"GENERATION SEX" AN ORIGINAL PLAY BY LAWRENCE CARR, JR. CAST OF CHARACTERS MYISHA: 17, African-American, beautiful and intelligent. RYSEAN: 16, Myisha's brother, raising an infant daughter. BILLIE: 17, Myisha's sassy friend. AARON: 17, African-American, school pretty boy. DOMINIC: 17, Latino boxer with a cool, easygoing charm. TEA: 17, a beautiful Latina dancer who's HIV+. JAYS: 17, Dominic's bratty girlfriend. MARIN: 17, a skater and street poet with AIDS who befriends Dominic. K FUNK & JOONBUG: Two hip-hop stereotypes who give lessons on AIDS and condoms during the scenes. DANCERS Dancers that act as a Dancers throughout the production. They play students in school, passerby on the street corner, patients in the clinic, act as set props, hold up props (as indicated in script), and play the following roles: DANCER 1: K Funk, Camera Man DANCER 2: Joonbug, Jimbo, Don Queen DANCER 3: Coach, Mondo DANCER 4: Harry Lyttle, Announcer, Man (at street corner) DANCER 5: Denise, Ms. Kropowski DANCER 6: Joanne, Maria Cavanaugh, Girl (in class) DANCER 7: Nurse, Harry's Mother NOTE: Unless indicated, the characters have no specific nationality. Also, if you need more Dancers--the cast can double as Dancers. ORIGINAL SONGS SWEET TALK.............Billie & Rysean RYSEAN'S LULLABY.......Rysean SETTING: The full stage is divided into basic playing "areas". The main area is STAGE CENTER. Using various stage props, this area serves as a variety of settings. ENTRANCES and EXITS are either LEFT or RIGHT. SCENE ONE AT RISE: The stage is bare. We can hear whispers: WHISPERS: AIDS, HIV, STIs, Infection, Touch me, Feel me, Love me, Love me, Love me... (The voices begin to rise, and a sexy hip-hop song plays as we hear whole phrases:) GIRL'S VOICE: When I found out I was HIV positive, I was so scared... BOY'S VOICE: I didn't think about using a condom until it was too late... ANOTHER BOY: It's the man's job to make the baby, it's the female's job to take care of it... ANOTHER GIRL: He told me he was a virgin too. I never thought he would lie to me... (The voices get louder and begin to overlap, until they become almost indistinguishable...a rave of frustrations and broken dreams. The Dancers enter from either side of the stage with chairs, dancing to the music. Suddenly everything stops...and it is quiet once more. We hear a SCHOOL BELL and we are suddenly in a "school hallway". Dancer 5 holds up a cut-out of a row of lockers, as Billie enters with a group of females, gossiping. Dominic, wearing boxing gloves over his shoulder, and Aaron enter together, tossing a basketball to each other, and school nerd Harry Lyttle is given a wedgie by jocks Mondo and Jimbo. Enter L: siblings Myisha and Rysean. Rysean pushes a stroller, and Myisha carries a folder.) MYISHA: Okay, you know where your first period class is? RYSEAN: Room C-3. MYISHA: And you remember where the cafeteria is? RYSEAN: (Sighs) I remember. MYISHA: And I don't know about this nursery they have here. Did you check it out? I don't want my niece in just any... RYSEAN: Myisha! (Myisha calms) You're my big sister, not my mother. MYISHA: I know, but we're in a new school now, and... RYSEAN: ...and you can't protect me for the rest of my life. Everything's going to be fine. (The school bell rings.) RYSEAN: I have to take Qiana to the school nursery. Hurry up, or you'll be late for class. (Rysean kisses Myisha on the cheek, and exits with the stroller, R. Everyone groups together CS, some sitting on the chairs, some sitting on the floor. The teacher, Ms. Kropowski...a messy collection of hair, coke bottle glasses, and equipped with a nasally annoying voice enters R. She carries a banana and stands Right of the students as she speaks to them:) KROPOWSKI: Good morning class. Due to a change in the cirriculum, I will not be teaching history today... (The class cheers.) KROPOWSKI: Instead, the school board has asked me to teach...sexual education. (The class groans.) KROPOWSKI: (Holding up the banana) Now...does everyone know what a penis is? (The teacher pantomimes "teaching" as the following dialogue is heard:) MYISHA'S VOICE: (Bored face) This class is boring . Another forty-five minutes of hearing about how the sperm travels to the egg...(looks over to Aaron who seems deep in thought) Hmmm, I wonder what he's thinking. AARON'S VOICE: (An easy smile) I am the bomb. If you look in the dictionary under bomb, you'd see my face. I mean, every girl in here's looking at me. I even caught Ms. Kropowski looking my way. Yeah, I know I'm fine. Ladies, don't love me like you do. (Sitting behind Aaron, we see a Girl roll her eyes at him:) GIRL'S VOICE: Aaron thinks he's the bomb. I wonder how fly he'd think he was if he knew his zipper was down. (The Girl whispers to another girl next to her, and they both giggle.) AARON'S VOICE: I wonder what they're laughing at...hold up, is my fly open? (Aaron zips his fly up, and crosses his leg. We hear a new voice... Harry Lyttle who is hanging on Ms. Kropowski's every word.) HARRY'S VOICE: Ms. Kropowski is so hot. I wouldn't mind having a private lesson with her. Just look at her tousled hair, her thick glasses, and... oh... her overbite. Move over, Naomi Campbell. (Aaron eyes Myisha.) AARON'S VOICE: Who is that? She must new. (Myisha looks shyly over to Aaron, and notices he's watching her. She quickly turns away.) MYISHA'S VOICE: Is he looking at me? Nah--it must be his lazy eye. AARON'S VOICE: Is she looking at me? Nah--she must be cock-eyed. (Their eyes meet again.) MYISHA'S VOICE: He is looking at me. AARON'S VOICE: She is looking at me. BOTH: Alright...play it cool. Act like you don't notice her/him. (They turn away from each other, but soon their eyes meet again) But she/he's so fine. KROPOWSKI:...and that concludes our lesson for today. (The school bell rings. All of the students stand, and act like they're in a hallway again. Dancers 2 and 3 clear the chairs off of the stage. Kropowski exits R. Billie separates from the girls who move DR. Myisha and Aaron, CS, begin walking towards each other.) MYISHA'S VOICE: He's coming this way-- AARON'S VOICE: She's coming this way-- MYISHA'S VOICE: What am I gonna say? AARON'S VOICE: I gotta say something cool-- (They meet in the middle of the stage.) AARON: Uh...nice folder. MYISHA: Huh? Oh, thanks. (Aaron turns away L, and Myisha turns the opposite direction.) AARON'S VOICE: Oh well. MYISHA'S VOICE: Oh well. (Aaron meets Dominic, and they pantomime talking. Myisha approaches two girls [Dancers 7 & 8]. She tries to pass them, but they're in a tight clique, and they're not moving.) MYISHA: Excuse me...excuse me... (Billie standing R notices the situation. She pushes past the girls, clearing a way for Myisha.) BILLIE: (Loud) Don't you see she's trying to get by? Dang! Folks act like they can't hear you around here. MYISHA: Thank you. BILLIE: No problem, girl. You're new here, huh? (Myisha nods.) BILLIE: Don't let these tramps bother you. Half of them don't even know how to spell their own names. My name's Billie. That's with an I and a E. MYISHA: I'm Myisha. BILLIE: What class do you have next? MYISHA: (Looks at schedule on her folder) English