awake and sing script

8/9/2019 Awake and Sing Script

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THE

CHARACTERS

OF

THE

PLAY

,1ll

ol

the

characters

in

Awake

and

Sing

share

a

lundamental

,rttiuity:

a

strotggle

for

life

amidst

petty

conditions'

rq\'r,

BEr.cER,

as

slte

hersefi

states,

is

not

only

the mother

in

this

lt,trrte but

also

the

father.

Slte

is

constantly

arranging

and

tafr'

ut

ctlre

of

her

famity.

She

loaes

tife,

liftes-to

lauglz'

ltas

gleat-

,,':r,,rrrr\rhorrr'and'enjoys

liuing

from

day

to

day'

A

high

,1,',qree

of

enersy

accounts

for

hcr

quicft

exasperatia,n

at ineptl'

t,,it,,.

Sie

is

a-shreud

iudge

of realistic

qualities

in

peaple in

tltt

sense

of

being

able

to gauge

quicl1ly

their

effectiueness'

Itt

lter

eyes'atl

ol

ilae

people

in

the

house

are equal'She

is

n*Iae

,trt,t

quicfrin

emotional

response' She

is

afraid

ol

wtter

poa€rty"

,11,,'

is

pripu

according

to

her

own

standards'

whiclt

are

fairly

tlose

to

those

of

mosi

middle'class

families'

She

ftnows

that-

rt,ltcn

one

liues

in

the

iungle

one

tnust

looft

out

for

the

wild

Irl,'.

irrroN,

her

husband,

is

a

born

follower'

He

wouhl'

lifte

to

be

a-

lr,r,ler.

He

would

tifte

to

mafte

a

million

dollars'

He

is

not

sad

t,t

(:uer

depressed.

Lile

is

an

eaen

sweet

eaent

to him'

but

the

",,/,1

days'; t'r./ere

sil./eeter

yet. He

has

a

dignified

sense

of him'

,rt1.

Hi

tiftes

People-

He

ti\es

euerything'

But

he

is

heartbroften

rlithowt

being

aware

ol

it.

.rtNNui

is

a

giil

who

has

hatt

lew

friends,

male

or

female'

She is

l,rtrttrJ

of

irr bo,ty.

she

aon,t

asftlauors.

she

traaels

alone.

ske

:i,

Tutaliitic

about

being

trapped,

bwt

yitl

escape

if

possible'.Shc

t,

sclf-reliant

in

the

bist

sense-Till

the

day

she

dies

she

will

bc

1,,it/,[ut

to

a loued

man.

She

inherits

her

mother's

sense

of

Itttntor

and

energY.

rerlu

is

a

boy

tuith

a clean

spirit'

He

wants

to

ftnou'

wants

ta

JI

MYRON

BERGER

BESSIE BEE.GER

rAcoB

HENNIE BERGER

RALPH BERGER

SCFILOSSER

MOE

AXELROD

UNCLE

MORTY

.sAM

FEINSCHREIBER

Auafte'and

Siag

was

presenred

by

the

Group Theatre

at

Belasco

Thea.tre

on

the evening

of

February

r9th,

1935, with

following

members

of

the Group Theatre

Acring

Company

Played

by

ART SMITH

STELLA

ADLER

MORRIS

CARNOVSKY

PIIOEBE BRAND

rul,Es

GARFTELD

ROMAN

BOHNEN

LUTHER

ADLER

I.

E.

BROMBERG

SANFORD

MEISNER

The entire

acilon

takes

pLace

in an

apartnxcnt

in

the Bronr,

Neu

Yorft City

The

production

was directed

by

wtxoro

cLURMAN

The

setting

tuas

designed

by nows

AR.oNsoN

36


4/35

CLIIJTORD

ODETS

lesrn.

He

is

ardent, hc is

romantic, he

is

sensitiae.

He is

naiut

too, He

is

trying to

fnd

why so

m.uch

dirt

must be

cleared

aruay

bcfore it is

possible

to

"get

to

first

base."

,'^caa,

roo, is trying

to

find

a

rigltt

path

for

himse$

and the

othert,

EIe

is

aware

ol

iustice,

ol

dignity.

He

is

an

obseruer

of

thc

athers, conlpares

their actiaities uith

his real and

ideal

sentc

of life.

This

produces

a refectiue nature.

In this home

he

is

a

tonstant boarder.

He

is a

sentimental

idealist

tuith

no

potuer

,0

turn ideal

to

action.

With

physital

facts-sttch

as

howseuorft-he

putters.

But

as

a

barber he demonstrates t)e

flair

of

an artist.

He

is an old

lew

with

liuing

eycs

in

his tired

face.

{J}IctE MoRrv

is

a

successful

American business

man with

fiue

good

senses,

Something

sinister

cames out of

tlte

fact

that tht

iiues

ot' otlters

scldom tauch him

deeply. He holds

to

ltis

own

line o

ii|e.

When lte

is

generowt

lte

tuants others

to

be

atuarc

al

it. He

is

pleascd

by attention---a rich

relatiue

to

tlle

BErLGE\

'fwnily.

He is a shrerud

judge

of

tnaterial ualues.

LIe

will

dic

unmarried.

T-uo and twa

malg

four,

neuer

fiue

tuitlt him. He

cun blinft in

the sun

for'

lttsurs, a

lat

tomcat.

Ticftle

lrim, ltc

laughs.

He liues

in

a pentltouse

tuit/t

a

real

lapanese

butlu

t6

s€rae

him" He

sleeps with dress modcls"

bu,t not

from

ltis

own

shawrooms.

He

plays

cards

for

hours

on

end.

He

smol1es e"r.

pmsiue

cigar,s. He

sees

euery

Micftey

Mouse

cartoon th6l

qpPears.

He

is

ra

3z-degree

Masan.

He

is really deeply

intoLer.

ant

finally.

turou, AxELRoD lost

a leg

in

the

war.

He

seldirn

forgets

that

fact,

fie Jtas

llilled

tua

men in extra-martial actiuity.

He

is mnrdant,

bitter.

Life ltas tawgltt ltim a

disbelief

in

euerything,

but

he

will

ligltt

hi-o

sy6, tkrough. He

seldom

sl'tous his

feelings:

fights

against

Jtis

oun

sensitiuity.

He

has

been euerytuhere

and

seen

cuerything.

All rte uants rr r-rnNwrr. fIe

is

uery

proud.

Hc

s{'orns

the

inability

ol

orhers to mafte

tlteir

uay in

life, but ltc

li\es peaple

ior

tuhateuer

qood

qualities they possess.

His

pat-

I

;ionate outbursts

corte

lrom

a strong

but

containcd

emotional

I

I

,:'',"'r::::"tBER

wdnts

to

fnd

a

home'

He

is a

lonelv

man'

I

,r

loreigner

in

a strange

land,

hypersensitiu.e

about

this

fact'

f

I

,,,o,titior,l

by

the

lzurnitiation

ol

not mafung

his

way

alone"

ll

l I

I{e

has

a' sense

of

others

laughing

at him'

At

night

he

gets ll I

rrp

and sits

alone

in

the

darfr.

He

hears

acutely

all

the

small-

II

I

,,,,rorl,

of

life.He

might

lzaui

b"en

a

poet in

another

time

and

il I

l,l.,rrr.

Ii,

iplrronrha

his

wile

as

if he

aere

dlua'ys

offa'ing

llll

I

l,rr

a delica't)

f'otuer.

Life

is

a

high

chill

u'ind

weaaing

itsefi

l

'

I

,,,'ound his

head.

I

,

ur.ossER,

the

ianitor,

i'<

an

oaeruorfted

German

whose

cuife

rare

l

l

ltrudy

w;tlt

dnother

rnan

and

left

him

uith

a

young

daughter

.i I

,t,Jto

in turn

ran

auay

and

ioined

a

bwrlesque

shoa

as

chorut

ill

l

tirl.

The

man

sttffers

rheumatic

pains'

He

has

lost

his identity

lll

I

truenty years

belore-

]

il'

liil

ill

l

ti

ll

i

ir

lrl

1t

it

Ii

ili


5/35

'{'rdE

SCENE

E*pased

an

the

stdg€

atre

thc tiining

rctt.ttrt

anrl

adjoining

fronl

roorn

of

/,/ze snncnn

aparkne?tt.

7'hese

truo rooms

are

typically

fwrnis/ted"

Therc

is a curtain

betrueen

tltem.

A'small

rloor

ofl

tke

front

room

leat/s

lo

JAcoB's

room.

W/ten

ltis r\oar

is open

onc

sees

6.

picttffe

of

sncco

ant{ vr,yrznrrt

on

the uall

and

seu-

eyal

shelaes

af

boofts.

