16. THE NIGHT THAT GOLDMAN SPOKE AT UNION SQUARE
EMMA GOLDMAN
I have just arrived from Lawrence, Massachusetts where,
eight weeks ago, the workers there went on strike. They are
starving, their children are dying but they are holding firm
and we must support them.
YOUNGER BROTHER
It was winter in New York
As the snow began to fall.
And the workmen's hall had not a seat to spare.
When a young man stepped inside,
Just to warm himself, was all,
The night that Goldman spoke at Union Square.
EMMA
What is happening in Lawrence is happening everywhere.
Let us at last make this the land of opportunity for
all people, not just the owners. The land of opportunity
for Tateh and his little girl. We cannot rest!
YOUNGER BROTHER
She was speaking loud and fast
Through a haze of noise and heat
And the smell of sweat and anger in the air.
The police were standing by
But the crowd was on it's feet
The night that Goldman spoke at Union Square.
EMMA
You!
YOUNGER BROTHER
He thought he heard her say...
EMMA
What brings you here today?
EMMA, RALLYERS
Poor young rich boy!
EMMA
Masturbates for a Vaudeville tart!
What a waste of a fiery heart,
Dear!
YOUNGER BROTHER
He thought she said...
EMMA, RALLYERS
Poor young bourgeois!
EMMA
There are things that you've never thought.
Come to Emma and you'll be taught
Here!
YOUNGER BROTHER
His head was spinning!
EMMA, RALLYERS
People feathered and tarred, my friend.
Unions broken and why for?
Children laboring, women still enslaved!
Leave you little backyard my friend.
There are causes to die for!
RALLYERS
Strike!
YOUNGER BROTHER
In the gutters of the city
I have tried to find some meaning.
RALLYERS
Strike!
YOUNGER BROTHER
In the arms of fallen women.
In the thought of suicide.
RALLYERS
Strike!
YOUNGER BROTHER EMMA
Like a firework unexploded,
Wanting life but never
knowing how...
My brother,
Life had meaning
RALLYERS
Strike!
I'll show you how!
YOUNGER BROTHER
Till now!
My brother, you are
With us now!
He was calling out her name,
Shouting what, he did not know
And he found that he was standing on a chair
With a heart as clean and new
As the frshly fallen snow,
The night that Goldman spoke...
EMMA
I've been waiting for you.
YOUNGER BROTHER
At Union Square.
WORKERS
Strike! Strike! Strike! Strike!
ORGANIZER
Put the children on the train! Get them out of here!
TATEH
I hate you, goddamned America!
LITTLE GIRL
Tateh! Tateh!
17. GLIDING
TATEH
Ssshhh. Dont' cry. Don't be afraid. I'm here.
We're together. Ssshh. Look! Ssshhh. Look what I've
made for you.
See the silhouettes.
It's a little book of silhouettes.
When you flip the pages, they move.
Look how nice!
This is you on skates
Turning pretty figure-eights
On the smooth, cool ice...
We are gliding
Gliding on a pond.
Close your eyes.
Close your eyes.
We are gliding,
Gliding far beyond.
Close your eyes,
Close your eyes.
Feel the wind
As you pirouette...
Are you happy yet?
Are you happy yet?
Your Mameh would tell you:
"Imagine your fearless.
Imagine your fearless
And soon, you won't fear!"
When I am afraid
I imagine your Mameh.
She skates just ahead.
Can you see her?
She's here!
And we're...
Gliding,
Gliding far away.
Pirouettes,
Figure-eights,
Silver skates...
Just down the track.
Glide with me, little one.
Glide with your Tateh.
We'll never
Look back!
CONDUCTOR
My kid would like that. How much?
TATEH
It's not for... A dollar?
CONDUCTOR
It's a deal. What do you call it?
TATEH
I...
CONDUCTOR
It's gotta have a name. I'm not paying this much
for something without a name.
TATEH
They move, I call them...movie ...books!
Your father is a smart man! With this money, we'll get
a cleam bed and a hot bath, and tomorrow we wil make
more of these and we will sell them for two dollars.
Tateh's movie books! Everyone will want them. They just
don't know that yet!
TATEH
We are
Gliding,
Gliding far away.