with Mr. Pallo. BILLIE: Mr. Pallo's class is the other way. MYISHA: Oh. BILLIE: Come on, I'll walk you over there. (Billie and Myisha start crossing L. Myisha's eyes fall on Aaron who's talking to Dominic.) MYISHA: Do you know him? BILLIE: Yeah, that's Aaron. Why, you like him? MYISHA: He's alright. BILLIE: He's more than alright, girl, he's fine...and conceited as hell. I've known him since the ninth grade, and even back then he thought he was God's gift to the world. Let me tell you some stories about him... (Dancers 7 and 8 join Myisha and Billie for the gossip as we focus on Dominic and Aaron. Aaron looks over to Myisha.) DOMINIC:...and then I have boxing practice after school... AARON: Uh-huh... DOMINIC: Are you listening to me? AARON: Uh-huh... DOMINIC: Pink elephants smoke crack. AARON: Uh-huh... (Dominic looks over Aaron's shoulder to see what he's looking at.) DOMINIC: She's cute. You should go talk to her. AARON: Think so? DOMINIC: Yeah...or I can hook up. (Yells to Myisha) Hey! My homie here wants the hook-! (Aaron immediately covers Dominic's mouth.) AARON: I can hook myself up. DOMINIC: Just trying to help you out. AARON: You just worry about your female. (The Coach enters L and approaches the two. His voice is gruff like a drill sergeant's. He carries a clipboard, wears a baseball cap and a whistle around his neck.) COACH: Dominic. You're just the man I wanted to see. DOMINIC: What's up, Coach? COACH: The National Junior Boxing Championships, that's what! It's the boxing tournaments of all boxing tournaments. First prize is a thousand dollars, and a chance to be managed by Don Queen. DOMINIC: Don Queen? Isn't that the man on TV, with the eight foot high fro? COACH: That's him! This is a once in a lifetime chance, and I want you to enter. DOMINIC: Why me? COACH: Why you? Because you're the best fighter we have on our team. You have the potential they're looking for, kid. DOMINIC: What do I have to do? COACH: (Hands Dominic papers off of his clipboard) All you have to do is have your mother fill out this paperwork, you'll need a physical, and you'll have to test for HIV at the downtown clinic. DOMINIC: Test for HIV? COACH: It's a requirement for the tournament. DOMINIC: No problem. COACH: Hey, I'm counting on you, kid. (The Coach exits R.) AARON: So you think you're going to do it? DOMINIC: (Folds the papers, and sticks them in his pocket) I might as well try. (Rysean enters L with his stroller. Not looking where he's going, he accidentally bumps into Aaron, running over his shoes.) AARON: (Wiping off his shoes) What the-- RYSEAN: My bad. AARON: You're damn right it's your bad. DOMINIC: Leave him alone, man. He's only fifteen. RYSEAN: I'm sixteen...and a half. DOMINIC: My fault. (Squints) I haven't seen you around here before. RYSEAN: I just started today. DOMINIC: I'm Dominic...and this is Aaron. RYSEAN: Sorry about your shoes. AARON: It's all good. RYSEAN: (Shaking their hands) Rysean. DOMINIC: (Looks at the stroller) Who is that, your little sister? AARON: Uh, no...this is my daughter, Qiana. DOMINIC: Your daughter? AARON: Where's his mama? RYSEAN: She moved to Texas with her mother after Qiana was born. She said she couldn't handle the responsibility. DOMINIC: Oh. So it's just you raising her by yourself? RYSEAN: My sister helps me out. If it wasn't for her, I don't know what I'd do. AARON: Who's your sister? RYSEAN: Her name's Myisha. (Looks around and spots her R) There she is. AARON: Yo, that's your sister? (Rysean nods) Introduce me. (Rysean is reluctant, but Aaron pokes him, smiling like a fool.) RYSEAN: Myisha! (Myisha, Billie, and the other girls cross to the boys.) RYSEAN: Myisha, this is-- AARON: Aaron Darnell Franklin... AARON & GIRLS & BILLIE: ...but you can call me anytime. (The girls burst into laughter.) AARON: (To Billie) You been talking about me? BILLIE: (Holding back laughter) Oh no. You know I wouldn't do that. So what do you think about my folder? (The girls laugh again.) AARON: Bunch of cackling-- (Aaron walks off L.) BILLIE: (Laughing) Wait, come back-- MYISHA: (Laughing) I think we made him mad... BILLIE: Girl, who cares? That line was tired anyway (Imitating Aaron) Yo, I'm Aaron Darnell Franklin. I think I'm all that... (They laugh again.) RYSEAN: Girls aren't any better. BILLIE: Please. We know how to sweet talk two or three men at a time, and have them all under our control. (A chorus of "okays" by the females, and some give Billie "dabs".) RYSEAN: We can tell when you're lying to us. You're not as good at hiding it as you might think. BILLIE: And guys are? RYSEAN: We do better than you. That's why so many of you are waiting to exhale. (This time Rysean and Dominic dab.) MUSIC IN: "Sweet Talk" BILLIE: I would know if my man's cheating on me. RYSEAN: Think so? Do these lines sound familiar? (SINGS) BABY YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU I'M ALWAYS THINKING OF YOU ALL DAY LONG YOU'RE ON MY MIND IT'S YOU, BABY, AND ONLY YOU SO TELL ME WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO WIN YOUR HEART AND MAKE YOU MINE WELL I KNOW WHAT MY SISTER SAID THAT I HAD ANOTHER GIRL INSTEAD BUT BABY IT'S NOT TRUE IT'S ALL ABOUT ME AND YOU YOU'LL HURT ME IF YOU WALK AWAY THERE'S NOTHING MORE FOR ME TO SAY BILLIE BABY YOU'RE SO FINE I THINK ABOUT YOU ALL THE TIME IT'S YOU AND ME AND NOBODY ELSE SO BABY PLEASE DON'T BE MISLED FORGET ABOUT WHAT MY FRIEND SAID SHE JUST WANTS YOU FOR HERSELF WELL I KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT YOU SAW BUT IT'S NOT LIKE THAT AT ALL HE'S JUST A FRIEND SO BABY WON'T YOU TAKE MY HAND I THINK ABOUT YOU NIGHT AND DAY THERE'S NOTHING MORE FOR ME TO SAY RYSEAN BABY BILLIE HONEY RYSEAN SWEETIE PIE BILLIE SUGAR RYSEAN GIRL YOU CAUGHT MY EYE HOW CAN I GET NEXT TO YOU BILLIE SO I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I NEED RYSEAN YOU WON'T NEED MUCH WHEN YOU'RE WITH ME BOTH THERE'S SO MUCH THAT WE CAN DO WELL YOU AND ME WE CAN HAVE THE WORLD RYSEAN A ROMANCE BETWEEN A BOY BILLIE AND HIS GIRL BOTH WE'RE LOVERS AND FRIENDS SO BABY WON'T YOU TAKE MY HAND I THINK ABOUT YOU NIGHT AND DAY AND THERE'S NOTHING MORE FOR US TO SAY (During the middle of the song, the Dancers carry off the "lockers".) BILLIE: Alright, alright. I'll give you your props. You were coming up with some good lines. I'm Billie by the way. RYSEAN: I'm Rysean. BILLIE: Nice to meet you. (Billie and the girls start off R.) BILLIE: Myisha, we're going to the mall. You wanna come? MYISHA: Uh, yeah. (To Rysean) I'll see you at home? (Rysean nods, and everyone exits except for Dominic and Rysean, who move DL.) RYSEAN: (Notices Dominic's gloves) You box? DOMINIC: Yeah. RYSEAN: I probably would've taken boxing. If my daughter didn't take up so much of my time... (A slow-tempo hip-hop song plays as the beautiful Tea and Dancers 5 & 6 dance on the RIGHT side of the stage. While Rysean is talking, Dominic sneaks a look behind him and notices Tea. She looks up, and their eyes meet. They turn fully to each other, and begin edging closer...until Dominic is abruptly yanked back by Rysean...Tea by the Dancers. Rysean dabs Dominic good-bye and exits L, and the girls begin dancing off R, leaving Dominic and Tea alone. They meet in the middle of the stage and begin talking to each other. Tea tries to coax Dominic into dancing, but he's reluctant. Soon, he gives in. While trying to dance he loses his footing, and leans on Tea putting them in a compromising position. They edge closer and almost kiss when bratty, beautiful, Jays enters, R, arms full of shopping bags. She spots Dominic and pulls him L, not even acknowledging Tea. Dominic sneaks a look over his shoulder at Tea who's standing alone. Hurt, she exits R. The music dies down.) JAYS: (Kisses him) Hi honeybear! DOMINIC: Let me guess: you've been shopping all day. JAYS: Wrong! I've been studying for the finals all afternoon. DOMINIC: (Knows better) All afternoon, huh? JAYS: Alright, only for fifteen minutes. After that I went to Bonnie's Bumper Curl to get my hair done.