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Ken Wilson The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans - Part 1 of 36_______________________________________________________________________________

The (Voodoo) Queen of New Orleans - Part 1

CharactersNarrator - relaxed male voice, American Sanité Dede: voodoo witch; waspish old croneMarie Laveau - hairdresser, about 30, who becomes voodoo queenBlanche - her friendJacques Paris - attractive low-life, about 40, gambler, womaniser; marries MarieGina - a woman that Jacques used to know, who turns up at the weddingJohn Bayou - older, well-known voodoo practitioner; known as Dr John; age 60Sanité Dede - old crone, voodoo queen; waspish, unpleasant; she should sound and

behave like a malevolent bully in her dialogue with Marie

Incidental charactersPreacher - marries Marie and JacquesMan 1 - customer of Sanité Dede; he wants her to kill the man he owes money toMan 2 - neighbour of Gina's in a rooming houseMan 3 - man in the street when Gina appears on her balconyMan 4 and 5 - men who try to pick up Marie at a voodoo night at Place CongoMan 6 - man in the street at the endWoman 1: Passer-by when Gina throws herself from her balconyWoman 2- Celeste, woman who works in barWoman 3 - Woman in street at the endVoodoo preacher - African


Title voice: The (Voodoo) Queen of New Orleans - Part 1

New Orleans, 1805…

Scene 1New Orleans street sceneFX Street noise: hustle and bustle, horse-drawn carts

Narrator Two hundred years ago, New Orleans was quite a place to be. Lots of interesting people lived there or passed through … musicians, gamblers, sailors … some nights the French quarter of the city was .. well, let’s say it was lively …

FX Sound of fighting in a bar; fade up and down; continue with street noise

And down in Congo Square, or Place Congo as the people there called it, the scene was also pretty lively … it was a place where freed slaves used to go, a place where they worshipped a special kind of religion. This religion had a lot of different names … Akan, Ifa, Orisha …nowadays we call it …. voodoo…

FX Fade up and down voodoo drumming; then continue with street noise

About that time, there was a voodoo queen in New Orleans. Her name was Sanité Dede, and everyone was afraid of her. Lots of people used to ask her for favours … and she made a good living out of it …

FX Knocking at door; opening door

Sanité Dede:What do you want?


Man 1: I need your help. Sanité Dede:Oh yeah?

Man 1: I owe somebody a lot of money.

Sanité Dede:Uh-huh…

Man 1: I want to know if ---

Sanité Dede:Do you have anything that belongs to him?

Man 1: Yes. I managed to get this from him.

Sanité Dede:Hm … nice handkerchief. Guess he must be pretty rich…

Man 1: Yes. He is.

Sanité Dede:How much do you owe him?

Man 1: Five thousand dollars.

Sanité Dede:Then you're one stupid son of a bitch.

Man 1: It wasn't my fault, I ---

Sanité Dede: This is going to cost you money ….

Man 1: I'll pay you what I can.

Sanité Dede:You'll pay me five hundred dollars.

Man 1: Five hundred dollars! I can't ---

Sanité Dede:Five hundred dollars. Take it or leave it.

Man 1: But I ---


Sanité Dede:OK. Goodbye.

FX Door slams

Man 1: No! Open the door. (Banging on door) Open the door!

FX Door opens

I'll pay you five hundred dollars ….

Sanité Dede:Bring me half tomorrow.

FX Door slams

FX Fade up and down voodoo drumming

Narrator: Sanité Dede was the number one voodoo woman in New Orleans. But then someone else came along…. This is the story of Marie Laveau, the woman who became the new voodoo queen of New Orleans. At the beginning of our story, Marie was just a simple hairdresser …

FX Street noise continues

Blanche: (Approaching) Marie! Marie!

Marie: Hello, Blanche.

Blanche: Marie, do you have time to cut my hair today?

Marie: Not now, Blanche, no. Maybe tomorrow?

Blanche: OK. I'll see you tomorrow.

Marie: Fine. Bye for now.


FX Door opens; street noise fades; door closes Jacques: Well, hello.

