Head on Home (a musical in four scenes)

So this week, we tried to something different. It's lyrics to a musical in four scenes. Does the peace movement stand for something? Who are the heroes? What we will resort to in crisis?
Does the musical address that? Maybe. But we certainly see reasons to ask these questions based on what we see around us.

HEAD ON HOME

Scene I

On a darkened stage, a light comes up to reveal a poster sized photos of several news photographs documenting the violence in Iraq.

A young man, DAKOTA, steps forward with a guitar. He looks at the photos, then looks around. Clears his throat and tunes his guitar briefly.

Strumming he begins to sing in a soft, melodic voice.

Dakota: You had a lot of dreams,
A lot of big plans,
That never got to see
The light of day.
Doesn't much matter
It was bound to fail anyway.
Think it's time to head on home
Head on home
Think it's time to head on home.

FIVE STOCKY MEN wearing dress slacks, bow ties and t-shirts with the Bully Boy's picture on them march out on stage.

Five Stocky Men: Stay the course
Of course!
Stay the course
Of course!
We can't bail
On the bottom line
What are you
Blind?
Stay the course
Of course!
Stay the course
Of course!

Five Stocky Men march off stage.

Dakota remains. He stands in front of a large sign that reads "TROOPS OUT NOW."

He continues to sing softly as people walk by. Some stop and listen, many force themselves to hurry past without looking.

Dakota: You had a lot of big dreams
A lot of big plans
That never got to see
The light of day
Doesn't much matter
It was bound to fail anyway
Think it's time to head on home
Head on home
Think it's time to head on home

TIFFANY, stands watching, very impressed. She nods to people encouragingly. Many avoid her and move on. In the end, only she is left standing and listening as Dakota finishes singing.

Tiffany: Alright, alright
Out of sight
We can win it tonight.
Okay, okay
All the way
We can end it tonight.


Jess: It's not that easy
We need many more
Many, many more
To end this war.

Tiffany moves around the stage, singing, as people walk around.

Tiffany: I can do it!
I will fight!
I can do it!
I know what's right!

Spotting a group of THREE PEOPLE painting a banner, Tiffany moves over to them.

Tiffany: Head on home!
Don't you think the troops need to head on home!
Head on home!
Don't you think the troops need to head on home!

Three People: We are agreed.
But we can't lead.
We are waiting for our Senator.
We are awaiting our Senator.

SENATOR, in a really bad pant-suit with overly sprayed hair, bounds across the stage. Three People spot her and lift their banner as Tiffany watches.

Three People: Senator, Senator!
Darfur.
Senator, Senator!
Darfur.
Senator, Senator!
Darfur.

As Three People close her in, Senator flashes a phony smile.

Senator: Well what's this?
My constituents.
I love each and every one.
Now tell me
Will you vote for me?
You know I'm going to run.

Three People: Senator! Senator!
Darfur.
Senator! Senator!
Darfur.
Genocide.
Homicide.
Darfur.

Senator: Darfur?
Genocide.
Homicide.
Marines must catch a ride.
Darfur.

Three People look at each other, slap their foreheads and nod enthusiastically.

Senator smiles at Three People. She begins skipping with Three People following.

Senator & Three People: Darfur
Genocide.
Homicide.
Darfur.
Genocide.
Homicide.
Marines must catch a ride.
Darfur.
We're off to war.

Dakota shakes his head in disgust but Tiffany eyes Senator & Three People longingly. They skip over to her as they sing.

Senator & Three People: Darfur
Genocide.
Homicide.
Darfur.
Genocide.
Homicide.
Marines must catch a ride.
Darfur.
We're off to war.

Tiffany: Well I got something to add
This talk makes me so glad
Time to head on home
And send 'em on out to Darfur
Time to head on home
And send 'em on out to Darfur

Senator & Tiffany & Three People: Darfur.
Genocide.
Homicide.
Darfur.
Genocide.
Homicide.
Marines must catch a ride.
Darfur.
We're off to war.
Time to bring the troops home
And send 'em on out to Darfur.
Time to bring the troops home
And send 'em on out to Darfur.

Dakota grabs his guitar and walks off in disgust. The stage goes dark.

Scene II

People stand around onstage chattering nervously. Some carry huge crosses. Slowly they divide into two groups, with the group carrying crosses moving stage right and the other group stage-left.