(Dominic stares at her) Don't give me that face. The President of the Student Body has to look good, doesn't she? DOMINIC: I guess so. So how much did "looking good" cost me? JAYS: You don't want to know. Lookit, I picked up some things for you. (Jays reaches into one of the bags, and pulls out a neck tie. She puts it around Dominic's neck.) JAYS: What do you think? I thought you could wear it in the tournament. DOMINIC: How did you-- JAYS: I ran into your coach! (Squeals) I'm so excited for you! Now, try this on. DOMINIC: I can't box with a tie on. JAYS: Of course you can. DOMINIC: Jays, I won't even be wearing a shirt. JAYS: Accessorize! (Dominic inhales, as Jays goes into the bag again.) JAYS: And look what else I got for you. (Jays pulls out a pair of bikini briefs. She hands them to Dominic, he holds them up. Dominic doesn't know what to say.) DOMINIC: They're...they're... JAYS: I knew you'd like them. You can wear these in the ring too. DOMINIC: I'm not boxing with these on. JAYS: Why not? Look at it this way...if boxer shorts are good, speedos are better... DOMINIC: It's against the rules. JAYS: Rules are meant to be broken. (Snuggles up to him) I just want my man to look good up there in front of all those scouts. DOMINIC: I won't look good. I'll look like Tarzan with a tie on. JAYS: (Snatching the speedos back) Fine, you don't have to wear these. But at least consider the tie. DOMINIC: Okay. JAYS: Good. (Jays bends over to put the briefs back in the bag. As she does, Dominic tosses the tie over his shoulder.) JAYS: You will never guess what I heard today! Get this. I heard that Amolia Conteras has AIDS. (Dominic looks at Jays suddenly.) DOMINIC: Amolia Conteras? JAYS: Yeah. Short Mexican girl, long hair. Do you know her? DOMINIC: (Lying) No. Where did you hear this from? JAYS: I hear everything from time to time. Rumor has it she didn't even know she was sick until she woke up with back pains. Her mother took her to the hospital...and her blood test results said she had full blown AIDS. DOMINIC: Do they know how she got it? JAYS: (Shakes her head) Amolia was a straight up ho. I mean, the girl slept with anybody. She had no shame. I feel sorry for her a little bit. (Shrugs) Oh well. Come on, pookie. (Jays begins tugging Dominic off L.) DOMINIC: Wait, where are we going? JAYS: I want you come to Victoria's Secret with me. (Holding up bag.) You can model these for me. (And they're gone.) END SCENE ONE SCENE TWO AT RISE: Myisha enters SL. Aaron enters R. He spots Myisha and walks over to her. AARON: Hey... MYISHA: Mr. Franklin, which one of your pick-up lines will I be hearing today? AARON: I think we got off on the wrong foot. MYISHA: Did we? AARON: I'm not a dog like Billie says I am. MYISHA: How am I supposed to know that? AARON: Well...you could go out with me and learn for yourself. MYISHA: What makes you think I want to go out with you? AARON: Because you didn't say no yet. MYISHA: I was working my way up to it. AARON: How does eight sound to you? MYISHA: It sounds like you're persistent. AARON: Fine-- MYISHA: Make it eight thirty. (Slowly Aaron smiles, and begins backing off R.) AARON: Alright then. I'll pick you up at eight thirty... MYISHA: Wait, you don't even know where I live. AARON: I'll get the address from your brother! (Aaron runs off R, excited. A beat, then Myisha laughs and walks off L. The Dancers enters from either side of the stage, acting as passerby on a street corner, as Marin skateboards in L. He carries a large backpack on his back, and a notepad in his hand. He tries to get some of the passerby's attention.) MARIN: (To Dancer 6) A quarter for a poem! (She ignores him; he calls after her:) You know, a little Nair will clear that chin hair up! (Dominic with Jays attached to his arm enters L. Marin spots them, and approaches them.) MARIN: Quarter for a poem. DOMINIC: What kind of poem? JAYS: (Whispers to Dominic) Ew! Don't talk to him! He's gross! MARIN: (Ignoring Jays) Anything your heart screams out for, dude. Love poems, life poems...I can write it all. DOMINIC: You can write anything? MARIN: I got skills, bro. (Dominic reaches into his pocket and pulls out a quarter. He hands it to Marin.) JAYS: (Nudges Dominic) Don't give him money. Now we'll never get rid of him! (Marin reaches into his backpack and holds a rose out for Jays.) MARIN: A rose for the beautiful lady? JAYS: Yeah, right. Like I really know where your hands have been. (Whining and tugging on Dominic) Honeybear, let's go-- DOMINIC: Why don't you go ahead of me. I'll meet you there. JAYS: Fine, gimme twenty dollars. (Dominic sighs and reaches into his pocket.) MARIN: I guess freedom doesn't come cheap, does it? (Dominic pulls out some money, and begins counting it out. An impatient Jays, just grabs the whole wad.) JAYS: (Pecking Dominic on the cheek) I'm outty. (Jays exits R. Dominic and Marin look after her.) MARIN: She's cute. But beauty's only skin deep, and that's about as far as it goes in her. (He takes a small tablet and pen from his backpack)Now, your poem. (Spotlight on Marin, as he recites his poem. He says it with an eerie sadness. As if he's re-living something:) MARIN Alone. I sit in this office staring at the yellowing walls. The smell of medicine masked by Lysol burns my nostrils. The words spoken from the mouth of death echo in my ears: positive...positive...positive... Afraid to cry infected tears, Afraid to sweat infected sweat, Memories of expired condoms, expired faces, expired lives float through my mind. Ashes to ashes, my world fell down. Angry at my impatientness, Angry at my weak blood cells... My heart beats against my chest... thump-thump, thump-thump... thump...thump....thump...thump... thump..........thump......... And then it's quiet. The fate of my life silenced with one word: Positive. DOMINIC: (Exhales) That was deep. My name's Dominic. MARIN: Morris Callahan. But you can call me Marin. (They shake hands.) DOMINIC: What's your story? MARIN: What's my story? DOMINIC: Why are you out here on the streets? MARIN: Nothing much to tell. I left home a year ago. I was young, only 16. I couldn't accept the fact that my father wasn't the reason my mom left us...and he couldn't accept the fact that I was HIV positive. DOMINIC: (Manages) I'm sorry. MARIN: You didn't infect me, dude. This