 For every year that we've done this project, it becomes more and more central to who we are as a company, and we enjoy the people we get to work with every year. The players become members of our family, so our family just keeps growing, and you're a part of our family, too, for being here and helping out. So thank you so much for being with us tonight. I have some other thank-yous I need to say before we get started. I need to say thank you to HowlRoundTV! They're live streaming us tonight. We see national public television, our roommates, for helping us make that happen. I also want to say thank you to National Arts for the some media support that they gave us for this, and a big thank you to the National Endowment for the Arts. We finally started getting funding from them this year. We're really proud of that. I also, of course, can never stop this section of my little talk without, of course, addressing the person without whom this project would never have happened. She puts her money where her heart is. She believes passionately in the importance of new works, and so a big round of applause and thank you, please, for Martha Ingram. So the New Works Project has three parts to it. There's a lab, a fellowship, and this festival. And the lab is something that takes all season long, and I'm actually going to bring up the director of our lab to tell you a little bit about how this project works. So please say hello to our playwright and residents, Mr. Nate Effler. Hi. I'm Nate Effler. I'm director of the Ingram New Works Lab. Thank you so much for being here tonight. I'm thrilled that you all came out to support this brand new play. Since 2009, the Ingram New Works Project has supported the development of 46 new plays for the stage. Each and every single one of them is built right here in Nashville with Nashville artists and in front of Nashville audiences. All of them have gone on to development and production at theaters across the United States. Each year, we get hundreds of applications from exciting playwrights and out of them, we pick four playwrights of extraordinary promise. We pick plays that we think we can help. We pick plays that we think our audience will want to see and we pick playwrights that we really believe in. Each one of these plays comes to us as a pile of pages. It's just an idea. They haven't written any of it yet. And over the year, we give them transformative support. We give them monthly meetings where they get to work on the plays with Nashville artists. We give them access to national rep staff and we give them access to the larger Nashville arts community. And then, at the end of the process, we throw a great big festival and invite all of you into the room. When this play came to us, Jonathan said we wanted to write a play about his grandmother's immigration to the United States and it would be somewhat interactive and it would definitely have pop culture and superheroes in it. And so we said, yes, absolutely. And so the play you're going to see tonight is a little less formal than our other readings. The boundary between the audience and the actors is going to be a little more permeable. If you're in our space, it will be a little bit so. So we're going to leave the lights on and there's no intermission. If you feel the need to get up and go to the bathroom or just leave because you don't like it, please do. We will tell Jonathan that you went to go to the bathroom. After the show, we're going to have a talk back about the play. And this is the most important part. The same way that we give these plays and these playwrights the opportunity to develop the play, this is the moment that we launch them into their next phase of development. And so we need to hear from you, the audience, because that's what we're about. We take a brand new play and we put it in place to stay with us after the show for a talk back. That's enough for me. And ladies and gentlemen, enjoy the show. An immigration play by Jonathan Alexandrados. Hey there, Nashville. I'm Jonathan Alexandrados. I'm a playwright based in New York City. It says I've got to engage with you in some banter right here and ask you some questions, but I'm going to do four Ingram New Works playwrights with Nashville Repertory Theater. We all had to propose a show to the rep as part of our application, and I basically outlined the solo play about my grandmother's heartwarming immigration to the U.S. with my grandfather in 1951. And their romance that bridged the notion and created a family. I call it, we'll see what happens. You might know how solo plays work, but I play all the parts and I'm the narrator, but I'll switch into different characters as I need to. Okay? Okay. Great. So here we go. Here was 1929. We're in Ithaca, Greece. It's cold and snowy morning in December. It's all snow there. And Olga Alexandrados was just born. I don't know my name. Olga... Sorry, she wasn't supposed to be here tonight. Granny, what are you doing here? All these people, they're very hungry. What is that? Spend a copia. Spinach, cheese, no meat there. Good for everybody. Did you use the oven? Oh, I used the oven. Oh my God, the one thing Nate Epler told us not to do. He said, you can dynamite a baby in your play, but for the love of God, don't use the oven. My grandmother knows that Mangia is Italian and that she is Greek. Granny, you were detracting from the authenticity of the evening. Son of... Son of... Your eye drops. Maria was going to do your drops. Maria, no con, so I find you. How did you know where I was? I Greek woman, I always know. I cannot have time to do your drops. I have to do my solo play. You know about my solo play? I told you about my solo play the other day at the Friends and Families performance if the show makes it that far. Kick me out. Well, I can't just... No, no, no. You know what me? Kick me out. You kick out all the blind lady who comes from the Bronx. No, of course I... Do my drops. God knows how long Granny is going to be in this world. How do you want me to be? I don't want to suffer. Doctors say I have mac... maco... macler... Can you just do your drops yourself? I'm scared, you do for me. Okay. First the orange, then the green, then the other color. Purple? Purple. Then last the blue. I have a hole of rainbow in my eyes. Jonathan does. First the orange. Good, good, good, Matthew. Then the green. What are you doing? You said next... 20 minutes. I don't have 20 minutes. I have to do my solo play. Granny, can I please just do my solo play? These people paid very little, and if they don't get what they want, they're going to be pissed. It jumps with me, but I say no can't be, can't be play. How you play? It's a play like theater, not like a play like toys. Oh, like Phantom and Disappert. Yes. Because you have a wonderful story. But you don't ask me anything about my life. How you know it's wonderful? My father told me. Ha! Your father know nothing. What's he tell you? He told me everything was perfect. He said everything was perfect when my grandmother was alive, grandfather was alive, and when my grandfather met you, and when my grandfather came to this country, and when my grandfather brought you to this country, that everything was perfect back then, because you were young and brave, and perfect and happy, so I made a play like that. It is this. Nobody happy all the time. That's for sure. I tell the truth. But I know the truth. People to know that that's where our family is coming from, because that's where I come from. Yes. But why you know ask me? Granny, this is already so far from what Nashville Rep invited me here to do. It's my job to talk, like the other playwright. They're grannies, let them talk. See, my job is to show how much love this family has, and how love triumphs even through immigration, and how much I love you, and how much I fit into this family. You love me? But you know let me say anything. No one here wants to hear it like that. I just mean we like happy stories. Everything else is so unhappy, and you have a happy story, which I can tell in happy English. Well, you just please let me tell the happy story. You know talk to me like this, like I know what's happened to me, like my English knows so good. You know even speak one word of Greek, not like your cousin. She speaks beautiful. I know what this audience wants. I've rehearsed this, just let me do my job. I talk my story every day. To who? To them. Granny points to her bag. A bag? Look inside. Jonathan looks in the bag. Are these my action figures? I say that. I say I bring you junk because you say you want to play. Now you tell me you don't want to play. Okay. But they know my story better than you. So we talk, you eat spenicopita, and do my drops, okay? I can't believe you saved these action figures. For? Oh, and Captain America. Oh. Oh, and Supergirl. Oh, and Black Widow. Oh. Jonathan realizes all the action figures are now standing behind him. People sized, ready to tell Granny's story. Almost like their superhero counterparts, except that something is off. Black Widow holds a baby in her arms. Holy shit sticks. This is way more than my MFA from Queens College prepared me for. They're going to help me. They're going to help me to talk. You're going to help me to see. They're going to help you to see, okay? I don't understand. Why are my action figures people sized? Why aren't they going to talk? And do they know that this is a solo play? Jonathan, I can move. Once upon a time, you used to see Granny every week. You remember? Now you're no come. Now your mommy and daddy no come. Now whole family think I talk crazy. This, all I have with you, these jumps. So I talk to them. Now they talk to you. You father tell you the truth? I don't think so. You know the truth? I don't think so. Not yet. They're going to show you. Okay. They're going to show me, but maybe after my show? My show, you say? My? What kind of man is this? He say my when he talk about Granny. He tried Granny's story and don't let Granny talk. You see what happened? We let the men talk. We let the men talk. We let the men talk. They know not Granny's story. Your grandfather do that. My grandfather was a great man. He would never do that. Your grandfather great man. But no care too much for what others feeling. No care so much for what women feeling. You steal from me just like him. I care. Of course I care. I'm not like that. I steal from you. Then prove it. You're going to trust Granny. Or what? You steal from all lady? No. Now I talk. Why haven't they said anything yet? They're you junks. But I buy those things. They listen to me. They wait for me to say okay. You want to tell my story. Tell the story. And these action figures are going to help you? They're going to help me. They're going to help you. No. That's what I want. And my drops. Come on. What else are we going to do? All right. The action figures all put on a piece of clothing. Becoming a character in this play. December 11, 1929. 