Stage

lcft

of

this

doar

prc'sents

tl.te en-

trat2ce

to tlfu

f

oyet

hall af

tlte apartment"

The

ttp,o

otlter

betJ-

rootns

ot'

tlte

apartment

are

ofl

this ltall,

but

not

necessarily

s/zarun.

Stage

left

of

the

dining

room

pres€nts

a suinging

doar

which

opcnt

on

the

ftitclten.

Awalg

and

sing,

ye that

dwell

ISAIAH-26:I9

I

.

lr

I

1r

li

ti1

:i

iiil

AWAKE,

AND SING

ACT ONE,

I

iirre:

X'he

present;

the

family

finishing

supper.

I'l;rce:

An

apartment

in

the

lJronx,

New

York

City.

,

r'rr:

V/hcrc's

aclv;rncement

clor'vn

the

place

I

Work

li1


6/35

AWAKE

AND

SING

+.

rEssrE: You

got dropsy

tonight.

ln(NNIE:

Cornpany's

coming'

nyRoN:

You

can

buy

a

ticket

for

fifty cents

and

win

fortunes' A

nlan

came

in the

store-it's

the

Irish

Sweepstakes'

ahssrn:

Whatl

ruyr{oN:

Like

a

rafle,

only

difierent.

A

man

came

in-

Bussrn:'Who

spends

fifty-cent

pieces

for Irish

rafresl They threw

out a

family

on

Dawson

Street

today.

All the

furniture

on

the

sidewalk.

A

fine

old

woman

with

gray

hair'

;lcon:

Come

eat,

RalPh.

*roor,

A butcher

on

Beck

Street

won

eighty

thousand

dollars

Erssrn:

Eighty

thousand

dollars

You'll

excuse

rny expression

you're

bughouse

*,i'oo*r

I

seen

it

in the

paper--on

one

ticket-765

Beck

Street

ntrssrE:

Impossible

*ryr{oN:

FIe

aia

.

.

'

yes

he

did. He

says

he'll

take

his

old

mother

to

Europe

.

an

Austrian-

IIITNNIE:Europe...

MyRoN:

Six

pir

cent

on

eighty

thousand-forty-eight

hundred

a

ycar.

nrssrc:

I'll

give

you

money.

Buy

a

ticket

in

Hennie's

name'

Say,

you

can'i

tell-lightning

never

struck

us

yet.

If they

win

on

lJeck

Street

we

could

win

on

Longwood

Avenue'

1N:c:n

(ironically):

lf. it

rained

pearls-who

wouid workl

Brssrr:

Another

county

heard

from.

(nnlPu

enters

and silently

scats

himself.)

l,tyRoN:

I

forgot,

Beauty-Sarn

Feinschreiber

sent

you a

pres

cnt.

Since

I

brought

him

for

supper

he

iust

can't stop

talking

:rbout

you.

lrnNNIE:

What's

that

"mockie"

bothering

aboutl

Who

needt

lriml

uYrroN:

He's

a

very

lonelY

boY'

triNNrE:

So

I'll

sit down

and

bust

out

crying

"'cause

he's

lonely"

at.ssrn

(opening

candy):

He'd

marry

you.

one

two tlrree'

nri.NNIE:

Too

bad

about

him.

At.silE

(nalaely

delighted)

:

Chocolate

peanuts'

42

CLTFFoRD

oDETs

BEssrE:

You

also

mean

something

when you

studied

on the

dru

Mr.

Smartie

RALrH:

I

don't

know.

. .

. Every

other

day

to sit

around

with

blues

and

mud

in your

mouth.

Myp.oN:

That's

how

it is-life

is like

that-a

cake-waik.

RAT.PH:

What's

it

get

youl

HENNTE:

A four-car

funerai.

RALPH:

What's it for

I

lAcoB:

What's

it forl

If

this

life

leads

to

a

revolution

it's a

go<

life. Otherwise

it's for

nothing.

BEssrE;

Never

mind,

Popl

Pass

me

the

salt.

RALIH:

It's

crazy-all

my life I

want

a

pair

of

black

and

whi

shoes

and

can't

get

them.

It's

crazy

BEssrE:

In

a

minute

I'll

get

up

from

the table.

I

can't

take

a

bite

my

mouth

no

more-

l{yRoN (restraining

}cr):

Now,

Momma,

just

don't

excite

self_

BEssrE:

I'm so

nervous

I

can't

hold

a

knife

in

my

hand.

MyRoN:

Is

that

a

way

to

talk, Ralphiel

Don't

Momma

hard

enough

all

dayl

(nrssru

allows

herself

to

be

reseatctl.)

BEssrE:

On

my

feet

twenty-four

hours?

MYRpN:

On

her

fssl-

u*nn

(iumps

up)

|

What

do

I

do-go

to

night-clubs

with

Gre

Garbol

Then when

I

come home

can't

iven

have

my ow

rooml

Sleep

on a

day-bed

in

the

front

room

(Chofted,

ie

to

front

room,)

FESSTE:

He's

starting

up

that

stuff again.

(Shouts

to

him):Wh

Ilennie

here

marries yorr'll

have

her

room-I

should

only

li

'

to

see

the

day.

, {ENNTE:

Me, too. (They

settle

doun

to

serious eating.)

rIuyRoN:

This

morning

the sink

was

full

of ants.

Where

they

co

'

from

I

just

don't

know.

I

thought

it

was

cofiee

grounds .

and

then

they

began

moving.

shs$rn: You

gave

the

dog

eatl

'TAcoB:

I gave

the dog

eat.

(HENNTE

drobs

q

knite

and

Oicfts

it

again.)


7/35

rrili

rrii

li,i

,il

rl'li

:

l

lll

I

I

44

cLTFFoRD

oDETs

I{ENNTE:

Loft's

week_end

special,

two

for

thirty_nine.

BEssiE

r

You

could

think

about

it.

It

wouldnl

h.r.,.

tl*nt:

(laughing):

To

quote

Moe

Axelrod,

..Don,t

make

Iaugh."

Bnssrn:

Never

mind

laughing.

It,s

time

you

already

had

in

|ff1^";::'':

thoushi,

A;i,r

;;;l,ii

a"".,

srow

you

whcn

I

rt,rs

youa

a,

gvrr

L

Eruw

J

sibilities-

Je

rt

was

already

a

big

family

with

HrNrviE.(lor.rgAing):

Maybe

that,s

what

ails

you,

Mom.

BEssrE:

Don't

you

feel

well?

I-IErvr\rE:

'Cause

Im

laughingl

I

feel

finb.

It,s just

funny_tJ

poor

guy.

sending

me presents

'cause

he

loves

me.

lrsslri:

I

think

it's

very,

very

nice.

rrr,:-X:r

Write

a

boo[

pop

Co-.

o",

.Jii;.';;

ffi;.

MynoN:

Y1.

riid

you

had

a

date

with

him

for

tonight.

BEssrE:

Axelrod

?

"lTy.?

I

*ll,ht*.no.,

but

he

don,t

believe

it.

I,ll

tell

him

n

for

the

next

hundrej

y.nrr,

,oo.

I,

I'IENNrE:

Sure,

.

.

swell

*ll]1,*^

lMarcus'.Rose

is

engaged

to

a

Brooklyn

boy,

a

tist.

He

came

in

his

car

todayl,{

[,r1.

dope

should

g;;

,";;

Y:^\l::: -ed

Tith

th"

,n*},;,*q

#;;

nod

1o"ou

,)

Borl

usxwrp

and

nu,pu

sit

silently

,i'ril-ii'i",-i':

":;;;.

enly

"he

rises.)

rrENuiE:

Tell

you

what,

JV{om.

I

saved

for

a

new

dress,

but

take

you_and

?op

to

the

Franklin.

br"t

"..a

a

dress.

Fr

"ou":l.IT

planning

ro

stay

in

nighrc.

Hold

"u"ryihingi

EssrE:

Whar's

rhe

mafter_a

i.alufn;t

you

suddenlyl

"Tilj:,

It's

a

good

bitl-Belle

Baf,er.

nf"yU.

she,ll

sing

,.

BEssrE:

'We

rras

going

to

a

movie.

HENlirE:

Fcrget

it.

Let's

go.

*:l:i,:'.-:

in

the.pape,s

Qs

ly

tic4s

his

teeth)

Sophie

Tuc

,",.:

::

:it

r:T:"^,y:

*,

pT"qr.

jearf ul

business'

with

Japan.

it

A\\'AKE

ANO

STNC

ltyr(oN:

Don't

break

appointments,

Beauty,

and

lcclings.

(rnssrn erizs.)

lriNNrE:

His

hands

got free

wheeling.

(She

exits.)

45

hurt

people's

llyRoN:

I

don't

know

.

.

.

people

ain't

the

same.

N-O-

The

rvhole

world's changing

right

under

our

eyes.

presto

No

nranners.

Like

the great Italian lover

in

the

movies.

What

rvas

his

namel

The

Sheik.

