CANTEEN ANNIE AT THE BOMB FACTORY: Mother Courage @BIW @GDMS

STREET THEATER AT BATH IRON WORKS WILL MARK 

MAINE’S PARTICIPATION IN NATIONWIDE 

SPRING MOBILIZATION FOR PEACE

Bruce Gagnon, an organizer of an ongoing series of Lenten vigils to protest militarism explains the significance of presenting the play at Bath Iron Works: “We need to stand together to express our opposition to the ongoing crime against peace which is the building of guided missile warships at BIW.”

Gagnon will speak on March 21, along with international organizers Hee Eun “Silver” Park and Paco Michelson, peace activists from the Jeju Island Anti-Naval Base struggle. Park and Michelson are travelling across the U.S. in March and April to share the story of the struggle through the screening of a new full-length documentary, Gureombi, and speaking about their personal experiences on Jeju Island, Korea where a coral reef is being destroyed to create a deep water port for the destroyers built in Bath. The film will be shown March 20 at 7pm at Grace Episcopal Church in Bath.

Free transportation on March 21 will be provided from Portland, leaving Monument Square at 10:30 am, and Brunswick, leaving the train station there at 11:15 am. CODEPINK and other sponsors of the event are calling on Bath Iron Works to convert to producing light rail trains for public transportation rather than weapons of mass destruction.

This event is sponsored by Smilin’ Tree Disarmament Farm’s Lenten Vigil at Bath Iron Works,CODEPINK, Veterans for Peace, Peace Works of Greater Brunswick, and Global Network Against Nuclear Weapons & Power in Space. FMI: (207) 542-7119

CANTEEN ANNIE AT THE BOMB FACTORY

Son #1

Son #2

Daughter

Recruiter

Payroll Master

Soldier

SETTING: Annie’s Canteen is held at each end by a stagehand, in such a way that the BIW shipyard is visible in the background.

SCENE #1

Canteen Annie, Son #1, Son #2, and Daughter are visible behind the cut out window of Annie’s canteen. Extras approach the window from stage left, mime a transaction, and exit stage right.

Annie steps out from behind the canteen holding her mask, approaches the microphone and addresses the audience.

;

Annie: Selling food to workers at the bomb factory is what I do. Hey, a mom has got to make a living somehow. It’s a family business. My kids don’t have to make bombs or enlist in the military. I can feed them right here! Besides, where else are they going to get a job these days? Have you seen those lines at unemployment? If it wasn’t for the bomb factory, nobody would be working.

SCENE #2  The Unemployed Chorus

Lead singer at the microphone, others lined up behind him across the stage in profile holding sheafs of papers representing job applications.

SISTER, ARE YOU WORKING?

WE JUST WANT TO EARN A WAGE,

NO B.S. AND NO SHIRKING.

EVERY JOB WE SEEM TO FIND

DOESN’T PAY A LIVING;

ASKING FOLKS IF THEY WANT FRIES

IS THE ONLY JOB THEY’RE GIVING.

IF WE GOT A JOB RIGHT HERE

WE’D HELP TO BUILD DESTROYERS,

MAKING LOTS OF PROFITS FOR

GEN. DYNAMICS AND ITS LAWYERS.

WE DON’T WANT TO BUILD FOR WAR

WE WANT JOBS SUSTAINING

LIFE AND HEALTH AND LIBERTY

FOR EVERYONE REMAINING.

TRAINS & TRACKS THEY RUN ON?

WHY DO ALL OUR TAXES GO 

TO WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION?

SCENE #3

Son #1 steps from behind the canteen, followed by Annie. They approach the microphone.

Son #1: I hate this canteen like a disease. My hair smells like grease all the time. I’m better than this.

Annie: Be thankful for what we’ve got, son!

Recruiter enters from stage left. He has his mask in one hand, paper and a pen in the other

Recruiter to Son #1: How would you like a brand new pickup truck kid? Just sign right here. I’ll make sure you get a good job in the army. With benefits. And money for college after.

Annie: Get away from my son! He doesn’t want to talk to you!

Son #1: Yes I do!

Annie: Listen to me! Don’t listen to the recruiter! War is hell. It destroys the innocent.

Recruiter to Son #1: Just sign here.

               to Annie: I won't let you spoil my war for me. Destroys the weak, does it? Well, what does peace do for'em, huh? War feeds its people better.

EXIT RECRUITER AND SON #1

Annie returns, dejected, to the canteen.

SCENE #4

Son #2 steps from behind the canteen wearing glasses and carrying a laptop case. He is followed by Annie. They approach the microphone.

Son #2: I won’t make the mistakes my brother made. I’m studying accounting.

Annie: That’s a good boy!

Payroll Master enters from stage left. He has his mask in one hand, paper and a pen in the other.

Payroll Master to Son #2: How would you like a job? I need smart young men like you to work in the payroll department at the bomb factory.

Annie: Get away from my son! He doesn’t want to talk to you!

Son #2: Yes I do!

Payroll Master to Son #2: Just sign here.

EXIT PAY MASTER AND SON #2

Annie returns, dejected, to the canteen.

SCENE #5

Daughter (in red boots) steps out from behind the canteen carrying school books. Annie waves goodbye to her from the canteen window.

Daughter approaches the microphone.

Daughter: I can’t believe I’m finally at community college. A dream come true!

Soldier enters from stage left, carrying his mask in one hand and school books under his other arm. He sees Daughter, drops his books on the ground, and grabs her around the neck from behind.

Daughter: (Screams) Help! Rape!

Soldier lets go of her and she crumples to the stage. He runs off stage right.

Daughter applies duct taped X to the mouth of her mask and slowly stands up with mask covering her real face. She goes to back of stage and picks up a large sign protesting the war economy and blood for oil. Begins walking back and forth across the stage showing one side of her sign, then the other.

Soldier approaches from stage right and pantomimes shooting her. She crumples to the stage and remains there.

Annie runs out from behind the canteen and crouches over her fallen Daughter.

Annie: (Crying) Oh, daughter, what have they done to you? What have they done?

SCENE #6

A new swarm of workers enters from stage left and stands at the canteen window.

Canteen Annie rises slowly from her fallen daughter. She goes dejectedly to the microphone.

Annie: Yes, I'll manage, although there's not much point in it now. But I must get back to business.

Annie goes back behind the canteen window and pantomimes selling food to workers.

THE END