Black Silver by Robert M Secreti
LIGHTS UP ON:
COMANCHE, OKLAHOMA STREET - EVENING
A shadow enters from stage left
The dimly lit town of Comanche, Oklahoma is in the background
The jingling of silver spurs can be heard as a figure walks toward center stage
BASS REEVES, late 30s, superhero, six foot two inches of African American Deputy Marsha , a true legend of
the Western Arkansas Territory circa 1875.
He addresses the audience
BASS: George Reeves, a farmer politician,
he owned my daddy and he owned me.
I beat Master Reeves in a card game.
Together for three years of war I had to take flight.
With a pistol and a knife I learned to fight.
To the territories of the Seminole and Creek I did seek.
I had quite the life with my Nellie wife.
Judge Isaac Parker sent out the call.
So I happily answered his need.
Over three thousand felons we captured alive,
only fourteen dead from an injection of lead.
With thirty-two years out in the West, it was time for a rest.
No outlaw, no bandit ever beat me.
It was Bright's disease that killed Bass Reeves.
Bass exits
Lights dim
After a moment of silence, the sound of footsteps and the jingling of spurs can be heard
A shadowy figure appears, heads toward the telegraph office.
Dance hall music begins to play from the local saloon.
As the shadow nears the entrance of the telegraph office, the lights brighten.
Three men become visible, their guns readied.
The shadowy figure stops, and lights hold on the lone gunman.
One of the men speaks to the figure
It's Bass.
MAN 1: We gotcha now, Bass.
MAN 2: Yeah, lawman, there's some big money out there on you.
FROM THE SHADOWS
MAN 3: So we ain't so stupid, are we, Bass man?
As the figure moves closer, we see the barrel of a shotgun peeking out of the prairie duster. The figure throws back the hat and shakes out her long flowing hair.
It's a woman. The hombres are startled.
Off in another dark corner, the lights come up. A tall, lean figure is standing there with a pistol in each hand, arms crossed.
Lights come up on the man as he walks closer, unfolding his arms. The three men have their backs turned to him. They know he's there and begin to fidget.
Bass snickers as he speaks.
BASS: Yeah, we gotcha now, Bass.
The strapping, larger-than-life figure circles, guns leveled in.
BASS (CONT'D): I see you met my favorite deputy… Lily Langtry.
LILY LANGTRY: Songstress of the Prairie. Works undercover with the Ninth Cavalry Special Detachment.
LILY: No problem, Marshal, the sheriff is waiting.
As Lily motions with her shotgun, she opens her coat. She is holding two sticks connected to what looks like a double-barrel shotgun.
She is riding on the back of another person. She throws off the coat while jumping off.
LILY (CONT'D): Had to figure out a way to be as tall as you, Bass. Meet my partner, Touch Hole Kelly.
As Bass shakes Kelly's hand, Belle Starr can be heard singing from the saloon.
Bass walks past the telegraph office.
INT. SALOON
Through the doors of the saloon, we see Belle swaying to the music. She notices Bass as she dances her way over and pulls him to the dance floor.
Off to the side are Bat and Nellie, sitting cozily at a table.
Belle and Bass continue to dance around the room, closing in on Nellie and Bat's table. Bat stares into Nellie's eyes as she stirs her drink.
She smiles seductively at Bat. Bass and Belle round the last turn, and Bass glances over and sees Nellie again. Nellie giggles, gestures “yes.”
They get up and join Belle and Bass. Nellie makes sure she is not paying attention to Bass.
They begin to rumba, moving to an open break.
Belle stops and turns toward the audience. She pops up her derriere and cups her hands about her boobs.
BELLE STARR: a sultry saloon girl who still has a touch of innocence. Her looks would tempt the soul of any man, then she would steal his horse.
BELLE STARR (SINING): OH, BASS MAN, YOU GONNA CATCH ME WITH MY GAMBLING ASSETS AND THE LIGHTS OF BURLESQUE? ALL ANYONE SEES IS THESE.
Bass reaches for her hand and holds it. He looks out to the audience.
BASS (SINGING): HONEY, YOU KNOW I DON'T CARE ABOUT THESE.
Bass lets go of Belle's hand then forms his hands around his breasts… smiles to the audience.
BASS (SINGING) (CONT'D): IT'S NOT THE GREEN THAT MOVES ME. ALL I WANT TO SEE, NO CRIMINALS GO FREE.
Bass feels his lapel.
BASS (SINGING) (CONT'D): THE CASH DON'T HURT.
CHORUS: the characters that are available in the various scenes throughout the musical.
