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Glop-Tee-Dum-Tock of Inconstancy Synopsis Sadie Drag is a young grandmother who, though she has a good mind, got married to a construction worker when she finished high school instead of going to Howard, the college of her dream. When the play opens, her youngest child, Willowmenia, has just received a four year scholarship to Howard. Coincidentally Soso, Sadie’s best friend, reveals that The Whartons are planning to help support one student for four years at the beloved Howard, as well. When Soso presents Sadie to the club as her candidate, Princess Know’tall is highly insulted until she discovers that Soso has unearthed the very rich Santa Clausenperson, who has pledged to match the club’s scholarship funds, which will enable the club to send two students instead of one. When Sadie’s husband, Homer, finds out about it, he declares that it is a ridicules idea, and accuses Sadie of cavorting with the Whartons instead of fixing his supper. When Willomenia come home and learns that she will be attending the same college as her mother, she agrees with her father and decides to marry T.C, her boyfriend, instead of going to college at all. When Santa Clausenperson reneges on his offer, and tries to appease the group by buying them drinks and Big Macs, Princess Know’tall calls him names that love song writers couldn’t use, and Homer reveals that Saddie can use the money that he had saved for Willowmenia, in case she hadn’t gotten the scholarship, to stay home and go to a local college, thereby allowing Willowmenia to go to Howard without her mother trailing along. Looking out for self is the first principle of self-determination. Excerpt (Sadie and Soso discussing the possibility of a scholarship from the Whartons.) SOSO: I was just thinking. The Whartons have a scholarship,... Humm...you know that’s an idea. (to herself) SADIE What’s an idea, the Whartons giving me a scholarship? (laughing). And you accuse me of being ridiculous? I think you should come back to earth now. SOSO: Not so fast. It could be something that could inject life into our club SADIE: Well, you could certainly use some of that all right. SOSO: I wouldn’t be so critical of a club that could be your ticket to that college education you want so badly. SADIE For the umpteenth time, Soso, I will not join your club of senior citizens, even if they give me a scholarship, which I know they certainly won’t do. SOSO: If you ask them for it, they won’t, but of I sponsor you... SADIE: No thanks. I’ll find something, and if I don’t I’ll keep busy at something else. SOSO: What have you got against joining the Whartons? SADIE: They think they’re high brow, and they’re a bunch of old fuddie duddies who don’t do anything except get together , drink liquor, play cards and gossip. Beside, I don’t have a degree. My husband is only a forman on a construction gang and I don’t want to be embarrassed. SOSO: Why Sadie, how can you say such things? Some of what you’re saying may have been true in years gone by, but not today. You must admit that with new blood, like myself, and others, we are changing the image of the club. SADIE: How? SOSO: (serious) Why, by our efforts to recruit younger women, our new emphases on the cultural events we sponsor, our involvement with civic and community affairs and our increased scholarship fund. SADIE: What kind of scholarship, $500? That won’t pay my transportation to and from school if I go more than 150 miles from home. That’s not worth joining your club. SOSO: We’re aware of that. That’s why we have increased our scholarship to where we can send one student through for four years SADIE: You can? SOSO: That’s what I’m trying to tell you...wait a minute..wait a minute...this room...my dear...this room... SADIE: Well, what about it? SOSO: This room is just the place to have my meeting for the scholarship drive. My house won’t quite be finished anyway, and it will add points to persuade Princess, I mean the club, to give you the scholarship. SADIE: It’s too crazy Soso, don’t you think? SOSO: Just leave it to me darling. Now, let me see, in order to make this thing work, we’ve got to map out a plan of action that appeals to these sisters; which reminds me, I must pay a call on my dear friend, I should say my very dear, my very, very dear friend, Mr. Santa Clausenperson. But first of all we’ve got to change your image. Your look, your manner of speaking, your gestalt, and in two days. Girl, get ready! |