1929. I was born in Ithaca. It taught you to go. Look at my mother holding me. Fuck you. Yes you were. So did. Yes you did. Yes you will. Yes you will. Granny, did you make yourself Supergirl? Of course. Why? Well, it's just the Supergirl. Fuck you. Stop. I look like that. I look like that. Shaking arms did explode right then and there. I don't know that I'd be mad. What has made things a lot easier? See, in 1929, I was nothing. But 1929, these guys were 20. We enter Club Itapi. Captain America and Thor. Hey there. I've got a secret identity. One of my real name is Dionysius. Dionysius Alexanderotus. I'll star-spangled your banner. Hey, I'm Thor. You want to know my secret identity? Well, you have to have sex with me first. You tried that shit last week. Hey, this isn't your scene. So, what was it you wanted to tell me? Oh, yeah, dude. Okay, so, like, I got a plan. Oh, no. No, for real this time, bro, just listen. What do you want? Thor's sandwich. Exactly. Great goal. Now, here's how we accomplish that. Tomorrow, we leave for America. No. Why not? We're merchant marines. It's what we do. We sail places and tell women we're marine marines, and we never get shot at. It's just, we'll get rich. Like, so rich. Rich like you have no idea. That's not true. Of course it's true, man. I researched this. How? My cousin has a friend who had a sister who married a guy who went to America and opened a coffee shop, and he said, it's the shit. Look, dude, we got all of a sudden, I've been wearing it on my forehead my entire life. I thought the A stood for something else. What are you afraid of, the travel? We go and come back. It's nothing like merchant marines do. It's not that. What then? It's my mother. What about her? You hate your mother? Yeah, but what if distance makes the heart grow fonder or some shit? Thor, you won't be thinking about your mother when you're knee-deep and pussy, unless you're into that. Oh, fuck you. Look, real talk for a second. You know me. My mom died. You know how I joined up to support my three sisters. A man of the house, bro. But you know what? Here? I don't feel like a man. Why? Because look at the shit that happens here. Yesterday? Nothing happened. Day before? Nothing happened. Day before that? Stavro died chasing his goat down a hill and the whole island... No, men don't sit around and do nothing. Men make money. Men fuck bitches. Men go to America. Are you scared of being a man? No. We're bros, right? You think I'd let anything happen to you? Why do you even need me at all? Because look at all those people who go to America solo. What happens? They get lost. Don't you ever notice that these people that just go off and you never see them again? And they're just... something. But the two of us, the two bros have been going on adventures and being badass warriors since we were little. We ain't gonna get lost. We're gonna fight. We're gonna win. Win America? Yes, bro! I know we're gonna be in the soup, but stick with me, okay? I got your back. Knee deep and pussy? Knee deep! We're on a list, bro. A ship carrying sugar to New York. Ha ha! Yes! Save tonight! Tomorrow we'll be gone! Oh, I am totally gonna use this to get laid. Oh, shit, man! I love this song! Yes! I'm not like a dog that's been beat. I've been blind before the big day. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Great, no. My grandfather did not talk like that. Yeah, I did. How do you know? Well, because that's not what he's supposed to be. He's supposed to be old and loving. Like where there's original commercials. But Greek... he never had sex. Yeah, I did. He do worse than that. Oh, great. I am trusting you and my action figures to tell an honest story. So far you've scared me and this audience. Look, look. They don't want to be scared. They want to be comforted. They? Or you? You want to go back? Go back. You don't care about the graphic. Go. The story you told him is not this good. You have to adjust. Here, take some money and go buy what everyone wants. No, I don't want to leave. I want a place here. Then help Granny. That's your job. Your new job. Help Granny. And Granny, no, forget you. Granny, no, forget you here. But you have to help Granny, okay? I've always trusted you. Then let you... let me show you something. It's the next morning. Thor has agreed to go along with this plan even though he's totally not sure what'll happen. He meets up with Dionysius, dragging... What the fuck is that, bro? Suitcase, man. Got some comics, underwear, even made a salad. Yeah, we're taking exactly none of that, bro. What? Why? We are illegal... we... We are illegal immigrants, dude. We do not get the right to fucking pat. We're not illegal immigrants. We're on a list. Why are you so on edge, man? Well, so remember how I said we were on a list? Yeah? We're not on a list. We're sneaking aboard. What? Now, diss that ball and chain, bro. I gotta tell you, bro. For someone who's trusting you, you're making me feel like a fucking chump. No, no, no, it's okay. Look, look. Look at all the boats. All right? They all go to America. We just have to get on one. Well, how do we do that? Watch. Which one of you bitches wants to be in my boat? No, dude, not cool. They're not gonna go for that shit. Look, uh... Two over. Or something. Yay. Thor? I mean... Cross choppy water. And more choppy water. The ship rocks from side to side. Up and down. No food. We slowed down. We're probably just outside of port in America. Yeah, dude. It's been like two months. I think we're here. Now what? Now, we begin phase two. Phase two? What's phase two? Oh, I didn't tell you about phase two. No. Two fucking months on this bucket, and you never mentioned phase two. Oh, well, it's simple. We go to the back of the boat, and we jump off before the propellers grind us into hero meat. Oh. That sounds like a great... What the fucking shit? Bro! Seriously, do not put sound on me. Remember what I said? I got you. You do not got me. Someone who got me would not have me jumping off a ship. We are so close, dude. So close. And once we swim ashore, we get in touch with Pano, you know, my cousin's friend's sister's husband with the coffee shop. And we good. Come on, we don't have much time. Are we men now? Fuck being men. Let's be superheroes. Good. Cousin's friend's sister's husband. Pano. Day after day. Excuse me, we're acting like children. You're acting like children. All right, is this going to be the whole play? Is this what you're trying to show me? Let me show you what you... 1940, World War II? Blackout. Happening, it helps them shine their lights on that area there, played by Captain America. He huddles in a corner. The sound of my head hitting a beam in my mom's attic in 1940. Who's it there? It's me. Me? Like a German soldier waiting to kill me? No. Me, like Olga, cocky you, the girl who hid you up here. Ah. I brought you some food. I'm too nervous to eat. Come on. Eating will take you away from this place. Maybe later. Supergirl puts the plate next to him. It's keftades. This is what you Italians call meatballs? Oh, and I forgot, I have a salad downstairs. You're like vegetarian or whatever? Why are you helping me? Because... Because... Because, because, what did you ever do? You got sent here. You sat in the town square. You ate our food. You drank our drinks. You paid your bill. You were nice to me. I was? The other day, you said, hey, nice dress. Yes. Sorry. I've had a lot on my mind since hearing the report. I heard it too. The sound of a plane flying low overhead. Yeah. Is it true? Well, we were sent here to fight. You did not fight. No, could we? Fruit on the trees, goat's room in the grass, wine flowing like water. This is not some Warsaw ghetto. This is Itaki. What is there to fight? Germany seems pretty pissed about that. Yeah. Italian soldier eats a meatball. Do you like it? Tastes like home. I tell your mother it's very good. Actually, I made this. You made these? I like to experiment. It's like food is an airplane that flies around the world of your mouth and it can take you anywhere. I suppose that is true. Yeah. When you do that, it feels like waves on my skull. Peaceful? Yeah. Italian soldier cleans her ears, old world style with his finger. You have heard the many things. Yeah. My mother used to clean my ears like this because I was very afraid of thunder. Whenever there was a storm, she would say, come, let me clean the thunder out of your ears. And it was gone. You're like a leaven, right? Yeah. Yeah. I mean, it's almost 1940, but... No. I should have... I mean, this sort of thing. I should have soldiers in this house. You actually didn't say either way. Of course. I'm upset. But if I could just add, I'm not the Greek. The house is all I have and it's not going to be taken from me just because my idiot daughter committed high treason in it. Get out! If I may, a ma'am, present some small token of appreciation for your hospitality. You want to do something for me? Yes. Be not the enemy. Can you fix the bathroom? I can fix the bathroom, but not the stand. You fix the bathroom. You fix the bathroom. You fix the bathroom. You can stay the night. Leave the meatballs. Italian soldier leaves the meatballs. He becomes Captain America again. What the fuck were you thinking? What? No one comes inside the house, especially not the Italians. Okay. God. Think of the worst thing I could do to punish you. Widow takes the remainder of the meatballs. Granny, I never knew you had an Italian soldier in your attic. That's a... What happened to that guy? Who knows? He got lost in time, probably. I never see again. That's too bad. Why? Kind of wish that guy was my grandfather. Oh, screw you! That's all! Why you say that? Because he'd probably let me tell the happy story. You wanted that? Yeah. But who knows? He's still a soldier. He's still in the army. Maybe someone he killed. That's what stories someone else say about him. Who knows? You always want to skip straight to dessert. Either you salad is nice. Fucking asshole, that guy. You know why you don't know anything about him? It didn't become anything. He got lost. He never became a man. Come on. That's probably not true. He probably did fine. Yeah. Well, we're not doing a play called Italian Soldier Polite Refuses to Fuck Supergirl, right? Why aren't you questioning this? Huh? Why don't you just hand the reins over to this woman, huh? Maybe she's bullshitting you. My grandmother wouldn't do that. Like, just like your grandfather wouldn't do this. Granny, where's my attic? Where can you hide me? Here. Here. Madiomo. You can no touch me. Oh, you fucking pussy. Do not retreat. Do not go in there with her. You need to learn how to be a man. Your dad tried. I know he did. I taught him. But her, she never learned. She never learned her lesson. Oh, that is some bullshit! Only I get this shield! Hey, soldier, back. I want him to save me. You see, a little bit of him in your grandfather. That guy? When we first met, you gonna see, you gonna see, okay? But he no hurt you. He no hurt you. This is just like