Marie: Oh my God! You frightened me. I can't see anything with the blinds down. Who is it?

Jacques: Well, Marie, don't you remember my voice?

Marie: Jacques? Is it you?

Jacques: Sure is.

FX Sound of blinds being raised

Marie: What do you think you’re doing sitting here in the dark? What do you want?

Jacques: Marie … what do you think I want?

Marie: I don't know, Jacques. I'm not a mind-reader.

Jacques: Come on, Marie. Did you forget Friday night already?

Marie: Friday night was Friday night, Jacques. Today is another day.

Jacques: And today could be another day like Friday, Marie …

Scene 2The wedding of Marie Laveau and Jacques Paris

FX Church bells, then church interior

Narrator: (Hushed tones) There was quite a party the day that Marie Laveau and Jacques Paris got married. Marie Laveau - fine-looking


woman, intelligent, and knew how to make an honest buck. Jacques Paris? Well, he was fine-looking too, but … well, let's say he wasn't a regular kind of guy. You know? The kind that gets up in the morning? And goes to work? If he was up in the morning, it was because he'd been up all night, drinking and gambling. A lot of people were very surprised when Marie married someone like Jacques …

FX Fade up echo-y church interior

Preacher: And do you, Marie, take Jacques to be your lawful wedded husband?

Marie: I do.

Preacher: And do you, Jacques, take Marie to be your lawful wedded wife?

(Silence)

Jacques …

Jacques: Huh? ..

Preacher: Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?

Jacques: Sure, preacher man!

FX Distant laughter in the congregation

Preacher: Jacques, just say 'I do'.

Jacques: OK! (Dramatically) I do!

Preacher: Good. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride.

Jacques: It's alright, Mr Preacher, I already did that.


FX Fade church atmos

Scene 3Wedding party

FX New Orleans music (1805 style )

Blanche: Hey, Marie!

Marie: Hi, Blanche!

Blanche: What's it like to be a married woman?

Marie: When I find out, I'll tell you …

FX Fade music down and up

Gina: Hello Jacques.

Jacques: Well, hello. Now …do I know you?

Gina: You sure do.

Jacques: Refresh my memory, pretty lady.

Gina: My name is Gina. We met in Baton Rouge? A year or so ago?

Jacques: Ah … yes, very refreshing….

Gina: So, Jacques, you went and got yourself a wife…

Jacques: I sure did. Marrying Marie Laveau was the best thing I ever did.

Gina: (Seductively) You think so?


Jacques: (Rising to bait) Well, now … are you trying to tell me something … ?

Gina: Well, yes, I am … but here ain't the right place to tell you …FX Fade music down and up

Blanche: Marie!

Marie: What is it, Blanche?

Blanche: I think you should go outside …

Marie: Why should I do that, Blanche? I'm having a fine time here.

Blanche: Right … and Jacques is having a fine time out the back …

Scene 4Outside wedding party

FX Party music in distance

Gina: Oh, Jacques … it's so good to see you again …

Jacques: Sure is …come here …

Gina: Not here …

Jacques: Where then?

Gina: I have a room, second floor in a rooming house on Rose Street. Number 21. Why don't you come and see me there?

Jacques: Sure thing.

FX Door opens, music gets louder


Blanche: (Distant) There they are!

Jacques: Oh my God…

Gina: Jesus! How do I get out of here?

Jacques: There's no way out of here, except through the house. Get behind the tree.

Gina: What?

Jacques: (Hissing) Get behind the tree!!!

Marie: (Distant) Jacques? Are you out here? (Approaching) Jacques?

Jacques: Well, hi, Marie.

Marie: You with someone, Jacques?

Jacques: With someone? Sure as hell not! I'm just taking the air.

Marie: There's someone here. I know there is. I think she's … here!

Sound of a struggle

Gina: Oooooooow! Let go of my hair, you bitch!

Gina struggles and screams throughout

Marie: You're calling ME a bitch?

Gina: Let go of me!

Marie: You come after my husband on my wedding day, and you call ME a bitch??


