Views from My Window: "Opening Closed Doors"

By Von H. Washington Sr.

Often called a modern day storyteller, Von Washingtons plays explore the social and psychological difficulties associated with being an African American living in modern day America. His insightful, action packed, emotional plays reveal the pain and laughter of men, women, and children fighting to find a better position in their ever changing world; a world that is constantly confronted with differing views on gender, race, philosophy, politics, sex, and status.

Looking for TalikaDon and Dee decide to take a look back, after 25 years of seemingly blissful marriage. However, the look back becomes troubling as they uncover information not previously revealed over the years. This anniversary event produces findings that require a new look, to decide whether or not there will be a future.

Fighting FiresOn the eve of his eighteenth birthday, Shareem, acting on the advice of neighborhood friends, kidnaps his absentee father, takes him to an isolated motel room, and demands the attention he believes was owed to him during his developmental years. All goes as planned until Shareem is faced with startling information about the reasons for his fathers absence.

Let the Brotha TalkAn African American male agrees to be a guest on a radio talk show hosted by the very popular and controversial female radio personality, Jeannie Jeane. The interview goes accordingly until the outspoken Jeannie Jeane makes a costly mistake that wreaks havoc on and off the air.

The OperationWillie Jones has been diagnosed as angry, frustrated, depressed, shiftless, lazy, incorrigible, untrustworthy, unreliable, chronically unemployed, volatile, and cynical. A consulting team of doctors has been put together to determine whether Willie, in his present state, is lost to society and therefore better off with an operation which will make him less of a threat and burden to society.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 29, 2009
• ISBN: 9781467872324

Von H. Washington Sr.

Von H. Washington, Sr., Ph.D., has written more than 25 plays and directed or performed in more than 400 theatrical productions. As a professor, he currently directs the Multicultural Theatre Program at Western Michigan University and Washington Productions, Inc., a theatre company he co-founded with his wife and partner Fran. He has lived, observed, studied, performed, and taught about the African American experience for more than forty years. With a flair for the dramatic, he writes historically based fictional creations about his African American heritage, past and present. His award winning creations, performances, and teaching have delighted and informed children and adults in educational settings, theatres, libraries, prisons, and organizational gatherings, in the USA and abroad. His creative style is blended with the techniques of the great African storytellers, a style that makes audience members comment, He makes you feel like youre part of the story.

Book preview

© 2009 Von H. Washington, Sr.. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

First published by AuthorHouse 10/27/2009

ISBN: 978-1-4490-2593-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4678-7232-4 (e)

Printed in the United States of America

Bloomington, Indiana

Contents

Preface

Looking for Talika

Fighting Fires

Let the Brotha talk

The Operation

About the Author

Views from my Window

Opening closed doors

Information for the Reader/Performer

Celebrating the Oral Tradition

Speak it / Read it / Act it out

These Story Theatre creations are loosely designed in accordance with the oral traditions of ancient West African storytellers. Often called Griot, Griotte, or Jeli, the storyteller narrates and performs, simultaneously. As my grandfather, a storytelling Baptist Preacher once told me, We’ve been doing it like that since I can remember. Our people might have been in slavery, but we had our stories and we told them the same way our people did in Africa. This storytelling tradition was first witnessed in America, during slavery and continues to be evident in the lives and artistic creations of many African Americans today and, like our ancestors, we are mindful that good storytellers: (1) Hold the history of their people foremost in their hearts and minds. (2) Are masters of the spoken word and guardians of tradition. (3) Are on the move as they act out the story using dialogue, character, movement, music, dance, costumes, props, and, much more. (4) Are emotionally engaged in the telling of the story from beginning to end. I hope you enjoy these creations and make them a part of your creative and artistic life. And remember, you can read them, speak them, or act them out! (www.washprod.com)

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WPI

A True View of You

Dedication

This book is dedicated to:

My wife and partner Fran L. Washington

Von Jr., Alicia, Beth

Von III, Adonne, Sienna, Adlena

My Parents Alice and Hugh Washington

George and Vandella Mosee and their children

All of My thirteen brothers and sisters

All of my friends and relatives

And every member of the human race who cares about people

Acknowledgement

I’ve had the personal and professional pleasure to know Von and Fran Washington for nearly thirty-five years. First and foremost, they are valued friends with whom I’ve collaborated on the performance of many plays, as well as the creation and performance of several readers’ theatre pieces, including both Shakespearean and contemporaneous works. Although a number of these performances are highlights of my fifty-plus years as a theatre teacher/director/actor, I must make particular note of their dedicated commitment to the creation and performance of these telling, and often poignant, stories that entertain and enlighten . . . stories that provide audiences with a better understanding of the history and heritage of African Americans.