.

.

. No

one

remembersl

(Erir6

,ha(ng

ltis

hearl.)

aul,n (unmouing

at

the tab e):

Jake

.

.

.

J.lr:rx:

Nool

l,rr,pu: I can't

stand it.

larnu:

There's

an expression--('strong

as

iron

you

rnust

be.,'

t,rr.pn:

It's

a cock-eyed

world.

1rr:on:

Boys iike

you

coulcl

fix

it some

day.

Look

oll

the

world.

not

on

yourself

so

much. Every

country

rvith

starving

mi .

lions,

nol

In

Gerrnany and

Poland

a

Jew

couldn,t

walk

in

th*.

.

street.

Everybody

hates,

nobody

loves.

n,tt,r'H:

I

don't get

all

that.

1,rtxx:

For

years, I

watched you

grow

up.

Wait

you'll

gradu.

rrte

from

my

university.

(The

atlters

enter,

dressed.)

rrvrrow

(/rglring):

Good cigars

now

for

a nickel.

nrrssrn

(/o

lacon)

:

After

take Tootsie

on the

roof..

(To

neI,nu):

What'll

yorr

do?

t,rr.l'l.r

:

Don't

know.

nlssrn:

You'll

see

the

boys around

the

blockl

r^r,r,H:

I'll

stay

home every

night

ItYr(oN:

Momma

don't

mean

for

you-

Har.r,u:

I'm

flying

to Flollywood

by plane,

tlat,s

what I'm

doing

(Doorbell

riags. rrvnow ansuers

it.)

btr,ssrB:

I don't

like

my

boy

to be

seen

with

those

tramps

on

thv

(

o -ner,

r,ryr(oN

(ouitltout):

Schlosser's

here,

Momrna,

with

the

garbagc.

(lUt.

ririssrn:

Come

in

here,

Schlosser.

(Sotto

uoce)

Wair,

I'll

give

him

;r piece

of

my

mind.

(rrtvnav

ushers

za

scnr_ossen

who

carriet-


8/35

lTffi=€FE.€€eg-

46

CLIFFoRD

oDETs

a

gat'bage

cafl

in

each

hand.)

lVhat's

the

matter

the

dum

waiter's

broken

againl

$cHLossER:

Mr. Wimmer

sends

new

ropes

next

week.

I

got

4

sole flrm.

lEssrn:

He

should

live

so

long

your

Mr.

Wimmer. For

seven

years

already

he's

sending

new ropes.

No

dumbwaiter,

no

hot

water,

no

steam-

In

a respectable

house,

they

don't

al.

low such

conditions.

scnlossER

r In

a

decent

house

dogs are

not

running

to

make dirty

the

hallrvay.

Btsssrn: Tootsie's

making

dirtyl

Our

Tootsie's

making dirty

in

the hall?

$cHr-ossnR

(ro

1,rcon)

:

I

tell

you yesterday

again.

you

musr not

le:rve her_-

syslln

(indignantly):

Excuse

me

Please

don't

yell

on

an old

man. He's

got

more brains

in

his

finger than

ynu

got-I

don't

know

where.

Did

you

ever

see-he

should

talk

to

you

an

old

manl

lvfYtloN:

Awful"

BEssrE: From

now

on

we don't

walk

up

the

shirs

no

more.

you

keep

it

so

clean

we'll

fly

in

the vi'indows.

scHi,LssER:

I speak to

Mr. Wimmer.

BEssrE:

Speak

Speak. Tootsie

rvalks

behind

me

like

a

lady

any

tirne,

any place.

So

good-bye

.

. .

good-bye,

Mr.

Schlosser.

$cHi-ossuR:

I

tell

you

dot-I

verk verry

hard

here.

My

arms

is.

.

.

. (Exits

in

confusion.)

BEssrF;:

Tootsie

should

lay

all


9/35

{8

i

CLIFTORI,

ODETS

RALrrtr:

Out

I

go

I

don,t

mean

mavbe

/AcoB:

And

then

whati

--'-r"''

RALrH:

Life

begins.

,AcoB:

Whar

trifel

RALpH:

I-ife

wirh

mv

girl.

Boy,

I

could

sing

when

I

think

;t

HI

and

rne

,og ,h.r-.,'hrr.,I

**'iir.r

JAcoB:

Don'r

make

a

mistake

A

".;1.;l

ALpH:

What,s

the

idea?

JAcoB:

Me,

I'm

the

ideal

Once

I

had

in

my

heart

a

dream,

]^r"ll":

:.:me,marriage

,"a

,fr."1".,

iorr.r.

Chitdren

cor

nd

you

forget

becau

5qt'

\'nlloren

cor

RALrH:

Don't

worry,

Jake.

JACoB:

Bye-bye"

r'ron:

Who's

homel

tAcoB:

Rernerntrer,

a

wqman

insults

a

rnan,s

soul

like

no

oth

hing

in

the

whole

world

RaLpFr:

Why

get

so

excited

I

No

one--

JAcoB: Boychick,

wake

up

Be-somerhing

Make

your

life

son

;*f"_r:11

*.,.*,,,,:,?.f

;l-?ili;#

who

sees

in

yo

oung

days

his

new

lifs

for

such

i;;.^*t_

*'f.'J il

i:

1ff,*T,1*"i1,:*e-'r, ,ril"

i.y"C-'"*'""a

nght

,o

rl

-

shouldn't

be

printed.on

doilar

b1rs.

A-;;ffi|,?it

so

Ir

RALIH:

Say,

I'm

no

fooll

jAcor:

From

my

heart

I

hope

not.

In

the

r

rings.)

- -

""I'"

rrv('

rrr

(rle

meilntlme-___

(Bd

RALnH:

See

who

it

is,

will

you?

(Stands

off)

Dont.

want

Mor

o

catch

me

with

a

clean

shirt.

-"--"

"u')

vu't

w'Dt

tvto

'JX :

S:i :,.9:T:rl

(souo

u.oce)

Moe

Axelrocl

.

(won

enturs

rtoE:

Ftrelto

girts,

horv's

i,?",

y.n*f.Ji;;;;)Tl1fffi:

p.

What's

it,

the

weekly

visit

,o-rt.

J*iour"l

RaLpH:

Please

mind

your

business.

uor:

Okay,

sweetheart.

xlrr'nu

(tarting

a

hidtren

doilar

rrom

a

boon:

If

Mom

asks

wher

1ysn1-

'

-"'

q

"""\)'

JAcoB:

lknow.

Enjoy

yourself.

RALIH:

_Bye-bye.

(He

eiits.)

awaKE

ewp

srNc

;,rcoe:

Me.

Iron: Good.

I'll

stick

arouncl

a

few

minutes.

Where,s

Henniel

l,rcor:

She

went

with Bessie

and

Myron

to

a

show.

rror:

She

whatl

J,rcoe:

You

had

a datel

uon

(loiding ltis

feelings):

Here-I

brought

you

some

halavah.

1,rcor:

Halavahl

Thanks.

tr'll

eat a

piece

after.

vror:

So

Ralph's

got a

damel Hot

stuff-a

kid

can't

even play

a

card

game.

yncoa:

Mpe,

you're

a

no-good,

a

bum

of

the first

water.

To

your

dying day

you wou'[

charrge.

r'ron:

lVhere'd

you

get

that

stufi,

a no-good

?

y,rcor:

But

I like

you.

urn;

Didn't

I

go

fight

in France

for

democracy

I Didn,t

I

get

my

goddam

leg

shot

ofi in

that

war the

day

before

the

armis-

ticel Uncle

Sam

give

me

rhe Order

of the

purple

Heart,

clidn't

hel

Wtrar'd you

mean,

a

no-good?

;nccr:

Excuse

tne.

rvroE:

If

you

got

an

orange

I'll

eat an

orange.

;rrcon:

No

orange.

An

apple.

t'loe: No

oranges,

huh?-what

a dump

tAcoB:

Bessie

hears

you

once

talking

like

this

she'll

knock your

head

off.

lroE:

Hennie

went

with,

huhl

She

wantsa

see me

squirm,

only

I

don't

squirm

for

dames.

lacon:

You

came

to see

herl

uor:

What

forl

I

got

a

present

for

our

boy

friend,

Myron.

Hell

drop

dead

when

I tell

him

his gentle

horse

gallop.j

i.,

fift

eo

to

one.

He'll

die.

IAcoB:

It

really

won I

The

first time

I

remember.

uor:

Where'd

they

gol

fAcoB:

A vaudeville

by the Franklin.

lron:

What's

special

tonightl

;acon:

Someone

tells

a few

jokes

. .

. and

they

forget

the stred

is

fiiled

with

srarving

beggars.

uor:

What'll

they

do-start

a

warl

49


10/35

5o

CLIFFORD

ODETS

J^coB:

I

don't

know.

traos:-You

oughta

know.

