Wilson AugustMa Raineys Black Bottom.docx

Wilson AugustMa Raineys Black Bottom.docx

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WilsonAugustMaRaineysBlackBottom

Characters

Sturdyvant

Irvin

Cutler

Toledo

SlowDrag

Levee

MaRainey

Policeman

DussieMae

Sylvester

--2--

Scene1

Thelightscomeupinthestudio.Irvinenters,carryingamicrophone.Heisatall,fleshymanwhoprideshimselfonhisknowledgeofblacksandhisabilitytodealwiththem.Hehooksupthemicrophone,blowsintoit,tapsit,etc.Hecrossesovertothepiano,opensit,andfingersafewkeys.Sturdyvantisvisibleinthecontrolbooth.Preoccupiedwithmoney,heisinsensitivetoblackperformersandpreferstodealwiththematarm'slength.Heputsonapairofearphones.

STURDYVANT 

（Overspeaker.）Irv...let'scrackthatmike,huh?

Let'sdoacheckonit.

IRVIN 

（Crossestomike,speaksintoit.）Testing...one...two...three...

（Thereisaloudfeedback.Sturdyvantfiddleswiththedials.）Testing...one...two...three...testing.How'sthat,Mel?

（Sturdyvantdoesn'trespond.）Testing...one...two...

STURDYVANT 

（Takingoffearphones.）Okay...thatchecks.Wegotagoodreading.

（Pause.）Yougotthatlist,Irv?

IRVIN Yeah...yeah,Igotit.Don'tworryaboutnothing.

--3--

STURDYVANT Listen,Irv...youkeepherinline,okay?

I'mholdingyouresponsibleforher...Ifshestartsanyofher...

IRVIN Mel,what'swiththegoddamnhorn?

Youwannatalktome...okay!

Ican'ttalktoyouoverthegoddamnhorn...Christ!

STURDYVANT I'mnotputtingupwithanyshenanigans.Youhear,Irv?

（Irvincrossesovertothepianoandmindlesslyrunshisfingersoverthekeys.）I'mnotjustgonnastandforit.Iwantyoutokeepherinline.Irv?

（Sturdyvantentersfromthecontrolbooth.）Listen,Irv...you'rehermanager...she'syourresponsibility...

IRVIN Okay,okay,Mel...letmehandleit.

STURDYVANT She'syourresponsibility.I'mnotputtingupwithanyRoyalHighness...QueenoftheBluesbullshit!

IRVIN MotheroftheBlues,Mel.MotheroftheBlues.

STURDYVANT Idon'tcarewhatshecallsherself.I'mnotputtingupwithit.Ijustwanttogetherinhere...recordthosesongsonthatlist...andgetherout.Justlikeclockwork,huh?

IRVIN Likeclockwork,Mel.Youjuststayoutofthewayandletmehandleit.

--4--

STURDYVANT Yeah...yeah...youhandleditlasttime.Remember?

Shemarchesinherelikesheownsthedamnplace...doesn'tlikethesongswepickedout...saysherthroatissore...doesn'twanttodomorethanonetake...

IRVIN Okay...okay...Iwashere!

Iknowallaboutit.

STURDYVANT Complainsaboutthebuildingbeingcold...andthen...tripsoverthemikewireandthreatenstosueme.That'stakingcareofit?

IRVIN I'vegotitallworkedoutthistime.Italkedwithherlastnight.Herthroatisfine...Wewentoverthesongstogether...Igoteverythingstraight,Mel.

STURDYVANT Irv,thathornplayer...theonewhogavemethosesongs...ishegonnabeheretoday?

Good.Iwanttohearmoreofthatsound.Timesarechanging.Thisisatrickybusinessnow.We'vegottojazzitup...putinsomethingdifferent.Youknow,somethingwild...withalotofrhythm.

（Pause.）Youknowwhatweputoutlasttime,Irv?