Gina: LET GO OF ME!!!!

Marie: Give me one good reason why I should do that.

Gina: STOP IT! LET ME GO!!!

Marie: OK. I'll let go of you.

Sound of struggle ending

Gina: You're crazy!

Marie: And now you're calling me names???

Sound of powerful slap across face; Gina screams in pain

Don't you DARE call me names!

Gina: Why you ----

(More fighting and slapping; Gina yells in pain again; body slumps to ground)

Marie: Get up.

Gina: Don't hit me again. Are you trying to KILL me or something?

Marie: I'm not going to touch you again, you piece of garbage. But if you ever go near my husband again, I really WILL kill you. Now get out of here!

Gina: You're a mad woman, Marie Laveau! (Retreating) You'll regret doing this.

Blanche: (Distant) Marie! Are you OK?


Marie: I'm fine, Blanche.

Blanche: Do you need any help?

Marie: No. Go away. I want to talk to Jacques alone.

Blanche (Retreating) OK … but yell if you need me.

Marie: OK.

Jacques: Marie ---

Marie: Don't talk, Jacques, just listen. This is our wedding day and I've just found you with another woman.

Jacques: Marie, we were just talking! In fact, I was just telling her ---

Marie: I said Listen! You're my husband now, and from now on, you do things the way I want them.

Jacques: I was just --- huh?

Marie: You heard me, Jacques. We're man and wife, and we do things my way.

Jacques: (Laughs) Are you serious? We're going to do things YOUR way?

Marie: That's right.

Jacques: Uh-uh! No one tells ME what to do, Marie. I'm a free man, remember? I ain't a slave. If you think you got yourself a slave when you married me, you're wrong! It doesn't make no difference that we're married - I'm gonna to do things my way, and no one is gonna stop me!

Marie: You're going to do things your way?


Jacques: I sure am!

Marie: And that includes seeing other women?

Jacques: Marie, I will go where I want, see who I want and do what I want, and there ain't a damn thing you can do about it.

He walks away

Marie: (To herself) Oh …Jacques … you shouldn't have said that. You really shouldn't have said that.


You'll have to learn never, ever to make me angry.

FX Fade up and end voodoo drumming

Blanche: (Distant) Marie! Are you OK?

Marie: No, Blanche, I'm not OK.

Blanche: (Approaching) Where's Jacques?

Marie: I don't know, and I don't care.

Blanche: Marie! It's your wedding day! You just got married - and you don't know where your husband is? And you don't CARE???

Marie: No, Blanche, I don't.

Blanche: Marie, what's happened to you?

Marie: What do you mean?


Blanche: You look different … your eyes …

FX Fade up voodoo drumming

Marie: I don't know what's happened to me, Blanche, but I sure as hell feel different. I feel … angry and, I don't know … I also feel strong. From now on, I'm not going to take any nonsense from Jacques or anyone. And first of all, I'm going to take care of that little tramp he was talking to. Do you know her name?

Blanche: I -- er, no, I don't know her name.

Marie: I think you do, Blanche. Tell me.

Blanche: Marie ---

Marie: Tell me!!

Blanche: I think her name is Gina Baptiste.

Marie: Do you know where she lives?

Blanche: No. Really, I don't.

Marie: Blanche … find out where she lives for me.

Blanche: OK, but ---

Marie: Blanche, don’t try to tell me what to do. It’s too late for that.

Blanche: OK, Marie. I'll find out where she lives.

Scene 5 Gina's room in a rooming house

Narrator: A few days later, Gina was in her room at the rooming house …


FX Tapping on the door

Gina: Who's there?FX Tapping on the door

Is that you, Jacques?

Silence

Jacques?

FX Opening door

Jacques? Are you … what the hell is ….ugh! (Screams) Help! Someone HELP me!

Man 2: (Distant) What's going on up there?

Gina: Ugh! This is DISGUSTING!

Man 2: What's all the fuss about?

Gina: Did you see anyone coming up to my door?

Man 2: Lady, there's always people coming to your door.