What

the

hell

you

got

all

the

for

I

fAcoBr

It

needs

a new

world.

ui3:

Thi{s

why

they

had

the

big

war_to

make

a

new

t

rv

rrraAL

d

ucw

WOI

tney

sard-sate

for

democracy.

Sure

every

big

g"rr.rrl

l"yi

T.::

l

"ts

hotet

1i,

:

hatf

dozen

;;.;,

pinned

on

j

musrache.

Democracy

I

learned

"l;;;;.

-""

rru'Lu

u'

rr

;iecorl

An

imperial

war.

you

know

what

this

meansr l

Mon:

Sure,

I

know

everything

;acon:

By

money

men

the

irrt...rt,

must

be protected.

Wl

gar/€

you

such

a

rotten

haircutl

please

(fisiing

in

his

,

'pocrtet),

give

me

for

a

cenr

a

cigaretre.

I

didn,t

have

si

)esterday-

I

u.YL

.rr

}z.on

(giuing-onc):

Dont

make-me

laugh.

(l

cen,

passes

and

lorth

between

them,*ron

finalty

,iro*)og

it oaer

his

s

der.)

Don't

look

so

tired

all

it.

,irr,..

t;;;.

a

wow*alw

sore

about

something.

tAcoB:

And

you?

tAcoB

r

Who,s

got

ten

cents

I

ivror:

I

got

ten

cents.

I'll

lend

it

to

you.

JAcoB:

Commence.

'"on

(shafting

cards):

The

first

time

I

had

my

hands

on

a

in

two

days.

Lemme

shake

up

these

.*a"

f,ff

make

,em

(;acon

go,es

ta

his

room-;;;"";;p;;";;':

ilff:r.:r::,

JAcoB:

You

should

live

so

long.

t"ror:

Ever

see

oranges

growl

"I

krrorv

a

certain

place_

oummer

I

laid

under

a

tree

and

let

them

fali

right

in

mouth.

7t'can

(ofr,

the

music

is

ptaying,.

the

card

game

begins):.Frc

"L'Afrir:ana"

. .

.

a

big

"*p6r.,

.;;

;;

a

new

land_i

tuon:

You

gor

one

thing-you.

.an

play

pinochle.

I,ll

take

y,

over

in

a

game.

Then

you'll

t

"u.

,o*.,lring

to

be

sore

c

IAcoB:

Who'Il

wash

dishesl

(rrrou

taftcs

dJc\

yro*

i*]

drauer.)

\

"'\--

Mon:

Do

'em

a{ter.

'Ien

cents

a

deal.

awAKr,

eNo

srNc .,

Paradiso."

From

act

four

this piece.

Caruso

stands

on

ship

and

looks

on

a

Utopia.

you

hearl

,,Oh

paradise

Oh

rdise

on

earth

Oh blue

sky,

oh fragrant

air-,,

tnrr:r:

Ask

him

does

he

see

any

orangesl (ressrr,

MyRoN

5r

the

paf'

and

r.rENNrE

entcr.)

;lcon: You

came

back so soonl

Irissrn:

Ffennie

got

sick

on

the

way.

r{yRoN:

Hello,

Moe.

. .

.

(uon prrts

cards

bacftin

pocft:et.)

ntissrn:

Take.gf[

qhe

phonograph,

pop.

(To,i**i")

,'Lay

down

.

.

.

I'll

call

the

docror.

you

shouid

see

how

,he

got

,i.t

oii

Prospecr

Avenue.

Two

weeks

already

she

don't

flel

right.

MYRoN:Moe,..l

lrssrc:

Go

to

bed,

Hennie.

nriNNrE:

I'll

sit

here.

tri.ssrn:

Such

a

girl

I

never

saw

Now

you'll

be

stubbornl

ItyRoN:

It's

for

your

own

good,

Beauty.

Influenza_

ur,.NNrE:

I'll

sit

here.

nttssrn:

You

eyer

seen

a

girl

should

say

no to

cverything.

Shc

can't

stand

on

her

feet,

se-

rrriruNrr:_Don't

yell

in

my

ears.

I

hcar.

Nothing's

wrong.

I ate.

tuna

fish

for

lunch.

MYRoN:

Canned

goods.

. .

.

ntssm:

Last

week

you

alio

ate

tuna

fishl

illNNrE:

Yeah,

I'm

funny

for

tuna

fish.

Go

to the

show_have

a,

good

time.

,lr.ssrr',:

I

don't

understand

what

I

did

to

God

He

blessecl

ml

with

such

children.

From

the

whole

world_

yon

(coming

to aid

ol

Hruwm):

For

Chris'

sake,

don,r

kibitz

so.,

rnuch

Irrssrr:

You

don't

like

itl

tuni,

(aping):

No,

I

don't

like

it.

ettssru:

That's

too

bad,

Axelrod.-Maybe

it's

better

by

your

cigrr_

store

friends.

Here

we're

difiereni

people.

Iron:.Don'r

gimme

that

cigar

store

ling

Biessie.

I

walked

up

five

flights-*


11/35

AwAKE

AND

srNc

53

nrissrn:

Poppa,

did

you

take

Tootsie

on

the

roof

I

1n.,o",

Ali

,ight.

n,"oo*,

Just"look

at

that-a

cake

walk'

'We

can

make--

u,rrrru,

Ii,

enough

talk.

I

got

a

splitting

headache'

Hennie'

go'

in

bed.

I'll

call

Dr.

Cantor.

irrrNNIE:

I'11

sit

here

'

. .

and

don't call that

old

lgnatz'cause

I

wori't

see

him'

uyRoN:

If

you

get

sick

Momma

can't

nurse

you'

You

don't

wani

to

go

to-a

hosPital.

Jncon*:

She

don'i

look

sick,

Bessie,

it's

a fact'

nnssrn:

She's

got

fever.

I see

in

her

eyes,

so

he tells

me

no'

M7

ron,

call

dr.

C"ntot.

(rrtvnoN

picQs

up

phone' &azt

Hu'\rxrr'i

grabs

it

from

him.)

,',I**r",

I don't

want

any

doctor'

I

ain't

sick'

Leave

me

alone'

rlyRoN:

Beauty'

it's

for

your

own

sake'

nriNNIE:

Day'in

and

day

out

pestering:

Why

are

you

alwayr

right

and

no

one

else

can

saY

a

word?

russl:

When

you

have

your

own

children-

,',,**r",

I'm

rrot

sick

Hear

what

I say?

I'm not

sickl

Nothing'e

the

matter

with

me

I

don't

want

a

doctor'

(ressrc

is

uatch'

ing

her

tuith

slou

progressiae

understanding')

nrissrs:

'What's

the

matter?

lniNNrE:

Nothing,

I told

You

rr.ssrn:

You

told

me,

[g1-

(A

long

pause ol

examinat'iot"

f

ollouts.)

rrnNNIE: See

much?

trussrr:

Myron,

put

down

the

.

.

'

the.

' '

'

(H"

sloaily

pua'

the

phoie

doin.)

Tell

me

what

happened'

' ' '

lrnNNIE:

Brooklyn

Bridge

fell

down.

ltt.ssrE

(4pproaching):

I'm

asking

a

question.

'

'

'

MYRoN:

'What's

happened,

Mommal

ruissrs:

Listen

to me

rr,;NNIE: What

the

hell

are

you

talkingl

rrrissrt: Poppa-take

Tootsie

on

the

roof.

rn.:NNIE

(iotding

ye'cot

bacft):

If he wants

he

can

stay

herc

MYRoN:

What's

wrong'

Momma?

\2

CLIFFORD

ODETS

BEssrE: To

take

out Flennie.

But

my

daughter

ain't in

your

Axelrod.

uoE:

To

see

Myron.

MYRoN:

Did

he, did he,

Moel

r'.ron:

Did he

whatl

MYRoN:

"Sky Rocket"l

bsssrn:

You

bet

on

a

horse

vror:

Paid

twelve

and

a half

ro one.

MyRoN:

There

You

hear

that.

Mommal

Our

horse

came

You

see,

it

happens, and

twelve and

a half to

one.

Just

at that

Mor:

What

the hell, a

sure thing.

I

told

you.

BEssrE: If Moe said a

sure thing,

you

couldn't bet a few

instead

of fifty

cents

I

lncov

(lawgls)

: "Aie,

aie, aie."

trcn

(at his

tuallet):

I'm

carrying

six

hundred

"plunks"

in

denominations.

srssll;

A

lranker

uou'

:

IJncle

Sam

sends

me ninety a

month.

BEssrE:

So you

save

iti

uon: Run

it

up,

Run-it-up-Axelrod,

that's

me.

BEssrE:

The

police should

know

how.

won

(sltutting

her up):

All

right,

all

right-

Change

twen

sweetheart.

