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One powerful popular education tool that the CIW has used to build consciousness — both in Immokalee and with allies across the country — is popular theater. Below you can find two sample scripts of theater pieces you and your friends can do as part of your March 31/SLWoA actions and beyond. This is a great, accessible way of educating people about conditions in the fields and the Burger King campaign.
una vida perdida | el ladrón
1. una vida perdida
overview: "una vida perdida" is about "Jose," a farmworker in Immokalee who works in the fields his whole life without ever getting a raise. This piece illustrates the fact that the going piecerate earned by Florida farmworkers for every 32-pound bucket of tomatoes (40 to 45 cents) has not significantly changed since 1978. The CIW's penny-per-pound demand is an attempt to raise wages that have been stagnant for 30 years. For more info, check out the facts and figures on farmworkers.
Setting: Tomato Fields near Immokalee, Florida. 2008.
Characters: 2-6 people in total:
- Jose, age 3, in 1968
- Jose, age 21, in 1989
- Jose, age 31, in 1999
- Narrator/Sign-holder
- One or two mourners (optional)
Props:
- Bib and pacifier (or other baby-like apparel)
- 4 different cardboard signs (or a small dry-erase board) that read:
"Jose, 1968,"
"Jose, 1989,"
"Jose, 1999," and
"R.I.P. Jose Rosas 1963 - 2009"
- Tomato bucket
- Black veils, candles (optional)
Script:
Jose, as a toddler, pushes bucket across the stage, picking tomatoes.
Narrator: This is Jose. He's been picking tomatoes in Immokalee since he was a baby!
Narrator holds sign that reads "Jose, 1968"
Jose, as a young man, carries bucket on his shoulder and tosses bucket up in the air, wiping his sweat, with lots of energy.
Narrator: This is Jose in 1989. He's not getting paid enough to make ends meet.
Narrator holds sign that reads "Jose, 1989"
Jose comes in carrying the same bucket, looks a bit older, the sun has aged him. He's slower, wipes his sweat and shakes his head.
Narrator: This is Jose in 1999. His wages haven't changed and the pesticides are taking a toll on his health.
Narrator holds sign that reads "Jose, 1999"
Jose comes in looking like an old man. He walks a few steps with his bucket and then collapses.
Narrator: Jose never saw a real wage increase in his 30 years of picking. He dies of pesticide exposure, overwork, and lack of access to medical care. He leaves behind 5 children. May he rest in peace.
Narrator holds sign that reads "R.I.P. Jose Rosas 1963 - 2009"
(Optional: Mourners come in with candles and wail over his body)
END.
2. el ladrón
overview: this piece describes how Burger King is currently working with a powerful Florida tomato growers' lobby to actually take away the gains made by farmworkers and their allies through the Yum! Brands and McDonald's agreements. See this backgrounder for more information. In this theater, a farmworker has received their extra weekly checks directly from Yum! Brands and McDonald's. A ladrón (thief) approaches and tries to mug the worker, but the worker is able to defend themselves. The slick BK King, however, sneaks up from behind and, without notice, steals ONLY the worker's extra checks!
Setting: Tomato Fields near Immokalee, Florida. 2008.
Characters: 6 people in total:
- Tomato picker, age 15-45
- Grower, age 50
- Taco Bell Chihuahua
- Ronald McDonald
- A common thief
- Burger King (the "Creepy King")
Props:
- Tomato bucket
- Country-style straw hat (for the grower)
- Headband with chihuahua ears and Taco Bell (or Yum! Brands) logo on paper (to tape/staple to t-shirt)
- Large check that is made out to "Trabajadora de Lucha", is made in the amount of "un centavo mas cada libra/one cent more per pound" and is signed by "Taco Bell/Yum! Brands"
- Clown nose (or red lipstick) and McDonald's logo on paper (to tape/staple to t-shirt)
- Large check that is made out to "Trabajadora de la Lucha", is made in the amount of "un centavo mas cada libra/one cent more per pound" and is signed by "McDonald's"
- Bandana
- Cardboard crown and/or "creepy king" mask and Exploitation King logo on paper (to tape/staple to t-shirt)
Script:
The
worker is picking in the fields and carrying a bucket on their shoulder.
Grower: Arrives on the scene with a paycheck and, giving it to the worker, says "Here. Good job."
Worker: shakes their head and says "It's never enough! How am I going to pay for rent and food and diapers?!"
The Taco Bell Chihuahua enters with a large check made out to the worker and says, "I've recognized that you don't make enough picking the tomatoes for my chalupas and tacos. Here's an extra check for a penny more per pound of tomatoes that you've picked."
Ronald McDonald enters with another large check also made out to the worker and says, "I've also recognized that you don't make enough picking the tomatoes that go in my Big Macs. Here's an extra check for a penny more per pound of tomatoes that you've picked."
The worker tosses their last bucket, starts to leave the scene, and is approached by the thief, who comes straight on, in view of the worker.
The thief makes a move to rob the worker, but, prepared, the worker responds with a karate chop! The thief runs off, saying "Es chiquita/o pero picosa/o! (She may be small but she's feisty!)"
The worker keeps walking and the creepy Burger King starts to, well, creep up behind them.
The King hits the worker in the back, the worker falls face-forward and the King steals only the two extra checks!
The worker sits up, rubbing her back and says "What just happened?! Who was that?! And what happened to my extra checks?!"
END.
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