when we play in your basement when I was a kid and I never want to go home because I knew at home... What? It's the Germans then? Kind of. Come, it's time. Granny takes out the next bottle of eye drops. Jonathan does them. I can't believe you saw World War II. How awful. Oh, no. When the Germans come to Itaki, we make friends. Okay, so I apologize to like every Jewish person who went to hear that. Why you apologize? Everything different for everybody. Yeah, but I think we can agree on the horrors of World War II. Our war come later anyway. Let us see what come next. Granny, can I just... Okay, you said help. I helped. Can I just maybe do one scene my way? Please? We saw one more. You're saying there's another one. Can we just... please? Matio Mo. Do what you want to, but now you have to ask them. This should be great. Let's see what you got. Okay, so, like we were just in Greece and it's 1940. So let's go to America. Let's see what my grandfather's up to, okay? My grandfather gave up his vulgar Greek lifestyle and he and Thor, using friendship, carve out their slice of the American dream in a coffee shop, save up enough money, bring over my grandmother who I guess he had been longing for even though he really didn't get many. Just go with it, go with it. And he brings her over and together they cultivate more happiness and Thor comes over for casserole on casserole night and he plays with the happy couple's son, my dad, and with their... Greeks don't have no gay-ass casserole night. All right, yes. Hey, chick, wanna know how much I made over the last decade? Like, they don't say bro here. You're in a new country. Talk new. Grow up. I am going to speak my language, our language, because this fucking country took everything else from me. It gave us everything. What? What did it give us? A cock-sucker Albanian landlord who steals from us? Customers who call us dirty grease balls? Politicians who ignore our existence? We just have to work harder. I'm just telling the truth. Stop lying to yourself. Go toss your salad, man. We have a customer. Who? Him. What can I do for you? What do I have to do this time? You've got to play and from integration, a man who's had problems with your grandfather, okay? But I don't have problems with my grandfather. I have problems with whoever this guy is. Love you too, son. You know, talk to your grandfather, okay? You've got to pretend you talk to your junk, okay? You promised... Okay, I know, I know. Uh, what do I say? Here, your lines. I wrote them with superpowers. Great. Let's go from, um, toss your salad. Go toss your salad. Go toss your salad, man. We have a customer. Oh, who? Him. What can I get for you? Uh, Dionysius, uh, Alexandrados and Thor. You misspelled Dionysius. Just roll with it. And Alexandrados. We didn't exactly do a rehearsal. John is a knocking move. Okay, okay. Um, I need to speak to Dionysius and Thor right away. Yeah, man, I'm Thor. What's up? Uh, where's Dionysius? Dio. What? Never heard of him. Dude, what are you doing? That sounds like a Greek name, and we don't employ immigrants here. We like our workers like we like our toast. White bread. I am George Smith Jones Washington of any town USA. What can I do for you? It's a wanted poster that clearly shows the Captain America action figure. Always trying to disguise yourself. Too bad pictures don't lie. You're going, uh, back. I need to interview you first separately. Thor, you go into the kitchen. Yes. Uh, the police are in there waiting. Fuck. I always start with the ones that lie to me. I hate being lied to. Tell me about yourself. All right. Here's what I know. The truth. The truth is it's 1940. There's a war going on. You need to look good. You need to find enemy sympathizers. What if I told you Thor in there loves the crowds? Really? Oh yeah. Can't stop talking about him. Loves Hitler said the other day. Do you know who's really got it going on? Hitler. His words. Direct quote. You'd sign a report stating this. Yeah. Yes. In a heartbeat if you let me stay. Uh, the U.S. government loves its informants and rewards them heavily. Great. Asylum? I can talk to the powers that be, but first, I need... First... No. It says first I need to beat the shit out of you to make me feel like I've taught you a lesson about lying. No. Oh, come on. Do it. I'm an action figure, remember? It won't hurt. It won't hurt you. What are you, Pussy? You can't do it? Oh. You're going to cry? You're going to go back to being five years old, scared of a little punchy punch every now and... Yeah. Do it. Don't stop. Make this look good. You're just playing a part. We all are. It's for the story. It's her story. It's what Granny wants. No. Well, this family become after I died. I won't let the violence in. The violence? The violence is already here, bro. What play have you been watching? Your little after-school special? There's more fist in the air here than at a hard rock concert on the Jersey Shore. Granny opened this door. You helped. This is what she wants. This is not what she wants. Granny, I will help you, but I will not do this. Is it time for my interview? Oh, I don't think that'll be necessary. Why? Because he just sold you out, got you deported back to Greece. Bro! WTF! Hey, it's nothing personal, man. I just... I can't get lost out here. Is that... Is that why you brought me here? I think it's time you come back to Greece. There's more to your story, as we all know. You just don't fit in there. As much as I hate to say this. Come on back. Granny, what does she mean? You're gonna see. Can I get a boat? No. You have to swim. No one help him. This is his way back to Greece. He's distraught. Supergirl approaches him. You're supposed to be my granny, right? Just younger? Yeah. Did you ever have imagined this? No way, man. I thought I'd be, like, the last daughter of Ithaca. Don't say too much. He's known ice to eat before someone else gets the food. Is he ready for the main course? Uh, that's, I think so. Anyway, he's here. What are we gonna do with it? Speaking of main course, first we play a little history game. Supergirl and Black Widow take the stage. Okay, so what you just saw took us up to 1940. 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, just feed by. Immigrants generally do the same thing for long stretches of time, so you don't have to worry about missing anything in the life of Dionysius. But in 1945, something important happened in the U.S. Who knows what it was? Show of hands, anybody. Anybody know what happened in 1945? The United States, the country we're in. Yes, World War II and the World War II. Both of those will give points to both of those. That's it. We'll take it. 1946. Very important. Anyone can answer. I'm just gonna say anyone can answer this question. Anything. Anybody. Anything at all. Anybody? Nope. Not a, not a fucking thing. I'm just gonna tell you. Yeah, yeah. Do you know what? The Greek Civil War began. That's fine. Yeah. Yeah. Who can tell me anything about the Greek Civil War? The problem is that you're asking these people if they know anything about the Greek Civil War, yet they live in a country that can barely teach them about their own Civil War. Let's run through it anyway, shall we? The Greek Civil War. In 60 seconds or less. So, during World War II, the Greek government got out a dodge because, well, Nazis. And after the war ended, there was a big hole where our country's leadership used to be. That usually just works itself out though, right? Wrong. This war hero with a really long last name who would fill the hole and the Soviets were all like, awesome, new BFF. But then the other side, those who believed in a democratic government, put forward a bigger war hero with an even longer last name and the U.S. was all, we still don't really give a shit, but okay. So, pretty soon the Ruskies stopped returning their Greek commie friends' red phone calls and democracy was, for a little while, at least. That wouldn't happen until three years later, in 1949. And it would cost the lives of 158,000 people and the homes of about a million more. And they asked me why I drink. People saw us, people go door to door and they shoot you if you're not communist. They shoot you for that. The Italian soldier said it was such a beautiful place. How can this happen there? What? You think war, look around and say, oh, this is nice place. Maybe not shoot too much. Tell it to knock you move. War is never do that. War have no reason. It's happened for no reason. It's happened in countries. It's happened in houses. It's happened in the theaters. Well, fuck that. Everybody comes up in America's business. I'll fuck their shit up. I love war. War is awesome. War is awesome when you win. And I win. Not like that little bitch Thor. So, I may be back in Greece, but I can still hear all that smack you're talking about me asshole. Matter of fact, I hear it every day. In my head. Over and over again. So much so that I... Jonathan, get your ass over here. Is this part of the... Come on, I'm not going to touch your balls. Knock you move. This is no big punch. All I need you to do is just stand there and say yes when I punch you in the arm like this. Ow. Okay? Not so hard. Okay? Yes. There we go. I, Thor, do solemnly swear in this year of our lord, in 1946, to pledge my allegiance to the Communist Party. Because fuck America. Fuck democracy. And most of all, fuck Dionysius. Do you, as Bro and Chief of the Communist Party, Ithaca chapter, take my sacrifice of mine, body, and labor for the cause? Yes. Great. Can I have a gun? Uh, yes. Where, where is it? Come from expression. Thor takes the gun. Thanks. Now, a couple more questions. Is your name Jonathan? Yes. Do you wear shoes? All right, this is kidding. Oh, yes, God. Aren't you a little bitch? Jesus, come on. Go to Itaki and leave him alone. That's where it starts, Granny. You let him play a part before you know he's living the role. You're one to talk. Oh, we'll see. All right. You actually shouldn't complain. The 36 was a pretty good year for you. War was over in America. And what else? I got my asylum. I'm legal, baby. The agent finally came through for me. Thanks for playing that guy, Jonathan. I guess America always eventually loves its poor little immigrant, fleeing communism. Unless you're Cuban, then you're fucked. Hey, don't act like I let you in here, okay? You invaded. You forced your way in. You made the deal. Uh, the agent made the deal? Yeah, whatever you say. Without that deal, there is no you. You're a fucking sheep farmer in Ithaca. The agent, you. What's the difference? You both took me in, eventually. Every party's my party, bitch. You're here because Granny wanted you here. I do not accept you in any way. There is no way I came from you. Granny, can we just do your drops? Can we just do the rest of your drops so we can go? No. Take you away, little manja. No, Granny, I can't eat. Why? You don't feel like it? No, it's just that I don't... Come on. You eat nothing today. Granny, I've had enough. It's