Final Essay in Little Verona

 

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Second Act

(The scene opens in the hall of the Drama School where all the students have conveyed for the Final Essay)

 

Papa John Brook (silencing the noising Assembly) – Please be quiet everybody! I’ve a speech to make. Take a seat please and listen carefully! Today we gathered for the final essay. Your teachers told me you succeeded in all the subjects but History! What’s a matter with you?

David: We don’t like the past!

Susan: Sure we don’t! We have more future ahead than the teachers, don’t we boys?

All the Assembly cheers up!

PJB (like above): That’s ok, that’s ok! I got it! ‘you know? History is  useful, at least, not to commit the past mistakes… And anyway I need to check the subject before declaring your course is passed.

(the assembly shuts up) Let me see, you, Ada, talking about forty years ago, in  1962, would tell us a most relevant event to your eyes?

Ada (thinking for a short while) In my opinion it would be relevant the announcement of United States embargo against Cuba;

PJB; Very Well! What about you Patrick? Would you remind us, still talking of the same year, a social or political event you esteem important?

Patrick: My father, who was born in Soho, told me about the reject  of Robert Moses's proposal to build a Lower Manhattan Expressway which would have cut through from the Williamsburg Bridge to the Holland Tunnel and destroyed Soho and Little Italy

PJB: Well said boy! I’ll recall Little Italy myself, afterwards! And you Lawrence?

Lawrence: I would say that in August 5 1962 Marilyn Monroe is found dead at age 36 from "acute barbiturate poisoning". 

PJB: Not bad, reminding this, though I would have recalled the great Broadway Robert Morse’s success in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. What about you Mel?

Mel (taken by surprise he keeps his mouth shut)

Geena: (taking Mel’s hand tenderly): May I say why Mel is not able to answer?

PJB: Please go on Geena!

Geena:  In 1962 the first black student, James Meredith, registers at the University of Mississippi, escorted by Federal Marshals.

PJB: That’s great of you Geena! Well I might say you are not so bad, in History, after all! And I’m compelled to declare you have all been admitted at the final essay!

(Cheers of approval grow from the assembly)

PJB: And hence we need to choose a drama to be performed by you all!

Patrick: Let’s play a Musical!

David: A new one!

Ellen: We want Broadway!

Susan: We want Berstein!

Chorus: We want West Side Story (everybody claims for West Side Story beating  with the feet on the floor)

PJB: I’ve got it but remember you have to go before to run! We need first of all a slogan for the Final Essay. I’ve thought of this. Pray all you to listen: “Good Art cannot do it without the past”

Chorus (l. b. cheers up and claims for West Side Story)

PJB: OK! I’ve got you! Let me show something (JB goes to open a wooden toolbox extracting  two hats (Borsalino Style), two jackets (sixties style) and a bunch of scripts, handing them to Geena and Mel) – Please give one each all the attendees (while the scripts are delivered and a murmur rises in the hall between the students, JB wears one of the two jackets and one of the hats, giving the other two stage garments to Lawrence) – Wear them like I’ve just done and wait for instructions!

Flora: (showing the script to the others) What is this?

David: It looks to be a script!

Margaret: It’s entitled “The final essay in Little Verona”!

PJB: Hold on boys and girls and be patient. Please put two chairs on the middle, form a semicircle afterwards and follow the theatrical action. Now: I’m Frank Bandello and I’m waiting for Vincent Da Porto to come. The Bandello and the Da Porto families have been fighting for ruling the business of all the Italian shops in Little Italy. The night before the action there was a brawl between the rival clans which caused two deaths and several injuries. The Police are fed up of these continuous crimes and are determined to end them up. Vincent Da Porto wants to see his old enemy Frank to settle a peace, sharing influence and profits of Little Italy entering into  an agreement against the new rising  generations  of the rising families.  Lawrence you’ll play Vincent Da Porto. Adelaide you play my wife, Norma Nursey. Geena you’ll be Lavinia; Ralph try to be Charlie Dealer please while Leslie will be Flora, if you don’t mind Flora; and you, Mel, will play Mariotto! I’ll tell the others  what to do, unless you don’t have to play the Chorus or the Assembly.  Just read your lines on the script, if you don’t mind..  You all, but Lawrence, keep aside please. The action is going to start!

PJB (after embracing the old enemy): Welcome home Vincent! How long has passed since we met last time?

Vincent M.: Too much water has passed under Brucculinu Bridge! We needed to meet before!

JPB: You’re surely right! But, please, take a sit!

Vincent M. (sitting on one of the chairs) Thank you Franck.

JPB (sitting himself): It’s really funny Vincent, ‘you know? When our ancestors came here from Italy, longtime ago, they were good friends!

Vincent: You’re right! My wife remembers they were even a sort of cousins…

PJB: I knew that! And two of us have just died…last night…Why? While our families weaken each other new families  are rising searching for power…

Vincent: Arrogant and without the old rules…

PJB: Increasingly involved in prostitution and drugs…

Vincent: We must stop all this!

PJB: The time has come to do it!

Vincent: And what about your family? How are all them?

PJB: No bad, thank you. We live for our daughter, ‘ you know?

Vincent: Oh yes how do for sure! We have a son of the same time if I’m not wrong…

PJB: You are not wrong. They are same aged…

Vincent: My son, Paris, is a good boy, ‘you know?

PJB: I wish my daughter would meet a good boy, like in the good gone times …

Vincent: Why don’t we arrange a marriage reconciliation? Our families together can dominate all the business…

PSB: (standing up, offers his hand) Let’s do it!

Vincent(embracing): We are good friends from now…

 

Scene II

(It’s heard knocking the door from outside)

Deputy Chief of NYPD: Open the door or I’ll be throwing it down in a minute!

PJB: (with cold blood) Who’ the hell is knocking?

