TEASER
ACT 1, SCENE 1 INT: ASTRO CITY HIGH – CLASSROOM – AFTERNOON
(CHOREOGRAPHED DANCE SEQUENCE)
A diverse group of students sit together looking solemn and depressed. Among them is LEIGH SUAREZ.
TEACHER (O.S.):
Alright class! Free period!
Suddenly the students come alive and break into an uplifting and hopeful dance, music should be upbeat, techno-ish. The dance sequence is very interpretive with clean lines. Ballet, voguing, strobing and tutting should be a part of this dance sequence. LEIGH is watching the dancers and sharing in their positive energy.
JAMAL COLE walks into the classroom. He and LEIGH’S eyes connect just as the music builds to a…
SMASH CUT TO ACT 1, SCENE 2: INT: TRAP HOUSE – AFTERNOON
Beat drops into a dub smash kinda of vibe. LONG EERIE TONAL NOTE.
The TRAP HOUSE is dark and filled with smoke as shadows move behind LOCO ZANE. When he sits back and exhales smoke, the SHADOWS (DANCERS from the CROC crew) creepily reach over the couch. AS THE BEAT DROPS, they leap into action!
These dancers move spastically and with aggression, lacking synchronicity with each other. Krumping, breaking dancing, and flexing/bone-breaking should be a part of this sequence.
LOCO gets up from the couch slowly and stumbles as if intoxicated around the group of dancers. He walks towards the mural of the GOATMAN, whose silhouette seems to be glowing and walking through the forest.
CUT SCREEN/SPLIT SCREEN/INTERCUT between the two different dance sequences. The styles of music have a weird balance with each other.
As LEIGH and JAMAL walk towards each other and eventually into each other’s arms, LOCO is lured deeper by the GOATMAN.
MUSIC and DANCERS STOP.
ACT 1, SCENE 3 INT: AC HIGH CLASSROOM – CONT’D
Classroom erupts into laughter and applause and the teacher encourages them.
JAMAL continues to hold LEIGH close in his arms.
JAMAL:
Hey.
LEIGH:
I missed you.
JAMAL (whispers):
Me too. Listen. I have an idea.
ACT 1, SCENE 4: TRAP HOUSE – CONT’D
The silence is deafening. The SHADOWS/DANCERS are gone and LOCO is alone and staring at the picture of the GOATMAN. He holds his hands to the GOATMAN’S hand on the mural. GOATMAN wraps around LOCO’S HAND.
LOCO (disembodied voice):
More blood.
END OF TEASER
END OF ACT 1
ACT 2, SCENE 1 INT: MAYOR’S OFFICE – AFTERNOON
CLOSE UP of a newspaper article: THE BRICKS ON FIRE!
FOCUS ON MAYOR GEORGE APOSTOLOU’S face, pasty, sweaty. He’s dismayed by what he reads.
CLOSE UP of article: flash of several words: fire, death, a mother and her toddler, Vincent, drugs, fire fighters, homeless, Mayor, war on crime failing?
MAYOR (O.S.):
Damn it!
MAYOR throws the newspaper down on a long table in his office. It lands with a THUD. At the table a bunch of assistants and deputies are startled, as if cut off in mid-work. Also at the table is OMAR BUTLER, who is chief among them.
OMAR:
Apostolou?
MAYOR’S OFFICE has a high rise view of DOWNTOWN ASTRO CITY. MAYOR stands to face the view. He’s tired. He points in the general direction the Bricks.
MAYOR:
Four people killed and fifteen injured and homeless. It happened right there. In this city. If this were a war, they’d call that a terrorist attack.
OMAR (quickly, nonchalantly):
It’s less than that maybe. The investigators are saying some kind of drug lab blew up. It was one of the residents.
MAYOR (whispers to himself):
I told you this was Uptown all over again.
ASSISTANT:
Sir?
MAYOR:
Set up a meeting with the executive office of housing to talk about how the *hell* a man got away with cooking drugs in his apartment.
Assistants are taking notes and delegating tasks. OMAR is overseeing the transactions.
MAYOR:
Also get me the Police Commissioner. I want a law enforcement response to this. I don’t care if they need to get overtime approved or get tougher at stopping-and-frisking every-god-damned-body until we get answers, because I’M TAKING ALL THE HEAT OF THIS.
OMAR:
George…
MAYOR picks up the newspaper and reads.
MAYOR:
Rev Joe Mac says…
FLASH CUT TO ACT 2, SCENE 3 INT: RISE SOUP KITCHEN – EARLIER
REVEREND JOSEPH MACCABEE has microphones in his face and cameras flashing.
REV MAC:
This tragedy is more a statement about the gentrification of our community and our desperation to hold on to the little we have. Maybe we don’t need another community center named after politicians. We need someone who unifies the people together to rise up and fight to save our souls.
HARD CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 2: MAYOR’S OFFICE – Present/Cont’d
MAYOR:
He might as well have come out and said I blew up the Bricks! He’s running a mayoral campaign.