MYRoN: Can

you

make changel

BEssrE:

Don't

be

crazy,

uor: I'll meet

a guy

in

Goldman's restaurant.

I'11 meet

'im

come

back with change.

MyRoN

(figaring

on

paper): You

can

give

it

to

me tomorrow

the

store.

snsun

(acquisitiae):

He'lI

come back,

he'll

come

back

uon: Lucky I

bet some

bucks

myself..

(In

derisioz ro

HENNr

Let's

step

out

tomorrow

night,

Para-dise. (Thwmbs

his

at

her,

Iaughs

rnordantly

and exits.)

MyRoN:

Oh, that's big

percentage.

If I

picked

a

winner

ev

dny.

.

.


12/35

.

AWAKE

AND

SINC

lrssrE:

You'll

do

it,

my

fine

beautyr

you'll

do

itt

uENNIE:

I'm

not

mariying

a

poor

foreigner

like

him'

even

speak

an

English

word.

Not

me

I'll

go

to

my

55

Can't

grave

without

a husband'

rrssrs: You

don't

say

We'll

find

for

you

somewhere

a

million'

aire

with

a

pleasure

boat.

He's

going

to

night

school,

Sam'

For a

boy

only

thtee

years

in the

country

he

speaks

very

nice

In

three'y.uru

h.

prri

enough

in

the

bank,

a

good living'

1r'coo:

This

is

serious?

cEssrn:

What

then?

I'm

talking

for

my

health?

I{e'11

come

to'

morrow

night

for

supper.

By

Saturday

they're

engaged'

J,,,con:

Such

a

thing

you

can't

do.

tressrB:

Who

asked

Your

advicel

;ncon:

Such

a

thing-

rrr-ssrc: Never

mind

1,rcon:

The

lowest

from

the

low

trnssrn:

Don't

talk

I'm

warning

you

A

man

who

don't believc

in

God-with

crazY

idea$-

;ncon:

So

bad

I never

imagined

you

could

be'

lnrsrcr

Maybe

if you

didn;t

talk

so

much

it

wouldn't

happer'

like

this.

You

with

your

ideas-I'm

a

mother'

I

raise

a

fami\

they

should

have

resPect

;n"o"t

R.rp.ct?

(Spils.

Respect

For the

neighbors'

opinion

You

insult

me,

Bessie

trttssrt:

Go

in

your

room,

Papa'

Every

job

he ever

had

he

los:

because

he's

got

a

big

mouth'

He

opens

his mouth

and

the

whole

Bronx

could

fall

in.

Everybody

said

it.-

ltyRoN:

Momma,

they'll

hear

you

down

the

dumbwaiter'

nRssrE:

A

good

b".b.t

not

to

hold

a job

a

week' Maybe

you

neuer

helrd

charity

starts

at

home'

You

never

heard

it'

Pop?

-.,^coB:

All

you

know,

I heard,

and

morg.Yel'

B-ut

lllqll

ltY

clon'tmakelikeyou.Beforeyoudoit,I'lldiefirst'He'llfind

a

girl.

He'll

go

in

"

fresh

world

with

her'

This

is

a

house?

Marx

said

it-abolish

such

families'

Brtssrn:

Go

in

Your

room,

PaPa'

ynr;on:

Ralph

you

don't

make

like

you

54

CrrrrFoRD

oDETs

nussrn

(ler

aoice quiucring

slightly): Myron, your

fine Beautl

in trouble. Our society lady. .

.

.

IuyRoN:

Troublel

I

don't

under-is

it-P

BEssrB: Look

in

her face. (He loofts, understands

and

slouly si

in

a

chair, wtterly crushed.)

Who's the man?

,

lrENNrE:

The

Prince

of

Wales.

r

BEssIE:

My

gall

is busting in me. In

two seconds-

ITENNTE

(in

a

uiolent

owtburst): Shut up Shut up I'll

fump

the

window

in a

minutel Shut upl (Finally she gains

of herself, says

in

a low, hard uoicc):

You don't know

him.,

fAcoB:Bessie....

BEssIE:

He's

a

Bronx boyl

uENNIE:

From

out of town.

BEssrE:

What

do

you

meanl

HENNIB:

From out of town

BEssrE: A

long time

you

know

himl

You were sleeping by

girl

from

the

office

Saturday

nightsl

You

slept good,

n

lovely lady. You'll

go to him

. .

.

he'll

marry

you.

HENNTE:

That's

what

you

say.

BEs$rE:

That's

what

I say

He'Il do

it, take nry

word

he'll

do

i'

tr{ENNTE:

Where?

(7o

lacon):

Give her the

letter.

(;ncon

do

so')

i

Bnssrn:

Whatl

(Reds.) "Dear

sir:

In

reply

to

your request

the

r4th

inst.,

we

can state

that

no

Mr.

Ben Grossman

ever

been connected

with

our

organization

,

.

." You

don

know

where he

isl

yruuE:

No.

snsws.

(rualfus

bacft and

forth):

Stop crying

like

a

baby, My

MyRoN:

It's like

a

play

on

the

stage.

, .

.

BEssrE:

To a

mother

you

couldn't

say something

before. Il

old-fashioned-like your friends

I'm not smart-I

don't

choo suey and run around

Coney Island

with tramps. (S

walfts

reflectiuely

to bufret,

picfts

up

a

box of

candy,

puts

dotun,

says

lo

uvnoN)

: Tomorrow night

bring Sam Fei

ber

for

supper.

trENNrE:

I

won't

do

it.


13/35

56

CLTFFoRD

oDETs

BESSTE:

Go

lay

in

your

room

with

Caruso

and

the

books

togetherl

J.A.coB:

All

right

BESsIE:

Go

in

the

room

fo"ou,

Some

day

I'11

come

6u1

l'll__-

([Jnable

to

continue'

hc

turns,

loolp

at HENNIE,

goes

to

his

door and

there

says

uith

an

d.ttemp;

at

hwmor):

Bessie,

sorne

day.you'll

taik

to

me

s0

fresh

.

.

.

I'11

l.^.r.

the

house

for

good

(He

exits")

wssrc

(cryirt'g):

You

ever

in yo"'

lift

seen

itl

He

should

darel

H.

tho"iilust

dare

say

in

the

house

another

word'

Your

g^11

.o,rld

bust

from

.o.h

^

man'

(Belt

rlzgs'

uvnox

goes')

Go

to tl..P

now.

It won't

hurt'

HENNIE:

Ve"ttl

(won

enters,

a box

in

his

hand'

MYRoN

lollout

and

sits

datun')

r',ron

(/oo(s

ororid

first-putting

box

on

ta-ble):

Cake'

-(About

,,

gir,

*r'nt*

the

maney,

l'te

tunts

inrtead

lo

nnssm):

Six

fifty'

fori.

blt,

change

. .

.

come

on,

hand over

half a buck' (Sic

does

sa.

Of

r''rrnoN):

Who

bit

himl

BESsIE:

'We're

soon

losing

our

Hennie,

Moe'

rror:

Why

I

What's

the

matter

I

BESsIE:

She

made

her

engagement'

lron:

Zat

so

i

BEssIE:

Today

it

happened

. .

'

he

asked

her'

vron:

Did

hel

Who?

Who's

the

corPsel

BEssIE:

It's

a secret.

uon:

In the

bag,

huh?

HENNIE:Yeah....

BEssrE:

When

a

mother

gives

away

an

only

daughter

it's

no

ioke.

Wait,

when

you'll

get married

you'll know'

' '

'

*Lt

p*trrtr,;, Oottt

-"k.

*u

laugh-when

I

get

marriedl

what

I think

a

women

I

Take

'em

all,

cut

'ern in

little

pieces

like

a

herring

in

Greek

salad'

A

guy

in

France

hacl

the

right

idea_droppi

his rvife

in

a

bathtub

fulla

acid.

(I,vhistles.)

Sss,

down

ihe

pipe

PfIt-not

even

a

corset

button

left

r\{yRoN:

Corsets

don't

have

buttons'

rror

(lo

unr',rNIn)

:

What's

the-

great idea

?

Gone

brig

time'

Para'

AWAKE

,CNP

STNC

57

clise?

Christ,

it's

suicide

Sure'

kids

you'll

have'

gold

teeth'

rct

{at,

big

in

the

tangerines-

,,r'**,ut

Shut

Your

face

nrrx:'Who's

it-some

iope

pullin'

down

twenty

bucks

a

week?

Cn,

yorr

throat,

sweetheart'

Save

time'

',,.r*tt

X.u.r

mind

your

two

cents'

Axelrod'

^',r"t

f saY

what

I

think-that's

me

rrr,.NNIE:

That's

yo"*"-lott'y

fourflusher

who'd

steal

tk:

giasses

of{

a

blind

man'

*ror: Get

hot

uriNNIE:

My

God,

do

I

neecl

it-to

listen

to

this

rnutt

shoot

his

rnouth

offl

NTYRoN:

Please.

