Belle Noire
In memory of our sixteenth summer. [An adaptation of Romeo and Juliet.]
CHARACTERS:
Alice Leightly as Juliet
Henry Leightly as Lord Capulet
Marissa Leightly as Lady Capulet
Justin Sandler as Tybalt
Ralph Wexton as Romeo
Martin Wexton as Lord Montague
Edna Wexton as Lady Montague
Joss Ritchell as Benvolio
Avery Kanswell as Mercutio
Miguel Hunter as Prince Escalus
Chronos Sakanet as Friar Lawrence
Tobi Darkson as Friar John
Catherine Smith as the Nurse
Christopher Handoff as Balthasar
Heath Florence as Paris
Skye Padler as Rosaline
Allison Saint-Cross as the Apothecary
PROLOGUE:
[Alice enters.]
ALICE: I come from a world of black and white—of darkness and light. I come to this world blind of emotion and blind to pain. For every step I take, I step upon an ancestor's bones—for my ascent to the silvery throne is a path ridden with secrets and forebodings.
[Alice freezes. Ralph enters.]
RALPH: I hold my soul with utmost priority; with even more pride. I will defend my heart and all which it trusts, until I reach the land of darkness, where trust is shattered and hope abandoned and even the most minuscule of doubt magnifies to breath-taking errors.
ALICE: But when I close my eyes...
RALPH: But when I close my eyes...
ALICE: I see a world of autumn blues—of ocean reds—of grass golds—
RALPH: I see a world of light, with no more fear and no more perfidy—
ALICE and RALPH: This is my wish.
[Alice and Ralph exit at separate ends of the stage.]
ACT 1
SCENE 1:
[Ralph and Joss enters.]
JOSS: (taps Ralph on the head) That was unnecessary. She didn't deserve that.
RALPH: Are you my friend or hers?
JOSS: Hey, calm down. I'm not saying she was right or anything, but to just up and call her a liar in front of everyone else, without giving her a chance to explain herself—that was uncalled for.
RALPH: I don't care.
JOSS: Yeah, you don't care. You've never cared about anything.
RALPH: Why do you care so much?
JOSS: Because people have been talking behind your back, calling you—
RALPH: Look, I don't care what they say.
JOSS: You may not care, but some people—
RALPH: (turns to face Joss and holds him by one shoulder) Is this about you? Is this because you don't want to be around me, because you're afraid of what others would say if they see you associated with me?
JOSS: Hey, I never said—
RALPH: You've never said a lot of things. Always been too afraid to say them.
[Ralph spins around and stalks off stage.]
JOSS: Jeez, what's your problem?
[Justin enters.]
JUSTIN: Are you talking to me, Ritchell?
JOSS: No, Sandler. Mind your own business.
JUSTIN: Don't talk me like that. Your bodyguard's not here with you now, is he? I'm looking for him—where'd he go?
JOSS: Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. Why do you want to find him anyway? All you're going to do is fight.
JUSTIN: Fight, yeah, I will. He insulted Skye and called her a liar. The Wextons are all a bunch of trash-talkers. I'm not going to let him get away that easily.
JOSS: You couldn't just talk to him maturely?
JUSTIN: (holds Joss by his collar) You want to fight? I know what you are—you're a coward, that's what you are.
[Other people come gathered around, chanting and taunting.]
CROWD: Fight! Fight! Fight!
[Miguel Hunter enters.]
MIGUEL: What is going on here? Boys!
[Justin lets go of Joss reluctantly.]
MIGUEL: You boys have caused enough trouble already, you two and that Wexton boy. I can't take it anymore. I will report this to the principal today, but if I catch any of you fighting again, I will have to arrest you. And mind you, that mark against you will stay with you forever.
JOSS and JUSTIN: Yes, Officer Hunter.
MIGUEL: Now run along, everyone!
[All exit except Joss.]
JOSS: Coward, me? Huh.
[Joss exits.]
SCENE 2:
[Avery and Joss enters.]
AVERY: (starts talking even before he walks on stage) So what did you say to Ralph? He walked past me looking like he's ready to kill someone.
JOSS: I just said that the whole Skye incident was wholly unnecessary. He overreacted.
AVERY: What really happened? I mean, I've heard a bit here and there, but—oh, look, here she is herself.
[Skye enters.]
AVERY: Hey, Skye!
SKYE: (waves) Hi Avery, hi Joss.
AVERY: What's up?
SKYE: Not much. I've been busy—oh, there's a party at Alice's house on Saturday night. Do you want to come? You can come too, if you want, Joss.
