señorita julia by matthew salazar-thompson adapted from ... · synopsis in a tragic updated...

Señorita Julia

__________________________

ByMatthew Salazar-Thompson

Adapted from Miss Julie by August Strindberg

CAST OF CHARACTERS

MISS JULIA, aged twenty-nine. Impish young lady who has been living under the watchful eye of her Jewish father who owns the ranch.

JOSE, valued worker on the ranch, aged thirty, of Hispanic background. Desires the American Dream and wants to escape the confines of what his culture has defined him as in The United States.

CHRISTINA, a cook, aged thirty-five. Jose's fiancee and mother of Jose's soon to be child. Through her actions she has accepted the assimilation of the Mexican culture except where it will intersect with God.

HOMBRE, The voice of the Earth and the manifestation of the Chicano dream.

CHORUS, The elements of the planet. EARTH, WIND, WATER, FIRE. Chorus may be expanded as necessary.

ii.

Synopsis

In a tragic updated retelling of Strindberg's classic tale of servitude and status, Jose and Christina live under the auspice of Julia and her father, Mr. Warner. Blending themes from Miss Julie and Percy Shelly's Prometheus Unbound we find that the relationship between a Jewish kept daughter and a Chicano valet escalate to a dangerous consummation in a world that is not ready to accept the differences between class, race, and religion.

Scenes

Act 1, Scene 1 - The interior of the Warner Ranch.Act 1, Scene 2 - The same.Act 1, Scene 3 - The same.

iii.

Act I, Scene 1. *

The action takes place on Midsummer Eve, 1943 in the kitchen of Fredrick Warner’s *sprawling ranch home in the Central Valley of California. *

*A country style kitchen. There is a modern refrigerator. A working sink sits next to an oven. *A large stand-alone wooden cutting block sits somewhere on the set. Two matching chairs *and a small dining table adorn the room. A Philco radio sits upon the counter somewhere. *

Adjacent to the kitchen are two door frames, but no doors. The stage left frame leads to *CHRISTINA’s room. The stage right frame leads to JOSÉ’s room. In both “rooms” there *are only two pieces of furniture: a simple single bed and a small dresser. An ornate cross *hangs somewhere over CHRISTINA’s room. Downstage of the door frames lead to other *areas of the house. There is also a telephone and a suspended clock which reads 9:33pm. *

In the dark we hear the sound of shoveling dirt. A low vibrating sound plays. *A dark red light slowly rises. Down center HOMBRE stands, shoveling “dirt.” Lights *slowly rise on the CHORUS as they uniformly focus their attention towards him. *

CHORUS *Behold the carrion caretaker of this land. *

EARTH CHORUS *You dare defy that single god, that single carrier of the cross, those whose skin bleeds *alabaster, whose cobalt eyes mire the sanctity of civility. *

HOMBRE stops digging and addresses the *CHORUS. *

HOMBRE *I ask you... Are not Thou and I alone of living things, behold with sleepless eyes regard *this soil? With toil and tombs of broken hearts, with fear and self contempt and barren hope *I ply my hands through this Earth. O’er Mine own misery and thy vain revenge-three *hundred years of sleep un-sheltered hours have divided the pangs of scorn and dispair-but *these are mine empire. O Mighty God! Almighty, I had I deigned to share the shame of *thine ill tyranny, and hung not here, chained with my hands, back, my feet to this vertical *wall of a condor-baffling desert. Black, scorching, dead, unmeasured; without herb, yet full *of locust the shape and sound of life. *

EARTH CHORUS *Your misery, hath brought desolation to the golden veins than travel through my stones, *through my rivers, through my skies. *

WATER CHORUS *My rendered heart shall answer ye to thee. *

FIRE CHORUS *Your refuge, and your deference lies fallen and vanquished here is the valley of sun *bleached stones of this Spanish Caucus. *

WIND CHORUS *What brazen statues stand now? *

HOMBRE *My sacrifice hath turned the emblem of hot breath of Aztec youth from starry eyes to that *of bruised fruit. *

WIND CHORUS *Yet behold that emblem, that is scorn for these chains upon you, one hath heaped a *thousand fold torment from the sand sipping breeze. *

HOMBRE *You dare remit the anguish of that lighted stare? These chains? These chains that bury the *meat of my limbs? That seek to set a fire under the flame of my heart? *

WIND CHORUS *In each heart terror survives the raven it has gorged? Has it not? *

HOMBRE *Your words are not unlike that of winged snakes. This land burns my feet, buries my back, *my- *

WIND CHORUS *Though chained... there are clouds to climb through the eagles periscope. I bid ascend these *subtle and fair minded spirits beyond that twilight realm as in the glass coffer of *confession. *

CHORUS *Confession. *

Señorita Julia Matthew Salazar-Thompson 2

HOMBRE *Climb? (Beat.) Where hath my body seek to climb from this wretched and spiked desert? *Through this very inlet of cropped rock where fertile crops once sprouted from the *sequestered soil and the dappled sunshine without so much a lifted human wrist, upon only *the breathe of the Aztecs found firm roots? *

WATER CHORUS *Your words douse not our eyelids. *

FIRE CHORUS *You dare defy the fire of Pizzaro, Balboa, Coronado, Cabrillo. *

EARTH CHORUS *Pena, Hererra, Arista. *

FIRE CHORUS *Taylor, Filmore, Roosevelt. *

WIND CHORUS *The horns of walled Gorgons build up and up until he is Trump-phant. *

CHORUS *Victorious! *

HOMBRE *The great green dragons with their parted hair and tall pants sway and drag their heavy tails *into those heights. Each step is lacquered with black and blue ointment. *

WIND CHORUS *My breathe blows upon the parchment that is not yet vapid. *

HOMBRE *With each foot that I place upon the- *

WATER CHORUS *Sand. *

HOMBRE *The- *

FIRE CHORUS *Core. *


HOMBRE *The- *

EARTH CHORUS *Earth. *

HOMBRE *I slip further into despair. *

The CHORUS moves in and out among him quickly *now. *

EARTH CHORUS *Chained as you are, you must ripen the womb of berries from the cacti. *

FIRE CHORUS *¡Quema!(Burn!) *

WATER CHORUS *¡Ahoga! (Drown!) *

WIND CHORUS **

¡Brisa! (Breeze!) *

EARTH CHORUS **

¡Cava! (Dig!) *

HOMBRE collapses. The CHORUS circles him. *

FIRE CHORUS *Spark! *

CHORUS *

¡Chispa! **

WATER CHORUS *Drown! *

CHORUS *¡Ahoga! **

WIND CHORUS *Quick! *

CHORUS *¡Rápido! **


EARTH CHORUS *Dig! *

CHORUS *¡Cava! **













CHROUS *DIG! DIG! DIG! DIG! *


HOMBRE drops to his knees in exhaustion. A low *musical note begins to rise in intensity. *

HOMBRE *These cracked and coarse hands! *

FIRE CHORUS *The spasms. *

HOMBRE *The glowing orb upon my neck! *

WATER CHORUS *The liquid drops blind the orbs. *

HOMBRE *The rays have evaporated by bones! *

A sound. HOMBRE listens. *

WIND CHORUS *Wait. (Beat.) Now... you must... Run! *

HOMBRE *My feet are weighted and chained to this earth. *

WIND CHORUS *Run. *

CHORUS *Sus pies están cargados y encadenados a esta tierra. (His feet are weighted and chained to *this earth.) *

HOMBRE *My hand holds a delicate berry. *

CHORUS *La delicada baya que ahora sangra verde. (The delicate berry that now bleeds green.) *

FIRE CHORUS *To crack that thick ice that lays across his temples. *


WATER CHORUS *You must sail across my belly and excavate something more valuable than gold. *

WIND CHORUS *The savior has found- *

CHORUS *Muscle. *

EARTH CHORUS *Muscles undulating in and out of the fertile land. Eyes as dark as the earth itself. *

WIND CHORUS *And breath as heavy as the- *

WATER CHORUS *Surf. *

FIRE CHORUS *They found the shimmering flame, the gold that could fill their ships. They found- *

EARTH CHORUS *The labor they needed to- *

FIRE CHORUS *Conquer. To destroy. To dominate. They left their footprints in- *

EARTH CHORUS *My heart. And those souls... those people that were here before became trapped in the *bones of my rib cage. And soon those men who carried steal swords began to chop down *the men and women and children that were here before them. Their hearts filled with blood *lust. *

WIND CHORUS *We ran into- *

WATER CHORUS *The ocean. *

WIND CHORUS *We ran into- *


FIRE CHORUS *The fire. *

WIND CHORUS *We were run into- *

EARTH CHORUS *The desert. *

WIND CHORUS *The more they tried to escape, the more their sinews exploded with fear, the deeper the *tendons began to slid into the sand to the point where we were- *

CHORUS *Buried. *

Beat. *

WIND CHORUS *I brought them here. I pushed their boats with mighty gusts. *

FIRE CHORUS *And the slaughter had soon begun. And those that survived began to- *

WATER CHORUS *Drown in the waves of the men who first moved the- *

EARTH CHORUS *Land that was once me. The caverns of my mountains, my cloven fire-crags. *

WIND CHORUS *The unmeasured wilderness of my clouds that came and billowed over the camps. It was *once- *

CHOURS *Ours. *

WIND CHORUS *Now, we dig with wrists that have been slit. *

FIRE CHORUS *Lungs, suffocating with a solid hot thundercloud that has splintered our spirit. *


EARTH CHORUS *We are buried. *

CHORUS *WE ARE BURIED! *

HOMBRE *No.(Beat.) We are alive. *

*

HOMBRE is exhausted but still he stands up and *looks around. The CHORUS watch him with *anguish. The sound is building in intensity. He is *exhausted. The musical note has reached its *crescendo. A look of horror. He begins to run. *Before he can take the first step, lights and sound *out. Silence. *

*Act I, Scene 2. *

In the dark a 1940’s period commercial ad plays. *

1940’S COMMERICAL *Would you like a nice glass of refreshing lemonade or one of those hot summer days? *Well, who wouldn’t? After a hard day mowing the lawn or simply having fun in the *backyard you owe it to yourself to cool down and refresh. Have you thought of the greatest *in comfort when purchasing a new refrigerator? Well, even during these hard times *fridgidaire is still the choice of most Americans when it comes to keeping your food cool. *Leftovers will never spoil when you have the assurance of the best well built machine, *manufactured right here in the US of A. When purchasing a refrigerator look to Frigidaire. *And don’t forget to sell your War Bonds, we are all doing the world a great adjustment! *

*Big band music rises from the radio. Every now and again we can hear the distant party *sounds from outside the house. *

Lights slowly rise to find CHRISTINA washing dishes in the sink. She wears a comfortable *light-colored cotton dress that goes down to her ankles and a plain apron. A door bell *rings. She continues washing the dishes. *

CHRISTINA *¡Date la vuelta!(Go around!) * *


The bell rings again. The lights slowly rise. She is washing the dishes. Door bell rings *again. She takes off her apron and exits. The stage is empty except for the sound of the *radio. We hear the door bell again. A long pause. CHRISTINA re-enters with JOSÉ *dressed in livery and carrying a pair of big, spurred riding boots, which he places on the *floor in such a manner that they remain visible to the audience. *

CHRISTINA *¿Por qué no te diste la vuelva?(Why didn’t you go around?) *

JOSÉ *¿No está en casa, verdad? (He’s not home, is he?) *

CHRISTINA *Estás dejando huellas de tierra por el pasillo. (You’re tracking dirt through the hall.) *

JOSÉ *No soy un animal. (I’m not an animal.) *

CHRISTINA *Entonces deja de actuar como uno. (Then stop acting like one.) *

JOSÉ opens the refrigerator, takes out a decanter of *orange juice and starts to pour himself a glass. *

