A sneak peek into the world of “Good Bread Alley,” the second play in April Yvette Thompson’s Miami TrilogyAct I, Scene Two
Lights up on Celia Grace Graham’s altar room of comfy couches, an antique French provincial desk, a divan, Asian throw rugs and pillows cover every bit of spare floor; an altar covered in delicate yellow cloth, a sopera, candles to Oshun and various articles of worship and guidance. A sign of wealth even in the midst of struggle, Celia’s hardwood floors and furnishings from all over the world tell of her dreams in a bottle.
Celia and Beatriz are preparing a healing ritual for Percival who regally sits in full drag, hair, make-up and wig askew with a vicious machete wound across his chest from shoulder to waist. Little Miriam watches unseen from behind the beaded curtains.
CELIA
Look to me like whoever did this meant it. (referring to the machete wound)
PERCIVAL
Men fearful of their own manhood often do.
CELIA
Princess Carlotta, getting cut up, don’t make you a man. You ein got to fight.
PERCIVAL
What am I to do, Celia? Allow them to brutalize me? I simply want to be left alone.
CELIA
Don’t nobody really wont to be left alone!
Celia nods to Beatriz who begins to hum “Caridad.” Celia lights more candles, goes to the altar filled with seven glasses of water and touches each glass. She walks to the bureau covered with Listerine bottles filled with colorful powders. In between bottles, sit las munecas negras in yellow and gold ball gowns and elekes around their necks. There is a wooden Indian with a metal axe, coconuts tied in yellow ribbon, a gold leaf bust of Nefertiti, a large conch shell, a wooden Buddha and a small wrought iron Chinese urn. Yellow candles, glass jars overflowing with honey, copper pennies, citrine stones, oranges, squash, cinnamon sticks, a vase of yellow roses and rose petals cover the altar like snow. Beatriz hands Celia an orange. Celia cuts a hole in the top of the orange, sucks out its juices and places it in a glass dish with honey.
CELIA
“Ori Yeye o! Ori Yeye o! Ori Yeye o!!”
(La Magica Diaria. As she says this phrase, we hear the tide splash against the sand and return to the ocean a few blocks away, but it seems louder to our ears because it brings with it the magic that is Celia’s birthrite)
CELIA
Beroni abebe Osún
Beroni abebe leda.
Beroni abebe Osún
Beroni abebe leda.
Iyá yumo, braka la leda
And her voice dissappears. She feels a great heaving well up. For Celia, tears are worse than death. Celia rubs her heart and then her throat, nothing comes out.
CELIA
Ein no air in the room. Where the air? (La Mágica Diaria answers back, full but lacking her voice, we hear the water recede) I can’t catch my breath. Beatriz, sing for me.
Frightened by Celia’s silence, she sings “Caridad.”
BEATRIZ
Beroni abebe Osún
Beroni abebe leda.
Beroni abebe Osún
Beroni abebe leda.
Iyá yumo, braka la leda
Hearing the call from the backyard, Cilo joins in quietly with the clave calling up the ghosts of African women who jumped ship, babes in arms, rather than obey the whip.
BEATRIZ
Mi Celia. Ochun needs your song. I do not know the words of healing.
Little Miriam accidentally kicks over a healing sopera. Everyone is startled from their revelry. Percival covers himself. Beatriz runs to pick up the broken pieces.
CELIA
Miriam, what you do? Goddamit. You kick over Ochun bowl? Gal, cyarry your little self upstairs quick quick!
Miriam
But Mama, what--
CELIA
What I say?
MIRIAM
Yes, Mother-Dear
CELIA
Gwon now.
Miriam exits with a brisk sadness. Celia breathes deeply hoping the air will bring on the song. She begins to sing and a deep tearful moan is all that comes out as tears threaten.
CELIA
I can’t sing. It’s caught in my throat. Ein no air. Just shame running down my face.
BEATRIZ
Pero Mi Celia, without the tears there is no rain… no sun…
CELIA
When we jump ship, we made the waves crash against the shore. We cried so many tears we was already water. (her tears disappear, like magic…She looks where Miriam was standing) We ownt need no more.
Celia lifts the lid of the Chinese urn, takes out a cigar, a lighter and Beatriz chants.
CELIA
Sing what you know, Beatriz! (To Percival) For this poultice to work, the spirits need to bless it. But you got to come clean to get clean.
PERCIVAL
Celia, perhaps, Beatriz need not–
CELIA
Percival Dionysius del Rios Albury: You been funny since your mama left you on my door step snotty and nappy, with them little bird legs. Your Ma couldn’t keep her baby-boy, but I could. And this here? and eery-body in it? Is your Home.
PERCIVAL
But Beatriz--
CELIA
What cant you say in front a her that she ownt already know?
BEATRIZ
I can hold all that you can bear, Percival.
CELIA
Gwan, now. I see you.
PERCIVAL
(Pause) I returned to my dressing room after the show and found a theatre patron reclining there imbibing my costly spirits. He said he was fond of a boy in a dress. (pause) He grabbed me and placed his filthy hands around my neck enjoying the choking he was giving me. Pressed up against me, I could feel him… I could feel him growing… growing hard in his pants. (A long pause)
BEATRIZ
I see you.