Pirouettes,
Figure-eights,
Silver skates
Just down the track!
Glide with me, little one.
Glide with your Tateh.
We'll never
Look back!
18. THE TRASHING OF THE CAR
CONKLIN
Running away, nigger?
COALHOUSE
I am going to find a policeman. If anyone touches
my car before I return, he will answer to Coalhouse.
CONKLIN
Tell him Fire Chief Will Conklin sends his regards!
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
We must exhibit patience.
Self-Control. Forbearance. And dwell above hatred and
acts of cruelty.
SARAH
Come on, Coalhouse. Come on.. It doesn't matter.
19. JUSTICE
COALHOUSE
We'll see justice, Sarah
And plenty of men
Who will stand up and give us our due!
TOWN HALL BUREAUCRAT
Well, you can sign another complaint, Mr. Walker, but
volunteer firemen are not municipal employees and
therefore do not come under the jurisdiction of the city.
I'm sorry.
SECOND BUREAUCRAT
I'm still tracing your first complaint, Mr. Walker.
Are you sure you filed it eith this office?
Let me look again.
COALHOUSE
Justice, Sarah.
This is America.
MOTHER
I'm ashamed that our community is representedin his
mind by that bunch of toughs.
FATHER
Let me talk to my lawyer.
YOUNGER BROTHER
That's all it will be: talk, talk, talk!
COALHOUSE
The law's the law.
The law's been broken.
Why chouls I turn the other cheek?
What about justice?
PEOPLE OF HARLEM
The bureaucrats and bunglers,
The attorneys who smiled
WHITE ATTORNEY
My advice is recover you car and forget the whole thing.
PEOPLE OF HARLEM
The clerks and the officials
And the forms that were filed
A CLERK
This is to get a place on the court calendar.
This for change of venue...
PEOPLE OF HARLEM
Som many roads to justice
Around the bend.
BLACK LAWYER
I want justice for me people so cad I can taste it.
But I won't waste my time on a mere case of vandalism
when I have real injustices to take to the courts!
PEOPLE OF HRALEM
And every road a new dead end!
COALHOUSE
I will not move
From where I'm standing
Till what's mine is restored to me.
I'm not some fool.
I'm not their nigger!
I will have what's fairly owed me!
And till then,
I will not marry...
MOTHER
We understand Mr Walker's outrage. We share it.
All decent people do.
SARAH
He said, "Wheels are turning for us, girl."
MOTHER
But I'm sure there's some way to settle this affair
without calling off the wedding.
SARAH
He said, "Times are starting to roll."
MOTHER
To be so close to the happiness that you both deserve
and have it come to this!
SARAH
Well, I k now he'll get where he wants to
Cause he's got that fore in his soul.
Said, "There's justice, Sarah,
And plenty of men
Who will stand up and give us our due..."
Well, you'll have your due,
Coalhouse,
Yes, you'' have your due.
20. PRESIDENT
YOUNGER BROTHER
The Republican vice-presidential candidate was to be in
the city that evening to attend a rally. The Secret
Service was at the ready. The recent assassination of
President McKinley had been a lasson well learned.
SARAH
I'll tell him...
President,
I am coming to you
On behalf of Coalhouse Walker.
He don't know I'm here.
He's much too proud!
And I ain't much of a talker.
But President,
He needs your help, sir.
You're the only one.
'Cause Coalhouse, he won't marry me
Till this thing is done.
And President,
We got a son!
President! President!
MORGAN
She's got a gun
I saw a gun!
COALHOUSE
Nooooo!!!
21. TILL WE REACH THAT DAY
MOURNERS
Oh...
Oh...
Oh...
SARAH'S FRIEND
There's a day of hope
May I live to see,
When our hearts are happy
And our souls are free.
Let the new day dawn,
Oh, Lord, I pray.
We'll never get to heaven
Till we reach that day.
MOURNERS SARAH'S FRIEND
It's a day of peace.
A day of pride.
A day of pride
A day of justice
We have been denied.
It's been denied
When a man can live,
And a child can play.
We'll never get to heaven
Till we reach that day.
COALHOUSE
What they did to her,
What they took from her.
She had life in her,
Lord, she had my baby!
Look what they left of her,
Left of her,
Left of my girl.