Gina: Someone just knocked on my door! Did you see anyone?

Man 2: I saw a woman going up the stairs.

Gina: What did she look like?

Man 2: (Approaching) I didn't see her face. Anyway, what are you yelling about?


Gina: Look!

Man 2: Oh, my Lord Jesus!

Gina: There's blood everywhere. What is it??

Man 2: What is it? Well, it WAS an animal. A chicken, I guess. Now it's just blood, and … feathers and bones and stuff.

Gina: And look at my door! There's blood on my door!

Man 2: Oh my God …

Gina: What is it?

Man 2: Someone wrote the letter M on your door.

Gina: What does it mean?

Man 2: Lady, you ain't FROM New Orleans, are you?

Gina: No. Why did they write M on my door?

Man 2: Don't you know nothing??? It's the first letter of the word 'mort'. That's French. It means 'death'. And it's written on your door in BLOOD. Ma'am, someone just put a CURSE on you.

Scene 6Marie meets Doctor John

Narrator: Of course it was Marie who wrote the letter M in blood on Gina's door. Afterwards, she went out into the street and ran in the direction of her house. But she didn't make it.

FX Street noise; running down the street and then collision with someone; Marie screams


Marie: (Hysterical) I'm sorry! I didn't see you!

Dr John: Now just hold on there, ma'am.Marie: I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run into you! Now if you don’t mind, I --

Dr John: I said hold on there! And calm down. Now … are you OK?

Marie: I'm fine.

Dr John: Ma'am, you have blood all over your hands and your clothes.

Marie: Oh my God …

Dr John: I think you should tell me what's going on here.

Marie: No! Take your hands off me and let me go!

Dr John: Ma'am, maybe you don't know me. But I can help you.

Marie: What are you talking about? Who are you?

Dr John: My name is John Bayou.

Marie: John Bayou?

Dr John: Yes. But around here, people call me … Doctor John.

Marie: Doctor John --- oh Lord Jesus! You're the voodoo doctor!

Dr John: Ma'am, I'm just a preacher in a church for freed slaves. I don't really like the expression 'voodoo doctor'.

Marie: But it's what you are! Leave me alone! I don't want to talk to you!

Dr John: Ma'am, you look like you're in big trouble.


Marie: I don't want help from no voodoo doctor!

Dr John: Now you listen to me! You need help. I can smell death on you.Marie: I ain't killed no one!

Dr John: Just calm down and listen! Right now, I'm probably the only person in New Orleans who can help you. Now come with me.

Marie: Where? Where are you taking me?

Dr John: Just across the street. Somewhere we can talk.

Marie: Across the street? To that bar?

Dr John: That's right.

Marie: I'm not going into a bar! I'm a respectable woman! A respectable MARRIED woman.

Dr John: I know you're a respectable woman. But you need to clean up and we need to talk. You can't go anywhere looking like that.

Marie: Oh God …

Dr John: There are people across the street who can help you. Now let's go.

Scene 7Marie confides in Dr John

FX Bar atmos

Woman 2: Here she is, Doctor John. She's all cleaned up now.

Dr John: Thank you, Celeste.

Woman 2: Any time, Doctor. Anything else I can do for you?


Dr John: No thank you, Celeste, you've been more than helpful.

Woman 2: OK. Well, you know where I am if you need me.

She walks away

Marie: I don't like it here. People are looking at me.

Dr John: Only in your imagination. They all got plenty of other things to think about.

Marie: I --- I want to say sorry. I wasn't very nice to you.

Dr John: You don't need to apologise. You just need to tell me what's going on. You could start by telling me your name.

Marie: My name is Marie Paris.

Dr John: Marie Paris?

Marie: I'm married to a man named Jacques Paris. Maybe you've heard of him.

Dr John: Oh my goodness! Everyone in New Orleans knows Jacques Paris! I didn't realise he had such a fine-looking wife.

Marie: Well … We've only been married for a week or so but my … Jacques is not an easy man to be married to.

Dr John: (Laughs) Well, I'm sure you're right about that!

