TELO (excerpt) by Julián Mesri

TELO __________________________ A musical Juliรกn Mesri

Juliรกn Mesri 66 St Pauls Pl, 6E Brooklyn, NY 11226 (917)697-9870 jmesri@gmail.com

CAST OF CHARACTERS Main characters LALO, an Argentine tango composer and singer, 30s NERO, a young Puerto Rican waiter at a tango bar, 20s PAULA, a young Argentine member of the ERP (People's Revolutionary Army - a leftist guerilla group in Argentina in the 1960s-70s), 20s MARTA, Polka's sister, also a member of the ERP, 20s EMI, a young American working for a start-up, 20-30s CHARLI, an Argentine-American expat working as an English teacher in Buenos Aires, 20-30s Secondary characters (played by the ensemble) DOLORES, Lalo's wife, and later in 1979, owner of the Telo, played by same actress who plays EMI FEDE, An older man who who runs/owns the Telo in 2019, played by the same actor who plays NERO.

MUSICAL NUMBERS TIL THE END OF THE NIGHT Emi, Charli THE VOICE OF GARDEL Nero TAKE THIS DANCE Lalo PAPER THIN WALLS Marta, Polka CITIBANK ON JURAMENTO Marta, Polka A LITTLE BIT LONGER Charli, Emi SAFE FOR WHAT?/THOSE ELEGANT CAFÉS Nero WHEN YOUR BAGS ARE HALF PACKED Lalo GENERALISIMO (paper thin walls reprise) Marta, Polka A LITTLE BIT LONGER Emi YANQUI Emi/Charli MEDIALUNAS Emi, Charli, Polka, Marta TAKE THIS DANCE (reprise) Lalo, Nero HASTA MAÑANA Ensemble

"TELO"

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22.

BITING MY LIPS AND WISHING FOR ONE MORE DANCE. WITH YOU. (The door knocks again. The 1939 light goes off. The door knocks.

The door knocks. The 1979 light lights up) 1.3: 1979 (The 1979 light lights up) (MARTA, a young revolutionary goes to open the door) Who is it?

MARTA

PAULA Nena, it’s me.

The code.

MARTA

PAULA Seriously. Marta dejate de joder. It’s Paula. (silence, Paula groans) Piazzolla.

PAULA (CONT’D) (Marta opens the door)

Hermana.

MARTA

PAULA You look well.

You’re late.

MARTA

PAULA You were expecting more people?

(Marta is silent and grabs the brown bag from Paula, opens it) PAULA I brought medialunas.

Thanks.

MARTA

"TELO"

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23.

(She grabs a medialuna and eats it. Paula prepares some mate)

PAULA You didn’t eat?

(This is a painful moment for both of them, tread carefully) PAULA Marta. I said you can stay with me and Hernán.

It might be safer.

MARTA Do you want some?

PAULA Hernán is doing a big asado later. The whole family will be – MARTA Wonderful Hernán.

Marta –

PAULA

MARTA Does he know how much danger you put him in?

PAULA He’s a scientist, they’re not going to – (Marta snorts) PAULA We’re careful.

MARTA They won’t care, Pol. (A pause) PAULA Have you heard anything from – MARTA Nothing. Well.

PAULA What about Pablo...

"TELO"

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24.

MARTA There were three raids that night. The Marquez cell – left their bodies right there for people to find. I don’t know which is better...that or...

PAULA You don’t have to – It’s fine.

MARTA

So. Are you ready?

(Paula nods) PAULA (CONT’D) Our last meeting.

MARTA It doesn’t have to be.

PAULA Marta, the cell is finished.

MARTA There are other cells that need our help.

PAULA (seemingly ignoring her) Tía Dolores, told me today that the new law has gone into effect – no more than two people to the rooms in these telos. The mayor says it’s for public decency. Classic.

They know we’re meeting here, Marta. She tells me they’ve even started inspections. This isn’t safe anymore.

MARTA We’re running out of places.

PAULA Telos are a shit place to meet anyway.

Surrounded by greasy men cheating on their wives?

Song: “PAPER THIN WALLS” CAN YOU HEAR HOW THE ROOM SHAKES AS THE CEILING CREAKS ON THE FLOOR THE HUM OF THE SHOWER AND EVERY SINGLE SLAMMING DOOR. IF WE’RE LUCKY THAT’S ALL WE HEAR. BUT USUALLY IT’S MORE MY DEAR, SOMETHING ELSE – SOMETHING WORSE THAN BEFORE...

"TELO"

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25.

