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WELGA
A Filipino American Play
A Drama in Two Acts
By Conrad A. Panganiban
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Johnny Montalban. 18. Male. Filipino American. High school student. The lead plastic bucket drummer for the street band, The Diggable Universe and son of Carmelita. He’s a big dreamer and a bigger talker with a passion for music and the life of what that world will bring.
Carmelita Montalban. 40s – Early 50s. Female. Filipina. Care Giver. Johnny’s mother. A hard worker who doesn’t like confrontation or to make waves despite being in an impossible position at work.
Maxi Villones. Late 20s – Early 30s. Female. Filipina American. Educator. A determined High School History teacher wanting to teach her students lessons not taught in books through unconventional methods.
Fernando Barcenas. 18. Male. Johnny’s best friend. High school student. The guitarist for The Diggable Universe and boyfriend of Janae. Fearful of his single dad father while possessing a voracious appetite.
Vanessa Yuchengco. 19. Female. College freshman. The older sister of Janae and valedictorian at Mercy High School who knows it’s her calling to make a difference in community for the oppressed and underserved. Her motto is “Serve The People.”
Janae Yuchengco. 18. Female. High school student. Vanessa’s younger sister and Fernando’s better half. Spunky and vivacious.
Pete Chen / Rex Chen. Pete is 17. Male. High school student. Introspective and shy. Rex is Pete’s 17 year old cousin. Not shy and boisterous.
Arno Lapid. 18. Male. High school student. The School Jock who is a natural leader on and off the football field.
Carlos Garcia. 30s. The short-sighted Principal of Johnny’s High School who’s goal is to ascend the educational administrative ladder sometimes takes a backseat to the children he’s there to serve and educate.
Dallas Basco. 30s. Male. Smarmy record producer. His bravado personality matches his want of putting on the best music show in town and in the world no matter who he hurts to do so.
SCENES
ACT I
The Prologue: Classroom – Sometime in the Near Future
Cast: Johnny, Rex/Pete, and 3 other students.
Scene 1: How Will I Be Remembered: Powell Street Sidewalk – Sometime in the Near Past
Cast: Johnny, Fernando, Carlos, and Dallas
Scene 2: Too Early: Montalban apartment
Cast: Johnny and Carmelita
Scene 3: Getting to Class: Classroom
Cast: Carlos and Maxi
Scene 4: Relevant History: Classroom
Cast: Maxi, Johnny, Fernando, Arno, Janae, Pete, and Vanessa.
Scene 5: Life’s Choices: Street Sidewalk
Cast: Fernando, Johnny, Janae, and Vanessa
Scene 6: Trying to Make Ends Meet: Montalban apartment
Cast: Carmelita and Johnny
Scene 7: Who Were the Manongs: Classroom
Cast: Maxi, Janae, Fernando, Vanessa, Johnny, Arno, and Pete
ACT II
Scene 1: The Call: Street Corner
Cast: Johnny
Scene 2: WELGA – Part 1: Classroom
Cast: Pete, Arno, Maxi, Johnny, Vanessa, and Carlos
Scene 3: A Plan is Hatched: Montalban apartment
Cast: Johnny, Fernando, Janae, Vanessa, and Carmelita
Scene 4: WELGA – Part 2: Two locations: 1) Thee Parkside and 2) Outside Sunny Brook Care Home
Cast: Fernando, Johnny, Dallas, Maxi, Janae, Vanessa, Pete, Arno, and Carmelita.
The Epilogue: Classroom
Entire cast.
TIME
The prologue and the epilogue takes place in the present, while all the other scenes take place three years prior.
PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTES
There are scenes where characters will play other characters within the play:
Pete will play his younger cousin, Rex, and will be noted as REX / PETE
Johnny will play Larry Itliong and will be noted JOHNNY/ LARRY ITLIONG
Arno will play Andy Imutan and will be noted ARNO / ANDY IMUTAN and so on.
The intention is that through the course of this scene, the lines, characters and setting blur between the classroom and the fields of Delano, CA.
Notation:
A notation of “/” in the script indicates an overlap of lines. At the point of “/”, the next line begins to be spoken.
The roles of the principal, Carlos, and the concert promoter, Dallas, may be doubled.
PRODUCTION NOTES
WELGA was produced by Bindlestiff Studio, San Francisco, CA from October 6 – 21, 2017.
ACT I
ACT I: THE PROLOGUE
At rise, the bass of a current hip-hop song fills a classroom with a group of students sitting at their desks.
Enter JOHNNY MONTALBAN wearing a sports coat over his collared shirt with a tie, jeans, and glasses while carrying in a briefcase.
JOHNNY
All right class settle down. Settle down.
Hey, whoever’s playing [name of the song], please turn it off right now.
The music is turned off.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Thank you.
Now, welcome everyone to the first day of the semester. I know you’re all as happy to be back as I am. Maybe.
Okay…
REX/PETE sits in the front row with a white bucket with a pair of drumsticks and sunglasses inside raises his hand.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Yes, Mr…
REX / PETE
Chen. Rex Chen Sir!
JOHNNY
Aren’t you…?
REX / PETE
Yup! I’m Pete Chen’s cousin.
JOHNNY
You’re definitely a lot louder than him.
REX / PETE
That’s what my mom says.
JOHNNY
Great. Well, welcome to the music class, Rex.
REX / PETE
Thanks.
JOHNNY
And tell your cousin, I said Hi.
REX / PETE
I’ll do that.
JOHNNY
Now, what was your question?
REX / PETE
Right. Um… I was just wondering what your attendance policy was?
JOHNNY
Same as the school’s. It’s on the / syllabus.
REX / PETE
I was just asking because Pete said that you skipped hella classes when y’alls went to school together.
JOHNNY
Well, that was a while ago.
REX / PETE
You see, I sing in this band…
JOHNNY
Okay.
REX / PETE
And our gigs are late so I might miss / a couple of classes
JOHNNY
Well, you still have to be / here
REX / PETE
So, I’m just sayin’, as one musician / to another…
JOHNNY
Sorry, Mr. Chen.
REX / PETE
…That you could excuse / one or two..
JOHNNY
That’s not going to work here.
REX / PETE
Why not? It seemed to work out all right for you, right?
JOHNNY
That’s because I had to make up for all the classes that I did miss.
Something I’m trying to keep you from doing.
REX / PETE
Don’t need to worry about me, Mr. Montalban. I’ll be fine.
JOHNNY
That sounds eerily familiar.
REX / PETE
So… what about if I just miss a couple of classes then?
JOHNNY
No.
REX / PETE
But you just said…
JOHNNY
Did your cousin ever tell you about how I ended up being a teacher?
REX / PETE
He did say something about you being whooped by a girl.
JOHNNY
No, I didn’t… well…
So, I had this band back in high school…
PETE/REX raises his hand.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Yes, Rex.
REX / PETE
Are you going to tell a story? Cuz, normally on the first day of the semester we usually go over the syllabus, watch a movie, and then we dip, right?
JOHNNY
Then consider this your lucky day, Mr. Chen. Cuz we are in for a story…
Now, where was I? Oh yeah… the band…
ACT I: SCENE 1: HOW WILL I BE REMEMBERED?
The classroom turns into the sidewalk of Powell Street, San Francisco, CA.
Johnny’s best friend, FERNANDO BARCENAS, 18, enters playing some rhythmic chords on his guitar.
JOHNNY
We started out on the corner of Powell and 5th Street, right here in the South of Market Street, otherwise known as The SoMa, when Bloomingdales first opened and up a block, Sixth Street was still… Sixth Street.
But on this sidewalk, me and my best friend, Fernando “The Filipino Santana” Barcenas.
FERNANDO stops playing.
FERNANDO
You’ve never called me that.
JOHNNY
You have a problem with that name?
FERNANDO
Nope.
FERNANDO starts playing again.
As, Fernando continues to play, JOHNNY begins to take off his coat, shirt and tie.
REX/PETE gets up from his seat and takes the white plastic bucket with him to give it, drumsticks and sunglasses, first to Johnny.
JOHNNY
As I was saying, me and my best friend, Fernando “The Filipino Santana” Barcenas, did what we did best… even during school hours.
JOHNNY takes bucket with one hand and the other is held out in a fist for REX/PETE to give a dap to as REX/PETE exits.
JOHNNY then sits on a milk crate and starts to play the beat to Fernando’s chords.
They’re jamming on their instruments and it sounds AMAZING!
When the song ends and the applause dies down, FERNANDO picks up a hat and goes around the audience.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Thank you, everyone! We are The Diggable Universe and it was our pleasure to entertain all of y’all today! Even though we appreciate the love, we also appreciate any monetary donations you can make. Thank you!
FERNANDO moves around the audience with his hat towards them and thanking them for their time and smiles. After counting the bills and giving half to Johnny, Fernando begins to pack up the gear.
FERNANDO
Let’s go, Johnny! We can’t be late. My dad’s gonna kill me out if I get detention again and you know I always miss the J and the 14 is never on time!
JOHNNY
Chill. We got time.
Enter DALLAS BASCO clapping his hands and holding out a Twenty Dollar Bill.
DALLAS
Gentlemen, gentle-MEN! Doth mine ears deceive me but wasn’t that was one of the most dopest jams I have ever heard?!
FERNANDO
Doth your ears agree with your wallet too?
FERNANDO grabs the hat and holds it out to DALLAS for him to drop his $20 spot in.
DALLAS
That was like Santana giving a dap to Timbaland giving a double dap to Dave Brubeck.
JOHNNY
Except that we’re nothing like any of them.
DALLAS
Exactly! You are like the number Pi — unique.
FERNANDO
Not sure what pies have to do with it, but thanks for the donation, Sir.
DALLAS
You don’t have to be formal with me. Just call me Dallas. Dallas Basco of Trident Productions.
FERNANDO
Trident. Like the gum?
JOHNNY moves in to quickly shake DALLAS’s hand.
JOHNNY
Woah! Mr. Basco. Sorry for not properly thanking you for your donation.
DALLAS
From what I heard, the both of you earned it.
JOHNNY
Thank you. My name is Johnny Montalban and this is my best friend. (to Fernando) Dude, shake his hand! (Fernando does) Fernando Barcenas and together, we are The Diggable Universe.
DALLAS
Diggable Universe. I can dig that. Nice to meet you, Gentlemen.
JOHNNY
The show you put up at the Great American Music Hall was one of the most intense concerts I’ve ever been to.
FERNANDO
Yo! The one last Friday with Immovable Minds? That show was so hype! I don’t remember you being in that group though.
DALLAS
That’s a young man’s game.
JOHNNY
Foo! He’s the producer who put the whole show together.
DALLAS
Look, I’m glad you enjoyed yourselves. I hope the audiences in Europe will love them too.
FERNANDO
Europe?! They’re going to Europe?
JOHNNY
That’s a long way from the hood and they’re straight up from the Fillmore.
DALLAS
As a matter of fact, I’ve been looking for a group to open up for them.
FERNANDO
To tour… in Europe?
JOHNNY
Well, look no further. That group is standing in front of you.
DALLAS
Is that so?
JOHNNY
That is so and den some. Yo, Fernando, let’s play some of that Tenderloin Funk!
JOHNNY sets down his bucket and starts playing a beat.
DALLAS
Yo! Yo! Fellas! I would love to stay and hear more of what you got but I have to get to a meeting right now.
JOHNNY
We promise, it’ll only take a couple of minutes, Mr. Basco. (To Fernando) Let’s cut straight to the hook.
DALLAS
Tell you what? What are you doing on the 23rd? I have a meeting with the sponsors for the tour and I have a feeling they’ll want to see who’ll they be funding.
JOHNNY
Like for a regular paying gig, funding?
DALLAS
It’ll definitely be more than what’s in the bucket, and I can assure you. So, can you make it?
FERNANDO takes out his phone.
