THE WOMEN OF BRADVILLE
Play Image By Artist DARLENE WOOD-HARVEY
Frances Presley Rice
Performance Rights Granted
for
Educational Purposes
DESCRIPTION: A black woman
Republican must overcome self-doubt and join forces with her two sisters to
defeat the shady Democrat mayor’s political machine and free the town from his
grip.
THE STORY: A group of white
and black Republicans join forces to defeat the town’s corrupt white Democrat
mayor, but find they can’t do so without the support of the town’s black
residents who are the majority—and all Democrats. Will they be won over by
learning the truth about the Republican Party’s rich civil rights legacy? This
fast paced script is a fun journey that challenges pre-conceived notions about
politics and civil rights history.
GENRE: Political Drama
TYPE: Short one act play
– Performed as a Table Read
LENGTH: Twenty-five minutes
NUMBER OF ACTORS: Eight - 4F, 4M; One
Narrator
AGES OF THE ACTORS: Adults of any age
SUITABLE FOR: All ages
SET: Simple – Chairs, a
table, a vase, two books, sheets of paper
LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY: 6/10 – fun
for the cast
CHARACTERS: Narrator; Mary
Dupree; Ruth Dupree; Jolene Dupree; Winston Reid, Ken Cranfield; Billy Ray
Forrest; Hank Hughes
ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT
FRANCES PRESLEY RICE: Wrote THE WOMEN OF BRADVILLE as a three-act
play that premiered in 2010 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC where it
was produced and performed as a staged reading by drama students at Bowie State
University located in Maryland. She produced and directed THE WOMEN OF BRADVILLE
as a one-act play presented in 2017 as a staged production at Florida Studio
Theatre.
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS
BY PLAYWRIGHT FRANCES PRESLEY RICE
Thank you for your interest in my one-act play. Why did I write THE WOMEN OF BRADVILLE?
I’ll start my
explanation with words from George Orwell
“The most
effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own
understanding of their history.”
My play is inspired by a true
story, as told in Dr. Eric Foner’s book: A SHORT HISTORY OF RECONSTRUCTION.
In his book, Dr.
Foner wrote:
“Founded in
1866 as a Tennessee social club, the Ku Klux Klan spread into nearly every
Southern state, launching a ‘reign of terror‘ against Republican Party leaders,
black and white.
“In effect, the Klan was a military force serving the interests of the
Democratic Party, the planter class, and all those who desired the restoration
of white supremacy.
“Jack Dupree was a victim of a particularly brutal murder in Monroe
County, Mississippi.
“Assailants cut his throat and disemboweled him, all within sight of his
wife, who had just given birth to twins.
Jack Dupree was ‘president of a Republican club‘ and known as a man who
‘would speak his mind.’"
I wrote this play with fictional Dupree descendants—Mary, Ruth and
adopted Jolene—to honor Jack Dupree, a principled and courageous man who was
killed because of his beliefs.
MARY
SCRIPT - THE WOMEN OF BRADVILLE
ACT I
SCENE 1
(A living room with well-worn
furniture.)
(Mary, Ruth and Jolene enter.)
(Mary holds an urn that has a golden
glow.)
MARY
We
can’t let her death be in vain.
(Mary puts the urn on a table.)
(The three women stand near it.)
RUTH
It
breaks my heart but there’s nothing we can do.
MARY
We
owe it to mom to at least try to get justice. She was too good a driver to let
herself get run off the road like that. I’ll never believe it was an accident.
Never.
JOLENE
Me
neither. Listen, I have an idea.
RUTH
No
surprise. It would be if your name wasn’t Jolene.
MARY
Let’s
hear it.
JOLENE
In
mom’s memory and to thank her for adopting me, I say let’s turn our home into a
Bread and Breakfast -- what she dreamed about.
MARY
Works
for me. It can be my campaign headquarters, too.
RUTH
Campaign?
For what?
MARY
I’ve
thought about this all day.
JOLENE
About
what?
MARY
I
want to do what mom tried with her failed recall petition. Unseat Billy Ray.
Run for mayor.
RUTH
You
can’t be serious. That’s an even bigger, nastier hill to climb. You’ll make
mom’s tilting at windmills seem sane.
