1
Sides for audition
Tony/Charlie
Scene 1
TONY
They took my paper away from me!
CHARLIE
Tu hablas Ingles?
TONY
A little
CHARLIE
Can we talk in English? And if you don’t understand or
cannot say it in English, just let me know and I’ll try my
best to do it in Spanish o.k. (Tony nods to agree) Who took
your papers?
TONY
The men who brought me here
CHARLIE
The Coyotes?
TONY keeps quiet.
CHARLIE
Did you work for the people who brought you here?
TONY
Yes.
CHARLIE
How much did they pay you?
TONY
Nothing!
CHARLIE
What do you mean?
TONY
I have to pay them first!
CHARLIE
2
Pay them for what?
TONY
I didn’t have money to pay them for bringing me here and
finding me a job, so they told me that I was going to make
lots of money, so I could pay them and have money to send
to back home!
CHARLIE
So you have family there?
TONY
My mother, but they told me they will kill her if I escape
or say anything to the police!
CHARLIE
Are you afraid for your mother?
TONY nods to agree
CHARLIE
I understand, but you don’t have to tell me anything that
you don’t want to o.k.? Tony what do they make you do at
work?
TONY
I had to do different jobs, sometimes I had to work on
gardens, other times installing floors and sometimes fix
their cars.
CHARLIE
How many hours did you have to work a day?
TONY
Some days 14 hours, some 16.
CHARLIE
Did you live with any friends?
TONY
No, I live in a garage with other workers.
CHARLIE
Were you able to leave that place?
TONY
NO, if we try, they’ll kill us!
CHARLIE
3
I see, Tony can you tell me how do you meet these men?
TONY keeps quiet.
CHARLIE
I know this is hard, but you don’t have to tell me their
names o.k. I’m just trying to understand what happened to
you.
TONY
No, I don’t want them to hurt my mother
CHARLIE
Tony, I am trying to help you, if you don’t tell me what
happened, you can be charged with the murder of that woman
and spend many years in jail
TONY
But I didn’t kill her, she was sick!
CHARLIE
If that is true you can still be charged with negligence or
for protecting the ones who did it. Either way you will go
to jail, so what’s going to be?
(sigh)
TONY
Six months ago, they went to my pueblo, you know my town.
One man was asking for men and women to work for him in the
states
CHARLIE
Women?
TONY
Yes, they tell them to come here to take care of the
gringo’s children and clean their houses, but it wasn’t
true.
CHARLIE
What do you mean?
TONY
When we got here they were left in a cantina
CHARLIE
4
Cantina?
TONY
A brothel! They force them to… you know…to sleep with other
men
CHARLIE
I see, was that woman one of them?
TONY
Her name was Sofia, I met her on our way here, she was very
afraid that we could die in the desert, but she didn’t know
what they were going to do to her! They force her to work
in that place. I saw her sometimes when we had to do work
in that place!
CHARLIE
What kind of work?
TONY
Fixing the stairs, sometimes they broke things so we have
to fix them.
CHARLIE
Tony, tell me what happened the night that Sofia died.
5
Tony/Maria
TONY
So, this man; Lorenzo found me and he wants me to pay him
$20,0000 dollars!
MARIA
That’s a lot of money!
TONY
That’s not the worse part, he knows about you Maria!
MARIA
About me? What do you mean? How does he know about me?
TONY
I don’t know, but he can hurt you and I don’t want anything
happening to you! I can work until I pay Lorenzo that
money, but if this detective finds me and Lorenzo sees him
talking to me; he might my hurt you! Either that or Charlie
will send me back to Mexico. See either way I will lose
you!
MARIA
Let’s see, so if we find a way for you to stay in the
States then he can’t force you to talk.
TONY
He told me that I can apply for some visa or something, but
only if I tell him everything, but if I do, that man will
kill my mother and you!
MARIA
So, we just have to find another way.
TONY
There is no other way Maria, I want you safe! Maria I never
told you how my father and brother died. Maria my father
and brother were abandoned in a train container, they died
there, and nobody help them! You see people in involved in
this trafficking business don’t care about anything, they
are criminals! And if they said they’ll kill you, they
will! I love you mi amor, no quiero que te pasa nada, no me
lo podria perdonar nunca!