CHRISTINA *¿Por qué vuelves tan pronto? (Why are you back so soon?) *

JOSÉ *Llevé el Señor Warner a la estación de tren y cuando regresé me detuve en el ... *(I took Mr. Warner to the train station and when I came back I stopped by the...) *

CHRISTINA *No te tomes el jugio de naranja. (Don’t drink the orange juice.) And speak English. *

JOSÉ *Estamos solos. No hay nadie- (We’re alone. There’s no one-) *

CHRISTINA *(insistent) *

In English. *


He stops, pours the juice back into the decanter, and *turns off the radio. *

CHRISTINA *And don’t leave the boots in here. You should take them outside to clean. *

JOSÉ *I’m not cleaning them. *

CHRISTINA *You will clean them. *

JOSÉ *I have three days before he comes back. *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *You managed the cars? *

JOSÉ *El camión y el Chrysler. (The truck and the Chrysler.) *

CHRISTINA *Speak English. *

JOSÉ swats at a fly. *

JOSÉ *(putting his arms around her.) *

Damn pests! You deserve better you know. Peeling and broiling all day. *

CHRISTINA *I don’t mind it so much. *

JOSÉ *Scraping shit off of the master’s boots. Scrapping shit off the car tires. Scraping shit off - *

CHRISTINA *Don’t start again José, you- *

JOSÉ *I’m not starting anything. (Beat.) I’m only- *

CHRISTINA *Keep your nose clean. (Beat.) For us. (Beat. Change.) This heat is killing me. *


JOSÉ *We’re being killed out there too. Up in the air, down on the ground, out at sea. And for *what? *

CHRISTINA *Stop. Now, peel the onions. *

JOSÉ *Peel the onions. Is that all you can say? I’m trying to talk to you and all you can say is peel *the onions. Peel the onions. *

CHRISTINA *What do you want me to say? You say the same thing every day, over and over. *

JOSÉ *But you don’t listen to me. *

CHRISTINA *Every day I listen to you. *

JOSÉ *Do you? *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *There is work to do and we must do it. Now eat your dinner. *

JOSÉ *I’m trying to talk to you and all you can say is eat your dinner. Maldita sea este lugar! *

CHRISTINA drops a pan in the sink and stops. *

JOSÉ *We’re dying. *

CHRISTINA *Do you forget what we went through? *

Silence. *

CHRISTINA *Now help me with these onions. *


A long pause. He crosses and starts to peel the *onions for her at the sink. *

JOSÉ *Where will he sleep? *

CHRISTINA *Tito has a room. *

JOSÉ *He has a room, but not a house. My son, where will he sleep? *

CHRISTINA *It might be a girl. *

JOSÉ *It’s a boy. I can feel it. He’ll be strong. Masculine. *

CHRISTINA is quiet. *

JOSÉ *(stops peeling) *

The wind... it’s blowing out there tonight. It’s a dry wind. I should go. *

CHRISTINA *Your place is by your wife. *

JOSÉ *Do they even know what they’re fighting for? Killing the enemy. When all is done they *come back to face an enemy at home that doesn’t even care about- *

CHRISTINA *(In Spanish) Enough! (Beat.) Peel the onions. *

She turns away and continues peeling. Beat. He does *the same. *

CHRISTINA *(cheerful) *

I think William is going to set the date. *

JOSÉ *(chuckling sarcastically) *

I don’t think so. *


CHRISTINA *Why? *

JOSÉ *Miss didn’t have on her ring yesterday. *

CHRISTINA *She probably took it off when she went swimming. *

JOSÉ *That kid... No nose for business and he’s a damn manager. He’s never cooked, cleaned the *floors, nothing. I have no idea what she sees in him. *

CHRISTINA *She’s a good match for him. *

JOSÉ *She’s a firecracker. *

CHRISTINA *And she’s getting older. (Beat. With a little discord in her voice.) She has lines across her *forehead. She can’t live here forever. *

JOSÉ *Can’t she? Living fat on the land. Papa’s still here for the suckling. All she needs to do is *go to synagogue each week and she collects her allowance. *

CHRISTINA *She’ll marry soon and start her own life. *

JOSÉ *Start a life? She’ll be thirty next week. *

She stops. *

CHRISTINA *How do you know that? *

He stops. *

CHRISTINA *Did you go through her diary? *

Beat. *


CHRISTINA *Did you go through Miss’s diary when you cleaned her room? *

She stops peeling the onions. *

JOSÉ *She told me. (Beat.) Her birthday is Tuesday. *

A pause as CHRISTINA puts the onions down, *washes her hands and then pulls her hands out of the *sink dripping with water. She stands there, not *moving, looking at JOSÉ. *

CHRISTINA *I should bake her a cake. *

JOSÉ *As long as you make rugelach with sterling silver icing. *

JOSÉ sits at the table, lights a cigarette and picks up *the newspaper and reads. She stands there, her *hands still dripping, looking right at JOSÉ who *stares at her back. Beat. He tosses her a dish towel. *She dries her hands. He reads. She takes the paper *away from him. *

CHRISTINA *Where did you get those? *

JOSÉ *I bought them. *

CHRISTINA *They’re Señor’s. You stole them. *

JOSÉ *He has enough. *

A pause. *

CHRISTINA *Why did you come through the front door? *

JOSÉ *I had to check the tiles in the back. *


CHRISTINA *Did you go to the barn? *

JOSÉ *I stopped in for a second. *

CHRISTINA seems to simmer about this. *

CHRISTINA *She was in the barn? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *She needed help... pulling out... the... barrels. Moving them. *

CHRISTINA *You said you were working on the tiles- *

JOSÉ *I did. *

CHRISTINA *She was supposed to have been gone. *

JOSÉ *Well she stayed. *

CHRISTINA *Why? *

A long silence. *

CHRISTINA *I assumed she was going. *

JOSÉ *Me too. Señor sat the entire staff down like we were little children and told us. (Imitating *him. He talks very slow.) “Pardon Señors and Señoras. Tomorrow, mi familia is going to el *mountain-os. There is a party-o in el barn-o for you manana. Si? Gracias.” *

CHRISTINA *He’ll hear. *

JOSÉ *He’s gone. *


CHRISTINA *Las paredes tienen oídos. (The walls have ears.) *

JOSÉ *What are you getting on me about? You make fun of Miss all the time. *

CHRISTINA *(back to peeling the onions) *

He said that the entire family was going. I assumed she is part of the family. *

JOSÉ *The money part I suppose. *

CHRISTINA *Don’t- *

JOSÉ *(throwing his hands up) *

This isn’t fair. *

A very long pause. *

CHRISTINA *I thought William was going to propose. At the lake. *

JOSÉ *(chuckling) *

Well I saw the two of them out in the field. He had the truck ready... You know teaching *her to drive. They drove around and around like wild turkeys. And then she drove the car *into a little ditch. He jumped out screaming at her like a madman looking at the busted *fender. You know what she was doing? (Beat.) Laughing. She cocked her head back in the *sunshine and the mottled sun dressed her face with the sweet nectar of the fragrant air. (He *remembers.) She just kept laughing her head off while he walked away kicking up dust *frustrated as hell. She laughed so hard that tears streamed down her face. *

CHRISTINA *You said you were on the porch. *

JOSÉ *So? *

CHRISTINA *You were so close that you could see her tears? *


Beat. *

CHRISTINA *(quickly and a little jealous.) *

She’s a child. *

JOSÉ *Youthful I suppose. *

CHRISTINA *Her cheekbones are too high. *

JOSÉ *Perhaps. *

CHRISTINA *Her shoulders? She’s a little squat don’t you think? *

JOSÉ *Her hair is stringy. *

CHRISTINA *When you danced with her did you feel her tits against your chest? *

A pause. JOSÉ doesn’t quite know what to say. *

CHRISTINA *They are round like peaches. Fuzzy and warm on the outside I would imagine. Wouldn’t *you say? *

A long pause. *

JOSÉ *I didn’t feel her breasts. *

CHRISTINA *Tits. But you were dancing with her. *

JOSÉ *Just the one song. How did you know that? *


CHRISTINA *I didn’t. You just told me. (Beat.) You talk too much. *

A pause. *

JOSÉ *Miss... she invited me, us to come and dance. You too, but you were in the house, so I just *pulled up to the barn before taking the car to the house and... and I just... I just heard the *music and was dancing with some others and that was all. Nothing to speak about. *

Beat. CHRISTINA is still, listening to every word. *She doesn’t move. He turns the radio back on, and *kisses her on the forehead. They start to dance. She *pulls away and turns the music off while she stares *him down. *

JOSÉ *Her tits are saggy. *

CHRISTINA *Te estoy mirando los ojos. (I watch your eyes.) *

Pause. He doesn’t know where to go from here. *

JOSÉ *That smells horrible. What is it that you are cooking? *

He sits at the table. *

CHRISTINA *It’s for the dog. *

She pulls a plate of food out of the oven and drops it *in front of JOSÉ at the table. *

JOSÉ *What is it? *

CHRISTINA *Tongue. *

He pushes the food away. He sighs and pats his leg *signaling her to sit down. Beat. CHRISTINA slowly *crosses and sits on his leg. He puts his hand on her *stomach. *


JOSÉ *My son. *

She puts her hands through his hair. *

CHRISTINA *Our daughter. *

She slowly gets off of him, crosses to the refrigerator *and pulls out a beer, pours it in a glass and places it *in front of him. He takes a sip. *

JOSÉ *(looking at the beer) *

What is it? *

CHRISTINA *Budweiser. *

He takes a sip. *

JOSÉ *It’s awful. *

He distastefully sets it down. *

CHRISTINA *Was Miss teaching you all to dance? *

JOSÉ *A little. She was more interested in teaching everyone about the play. *

CHRISTINA *Play? *

JOSÉ *A Shakespeare play or something. *

CHRISTINA *I have no time for silliness. Did she only dance with you? *

Beat. She studies him. He takes another swig. *

CHRISTINA *She was wearing something from Clara’s? *


JOSÉ *What do I know about clothes? *

CHRISTINA *Floral print dress, bonnet, cuffs? *

JOSÉ doesn’t answer. CHRISTINA changes the *channel to Mexican polka. She pulls JOSÉ up. *

CHRISTINA *Dance with me José. *

JOSÉ *Ah... *

CHRISTINA *You never dance with me. *

JOSÉ *(touching the baby) *

I’ll be dancing with you for the rest of my life. *

CHRISTINA *Dance with us. (She pats her stomach a little.) *

JOSÉ reluctantly gets up and moves towards *CHRISTINA. JULIA laughs off stage. *

JULIA *(off stage, giggling) *

I’ll be back in a minute. You go right on in the meantime. Don’t be too long though. I *expect you to be ready! *

JULIA enters smartly from the barn party. She is *wearing a pair of costumed fairy wings. *CHRISTINA pushes JOSÉ away and grabs her *apron, putting it back on as quickly as possible. *JULIA crosses to the cabinet and pulls from a *cabinet an unmarked bottle with alcohol in it. She *gets a glass and starts to pour. *

CHRISTINA *I thought you were taking that to the lake, Miss. For William and you? *


JULIA *Well... I thought it was better that we kept this all in the family. *

JOSÉ *You look quite pure, Miss Julia. *

JULIA *Looks are so deceiving. *

Beat. *

JULIA *(upbeat) *

I’m Mustard Seed! Over hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier- *

JOSÉ *(finishing the lines) *

Over park, over pale, *Thorough flood, thorough fire, *I do wander everywhere. *

Beat. JULIA giggles. *

JULIA *Do you? Do you wander everywhere? (Beat.) Be careful Christine, I might steal him away *from you. *

