Cleansed

Characters

Vernon, black, a heart surgeon in his late thirties, early forties

Carolyn, white, his wife

Lauraul, their daughter

Kim, Asian, Lauraul’s best friend

Grandmother, Carolyn’s mother

Mitch, the leader of the white supremacists

White Supremacist # 1

White Supremacist # 2

The setting is a small town in Indiana. The time is the Present.

Author’s note: All characters should be played with the utmost honesty and sincerity. The irony in the play should be underplayed rather than overplayed at all times. The characters in this play feel that all their actions are completely necessary and unavoidable. The play should be directed in a straightforward and realistic manner.

Scene One

At rise Vernon has just walked in the door of his house. Carolyn is in the kitchen. Their daughter Lauraul is on the floor in the living room playing with toys. She is eight years old.

Vernon:

How’s my sugar plum doing today?

Lauraul:

Fine daddy. (Carolyn enters the living room and kisses Vernon.)

Carolyn:

How did the transplant go?

Vernon:

Went off without a hitch. What’s for dinner?

Carolyn:

Your favorite! Steak au poivre with foie gras for an appetizer.

Vernon:

That’s sweet of you. (They kiss and she exits the living room. Vernon goes over to Lauraul and picks her up.) How was school today?

Lauraul:

(Happy.) Good.

Vernon:

What did you learn?

Lauraul:

We learned the difference between cows and horses.

Vernon:

Oh yeah? What’s the difference?

Lauraul:

Cows have milk and horses don’t.

Vernon:

Is that the only difference?

Lauraul:

Uh-huh.

Vernon:

Are you sure?

Lauraul:

Yes I’m sure silly!

Vernon:

Did you learn anything else?

Lauraul:

I learned—um—I learned that red and blue make purple.

Vernon:

Purple’s my favorite color.

Lauraul:

My favorite color’s blue!

Vernon:

I thought your favorite color was yellow! Are you telling me a fib?

Lauraul:

I changed my mind. It’s blue now. I love you Daddy.

Vernon:

I love you too. (He kisses her on the forehead.)

Lauraul:

Daddy?

Vernon:

Yes?

Lauraul:

(Cheerful.) Are you a nigger?

Vernon:

What? Where did you learn that word?

Lauraul:

Bobby at school told me that you and I are both niggers and that mommy’s a traitor bitch.

Vernon:

(Doesn’t really know how to respond. Pause.) Nigger is a very bad word Lauraul, and Bobby was mean and nasty for calling you and I that. No one here is a ni—is a nigger. If anybody ever calls you that again, I want you to tell the teacher. Do you understand?

Lauraul:

(She shakes her head yes.) Is mommy a traitor bitch then?

Vernon:

No. Mommy’s not a traitor. And don’t ever use the word bitch. It’s very bad. Your mommy’s the most wonderful woman in the world. Remember that. I love you. (They hug.) I don’t want anything bad to ever happen to you.

Lauraul:

I love you too Daddy.

Carolyn:

Dinner’s ready.

Scene Two

At rise Vernon and Carolyn are in the bedroom after dinner putting on their pajamas.

Carolyn:

What’s wrong honey? Didn’t you like your dinner?

Vernon:

Dinner was great. (Pause.) It . . . It’s happening.

Carolyn:

What’s happening?

Vernon:

A kid named Bobby said something to Lauraul at school today.

Carolyn:

I know Bobby. What did he say?

Vernon:

He told her that she and I are niggers and that you’re a traitor bitch.

Carolyn:

(Shocked.) Bobby said that? I wonder who taught him that kind of language?

Vernon:

I’m sure he heard it from his parents.

Carolyn:

He seems like such a sweet little boy.

Vernon:

Little kids don’t come up with stuff like that by themselves.

Carolyn...