because I'm full. Come on. No. It's nice. Jonathan shoves a piece of food in his bag. That's a drop. Oh, you feel better? Ponder. We do one bottle of drops, okay? Which one? The other color. Purple? A net. Put the purple. Jonathan does the drops. I get so scared to put my eyes myself. Why? I don't know. It's just a feeling. Well, there's nothing to be scared of. It's medicine. I know that. I scare of what kill me. I'm crazy for that. No, not for that. We wait a little more than we do the last one. Okay. We go now. The action figures are back to action. Black widow. We've got some real meat. What have we been eating? Remember that dog you always liked? Yeah. Well, now you'll always be together. That's not true. Two years of war, Chickadee. It's 1948 now. Everything's true. Cost of bread and saying. Cost of preparing this house. Ridiculous. Cost of view. Well, me. A girl is supposed to be a 16-year prison sentence. Max. I'm 19. Exactly my point. The meat is a gift from Father Stephanopoulos. Why did Father Stephanopoulos send us a gift? I don't know. Plation! What are you saying? The war is hell. But war really just reminds mommies that they still need their me time. So, to fix that, Father Stephanopoulos and I have been sending letters. About you. To men. To men. What men? Pretty much all of them. What did you say? Well, so my writing isn't great, and Father Stephanopoulos is blind, so they pretty much said... Green pussy! Plus dowry. Ithaca grease. House with the blue door. Come and get her. She is a very nice... Get rich. Last part must be a typo. Whatever. Plus dowry. Dude! Rich at last. This will get my sisters off my back for cash. Hopefully a little extra for myself. Aw, fuck it. Who am I kidding? Hopefully a lot extra. I get money. I get laid. I get a wedding ring, which will undoubtedly attract more chicks. It's the American dream, baby. I just gotta get back to Greece to get it. It's a win-win. Except for her. Oh, I'm sorry. Did you want to have a say in this? To talk to you about our lord and savior. The Communist Party. Oh, Jesus Christ. We already bought some... It doesn't make any sense. What the hell is wrong with you? Aren't you a patriot? Don't you care about your country's heroes? I don't get involved in politics. This isn't politics. This is Greece. This is humanity. Now, you have two choices. Either join us, hand over your land, and possibly your daughter, and support the equal distribution of wealth, or die. Whichever. Leave my family alone. What family? I see no family. Where is the man of the house? I see two women. Two women are not a family. Two women are just a couple of sad hoes. Oh, no, you did not. Black Widow attacks Thor. Oh, my goodness! I'll take you to the audience. Black Widow beats Thor with an inch of his life. If I were a man, I'd kill you. But I'm not a man. I'm a woman. And I want you to live the rest of your days telling every man you meet that you got your ass kicked by the Black Widow. Thor stands up. He sits somewhere, depressed. Granny gets out from under the table and pulls Supergirl out, too. He's no hurt as no more. Greek women don't fight. Granny, do that again. Do what your mother did. Captain America is your Thor now. No talk about your grandfather this way. I'm not. I'm saying Captain America over there. He's spreading lies about you. About our family. He's lying. He's lied before and he'll lie again. He's evil. He'll do anything just to mess up this family. And why? My goodness, but your grandfather... He's not my grandfather. Not your mood. He told you... I told your junks every mistake. Evil. They know evil like that bag. No evil. It's scary what we put in. Are you telling me that this... This is an honest portrayal of my grandfather. No. Not yet. You have... You know, have a whole picture. So, no. You see only one part. Well, the pretty terrible part. The part that my... My dad never mentioned. But you see, no. Why you come to my house? Why you hide in my basement? Why I hide you like I hide her just now? Because you know, you see like I see. No, I didn't. Lookie. It's no all bad. Well, I want it to be like I said it was. Like my dad said it was. How you said? Yeah. How did you say? You're just going to tell me I'm wrong again. No. I get it now. I get it. Like, when I cook, the food takes me away. And it makes me think, hmm, I'm the emperor of ancient China. Eating the food of royalty. And not, hmm, I might be eating coconut. The stray dalmatian I haven't seen in a week. Because the war is starving my island. This is like, this is like your food. Tell me your food. Well, up until now, I would do scenes. Stuff like generic beach, generic sunrise, generic boat ride, happiness. But I had a wedding. I had a specific wedding in my play. It went, oh Dionysius, I've been admiring you from a respectable distance. Oh Granny, I've been admiring you too from a respectable distance. Would you like to sit and drink non-alcoholic coffee with me? Of course I would drink non-alcoholic coffee with you. And then stage hands move on a wedding arch while they're drinking their coffee. And we just kind of get that it's after the wedding. And then they kiss, except since it's a solo play, the kiss would also be implied. That sounds like a really shitty play. Mom, no, I wish it were that simple too. Well, it's not. Cut to a year later, 1949. I was finally about to put the door back up when... Hey there citizens, it's marrying season. I got a letter about a year ago. I'm here for the bride and dowry and possibly a socket wrench. What took you so long? Oh well, you know, work was insane. I had to get here from America. You live in America. Oh yeah, yeah, you know, I'm an American. But Greek, Greek too. But I love America and I like those fucking commies. If I were still in the Marines, I'd kick their asses myself. You were in the Marines? Oh well, yes, yes, I was in the Marines. I was in the Marines. Semper Fi, that's Latin for kick some commie ass. I love soldiers. We know, Chickadee, cool your jets. America, huh? Yeah, anyone interested? The house, but like a few islands over. Yeah, America? Mom, think about it. You want me out of the house? Why? Because this country is a shithole and I like to drink alone. Is America a shithole? There is a right answer. Well I don't know, I never even thought about America. It is not a shithole, that was the answer we were looking for. I mean, you're supposed to take care of me in my old age. How can you do that from America? You really want me taking care of you. And look, I mean there's no one else calling. All the Greek men are either dead or in the process of deading someone else. I mean, what could I offer an American anyway? I'm sure we can cut a deal. I'll settle for 90% of your current wealth, which I'm assuming is massive. You're welcome to everything my husband left me when he skipped out on us. Mom, all dad left was a goat and a bullet to shoot the goat. Jesus Christ, internalize! Wait, wait a minute. I'm so sorry, forgive the wacky question, but are you poor? No, no, no, no, we are not. What do you need? What do I need? I need a lot. What do you need? I mean, look, I can't be a man if I don't provide for my family. I got three sisters there. House was destroyed in the war. They've been living with the oldest one's husband, but he's getting kind of fed up. So, I need a house. Then take it. Capillonia, my dad's home island, I don't know. I'll disappear. I'm sorry to hear that. You're welcome to stick it out here another year, but then I'm going to move my sisters in. Will you take care of her? Will she be a good wife to me? Yes. Then what do we have to worry about? Wait, can you at least just ask her if this is what she wants? I mean, there's lots of soldiers, Granny. It's not the time. You have to trust the parents. You have to honor them. That's the love they say. If you know do that, you know Greek girl. You disappear, they forget you. But your mom's going to disappear. She has to choose, herself or me. She choose herself to disappear. That she have to do. If my father there, he choose himself, then my mother have to be mother and father, so she choose. These are the roles we play and we play them well. Wife, mother. Man. Great. So, take her. We'll do the wedding tonight. You can have anything else you find in this house. There's some jewelry in my bedroom. Father Stephanopoulos sent a steak. I'll cook it for you. Pretty sure we can knock the sweating out this afternoon. Mom, I'll cook the steak. Oh, no, no, Chickadee. There's no escaping this one. Yes, there is. Tell my version. But it's not true. What is true? Anyway. Exactly. Question her. No, I'm not questioning Granny. I'm questioning you. Granny's been the only person in my life who has made the truth safe. She's never heard me for telling the truth. Never judged me for it. And she's always been honest with me. We have a good track record, right? We can do the best we can. And if that doesn't work, we can just lie a little. Why can't we just lie? Yes. Yes. Okay. We make safe the truth because the truth is not safe by itself. The truth is not always nice. Sometimes the truth is dessert. Sometimes the truth is broccoli. Sometimes the truth is bloody steak. But you have to eat all the food. Nah. You lie. You lie. It's survival. Not like you. My lies don't hurt people. Except yourself. What does that mean? You know. You don't speak one word of Greek. Not like your cousin. She talked beautiful. Why don't you keep reminding me of that? He's right. No one word. All right. So that's it. I can't be honest if I don't speak Greek. People is on. Let's move. Oh, great. Even the action figure speaks Greek now. Thanks, Dad. Thanks for the lesson. Got it. Should have paid more attention in Greek school. I don't like talking action figures saying, and I know all about my roots and shit, and I tell it like it is instead of trying to erase some really fucked up pain. But you know what? I liked watching Home Improvement instead of going to Greek school. Sue me. I can't understand you. You can't understand me. What on earth made me think I could do a play about this? Where's your father? He's coming next week on Friends and Family Night. I told you. He not tell me that. Well, I guess he forgot. I think so. Now you'll know be honest. And if you know be honest with me, I know feel good to be honest with you. Have we shown the wedding? Uh, no. No yet. That wedding? That wedding, the one beautiful thing I'd love to do myself forever. You know work to see that. No yet. Uh, maybe he gonna. I do hope so sometime soon. Granny, I want to see what that was. If it's nice, if it's beautiful, I want to see it. No, no, you know ready. We gonna see right after they went. Has been go out from the house drunk. I think so happy until he fight. Captain America scumbles around laughing happy and then he stumbles over derelict. They watch it bro. Bro? I know that bro voice bro. Well, look who it is. Captain America. Thor, buddy, how you been? After you sold me out