FERNANDO
What time on the 23rd?
JOHNNY
We’ll be there at any time you like. 6 a.m. or 11 p.m. Doesn’t matter. We’ll definitely be there!
FERNANDO
Yo, Johnny. That’s a Friday.
JOHNNY
TGIF. Perfect! Whatever time, day, month, or year. We’ll be there!
FERNANDO
Johnny…!
JOHNNY
Nando!
DALLAS
Is everything cool here?
JOHNNY
Everything’s cooler than Ice Cold, Mr. Basco.
FERNANDO
I’m just saying, Mr. Basco, sir, that we might not be able to make it at that specific time. But we have a couple of clips on YouTube.
JOHNNY
Fernando.
FERNANDO
We’re up on my girlfriend’s YouTube channel. I can email you the link.
DALLAS
YouTube is one thing, but the people I work with, they gotta see and hear what you’re like in person.
So, is there a problem?
JOHNNY
No. There’s no problem, Mr. Basco.
DALLAS hands them a business card.
DALLAS
Good. Call me Dallas. And give that number a call. My assistant will give you all the details.
Diggable Universe, I’ll see you on the 23rd.
Exit DALLAS.
JOHNNY
It’s THE Diggable Universe and yes, Sir! Mr. Dallas Basco, Sir. The 23rd. We will definitely be there! Have a great day!
FERNANDO
Johnny…
JOHNNY
Did you hear that Bruh?! We’re going to Europe!
FERNANDO
He didn’t say that. The 23rd’s probably just for a meeting or something.
JOHNNY
Are you doubting our musical talents?
FERNANDO
I’m saying that it’s not a done deal with him.
But, what is a done deal is that the 23rd is Ms. V’s Final.
JOHNNY
Who cares about a stupid History Exam?! This is the break we’ve been looking for!
FERNANDO
My dad’s gonna break my head I don’t pass that class.
JOHNNY
Just tell him that you don’t need it. You’re an adult now.
FERNANDO
Nah, man. I’m 18 and still live under his roof. So, technically, he still owns me until we graduate.
JOHNNY
I’m talking about Europe and you’re talking about graduating? Please. Lemme drop some knowledge on ya, Son. Do you know what Walt Disney, Kurt Cobain, and Jay Z have in common?
FERNANDO
Yeah, they’re all dead.
JOHNNY
Fernando. Really? Jay Z ain’t dead, foo!
FERNANDO
He’s ain’t?
JOHNNY
No. All of them didn’t need to graduate from high school to make it big. Same with Katy Perry, Avril Levign, or Johnny Depp.
FERNANDO
Drop-outs?
JOHNNY
Not drop-outs. Masters of their own fate, bruh!
FERNANDO
Like Master of the Universe? “By the power of Greyskull!”
JOHNNY
You’s stupid! I’m talking about being the Masters of our own future, Nando! Nobody telling us what we can or can’t do. Or nobody telling us where we can or can’t go. Like going back to class.
FERNANDO
I told you, if I don’t pass that class, I’m dead.
JOHNNY
Fernando, this could be our only shot at the good life.
FERNANDO
That’s what I’m trying to keep. My life. You wanna tell my pops about this shot of a lifetime?
JOHNNY
You can tell him when we’re on stage on National T.V. accepting our Grammy.
FERNANDO
You’re crazy, Man.
JOHNNY
Crazy enough to make it. But I can’t do this by myself. We’re called The Diggable Universe. And one planet can’t exist on its own.
I need this.
And I need you.
Pause.
FERNANDO
Are you gonna cry?
JOHNNY
Shut up.
FERNANDO
Is that a tear?
JOHNNY
Shut up!
FERNANDO
Hold up. Let me find a tissue. I swear, your face looks like the crying emoji.
JOHNNY
I’m not going to… I do not look like a crying emoji.
FERNANDO
And that’s a good thing.
What about this? Maybe, we can reschedule. What about the 24th? Give me the card and I’ll call him.
JOHNNY
Then he’s gonna think that we don’t want it bad enough.
FERNANDO
And you do?
JOHNNY
It’s everything.
FERNANDO
Damn.
JOHNNY
Is that a yes?
FERNANDO
Hopefully, it’s after the Final.
JOHNNY
Awe yeah! We better start rehearsing.
FERNANDO
Can’t. We still have class, remember?
JOHNNY plays a short solo on his bucket.
JOHNNY
That, right there, is how I’m going to be remembered.
FERNANDO
What are you talking about?
Enter CARLOS GARCIA, the high school’s principal.
CARLOS
So, Johnny, is that how you want to be remembered for the rest of your life? A person who bangs a plastic bucket on a street corner begging for money?
JOHNNY
…
CARLOS
The disappointing fact is that you’re so / full of potential…
JOHNNY
Full of potential. I bet that’s what they all say.
FERNANDO
Mr. Garcia said that to you too?
JOHNNY
Translation? He’s full of…
CARLOS
Potential. You have to share that potential with the community, Johnny. As your principal, it’s my job, and all of your teachers to make sure that you have a clear picture about the options you have in the real world.
JOHNNY
I can make my own options.
CARLOS
You have to be realistic, Johnny. That’s not how the world works.
JOHNNY
How the world works? Then the world must be broken if the school had to cut its music program. What’s that supposed to teach us? That music can’t exist in the world you imagine.
CARLOS
Johnny…
JOHNNY
If there’s no band for me to play in here, then where can I play? I’ll tell you where. Powell Street. Union Square. Fisherman’s Wharf. Out there is where I can be appreciated and paid to do what I love. The only thing this school is paying me is lip service.
CARLOS
We are paid to teach you life skills. Real life skills.
Now, Johnny, I appreciate the passion you have for music, but the odds of you making a living at it are so small. But if we can steer that passion into math or computers, the valuable skills, then we can…
JOHNNY
So, music isn’t valuable skill?
Okay, since we’re keeping it real, then why doesn’t this school teach us about how to do our taxes or the perils of using a credit card or what about this: why doesn’t this school teach us how to pay for a funeral?
CARLOS
I’m sorry about your brother, Johnny. He was a special student here.
JOHNNY
And that’s why you had him kicked out? Way to go, Mr. Princi-Pal.
CARLOS
This discussion is not about him, Johnny. This is about you and your future.
JOHNNY
There’s no discussion there. It’s all planned out.
CARLOS
Really?
JOHNNY
My band, with Fernando Barcenas…
FERNANDO
Man! Why’d you have to bring me into this?
JOHNNY
We’re called The Diggable Universe and we’re gonna be huge! Number One records, tours all over the planet, and even get Ellen to dance to one of our jams.
CARLOS
Johnny, you have to be realistic. You can’t…
JOHNNY begins to play with his eyes closed.
CARLOS (CONT’D)
You can’t…
JOHNNY plays louder.
CARLOS (CONT’D)
YOU CAN’T!
JOHNNY continues to drown her out until CARLOS exits the stage.
JOHNNY
And that’s how you do it, Son! And that’s what’s going to get me outta “school”.
FERNANDO
We’ll be outta school when we graduate.
JOHNNY
You heard what Dallas said. We don’t need to graduate to be outta there.
FERNANDO
But I still need to. And so does Janae.
JOHNNY
Ohhhh… Now the real reason comes out. Yo, how many times do I have to tell you, Bros before…
FERNANDO
Don’t even say it, Johnny!
JOHNNY
Girlfriends, man. I was gonna say, Bros before Girlfriends.
FERNANDO
Then you need to get one.
JOHNNY
What I need is one more song.
FERNANDO
Dude.
JOHNNY
We need the money.
FERNANDO
And I can’t fail that class.
JOHNNY
Fernando, Ms. V’s cool.
FERNANDO
How would you know? You’re never there.
JOHNNY
That’s why I’ve got you to cover for me.
FERNANDO
Not cool man.
Whatever.
I gotta go.
FERNANDO runs out as JOHNNY watches him.
Beat.
JOHNNY takes out Dallas’s card and looks at it. He puts the card away and begins to tap his bucket a few times with his drumstick.
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 2: TOO EARLY
The drumbeats are morphed into the knocking sound on a door. JOHNNY realizes this when he stops long enough to hear them on his apartment door.
JOHNNY gets up and goes to the door and opens it.
Enter CARMELITA MONTALBAN, Johnny’s mother dressed in scrubs.
CARMELITA
What did I tell you about making that noise in the apartment?
JOHNNY
Need to practice.
CARMELITA
We need a place to live more than you need to practice. Mrs. Chin is going to complain again.
JOHNNY
Mrs. Chin loves my beats.
CARMELITA
I’ll beat you in the head if you don’t stop!
JOHNNY
Ma! What are you doing home? I thought you were working tonight?
CARMELITA
I am, but I forgot where I put my keys.
JOHNNY
Again?
Mom, you should just sew them into your scrubs or something.
CARMELITA
I was going to… but I keep forgetting to do that.
JOHNNY finds her keys and gives them to her..
JOHNNY
All right. Well, have fun at work.
JOHNNY begins to drum again.
CARMELITA
Hoy!
JOHNNY
What?
CARMELITA
What did I tell you about Mrs. Chin?
JOHNNY
You also forgot that it’s the second Thursday of the Month.
CARMELITA
Oh, yeah. I forgot.
JOHNNY
Ma. You even gave her $20 to play on the Red, White, and Blue.
CARMELITA
That’s my favorite slot machine.
I hope she wins this time.
JOHNNY
I do too, Mom.
CARMELITA
We could really use the money.
JOHNNY gets up, takes some money out of his pocket and gives it to her.
JOHNNY
We could use this for now.
CARMELITA
…
JOHNNY
What? We had a good day today. A group from Belgium really dug our music.
CARMELITA
You’re supposed to be in school. Not playing with your friend.
JOHNNY
I’m playing music with Fernando. I’m not playing with him. ‘Playing with him’ sounds like… I play music with him to make money. You said we need the money and there you go…money.
CARMELITA
And that’s why I’m working.
JOHNNY
Then when will you get paid for all the extra hours you worked?
CARMELITA
I am getting paid.
JOHNNY
I’m talking about the overtime pay she still owes you.
CARMELITA
I already told you. When your Auntie gets everything in order, she’ll pay me in full.
JOHNNY
Yeah, she’s full of shit.
CARMELITA
Don’t say that about your daddy’s sister.
JOHNNY
They’re both rotten.
CARMELITA
She’s trying to make up for his shame.
JOHNNY
By giving you a job she doesn’t pay you for?
CARMELITA
Tama na.
JOHNNY
Whatever. Then consider what I gave you a loan.
CARMELITA
You’re loaning money to the person who brought you into this world? You were 10 pounds 13 ounces. You owe me more than this!
(CARMELITA puts the money away.)
So, how come you’re not going to your history class?
JOHNNY
What are you talking about? I’m there.
CARMELITA
Then why did I get a phone call today from your teacher?
JOHNNY
Phone call?
CARMELITA
She said that her name was Ms. Villones.
JOHNNY
Ms. V. called here? How’d she even…?
CARMELITA
She said that your classmate told her that you were at St. Luke’s and wanted to make sure that you were doing okay.
JOHNNY
I… uh…
CARMELITA
Wow. If I had known that my son was in the hospital I would have visited too, but I was too busy working to earn money for our rent, the food in the kitchen, for your education..
JOHNNY
Public school is free.
CARMELITA
I’m talking about your college education.
JOHNNY
College?
CARMELITA
How are you going to go college, if you don’t graduate from high school first?
JOHNNY
I’m not… what else did Ms. V. tell you?
CARMELITA
She said that if you miss any more class, you’re not going to graduate.
JOHNNY
Mom. School isn’t… I just don’t think school is…
CARMELITA
That’s what Eric said.
“Mom, I don’t think school is my thing.
I’m already earning money at the garage.
I’m already doing this. I’m already doing that.”
And look where that got him!
