No Entry Cast of Characters
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NO ENTRY CAST OF CHARACTERS Note: DP is abbreviation of Displaced Person. LENA Early 30s, DP Camp committee member EVA Early 40s, well bred German antiques dealer CESCIA Early 20s, DP, emotionally distant widow KARL Mid 20s, DP, upper class German Jew BRUNO . Mid 20s, DP and Black Marketeer BASIA Early 20s, DP, an affable soul TOLA Early 20s, DP, Basia's best friend, equally sanguine MYER Early 20s, DP and avowed Bundist ITZHAK Early 20s, DP and fervent Zionist ELZBIETA Mid 30s, DP, crippled and sardonic MOSZEK Late 20s - early 30s, DP Camp committee member, played by the actor playing Myer AVRAM Late 20s - early 30s, DP Camp committee member, played by the actor playing Itzhak YOZEF Late 20s - early 30s, DP, played by the actor playing Bruno INGRID Mid 30s, German Cabaret singer, played by the actor playing Elzbieta FRIEDA Early 20s, DP, a beautician-in-training played by the actor playing Tola MARIE 20s, German maid, played by the actor playing Basia REBBE 30s. Chassid with long beard, played by the actor playing Yozef PLACE In and around Camp Hamensberg, a camp for displaced Polish Jews that was formerly German military barracks. TIME 1947 to 1949 “No Entry” is a historically based fictional drama that takes place In a displaced persons camp in Germany after WWII. It focuses on a group of Polish Jewish refugees with nowhere to go trying to rebuild their lives, uncertain of what their futures hold. Lena, a camp committee official, whose hidden desires and tragic past are known to no one, are revealed when she meets Eva, an older German woman, with whom she begins a clandestine relationship. But their association becomes more and more jeopardous when anti-semitic feelings of both Germans and Americans begin to resurface Best friends Basia and Tola are starting fresh with new husbands and babies, both of them looking forward to a new life in Palestine. But for one of them, an unexpected discovery will forever alter her future. Beautiful Cesia, emotionally scarred from her experiences, keeps to herself and wants to live Germany as soon as possible. But when she finally opens her heart to a resident who swears he’ll protect her, he betrays her trust in him and leaves her with a frightening choice. ACT ONE SCENE ONE Early September, 1947. The middle of the afternoon. A converted Army barrack, one of many living quarters in the Bayerndorf Displaced Persons camp. BASIA runs in, her face flushed with excitement. BASIA Tola! Tola! She opens the door of the barracks. (Calling inside) Tola, are you there? There’s no answer. LENA enters, carrying a newspaper. Lena, have you seen Tola? LENA No. BASIA I have such wonderful news, and I wanted to tell her. LENA What is it? BASIA Myer asked me to marry him. Lena opens her arms and Basia rushes in for a hug. LENA I’m very happy for you, Lena. BASIA We went on a picnic by the river and he handed me a sandwich and told me he loved me and wanted to marry me. LENA That must have been some sandwich. 2. ELZBIETA comes out of the barracks. She walks with a noticeable limp, and sits on a nearby chair. ELZBIETA (to Basia) Your yelling woke me up from my nap! BASIA I’m sorry! Elzbieta lights a cigarette. LENA Basia is engaged. ELZBIETA So is half of the population of this place. Last week Rabbi Leszczynski married seventeen couples. BASIA After so much suffering and loss, can you blame them? ELZBIETA Even so, we won’t be here in this camp forever. When they get back to the outside world, they may regret it. BASIA I won’t regret it. I love Myer. LENA I know you do. TOLA enters, and spots Basia. TOLA Basia! She runs up to her. BASIA I have to tell you something. 3. TOLA Me, too! I’m getting married! BASIA What? TOLA Itzhak just asked me and I said yes. Tola hugs Basia, who’s stunned. Isn’t that wonderful? I’m so happy! BASIA Tola... Tola looks at her. Myer just proposed to me... TOLA No! BASIA I’m engaged, too! They hold hands and jump up and down, squealing with delight. Oh, Lena, Elzbieta, can you believe it? LENA It’s a happy coincidence. ELZBIETA Will wonders never cease. TOLA Let’s go tell everyone we know. BASIA Yes, let’s! Bye! TOLA See you later! They run off, hand in hand, as CESIA enters. Her mood is much more subdued. 