MARY
You
may be right but I feel honor bound to at least take a stab at it. And I know I
can’t do it alone.
JOLENE
You
won’t get an argument from me on that. Oh, alright. Okay. It’s risky but it’s
an idea worth trying, for mom.
RUTH
We’ll
live to regret it.
MARY
Maybe.
Or die trying. We are, after all, Duprees: dying for our causes for over a
hundred years.
SCENE 2
(Mary and her team are in the Dupree's lobby.)
(The lobby is decorated as Mary’s campaign
HQ.)
(Winston strides in with flyers in hand.)
(He puts the Flyers by the books near
the urn.)
WINSTON
Just
about everybody in town has one now.
(Ken rushes in and
waves a flyer.)
KEN
I
don’t believe this.
HANK
That’s
a fine howdy do after you’ve been gone so long. What’s got you so riled?
KEN
Don’t
play innocent with me. This has your fingerprints all over it. Did Mary put you
up to this? A woman who’s done nothing in life but busy work at her family’s Bread and Breakfast?
MARY
I
manage this place with my sisters and will run the town like a business. I hope
I can count on your vote.
KEN
No
way in God’s name.
MARY
Ministers
take the Lord’s name in vain? Who knew?
KEN
And
you have the temperament to be mayor. Ha. I won’t sell out my flock and ask
them to vote for a Republican. A traitor to her race.
MARY
No
need for insults.
RUTH
You’re
out of line, Ken. Way out of line.
KEN
What’s
outta line is you, Miss “tough as an old boot” Ruth. I about lost my lunch when
I heard you wanted to be a cop. A cop!
RUTH
What’s
wrong with that?
KEN
Idiot.
They’ve got black folks in their crosshairs.
RUTH
Nonsense.
What do you want? Anarchy? Cops protect black people -- everyone -- from
criminals. Who you gonna call when a thug robs your church? God?
KEN
At
least I’m not acting like a “House Negro” for white Republicans.
RUTH
You
wound me.
JOLENE
That’s
offensive, mean spirited.
WINSTON
Oh,
man, your mama, if she was still alive, would be ashamed of you.
HANK
You’d
call me a racist, if I said such a hateful thing to a black woman.
KEN
You
are a racist.
HANK
Of
course I’m a racist. Why else would I eat lunch at The Dupree Bread and Breakfast every day
to support a black-owned business? You owe me an apology.
KEN
I
have nothing to apologize for. It’s obvious. You’re white. You’re a Republican.
That makes you a racist. My vote goes to the Democrat, Billy Ray. Why do you
think most blacks vote for Democrats?
HANK
Ah,
black leaders keep saying Republicans are racist?
KEN
Democrats
are our champions, like Billy Ray.
WINSTON
You
say that with a straight face? Maybe you should invite Mary to Willow Creek to
give a speech.
MARY
That
might not be such a good idea.
RUTH
Might
not. Billy Ray controls Willow Creek and he’s a bully from a long line of
bullies. They’ve intimidated this whole town for over a hundred years, some
wearing hoods, if you believe the rumor.
HANK
I
believe it. They ran my family off our farm and squatted on it, just because
great granddaddy gave black sharecroppers a fair deal. No, I’m not holding a
grudge against Billy Ray.
KEN
Watch
it. Walls have ears. The mayor won’t put up with his name being drug through
the mud.
WINSTON
Ohhh,
I’m so afraid.
KEN
You
better be. He’s got friends in low places, if you catch my drift.
JOLENE
Another
reason for change. The man’s a crook with two faces. One before; one after
elections.
HANK
He
promises everything to everybody but delivers nothing. Whites vote against him.
He’d lose if the blacks in your church did, too, dammit. They’re the majority
in this town.
KEN
You
run your bank. I’ll run my church.
HANK
We’d
all be better off, if you kept politics out of the pulpit.
KEN
Our
“feed the hungry” charity would be nothing without Billy Ray. Why, pray tell,
would I want him to lose? It’s you Godforsaken Republicans who’ve kept black
people down.
HANK
Wrong.
Your party, not ours, fought against civil rights and ran this town into the
ground with high taxes and wrong-headed regulations that killed jobs. Ignorance
is not an attractive garment for a cleric.