Weputoutgarbagelasttime.Itwasgarbage.Idon'tevenknowwhyIbotherwiththisanymore.

IRVIN Youdidallrightlasttime,Mel.Notasgoodasyoudidbefore,butyoudidallright.

--5--

STURDYVANT YouknowhowmanyrecordswesoldinNewYork?

Youwannaseethesheet?

Andyouknowwhat'sinNewYork,Irv?

Harlem.Harlem'sinNewYork,Irv.

IRVIN Okay,sotheydidn'tsellinNewYork.ButlookatMemphis...Birmingham...Atlanta.Christ,youmadeabundle.

STURDYVANT It'snotthemoney,Irv.YouknowIcouldn'tsleeplastnight?

Thisbusinessisbadformynerves.Mywifeisaftermetoslowdownandtakeavacation.TwomoreyearsandI'mgonnagetout...getintosomethingrespectable.Textiles.That'sarespectablebusiness.YouknowwhatyoucoulddowithashiploadoftextilesfromIreland?

（Abuzzerisheardoffstage.）

IRVIN Whydon'tyougoupstairsandletmehandleit,Mel?

STURDYVANT Remember...you'reresponsibleforher.

（Sturdyvantexitstothecontrolbooth.Irvincrossestogetthedoor.Cutler,SlowDrag,andToledoenter.Cutlerisinhismid-fifties,asaremostoftheothers.Heplaysguitarandtromboneandistheleaderofthegroup,possiblybecauseheisthemostsensible.Hisplayingissolidandalmosttotallyunembellished.Hisunderstandingofhismusicislimitedtothechordheisplayingatthetimeheisplayingit.Hehasallthequalitiesofalonerexcepttheintrospection.SlowDrag,thebassplayer,isperhapstheonemostboredbylife.HeresemblesCutler,butlacksCutler'senergy.Heisdeceptivelyintelligent,though,ashisnameimplies,heappearstobeslow.Heisaratherlargemanwithawickedsmile.InnateAfricanrhythmsunderlieeverythingheplays,andheplayswithaneasethatisattimesstarting.Toledoisthepianoplayer.Incontrolofhisinstrument,heunderstandsandrecognizesthatitslimitationsareanextensionofhimself.Heistheonlyoneinthegroupwhocanread.Heisself-taughtbutmisunderstandsandmisapplieshisknowledge,thoughheisquicktopenetratetothecoreofasituationandhisinsightsarethought-provoking.Allofthemenaredressedinastyleofclothingbefittingthemembersofasuccessfulbandoftheera.）

--6--

IRVIN Howyouboysdoing,Cutler?

Comeonin.

（Pause.）Where'sMa?

Isshewithyou?

CUTLER Idon'tknow,Mr.Irvin.Shetoldustobehereatoneo'clock.That'sallIknow.

IRVIN Where's...huh...thehornplayer?

IshecomingwithMa?

CUTLER Levee'ssupposedtobeheresameasweis.Ireckonhe'llbehereinaminute.Ican'trightlysay.

IRVIN Well,comeon...I'llshowyoutothebandroom,letyougetsetupandrehearsed.Youboyshungry?

I'llcallovertothedeliandgetsomesandwiches.Getyoufedandreadytomakesomemusic.Cutler...here'sthelistofsongswe'regonnarecord.

STURDYVANT 

（Overspeaker.）Irvin,what'shappening?

Where'sMa?

IRVIN Everythingundercontrol,Mel.Igotitundercontrol.

STURDYVANT Where'sMa?

Howcomesheisn'twiththeband?

IRVIN She'llbehereinaminute,Mel.Letmegetthesefellowsdowntothebandroom,huh?

（Theyexitthestudio.Thelightsgodowninthestudioandupinthebandroom.Irvinopensthedoorandallowsthemtopassastheyenter.）Youboysgoaheadandrehearse.I'llletyouknowwhenMacomes.