JOSÉ *Miss her name is Christina. *

JULIA *If you add the Spanish “a” to the feminine word and- *

CHRISTINA *Miss can call me whatever she likes so- *

JOSÉ *(emphatic) *

Her name is Christina. *

Beat. *


JULIA *Making mountains out of molehills. (She giggles.) It’s all the same to me. Have it your *way. Christine doesn’t seem to mind. *

CHRISTINA gives him a look. JULIA stays in high *spirits. *

JULIA *(to JOSÉ) *

Now don’t peek! Don’t peek! Close your eyes! *

JOSÉ closes his eyes. *

JULIA * This is a very special concoction. *

JOSÉ turns around. *

JULIA *A special brew for this hot summer night. It’s William’s. He’s saving it for our engagement *party. *

JULIA gives him the bottle. He opens the top and *smells it. *

JOSÉ *Reposado? *

JULIA *Is that good? *

JOSÉ *Your father doesn’t like you to drink anything but brandy and that... Uh... ... Mane... *

JULIA *Manischewitz, yes. It’s juice for a child. (Beat.) Well, come on, let’s have some fun. *

She grabs three small glasses and places them on the *counter. *

JULIA *Go on Christina pour us some. *

CHRISTINA reluctantly pours two shots. There is a *stillness. JULIA notices. *


JULIA *Well come on, come on. All three of us. *

CHRISTINA *Miss, I... *

JOSÉ pours another glass. JULIA takes hers and *raises it. JOSÉ takes his and offers a glass to *CHRISTINA. *

CHRISTINA *José... *

JOSÉ *Just hold it. *

JULIA *To friendship! *

They salute. JULIA shoots the tequila. It’s rough *going down. JOSÉ takes a sip. CHRISTINA toasts *but does not drink. *

JULIA *Oh come Christina, drink, my dear. *

CHRISTINA *Miss, I am with- *

JOSÉ *Just hold it. *

JULIA *Hold it? Come now, this is an order. Now drink! *

JULIA grabs the bottle and pours more shots. She *looks to JOSÉ and doesn’t say anything. *CHRISTINA takes a small sip. JOSÉ sips again. *JULIA shoots hers. *

JOSÉ *You drink this down like cough syrup. Reposado is to be savored. *

JULIA *Now there’s some scholarly advice. *


CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, I love your costume. *

JULIA *Do you? *

CHRISTINA *Yes. You look like an angel. *

She takes off the fairy wings. *

JULIA *Now I’m a witch. *

A pause. JULIA breaks the silence. *

JULIA *(to CHRISTINA) *

Another shot my dears! *

CHRISTINA *Yes, Miss. *

JULIA *Now José, come and dance again with me. (To Christina.) Did he tell you he danced with *me? *

CHRISTINA *In a manner of speaking. *

CHRISTINA places her glass on the counter and *pours another shot for JULIA. *

JOSÉ *Most gracious Miss, but I must say no. *

JULIA *Who’s proper here? Daddy is gone. Your fiancee doesn’t mind. I make the rules. You’re *dancing with me now. *

JOSÉ *I have already promised Christina a dance- *

CHRISTINA *José is an excellent dancer, Miss. *


JULIA *So civilized and orderly. She knows her place. Christina can find someone else to dance *with. Thomas is there, lurking behind the hay barrels in the barn. I’m sure he’ll dance with *her (She giggles.) Won’t you let me borrow José for a dance? He is so muy guapo. Oh, *please! He’s just too charming to resist. *

CHRISTINA *(doing her duty) *

Dance with Miss Julia. *

JOSÉ *I don’t wish to offend but we have already danced. Perhaps you would prefer- *

JULIA *Prefer? *

JOSÉ *Yes. *

Beat. *

JULIA *What are you implying? *

CHRISTINA *(stepping in) *

He’s not implying anything Miss. He was simply being, how do you say, regal? *

JULIA *Well, regal is one thing and rudeness is another. I am the mistress of this house and when it *so happens that I actually want to dance, I want to dance with someone who knows how to *lead, so that I am not made ridiculous. Does that make sense? (Beat.) Ustedes comprenden? *

JOSÉ *I understand perfectly. *

JULIA *Good. Tonight is a celebration! We have the ranch all to ourselves. (Beat.) We can burn the *crops and throw our clothes on the porch and we’ll tear out the chandelier and hang a *piñata and put it in the dining room! (She giggles.) And tonight, we should all be the same. *We are all the same! I am not your Miss and you are not my servants. (Beat.) Now, JOSÉ, *give me your strong arm. I’m liable to fall down. *


Beat. JULIA changes the channel to big band music. *She takes a hearty swig of her tequila then places the *glass back on the counter. She takes JOSÉ’s arm. *

JULIA *Don’t fear my dear, I’ll return your José to you safe and sound. Join us at the party, won’t *you? *

They begin to exit. *

JULIA *And Christina, don’t forget the uh... *

She makes a drinking motion, giggles and exits with *JOSÉ. CHRISTINA takes the glasses and *vehemently pours out the remaining tequila. She *then picks up JOSÉ’s dinner and puts it in the sink *and runs water over it. She picks up the meat cleaver *and looks at it. With venom she takes a long look at *it and then forcefully sticks it into the chopping *block. As soon as the cleaver hits the counter the *music cuts and the lights go to black. CHRISTINA *exits. *

In the darkness we hear the sound of a ticking clock. *A pin spot of light comes up on Mr. Warner’s boots. *Ominous music. After a moment pin spots slowly *rise on JULIA and JOSÉ, who are standing on *opposite sides of the stage looking out to the *audience. The ticking of the clock grows in *intensity. JULIA begins to cover her ears at the *sound of the clock. JOSÉ is calm. After this *establishing moment the music and the sound of the *clock cut and the lights are up full. *

The kitchen is now clean. The meat cleaver is gone. *The tequila bottle is on the counter. The clock reads *11:35pm. *

JULIA *My head is spinning. *


JOSÉ goes to the sink and pours her a glass of *water. She drinks it. *

JOSÉ *Can I ask you a personal question? *

A long pause. *

JULIA *What would you like to know about me? *

JOSÉ *Why didn’t you go to the lake? *

A long pause. *

JULIA *(She looks into his eyes.) Who wants to go to the boring lake and hang out with my Uncle *Norman and cousins and sit around and talk about nothing but frivolous nothings and *discuss the war. *

JOSÉ *Are you not worried that we will be invaded? *

JULIA *I highly doubt that the Emperor of Japan would risk his Pacific Fleet to conquer the Warner *Ranch of the Central Valley. *

JOSÉ *And so your family would rather talk then fight. Your younger brother could serve. Why *doesn’t he? *

A long pause. *

JULIA *(gazing into JOSÉ) *

Because... he’s scared. *

Beat. *

JULIA *(Giggling) *

But why are we speaking of such academic matters? I want to move. I want to dance and *forget the war, forget this silly clash. *


JOSÉ *Do you think you are shielded here? *

JULIA *(ignoring his remark.) *

JOSÉ... I’ve seen you move from across the barn. I’ve seen you walk, the way your arms *sway with confidence. I’ve watched your eyes as they dart around the room looking for *dominance. Your hips and ankles.... They... burst from your cavity and take command of *the floor. Now, show me... Show me Señor José how you dance again. *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *If that’s an order. *

JULIA *It’s not. I’m asking you. *

Pause. She smiles at him. She gingerly lifts her hand *and allows him to take it. He pulls her into him with *an excited sexiness, slow and moving. All the while *their eyes are locked. Violin music plays while they *dance exceptionally intimate. They cross off to one *side of the stage in a special light of their own as the *kitchen lights cross fade to a dark blue. Lights comes *up on CHRISTINA in the kitchen, bent over at the *sink getting sick. She recovers and pours herself a *shot of tequila, and shoots it. She gags and then *pours herself another shot. JULIA and JOSÉ dance *right into the next scene. JULIA “floats away” and *exits. JOSÉ is panting, out of breath, as he dances *right into the scene with CHRISTINA. She throws the *shot into his face. He spins. The lights rise on the *entire stage. He laughs. CHRISTINA pours another *shot and holds it. *

CHRISTINA *You’re sweating. *

JOSÉ *It’s hot as hell tonight! *

CHRISTINA *Where have you been? *


CHRISTINA says nothing. JOSÉ, still full of vigor, *kisses her. She is passionless. *

JOSÉ *¿Qué es eso en tu respirar? *

He sees her holding the shot. A long pause. *

CHRISTINA *An elixir. It is supposed to make me attracted to the way you move through the air. It is *supposed to make me want to spread my legs over and over again after you have bruised *me with your words and actions. *

JOSÉ *Stop this nonsense. *

CHRISTINA *This also helps to remind me... of my place. *

He takes the glass from her and puts it down. *

JOSÉ *Your place... is with me. *

She falls into his arms. *

CHRISTINA *Then dance with me now. You have performed your servitude for the evening. *

He kisses her quite passionately. Unknowingly *JULIA enters. They continue kissing, starting to *undress each other. She gets his dress shirt off *revealing his T-shirt. CHRISTINA notices JULIA. *She stops. *

JULIA *Please don’t let me get in the way of... true love. *

Beat. *

JULIA *You walked out on my dance. *


JOSÉ *My apologies. Let me put on a shirt- *

JULIA *(flirtatious) *

You don’t need to put on a shirt. *

CHRISTINA *Ve y se puso una camisa José. (Put on a shirt JOSÉ.) *

A long pause. JOSÉ slowly saunters off stage *through his doorway and begins to change. *

JULIA *(smiling at CHRISTINA) *

He’s so bashful ... on my account? There’s no need. *

CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, our apologies. We didn’t mean to- *

JULIA *Well, I hope that I wasn’t... interrupting. *

CHRISTINA *I am- *

JULIA *When are you getting married? *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *Soon. We were thinking about the end of the year. *

Beat. *

JULIA *(upbeat) *

You should have the wedding here! On the ranch. (Playful and young.) It’ll be so much *fun! I’ll be your maid of honor. I’ll invite all of my friends and yours too of course. *


CHRISTINA *Of course. And William appears to be a wonderful match for you Miss. *

JULIA *Appearances can be just that. *

They look at each other with stillness for a moment. *

JULIA *Your wedding will be muy loco! We’ll have a giant fiesta and I’ll get Daddy to buy us all *kinds of drinks and gifts and we’ll drink long into the night and stay up all morning. And *tequila too. I like tequila so much so much! *

CHRISTINA *I had no idea that you enjoyed tequila, Miss. *

JULIA *Your fiancee is to blame. Months ago he brought some to me one time. Everyone had gone *to bed and I had come down stairs for a nightcap and JOSÉ strolled up with this bottle of *tequila and we just sipped the spirit until the wee hours of the morn. He didn’t tell you? *

JOSÉ enters dressed in his serving outfit. *

CHRISTINA *He never told me that. *

Beat. *

JULIA *It must has slipped his mind. You know how hard he works in this house, always having *to please everyone around here. (Turing to him.) Don’t you José? *

JOSÉ *My apologies Miss, I wasn’t privy to the entire conversation. *

JULIA *And such manners. You were so sensible to snatch this one away Christina. My father is *correct. You’re a real baleboste. *

CHRISTINA doesn’t know if she was just insulted *or complimented. Pause. *

JOSÉ *What does that mean? *


JULIA *It’s Yiddish for good home maker. You’d agree that your fiancee is an excellent home *maker. She’ll always be a homemaker. She dreams of making... homes, isn’t that right *Christine? *

JULIA grabs the bottle and swigs a sip. *

JOSÉ *And Miss Julia must have real chutzpah to say a thing like that to my fiancee. *

JULIA chuckles. She finds this amusing. She goes *over to JOSÉ and caresses his jacket. *

JULIA *Well you’re a fine partner, running away from your lady. *

CHRISTINA *What do you mean? *

JULIA *I mean that José ran off from our dance so that he could come back and dance with you. *