is what infected me (Marin lifts up his sleeve to reveal track marks on his arm) They're pretty, huh? DOMINIC: You shot up heroin? MARIN: Si, Amigo. Sharing needles. That'll get you every time. I remember the day I found out. The only reason I went to the clinic was to get next to this girl that was volunteering there. I didn't want her to think I was stalking her, so I took a blood test. Came back three weeks later, and the counselor sat me down, and told me I tested positive for HIV. The first thing I thought about was my skateboard. DOMINIC: Your skateboard? MARIN: I used to skateboard a lot. I was pretty good at it, dude. Even when I was high. I always thought that someday I might make it to the Skate Posse Summer Tour of Love. It was a competition. The winners got to travel all around the world. Doing what they love...skating. Catch is, you have to be 21 to enter. I don't know if I'll make it to see 21. I guess it's true what they say, dude...the future doesn't always follow the plan. (Marin coughs.) DOMINIC: You alright, man? MARIN: (Clears his throat) I'm fine. Let me tell you something, Dominic....It was Dominic right? (Dominic nods) Let me tell you something, Dominic. Nobody on the face of this earth is promised tomorrow. Life is shorter than you might think, and you don't want to spend the rest of your years fighting this disease. (A pause.) DOMINIC: I'm hungry, are you hungry? Let's go get something to eat. MARIN: You don't have to-- DOMINIC: I know I don't have to. But I want to...come on... (Marin and Dominic begin walking off R.) DOMINIC: Besides, I'm sure if I was where you are, you'd probably do the same for me. MARIN: (Shakes his head and smiles) No, I wouldn't. (And they're off. Dancers enter from either side of the stage for the:) DANCE BREAK #1 - INFECTED: Dancers engage in a sexy, rhythmic dance. One girl takes the spotlight. She has a red plus sign on her chest. She dances with a boy, and when they're through he has a red sign on his chest as well. That boy then dances with another boy and he ends up with a red plus sign too. This goes on throughout the dance. The song ends abruptly and eerily when all of the Dancers have red plus signs on their chests. (Rysean enters DL, holding Qiana in one arm, and trying to balance a phone on his ear. Qiana's CRY [Dancer 5 offstage, wailing like a baby], can be heard as Rysean desperately tries to talk.) RYSEAN: Ms. Jackson, please. Just for tonight...I know...I know...but you don't know how hard it is finding a baby-sitter. I don't have any family down here...no, Ms. Jackson, just for tonight...Ms. Jackson, wait... (Too late. She's gone. Myisha enters L as Rysean hangs up the phone.) MYISHA: What happened? RYSEAN: The baby-sitter just quit, and Qiana won't stop crying. I have to get some studying done before I go to work... MYISHA: Is she hungry? RYSEAN: No, I just fed her, and burped her...and I just changed her...she's not tired, I don't know what it is... MYISHA: Here, let me have her. (Rysean hands Qiana to Myisha. The crying stops.) RYSEAN: She never cries when you hold her. Do you think you could watch her tonight while I go to work? MYISHA: (Sighs) I guess... RYSEAN: Thanks. (Picks up the phone) Okay, I gotta go pay the rent and...ah man. MYISHA: What? RYSEAN: (Puts down the phone) The phone's turned off. I forgot to pay the bill. Alright...I'll just go by there on my way to work, and pay them... MYISHA: Qiana also needs some more formula...and we need milk. RYSEAN: Okay...I'll stop by the store on the way back from work...I guess I can forget studying tonight...and going out for the football team, and joining the BSU, and anything else I could have done...but my baby's worth it. Let me say good-bye to her. (Myisha hands Qiana to Rysean. He looks down at her in admiration, and sings "RYSEAN'S LULLABY" softly to her:) RYSEAN HUSH LITTLE BABY DON'T YOU CRY DADDY'S GONNA BUY YOU Honey, Daddy can't buy you nothing. Daddy's broke. HUSH LITTLE BABY DON'T YOU CRY DADDY'S GOT TWO JOBS SO WE'LL GET BY SO LET THE PHONE GO OFF LET THE RENT BE DUE DADDY DOESN'T CARE BECAUSE HE'S GOT YOU Alright, Myisha...Don't wait up. (Rysean kisses Myisha on the cheek, and he crosses the stage, exiting R. Myisha exits L with Qiana and the phone. Dominic enters L, balancing a folder full of paper, and his large duffel bag. Tea enters R...they spot each other, and slowly walk up to each other, meeting CS.) DOMINIC: You. TEA: Me. DOMINIC: I didn't think I'd see you again. TEA: That should teach you to think. DOMINIC: I didn't get your name. TEA: I didn't tell you my name. DOMINIC: Well, I'll tell you mine. I'm Dominic. TEA: I'm Tea. DOMINIC: Tea. That's a nice name. Why are you standing here alone, Tea? TEA: Give me a reason why I shouldn't be. DOMINIC: Are you always so quick? TEA: Quick. I've been called a lot of things before, but never quick. DOMINIC: I didn't mean it like that. TEA: I like it. (Smiles) So when do you want the next dance lesson? I can schedule you in anytime. DOMINIC: Well, I kinda-- (Dominic shifts his weight, and drops his folder. His papers spill out. Tea kneels to help him pick them up. Her eyes fall one of the pages...drawings. She picks it up.) TEA: You drew this? (Dominic nods) Who is this? DOMINIC: That's my mom. TEA: It's good. (Looks at another) Who is this? DOMINIC: (Reluctantly) That's my girlfriend. TEA: She's pretty. (They stand, Tea's eyes still on the drawing in her hands.) TEA: I'll never look like this. DOMINIC: What do you mean? TEA: I mean I'm not...glamorous. DOMINIC: You don't have to be glamorous to be cute. TEA: You think I'm cute? DOMINIC: I think you're very cute. TEA: (Smiles) Puppies are cute. DOMINIC: Alright, I think you're gorgeous, sexy, attractive...I could go on all day. TEA: (Laughs) Can I ask you something? DOMINIC: You can ask me anything. TEA: Do you love your girlfriend? DOMINIC: What kind of a question is that? TEA: You said I could ask you anything. DOMINIC: (Pause) No, I don't love my girlfriend. TEA: Why are you with someone you don't love? DOMINIC: I don't know. TEA: Let me guess. It's because she makes you look good. (Dominic smirks) I'm right, aren't I? DOMINIC: So what are you a psychic? TEA: Si. My grandmother was the famous Gypsy Maria. She was a psychic, and knew everything. DOMINIC: You really believe in that stuff? TEA: Yes, I do. My grandmother used to travel with the Mexican circus, Circo de Misterio. And I have some of her talent. What about your family? DOMINIC: What about my family? My parents came over here from Mexico when my mother was pregnant with me. My father got a job mowing lawns. They paid him under minimum wage, but we survived. He died after my third birthday. TEA: I'm sorry... DOMINIC: It's alright. TEA: What about your mom? DOMINIC: My mom cleans this rich woman's house now to take care of my brothers and sisters and me. (Tea nods) You said you were a psychic. So what can you predict for us? TEA: I predict that this is the beginning of a beautiful...