and got me deported? Well, not fucking great. Dude, look at these clothes. Look at this, what are you wearing? That is some communist shit, man. Please, which side was I supposed to fight for? The side America was on? No fucking way. You're a fucking traitor bro. Don't get all high and mighty on me, Saint America. Bro, I'm totally Saint America. Guess what? I got married. What? I know right. Crazy. We're gonna go to America and start a family and be all rich and happy and shit. That's great. Bro, could you be a little more happy for me? Tell me about her. She's great. She's got like these tits in her ass and her mom's kind of a milk too. She's like always got, where's this really hot shirt? She's got like an ass on it or whatever. An ass? Where are they from? The island bro. Mom's kind of a milk? Yeah. No dad? No, bro skipped out on them. You believe that? Shit's not manly. Yeah, tell me. This house. Blue door, kind of shitty. Yo, how'd you know you hid that? No. What do you mean? That hit me. What do you mean? Like Dalinatrix type shit? Not exactly. A year ago I was banging down doors for the communists. I banged down that one. The girl hid but the mom. That bitch fought me. No. She fought me. It was epic. No, it was not epic. It was. Bro, I thought we were supposed to have an epic battle. Now I want an epic battle. Who can have an epic battle? I'm sure you'll find someone else. So what happened? I was gonna kill her. I was gonna rape her and kill her just like I heard in the army. Stories. Real men getting hard for that shit. But I couldn't. I didn't feel it. And then she kicked the shit out of me. You got beat up by the black widow, bro? That's fucked up, dude. I don't even want an epic battle, you know, because you lost to my fucking mother-in-law. So for the last year I've been sitting here evaporating, slowly, disappearing. And someday I think soon I'll disappear for good. Yeah, bro, I can barely even see you. See my gun? Take it. Captain America takes it. He picks it up, plays with it. He likes it. Nice. Reminds me of my cock. You can have it. If you do me one favor. One favor. So at least I'll know what kind of man you are. Yeah, bro, whatever. Put it in my mouth. What? Put it in my mouth. The barrel. Put it in my mouth. You're talking crazy. Do it. What's up, man? Why? Don't ask questions. What, are you afraid of a little blood or are you not man enough to take out a pussy like me? Come on. A girl kicked my ass. Now you're saying you can't. Captain America puts the gun in his mouth. Fuck that shit. Pull the trigger. Captain America does. He takes the gun out of Thor's mouth. WGF, bro. It's not even loaded. It was never loaded. They never once gave me bullets. Then why'd you make me do that? Because now I know. I know you haven't changed. I know you're exactly the man you used to be. You're still the type who would pull the trigger on a defenseless half-man like myself. And that's good. Because now you're married. To a woman you thought was all sweet and virginal and obedient. But now you know where she comes from. You know something about that cunt mother of hers. And you know that somewhere inside of her is the urge to rebel. And you'll always know that you'll have to keep her in line. Or else she might just kick your ass. Then you become me. An evaporating man, lying in the street, waiting for death. So you better keep that bitch-wife in line, bro. Because her stock is not to be fucked with. I'm stronger than you. Does she know that? Because if she doesn't, she might try something. And you can't have that. Where's your man card then? I hope you were happy. During your wedding, during your party. Because Club Itaki is done, bro. That's the last time you'll feel that happiness. Soon, I'll disappear. But when I do, you were going to carry my curse. When I'm gone, when I'm gone, you will carry my curse. And just when you feel safe and secure, I'll always be that voice in the back of your head telling you to be a man. Telling you to be a teacher. Telling you to teach that bitch her lesson. Go fuck yourself. Thor disappears. Captain America stumbles off to America. Before reaching America, Jonathan stops him and says... Can we just lie a little? No, that was your line, asshole. No. I'm beginning to regret it. Whatever. Rene, how do you know that happened? Because I'm Greek woman. I always know. I see that face my whole life. That face erased the Italian soldier. That face take over my husband's life. I know. I didn't know it then. But I did know that Dionysius promised to bring me to America two weeks after the wedding. It is now nine months after the wedding and I'm pregnant. Spoiler alert, we totally had sex. Deal with it. I better make it to America before this baby happens. No shit. Traveling with a baby alone, you couldn't pay me enough to do that. What time do you leave tomorrow? 6 a.m. Boat or plane? Boat. Christ, the guy cashes in my jewelry and can't even get you on a plane. Supergirl lies down uncomfortably. Who knows? Here. Here. Black Widow gives Supergirl pillow for support. Black Widow looks at Supergirl for a moment. You look just like I did. Seen one pregnant check? Seen them all? That sounds like something I'd say. Don't sound like me, chickadee. Why? Well, you can do better. Sounds strangely like a compliment. I'm never going to see you again, am I? I don't know. Yes. Make it to America? Yes, absolutely. How can you be so sure? Look at what you've already done. What's that? You lived through two wars. You cooked food for everyone you ever met. You survived being raised by me. You're a fighter. I learned from the best. I lost my rhythm. Couple of lucky shots, that's all I got. Why do Greek women never fight? Why do Greek women never fight? You told me that once. Greek women never fight. Let me tell you a personal story. Okay. You deserve to be bored by at least one. When I was a kid, I don't know. Let's say nine. I was a dancer. I loved to dance. I'd skip school and just dance in places I thought were ugly. Places I thought were beautiful. Places that were just places. One day, I was dancing around this big fountain at the center of Kefalonia. I was supposed to be in school. And my father, who was on his way to the post office, saw me. I was mid-sate when I felt my wrist nearly break. And it grew another hand. And that hand was attached to my father, who dragged me home, turned on the stove, and held the hand that was attached to me over the fire long enough for me to smell my fingerprints. Next day, I went to school. I was sad. I didn't say a word. Why? Because in front of me said a girl who was raped. Behind me was a girl with a black eye. And absent was a girl who no one had seen for days. I was hurt. And I couldn't even talk about my pain, because what was my pain when everyone else had been hurt worse? Why do Greek women not fight? Because some tried. And some lost. And some lost bad. And if they couldn't do it, who are we to think we could? When I was born, did I cause you pain? Yes, I wish there was some way for me to tell you it was the best pain of my life, but it wasn't. I didn't want a girl and I didn't want you. So why keep me? Because providing for you gave me something to think about besides my own pain and loss. It's not your fault. What? It's not your fault. I wish our culture let you have more. Let us have more. But you were abused. Of course I was abused. And you were abused. We were all abused, Chickadee. But they don't abuse, do abuse. They abuse to teach. That's how they teach us and how they were taught. I learned my lesson. And what was the lesson? That you just... Do you think maybe there never was a lesson, but we have to believe there was because if there wasn't, then shit, we were just abused. Look, lesson, no lesson. What exactly do you suggest we do now? I love you. You know, that's the first time I've heard those words. How do you feel? Well, your moussaka was very good. Last night. Thanks. You're up early. Get some sleep. Supergirl starts to immigrate to America. Baby steps, Supergirl. Oh, Jesus. You see, yes, I want more scenes like this. This is what I mean. Oh, yeah, that's love right there. Getting touched on the arm by your mother. Oh, I'm gushing. Come on, bring her to papa. Oh, no, wait, that came out weird. Bring my bitch to America. Here, there we go. We must deliver you to this guy? No, it's not. You just had this beautiful loving moment, and maybe there could have been more beautiful loving moments, but now I have to rip you away from that and pull you across an ocean to be with this douche? I was always going to be here. It's all already. I'll teach you little Greek. Come here. You don't want to take her, okay? Come a little bit and learn. In Greek, we have word filotimo. It's no word in English. It means love but no love. Love that's come from many things. Respect parents. Do good. Get gifts. Give good. Good for family. It's like love that God wanted. The highest love. That sounds nice. That's what it means. So everyone tries to act this way, and no one knows this way is supposed to be. So a lot of people try. And fail. That's depressing. That's life. Some people, they know. Some people, they know, know. My mother, know, know. Your grandfather, know, know. Your father. No, no. That's, I think so. You know this way. Lisman, know. No. Your mommy and daddy should teach you that. Lisman, know. It's mean to forget, but not forget like normal. It's when you forget someone you love, and to be afraid to forget that, we say, when we write in letters in Greek, we say, no, forget me. And we use this word because people forget. There's no like forget to watch TV. It's worse than that. Lisman, know. That's we say, that's we understand. Well, that's what we do. If you, if you want to remember, you should write it down. That's it. But I know write so good. Who's gonna write? Oh, God. Then you know what you have to write. Yeah. Uh, Filippo, it's like there was so much to say, so we made up a word, but no one knows how, no one knows what that word means, and now we have to figure it out together. I trust you. You know, I never really had a moment like Supergirl where I could say I love you except to you. That's, I think, so a place we stuck. But if you don't take me to America, you know bring me there. We know say nothing later on. We never say I love you because I don't know you and you don't know me. That's, I think so. If I could go back in time and tell my granny anything, when she was a child, it's that I love her. So I know you don't know what lies ahead, not really, but I want you to know I love you. I love you too, Matilda. Oh man, that's some Martin McFly shit right there. She picks up a bundle that looks like a bundle, baby. When I first come to this country, I know like my husband works all day, taking care of the baby, Spiro we named him, Dionysius's dad's name. That's the Greek tradition. I don't know anything about Dionysius's dad. I remember less and less of Greece every day. I try to sing Spiro