KEN
Who
you calling ignorant? That’s racist. I told you. You’re a racist!
WINSTON
And
you throw the word racist around like confetti. Keep it up and it won’t mean a
damned thing to anybody.
RUTH
Ain’t
that the truth? People are sick and tired of being called names, just because
they don’t swallow left-wing swill.
JOLENE
Hey,
everybody, listen up. I have a novel idea.
MARY
Let
it rip.
JOLENE
How
about if we just focus on the truth, for a change, and not get hung up on
emotions?
KEN
Ya’ll
wouldn’t know the truth if it was right there in your face.
(Mary picks up a book from the table
near the urn.)
(Mary gives the book to Ken.)
(Mary gives the book to Ken.)
MARY
An
eye opener. “Whites, Blacks And Racist Democrats” written by a real black
reverend, Wayne Perryman. He sued the Democrats for their two hundred year
history of racism and the case went all the way to the Supreme Court where the
Democrats confessed but refused to apologize.
KEN
No
devil-inspired book will make me go up against the Billy Ray machine and vote
Republican. I could get killed, don’t ya know.
MARY
We
need to stop giving in to fear. The only way for bullies to win is for us to
let them. Read the book. Read my platform. You’ll see I’m the best candidate.
KEN
Sure
you are and I’m the best pastor this side of the mighty Mississippi. Un-huh.
(Ken struts out with Perryman’s
book.)
(Winston picks up the stack of flyers.)
(He heads to the door.)
WINSTON
May
as well give the rest of these to the folks down in Willow Creek.
RUTH
You
think they’ll be receptive? Staunch Democrats?
WINSTON
Worth
a try. Won’t hurt.
(Winston dashes out of the room.)
SCENE 3
(Ken is just outside the lobby.)
(Winston steps around Ken.)
(Winston strides down the street until he’s
out of sight.)
(Billy Ray walks up and confronts
Ken.)
BILLY RAY
I’ve
searched high and low and where do I find you? Enemy territory. You’re here
because?
KEN
I’m
doing the Lord’s work, stopping the poisoning of black minds with evil
propaganda, like this.
(Ken holds up
Perryman’s book.)
BILLY RAY
Pure
garbage.
KEN
Yeah,
exactly. So, why are you looking for me?
BILLY RAY
To
give you this.
(Billy Ray extracts an envelope from
his pocket.)
(Billy Ray gives the envelope to Ken.)
KEN
What
in Heaven’s name is it?
BILLY RAY
A
little something for your “feed the hungry” charity.
KEN
Thanks,
but, ah, don’t you think it’s way past time we ended poverty in Bradville for
good?
BILLY RAY
Yeah,
sure. Why not?
KEN
I’ll
hold you to that.
BILLY RAY
You
can count on me. I’ll get a kick outta going after a pipe dream.
KEN
Pipe
dream?
(Billy Ray grins.)
(Billy Ray gives Ken a light slap on
the back.)
(Ken walks away.)
SCENE 4
(Mary, Ruth, Jolene and Hank are in the
lobby.)
(Billy Ray ambles in.)
BILLY RAY
Worse
than I thought. Not much of a headquarters, if you ask me.
MARY
Nobody
asked you.
BILLY RAY
A
pity. I could’ve saved you a boatload of trouble.
(Billy Ray points to one of Perryman’s
books.)
BILLY RAY
Not
a soul will believe a thing that’s in there.
MARY
Why
not? It’s well researched.
HANK
I
don’t get it.
BILLY RAY
Get
what?
HANK
How
Democrats get away with mudding the waters.
BILLY RAY
What
the hell are you talking about?
HANK
First
you put on our backs your racist past, filled with terrorism to stop blacks
from voting Republican. Now you call yourselves “liberals,” bent on using
government handouts to trap blacks in poverty and keep them voting Democrat.
BILLY RAY
What
have you been drinking?
HANK
Not
your liberal “Kool-Aid.”
BILLY RAY
I’m
a “progressive,” not a liberal.
RUTH
Progressive
-- liberal. Two sides of the same coin. What’s up with you liberals, anyway?
Calling us conservatives “fascists.” We’re capitalists and you’re a bunch of
socialists, blind to how the word “NAZI” is the German acronym for “National
German Socialist Workers’ Party.”