(A sexy Latin song begins to play.) Oh, this is the jam! Like it or not, lover boy, you're dancing. (Tea begins to dance seductively around Dominic, and eventually coaches him to dance with her. They seem to be having a good time, until Dominic leans down and kisses her. She suddenly pulls away, the music dies down.) DOMINIC: What's wrong? TEA: You should know something. DOMINIC: (Goes for another kiss) I know everything I-- TEA: No, you don't. DOMINIC: What else do I need to know? TEA: I'm HIV positive. (Dominic is dumbfounded. He doesn't know what to say. Tea moves towards him, but Dominic backs away. He turns and runs off L. Tea is heartbroken.) TEA: Fine! Run away! I knew you would! (Sadly) I didn't like you anyway... (Tea sadly walks off R.) END SCENE TWO SCENE THREE AT RISE: Dancers 2 and 3 enter L holding a cut-out of a television. Myisha enters after them with a bag of popcorn, and sits indian-style on the floor, as if she was watching TV. Billie enters L with a cut-out remote, and turns off the television. She turns to Myisha. BILLIE: Girl, what are you doing sitting here watching TV? You gotta get ready for your date with Aaron. (Music plays as we watch Billie help Myisha get ready for her date. They pick an outfit, earrings, Billie helps apply Myisha's make-up. At the same time, on the left side of the stage, Rysean and Dancers 1 & 2 watch as Aaron changes shirt after shirt, tie after tie. Finally, he agrees on a match at the same time Myisha is ready. They meet in the middle of the stage, as the others slip off. He compliments her, they take each other's hand and walk off R. Dominic and Jays enter L, holding hands.) JAYS: What's wrong, pookie? You've been frowning all evening. DOMINIC: Jays, if you found out I was sick, would you break up with me? JAYS: That depends. I mean, if you just have the flu or something, I wouldn't break up with you. But don't expect me to make chicken soup. DOMINIC: What if I told you I had HIV? I mean, I don't--but what if I did? JAYS: I would totally break up with you! That is so nasty! DOMINIC: But you wouldn't be able to tell by looking at me. JAYS: Yes I would. See, if you had HIV, your body would be all bony-- and you'd have these awful scars all over your face. And, trust me, no amount of Maybelline would be able to cover it up. DOMINIC: Can I ask you another question? Why haven't we had sex yet? JAYS: Sex? Hmm. I guess it never crossed my mind. DOMINIC: It's crossed mine. JAYS: Dominic, sweetie, it's not like we're really boyfriend and girlfriend. DOMINIC: What would you call us? JAYS: Partners. You see, you're the most popular boy and I'm the most popular girl. It's like we have to go out. DOMINIC: Is that the only reason you're with me? Because we look good together? JAYS: Yeah! Purely for show! What, did you think I loved you? (Laughs heartily) Honey, look at it as a trade off. I'm giving you my time, and all you have to do is stand there (slaps his butt) and look cute. In fact, that's best. I mean you're pretty and all, but you're not Einstein. DOMINIC: I wish I would have known that's how you felt before I got with you. JAYS: Oh, pookie--did I hurt your feelings? I'm sorry if you thought more of our relationship. But it's not my problem, it's yours. DOMINIC: No, it's not. Good-bye Jays. (Dominic begins to walk off L.) JAYS: Wait! Where are you going? DOMINIC: To find a girl who really cares about me. See, a friend told me beauty is only skin deep, and that's about as far as it goes in you. (Dominic exits.) JAYS: Wait! Are you dumping me? You can't dump me, I'm supposed to dump you! Dom-i-nic! (Jays exits after Dominic. A Man enters R [Dancer 4], sweeping. Dominic re-enters L.) DOMINIC: Marin! (He notices Marin isn't there. He approaches the sweeping man.) DOMINIC: Excuse me, sir. Do you know what happened to the guy who used to stand here and write poetry? MAN: The boy. He was your friend? DOMINIC: Was? MAN: I'm sorry, amigo. He died this morning. I found his body here myself. DOMINIC:(In a daze) Marin's dead? MAN: From what I understand, he was really sick. DOMINIC: But he was only seventeen. MAN: Yeah, that's the tragic part. (Places hand on Dominic's shoulder) I'm sorry about your friend. (The man exits R. A dazed Dominic slowly exits L. Aaron and Myisha enter R.) MYISHA: I really had a nice time tonight. AARON: I'm glad you did. I did too. (Myisha looks up to the sky.) MYISHA: Look at all the stars. (Aaron comes behind Myisha.) MYISHA: They're beautiful, aren't they? AARON: (Looking at Myisha) They sure are. (Aaron begins slowly kissing down Myisha's neck. Myisha pulls away.) MYISHA: What are you doing? AARON: Watching the stars. MYISHA: You watch with your eyes, not your lips. AARON: Eyes can only see, but lips can explore... (Aaron pulls Myisha into a tight embrace, and kisses her passionately. Myisha pulls away.) MYISHA: Aaron... AARON: What? MYISHA: I like you and all, but this is going a little bit too fast for me. (Aaron comes behind Myisha, and kisses her neck again.) AARON: (Baby peck) Fine (Another) We'll (Another) take it slow. (Aaron kisses Myisha again. This time when Myisha tries to pull away, he becomes more forceful.) MYISHA: Aaron stop..(pushes him away) Stop! AARON: What did I do now? MYISHA: I hardly even know you. AARON: You knew me enough to let me buy you dinner. MYISHA: So you bought me something to eat...that means I have to give it up to you? AARON: That's not what I'm saying. MYISHA: I don't know what kind of ho you thought I was, but I don't play that. (Myisha turns to exit L, Aaron grabs her arm and jerks her back.) AARON: Don't you think I deserve something? MYISHA: What do you think you deserve? You know what, Aaron. I don't even want to know... (Myisha starts off L.) AARON: Where are you going? MYISHA: I'm going home. AARON: Wait, let me give you a ride. MYISHA: I'll walk. AARON: Myisha, wait! Myisha! (She's gone.) AARON: Damn! (Billie enters R and spots Aaron.) BILLIE: (Smiles) Well, well, well, Aaron...where's your date? AARON: She left. BILLIE: (Knows Aaron) What did you do now? AARON: Why does it always have to be my fault? BILLIE: Because you're a dog, Aaron. Everybody knows it. So what did you do? AARON: I swear I didn't do anything. I tried to kiss her and she tried to play like she was scared of me. (Moves closer to Billie) You're not scared of me, are you? BILLIE: Boy, I've known you since the ninth grade. AARON: And you've liked me since the ninth grade too, huh? (Billie looks away) I'm right, huh? BILLIE: So what if I do like you? You always have some hoochie hanging on you. AARON: Well, we just might have to change that. BILLIE: We just might. (Aaron kisses Billie) Wait, what about Myisha? AARON: Shhh. What Myisha doesn't know won't hurt her. (Aaron and Billie kiss again. This time more passionately. Aaron picks Billie up and they exit SR.) END SCENE THREE SCENE FOUR AT RISE: DANCE BREAK #2 - PAMPERS: Fast hip-hop is the music as Dancers dance in the with baby dolls in their arms. They burp their babies, feed them, change them, and rock them to sleep...all through dance. At the end, they're all completely spent. (Dancers 2, 3, and 5 enter L with chairs, and place them CS. They as if they are patients in a clinic. Dancer 6 enters L and crosses UC holding a sign reading: "The Clinic". Tea enters R, and