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.