 Thank you. Thank you, Jojo. Yeah, thanks. I think such acts never not also be understood as extensions of an aquatic people with a little bit of talent. There is no evidence in the events of the consequence of humans. I can't tell. Nobody else comes from outer space. Hello everyone. Thank you for joining us. Can I be seen and heard? Yes. No, not yet. You can be heard but not seen. That's often the experience. I'd be seen and heard. Yes. Hearing what I just said. I can't see myself here. I might have to leave and come right back. All right. Well, it's not 100% important that you see me. As long as we can see the actor. I see James. So I'll just do introduction. Hopefully the actors faces will be able to show. And when you announce yourself actors, I just asked that you unmute your mic and your video so we can see you. So hello and welcome to the virtual reading of a Lee and underland. I'm going to talk about this play a little bit. The play was kind of developed in the class projects and drama Turkey praxis and politics of re memory. And the students and I work to kind of look at a collection of plays from Susan Louis parks, the America play to Ricky behinds dreamscape, which hopefully you'll see kind of in conversation with our animated through the play Ali and underland. And we're really excited to be able to as our final project presenter reading, which kind of embodies everything we've been thinking about and working through over the last 15 weeks. I have some thank yous that I want to give out of course I want to thank University of Puget sound my colleagues campus wide, but also those in the theater arts department. So special thanks to Professor Jeff pro who stepped in for me and guided the class in my absence when I took time to spend a little time with my wife, who was recovering from a pregnancy and my new baby girl azalea sky. So special thanks to Professor pro pro. One thing I want to think of course is my wonderful cast and crew. We've worked really hard to try to pull together this reading for you that plays still in development the script just was cut like last night. So I appreciate their kind of spirit of improvisation and just ability to stick with it and struggle through some of these questions that play us. And of course I'd like to thank the audience that took time to tune in. You could have been anywhere in the world, well maybe not anywhere, maybe anywhere your state allows you to go during lockdown, but you're here and that's important to us. So I want to quickly explain the layout of the reading and then have the cast introduce yourself. Hopefully you got a chance to see the pre show with some visuals that were created during the class and kind of conversation with the plays we read, but also in conversations with the kind of dramaturgical questions and problems that Ali and we'll start the reading. We'll take a 10 minute intermission, and then we'll come back, finish the reading and then at the end we'll have some time for a talk back discussion. If you're joining us as an attendees through the webinar. Just raise your hand. Hopefully if technology allows me to I will unmute your mic, you can ask a question, and the dramaturgs will answer your question. There also be a short dramaturgical presentation by two student dramaturgs at the end. Okay, I don't ask you to unwrap your candy I don't need to point to bathrooms and exits. You don't even have to silence your cell phone I encourage you to leave them on tweet about this be in conversation as we go through it. It is live, even though it's not it face to face. Okay, so if we could have the cast introduce themselves by just turning on the mic, saying the characters are reading, and then we'll jump right into the reading of the land. So I think. Serene. Hi everybody, I'm serene Macklin I'll be reading for a Leah. Excellent. What's up guys, my name is Blake Morris, and I'll be reading for CH or Chris, the rabbit, McGillin, and the guard. My name is James Carpenter and I'll be reading Mr Bruce Clyde soldier john brown bad play soldier rebel soldier and calling water. One of my name is brand Francis Alan, and I will be reading for Mrs Ambrose. This is X attorney, Queen Marybell does the Mona and witness. Hi, I'm Ailee Stavinsky and I'll be reading for a spin Bonnie princess shrink and gratia. Hi, I'm Jordan Calhoun and I will be reading for Riley rhythm Joe Joe and sweets night and Iago. Hello, my name is Lucius Johnson and I'll be playing Kyle and reading blues Wyatt Casio and great. Hey everybody it's Peter making. I can't figure out how to get my video started it says the host won't allow it. So I'm going to dip out and come back but I will be reading Mr Conwell old man river. Okay, hold on hold on. Let me show King maroon man a fellow and Oh, hi everybody my name is Lily and I'll be reading for Tiffany as well as Madame CJ Walker, Harriet Tubman, you want a and river. Hello, my name is Erica greening and I'll be reading for Coco. Lizzie Betty maroon girl good soldier and Sally today. Thank you. Wonderful. Thank you. We have two people reading stage directions if they want to announce themselves and then we'll jump right into the reading. Hi, I'm Emily Kaufman and I will be reading the first act stage direction. I'm Rachel Dickinson and I'll be reading the second half of the stage directions. Wonderful. Thank you all so much. Without further shenanigans. Let us begin. The space is open and dark throughout the place simple set pieces and props are moved about to indicate locations. When characters move or travel to other spaces the transitions are abstract and symbolic. The settings that appear earlier in the place such as city high school can be a little more realistic, somewhat sterile. However, the realm of underland is the world of dreams nightmare than this. In the beginning lights rise on a street corner traffic is heard hip hop music drifts about cut through with the passing of cars. Aliyah enters quickly she's wearing a brightly colored and graffiti adorned backpack. Play it again. Come on. CH enters he is dressed like a typical urban teenager of the time, except for the fact that he wears a black stovetop hat and a long black wool coat. Yo, why are you always in a rush? Yo, hold up, chill. I'll chill once you come the fuck on. I'm coming. I don't run for buses buses run for me. The sound of a bus pulling away is heard. It leaves a cloud of exhaust in its departure. I don't run for buses buses run for me. You're a fool. Whatever. It's just snoops Mcnoops man. We're gonna be mad late. Aliyah shakes it off and begins to walk in the direction the bus is exited. She stops turns and glares at CH. I'm on. Where we got to walk walk. Yes, what you do with those big dumb feet of yours. I got this heavy ass coat on. You don't want to want it to wear to school. You don't want to arrive in character. You stay ready. You don't have to get ready. You know, I need to ace this presentation or you got to be there to present dummy. Come on. Shit. Aliyah walks away quickly. CH pulls off his top. Okay, coming. Hold up. Let's go to another part of the stage city high school. A classroom is indicated by a few desks and a chalkboard hip hop music plays a school bell rings Tiffany and Coco stand talking to each other. Before CH and Aliyah enter the audience can hear CH rapping. I use make mountains out of mole hills. No Cadillacs no gold grills just that shit that's so real Lord blessing. I use my words as weapons lyrical smithing Westerns for anyone set on stepping y'all sees known for track cut and like C sections, getting this is the opus composed by Pharaohs to let you know you got to get that dirt off your soul before they strike back and put the dirt in the whole CEO appeal caps back like globes on the C note, expose the untold recover whatever they stole from the show, follow the moss close to where the static glows black as a barrel pointing down a rabbit hole. Yo, yo, what did you hear that bell. Yo, yo, I said, build the cap back on the globe for a C note. Listen. I listen, but you ain't heard yo when someone spit around you supposed to grab a hold of the section that hits you that hot shit and throw it back at him. I mean it was kind of fire when you said, or blessing I use my words as weapons lyrical smithing Westerns for anyone set on stepping but yo, your gun talk sounds like stepping fetching, I blow spot so you can check the lessons. No need to hold blocks, I fly through to pop introspection, you talk of popping shots as the world spins, I fuck the world until the world ends, then rebirth the earth through this chocolate skin. These rhymes don't even trace what I got within, fat on life but my pocket stay thin. That's why I ain't stay fighting spray writing for a noble cause it ain't over so no applause until you see on heaven's walls here lies a rising star. What. Now can we go man. Yeah. killing. Was that the second bell. Yep. Y'all gonna be late for Mrs. Ambrose class. Should we skip in that class. We have presentations today. I know. That's why we're not going. Those things going to be done as hell I was preparing for mine and I was like yo this stupid. I see age. Hello. Oh damn here come Mr. Bruce we out. I see a later. Cocoa and Tiffany exit quickly ch and only I begin to head off to class. What. Cocoa is like totally. No, she isn't. What's your name. I bet you can't without busting the cheesy ass mile. Yo, whatever let's just go. You all you always tripping about being late. Mr. Bruce enters. He is the campus security guard. He wears a uniform and carries a large flashlight black gun and silver whistle. Bruce was his whistle, a Leah and CH stop. What do you two think you're doing. What does it look like. Looks like you are not where you're supposed to be did you hear the bell. Well, Alice. Leah, you know the policy on tardiness. Yeah, that's why we're running the class man. What's the story with that coat. It's a little hot don't you think. Come here. You're making us late man. You made yourself late get over here. Man, I'm supposed to be Abraham Lincoln for Mrs. Ambrose's history class. I don't know what the lift your hands up. You know, I'm supposed to be Abraham Lincoln for Mrs. Ambrose's history class. I'm supposed to be Abraham Lincoln for Mrs. Ambrose's history class. I'm supposed to be Abraham Lincoln for Mrs. Ambrose's history class. Hey, Blinken, huh? Well, on a stage you've been partaking of any marijuana today. What? It's 8 30 in the morning. Is that what I asked you. Bruce leans in and points at his nose. Blow right here. What? Blow here now. Oh, smart ass. Huh? What's your name? Hey, Honest Abe son. Mr. Bruce, we just want to get to class. We missed the bus. That's why we're late. It won't happen again. Bruce looks them both over. Go on get to class. I see you out here again. You're going to take a little trip to Mr. Conwell. Got it. Hey, and Honest Abe, get yourself a breath mint or something. Come on. Yo, that's your upper lip. What'd you say? Come here. C-H. Mr. Bruce. No, this is bullshit, man. You kiss your mother with a mouth like that? She gargles. I kiss your mama with it. Hey, you just earned yourself a trip to Mr. Conwell's shit for brains. Come on. Mr. Bruce. Come on. Get to class. Are you're going to join him? C-H. Just go. Bruce grabs C-H by the arm. C-H pulls away. They tussle. All right, man. Damn. Go. I'll just meet up with you later. Bruce and C-H exit. Aliyah stands for a minute and then turns and runs towards the classroom. Lights rise on the classroom as Aspen's hand shoots into the air. Yeah, but what if you're not ready? You knew about the presentation since the first week of the semester, Aspen. But Mrs. Ambrose, I don't understand the point of it. The point is that it is an assignment. But what is the point of that? To complete it. Well, I've been busy. Doing what? May I ask? Aspen stands revealing her pregnant belly. Being pregnant, Mrs. Ambrose, duh. I understand, but... Aliyah, enter. Aliyah, you're late. Sorry. That's not like you. Is everything okay? I'm fine. Would you like to talk in private? Out in the... I'm here, okay? This causes a bit of a stir in the student's laughter and, oh, you're going to get in trouble. Okay, settle down. Eyes up here now. Now, class. I'm disappointed with how unprepared some of you seem to be. Not to mention that a good many of you have decided not to attend today. Now, to your point, Aspen, it is important that when we study African American history, that we recognize that it is a part of American history. I expect that all of your presentations will be of the highest quality. The prospect of some of you walking across the stage in June depends on it. This causes a bit of a stir in the students. That's enough. I will not waste my time lecturing those who are present about the absence of the others. But those of you who are in attendance, I will warn you that your historical figure presentations are not to be taken lightly. So, who wants to present first? I'll go, Mrs. Ambrose. All right, Riley, please. The stage is yours. Riley stands up and carries a paper bag to the front of the classroom. She pulls a large black wig out of the bag and a hair dryer. She places the wig on her head. Hi, y'all. I'm Madame CJ Walker. My real name is Sarah Bredlove. Breedlove. I was born in Louisiana in December 23, 1867. I'm here to talk about hair. Most of y'all don't know about