JOHNNY
I’m not like him! I’m nothing like him!
CARMELITA
Then prove it.
JOHNNY
That’s what I’m going to do.
CARMELITA
Good. Your High School diploma will look good over the dining table.
(She looks at her watch.)
Shoot. I’m already late.
Prove you’re nothing like your brother, ha. Don’t let me down.
CARMELITA exits.
Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 3: GETTING TO CLASS
Lights up on MAXI VILLONES, a 30-something History Teacher, is writing the letters “AFL-CIO” on it followed by “Pgs 234-260” on a blackboard. She goes back to look at her notes when CARLOS GARCIA, the school principal knocks on the door.
CARLOS
Hey, Maxi. Sorry to interrupt.
MAXI
Oh. Not at all, Carlos. Just getting things ready.
Is there anything I can help you with?
CARLOS enters carrying a folder.
CARLOS
No. I just wanted to see how you’re doing in the next class. You know, I’m really proud of how you’ve survived this year.
MAXI
I wouldn’t use the term “survive.” They’re pretty good students.
CARLOS
And I have no doubt that they are.
MAXI
Great. If you’ll excuse me, I’m still prepping.
CARLOS
Of course. Of course. Don’t let me get in your way.
MAXI
Thank you.
MAXI gets back to looking at her notes and begins to write something down.
CARLOS
Ah. Learning about Unions. A very important subject, especially in American History. You know, being able to work together when “The Man” stuck it to the common worker. That’s when everyone had to stick together or risk losing his worth.
MAXI
Or her worth.
CARLOS
Speaking of worth… how’s it looking for that Montalban kid?
MAXI
Johnny?
CARLOS
Based on his attendance record, he may not be able to graduate.
MAXI
Don’t worry. I called his mother yesterday and I’m pretty sure we can turn things around.
CARLOS
And there’s no doubt that you can. It’d be a shame if he turned out like his brother.
MAXI
Why? What’s happened to his brother?
CARLOS
He got caught in a “random” shooting near the auto shop he worked a couple of years ago. The police never did find out who did it. Unfortunately, it happens too many times to a lot of families around here.
MAXI
He’s never mentioned him.
CARLOS
And he’s not the only story in your class. That Barcenas kid’s mom split on him and his dad right after he was born. That Lapid kid needs to pass this class to even have a shot at a football scholarship. And don’t get me started with Pete Chen and his grandmother. Being the only care giver in a home at age 17 can be rough. Maybe that’s why he’s so quiet all the time.
Look, I know what these kids’ lives are like outside these doors. As much as I’d love to keep them safe inside these walls, we, as a school, can’t afford to fail any of them.
MAXI
And I don’t plan on them failing.
CARLOS
Good. But if any of them is on that bubble between graduating and not, it’d be in our best interest to do everything in your power to make sure they do. Even with Johnny.
MAXI
I am.
CARLOS
I mean, anything.
MAXI
Are you telling me to pass…?
CARLOS
Of course not. That’d be unethical. But, it’s your class so, you do as what you see fit. All I’m saying is, in the interest of our entire school, it would do more harm than good if the School Board saw another dip in this year’s graduation rate.
MAXI
Because if they don’t graduate, then the school loses funding?
CARLOS
I don’t like it any more than you do, but it’s all about the numbers to the Board.
MAXI
And you.
CARLOS
I gave you the use of the Assistant you wanted. She’ll be a good example for them.
MAXI
She’s only an intern who’s not getting paid.
CARLOS
Experience is a form of payment. And besides, she can influence Ms. Yuchengco’s performance in that class too.
MAXI
Of course she will, she’s her…
CARLOS
Maxi, the last thing the school needs is another dropout. None of us wants itÑnot me, not the School Board, not the parents, and I’m assuming you don’t either.
MAXI
Of course not. It’s not like I want to fail any of my students.
CARLOS
And that’s because…
MAXI
When they fail, I fail.
CARLOS
I’m glad you feel the same way.
MAXI
But how can the students pass the class with me having to use this blackboard instead of a projector or a laptop? Or what about these outdated History Books?
CARLOS
You’re teaching History. Everything’s supposed to be outdated.
MAXI
…
CARLOS
Okay. Sorry. That was a really bad joke. I’m just under a lot of..
Your class, this class, is very important for all of us.
MAXI
If it’s so important, then why can’t we buy them the equipment they need in order to graduate?
CARLOS
And that’s why we need to pass all of them.
But I believe in you, Maxi.
After the school bell ring in heard, CARLOS begins to exit.
CARLOS (CONT’D)
Have a good class.
MAXI
Carlos, you can’t just…
CARLOS
I’m your biggest cheerleader! Go Maxi!
CARLOS exits.
MAXI
Principal Garcia!
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 4: RELEVANT HISTORY
The sound of the school bell rings and the students, FERNANDO, who is holding his girlfriend’s hand, JANAE YUCHENGCO, PETE CHEN, and ARNO LAPID begin to file in and sit at their desks.
MAXI
All right everyone. Settle down.
Fernando, you can let go of her hand now, she’s not gonna to get lost.
Enter JOHNNY and he sits in a desk.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Welcome back to class, Mr. Montalban. I hope you’re feeling better.
JOHNNY
I am. Thanks!
(To Fernando)
Dude, why did you tell her I was in the hospital?
MAXI
I hope you got the “Get Well” card that everyone got for you.
JOHNNY
Yeah, I did. Thanks. It was very kind of y’all.
MAXI
I hope you didn’t use up the entire value on the Starbucks card that was included in it.
FERNANDO
Nope, there’s still $5 left on it.
JOHNNY
Shut up!
FERNANDO
What?!
MAXI
Okay. Let’s get this lesson started, shall we?
Enter VANESSA YUCHENGCO. She’s dressed very preppy carrying a History Book.
VANESSA
Sorry for being tardy.
ARNO
Ha! She said tardy!
VANESSA
I had to get a copy of the class’s History Book from the library.
JANAE
What are you doing here?
MAXI
I’d like you all to meet my Teacher’s Assistant for the remainder of the year, Vanessa. She’s going to be help all of you with your Final Project.
JANAE
Oh, Hell no!
MAXI
Janae.
JANAE
Mom and dad sent her to spy on me, right?
FERNANDO
Baby, chill.
MAXI
There are no babies in this class, Fernando.
VANESSA
Thank you.
JANAE
You can thank me by leaving.
MAXI
She’s here to help all of you graduate. Isn’t that what all of you want?
JOHNNY
Not all of us.
MAXI
Well, your mother begs to differ.
FERNANDO
Yo, Johnny. She made your mom beg. That’s hella cold!
MAXI
Okay! Everyone focus.
Vanessa, you can sit over there.
So, what did everyone learn from last night’s reading assignment?
(Silence.)
Okay… umm… who has a job?
Everyone except for Janae and Vanessa raise their hands.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Pete. Where do you work?
PETE
(Whispering)
At the mall.
MAXI
I’m sorry?
PETE
(A louder whisper)
At the mall.
MAXI
You have to speak up, Pete.
ARNO
He said at the Mall. At the Footlocker.
MAXI
Thanks for sharing, Pete. I know it’s difficult for you to speak up, but thank you for trying.
How about you Arno? Where do you work?
ARNO
Little Caesars.
FERNANDO
Pizza Pizza.
ARNO
Shut up. It pays the bills, know what I’m sayin’?
MAXI
Actually, I do know what you are saying. You’re saying that everyone has to pay the bills and everyone needs a job. But can you answer something for me, Arno?
ARNO
Shoot.
MAXI
Is there anything about working at Little Caesars that makes you mad?
ARNO
I dunno. I guess, when someone orders a sausage, mushroom, and pineapple pizza and then when they come pick it up, they say that they wanted to order a pepperoni pizza instead.
MAXI
Ooo, that would make me mad too! But, what about your boss? Do you ever get mad at her or him?
ARNO
Of course. Everyone gets mad at their boss.
MAXI
Tell me about it.
What are some examples of why you get mad at her or him?
ARNO
I’m not… there isn’t a hidden camera in here is there? I’m getting fired over this.
JOHNNY
Why would Little Caesars be spying on us?
ARNO
You never know..
MAXI
I can assure you there are no cameras from Little Caesars here.
ARNO
Good.
MAXI
Now, why do you think you’d get fired? You’re only stating something that’s wrong with where you work, right?
ARNO
Yeah, but, if you say something wrong against management, you’re automatically cut.
MAXI
What happened to freedom of speech?
PETE
(Quietly)
We don’t have one.
MAXI
Ah!! I think Pete said, “We don’t have a voice.” Is that correct, Pete?
Does anyone feel the same way?
Everyone raises their hands except for Johnny.
MAXI (CONT’D)
You think you have a voice, Mr. Montalban.
JOHNNY
I know I do.
MAXI
Well, it looks like that Mr. Montalban is the lone wolf here.
JOHNNY lets out a HOWL!
MAXI (CONT’D)
There are no animals in this class. Only students. Students who will learn that each and every one of you has a voice if you are a part of a Union. Like all of the groups that were a part of last night’s reading assignment.
JANAE raises her hand.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Yes, Janae.
JANAE
I didn’t get a chance to read it.
MAXI
And why not?
JANAE opens up her History book.
JANAE
Because the pages are missing.
ARNO
Daymn. Who’d want to tear out some pages of some whack ass schoolbook?
MAXI
It’s your History Book, Arno. And it’s not whack.
Vannesa, could you share your book with your sister, please?
JANAE
Ew. Why can’t I share a book with Fernando?
MAXI
Because we’re talking about labor rights Unions. Not the kind of union you and Fernando think about doing to each other.
VANESSA
Ew.
MAXI
The AFL-CIO stands for the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations. You better write that down. It might be on the test. Meaning that it will be on the test. There was also a group called the Teamsters, and they…
FERNANDO raises his hand.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Yes, Fernando.
FERNANDO
I thought Unions were bad. Like didn’t they start hella riots and stuff?
MAXI
No. If you read your text… did anyone read the assignment?
No one raises a hand, except for VANESSA.
JANAE
Really? How could you have read it? You just got the book.
VANESSA
I read it two years ago and I skimmed through it on my way here.
JANAE
How are we even related? You don’t even look alike.
VANESSA
So dad wasn’t kidding when he said that you were adopted!
MAXI
Chill ladies.
VANESSA
Sorry, Ms. V.
JANAE
(Mockingly)
Sorry, Ms. V.
MAXI
How are any of you supposed to pass this class if you don’t read the assigned text?
JOHNNY raises his hand.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Yes. Johnny.
JOHNNY
Why do we even have to learn History? I mean, you adults always refer to us as the future generation, right?. So, if we are, then how can being locked in learning about the past move us forward?
MAXI
Because Johnny, if there was never a labor rights movement through the Unions, then there wouldn’t be eight-hour workdays or forty-hour work weeks. There wouldn’t be any lunch hours or overtime pay.
JOHNNY
Then I thank them for it.
Thank you Labor Union Gods!
But I don’t see how any of that is relevant to me or any of us?
MAXI
Who has heard of Cesar Chavez?
ARNO raises his hand.
ARNO
Yeah. He’s that guy who built that street out in the Mission, right?
MAXI
No.
VANESSA raises her hand.
MAXI (CONT’D)
Vanessa.
JANAE
Hold up. She’s not even a student here.
MAXI
Then would you like to answer the question, Miss Yuchengco?
JANAE
Sure, he’s… that guy who built that street out in the Mission.
MAXI
Vanessa?
VANESSA
He was the president and a co-founder of the U.F.W. – The United Farm Workers.
MAXI
Of America?
VANESSA
Of what?
MAXI
The Official name is the United Farm Workers of America. A lot of people forget that part.
VANESSA
But I didn’t. Um uh… that’s what I was going to say, the United Farm Workers of America and they were labor union that fought for the rights of the farm laborers in the Central Valley of California.
