Kennedy at Colonus: The Journey of Robert F. Kennedy

By Laurence Carr

Kennedy at Colonus, examines the political rise of Robert F. Kennedy, a dynamic and tragic American hero in a series of powerful scenes that range from his childhood in 1936 through the night of his assassination in Los Angeles in 1968. The play reveals how a man from one of America's most prominent families moves from the shadows of his brothers, Joe Jr. and Jack, to become a man of action and commitment. Audiences will also meet such iconic figures as Lyndon Johnson, Martin Luther King, Ethel Kennedy, and James Hoffa, among others. The play focuses on the turbulent world of the 1960s when war, racism and class struggles were cracking the foundations of the United States. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lightwood Press and Laurence Carr
• Release date: Jan 30, 2018
• ISBN: 9781532358548

Book preview

ACT I

(The set is white room, divided into two sections. The downstage area is at stage level, while the upstage area is a six-inch high platform running the width of the room. There are four entrances, up left (UL), up right (UR), down left (DL) and down right (DR). A low table also serving as a bench sits in the middle of the room. Two office chairs, on wheels, are on either side of the platform. Two telephones on small stands are positioned close to the right and left walls. White Venetian blinds make up the back wall. The angle can be adjusted to denote changes in time and place. An American flag is positioned on a stand.

In blackout, we hear a rousing chorus of the song, California, Here I Come. Lights rise on three people: KEN, an aide to (RFK) Robert F. Kennedy, ADAM, a speechwriter, and ANGIE, RFK’s secretary. Ken is looking out the window, facing upstage. Adam is seated at the table/bench writing. Angie is seated nearby, proofreading.)

ANGIE: This is great, Adam. I hope you guys don’t shoot your wad on this speech. You’ll have to top yourselves in Chicago.

ADAM: Don’t worry. (Playfully) We have not yet begun to write! Here’s a new page three.

(He hands her the page. As she reads, she softly sings.)

ANGIE: …California, here we come, right back where we started from…

ADAM: I am so sick of that song. Please. I think candidates should be allowed to budget in a composer. At least we could have a new song for every state.

ANGIE: You only have to hear it for one more day. Tomorrow, we’ll start, (Sings) New York, New York, you’re a hellava town, the Bronx is up and the Battery’s down.

ADAM: Another favorite.

ANGIE: Then after we win there, it’s (Sings) Chicago, Chicago, that toddlin’ town, that toddlin’ town. And then—

ADAM: And then we clinch the nomination, and all those stupid songs start all over again. You know, there was one good thing about Oregon.

ANGIE: What?

ADAM: They didn’t have a song.

ANGIE: Is that why we lost?

ADAM: I don’t know. It’s as good reason as any.

(They look at each other, then go back to work. ROBERT F. KENNEDY (RFK) enters from DL. He’s in his shirt sleeves. He looks out to the sea (out to the audience).

RFK: Am I alone here?

ADAM: (Calling to him) We’re up here, finishing the speech.

(RFK goes to them.)

RFK: I thought you all might have jumped ship. Still not too late, you know.

ADAM: What d’ya mean? And give up this view? Here’s a new page one.

(Hands him the page.)

Tomorrow we’ll be in some stuffy hotel room in New York looking out on a brink wall.

RFK: You’re counting your chickens.

ADAM: And eating bagels. The polls look great.

RFK: Don’t start believing those things. If we do—we’re dead. How’d they look?

ADAM: I just called CBS to get a leak. They said 49%.

RFK: I want that up to fifty or fifty-one in the next couple of hours. It could swing the late-comers.

ANGIE: We’re working on it.

(She goes to a phone. RFK sees the other one.)

RFK: I see a phone that’s hung up.

ADAM: That’s an open line to the hotel. We didn’t want to make any eleventh hour phone calls yet.

RFK: Don’t kid yourself. This whole day’s the eleventh hour. You think McCarthy’s sitting on his ass waiting for votes to come to him? I don’t want that Oregon mess here in California. We waited around too much. See what you can dig up.

ANGIE: I got a clarification on that 49% from CBS. That’s this morning’s Harris pole. They’re using that till the new one is out in two hours. They won’t make any more projections till at least five percent of the votes are in. The poles close in four hours.

RFK: Four hours and counting. Why don’t you two go down to the beach for an hour or so. It’s a great day. You might as well enjoy it. Could be the last one.

ADAM: Come on, we’re going to New York.

RFK: We hope. Go on, take a break. I’m going to stretch out. Ethel and the kids are down there.

ANGIE: If you’re sure it’s ok.

RFK: I insist. All work and no play makes…you know.

ANGIE: Thanks. We were wondering if we were going to see the sun. (To Adam.) Come on, we’ll be back in an hour.

(Angie and Adam leave UR. RFK speaks to Ken.)

RFK: You look like you could use a little sun yourself, Ken. Why don’t you get out for a while? I’ll play the waiting game.

KEN: I don’t know.

RFK: Go on, I won’t do anything rash. I won’t concede till midnight, no matter what happens.

KEN: We’re leaving for the hotel at five. The victory speech is set for ten. Did you read it?

RFK: I’m looking it over. I want to be alone to try it out. I don’t want my hands shaking up there again tonight.

KEN: Right. Come down to the beach later. You weren’t out very long.

RFK: I took a run.

KEN: Short run.

RFK: Short beach.

KEN: What do you mean? You could run all the way down the coast from here.

RFK: I’ve been doing that all week. Go on. The kids are surfing. You could join them.

KEN: (Indicating his suit.) Like this?

RFK: Why not? Pretend it’s one of our pool parties. Careful they don’t push you in.

KEN: Come on, you can jump in first.

RFK: I’m bowing out today. I keep having these stupid thoughts. Walking into the hotel on crutches. If I lose California, they’ll think it was a self-inflicted wound. If I win, they’ll think I’m imitating Jack. Maybe I should do that. Would scare the pants of Humphrey and McCarthy. No—I’ll give whatever speech I’m giving tonight on my own two feet. See you later, Ken.

KEN: Bye.

(Ken exits UR. RFK is left alone. He sits on the bench and looks over the speech. The glowing light of a television fades up from DR. A TELEVISION REPORTER, appears far DR in a spotlight, and speaks out to the audience as if looking into a