me, most likely, but I invented and sold African American hair products. I was a great businessman, one man, an African American business woman. I made a lot of money with my business. I'm talking millions of dollars. I was like the Beyoncé of hair way back in the days. I also developed creams and conditioners. Well, I got to go and make more money. It was a pleasure meeting y'all. Bye-bye now. The students in the class offer up a certain uninspired applause. Well, that was a little shorter than expected, but you did provide us with some information on Madame CJ Walker. Who wants to go next? Lights fade to half on Mrs. Ambrose's class. The action may or may not continue through the other scene. Lights rise on Mr. Conwell's office. He's dressed in jeans, a button-up shirt, and a blue tie. He constantly tosses handfuls of peanuts into his mouth as he speaks. Well, well, Mr. Davis, have a seat. Have I ever told you that you remind me of myself when I was a young man? Yeah. I didn't have much motivation in school. I liked direction. I was a little, we might say, well, a bit of a troublemaker. I'm not making any trouble. I'm not making any unruly tendencies, you see. Right now, you might be feeling that the world doesn't make too much sense. That there isn't no good place in it for you, but there is. I want you to know that. You just got to put in the work. You're almost out of here. Is that right? Yeah, Mr. Conwell, I just need to get back to class so I can do my presentation. Yeah, there you go. That's good. That's direction right there. I'd like to see that. I heard you had a little run in with Mr. Bruce this morning. I wasn't skipping. Bruce had some concerns about your attire. You want to explain that? It's for Mrs. Ambrose's history class. We're doing these presentations for Black History Month. I'm Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln? Is that so? I remember I had that similar assignment when I was in high school. You know, I was going to do mine on Lincoln as well. You got a beard. What? Lincoln had a black beard. In my backpack. There you go. I never did my presentation on Lincoln. She told my mother that we had to pick a historical figure from the assignment before the assignment in that I chose old President Lincoln. You know what she did? She looked me dead in the eyes. I'm talking a look of disapproval only a mother can give. Why the heck you choose him for? She asked. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just wanted to figure it out. Because he freed the sleeves, mama. Well, she did not agree with this historical detail and seemed very adamant about it being sorely incorrect. The day before my presentation, she made me change my historical figure. I had to tell my teacher that my mother wouldn't let me be Lincoln and that I had to be George Washington Carver. I did him justice, though. peanuts in his hands contemplate. Look at that peanuts, peanuts, and the ways of preventing the soil, preventing soil depletion and other agricultural technologies. Surely, you know who George Washington Carver was. Oh, no. That's a sharing. Young folks. Y'all got all this information that fingertips and I'll Google them. Can I get back to class, Mr. Sure, sure, sure, sure. I'll try to respect your time. However, Mr. Bruce informed me that this morning wasn't the first time he'd seen you wandering around while classes were in session. I wasn't wandering around. That's a lie. Well, I'm confused. Help me understand this. Mr. Bruce says something and you say it isn't so. So then why would he say that Mr. Cotton? Well, can I tell you something? Of course, let me talk to me like I'm just one of your boys. Really? Yeah, we're just two men here shopping it up. OK, well, yo, Mr. Bruce is like motherfucking racist, Mr. Conwell. That's quite an accusation. Listen, I know you're upset when I was young. I was mad to mad at the whole world. Seems like we're all mad around here now. What? You must understand, Mr. Davis, we need to be extremely cautious about throwing around such unfounded charges. Do you know what it feels like to be accused of what you're accusing Mr. Bruce to be? But it's true. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I told Marty to hold McCall this this own take a minute. Cornwall here, Conwall here. Is that so? Is is that so? Well, I was unaware. Yes. Well, I am in meetings. Of course, I do. Well, then yes. OK, two thirty. It is. Goodbye. Bye. OK. Bye. Conwall swams down the phone with more force than he intended. My apologies for the interruption. Where were we? There's only a few black students in this place, man. Mr. Bruce, they're picking on all of us all the time. You see. This is a matter that truly needs attention. At this moment, however, I have an urgent obligation that I must. We will talk more about this, Mr. Davis. But before I turn you loose, there is also another matter. There is also another that also the matter of the paint cans. Mr. Bruce, inform me that he found a collection of paint cans in your locker. My locker. Yes. He found these in your backpack. And after further investigation, also located some in your. Yo, that's my personal. The high school has a strict policy about graffiti paraphernalia. Those are for Mrs. Donald's art class, second period. What type of art class is this? We paint this stuff. I like to use aerosol cans rather than paint brushes. It's not graffiti. Miss Donald says it's aerosol art. And she says I'm really good at it, Mr. Conwell. You do have an A in that class. That's good. Like, see that. That's the rest. You might grow up to be just like that one artist. What's that? Busquat, basquiat. Certainly, you know, basquat, basquat, basquiat. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, basquiat's the man. Yeah, Conwell smiles for a bit, then closes the folder. Really must be going. And you must be running off as well. Conwell stands in Hanseach's backpack. Then pulls the backpack away. Make sure that these cans are escorted carefully from your locker directly to Mrs. Donald's classroom and back to your locker. Is that understood? Yes, sir. Well, since there is nothing else, what about Mr. Bruce? You have 15 more weeks, Mr. Davis, and then, well, then, then there's the real world to contend with. I was once in your shoes, a little piece of advice. Time, son. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Yeah, go. Now I really must be going. Conwell shoves the backpack into C.H. Arms and guides him directly out the door. Lights fade. Lights rise on Mrs. Ambrose's classroom. Kyle is at the front of the class for the presentation. His face is covered in brown makeup. He wears a Brooklyn Dodgers hat and a blue bubble jacket. Oh, so I had the Rockefeller company sign some major artists like Kanye West and had a daughter and a son with Beyonce, who's like way hot. It was on top of the world, son. What's next for hope? Well, I plan to retire with my millions and maybe even billions. And I'll start it in the Marseille projects. Like I said in my raps, I went from Marseille to Madison Square to nothing else matters and just a matter of years. It's the American dream come true. All of you, too, can go from slinging rocks to being rock stars. That's my story. Young Hope, you heard? All the students except for the Air Force bust out into applause. Well, Kyle, that was. Entertaining. I wouldn't call Jay-Z a prominent figure in African American history yet, but their project was creative. Mrs. Ambrose, isn't blackface like totally racist? I'm not a blackface. I'm in character. I read in Mr. Taste Class that white actors would play a fellow by wearing a little brown makeup. What? Is that racist now, too? Yeah. You're a racist, Riley. Racist, Riley. OK, that's enough. Riley does bring up a good point. We should be sensitive, but I am sure Kyle didn't mean it in that way. You can be racist without meaning to, Mrs. Ambrose. You are right. Oh, my God, what is the point of this whole conversation? The point is to practice cultural sensitivity, especially around issues like race. Riley, I appreciate your concern. I'm giving Kyle the benefit of the doubt that he meant no offense by browning his face to present on the rapper Jay-Z. Aliyah, what would you like to do your presentation now? Now, like now after that. Yes, you are the last one. Is there a problem? C.H. enters quickly, almost sliding into the room. He strikes a pose. Present, never would expect it, but always all the time. Chris, C.H. Or just C. Ms. Ambrose. C.H., thank you for your dramatic entrance. Normally, people arrive at the beginning of the class. You want to explain why you are so delayed? Mr. Bruce sent me to Mr. Conwell and Mr. Conwell, well, you know, he he just be talking and talking. I practically had to beg him to let me go. I'm ready to kill this presentation. It is Aliyah's turn. If we have time, we may be able to get to yours. But I'm not. I need the grade, Ms. Ambrose, please. I said if time allows, please have a seat. He can go before me. Are you sure? You may run out of time, Aliyah, and you won't be able to get credit for your presentation. I'm sure. See, go. C.H. walks up to the front of the classroom and sets his backpack down. He puts on his top hat and secures the Lincoln beard to his face. OK, so I chose to do my presentation on Abraham Lincoln because folks said that he freed the slaves. Well, that's what they said, you know, because textbooks and stuff. But I'm here to tell you I really hate to interrupt. But the presentation is to be in first person. First person. The assignment asks you to speak as if you are the historical figure. Talk through them, not about them. Does that make sense? Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah. So start again and introduce yourself as Abraham Lincoln. OK. Hey. What's up? I'm Abraham Lincoln. They say I freed the slaves, but I'm here to tell you it was all more complicated than that. So check this. See, saying that Lincoln, I mean, I mean, I freed the slaves, denies all the efforts made by the slaves to liberate themselves. And there was all types of uprisings and movements to get free. It's not like some old white guy showed up in a top hat with the heart of gold. I'm wondering if Lincoln could tell us something about where and when he was born. How he became president, some of his famous speeches. Yeah, you all know all that. I'm just here as Lincoln to. I hate to interrupt, but you are not demonstrating that you have done the adequate research for your presentation. Do you know that President Lincoln was assassinated in Ford Theater? April 1865. But he was from humble beginnings in Kentucky that he was self educated and became a lawyer when you're a little outburst. That what that you're trying to masquerade as an informative presentation does not recognize is that Lincoln preserved the union and was central to the abolishment of slavery. I wish you would have taken this more seriously and put more effort into it. You certainly needed the points in this class. This creates a reaction in some of the students, some laughter and whispering. OK, that's enough enough. Mrs. Ambrose, I thought these presentations went above and beyond the requirements. I'm sorry. You see, in Mr. Tate's class, we learned about counter narratives. I think that the presentation was like that. You know, like the underside of the dominant history. Yeah, yeah, like the B side. That's what I was. That's an interesting point, fair enough. CH, I'll make a deal with you. You can recite Lincoln's Gettysburg address. I will give you full credit for the assignment and you might just join your peers in walking across that stage in June. Recite it. Yes. OK, like that's it. Like all I got to do is recite. That's correct. Oh, shoot, I could do that. Well, four score seven years ago. Ambrose paces back and forth like a warden. Her eyes locked on C. What you looking at me like that for? I'm just listening. Go on. And seven years ago, our four fathers. What was that? Yo, never mind. I don't want to. What's wrong? I thought I don't like the way you look at me. You're at the front of the class. You're on stage. You're performing well. Where else should I look? Continue, Chris, please. Our four fathers step forth on this content. Do you mean four fathers? What? Do you mean four fathers, Chris? That's what I said. You said four. Yeah, four. And who were these four fathers? Washington, I know. I think you mean F-O-R-E, not the number four. It's tricky because it's a homophone. Miss Ambrose, homo. Class reacts and laughter to this. That's enough. Well, Chris, is that it or do you know more? A new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Man, you know what? Forget this shit. Mr. Davis. C.H. sits down. What are you doing? Forget it. You go. You still got a chance. C.H. and Aaliyah exchange glares back and forth. Aaliyah, stand. I see you're ready now. Aaliyah, there is time remaining, so please take us away. Aaliyah, at the front of the classroom. I... And who are you? What? What's the name of your historical figure? I don't know. Aaliyah, what is going on with you? I don't know her name. I couldn't find it. But she's real. She's a person in history. Aaliyah removes a white headscarf from her bag and begins to wrap her hair up as she speaks. See, in 1783, there was this Dutch slave ship called Zong. The ship was originally called