From the musical play Success!

OPENING NIGHT MEDLEY

SCENE 3 – Night on the floor of the warehouse where GREGORY, NORA, MIKEY, JULIE and GAZLAY live. Curtain rises to the music of Opening Night Medley: Intro, pg.? JULIE stands in front of a GROUP of PATRONS. NORA is among them. The windows are no longer boarded up and all of Brooklyn sparkles through the tall floor to ceiling windows. Other than the weak light from the city outside, the stage is almost dark. As the music ends, the lights suddenly come up with a clanking noise like a breaker flipping.  Everyone gasps and applauds. On the stage right wall are painted the words "The Blue Rose Gallery: Grand Opening". JULIE begins to sing.

JULIE ­THANK YOU FOR COMING OUT TONIGHT.

MY NAME IS JULIE. I'M YOUR HOST.
GET READY FOR A LOVELY EVENING.
TAKE OFF YOUR COAT. ENJOY THE VIEW.
KNOW THAT THERE'S PLENTY MORE TO SEE.
COME JOIN ME FOR A LITTLE TOUR.
THAT'S RIGHT, FOLKS, RIGHT THIS WAY.
RIGHT THIS WAY. FOLLOW ME.

(Music segues into Promenade I during which JULIE and the GROUP, head downstage and begin walking in place as a big white wall slides into place behind them. By the end of Promenade I, he large white wall representing MIKEY'S studio has slid into place behind the GROUP, who are standing way downstage. On the wall hangs an enormous painting of a black man's head behind a chain link fence. MIKEY is leaning proudly against the wall stage left. GAZLAY stands next to him holding a roll of red stickers. Music segues into In The White Man's Zoo.)

MIKEY I'VE GOT A STORY TO TELL YOU
ABOUT GROWING UP WHITE IN BED STUY.
ONCE ON THE PLAYGROUND, I PICKED A FIGHT WITH
THREE BLACK BOYS TWICE MY SIZE.
WE WERE WAILING AWAY, IT WAS BLOODY.
'TIL THE COPS CAME AND BROKE IT UP.
THEY HAULED THE BLACK BOYS OFF IN A SQUAD CAR

LEAVING ME ON THE CORNER WITH A WARNING.
THAT WAS MY FIRST TASTE OF WHITE PRIVILEGE,
IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, YET GUILTY.
WHERE THE HOME OF THE BRAVE 
IS A NICE LITTLE CAGE
IN THE ZOO. 
IN THE ZOO.
IN THE WHITE MAN'S ZOO.

(When MIKEY finishes his song, the GROUP starts mildly applauding. GAZLAY flitsaround talking to them, carrying a roll of little red stickers, but he doesn't stick any to the wall. JULIE and the GROUP start walking again. Music segues into Promenade II as they begin walking. A couple of them stay behind to talk with MIKEY. NORA’s wall, which is painted bright pink, slides into place this time. On her wall are hung large paintings of familiar cereal box cartoon characters in lewd poses with various bits of raw meat pierced with rusty nails. Music segues into America, Thank You For Nothing.)

NORA ONCE WHEN I WAS WALKING DOWN IN WILLIAMSBURG.
I CAME ACROSS A PUERTO-RICAN FRIEND.
I ASKED HER HOW WAS BUSINESS,
SHE SAID, "NORA, OH, NORA, IT'S DEAD!
MY TAQUERIA, SHE IS CLOSING.
THE LANDLORD WENT AND KICKED US OUT.
SO SOME LILY WHITE RICH LITTLE FASHION SLAVE BITCH
COULD OPEN AN EXPENSIVE BOUTIQUE."
SHE SAID, "AMERICA THANK YOU FOR NOTHING!
SEE WHAT'S BECOME OF YOUR AMERICAN DREAM:
IT'S A NIGHTMARE WHERE AMERICANS TAKE EVERYTHING
AND THE REST OF THE WORLD GETS REAMED."

(When NORA finishes his song, the GROUP bursts into slightly more enthusiastic applause. GAZLAY flits around talking to them, again carrying his roll of little red stickers, but he doesn't stick any to the wall. A greater number of PATRONS stay behind to chat with NORA as JULIE and the rest of the GROUP start walking again. Music segues into Medley: Promenade III, pg. ?, as they begin walking. As Promenade III ends, the set settles into place to reveal GREGORY'S wall. On his wall are huge canvases painted with abstract images of a tall house on fire, a white rosebush, a boy flying through the air, and a screaming woman. GREGORY is standing at the wall, stage left.  GAZLAY comes in, but GREGORY waves him away. Music segues into Falling Boy, Yellow Sky.)

GREGORY A FALLING BOY IN A YELLOW SKY
OVER FIELDS OF ORANGE,
HIS SCREAMING WHITE MOUTHED 
MOTHER CRUMBLING
RAVAGED BY GREEN FLAMES.
THAT'S THE WAY MY DREAM GOES.
BURNING IN MY EYELIDS
EVERY TIME I CLOSE MY EYES.
BUT I FEEL NO LONGING,
I FEEL NO PAIN.
JUST VIOLENT COLOR
AND SENSUOUS LINE.
FORMS THAT FLOAT
LIKE BALLOONS IN THE SUN.
HERE IS MY PAST. HERE'S MY VOICE.
HERE'S WHAT I NEED TO EXPRESS.

(When GREGORY finishes his song, the GROUP stands speechless. They are all incredibly moved by the paintings in front of them. Each member of the GROUP goes to a painting, and GAZLAY and JULIE walk around to talk to each of them. They each place red stickers on the walls. The patrons go shake hands and noisily chat with GREGORY. GREGORY drifts upstage, looking at the red stickers and contemplating his paintings. The PATRONS, JULIE, EVERYONE leave as the Closing Promenade music fades out. NORA stays behind and approaches GREGORY.)

© 2008 - '09 Zubsongs, Ltd.