss something important to me.

Mom: We don’t have time. We have to go.

Grandma: I’ve already told you I’m not going with you. Instead, I want you to take this. (Gives her daughter the Madonna)  Keep the Madonna when I am gone. When I am completely gone, maybe you will have someone to take my place. Maybe you will have a person. Maybe you will have some flesh to console you. But if you don’t, you will always have the Madonna. (Shouting is heard again, louder) Go! Escape from this place.

Lights focus on Mother, preferably red lighting.

She is wearing the wings of fire. She stands alone, empowered. Somehow police officers run from her.

Then she realizes she is all alone, and lost the Madonna doll. She calls out for her mother when the Madonna (person) appears.

Lights come up slightly.

Mom: Who are you?

Madonna: I am the Madonna.

Mom: How did you find me?

Madonna: Your mother sent me to guide you. You and your child are safe here.

Mom: Thank you.

MIDDLE

Lights Up Full Stage (white)

J: Tell me the story again.

Mom: Again? Josephine, this story gives you nightmares.

J: Please?

Mom: Alright. It was 1937, 12 years ago, right before you were born. Grandma and I were at home when we heard shouting and gunshots down the street. The soldiers had come for us Haitians. We knew we had to leave quickly. The back door was our only way out. We ran and ran, until we got to the river that divides this island. With nowhere else to go, we jumped in. But Josephine, that water changed us. We emerged new women, soaked in the red of the blood-tainted river. The soldiers ran, for we had wings of fire. At least I gave birth to my daughter on the night that my mother was taken from me. At least you came out at the right moment to take my mother’s place.

J: What about the others?

Madonna: (Interrupts) You will meet them soon enough. Go to bed, Josephine.

Lights go down on the bed, and go up center stage.

Mom: Why can’t I tell her about them?

Madonna: Because she is not ready. She will learn about the others in time.

(sees Madonna getting Josephine ready to leave)

Mom: Where we taking her now?

Madonna: The river. The others are meeting there today. She is ready to meet them.

Mom: Hopefully there won’t be too many. The police are already on high alert from the festivities.

Madonna: Don’t worry.

Lights Fade

(exit stage right)

They are now at the river bank. The sun shines above and the water is crystal clear

Lights Up Full Stage

The mother dips her and Josephine’s hands into the water.

J: I expected the water to be red, like in your story.

Madonna: The blood of the lost ones washed out a long time ago, Josephine. But their souls are here, in this river.

Mom: We come here to pray and to thank Bondye for saving our lives.

J: Oh.

Madonna: Now shh.

Mom looks toward the bright sun and begins to speak

Mom: Here is my child, Josephine. We were saved from the tomb of this river when she was still in my womb. You spared us both, her and me, from this river where I lost my mother. Let her flight be joyful, and mine too.

Lights Up Full Stage(white)

Madonna: It’s time to teach her what your mother taught you.

Mom: No. She’s too young.

Madonna: And you’re too old.

(Mom sits down, thinking. Sees Josephine playing stage left)

Madonna: (puts hand on Mother’s shoulder) It’s time.

Mother: (takes a deep breath) Josephine love, come here. I want to teach you something.

All light fades, except a soft circle light that focuses on the pair

Mom: Who are you?

J: I’m a child of that place. I come down from that long trail of blood.

Full Lights fill the stage again

Mom: Where are you going?

J: I am walking into the dawn.

Mom: Who are you?

J: I am the first daughter of the first star.

Mom: Where do you drink when you're thirsty?

J: I drink the tears from the madonna's eyes.

Mom: And if not there?

J: I drink the dew.

Mom: And if you can't find the dew?

J: I drink from the rain before it falls.

Mom: And if you can't drink there?

J: I drink from the turtles hide.

Mom: How did you find your way to me?

J: By the light of the mermaid’s comb.

Mom: Where does your mother come from?

J: Thunderbolts, lighting, and all things that soar.

Mom: Who are you?

J: I come from the puddle of that river.

Mom: Speak to me.

J: You hear my mother who speaks through me. She’s the shadow that follows my shadow. The flame at the tip of my candle. The ripple in the stream where I wash my face. Yes. I will eat my tongue if I ever whisper that name, the name of that place across the river, that took my mother from me.

END

Full Lights fade back up

(Guards take mother away, mother throws wings back to Josephine, Josephine reaches for jacket) Mid reach, the lights immediately blackout.

Spotlight comes back on on Josephine & Madonna onstage back to audience, says ending to response, blackout.

Blackout remains, Spotlight on Josephine.

J: “Our mothers were the ashes and we were the light. Our mothers were the Embers and we were the sparks. Our mothers were the flames and we were the blaze. I am the child, Josephine. My mother was saved from the tomb of this river when I was still in the womb. You spared her from this river where she lost her mother. Yes. I will eat my tongue if I ever whisper that name, the name of that place across the river, that took my mother from me.”