MAXI
And Cesar Chavez…
VANESSA
And Cesar Chavez started the Grape Strike in 1965 which eventually lead to the largest labor movement that this country has ever seen.
MAXI
Almost 100% correct.
VANESSA
I’m sorry?
JANAE
Oh my God. Did I just hear that right? Almost 100% correct?
JANAE takes out her cellphone.
MAXI
Janae, you know phones aren’t allowed in class.
JANAE
Sorry. It’s just that nobody’s ever told her that she was wrong and I had to Instagram Vanessa’s face.
VANESSA
Are you sure, Ms. V? I won a scholarship for an essay about Cesar Chavez.
MAXI
Then you would have seen the name Larry Dulay Itliong.
VANESSA
A couple of times. But that was only online and nothing’s even mentioned about him in this book, so I figured that he was just a minor character.
JOHNNY raises his hand.
MAXI
Yes, Johnny.
JOHNNY
Again, how is this relevant to me?
MAXI
How would you feel if one of the people to change the direction of American Labor was a Filipino?
FERNANDO
Cesar Chavez was Filipino?
MAXI
No, he wasn’t. But Larry Itliong was. He was Filipino.
And that’s the homework for tomorrow: do some research about him.
JANAE
But my smarty ass sister just said that he’s not even in our text book.
MAXI
You do know that the Internet is more than Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tumblr, right?
JANAE
It is?
MAXI
Yes, Janae. It is.
To appease our lone wolf here, we’re going to make history relevant.
ARNO
I don’t have the Internet at home.
MAXI
But our school library does.
Again, for homework, I want you all to Google these names:
MAXI goes to the blackboard to write “Larry Itliong. Philip Vera Cruz. Pete Velasco. Ben Gines.”
JOHNNY
(To FERNANDO)
Yo. Let’s rehearse after this. My mom’s working so we got the place to ourselves.
FERNANDO
What about your crazy landlord?
JOHNNY
Mrs. Chin’s cool. Plus, I think she likes you. She says you’re cute.
FERNANDO
Dude, she’s like a hundred! Besides, we got homework.
JOHNNY
But, we seriously need to practice.
JANAE
Fernando, you said that we were gonna hang out tonight.
JOHNNY
Janae, you can chill with your boy after we’re done.
MAXI
After you’re done with what, Mr. Montalban?
FERNANDO
After we finish researching those people, Ms. V.
JOHNNY
You don’t have to cover for me.
After we get done rehearsing for a major gig we got coming up.
JANAE
Major?! How major!? Why didn’t you tell me?!
ARNO
Like America’s Got Talent or something? It’s about damn time. You guys are good.
MAXI
Guys, I’m proud that you’re taking initiative of your music careers, but I’m sure that can wait a few more weeks. I know I don’t have to remind you again that you need to pass this class in order to graduate.
JOHNNY
My mom got that message loud and clear.
MAXI
Good. But this is for all of you… And I really shouldn’t be telling you this, but… the School Board is paying particular attention to this class.
ARNO
Like for an award or something?
MAXI
Well, the award in this case is your diploma. Your High School Diploma. Your success is a message to those on the Board, and to some even at this school, that you are…
JOHNNY
Gifted?
MAXI
Okay. Yes. You are, but not only that. That you are also capable of great things. Not only in this class, but in anything you do in life after you graduate?
JOHNNY
But you know that there are people created to succeed without the need of a diploma, right? Like Walt Disney, Kurt Cobain, Jay Z…
FERNANDO
And… they’re not all dead!
MAXI
They were exceptions to the rule, Johnny.
JOHNNY
What’s up with this school? First, it’s Mr. Garcia, now it’s you, and a stupid School Board telling us that we’re not good enough to go after our dreams and…
MAXI
It’s not that we…
JOHNNY
I wasn’t done talking.
MAXI
In this classroom, on my time, you are.
Johnny, all we’re trying to do is make sure you have all the tools you need when you get out into the real world.
JOHNNY
Then why are y’all trying to sweat me when all I’m trying to do is make my world real.
Those people on the BoardÑthey aren’t real in my world. So, you’re telling me that I should care about the ones who aren’t as strong-willed as me because they needed other people to get what they wanted? This is America, isn’t it? This country is called the home of the brave. Not of the weak. The school of hard knocks taught me that nothing is earned by being lazy, because this here United States of Free Enterprise is the land of the Hustle. The land of the ones who make destinies happen for themselves and that isn’t some idle ideological platform that I stand onÑthat’s the reality I live in.
MAXI
What did your brother do?
JOHNNY
Leave him out of this.
MAXI
I heard that he was a mechanic.
JOHNNY
You don’t wanna go there, Ms. V.
FERNANDO
Ms. V. For reals. You don’t have to bring Eric into this.
MAXI
I’m just trying to understand you, Johnny. That’s all I’m trying to do.
JOHNNY
Then you can do that without talking about him. You don’t even know him.
MAXI
What would he say to you today if he was here?
JOHNNY picks up his History book and slams it on the ground. He picks up his bag and storms out of the classroom.
FERNANDO
That was a low blow, Ms. V.
FERNANDO gets his bag and heads out the door.
The school bell rings. All the students start to get up and leave.
MAXI
Janae, Vanessa, can I talk to you for a minute?
JANAE
What did I do?
VANESSA
Janae. Sure Ms. V.
Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 5: LIFE’S CHOICES
Lights up on JOHNNY and FERNANDO busking on the street sidewalk again. Johnny’s beating a hard beat on the bucket while Fernando is strumming wildly along.
Fernando finishes the song with a chord, but Johnny’s lost in his own beat.
After a couple of tries, Johnny ends at the last strums of the guitar.
FERNANDO
Thank you.
Again, any and all forms of appreciation are gladly accepted.
(Noticing that JOHNNY’s head is somewhere else.)
Hey. Forget about her.
JOHNNY
Forget about who?
(Pause.)
Man, why’d she even have to go there?!
FERNANDO
Don’t worry about it. Everything will be back to normal when we get to class tomorrow.
JOHNNY
Have fun. After what happened? I ain’t ever going back there again.
FERNANDO
Dude, we’re so close.
JOHNNY
To getting out of there.
FERNANDO
To getting our diploma.
JOHNNY
Dude! Would you give it a rest already? The only diploma I need is in the shape of a lot of dolla dolla bills!
Enter VANESSA and JANAE.
JANAE
See. I told you they’d be here.
(JANAE goes over to hug Fernando.)
Hey, babe.
JOHNNY
Girls, can’t you see that we’re working here.
VANESSA
Who you calling, girls?
FERNANDO
Hey! We can take a break, Johnny.
JOHNNY
A quick one.
JANAE
I’m hungry. Let’s go to Chicos.
FERNANDO
You payin’?
(JANAE hits him.)
I’m kidding.
(To JOHNNY)
You want anything?
JOHNNY
Nah, I’m good.
Don’t take too long!
FERNANDO and JANAE exit.
VANESSA
Well, that was quite a show you put on in class.
JOHNNY
That wasn’t a show.
This is a show.
JOHNNY plays a different rhythm on his “drum” that he’s played so far.
VANESSA
Not bad.
JOHNNY
That. Was EPIC.
VANESSA
You definitely don’t lack in confidence.
JOHNNY
And neither do you. I liked how you stood up to Ms. V. when you told her about that scholarship you got.
VANESSA
It was only $50.
JOHNNY
Fifty bucks is a pretty good day out here.
VANESSA
But she was right, I should have known about Larry Itliong and all the other manongs.
JOHNNY
The who?
VANESSA
The Manongs. It technically means older brothers.
JOHNNY
I don’t have any older brothers.
VANESSA
Yeah. Ms. V. was probably out of bounds for bringing Eric up.
JOHNNY
Probably?
VANESSA
She’s just trying to do her job.
JOHNNY
By pissing off her students.
VANESSA
For trying to inspire the best in you.
JOHNNY
That was more like the worst.
Don’t worry, I won’t be showing that part of me anymore.
VANESSA
Good. She was afraid that you wouldn’t come back to class.
JOHNNY
Is that why you’re here? To make sure that I’m coming back.
VANESSA
It’s your choice, but I’m just saying / that
JOHNNY
And I’m saying that you weren’t gonna see that side of me again, because I won’t be there to show it.
VANESSA
But the class needs you.
JOHNNY
Trust me, they’ll be fine.
VANESSA
If you don’t come back, then yourf absence is going to throw off the energy level for everyone.
JOHNNY
I thought you said it was my choice.
VANESSA
There have been studies that show that a class’s overall progress can be attributed the cumulative balance of energy when sitting and learning in one room. And by you not being there… it would be catastrophic.
JOHNNY
How old are you?
VANESSA
Only a year older than you.
JOHNNY
I don’t know any 19 year old who says uh, “attributed to the… to the…”
VANESSA
… cumulative balance of energy.
JOHNNY
Exactly my point. No 19 year old says that.
VANESSA
Then maybe you need to hang around more 19 year olds.
JOHNNY
Nah. I’m good hanging with the people I’m with now. You know. Keeps me grounded with the people of the community.
VANESSA
And what do you know about the people of the community? I’ve never seen you at one of our community meetings. Or pass out Christmas gifts to kids whose parents can’t afford rent, so they have to spend their holidays living in a car. Or was it you that went door-to-door asking neighbors to sign a petition to get more speed bumps made in the SOMA so that kids don’t get run over in the only place where they can play?
JOHNNY
I guess you have.
VANESSA
Volunteering at the Bayanihan Center brings in a lot of energy. Energy to get things done. The same kind of energy you bring into the class.
JOHNNY
I doubt that my energy will be missed. Besides, It’s just a remedial History class. It’s not like an honors class or anything like that. So, why bother having Ms. V. call each of our parents telling them how important it was for us to pass the class in order to graduate? Or for the fact that you’re TA’ing the class. They must be hella desperate for people to graduate or something.
VANESSA
Maybe it’s because she cares about you?
JOHNNY
Why?
VANESSA
Why not?
JOHNNY
Because no one ever has before. You said it yourself. If people cared, then why are kids homeless in this city? Why didn’t the city put in those speed bumps?
VANESSA
Because, unfortunately, someone needs to tell them first. That’s what we need to do instead of being angry all the time.
JOHNNY
You think I’m angry?
VANESSA
I’m not the one who slam down their history book today.
JOHNNY
Why are you here? Shoot, why are you even back at a High School?
VANESSA
What makes you think that I don’t want to be there?
JOHNNY
You were forced to help Janae.
VANESSA
That… is true. If you knew our parents…
But, really, I want to be a teacher one day and when Ms. V. asked…
JOHNNY
You? A teacher?
VANESSA
It’s one of the few vocations where a person can give something back. Education multiplies. You teach, they learn, they teach someone else. Multiplies. It’s a win-win opportunity for society.
JOHNNY
That’s really… na”ve. No offense.
VANESSA
Well, offense totally taken.
JOHNNY
Check it, don’t you want to have money? A nice car. A big house. You know, the American Dream.
VANESSA
A dream that needs to be sponsored by a company and marketed to the masses isn’t a dream… it’s a t.v. commercial.
JOHNNY
I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
VANESSA
And that’s why the class needs your energy.
Okay. Seriously, I know that it goes against your nature, but just try thinking about the other people in class. I’m not saying that they couldn’t succeed without you there, but you leaving wouldn’t help.
JOHNNY
What do I get out of it?
VANESSA
Does it always have to be about you at the end?
JOHNNY
If it starts with me, then it has to end there too.
VANESSA
All right, I’m not going to beg.
JOHNNY
And I hate the people who do.
VANESSA
Look, all I’m saying, think about Fernando, or Arno… or Pete! Do you really think Pete can make it out in the real world without something to fall back on? I think your confidence can rub off on him.
JOHNNY
You think that?
VANESSA
I see it already. So, I’ll see you in class?