Zorg, which means hair. The story goes that the captain threw 132 slaves overboard so he could save supplies. He then tried to get insurance money off the slaves he threw overboard. He called them cargo. I don't know their names. What I read didn't mention that. I couldn't find their names or anything about them anywhere. But I came across this image. The painting of Captain John Kimber torturing a female slave may be projected here. There's a black woman hanging from a rope on a ship. Hardly nothing on. I imagine what it must be like to be hoisted up like that and then to fall. No, to be thrown overboard. You know, like someone throws trash out the window on the freeway. I don't know her name, Mrs. Ambrose. Perhaps a name is a luxury she can't afford. But I call her Star, Rising Star. So that's what this woman is to me. It was like the Ark in the Bible, but there was no rainbow, no promise. Just the sensation of everything flooding. There was the rocking of the sea that made me sick, made my heart yearn for home. A place to be from. It was the ocean. The wake of the ship. And so many smells. Most of them I hated. Some of them I didn't know or ever want to know. There were men, sailors, pirates. They were chattered drunkenly deep into the night. In the hole, even the days were dark. The water soaked ship moaned in eerie harmony with our voices from below. So cramped, so close. The days were bad, but the nights were unbearable. The ship was a cruel cradle pitching us until we were too sore to sleep. And one day we were pulled out of the dark. The sun burnt my eyes. We were arranged in a line. A man with a beard and bad breath walked down the row of shivering black flesh, glistening in the sun like opal. He points a finger and fits a panic takeover. Crys ring out. The sound swallowed by the wind battling the white sails above our heads. I remember holding on to something. A woodpost, a railing. Someone grabbed my wrists, another my ankles. I was overtaken by a swaying motion. Then vertical as the blues of the sky greeted my ascent. Rising, rising. Stillness open the world. Then it was the fall, an unimaginable descent. I would have rather flung myself over than experience dropping out of the sky. At least then the falling would have been my own to claim. Tumbling, I could hardly see the spot where I was last on board. Tumbling, I was sure I'd shatter when I hit the sea. I would hit, would not. One can't fall forever. Head over feet, feet overhead, crashing into the side of the massive vassal. I wanted to cling like the other sea creatures. The cold air. I saw clouds in the ocean's reflection. And for a moment imagined, I wasn't falling down, but up towards the heavens. What an interesting way to enter the kingdom of God, I thought. Moments before my body collided with the surface of the water. It greeted me with the embrace of asphalt, something shattered inside me. And then I began to sink. I remember even in all that darkness, I could see myself dying. Deeper, I sank until I realized the ocean had stopped trying to strangle me. Now it's immense pressure was holding me, tight like a child returning to a mother after being gone too long. From the back of the classroom, Mrs. Ambrose has heard sobbing. Aliyah stops. Sorry. Keep keep going. I mean, make you cry. It's just so sad. Please keep going. The bell rings loudly. OK, hold your horses, please. Remember next class, you will need to turn in the typed version of your presentation. All the students, save Aliyah, have disappeared. Aliyah, do you have to go? Aliyah, John Siege at the doorway, they exit the classroom. Yo. That was deep. All that shit really happened like that, them like throwing us over board. You got us, we had her balling up in there. You don't get an A for sure. Man, shut up. I told you you needed to practice your presentation. I did. See, if you don't graduate with me, I'm gonna hit you forever. Yo, forever sounds like a mighty long time. You know that speech. I heard you do it before. All you had to do is recite it like she said, and you would be in the clear. Now you're going to have to come back all super senior and shit. Nah, fuck that. Like if I don't graduate in June, I'm not coming back to this fucking place. Oh, and then what, huh? You're going to just get to your senior year and give up, drop out. Are you stupid sometimes? Are you stupid all the time? Stop worrying. Don't you know worrying makes you age fast? You looking older already. You going to be 22 looking like you 100. Yeah, if that happens, it's your damn fault. Listen, I said I'll figure it out. I'm one step ahead of these clowns in here. You better be, because we had a plan, remember? Yes, I remember. Get out of here and go to Howard. And then open up a bomb as Art Studio. Art Studio in D.C. Yeah, that's right. Hey, speaking of that, look. C.H. opens his backpack. Damn. Yep. You didn't rack them, did you? No, I paid for them with the profits from my lucrative paper route. Y'all ain't got no paper route. Oh, well, yeah, I guess I stole it then. That's around and get caught. Watch. Yo, there you go again. You just aged 10 years with that statement, just wrinkles. Just bam. Yeah, whatever. You're going to drop out of high school and go right to prison. You think Mr. Bruce is a pain in the ass? Wait until you meet your 300-pound cellmate. Yo, forget that. That ain't me. Hey, listen, I'll be all right. I'm not going to fall out of that worry. I'll be... Yeah, well, if you weren't such a stoop, mcnoops, I wouldn't have to worry. What? You the stoop, mcnoops? Don't believe me, proofs in the soup? You know the saying, was good for the goose upstets the gander, I never pander to their standards. I'm prison-proof, won't find me in no slammer. Grow man's shit, won't find me in no pampers. Their grammar's too amateur. Open the mental aperture. Let's see what this rap can explore. I heard an image of hip-hop now. Nah, nah, more like Tubman on the run for survival. Follow when the North Star rise and hand on my rifle to Black Moses that shows you the ways to navigate these passages. On some Alice's white rabbit ship, but never lost a passenger. Got this underground galactic trip. Get your head cracked if you try to go back to it. Freedom's the soundtrack to it, fuck the crack of whips. This kid strapped with it. I asked the feds when I shipped the packages. Let loose like laxatives through grooved magnetic strips that attract thoughts from way back. Now, how's that for a fugitive slave act? No, sir. Hmm, fire, huh? It was light. Yo, you would know bars if you were locked behind them. Yo, are we on for the night or what? Come on, the moon is going to be full. The bigger the moon, the brighter the light. And the brighter the light, the more we can see when we write. This ring. Yo, you worry too damn much, Aliyah. I'm serious. Now are we bombing tonight or what? If you promise you're going to make it out of here, then I'll think about. But I'm going to be a high school graduate just like you. In June. In June, this June, just you watch. I'm watching. Why? I told you I'm watching. Bell rings. I got to get to history class. Tonight, 11 p.m. Yeah, OK. Bruce enters, he blows his whistle. Hold it right there. What are you two supposed to be? We're on our way, Mr. Bruce. I got my eyes on the two of you. Really? And you can see this, huh? Lights fade to half and then to black. Later that evening, 11 p.m. Lights rides on the roof of City High School's auditorium. A brick wall is visible to the audience. See. See, you there? Aliyah enters looking around. She lets her backpack fall to the ground and takes out a small notebook. She hears something. See, is that you? A shadow is projected on the wall. Who's there? There's a sound of whispering. The shadow transforms into a large shadow puppet of a dog. The dog shadows, mouth moves as CH's voice is heard offstage. Darkness falls across the land. The midnight hour is close at hand. Creatures crawl in search of blood to terrorize your neighborhood and whoever shall be found without the soul of getting down, must stand and face the hounds of hell and rot inside a corpse. You finished. CH enters. Did I scare you? No. Yeah, I did. You were sounding like a white person in a scary movie. See, is that you? See, stop playing. Whatever, man. Yo, and I told you when we were writing, call me in case. Well, in case you forgot, we need to stop fucking around before you get us caught. There you go again. Bang, I bought some worry free. CH pulls a joint out of his pocket. All right, ask me what time it is. Hurry up. CH sparks it up, takes a hit and hands it to Aliyah, who hits it. CH picks up Aliyah's notebook. Which one do you think I'm about doing? Aliyah hands the joint to CH and flips through the book and points to a page. That one right there. Oh, shit, that's fresh. I know. Look at how the R curls up into the I and wraps over the S. Word, that G is tough. Looks like it's like flying away. Like, hold up. You ain't worried that Ms. Ambrose knows people call you rising star? Only my grandma called me that. Yeah, that's the tag, though. And you straight told everyone in the class. No one cared, nobody said that. Well, you probably right. She was doing the most. I don't feel bad. Shit, I don't. CH grabs his notebook and shows Aliyah a page. CH starts to unload his backpack, setting up his spray cans. Aliyah does the same. They begin to paint. It's a ritualistic activity for them. They take it serious. It is as fun as kicking it at a party, but as focused as an intense study group. What Mr. Conwell say? Well, Mr. Conwell is a clown. Bruce punk ass, though. You believe he went through my backpack? What? Hell, yeah. And then my locker, like, this is a damn military compound or some shit. Took my cans. Oh, shit. Yeah, Mr. Conwell was like, do you want to explain these? And I was like, no, I told him they were for art class. He believed you? Dude's a clown. Said I was a Basquiat or some shit. What, he knows who Basquiat is? I guess. Oh, wait, hold up. You don't know who Basquiat is. If possible, Basquiat's defacement is projected into the space. Of course I do. You are too, see, and a liar. Who is he? If you so smart. John Michelle Basquiat was like a sick black writer back when writing wasn't even really a thing. Aliyah sprays a three-pronged clown crown on the wall. That's Basquiat. That's the biggest, smallest crown I've seen that. Basquiat came up with that. Him and Biggie were both from Brooklyn. Word. Word. Baby, baby. Shh. Yo. Hey, listen. There's that time. What? Man, whenever you get your serious, whenever you get serious, your voice drops like two octaves. You know what? Forget it. Man, I'm playing with you. What? Just, you know, just thanks for letting me go ahead of you with the presentation. Yeah, I was thinking today that listen, yo, I don't want you risking nothing for me. All right, you smart and mad talented. OK, you could have messed it all up for yourself. Please, this is Ambrose would give me an A in that class. If I did the presentation or not. Why do you think I did the presentation that I did? I'm serious. You're going to do big things in your life. I'm just saying if I don't, you're going to graduate with me. Yeah, you promise. I am. Yeah. But if I don't make it into college, Howard, you are coming to Howard with me. If I don't forget all that. Who's worrying now? C.H. and Aliyah go back to painting. C.H. keeps looking over to Aliyah. He then crosses over behind her. Oh, what you got going on over here? Anyways, been working on that S forever. And I start going to turn into a black hole by the time you finish with it. He takes his can out. All right, I see what you're doing now. You know what it needs, though. C.H. sprays a little on her wall. Not me, but it's all my shirt. Oh, maybe it needs a little. C.H. goes to spray. Aliyah pushes him. He stumbles back a little, knocking over some spray cans. As they fall, they make a much louder noise than anyone would expect. Silence. C.H. tries to pick the cans up as they roll about. One can slowly and ominously rolls to the edge of the building and then takes a long fall to the ground. Footsteps are heard and a flashlight begins to scan the state. Shit. Here, come on, hide over here. Hey, what's what's going on? What's come out? I said, come out. What you doing? I got to get my notebook. You crazy. He's I got to get it. Bruce will confiscate it. Fuck that. Stay here. I'll get it. It's just Bruce. You lay low. You're in enough shit with him. Aliyah jumps out from behind the corner of the building and runs over to get her notepad. Stop right there. Stop. Hands up. Fucking hands up now. Don't you? Bruce is going to move. Raises a gun. Aliyah has her notepad in hand. She begins to stand up right again, trying to conceal the notepad. Don't move. A shot is fired. Aliyah is hit in the chest. She stumbles back. C.H. jumps up, but it's too late. Aliyah's steps have led her to the edge of the building. She slips and then slowly falls. It's a long fall. It should feel as though the whole space is falling with her. She spins and turns in the air as if in a clumsy dance. The fall is a journey that doesn't end as expected with the concrete below. She seems to pass through the ground into the earth as if she is falling down a hole with no bottom. This can be staged in any way that the theater space allows, but it should be abstract