1 They Came to the Castle: Immigrants, a Tenor and Lola Montez By Barbara Kahn © 2019 Place: (Act One) In and around Castle Garden Landing Depot, New York City: an office on Canal Street, a room in a rooming house, a park bench. (Act Two) Castle Garden as entertainment venue. Time: 1850-1855. Cast of characters: Act One New York residents: Rose. African American. Freeborn. Employed by the city to assist newly arrived immigrants. Romina “Mina” Castello. Italian American. Came to the US as a child. Lives on the Lower East Side. Arrivals from Europe: Jimmy Rogan. Newly-arrived Irish immigrant. Aldo. Italian worker on transatlantic ship. Clara. Newly arrived Russian immigrant. Lily. Newly arrived Polish immigrant. *Lola Montez. Dancer/actress notorious in Europe. *Lorenzo Salvi. Italian opera star, arriving for a U.S. tour. *Real life characters Act Two Lorenzo Salvi. Lola Montez. **American Musical Fund Society singer. **N. Holman. singer **Announcer **Two actresses. **Played by actors doubling from Act One. There are suggested simultaneous sets. UL and UR are platforms. In front of the platforms is the exit from the Landing Depot, the entry point for arrivals to the Port of New York. A sign reads “Castle Garden Emigrant Landing Depot” at the top and “State of New York” underneath. On L is a table and chair, the checkout place for arrivals. On R is a small bench. DL is a park bench in the park area. Act One: The Arrival (Prologue) When houselights go down, there is the sound of ship’s horn, followed by the sound of a smaller boat’s horn. Lights come up on a tableau of all the characters. The immigrants are posed with their various belongings—valise, suitcase, duffel bag, trunk, etc. Rose sits at the table. Mina sits on the park bench DL. Lights go down. All immigrants exit.
2 Act One: Scene One Lights come up. Aldo whistles “Yankee Doodle Dandy” as he enters. He goes to Rose’s table and hands her his papers. She stamps and returns them during the following. Aldo Buon Giorno, Signorina Rose. Rose Welcome back, Aldo. Rose How long is your stay in New York this trip? Aldo It is never long enough. One day I will stay, if I am fortunate. I will be a real Yankee Doodle Boy. Aldo crosses to other side. Clara enters and goes to Rose. Lily enters and waits in line. Rose Welcome to America. May I see your papers, please? Clara hands her papers. Rose stamps and returns them. Aldo has noticed Clara and starts to go to her as Clara exits quickly L. He attempts to follow, but bumps into Lily, making her drop her papers. Aldo Scusa, Signora. Lily You should look where you go. Aldo I am sorry. Aldo picks up Lily’s papers, hands them to her and rushes off. Lily goes to Rose. Rose Welcome to America. Lily Thank you. Rose I hope you had a pleasant trip. Lily The voyage was like hell, pardon me for saying. Too many passengers squeezed together. No place to go, not enough air or food or water. Rose I’m sorry. Do you need medical attention?
3 Lily Not for me, but the very young and very old, the sick and dying--they were our traveling companions. Rose It can be a difficult journey. Lily As if we were not already abandoned by God, the storms attacked our boat. Rose Oh, dear. Lily The boat was hurt and we went back to port. I was not dead, so I got to leave again for America. Rose Well, I’m glad you were able to complete your journey. Lily It took 106 days. I counted every one. Rose That sounds like a record. Lily They should keep their record, give us peace instead. Rose I wish you a better life here. Lily Thank you. Rose stamps and returns her papers. As Lily exits L. Aldo enters, nearly running into her again. He bows quickly and goes to Rose. Aldo Miss Rose, the young lady__ Rose What young lady? Aldo She was here. I must know. Rose That woman who was just here? Aldo No, no, the young one. Tell me, please, where she goes.