Dominic enters L. He holds an appointment card.) DOMINIC: (Spots Tea) Tea! TEA: You remembered my name. DOMINIC: What are you doing here? TEA: I volunteer at the clinic on weekends. What are you doing here? DOMINIC: I have to get my test results to enter the Boxing Tournament. (Pause) Are you mad at me? TEA: No. DOMINIC: You're lying. TEA: You're right. Who do you think you are running away like that. I'll tell you what you really are, you're a coward! You're afraid of things you don't understand. (Calms down) And you hurt me. But it's not your fault. Many people our age don't know about AIDS or HIV. You can't get it from touching someone, or dancing with someone...or kissing someone. DOMINIC: Why not? TEA: Because you would have to drink ten gallons of spit from someone who's infected all at once. I can't drool ten gallons, and if I could, why would you drink it? DOMINIC: Why are so many people getting HIV then? TEA: I know why. People get in the mood, and when it comes to putting a condom on, if they don't have one, they just say forget it. There's only four major fluids you can get HIV from: blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk--you know like from a mother to a baby. DOMINIC: Are there any drugs that will kill it? TEA: There are drugs that will treat it...like I'm taking at least eleven pills a day. And as I grow sicker, I'll be taking a lot more. But there is no cure. An infected person...I will eventually die. For me there is no past, and there is no future. I live my life one day at a time in the here and now. The present is a gift, Dominic. Maybe that's why they call it "the present". DOMINIC: Tea, I...will you accept my apology? TEA: You didn't apologize. (Dominic moves towards Tea, and lifts her chin.) DOMINIC: I'm sorry. (He goes to kiss her:) TEA: Are you sure you want to? I mean, if you're uncomfortable then I understand... DOMINIC: Tea. TEA: What? DOMINIC: Shut up. (Dominic kisses Tea passionately. When he releases her, Tea wobbles. That was one hell of a kiss. Dancer 8 with a Nurse cap on enters:) NURSE: Dominic Meza. DOMINIC: That's me. Will you be here when I get out? TEA: I promise I will. (Dominic smiles at Tea, and joins the Nurse as they walk DR, where two chairs are placed repre-senting a counseling office. The counselor, Denise, sits in one of them. Dominic enters, cautiously. Denise looks up.) DENISE: Dominic? DOMINIC: Yeah. DENISE: (Stands shaking his hand) Hi, I'm Denise. Have a seat please. (Dominic sits in the empty chair.) DENISE: So you're a boxer? DOMINIC: Yeah...I had to take this test before I entered a boxing tournament. DENISE: Do you have any questions before getting your test results? (Dominic shakes his head slowly. She takes Dominic's appointment card from him, and then looks at the list in front of her.) DENISE: Dominic, it says the results are positive. DOMINIC: What? DENISE: You're HIV positive. (A sad, slow R&B ballad begins to play softly as Denise continues talking. Dominic seems oblivious to what she's saying. She hands Dominic some papers. He gets up and crosses CS where Tea is waiting.) TEA: (Noticing the look on his face.) Dominic, what's wrong? (Dominic looks at Tea, and runs DL.) Dominic! (Tea, Dancer 6 with the "Clinic" sign, and Denise exit R. Dominic is dazed. Rysean enters L with a basketball.) RYSEAN: Sorry I'm late. My baby sitter quit last week, and I had to ask Myisha baby-sit. Ready to go play? DOMINIC: (Not looking at Rysean) Ry, are you my friend? RYSEAN: Yeah, man. You know I am. DOMINIC: No, I mean are you really my friend? If I told you something about me, you wouldn't be scared of me or anything. RYSEAN: Not if you tell me you're Jeffrey Dahmer, Jr. or something like that. DOMINIC: C'mon, man. I'm being serious. RYSEAN: D, you know if you ever need me for anything, I'm going to be there. I got your back. So tell me what's up? (Un-noticed by Dominic or Rysean, Harry Lyttle enters L. He stops dead in his tracks when he sees them.) DOMINIC: I'm dying. RYSEAN: Dying? What are you talking about? DOMINIC: I went to the clinic today to pick up my test results for the boxing tournament. And I'm...I mean, I think I'm...no, I definitely am...HIV positive. (Hearing this, Harry runs off L. Rysean pauses as he tries to let this sink in.) RYSEAN: No, it has to be a mistake. Go down there and take another test. DOMINIC: It's not a mistake. RYSEAN: No, for real. I see this stuff on Hard Copy all the time. DOMINIC: The test was right. (Shakes his head) I can't believe it. This morning, when I woke up, I had it all planned. I was going to be a heavyweight. (Rysean backs away, as Dominic begins to fantasize.) ANNOUNCER'S VOICE: Introducing, the new heavyweight champion of the world: Dominic Meza! (We hear an Audience cheer [Dancers offstage clap]. Don Queen, with a large fro and a bright smile, enters L. He puts his arm around Dominic's shoulder.) DON: I plan to represent Mr. Meza to the best of his assests...I mean my ability. (Audience cheers again. Don Queen exits L, and Rysean moves up. Suddenly the cheering stops.) DOMINIC: And just like that my dreams are gone. RYSEAN: Do you know where -- I mean, do you know who--? DOMINIC: One of my ex-girlfriends I found out has AIDS. I could have gotten it from her...or I could have given it to her...I don't know...I don't want to die, Rysean... (Rysean goes to put his hand on Dominic's shoulder, but stops. Deciding that it's safe, he puts his arm on Dominic's shoulder.) RYSEAN: Look, I'll be there when you need me. If you need a ride to your doctor appointments, or you just need someone to talk to...I'll help you out. DOMINIC: Thanks, man. (The school bell rings and suddenly we're back in school again. Dancers 6 & 7 enters with chairs and set them DL. Dominic and Rysean separate. Myisha enters L and sits on one of the chairs. Another sad ballad begins to play as a guilty Billie enters. Myisha notices she's upset, and sits her down. Billie begins to cry as she tells Myisha what happened between her and Aaron. Myisha's face falls. She stands, turning away from Billie. Billie pleads for forgiveness, but Myisha's heart is broken. We hear Billie cry out: "You're my friend!" But Myisha won't give in. Heartbroken, Billie exits L. Myisha begins to cry. Aaron enters R with a rose. He crosses and hands it to Myisha, but she throws it on the ground, and crushes it. She then turns away, sobbing. She doesn't have to say it, Aaron knows that she knows. Guilty, he exits L. Rysean re-enters L with a stroller. Mondo and Jimbo are punking Harry again CS. Harry notices Rysean and Dominic, now wearing a backpack, crossing R, and whispers his secret to the jocks. They throw Harry down, and block Dominic's way.) DOMINIC: Excuse me. JIMBO: Here that, Mondo? MONDO: Punk wants to be excused. DOMINIC: (Throws down his bag) Is there a problem? JIMBO: Yeah, there's a problem. We don't want people like you going to our school. DOMINIC: People like me? MONDO: Yeah, we heard about you. How you got AIDS and everything. And I don't want to get it, so get out. RYSEAN: (Slightly crazy, jumping around) Wassup then? You want a piece of my boy, you're gonna have to