EMMA COALHOUSE
She was nothing
To them,
She was a woman. My girl.
MOTHER & EMMA
Nothing and no one to them,
EMMA, MOTHER & COALHOUSE
So they beat her
And beat her and beat her and...
MOURNERS COALHOUSE
A day of peace There was blood on the ground
A day of pride
COALHOUSE, EMMA & MOTHER
She was only a girl
A day of justice
COALHOUSE, EMMA, YOUNGER
BROTHER, MOTHER, FATHER
It will happen again
We have been denied
ABOVE, IMMIGRANT, HARLEM
It will happen again
And again
And again
Let the new day dawn
Oh, Lord...
TATEH
Why does nobody care?
YOUNGER BROTHER, EMMA
There is blood in the air!
WOMEN
We have voices and souls!
COALHOUSE, MOTHER, EMMA, YOUNGER BROTHER
What is wrong with this country?
IMMIGRANTS
She was somebody's child!
HARLEM MEN
There are Negroes out there!
IMMIGRANTS, BLACKS, WOMEN & EMMA(shouting over)
There are people out there!
ALL
GIve the people
A day of peace.
A day of pride.
A day of justice
We have been denied.
Let the new day dawn,
Oh, Lord, I pray...
We'll never get to heaven
Till we reach that day.
END OF ACT I
ACT II
1. ENTR'ACTE
2. HARRY HOUDINI, MASTER ESCAPIST
LITTLE BOY(Having a nightmare)
Harry Houdini,
Master escapist,
Master of getting free...
HOUDINI
Holding his breath
He dances with death
As daring as he can be...
Enter the master
Saved from disaster
Making the people gape...
LITTLE BOY
Mother! Mother!
MOTHER
Edgar, what is it? What are doing out of bed? Shhh.
You had a nightmare.
LITTLE BOY
Something terrible is going to happen! An explosion.
People are going to die.
3. COALHOUSE'S SOLILOQUY
COALHOUSE
Say goodbye to music.
Say goodbye to light.
Anything I care for,
Take it from my sight.
Let me see no future,
Let me hear no sound.
Only darkness and pain,
The anger and pain,
The blood and the pain.
They buried my heart in the ground...
In the ground...
When they buried you in the ground.
I see your face...
And we will ride
On the wheels of a new dream,
Sarah,
A new time, Sarah,
Now,
I'll play them the music
Of something beginning,
An era exploding,
A century spinning-
My law and my justice
In rhythm and rhyme!
Listen to that Ragtime!
4. COALHOUSE DEMANDS
NEWSBOY #1
Extra! Arsonist destroys Emerald Isle Engine Company!
NEWSBOY #2
Negro gunman shoots three dead!
NEWSBOY #1
Extra! Terror stalks New Rochelle! Murderer's demands revealed!
COALHOUSE
One-that my car be returned to me in it's original condtion.
Two-that the white excresence known as Fire Chief Will Conklin,
the one whoinstigated this crime, be turned over to me
for my justice. Nothing less, nothing more.
ALL
Somewhere in the city
There's a madman waiting.
Standing in the shadows
With a gun in his hands.
A man on color
Who is calmly stating:
Coalhouse demands!
Coalhouse demands!
NEW ROCHELLE MEN, WOMEN
He demands!
HARLEM MEN, WOMEN
He demands!
Coalhouse demands!
NEW ROCHELLE MEN, WOMEN
Who is he to demand?
HARLEM MEN, WOMEN
He demands!
NEW ROCHELLE WOMEN, MEN & NEWSBOYS
He demands!
NEWSBOYS
Killer Negro demands!
HARLEM MEN, WOMEN
About time a black man demanded!
ALL
He calls Conklin the white excresence...
LITTLE BOY
What's excresence?
FATHER
Edgar, go to your room!
MOTHER
Three firemen were killed. One of them was Mrs' Gallagher's
nephew. Six more were badly injured when the boiler exploded.
LITTLE BOY
And one of them will be dead by tonight. It was Coalhouse,
wasn't it?
FATHER
I said, go to your room.
MOTHER
GRANDFATHER
I told you we hadn't heard the last of that Negro.
ALL
Coalhouse
HARLEM MEN(Coalhouse's men), YOUNGER BROTHER
It's an eye for an eye-
Call it justice, friend.