.

"

iron:

Now

wait

a

min'ltc'

sweetheart'

wait

a

minute'

I

doir't

have

to

take

t-h'-t

from

You'

,,r,sstE:

Don't

Yell

at

her

ril,NNIE:

For two

cents

I'd

spit

in

yotlr

eye'

-')\.

{\tllrotuing

cain

)"

"t'tq:

Here's

trvo

bits'

(rru'xNrE

loofrs

at

ltim

and

then

starts

ttcross

the

room')

r,r':sre,: Wherc

arc

YoLl

goirlg?

';,'il*

(crying),

dt;

;

b "t'ty

nap'

Mussoli'i'

Wake

lrle

up

';;;

ir;u'"p,'pi.

blosson'r

time

in

Normandy'

(Exits')

.rrrr,:

PrettYr

p."*y-"

',*"t-t-g^l'

your

Hennie'

Sec

the

look

in

l'er

eves

?

,'r,rrrrt

'Sh.

don't

feel

well'

'

'

'

\r\noN:

Canned

goods'

'

'

'

,,r'.ssln:

So

don't

start

with

her'

,,,,r.:,:

Like

a

battleship

;1-t;';

g*

it'

Not

like

other

dames-shove

'tm

and

they

lay'

l{ot

her'

i

go'

"

ven for

her

ancl

I

clon't

mean

,r

Chinee

coin'

,'r.rsts:.Listen,

Axelrod,

in

my

house

you

don't

talk

this

rvay'

Lither

heve

rcspect

or

gcl

out'

-r,,r,.:'When

I

think

J;"?l

" '

""ybt

I'd

marry

her

rnyseif'

,

-..'str.

(surldrnty

o'oou-

oi

rtor):

Youi

could-

What

do

you

'nean,

Moe?


14/35

SCENE

I

hne

year later,

a Sunday

afternoon'

The

.front.room'

Ttmin

is

giu'

;ng

n;s

rot

MoRDEcAI

(uNclr

rttonlr)

a

haircut'

fie'uspaptrs

,p'ruod

around

the

base

o'f the

chair'

woe'

is

reading

6

news'

iopn,

lrg

propped

on

a chair'

RALPH,

in

another

chair'

is

spas'

'rnoa;ral[,

,roding

a

paper'

uNcLE

\toRTv

reads

crtlored

io\es'

Silence,

then

sBsstu

enters'

ns,sstn:

Dinner's

in

haif

an

hour,

Morty'

r"ronrv

(sril/ reading

ioftes):

I

got time'

-

u*rrr"r

A

duck.

Don't

g.i

t

"i.

on

tht

rug,

Pop"

(Goes

ta

window

arnd

pulls down

shide.)

What's

the

matter

the

shade's

up to

the

ceiling?

1r,con

(putling

it

up again):

Since

when

do

the

darkt

(He

mitnics

her

tone')

rnssrs:

When

you're

finished,

pull it

down'

look

respectable.

Ralphie,

bring

up

two

Weiss.

R^LPH:

I'm

reading

the

PaPer.

sr.ssrn:

IJncle

Morty

likes

a

little seltzer'

n^LPH:

I'm

exPecting

a

Phone

call'

unrrr",

Noo,

if i, i*.t

you'Il

be back' What's

the

matter?

(Giaes

him noney

f'oi

op'on

'acket')

Take

down

the

old

lnttles.

r,,,r.r,rr

(lo

lecor)

: Get

thar

cali

if

it

comes.

Say

I'll

be

right

back.

(1acon

nods

assenl.)

r,)o""

1g;r;ng

change

from

aest):

Get

grandpa

some

ciga'

rctles.

rrAr.PH:

Okay.

(Exix.)

1ncc,r:

Whai's

new

in

the

PaPer,

Moci

59

ACT

TWO

I give

a

haircut

in

I like

my

house

to

bottles

seltzer

from

s8

cLIFFoRD oDETs

uor:

You

ain't

sunburnt-you

heard

me.

BEssrD:

Why

don't

you,

Moel An

old

friend of

the {amily li

you. It

would be

a

blessing

on all

of

us.

l*tor:

You

said

she's engaged.

BEssrE:

But

maybe

she

don't

know

her

own

mind.

Say,

it's-

uon:

I need

a rvife

like a

hole in the

head.

. . .

What's to

k

about women,

I

know. Even if I asked her. She

won't

do

A

gry with

one

leg-it

gives

her ttre

heebie-jeebies.

I

what

she's

looking

for.

An

arrow-coliar guy,

a

hero, but

a wad

of

jack.

Only the two don't go together. But I

got

it

takes

. .

.

plenty,

and

more

where

it

comes

from. .

(Breafr,s

off,

snorts

and ntbs

his

\nce'

A

pawse.

In

his

ILeoB

puts

on Caruso singing

the

lament

lrom

"The

P,

l-ish.ers.")

IESsIE:

It's right-she

wants a

millionaire

with a mansion

Riverside

Drive.

So

go

fight City

Hall.

Cakel

i..ror: Cake.

BEssIE:

I'il

make

tea.

But

one thing-she's

got a fine boy

with

business brain. Carusol

(Exits

into

the

front

room and

stanr

in

the

dar\,

at the

windou.)

;

rros:

No

wet

smack . .'.

a fine

girl. . . .

She'll

burn that gt

out

in

a

month.

(r'ton retrieues

the

quarter and

spins

it

t

the table.'1

MyRoN:

I remember

that

song .

.

.

beautiful.

Nora Bayes

it

at the old Proctor's

Twenty-third

Street-"When It's A

Blossom

Time

in

Normandy."

rnror: She

wantsa see me

crawl-my

head

on

a

plate

she

want

A

snowball

in

hell's

got a

better

chance.

(Owt

of

sheer

I

he

spins

the

quarter

in

his

fingers.)

MyRoN

(as lrk

eyes

slowly

fill

with

tears): Beautiful

.

.

.

,r

nror: Match you {or

a

quarter. Match

you for any goddam

thi

you

got. (Spins

tlre coin uiciowsly.)

What

the

hell

kind

house

is

this it

ain't got

an orange

Slow

Curtais


15/35

6a

cLrrrFoRD

oDETs

Lrt-rn:

Still

jumping

o1T.the

high

builclings

like

flies_the

big

shots

who lost

all

dreir

cocoanuts.

pfit

JAcoB:

Suicidesl

nron,:

Plenty

can'i

talie

it-good

in

the

break,

b't

can,t

take

the

whip

in

the

stretch.

M?RrI

(uithaut

loofting

up):

I

saw

ir

happen

Monday

in

my

building.

Vfy

hair

stood_

up

how

they

,huu"l.d

Li-

iog.,t.',

*like

a

pancake-a

bankrupt

m"rr.rf".tu."..

voE:

No

brains.

I\4oRry:

Enough

. .

.

ali

over

the

sidewalk.

Jacon:

If

someone

said

five-ten

years

ago

I

couldn,t

make

for

myself

a living,

I

wouldn't

believe

MoRry:

Duck

for

dinner?

BEssrE:

The

best

Long

Island

duck.

tr\.{oRry: I

iilie

goose.

BESsTE:

A

duck

is

just

like

a

goose,

only

better.

MoRry:Ilikeagoose.

BEssrE:

The

next

drne

you'll

be

for

Sunday

dinner

I,ll

make

a

fIoose.

r\{oRry

\t:i t

deeply):

Smells

good.

I'm

a

grear

boy

{cr

smells,

BEssrE:

Ain't

you

ashamed

I

Once

in

a

blue

moon

he

should

come

to

an

only

sister's

house.

Mor{Ty:

}3essie,

leave

rne

live.

BEssrE:

You

should

be

ashamed

MoRry:

Quack

quack

BEssrE:

No,

better

to

lay around

Mecca

Ternple

playing

cards

with

the

Masons.

MoRry

(with

goctd

nature):

Bessie,

don't

you

see

popt

giving

me a

haircut?

BEssrE:

You

don't

need

no

haircut.

Look,

trvo

hairs

he

tooli

o.ff.

MoRry:

Pop

likes

to

give

me a

haircur.

If

I

saicl

no

h..1;i

forger

for

a

year,

do

you,

pop?

An

old

man,s

like

that.

/AcoB:

I

still

do

an

A-r

job.

MoRry

(winrting):

Fop

cuts

hair

to

fit

the

{ace,

don,t

you,

popl

fAcoB:.F'95

sure,

Morty.

To

each

facc

a cliffcrent

haircut.

Cis-

tom

built,

no

ready

made.

A round

face

needs

special-.__

AwAKE

AND sINc

6r

nt.ss.l

(cutting

him skort):

A

graduate from

the

13.fu{.T.