Marie: Mr Bayou, this is not a laughing matter. I've just done something terrible …

Dr John: OK, if you want me to help, you have to tell me what happened.


Marie: OK. (Pause) There was a woman at our wedding party - I didn't know her, I don't know how she got there … anyway, she knew my husband, and …

Dr John: Yes?

Marie: I think my husband was planning to see her. Like, secretly?

Dr John: I see. Go on.

Marie: I went to the place where she lives … and …

Dr John: And?

Pause

What did you do, Marie?

Marie: I drew the letter M on her door … in blood …

Dr John: Uh huh …

Marie: I just wanted to frighten her.

John: Right. Well. I guess I can understand that.

Marie: But there's something else.

Dr John: What?

Marie: Well, I waited to see what happened. I sat on the stairs just above her room. While I was sitting there, I started to imagine things … I couldn't stop myself.

Dr John: What did you imagine, Marie?


Marie: I imagined that I was stabbing her, like … with a knife?

Dr John: Well, you only imagined that.

Marie: I know. But she screamed.

Dr John: She did what?

Marie: She screamed. I could hear her through the door. I imagined stabbing her with a knife, and I could hear her screaming. And then …

Flashback Segue into Gina screaming; starts quietly and gets louder; screams should be consistent with someone being stabbed

Gina: Aaaaaaaaaaaah! I can't stand it any more! I've got to get out of here!

FX Running and then opening of door

In the following sequence, Gina should be gasping in pain

Marie: Hello, Gina.

Gina: YOU! It's you! What are you doing to me?!?

Marie: I ain't doing nothing, Gina.

Gina: You're KILLING me!

Marie: I ain't putting a finger on you, Gina. But you're going to die, I'm certain of that. You're a bad woman and you deserve to die.

Gina: STOP IT! And let me OUT of here!


Marie: You ain't going nowhere, you tramp!

Gina: Let me OUT!

Marie: No. You ain't leaving.

Gina: I have to get out of here! … The window. I can get out through the window.

FX Running across room; opening of French windows; start of street atmos

Someone help me!

Man 1: (Distant, in street) You OK, ma'am?

Gina: I'm DYING! I have to get OUT of here!

Man 1: Hey, ma'am - you be careful, you're gonna fall! STOP!

Gina screams as she falls from balcony and hits the street; other people scream; there is a commotion

Woman 1: Someone get a doctor!

Man 1: It's too late. There ain't nothing a doctor can do now ….

FX Street noise and commotion fades; segue to bar atmos

Marie: So .. she jumped from her balcony and … and now she's dead.

Dr John: Are you sure that's what happened?

Marie: Yes. I came out of the rooming house and saw her.

Dr John: Did anyone see you leave the rooming house?


Marie: No. Everyone was looking at her lying dead in the street.

Dr John: Uh - huh …

Marie: I'm not sorry she's dead. She was a bitch and a tramp. But I didn't kill her. I just feel that suddenly I have this … this power … and I'm scared. I don't want it.

John: Well, Marie, this ain't something you can choose. You don't go looking for this kind of power. The power finds you. Listen, you don't understand what's happening to you right now, but I do. You need help.

Marie: What kind of help?

Dr John: You need to come with me to Place Congo.

Marie: Place Congo? I ain't going there! It's too dangerous - there are crazy people doing crazy stuff there! Dancing, beating drums. I'm too scared to go there!

Dr John: Marie, it's just a place where people go to worship the god they believe in.

Marie: I ain't going!

John: OK. But if you change your mind, meet me there on Sunday night.

Scene 8At Marie and Jacques' home

Narrator: Soon after Marie arrived home, Jacques walked through the door …

FX Door opening


Jacques: (Distant) Marie?

FX Door closing (Approaching) Marie! Where are you?

Marie: I'm here. In the pantry. What do you want?

Jacques: What the hell do you think you’re doing?

Marie: I'm not doing anything, Jacques. I'm just sitting here minding my own business.

Jacques: Minding your own business??? Is killing someone 'minding your own business'?

Marie: What are you talking about, Jacques?