Robert L. Smith, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus

Western Michigan University

Royalty Notice

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that performances of Fighting Fires, Looking for Talika, Let the Brotha Talk, and The Operation are subject to royalty. They are fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, and of all countries covered by the International Copyright Union (including the Dominion of Canada and the rest of the British Commonwealth), and of all countries covered by the Pan-American Copyright Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention, and of all countries with which the United States has reciprocal relations. All rights, including professional/ amateur stage rights, motion picture, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, video or sound taping, all other forms of mechanical or electronic reproduction, such as information storage and retrieval systems and photocopying, and the rights of translation into foreign languages, are strictly reserved. For those who seek to acquire rights to do the play, please contact Washington Productions, Inc., P.O. Box 3253, Kalamazoo, MI 49003-3253 or call 269-342-7301 or email at: [e-mail]

Preface 

Like many young African American men and women, I started my life economically disadvantaged, poorly educated, prone to violence, and told by many that I was headed for prison or an early death, if I wasn’t careful. I was also told that the major reason for my circumstances stemmed from the fact that I was the off-spring of slaves and that the off-springs of slaves had no promise in America. For me however, due to the encouragement of my mother, father, and family friends, I used these comments to motivate me to search for a better ending for the story of my life. In doing so, I spent the majority of my early adult life, on a quest to free my mind and soul from, what I eventually surmised was, the ravages of slavery and the discrimination, and racism that came along with it. During my quest, I constantly searched for ways to repair the economic, physical, social, and psychological damage done to me, and millions of other ethnic Americans, through years of racism, descrimination, and miseducation. In doing so, I was never able to rest on the fact that I was a free person. I had to overcome self-hatred, low self-esteem, anger, and bouts of hopelessness.

While working on my self pride, I witnessed many situations that affected the lives of friends, family members, and acquaintances who were also in disturbing cycles of complexity that often resulted in continuous frustration, despair, and, on many occasions, prison and early death. However, in some instances I witnessed actions and activities that made it possible for some to emerge triumphant and rejuvenated, possessing energy to carry on and fight another day.

Through diligent searching and study, I discovered ways to repair my education, erase my anger, clear up my misconceptions, bolster my self-esteem, eliminate my feelings of hopelessness, and find new and positive directions for my life. Of all the steps taken, developing self pride was the most important.

The four creations in this volume represent some of the most intriguing situations that caught my eye, and although they were difficult to deal with at the time, they produced a glimmer of hope for those involved. I hope you can detect that glimmer and find it useful when life presents a difficult challenge for you.

Von H. Washington, Ph.D.

Looking for Talika 

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Photo by Chuck Comer

Cast of characters:   Don and Dee.........A married couple of 25 years.

Setting:   A nicely furnished hotel room. A bouquet of flowers can been seen on one of the tables. At lights up, Don is in the hotel room making final preparations for the evening. As he prepares, he talks with the audience.

Don:   I’m meeting my wife here tonight and we’re going out to dinner to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Yep, that’s right, we’ve been married 25 years. So we rented this hotel room just to do something special. You know, break up the monotony. Married twenty-five years to one person. Now you tell me, that is not an accomplishment! And yes, I know that there are people who have been married for more years than that. But, I’m talking about twenty-five years to this woman. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m with her because I love her. And loving somebody requires more than just saying it. You know what I mean? Well, anyway . . .we decided that this time we were going to do something special; and have I got something special for her . . . (Slightly irritated) but this is not right! Where is she? This is an important event and . . . (Catching himself) but, I’m glad she’s late and not me, because you know what? If it was me . . . (Catching himself again) No, I’m not gonna do that. I promised, no attitudes. Maybe she forgot the room number. Just a minute, let me go check in the lobby. Anyway, I need to get something to put these flowers in. (Exits)

(After a moment, Dee enters carrying an overnight bag)

Dee:   Don! Don! Now isn’t that just like a man? Late for the date, late for the wedding and late for the anniversary, and then comes on to me about being late. I mean, even if I was late (checks her watch) . . . and I am a little late. Yeah, I admit it. And you know, you have to be able to do that -- you have to be able to admit when you’re in the wrong no matter how hard it is. And it is hard! (Laughing at the observation) See, I’ve been married for 25 years. Did you hear that girl friend, 25 years? (After thinking for a moment) You know, when I was a young girl, I knew the word marriage, but I didn’t exactly know what marriage required. You know, it takes being married to figure it out. I don’t know how people can be married for a year or two and then get divorced saying, After I got to know them I realized that it wasn’t gonna work out. Got to know them . . . got to know them . . . in twenty-four months? Let me tell you something, I didn’t even know myself after 24 months of marriage. As a matter of fact, I’m still trying to figure out who I am. Now, I don’t want to make it seem like I’m making fun of people, because I’m not. I’m just saying that after 25 years I’m still trying to get to know this man. And yeah, it takes an effort . . . something I didn’t think you needed for love. (Remembering Don’s not there) Anyway, where is he? He was supposed to meet me here so we could go to dinner. We decided to have dinner, take a look back over the years and . . .well you get the picture. Well actually, I decided but he agreed. But I don’t know how happy he’s gonna be when he finds out why I want to look back. You see I need to find out about something. You know how it is when something has been nagging at you? Just gets under your skin and stays there? And every time you think you’re having a good time, it pops up . . .well anyway . . . you see there’s this—

(Don Enters)

Don:   Where have you been? I thought we said--

Dee:   What do you mean, where have I been? I’ve been right here waiting