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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Women in the Age of Trump: THE TOWER

THE TOWER by Diana Burbano is a semi-finalist for NYCPlaywrights project "Women in the Age of Trump."

DIANA BURBANO is a Colombian immigrant, an actor, and a playwright. Works: Fabulous Monsters, a Festival51 winner, Picture Me Rollin’, Silueta, with Tom and Chris Shelton. Libertadoras, Policarpa and Linda for the 365 Women a Year project. Caliban’s Island is published by YouthPLAYS. dianaburbano.com
http://www.breathoffire.org/2015-10-week-summer-playwrighting-series/current-workshops/

Thanks to Diana Burbano for allowing NYCPlaywrights to publish this excerpt from her play THE TOWER.

   LANI
     (This is a big thing:)

Um... I thought it was amazing when you wore the pussy bow blouse on TV. That was-- I mean-- That was genius.

   MRS

   (Looks blank and impassive.)

Mmmm. (A pause.) I was born in a communist country, you know? I lived in a hell made of cinder blocks as a child. This..

   (She gestures)

This was a dream.

   LANI

Oh, for me too! I never dreamed I would ever work in a place like this. I was raised in...

   MRS

Hillary and Bill came to my wedding.

   LANI

Oh.

   MRS

I love it here. Surrounded by gold, protected.

   LANI

   (Blurts out)

Like Rapunzel. or Rasputin!

   MRS

I’m a happy bird.

   LANI

Ok. I should go Mrs...

   MRS

You American women think you are so, how you say, "enlightened." Up by your bootstraps, that silly phrase, what is it supposed to mean?

   LANI

To pull yourself out of...

   MRS

Yes, yes, but literally, where does it come from?

   LANI

I... I’m not sure. I could Google it.

   MRS

Don’t bother. Do you like being a tutor?

   LANI

It’s a good job.

   MRS

So you don’t like it.

   LANI

I’m doing it to put myself through college.

   MRS

Why?

   LANI

Why-- what?

   MRS

Never mind, Lani, my stylist picked that blouse. We had her fired.

   LANI

Oh.

   MRS

Please go now.

   LANI

Yes, Ma’am. (Turns to go.) Ma’am. My family came to this country as immigrants too. From Mexico. I was born there.

   MRS

You look white.

   LANI

My dad and mom love this country.

   MRS

Mmmm.

   LANI

You’re in a position to do so much...

   MRS

Being made fun of by liberal comedians? They mock the way I speak. My accent. I thought that wasn’t politically correct.

   LANI

That’s, that’s awful, truly.

   MRS

I want to be left in peace. Why would I want to serve America? This open, uncensored "culture" You all think you can say anything to anybody. It’s shameful.

   LANI

You’re an American.

   MRS

Yes, well... Not everything was bad about communism.

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