Jacques: You know what I'm talking about!!!

Marie: Has someone died?

Jacques: You know damn well that someone has died! Gina is dead!

Marie: Gina? Is that the woman I found you with at our wedding?

Jacques: You know who I'm talking about!

Marie: How did she die?

Jacques: Stop playing games with me, Marie!

Marie: I ain't playing games, Jacques. Did she have it an accident?

Jacques: No, Marie, she didn't have an accident! Folks who were in the street say that she came out on her balcony screaming fit to


waken the dead. She was yelling that someone was stabbing her with a knife!

Marie: Was someone stabbing her, Jacques?

Jacques: No, Marie, no one was stabbing her. But she THOUGHT someone was stabbing her.

Marie: And … ?

Jacques: And she threw herself off the balcony. She's dead, Marie!

Marie: And you expect me to feel SAD about that?

Jacques: Listen to me ---

Marie: (Suddenly gets angry) NO, Jacques! YOU listen to ME! You wanted to go with that worthless tramp ON OUR WEDDING DAY! On our wedding day, Jacques, the day that should have been the most important day of my LIFE! And you ruined it all…

Jacques: You didn't have to kill her!

Marie: Jacques, I didn't lay a finger on that whore. I'm glad she's dead, it's what she deserves. But I did not touch her.

Jacques: You killed her. You did it somehow. I know you did. And I ain't staying in the same house as you any longer!

FX He walks away and slams the door

Scene 9Place Congo, the following Sunday

FX Voodoo drumming, to fade under the dialogue


Marie: John?

Dr John: Well, Marie, nice to see you. Welcome to Place Congo.

Marie: What's going on here? It's scary!Dr John: It's just people having a good time, Marie. There ain't nothing to

worry about.

Man 4: Hey lady, come and dance!

Man 5: You tell her, Matthew!

Marie: Take your hands off me!

Man 4: Oh come now, lady! I ain't going to hurt you.

Dr John: You heard what the lady said, sir …

Man 4: Oh yeah … and who the hell do you think you are?

Man 5: Hey, lay off, Matthew - that's John Bayou.

Man 4: John Bayou … oh my God … Dr John … sorry, Mr Bayou!

Dr John: I think you'd better say sorry to the lady as well, son …

Man 4: Sorry, lady. Sorry I spoke to you.

Man 5: Come on!

Sound of people running away

Marie: Well, John, YOU certainly have the power, too!

Dr John: Maybe. Anyway, you don't need to feel afraid.


Marie: I don't feel afraid when I'm with you.


But what's going on here?Dr John: Well, most people here are just here to talk, dance … be with their

friends, but there's some religious stuff going on, too.

Marie: John!

Dr John: What is it?

Marie: That man over there! The one near the fire!

Dr John: What about him?

Marie: He's dancing and he's … he's holding a snake! The snake is wrapped around his body!

Dr John: That's right.

Marie: What's he doing???

Dr John: Don't worry, Marie. He's a voodoo preacher. Snakes are very special creatures to voodoo people.

Marie: But what's happening?

Dr John: The voodoo service is starting …

Marie: Ain't he afraid of the snake?

Dr John: No, Marie, he ain't afraid of the snake. And you mustn't be afraid, either.

Marie: What do you mean, I mustn’t be afraid?


Dr John: Marie, he may choose to give the snake to someone. It's part of the service. He may choose to give the snake to YOU...

Marie: Give me the snake???? Why???Dr John: Don't be afraid if he asks you to take the snake.

Marie: Are you crazy? No way! I'm not going anywhere near a snake! Snakes scare me to death!

Dr John: Marie, you have nothing to fear from the snake. You have the power to control it.

Marie: John, I can't do it! I can't stay here!

FX Voodoo drumming gets louder

Dr John: Marie, there ain't no place you can go. If the preacher wants to find you, he'll find you.

Marie: Why are you saying this? You said I should come here to get help! And you're scaring me nearly to death!

Dr John: Marie, trust me!

Marie: Why? Why should I trust you???