4 Rose I can’t do that, Aldo. Salvi steps forward, looks around, waiting to be noticed. Salvi (announces broadly) Sono Lorenzo Salvi, il tuo servo, your servant. (no one acknowledges him). Amo l’America! Amo l’opera! Amo l’opera italiana! Rose Please, Aldo, step aside for now. Aldo Excuse me, Miss Rose. Aldo, disappointed, steps aside as Salvi goes to Rose, hands her his papers. Aldo stands by, very anxious and impatient. Rose (reads his papers) Benvenuto, Signor Salvi. Dov'è tua moglie? Salvi Grazie for asking. My wife is in Italy. She is very famous in Europe. Perhaps you have heard of her, Adelina Spech-Salvi. I have abandoned my wife who I love, to perform again in America, which I also love. Rose Good luck with your performances. Salvi Grazie, signorina. I am here this time at the bidding of the impresario Max Maretzek. Perhaps you know of him. “The Napoleon of opera” he is called___ Lola enters, calling out and interrupting Salvi. Lola ____ (calling out) Is there a gentleman here? All eyes turn to her. Lola (cont.) Surely there must be one gentleman. Aldo goes to her. Salvi annoyed, stays in place. Lola indicates the trunk behind her and then gets in line to speak to Rose. Aldo retrieves her trunk and brings it to where Lola has moved to the line behind Salvi. Lola Thank you, lad. You are a gentleman. Aldo tips his cap and returns to his spot. Rose stamps Salvi’s papers, hand them back.
5 Rose Buona fortuna, Signor Salvi. Salvi Grazie, Signorina. Salvi sits on the bench. Aldo attempts to go to Rose, but Lola steps up to Rose’s table. Rose indicates that Aldo should step aside. Rose Welcome to America. Lola Thank you. Rose I need to see your entry papers. Lola Of course. (hands her papers to Rose) Rose I see that your journey began in__ Lola Bavaria, where I was friend to the poor unfortunate king. Rose (puzzled) You have several names here__ Lola People pretend to know my life. They say I was born in twenty-five different cities, in five different countries, the daughter of a gypsy, an Italian prince, a washerwoman in Turkey. In truth, I was born in Ireland to the Gilbert family and descended also from the Montalvos of Spain. I have come to America to find peace. Rose I see. (makes notes on the papers and signs them). It says here that you are here__ Lola __to perform, of course. Rose Good luck with your performance. (stamps and hands her papers back to Lola) Lola (calling out) Where is my hero, my gentleman? Aldo realizes she means him. He goes to her, picks up her trunk and follows her out. Rose looks around to be certain no one else is waiting, checks her watch, then gathers her paperwork and exits. Aldo returns, sees Rose has departed.
6 Salvi (calling out to Aldo) She is gone. There was no else waiting. Aldo (despondent) I wished to speak with her again. Salvi You are a paisan. (indicates Aldo should sit with him) Aldo (sitting) In America, I speak English, except sometimes I don’t know a word. I try my best. Salvi Then we will speak English. While I wait for my valet, tell me where you are from. Your family. Aldo I once had a mother and father, everyone does, but I don’t remember them, only the mines. Salvi I do not understand. Aldo In Sicily, in Campfranco, I worked in the sulphur mines with the other children. Salvi The children? Mio dio! (sympathizing) You must tell me everything, and we will be amici, friends. Aldo I was afraid I would die never knowing what life is, without seeing the sun. Salvi I am happy that was not to be. The sun shines for you now. Aldo I ran away many times. But there was no escape, only beatings when I tried -- always after the day’s work, so they wouldn’t lose my labor for the day. Salvi So cruel. To beat the bambinos… How is it you are here? (listens intently to Aldo’s story) Aldo (caught up in the memory) The last beating, they left me in the mine all night, the other boys not permitted to give me food or water. All night I prayed for the freedom that death would bring. In the morning, I could not speak or move. They carried me to the boss’s shed. A young priest was there. He washed my face, he soaked a biscuit in coffee and put it to my lips. I ate like an animal. At that moment I was not a human being. Salvi I see you before me. You are a man, un uomo buono1 1
A good man. Italian,
7 Aldo The priest would not look at me when he spoke. I cannot forget his words. “God values obedience and hard work, my son. If you accept God’s plan for you, you will find peace and comfort in the next life. If you continue to struggle, your soul will be in jeopardy.” Salvi A padre to be so cruel. Aldo The words came from his mouth, not his heart. (pause) When I could stand again, they sent me back to work in the mine, where God does not exist. Salvi How did you escape this brutality? Aldo It was after some years. The mountain blew up with fire and ash— Salvi Mount Etna? Aldo Si, Mount Etna. The boss of the mines sent me there to save his property. I went instead to the port and begged a sea captain to give me a job on his ship. I have been back and forth to America many times. I work in the engine room. It’s as dirty and dark as the mines, but I get time ashore on each side. Salvi And you speak English… Aldo I learned from another crewman. Spanish, too. It’s how we pass the weeks at sea. I only speak. I cannot read or write. I’m ashamed to tell you this. But I will learn. I have a book with pictures, for bambinos. And when I know enough, one of these trips, I’ll stay in America. Salvi I wish you much happiness. You deserve a good life. I don’t know your name. Aldo Aldo. I don’t know my family name. They call me Aldo Catania for the city where my first journey began. Salvi (hands him a paper) This is my hotel, Aldo Catania. You must come to me if you need anything. Aldo Grazie, signor. I thank you for listening to my story. I have not spoken of it for a long time. Salvi extends his hand and they shake hands. Jimmy enters, looks around.