BECAUSE PEOPLE TEND TO USE THIS PLACE FOR PLEASURE BUT YOU CAN’T BE SURE. IF THE MOANS WERE JUST MOANS, OR SOMETHING WORSE. I JUST WISH I COULD CLOSE MY EARS. THE WAY I CLOSE MY EYES. AND BE DEAF BLIND AND DUMB TO THE WORLD AROUND, IN A COUNTRY WITH: PAPER THIN WALLS, ALL THAT COMES BACK. STEREO SOUNDS OF MYSTERY. A PAPER THIN WALL, KEEPS PAPER THIN LIVES, FROM BEING HISTORY. (AND IF THERE’S A MOAN. YOU WONDER IF IT’S THE GOOD KIND OF MOAN. OR AT THE VERY LEAST, IF PAYMENT WAS UPFRONT. AND IF THERE’S A CRY. YOU HOPE IT’S FROM AN INNOCENT KISS. OF SOME NEIGHBORHOOD TEENS. SHARING IN SOME PREMATURE BLISS. PAPER THIN LIES, THEY PAPER THIN WALLS. BUT YOU DIDN’T HEAR IT FROM ME. MARTA At least it was safer than the church.

(It’s quiet. Tense.)

PAULA Someone must have told them. I mean, it’s not /entirely – MARTA You’re right. It’s not. We should have just met here. The military never checks here.

(NEW VERSE FOR MARTA) YOU CAN NEVER TELL WHO OR WHAT IS GONNA BE LISTENING IN. SO YOU TRY TO LIVE MOST OF YOUR LIFE IN CODE. STAY JUST ONE LITTLE STEP AHEAD, AND YOU’LL SLEEP SAFELY IN YOUR BED. AS LONG AS THEY DON’T THINK YOU’RE SAYING WHAT YOU ACTUALLY SAID. PAPER THIN WALLS. EVERYONE HEARS. EVERYONE LIVES IN SECRECY. PAPER THIN LIES. PAPER THIN WALLS.

"TELO"

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26.

BUT YOU DIDN’T HEAR IT FROM ME. MARTA Mauro and Pablo were both clandestino. We could have been more careful.

PAULA I didn’t expect them to raid a church – someone must have said something. Someone gave them Pablo’s name.

Pablo.

MARTA

PAULA Marta, lo siento.

(She takes a moment MARTA (CONT’D) It’s all right. I might have spoken, too. If they put the picana to my chest I might have. I don’t blame anyone.

PAULA Still. They’re traitors.

MARTA I wouldn’t blame someone for putting a bullet in the back of their head either. It’s not about blame. It’s about what is to be done.

PAULA What’s done is done.

Marta looks pained PAULA (CONT’D) No, I didn’t mean it like that.

MARTA You’re right though, it is. But what’s done isn’t finished.

And we’ve come back to here.

PAULA One last meeting.

MARTA There’s still our action.

PAULA It’s just me, Marta.

"TELO"

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MARTA We can do it with two.

That’s not –

PAULA

MARTA You’d let down the others?

PAULA When are you thinking?

Tonight.

MARTA

PAULA Shit, Marta. I thought you’d give me at least a couple days. We’re still – MARTA That’s what they wanted.

PAULA That was before they started disappearing us.

MARTA Now more than ever, Pol. PAULA We need to lay low. Its been less than a week since the raid. They could have said our names.

They could have been looking for us instead of Pablo and – MARTA You’ll just – PAULA Also, I have the asado tonight.

MARTA Paula you can postpone your stupid asado.

PAULA It’s not that easy. Don’t you think they’re looking out for us? You don’t think they heard about the bank operation? I can’t just – there’s no one in the family who knows.

MARTA You don’t think Hernán told anybody?

PAULA He wouldn’t dare. Half of his family thinks the military are heroes.

27.

"TELO"

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28.

MARTA The other half?

Shuts up.

PAULA

MARTA See, that’s why I have to go. People can’t just choose to ignore this. We bring it to them.

Every day.

Song: “THE CITIBANK ON JURAMENTO” MARTA DON’T YOU REMEMBER THE ONE – THAT ICE CREAM SHOP IN THE PLAZA? LITLE OLD LADIES AND ARTISANS, SELLING THEIR HOMEMADE WARES AT THE FAIR. THESE DAYS THE SELLING IS DONE. PEOPLE DON’T STOP TO LINGER. SO THEY DON’T SEE THAT THE SHOP IS NO MORE. NOW THERE’S S A CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO. FOR MEN IN SUITS WITH THINGS TO DO. A CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO. A YANKEE DOODLE INSULT, SHINING PROUD IN HUES OF PLASTIC BLUE. WELL SEND A MESSAGE TO THOSE IN POWER WELL LET THEM KNOW. WELL SEND A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. YOU CANT PUSH A WAY OF LIFE ON OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT US PUSHING BACK. THIS CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO IS ABOUT TO BLOW. MARTA The military want everyone to think there will be peace.I’m not letting them have one day of peace. They didn’t give it to me. When we marched they would beat us. When we put the placards up they would shoot at us. They didn’t give it to us. They broke the peace. Why should we give it to them. We’re here. We’re the only ones here. If not now, when? (for the bridge) PAULA WE WOULD NEED A CAR. MARTA WE CAN USE YOUR VOLKY.