CHRISTINA doesn’t say anything but looks at *JOSÉ. *

JULIA *Who am I to stand in the way of your bliss. You serve each other well, I’m sure. *

She exits. *

JOSÉ *What are you doing? *

CHRISTINA *I may ask you that same question. *

JOSÉ *What do you mean? *

CHRISTINA *What are you telling Miss Julia? *

JOSÉ *What do you mean? *


CHRISTINA *Details about our life? *

JOSÉ *She is the mistress of this household- *

CHRISTINA *And she doesn’t need to understand anything that has to do with you and I. *

JOSÉ *Christina... *

CHRISTINA *Our life is our life, not the Señor’s or anybody in this household’s. *

JOSÉ *They house us. They feed us. We have our own quarters. *

CHRISTINA *And that is where our relationship must stay. Not in the open where everyone can see and *ridicule. *

JOSÉ *You’ll be showing in mere weeks. *

CHRISTINA *That’s not the point. There is an intimacy that shouldn’t be shared. *

JOSÉ *Felipe sees it. Miguel sees it. Mariposa sees it. We all see it. *

CHRISTINA *But Miss Julia- *

JOSÉ *Miss Julia sees it more than anyone! *

CHRISTINA *And she shouldn’t. *

JOSÉ *And why not? *


CHRISTINA *Because we are her servants! *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Is that all that you see us as? *

A long silence. *

CHRISTINA *We are different than them. *

JOSÉ *Are we? Are we not different and yet the same? *

CHRISTINA *We don’t have their money. We don’t own this ranch. We didn’t build our riches in cattle *and real estate. *

JOSÉ *And who says that we can’t do this? Who? *

CHRISTINA *JOSÉ... *

JOSÉ *One hundred years ago this land was ours. Mine and yours! *

CHRISTINA *It’s not ours now. *

JOSÉ *And why couldn’t it be? You think those WASPs are the only ones that can own houses *and gold bracelets and drive fancy cars? *

CHRISTINA *You can dream. *

JOSÉ *I’m not dreaming anymore sweetheart. *

CHRISTINA *There’s always a price to pay. *


JOSÉ *There’s a risk. Not a price. And you just can’t see it. I’ve been saying this every day and *you just aren’t hearing me! *

CHRISTINA *I hear you. *

JOSÉ *Do you? *

CHRISTINA *“Look at Señor’s new Packard. It’s a V-8 engine! Why can’t I have that? Señor’s coat is *made out of leather. Why can’t I have that? He has the fanciest masquerade parties with *martinis! Why can’t I have that?” *

JOSÉ *I want to give you a mink shawl and a string of pearls and a gold bracelet. Why can’t you *have that? Don’t you want that? *

CHRISTINA *We don’t need those things. *

JOSÉ *But I want those things! (Beat.) If I could tear the skin off of my bones or paint myself *another color I could have anything I wanted. Anything in this country would be mine! *Anything! *

A long silence. JOSÉ takes the bottle of tequila and *pours two shots. He shoots one, looks at *CHRISTINA. She doesn’t move and he doesn’t offer *the shot to her directly. Beat. He takes the second *shot and downs it. Silence between them. *

CHRISTINA *Good night José. *

CHRISTINA slowly exits to her room. She turns on *the lights with an imaginary switch and closes the *“door.” She kneels down and silently prays in front *of the cross before she begins to change her clothes. *She switches off the lights and crosses into bed. The *light fades in her “room.” *


As soon as she exits into her room he pours two *more shots. He shoots the first one and then leans *against the sink. In a fit of violence he pounds the *chopping block with his hand, bruising it. *CHRISTINA’s light rises, she stops and looks *towards the kitchen listening. Pause. She turns the *lights back off. He turns the sink on and puts water *on his face. With his face towards the sink JULIA *enters. She watches him with utter curiosity for a *moment. She then saunters up and takes the second *tequila shot on the counter and downs it. JOSÉ turns *around. Silence. JULIA crosses towards the sink, *right next to JOSÉ, reaches over and turns off the *tap. *

JULIA *You’re wasting... that tequila. *

JOSÉ *You’re still awake? *

JULIA lets out a laugh. *

JULIA *I like the way the corners of your mouth move when you say “awake.” *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Do they? *

JULIA *Yes. They do. *

They are both smiling now. She puts her hands on *his mouth. At first he pulls back. *

JULIA *Why are you afraid of me? *

JOSÉ *I’m not afraid, Miss. *

JULIA *My name is Julia, not Miss. *


JOSÉ *You are the mistress of the house, are you not? *

Beat. *

JULIA *I am the mistress of the house. But of which house, that’s to be determined. *

He tentatively takes a step forward. She places her *hands on his mouth and gently touches his face. *There is no kissing, but only an exploration of each *other. He responds minimally, not reaching out to *her, but simply cocking his head here and there to *her touch. She takes his injured hand. He winces. *

JULIA *(flirtatiously) *

Are you hurting? (Beat.) Are you hurting JOSÉ? **

Beat. She begins to rub his injured hand. *

JULIA *How does this feel? (Beat.) Does it feel good to be taken care of? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Yes. *

She rubs his hand for a while. Just as he is able to *clasp his hand to hers she pulls away. Beat. *

JOSÉ *Did you go to school? *

The CHORUS begins to filter in from the edges. *Beat. *

JULIA *Daddy sent me to The University of the Pacific. *

JOSÉ *What did you learn there? *


JULIA *I learned how the Spanish came to this land and conquered it. *

More silence. She watches him intensely. *

JULIA *Where did you go to school? *

EARTH CHORUS *Tell her. *

WIND CHORUS *Placate her. *

FIRE CHORUS *It burns. *

JOSÉ *My education has been the land, the fields, the sun, the sky and the people who spit in my *face. *

JULIA *Do I spit in your face? *

Silence. *

JULIA *Oh... you mean my father. *

More silence. *

JULIA *You don’t like how he commands you to wash the car and clean his boots and- *

JOSÉ *No one commands me to do anything. *

JULIA *Isn’t that your job? To serve my father? *

JOSÉ *I am not omnipotent but rather austere in my employment duties. *


She laughs out loud. *

JULIA *You’re not as dumb as the others. *

WATER CHORUS *Subir- (Climb) *

FIRE CHORUS *Los- (The) *

WIND CHORUS *Pasos! (Steps) *

JULIA *(smiling) *

How little you understand the world today. *

JOSÉ *I am more concerned with the future. *

JULIA *You speak like a man. *

JOSÉ *My natural modesty does not allow me to believe that you could be paying me a genuine *compliment Miss Julia. *

Beat. She busts up laughing. *

JULIA *So serious señor. So, serious! *

She pours two shots of tequila. She gives one glass *to him. *

JULIA *I’m not trying to flatter you. I’m stating a fact. A mensch! That’s what you are. I salute you. *

She downs the shot. *


JULIA *You talk about the future but it seems as though you are stuck in the past. *

She crosses slowly toward him and wraps her hand *around his hand that has the shot. She takes his shot *and downs it. *

JULIA *Sit down. *

He doesn’t move. *

JULIA *I said sit down. *

JOSÉ *Is that an order? *

JULIA *A request. *

JOSÉ *It wouldn’t be proper to sit with you in my presence. *

JULIA *Because I’m your master? *

JOSÉ *Because you’re a woman. *

She laughs again. *

JULIA *You should think about your future. *

JOSÉ *I think about it all the time. *

JULIA *You hate me? *

Beat. She sits. She pulls the other chair next to her. *


JULIA *Now sit down. (Beat.) I said sit down. (Beat.) I’m no longer a lady. But you know that, *don’t you? *

JOSÉ looks around and then sits. *

JULIA *That wasn’t so hard now was it? *

JOSÉ *No. *

JULIA *How much have you saved? *

JOSÉ *Excuse me? *

JULIA *How much money have you saved for the wedding? Christina’s father isn’t going to pay *for it. He has no money. *

JOSÉ *How do you know? *

JULIA *Because if he did, his daughter wouldn’t be working as a servant- *

JOSÉ *She’s not a servant, she’s a maid. *

JULIA *Same difference. *

JOSÉ *Is it? *

Beat. She laughs again. The light goes on in *CHRISTINA’s room. She gets up and crosses to the *door. She listens with her ear against the door. He *notices the light under the door. Julia watches him *for a moment. *


JULIA *(still fliting) *

When you get a little bit angry your upper lip quivers just the slightest. Let’s see if I can *make your lips quiver again. *

She looks into him as she moves close. JOSÉ stands. *CHRISTINA “opens” her door and “enters” into *the kitchen with an empty cup. *

CHRISTINA *JOSÉ. Oh, Miss Julia. I didn’t see you there. *

JOSÉ *I thought you were going to bed. *

CHRISTINA *Is the party still going on? *

Silence. No one says anything. *

JULIA *There is always a party going on in this house. *

CHRISTINA takes the apron puts, it on, and crosses *to the sink and begins to wash the cup. She places it *on the counter. She begins to clean up the kitchen a *bit. More silence. *

JULIA *Your handsome fiance was just telling me about your wedding plans. *

CHRISTINA *Yes? *

JULIA *He said that you were going to get married on top of a mountain. And you’ll have the most *ornate ceremony that any of your relatives have ever had in their lives. *

CHRISTINA *Did he? *

JULIA *Of course you can always get married here in the orchard, but you’ll have to get married *under the chuppah. *


CHRISTINA *A what? *

JULIA *A chuppah. *

JOSÉ *It’s like a canopy. *

JULIA *You’re fiance is very smart... *

CHRISTINA *Yes. *

JULIA *You’re very lucky Christina. You should never forget that. *

CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, I don’t forget. *

JULIA *Remember how I helped pick out that shawl that you liked so much when we went to town *last month? I am instrumental in your appearance wouldn’t you say? *

CHRISTINA *Of course. You offered to purchase it for me. *

JULIA *Si, si, I’m very generous. *

JOSÉ *We have our own money. *

JULIA *Yes, you do. *

CHRISTINA begins to clean the counters. Silence. *

JOSÉ *Christina, I’ll clean that. *


CHRISTINA *I have it. *

JULIA *When is the wedding? *

JOSÉ *We haven’t set a date. *

CHRISTINA *Whenever it’s most convenient for your father. We don’t want to cause a disturbance on the *ranch. *

JULIA *Life is full of disturbances Christina. They come in all shapes, all forms. Realistically. *Naturalistically. Existentially. Do you know what that word means? Existential? *

CHRISTINA smiles. *

CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, I- *

JOSÉ *It means- *

JULIA *It means that things are not always as they appear. (Beat.) You see, I did learn something *from that very expensive college. *

JOSÉ *(with ire towards JULIA) *

What else did you learn? *

CHRISTINA *JOSÉ... *

A very long pause. CHRISTINA then goes back to *washing the dishes. *

JULIA *I learned serfdom. And how serfdom keeps order within a world of chaos. And how those *that are in the care of others do not always appreciate the feelings of comfort and safety. *


JOSÉ *Serfdom is an institution that was created by those with the money to keep everyone else *down. To keep those below them always below them. *

JULIA *You can’t change history. *

JOSÉ *Well history is about to change. *


JULIA *So you’re going on a honeymoon? *

JOSÉ *We haven’t decided. *

JULIA *To Mexico? *

JOSÉ *Why would we go to Mexico when- *

CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, José knows that we can’t have a honeymoon so- *

JOSÉ *And why not? Shouldn’t we have a honeymoon? *

CHRISTINA *We aren’t the kind of people that can do that. And I think that we should not involve Miss *Julia in the discussion. *

JULIA *You are going to be married here on the ranch! We’ll have a pitch in and everyone can *donate a small amount for you to go on your honeymoon. *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *That would be most generous Miss Julia. *

