"James Madison's Montpelier." Watercolor by Baroness Hyde de Neuville, Oct. 1818. |
The Rehearsal
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The play ends with a confession from the famous W. Virginia Senator Robert C. Byrd, who always carried the US Constitution in his breast pocket and showed it to students and any other group of people whom he addressed, making him a kind of historical hero--long protected by the American media, until he wrote his memoirs and confessed how, in his younger years, he hated “Negroes” so much that he founded a KKK chapter, wrote and broadcast racist propaganda, and even filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964—acts he deeply regretted when, as one of the highest-ranking US politicians, he renounced his racist past, demonstrating that, on reflection, people have the power to change and let go of hate.
Characters
SHERRY SMITH: Female actor playing CHARITY, a slave.
CHARITY: A middle-aged slave, pleasantly plump, who was taught the alphabet while serving as a maid and house-keeper at young Mr. James Madison’s estate in Virginia. When she, with great effort, tries to decipher Madison’s drafts of the Bill of Rights, she reads all of his words very slowly, in simple, yet powerful ways, trying to imitate Madison’s elevated tone, trying in earnest to understand, even though, at first, she misunderstands almost everything.
JERRY JACKSON: Male actor playing JERICHO FESTUS, a slave.
JERICHO FESTUS: A middle-aged slave, serving as a cook at Madison’s estate. He likes to taste from Mr. Madison's many bottles of wine, without permission, and enjoys the company of women of all ages, especially the feisty Charity, who never lets him get away with anything.
BOB BURNS: Older Caucasian actor playing Senator Byrd as the Narrator.
SENATOR ROBERT BYRD: Famous Senator from West Virginia, who always held up a copy of the US Constitution, especially when he addressed groups of young people, making him a kind of hero, until he is forced to confess the secrets of his racist past.
CHARITY: A middle-aged slave, pleasantly plump, who was taught the alphabet while serving as a maid and house-keeper at young Mr. James Madison’s estate in Virginia. When she, with great effort, tries to decipher Madison’s drafts of the Bill of Rights, she reads all of his words very slowly, in simple, yet powerful ways, trying to imitate Madison’s elevated tone, trying in earnest to understand, even though, at first, she misunderstands almost everything.
JERRY JACKSON: Male actor playing JERICHO FESTUS, a slave.
JERICHO FESTUS: A middle-aged slave, serving as a cook at Madison’s estate. He likes to taste from Mr. Madison's many bottles of wine, without permission, and enjoys the company of women of all ages, especially the feisty Charity, who never lets him get away with anything.
BOB BURNS: Older Caucasian actor playing Senator Byrd as the Narrator.
SENATOR ROBERT BYRD: Famous Senator from West Virginia, who always held up a copy of the US Constitution, especially when he addressed groups of young people, making him a kind of hero, until he is forced to confess the secrets of his racist past.
Notes on playing slaves.
Slaves in the Antebellum American south were whole, complicated and complex people. Just. Like. You. Remember this. James Ijames, The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington
Excerpt
SHERRY
Talking about language, I’m struggling a bit because I want to be authentic—historically speaking. Charity is a woman who was deprived of education. But I don’t want her to sound ignorant.
JERRY
You can say that again. I hate it when slaves get presented as nothing but dumb and dim-witted. Lazy buffoons. Happy-go-lucky cotton-pickers. Let’s show ‘em. You know, when I come in and interrupt you?
CHARITY
(Grabs the wig. Both swing into stereotypical black minstrel talk, exaggerated movements.)
Jericho Festus, ah didn’t ask ya to come in here, did ah?
JERICHO FESTUS
Aw, ya know ya’s glad to see me.
CHARITY
Ah’m not sayin’ ah don’t mind the company, but ya knows ya not suppos’ ta be in here. What’chu doin’ here anyway?!
JERICHO FESTUS
Too hot to be stayin’ in the kitch’n.
CHARITY
Ain’t no cooler up here neither.
JERICHO FESTUS
Uh-huh. What’chu doin’ up here anyway?
CHARITY
What ah supposed to be doin’. Cleanin’ Maste’ Madison’s office.
BOB
(They all applaud, slap themselves, and laugh loudly.)
Boy, that alone was worth the price of a ticket. Now let’s start the play within the play.
Talking about language, I’m struggling a bit because I want to be authentic—historically speaking. Charity is a woman who was deprived of education. But I don’t want her to sound ignorant.
JERRY
You can say that again. I hate it when slaves get presented as nothing but dumb and dim-witted. Lazy buffoons. Happy-go-lucky cotton-pickers. Let’s show ‘em. You know, when I come in and interrupt you?
CHARITY
(Grabs the wig. Both swing into stereotypical black minstrel talk, exaggerated movements.)
Jericho Festus, ah didn’t ask ya to come in here, did ah?
JERICHO FESTUS
Aw, ya know ya’s glad to see me.
CHARITY
Ah’m not sayin’ ah don’t mind the company, but ya knows ya not suppos’ ta be in here. What’chu doin’ here anyway?!
JERICHO FESTUS
Too hot to be stayin’ in the kitch’n.
CHARITY
Ain’t no cooler up here neither.
JERICHO FESTUS
Uh-huh. What’chu doin’ up here anyway?
CHARITY
What ah supposed to be doin’. Cleanin’ Maste’ Madison’s office.
BOB
(They all applaud, slap themselves, and laugh loudly.)
Boy, that alone was worth the price of a ticket. Now let’s start the play within the play.