(S'o-

rrg):

Don't forget

the

shztdr--

(Tlte

phone rings. S/te

beats

JAcoB

to

zr.)

Hellol

Who

is it, pleasel

. . . Who

is it please i

...

Miss

Flirschl

No,

he

ain't

here.

.No, I couldn't

say

when. (Flangs

up

skarply.)

r

\{

{ )B

: For Raiph

I

,",ssrE:

A wrong number.

(1,Lco,r

loolls at

lter and

goes bacQto

his

job.)

trt;on:

Excuse

rue

',rssrn

(lo

rronrv)

: Ralphie took

another cllt dorvn

the

placc

yesterday.

\rl)R'ry:

IJusiness

is

bad.

I

saw

his boss

Harry

Glici


16/35

6z

CLIFFORD

ODETS

ii'

il

uonry:

Tell

me

jokes.

Business

is

so

rotten

I

could

just

as

lay

all

day

in

the

Turkish

bath.

MyRoN:

Why'd

I

come

in

heref

(puzzled,

he

exits.)

MoRry

(ro

uon)

:

I

hear

the

bootleggers

still

do

business,

uor:

Wake

up

I

kissed

bootlegging

bye-bye

two

years

bac

MoRry:

For

a

factf

What

kind of

racket

is

it

now?

uor:-If

I told

you,

you'd

know

something.

(newNrn comes

frq

bedroom.)

HENNTE:

Where's

Saml

BEssrE:

Saml

In

the

kitchen.

HENNTE

(calls):

Sam.

Come

take

the

diaper.

MoRry:

How's

the

Mickey

Lousel

Ha,

ha,

ha.

. .

.

HENNTE:

Sleeping.

MoRry:

Ah,

that's

life

to

a baby.

He

sleeps*gets

it

in

the

-sleeps

some

more.

To raise

a family

nowadays

you

must

a damn

fool.

BEssrE:

Never

mind, never

mind, a

woman

who

don't raise

family-a

girl-should

jump

overboard.

What's

she

for?

_

(To

Mon-ro

change

the

subject):

your

leg

bothers

bad

i

uon:

It's

okay,

sweetheart.

xnssru

(zo

MgRrI)

:

It

hurts

him

every

time

it's

cold

out.

FIe's

g

four

legs

in

the

closet.

MoRry:

Four

wooden

legsl

uon:

Three.

MoRrY:

Whar's

the

big

idea?

uon:

Why

notl

Uncle

Sam gives

them

out

free.

MoRry:

Say,

maybe

if

Uncle

Sam

gave

out

less

legs

we

balance

the

budget.

JAcoB:

Or

not

have

a

war

so they

wouldn't

have

to give

legs.

MoRry:

Shame

on you,

Pop.

Everybody

knows

war

is

n

sary.

Mon:

Don't

make

me

laugh.

Ask

me-the

first

time

you

up

a

dead

one in

the

trench*then

you

learn

war

ain't

so

necessafy.

A,V\/AKE

AND.SING

6Z

MoRry:

Say,

you

should

kick.

The

rest

of

your

life

Uncle

Sam

pays

you ,rin.,y

a month.

Look,

not

d worry

il

fi:

world'

,no"i

Dorr',

make

me

laugh.

Uncle

Sam

can.take

his

seuenty

bucks

and--

(Finishes

tuith

a

gesture.)

Nothing

good

hurts'

(He

rubs

his

stutnP')

lrENNIx,:

IJse

a

crutch,

Axelrod. Give the

stump

a rest'

r"rou:

Mind

your

business,

Feinschreiber'

flrssrn:

It's

a

sensible

idea'

uon:

Who

asked

Youl

nrssrn:

Look,

he's

ashamed'

uon:

So's

your

Aunt

FannY.

nnsrrn

(nairrly):

Who's

got

an

Aunt

Fanny?

(Slc

cleans

a

r*b

ber

plant's leaaes

tuith

he.r

apron.)

MCRrY:

It's

a

ioke

lror:

I

don't

want

my

paper

creased

before

I read

it'

I want

i'

fresh.

Fifty

times

I

said

that.

nsssrn:

Don't get

so

excited

for

a

five-cent

Paper*our

star

boarder.

uon:

And

I don't

want

no

one

using

my razor

either'

Get

it

straight.

I'm

not

buying

ten

blades

a week

for

the Berger

family.

(Furious,

he limPs

out.)

nnssrr:

Maybe

I'm using

his

razor

too'

uF.NNIET

Proud

trnsstn:

You

need

luck

with

plants'

I didn't

clean

ofr

the leaves

in

a

month.

NloRry:

You

keep

the

house

like

a

pin and

I

like

your

cooking'

Any

time

Mytott

fires

you,

come

to

me,

Bessie'

I'ii let

the

l,uti.r

go

ani

you'Il

be

my

housekeeper'

I

don't

like

]aps

so

rnuch-sneaky.

ttr,-ssrn:

say,

you

can't

teli.

Maybe

any

day

I'm coming

to

stay.

(r

rrrvr'rrn

rrlis.)

;r'cou:

Finished.

Monry:

How

much,

Ed.

Pinaudl

(Disengages

self

ltom

chair')

;

n,:oe

: Five

cents'

n,,,u'r",

Still five

cents

for a

haircut

to

fit

the

facel


17/35

AwAKE

AND

SING

65

rloRry:

I'm

surprised,

Bessie'

For

the

love

of

Mike

tell

him

yev

of

nO.

nrissrn:

I

didn't

tell

himl

No

-r,,*"

t,

n.tlrH):

No

(nalll

goes

n a

window

and

loofrs

oz'lt.\

rrrisstn:

Morty,

I didn't

say

before-he

runs

around

steady

rvith

rr

girl.

uoRry:

Terribli.

Shouid

he

run

around

with

a

foxie-woxiel

trrissls:

A

girl

with

no

Parents'

u()RrY:

An

orPhanl

4

,ttrtt-,

f

.""f.i

di.

f'o*

shame'

A

year

already

he..runs

around

with

her.

H.

b,ot-rght

her

once

for

supper'

Believe

1ne'

she

didn't

come

again,

no

n,rrpt-t:

Don't

think

I

didn't

ask

her'

rrrissrn:

You

l-r."rl

Vott

'aise

them

and

what's

in

the

end

for

all

vour

trouble

I

,^;;'

il;;1o,,'ll

lay

in

a

grave'

no

more

trouble'

(Exits')

[lor{TY:

Quack

quack

r'lrr*,

igi.l

like

that

he

wants

to

marry'

A

skinny

consump'

tive-iooking

.

.

. six

to"th'

already

she's-not

working-tak-

ing

charity

from

an

^t"tt'

Yott

should

see

her'

In

a

year

she's

tlead

on

his

hands'

un,.n*nt

yo.t'a

cut

her

throat

if

you

could'.

'ussm:

That's

right

B;i;;t

she'i

ruin

a

nice

boy

s

tif:

.i

woll

first

go

to

prisln.

Miss

Nobody

should

step

in

the

prcture

ano

I'll

siand

bY

with

mY

mourh

:f

" '.

-

,

*n,.n",

ttlirt

Noboclyl

Who

am

Il

AI

iolsonl

susste:

Fix

Your

tie

t,rr,rn:

I'11

tnk.

."0.

of my

own

life'

u,.r;Ii,"'

Yo,,ll

take

care?

Excuse

my

expression,

you

can't

even

*tO.

your

nose

yet

He'll

take

care

^,,,,.ttt

(zo

u"rrrr;:

I'm

surprised'

Don't

worry

so

-il:h:,lt:T;

When

it's

time

to

settle

down

he

won't

marry

a

poor-

glrl'.w[l

vou?

In

the

long

tu"

to"'-on

sense*ls

thicker

than

love

i"t-,

a

great

boy

for

live

and

let

live'

NroRryr

Keep

it.

puy

yourself

a Packard..

Ha,.

ha,

',

Se,con

(tafting

laige

enuelope

from

pocftet):

Please,

you'll

ker

64

cLIFFoRD

oDETs

.,

fAcoB:

Prices

don't

change

by

me.

(Taftes

a dollar.)

I

car

change-

this for

me. Put

it away.

MoRrr:

What

is it?

JAcoB:

My

insurance

poiicy.

I don't

where

something

could

happen.

MoRrY:

What

could

happenl

f

AcoB:

Who

knows,

robbers,

fire

. . they

took

next door.

Fi

dollars

from O'Reilly.

MoRry:

Say, lucky

a

Berger

didn't

lose

it'

JAcoB:

Put

it downtown

in

the

safe.

Bessie

don't

have to k

MoRTY:

It's

made out

to

Bessiel

JAcoB:

No,

to

Ralph.

r{oRrY:

To

Ralphl

f

AcoB:

He

don't

know.

Some

day

he

'll get

three thousand.