JULIA *All you have to do is get married under the chuppah. *


Silence. *

JOSÉ *No. *

CHRISTINA *Miss Julia, you are most kind but we cannot get married under the... uh... canopy. We are *Catholic. *

JULIA *That’s alright. Daddy’ll just says a few words from the Torah to make it official. *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *Yes, well, either way we cannot be married under the huppy. *

JULIA *(sarcastically) *

Chuppah. (Pronouncing the word clearly.) Chuppah! It’s called a chuppah Christina. Can *you say that, my dear? Chuppah! *

CHRISTINA *(saying it incorrectly) *

Huppa. *

JULIA *(testing her) *

Chuppah. *

CHRISTINA *(still incorrectly) *

Cuppa. *

JULIA *Chuppah! *

JOSÉ *Stop. (Beat.) We are not getting married on the ranch. *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *The night is getting tired and so am I. I take my leave Miss Julia. Buenos noches. *


JULIA *(Sarcastically) *

Hasta luego! *

CHRISTINA nods and exits. She closes her “door” *and stands near the doorway. Pause and silence. No *one moves. Finally she turns off the light and crawls *into bed. *

JULIA *So Handsome... it’s just you and me. *

JOSÉ *Please Miss Julia, I know that you do not flatter. *

She drinks and giggles. *

JULIA *You’re a lion one moment and a mouse the other. *

She walks around him, dragging her finger across *his frame. *

JULIA *(flirting) *

I will admit... Your physique does not resemble a mouse. *

JOSÉ *I’d be careful Miss Julia. There are more windows in this rancho than you know. *

JULIA *Who do think is watching us now? *

JOSÉ *Everyone. *

JULIA *(still flirting) *

Everyone? Oh, do tell! Tell me. What is the gossip? What are they saying about us? *

JOSÉ *I’m merely pointing out that people will talk. *

JULIA *Let them yell. I don’t care. *


JOSÉ *Gilberto said that- *

JULIA *Gilberto said what? *

JOSÉ *He saw us dancing in the barn. *

JULIA *So? *

JOSÉ *So, people are talking. *

JULIA *What people? The servants? *

JOSÉ *Your father. *

She stops. *

JOSÉ *That doesn’t make you nervous does it? *

Silence. *

JULIA *No. *

JOSÉ *Not at all? *

Silence. *

JULIA *No. *

JOSÉ *He doesn’t mind if you’re hanging around “those dirty little wet backs?” *

JULIA *He never said that. *


Silence. *

JOSÉ *Have you been out in the fields as he watches over us? Or down on the driveway when we *are laying concrete? Or standing right here in the kitchen hovering over Christina’s *shoulder while she cooks his dinner and washes his laundry like a- *

JULIA *My father is a good man. *

JOSÉ *Good to you perhaps. *

JULIA *You’re not a slave. He pays you. *

JOSÉ *He pays us too little. *

JULIA *Of course he does. Because most of the workers on this ranch are not even supposed to- *

She stops. *

JOSÉ *Not supposed to be here. *

She turns to him. *

JULIA *That’s right. We know you’re here illegally. *

She is silent. He touches her gently on the arm. A *long silence. *

JOSÉ *We’ve met before Miss Julia. *

Beat. *


JOSÉ *I remember this mouth. A big, wide red lipped mouth that flapped open and close with *giggles of laughter and brilliant corn flour blue eyes. Strong and rich. She could have been *more than a year old. I remember. I remember that she loved that milk. She was a delicate *thing but her laugh was contagious. She made all the adults laugh when she smiled. It was *quite a sight. And even though I was only three I remembered. I remember everything since *I was born. (Beat.) One day there was this ranchero, this tall man in riding boots. His back *seemed broken and his brow was fierce with sweat when he crossed the threshold of the *social center where my own mama worked and said that this girl needed some mothering *since her’s had passed. See, my mother fed and took care of many babies there and allowed *them to suck her to passify them. But this little creature, this little miss was different. *(Beat.) Mama would take me to help her since I was the oldest and I’d help her in anyway *that I could. That ranchero man would drop this little flower off, give her a sucker, shrug *his shoulders and leave. And my mother would lay down all those little babies and let the *little ones suck on her teets for milk like a fat sow until her nipples were cracked and she *was dry as the land beneath our feet. (Beat.) This child sucked the life from my mama until *there was no more for me or my brothers and sisters or my father. But I could see behind *those eyes. In those corn flour blue eyes I could already see the fear, the pain, the longing *to live in this world that didn’t seem to care about you. You see, my mother was a goddess, *but she was chained to this earth. Never to be freed. And she died that way, with her ankles *bound, her womanhood deflated and her mouth taped up. But not me. And your father *knows that. That’s why I work with the cars and the horses and the shit. He’s scared of *letting me walk through your house, into the place where all of these secrets, all of his *money, where all of his children hide away. *

Beat. JULIA drinks. *

JULIA *What am I hiding from? *

JOSÉ *From yourself. *

JULIA *And what is that? *

JOSÉ *A longing... to be free. *

She is very close to him now. Beat. She walks away. *

JULIA *Christina left dishes in the sink. Would you mind cleaning them please? *


A long silence. *

JOSÉ *I don’t do dishes any more. *

Beat. *

JULIA *What did you say? *

JOSÉ *You heard me. *

JULIA *You work for me. *

JOSÉ *I work for your father. *

A very long silence as they stare at each other. The *clock starts to strike midnight. She crosses to him *and takes her hand across his face. The clock stops *striking. He pulls away. *

JULIA *(Direct) *

You have something in your eye. Dirt perhaps. Sit down. (Beat. Softer.) Sit down. *

He sits on the chair. She gets very close, practically *between his legs and brushes the dirt out of his eye. *

JULIA *You’re shaking. *

JOSÉ *No Miss. *

JULIA *Not from where I’m standing. *

JOSÉ *So you think. *

JULIA *You’re below the working class. *


He moves to kiss her and she pulls away. Beat. *

JOSÉ *Estás jugando con fuego.(You’re playing with fire.) *

JULIA *Yo soy el fuego. (I am the fire.) *

JOSÉ *That’s your father speaking. *

JULIA *Esa soy yo hablando! (That’s me speaking.) You think I don’t know what you and the rest *of the servants chatter about like rats? My father may not understand you, but I do. I *understand everything. *

JOSÉ *Do you? *

JULIA *I’m here aren’t I? *

JOSÉ *Maybe you are and maybe you aren’t. *

She laughs, then pours two shots of tequila. She *drinks the first one and offers the second to him. *When she sees he won’t take the shot she takes it *and then sits. *

JOSÉ *You want to make love to me. *

JULIA *I’d rather make love to a horse. *

JOSÉ *That could be arranged. *

JULIA *Oh come Señor Cortez. *

A long pause. *


JOSÉ *You know my name. *

JULIA *It’s in the ledger. *

Beat. *

JULIA *Of course you don’t know my real name. When my family left Germany years ago my *grandfather changed our name- *

JOSÉ *From Weintraub. He changed it from Weintraub to Warner. So you would sound more... *American. (Beat.) It’s still on the letterhead of the ledger.(Beat.)What were you hiding in *Germany? *

JULIA *What? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *You can change your clothes, you can change countries and you can even change your *name but deep down inside your family is still looking in from the outside isn’t it? Through *those glittering eyes of yours. Even with the money and the land- *

JULIA *You’re jealous. *

JOSÉ *I am not jealous of your apple orchards and cars and your father’s riding boots. I am *jealous of only one thing. *

He moves very close to her, slowly reaching out to *touch her face. *

JOSÉ *I am jealous of that snowy white skin of yours. *

A long silence as they stare into each other. *


JOSÉ *But even your skin cannot hide your fear. For I can see right into you, and if a lowly *peasant can see your frightened Jewish soul pushing against the closing walls of a *Christian society, a lot of other people can probably see you’re quivering as well. *(Beat.) That’s why you hide isn’t it? (Beat.) Behind the stone walls of this estate, of this *valley. (Silence.) The war is coming and you can put make-up on your nose, and drive *fancy cars and pretend that you’re like one of them, the “true” Americans. You can even *change your name Miss Weintraub but you’ll never be one of those that belong to the land, *to this land, because even as beaten and dirty as I am I am brown because I own this land. *It always has been mine. I’ve felt the fabric of this fertile valley’s soil between my long *dark fingers. I’ve tended to the delicate color palettes of the apples and the oranges and *caressed the leaves of lettuce and stalks of celery. And before that my ancestors grew the *maize and built their homes here. It’s all mine. It was mine before the missionaries or the *Protestants or the “conquering heros” from over seas. I may laugh like a mouse in the dark, *and nibble on the scraps of food left over from the table, but I know what I am and where I *belong. I have always fought for the land that I own. I may be Mexican... but I am no Jew. *

A very long silence. Finally... *

JULIA *What if I decide to step down... and make love to you? *

JOSÉ *This chatty little town will say that you fell down. Your synagogue will say that you fell *down. (Beat.) Your father will say that you fell down. *

JULIA *And what do you think? You think I would be falling down? Here I am making love to the *hired help in the middle of the night. *

JOSÉ *I think that you should make your own decisions. *

JULIA *You mock me. *

JOSÉ *I’m saying you can do whatever it is that you want to... for yourself. Without being under *the thumb of your father. *

JULIA *Maybe I like being under the thumb of my father. *


JOSÉ *No one likes to be kept. *

JULIA *You mistake me my young handsome servant. I love it when people passing by in town *stop, nod, and bow to me. It warms my blood in the cold night to see all of you... people... *scurrying around in the middle of the night like fat rats while I’m nice and warm in my *luxurious bed. Oh, my gracious duke of the carburetor you are so mistaken. I like the way *that I am treated. *

JOSÉ *Like a princess in a castle? *

JULIA *Like a man. (Beat.) Isn’t that what you want? I’m treated like a man more than you are. *(Beat.) Isn’t that ironic? *

A long silence. She goes over to Mr. Warner’s riding *boots and picks them up. She places them on the *kitchen counter. *

JULIA *All your muscles and sweat and furrowing brows and strength cannot lift you up from that *border you had to cross. *

JOSÉ *I never crossed the border. The border crossed me. *

She laughs at him. His ire struck, JOSÉ spits on the *ground. She stops laughing and rips a piece of her *dress and wipes up the spit. They stare at one *another as JULIA smiles and “cleans” her father’s *boots with the fabric. She stops and slowly pushes *the boots toward him. He stares at them. She spits on *the boots. Beat. She walks up to him, tears a piece of *his shirt and hands it to him. He slowly cleans the *boots. He stares at the boots, finishes cleaning them *and then puts them aside. A long silence. They stare *at one another. *


JULIA *(changing her attitude) *

Can you smell them? *

JOSÉ *What? *

JULIA *The strawberries. *

She giggles, then begins to laugh. She looks at the *boots and slowly walks around them, leaving them *prominently where they are. *

JULIA *When I sleep I... I climb up into those oak trees. The deeper I dream the higher and higher I *climb. I crawl out onto one of the snaking branches and settle myself in the bushy leaves. *Every time I look down, I get dizzy. Then I hear my father huffing and puffing through the *citrus trees, coming closer and closer, his musky scent is like a veiled mist over my *shoulder, my head. I sling myself off the tree and sprint into a patch of strawberries and *wrap myself in the vibrant fresh monochromatic red fruit. I dream that if he would only *wrap himself up in the land it would eradicate his breath and all will smell fresh and light. *(Beat.) But I can’t get down. I can’t climb down the tree. I’m stuck there. The branches are *like handcuffs around my silky body. I feel the veins and muscles in my flesh pulsate with *energy, desiring to fling my soul towards the earth. I want to bury my body into the *fertilizer as deep as I can until my toes are tickling the magma of the planet. (Starting to *move towards him.) Sliding and moving, gripping whatever I can with my body. *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *What does it feels like? *