BILLY RAY
You
dare call me a NAZI?
RUTH
Live
with it.
BILLY RAY
You’ll
regret this slander. That, Miss, is a promise, not a threat. I’ll see you in
court!
RUTH
Bring
it on. The truth is the ultimate defense!
HANK
Yes,
yes, let’s battle this out in a court of law. You can’t lie under oath. I’m
sick of the truth being buried by liberals running our schools and the media. I
want the truth told. The truth is--
JOLENE
The
truth is the fight for black freedom and civil rights was between Democrats and
Republicans -- not liberals and conservatives. And we Republicans won the
fight. Now, we’re being condemned as “racist?”
MARY
If
the black people in Bradville knew the truth, they’d vote for me, a black
Republican, not you, a white Democrat.
BILLY RAY
Talk,
talk, talk. Bottom line. You gonna lose. Big time.
MARY
Then
you have nothing to worry about.
BILLY RAY
You’ve
learned nothing from your ma’s death. I warned that woman not to try kicking me
out of office. Did she listen? Nooo and she lost her life.
MARY
Who
made her pay that price? You?
BILLY RAY
Don’t
blame me. Every town has its hoodlums. I’m a law and order kinda guy. That’s
why I prefer to fight my battles in court. I warned your ma because I didn’t
want her inciting a riot with her anti-government rhetoric and get thrown in
jail. That’s all.
MARY
Why
do I have trouble believing that? I’ll get to the bottom of what happened to my
mom someday. You can count on it. And I’ll start with your “hoodlum”
supporters.
BILLY RAY
Now
you listen to me, Miz Dupree, get outta this race now, or pay the price. Got
it?
MARY
Got
it. Now get the hell out of here.
(Billy Ray shoots Mary the evil
eye.)
BILLY RAY
You’ve
been warned.
(Billy Ray storms out.)
RUTH
A
viper, pure and simple.
JOLENE
He
doesn’t scare me, well, maybe a little.
HANK
Ignore
him.
MARY
We
do so at our peril.
RUTH
I’ve
never had a good feeling about this. Now I’m thinking... Taking him on was a
very bad idea.
JOLENE
No
idea is bad but sometimes it may be bad to pursue an idea.
RUTH
Smart
people know when it’s time to throw--
HANK
Wait
a minute, we can’t wimp out now.
RUTH
We
may have no choice.
HANK
Chin
up. Let’s go and do some door-to-door. Meet and greet the people. What do we
have to lose?
(Winston bursts in with a the stack of
flyers in hand.)
WINSTON
The
poor blacks in the Willow Creek district are something else.
MARY
Meaning?
WINSTON
“Uncle
Tom.” How many times did they call me that?
RUTH
Okay,
I’ll bite. How many times was it?
WINSTON
I
stopped counting. You’d think they’d have some pride in what a fellow black man
has accomplished. But, noooo.
MARY
I
had hoped...
WINSTON
First
they were happy to see me. A black lawyer, come by to say: “hi.” And get their
opinion on the election. Then, well, no more Southern hospitality when I said I
wanted a Republican to be our next mayor.
(Winston slaps the flyers against one hand’s
palm.)
WINSTON
Worthless
as rubber lips on a woodpecker.
MARY
No
word yet from Ken about Perryman’s book?
WINSTON
Nope.
His Willow Creek flock lives in squalor. They subsist on welfare checks and
Billy Ray’s handouts. And yet--
HANK
Nobody
wants to hear about Mary’s vision for Bradville.
WINSTON
Exactly.
RUTH
We
could’ve seen it coming. Plain as
the noses on our faces.
JOLENE
This
up and down, back and forth is giving me a whiplash.
HANK
Maybe
it’s time for MARY to go on down to Willow Creek and give that long overdue
speech.
MARY
Ah...
JOLENE
Sounds
good to me.
HANK
You
can tell them Republican President Abraham Lincoln fought the Civil War where
over three hundred thousand white Republicans died to free the slaves.
WINSTON
Speak
truth to power. Give credit where credit is due. Let’em know Republicans
amended the Constitution to grant blacks freedom, citizenship and the right to
vote.