"TELO"

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29.

PAULA HERNÁN WOULDN’T – MARTA BUT YOU WOULD FOR YOUR SISTER, RIGHT? PAULA WHAT IF SOMEBODY SAW? MARTA THEN WE’LL GO OUT IN A BLAZE OF GLORY. PAULA JUST WAIT A FEW DAYS MARTA NO IT HAPPENS TONIGHT. THERE’S A CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO. IT’S ALWAYS BEEN A NASTY SIGHT. AND THAT CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO. DISAPPEARS TONIGHT. (A moment) PAULA You don’t think this was a sign, Marta?

PAULA That maybe our way of doing things isn’t working.

MARTA Maybe it isn’t. Why don’t you go back to school, finish your sociology degree, Paula. Or better yet, go back to the quinta to live with our grandparents, and you and Hernán can have little grandchildren and just ignore the bodies as they keep piling up.

PAULA You know what I mean.

MARTA Look. You don’t just give up on something because you’ve lost hope, you just don’t – you’re the – we’re the last line of defense.

There is no normal for me, Paula. If Pablo were still here he’d agree with me – we’d both – he’d rather be where he is right now than – PAULA You can’t possibly imagine that.

"TELO"

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30.

MARTA I have to. Because it’s the only thing keeping me sane.

(There’s a silent moment) MARTA What would happen if we don’t do it.

PAULA I don’t know.

MARTA I do. Nothing would change.

Maybe.

PAULA

MARTA And do you want your children to inherit that world? The people you love? To grow up in this?

To live in a repressive regime. When social change...it could just be one more action away, Paula. One day away.

PAULA But maybe I just want to have my sister. Be a little selfish and know that at least I have you. And we can fight another way.

WELL SEND A MESSAGE TO THOSE IN POWER WELL LET THEM KNOW. WELL SEND A MESSAGE TO THE WORLD. YOU CANT PUSH A WAY OF LIFE ON OUR PEOPLE WITHOUT US PUSHING BACK. THIS CITIBANK IN JURAMENTO IS ABOUT TO BLOW. (Marta suddenly goes to the dumbwaiter, opens it up and takes out the purse, the same one Lalo put in before) MARTA This is the only way I know how to fight.

(She opens the purse and pulls out a small pipe bomb, currently disarmed) PAULA I - Marta. PUT THAT AWAY!

"TELO"

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31.

MARTA It happens, tonight.

(Suddenly the door knocks) FUCK! Relax.

PAULA (CONT’D) MARTA

DOLORES Everything ok, in there? I need to talk to you both.

(Very quietly through the door) Is – is the meeting over?

MARTA It’s OK, Tía, you can come in.

PAULA (quietly) Isn’t that her bag? (louder to the door) Just a second Dolores – DOLORES Oh...is everything ok?

MARTA What are you talking about?

PAULA (to Marta) Last time at Tia’s for Christmas – you borrowed her bag after our cousin – (to Dolores) Just...official...details...

MARTA OH. She can’t see this can she.

Hide it!

PAULA

DOLORES I need to come in girls. I’m sorry to interrupt your little meeting.

One second!

PAULA (to Dolores)

(to Marta) Under the bed!

"TELO"

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Right!

32.

MARTA (dives under the bed)

MARTA Jesus - it’s so dusty!

PAULA Yeah apparently they never get around to cleaning under there...there’s too much else...

MARTA Ugh. I didn’t need to know that.

DOLORES That’s it. I’m opening the door....

MARTA Yes, yes, it’s ok tia!

(As Paula goes to open the door, Marta steps out. As she sings, the three lights, 1939, 1979 and 2019 are illuminated, suddenly activated)

The light flickers 2019 Song; “A LITTLE BIT LONGER” Charli wakes up – Emi is still asleep. He looks over at her.

Kisses her. It’s the morning.

There’s some construction noise.

It fades.

The construction noise starts again. He covers his head with a pillow.

The light now says 1939 Nero is in the office. Waiting.

He’s got a black eye, beat up pretty bad. There’s blood on his shirt.

He crawls into bed.