MARIA
6
Tony, I’m so sorry about your dad and brother, I didn’t
know! Now I understand why you want to protect me, Tony
MARIA hugs TONY
MARIA
Please Tony let me help you, I know that you’re afraid, I
am too, but I can’t let you push me away! Please let me
help you maybe if we get marry?
TONY
No Maria!
MARIA
Tony if you become legal, then you don’t have to tell
anything to that detective. He’ll be off you’re back! And
then we just pay that man the $20,000 and you’ll be free!
TONY
No, Maria, I cannot put you in any danger and besides
that’s not the way I wanted to get marry!
MARIA
I know Tony, but I love you and I don’t want to lose you!
Tony gets upset
TONY
I don’t want to lose you either Maria, but I need to
protect you!
MARIA
Por favor mi amor, let me help you! (pause)What about if we
go back to Mexico?
TONY
No! Your family is here and there is no work in Mexico.
MARIA
Stop it! Don’t do it! There has to be a way!
Maria hugs Tony, but he
steps away from her.
TONY
You need to go Maria!
7
MARIA
Corazon, can you see that I care so much for you, can you
see how much I love you!
TONY
Even if we get married, that will make the detective go
away, but the other guy wants $20,000 dollars and I don’t
have that money!
MARIA
I’ll help you Tony!
TONY
No, Maria just go and forget about me!
MARIA
No, together we’ll get out of this!
MARIA
You can find a better job!
TONY
I’m illegal Maria
MARIA
Well, but if we get married, you can get a work permit and
change your job!
TONY
You want us to get marry just to help me?
MARIA
No, just because I love you I want to help you! I will work
some extra hours and I have some savings!
TONY
No, I can’t let you do that! MariaMARIA
What? You’re the man so therefore you can’t accept my help?
Is that it? I thought you were a man not a MACHO Tony!
TONY
I’m not a macho, I’m just… You wouldn’t understand.
MARIA
Tony, these are different times!
8
TONY
I don’t know Maria, I do want to marry you and live with
you for the rest of my life, but I don’t want you to
sacrifice.
MARIA
No, life with out you will be a sacrifice Tony!
TONY
Maria, I don’t know what to say.
MARIA
Well, you can say “Maria can I married you?”
They both smile. Tony looks
at Maria and holds her hands.
TONY
Maria would you married me?
MARIA
(Pause)Yes!!!
Maria and Tony hug. Lights
off.
End of scene
9
Tony/Boss
BOSS
What the fuck was that?
TONY
Nothing Sr.
BOSS
You illegals are always in trouble! I don’t know why I put
up with people like you!
TONY
I’m a good person Sr.
BOSS
You’re stupid! Only a stupid man will get in trouble with
the FBI
TONY
I’m not in trouble, IBOSS
I don’t want to know and a soon as I can find someone else
to replace you, I will
TONY
I need my job Sr.
BOSS
Go and tell that to someone who cares! You’ll be working
until eight today!
TONY
But I have anBOSS
I don’t care! You have to work for the time you lost
talking to your friend! Or should I say your PROVATION
OFFICER?
TONY
But, it was only for ten minutes.
BOSS
Well, they look more like 2 hours to me, so you take it or
leave it!
10
TONY
I’ll stay!
BOSS
Good! And hurry up with those cars!
Boss turns around
BOSS
These lazy wetbacks!
BOSS leaves while TONY gets some
tools.
Lights off. End of Scene
11
Maria/Mely
MELY
So how is Tony doing?
MARIA
Well… he is o.k. I guess
MELY
Is something wrong miha?
MARIA
You wouldn’t understand mom.
MELY
Come on MARIA, tell me.
MARIA
Sometimes being married is so difficult!
MELY
In what way? What do you mean difficult?
MARIA
Sometimes it can even be scary mom! And especially since he
has a new boss, he is an idiot! I can believe he is Tom’s
son, Tom was such a wonderful man! Anyway…
MELY
I know, but you say scary? Why?
MARIA
Tony can be so gentle and in one second he can lose his
temper so bad! It’s like he becomes this monster, someone I
don’t know!