RUTH
If
you gonna risk it all and stick your nose in the lion’s den, you might as well
toss in dynamite, explode their heads. Tell everyone how Republicans passed the
civil rights laws of the eighteen-sixties and nineteen-sixties, over the
objection of Democrats. How many know that?
JOLENE
Not
many, I’ll bet. Just like they don’t know President Johnson couldn’t get the
nineteen sixty-four law passed without the support of Republicans who voted
more for that law than Democrats. Say it and you’ll get their attention.
Guaranteed.
HANK
You
wanna know what would really make me happy?
MARY
Don’t
stop now. Spill your guts. We’re all on a roll, doing more preaching than KEN
ever dreamed about.
HANK
I
would love for people to know Democrats passed those Jim Crow laws. Then started
the Ku Klux Klan and killed three thousand Republicans -- one thousand white,
like me.
RUTH
It’s
a wonder any Republicans were left in the South -- ah, in fact there weren’t
many for one hundred years until President Nixon came along with his “Southern
Strategy.”
HANK
Yeah,
yeah, yeah. Nixon urged whites like me to stop being scared of the Democratic
Party that was backed by their Klan militia, and get back to supporting the
racially tolerant Republican Party.
JOLENE
There’s
one BIG lie, I want stuffed in a coffin and buried six feet under. The parties
did not switch sides.
WINSTON
I
never understood the logic behind that lie. It takes a real numskull to believe
this: After Republicans spent over one hundred years fighting for black freedom
and civil rights and won, all of a sudden they stood up, crossed the isle and
switched sides.
HANK
Never
happened. It galls me how racist Democrats said they’d rather vote for a
“yellow dog” than a Republican because the Republican Party was -- and still is
-- the party for black people.
WINSTON
Amen,
bro. Democrats toss out words like “Dixiecrats” and “Southern Strategy” to blow
smoke and hide the truth that’s laid out, clear as day, in Perryman’s
book.
RUTH
I
guess spilling the truth now wouldn’t hurt. We’re batting zero, right now, like
I suspected from the git go.
WINSTON
So,
we’re all on the same sheet of music, right Mary?
MARY
Let
me think about it.
WINSTON
Something
going on with you and speaking?
MARY
Ah,
no. It’s just that, if I do decide to give a speech, I’ll need some fresh
ideas.
SCENE 5
(The house lights are on.)
(Ruth, Jolene, Winston and Hank sit
with the audience.)
(Mary banters with the audience.)
MARY
Any
ideas about how a Republican can win the hearts of our Willow Creek residents?
Handouts, the Democrats way of winning votes, keep them in poverty.
WINSTON
I
can’t think of a thing we haven’t already tried.
RUTH
It’s
hopeless.
HANK
Seems
it’s time to face reality and shut everything down.
MARY
Well,
if that’s the consensus, I guess I should just--
JOLENE
Wait,
wait I have an idea.
MARY
Great.
Push it out.
JOLENE
Show
everyone how you’ll create more jobs. Good paying jobs. Who wouldn’t like that?
SCENE 6
(The house lights are out.)
(Mary and her team are in the
lobby.)
MARY
Don’t
look now but job creation is already the center piece of my platform. The
people aren’t listening.
JOLENE
I
said “show,” not tell. What if we turn our town into a tourist destination?
Showcase Bradville’s unique Southern charm.
HANK
Makes
sense to me.
WINSTON
I
can see it now. We’ll have period costumes. Riverboat rides. Plantation house
tours. An ad campaign: “Take a trip back to the Old South.” People will love
it!
RUTH
You’ve
got my attention.
HANK
Sounds
like a winner.
MARY
But
do we have time to do a demo project, with only two weeks left before the
election?
WINSTON
Sure.
We could renovate this Bread and Breakfast as a first project in less time than that, if we
hire enough workers.
MARY
Jobs,
for the people, right away? Perfect.
HANK
I’ll
talk with my board about a renovation loan but I can’t guarantee anything.
WINSTON
I’ll
review contracts and might even forego my pay in exchange for a kiss from
Mary--ah, forget I said that.
JOLENE
Hmmm,
now I know why you volunteered to be MARY’s campaign manager while we’re
chasing an elusive butterfly.