and strangely poetic. A chalk outline materializes on the ground. The chalk outline moves as if it is trying to be in the right place to catch her falling body. It misses the mark or Aliyah misses the mark and she lands on the ground near her outline. The outline stands and looks at Aliyah for a moment. Aliyah gasps. The chalk outline attempts to wedge its way under Aliyah. Aliyah resists. Then the chalk outline falls to the ground near her, playing dead. Mrs. X enters too busy collecting silver bulbs from a host of strange looking bushes nearby to notice Aliyah. Isn't it a beauty the way the darkness goes? There were the sun rises, darkness calls. Aliyah is trying to collect herself. She notices Mrs. X and musters the courage to speak. Hello. Mrs. X doesn't respond. Hey, excuse me. Four. I mean, hello, excuse me. Sorry to bother you. Do you mean to offer a form of salutation? Greetings is what one says when one interrupts someone else. Is that what you mean? Yeah, I guess. Well. Um, greetings? Of course, no bother at all. Can you tell me where I am? Last track of yourself, have you? Well, if it helps, you are there. But I believe what you are truly seeking to know is the where of your current situation. Yes, where am I? Can you stand? Stand? Yeah, yes, I think so. Well, I insist you do, please, and quickly. Is there something wrong with where I'm sitting? I can't stand speaking to one whilst one is lying down. Reminds me of speaking to the dead. Proper conversation is always at eye level. OK, I guess that makes sense. No need to guess. I've spoken of the facts of it. And you are? I am lost. What an odd name. No, my name is it's. I can't remember. No, I have one. That is also odd. Let us try it this way. My name is Mrs. X and to whom do I have the pleasure? I am. What is going on? What was it you were asking about earlier? Maybe it'll help you remember. I was asking you where I was. What is this place? Well, how did you get here? I don't know. I think I fell or something. My body feels as if it's been falling. Yeah. Yeah, I fell and landed here in this spot. Intriguing, you feel as if you have fallen. Well, child, but seems to be more of a physical sensation or a state of being than a feeling. It is important to differentiate. I have it one way to separate a feeling from a physical sensation is to think about the feeling you experienced about the state of being. How did you feel while you were falling? I don't know. That is severely unhelpful. I'm just confused. Oh, a state of mind. Good. Now, how do you feel about being confused? Just confused. The rabbit enters wearing a large black top hat. Rabbit's teeth are covered in silver, shiny like new money. Rabbit wears an absurdly large alarm clock around his neck. Slow and steady wins the race, always moving to some other place. Steadily backwards, keeping pace. In this chapter, I stop running away. I can't keep running away, running away. It is improper to stare as you are. What is that? Why don't you ask? I did. Why don't you ask the rabbit whom you are gawking at so disgorgeously? If it's a rabbit, why is it wearing a hat and a clock? Don't be ill mannered, child. It's not a rabbit, it is the rabbit. Mind your articles. That is important. Slow and steady wins the race, always moving to some other place. Steadily forward, keeping pace. Though every horror that I face today's the day, I can't keep running away, running this way, running away. Where are you running to? Are you running from somebody? Not from somebody, but toward nobody. Chalk outline has been slowly moving toward Mrs. X attempting to maneuver its way under her. Mrs. X looks down at the outline. Knock that off. Knock it off, I say. This startles Aliyah. She turns quickly. Mrs. X removes a large needle and thread. I shall fix you. Chalk outline runs out, followed by Mrs. X. Wait, hello? Aliyah turns back to the rabbit. Please don't run off, I won't hurt you. Can you help me? Rabbit looks at Aliyah, then removes his top hat. Rabbit holds the bottom of the hat towards Aliyah. Look here. Look in here to the depths of it. Tell me what you've seen. Into your hat? Look here. Into it deep. Tell me what it is you've seen. It's empty. Oh, what did you see? Nothing. It's empty. Nothing. Nothing is ever empty. Look deeply deep. I just see black. Nothing. Rabbit seems to be offended by this. Rabbit points sharply at the clock around his. Nothing. No thing can't see, can't be. You've arrived indeed, but too late. You be untimely to me to my hat. Ain't nobody got time for that. Rabbit slams the hat on its head and exits. Wait. Yo, what did I say? Hold up. Show me again. Maybe I'll see it. Maybe there was something hidden in the dark. Hello? Rhythm and blues enter. They are just two people joined together. You did it last time. I did not. You spit fib-tails, you dung-hut. You did just last year. I recall it well. Dill went sour. Lies. I am more personable. You know this to be the truth. Now remain silent while I make the proper introductions. Be sure to mention the tricks. We have a trade. We are professionals. I am a professional. You are a scam artist. Hello? She's speaking to us. I know. Well, well. Let me get into character. First impressions are everything. Remember, you're representing both of us. I know this, you dup. Well? Well? Shut your mouth. Greetings and hello's. Hello? This is blues. I need no introduction. I am known far and wide. Get to it, rhythm. Shh. We are skilled fortune tellers, mystics, tellers of truth, magicians. I am Claire Voyant. Can you tell me where I am? Have you a coin? Ask for two. Shut it, thief. For modest compensation, we can answer all your queries. All I have is what is on me. What about that motley-colored satchel over there? What? For the blues point, Aliyah's backpack appears on the ground. My bag? She runs to it. It is my bag. I remember this. She opens it quickly and removes a black hoodie, then a notepad and a large history book. This is mine. A-L-L-I-Y-E-H. Aliyah? Aliyah? What's my name? I remember my name. I think it's my name. No, it's my name. She is an odd creature. Aliyah removes a few cans of spray paint. She looks at them. Booty. What have you there? This? It's spray paint. What does it do? It's for, well, art. Let us see it. We are sophisticated in determining the value of things. If a thing has value, we will detect it. We're going to cross over and take the can out of her hand. A can that sprays paint, you say? Very unusual. How does this object work? Aliyah takes the can back, shakes it. It is an instrument. What a joyful sound it makes. You just go like this. Aliyah skillfully pops the lid off and sprays a few red lines on the ground. Rhythm and blues are shocked by this. It is a charmed device. She has made the earth bleed. She's a witch, a witch. Quiet, fool. Are you a witch? Is this some witch's brew you've concocted here and marched the earth with? No, it's just paint. I believe her not to be a witch. Here, give her the coloring mechanism to me. Aliyah does, rhythm makes a mark on the ground. It is enchanting. Here now, here. Let me give it a go. I have not finished inspecting it. You couldn't determine value if there was a gold nugget resting on the tip of your nose. I am conducting business, you clown. Have you a twin with which you are tethered to? No, I don't think so. Oh, you would know all the better for you. It is a tragic affair when one with my determination must haul around the sack of dead weight. As many times as I've saved you from peril, you have the nerve. You saved yourself from danger and that danger you got yourself into. In saving me, I have saved you. That is the cause and effect of it. An irritating shadow. Parasite. He relieves himself standing up. Don't you find that improper? It is efficient. You have us kneeling behind all types of foliage, squatting in the darkness, carrying whip it out in such an indecent fashion, whenever I get the urge. Incapacity is not prudence. Excuse me, you said you could help. I'll give you the spray can if you tell me where I am and how to get out of here. Rhythm and blues pause and look at her. You are correct. Our squabbling has taken up too many liberties with your time to the business. Well, for this spray can, we can offer you two and a half answers to your queries. Two and a half. Take it or leave it. We are not in the spirit of negotiation. OK, yes. Fine. Where am I? You are in the underland. The underland? Yes, there is the side land off that way. The sub-side land off that way. The above land off that way and here where you stand is the underland. How do I get out of here? That is a full question. He is correct. You have met the limits of our inquiries and for this exchange. Well, I've only asked two questions. We are not to be taken advantage of. Taking advantage of. We shall tally. First, you inquired about your location. Which we replied the underland. That is one. Then I asked how to get the hell out of here, which is only two inaccurate. You asked again about your location. No, I didn't. We shall consult the record. Rhythm removes a flashlight from his pocket and points it at the wall and reveals the lines from the script, which the exchange took place. The matter has been brought to light. As you can see in the scriptural contract, you did ask two questions before the last one. You may ask a half question in accordance with our agreement. Stupid. How the hell do you ask a half question? By asking it halfway, of course. She is surprisingly dim. OK. How do I? How do you what? How do I get out of here? That is a complete question. She is trying to hoodwink us. I am not. If I don't finish the question, how will you know how we don't make the rules? We just follow the contract. Fine. Get out of under land. How? She has played us. You are a trickster, a remarkable half question. Now answer. We have no clue. Wait, what? That's not fair. You all are trying to. You cannot chastise us for what we do not know. You said you two were clairvoyant. Blues is clairvoyant. But not omniscient. We know everything within reason, which you seek to know is unreasonable. For us to answer, we would be required to use reason unreasonably, which we cannot reasonably unreasonable, hence the reason we refuse to. This is those. Where? This whole thing. You cannot offer a situation for exchange. There's no value in it. You seem offended. We hate to leave customers unsatisfied. Perhaps you have another item you can offer for a trick or some thing. I don't want a trick. I want out of here. Perhaps the trick is the thing that gets you out of here. All you think about this. She removes another can with a white cap from her backpack. Here. What an offer. We shall wow your senses with our finest trick. What is it? We shall make you grow and shrink. I don't want to grow or shrink. Do you know how to get out of here? No. Then how would you know what you want? What Blues is trying to say is perhaps your confinement in this place is due to your size, you might be too big. Or too small. See, not that little hole over there. A hole appears, only a luxe considers what they are suggesting, suggesting. Do we have a deal? If you shrink me, can I return to my normal size? We can almost guarantee it. OK. Prepare yourself for the amazing amazement of this incredible trick. Ready as if there will be a large and spectacular event. Then rhythm takes out the flashlight and shines at Aliyah, who covers her eyes. Ow, what the hell is that? Look that away. Rhythm points at a wall where an average size shadow of Aliyah is cast. And now for the most spectacular spectacle ever spectated in underland. Rhythm takes it back. Aliyah's shadow grows. Ta-da. Voila. Are you serious? From a girl small and statured to the size of a dragon. That is just my shadow. We shall reverse it and she shall shrink to the size of a church mouse. Behold. They move the flashlight until Aliyah appears much smaller. Abracadabra, it is magnificent, small as a spider. We hope it pleases you. A deal well completed, a pleasure. You didn't change my size. That's a total ripoff. But we did. We saw it with our own eyes. Everyone witnessed it. She seeks to bamboozle us. We had a bargain. You made my shadow change size. That's it. Don't be incredulous. How can your shadow change size, but your body stay the same? My body is not my shadow. She's a specter. A ghost. It's just the angle of the light that changed. Give me back my mask. We had a deal. Like hell we did. Aliyah grabs the flashlight out of their hands, shines it on the wall. Look. They do and then they scream. She is a witch. She has transformed our size. Turn us back. Let us escape before she turns us into toads. Run. Rhythm and blues run off. No. Hello. Aliyah is about to throw the flashlight in their direction when the hole begins to pulsate with light. She shines the flashlight at the hole. Someone in there. Hey. Don't do it. Aliyah, don't go in there. Man, I'm going to be like one of those stupid ass characters in a scary movie. Is this a movie? Hello. I'm dreaming. That's it. OK, cool. Just wake up. Wake up. A sonic sample from the character of Daph in Spike Lee's school days echoes back. Wake up. Yo, I gotta be dreaming. Rabbit enters, points at the large clock and clears his throat. Departing, dreaming, arriving, remembering. Rabbit exits through the hole. Rabbit pokes his head back out. Time and doors, even