JULIA *What? *

JOSÉ *Crushing the strawberries between your toes? *

She smiles and stands. *

JULIA *Why don’t we find out? *


She approaches him closer and closer until they are *close enough to kiss. They move towards each other *but before their lips touch, the CHORUS snap their *fingers and the lights cut to black. JOSE and JULIA *exit. *

Act I, Scene 3 *

Sound of wind. The CHORUS remain. HOMBRE *enters, dressed in 1940’s laborer’s clothing, in an *amber light. He crosses and begins to pantomime the *shoveling of dirt. The echoing sound of dirt *shoveling. He stops and addresses the audience. *

HOMBRE *This land... is the fountain from where I sprung, where I live. The sprawling wasteland that *has stood for thousands of years has finally grown into God’s most abundant garden oasis. *And now in those small towns we call Kern, Salinas, Weed, Bakersfield where there are *more farmers than bakers... They grow. I grow. We grow. Here and now. We fight in *different ways during this great war. I will fight for the tomatoes in your soup, for the *peaches in your pies, and the lettuce in your salad bowl, in places like Lodi, Gait and of *course... Delano. This is mine. Delano is my home. Each night after my skin has burned *brown like the dry earth that I tend to, I bath in its green and purple bath. As Kronos *exhales the soot from those produce trucks... it makes my heart bleeds as red as the wine *that you sip from your chalice at Passover. It is going to get ugly in years to come, and *there is a fight coming, a fight between the gods and peasants of this land, here in this land, *in this valley... in Delano. My friends, this land was here before you, before me, before *humans tracked their bloody foot prints across these dusty sands. (Beat.) Peering through *the rancor of hate and disgust one can almost see the ocean from here. And the waves... *look beautiful. But these waves come not only from the oceans but from across the *borders, into California, into Arizona, into Texas, and into the land that still bears our name, *New Mexico. We work here. We live here. We die here. But there is always a connection to *where we came. “Dearest brothers and-” *

A colored pin spot on CHRISTINA standing in the *kitchen. The CHORUS slowly enter and turn to *CHRISTINA. They watch her. The sound of her *writing a note with pencil and paper. She directly *addresses the audience. *


CHRISTINA *“...sisters. I hope that your bodies are fit, your mouths are full and warmth fills each of *your hearts. I know the days and even weeks between letters are difficult and it has been *some time since I have written. But now... *

WIND CHORUS *The gods- *

CHRISTINA *Have asked me to summon your counsel. I am with child... finally! Every evening when *the sun sets I have prayed that- *

WATER CHORUS *God- *

CHRISTINA *Will grant me the proper strength to deliver this miracle into the- *


CHRISTINA *But the strength that I had once felt in José seems to be slipping away. His voice has *become... sometimes difficult to understand. Distant and foreign, even to me. I watch him *work from the kitchen window. He tills the fields, moving the- *


CHRISTINA *Digging- *

FIRE CHORUS *Clawing- *

CHRISTINA *Into the ground like an animal at times. I sense the- *

WIND CHORUS *Anguish- *

CHRISTINA *And the pain. I feel helpless to soothe him. *


A pin spot comes up on JOSÉ, who is facing the *audience. *

CHRISTINA *For I know that only- *

CHOURS *The Gods- *

CHRISTINA *Can help him, for the Almighty’s guiding hands soothe the blazing fires of passion in each *of us. These summer nights are long and the mornings are warm but when I turn my *attention to the delicate white blossoms on the thousands of pea pods that litter the valley *floor, I feel invigorated. It moves me to a place of pure joy. Row after row of snap peas *with their little white flowers shining under the sun. It is a vision of beauty. The mid-day- *

FIRE CHORUS *Heat- *

CHRISTINA *Is intense but we can feel the- *

WIND CHORUS *Air- *

FIRE CHORUS *Forging. *

CHORUS *Changing. *

CHRISTINA *It is hard and strong. The swirling of the dust moves my spirit. But for José... *

JOSE * There is dust in my lungs. *

CHRISTINA *There is dust in his lungs. **

JOSE *There is dust in my veins. *

CHRISTINA *There is dust in his veins. **

JOSE *There is dust in my heart. *

CHRISTINA *There is dust in his heart. **

JOSÉ *They cut out our hearts. *


HOMBRE *They cut out my tongue. *

CHRISTINA *The dust is often stirred up and strewn across the fields. It’s what is left behind after the *tension, after the birth. It is on these days that the vibrant colors of the ranchero seem to *dull. Those rich fields of emerald green peppers melt into a dark avocado gloom. The bright *red strawberries slowly burn into a mushy crimson. The violet tender globes that are the *grapes have matured too quickly and are ruddy and black. The spirited sounds of all of us, *the mechanics, the maids, the pillars of the farm. When this hot wind blows, the sounds of *the Sabbath inside the house become silent and the our voices rise and are twisted around *in the dry hot maelstrom that envelops the ranch. For inside the house, there is another *God. One that Señor and Miss have found, but there is no vision. There is no relationship *between the owners of this house and the owner of their souls. (Beat.) For- *

CHRISTINA *We- *

CHOURS *We- **

CHRISTINA *Understand the wind. *

CHRISTINA *We- *

CHORUS *We- **

CHRISTINA *Understand the sand. *

CHRISTINA *We- *

CHOURS *We- **

CHRISTINA *We understand the voices, the parties, the undulating backs of the workers in the fields and *the stables. *

CHRISTINA *We understand- *

CHOURS *We understand- **

CHRISTINA *That the dust never settles here in the valley. *

EARTH CHORUS *The sand settle in- *


HOMBRE *Mi garganta. *

CHRISTINA *My throat. **

JOSE *Mi ojos. *

CHRISTINA *My eyes. **

HOMBRE *Mi poros. *

CHRISTINA *My pores. **

JOSE *Mi sangre. *

CHRISTINA *My blood. **

HOMBRE *The desert... *

JOSE *El desierto... **

CHRISTINA *Never leaves me, never leaves... *

JOSÉ & CHRISTINA *Us. (Beat.) Never. *

CHORUS *Never. *

The light on JOSÉ fades. A gobo of a barbed wire *fence slowly projects somewhere on the set. The soft *sound of blowing wind outside can be heard. *

EARTH CHORUS *There. Can you hear it? *

WIND CHORUS *It is the breath of God. The wind. *

WATER CHORUS *Unlike the rain it pushes all the problems to the side. *

JOSÉ’s light up. *

JOSÉ *Can you hear it? *

CHRISTINA *The wind... *


JOSÉ *That wind can blow something awful at night. *

WIND CHORUS *And that wind blows through the twisted metal tips of the barbed wire fence. *

WATER CHORUS *The fence that is supposed to keep the vagrant animals out of the fields, out of the orchards, *out of... *

HOMBRE *Paradise. *

JOSÉ *And now those fences... *

EARTH CHORUS *Those... *

CHOURS *Borders... *

EARTH CHORUS * Bottle our bodies close to Eden. *

WIND CHORUS * But so far away from our dreams. *

CHORUS *The line, the fence... The wall between the dreams of humanity. *

JOSÉ *Across the river, across the ocean. I can hear it. *

EARTH CHORUS *Howling and shrieking like the whining child inside of the womb. *

JOSÉ *The unborn dreams. *

CHORUS *Of- *


JOSÉ *My mother. *

CHORUS *(to CHRISTINA) *

Your mother. *

CHRISTINA *My mother Earth. *

He looks at JOSÉ. *

CHORUS *Who is she? (Beat.) *

CHRISTINA *Who was she? *

HOMBRE *She was the woman who gave you to a stranger and crossed the border in the back of a *truck. I saw her. *

JOSÉ *How did she... *

CHRISTINA *She found me. *

HOMBRE *She was the woman who swam across the freezing river in the middle of the moonlight to *find you. *

JOSÉ & CHRISTINA *On the other side. *

CHORUS *This side. *

JOSÉ *We must choose a side. *


CHRISTINA *I don’t have to choose. I know who I am. I am Mexican. *

JOSÉ *I am Chicano. *

CHORUS *We are American. *

CHRISTINA *The heat and the lack of water makes my child’s brain swell. *

JOSÉ *Between the sand and anguish and pain, between the heat and the savory odors of the *produce there is a type of... *

CHRISTINA *(with joy) *

Sweetness... *

CHORUS *In the arrogance of those that stole the land from us. *

JOSÉ *(angry) *

There are days... *

CHORUS *There are days... *

CHRISTINA *(sweet) *

There are days when the smell of the oranges sift through the air. With that sweetness there *is a sense of... *

JOSÉ *Wanting. *

CHRISTINA *A renewed sense of hope. *

CHORUS *How much longer can you fight? *

JOSÉ *I can’t fight. They won’t let me. *


CHORUS *They won’t let you? *

HOMBRE *Or are you afraid? *

Beat. JULIA slowly enters wearing a pants suit, *unseen by CHRISTINA who is back to “writing her *letter. She “listens” to the rest of the letter being read *as the light on CHORUS fades. He slowly exits. The *lights begin to rise on the “scene” in the kitchen. *

CHRISTINA *José is afraid. (Beat.) That he will be drafted. Take care of madre and Altuve. Relay my *hopes to them, that one day you will join us in the desert that once belonged to our people, *in the oasis that harvests our dreams. *Your youngest sister, Christina. *

She places the letter on the wooden block. The lights *fade on CHRISTINA. She exits. JULIA crosses to *the letter. She picks it up. CHORUS watches her, *while she turns on the kitchen lights. She picks up *CHRISTINA’s letter, looks at it. Beat. JOSÉ enters. *She hides the letter. *

JOSÉ *(to JULIA) *

What are you doing? *

WIND CHORUS *She’s making a fool of us. *

FIRE CHORUS *She’s playing you. *

JULIA *Nothing. (Beat.) Is she asleep? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Yes. *

JULIA *I am alone with a very handsome caballero. *


WATER CHORUS *They have stolen the mud from under our fingers. *

JOSÉ *You should go to bed. *

JULIA *Don’t talk to me like a child. I’m a grown woman. I do as I please. *

JOSÉ *Do you? *

Beat. She walks away then stops. *

JULIA *What do you know? *

EARTH CHORUS *You know who she is. Who she wants to be. *

JOSÉ *I know you... Julia. Since I was a boy. *

JULIA *I don’t... *

JOSÉ *Your batmitzvah. *

JULIA *What? *

CHORUS *Tell her. Show us. *

JOSÉ *I spied on you when you had your batmitzvah. (Beat.) With all of your fake little girlfriends *flittering away through the oak tree grove playing and pretending to be drunk under the *dappled sun. You watched them and smiled and then your smile turned upside down when *they all danced away. And you climbed that one tree... with the long curved branch. It *cradled you like its own child and I watched you. I watched you sit there and write in your *journal. You sat there for maybe half an hour before any one noticed you were gone from *the party. And I watched you. I watched you sit there and cry. Why? Why were you crying *on that oh so happy day? *


A long pause where JULIA is about to speak but *then she doesn’t. JOSÉ continues. *

JOSÉ *Then your father found you and you yelled out... *

HOMBRE *Catch me. *

JOSE *Catch me. **

HOMBRE *And I would run, far and fast, with my pride buried under my arms, my back bent over. I *would run away into the dark groves of apricots and the whistle would... *

CHROUS *BLOW! *

HOMBRE *They are going to catch me. They’re going to catch me! *

JOSÉ *But he didn’t want to catch you. He didn’t want to hold you. Your father told you to climb *down the tree the same way you got up and then he walked away. And you sat there... not *moving. And all that time I watched you from behind Miner’s Point, behind the rocks I *watched this pretty Jewish girl who ran away from her own party longing to be somewhere *else. *