（Irvinexits.CutlerhandsToledothelistofsongs.）

--7--

CUTLER Whatwegothere,Toledo?

TOLEDO 

（Reading.）Wegot..."ProveItonMe"..."HearMeTalkingtoYou..."MaRainey'sBlackBottom"...and"MoonshineBlues."

CUTLER WhereMr.Irvingo?

Themain'tthesongsMatoldme.

SLOWDRAG Iwouldn'tworryaboutitifIwereyou,Cutler.They'llgetitstraightenedout.Mawillgetitstraightenedout.

CUTLER Ijustdon'twantnotroubleaboutthesesongs,that'sall.Maain'ttoldmethemsongs.Shetoldmesomethingelse.

SLOWDRAG Whatshetellyou?

CUTLER This"MoonshineBlues"wasn'tinit.That'soneofBessie'ssongs.

TOLEDO SlowDrag'sright...Iwouldn'tworryaboutit.Letthemstraightenitup.

CUTLER Leveeknowwhattimehesupposedtobehere?

SLOWDRAG Leveegoneouttospendyourfourdollars.Heleftthehotelthismorningtalkingabouthewasgonnagobuysomeshoes.Sayit'sthefirsttimeheeverbeatyoushootingcraps.

CUTLER Doheknowwhattimehesupposedtobehere?

That'swhatIwannaknow.Iain'tthinkingaboutnofourdollars.

--8--

SLOWDRAG Leveesurewasthinkingaboutit.Thatfourdollarslikedtoburnaholeinhispocket.

CUTLER Well,he'ssupposedtobehereatoneo'clock.That'swhattimeMasaid.Thatniggergetoutinthestreetswiththatfourdollarsandain'tnotellingwhenhe'sliabletoshow.Yououghttohaveseenhimattheclublastnight,Toledo.TryingtotalktosomegalMahadwithher.

TOLEDO Youain'tgottotellme.IknowhowLeveedo.

（Buzzerisheardoffstage.）

SLOWDRAG Leveetriedtotalktothatgalandgothisfeelingshurt.Shedidn'twantnopartofhim.ShetoldLeveehe'dhavetoturnhismoneygreenbeforehecouldtalkwithher.

CUTLER Sheoutforwhatshecanget.Anybodycouldseethat.

SLOWDRAG That'swhyLeveerunouttobuysomeshoes.He'slookingtomakeanimpressiononthatgirl.

CUTLER Whatthehellshegonnadowithhisshoes?

Shecan'tdonothingwiththenigger'sshoes.

（SlowDragtakesoutapintbottleanddrinks.）

TOLEDO Letmehitthat,SlowDrag.

SLOWDRAG 

（Handinghimthebottle.）ThissomeofthatgoodChicagobourbon!

（ThedooropensandLeveeenters,carryingashoebox.Inhisearlythirties,Leveeisyoungerthantheothermen.Hisflamboyanceissometimessubtleandsneaksuponyou.Histemperisrakishandbright.Helacksfuelforhimselfandissomewhatofabuffoon.Butitisanintelligentbuffoonery,clearlycalculatedtoshiftcontrolofthesituationtowherehecangraspit.Heplaystrumpet.Hisvoiceisstridentandtotallydependentonhismanipulationofbreath.Heplayswrongnotesfrequently.Heoftengetshisskillandtalentconfusedwitheachother.）

--9--

CUTLER Levee...whereMr.Irvingo?

LEVEE Hell,Idon'tknow.Iain'tnoneofhiskeeper.

SLOWDRAG Whatyougotthere,Levee?

LEVEE Lookhere,Cutler...Igotmesomeshoes!

CUTLER Nigger,Iain'tstudyingyou.

（Leveetakestheshoesoutoftheboxandstartstoputthemon.）

TOLEDO Howmuchyoupayforsomethinglikethat,Levee?

LEVEE Elevendollars.Fourdollarsofit