though you're still standing still, it's just a hole, not the holiest of holes, a modest hole, or it could be a trap door. One never knows the whole story for sure. Open your mental aperture, unmap this metaphor and see what this trap can explore. Yo, what did you say? See, is that you? Rabbit vanishes, Aaliyah reluctantly crosses to the hole. She tries to get through with backpack on, she doesn't fit. She slides the backpack through in front of her and then enters. She slips into the hole and slides or falls. Aaliyah seems to fall out of nowhere. The sound of a river running is heard. Aaliyah stands up and dusts herself off. Too big my ass. From now on, trust no one. Old Man River enters. He's an old man. He wears darkly tinted sunglasses. He walks with a large staff. He has large hands. They seem to weigh him down, a burden to carry. Aaliyah watches, deciding if she trusts him. Hey, I mean, greetings. And to you. Have you seen, I mean, the rabbit? Old Man River turns around. Aaliyah notices he may not be able to see. Oh, sorry. You, you can't. I've seen plenty in my days. I'm looking for the rabbit. Instead of looking, you should try finding. A river enters running. Aaliyah looks at it. What is that? It doesn't matter who you are. It doesn't matter where you've been. It doesn't matter what the scar. It doesn't matter what the sin. It doesn't matter how you feel. Somewhere along the way. This is healing for your life today. Because there's a river that flows. There's a river that flows. That is a running river. Old Man River begins to follow it. Hey, where are you going? The river is running. It is wise to follow. Will you be joining me? I may have something to show you. What is it? I won't know until we arrive at the sea in place. OK, um, called up. Old Man River begins to walk. Aaliyah travels a good distance behind. You smell of elsewhere. Where is it you call home? I'm from, I don't know. Sounds nuts, huh? I have this backpack. I don't know where it came from, but I know it's mine. Well, I think it's mine. It has stuff I remember in it. If you carry it long enough, it will become yours. Travel lightly. That is what I've always, that is what I've learned in my journey. Hey, I don't want to be rude, but. They've always been this way. The doctor said I was born with hands as big as hams. They were the last things to come out of my mother when she birthed me. Caught her as much pain as they've caused me. What about your eyes? Old Man River stops. He listens. The river softly sings its song. Everyone listens when it roars and shrieks, but when it murmurs softly is when it shares its deepest secrets. Are the rivers in the land where you come from? Yeah, well, they're different. They don't run like that. These are mine. They are lonely what they see. I've seen too much. Old Man River removes his dark glasses. There's dried blood where his eyes once lived. Oh, did you like rip them out or something? Rip them out. There's a story about a man, a king named Oedipus, who gouged his eyes out. I remember I read it in class. I'm not mad. I didn't rip my eyes out. What happened? The tears I gave them to the river. Now the river guides me. If you see what I want to show you, I want you to remember my eyes. Tears have a purpose, but after a while, they rock the site. You must know when you've seen enough and then look away. Will you do that? Yeah, well, what is? Old Man River stops and listens to the river. The river whispers its song. These eyes are mine. They are longing. Longing from walking. I think I know that song. It's a song my mother used to play. I can't remember the name of it or who sang it. I don't think you or your mother knows it. It's my song. Song? Do you mean song? I mean what I say. Anyways, I think I do know it. Reminds you of a different song, but it is my song of an untold story. Have you eaten? No, I'm starving, though. Rich in my bag there, you will find some food. It's not much, just a piece of dried meat and orange or an apple. Take what you create. Julia reaches in his bag. She finds the food and eats them quickly. Are you hungry? I am. I'll save you half of everything. That is kind, but please help yourself to all I have. It will do me no good. But you're hungry. I cannot feed myself. I try, but I crush all I touch. The juices slip between these large, clumsy fingers for anything reaches my mouth. I can put the food in your mouth for you. That is kind. But there has not been a tooth in this big old head, big mouth of mine for years. Perhaps it could chew it for me and beat me. Like chew it in my mouth. Yeah, I don't know. Would mean the world. Julia thinks for a minute and then does is an uncomfortable process that grows into a type of intimacy that is as warm as it is unexpected. I feel like a bird. I never thought I'd ever be doing something like this. I never thought someone would be so kind to do it. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. What's so funny? Ruminating. What? Deep thinking. Ruminations, a type of chewing over like what cows do. They're cows where you're from? I think so. Yes, both types of ruminating take time. Not having teeth. I haven't been able to chew things over. If it's caused me much more. I felt this pain for so long. It is now part of who I am. Nothing different now. Is it a good feeling? I believe it is. Since I'm feeding you, I should know your name. My name is Aliyah. That's a pretty name. Reminds me of a god who watches over important things. It feels like my name, but it also feels different. Like my name lost or gained something. But it's mine. That's almost all I got with me here. What people call me, old man. But that's not a name. That's a description. What's your real name? People just call me the old man, the old man that listens to the river. Some people call me Rising Star. My grandmother used to. I just remembered that. I write Rising Star on walls in paint. It's my tag. You need a tag. Old man that listens to the river is too long. Well, it is the name I know. It has come to suit me just fine. If you will let them see you. Oh, how grateful I would be. The other man. Oh, it's ready. That's it. But his version goes, these arms of mine. Yee, a different song altogether. This one is mine. That's what I'm going to call you, Otis. What do you think? You know, what was the name of a king who tore his eyes out the one you mentioned? Enipus. That suits me. The Enipus was some old Greek guy, a character from a play. Probably not even a real king. Sweets me. Why? How about this? Enipus, ready. Enipus, ready. Well, that suits me even better. I should wear it like a pair of glasses. Enipus, ready, it is. Did you get enough to eat Enipus, ready? I am content. Yes. The river is running again. We must move on. Sitting here, resting our bones is pleasant, but we are just wasting time. Enipus, ready, and then we begin to walk again. Here. Stop here. We've arrived. Where? Look. Look out there till you see it. No. Wait, wait, wait. Now. Do you see it? Look. Out there near the water. Alia looks, the shimmering of the body of water as wide as the world reflects on their faces. They stand for a moment. Their expressions are blank, but they are seeing something there. Only look as long as it takes to see no longer. Who are they? Do you see? Where did they come from? Do you see? Where are they going? Do you see? Alia sees. She slides her backpack off her shoulders and onto the ground. She then begins to cry. Then her cracks and a sound of rain begins. If possible, it actually begins to rain. This will help with the tears. Look away. Nevertheless, you must. You've seen now, look away, look away, look away. Atapist's wedding slowly disappears. Alia finally turns away from the site. She continues to cry and places the sunglasses on her face. A white handkerchief falls from the sky like a feather. Alia grabs it. She lifts the glasses and wipes her eyes with it. The sound of a joyful music and a host of voices are heard. Alia looks off where the sounds are coming from. She steps back and trips over her backpack. She notices that she has landed in the projection of a chalk outline and walked one, one, one. All right, intermission has arrived. It's 1.30, we'll commence again at 1.40. Thank you all so much for joining us. I'll see you back in 10 minutes. Get a stretch, have a little glass of wine if you're on the east coast. Shoot, if you're on the west coast, have a glass of wine, too. And we'll see you back in 10. Take care. All right, we're back. Hope you enjoyed your intermission. Let's see if my video. I still don't think my video is working. So I apologize for that. But without further ado, let's continue with act two. Of Alia and Underland. And Rachel Dickinson will now be reading the stage direction. Thank you all. Act two, track six in honor of Corpses Day. Alia jumps up quickly. The chalk outline fades. A group of people enter Bonnie, Clyde, Wyatt and Marybell. They are dressed in a manner reminiscent of Western pioneers of the early North Americas. Here is the spot. Now, Clyde, I'm pretty sure that the lightning struck over here. Over here, over there. Don't matter. Not close as close. And close ain't it. Don't play light with the ritual of it all now. Woman, I ain't playing light. I don't like the thunder. It scares me. You're afraid of your own shadow, Bonnie. I am not. Lightning flashes. See? Now, I told you we were in the right spot. Any moment now, they will appear and we will begin the festivities. The ritual. The ritual as was passed down by our forefathers and mothers and their mothers before them back to the first vessel that arrived on the shore. Yeah, she's such a stickler for the specifics of history. You are, Marybell. Uh, any moment now, huh? Wyatt notices Alia and screams. What is it? That's just a girl, Wyatt. You so yellow yet. What? Clyde, what is that girl doing here? I don't know. I reckon she lost. I got them things on her eyes. I don't like the way she's staring at it. I don't know how she's staring. You reckon she a hot? She ain't no spook. Spook's got skin. You can see through. I ain't spooked by her. Wyatt spooked by her. I can hear you all. Clyde, she is talking at us. She ain't a ghost. Ghost got raspy voices. Her voice kind of sugary, sweet as honey on warm bread. Sound like you sweet on her. Well, that's sweet on a spook. I ain't no spook, ma'er. What are you then? A woman. I told you you were all spooked up, too. Where did you come from, stranger? I guess from Underland, but not originally. Originally, I'm from, well, not there. Well, you're still in Underland. You seem to be all turn-run. You wasn't taken up by one of them wild savages, were you? Been known to snatch up young folk and carry them way out to a westerly land. I don't think so. Or so, don't know, up from down, out here in this weather all alone. You know what you need? You need some tradition, tradition root you to something. Yeah, Marydell loves her some tradition. We were about to perform a ritual. It's really fun. Can she join it? If she want to, I don't see no harm in it, but we got to get ready. Gonna start any moment. The wind smelling like dust and thunder any moment now. The lightning strikes again. The world flickers into darkness for a second. A chalk outline materializes on the ground. There it is. They all emerge for the chalk outline, pushing one another out of the way. Why is it successful at getting to the outline first? He lies down in it. It's mine. I got it. Quick as a whip. You've gotten much faster since last corpse's day. Marydell, your turn to do the honors. Marydell removes a long silver knife, holds it up to the sky. Marydell. With the power invested in me by those that came before and showed the way. Marydell plunges the knife into Wyatt's chest. Hey. What did you do? He rushes over towards Wyatt. Are you crazy? I'm a little lady. You'll get your turn. You can't do this. Lightning strikes again. May the best descendant win. A chalk outline materializes in a different spot. Bonnie, Marydell and Clyde rush to it. Play fair now. No snake moves. Clyde gets to it first. He lies down. Victory is mine. Fast as a jackrabbit, Clyde, but crooked as a snake. Marydell hands the knife to Bonnie, who holds it up. With the power invested in me by those. Aliyah rushes over and tries to wrestle the knife away from Bonnie. Marydell pulls her away. Calm yourself, child. Your brother eager for a newcomer. You've got to stop. Stop it. With the power invested in me by those that came before and showed the way. Bonnie plunges the knife into Clyde's chest. May our legacy continue. Under cracks, then lightning. Another chalk outline appears. Bonnie and Marydell rush towards it. Marydell trips Bonnie and makes it there first. She jumps in the outline and lies down. It is mine. Bonnie hands the knife to Aliyah. Come on, your turn. No, no. