Walter Myers - Carmen

© 2010

The author would like to thank Kwame Brandt-Pierce for his modern take on Georges Bizet’s music; Daniel Burwasser, PhD, of New York City’s Talent Unlimited High School for the Performing Arts, for his advice on the scores; and Julio and Rob Guzman and Nico Medina for their help on the Spanish text. [1]

Carmen, 18, Factory Worker

José, 21, Police Officer

Escamillo, 28, Rapper Turned Filmmaker

Micaela, 20, Teacher’s Aide

Zuniga, 36, Police Sergeant

Frasquita, 18, Carmen’s Best Friend

Mercedes, 17, Carmen’s Friend

Dancairo, 34, Racketeer

Raimondo, 37, Racketeer

Neighborhood Residents

Geraldo, 43, Restaurant Owner

Elena, 27

Maria, 22

Angel, 17

Juan, 55

Jimenez, 53

Carlos, 18

Tía Sofia, 67

Gato, 18

Manny, 18

Officer Shea, 23, Police Officer

Officer Lane, 24, Policer Officer

Gordito, 19, Escamillo’s Assistant

Teresa, 40, Fortune-teller

Rami, 17, Computer Wizard

Yoshiro, 17, Computer Wizard

It is summer of the present time in Spanish Harlem. We hear the opening music as people go about their daily lives. To stage right, flags from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Mexico fly from a lamppost near a bench in a small square.

At center stage, stairs lead to a well-worn factory building bearing a sign reading DELGADO’S WIGS. Next to the factory, stage left, is a walk-up apartment house. Next to that is a restaurant, Gallina’s.

A brown-skinned woman is sitting in one of the apartment-house windows. Two men are playing dominoes on an overturned box, a street vendor is selling multicolored ices, and several young men are simply standing around, almost as if they are part of the scenery, when they aren’t eyeing some pretty women in short skirts and tight pants.

GERALDO, the owner of Gallina’s, steps outside. Two neighborhood women, ELENA and MARIA, have been chatting out front.

GERALDO

Hey, chicas, I’m looking for a young man to help out around my shop. He’s got to be honest. No thieves!

ELENA

(to MARIA)

He wants somebody to mind the store while he goes looking for young girls!

GERALDO

I don’t look for young girls. I just put myself where they can find me!

MARIA

Geraldo, you don’t need a young man; you need an old dog. That way you can be the boss and the dog can eat the terrible food you make.

GERALDO

Be serious, woman. A businessman on the way up needs an assistant. Somebody with energy, not like these boys around here.

ELENA

If you paid them a decent wage, they would have energy. You rob people without a gun, diablo viejo!

GERALDO

So what’s better, a little money or no money? You tell me that. If I pay one dollar an hour, it’s better than no dollars an hour. I’m a poor man trying to feed the good people in this neighborhood.

MARIA

In the restaurant, you’re a poor man, Geraldo. But you do all right with the poker games in the back room.

SEVERAL OF THE RESIDENTS

ALL RIGHT!

GERALDO laughs.

ELENA

What’s the boy got to do?

GERALDO

(suddenly serious)

He has to make enchiladas, corn dogs, hot dogs, chicken wings, and whatever else I say. And it all has to be gourmet.

ELENA

Geraldo, you are loco. Totally crazy.

ANGEL, a young man who’s been hanging out nearby, sidles up to them.

ANGEL

(opening his jacket to reveal a row of watches)

Hey, anybody want to buy a good watch? Cheap, man. Twenty-four-karat gold, real diamonds. Fifteen dollars.

GERALDO

I already have two watches. Both are five minutes fast.

ANGEL

These are five minutes slow, papi. That’s a sign. You can’t pass up one of these.

JUAN, an older man, has been sitting on a bench nearby.

JUAN

What do you need two watches for? Around here nobody is in a hurry. If you got nothing to do, you only need one watch.

JIMENEZ and CARLOS, the domino players, both stand up at once.

JIMENEZ

You can’t take a move back! Once your finger comes off the piece, you can’t take it back!

CARLOS

I didn’t take my finger off the piece. I had my finger on it, and you moved it to see what I was doing!

JIMENEZ

We’re playing for fifty cents! You can’t cover up your moves. You think I just fell off the cart and I’m going to let you cover up your moves?

ELENA

(to JIMENEZ)

He can’t hear you. You have to holler into his good ear.

JIMENEZ

I said you can’t be covering up your moves!

Suddenly, sirens and flashing lights signal the arrival of the police. No one seems alarmed, though they know enough to stay in place. CARLOS takes something from his pocket and tosses it into a nearby trash can.

A team of street-duty POLICE OFFICERS, including OFFICERS SHEA and LANE, assembles quickly from either side of the stage. ZUNIGA, the police sergeant, directs his men around the stage, all facing the rear. Then, satisfied that the men are in place, he approaches the door of the apartment building next to Delgado’s and knocks boldly as the other officers aim their guns menacingly. TÍA SOFIA, a remarkably attractive older woman dressed in a housecoat and curlers, answers the door.

ZUNIGA

Police! Stand aside.

TÍA SOFIA

(defiantly)

Do you have a search warrant? Let me see it!

ZUNIGA

(turning slightly)

The warrant!

The other officers look around to see who has brought the warrant, but, to their embarrassment, it is not found.

ZUNIGA

What the hell is wrong with you people? Keep your guns ready. I’ll call headquarters!

ZUNIGA goes to one side and radios headquarters.

The other officers relax.

TÍA SOFIA

(to the crowd)

They come to search our place, but they don’t have a warrant! No warrant, no searching! Who do they think they are? This is America!

There are cries of approval and general laughter from the street residents.

JIMENEZ

They watch too much television. That’s why they’re taking time out for a commercial.

ZUNIGA

Put your teeth in when you talk to me, lover boy.

OFFICER SHEA

(to ELENA)

Why don’t you come home with me? You would look good on my sofa.

ELENA

(touching SHEA’s ears)

Ah, still wet. I thought so. Come back when you’ve grown up, papi.

The other OFFICERS laugh.

MICAELA enters from stage right. She is wearing a blue plaid jumper, which is significantly less flamboyant than the outfits worn by the other women of the block. She looks at the women wearing tight pants and short skirts. Then she begins looking at the POLICE OFFICERS, obviously searching for someone.

MICAELA

(to SHEA)

Do you know José? He’s on the force. Is he with you? Sometimes they call him DJ.

ZUNIGA

(who has overheard MICAELA)

I know him. Sure. He’s not here yet. But he’ll be here soon. He’s bringing the warrant. You want to sit in the car with me? Get out of the hot sun?

He tries to put his arm around MICAELA, who slips easily away.

MICAELA

No, it’s all right.

ZUNIGA

Hey, don’t fly away so soon, little bird.