Voodoo preacher: (Approaching) Damballah-Wedo! Damballah-Wedo!

Crowd: Damballah-Wedo!

Voodoo preacher: Damballah-Wedo! Hear my words!

Marie: For God's sake! What's he saying???


Dr John: He's speaking to Damballah-Wedo. Damballah-Wedo is the voodoo snake god.

Voodoo preacher: Damballah-Wedo! Give me a sign! Give me a sign!

FX Screams of surprise Dr John: He's coming towards you, Marie…

Marie: John! Help me!

Voodoo preacher: (Approaching) You! Lady with the long black hair!

Marie: What do you want???

Voodoo preacher: Take the snake!

Marie: No!

Voodoo preacher: TAKE THE SNAKE!

Crowd: Take the snake! Take the snake!

Marie: Oh my God...

Dr John: Feel the power, Marie! You have the power, and the power will save you.

Crowd: Take the snake!

Voodoo preacher: Take it.

Marie screams; then there is a roar of approval

Dr John: Good! (Pause) Marie … you all right?

Pause


Dr John: Marie!

Marie: (Starting quietly but her voice becomes deeper, more African) Damballah-Wedo … Damballah-Wedo, I hear you, I HEAR YOU!

FX Voodoo drumming; chants of Damballah-Wedo to fade

Scene 10 Marie meets Sanité Dede Sanité Dede sounds and behaves like a malevolent bully

Narrator: Marie left Place Congo a changed woman. The next day, she received a visitor…

FX Knocking at door

Marie; Hold on.

FX Knocking becomes more insistent

Marie: OK! OK! I'm coming!

FX Door opening; external atmos

Marie: Can I help you?

Sanité Dede:Are you Marie Laveau?

Marie: Maybe. Who wants to know?

Sanité Dede:Let me in.

Busting noise of someone entering house

Marie: Excuse me? Did I say you could come in?


Sanité Dede:I have something to tell you.

Marie: You do?

Sanité Dede:Yes. I run the church for freed slaves. My name is Dede. Some people call me Sanité Dede.

Marie: A- ha … so you're Sanité Dede, the voodoo queen. Well, well, well … so why are you visiting Marie Laveau? I guess you don't want me to cut your hair!

Sanité Dede:Don't you make fun of me, woman! Close the door.

FX Door closes; end of external atmos

I heard about what you did last night in Place Congo.

Marie: Is that right?

Sanité Dede:People are talking about you as if YOU'RE the voodoo queen of New Orleans.

Marie: They are?

Sanité Dede:They are. And you ain't.

Marie: Is that all you've come to tell me? If it is, then maybe you'd like to ---

Sanité Dede:Listen to me, woman! And listen good! I heard you did something really bad.

Marie: Really?

Sanité Dede:Yes. I heard you killed a woman called Gina Baptiste.


FX Spooky music

Marie: I …

Sanité Dede:See? Now you know you're in trouble ... (Cackles)Marie: I …. think you don't want to believe everything you hear.

Sanité Dede:This Gina woman. She was messing with your husband, right?

Marie: That's enough! I don't want you in my house any more. GET OUT OF HERE!

Sanité Dede:Listen - you're the one that needs to get out. It's time for you to pack your bags and leave town.

Marie: Leave town? (Laughs) I ain't going nowhere!

Sanité Dede:Leave town - or you're gonna die!

Marie: You don't scare me one little bit!

Sanité Dede:Listen, woman, I'm getting tired of all of this. I'm going to give you one more chance. I'm giving you 24 hours to get out of here, and go some place else.

Marie: And if I don't?

Sanité Dede:If you don’t …

FX Spooky music starts quietly

If you don't … I'm going to the sheriff's office, and I'm going to tell the sheriff that I know who killed Gina Baptiste.


Marie: Oh come on! Is that the best you can do? That little piece of scum killed herself! Either that, or it was an accident. Everyone knows that. She either jumped off her balcony or she fell. There are plenty of witnesses who can testify to that.

Sanité Dede:Witnesses, huh?

Marie: Yes. Lots of people saw her.