As they part, we see Senator standing in the middle with a big smile on her face and Tiffany off behind her holding a sign that says "Send the troops to Darfur."

Senator: May I say this?
Dear constitutents,
I can out man any man.
May I say this?
Dear constitutents,
I'm the only one with a plan.
Look at Iraq
Or call it "Irot"
And ask yourselves
Just what we've got?
Irot.
Irot.

Five Stocky Man walk up nervously, taking in the crowd and listening.

Senator: May I say this?
Dear constitutents,
I feel your pain.
May I say this?
Dear constitutents?
Let me parcel out the blame.
I voted for the show of force
Of course, of course

At the words "show of force" Five Stocky Man nod to each other excitedly.

Senator: But it was not my plan
And it's gotten out of hand.
May I say this?
Dear constitutents,
I fight to win
May I say this
Dear constitutents
Bring 'em home and send 'em out again.
I have stones you see
So vote for me

Tiffany: And the senator will get us into Sudan.
March us into Sudan.

Five Stocky Men: May we interject:
That you're just perfect
Let us finance your campaign
May we interject:
We love your rhetoric
We can tell you feel our pain.

Five Stocky Men begin tossindg down dollars in front of Senator who leaps on them and begins rolling around as Five Stocky Men continuing tossing cash. Waving her arms, Tiffany whips up the crowd.

Tiffany: Darfur.
Genocide
Homocide
Darfur
Geonicde
Homocide
Marines must catch a ride
To Darfur
We're off to war.

Five Stocky Men continue to throw money on the Senator who continues rolling around in it.

Five Stocky Men: We're off to war!
We're off to war!
Get the word to
The factory floor.
We're off to war!
We're off to war!
Speed up the assembly line
More and more!
We supply the weapons
That's what we're for!

ALL: Darfur.
Darfur.
We're off to war.
We're off to war.
Genocide
Homocide
Darfur
Genocide
Homocide
Marines must catch a ride
Darfur
We're off to war.
We're off to war.

Five Stocky Men: We've made money
Now we'll make more
Darfur
We'll profit from the war
Darfur
We'll profit from the war.

Scene ends as the stage darkens.

Scene III

We hear explosions. Bombs going off. Gunfire.

The lights come up and we see a nervous Tiffany standing next to a weary Senator.

Tiffany: Have you checked the casulties?
Or checked the fatalities?
The news is not good.
Have you checked the polling stats?
Or noticed the bailing rats?
The news is not good.
From Wall St. to the hood --
The news is not good.

We hear boos from off the stage. Senator reaches into her pocket and pulls out a some cash to wipe her sweaty face with.

Senator: I gave them what they wanted
What they really, really wanted
What everyone wanted
Now I am left haunted.

Tiffany: By the casualties?
Or by the fatalities?
The news is not good.

Senator: No, by the polling stats
And by the bailing rats.
The news is not good.

Tiffany gasps. Boos continue to to come from offstage.

Tiffany: But people are dying, ma'am
Children are crying, ma'am
We have to give a damn
We have to give a damn.

Senator begins dancing across the stage. The music grows louder drowning at the booing.

Senator: Listen honey
I give a damn about money
Give 'em blood for money
Even mud for money
Do it for the money
Screw it for the money
Gonna do it all
Gonna get it all.
Mine!
Mine!
Mine!

Five Stocky Men walk in carrying newspapers. They point to the front page.

Five Stocky Men: The news is not good.
The news is not good.
But business is booming
The economy is improving
So the life's we are losing
Us,
We can live with that.
Us,
We can live with that.
If you stay the course,
Of course!
Stay the course
Of course!
We will keep supporting you
Never be avoiding you
We will keep funding you
Never be avoiding you
We will keep backing you
With our big bucks.

Senator: Aw shucks,
I think I feel your pain.

Five Stocky Men toss cash into the air at Senator.

Senator: Aw shucks,
I'm starting to feel your pain.

Five Stocky men toss more money at the Senator.

Senator: Aw shucks,
I really feel your pain.
Let me explain,
I love you just the same
As even the littlest of little guys.
Let me explain,
I'm a principled dame
I give you what the money buys.
Let me explain
That the blood may rain
But I know where my interest lies.
Let me explain
I know this game
I give you what the money buys.