HOMBRE *I didn’t want to be caught! *

JOSÉ *(to JULIA) *

You wanted to be caught. (Beat.) Then the other little girls came back giggling and *laughing. They coaxed you out of the tree and you let out an incredible laugh, Julia. But it *wasn’t real. It was all contrived. I knew from all that distance of the past and this intimate *moment of the future that you are living in your own mirage. *

HOMBRE and CHORUS’ lights slowly extinguish. *A long pause. *

JULIA *How dare you tell me you know how I feel? *


JOSÉ *You hate him. You hate him for trapping you here in this desert of waste and nothing. Your *eyes sparkled with youth back then. Now, they have greyed with age and desperation. *

Beat. *

JULIA *What do you know about me? You think that you somehow know me? You know nothing *about me. You know nothing. *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *I know what you have in your pocket. *

JULIA *I don’t have anything in my pocket. *

JOSÉ *Don’t you? *

JULIA *Then come and get it. *

He slowly crosses towards her. They are as close as *can be. He slides his hand into her pants pocket and *pulls out the letter. They stand there for a few *moments absorbing each other’s sexual energy. She *starts to walk away. He grabs her by the arms and *pulls her in and kisses her. She slaps him. Beat. *Then she kisses him. *

JULIA *I hate you. (Beat.) I’ve always hated you. Since the moment I laid eyes on you. *

JOSÉ *I know. *

A very long silence. Neither of them seem to be able *to speak. The silence is broken by the sounds of *Mariachi music and the party playing outside. *


JOSÉ *They’ll talk. *

JULIA *I don’t care. *

JOSÉ *Don’t you? *

JULIA *Don’t you? Your language is different. *

JOSÉ *Isn’t the language of the heart spoken the same way? *

Pause. *

JULIA *You’re a dreamer. *

JOSÉ *When there is a war going on, isn’t that the best time to dream, when it feels desperate, *when you have no hope and time is running out? *

She kisses him again. Beat. She slowly pulls out the *letter and begins to tears it to pieces. *

JULIA *And what do you know about love, señor? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Amor es trieste pero una vida sin amor es tan trieste. (Love is sad, but a life without love is *more sad.) *

Beat. *

JULIA *Miguel de Unamuno. *


A long silence. She hops up on the counter and *extends her boot. She demands her control back. *

JOSÉ *What? *

JULIA *Kiss my boot. *

JOSÉ *What? *

JULIA *You are my servant. Now kiss my boot. Like you do my father’s. *

He slowly takes her boot and kneels down, just short *of kissing her boot. She starts to kick him with the *same foot but he stops her and slowly takes her boot *off, kisses it and places it on the ground next to her *father’s. He maneuvers himself to her other foot *where he does the same with the other boot. Once *the boots are off he slides his hands along her feet, *slowly up her calves, stopping just above her knees. *He slowly retreats and pulls himself up and backs *away. She hops down, picks up her boots and *saunters to his door. She turns to face him. *

JOSÉ *They’ll call you a vagrant. They’ll mock you. They’ll mock both of us. There will be *nowhere to hide. *

JOSÉ is on the other side of the kitchen. Mr. *Warner’s boots are in between them. *

JULIA *There is always a place to hide. *

She stands in the doorway to his room. She turns *and walks in. JOSÉ doesn’t move. Beat. Then... *lights to black with a booming sound. Five loud *church bells ring. A soft light comes up on *CHRISTINA in her room. During her dialogue a *Catholic cross figures prominently somewhere on *stage. *


CHRISTINA *With each kick of the heartbeat that is growing inside of me I dream of expanding my life. *To be able to feed that which is inside of me that is desperate, that is growing and will one *day blossom. That dream inside of me needs help. I dream of a world where my child can *walk down the street with pride in a land that is his own, in a mind that is his own. He will *not cook or clean or even be a valet like his father. He will be in government or run an *important business. As I sleep, as I dream of God and how he will deliver my familia to me *I pray... I pray for the glory of that white light to be cast down upon me and José and our *child. The war outside our pueblo, the war outside the world, the war inside my heart, *creeping into my brain will not daunt me. Will not daunt us. The sun has risen this morning *only for me, only for us and through God we shall hide from the serpent’s fiery tongue and *walk through the sweet fruits of this valley and into the light. Into the light. Into the light. *

With a loud cacophony of string instruments her *light goes to black. Music. Lights up. CHRISTINA *is asleep. JOSÉ, a bit disheveled is in his own pin *spot. Another colored spot is on Mr. Warner’s *boots. Beat. The lights slowly rise on the kitchen set. *He crosses and puts his ear to CHRISTINA’s door. *Listening and hearing that she is asleep he crosses to *the sink and begins to scrub his hands feverishly. He *turns out and raises his hands with the soap still on *them. He slowly lowers his hands and runs them *under the water, cleaning himself of his sin. He turns *off the water, dries his hands and finds the tequila *and pours himself a shot then downs it. JULIA *enters. She goes up to him and attempts to kiss him. *He stops her. *

JOSÉ *They’ll see. *

JULIA *I see everything now. *

JOSÉ *You’re more blind than you realize. *

JULIA *Give me what I want. *


JOSÉ *What you want is not possible here. *

JULIA *Then we’ll go somewhere else. *

JULIA pulls from her pocket a large stack of bills. *

JOSÉ *Where did you get that? *

JULIA *Does it matter? *

JOSÉ *Is that your father’s? *

A beat. CHRISTINA stirs and turns on the light in *her room. JULIA kisses JOSÉ. *

JULIA *We are not children. Not any longer. *

JOSÉ *To where? Where would we go? *

JULIA *Mexico. *

JOSÉ *Mexico? *

JULIA *We could open a restaurant. Live the American dream in your own backyard where you *would be the king. You wouldn’t have to bow and cast your eyes aside when you walk *down the street José. *

JOSÉ *What about Christina? *

CHRISTINA enters. *

CHRISTINA *What about Christina? (Beat. She reaches for her apron and puts it on.) Is there something *I can help you with, Miss? *


Pause. *

JULIA *José and myself would like to know if you would like to run away with us and be the cook *at our new restaurant. *

Beat. CHRISTINA stops and smiles, assuming the *joke. There is another long pause. *

CHRISTINA *(flippant and joking) *

I see. You and Miss Julia are running away together? *

JULIA *Yes. And we want you to run the kitchen Christina. You cook so well. You would work for *me. (To JOSÉ) And you too. *

CHRISTINA *José is a smart worker. He is always saying- *

JULIA *(to JOSÉ with poignancy) *

Or do you want to spend the rest of your life working for my father? *

Silence. *

JOSÉ *(to CHRISTINA) *

The play was moved from the barn to the kitchen, darling. *

CHRISTINA *The play? *

JULIA *The drama. *

CHRISTINA *Drama? *

JULIA *Yes, we’re creating real life drama. *

CHRISTINA looks to JOSÉ who is about to speak. *


JULIA *(impatiently to CHRISTINA) *

Oh you poor thing. Of course you’ve never been to the theatre. Shakespeare. O’Neil. *Strindberg. (Beat.) Occasionally Father would take us into San Francisco when I was *small. Mother and I would dress in elegant adorned gowns and we would parade in front *of the theatre. *

CHRISTINA *I don’t believe I have ever experienced any drama. *

JULIA *That’s what José says. You never create any drama. *

CHRISTINA *(Smiling.) *

I think that’s good. *

JULIA *You’ll have to take care of the baby on our own. That’s the agreement. *

She goes to the sink and fills up a glass of water and *drinks the entire glass. *

CHRISTINA *(going along with what she still thinks is a *

game) *Whatever Miss wants of course. *

JULIA *You see José, she is a very reasonable woman. I’m sure that is precisely why my father *hired her in the first place. She’s willing to sacrifice everything for you. *

Pause. JULIA smiles and looks around. Beat. *

JULIA *(with a grin) *

I’ll go pack. *

She exits. Silence. JOSÉ is frozen. *

CHRISTINA *Why are you sweating? *


JOSÉ *Why are you awake? *

CHRISTINA *I heard a noise. *

JOSÉ *A noise. *

CHRISTINA *Yes. *

Pause. *

JOSÉ *What kind of noise? *

CHRISTINA *I’m not sure. I’d never heard it before. But I thought I heard your voice. *

Silence. *

JOSÉ *Miss Julia and I... *

Long silence. *

CHRISTINA *Miss is playful tonight. Has she drawn you into her little drama? *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Yes. *

CHRISTINA *Which character are you? *

A long pause. *

JOSÉ *The fool. *


Beat. *

CHRISTINA *Fool? *

JOSÉ *Shakespeare always had a fool on hand in his plays. To make the audience laugh. *

CHRISTINA *To laugh. *

JOSÉ *Yes. *

Beat. *

CHRISTINA *(flippant) *

I like the clowns. I always like the funny clowns. They make me smile. You make me smile *José. *

JOSÉ is not smiling. *

JOSÉ *What are you doing up? *

Beat. The wind blows outside. *

CHRISTINA *I told you there was a sound. And... I was having a nightmare. There’s a storm coming. It’s *brewing. Don’t underestimate the storm this time José. The last storm you didn’t lock the *garage door. *

JOSÉ *It’s closed. *

CHRISTINA *I locked the garage. *

JOSÉ *Just now? *


CHRISTINA *Earlier. You know how Master feels when the cars aren’t in the garage. *

JOSÉ *Of course. *

She goes and gets another glass of water. *

JOSÉ *What was your nightmare about? *

Silence. *

CHRISTINA *Something unreal. (Beat.) When my head hits the pillow again I will dream of nothing but *sweet dreams para nuestro pequeño niño. *

She rubs her stomach. *

CHRISTINA *He’s kicking. Here. Feel. *

JOSÉ does not move. *

CHRISTINA *Come here and feel your child José. *

She goes to JOSÉ, who is nearly in a daze, and takes *his hand and guides it to her stomach. *

CHRISTINA *I think you’re right. It’s a boy. I can feel it. Potent and virile, like his father. He will grow *up to have a strong back and a booming deep voice. (Beat. She touches his forehead.) *You’re sweating. *

She turns and grabs a kitchen towel and dabs it with *cold water on his forehead. *

CHRISTINA *Here. *

She attends to him. *


CHRISTINA *Before the nightmare do you know what I was dreaming of? *


JOSÉ *No. *

CHRISTINA *God. *

JOSÉ *How so? *

CHRISTINA *How the virtues of God infiltrate each and every one of us. *

WIND CHORUS *His light. *

CHRISTINA *His light. *

EARTH CHORUS *His knowingness. *

CHRISTINA *His knowingness. *

WATER CHORUS *He sees everything. *

CHRISTINA *He sees everything. *

CHORUS *Everything. *

CHRISTINA *Our family he protects. Protected by the virtues of the Almighty. *


JOSÉ *Oh God. *

CHRISTINA *God. He sees all. He knows all. He knows who we all are, on the inside and out. *

She picks up Mr. Warner’s boots. JOSÉ recoils. *

CHRISTINA *Put Mr. Warner’s boots on the back porch. You can clean them in the morning. *

JOSÉ is frozen. *

CHRISTINA *José. *

JOSÉ *No. *

CHRISTINA *(She crosses to him) *

José- *

JOSÉ *No. Take them away. *

CHRISTINA *Why are you acting so silly? *

JOSÉ *I have asked you to refrain. *

CHRISTINA *I like it when you use the good English. It makes you so sophisticated. It’s almost like you *are one of them. *

JOSÉ *Who? *

CHRISTINA *One like Miss and Mr. Warner. *

JULIA enters, dressed for what appears to be *church, with a bird cage which is covered with a *dark cloth. *