MELY
Nonsense Maria, Tony is a good man, he would never hurt
you!
MARIA
Sometimes he can’t control his anger and when that happens;
I really feel that he can badly hurt me. mamita!
MELY
He won’t Maria, TONY is under a lot of pressure, but he’ll
never hurt you miha!
MARIA
12
I don’t know mamita, the other day he got really mad and he
punch the wall! Just because I suggested talking to Memo
about his immigration problem.
MELY
You did what? You don’t talk to single man about your
husband’s affairs!
MARIA
But he is an immigration attorney, I’m sure he can help!
MELY
It doesn’t matter Maria, a married woman shouldn’t talk
about her husband’s problems with another man. Miha he’ll
find the way, men always do! That’s their job!
MARIA
Sometimes he seems like he is desperate!
MELY
Of course he is desperate, just put your-self in his shoes
MARIA
What should I do?
MELY
I don’t know! But try not to beMARIA
What?
MELY
Well, so American MARIA!
MARIA
American?
MELY
Miha, in Mexico, we, women are different. We take care of
our husbands, and here women are only thinking about
competing with their husbands. Who is stronger, who makes
more money, who drinks more, who cleans, who cooksMARIA
Mamita, these are not American ideas? Women need to be
treated with respect and equality, this is not about being
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American.
for –
This is about respect!
Women are fighting back
MELY
That’s why Maria! Now women are fighting instead of caring!
MARIA
I didn’t mean fighting in that way… never mind, mamita I
don’t know what to do, I want the baby to have both of us,
but the way Tony acts sometimes is not normal!
MELY
What is normal MARIA? You want your husband to be happy all
the time? Tony needs more support form you. You’re not
the only wife who has been mistreated by a husband, that's
normal Maria and even if you don’t like it, we are women
and that is our cross to carry! Have you forgotten how your
dad just to be if I didn’t do as he said?
MARIA
Mamita love is not a cross to be carried! Love is about
giving!
MELY
What do you want me to do Maria!
MARIA
I don’t know, may be hug me or tell me that everything will
be o.k., I don’t know mamita!
MELY
Maria I know that he won’t hurt you or the baby, he loves
you both Maria. I have seen his face when he talks about
the baby? Why don’t we pray, maybe la Virgen will help us!
MARIA
I guess mamita.
MELY
Come on Maria have faith! Here, you light up the candle.
Maria and Mely go behind the
sofa and get on their knees.
Mely lights the candles and
both start praying. Lights
off. End of scene
14
Tony/Maria Act 2
TONY
No, Maria, Mariaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Maria enters
TONY
What the hell is this?
goes to the bathroom and Tony
looks for the keys in Maria’s
box. Tony gets a business
card out and looks at it for
a few seconds. Tony hits the
wall and yells Maria’s name
TONY
No, no, no
TONY hits the wall a couple
of times
MARIA
What?
TONY
This!
He throws the business card
at Maria
MARIA
I can explain TONY!
TONY
What a fuck are you going to explain?
TONY pushes MARIA hard enough
that she land on the couch
TONY
How long have you been doing this! Answer me Maria
Tony grabs Maria by the arm
MARIA
Auh, TONY wait, you’re hurting me!
15
TONY
You don’t know what pain is MARIA! So you better fucking
tell me the truth!
MARIA
He talked to me one dayTONY
What do you mean he talked to you?
MARIA
One day I was on my way into the building when he called my
name, I didn’t want you to get mad so I didn’t say
anything!
TONY
So that’s why you kept his card! Do you think I’m stupid?
MARIA
No Tony, I don’t know why I kept it, maybe because I
thought he could help us!
TONY
Are you fucking crazy? What about my mother? You know that
if I tell CHARLIE anything about LORENZO, he will kill her!
You know he knows where she lives? And what about the baby
and you!? Do you have a fucking idea what he’ll do to you!
MARIA
I’m sorry TONY I just thought that…he said, he can protect
us!
TONY
Protect us? How he is going to protect us? Do you think
that Lorenzo won’t send his people to look for us? Do you
want to leave hiding and running away for the rest of our
fucking lives!