CHORUS (SINGING):IT'S NOT THE GREEN THAT MOVES ME. I'VE BEEN LOVIN IT RIGHT ALONG. HE'S BEEN LOVIN IT.
As Bass and Belle sing, they look at each other.
Belle reaches for Bass's hand, and turns into his arms in a cuddle. They look into each other's eyes, then he sends her out.
BASS (SINGING): WHEN I'M ON THE TRAIL I AIN'T HUNTIN NO TAIL.
Bass leads Belle into a cross body, picks her up to a turning basic. He then leads her into an open break, to a left turn, and picks her up again.
As Bass picks her up, his back is facing the audience. Belle can be seen reaching into his pocket and stealing his wallet. Bass lifts his left hand.
As Belle turns, she slides the wallet into her bodice. He turns her into an open break and lets her go. Belle dances offstage.
Bass is left in an open break with his hand outstretched. Bat and Nellie can be seen looking at Bass and smiling.
Bass turns while looking at the audience, slightly bewildered
He takes a second look at Nellie and Bat, then grabs a chair as he walks over to their table.
He forces it between the couple.
BASS (CONT'D): Well, hi ya, Bat… Set up any fixed fights lately? Or tricked any stupid Yankees into one of your poker games?
BAT MASTERSON: early 30s, broad-shouldered, barrel-chested, sharp-dressed man. Known throughout the West as a shifty part- time lawman, part-time gambler.
Bat stands up, faces Bass down. Bass casually looks up and smiles.
BAT: Hey, Bass man, you calling me a cheat?
“Sheet” is used in place of the word “shit”. Example: “Sheet,man, what ya been up to?”
BASS: Is that all you gonna do, sheet-man. How about letting a tired lawman buy you and this pretty lady a drink?
Bass motions to the barkeep.
BASS (CONT'D): Bring us a bottle of your best chilled champagne and three glasses… poleze. Cuz me and Mr. Bat are gonna…
Bass turns slightly, looks at Nellie, and reaches for her hand. He leads her into a rumba. The chorus and Bass begin to sing their parts.
The chorus is made up of the patrons in the saloon.
CHORUS (SINGING):THEY ARE GOING TO DANCE FOREVER… OH WRONG, OH WRONG?
BASS (SINGING): WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE TO DANCE WITH THE ONE YOU LOVE?
PROMISE MY WORLD I'D WALK THE MILES,
TO DANCE WITH THE ONE I LOVE.
IF YOU EVER WERE IN LOVE, YOU'D UNDERSTAND.
SO BAD, SO BAD, TO BE IN LOVE.
CHORUS (SINGING): THEY ARE GOING TO DANCE FOREVER… SO WRONG, SO WRONG?
BASS (SINGING): YOU MAKE ME BLIND.
TO DANCE WITH THE ONE I LOVE.
PROMISE MY WORLD I'D WALK THE MILE, THE ONE I LOVE.
YOU MAKE MY LIFE COMPLETE.
OH OH OH THE ONE I LOVE.
TO DANCE FOREVER, THE ONE I LOVE… OH OH OH.
CHORUS (SINGING): THEY ARE GOING TO DANCE FOREVER, TOGETHER… SO WRONG, SO WRONG TO BE IN LOVE?
BASS (SINGING): PROMISE MY DANCE WITH MY ONLY LOVE.
SO WRONG, SO WRONG?
THE ONE I LOVE.
TO BE THIS WAY, MY LOVE…
IF YOU EVER WERE IN LOVE, YOU'D UNDERSTAND. SO WRONG, MY LOVE, HARD TO UNDERSTAND TO DANCE WITH MY LOVE.
INDIVISIBLE FOREVER, IN LOVE.
Bass and Nellie finish their dance and they both sit down. The waiter brings their champagne and pours them a drink.
WAITER: That'll be ten dollars.
Bass smiles and reaches into his coat pocket. He feels around for his wallet with a stunned look on his face.
BASS: My wallet… I had it before.
Bat and Nellie smile.
BAT: I see you met Belle Starr…
Bat looks at up at the waiter and smiles.
BAT (CONT'D): I got it, Val.
BASS: Belle Starr, aye… I've been looking for her.
NELLIE JENNIE: early 20s, very pretty dance hall queen. Song writer, choreographer, and soon to be Bass Reeves' wife but does not believe it yet.
NELLIE (giggles): Big lawman, Belle is probably halfway to Muskogee…
Bat and Nellie finish their drinks and get up. Bat helps Nellie with her shawl. As they leave, Nellie opens up her parasol, turns, and smiles back to Bass.