| To Top | Ransom
Kingdom Synopsis Ransom Kingdom examines the question of who is telling the truth concerning the alleged rape of a young African-American woman at the hands of a young African-American heavy-weight Champion. We are given certain facts that are already admitted to by both parties. A sexual encounter did occur. It took place in his hotel suite. The hour was late. The young lady was a contestant in the Miss Black-America contest that took place in a well-known American city. The champion is rich and famous. The play looks at all of the circumstances, and unanswered questions surrounding the case. The questions in everyone’s mind are: what was the young lady doing in the champion’s suite at 2:00 in the morning if she was only seeking his autograph, as she claimed? Why was testimony barred by the court from a certain witness who claimed that she saw the champion and the young lady kissing in his limousine, before the alleged rape occurred? The big question--uncovered after the criminal trial took -place--is why was a civil suite for damages (money) filed before the criminal trial took place? I think this play is unique, because it addresses the issue of the historical abuse of black men in American society by the criminal injustice system. This subject has seldom been touched by the artistic community. The play is timely because of what happened in Bensenhurst, Crown Heights, the Rodney King beating and the subsequent verdict that shocked the world! Excerpt (Susan’s father, Mr. Cross, is discussing the terms of the civil trial, for money , before the criminal trial begins, and before Deep Belley, the lawyer for the civil trial is retained.) CROSS: What the hell you mean you know how I feel? You don’t know how I feel! Understand? You can’t begin to know how I feel ! DEEP BELLEY: What I meant was... CROSS: I KNOW what you meant! You want to tell me how to feel--What to think... DEEP BELLEY: Now hold on here... CROSS: You don’ have doors closed in your face every time you venture into the business world! You don’t live where I live, because you can live where you want! And you sure as hell don’t look young enough to have young kids in high school and college! (Mimicking) You know how I feel. You don’t know shit about me! Understand? DEEP BELLEY: I didn’t mean that personally, Mr. Cross... CROSS: You mean that we’re just imagining this conversation? We’re not talking personally? All I represent to you is a dollar sign? DEEP BELLEY: As your lawyer... CROSS: You’re not my lawyer, yet! DEEP BELLEY: I thought you wanted to do business, Mr. Cross. CROSS: Maybe I do, and maybe I don’t. DEEP BELLEY: Meaning?... CROSS: What are your terms, Deep? What percentage of this money do you want? DEEP BELLEY: Well now, Mr. Cross, you know what the prevailing rate is. CROSS: No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me. DEEP BELLEY: One half, Mr. Cross. One half. CROSS: One half?... DEEP BELLEY: You’re talking contingency, Mr. Cross. Up front expenses. The possibility of a loss. CROSS: We’re also talking five or six million dollars. More money than you’ve ever dreamed of in your entire career. DEEP BELLEY: If you had a hundred thousand retainer to handle expenses, in case of a loss, percentage could be lower, but... CROSS: Is that your final offer? DEEP BELLEY: I’m afraid so, Mr. Cross. CROSS: (Mashes his cigarette out in an ash tray, and walks out.) DEEP BELLEY: (Bounces to the door). Oh, Mr. Cross! Mr. Cross! CROSS: (Walks back to door ) DEEP BELLEY: Please sit down for a minute. Allow me to discuss this with my partner. CROSS: (Remains standing in doorway.) Don’t take too long. DEEP BELLEY: (Exits C.R. and returns almost instantly) Well, you’re in luck. CROSS: WHAT DID YOU SAY? DEEP BELLEY: (The noise dies down while he is speaking). I SAAAAID--you’re in luck! CROSS: What do you mean I’m in luck? DEEP BELLEY: He said we can do it for one third on contingency. CROSS: Damned white of him! But why does one quarter keep floating around in my head? That’s a million and a half. You guys could move out of this mausoleum into one of those modern buildings downtown. Ha-Ha-Ha. DEEP BELLEY: (He pulls out a big handkerchief and mops his brow. He is angry, but controls it). Ah-h-h, just a minute Mr. Cross (He gets up slowly and exits D.R. He returns quickly. Extends his hand.) You drive a hard bargain, Mr. Cross. We’ll do it. |