PERCIVAL
A thing….Some….thing deep welled up inside of me. Some thing hot and dirty, but forced and wrong. I pushed it down, but it grew wings. I pulled away from him and ran out of the stage door to the alley. Racing behind me, he reached for my manhood with a switchblade. He forced my face against the wall, lifted Princess Carlotta’s dress and tried to take her…. When I fought him, he opened up my chest with that blade. So I cut him down.
CELIA
He still breathing?
PERCIVAL
Unfortunately.
CELIA
All right. You ready to do time with the spirits? To atone for the life you broke? You have sumpthing to offer them?
PERCIVAL
I have my mother’s watch.
CELIA
She gave you that to count the minutes of your life. You can’t give it away.
PERCIVAL
Mi Celia, I have my mother’s Cuban songs.
CELIA
Sing it, then.
Percival hums a traditional Afro Cuban lullaby full of the lament and otherworldly beauty of the mountains where it was born. Celia begins to clean his wound.
PERCIVAL
Mama la negrita
se le salen los pies de la cunita
y la negra Merce
ya no sabe que hacer
Tu drume, negrita
que yo va compra nueva cunita
que va tener capitel
que va tener cascabel
Si tu drumes yo te traigo un mamey muy colorado
si tu drume yo te traigo un babalao
que da pao pao
CELIA
Doan stop singing ‘til I finish.
PERCIVAL
Gracious God, I cannot remember the words–
CELIA
Go still. Spirit’ll find the cup, fill it. Remember what you already know.
PERCIVAL
Tu drume negrita
que yo va compra nueva cunita
que va tener capitel
que va tener cascabel
Celia takes the blue and yellow powders in her hands, rubs them together and blows the life dust into Percival’s face. Percival closes his eyes and when he opens them, he is sees his mother in his mind’s eye. He never faces Celia who has given over to the essence of Percival’s mother. This is La Magica Diaria heightened. The tide crashes against the shore and recedes into a silent hum throughout the scene.
CELIA (as Percival’s mother)
Dime Mi Vida, como anda?
She takes the paste in her hands begins to cover his chest and neck.
PERCIVAL
Mama? Mama….
CELIA (AS PERCIVAL’S Mother)
Si, soy yo, hijo….
PERCIVAL
I hurt someone, Mama in the darkness…in the darkness about me. You have seen it, have you not? That is why you have left me here?
CELIA (as PERCIVAL’s Mother)
Ay mi Corazon, no eres el demonío, pero, te lo inhabita. Tuenes que enviarlo en el crossroad. Tienes que lucharlo con todo del Corazon, todo del espiritu y todo del mente….Voy accompañarte como el viénto al espalda y el sol brille en el frente. Estoy contigo hasta que los vientos del destino, te lleven lejos a danzar con las estrellas. [1]
When he feels her, he can breathe…he begins to shine.
PERCIVAL
(A deep ache’) Mama? Mama! Por favor. No me dejas. Te Pido. No me dejas en la noche…. Mama!
The light slowly returns to normal and his Mother is gone. Celia breathes deeply and returns to herself. Percival is empty.
CELIA
What happen?
La magic diaria stops abruptly. This is new.
PERCIVAL
(Surprised that she has no recollection at all) My mother sent me to the crossroads to meet my demons …. on the winds of destiny or some such madness. And then she left. My heart is full of questions, yet she leaves. Again.
BEATRIZ
She is here Percival. Listen for her on the wind.
PERCIVAL
I am not in the market for wind. I need reasons, whys, answers.
CELIA
How come I ownt remember? I usually know who they was and why they was here. But I done forgot my self….
BEATRIZ
You say, put the paste on every day so the wound will not sour. No te recuerdas, Mi Negra?
CELIA
I…I… ( Beat) Your mama come and tell you go to the crossroads? (he nods) Gwan on then!
PERCIVAL
How will I know when I am healed?
CELIA
When you feel the weight lift off your chest, the sun on your face and the winds at your back. (La Mágica Diaria whispers and stops unbeknownst to Celia, but we feel it)
As Celia rinses her hands with Florida water, Little Miriam watches behind the stairs unbeknownst to Celia. Celia exits to dining room
BEATRIZ
You want that I help you--
PERCIVAL
Beatriz, I want my solitude.
BEATRIZ
De verdad? When I am with you, I never want to be alone.
PERCIVAL
You are relentless.
BEATRIZ
Coma una brisa en las palmas: Sudden, but so very sweet .
He allows her to clean him up and tend to the dressing.
PERCIVAL
Is my Celia well?
BEATRIZ
She lost herself. She did not sing her song. That has never happened.
PERCIVAL
Why did my mother open that wound? What did her coming mean? I need to know why she returned only to abandon me again? I cannot navigate these waters without Celia…I need to understand…
BEATRIZ
When it is time for you to know, you will know. There is something you are supposed to learn, pero te continues a luchar.
PERCIVAL
I suppose then, I am just like you. I keep banging on the doors of empty houses.
BEATRIZ
No, mi amor, I never go anywhere where there is no love.
To Be Continued
[1] Oh, My Heart, you are not the demon, but the demon lives inside of you. You must draw him out, my son, at the crossroads. You have to fight him with all your heart, with all your spirit and with all your mind. I will be by your side like the wind at your back and the sun in your face and the winds of destiny will carry you far away to dance with the stars.
published 1/22/13