Tiffany shakes her head in disgust and walks off stage while Five Stocky Men bow and blows kisses to Senator.

Scene IV

Tiffany walks onto the stage and sees Dakota strumming his guitar. He sings with YOUNG COUPLE singing along. She rushes up to them.

Dakota & Young Couple: You had a lot of dreams
A lot of big plans.

Tiffany: I still do!
I still do!
You know it's true,
I still do!

Dakota puts down the guitar and looks at Tiffany.

Dakota: You danced with a snake.

Tiffany: I made a mistake.

Dakota: You chanted peace and pushed war.

Tiffany: I only wanted to do more.

Dakota and Tiffany stare at each other.

Tiffany: I only wanted to do more.
I only wanted to save lives
Lives were at stake,
So I made a mistake.

Dakota: Worse than that
You threw it all away
To play war hawk for a day.
Now what do you say?

Tiffany: I was working from within
And it did me in.
What more can I say?
I got carried away.
What more can I say?
I got carried away.

Before Dakota can reply, Senator walks across the stage with a crowd following her.

Senator stops, turns and faces the crowd.

Senator: May I say this,
Dear constitutents,
I will make a very good president.
May I say this,
Dear constitutents,
I will make a very good president.
Yes, we're in a mess --
A very , very big mess.
But I can pass the test,
Oh I can pass the test.
May I say this,
Dear constitutents,
I deserve your vote of confidence.
May I say this,
Dear constitutents,
I'm the only choice that makes good sense.
Vote for me.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator begins dancing around the crowd with Five Stocky Men following her.

Senator: Vote for me.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me
And you will see
That I have a plan
I got us out of Irot
And into Sudan
I can do it
I can do it again.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me.
And you will see
That a woman can be president.
I will set the precedent.
I will be the testament.

Five Stocky Men: The very best invest-uh-ment
The very best invest-uh-ment!

Senator: Vote for me.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me.

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me,
It's a vote for you!
Vote for me,
It's all about you!
Vote for me,
I feel your pain!
Vote for me,
Jump onto my train!
Vote for me,
It's a vote for you!
Vote for me,
It's all about you!

Senator spots Tiffany.

Senator: Vote for me,
Tell 'em, Tiffany.

Tiffany walks up to the crowd.

Tiffany: The Senator works hard,
The Senator works long.

Dakota shakes his head. Senator hugs Tiffany.

Tiffany: The Senator works hard,
The Senator works long.
It takes a lot of work,
To get it so wrong.

Senator gasps.

Tiffany: The Senator works hard,
The Senator works long.
It takes a lot of work,
To get it so wrong.

She walks over to Five Stocky Men.

Tiffany: She works for him, and him, and him, and him, and him.
She takes money from him, and him, and him, and him, and him too.
She takes order from them.
She betrays you.


Senator: May I say this,
Dear Constitutents,
From my experience,
When a woman talks like this
She's got P.M.S.
Or can't stand the thought
Of women presidents.
Catty girl,
That is her.
Catty girl,
That is she.
Vote for me!
Vote for me!
Vote for me!
Vote for me!

The crowd goes wild and begins cheering for Senator who beams. She sticks a hand behind her back and Five Stocky Men place cash in it while the crowd continues to cheer.

Tiffany walks over to Dakota. They look at Senator.

Tiffany looks at Dakota and they share a shrug.

He picks up his guitar as Senator begins to march off the stage, followed by Five Stocky Men and the crowd.

Senator: Vote for me!

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Senator: Vote for me!

Five Stocky Men: Vote for her!

Dakota: You had a lot of dreams
A lot of big plans
That never got to see
The light of day.
Doesn't much matter
It was bound to fail anyway.
Think it's time to head on home

Dakota & Tiffany & Young Couple: Head on home

Dakota: Think it's time to head on home.

Tiffany: One more time!

Dakota: You had a lot of dreams

Dakota & Tiffany & Young Couple: A lot of big plans

One person breaks from the crowd. Followed by two more. They walk over and join Dakota, Tiffany and Young Couple in singing.

All: That never got to see
The light of day.
Doesn't much matter
It was bound to fail anyway.
Think it's time to head on home.
Head on home.
Think it's time to head on home.
Head on home.
Think it's time to head on home.