A Musical (Ghetto Rhapsody)

(The work day is over and the night life begins. Lights focus on the stage.Camera... and action!)

A woman sings in a lone contralto voice(she holds a broom in her hand sweeping to the rhythm.She is the opening act.All the other characters stand still,the light focuses on her.)

Eyes tired, varicose veins but she still sings while she shakes her backside to the satirical calypso

A man who sits under the village shop joins her with the strumming of his guitar

And the tapping of his feet in staccato.He scats.

Some gals come on, line dancing as they lift their skirts

Exposing netted-stocking clad legs

To the American soldiers,working for the Yankee dollar.

They all pair off as they dance the mamba

They laugh girlishly as they enter the brothel

The unemployed young men all dance a jig to the violin and the bass box

As they clap and sing in baritone unison under the streetlight

(Together now, they throw their caps, gambling cards and dice in the air, laughing) 

The ventriloquist sends out his little puppets

Their faces painted white with the powder they are selling.

(The lights turn from a bright yellow hue to red and purple and smoke to create a ghastly effect.)

He laughs heartily as he pockets all the money

He too sings his boastful song to the jazzy piano tune

A woman sings the blues as she mourns her runaway husband and the hardship of bringing up five boys

(She is accompanied by the bass guitar,the piano,the snare drum and cymbals.A blue hue is shed on her.)

The older men sing as they turn old steel drums and tire rims into percussion instruments as they riot the streets.

(The dark shadows grow taller but they still sing and smile at the audience.)

They all back up to the painted card board slums(props)

That are only two-dimensional,they contain nothing on the other side

Only the streets hold life.

They dance in alternating circles(this is the closing act,the grand finale) as they sing in harmony, Looking up hopefully at the fake moon.

They all bow as the lights go out and the curtains close.

[Exeunt]