| To Top | Glop-Tee-Dum-Tock
of Inconstancy Synopsis Glop-Tee-Dum-Tock of Inconstancy examines the inconstancy of black controlled businesses and institutions that have started and failed since Africans have been in the United States--particularly since the Civil War. Given, we are all developed, conditioned and controlled under the INCUBATOR (a metaphor for systemic domination) from birth. That does not mean we can be collectively seduced and forever reconciled, recycled,to a state of accommodation, assimilation and appeasement. Those of us who recognize our device rite within the human family will say "NO" to the big lie, burst out of the cage, and start flying around in the ceiling of the INCUBATOR in quest for the real human rite of passage. The fact that we are often shot down does not mean we must loose the will to fly. Our main reason for failure is slave mentality, which leads to distrust among us and a lack of strong black leaders. This state of mind often leads to dependency, consumers rather than producers, and a lack of self determination. Aletra deflected because of her lack of political understanding--ideology. That lead to her giving in to the establishment and exchanging her body for THINGS. Nigvirus, though intelligent, his foible is power seeking without accepting responsibility. As a leader, he has deserted his people in times of trouble. He is quite willing to destroy strong black men and the black community in order to advance himself. He has no allegiance to the black community, nor any social vision. Feeding the LOA is a metaphor tending and supporting black institutions and businesses in our own communities, as much money as possible in the community.. It should be a ritual. The way to find a text is by feeding the LOA. Finding a TEXT is done by: owning your own grocery stores, laundry mats, movie houses, insurance companies, banks, doctors offices, furniture stores.. To break the cycle of INCONSTANCY, we must revisit the thinking of Booker T. Washington, Marcus Garvey, and Eligah Muhamad. We must think producing rather consuming. International trade rather than be local sops for every entrepreneur who come along Excerpt (In this scene , Aletra has just finished performing he duties as an establishmentarian. Her stage partner, Toothpick has waited while she dressed). TOOTHPICK: (Lapses into Negro dialect.) Aletra, honey, you look gooood!. (He steps back and twirls her around).He Heeeee! Scratch my bones if you don’t! ALETRA: But, Percy, honey, there’s no other way for me to look. Now, is there? TOOTHPICK: You shouldn’t hate yourself, Aletra-- I mean--Really...You just about the finest... ALETRA: What’re you saying ,Percy? If you were a ma... (An instant state of stasis sets in). TOOTHPICK: Yes, Aletra, go on... ALETRA: A man like Obayofemi... (A long pause) you’d do some bone scratching for me, and feed the loa, if you get my drift...wood. TOOTHPICK: He-he-he-heeeee! You are truly a mysterious, serious, lascivious bitch, Aletra. But I dooooo ever love you for it. (A prurient, laconic look shrouds the little man’s face. A visceral sensation appears to seize his highly sensitive body). ALETRA: Percy!...What’s the matter...? (She sits him down on the couch). TOOTHPICK: Aletra, you are not a legitimate person. ALETRA: How can you tell...? TOOTHPICK: (He rises. Walks D.L.). Your fustian coat, beneath the INCUBATOR, that hovers over us all, has been used as a dog pallet. ALETRA: You’re beginning not amuse me , Toothpick--Partner-Percy-Person. TOOTHPICK: We are twin souls, you and I, when we’re out there together, metamorphosing.. Changing an environment from which we were hatched, doomed to live and die--an environment of corn bread and collard greens! A whole