the one song I remember from my mother. It just reminds me of stuff I don't... Bread. Shit. Dionysius loves bread. I have to go to the... What is it? The supermarket? We're in the supermarket. Black Widow gives four loaves of bread to four different audience members. They hold them. One is Wonder Bread. It doesn't matter what the other three are. Four enters dressed as a supermarket employee. Can I help you with something? What? Can I help you with something? What? Can I help you with something? I can't understand what you're saying. What's your name? I can't, uh... Wait, name? Name? Alexa what? Alexandrados. What kind of name is that? Huh? I said what kind of a name is that? You don't sound like you're used to it yet. Just married. You'll never be a good wife if you hang out at the supermarket all day. I'm a good wife. I can be a good wife. I'm learning how to write my new name. Oh, you can understand me now. What are you talking about? Your man's gonna be home in what? An hour? Imagine if he doesn't have dinner waiting. Hmm. Greek men don't like that. I need bread. Take your pick. How much is it? Depends on the brand. That one's 75 cents. I'll give you 50. This isn't grease chickadee. They don't bargain here. You pay what it costs. But which one do I choose? That one's enriched wheat. That one's whole wheat. That one's classic white. That one's classic enriched white wheat. Choose. But I just... I just want some fucking bread, Donald. That's America for you. You have to make a choice. No one's gonna make it for you, especially not me. Supergirl weighs the different breads trying to decide getting more and more frantic with each one. Breaking down in a fucking supermarket. You're embarrassing yourself. You came all this way just to cry over bread. And you know you'll always be haunted. Haunted by the lost people of home. It's your curse. Even when you're not watched, you're watched. I'm watching you. We're all watching you. Everyone that never landed. That never got remembered. That tried and failed. We're watching to see if you'll be like us. Your husband. Your new name. See, there's a man. There's a man who goes to work every day and provides. You know what he'll do? You know what will happen if you can't do your job? You know what Greek men who don't want to be forgotten, who will do anything to be remembered, will do? Wait, no. I got this. Granny, you always have this one, right? Here you go. Wonder bread. You like that one. It's always in the house. Yeah, well, they're all kind of the same. Well, I remember we used to go together to the supermarket. Jonathan, I don't really know where I've wound up. Okay, I'm kind of all over the place here. Well, um... Boronovico? Just keep talking, okay? You're doing great. Just keep remembering and say what you remember just like you remember it. And don't worry about anything, okay? It scares me. I know it does. It scares everyone. Okay. I remember that Granny used to watch a lot of I Love Lucy. Yes, I love Lucy with the baby. Enter Thor and Black Widow, who take on the roles as Ricky and Lucy from I Love Lucy. They act as the couple wood on the famous TV show. Ricky, where are you going? I'm going to rehearsal, Lani. Again? You've had rehearsal every day for a week. I know, but I can't help it. What? Discouraging. Discouraging. Come on. Why are you stupid? Discouraging! Shut the fuck up, honey. I'm trying to get this immigrant retard to learn a goddamn word of English. Hey, you know, screw you asshole. I kicked your ass once I could do it again. Chickadee, it's okay. You know plenty of other words. You'll be fine. Um, you did learn plenty of other words, right? No. Oh, fuck me. See? That's what I'm saying. She learns nothing. Can't you people leave me alone? How are you even here anyway? Oh. We follow you. The old world. We never leave. We never die. We taunt. We live in your brain. We warp and change. And become everything you don't need. Everywhere. All the time. You're not real. I don't think you'll ever learn English. I hate to say it, but I think he's got a point. Another lost body in another strange country. It's cool. You can join me floating around out here. And you can join those girls I went to school with who just disappeared. Wow. This conversation is a bit discouraging. I mean, isn't it? I'll make it. He'll make it. I left Ithaca. We have to make it. The ones who leave are never written about. Not in their old hometowns anyway. Greeks. We hold a grudge. No, no, no. This isn't what I meant when I said about I love Lucy. Well, you leave her alone and go back to being a TV show. Hasn't it been hard enough for her? Do the commercial? Oh, nothing doing. Why not? Little Connie. This is a big deal for me. And I need someone with a lot of experience. Well, I had to stop the TV. You gotta make the dinner now. He's gonna be home soon. All I bought was bread. Captain America comes home. Where's dinner? Leftovers. I saved leftovers. What? I made too much last night, so I saved it. So you mean I get to come home after a long day serving fucking assholes coffee only to come home to last night's dinner? I'm sorry. Not good enough. What the fuck have you been doing all day? I was looking after Spiro. It's hot. The TV's hot when it's been on. And I watched a little TV. It's hot. What the hell have you been doing all goddamn day? I watched some TV. I thought I'd learn English. Thor enters and watches. Huh. Why? You gonna be a lawyer? No. You're not a fucking superhero, okay? You have one job and that's to be my wife. Got it? What? I'll show you what more there is. Do it. No, no. Stop it. Granny, do something. It's happened like that. And it won't happen again. You're not even supposed to be here. You're not even legal. What did you say? Captain America runs after him, ready to assault. Don't move. Don't move. Grab Captain America's shield to defend himself. Captain America batters the shield. Jonathan's close to getting hurt himself. Granny pulls Jonathan into the safe space. Captain America's fists freeze just outside the space, just about to hit Jonathan, but not. All other action besides Granny and Jonathan freezes. Kill him. Kill him. Why? Why do I always open the door? Why do I have to let the bad guy in? Granny, do something. Shh. They can stop. He's your junk. But they listen to you. They listen to you. Not him. Let me know. You forget yourself. You want to remember? Write down. You say that. Put down this. Granny points to Captain America's shield. These two, no word for you. Look. Okay. Let me know. Look this book. Granny takes out an old book from her bag. I take everywhere this book. Every family in Itaki has a small book to put names of family. So here we start way back and here end. Is that your name in Greek? No. That's my mother's name. That's the only place I have my mother's name. I know there. Why? Because you leave. Because I leave. When you leave, they know right now. Because you're disappearing. Granny, you leave my know. That's right. We should have our own book. And who's right? Who's put their name there? My name. Listen to me. I made it up. My entire solo play. I made it up. I never asked my dad anything. I never asked Granny. I never even Googled. I made it all up. I made it all up because I didn't want you in your story. I didn't want you to have a place here. Here you are. Vists in the air. But you know what? That's okay. Because you fit here. You've always fit here. But so do I. It's not like Thor. It's not like Black Widow. You're in me. So if you hit me right now, you're hitting yourself. And you're hitting my father. And you're hitting Granny. And you're hitting my mother. And you're hitting everyone else in your future. And in your past. Because they're all in me. Me. You don't even know who I am, do you? What's my name? What's my name? It's Dionysius. Jonathan. Spiro. Alexandrados. According to Greek tradition, my first name is also your name. So do it. Hit me. Hit yourself if that's what you want. I'm staring you in the goddamn eye and telling you to hit me. I won't do anything. But I'll know what kind of man you are. Is he ready for dessert? Yes! The first few bars of Bon Jovi's bad medicine starts playing. It's happily its their wedding night. Okay. So like, in the back of my mind, whenever I get to talk about our wedding, I always picture doing this dance number to Bon Jovi's bad medicine here. But I don't think we have the rights for that, so I'm just going to use this time to level with you. Now, it might have been the ridiculous amount of Uzo I trunk, but I need you to know this. It's the end of a decade of war. And here I have watching this person, this girl, dance and climb all over this club, and it's like, she's my wife, bro. That's my wife. And see, as a Greek guy, the term doesn't really mean anything, but like, it also kind of does. See, you shut up and everything. When you're young, and a man, and in Greece, you shut up every fucking thing. Because if you let it in, it destroys you. It like, strangles your heart, so you take all your feelings and you put them on like a boat, and you send that boat off into the ocean, and you're like, never see it again, so you know that you can provide. I ain't got time for that boat, man. I've got to make money and provide. Fuck that boat. You know what happens when you do that. You struggle, bro. You struggle like fuck, and that wears you down, and then someone, some like girl, comes into your life, not through romance, fuck that shit, but like, through something random, and what's she driving? She's driving that fucking boat. That fucking boat that you sent on the ocean when you were young, and she's like, here you go, here's all your fucking emotions on one fucking boat. So of course you're like, bitch, get away from me. Bitch, get in the kitchen. Bitch, take care of my kids, because you swore, if you ever saw that boat again, you could never be called a man. Look at it. Look at that fucking boat swimming circles around me, bro, swimming absolute fucking circles. You know, in this moment, I see that boat, and I see her driving it, and I'm like, a piece of me made it. A piece of me made it all this time. A piece of me made it because she's fucking driving it. How'd she do that? One more time! How'd she do that? I don't know if I'll ever see the boat again like I see it right now, but I'm gonna miss the shit out of it. I wouldn't even know what to do with it. With her. I barely even know her. But what I do know is, America better fucking watch out. It has no idea what's headed its way. It wasn't important. This is. Okay, this is like a survival thing. Right? Like, I get to be the last audible, and I'm DC, but do you think we could work something out? You remember? I do now. It was something I couldn't say until 1975. When you died, it slowly slows to become the boop boop boop boop boop boop of a heartbeat. It fades, but it's still audible. Captain America puts on a hospital gown. And the granny goes to help. I got this. Come on. I got