MARIA
No TONY, I’m just so afraid that if after we pay him, he
kills you or us, have you thought of that? May be Charlie
can help!
TONY
You don’t know anything MARIA! You have no idea who these
people are! They are fucking dangerous! You had no business
16
talking to CHARLIE, you know that is because of him that I
don’t have my papers and I have to put up with that stupid
white trash always calling me wetback! And yet you talked
to him? You’re fucking crazy!
MARIA
TONY the papers won’t save your life if Lorenzo decides to
kill you?
TONY
And you think that you talking to Charlie won’t put us in
danger? Are you fucking stupid!
Tony hits the wall again
TONY
That’s your problem; you always think that everything you
do is right, why? Because I didn’t go to school or because
you think I’m just a stupid wetback?
MARIA
Why you always have to put yourself down?
TONY imitates MARIA’s voice
TONY
Why you always have to put yourself down? Do you think I
like that? What do you know? You’re legal! You don’t have
to live with the fear that one day you get deported and
never see your wife again or worse that you won’t get the
chance to get to know your child!
MARIA
What do you know what I feel? I have to live with the fear
that one day that Lorenzo kills you! And don’t you think
that I will suffer if you ever get deported? We’re both
suffering TONY! I’m just trying to help!
TONY
You can help by staying out my fucking business
MARIA
You are my fucking business God damn it!
TONY
This is not your business so stay out!
17
MARIA
CHARLIE asked me to convince you about talking to him about
Lorenzo
Tony with anger
TONY
LORENZO? Did you fucking tell him that his name was
LORENZO?!!!
MARIA
No, I didn’t meant to… it wasTONY
I can believe you did that, are fucking crazy?
Tony grabs Maria by the shoulders
and starts shaking Maria. Lights get
off as Maria screams and breaking sound
are heard.
18
Charlie/Maria
CHARLIE
Maria, I don’t know how much you know about human
trafficking, but this is a reality that many innocent
people are living every day in this country. Does the name
Sofia Mendez sound familiar?
Maria nods indicating that
she knows.
CHARLIE
So you know that she died as a result of physical
negligence from these criminals. I know that your husband
tried to safe her and that he was a victim himself, but by
not providing the information about these individuals he
can be seen as an accomplice and therefore he is a suspect.
MARIA
But you know he didn’t do anything!
CHARLIE
Perhaps, but there are legal procedures that we have to
follow.
MARIA
Look Mr. Matthews –
CHARLIE
You can call me Charlie, Maria
MARIA
Can you see that my husband is trying to protect us!
CHARLIE
Us? You mean… Are you pregnant?
MARIA keeps quiet
CHARLIE
You are pregnant aren’t you? I thought that… never mind
MARIA
No, tell me what were you going to say?
CHARLIE
Well, I thought that you married TONY just to give him the
19
green card, I’m sorry, I guess I misjudged you.
MARIA
I love Tony and as hard as this is for both of us, we will
be so much better if you just leave us alone.
CHARLIE
You know I can’t do that! My job is to do everything I can
to put these people behind bars and TONY is the only one
who can help me!
MARIA
Why does Tony have to help you? Can you understand that if
he does that LORENZO will kill him?!
CHARLIE
Lorenzo?!
(CHARLIE smiles)
CHARLIE
LORENZO!
CHARLIE starts writing on his
notebook
CHARLIE
Don’t worry MARIA, I will do my best to protect you and
TONY.
MARIA
I, I think, I have to go, I don’t know anything and TONY is
just trying to forget this horrible experience!
CHARLIE
I know who LORENZO is, I have been following this guy for
years now, but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to put
him in jail. Look, when your husband told me the kind of
work they were doing and the way he was recruited by this
individual, I knew that it was probably “los Surenios”
MARIA
Los Sureños, who are they?
CHARLIE
These are some man and women who we believe they started
recruiting and selling Mexicans to the States 5 or may be
10 years ago. They started in the southern part of Mexico
20
and eventually move through out Mexico as their business
grew. Now they are also trafficking people from Central
America. Lorenzo is one of the leaders in charge of
recruiting in the southern part of Mexico.