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Come on, Mr. Stranger, we are running out of time. I'm not going to just. Come on, hurry before the lightning strikes again. You must have tradition here. I can do it. Let me do it. Don't be blasphemous, Bonnie. Hurry up now, girl. You got to do it quick. Wrong with you people. Who do you think you are, Missy? Huh? You're a guest here. Come on. The thunder roars. Hurry. How dare you hesitate? We've been nothing but good to you. We invited you in. Thunder roars. Oh, no. Bonnie begins to cry. Thunder roars again. Oh, no, please, you have to please. Bad things will happen. Please help us. Leah raises the knife. Say, by the power vested in me. By the power vested in me. The lightning strikes Bonnie and Marybell gasp. It is too late. Look, Dan, it is all your fault. Bonnie pulls the knife out of Leah's hands. Who is you? You the devil? I've slain demons before and I. Wait, stop. Look. Suddenly, the thunder clouds part and the sun beams through. The sound of the rain stops and the chalk outline vanishes. Look at all that color. Terribly beautiful. Bonnie and Leah look up at the sky. What do you think it means, Marybell? Marybell stands. She is the one that sees but cannot be seen seeing. Bonnie, they sent her forward from the past. Tell us, have we honored them well? I'm not who you all think. I just want to get home. We must tell the others. Come, Bonnie. Bonnie crosses over to Marybell. When you return home, will you tell them that we've tried to continue in their honor? Please tell them. Marybell bows and backs further away from Leah cautiously. She exits. Bonnie remains. She stands there glaring at Leah. Bonnie remains through most of the next scene. Track seven, pressed and cool. A large comfortable chair with Madam C.J. Walker is seated seated in it, rolls onto the stage. Between her legs is Lizzie. Hold still now and keep your head straight. Oh, you're pulling. I ain't did nothing of the sort. Hold still, I say. Madam reaches for another handful of hair cream and notices Leah standing there. Well, look at what we got here. Look like you ruin your Sunday's best out there playing the rain like a little hoodlum. And look at that hair wet and wild as a stray dog going to throw up on you and ain't nothing you can do with it. Might get so tangled and fall clean off your head. I know something about that now. I can fix you upright, but you're going to have to wait. Lizzie's hair got a special event tomorrow. Aliyah slowly removes her sunglasses and looks in amazement. Don't just stand there looking like you've seen a ghost. You got a name. What? A name parents supposed to give to you at birth. You got one. You're your madam C.J. Walker. Shoot, I know my name was yours. Maybe she don't hear good. That is you don't hear good. As long as you got some money, I can fix that curl up for you. Yes, ma'am. Wash it, get it in pressed for your special product. I got a special product for you. When was the last time that tangles of stuff on your head been relaxed? Oh, I shut up all that. I ain't pulling nothing. You know, I got a good touch on the hair. Yes, madam, you do. You got to tend to have you be thinking too much about boys. That's why. I ain't been thinking about no boys. Good ain't nothing but a waste of time. Two things, madam, don't waste time and money. And I sure as hell ain't waste neither on no good for nothing. Men, they got enough words to drown a fish. Talking how they love you and they got everything you need. I know all they want from me is a little bit of what's in my pocket person. A lot of what's between my legs. I'm in between your legs. I'm talking about you. Don't be simple, ma'am. Child, you might not hear good, but you can see me talking to you, right? You want me to take care of that hair before we freeze up on you and you around here looking like you ain't got no mama at home. Maybe she don't, madam. Was I talking to you? No, ma'am. The knack like your mouse, my friend, door and shut it up when you come in here. Yes, ma'am. Got my blood bad as it is with the stress you going down and trying to integrate that school, you know, sure as shit stink, then white folks don't want you there. You young folk, though, think you got to have everything the white folks got. We're going to make history, madam. History, my foot. White folks make history. Negroes just get tossed into it like some dice in the craps game. We're going to make a difference, not just in Little Rock, but all over the nation. Tomorrow, when we walk into that school, we're going to set the fire of change in this nation. Yeah. Yeah. If those crackers don't set fire to the bunch of you first. Don't talk like that. You right. You right. I'm sure you're scared and I've got a big day. That's why I'm going to make your hair be nice. A whole head of courage. Just you watch. They probably going to have a newspaper folk down there. You might wind up in the papers. Negro are hardly in the paper, at least not how you want to see them. We're not going to have you looking like you ain't got no good sense or nothing in terms of style. Probably be on TV, too. That's so. Well, I'll be. Times have changed. You're that girl who integrated that school. You're one of the Little Rock Nine. The what? Well, pain be green and call me money. She is just fine. Going to stand there like a spook by the door and only chime in when it suits her. I know your mama ain't done nothing with that head of hair, but you think she taught you some manners. You going to tell us your name, child? My name is Aliyah. Well, what? You must be from up north. They ain't got no names like that down in this Delta where I'm from. You from Chicago. No. Where are you from? I'm from. I can't remember. You fall and hit your head or something. I knew an old whiny, hit his head and couldn't remember nothing. Not his birthday, not his birth name. Nothing. He had to fabulates who he was all over. This man read a book about a famous person, one of them autobiographies. You know. So guess who this joker thought he was? This old whiny came to believe that he was Abraham Lincoln, the president. You believe that? Little rest of his life as if he was honest, a honest, a my foot. He knew he wasn't no Lincoln man was a drunk and a liar. Guess how he died? Did he get shot in the head? Drunk himself cold to death. Oh, why am I a lot fussing? I'm almost finished. Well, what is it, Anita? Aliyah. Going to take me a minute to get that one down. At least you got a name now. If you want my advice, I suggest you remember who you is. Ain't fit into the soul to walk around as a nobody. Lizzie here thinks she's going to make history. Seem like you need to find yours. All right, you done. Get on up and let me look at you as he stands. There you go. If that nice and sheen curl don't make them white folks, except you. You're blackasses out of luck. He is going to make history. How do you know that? As I remember you. Well, child, you just met her a second ago. You sure you ain't hit your head? No, I studied her. Studied me. Well, I am studying you. Now, child, you want all in confused and messed on your head straightened out or what? I like my hair the way it is. You got a problem with that? I like it too, madam. It's kind of out of this world, you know? It belongs out of this world and out of my tomorrow. You're going to be really brave tomorrow. I hope so. My nerves is running wild. Just be cool. They're going to be yelling, calling you horrible names, but you just be cool. Aliyah walks over towards Lizzie and places the glasses on her face. Lizzie touches them. They're fake ease. They're yours. That's just how we're going to remember you. I like you, girl, but you something else. Lizzie walks past Aliyah and towards the exit where Bonnie, now his O'Brien stands or face frozen in an angry screen. A brief moment, a famous image appears. The chair that madam sits on transforms into a black Ford Model T. The engine turns over, begins to putter to life, then moves. Madam honks the horn. Well, when you figure out who you are and where you come from, you're going to need to figure out what to do with that nap. Here go my card. I got some special cream that will make your head feel finer than silk spun by an angel. Wait, can he take me with you? You got to find your way, child. Well, I can't, I don't know where. That was the last you must. You don't know who you is. So what? We all got to figure that out as we go. If you ever make it up to Harlem, you go on and look me up. Now move out of the way or run over your toes. Won't get no place with a good bum foot and an unkept head. Madam honks her horn, revs the engine and drives off, leaving Aliyah in a cloud of smoke. Aliyah coughs and tries to wave the smoke from her eyes. Track eight, story of the funk. Smoke continues to cover the stage. As it clears, Adisa is seen sitting in a large wicker chair with a large round back. He smokes out of a large hookah. Between long drags, he sings to himself. There was nothing in a spa, nothing in a spa. Who lit the spa? Astro black and cosmic dark. Hey, Adisa startled and begins to cough. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. Adisa doesn't respond. Rather, he uses this time to reload his hookah. He continues humming his little song. Looks like you're trying to hot box the whole world. Hello. Oh, yeah. Greetings. Ain't that what I'm supposed to say here? Greetings. Greetings. You're just fine. I'm trying to talk to you. You should try minding your own business. Astro black and cosmic dark. What does that mean, anyway? What did the old man show you? What? A moving stream don't repeat itself. Why should I? How did you know about the old man? Adisa smokes. He leans in and looks at her carefully. Who do you mean? Me? I'm Aaliyah. I didn't ask your name. I asked who you be. Oh, shoot, I'm sorry. Who you be? Well, you do about as sassy as they come, ain't you? I'm trying to introduce myself. Why? Because because I was hoping you could help me. Kind of help you looking full. I gotta get out of here. Where is it you're trying to go? Someplace else anywhere but here. Back home where you came from? Yes, that's it. Can you help? I'm not from here either. Do you know the way out? I might, might, might be dynamite. So you did what I say? No. Adisa takes a large pull of the hookah and leans back as if losing interest. I'm just confused. Sorry, this place is so backwards to me. Adisa doesn't respond. Hey, if you're not from here, then where are you from? From, from, regions unknown beyond that even. You see, nobody is really from here. This place ain't no place. Underland lies out of the groove. This place can't sustain no living life. It doesn't produce rain, sunshine, not even the wind. That all comes from unknown regions. All underland produces our dead bodies, bones that move. I think I saw them. When we're ever disembodied, got to arrive to disembodied. Where's the nearest of our earth? Astro Black and Cosmic Dark. I feel as though I don't find my way back. I'll die here. Adisa takes a long pull and releases a cloud of smoke. He leans forward and takes a good look at Aliyah. Who you be? Who you be? Everybody is a star. But you be a rising star. If I'm lying, I'm flying big. A star ain't about a body. It ain't no one, one, no thing. A star is pure force, potentially ready to explode. Boom. You be a rising star. You know, I guess. Is that a question? It's a request you did. Calling the stars rising, calling rising star. We making contact, calling. Hey, yeah, I'm a rising star. But you still ain't told me who you are. I'd be a dying story turned living myth. I'd be so cool I can do three laps around the sun and not break a sweat. I'd be the ancient future set by the ancestors still arriving. Talking to you is like trying to talk to a magic eight ball. You know that. Come here. Why? Death don't ask twice, so why should I? Leah takes a few steps closer. What? Lisa extends the hookah. Oh, no, no, I don't know what's in that. Might be lace. I hit that I might start talking all that mumbo jumbo like you. Oh, no, you hit this. You'll hear the truth of it. I'm good. Suit yourself. Aliyah looks at Adisa strangely. OK. Just a puff. Aliyah takes a puff. She coughs. You got the funk in you. I'm watching the funk. The funk is a radical thing, you dig? The funk is a spiritual thing. Oh, this here is just an illusion. The funk help you to see with your inner eyes, help you realize the real lies. You dig? We all born into the funk. Some just don't remember. You've got to remember. Remember what? We from the outer unknown. We cosmic strangers from a land with no land. Way out past the astral black and the cosmic dark. The funk ain't afraid of the dark. You dig was heavy about all this shit is we've been abducted by worldly and some of us try to fit in and CC, but that just splits conflicts and contradicts the soul. They think they live in a life when they just bones animated by death. I ain't hit all that. I ain't trying to fit in. I'm trying to fit out. Now, this endless refusal is the funk. You dig? So what, you're an alien or something? Hey, I'm talking about you. Don't be about the tragedy of this gravity. That's how stars fall. You got to decide if you're going to cling to the atmospheric pull of the world or you going to get or you or world or you going to let go into the funk. You've got to decide if you're going to cling to the atmospheric pull of the world or you going to let go of it, let go into the funk. You got to be about the star rising. Rise. That's right. Yo, you're rising. Oh, you hip to the funk, baby. Whoa, you're like really rising. Adisa really is rising. He is floating up as if being pulled by an unseen force. Damn, calling the outer known. The outer unknown. I will be visiting you soon, coming home. Bright light from above shines down. Wait, don't go. You can't leave me here. Never the less I must. You're going