world of pig tails! Pig ears! Pig feet! Pig neck bones--all things pig--August ham--That’s watermelon to you. Musty flats, live-in rats. day work-and dock work-and doorman work--and forever shining somebody’s shoes!...But for those few, blessed, glorious, golden shining , moments, we arise from the catacombs with ritual fires of the gods in us, around us, and from the magic of our practice we carry ourselves away from a pantheistic slavocracy, and orbit into our own chthonic realm! Back to Ogun, Shango, and Obatala! ALETRA: When did you write that?, last night? And how do we do all of this? I was under the impression the audience love our act. I tho... HIEROPHANT McFUNCTIONARIO’S do! That’s the problem Aletra! Don’t you understand? From the planetary of the cosmos we have been slung like so much horse shit, ALL OVER THE PLANET! We have landed under the INCUBATOR! We are the forgotten children of earth. BUT, we NEW GREW on the road side, the alleys in the dark corners, and at night...everywherrrrrrrrrre, we are breaking out! ALETRA: And this too shall pass. This is too broaaaaad for this broad. These HIEROPHANT McFUNCTIONARIOS, that you so contemptuously refer to are paying our salary! They enjoy our coon show just the way it is. And I seriously doubt if the Plantation Club will be looped into some wild-ass experimental idea that you come up with! You’re going to have to get your own club for that. In the words of Doc Grow, you have to write your own TEXT--whatever that means. TOOTHPICK: (Looks in Aloetra’s face). Are you writing your own text Aletra...? ALETRA: (She jumps up and stalks D>L). First things first. A girl has to live! TOOTHPICK: ...not under a cosmic totally from which bright , iridescent rays filter through trees...dancing through a gossamer haze...upon a sleepy brood...attended by fiery terrestrial Ogun, Shango, Obatala, Olodumare!...Only through feeding the Loa...will we recapture the cosmic essence of our chthonic realm. Do you remember when you wrote that? ALTER: I’m going to return to my writing as soon as I ...get some more of the THINGS I neeeeeeeed... TOOTHPICK: (Walks over to her closet door). You mean like these furs, and this young shoe store you’ve got here, and all that jewelry, you’re not wearing--not to mention this apartment and this expensive furniture? You didn’t get all this stuff from what they pay you at the Plantation club. You have turned into an ESTABLISHMENTARIAN, Aletra! ALETRA: (Her anger builds). You dare call me an ESTABLISHMENTARIAN...? TOOTHPICK: There was a time, not long ago, when I would have been happy to call you a fine poet, only, and... ALETRA: (She moves towards him) An ESTABLISHMENTARIAN...an ESTABLISHMENTARIAN...WHORE is what you really mean! Isn’t it? Whyyyy-youuuu-misserable...tiiiiired-dick size-supperfaggot! You sneeeeaking-craaaaawling-little-fart-feeling, fart-fetcher! You’ve been spyyyyyying on me! TOOTHPICK: (Retreating). Control your tongue now, Aletra, before you say something that could easily be misunderstood as insulting. ALETRA: Now you listen to me. Is Ogun , Osiris,Shango, or Obatalaaaaa going to pay the rent on this place? Or buy me fine furs and jewelry, and keep me in shoes, instead of that undertaker’s uniform I wore at Doc Grow’s temple...? IIII doubt it! TOOTHPICK: (He looks at her contemplatively, but holds his peace.) ALETRA Keeping in touch with the cosmic essence of our spiritual realm! I must have been crazy when I put that in a poem! The building and maintaining of a TEXT. Doc’s constant sermon. I didn’t know what it meant then, and I still don’t. Controlling our own thoughts rather than being controlled by Atonist! Feeding the Loa! What about feeding MEEEE!...MEEEEEE! TOOTHPICK: I want to change our act, Alectra. All of the clubs have gotten rid of Black Face, and they’re singing and dancing now. The Turkey Trot, The Funky But, and the Black Bottom... ALETRA: Listen to me. We are not all of the clubs. We’re still down on dat ol’ Plantation--if you get what I mean. If you wanna save your funky butt, and keep your black bottom working, we better keep on doing what we been doing! TOOTHPICK: (Saddened). Aletra, could I have my things please (He moves towards exit) |