DEVOTION

Plot: Sean, a young man looking for salvation his place in life, believes that music will heal his family, friends, and his neighborhood.


Character Descriptions

Sean Jones: A young man looking for his way in life, an aspiring party promoter
ADULT SEAN JONES: Narrator
Shara Moore: Cousin and best friend to Simone
Pharaoh Conners: Charismatic, bright, but bad best friend of Sean.
Simone Jackson: A young budding dancer, the pastor’s daughter, love interest of Sean.
Reese Jones: Sean’s mother
Duke Jones: Sean’s father
Pastor Art Jackson: Simone’s father
Ms. Calle Jackson: Simone’s mother
Cesar Alvarez: Close friend to Sean.
Mrs. Candice: A teacher
Mrs. Davis: An elderly woman Reese cares for

ACT ONE, SCENE ONE

ADULT SEAN
(Off Stage)
Memory is a funny thing. I don’t remember my father leaving my mother, but I do remember his dancing.

(Lights Up. A couch and coffee table sit in the middle of the stage. Sean, age 10 is dancing with his mother, Reese, and his father Duke. The song “Devotion” by Earth Wind and Fire plays, Emphasis on “We believe that is there is anything you want to do in life, you need devotion.”)


ADULT SEAN
My father was a musician. He played drums for some of the greatest soul bands around. And when he played it was like everything in the world was on time. Mama and Daddy were the class of 1975, so you know they had to keep it real. Mama and Daddy would throw parties every weekend for the neighbors, family, friends. We’d dance and eat and laugh. Nobody ever faught. On Sundays he played for different churches.

(Silently, Reese and Duke begin to argue. Duke gets upset and exits the stage. Sean looks on.)

Then one day, they had a fight. About money. Mostly that they never had any, and he left. And when he left, the music stopped. My mother threw out all the records.

(Reese reaches into the closet and puts on an attendant’s smock. Sean sits on the couch listening to a walkman.)

REESE
Sean! Come on boy, I gotta get to work. (Sean can’t hear her. Reese pulls his arm.) Sean! Now! (Sean gets up and follows his mother down stage to a hospital bed, where MRS. DAVIS lies. Sean sits in the chair as REESE attends to MRS. DAVIS.)

ADULT SEAN
My mother got a job as a caregiver at a nursing home. She didn’t have a babysitter, so she took me with her.
We were a team, but I missed the music. I never asked her about what happened, and that probably was a good thing, because she never offered an explanation. We’d go to church every now and then. I’d always ask mama, what we getting dressed up for? She’d say, “I’m looking for something.” She’d read the Bible to me. Then one day, we just stopped. I used to wonder why if God loved me so much, why did me and mama had to struggle. After my father left, my mother stopped looking for God.

(LIGHTS FADE BLACK)
As I got older, I guess I did too. This is the story of how He found me.
SCENE II
(LIGHTS UP. SHARA and SIMONE are talking and laughing at SCHOOL. Enter, PHAROAH, CESAR and SEAN.)
ADULT SEAN
Like most men, I tried to find God for the wrong reason.
SIMONE
(To Shara)
Shara, What did you get for the perameters on number 6?
SHARA
I got nine.
SIMONE
Me too.

ADULT SEAN
Now Pharoah, --and yes, that is his real name, was the only one I knew who was crazy enough to hang with me. We spent the majority of our days looking for some trouble to get into if it didn’t find us first. Cesar, tagged along, and tried to hang. Now Simone was fine, but off limits. She was the Pastor’s daughter, and even I didn’t have the audacity to overstep my boundaries. Cauze rumor had it her daddy was crazy. He might bless AND beat you.
PHAROAH
AY, Ladies, you know if you really want to get an A on that test, you should’ve just called me. I got ALL the answers.
SHARA
Did you hear someone talking ?
(SEAN stares at SIMONE who looks away, annoyed)
SEAN
Why you looking at me, I didn’t do nothing.
SIMONE
(Sarcastically.)
Anything. Nothing is a double negative, (under her breath) just like you.

PHAROAH
Aww, don’t nobody want you, church girl. Why don’t you go on back to reading your little love stories, because we’re playas.

SIMONE
I’m praying for you, Pharoah.

PHAROAH
You should be thankin’ me, child, ‘cause I just blessed you with my presence.

SHARA
(ANNOYED)
Oooh! I don’t believe we asked any of you “playa, playas” over here. You don’t go to school half the time anyway, so since y’all are such wannabe “playas” why don’t you play on?

SEAN

You know you want some of this, girl, don’t fight the feeling. (The boys break into laughter and pounds. The girls go back to studying.)

PHAROAH
Man you got these girls agitated man.

SEAN
Don’t hate, congratulate!
(More laughter. During the laughter, a record falls out of Sean’s backpack. Cesar picks it up.)

CESAR
Chaka Kahn and Rufus. Ay, man you be listening to this stuff?

PHAROAH
Didn’t you get the memo? Rufus went the way of the jherri curl. Tell me is your wallet plaid, too, man?

SEAN
I don’t care what you say, this is good music. I’m gonna have a 70’s party for my birthday. (Does a 70’s spin) and we’ll see who reigns then.

(The bell rings for school.)

PHAROAH
Whatever, man. Look I gotta bounce.

SEAN
You headed to the mall?

PHAROAH
See you up there.

(Pharoah exits, with Cesar following.)

CESAR
Wait up!

(Simone and Shara pack their backpacks and head to class.)

SEAN
Hey Simone. Can I talk to you for a moment?

SIMONE
I can’t be late.

SEAN
Just a moment.

(Simone hesitates and then motions to Shara that she will catch up.)

SIMONE
What?

SEAN
I just wanted to see how your day is going.

SIMONE
How my day is going? You stopped me for that?

SEAN
Yeah. You look like you’re studying hard.

SIMONE
And you look like you’re hardly studying.

SEAN
I’m just trying to be nice to you. So what does a man have to do to get your attention?

SIMONE
Well, first of all, you’d have to be a man. And secondly, you’d have to have some substance to hold my attention.

SEAN
And what makes you think I don’t.
SIMONE
Does Pharoah do all your thinking for you. (Sean is quiet) That’s what I thought.