JULIA *He is one of us. *

CHRISTINA *(bowing a little) *

Miss. I meant no disrespect. *

JULIA *I know. You’re just stuck where you are. *

JOSÉ *Please Julia... *

CHRISTINA *José! *

JULIA *The moon is still out. There are no formalities here. *

CHRISTINA *You are ready for mass? Do they do that? Jewish people I mean? *

Beat. *

JULIA *I’m ready for a spiritual journey if that’s what you mean. *

She places the bird cage on the kitchen counter. *

CHRISTINA *Miss? *

JULIA *Yes, Christine. Inside is the only creature that has ever loved me unconditionally... until I *met JOSÉ. *

Silence. She smiles and laughs. CHRISTINA laughs *yet JOSÉ does not. After the laughter there is a long *silence. CHRISTINA is about to inquire. *

JULIA *Christine, would you be a dear and put my father’s boots on the back porch. *


JOSÉ *That’s my errand. *

JULIA *Not any more. *

Beat. *

JULIA *Christine. *

Beat. *

JOSÉ *Christina. *

JULIA *Yes, how tawdry of me. Would you mind? *

CHRISTINA *Of course Miss. Right away. *

She gives a look to JOSÉ, who says nothing, then *exits with his boots. *

JOSÉ *Never do that again. *

JULIA *What? *

JOSÉ *Treat her like that. *

JULIA *She’s a servant. That’s how you treat servants. Civil and non approachable. *

JOSÉ *I’m a servant. *

JULIA *Are you? *

Silence. *


JULIA *I have the rest of the money. I knew exactly where to find it. *

JOSÉ *Where is it? *

JULIA *It’s safe. *

JOSÉ *Where? *

JULIA *With me. You just have to trust me. *

JOSÉ *Again, that’s your father speaking. *

JULIA *(smiling) *

How dare you eavesdrop on our conversations. *

JOSÉ *What do you think? Do you think we’re not human? We have ears, eyes. *

JULIA *And a mouth too. *

JOSÉ *The servants may be silent but we are the walls, the pillars of the household. And without *us you would all collapse. *

The sound of thunder in the distance. *

JULIA *It will be raining soon. Unless we want to get caught in the mud. *

JOSÉ *She’s locked the garage. *

JULIA *Then unlock it. *

JOSÉ contemplates. He looks at the birdcage. *


JOSÉ *You aren’t taking that damn thing with us. *

JULIA *I am. *

JOSÉ *No. *

JULIA *It’s still dark out. *

JOSÉ *The house will be awakening soon. *

JULIA *Then we must go... now. *

JOSÉ doesn’t move. She saunters over, takes his *face and kisses him. They release but are holding *hands. CHRISTINA enters. She watches. A long *silence. *

CHRISTINA *Your father’s boots are in the back. *

JULIA *Now take them back in. The storm is coming and his boots will get wet. *

A very long pause. CHRISTINA has put the pieces *together. She takes off her apron and drops it to the *ground. *

CHRISTINA *A storm has already settled upon this household. (Beat.) And my God will judge you both. *José knows that. But Miss, I don’t think that you believe this. For your God tends to look *the other way, doesn’t he? *

JULIA *We share the same God. *

CHRISTINA *The same man. *


JOSÉ *Christina- *

CHRISTINA *Quiet! (Beat.) Do not speak while I am having a conversation... with Julia. (Beat.) You see, *the difference between you and I is that I believe. For whether he is my God or your God *doesn’t matter. It only matters that you can believe in him. For you can repent. If you do *not, then you will be judged and your sentence will come down from a very tall figure. *(Awkward silence. CHRISTINA is attempting to control her emotions but they seem to be *getting the better of her.) We cannot stay in this nest of incest any longer. Your son is *waiting, JOSÉ. *

CHRISTINA extends her hand. A long pause. JOSÉ *does not take her hand. She reaches to him again. He *is still. She lowers her arm. *

CHRISTINA *When one's superiors are no better than oneself, there is little point in trying to emulate *them. *

A long pause while CHRISTINA walks up to *JULIA. *

CHRISTINA *You think you are so proud. You believe you have the answers. In a world of crosses and *stars, your star is about to flame out, and you don’t even know it. You are about to be *extinguished. For there is longing between your legs, but angst in your heart. Gentleness, *Virtue, Wisdom, and Endurance... These are the seals of that most firm assurance which *bars the pit over Destruction's strength. (Beat.) How I pity you. *

She turns her gaze towards JOSÉ. She goes up to *him and with her hand caresses his face. He thinks *she is about to slap him, but she doesn’t. *

She pulls her hand back, waiting for JOSE to *respond in any way. She rubs her stomach, looks at *him and exits into her room and begins to *pantomime packing things into a real suitcase. *Sound of thunder. The lights in her room go out. The *rain is starting. *

JULIA *Let’s go. (Beat.) Let’s go José! I’ll say it was a robbery. *


JOSÉ *And that I kidnapped you? Your father will hire a detective or- *

JULIA *They’ll never find us. *

She goes to pick up the birdcage. He places his hand *on top of the cage. Not moving it. *

JOSÉ *No. *

JULIA *Fly away with me. Now! *

JOSÉ *We leave it. *

JULIA *No. *

JOSÉ *Then I am staying. *

JULIA *Staying for what? There’s nothing left! *

JOSÉ *I’m staying. *

JULIA *You have dragged me through the mud with your false dreams. When my father finds out- *

JOSÉ *He’ll kill you. *

JULIA *He’ll kill both of us. But he won’t get a chance to kill the love that you have put inside of *me, because I’ll have already spread its blood upon the floor and singed its skin against the *stove and plucked its eyeballs out and smeared them on the walls! I’ll rip it out of my gut *with my nails until it’s an empty bleeding mass on the floor! *


With one hand she takes JOSÉ’s hand. With the *other hand she moves to pick the bird cage up. He *releases her hand and slams the cage down again. *

JOSÉ *Leave it! *

JULIA *You want your dream? Here it is, in the flesh. I’m offering it up to you like no one can. You *want to be like us. Like me? You want that privilege? I know you do. *

JOSÉ *You’re not privileged. You’re Jewish. *

She spits in his face. A light shines on HOMBRE. *

JULIA *You’ll regret it. *

HOMBRE *These are the spells by which to reassume *An empire o'er the disentangled doom. *

JOSÉ *(to HOMBRE) *

I already regret everything that has happened this evening. *

JULIA *¡Tu puerco! *

She slaps him hard and grabs the meat cleaver, *waving it in front of him. *

JULIA *(shaking uncontrollably) *

You’re filthy. You’re swarthy. You’re vile. *

HOMBRE *(to JOSÉ) *

Are you going to take this? From her? *


JULIA *You have spilled seeds and blood within a chaste body. (Pause.) And you touched me. *With your hands. With your lips. With your... *

The CHORUS emits a loud collective whisper. *

HOMBRE *The Lord has descended. *

JULIA *Who’s that? *

JOSÉ *It’s sounds like- *

The CHORUS emits a loud collective whisper. *

HOMBRE *He’s here. *

CHORUS *He has descended. *

JOSÉ *(To HOMBRE) *

Cállate! *

JULIA *What? *

HOMBRE *He’s come home. *

JULIA *He’s come home. *

HOMBRE *The lord of the manor. *

JULIA *Daddy. *

JOSÉ *The master. *


CHORUS *Of those that remain. *

JULIA *Let’s get out of here! *

The CHORUS slowly filters in and fill the edges of *the scene. *

JOSÉ *God has been watching us this entire time. *

He looks up at the Star of David on the wall, then to *CHRISTINA who stands in now standing in her *doorway. She is dressed to travel. CHRISTINA *looks to JOSÉ, then turns and exits the house. *

JOSÉ *Christina. *

JULIA *God will punish you if you don’t come. *

HOMBRE *No le hagas caso. *

JOSÉ *Christina! *

JULIA *Your God wants you to leave. *



WIND CHORUS *¡Brisa! (Breeze!) *

EARTH CHORUS *¡Cava! (Dig!) *


JOSE *Stop! *

HOMBRE *Time moves forward. *



WIND CHORUS *

¡Brisa! (Breeze!) *

EARTH CHORUS *

¡Cavar! (Dig!) *

JOSÉ *Stop pecking at me! *

HOMBRE *No la escuches. *

JOSÉ *(to HOMBRE) *

Silencio! *

JULIA *My God would never do this to me. *

JOSÉ *You are your father’s daughter. And I am your father’s servant. *

With anxiousness JULIA crosses into the doorway *of JOSÉ’s room. *

JULIA *It is here, José. This place of immaculate conception! You and I are above God now. We *don’t need a deity to drive us. We don’t need anything but each other anymore. We don’t *need anyone! Come away! *


JOSÉ *No! *

JOSÉ takes the birdcage and slams it to the ground *breaking it apart. There is no bird inside but *thousands of dollars, now spread throughout the *kitchen. He looks at the money on the ground in *awe. A thunder pulse begins to resonate faster and *quicker together. We hear the sound of footsteps *down a long hallway. The footsteps continue to *grow in intensity echoing inside of JOSÉ’s mind. *The CHORUS slowly surrounds who begin to reach *out to her. In defense JULIA grabs the meat cleaver *aware of the CHORUS for the first time. *

HOMBRE *He’s home. *

JULIA *(hearing the footsteps) *

He’s home. *

CHORUS *He never left. *

JULIA *Get away! Get away from me! *

The CHORUS corrals her into JOSE’s bedroom. *They are breathing in and out, faster and faster as the *lights slowly fade in his bedroom. *

JULIA *Get away from me! *

JOSÉ crawls to Mr. Warner’s boots and holds them *in his arms. He rocks back and forth on the floor *amongst the money and the chaos. Magnificent *thunder. JULIA screams. HOMBRE steps into a *special light of his own, while the CHORUS slowly *filter their way out of JOSE’s room. *

EARTH CHORUS *The fields find their roots in us. *


WIND CHORUS *The bleeding cactus has quenched its thirst. *

WATER CHORUS *The rocks, the stones, the oceans and the air, the fruits, the vegetables it is all... me. *

HOMBRE *Esta tierra ... *

CHORUS *Es mi tierra. *

HOMBRE *It carries the dust, the ocean, and the wind up to the clouds. And now, we look out. Past the *barbed wire. Past the fences. Past the walls. And it is those walls, those walls that keep *those old ideas in and new ideas and people out. Peace, I am not dead, for I do not sleep *

FIRE CHORUS *The sun god hath awakened from the dream of life. *

WATER CHORUS *'Tis we, who lost in stormy visions, keep *With phantoms an unprofitable strife. *

WIND CHORUS *And in mad trance, strike with our spirit's teeth, invulnerable skin... *

CHORUS *We decay. *

FIRE CHORUS *Like corpses in a charnel. *

EARTH CHORUS *The borders of our heart are patrolled. *

WIND CHORUS *Convulsing in us and consuming us day by night. *

EARTH CHORUS *For hot hopes swarm like worms within our living clay. *

WIND CHORUS *And like the seeds that we blew here hundreds of years ago... *


FIRE CHORUS *The fruit of our labor has been in the reticulation of our demise. *

EARTH CHORUS *The chaparral. *

FIRE CHORUS *The spine flower. *

WATER CHORUS *The briny surf. *

WIND CHORUS *The precipitation of anticipation- *

CHORUS *Of our return. *

HOMBRE *We shall return one day to take back what has been stolen from us. *

CHORUS *Oh yes. *

HOMBRE *Oh yes. We shall return. *

CHORUS *Regresaremos. *

HOMBRE *Regresaremos. *

The thunder sound concludes, hitting a crescendo *with a cacophony of sounds sound like they are all *being sucked out of the scene. Lights to black. *

End of play. ***


señorita julia by matthew salazar-thompson adapted from ... · synopsis in a tragic updated...

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