MoRrY:

You

got good

years

ahead.

,AcoB:

Behind.

(ner.r'n

enters.)

RALPH:

Cigarettes:

Did

a

call

comel

f,q.coB:

A

few minutes.

She don't

let

me

answer

it.

RALPH:

Did Mom

say

I

was

coming

backl

JAcoB:

No.

(lronrv

is bac\

at

fletu

io/gs.)

RALrH:

She starting

that

stuff

againl

(russrE

enters.) A call

for mel

ntsut

(uaters

Pot

lraft,

milft

bottle):

A

wrong

number.

JAcoB:

Don't

say

a lie,

Bessie'

RALpH: Blanche

said

she'd

call

me

at

two-was

it

her?

BEssrE:

I said

a

wrong

number'

RAL?r{:

Please,

Mom,

if

it

was

her tell

me.

BEssrE:

You call

me

a

liar

next.

You got

no

shame-to start

scene

in

front

of

Uncle

Morty.

Once

in a

blue moon

RALrH:

What's

the

shamel

If

my

girl

cails

I wanna

know

it.

BESsIE:

You made

enough

mish

mosh

with

her

until

now'

like

it should

lay

arou


18/35

AWAKE

AND

SING

67

66

cLIFFoRD

oDETs

BEssrE:

Sure,

it's

easy

to

say.

In

the meantime

he

eats

out my

heart.

You

know

I'm

not strong.

A,roRly:

I

know

.

. .

a

pussy

cat

ha,

ha,

ha.

tsEssrE:

You

got

money and money talks.

But without

the

dollaf

who

sleeps

at

nightl

RALpr{: I

been

working

for

years, bringing

in

money

here-put.

ting

it

in

your

hand

like

a kid.

All

right, I can't get

my teeth

fixed.

Ail right, that a

new suit's like

trying to buy

the

Chryn.

ler Building.

You never

in

your

life

bought rne a

pair


19/35

A,I\/AKE

AND

SING

69

68

cLTFFoRD

oDDTs

MyRoN:

I get so

bitter

when I

take a

drink,

it

iust

surprises

mc,

r\,rcrRry:

Look

how fat. Say, you live once. .

.

Quack,

quack,

(Both

exit.

won

stands

silentl,y

in tlre

doorcuay.)

rnv (entering):

I'11

make

Leon's

bottle now

HENNTE:

No, let him

sleep,

Sam.

Take

away

the

diaper.

(IJc

docs. Exits.)

l,ilv

(aduancing into

tlte

room):

That

your husbandl

HENNTE: Don't

you

know I

rror: h{aybe he's

a

nurse

you

hired

for

the

kid-it

looks

it-

how

he tends

it. A

guy comes horvling to your

old

iady

every

time

you

lool< cock-eyed. Does

he

sleep with

youi

I{ENNTE:

Don't be so

wise

luon

(intlicating

news7aPer)

:

Here's

a

dame strangled

her

hubby

with wire. Clairned she

didn't like

him.

Why

don't you

brain

Sam

with an

axe some

night?

HENNTE:

Why

don't you lay an

egg, Axelrod?

uon:

I laid

a few

in my day,

Feinschreiber. Hard-boiled

onet

too.

HrNNlr:

Ycah

?

rror: Yeah.

You

wanna

know

what

I see

rvhen

I

look in

your

eyes

I

nnNxm: No.

rtcs:

Ted

Lewis playing the

clarinet-some

of

those

high

crazy

notes Christ, you

coutrda

had a guy with some guts instead

of a

cluck

stands around boilin' baby nipples.

HENNTE:

Meaning youi

l.rot: Meaning me, sweetheart.

rrENNrE:

Think

you're

pretty

goocl.

rtos:

Yor-r'cl

knor,v

if I

slept

with

vou

again.

HENNTE:

I'11

smack

your

lace in

:,r

minute.

uon: Yon do and I'll break your arm. (Holds

up

paper.)

Take

a look.

(Ilear/s):

"'Ien-day

lu,xur1,

cruise

to

Flavana."

-l'hat's

the stuff you cor-rlcla had.

Put u1r

at

ritzy

hritels, {renchie soap,

champagne. Norv you're

tied

down to

"SnaL"e-Eye"

herc,

What forl

What's

it

get youl

^

2

x

4

{1at

on

rcl}tlr

Street

.

a pain in the bustle

it gets

you.

,r.NNrE:

What's

it

to

You?

,,o,

I

krro*

you

from

the

old

days'

How

you

like

to spend

it

What

tr

mean

Lizarcl-skin

shoes'

perfume

behincl

th':

ears'

.

.

You're

in

a

mess,

Paradise

Paradise-that's

a

hot

one-

yah,

crazy

to

eat a

knish

at

your own

rvedding'

,,,,r*rut I

get

it-you're

jealous' You

can't

get

me'

,r,rr:

Don't

make

me

laugh'

,,.*"*tu,Kid

|ailbircl',

b"tit

trying

to

make

me

for

years'

You'd

giu.

yo*.

other

leg.

t"rr

ttoot"al

lvlaybe'

but

you're

in

the

"une'boat.

Oniy

it s

worse

for

you'

I don't

give

a

damn

no

rnore,

hut

You

gotta

Yen

makes

You-

r,n: I)on't

make

me

laugli'

',r**,

Compared

,o

yotil'-

sittin'-

on

top

of

the

world'

,,,n:

You're

loring

you'

looks'

A

dame

don't

stay

young

for-

('Vef

.

,niNNrE:

You're

a

liar.

I'm

only

twenty-fiour'

,,,8: 'When

You

comin' home

to

staY?

,rlNNIE: Wouldn't

you

like to

know?

,,,t: I'11

get

You

again'

rnlNNrE:

Think

so?

'r,r.;;

$s1s,

whatever

goes

uP

comes

down'

You're

easy-you

,.rrr..rrb.r_two

{or

a"nickei-a

pushover

(swddenly

she slaps

ltim. They

both

seem

stunned')

What's

the

ideal

rr.NNlE: Go

on

.

.

.

break

mY

arm'

t,,r,.

(as

il saying

"I

loue

you".):

Listen'

lousy'

,,,.r*ru,

Go

on,

do

something

.

r,

,r,:

Listen-

iu,.NNIE:

You're

so

damn

tough

,r,,t,:

You

like

me.

(He

talPs

her')

',

-*,"t

i"f.e

your

h*ttl

ufil

(Pusies

him

away')

Come

around

rvhen

it's

a floocl

again

ancl

il-"y

ptl'

you

in

the ark

with

the

.rnimals.

Not

even"then-if

you

was

the

last

man

,r.t,;

]J1ly,

if

you

hacl

a

dog

I'd

love.

the

dog'

, i.r'.rNlE

:

Gorilla

(Erits'

R^LP:,:'

etiters')

,

\r

lrl: Were

You

here

before

?

'

,,,r,

(sits) : Whatl


20/35

RALpH:

I don't

know.

I

took

her

home

from the

movie

night.

She

asked

me

what

I,d think

if

she

went

away.

tAcoB:

Don't

worry,

she'll

call

again.

.

RALrH:

Maybe

not, if

Mom

insulted

her.

She

gets

it

on

ends,

the poor

kid.

Lived

in

an

orphan

aryltin

most

of

life.

they

shove

her around

like

an

.*piy'freight

uain.

JAcoB:

After

dinner

go see

her.

RALIH:

Twice

they

kicked

me

down

the

stairs.

JAcoB:

Life should

have

some

dignity.

RALpHi

Every

time

I

go

near

the

place

I

get

heart failure.

70

CLTFFoRD

oDETs

:

RAL?H:

When

the

call

came

for

me

I

''

von:

Whatl

RALIH:

The

call

came.

(yacon

cnters.)

von

(rubbing

iis

/eg):

No.

JAcoB:

Don't

worry,

Ralphie, she'll call

back.

RAL?H:

Maybe

not.

I

think

somerhin's

the

matter.

facoB:

Whatl

ii

i

l

uncle

drives

a

bus.

You

oughta

see

him-like

Babe

uon:

Use

your

brains.

Stop

acting

like

a

kid

who

still

wets

bed.

Hire

a room

somewhere-a

club

room

fo,

t*o

*ernl

RALIH:

Not

that

kind

of

proposition,

Moe.

Mon:

I)on'r

be

a

bush

leaguer

all

your

life.

RALpH:

Cut

it

outt

:.aon

(on a

sudden

upsurge

of

cmotion):

Ever

sleep

with

o

Look

at

'im

blush.

nALPH:

You

don't

know

her.

von:

I seen

her-the

kind

no

one

sees

undressed

till

the

taker

works

on

her.

RALrH:

Why give

me

rhe

needles

all

the

timel

What'd

I

. do

to you?

von:

Not a

thing.

You're

a

nice

kid.

But grow

awake and sing script

Documents