to rise when the time come. Be a living myth. A living myth, you dig? The light gets brighter. Adisa looks up into the light. He is struck by the sight. All that space awaits. Dark, black cosmos of the god damn. Well, that's the way that go. Adisa vanishes. Rabbit enters. Rabbit carries a large rolled up canvas on his shoulders and drags two large chess pieces behind it, two queens. Rabbit, the rabbit, do you see that? Rabbit looks up, then continues about its business. Rabbit unfolds the canvas on the ground. It is a chessboard. Do you know where he went? He's coming. And that he would. I got tired of hearing of it. But well, I guess he was telling the truth all the while. Rabbit places the white queen chess piece on one side of the board and the black chess piece on the other side of the board near Leah. Do you play? Yes. My uncle taught me. He was good too. I'm all right. But you ain't got enough pieces. All you got is the queens. Where's the rooks, the knights? I thought you said you play. I do, but you're missing almost all of the game. Either you play or you don't. I'm just saying you don't have the whole game. If you do play, which I am doubting, then which color goes first? White. A worthy challenger, I shall go then. Rabbit considers the board for a moment. Then moves the white queen placed center, one square to the right. Leah, unsure of the rules of the game, moves her piece in a straight line, three squares in front of her. What are you doing? If we keep it in real, I have no idea. Without the other pieces, I don't know how to play. How can you check a king when there is no king? If you don't know the rules, you don't know how to play. I don't know these rules, I guess. I shall explain. It's a game of echoing. I move, you move. In a similar fashion, but in the reverse direction. Rabbit points to the square directly across from where its queen is placed. Leah moves her queen there. Well played. Rabbit moves again. Leah hesitates. Rabbit, growing impatient, points to the square directly across from where its queen is now placed. Leah moves it. Brilliant. You're catching on terrifically. I don't get the point. It is a game. Must it have a point? But how do we know when someone has won? Win. And the dreadful place you come from is the only object of play to win. Play is practice. What are we practicing? To perfect our playing. Chester's a game of sophistication. I'm telling you, chess has more pieces. 16 of them. Each piece has its own rules when it moves. Just because you got the queens and a chess board, don't make it chess. I just suggested that for it to be chess, we would need all these other pieces you mentioned. Yes. Let me ask you this. Is this piece in my hand here a queen? Yeah. Is that piece you also have a queen? Let's share. What makes it a queen? They are shaped like queens. Oh. Queens, where you are from are oddly shaped, I would have to say. Shaped like the chess piece that is a queen. In chess. You mentioned each piece must move with a set of rules. Did you not? Yes. The queen can move in any direction if the space is unoccupied. A pawn moves one space at a time, but can't move backwards. What lunatic told you that? My uncle. And he ain't no lunatic. He played across the street in the park. He beat everyone. He was the king. I remember he would slap the hell out of my hand if I forgot the way each piece moves. So what makes a piece, what makes a piece are the restrictions placed upon his movements? Pretty much. What a laughable bit of logic. If a king moved like a queen, a king would be a queen. Oh, a king can't. Sure can. We are the ones moving the. It's against the rules. If you can just move any piece any old way, it wouldn't be a game. It'd be a waste of time. Nonsense. Time isn't milk. It doesn't spoil. It doesn't spill out on the floor. You don't cry over it. You always seem to be in a hurry. Rushing around with that big clock you got, you seem really worried about time. I wear it to not tell what o'clock it is, but what o'clock it is not. Yo, now that is nonsense. Why would you want to know what time it isn't? What better way to know what something is about what it is not? But something is only one thing, but it cannot not be a lot of things. Wait, now I'm lost. You got me all jacked up in my thinking. You know what your problem is? Wouldn't it be better to tell me what my problems are not? That is neither here nor there. A soldier enters and approaches Aliyah. Soldier stops. You have been summoned. The soldier exits quickly as he entered. What is this? I suggest you open it and see. You've been selected for the duty of jury. Someone has been accused of something. You must go to the courthouse and perform your duté as a jury of that individual's peers. I don't even live here. I shall take you if you like. I have duties there as well. You never know. There might be a grand hanging. I don't want to see that. Well, if you don't comply, it might be you being hanged. I suggest we go and presently. Way to tick, I almost forgot. Rabbit removes a roll of yellow police tape and hands it to Aliyah. You may need this. For what? You will know when you need it. Aliyah places it into her backpack and then runs to catch up with the rabbit. Lights fade. Track nine, abjection in the courtroom. When the lights rise on a different part of the stage, a courtroom is revealed. There is a jury booth with four people sitting in it. There are others in attendance. In one section at a table sits attorney and Joe and Joanne Sweets. A cross from them stands Betty. Soldier enters. Order, order, pipe down. All extend right hands. Now lefts. Now applaud for the unrificable Judge Lemmy Shaw. The court attendees and audience applaud dryly. Judge Lemmy Shaw enters quickly. He takes his place at a raised desk. Shaw wears a black robe in his reminiscent of George Washington. He speaks loudly and keeps adjusting his dentures. Is that all you've got? Come on now. Put that palm flesh together and make me feel welcome. A little more applause. Oh, enough. If you stand it, you may be seated. If you seated, you may remain. Court is in session. Present the first case. As the soldier introduces the case, Joe and Joanne Sweets stand as does Betty. You're honorific. I present to you people versus the Sweets in the case of Betty, a slave. Order, order, order, order. Surely there is a mistake. This is the great underland. Slavery or anything of the sort is imperishable in this region. Remove the slave from the courtroom. Rabbit enters pushing Aaliyah. You're honorific, if I may. You're late constable. What is the reaction? What is the relationality? I bring you the fifth jury member. I see. Take your place. Rabbit forces Aaliyah into the jury booth. You're honorific. The Sweets have broken the law. Having bought with them their slaves. Slave. I have informed all that enslavement or the like condition or like conditions are impermeable in this land. And since that is the case, a slave cannot appear before this court. That would be contradictory and contradictory in and before the law. That is true, you're honorific. That is why I suggest we have here a problem judicial in nature, sir. Objection. Objection. On what grounds? The ground on which I stand. Overruled. I will hear more, Rabbit. The court is correct that slavery is not permissible here. Yes, as I have said, let it be noted. This young lady, Betty, is not, I will argue, the property of the Sweets having crossed over that very line. Which line? That line. We need a line. Aaliyah remembers the yellow tape. Oh, yeah. The help of rabbits pointing, Aaliyah lays down a line of three feet behind where Betty is standing. The attendees gasp. As you can see, Betty's status has transmogrified from one of slavery, which has no place in this land, to one of the contractual servants who which endowed her with all the rights of the land, one of which recognition goes before this body. Rabbit does bring forth a profound precariousment of the quagmeirical proportions that the proceedings commits. Of local locality versus the Sweets in the case of Betty, a slave. Lavery will not be tolerated. I object. Are you objecting to slavery costable? If so, I will hear no more of it. I object to the ruling, sir. Rabbit does offer an interesting argument, but it is filled with holes. I shall entertain your counter. The line of demarcationary logic, sir, is wrongly placed. But he has indeed crossed a line, but the line's location is inaccurate. I object. We shall hear the argument out. The line, as it lies, lies. What is your evidence? It is thus. There is a line indeed. However, what the rabbit forgets to recall in its rush to convict it is precisely this. In the year of our swords, 1005, Queen Stratus relocated the line into 39 degrees. Latitudinally speaking, said line is not there, but there. Everyone looks for the attorney points. I said there. Would the jury of the fifth please move the line accordingly? Me? Yes, you, with the dreadfully decorated special. With the assistance of the attorneys pointing, Aliyah moves the line forward five feet. Betty stands on the other side of the line. The attendees gasp. The suites did make their journey northerly. They did indeed bring with them the said Betty. But having not crossed the line in question, Betty remained. If I may speak, you're honorific. You may counter. The local locality's attorney is correct. The law was changed on the date mentioned. What she fails to countenance in her appeal is that in the year of our swords, 1025, King Humilanambus, along with the repairing all the roads in his great lands, did move the line in question from long to 239 degree to 32 degree. Aliyah, having caught on, moves the line back seven feet behind Betty, placing her on the other side of the line, attendees gasp. Let the deputy show that Betty has indeed moved from bondage to emancipation. Let us not be too hasty, dear rabbit. Recall the line was moved again under Queen Cyrus. You can solve edict 1619. It will be revealed that she relocated the line from 32 degree to 40 degree in the Northern longitudinal direction. Line is moved again. Let it stand, Betty is the property of the sweets and not a compactual agent. You do know your history constable. However, in the year of our swords, 2518, curacomulus and autocomulus, dislocated the line once again. Let it be documented that the line as it is currently lies in the book of laws is 38 degrees, long to two literally speaking, of course. Aliyah moves the line again. Betty is on the Northern side of the line by less than a foot. Need I repeat, the sweets having journey from their southerly homes, Betty and company, did cross a line rendering her not a proprietary object, but a self-owned individual. I put to rest my case. The attendees applaud. Enough, enough, enough. Well, with this new evidential proof, I must rule that Betty is a subject of the law and not the property of said sweets. Sweets are in violation of edict 1863-B. If you do not return to the southerly place of your departure, you will be held and imprisoned. That is not fair, your honorific. Betty is our family. Sir, we've been nothing but good to Betty. We have fed and clothed her. Our kids have taken quite a liking to her. She has served as a wet nurse for all our eight children. It is undoubtful that you have enveloped a strong connection to Betty. But up here in the northerly region, all people are free. Betty can return with you, but she must do so on her own accord. Come on, Betty, honey. We'll let you cook our favorite meal when we get back home. I object. You what? You won the case Constable? A small victory, yet one still saturated with injustices. Betty returns with the sweets. It will be a sour choice indeed. For soon as she crosses that line, she will go from a free person to an enslave one, thus rendering her choice unchoiceable. That is a matter for the jurisprudential district. Jurisprudential jurisdiction of the southerly states. All I can do is be assured that if Betty does decide to return back, she is doing so according to her own accord. I shall explain it with the carefulylity of the, to the details. Now, Betty, the courts here find you to be a freed individual with all the right accorded to same status. On this side of the line, you can work for them compactively, but you are not their propriety. Are you clear on the facts of the matter? Now, would you like to stay up here with us or? Leading the witness. I've heard enough of you Constable. One more and I'll contempt you. Now, Betty, do you want? Betty is a shy girl, sir. She don't hardly say a word, but she sings sweet as sunset. Come on, Betty. Sweet step over the line towards the south. If you wanna go back with us, back home, where you belong, just step over the line. Come on, girl. Come on, there you go. I object. On what grounds, Constable? We don't know if she is of sound mind. One cannot make a choice if not of sound mind. Rabbit is right. Bring in the shrink. The subject pushes in the shrink. Our dear shrink. Could you please evaluate this young lady and tell us if she is of sound mind? Walks towards Aliyah and begins to examine her closely. Based purely on observation, I would determine her to be mad as hatter. Mmm, not her, dear shrink. Her. Clicks carefully at Betty. He inspects her hands, kneecaps, eyes, behind her ears. He tries to get her to open her mouth, but Betty