MAYOR throws newspaper down.
OMAR:
No he’s not running. He’s just very eccentric.
MAYOR:
Eccentric? When they asked him if that someone was him? He said…
FLASH CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 3 INT: RISE SOUP KITCHEN – EARLIER
REV MAC smiles broadly.
REV MAC:
I have a higher calling.
CAMERAS FLASHING. NEWSREPORTERS push for clarification.
HARD CUT BACK TO ACT 2, SCENE 2: MAYOR’S OFFICE – Present/Cont’d
MAYOR:
Is that eccentric enough for you, Omar?
OMAR:
You got to understand the circumstances of the Bricks. Before this, they’re struggling with gangs and drugs. The people were desperate. This finally megaphones their desperation to the world. If we sit down with the Rev…
MAYOR:
I can sit down with all their priests and pastors, but what do they have to offer me? I want to hear policy, not criticisms. Don’t tell me what your flock can do if you can’t control them. And so help me God if I’m forced to sit down with Reverend Maccabee one more time, I’m likely to blow my brains out.
OMAR:
That’s a funny Sir.
MAYOR:
Was I laughing?
OMAR:
Alright, time to give him some privacy. We have our tasks. We needed that Housing and Police committee like yesterday. Keep me updated. Hey, can you get us some water and coffee, please?
Assistants file out of the room, until it is just OMAR and the MAYOR. As soon as the door closes…
OMAR:
Keep your cool, George, or the next thing you’ll read in the papers will be an expose about your extracurricular activities. You’re sweating like Judas at the Last Supper.
MAYOR dabs himself down and opens up his collar.
MAYOR:
I’m hemorrhaging.
OMAR (panics):
Oh shit…
MAYOR:
Figuratively. I’m a damn whale and I’m bleeding. The sharks are circling around me, and they all want a chunk of me. (BEAT) Was anyone we know affected by the explosion?
OMAR:
A few staff had families in the area. My brother and I grew up there.
MAYOR:
My condolences.
OMAR:
Thank you, but we got the hell outta there. It was just as dangerous then as it is now.
MAYOR:
Children shouldn’t suffer like that though. Thank god, mine are grown. Christina did an amazing job with them. I couldn’t imagine staying at home for all those years. I’m too much like my father busying with work. (BEAT) Sarah wants to keep the baby.
OMAR:
Who? (then in complete clarity) Oh!
MAYOR:
I wanted a break from the stress, and now she’s three-months pregnant.
OMAR:
What ever happened to safety first?
MAYOR:
Who the fuck knows? She could’ve been lying for all I know.
OMAR:
There are prophylactics for men too.
MAYOR:
Are you lecturing me about condoms right now?
OMAR:
Sorry. I could have my brother link up with vice and scare the truth out of her.
MAYOR:
So she could run to the media and add police intimidation to her charge? No thank you. You’re a fountain of great ideas today.
OMAR:
What’re you gonna do then? You don’t need heat of a baby mama scandal right now.
MAYOR:
I’m a walking target for the Reverend, the media, and Sarah. It’s been that way my whole life with people trying to see me stumble for their own amusement, but I’m bigger than all of that. It’s going to take more than a few sharks to take me out. I just need a fix.
OMAR:
Maybe you should focus on the here and now. You might need a break for your extracurriculars.
MAYOR:
That’s not what I meant by fix. Well not entirely.
ASSISTANT comes in with a tray of coffee. OMAR is appreciative and politely rushes her out.
MAYOR:
I got this far because I know how to get what I need. I’ve always had that power. They won’t ever see me run away from a challenge.
PANARAMIC VIEW of OMAR and MAYOR standing in office.
MAYOR:
Are you still on my side?
OMAR:
Of course.
MAYOR:
I ask a lot of you, because I know you can handle it, because in a way, I see that you’re just like me. You have power and know how to use it.
OMAR:
Thank you. That means a lot coming from you.
MAYOR:
You have the same drive to dream with that little bit of mean. I’ve had it all my life. You have to when you have people threatening you and the burden of a legacy to carry. I’d never ask you to do anything I wouldn’t do my damn self. I hope you know that.
OMAR:
I know.
MAYOR:
But I’ve never asked you to do anything like this.
OMAR:
Whatever you need, George. I’m here to help.
MAYOR:
Good. Very good.
ACT 2, SCENE 4 EXT: MOTEL – AFTERNOON
Scoping out the motel from her car, MELISSA DAY is taking pictures with her cellphone. Then she switches apps and records her voice.
MELISSA:
What used to be a monthly habit has escalated to something he does nightly. The Mayor’s Assistant drives him around late nights, but instead of going home, they rent a room. (Shuts off recorder) Damn it Omar. What are you into?
SOUND of a car door opening and keys JINGLING.
ACT 2, SCENE 5 EXT: MOTEL – CONT’D
MELISSA is walking down the balcony towards a room at the end.
HAND knocking on a motel door.