MARIA
Are you sure?
CHARLIE
Los Surenios punish their victims the way Tony and Sofia
were and some of them have died out of negligence and then
their bodies were dumped in a river; others have been
killed as they tried to escape.
MARIA
And why haven’t you arrest anybody?
CHARLIE
Because few of the victims who have survived are too afraid
to talk and they prefer to go back to their countries.
However; with Tony it was different, when immigration
received his paperwork to become legal there was a warning
under his name, so they informed me and I came to make sure
that he was the Antonio Lopez we were looking for.
MARIA
I see, but you know that they are very dangerous and yet
you want my husband to be your witness? Don’t you
understand that they can kill us?
CHARLIE
I know you are afraid, but it is important to have his
testimony. These people are real, but we don’t have any
witnesses. If you help me to convince your husMARIA
NO! I will never do that, they can kill him, can you
understand that?!
CHARLIE
We can offer you and him protection; there are options so
you don’t have to be afraid
MARIA
What options? Like changing our identity? What about my
family, do you know what that will do my parents, I’m their
only child!
21
CHARLIE
Calm down Maria, I’ m not here to upset you.
I’m trying
to help, have you ever thought that this man can kill him
any day?
MARIA
He won’t do that!
CHARLIE
Why are you so sure?
MARIA
He wants money, and as long as we’re giving it to him, he
won’t hurt us.
CHARLIE
You’re paying LORENZO for TONY’s life?
MARIA
No, LORENZO wants TONY to pay him for brining him to this
country and to pay for SOFIA as well, so as long as we pay
him, will be o.k.
CHARLIE
And what is going to happen when he finish paying him, do
you think that he is going to leave you alone? He will ask
for more or even kill your husband! Think about it. What
good a green card can be if one day you found Tony dead in
a river!
MARIA
No, they can’t do that!
CHARLIE
Think about that option Maria, Lorenzo kills you and your
family. Or Tony gets deported and your baby won’t be able
to grow with his father. Or you cooperate with us and we
help you to stay as a family.
MARIA
I don’t know; I just want the best for Tony and my baby.
CHARLIE
Why don’t you think about it and give me a call, this is my
card.
22
MARIAI have to go!
23
Lorenzo/Tony
The Threat
Time: Next day. Place: Tony’s
work. Tony is cleaning his
working tools when LORENZO enters
TONY
What the fuck do you want now! I told you I will pay your
money as soon as I get pay
LORENZO
Do you think I can wait any time you don’t get pay?
my money now!
I want
TONY
I already told you! I don’t have any money now!
LORENZO
Get it, you hear me, I want my money today! Or –
TONY
Or WHAT?
TONY threats LORENZO whit a
hydraulic lever
LORENZO
That’s it Tony, you can say good by to your dear wife! You
hear me?
TONY
Leave her out of this you asshole! She has nothing to do
with this! If you hurt her ILORENZO
If I hurt her what? Do you have any fucking idea about who
you dealing with! No huh, you’re so fucking stupid! You
make me sick1 Do you know that your dearest wife is talking
with that detective? You probably don’t!
TONY
Of course I know, he was the one who approached her, but
she didn’t tell him anything!
LORENZO
24
Well, I don’t fucking care! And you can look for her in the
Yakima River; if you lucky you’ll find her!
TONY
I’ll fucking kill you! You hear me?
LORENZO
You kill me? Please you’re nothing, you’re piece of shit!
Do you think you scare me?
TONY
I don’t give a fuck what you think, even if this is the
last thing I do, I’ll kill you!
LORENZO
You’re fucking crazy! Do you think I’m your wife?
TONY
What?
LORENZO
I have seeing your wife, poor thing full of bruises, man
and you say you love her! You’re a fucking coward! You know
that don’t you? muy machito! Yeah, very Macho man with his
wife, but I’m not her asshole, I’m a fucking killer and if
you want to mess with me, just try, you will be fighting a
real man not a poor defendless woman!
TONY
What the fuck do you know?
LORENZO
You make me sick, at least I know who I am and I’m no
angel, you know that, but at least I admit it, look at you!
Defending your woman! Why? So that you can kill her?