this. Come on. Every party is my party. But I have the cancer. Nothing a cigarette can't cure, babe. You're gonna die. I see you die. Over and over. Try for that, you know. Why? Try. And you give me my family. Do you know the shit out of me? This is the love I know. Well, do you ever think about what will happen after we die? To heaven. It's happened now for you. Maybe next year, I see you again. No, but do you ever think about the stuff we won't get to see? Like, what will people do? Will they make a hat that also serves you beer? I see you so they have that. I see on TV. No, but you know? I don't think about that because I do all I want to do here. So now I just enjoy it. You did? Of course. You suffer a lot, Danny. Someone else has always suffered more. No. But it's important. You got to be honest about yourself. You got to say the truth. But how? How can you? How can you watch all this shit break and not break yourself? Because I have break. I do that in this exact moment. I do it like you're going to die now. And the only way I don't do more is I speak every day the story and it's okay. That's okay. That's okay. I'm proud of you. Denise is dying. You had two moments. In almost 25 years you had two moments against all that abuse. And you tell that story. Now you're going to do better. Your grandfather and your father. Okay. Right from here. There's so much granny I see in you. And so much I see you I see in granny. So even with your father with your grandfather almost I save you because I dare. I dare in you. And your grandfather in you. And in you it's okay. So I save you. And I'll save you. Captain America. Steve Rogers. An immigrant through time. And I'll save you. Supergirl. Kara Zor-Elf. An immigrant from Krypton. And I'll save you. Thor Odin's son. An immigrant from Asgard. Natasha Romanov. An immigrant from Russia. And look what's stamped on the bottom of our boots. Made in China. And I'll save you. Jonathan Aleksandratos. An immigrant through abuse. My whole life I felt like we couldn't talk. We couldn't talk the same story but please let me try. The more language. Yeah yeah. All my life I've been full of smiths about looking in the mirror because I saw I see Thanos. I see the...the Telos. The end. I remember when I was 12 we put on capes made of phylas and became eroas. We looked like Superman and I thought that was it. that we were ischeros and so when my dad when he'd be like when he'd act like when he'd steepo me I thought I'm the last son of Krypton and and I'll die alone because I'd never wish that on anyone else but really I want I have any I want a happy melancholios because I have that maybe maybe if I if I have that I can have more than my dreams maybe but then I'm so I'm so scared I'll steeple my children like my dad did to me and my grandfather did to you I'm so scared that I that I wrote a theatrical about a perfect zoe where everyone was happy all the time because I'm not a writer I I'm not a a singrafias I'm a people pleaser but I can't please my peteras and I can't please my papu because I can't put my emotions on the boat my peteras and my papu's emotions I feel them even though I try not to granny I trauma craptiminos you didn't understand a word of that did you Matthew move I know you before you born I know you before you born we have language before you have mouth when you parents when they think I'm crazy when they think I'm talk crazy when they know let you come over no more talk our language I talk our language to them you jumps what you know they're not drunk that one that one sells for like $50 loose on eBay of course they jump what you do you put it in box and you know think about you have to use and they help you a lot now you take them they help you write your story and you help me to see you I'm I'm right here my drops we have last one the blue oh I thought you said I didn't snow there it is snow now I all I see snow first time in America I always wish I have snow in it and now look who's snow snow come we play now we build snowmen we make angels come come come this snow who knows it's looked like no belong but it's what we want to for a long time oh so who thinks that belong no belong we have been it makes us happy we play now we come a long way I feel like little girl like little girl I wish I was so nice this snow so nice and he's talking you believe that a distant you hear that becomes a distant boot of the club you hear that that I can hear it becomes Agonemino a greek rap song by so teary featuring ma proyani of a lawn you tear I love this song we dance together in this snow brandy starts dancing the traditional grief circle dance no bring him up here and he'll be able to answer some of your questions um so I want to know what's on your mind right now when we talk about these plays in the room the first thing we talk about are the ideas or images of the play that are jumping out right at us right at this moment what's what's on the top of your head anybody right yeah yeah yeah it's so sweet I can't think of an awful lot of plays that are about leaping over the generation closest to us to our grandparents particularly one with this kind of what else what else are we thinking about circle of life that circle dance that the group dance that ends up in a circle it goes in a circle versus I don't know yeah yeah what else the story about that oh yeah the story that Black Widow tells about the other girl yeah yeah yeah there's so much in that one character right um one of the moments that always jumps out of me in this play and did again tonight is the the moment where super girl tells her mother she loves her and Black Widow says Saka was good last night I don't know what that says about me but that moment just screams to me right like I know years of their relationship and how hard it is right that moment it seems so hard earned by that point in the play right um uh what else what are other moments like that or or or big images that jump out yeah the idea of putting all the emotions on the boat and not not allowing them near or not dealing with them and I think that ties in without hard it is to say I love you yeah for you you know and he's talking about something really specific right he's talking about not being allowed to say those things the play talks about toxic masculinity over and over again right and that doesn't mean like you know men are bad that's about the way that masculinity like is bad for the men themselves you know and Captain America certainly talking about not being able to do this or connect in this way and push it away on that boat and it's a powerful moment uh over here no yeah what else other moments the voices that'll be there the voices that'll be there to tell you how you do it yeah yeah isn't that true yeah you know we were talking in the last talk back about the way that the old country is characterized in this play that I know like I know this is certainly true not for my parents but for the generation before them right I mean like that they really carried so much of uh their past was right there in the room with them you know so much more so um so did we learn anything new from this play did we learn about all right who knew about the greek civil war right we learned stuff about the greek civil war we knew that it happened we knew there was a greek civil war right uh did anybody feel like this play was a different immigration story than you've seen before yeah yeah how so it sounded like she said anybody want to talk about the ways they thought it was different I mean you know there's a lot of the same yeah just felt like uh I've heard the good and the bad immigration stories I'm calling this was so it was so true and that you know you know the kind of thing of like the idea of an arranged marriage and I did this is like the way out and how they just focused so heavily on that and I think that you know kind of spoke to uh take the bad and get to it because even though grandma and they're all out of that um she was always so optimistic and so good because you know kind of speaks to human resilience um and what immigration is about being way through yeah yeah what's that what's that yeah yeah it reminds me um you think just two generations ago and my grandparents immigrated here too and she says I'll never see you again probably that's probably true and this was just two generations ago it was like 200 years ago when you moved you know from east coast to the middle west you know of our country it's like I'll never see you again our generation we could pop in we could sky blue we could you know we never have to deal with it oh yeah we're letting go like that we never have to oh it's very different when black widow says I was thinking maybe you'd move a couple of islands over back all the way you know to america yeah that's that's it's hugely different I mean I I don't know I mean the kind of resilience that granny shows in this it's it's totally rare it's completely unexpected now you know that um that she would survive that little way that she obviously did right what else uh other stuff to jump it out about the play yeah I enjoyed again talking about the resilience but the way that um the granny is portrayed she she has her the right to celebrate her life we all and I think that's part of being wise and to celebrate the good and the bad which as you are older and wiser you realize you celebrate all of that she has no regret yeah and he I feel like the writer wants to dramatize a life or project or project struggle on to something and and the granny demands that right to celebrate her life yeah yeah uh warts at all right listen this is true right like it wasn't always much older than my grandparents started telling me the stories about the real stuff right you know before that it was like oh it was great it was black and white there was the depression I'm sure that I mean it was lovely and a very chaste romance you know this is not true right so much of this play is about like the how scary it is to ask those questions and how easily it is to just imagine that it was like chaste and black and white and you know and nothing like as messy and complicated as life really is right um there's something so powerful about a play in which a grandmother comes in and kicks it over right at the very beginning right I just feel like right from the get-go we're on her side yeah I mean we're sweet yeah well she put that a speck off and she wanted to shake Jonathan and tell him a real story right yeah she also is referred to as talking crazy all the time and she talks to his toys and tells his toys the truth about her life yeah which I was like that that breaks my heart that's who she has to talk to but that's the audience yeah that's who she's telling the truth to he has jumps yeah it was kind of interesting too they talked about your 1929 or aunt Frank with born in 1929 Jackie Kennedy and you think of my mom was born in 1929 you think of where you're born dictates so much of what direction you're like when