SARAH (O.S.)
Hello? Who is it?
MELISSA:
Cleaning service, Miss.
SARAH (O.S.):
No thank you. Come back later.
MELISSA is undeterred. She waits before knocking on the door again.
MELISSA:
Excuse Miss. There’re flowers outside your door. What would you like me to do with them?
SARAH (O.S.):
Oh god! He bought me…
DOOR OPENS.
SARAH:
Flowers?
MELISSA smiles in surprise.
MELISSA:
Hi, I’m reporter Melissa Day. Can we talk?
MELISSA helps herself in and SARAH is caught off guard.
ACT 2, SCENE 6 INT: DOWNTOWN AC SUBWAY – AFTERNOON
JAMAL is sitting on a bench. As the train pulls into the station, JAMAL exhales deeply. Stepping off the crowded afternoon rush is LOCO ZANE.
They dap each other up.
LOCO:
We couldn’t do this anywhere else?
JAMAL:
Hear me out. This is a big hookup. I promise you. This was the only time and place that worked.
LOCO:
Bro, don’t start selling tickets unless you can back it up.
JAMAL:
Pause. (Laughs) I got you, bro. Chill. You all paranoid and shit, again.
LOCO:
You the paranoid one.
JAMAL:
Nah my nigga. Def you. This would’ve been faster in the whip.
LOCO:
Not today.
JAMAL:
Where’s it at?
LOCO:
Why you more interested in my ride than what we doing? Where we going?
JAMAL:
This way.
JAMAL hides a nervous glare.
ACT 2, SCENE 7 EXT: DOWNTOWN AC – STREETS/SIDEWALK – CONT’D
JAMAL and LOCO walking around as if to buy stuff.
JAMAL:
I need to get me a pair of those. Those shits are fire.
LOCO:
I hate standing out here. Where your man’s at?
JAMAL:
I told him to be here. He’s straight. We good.
LOCO:
How far is he?
JAMAL:
He’ll be here. Woo-sah.
LOCO is exacerbated and mumbles under his breath.
JAMAL:
Yo, you alright?
LOCO:
What the hell you mean?
JAMAL:
First Nurse, and now the Bricks. I heard it got Vince. My moms even called me just to check in with me, and you know she ain’t ever got time for that. Said she sirens and alarms went off all through the night. Woke up all the kids in the house.
LOCO:
I didn’t see it coming either. Almost burned my clothes off.
JAMAL:
You were there?
LOCO:
I was gonna do me and you do you. Isn’t that what you wanted?
JAMAL:
Nah man. That’s not what I want at all. I don’t want anybody else to get hurt. We need to change or we’ll die.
LOCO (laughing):
Listen to this gringo. ‘We need to change.’
JAMAL:
Come this way. I don’t like the way that guy’s looking at us.
LOCO:
Where?
LOCO spots a pedestrian smoking a cigarette and looking in their direction.
LOCO:
The fuck you looking at?
JAMAL pulls LOCO away and walks further down the street.
LOCO:
Yo, he was looking at us like he never seen niggas before. Is your man coming or nah?
JAMAL:
I’ll text him again. Quit pacing. (beat) Real talk, Loco, you ain’t been the same since Shaunice.
LOCO:
You real interested in my thoughts and feelings lately.
JAMAL:
Alright. My bag.
LOCO:
Why was that faggot staring at us like that?
LOCO’S hand is around his waist and he keeps pacing. From his POV, he scans through the DOWNTOWN CROWD. It feels intense, noisy and crowded.
LOCO:
I don’t like this. Where’s your man at, Jay?
JAMAL:
Hold up. He just texted back. He’s on his way.
LOCO steps closer to JAMAL. LOCO’S hand is now in his pockets. He’s fidgeting. JAMAL is pushing him back with his forearm.
LOCO:
Where’s your man?
JAMAL:
I told you.
LOCO:
*don’t fucking lie to me!*
JAMAL:
Step outta my face. You’re forcing it.
Pedestrians are looking.
JAMAL:
I said get outta my face.
LOCO starts to pull something from his pocket, but JAMAL steps to the side.
FROM LOCO’S POV the man staring at them earlier is rushing towards them. Other men are approaching them fast. LOCO starts to turn in the other direction, only to be met by a beefy undercover officer.
OFFICER:
Hey, Miguel, let’s talk.
OFFICERS descend on JAMAL and LOCO. They are held up against a wall and frisked. LOCO is aggravated, but JAMAL cooperates.
One OFFICER pries out of LOCO’s hand…
OFFICER TWO:
It’s a box cutter.
LOCO:
I need that shit for work.
As LOCO screams obscenities, a dark unmarked car pulls up to the curb.
LOCO gets cuffed as he struggles with OFFICERS.
JAMAL doesn’t resist getting cuffed. He looks up to see AMED BUTLER stepping out of the car. They share a knowing glance.
LOCO (o.s):
Yo fuck the pigs.
END OF ACT 2