Cradle Will Rock Page #4

One big question inside me

Cries

How many fakers

Peace undertakers

Paid strike breakers

How many toiling

ailing, dying

Piled-up bodies, brother

Does it take

to make... you

Wise

- It's very serious.

- Where's the irony? Where's the humor?

What about

the other prostitutes?

You're whores! You're prostitutes!

You're a whore!

You're a prostitute of the state!

The policemen are whores!

You're...

Bought a house, a lot

a limousine, a swanky yard

My champagne would fill up

any cellar

Oh, hum, there goes

the alarm clock

Gotta get up

and go to work again

Acting awfully bored

I loaned a buck from Henry Ford

Broke a date

with John D. Rockefeller

- Oh, hum, there goes the alarm clock

- Mr. Rivera.

- Si.

- Mr. Diego Rivera?

- Si.

- I'm Nelson Rockefeller.

I bring greetings from Margherita

Sarfatti. She says she knows you.

- Yes. Paris, wild times.

- I saw her today.

- Yes.

- She's an exquisite woman with wonderful tastes in art.

- Would you like something to drink or something to eat?

- No.

- Frida, Senor Rockefeller.

- Madame.

Please come in.

- So?

- So.

- So?

- So, um...

I've chosen your sketch

for mural composition...

to be included

in the... lobby...

of said

Rockefeller Center.

Now, as you may know, the theme for

the piece is "Man At the Crossroads,

Looking With Hope

and High Vision...

to the Choosing of

a New and Better Future. "

And, uh... that's

the theme of the piece,

and we'd just be thrilled

to death to have you do it.

- How much?

- 21,000.

All inclusive,

materials and assistants.

- Would you like a drink?

- Yes.

There is not a barkless beaver

Not in all of

Beaver Land

Bravo! Bravo.

I think children are going to love

this. When can you start rehearsing?

- Tomorrow.

- Rose, will you put these two beavers in motion.

Hallie, the opening.

We can't be late.

Mr. Hopkins will be there.

Ask Harry for

more money, Hallie.

- Next.

- That's me.

And your name?

Olive Stanton.

- Your address?

- Oh, I don't have one.

- Are you currently employed?

- No, ma'am.

You are applying for work

at the Federal Theater Project.

What experience do you have

in the theater?

Oh, um... I sing

on Broadway...

Well, I've sung

on Broadway.

Mm-hmm.

Last employer?

- Excuse me?

- Last employer?

Last producer of a show you were in

so we can contact him?

Um...

he's dead.

His name?

Oh, um...

Mr. Smith... Minsky-Smith.

You've probably never heard of him.

It was in Buffalo.

We can check.

I'm sorry.

There wasn't any Smith.

Um... I'm just a gal

that needs a break is all.

I've been working on the street singing

for nickels, and I need a job.

I can sing real well,

and I'd work hard.

Sister, this program is designed for

theater professionals who are out of work.

We have limited resources. We can't

possibly employ all of the professionals.

This isn't a Busby Berkeley fantasy,

"make you a star, kid" and all that.

Are you strong?

- Ma'am?

- Are you strong?

- Can you lift things?

- Yes, ma'am.

Project 891

needs a stagehand.

Do you know what a stagehand does?

Completely unglamorous work.

Push a broom, lift scenery,

pull ropes, that sort of thing.

- Are you interested?

- Yes, ma'am. You bet.

You are not eligible for casting

in any plays. Do you understand that?

Here's the address, and report tomorrow

between 10:
00 a. m. and 6:00 p. m.

- Oh, can I go today?

- Go bananas.

Thank you.

Well, sure, if you're in a coal mine

or a steel mill or a dangerous job,

I can see the need

for a break every hour or so.

- What are you saying?

- Nothing. I'm with you, Orson.

- This is theater.

- We're not risking our lives here.

We're not pouring slag.

The other side of that is

It would help if you didn't stop

rehearsal to call for breaks, john.

These are actors we're talking about,

not garment workers.

This is not the Triangle Fire.

It's a play.

No one is trying to oppress anyone

here. We're trying to get a show up.

- Once the show is up, well, we can work for what...

- Two! Two hours!

- Easy street!

- Two hours acting, eight hours lookin' for another job.

- What? Frank?

- No, sorry. Sorry.

Yeah. And should management insist

that we work an eight-hour day...

- once the show is up?

- Don't touch me.

It's ridiculous!

Hah!

And now, if you don't mind,

I'd like you to get back to work!

Bring in the puppets!

We're in a jail cell.

Steeltown, U. S. A.

Moll, our prostitute,

has been arrested.

She's sitting there, depressed

and hungry, when the door opens.

Who should walk in but the real whores,

the creme de la creme of Steeltown...

doctor specialist, editor of the

newspaper, president of the university,

- Reverend Salvation...

- And an artist or two.

- Don't forget, they are the biggest whores.

- Right, right, right.

And they're all in handcuffs. They've

all been arrested by some dolt cop...

who made a mistake,

thought they were union organizers.

Think what my people would think

if they could see me.

Phone to Mr. Mister

to come and bail us out.

- Who is Mr. Mister?

- He's the big cheese. He pulls the strings in Steeltown.

So Mr. Mister please take pity

Come and save

your pet committee

From disaster

- I'm coming about the leaflet.

- Yes?

- I'm here for the meeting.

- Come in.

- Tommy Crickshaw, ventriloquist.

- Oh.

Did you bring

your dummy?

I prefer to think of him

as a... puppet. I never leave him.

Well, we're just getting started,

Mr. Crickshaw. If you'll have a seat.

Hello, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Hazel

Huffman, and I want to thank you for coming.

It is my hope that tonight

we can create a forum...

where people can talk freely

without fear of recrimination.

Don't worry. Powerful people

are interested in what we have to say.

I know for a fact

there's a certain congressman...

who would like to know if problems

exist in the Federal Theater.

I, for one,

am ready to talk.

I am Sloth.

... from salvation.

- I am Envy.

- I am Covetousness.

- I'm Pride.

I am Gluttony.

- They're scary.

- They're sins.

Daddy, how come

you're not doing a puppet?

- Mr. Welles doesn't want me to.

- What part do you play?

The fourth Scholar.

It's a very...

important role.

Lechery!

- Well, hello, my darling.

- Hi, Harry. Welcome.

- You know Paul Edwards.

- Yes. Hello, Hallie.

I'm sorry I'm late.

Bridge worker negotiations.

I trust Roosevelt

is treating you well.

Juggling three agencies,

the bureaucratic wonder: Harry Hopkins.

Everything from cleaning children's

teeth to controlling mosquitoes.

Harry, what are these whispers

I'm hearing about Congressman Dies?

Whispers? It's a roar.

He announces tomorrow...

a committee to investigate

Communism in the W. P. A.

- Oh, dear. Why didn't you tell me?

- I'm telling you.

"Un-American activities" he calls it.

I wouldn't worry.

Dies is a blowhard. This is just a bunch

of politicians looking for headlines.

What about

this mixed-race dating?

Has anyone else noticed

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes