LISTEN TO ME ANTIGONE, THOSE ARE THE FIGHTS WORTH FIGHTING, THE ONES AGAINST THE ODDS.

YOU MAY BE YOUNG, BUT IT’S THE RIGHTNESS THAT MATTERS, NOT THE AGE. I SAY KEEP FIGHTING.

“

”

A CENSORED PLAYBY STUDENTS FROM JAMAICA HIGH SCHOOL AND QUEENS COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE ACTOR’S WORKSHOP AT QUEENSBOROUGH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

DECLASSIFIED:STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE (WE USED TO EAT LUNCH TOGETHER)

ANTIGONE gets a petition out of her bag and hands it to her MOM who signs it.

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

Lights fade. Projections of past Jamaica High School protests. Lights up and full cast enters the stage and joins in singing. After a short time lights fade again...

The end, for now

15

You are about to read a piece of banned literature. Struggle for Existence (We Used to Eat Lunch Together)

i

Antigone

ii

ANTIGONE:

She hands MOM the letter, who reads it aloud.

MOM:

ANTIGONE: Word has come down from Creon. There’s to be no rest, No mourning, and the corpse is to be publicly dishonored.

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

it’s the rightness that matters, not the age.

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

MOM gives ANTIGONE a hug.

MOM:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:you’re headstrong and self willed and you

suffer for it.

13

an anarchistboogie down, planet earthDecember 2010

iii

SCENE 6

Two janitors are taking down Antigone’s posters.

JANITOR 1:

JANTIOR 2:

JANITOR 1:

JANITOR 2:

JANITOR 1:

JANITOR 2:

JANITOR 1:

The two janitors continue discussing their views on the school closing and the state of the world generally. Lights fade....

SCENE 7

MOM is sitting at the table. She is tired from work. ANTIGONE comes home.

ANTIGONE:

The CHANCELLOR broods.

SCENE 5

ANTIGONE is at home looking sad. ISMENE enters. There’s a tense silence between the two.

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE: I don’t allow this. Justice won’t allow this. You wouldn’t help!

ISMENE: But I’m with you now.

ANTIGONE: Too late sister. You can’t just pluck your honor off a bush you didn’t plant.

ISMENE: But even at this stage, can I not do something?

ANTIGONE:

ANTIGONE whispers to ISMENE as the scene shifts. .

11

DECLASSIFIED: STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE (WE USED TO EAT LUNCH TOGETHER)

Conceived of by students from Jamaica High School and Queens Collegiate High School in the Actor’s Workshop at Queensborough Community College

CHARACTERS:

Ismene

Antigone.

from October 28, 2010.

SCENE 1

MOM is in the kitchen getting food ready. ANTIGONE and ISMENE

younger sister...

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

ANTIGONE: What’s happened here is that the judge has misjudged everything.

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

1

The gods have given us the use of reason, but do we use it right? Do I? Do you?

CHANCELLOR: Why am I standing out here like a target? Why is every arrow aimed at me.

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS: Honest advice is not a thing you buy.

CHANCELLOR: All of you so-called seers: you have your price.

TIRESEUS: Rulers too have a name for being corrupt.

CHANCELLOR: The decisions I take are not up for sale.

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS: know this: where you are standing now is a cliff edge, and there’s a cold wind blowing.

TIRESEUS exits.

OFFICE ASSISTANT: He’s gone, but his words won’t go away. Never in all my days was that man wrong. When he warned the city, the city new to listen.

CHANCELLOR:

OFFICE ASSISTANT:

Reading

Holding up the letter.

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS: your conscience is what’s doing the disturbing.

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS:

MOM:

ISMENE enters

MOM:

ISMENE:

MOM:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:left out for the birds to

feed on.

ISMENE sticks her tongue out at Antigone. Antigone responds.

MOM:

ANTIGONE:

MOM:

MOM kisses the daughters and heads out to work.

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE goes to her room and Antigone turns on the TV.

SCENE 2

ANTIGONE sits watching T.V.

TV:

ANTIGONE: Ismene, quick, come here!

ISMENE enters.

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE: Here’s what has happened. There’s a general order issued and it hits us hardest.

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

TV:

3

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 1 leaves. ANTIGONE continues hanging posters until the whole wall is covered.

SCENE 4

OFFICE ASSISTANT:

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS enters.

CHANCELLOR:

TIRESEUS:

CHANCELLOR:

STUDENT 2:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 1:

STUDENT 2:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 2:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 2:

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

They continue hanging the posters together.

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

ANTIGONE:

TV:

ANTIGONE:

TV:

Newscast ends. ANTIGONE clicks off the TV.

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE: If things have gone this far what is there we can do?

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE: Are we sister-sister, or traitor-coward?

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE:

ISMENE:

ANTIGONE storms out, leaving ISMENE sitting there alone.

ISMENE: I fear for you, Antigone.

SCENE 3

The following week in school ANTIGONE is hanging posters that say “Save Jamaica High School.” After hanging them for a while, she is

SCHOOL OFFICIAL:

ANTIGONE:

SCHOOL OFFICIAL inspects the posters.

SCHOOL OFFICIAL:

5

ANTIGONE:

SCHOOL OFFICIAL: we must do as we are told.

SCHOOL OFFICIAL starts to leave.

ANTIGONE:

SCHOOL OFFICIAL:

ANTIGONE:

SCHOOL OFFICIAL leaves. Two students from the new school approach.

STUDENT 1:

STUDENT 2:

STUDENT 1:

ANTIGONE:

STUDENT 2:

ANTIGONE: But it still has to be tried.

6