just all these famous people were born in that year very true do you have a comment uh yes Andrew Kramer um our friend Andrew live tweeting us from the future he says I think what's different about this immigration story for him is the plays really about everything that destructive sort of history not only are you embarking on a journey for social or cultural people but you're also embarking on a journey for those things and there's something very painful about experience and abuse well said yeah particularly interesting is it seems that there's a switch um that you usually think about or read about abused people trying to disappear and in this instance you note that the abusers are fed this message about you have to be used in order to not disappear yourself yeah and I thought that was a really interesting it just seems different from what you typically read yeah yeah I've agreed to there's a couple of things in there that are very um the notion of abuse as a lesson teaching tool right and then the people that are abused question whether or not there's something valid to it and then the reasons that I mean we actually get to see that right Thor stands next to captain americans it's like you're gonna have to teach your lesson she's gonna you know face you that's very horrible and unusual uh well just a quick comment and that was it was two-thirds of the way through the play and it struck me that this playwright really is a great actor and it was like well hey did you get his grandmother to do it with him and so I read the program it's like ah shit it tells you to write this play now why now yeah so um why now well I think that um so I just finished a play that is sort of very much about my own experiences and sort of life and I wanted a better understanding of why I am who I am so I started to look into my family's histories specifically my grandmother's life I've been very very close with um and the more I started talking to her the more I really desired a bridge between her and me and I felt like we needed one because she speaks Greek and I speak comic book so I was like how do we meet and so I started to write this play and was lucky enough that you guys let me come here and write this more and um what I realized as I was writing it is that um we don't need a bridge we're in each other and the same way you are inside of your family members um you know there's no there are no separate bodies in love love is the the synergy it's the coming together and so I love that through this process I was able to uh start building a bridge then just destroy the bridge and realize that we're just together we're together right now um and that's why that's why I know how to go how did it go yeah the process of writing it yeah it's great I mean it was it was you know some parts of it were like were like considering your your heart to be an atomic bomb and deciding to set it off within you because it destroys you so much to think about people that you love being hurt and people that you're related to hurting meaning physically abusing so that was painful to go through that but cathartic because I feel like my story is a very specific greek story greek american story but it's also not I mean there are themes in there that I think that um a lot of survivors uh and a lot of just other people can hopefully connect with and I'm always kind of seeking that you know the the point where you go so specific into your own self that it just becomes incredibly general and it becomes applicable to everybody and I'd imagine that if we all spent the night together and just talked about it we'd all probably find we're you know we're pretty close to one another when you get right down to it um and I was um I was on that journey and I think I got there yeah I think you kind of did yeah so what questions do we have for John? Has your grandmother seen this? Well this is kind of the first uh the first time we've taken it out of the barn so uh so she hasn't seen yet um but hopefully you know we'll get to we'll get to do that um did this actually start as a one-man show that you took perform and then altered it into a play? No uh it was always kind of meant to be like that um because it kind of also helped me to step back from what I really wanted and I think um it though it didn't start as a one-man show I think it did start as sort of the focus being on the self on me and the process of the learning process here is that it's not about me it's about her and uh how do I how do I make how do I show that? As you were peeling all of this back was there ever a point where you wanted to give it up? Yeah yeah sure absolutely. Why do you keep going? What kept you going? That's a great question um there are some there were moments specifically as I was about two thirds of the way into the writing process um that I absolutely felt every time I opened up this document on my computer I felt the physical pain inside my stomach because I was like I cannot look at these words anymore and um the second I started to think like that we would usually cough and uh that was quite a little um but so this man is a is a good um he's a good guy uh and and it was very helpful at those moments but also um in terms of keeping going um as soon as you get there you start to see something a little deeper and as soon as you see that you're you're encouraged to keep going and um then you start to say things like well okay but what happens if I move this scene over here what does that do to what I'm seeing now oh it changes it radically oh this is exciting let me experiment with that um so in that moment of doubt you just you find something new in that you're talking about um this is the story I want to tell because this is the the kind of clean nice sanitized yeah version of stories which is probably what most people what's passed down to most people is the nice version of the story yeah did you know all of those harder truths about your family when you started writing this or did you have to go digging for that stuff did you did you only know the sanitized version of the beginning or did you know all the nitty-gritty you know I well I knew um I knew a bit of the of the harder harsher reality um I do think though when I started writing it the first draft kind of did have a very happy ending it kind of ended with just the birth of my dad an american it's like yeah everybody's good and happy but then my grandmother said some things to me which is in the play um and it was just one line and she said one day we were just sitting talking and she said you know when I first come to this country I don't like why is that and then she would say at least I'm like but of course but of course that's true I mean you were kind of left alone there and and and to figure out all these things like what a supermarket is and you know what the price of bread is and you know all these things that we think of is just such minor inconveniences if they're inconveniences at all but to a new immigrant they are huge problems and they were in her case um and on top of that you you can't go home and talk to your husband about these problems in a real deep emotional way I can't imagine that um so that's where that ending kind of took a dive I've got to show it I've got to show it for her did she have to go back to Greece? Yeah so she she tends to go actually once uh she tries to go once a year over the summer usually um and uh actually does love it there very much she goes back to Greece I have yeah I have done that once uh in my life and I'd like to do it again um I think I was probably too young to appreciate it um so I think I'd like to do it again just if nothing else for that um I mean this has given me such a new appreciation for all of that culture and all of that that's in me and that's in her so yes I'd love to go again but um yeah she goes she goes a lot did she see her mom again? um in in reality yes uh she did actually uh Black Widow in this story is more of a composite of other women that are in my family um because I also wanted to kind of show their um their reality so I kind of put them into Black Widow um and and sort of imagine like what it would be like if if they were interacting with them yeah I've got a question yeah there's something else oh question great as far as your grandma right listen are you closer to your grandma than you'd say that you were as other family members? Yeah yeah I mean my grandfather died before I was born um and so I I never got to know him and I think the consequence of that was that I got uh originally a very very clean version of who he was and the more I sort of dug around the more I was like it's not that he was clean or dirty or whatever he was human you know he was a human being and he made mistakes uh and he also made successes you know and he's as complicated as probably any of us perhaps more so due to the abuse I think there are probably some of us here that would say oh that's too far I wouldn't do that I hope you all say that but um but you know I started to think about that and all through my life my granny has been the the person in my family who's been uh acted upon meaning things have been done to her and I felt it was deeply unfair that she never really got to be I think her you know and I I wish I could have known that person I think that to some extent I do but I often wonder if she were born now really grandmas are special right yeah you know isn't that isn't that great I mean it's it's so true I used to go up there once a week in high school because in high school I felt like such an outcast you know I didn't barely any friends and you know anything and whenever I go to her house she had cable tv awesome food and she was awesome she would like you know seriously she would she would hers she told me this one story one day of her friend who literally dropped dead on the side of the highway uh after he got out of his car and she was laughing she was laughing about it and I'm just like how can you how what who are you how can you do this and she's just like yeah he just dropped dead and I'm like she's an amazing person we have time for just one more question for Jonathan uh well I'll ask what's what is next for the play what do you want to see with this planet I want to see it staged in a place where we can all kind of sit on sofas eat Greek food okay whenever we need to be listen to these people do their amazing work um and just kind of hang out um and have uh a cathartic time together and talk about abuse and talk about what's been done to us and connect with one another and turn to someone uh next to you in the audience and say I was hurt and I'm owning my story in this way um because I feel as though there are people here um who who might be able to do that and theater can do that I think um so you know that's what I want I want to talk about yeah yeah we're going to help it get there great thanks for coming Jonathan live streaming and on saturday night our festival closes with thrill day by Helen