8 Aldo (calling out) The lady left. There was no one else waiting. Jimmy You seen some Irish blokes? Aldo No. Jimmy ‘Course not. They probably think it’s a joke, sending me back to the boat on a fool’s errand and takin’ off without me. Now what? Aldo You can go to the office. It’s not too far. I know the place. I can point the way, if you like. Jimmy Thanks, if you don’t mind. I’m just arrived. Aldo I don’t mind at all. They exit as lights cross fade to the park bench Act One: Scene Two Mina is sitting on the park bench. Aldo is seen pointing the way to Jimmy, who exits. . Mina (to Aldo) Buon Giorno, Aldo. Aldo Buon giorno, signorina. Did you see a young woman, very pretty? I cannot find her. Mina I saw young women, but not alone. Was she sick? Maybe they sent her to the hospital, to Ward’s Island. That’s where she would go. Aldo I don’t know. I don’t think so. Why do you come here today? Do you wait for someone? I believe they have all entered. Mina It’s like my birthplace, but I was too young to remember. We were five children. I was the baby, then two more were born, all of us in four rooms and a kitchen. I’m Romina Castello. Like the castle. Everybody calls me Mina. Aldo I remember that you told me this the last time.
9 Mina My uncle arrived yesterday from Italy, Mamma hugged her little brother until he squealed like a pig. He’s big like one, too. He don’t know English, so I talked to him in Italian, which we speak at home. Today he says to Mamma, “Your daughter, she don’t talk like a proper Italian.” So I said, “Porco cane! Facciabrutt.” Aldo (laughs). “Fat pig.” Mina And ugly. Mamma slapped me hard, so I came here where I can breathe and wait for the boats to arrive. The people look frightened, but happy, too, so they make me happy to watch them. Lily, exhausted and unsure, enters nearby, carrying her suitcase. Mina (cont.) Look at that one. She is in shock. A real greenhorn. Is that the woman you’re looking for? Aldo No. I look for the young one. I’ll leave you to the greenhorn. Aldo Stammi bene. Mina You, too, be well. Aldo exits. Mina (calling out to Lily) If you look like that, the runners are gonna get you. Lily Do you talk to me? Mina I don’t see no one else here. Lily What are the runners? Mina They’re supposed to warn you about them. Maybe you didn’t understand the English. Lily You can hear me. I am speaking in English, Mina You could sit if you want. Lily hesitates, then sits.
10 Mina (cont.) See? I don’t bite. The runners work for the factories and the rooming houses, the ones that cheat you when you just get here. They pretend to find you a place to stay or a job, but then they cheat you. It’s called extortion. Even the ones with a license can cheat you. Nobody does nuthin’ to them when they do. So where you comin’ from? Lily From the boat. Mina (laughs) I guessed that. Lily Did you come from the boat? Mina No. I live on Broome Street. Like what you clean with, only Broome Street gets pretty dirty. I was born in Italy. Where were you born? Lily I don’t know. Mina How do you not know? Lily It was Poland when I was born. Other times it was Ukraine or Russia. Now, only God and the tsar know. I wouldn’t bother God with such a silly question, and the tsar doesn’t know me. Mina You waiting for someone? Maybe no one is here to meet you, like you expected. That happens a lot to women. The husband comes here first, then he doesn’t wanna know he got a greenhorn wife on the way. Lily I don’t have a husband here. Mina You got one somewhere else? Lily No. He married my sister. Mina That’s too bad. Lily For my sister. Not for me.