MARY
I
had wondered.
RUTH
The
fog’s gone now. You betcha.
WINSTON
Dupree
Women. You’re starting to all sound alike. You need to get out more, like on
dates, or something.
MARY
Is
that your way of asking me for a date?
WINSTON
Me?
Ah, no, ah. It was a joke. Yeah, you do have a nice personality and all but--
HANK
Winston!
When you’re in a hole, man, it’s best to stop digging.
(Winston makes a “Zip it” motion with
his fingers.)
MARY
Well,
if I win, I’ll gladly plant a wet one on you, anyway. For now, let’s get on
with it, so people can see what a real mayor, a businesswoman, can do. Our new
slogan: “Make Bradville Shine Again.”
SCENE 7
(Mary is alone in the renovated
lobby.)
(Ruth, Jolene and Winston join her.)
WINSTON
Come
on, you gotta get out there. Hank has told all his bad bank jokes. Now, he’s
doing “knock, knocks.” The crowd is getting restless.
MARY
Did
I ever tell you a survey found most people would choose death over public
speaking?
WINSTON
So,
that’s it. Stiffen your spine. You can do it. We have faith in you. Speak from
the heart. People listen more to how you say things than what you say.
MARY
Not
this time. Content matters. So does being a seasoned politician. I could fall
flat on my face and... Oh, God, I can’t handle another failure right now. Mom’s
death was all my fault.
RUTH
What
are you talking about?
MARY
Like
you and Jolene, I knew mom was making a big mistake but I... Egged her on when
we were alone, hoping for the best.
JOLENE
You
shouldn’t blame yourself. If she was murdered, only the killer is to blame. If
it was just an accident, it was God’s will.
WINSTON
Amen
to that. And listen up, people, there’s something bad we really need to worry
about.
MARY
I
don’t think I want to hear this.
WINSTON
When
I milled around outside, I heard a rumor Billy Ray spread about you.
MARY
What
did he say?
WINSTON
You
haven’t paid taxes in years.
MARY
That’s
a lie!
JOLENE
The
truth’s not worth a hill of beans, if people believe the lie and refuse to vote
for you.
MARY
Damn
Billy Ray. He’s slimed me, right before the election tomorrow.
WINSTON
Ah,
I gotta confess.
RUTH
Confess
what?
WINSTON
I’m
to blame.
MARY
For
what? You mean I’m not the only one with guilt eating me? Go ahead. Get it off
your chest.
WINSTON
Uh,
when Billy Ray asked about your tax return, I said your B&B losses exceeded
revenues, so you paid no taxes.
MARY
Oh,
Winston, you should’ve told him to get lost. It’s none of his business. There’s
no law that says anyone has to release tax returns to run for public office.
WINSTON
I
know, I know. He’s a snake and--I’m sorry, so sorry.
MARY
Apology
accepted. I know you didn’t mean any harm.
WINSTON
Thanks.
RUTH
Well,
you’ve got this one last chance to connect with the voters and make them
believe you’re honest.
WINSTON
And
Ken’s out there, huddled next to Billy Ray. Both seem downright gleeful. I
guess they think you’ll bomb and get booed off the stage.
SCENE 8
(The house lights are on.)
(All actors, except Mary, sit with the
audience.)
(Mary addresses the audience.)
MARY
Citizens
of Bradville, greetings and thanks to Hank, for that fine introduction. One
supporter once said, someone voting for BILLY RAY is like a chicken voting for
Colonel Sanders.
(Muted laughter from the actors in the
audience.)
BILLY RAY
Cut
the bull crap. Layout your platform. Let the people hear how you’re offering
nothing but mindless campaign rhetoric.
MARY
I
appreciate the commentary from my worthy opponent.
KEN
You
sound like a politician.
MARY
I
guess I am now. As I was about to say, this is a choice election. You can
choose the status quo or take a chance on change. Let’s compare our records.
BILLY RAY
Do
that. Let the voters hear how much more “experienced” you are than I am.
KEN
Let
her finish, for God’s sake. She won’t change minds but it’s only fair to let
her have her say.
MARY
Why,
thank you, Ken. It’s no secret I’ve never held a public office, like Billy Ray.