go through me. I ain't scared of you. I'll take you both on. Bring it on! DOMINIC: Calm down, man, you're gonna hurt yourself. RYSEAN: (Comically eyeing the Jocks) Alright, then. DOMINIC: I don't want any problems. I'll leave. (Dominic turns leaving Rysean alone to face the jocks.) RYSEAN: (Sheepishly) C-Can't we all just get along? (The jocks growl, and Rysean moves next to Dominic.) MONDO: (Yells to Dominic's back) You better run, freak! RYSEAN: Ah, dang! You gonna let him say that to you? DOMINIC: No. (Dominic turns around and walks towards Mondo.) RYSEAN: (A desperate whisper) Wait, D...I was just playing! DOMINIC: Hey Mondo. (Mondo turns around...and Dominic punches him, knocking him down. This sparks... DANCE BREAK #3 - THE RIOT: A fast, dangerous rock song is sparked, and everyone finds themselves in the rhythm and sounds evocative of a riot. Using muscular, aggressive dancing, the "rioters" knock over the lockers and fight one another. In the midst of the turmoil and confusion, Rysean manages to sneak Dominic off. Poor Harry Lyttle gets caught in the action and is taunted and pushed by his classmates. Maria Cavanaugh and her Camera Man, holding a cut-out camera, enter the scene as the number peaks, and then dies down...the rioters are completely spent. Harry's Mother, a bundle of nerves, enters L, desperately looking for her son. Maria Cavanaugh, a flashy news reporter enters with a cut-out microphone in hand. She speaks directly to the camera:) MARIA: This is Maria Cavanaugh reporting from the main corridor of __________(name of city play is being performed at) Township High School where a riot amongst the students has just been broken by local police. Witnesses say the riot started when one of the students was revealed to be HIV positive. (Notices Harry's Mother) It looks like some of the parents are here. HARRY'S MOTHER: Harry? Where's my Harry? MARIA: Ma'am, when you look at this...how do you feel? HARRY'S MOTHER: I feel betrayed! It's bad enough that we have to deal with these kind of people in our society...now we have to deal with them in our school system? MARIA: These kind of people? HARRY'S MOTHER: These diseased freaks. These AIDS people. You know, somebody should lock them all up in a dark room and let them infect each other. It's not safe anymore. The world isn't safe anymore! (Spots a dis-oriented Harry) Oh, Harry! My baby! (Harry's Mother embraces Harry as Maria turns back to the camera.) MARIA: One woman's opinion in the wake of this madness. This is Maria Cavanaugh reporting for Channel 4 news. CAMERA MAN: (Putting the camera down) That's a wrap! MARIA: (Eyeing Harry's Mother bear hugging Harry) Some people really have a lot to learn. Come on, let's go. (Maria and the Camera Man walk off R. Dancers 2 & 3 enter with a chair, a box [with boxing gloves in them] and a First Aid Kit. They set the items down, and exit R. Rysean enters with Dominic. He sits him down on the chair and kneels, looking at his chair.) RYSEAN: Let me take a look at your hand. (Dominic gives Rysean his hand. It's bleeding.) RYSEAN: You're bleeding. DOMINIC: Don't touch it. You might have a cut on your hand or something. RYSEAN: (Sighs) I'll take my chances. Where's the first aid kit? DOMINIC: (Nods his head) Over there. (Rysean takes the kit and opens it, he wipes Dominic's hand with a rag, and applies a bandage.) RYSEAN: You have to start taking care of your hand. DOMINIC: Why? I'm not going to box again. RYSEAN: Yes you will. DOMINIC: How many boxers do you know want to get in the ring with someone who's HIV positive? My life is all messed up. (Rysean looks at Dominic. He doesn't know what to say. Meekly, he manages:) RYSEAN: Things aren't that bad. DOMINIC: Things aren't that bad? How do you know that? You're not sick! You're going to live! You didn't have to see the look on my mother's face when I told her I was HIV positive. You don't see the stares and hear the whispers! RYSEAN: You're just being paranoid. Nobody knows you have HIV. DOMINIC: So you're telling me things are going to be the same at school? RYSEAN: Dominic. DOMINIC: Sometimes you get on my nerves. Sometimes, I just wanna-- (Dominic raises his hand to hit Rysean. Realizing what he's doing, he puts his hand down.) DOMINIC: Oh, God. What am I doing? Rysean, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. It's just that, everything's changed. I had a girlfriend, I had a life... (Exhales) I had a chance. And now I don't have anything! Now I'm dying. RYSEAN: You have more to live for than you realize. DOMINIC: Like what? RYSEAN: Like me, like your mother...(Tea enters L) Like her. (Dominic turns and faces Tea.) DOMINIC: Tea. TEA: I came to see you. I wasn't eavesdropping, but... DOMINIC:...you heard. RYSEAN: (Knows when to leave) I have to go. I left my daughter with Myisha. (Rysean exits L. Tea approaches Dominic.) TEA: It hurts, doesn't it? Having the world at your fingertips, and losing it just like that. It hurts. DOMINIC: (Turns away) I don't know what you're talking about. TEA: My grandmother used to call me Tiny Bailador. I was always dancing. I used to pretend that I was a princess...and I would dance for my kingdom. You should have seen me moving around the living room...bumping into all the furniture. Of course I was just a little girl dreaming back then. But I always thought I would make it. I always thought that one day, I'd be famous. And the headline would read: "Tea Antoya Gallegos, the Dancing Princess. But my dreams are dead now. It hurts, doesn't it? DOMINIC: Why are you telling me all this? (Kicks the chair over) Why? TEA: I can see I'm going to have to do this the hard way. (Tea goes in the box and pulls out a pair of boxing gloves. She begins taunting Dominic.) TEA: Come on--if you want to fight someone, fight me. DOMINIC: I'm not gonna do this, Tea. TEA: What's the matter? Scared I'll hurt you? DOMINIC: No. TEA: Then come on. (Tea pops Dominic in the mouth.) DOMINIC: (Smiles) Oh, it's on now. (Dominic goes into the box and pulls out a pair of boxing gloves. The two begin playfully boxing with each other. Tea hits Dominic softly in the face.) DOMINIC: Aw, that's it. (Dominic pulls a laughing Tea into a tight grip.) TEA: No fair, you're cheating. You can't do that. (Dominic turns Tea to face him. As he stares at her, his face falls as he thinks about all that's happened. He falls to his knees and begins to cry. Tea touches his head, and he holds her around the waist.) DOMINIC: I didn't want-- TEA: I know, honey. I know. (Dominic continues to tousle his hair. Slowly, Tea begins to back away, leaving Dominic alone. Marin's spirit slowly enters R. He sneaks up on the un-knowing Dominic.) MARIN: Boo! (Dominic jumps, as Marin begins laughing hysterically.) DOMINIC: Marin, I thought you were dead. MARIN: I am, bro. DOMINIC: Are you a ghost? MARIN: Think of me as a spirit. A reflection of the Marin you knew. DOMINIC: Everything's messed up, Marin. Now, everybody knows I have HIV. MARIN: Didn't I teach you anything? It doesn't matter who knows. Forget them! It's all about you. You have bigger things to worry about. DOMINIC: But I don't want to die. MARIN: You're