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Weedpatch, Page 44 09/29/2017 ALL: O’er the mountains, through the forests, WEEDPATCH ‘Cross the desert’s sparkling sand, Our voices rising like a chorus, by Paul Phillips and Bill Harley Singing of our Promised Land. LIBRETTO There’s a better day a-comin’, Not tomorrow, but not too long, Dramatis Personae in approximate order of appearance And if you wanna get there faster, Stick together, sing this song. Kern County Citizens Committee [a 4- or 8-voice small ensemble]: Local anti-migrant politicians Well, we blew in on that dust storm, James Callahan: Full of dirt and wind and strife. Starry-eyed young teacher fresh out of U.C. Berkeley We did a thousand miles of trav’lin’, Leo Hart: Lookin’ for a better life. Superintendent of Kern County, CA public Schools They say Moses led his people Nora Borden: And he parted the stormy sea. Teacher at (and principal of?) the Weedpatch School at the But lately I been thinking, Arvin Federal Migrant Camp Those folks were just like you and me. Sarah Rondell: Student at the Weedpatch School and gifted singer You can say that you ain’t hirin’, Willy: You can turn your back on me, Sarah’s slightly goofy and impulsive suitor But you can’t stop me from a-thinkin’ Patty: ‘Bout the way things oughta be. Sarah’s cheerful best friend since early childhood We’re all lookin’ for a place Agnes Rondell: Where the milk and the honey fl ow, Sarah’s wise grandmother and Cal’s mother Where the souls with empty pockets Cal Rondell: Still have a place to go. Sarah’s father, sullen and bitter over the death of his wife Professor Ruth Crawford: There’s a better day a-comin’, James’s teacher and mentor from U.C. Berkeley Not tomorrow, but not too long, Gus Monroe: And if you wanna get there faster, Folk song singing, guitar-playing hero of the common man Stick together, sing this song. Pete Crawford: O’er the mountains, through the forests, Gus Monroe’s banjo-playing partner in pickin’ and ‘Cross the desert’s sparkling sand, Ruth Crawford’s son Our voices rising like a chorus, Singing of our Promised Land, And a vast number of Arvin Camp and Bakersfi eld denizens Singing of our Promised Land. CHORUSES Kern County Citizens Committee (a 4- or 8-voice SATB ensemble) END OF OPERA (Curtain) Weedpatch Chorus (SATB) Weedpatch Children’s Chorus (unchanged voices) Townspeople Chorus (SATB) Copyright © 2017 by Paul Phillips and Bill Harley All Rights Reserved 09/29/2017 Weedpatch, Page 43 WEEDPATCH Cal: Well, we’ll have to see... Sarah: I won’t leave you! by Paul Phillips and Bill Harley Cal: Yes, you will. Sarah: I can stay here. ACT ONE Cal: No, you can’t. Sarah: Yes, I can. Scene 1A: All the Way from Oklahoma Cal: No, you’re bound to go. I see that now. [Weedpatch Chorus, Selected Soloists] But I’ll still be here, waiting for you. [Scene begins with camp children and adults on stage. The children are playing Agnes: Sarah, darlin’, you’re bound to go. various games. Some are playing hopscotch, some are jumping rope, and some We’re all bound somewhere diff’rent from this. are playing hand-clapping games. The adults are on the fringes of the scene. Patty: Sarah, do what you have to do. Women are doing wash or hanging clothes. Men are talking, standing around a You’re bound to go. I’ll make you go. barrel. The adults join in later to sing with the children.] Patty/Agnes/Cal: Children’s This time won’t last. Chorus 1: All the way from Oklahoma, This time will pass. All the way from Sallisaw, Add Sarah: We’re all bound somewhere diff’rent from this. All the way from Amarillo, I’m/You’re bound to go, we’re all bound to go. All the way from Arkansas. Children’s [Begin optional cut.] Chorus 2: All the way from Oklahoma, Cal: O’er the mountains, through the forests, All the way from Sallisaw, Add All: Cross the desert’s sparkling sand, All the way from Amarillo, Our voices rising like a chorus, All the way from Arkansas. Singing of our Promised Land. [end optional cut] Zeke: Now we’re here in California. [Gus and Pete enter, carrying their instruments.] They say the streets are made o’ gold. Gus: Hope you all weren’t waiting on me. Ellie: But none of us ain’t ever seen it. Got hung up with the men in blue. All kids: It’s just a lie that we were told. They asked me for my papers, [The