will not budge. Hmm, interesting. I see. Shrink moves a musical triangle, removes a musical triangle from his back. He places it near Betty's face and sounds it. Betty looks at the shrink. She is assuredly of sound mind. Attendee's gasp. Hush, order. Thank you, most dutiful shrink. Your job here is done. The soldier pushes shrink out. The court finds Betty to be a good judgment. If the said Betty decides to cross said line, she has responded as a free with said rights. Betty looks at the court and all its attendance. She contemplates for a moment and then steps over the line towards the suites. The attendees gasp. That a girl. Wait, hold up. I object. If juray member, you are out of order. Leah exits the jury booth and walks over towards Betty. Yo, what the hell are you doing? How dare you talk to our little Betty that way. And if you don't back off, I will sweep back away from Betty. You don't want to go back there with them folks. What choice do I have? The judge said you're free here. You can stay and be. What? I don't know what all this is. I can't keep straight what is going on here. Nothing makes good sense to me. Not all places I like this courtroom. What they like. They less confusing than this. They're a place here where people ain't looking at you like you're a variation talking about you over you in a language that just confuses the hell out of you. At least down here, things, lines don't move back and forth like they do here. Make my head spin down here. Things stand still. There's a strange comfort in that. But think about what you're going back to. My children, my mama down there. There's this man at our church got the skin, the color and texture of smooth chocolate and a tongue that can melt my body just by saying good evening. Ain't nothing like that up here. Don't you want to be free? I don't want to be lost and lonely. That's what I don't want. I stay on the sweet land. It got a big will tree resting right near a wide river. My little girl loves to swing from it. It don't always matter if you love the place or not. I love those folks that stay there. It's something akin to home. I guess it's a bittersweet sometimes, but it's something I've got to go. I like your haversack, all those colors. Never seen nothing like that. They turn slowly and begins walking to the sweets. Hey, wait, hold up. Listen. Aliyah reaches into her backpack and takes out one of her sketchbooks. She looks at it and then hands it to Betty. What is this? It's for you. Betty opens the book slowly. A beautiful blue blow radiates from its pages. How you put all the colors of the earth in this little book. Well, I remember my ideas. It's beautiful. I want you to have a gift. Aliyah nods, Betty nods, looks at the book and places it carefully in her satchel. She smiles, and then she crosses and meets up with the sweets. They try and take Betty by her hand. Betty pulls away and walks ahead of them forward back to where she came from. Yo, this shit ain't fair. That stupid line ain't fair. Aliyah notices that the courtroom is empty except for the rabbit who is packing up its court documents. Where did everyone go? Off to the tea party. After court, most people attend the tea party. Unless there's a hanging, then they will attend that. Are you going? I don't much feel like it. What do you want in your case? Righteously wicked victory. You did your best. I suppose. We'll be at this party. You think that judge will be there? Most possibly, but one must receive an invitation to attend. Can you invite me? I could. I surmise. But I must warn you, those who go are never invited, and those who are invited never go. Consider yourself invited. Well then, I'll follow you. I prefer if you lead. I am in a sorrowful spirit at present. But I don't know the way. Either way, you go will take you there. I only ask one thing. If I fall behind, you keep going. If I don't make it, you arrive without me. Do we have a deal? Yeah, caught in the memory doesn't respond. Is that a deal? Yeah. Well, lead the way. Aliyah looks to her left and then to her right. She starts to head off towards her right and then stops. She turns and heads off in the other way. Rabbit follows. Lights fade to blue as they travel. Track 10. Unfortunately, we're going to pause there. There's more, but because of technical difficulties, we kind of are behind. Also, the script you see is a working process. So there's maybe some trimming that can take place. I just wanted at this point to open it up for any questions from the attendees. I'm really sorry we had to pause. But any questions in the last few minutes here, I don't want to take advantage of your time too much. I see a hand up. I'm trying to click on it. I'm sorry. OK, J Austin Williams, how are you? Where are you reaching us from? Oh, is it OK to speak or? Please do, yes. Any questions? Well, yes, I sent the question in written form, but I'm so glad I can speak. Well, first of all, so I'll just read what I said here. Congratulations to all of you for this hard, hard, hard work and excellent work. It's such an incisive effort and it's just beautifully and deftly submerging, working to submerge this sort of massive lexicon that we saw in the pre-show. All of the scholarship that has gone into the crafting of this work is right on. And so my question has a little bit of a preamble, so I'll try to make it quick. But I did some quick reading up to recall Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland. And several things struck me, the interesting parallel between the publication of the work in 1865 with so-called emancipation here in the US. And I also noted a reference to in chapter eight of Carroll's work, specifically to the constellation of English civil wars that are now infamously known as the War of the Roses and the image of the three playing cards who accidentally paint one of the roses on a tree white, which offends the queen of England. So I couldn't help but think about Susan Lloyd Parks's image of Lincoln in white face and her use of three card Monty as this biting metaphor and top dog under things like that. So I know that this work is really working hard to put all of those things in conversation. And I'm just wondering if you could speak to how you all have traversed thus far. I know it's an early work. The melding together, I guess you'd say, between her critique of the emancipation myth and this incredible bending of Carroll's classic into this kind of signification on Black death as revelatory fantasy and how law and jurisprudence and so-called civility aid in the bet, the afterlife of slavery. All this is just richly coming out. So I think it's a long-winded way of saying, can you talk to us a little bit about how you all have gone about thus far exploring some of this dramaturgical embarrassment of riches? And bravo on this. Professor Dr. J. Austin Williams, thank you so much. What a dense and amazing question. I want to turn it over to the students. I think you've heard enough of my ideas. But we've done a lot of work kind of digging through this notion of rememory through Joe Turner's Come and God and the America Play, Ricker behind Dreamscape, but also along the line some of literature from the Black radical tradition. So does anyone in the class want to offer up anything? Are any of the actors that have joined us anything that stood out about this retelling of history as something that maybe tries to push away against the emancipation logic? What does this play do with maybe the notions of freedom and emancipation might be a way to grasp it? I think I'm one of the students in the class. And I think that we looked at the idea of rememory, which is in Toni Morrison's Beloved a lot and this whole idea of everything, generational trauma, and just everything that everyone experiences kind of feeding into this one space that is then tethered to every other experience. We talked about a lot of like Susan Laurie Parks's ideas of reincorporation and the whole, I think that Elia in Wonderland and Underland definitely takes a lot of those foundational ideas and combines them into this sort of like, Elia has this loss and recovery of her own life and we see the changed and different reminiscent pieces of her own past. I think that we see a lot of the historical figures and fictional characters and also people in her own life and the combination of all of those really kind of creates this landscape for all of this art to kind of play out over. That's great. Thank you, Tess. Tess is also one of our discussion dramaturgs that if we'd wrapped up on time, we'd have kind of did a little presentation and facilitated the discussion. But thank you for that. Anything else? So I'm also a student with this dramaturgy class and I think what Elia in Underland brings up, especially in the last thing that we went to before we got sadly cut off from the rest of the play, was this talk about what makes someone free and what rings about this concept of free and how it has to do in relation to being enslaved. Because we started off the class by talking about Beloved and kind of the question that is brought up in that book of how can someone be free in a place that perpetually makes a person enslaved. Because even though in the North it was free logistically, there was still slavery within it throughout all of the North's way of even just perpetuating that Black people would not be able to get the same level of jobs because solely of their skin color. And also this thought of what is free in emancipation about what causes someone to be free in relation of having to at first be enslaved in order to be free and how that relates to all of the concepts that even now are present in modern day of how can you be free? That's great. Thank you, Jordan. Wow. I will say it like a little bit. I think Dr. J. Williams, I think it's so amazing that you went and did that kind of dramaturgical research on your own as a trained and practicing dramaturg yourself to make that connection between the publication of Alice in Wonderland and Emancipation in North America. Though I was really concerned with kind of thinking about this idea of the rituals that go into kind of perpetuating that divide that Jordan's talking about between enslavement or captivity and notions of freedom and emancipation. And I was really trying to get at this idea of a type of disavow of that as the only subject position. And what I was trying to do was take Lewis and Carol and kind of do the B side of it. Not like colorblind casting, but really what would a black woman in modern day society, what would her Wonderland be? And for me, it wasn't necessary wonder, it was under. There's this kind of under lower in theory that I wanted to think with in terms of Aliyah's journey. So that's kind of where I was guided with it. Yeah. That's very clear, that's the bending of it, the bending of it into under and that correlation between, yeah, that it's not that the stakes are so much higher and different here. That just comes across so clearly. Well, thank you, so I'm glad that what we've seen, which there's probably another 45 minutes, I was able to spark such a generative question. I thank you for that. I shared Jordan's kind of sadness that there's a lot more. John Brown shows up, so does Harriet Tubman, and so does Othello and Iago and Desdemona for some reason. So the journey is still going and maybe there'll be a time in the near future where we can take you with us on the rest of the journey and see where it lands. But anything else before we sign off and go about our weekends? Any other questions? If not, I'm going to talk to my cast and see if there's a time we can maybe do another one of these. You never know, they've been so generous with their time already and their talents. Again, I just want to thank everyone for taking time on their Friday to join us. I think theater is important now more than ever. My cast will probably agree that this has been such a great healing bonding moment to get together and think and be with each other in the spirit of art and creativity. So thank you all again so much. Again, beyond a lookout, we might have part two coming in the future. If the cast just wants to say their goodbyes, and then we can all say farewell. Thanks for listening. I'm going to manufacture it. Manufacture the... Thank you all so much. Lake, it's so good to see you. Miss Jay, it's good to see you too. I'm going to do my glasses. I want those glasses making. Yeah. I'll send them to you. Maybe I can run and get the hat. I'm like, okay, we got a... He coming in. No, they look good on you. Thank you, guys. It was really amazing. And I wish I'm sad that we didn't get to get all the way through. But, man, what a lot to think about. Yeah. So thank you for ascribe, Dr. Wynne Woods. Thank you, sir. Yeah, y'all be easy. You too. Hey, everybody, this was fun. Yeah, amazing work. So much fun working with you all. Playing, getting to play. This is so fun. And the work you're doing, man, I mean, you're just... You're a gift to the cannon. And I can't wait to see as you push forward and all the things that you're going to contribute. Yeah, man. I'm excited. Geez, thank you, Blake. What a compliment. All right. All right. We should put on some music and sign off. Thank you all so much again. Thank you. Thank you for your work, Wynne. Thanks, y'all. Thank you so much. Take care, everyone.