JOHNNY
Guess, you’ll have to wait and see.
Enter FERNANDO and JANAE with a pizza box.
FERNANDO
Got y’alls a couple of slices.
JANAE
He’s gonna be a great provider one day.
FERNANDO
For who?
VANESSA
Let’s go. You have research to do.
JANAE
I was trying to do that with Fernando.
VANESSA
Researching each other isn’t homework.
JANAE
Say’s who?
VANESSA
Ms. V.
JANAE
Speaking of which, have you talked to him yet?
FERNANDO
About what?
JOHNNY
Ms. V sent them here to try and talk me out of dropping out.
JANAE
She sent her. You’re good with me Johnny to do whatever you want! You know, you’re like a freedom fighterÑfighting against The Man. Trying to keep us down.
VANESSA
What do you know about The Man, Janae? We live in St. Francis Wood.
JANAE
I can’t help it if dad decided to be a sell out.
VANESSA
He’s not the one who got you kicked out of Mercy.
JANAE
Can’t keep a good woman down.
FERNANDO
Well I sure can.
VANESSA
Oh no, you… ew, you’re not…
Janae, c’mon!
VANESSA and JANAE start to exit.
FERNANDO
FaceTime in an hour?
VANESSA
Then all you’ll be seeing is a black screen. The both of you have research to do.
Let’s go!
Exit VANESSA and JANAE.
FERNANDO
Daymn. She’s perfect.
JOHNNY
And that’s her problem, she thinks she’s always perfect. “I got a scholarship.” Blah, blah, blah.
FERNANDO
I was talking about Janae.
You got a thing for the nerd don’t ya?!
JOHNNY
Uh… no.
FERNANDO
C’mon Johnny! Total double-date. I can borrow the car this weekend and we / could go…
JOHNNY
We need to rehearse this weekend. Did you forget about Europe?
FERNANDO
Of course not. But dude, I’m offering you a chance to hit that and you’re thinking about music?
JOHNNY
There isn’t anything else, man. Eye on the prize, Nando.
And lay off that “hit that” business… she’s a person… not a that.
FERNANDO
So, you do have the hots for her!
JOHNNY
Shut up.
FERNANDO
Well, there ain’t gonna be a prize, no Europe, or no bae for me if I don’t pass that class. Let’s go.
JOHNNY
What’s another hour We can leave then.
FERNANDO
It’s starting to get dark and it’s mac and cheese night.
JOHNNY
Dude, you just ate.
FERNANDO
It’s mac and cheese, bruh! Mac. And. Cheese.
JOHNNY
Whatever.
JOHNNY starts to play a beat on his bucket.
FERNANDO
Why don’t you come over?
When was the last time you had a home-cooked meal?
JOHNNY
What you trying to say?
FERNANDO
I’m only saying that it’s mac and cheese night.
JOHNNY
Thanks for the invite, but I’ll see how much I can pick up here first.
FERNANDO
And then you’re coming over?
JOHNNY
Is there be any mac and cheese left?
FERNANDO
Uh… I guess I’ll catch you tomorrow in class then.
JOHNNY
Maybe.
FERNANDO goes over to Johnny for their handshake before exiting.
JOHNNY plays a beat and then gradually stops. It’s obvious that his head is somewhere else.
He picks up his bucket and counts the change in the box in front of him and exits.
Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 6: TRYING TO MAKE ENDS MEET
Lights up on CARMELITA as she is sleeping in front of a flickering T.V. emitting light from static on the screen. She has a stack of envelopes and a journal on top of her. On a small table next to her is a small tumbler with whiskey in it.
Enter JOHNNY through the door. He sees his mom sleeping and eyes the glass of alcohol next to her. He picks up the remote control and switches off the T.V. Making sure that she is indeed asleep, he grabs the tumbler and downs the rest of it.
JOHNNY lets out a tiny yelp as the burn descends his throat.
Sensing this disturbance in her alcohol induced slumber, CARMELITA attempts to wake up.
CARMELITA
Humn wudda gumpa hmm…
As CARMELITA turns a little, some of the envelopes and the journal fall on the ground.
JOHNNY picks up the journal…
JOHNNY
(reading)
Mr. Hasshem’s memory is getting worse. He still remembers me though. But, maybe that’s because I have to clean his… ewww.
I didn’t get my break again today because Mrs. Carter fell down.
CARMELITA
(talking in her sleep)
Yes. One more scoop please…
JOHNNY picks up a couple of envelopes and shakes his head. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out some money, and places it into one of the envelopes.
CARMELITA gradually pulls out of her sleep and opens her eyes.
CARMELITA (CONT’D)
Ahhhh!!!
JOHNNY
Mom! What? It’s me!
You were sleeping.
CARMELITA
What time is it?
JOHNNY
Almost Nine.
CARMELITA
And you’re just getting home now?
JOHNNY
No. I’ve been here for a few hours already.
CARMELITA
Liar.
What are you doing with that?
JOHNNY
I was just picking it up.
CARMELITA
Give them to me.
JOHNNY
It’s okay, Mom. I got it.
Go to bed.
CARMELITA
I said, give it to me.
(CARMELITA grabs the envelopes.)
What’s this?
CARMELITA opens one of the envelopes and takes out the cash.
JOHNNY
Why didn’t you tell me we were late?
CARMELITA
Because I don’t want you to worry about this.
JOHNNY
How can I not worry about it? I live here too.
CARMELITA
All you have to worry about is school.
JOHNNY
Uh… about school.
CARMELITA
What about school?
JOHNNY
You didn’t get a call or anything?
CARMELITA
Why? What did you do this time?
JOHNNY
Nothing.
Nothing.
CARMELITA
You better not. I already promised your teacher that you were going to do your best.
JOHNNY
And I am.
CARMELITA
I was so embarrassed when she called. Good thing that she told me that you weren’t going to class or I would have never known.
JOHNNY
Which would have been good for me.
CARMELITA
No, it wouldn’t. That would mean that you weren’t going to graduate.
JOHNNY
Do we have to go over this again, ma?
CARMELITA
We’re going to keep going over it until you realize how important it is for me that you finish school.
JOHNNY
And what about what’s important to me?
CARMELITA
There’s nothing more important than you graduating.
JOHNNY
Me and Fernando got offered a chance to play in Europe.
CARMELITA
Play what?
JOHNNY
Music, mom. Don’t you ever listen to me?
A concert promoter saw us play the other day…
CARMELITA
When? It better have been on a Saturday and not on a school day.
JOHNNY
That’s what I said, mom. I said, he heard us play on Saturday.
But that’s not the point. The point is that after he heard us, he gave us a job to play music in Europe.
CARMELITA
In Europe? A job?
I don’t believe it.
JOHNNY takes out Dallas’s business card and shows it to her.
JOHNNY
See. It’s real.
CARMELITA
When do you start? This job?
JOHNNY
This Summer.
CARMELITA
So, it’s after you graduate.
JOHNNY
Really? I told you that I got this job to play music and you’re still thinking about school?
CARMELITA
Someone has to.
JOHNNY
Aren’t you even happy for me?
CARMELITA
Come here.
JOHNNY walks over to Carmelita and she gives him a hug.
CARMELITA (CONT’D)
I’m happy for you.
And I’ll be happier when that diploma is hanging over the table.
JOHNNY
Fine. Whatever.
Did you remember to ask for your overtime pay?
CARMELITA
She said that I would be taken care of.
JOHNNY
You know when the mob says that, it means that they’re about to kill you.
CARMELITA
How would you know? Are you a part of a gang?
JOHNNY
No. Why do you keep asking me that?
I’m just sayin’ that you deserve your money! You worked for it didn’t you?
CARMELITA
Yes, but…
JOHNNY
Do you want me to go over there and ask her for you?
CARMELITA
Why do you always want to start trouble?
JOHNNY
Because if no one does, how will anything change? I mean, look at all these overdue bills, mom. Electric. Gas. Storage. Phone.
First thing in the morning. We’re going to ask Auntie Belle for your money.
CARMELITA
I might not have a job tomorrow.
JOHNNY
What?
CARMELITA
Mam… your auntie said that she needed cut some of my hours because there’s not enough patients to take care of.
JOHNNY
But that doesn’t give her the right to keep your money.
CARMELITA
If we don’t have enough patients, then I won’t have a job. We’re lucky that I even have a job so I can pay the rent.
JOHNNY
Then that settles it. I’ll quit school and find a job at the garage until we leave for Europe. Tony owes us that much. Eric taught me a couple of things.
CARMELITA
No! You are not going to work there!
JOHNNY
Eric was making good money there.
CARMELITA
And look where that got him?
Huh?!
I’m the one who’s going to settle things. You’re going to finish school and then with your diploma, and then you can do whatever you want to do. You want to go. Go. You’re not the first person to leave me.
JOHNNY
I’m not leaving you…
CARMELITA
At least it’s better than begging for money on the street.
JOHNNY
That’s not what I’m doing, ma?
CARMELITA
Bang bang bang bang bang. Can you give me money?
Bang bang bang bang bang. Can you give me money?
That’s called bribing people on the street to stop making noise.
JOHNNY
You just don’t get it. What I’m doing is our ticket out of here.
CARMELITA
I don’t want a ticket. I want a diploma!
JOHNNY
Then you go to school.
CARMELITA
Why can’t you do this for me?
JOHNNY
I’m saying that I can make good money–money that we need–and all you’re worried about is some stupid piece of paper.
CARMELITA
Stupid piece of paper? That piece of paper tells people that you are not a quitter. That piece of paper says that you took your education seriously. It means that all of the hours I sacrificed cleaning up after old people who treat me like the crap in their diapers would mean something. It would mean that you were the only thing that…. How else could I justify my existence? Where’s your father, huh? Not here. And your brother was murdered for doing something NO ONE will tell me about! And you? Ang tigas ng ulo mo! [You’re so hard headed!] You can’t even see that people are trying to help you achieve something that so many other people take for granted. I graduated from college in the Philippines and people think my only purpose in this country is to serve them. You have a chance to be better than me. I don’t want you to feel like shit all the time. I don’t want you to know what it’s like to live as a failure. And I feel like that whenever I get one of those bills, or when I get one of those phone calls from your school telling me how bad you are, because believe me, I feel ten times worse.
So, I’m sorry that you think a diploma is just a piece of paper. To me, it’ll mean that I finally did something right.
(Silence.)
I’m going to bed. Don’t worry about all of this. Do your homework. Do something right for once, Anak. For me.
CARMELITA puts the envelopes away and exits.
JOHNNY lets out a big breath as he sits down. He grabs the remote control and turns on the T.V. All he finds is static as he cycles through the channels.
JOHNNY
I guess we won’t have cable for a while.
(He clicks off the T.V. and takes out his phone, turns it on and types in…)
What was that dude’s name again? Larry… Larry, I-T-L… Itliong. Google’s smart.
Okay… Larry Dulay Itliong. 25th of October 1913 to the 8th of February 1977. He organized West Coast agricultural workers starting in the 1930s, and rose to national prominence in 1965, when he, Philip Vera Cruz, Ben Gines and Pete Velasco, stopped working the farms of area table-grape growers, demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage. That work stoppage became known as the Delano grape strike.
(He yawns.)
He has been described as “one of the fathers of the West Coast labor movement.”
Lights begin to fade out on Johnny as he begins to fall asleep.
Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT I: SCENE 7: WHO WERE THE MANONGS?
Lights up on MAXI as she is handing out sheets of paper to each person of the class, except for Johnny who isn’t there.
MAXI
Alright. Rehearsal time.
Janae, I’d like you to start.
JANAE
Me? Why me? Fernando can. Here.
FERNANDO
Don’t give that.
MAXI
Each of you will read a little bit about what you studied last night.
JANAE
So, it’s just not me then?
MAXI
This is a class project. As a matter of fact, this is going to be your Final Group Project.