children in Chorus 2 are playing hand-clapping games.] So I sang a song or two. Ch Ch 2: Workin’ hard all day, day, day, WP Kids: Pete is here and so is Gus! For just a little pay, pay, pay. Won’t you sing a song for us? Ch Ch 1: But you’re out of luck, luck, luck, All: Gus is here and Pete is here! [alt: We’ve been waiting for so long.] You’ll hardly earn a buck, buck, buck. Please sing us a song! Gus/Pete: Sounds like you don’t need us, Camper 1: Your shoes are all worn out, out, out, But since you’re singin’ one of our songs, From walkin’ all about, bout, bout. The two of us will pick a little Camper 2: You can’t drive around, round, round, While you sing along. Because your truck broke down, down, down. [Gus and Pete tune and strum their instruments. They lead everyone on stage in All kids: Waah, waah, waah, waah, waah, waah, waah... a sing-along of “Our Promised Land”, and then invite the audience to join in.] Ch Ch 2: The baby starts to cry, cry, cry, So milk you now must buy, buy, buy. Ch Ch 1: You walk into the store, store, store, To buy a little more, more, more. Weedpatch, Page 42 09/29/2017 09/29/2017 Weedpatch, Page 3 Sarah/WP Chorus: Bright morning stars are rising, Bart: The owner starts to shout, shout, shout, Day is a-breakin’ in my soul. “Dumb Okie, you get out, out out!” Chorus: Day is a-breakin’ in my soul. Betty: The camp says pay your rent, rent, rent, And you ain’t got a cent, cent, cent. Sarah: Oh, where are our dear mothers? Oh, where are our dear mothers? [Sarah catches her breath.] All: And so you start to cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, cry, They are gone... [Sarah starts to falter.] Add women: Waah, waah, waah, waah, waah, waah, waah, waah... They are... Cal: They are gone to heaven a-shouting. Treble Chorus 1: Treble Chorus 2: [Agnes stands and joins Cal.] All the way from Oklahoma, Workin’ hard all day, day, day, Cal/Agnes: Day is a-breakin’ in my soul. All the way from Sallisaw, For just a little pay, pay, pay. All the way from Amarillo, But you’re out of luck, luck, luck, [One by one, individuals stand and sing proudly along with Cal, Agnes, and the All the way from Arkansas. You’ll hardly earn a buck, buck, buck. other. Even the CC and other townspeople join in the singing.] Add men: Add men: Sarah/Cal/Agnes/WP Chorus: Your shoes are worn out, out, out, All the way from Oklahoma, Bright morning stars are rising, From walkin’ all about, bout, bout. All the say from Sallisaw, Add Patty: Bright morning stars are rising, You can’t drive around, round, round, All the way from Amarillo, Add TP: Bright morning stars are rising, Because your truck broke down, All the way from Arkansas. Day is a-breakin’ in my soul. down, down. Sarah: [looking at Cal with love and gratitude] Everyone Else: Oh, where are our dear fathers? Ooo... All: Now we’re here in California. They say the streets are made o’ gold. Oh, where are our dear fathers? Ooo... But none of us ain’t ever seen it. But none of us ain’t ever seen it. They are down in the valley a-prayin’, Ooo... But none of us ain’t ever seen it. [‘Twould] be a vision to behold. All: Day is a-breakin’, Day is a-breakin’, [The Kern County Citizen’s Committee (KCCC) enters and observes what is Day is a-breakin’ in my soul. happening with great distaste. Camp adults continue with their work. Huddled together, the KCCC confers with each other.] [A moment of silence, and then thunderous applause breaks out. The camp people show their joy and jubilation. The townspeople gather and shake their Scene 1B: I Have Seen Enough hands. The CC corners Leo and whispers in his ear. Leo raises his hands in [Kern County Citizens Committee (SATB), Selected Children, James] jubilation. Professor Crawford pulls James aside.] Ruth: James, my friend, what a voice! Sop: I have seen enough. James: I know. I told you so! Alto: It is time for us to go. Ruth: You were right! S/A/T: I cannot conceive how people live this way. There’s room for her in the school of music Ten: What we’ve seen is rough, Whenever she wants to come. Bass: And we’ve seen the problem grow. James: You’ll have to convince her father. [nods in the direction of Cal] SATB: We must face the truth with courage, come what may. Ruth: Excuse me, sir, Mister Rondell.

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