alive, Dominic. Dead people don't talk...except for in my case. You're not dying from HIV, you're living with HIV. You can still live your life, Dominic. I'm not going to lie, it's going to be a rough road. But you'll still be here to travel it. Remember, nobody on the face of this earth is promised tomorrow. So live for today. (Marin slowly exits R, leaving Dominic alone. Dominic stands. His face brightens as he gets an idea, and runs off L. A beat, and then the cast, except for Dominic, enters from either side of the stage. Myisha comes face to face with Aaron and Billie, walking with their arms around each other. Aaron scowls at Myisha and crosses to Dancers 2 & 6, behind Billie.) BILLIE: Myisha... MYISHA: You don't have to say anything, Billie. I feel sorry for you. You wanted Aaron so badly, that you didn't care who you hurt to get him. Well, you got him, girl. I hope our friendship was worth it. BILLIE: I didn't do it to hurt you. (Aaron begins talking to Dancer 6, standing close to her...almost like flirting.) MYISHA: Look behind you, Billie. Your man is talking to another girl. Is that what it's going to be like? Do you really want to be in a relationship where you'll have to keep looking over your shoulder, wondering which one of your friends he's sleeping with? You should have more respect for yourself. (Myisha turns away from Billie. Billie crosses R, and pulls Aaron away from Dancer 6. Rysean hands Qiana to Myisha as Dominic takes CENTER STAGE.) DOMINIC: I guess you're all wondering why you're here, huh? We're here to honor the death of my friend, Marin. He was 17-years-old, he was homeless, (an un-easy breath) and he had full blown AIDS. But he didn't let it get him down -- even though he didn't have all of the things we take for granted. He didn't have a place to live, he didn't have any friends, he didn't even have a pair of decent shoes on his feet. All he had was a beat up notepad, and his lucky pen. And when he put these two together, he could write some of the best poetry you ever read in your life. His message was one of hope. A message I learned too late. A couple of days ago, I learned I was HIV positive. I immediately thought about my mother. She works hard to take care of my brothers and sisters and me. This was going to break her. And when I told her, she started to cry, and didn't stop for two days. I thought it couldn't happen to me, I couldn't accept the fact that I was going to die. If it wasn't for a couple of friends of mine...(Rysean smiles, and Tea blows him a kiss)...I probably would never have accepted it. (To Dancer 1) What if I told you there was a cure for AIDS? Would you believe it? (To the group) We all know that there is no medicine that cures AIDS. But if we all work together, we can stop this disease. We have to do whatever it takes: practice safer sex, or just wait until you're married, educate your little brothers and sisters about it, start a project in your school, just get the word out. This disease is killing people everyday. I know it's really hard for you--and I know you might do it anyway. But all I'm asking you to do is think. Think about what you're doing. You have a whole life to live, and yes you're going to die anyway--but don't let AIDS be the cause of it. Because not only gay people and drug users get AIDS. It could be your mother, it could be your sister, it could be your best friend, your girlfriend, your boyfriend, it could be your cousin or your uncle, Black, White, Mexican, Asian, or Cambodian-- it doesn't matter. It could be you. It could be you. (An uneasy pause, and then Billie begins to clap, others fellow and then the whole group begins to clap, leading the audience into an applause. Rysean and Tea hug Dominic. Rysean and Myisha cross DC. Myisha hands Qiana to Rysean.) MYISHA: She's asleep. RYSEAN: (Bouncing her) Thank you. MYISHA: What are you thinking about? RYSEAN: A lot of things. I'm thinking about Dominic and Tea. They're going to be fighting for the rest of their lives. I'm trying to believe that everything's going to be alright, but I know it's not. I'm also think-ing about Qiana. What kind of world is she going to grow up in? I want to protect her, but I know I can't be there all of the time. And I know one day she's going to leave me to go out into the world. What can I teach her? I'm only a kid myself. MYISHA: You can teach her to think with an open mind and an open heart. And you can teach her how to make the right decisions so she won't have a baby at sixteen, or get HIV. RYSEAN: I just wish I could tell everyone out there how serious this is. Raising a baby isn't as easy as they might think, and living with AIDS is even worse. MYISHA: Yeah, but you know kids our age. Preaching the same old "just say no" message isn't going to teach them anything. RYSEAN: I know what I can do! I'll write a play! MYISHA: A play? RYSEAN: Yeah, a play about us, about what happened. (Myisha sucks her teeth.) RYSEAN: No, it'll be tight. I'll tell about how Dominic met Tea, and about Dominic's friend, Marin, and about the riot at school. I'll even put you and Qiana in there. And it'll have music, and comedy, and it'll spread the word about practicing safer sex. It's going to be the bomb! MYISHA: It'll never work. (Rysean smiles slyly to the audience, and then back to Myisha as outro music begins to play.) RYSEAN: I don't know, sis. It might. (Myisha and Rysean separate, and the cast form a "soul train" line: two people walk with each other down the middle, each carrying a white rose. When they reach DC, they lay the roses down. The last two are Dominic and Tea. They lay their roses down, and stay DC, holding hands.) END PLAY "GENERATION SEX" PRODUCTION NOTES CAST: (Including Dancers) 10 males, 7 females SOUNDS: SCHOOL BELL, BOXING BELL MUSIC: SHOULD BE POPULAR SONGS THAT GO WITH THE PRODUCTION. LIGHTING: THE LIGHTING SHOULD BE COLORFUL...REFLECTING "YOUTH" AND "FUN", ESPECIALLY DURING THE DANCE NUMBERS. MARIN'S GHOST SHOULD BE IN A LONE SPOTLIGHT. PROPS CUT-OUTS: LOCKERS (SCENE ONE), TELEVISION, REMOTE CONTROL (SCENE THREE), CLINIC SIGN, VIDEO CAMERA, MICROPHONE (SCENE FOUR), RED PLUS SIGNS (DANCE BREAK 1), SMALL CARTOON FIGURES ( K FUNK & JOONBUG) K FUNK & JOONBUG INTERLUDES: FLIPCHART READING "AIDS", CONDOMS, SCENE ONE: CHAIRS, BOXING GLOVES, BASKETBALL, STROLLER, FOLDER (MYISHA), BANANA (KROPOWSKI), CLIPBOARD, PAPERS, WHISTLE (COACH), SHOPPING BAGS (JAYS), BIKINI BRIEFS, NECK TIE. SCENE TWO: SKATEBOARD, LARGE BACKPACK, NOTEPAD, QUARTER, RED ROSE, QUARTER, WAD OF MONEY (DOMINIC). SCENE THREE: BAG OF POPCORN (MYISHA), BROOM (MAN). SCENE FOUR: BABY DOLLS (DANCE BREAK 2), PAPERS, BASKETBALL (RYSEAN), ROSE (AARON), BACKPACK (DOMINIC), BOX, BOXING GLOVES, FIRST AID KIT, WHITE ROSES. COSTUMES: EVERY CAST MEMBER WEARS MODERN CLOTHES. PREFERRABLY BRIGHT AND COLORFUL. DOMINIC COULD WEAR A TIGHT COTTON TANK TOP TO SHOW OFF HIS BOXER'S BUILD, AARON'S CLOTHES SHOULD LOOK EXPENSIVE, JAYS SHOULD LOOK LIKE A "CONTEMPO GIRL", MARIN'S CLOTHES REFLECT THAT HE'S HOMELESS, KROPOWSKI AND HARRY WEAR THICK GLASSES, THE COACH WEARS A BATTERED BASEBALL CAP, NURSE WEARS NURSE CAP, DON QUEEN HAS A LARGE AFRO.