Deputy Chief NYPD: I’m Michael Masuccio, Deputy Police Commander of New York Police Department and I hence command you to open this damn door!

PJB: Keep quiet! I’m coming!

(Enter a man in plain clothes with a train of policemen showing  a defiant and threatening attitude)

Deputy Masuccio: Nobody moves! That’s a legal search!

PJB: I let you in for I’m with friends enjoying ourselves in legal activities! But May I ask you if you have a search warrant?

Deputy Masuccio: (changing his attitude) Oh, come on Frank! I’m just bringing you the greetings of my boss!

PJB: How is my friend Robert Wagner junior?

Deputy Masuccio: He’s all right I think but  I come straightly from Governor Escalus Rochefeller!

Vincent Da Porto (showing himself): He’s a good acquaintance of mines!

Deputy Masuccio: (surprised) Vincent Da Porto? What is that? A summit of bosses or what else?

PJB: I told you: just a meeting with friends!

Deputy Masuccio: Do you know the authorities are very concerned about your families and your business. Last night two people of yours have died in a brawl! And many others have been injured!

Vincent Da Porto: You can report them that war is over now!

Deputy Masuccio: I hope for you that is true. (extracting a sheet from his pocket) Anyway I’m in charge of reading you a missive from the Governor!

PJB: Would you listen to this missive boys?

Basil: If is not too long! (general laughs, screams and jokes from the attendees will upset the Deputy)

Deputy Masuccio: What about you? Make sure you don’t carry forbidden stuff with you! Like smoking grass or strange powders, ‘you know what I mean?

Edna: (in a sensual voice) We don’t need any stuff to enjoy ourselves!

Deputy Masuccio: (with a winking look) I believe on your word girl!

Reginald: (jealous and annoyed by the joke) We waiting for you to read that missive!

(general laughter like before)

Deputy Masuccio ; (opening the sheet) Shut up! “Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, you men, you beasts! you who pour your own blood! Throw your mistempered  weapons to the ground!

 And now listen the sentence of your horrified Governor. Three civil brawls have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets and made our city bloody to death! If ever you disturb our streets again your lives shall pay the forfeit of the  peace. And that’s my last warning! “

(while Deputy Masuccio fold the sheet in his pocket an applause of mockery will rise from the assembly)

PJB: Thank you for playing your part Deputy Masuccio! Can we go on with the third scene of the Second Act, now please?

Deputy Masuccio (with rage menacing): OK. I go, but be careful you around boys! And you Mr Da Porto, better come with me! (and to Bandello) And I expect you to reach us as soon as you can!

(Exeunt Vincent Da Porto, Deputy Masuccio and the policemen)

 

Scene III

(Norma Nursey, Frank Bandello and Chorus)

Norma N. (as she were coming from outside): Hi dear! What happened? I saw Vincent Da Porto leaving home with a train of policemen!

Frank Bandello: Nothing to be worry about my love! He came to propose a  peace agreement between our families!

Norma N. (surprised with happiness) Wau! That’s really great!

Frank Bandello: Yes, it is for sure! And we also made a wedding arrangement to better seal our peace! Have you seen Lavinia by the way?

Norma N. (trying to hide a bad presentiment) She was looking for you too!

Frank Bandello (surprised) What for?

Norma N. (hiding the truth) Oh, nothing special, I think…

Frank Bandello ( preparing to leave the scene) If you see her, please tell her I need to talk to her!

Norma N. : Yes, I will! (trying to look uninterested) May I ask you about that wedding arrangement?

Frank Bandello: Of course! You are involved as well as I!

Norma N. (pretending to be impassible) Am I? What’s about?

Frank Bandello: Do you remember that Da Porto has a son already mature for marriage?

Norma N. (presenting the truth) Yes, Paris Da Porto…he’s twenty-two or something like that…

Frank Bandello: (with an accomplice attitude): In order to reinforce the peace we decided to marry our daughter Lavinia with Paris Da Porto!

Norma N. (trying to appear motionless) I see… I’ll tell her my self when I see her…

Frank Bandello: (kissing fleetingly)  Thanks dear. I need to go now. I’ll see you later.

Exit Bandello

 

Scene IV

Lavinia (like Norma before, pretending to come to scene from outside, with an eager voice): Oh Mum! Did you tell dad about me and Mariotto?

Norma N. Bad news, my treasure! It looks harder than we thought…

Lavinia (upset and alarmed): Why you said that, mum? Please tell me what’s going on!

Norma N. :Be strong, light of my eyes! Your dad has promised you to Paris Da Porto!

Lavinia (desperately starts crying): Oh no mum! Never in my life! I’m in love with Mariotto!

Norma N. (trying to comfort her embraces the  girl): I know, my joy and I’m with you, believe me!

Lavinia: It’s because Mariotto is black, isn’t it?

Norma N. : I don’t think, though it might have been a further problem…

Lavinia: (like before): Then why mum? Please tell me why?

Norma N. :  (thoughtful) Old stories, ancient customs between honored Italian families…

Lavinia: Oh mum, please help and forgive me! I would prefer to die before marrying another man!

Norma N. (thinking a brilliant idea): Of course… why not? It would be a good way to untangle the skein…

Lavinia (like in a trance of desperation, crying again) Sorry mum…I’m in love with Mariotto… Better  to die instead…

Norma N. (with determination, like taking a decision): Come on my gem! You must never lose your hope. When God closes a gate, He often opens a door!

 

Exeunt Lavinia and Norma

 

 

Scene V

(The Chorus starts singing its song)

 

Remember your fathers

That daughters and sons

Are not heartless pawns

To be moved on chessboards

 

They have right to mistake

They have right to choose

If you don’t want them to loose

Don’t mess them for your own sake

...to be continued...