Bass is left alone at the table, examining his life. His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of shots and yelling.
TOUCH HOLE KELLY: short, stout female acrobat entertainer. Lily recruited her while visiting a carnival.
She was the performer who initiated antics while firing a man out of a cannon.
She is very excitable and tends to say peoples names twice.
Kelly runs around Bass as she talks.
TOUCH HOLE KELLY: Bass… Bass Reeves, come quickly. They're robbing the freight office!
Bass jumps up, checks his guns, and runs for the door.
BASS: Who's robbing the office?
Bass and Kelly run through the saloon door to the freight office. Bass stops. Kelly runs through the freight office door, comes back out.
Bat leaves right behind Bass and Kelly. With Nellie in tow holding on to her bonnet, they run up to the freight office.
Bat speaks to one of the townsfolk.
COMANCHE, OKLAHOMA STREET
TOUCH HOLE KELLY: The Dozier boys. They shot old Jake Weatherbee… Shot him dead, just missed my head.
Kelly goes back into the freight office.
The front of the freight office has a watering trough visible. Jake's boots and legs can be seen extending from the end of the trough.
The facade of the Comanche freight office has a period sign on top that reads “Comanche, Oklahoma Freight Office.”
Horses and riders are painted into the facade heading into the sunset, with overstuffed saddlebags, money and dust swirling about.
The townspeople are milling about, assessing the scene.
BAT: The safe… is it blown?
Touch Hole Kelly runs from the freight office yelling.
TOUCH HOLE KELLY: Sheriff Bat! Sheriff Bat! They got it all… bonds, money, and shot Jake…
Bat takes his hat off, rubs his head and eyes, then slaps his thigh with the hat. Bass walks over to Bat as they both look toward the freight office and Jake's boots.
The townsfolk surround Bat and Bass in a semicircle.
BAT: They got it… and him.
BASS: What? Got what?
BAT: The railroad. The M-K-T, the Katy Line. The railroad is owned through a bearer bond corporation. Whoever holds the bonds owns the railroad.
Bass turns to the audience makes a face and rolls his eyes .
BASS: The Katy… What about the Katy?
Bat walks around throwing his hands up in the air.
BAT: The Katy railroad, the money gone. This can't be happening.
BASS: The money, for the Katy?
BAT: The money! The money… that's nothing. I am sooo dead. The government, the Dodges, the Kansas-Arkansas-Missouri- Texas, Railroad.
The Doziers own it now, all of it… they own the Katy!!!
BASS: What do you say?
Bat is clearly agitated as he talks.
BAT: The black valise that was in the safe next to the cash contained bearer bonds. It was my responsibility to keep them safe until next week.
Mr. Dodge from the Union Pacific Railroad is due in to disperse ownership by order of President Grant.
BASS: So you're telling me this Dodge guy doesn't own the railroad now, Bob Dozier does. And Dodge doesn't know it.
Bass takes his hat off and sits on the end of the watering trough, stunned.
Touch Hole Kelly runs through the town crying the news. She stops to tell a crowd of gatherers, waving her arms.
Touch Hole Kelly: Bob Dozier killed a man. Dozier now owns the whole Katy railroad, because he is in possession of bearer bonds for the Katy.
The crowd turns and looks at each other. They begin to sing.
CHORUS (SINGING): OFF WITH THE BONDS THEY WENT.
GOOD BYE TO MY KATY,
INTO THE DESERT SEA.
THEY LEFT US WITHOUT A CENT.
NOW WE CAN'T PAY THE RENT.
THEY STOLE NOT JUST THE MONEY, YOU SEE.
NO MORE JAKE WEATHERBEE.
WE HAVE TO FIND THE KATY.
BASS: That's up to me to find the Katy.
BAT: No, it's up to me cause they killed Jake Weatherbee. I have primary jurisdiction.
BASS: I am the Deputy Marshal. You're the town sheriff.
Bat fixes his coat, then straightens his tie and hat. He begins to walk off the stage. Bass sees that Nellie is left standing alone. He walks over to her.
BASS (CONT'D): Ya know, Batty, that's an excellent idea.
Bass puts his arm out for Nellie to take, and they begin to walk. Bat stops cold in his tracks, raises his hand, and points at Nellie.
BAT: Hey wait, she's my girl. If anyone walks her home, it will be me.
BASS: Don't you have a murderer to catch? After all, you are the primary jurisdiction.
Bass taps Nellie on her hand.
BASS : Come, Nellie, it would do me honor to escort you home.
[end of extract]