AVERY: You really think that's a good idea? We're not exactly the most loved boys at the Leightly household, Joss and I.
SKYE: It's a masquerade-themed party, so no one will notice who you are. Besides, Alice's parents won't be home that weekend. That's why the party's at her house.
AVERY: All right, we'll think about it.
JOSS: Yeah.
SKYE: Well, I hope to see you two there. Bye, Avery. Bye, Joss.
[Skye exits.]
AVERY: A party, huh. Well. The perfect time to bring Ralph along.
JOSS: Are you out of your mind, Avery? If the Leightlys ever find out, they'll probably come after the Wextons with guns in hand.
AVERY: Relax! We've got costumes, no one's going to recognize Ralph. And we need to get Ralph into the social scene somehow. How else is he ever going to stop being a jerk all the time?
JOSS: Just so you know, I think this is a stupid idea.
AVERY: Don't worry about it, Joss. If we're lucky, maybe we'll find Ralph a girlfriend as well. It'll do him well, soften him up.
[All exit.]
SCENE 3:
[Heath enters.]
HEATH: (a flower in hand, plucking off the petals) She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me, she loves—
[Alice enters.]
HEATH: Hi there, Alice.
ALICE: Hi.
HEATH: I—uh, really liked your performance yesterday. You played Juliet really well, like you were meant to play that role.
ALICE: Thanks.
HEATH: So, uh—
[Henry Leightly enters.]
HENRY: Heath, my boy! You're here courting my daughter again?
HEATH: Hi, Mr. Leightly. Alice and I were just talking about the play last night.
HENRY: Oh, yes, Romeo and Juliet. I reckon that was one of the most beautiful shows I'd ever seen, isn't that so, Alice?
ALICE: I suppose so.
HENRY: And Heath, how are your parents doing? Business still well, I hope?
HEATH: Yes, everything is fine. Dad's thinking of starting a new branch in Seattle next month, if everything goes well.
HENRY: That's splendid! And you, school coming along nicely?
HEATH: Soccer season is just starting, and I'm captain of the varsity team this year. We're hoping for a great season.
HENRY: That's my boy! (slaps Heath on the back) Well, I'll leave you kids to yourselves. Don't get too carried away.
[Henry chuckles and exits.]
HEATH: I—
ALICE: (at the same time) I—
HEATH: You first.
ALICE: Oh, I just—I'm tired, that's all.
HEATH: Oh. Well, would you like me to leave?
ALICE: I'm afraid I won't be much company. I'll see you this weekend.
HEATH: Okay, later.
[Alice exits.]
HEATH: (twirls flower again) She loves me, she loves me not, she loves me—oh, she—(plucks off last petal)—what am I doing? This is stupid.
[Heath throws the flower on the ground and exits.]
SCENE 4:
[Avery, Joss, and Ralph enter with costumes, with the latter two on opposite sides of Avery.]
RALPH: This is the most pointless thing I've ever done in my life.
JOSS: Oh, stop being so cynical. It's a party, you're supposed to have fun.
RALPH: I'm so sorry, my idea of fun is different from yours. What, the people talking behind my back are also making fun of that? Why do you even bother talking to me then?
AVERY: Ralph, Joss, calm down, both of you. Joss is right, we're supposed to have fun, and Ralph, there's not only one way to party. Maybe you'll find your fun here, but you'll never know if you don't try.
RALPH: The great Avery Kanswell is being philosophical now.
AVERY: I can be if I want to be.
RALPH: Where are we going anyway? You haven't told me yet.
AVERY: Oh, close enough. You'll see once we get there.
JOSS: If we ever get there, that is. You sure we're not lost, Avery? It's supposed to be a fifteen minute walk, and we must have been walking for at least thirty minutes.
AVERY: Don't you trust me?
RALPH: At the moment, no.
AVERY: Oh yeah, why don't you two team up on me, huh? The only thing you're agreeing on is disagreeing with me?
JOSS: I'd be a lot more willing to agree with you if we're where we're supposed to be.
RALPH: I'd never agree with you.
[Faint music starts up in the background, and getting louder with each step they take.]
AVERY: Okay, okay! We're almost there—no, we're here already!
RALPH: (looks around) This is the place? Isn't this—
AVERY: Who cares what it is, we're here. Put on your masks. It's a masquerade, after all.
RALPH: But this is—
AVERY: It is, it isn't, who cares?
[Avery pushes Ralph off stage. Joss exits.]