HARLEM WOMEN, SARAH'S FRIEND
People lives for a car
Ain't justice.
An eye for an eye, that ain't!
FIREMEN
He wants Willie Conklin
CONKLIN
Willie Conklin.
He even mispelled my name.
Wouldn't you know it!
With a "k"!
He can't take a joke, now can he.
Sensitive ain't he?
Does he think only niggers get shit?
We Irish had to get used to it!
FIRMEN
You goddamned, gutless Mick, look what you got us into!
WILLIE
You're gonna protect me, ain't ya?
Hide me, ain't ya?
FIREMEN
Get out of town, will, before they kill us all!
COALHOUSE'S MEN
What they did to you,
What they took from you,
We are one with you.
Now the world will know
There are Negroes out there
To make them listen!
We're all Coalhouse!
REPORTER #1
Do you have a statement for us, Mr. WAshington?
REPORTER #2
What do you think of these Negro renegades, Mr. Washington?
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
For the sum of my life
I have lived in hope
We might all be Christian brothers
I have worked to persuade
Every white-skinned man
That he need not fear our race.
I deplore Mr. Walker's actions, and the irreparable harm
he has done to my people.
And I wish that I might tell him
Face to face.
HARLEM WOMEN GROUP 1 HARLEM WOMEN GROUP 2
Not one of ours
Not one of ours
Never heard of him Never heard of him
We don't want any trouble
Don't want any trouble
Not one of ours Not one of ours
ALL HARLEM WOMEN
Don't know anything
(to each other)
And I wouldn't tell
Those peckerwoods
Even if I did!
GROUP 1 CONKLIN, OTHERS
No one knows what he looks like
Somewhere in the city
No one knows where he is
Waiting in the dark
No one knows how to
Stop him... Stop him!
CONKLIN, GROUP 2
Somewhere in the city
There's a madman waiting Somewhere in the city
Standing in the shadows
With a gun in his hands Standing in the shadows
ALL
A man of color
Who is calmly stating COALHOUSE & HIS MEN
Coalhouse demands! We'll play them the music
Of something beginning!
Somewhere in the city
An era exploding, a century
Spinning-
Coalhouse!
Listen to that Ragtime!
5. WHAT A GAME
FATHER
You'll like baseball. It's a civilized pastime.
In a world gone mad,
There is comfort to be had
In the game Father played
At school.
Men of class,
Competing on the grass,
Where sportsmanship
And fellowship
And courtesy
Are the rule.
UMPIRE
Play ball!
GIANTS FANS
Ain't this the kind o' weather
BRAVES FANS
For smackin' leather,
GIANTS FANS
For playin' baseball!
ALL
The kind o' weather makes a man
hit like hell!(hock, spit)
FAN #1
Let's go, you son's o'bitches!
FAN #2
Let's see some pitches!
ALL
Let's plat some baseball!
FAN #3
The Kraut is strikin' out again!
FAN #4
Schmidt, ya smell!(hock, spit)
BRAVES FANS
The Giants haven't got a prayer.
GIANTS FANS
Aah, yer underwear!
BRAVES FANS
up yer alley!
ALL
Go back to where your mother once came!
ALL
Hit that ball!
FAN #5
Run, you bastard!
ALL
Hit that ball!
FAN#6
Kill the Kraut!
ALL
What a game!(hock, spit)
FAN #2
Hey, Schnabel! Take your head out of your ass!
LITTLE BOY
Hey, Schnabel! Take your head out of your-!
FATHER
At Harvard,
We were gentlemen.
Men were gentlemen.
EVERYONE ELSE
So's yer sister!
FATHER
We called each other 'Mister', and...
FANS #5 & #7
Doyle, ya suck!
FATHER
Don't listen!
Our games were very quiet,
We'd never riot, we'd...
FANS #4, #8 & #9
Eat that baseball!
FATHER
The worst we'd ever say would be...
FANS #3 & #6
Run, ya schmuck!
FATHER
Don't listen!
Now here's this noisy rabble,
This foreign babble,
Who let this happen?!
There's hardly one American name!
FAN #10
Yah, Herzog!
ALL
Hit that ball!
FAN #11
Stupid Polack!