4. ELZBIETA You just missed the big news, Cesia. Basia and Tola are engaged. CESIA That’s nice. I’m happy for them. Hello, Lena. LENA Hello. You look tired. CESIA I am. Very. I haven’t been sleeping well for days now. The new pills the doctor gave me aren’t working. LENA I’m sorry. CESIA Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I finally received a small shipment of nail polish in today. It goes so fast when I do, that I put some aside for you. If you could come for a manicure tomorrow morning? LENA That’s really thoughtful of you, Cesia. How’s ten o’clock? CESIA That would be fine. I’m going to go to my room now and see if I can get in a nap before dinner. Cesia walks into her barracks. When she’s out of earshot... ELZBIETA Now, there’s one who isn’t going to get married so fast. LENA No. Cesia has a long way to go before then. Elzbieta light up another cigarette. You smoke too much. ELZBIETA I know. But it tastes like freedom. 5. SCENE 2 That night. The camp dining hall. Cesia is eating dinner at a table with two DP RESIDENTS a few chairs down, talking to each other. KARL enters, carrying his food tray, looking for somewhere to sit. KARL (to Cesia) May I sit here? Cesia nods. Karl sits, and begins to eat. Cesia ignores him. Karl tries to make conversation. You know, this soup isn’t half bad. The food where I was you wouldn’t give to a pig. Not that I wasn’t grateful, mind you. But this is a definite improvement. Cesia continues to eat in silence. Karl extends his hand. My name’s Karl. I just moved here from the Finkenschlag camp. Cesia shakes his hand weakly. CESIA Cesia. KARL How long have you been here, Cesia? CESIA About nine months. KARL I hear they have several schools here, including a Yeshiva. And a vocational center. And two synagogues. CESIA Three. There are three synagogues. KARL Which one do you prefer? CESIA I don’t go to services. Not right now. 6. KARL Well, I’ve never been that big on services myself. My family was quite reform. I’m originally from Frankfurt. Where are you from, originally? CESIA A small town outside Warsaw. KARL I’ve never been. Cesia nods. CESIA Though it’s not my home anymore. KARL I understand. They eat in silence for a bit. Maybe you could take me around the camp after dinner. Show me where everything is. CESIA No, I can’t. I’m very tired and going to bed early. KARL Perhaps another time, then. They are joined by BRUNO, who takes a seat on the other side of Cesia. BRUNO How’s the soup tonight, Cesia? CESIA It’s okay. Bruno grabs a chunk of bread from the plate in front of them, and dips it in the soup. BRUNO Well, I’ve spent all day on the Moehlstrasse and I could eat a horse, but it wouldn’t be kosher. 7. He laughs at his own remark, then reaches out to shake Karl’s hand. I’m Bruno. KARL Karl! Nice to meet you. BRUNO Karl, huh? You a yekke? KARL I am. BRUNO How does it feel being around all these lowly Polish jews? KARL I don’t mind. BRUNO If you don’t mind then... (to Cesia) So Cesia - what’s the difference between a virgin and a yekke? CESIA What? BRUNO A yekke will always be a yekke. He laughs loudly to himself again. Cesia gets up to leave. CESIA Good-night. BRUNO Hey, you’ll give me that manicure soon like you promised. CESIA Whenever you like. KARL Nice to have met you, Cesia. 8. Cesia gives him a faint smile and leaves. Karl watches her go. BRUNO Listen, you ever need anything on the Black Market, you come see me. I know all the dealers, and I’ll make sure you won’t get ripped off. KARL Thank you. I might take you up on that. BRUNO Anytime you like. For a small referral fee, of course. KARL Of course. 9. SCENE 3 A few days later. Camp committee office. Lena is looking over a document at her desk. There are two other COMMITTEE MEMBERS at work as well. Lena has REBBE FRENKEL, a Chasid with a long beard, at her desk. LENA So I have news for you, Rebbe. We were finally able to locate your sister, Sonia. She’s in a sanitarium in the South of Italy recovering from tuberculosis. REBBE (gasps) Praise God! Praise God! He begins to weep. LENA (handing him the document) Here is where to write to her. REBBE (through tears) Yes, yes! It’s a miracle! My dear Sonia is alive! Lena pours him a glass of water. LENA Here, have some water! He takes a sip. Now, I’m sorry, but I have to go post this other list of survivors I have.