BILLY RAY
Glad
to hear you admit it. Why don’t you do what’s best for our town? Drop out now
and endorse my candidacy.
MARY
Give up without a fight? Not a chance.
BILLY RAY
Not a choice a smart woman would make. You’ll regret it.
MARY
What
I regret is how, after two terms, you’ve failed to create jobs for the people.
In two weeks, my team and I generated dozens of jobs in construction,
landscaping, interior decorating and plumbing.
BILLY RAY
All
temporary jobs. So what?
MARY
Temporary
work is better than no work. Permanent jobs are—
JOLENE
Tell
everyone how it happened so fast.
MARY
Private
Enterprise. HANK was the key. Right, Hank?
HANK
Yes,
ma’am. The Bread and Breakfast had a solid growth plan, so my bank board approved the renovation
loan.
BILLY RAY
Sounds
like crony capitalism. The bank owner is on my opponent’s campaign team. Can we
say “white privilege?”
RUTH
We’re
black.
BILLY RAY
Yeah,
I keep forgetting. Can we say conflict of interest?
HANK
No
conflict. We all share the same interest. What’s good for the Bread and Breakfast is good
for our bank and the citizens of Bradville. A win for all.
WINSTON
Don’t
forget the best part: the bank’s pledge to help us transform our entire town
into a tourist destination, like Dollywood.
JOLENE
This
will create even more jobs, you betcha. Permanent jobs.
WINSTON
Oh,
yeah, you can count on that, people. There’ll be equal opportunities for
all.
RUTH
The
fly in the ointment? Billy Ray.
BILLY RAY
Slander
me, court danger -- from hoodlums.
RUTH
I’m
going to ignore that.
KEN
I
guess we should all ignore the negative and focus on the positive. What you’ve
promised sounds good so far, Mary.
MARY
That’s
the spirit.
KEN
But
I must confess. I suspect it’s just the usual web of lies politicians spin to
get our votes, then--nothing.
MARY
I
promise you this. If you elect me, I’ll not only create more jobs, but also
lower your taxes, so you can keep more of your hard-earned money.
(Cheers from the actors in the
audience.)
MARY
The
more money you have, the more you can spend to grow our economy. And with
economic growth comes more money for schools, roads, bridges and public
services.
(Cheers from the actors in the
audience.)
MARY
If
you like what you’ve heard, join our movement. Vote for me. Mary Dupree. A
mayor for the people.
(Thunderous applause from the actors in
the audience.)
SCENE 9
(Mary, Ruth and Jolene sit in the
lobby.)
(Mary turns off the TV.)
JOLENE
Why’d
you do that?
MARY
Anxiety
over the trickle in of district results was pushing me to the outer edges of
stress and sanity.
(Mary grabs her cellphone from the
table near the urn.)
(Mary dials and waits.)
MARY
Hey,
Winston, call when the results are in. Thanks.
(Mary listens.)
MARY
Dinner
tomorrow night? Okay. I thought you’d never ask.
(Mary ends the call.)
(Mary returns the cellphone to its
place by the urn.)
JOLENE
Well,
well. That man finally screwed up his courage and asked you out on a date.
Hallelujah.
MARY
He’s
quite a catch, isn’t he? I let him chase me until I caught him.
JOLENE
Been
that way, since the dawn of humankind.
MARY
One
win down, one to go.
RUTH
Win
or lose the election, you’ve made history as the first black Republican to run
for mayor of Bradville.
MARY
Not
a bad record but I’d be lying if I said it wouldn’t matter if I
lost.
JOLENE
The
wait is killing me. No news is good news, right?
(Mary’s cellphone rings.)
(Mary picks up the cellphone near the
urn.)
(Mary hands the cellphone to Ruth.)
(Ruth answers and listens.)
(Ruth ends the call.)
(Ruth puts the cellphone back by the
urn.)
MARY
Well?
RUTH
A
miracle! The majority voted for you, even most black people in the Willow Creek
district.
MARY
Oh,
thank God!
RUTH
Ken
came through after all, like Hank and his bank.
JOLENE
Congratulations
Mayor Dupree!
MARY
Justice
has been done. Mom can now rest in peace.
(The glow disappears from the urn.)
(Lights Out.)
THE END