ALL
Hit that ball!
FAN #8
Kill the Kike!
ALL
What a game!(hock, spit)
ALL
It's Braves and Giants
Two to two.
The pitcher's name is
Hub Purdue.
Jack Murray's now
Up at bat...(ball, crack)
My God, would somebody look at that!
Ain't this the kind o' weather
To get together and
FAN #6
Bash his teeth in!
ALL
The kind o' weather makes a man
Hit like hell!
ALL
A fine upliftin' atmosphere.
Bring yer children here.
Teach them baseball.
The game all true Americans
Do damn well!
It's like to constitution,
The institution
Of dear ol' baseball,
Where every man is treated the same!
ALL
Kill the mick!
FAN #1
Run, you Polack!
ALL
Strike the Kike!
FAN #2
Kill the Kraut!
ALL
What a...
What a...
What a...
LITTLE BOY
Up yer alley!
FATHER
Edgar!
ALL
GAME!
6. FIRE IN THE CITY
COALHOUSE
Until my demands are met, I will continue to burn down
firehouses. I will destroy the entire city if need be. Let
the rules of war prevail. Coalhouse Walker Jr., President of
the Provisional American government.
7. ATLANTIC CITY
EVELYN
Whee!
Let's run away to Atlantic City.
Let's feel the wind in our hair...
FATHER
Atlantic City is only a temporary answer, Mother, but
I can't think of a better one. They can't take the child
away from you if we're in residence down there and it's
close enough for me to come and go as business dictates.
EVELYN
Sharing a grand and romantic city.
HOUDINI
Sea and salty air.
FATHER
Besides, the change of air will do everone good.
Did you pack my razor?
MOTHER
Yes.
FATHER
I hope you reserved us a parlor car?
MOTHER
I did.
EVELYN
Train's gonna take us to the sunniest hideaway.
HOUDINI
Troubles will slide away
EVELYN & HOUDINI
Just a ride away...
FATHER
It was clear to Father that the crisis was driving the
spirit from their lives. He had always secretly believed
that as a family they were touched by an extra light. He
felt it going now.
Mother. I...
MOTHER
There's the cab.
FATHER
Where have I been?
How did we change?
Caught in this strange new music.
Say, was I away too long?
Say, when did they change the song?
VACATIONERS
Let's run away to Atlantic City
Let's feel the wind in our hair.
Sharing a grand and romantic city,
Sea and salty air.
Train's gonna take us
To the sunniest hideaway.
Troubles will slide away
WOMEN VACTIONERS
Just a ride away.
VACATIONERS
So let's run away to Atalntic city
Non one will find us there.
Down on the sand
There's a Ragtime band
BAND MEMBERS
With a brand-new
Ragtime tune
ALL
And up in the sky
There's a grand New
Jersey moon!
Let's go there soon.
EVELYN
Whee!
I was once the lady friend of Stanford White.
Mad me a celebrity overnight!
Well, overnight, things change I guess.
I'm in New Jersey-wearing even less!
Ladies, there's a lesson in my tawdry tale.
Beware the path you choose.
Oh! Oh! Justice is never fair.
Bang! Bang! There goes your millionaire!
Boo hoo! No money, no ring.
And you could end up on a swing.
And it's a crime...
HARRY
Harry Houdini,
Master escpaist,
Buried and chained
And tied. EVELYN
Oh, justice can be
So unfair!
Reaching for danger,
Darker and stranger
Now that his mama's
Died.
Bang! There goes
Your millionaire!
Conquering fear
In hopes he will hear
A voice from the other side...
Whee!
HARRY
Come see Houdini's daring display.
EVELYN
Come see Ms. Nesbit do four shows a day.
EVELYN & HARRY
Thrilling the crowd and makin' em say...
EVELYN
Let's run away
HOUDINI
Let's run away Let's run away
Let's run
Away Away...
Away Away...
ALL
Let's run away to
Atlantic City Let's run away
Let's run away Let's run away
EVELYN, HARRY, ALL
My honey...
Why should we stay
In the frantic city
Laden with worry and care?
Oh, let's run away
To Atlantic City
No one will find us
EVELYN
No one will find us
ALL
No one will find us there!
RAGTIME PAGE III