Sanité Dede:And you think that's what they're going to say in court.

Marie: Huh?

Sanité Dede:When you appear in court, on trial for murder. Because when I tell the sheriff that you did it, you're going to be tried. And you can bring all the witnesses you like, they ain't going to save you.

Marie: Is that right? And how do you know that?

Sanité Dede:Because they're gonna say what I tell them to say. They're gonna say they saw you attack Gina Baptiste with a knife. And then you'll be tried, convicted… and hanged….

FX Pause - spooky music

Marie: I told you. You don't scare me one bit.

Sanité Dede:So you ain't gonna leave.

Marie: Too right I ain't gonna leave! I'm staying right here.

Sanité Dede:Well, you can't say I didn't give you a chance.

FX Moves to door; opens door; external street atmos starts


Sanité Dede:I guess you have about thirty minutes before they come and get you. It's your last thirty minutes of freedom. Enjoy them.

Marie: WAIT!

Sanité Dede:What?

Marie: Come back in here…Sanité Dede:So … changed your mind, have you? (Cackles)

Marie: I said come back in here.

FX Door closes; distant sound of voodoo drumming

Sanité Dede:Good, you've finally come to your ---- (Sentence cut off by slap)

FX Sound of slap across face; Sanité Dede reacts in pain

What the hell do you think you're doing??? You dared to hit me??? Well, sister, you are in REAL trouble now!

FX Sound of second slap; Sanité Dede reacts in pain

Marie: Just listen to me, you old witch! You only have power over people because they're afraid of you. That's all. But I ain't afraid of you. Not one bit. You don't scare me and there's nothing you can do to me.

Sanité Dede:You're making a big mistake …

Marie: Really? OK - try me. Go to the sheriff's office.

Sanité Dede:I will. You're a dead woman, Marie Laveau.

FX Door opens; street atmos


Don't say I didn't warn you. You still have time to leave town.

FX Door closes

Marie: (Whispering to self) I don't need to leave town, Dede. All I need to do … is think about you ….

FX Spooky music … building to Psycho shower music

FX External atmos

Narrator: Sanité Dede walked quickly down the street, pushing people out of her way.

Man 6: Hey, lady, what's the hurry?

Sanité Dede:Get out of my way!

Man 6: What was that?

Woman 3: Leave it, Jake.

Man 6: Huh?

Woman 3: Leave it.

Man 6: Leave it? That crazy old woman nearly knocked me into the street!

Woman 3: LEAVE IT!

Narrator: She walked down Bourbon Street and turned into the square and then into Royal Street. She could see the sheriff's office on the other side of the street. She walked more quickly, laughing to herself.

Sanité Dede:(Cackling) That woman is so stupid! She's dead meat.


Narrator: But Marie had other plans …

Marie: (Ghostly) All I need to do is think about you …

Sanité Dede:(Reacts to sharp stabbing pain) What … what was that? (Second stabbing pain)

Marie: (Ghostly) think about you …

Sanité Dede:What the --- uuuuuuuuuurgh ….

Marie: (Ghostly) and you’re DEAD!

Sanité Dede screams

Sanité Dede:STOP! Stop doing this to me! You mad whore!!!!!

Man 6: Hey! Look out! Lady!

FX Horse and carriage approaching at high speed

LOOK OUT!

FX Horse and carriage getting closer

Man 6: Lady! GET OFF THE ROAD!

FX: Sickening collision of horses and woman: screams from passers-by

Narrator: Dede never made it to the sheriff's office. She was hit by a carriage that was travelling at high speed down Royal Street. Eye-witnesses said that the woman was screaming when she stepped into the road … before the carriage hit her. They reckoned she was screaming so loud that she didn't hear the horses.


FX Screams and confusion

Back home, Marie Laveau put on her best dress, combed her hair … and walked out into the street. And everyone who saw her knew that things had changed. No one knew it at the time, but on that day, the new voodoo queen of New Orleans was crowned.

scene 1 … · web viewtitle voice: the (voodoo) queen of new orleans - part 1. new orleans,...

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