SCENE 5:
[Alice, Heath, Justin, Skye, and several others are already there, all in costume. Avery, Joss, and Ralph enter discreetly from the side. Avery and Joss try to drag Ralph to dance, but he refuses, and they go on without him. Alice is standing by the punch bowl, not doing anything. Ralph approaches her.]
RALPH: Got an extra cup?
ALICE: They're by the chips.
RALPH: Hn, thank you.
ALICE: I haven't seen you before.
RALPH: I wouldn't think so, unless you go to masquerades every other week.
ALICE: No, at any other party. I haven't seen you before.
RALPH: Maybe you missed me.
ALICE: No one else ever drinks before they at least dance a while. It's too early to be drinking.
RALPH: Maybe you missed me the times before because I was too early.
ALICE: No, I wouldn't have. I'm always here.
RALPH: Always? Why, you don't dance?
ALICE: I'd rather not.
RALPH: What are you doing at a party then?
ALICE: I—my friends are here. What are you doing here?
RALPH: Friends. Those who you think know you the best really know nothing of you at all.
ALICE: Do you think so? What do your friends think of you?
RALPH: (pause) A stuck-up, cold-hearted jerk, I'll bet.
ALICE: What do you think of yourself then?
RALPH: I—I don't know. (pause) I'd like to think I'm a fighter.
ALICE: A fighter? Against what?
RALPH: This world. Everyone in it. Sometimes even my friends.
ALICE: But you still see them as your friends.
RALPH: Yeah. I—there isn't anyone else who'd listen to me but them.
ALICE: That must count for something, doesn't it?
RALPH: What about your friends? Why aren't you dancing with them?
ALICE: They like parties. I don't.
RALPH: Why, too loud for you?
ALICE: No, it's just—too many people. I don't like it very much.
RALPH: But you wouldn't fight against your friends? Even if they wanted something you didn't?
ALICE: It doesn't matter anyway.
RALPH: They won't ever know if you don't tell them.
ALICE: No, no. I don't mind, really.
SKYE: (from the other side of the stage, shouting) Alice!
ALICE: Coming! (to Ralph) I'm sorry, I must leave now.
[Alice walks away to where Skye is, and Avery walks over to Ralph.]
AVERY: Hey, Ralph, having fun yet?
RALPH: As much as I'd expected.
[Justin, who was walking by, hears them and realizes that Ralph is here. He walks over to Skye's group as well.]
JUSTIN: (mutters to himself) Wexton, to have the guts! Oh, I'll get you one day, just you wait.
AVERY: Aw, come on. We saw you talking to a pretty girl that was just here. What's her name?
RALPH: Didn't ask.
AVERY: Really? Ralph, you've got to do better than that! You have to ask for her name and number. How else are you ever going to talk to her again?
RALPH: I don't plan to talk to her again anyway.
AVERY: You're such a bore. All right, let's get going then. Joss might've had too much to drink. He's been hitting on Melissa all night long. Besides, it's getting late, and I have an English paper I have to write for Monday.
[Ralph, Avery, and Joss exit.]
HEATH: Alice, want to dance with me?
ALICE: I'm sorry, my head hurts. I think I'll go to bed early. Make sure everything's in order for me, will you?
HEATH: Okay, Alice. I will. Hope you get better soon.
ALICE: Thanks.
[Alice exits. Heath and others linger for a while, then all exit.]
This is basically the end of the first act (if you recall from the original R&J, there were five scenes in the first act). I feel as if it's a bit too close to the original in structure, but some of the plot is really different, so I'm not sure if I need this kind of structure so that it can even pass as a retake on the classic.
Also, plot-wise, I'm thinking some people will die (obviously), some people will hook up (even more obvious), and there will be lots of hate and misunderstanding but lots of opportunities to make it all up (but whether anyone takes those chances, I'm not sure yet). So far, it's weird and mostly preliminary.
And... school events. NO MORE AP FINALS. Just finished my free-response for chem today, and so the APs are officially over. This year, anyway, and the projects are starting to roll in (Matt and I are going to conduct a survey and it's going to be amazing and we will have all sorts of fancy tests). But it's going to be just splendid.
I've also borrowed Gone with the Wind from our school's library, and I plan on reading that in my free-reading-period tomorrow during English. I've heard wonderful things about the book, so I can't wait. It's a sizable book though (rather on the heavy side) so I'll have to find some other time to finish it all (before June 4th comes along), but I should be able to manage. Hopefully.
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