VANESSA
Did you say Group Project? Those don’t work very well for me.
JOHNNY enters the classroom.
JOHNNY
Me neither.
MAXI
It’s nice that you’re able to join us, Mr. Montalban.
JOHNNY
It’s not like I have a choice, do I?
MAXI
Life is full of choices. It just depends on which are the best ones you make. And one of those is to apologize for what I said yesterday. I’m sorry for bringing up your brother.
Can we start fresh?
JOHNNY
I’m here.
MAXI
Great. And that’s a beginning.
(She gives him a sheet of paper.)
Here. I saved this part for you.
VANESSA
I knew you’d miss being a part of the class’s energy.
JANAE
You’re not a part of this class, Vanessa!
MAXI
Well, now she is. Here’s a part for you.
VANESSA
A part?
MAXI
Everyone has a part. So depending on how you all do, that will determine whether you pass or fail this class.
JOHNNY
So then, all we have to do is read this to pass?
MAXI
It’s a little bit more than that, but we’ll see how this goes at first.
ARNO
As long as I don’t have to study for anything, then I’m down.
MAXI
Just because this isn’t a regular kind of Final, Arno, it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to have to think. Or feel.
JOHNNY
Feel?
MAXI
Janae? You may begin.
JANAE
The MAN-ongs…
MAXI
Woah woah woah… Mah-nongs
JANAE
Mah-nongs…
MAXI
Maaah-nongs…
JANAE
Maaah-nongs.
MAXI
Manongs.
JANAE
Manongs. Got it.
The Manongs, or elder men, in the Filipino language of Illocano, were inspired by their teachers or recruited by agricultural companies to work in the United States.
PETE
…
MAXI
Pete, it’s your turn.
PETE
Do I have to?
MAXI
Everybody’s a part of the team. Right, Arno?
ARNO
For sure. C’mon Pete. I got your back.
PETE shakes his head, “okay.”
MAXI
Great. Let’s start from the top. Janae.
JANAE
The Manongs, or Elder Men, in the Filipino language of Illocano, were inspired by their teachers or recruited by agricultural to work in the United States.
PETE
On December 20th, 1906, they came to work in the sugar cane plantations in Hawaii.
ARNO
And in the 1920s and 30s, about a hundred-thousand Filipinos, mostly men, either came from Hawaii or directly from the Philippines to mostly work in the agricultural fields of California.
FERNANDO
Or in the canneries of Alaska.
VANESSA
A lot of them were under 20 years old.
ARNO
All of them promised to send money back to their families.
PETE
Or send new American styled clothes.
JANAE
Some promised to get an education.
JOHNNY
A promise that a lot of them didn’t get to keep because of the constant need to find jobs despite the discrimination they met.
PETE
“The Filipino race was the most worthless, unscrupulous, shiftless, diseased semi-barbarian that has ever come to our shore.”
VANESSA
Was written in a California newspaper during the 1930s.
FERNANDO
Anti-miscegenation laws prevented Filipinos in America to marry white women so a lot of the Manongs were not allowed to have families.
ARNO
Since this was during the depression, these Manongs were often beat up and accused of stealing jobs from Americans.
VANESSA
So, a lot of these men started to work for sometimes less than a dollar a day.
PETE
Less than a dollar a day to work in a hundred degree weather.
JOHNNY
Sometimes for ten hours at a time stooped over cutting asparagus.
JANAE
Breathing in the kind of dust that would line a Manong’s socks…
ARNO
A Manongs’s Lungs.
PETE
A Manong’s Dignity.
VANESSA
Sometimes the field had no bathroom.
ARNO
So they just went.
JANAE
And when they were thirsty…
JOHNNY
There would be one tin cup…
FERNANDO
One tin cup wrapped in dirty clothes…
JANAE
Wrapped in clothes and hid underneath a shade. So, when it was time for a drink…
PETE
When it was time for a drink of water. Each worker in a group of 40 or 50 men would use that cup…
ARNO
That single tin cup to get some water to refresh himself.
JANAE
And herself.
VANESSA
And then they kept working.
FERNANDO
And kept working.
JANAE
Kept working.
EVERYONE
Working…
JOHNNY
Together.
Another part of the stage lights up to see the silhouette of a group of farmworkers in movement as they are working to cut the grapes of a large grape farm.
In movement, we can see how they work in the heat. We can see their age in their posture, the detail of which grapes they pick, and the preciseness of how their ability to perfectly pack a box of grapes.
All of their moves are choreographed into the lyrics of the following song, Follow the Fields, as FERNANDO is seen playing the song on his guitar and PETE as he sings.
PETE
I’LL FOLLOW THE FIELDS
BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE
WHERE YOU GREW ALL YOUR DREAMS
FROM AFAR
WITH THE STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE
IN A LAND NOT YOUR OWN
YOU STOOD UP FOR JUSTICE
TO MAKE THIS YOUR HOME
WHEN YOU FOLLOWED THE FIELDS
VERSE 1
DREAMS, WERE ALL THAT YOU EVER KNEW
WHEN YOU, LEFT HOME WITHOUT A CLUE
ABOUT, THIS LAND PAVED WITH STREETS OF GOLD
BELIEVING IN EVERYTHING YOU WERE TOLD
ABOUT BEING FREE
ABOUT HAVING EQUALITY
WITHOUT RUNNING AWAY
YOU STOOD YOUR GROUND, FOUGHT BACK AND STAYED
SO, I’LL FOLLOW THE FIELDS
BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE
WHERE YOU GREW ALL YOUR DREAMS
FROM AFAR
WITH THE STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE
IN A LAND NOT YOUR OWN
YOU STOOD UP FOR JUSTICE
TO MAKE THIS YOUR HOME
WHEN YOU FOLLOWED THE FIELDS
VERSE 2
BROWN, YOUR HANDS CRACK INTO THE SOIL
IN HEAT, THAT FELT LIKE YOUR BLOOD WOULD BOIL
INSIDE, YOUR HEART TREMBLED ON ITS OWN
BUT IN FIGHTING TOGETHER, YOU’VE ALWAYS KNOWN
ABOUT BEING FREE
ABOUT HAVING EQUALITY
WITHOUT RUNNING AWAY
YOU STOOD YOUR GROUND, FOUGHT BACK AND STAYED
BRIDGE
NOW, THE HOUR HAS COME
TO REMEMBER ALL THAT YOU’VE DONE
YOU HAVE GIVEN US ALL THAT YOU’VE HAD
AND IT’S OUR TURN TO PAY TRIBUTE BACK
SO, I’LL FOLLOW THE FIELDS
BACK TO WHERE YOU ARE
WHERE YOU GREW ALL OUR DREAMS
FROM AFAR
WITH THE STRENGTH AND THE COURAGE
IN A LAND NOT YOUR OWN
YOU STOOD UP FOR JUSTICE
TO MAKE THIS OUR HOME
WHEN YOU FOLLOWED THE FIELDS
I’LL FOLLOW THE FIELDS
WE’LL FOLLOW THE FIELDS
END OF ACT I.
ACT II
ACT II: SCENE 1: THE CALL
JOHNNY has his phone in one hand and Dallas Basco’s business card in the other.
JOHNNY
Hello. Is Mr. Basco in?
He’s not. Can you tell him that Johnny Montalban from The Diggable Universe called and…
Oh…
He did, did he?
Yes. We’re still interested.
Excuse me? I thought that we had the…
Oh. I see. No. Where and…
Friday, May 23rd at 11am at Thee Parkside.
Got it. Wait. Does it start right at 11am or can it start be a little later?
So, right at 11?
That’s absolutely no problem. Please tell Mr. Basco that we’ll definitely be there.
Thank you. Bye.
(JOHNNY pushes a button on the phone to end one phone call and pushes another button to start another one.)
Yo. Fernando. We’re on for the 23rd at 11am.
No. I didn’t forget about Ms. V’s Final, but that’s at 1.
I promise. We just do our thing, sign our contract, and bounce. Cool?
Hey. Get ready for Europe.
END OF SCENE.
ACT II: SCENE 2: WELGA … PART 1
The school bell is heard.
The class stands with scripts in their hands. MAXI is off to the side.
PETE and ARNO are reading from their scripts as Pete Velasco and Ben Gines.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
Where’s Larry? He said that he would be here.
ARNO / BEN GINES
How many times do I have to keep telling you that he’ll be here Pete?
PETE / PETE VELASCO
Are you sure that this is a good idea, Ben?
ARNO / BEN GINES
It worked in Coachella.
ARNO
Ohhhh… Coachella. Isn’t that where they have that hipster music festival?
MAXI
Stick with what I wrote, Arno. But if you need to know, yes it is. Now stay in character. You’re Ben Gines.
ARNO
Ben Gines. Got it.
PETE
And I’m Pete Velasco.
MAXI
Yes.
ARNO
Wait? Why does Pete get to play Pete? That’s easy for him to remember.
MAXI
Because there was no Arno that helped lead the Delano Grape Strike.
ARNO
How do you know? I’ve never heard of Ben Gines or Pete Velasco or Larry Itliong before. So maybe there was an Arno with them.
MAXI
Okay. Okay. Maybe there was, but for this class, could you please grace us with your talent and play Ben Gines?
ARNO
Well, since you put it that way…
ARNO returns to reading from his script.
ARNO / BEN GINES
We won the strike in Coachella so it has to work here.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
It’s Four in the morning and it’s freezing out here. I’m not sure if a twenty-cent raise is really enough to make all of this worth it.
ARNO / BEN GINES
You been in this country since 1934 and you still don’t believe in what you’re worth?
PETE / PETE VELASCO
I would think that I’m worth more than twenty cents.
ARNO / BEN GINES
Then why do these farm owners keep treating us like we are worth less than that? You might think that going from $1.20 to $1.40 and getting 25 cents per box isn’t much…
ARNO
Hold up… is this per hour?
MAXI
Yes. Yes it is.
ARNO
Daymn.
MAXI
Now. Please continue.
ARNO / BEN GINES
…going from $1.20 to $1.40 and getting 25 center per box isn’t much, but think about where and how we’re living. No breaks. When it’s 120 degrees out here, we have to pay twenty-five cents to drink a cup of water from the same cup as everyone else. Believe me we’re striking for more than twenty-cents.
Enter JOHNNY.
MAXI
Just in time.
(She hands JOHNNY a script.)
Here. You’re playing Larry.
JOHNNY
Uh. Okay.
PETE shows him where they are.
PETE
We’re right here.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Um… We’re striking to be recognized as human beings. Not slaves.
ARNO / BEN GINES
And that’s exactly what I’ve been telling everyone, Larry.
JOHNNY
Wait. I’m playing Larry Itliong?
MAXI
That’s what I said. You fit the part.
Now, stay in character and continue.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
So, what’s the plan, Larry?
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Oh. Keep a look out for when the trucks with boxes come in and where they stop. That’s where we’ll be to tell all of the other workers, “We are striking.”
PETE / PETE VELASCO
You know they’re not going to listen to us.
ARNO / BEN GINES
He already tried talking to him. Isn’t that right, Larry?
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
I have, but he keeps saying the same thing over and over…
ARNO / BEN GINES
That they’re not ready.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
But without him, there’s no one to tell his people not to break our strike.
ARNO / BEN GINES
Pete’s right.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
You feel that way too, Ben?
ARNO / BEN GINES
We need Cesar.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
I told you, I already tried talking to him.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
Then you need to talk to him again. Have you tried talking to Dolores Huerta?
Enter VANESSA into the scene who will be playing Dolores Huerta.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Talk to me about what?
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Isn’t it a little early to be out here for you?
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Well, a little birdy told me that you would be out here, Larry.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
I hope that little birdy is on our side.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
He is.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
Talk to her, Larry.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
He knows that he has to talk to Cesar first.
ARNO / BEN GINES
But you two worked together first.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
That was ages ago.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
It wasn’t that long ago, Larry, when you and I worked with AWOC in Stockton.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
I knew all the agricultural workers and you needed someone to talk to them. And then you left us.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Because I was needed outside of Stockton.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
Are you sure they only worked together? Because they sound like an old married couple.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Hey! It wasn’t anything even close to that!
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Not even close.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
But will the NFWA join us?
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
We only have $70 in our account. How can we possibly support you?
PETE / PETE VELASCO
By not breaking our strike.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
By joining our numbers. You have over 400 members here in Delano alone.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
How do you know that?
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
It’s my job to know everything.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Look, I already said, you have to talk to Cesar…
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
I tried. Twice.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Only twice. Sounds like you’re slipping.
I’ll talk to Helen and maybe we both could do something.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
You were always the smart one. The man’s wife is always the one in control.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
That’s because we plant the seeds and let your ego do the rest.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
My ego? I would think that the great Dolores Huerta has one as well.
PETE / PETE VELASCO
The trucks!
ARNO / BEN GINES
Two of them.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Okay. This is it.
(To VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA)
With or without you, we have to do this.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
I know.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Then go.
VANESSA / DOLORES HUERTA
Vaya con dios.
JOHNNY / LARRY ITLIONG
Why bother the Gods when we can do it ourselves?
Exit VANESSA.
MAXI
One, two, three…
ALL
On September 7th 1965.
JOHNNY
Larry Itliong and the members of AWOC … the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee … under the AFL-CIO voted to strike against the Grape Owners in Delano, California.
ALL
The next afternoon, on September 8th.
JOHNNY
The voting members walked off the Grape Fields. This act of resistance started one of the most important labor strikes in American History. Which eventually led to…
Enter CARLOS, the principal.
CARLOS
Excuse the interruption. Can I please speak to Johnny?
MAXI
Sure. Johnny?
JOHNNY
What? What did I do this time?
CARLOS
We can talk about this in the hallway.
JOHNNY
Why? I didn’t do anything.
MAXI
Johnny, maybe you should go with Principal Garcia.
JOHNNY
Hell no! I didn’t do anything!
CARLOS
It’s your mother, Johnny. Something happened to her at work. She’s in the hospital.
Without a word, JOHNNY throws down his script, grabs his things and runs out of the class.
END OF SCENE
ACT II: SCENE 3: A PLAN IS HATCHED
In blackout, the sound of a door knock is heard.
Knock, knock, knock…
Lights up on the Montalban apartment where JOHNNY comes out of a bedroom.
JOHNNY
Mrs. Chin, we don’t need anymore of your Hot and Sour soup.
JOHNNY opens the door and Fernando, Janae, and Vanessa are at the door.
FERNANDO
Oh, dude. I’m so down for Hot and Sour soup.
JANAE
You’re down for any food.
FERNANDO
You know me so well.
VANESSA
We just came to check on you and your mom. How’s she doing?
JOHNNY
Better. Thanks. She’s trying to sleep now, so…
FERNANDO
Hey man, I gotta pee.
FERNANDO runs for the bathroom.
JOHNNY
Have a seat.
VANESSA
Thanks.
JOHNNY moves some things around so that Vanessa and Janae can have a place to sit.
JOHNNY
You want anything? We got water… and ice.
JANAE
Thanks, but we’re good.
VANESSA
Yeah, hey, glad it wasn’t anything major.
JANAE
Like a stroke.
VANESSA
Janae!
JANAE
What? It could’ve been worse.
VANESSA
Has she ever fainted before?
JOHNNY
Not like that.
VANESSA
So, she was just yelling at her boss…
JOHNNY
Actually, it’s my Aunt.
JANAE
Ooo. Family drama!
VANESSA
Janae!
JANAE
What? Everybody has family drama. It’s just not all of them end up in the hospital.
VANESSA
Stop it. I’m sorry.
JOHNNY
It’s all good. Well, not all good. But, you know what I mean. Janae, you’re right. It could’ve been worse.
JANAE
See I was right.
VANESSA
I’m not even… So, Fernando said your mom was trying to get paid.
JOHNNY
Nando has a big mouth.
Reenter FERNANDO.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
Yo! Why you tell them about why my mom passed out?
FERNANDO
Cuz she could help.
JOHNNY
What’s he talking about?
VANESSA
After Fernando told me what happened I wanted to see if there’s anything we can do.
JOHNNY
No thank you.
VANESSA
There’s a lot of stories like your mom where they are exploited by their employers. There’s a community organization that can help connect you with a couple of lawyers.
JOHNNY
Shoot. We can’t afford any lawyers. Mom was trying to get money so that we could pay for rent. And now with hospital bills coming in soon…
VANESSA
The lawyers work pro-bono. They want justice too.
JOHNNY
So is that it? The lawyers do their thing and we just wait? I’d rather go down there and break some skulls.
VANESSA
Okay. We definitely don’t break skulls. There are other methods of making things right.
JANAE
She’s right, you know. Miss goody-two-shoes ain’t always so good. Homegirl’s got a record.
JOHNNY
I thought you didn’t break skulls.
VANESSA
Well, Janae’s exaggerating.
FERNANDO
Vanessa’s one of them activist types. You know. Throw them fists up in the air and wave ’em like you just don’t care.
VANESSA
No. We care. We care about your mom and others like her. You said that she’s a caregiver at the Sunny Brook home, right? That place gives the good senior care homes a bad name.
JOHNNY
I said, No. Thank you.
VANESSA
Do you think it’s all right if I asked your mom if it was okay to stage a protest in front of there?
JOHNNY
What?!
FERNANDO
That’s why we came here. To ask her.
JANAE
Vanessa gave Ms. V the idea of performing that play she wrote at the protest. So, it’s gonna be like a… Babe. What did she call it?
FERNANDO
Welga. That’s what the Manongs called their strike back in the day. Same with their Mexican brothers.
JANAE
Except that they spelled it with a H and a U. Flips spelled it with a W.
VANESSA
Filipinos, Janae. Not Flips.
Look, you asked how all the stuff we’re learning in class is relevant to what’s going on now. Here it is. Don’t you want to help your mom?
JOHNNY
Of course I do.
JANAE
And check it out, Ms. V said that if we get to do the play at the protest…
FERNANDO
Like how we gig … out on the street …Êguerilla style.
JANAE
Then that would be like our final.
FERNANDO
Like without the memorizing or the writing down stuff. That kind of exam.
VANESSA
But the real test is for us to come together to get your mom, and most likely the other employees there, paid for what they worked for.
JOHNNY
So there’s no real final?
FERNANDO
No, that is the Final. The plan is to go down there on Friday and if we cause enough ruckus to get your mom paid, we pass the class.
Meaning, we graduate!
VANESSA
Only if Johnny’s mom says we can.
JOHNNY
Hold up. This Friday? What time?
JANAE
Same as class.
VANESSA
But we have to meet up earlier. So 12, 12:30.
JOHNNY
Shoot! Nando, we can’t do that! We’re gotta be somewhere else.
VANESSA
Somewhere more important than helping your mom? That’s the only place you need to be.
A door opens and CARMELITA enters wearing a robe.
CARMELITA
Oh, hello.
FERNANDO
Hi Auntie.
FERNANDO gives a Mano Po to Carmelita.
JANAE
Hi Johnny’s mom.
JOHNNY
Mom. You should be resting.
CARMELITA
I heard voices out here. Johnny never brings any of his friends over.
FERNANDO
But, I’m always here, Auntie.
CARMELITA
Oo, Fernando. That’s why we’re always out of food. Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friends?
JOHNNY
Oh yeah. This is Vanessa.
FERNANDO
And this is Janae. She’s my girlfriend.
CARMELITA
You have a girlfriend? How come you’re not at her apartment eating all of their food?
VANESSA
That’s because our parents don’t know about them being together.
FERNANDO
Wait. They don’t know about me?
JOHNNY
Oooo… Family drama!
JANAE
I hear you’re fighting with your sister, Auntie?
VANESSA
Sorry, Auntie. God forgot to add a filter to her mouth.
CARMELITA
Johnny, did you offer them some water?
JOHNNY
I did, mom.
CARMELITA
I’m sorry that we can’t offer anything else. I did not have time to go to Safeway before I got sick.
VANESSA
It’s okay, Auntie.
JANAE
I’m sorry for talking about your family drama, Auntie.
VANESSA
But, if you do want to talk about it, I do know some people that can help.
CARMELITA
If you want to help, make sure that Johnny passes that history class.
JOHNNY
Still?
CARMELITA
That’s my dying wish.
JOHNNY
The doctor said that you’re not going to die.
CARMELITA
Believe me, if you don’t give me what I want, then I would rather be dead.
FERNANDO
What do you want, Auntie?
CARMELITA
He knows.
JOHNNY
I do. Go. Get some rest. I’ll be there in a minute to check on you.
VANESSA
Auntie, can I ask you something?
JOHNNY
Later.
VANESSA
I understand that you’re having some problems at work.
JOHNNY
Vanessa…
VANESSA
If you want po, we can talk about it. Gusto lang naming tulungan. [We just want to help.]
(Takes out a pamphlet and gives it to Carmelita)
Whenever you feel ready to talk, tawagan mo ako po.
CARMELITA
Salamat.
CARMELITA puts the card in her robe pocket.
VANESSA
No. Thank you.
We promise keep it down.
CARMELITA
It was nice meeting you.
CARMELITA begins to exit.
FERNANDO
Good night Auntie.
JANAE
I hope you feel better.
VANESSA
We have to do something.
JOHNNY
You don’t even know her.
VANESSA
I know a lot of people like her, good people who come to the Center asking for help. And that’s what we’re gonna do. Just you wait. Let’s go Janae. We got some planning to do.
JANAE
We? We ain’t no we?
VANESSA
Don’t you want to help Johnny’s mom?
JOHNNY
Why are you doing this for me?
VANESSA
This isn’t about you. This is about the people in our community–your mom, someone’s dad, another person’s grandmother–any worker who’s being taken advantaged of. We’re gonna help them. That’s the right thing to do.
(To Janae)
Ready?
JANAE gets up and goes over to hug Johnny.
JANAE
Look. I’m sorry that she gets a little crazy about things like this. But her heart’s in the right place.
FERNANDO
All right, bruh. Let me know if you need anything.
JOHNNY
We still need to talk about the 23rd. We need to rehearse.
VANESSA
Perfect! We need music! The more noise the better!
FERNANDO
You got it.
(They do their handshake.)
Peace.
FERNANDO and JANAE exit.
VANESSA
A speech will be a big factor at that rally.
JOHNNY
Speech? I’m not making any speech.
VANESSA
There needs to be a speech. You want what’s right for your mom? You want to graduate? It better be good. I’ll help. Just ask.
See you Friday.
VANESSA exits.
Enter CARMELITA
JOHNNY
Ma. You need anything? You okay?
CARMELITA (O.S.)
I’m okay.
JOHNNY
Mom. My friends… my friends wanted to know if it was okay for them to go to your work.
CARMELITA’s door opens and she enters the room.
CARMELITA
To do what?
JOHNNY
To ask for your pay.
CARMELITA
What?
JOHNNY
They want to hold a rally.
CARMELITA
Tulad ng isang protesta? [Like a protest?]
JOHNNY
Only if you said yes to it.
CARMELITA
And risk getting fired? I’m still trying to pay for Eric’s funeral. And what about the bills? How am I going to pay for rent?
JOHNNY
Mom. Calm down.
CARMELITA
Tell your friends, don’t do it. Don’t go there.
JOHNNY
Then I won’t graduate.
CARMELITA
What?
JOHNNY
Our teacher … remember her? Ms. V? … well, she said that our test would be held there.
CARMELITA
You’re going to take a test at our Care Home?
JOHNNY
The test would be to see if we can come together to help us.
To help you .
CARMELITA
Why?
JOHNNY
That’s exactly what I asked…
Mom. All this time, you’ve told me all you wanted was for me to graduate, right? Well, what if all I wanted was for you to let them help us? When Eric died, we never asked for help, cuz we just didn’t. And look where that got us.
CARMELITA
What are you saying? Are you blaming your brother for…?
JOHNNY
No. I’m not blaming him. I’m saying is that it’s okay to ask for help. And probably more than that, it’s okay for you to ask what you worked for. I know about Mrs. Carter. Mr. Hasshem.
CARMELITA
How did you know about …?
JOHNNY
I heard you on the phone… and I looked through your journals.
CARMELITA
You looked through my journals?
JOHNNY
I know that you didn’t want to leave them because you know that they would be neglected if you left. What kind of person would sacrifice themselves to make sure others were cared for?
CARMELITA
I was only doing my job.
JOHNNY
A job that needs to give back to you as much as you give to it.
Don’t you think you’re worth it? Because I do.
CARMELITA
Go to sleep. You have school tomorrow.
JOHNNY
Fine.
CARMELITA
Oh, and don’t forget to brush your teeth. We can’t afford a dentist if your teeth fall out.
JOHNNY
Fine. Good night.
JOHNNY exits.
CARMELITA
Good night.
CARMELITA takes the pamphlet that Vanessa gave her earlier and takes a look at it.
Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT II: SCENE 4: WELGA – PART 2
Muffled sounds of a band playing live music in the distant is heard as lights come up on one side of the stage (Thee Parkside) with FERNANDO holding a guitar case.
Enter JOHNNY carrying his drumsticks and plastic bucket.
FERNANDO
Man! I thought this was gonna start at 11.
JOHNNY
I did too.
FERNANDO
It’s almost noon and we gotta get to the rally.
JOHNNY
Just wait a couple more minutes.
Enter DALLAS.
DALLAS
Hey!!! The Diggable Universe is here!
JOHNNY
Actually, we were here at 10:30.
DALLAS
Punctuality is what I look for in new groups.
JOHNNY
That’s what I wanted to talk to you about Mr. Basco.We were told that we were going on at 11.
DALLAS
The auditions started at 11.
FERNANDO
Hey, we need to be…
DALLAS
I wanted all the other bands to go first so by the time the sponsors saw the last one, they’ll know that you’re the right one for the tour.
JOHNNY
Wait. Wait! We’re the last ones?
DALLAS
Thank me later.
I’ll see you inside.
Exit DALLAS.
On the other side of the stage, the rest of the class, along with MAXI and CARMELITA, are starting to gather outside the Sunny Brook Care Home.
MAXI
Did Fernando and Johnny text back?
JANAE
No.
VANESSA
But they’ll be here.
MAXI
Pete. Just in case, Johnny doesn’t get here, you’ll have to play Larry Itliong. And Janae, you’ll have to play Pete.
JANAE
I thought you said I can just do the signs.
MAXI
I know, but we need you okay?
PETE
Me? In front of all of them?
ARNO
I got ya, bruh.
PETE
I hope they get here soon.
On the other side of the stage.
FERNANDO
We need to go.
JOHNNY
It’s almost our turn.
FERNANDO
Nah man, you said that an hour ago.
JOHNNY
This could be our only shot!
FERNANDO
Look man, maybe when we get back, they’ll probably still be doing rehearsals.
JOHNNY
You don’t know that.
FERNANDO
I know that if we don’t get to that Rally, we’re not graduating.
(starts to exit)
Sorry.
JOHNNY
Hey! You can’t leave me.
FERNANDO
Then come with me.
JOHNNY
We need to stay. What about being Masters of our own fate.
FERNANDO
And what about your mom and her fate?
JOHNNY
…
FERNANDO
Look, if there’s time, we’ll come back. But I need to go.
You know where we’ll be. I better see you there.
JOHNNY
Fine! Leave! There’s other guitar players I play in Europe with!
Exit FERNANDO
On the other side of the stage.
PETE / LARRY ITLIONG
We’re striking to be recognized as human beings. Not slaves.
MAXI
Louder, Pete.
PETE / LARRY ITLIONG
We’re striking to be recognized as human beings! Not slaves!
ARNO / BEN GINES
And that’s exactly what I’ve been telling everyone, Larry.
JANAE / PETE VELASCO
So, what’s the plan, Larry?
PETE / LARRY ITLIONG
We’ll need to keep a look out for when the trucks with boxes come in and where they stop. That’s where we can tell all of the other workers that we are striking.
JANAE / PETE VELASCO
You know they’re not going to listen to us.
On the other side of the stage, JOHNNY’s pacing around looking at his phone.
Enter DALLAS.
DALLAS
Where’s Fernando?
JOHNNY
He’s in the bathroom. He needs to pee when he’s nervous.
So, are you ready to listen to us yet?
DALLAS
We’re almost ready for you.
Calm your jets. But, I like the enthusiasm. That goes a long way in this business.
JOHNNY
So is being punctual.
DALLAS
Sho you right!
It’ll be just a few moments now, you’re gonna rock our socks off! And you’re gonna do that, right?
JOHNNY
Always.
On the other side of the stage.
ARNO
After 5 years.
PETE
From September 8th, 1965.
VANESSA
From the time the hired police beat on old Manongs on Strike.
ARNO
To when Cesar Chavez joined them to fight as united agricultural workers.
FERNANDO
And led a 365 mile march from Delano to Sacramento with the eyes of the world watching them on television.
JANAE
While Manong Larry organized grape boycotts at stores around the country.
VANESSA
Which eventually caused the grape owners to sign a labor contract on July 20th, 1970.
Back to the other side of the stage.
DALLAS reaches into his pocket and gives Johnny a pen.
DALLAS
You’re going to need this.
JOHNNY
What’s this for?
Back to the other side of the stage.
VANESSA
And the first person to sign that contract?
ALL THE STUDENTS
Larry Dulay Itliong.
JOHNNY
Larry Dulay Itliong.
Back to the other side of the stage.
DALLAS
Say what?
JOHNNY picks up his bucket and sticks.
JOHNNY
Larry Dulay Itliong.
Did you ever have that feeling where something is pulling you in another direction?
I have to go.
DALLAS
Go? Go where? What can possibly be more important that this?
Back to the other side of the stage.
VANESSA
And that’s why we’re here today to tell this Care Home to start caring about it’s employees like Carmelita Montalban!
ALL THE STUDENTS
WELGA! WELGA! WELGA! WELGA! WELGA!
Enter JOHNNY.
JOHNNY
Hey!
VANESSA
Hey. Glad you can finally make it.
JOHNNY
Can I say something?
Enter CARMELITA.
CARMELITA
Actually, can I say something?
VANESSA gives CARMELITA a hug.
VANESSA
Of course. Do you have it?
CARMELITA gives her journal to Vanessa.
VANESSA (CONT’D)
Thank you.
CARMELITA
No. Thank you.
Everybody. Thank you. Thank you for being here today.
Before today, I thought that I and my other co-workers at the place behind us, were the only ones going through what we were going through. I heard about other people.. about their stories… about how other workers were abused… and how other workers were exploited.. belittled… and forced to work in conditions that denied our human rights.
But with all of you being here today, I’ve learned that it’s not only about me… or the other workers… and the workers who came before us with their struggles. Through them and through you, I no longer fear that I am alone. We are not alone. We have a voice.
That I have a voice.
Thank you.
VANESSA
Thank you, Auntie Carmelita.
You heard her. Each of us has a voice and together… together as a community, we are here to demand that she and her co-workers are paid the wages she has earned in overtime and for the other wages that was promised to her.
(VANESSA holds up Carmelita’s journal)
Inside this journal are all the records Carmelita has kept of the times when her employer made her work through her meal breaks. When she worked past 9 hours in a day or worked more than 6 days in a row. She has also written down every time her employer threatened to fire her if she were to tell anyone about her complaints.
That was against her rights. Those are against your rights if you work in a care home, or at the airport, in a parking lot, or at a hotel. And that’s why we’re all here today, to let all of us know that labor rights are not just a worker’s struggle. It is a community struggle. And the only way to make sure these rights aren’t stepped on, we have to be able to fight together.
MAXI starts the unity clap: a lone clap that starts slow and as more people joins her, the beat continuously gets faster and faster until VANESSA lets out…
VANESSA (CONT’D)
ISANG BAGSAK!
Everyone claps once in unison.
Lights Blackout.
END OF SCENE.
ACT II: THE EPILOGUE
A single spotlight shines down on Johnny.
Through this scene, JOHNNY begins to get dressed as the teacher we first saw him as at the beginning of the play.
JOHNNY
It didn’t happen quite that fast.
And even with my mom’s journal, there were a lot of meetings and sometimes it felt like there were more step backs than steps moving forward, but eventually, my mom and her co-workers were awarded what they worked for.
ARNO/STUDENT
What happened to Mr. Hasshem and the Sunny Brook Home?
JOHNNY
Ahe gets to still see Mr. Hasshem at his assisted living facility. When Sunny Brook was shut down, mom started to volunteer in the community to help others with what she went through.
JANAE / STUDENT
But did you graduate?
JOHNNY
Since I didn’t get to that rally in time, Ms. V didn’t pass me. Principal Garcia wasn’t very happy with that. But after spending a whole summer in school, that diploma is hanging over the dining room table right now between the giant fork and spoon and painting of the Last Supper.
MAXI / STUDENT
Speaking of supper. What happened to Fernando?
JOHNNY
He got a car and he’s studying broadcasting.
REX / PETE
And what happened to the rest of them?
JOHNNY
Janae actually turned out to be a YouTube mogul with her make-up slash life slash comedy Channel. And Pete and Arno held it down at City College. Arno got a D1 scholarship at Iowa State so I think he’s shacked up with a cow or something. And Pete broke out of his shell when he took the acting workshop Bindlestiff. Who woulda guessed, right?
Enter VANESSA.
VANESSA
Hi.
JOHNNY
Oh, class. This is Vanessa Yuchengco. Everyone say, “Hi Miss Yuchengco.”
THE CLASS
Hi Miss Yuchengco.
VANESSA
Hi Class.
Sorry to interrupt. I just thought you’d be done by now.
REX / PETE
So did we!
JOHNNY
It’s all good. I was just telling them a story about WELGA.
VANESSA
Ms. V’s class? And how you didn’t graduate?
JOHNNY
Hey. I graduated. Eventually.
VANESSA
And now you’re in front of the class.
JOHNNY
Someone told me that teaching is a win-win opportunity for society.
VANESSA
Oh, she sure did.
Um, look I just came by to remind you about later.
JOHNNY
I didn’t forget.
VANESSA
Alright. Well I’ll leave you to it.
Don’t forget, okay?
Bye class.
THE CLASS
Bye-eee!
Exit VANESSA.
JOHNNY
She’s still mad at me for forgetting to drop her off at the airport the last time to go on another community organizing seminar. I know she’s gonna miss that because guess what?
She’s going to be our school’s first Ethnic Studies teacher.
But I’m here to teach y’alls how to play music. Just because the school cut it’s music program doesn’t mean that you should stop learning, right?
Enter FERNANDO with his guitar and a bucket with sticks which he hands to Johnny.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
And obviously Europe didn’t happen because I’m talking to you now. But, me and Fernando… We are still The Diggable Universe.
FERNANDO
And if you listen close enough, no matter if you’re out in the Richmond District,
VANESSA
Or out in Bernal Heights…
ARNO
Or in the Mission…
MAXI
The Fillmore…
PETE
The Excelsior…
CARLOS
The Castro…
JANAE
The Sunset…
CARMELITA
The Tenderloin…
JOHNNY
Or here in the South of Market in the City and in a Community we call home.
JOHNNY (CONT’D)
One, two, three, four…
JOHNNY and FERNANDO begin to jam out until the…
END OF PLAY