0:00

Hello, Hi, Hi,

0:04

Hi, how are you?

0:08

You know, maybe you're home with

0:10

your family for the holidays, and

0:13

maybe you're not because your family

0:15

sucks and they don't give you what you need and

0:18

you're doing your own thing. You

0:20

know, I celebrate

0:22

you, whatever your circumstance.

0:26

I thank you for being a part of the reboot

0:29

of Call Chelsea Peretti CCP.

0:32

Now, when I did reboot the pod, I

0:35

did take down my back catalog,

0:38

and some callers said, hey,

0:41

wait, hold on, there's

0:45

a few episodes we particularly

0:48

cherish, so what

0:51

are we doing. We're going to release one

0:53

of them. Many people said

0:55

they liked to listen to it around

0:57

the holidays with their family.

0:59

So here you go.

1:00

Rain's Coming in a southern

1:03

rural family drama written by

1:06

Chelsea.

1:07

We're ready.

1:10

With an incredible cast. I

1:13

was originally recorded at the Upright

1:15

Citizens Brigade Theater in Los

1:17

Angeles on Franklin. Maybe

1:20

you're familiar with.

1:21

The Gilson's in the area.

1:25

A La pu Belle, or

1:27

maybe you're an out of towner. Either which

1:29

way, here's

1:32

a dramatic play that we did as

1:36

a live show, followed by a Q and

1:38

A.

1:40

I hope you'll enjoy it.

1:41

If it's your first time, and if

1:43

it's not.

1:46

I hope you'll also enjoy it because

1:48

you asked for it.

1:51

You were asking for it.

1:53

Without fither Ado, I

1:57

present to you rains

1:59

coming.

2:00

Yeah.

2:04

Please, gentlemen, thanks for coming to the

2:06

uc Franklin there.

2:08

Please belong to the stage Playwrights Horizons

2:11

there.

2:31

Thank you guys so much

2:34

for being here. I'm really honored that so

2:36

many people are I'm

2:38

sorry, I'm a little winded, are

2:41

able to participate in this reading tonight.

2:45

There's a few people that I do.

2:46

Need to think.

2:48

I'm honored to

2:50

be selected by UCB Theater's

2:53

La Playwrights Horizons program. Over

2:56

eight thousand established playwrights

2:59

smit they're working year and

3:03

UCB and PHPs panel

3:06

of judges select only one winner, and

3:09

I was that winner. So I

3:12

feel incredibly fortunate. This

3:15

program's connected me with funding from a variety

3:17

of grants. I

3:21

have to mention the PBS True American

3:23

Visionary Grant, the

3:27

kq ED singularly Brilliant Mind

3:29

Grant Program,

3:31

the Scientology Celebrity Center Celebrity

3:35

Advancement Grant, and the

3:37

icing on the cake was I actually got

3:40

a Yale School of Drama honorary degrees.

3:43

I'm just based off my submission and

3:45

it's just it's truly humbling, and

3:48

you know, without these grants and funds, it would have been

3:51

incredibly hard to write this play.

3:56

So I'm very excited to share with you tonight a piece

3:58

of this play, which is a drama and idled

4:01

brains coming in. It's

4:12

about a family in a small town, but it's

4:14

about all of us.

4:18

It's about dreams, goals, love, resentment,

4:21

adolation, bitterness, jealousy,

4:24

addiction, boredom,

4:28

intimacy, and of course thanksgiving.

4:35

I hope you'll see yourself in this play

4:38

and that it will hold a mirror up to your own

4:40

faults, and

4:43

that's any artist's humble hope.

4:44

I think.

4:46

This is a work in progress, so I want to thank

4:49

you in advance for being part

4:51

of its genesis and hopefully evolution. And

4:54

we're still taking critiques on the play and listening

4:56

to feedback. Actually part

4:58

of the deal with my Interlock grants and

5:02

it is that I'm lucky enough to receive almost

5:04

weekly critiques.

5:07

You know, have been anything ranging from this is

5:09

a master work, but pace it up.

5:13

To.

5:13

This play is tirelessly meandering, and

5:16

there's also been some negative ones. People

5:21

have said, what's the point. I

5:24

don't get any message from this. It

5:26

feels endless, et cetera. So if you

5:29

have any kinds of thoughts, you know, kind

5:31

of lock them in, hold on

5:34

to them. There's gonna be a Q and A after the reading

5:37

with myself and my talented group of actors.

5:41

So please, you know,

5:43

just during the whole play, just be thinking about

5:45

your own questions

5:48

and know that the Q and A is not eliminated to writing.

5:51

My actors will welcome any questions

5:53

about their process, how they approach

5:55

a scene, how they interpret

5:58

text and subtext, uh, how

6:01

they build a character, how they warm

6:03

up, how they cool down right

6:06

on down, just to like a favorite snack, and

6:09

do they get along with their parents. So,

6:13

without further ado, I'd like to bring out my

6:15

actors. It's a wonderful group of people, incredible

6:17

talents that I am so lucky to

6:20

have gotten. Please applaud

6:22

after each name equally, and

6:28

actually before I bring them out. I hope this is an

6:30

embarrassing but we're

6:32

very exciting, very excited tonight

6:35

that Tennessee William's granddaughter is here.

6:40

You're dishonored that you're able to make it,

6:44

And originally this was kind of written and

6:46

conceived as a one woman show, but.

6:48

I decided.

6:52

So without further ado. In

6:55

the part of Terry Inn Kate

6:58

Berlant

7:07

reading the part of Cooper actor

7:10

John Early. Evangeline

7:20

will be played by Zosha Rokamore. A

7:29

part of Lily may Esther Povitsky

7:32

Ladies and Gentlemen c

7:41

B will be played by Emily Spivee.

7:51

Buck will be played by Yasser Lester,

8:01

and the part of Daddy's ghost will

8:04

be played by Mosha Kasher

8:06

than You and

8:15

of course Dave King. We'll be reading

8:17

all the stage directions tonight.

8:28

Are we ready? Yes,

8:36

Rain's Coming? In a rural

8:39

family Drama by Chelsea

8:41

Peretti. Yes.

8:49

We open on Mama Jean's family

8:52

home in a rural suburb. Warn

8:54

cafe curtains hang from the windows.

8:57

There's a screen door with a hole in the screen.

9:00

There's a couch with a messy blanket on it.

9:03

There's a dining table with a bouquet of

9:05

old flowers. A mug

9:07

of steaming hot tea sits on the table.

9:11

The room is empty. There

9:13

is a sound of thunder and a flash of lightning

9:16

through the windows, footsteps

9:18

of slippers. Mama Jean enters,

9:21

shivering in a robe, smoking

9:23

a skinny cigarette. She sits at

9:25

the table and opens the newspaper

9:28

and thumps it with her hand.

9:30

Humph.

9:32

She turns the page, then

9:35

thumps the next page. She

9:39

turns the page, then thumps the next

9:41

page. Mama Cooper

9:45

emerges from the messy blanket on the

9:47

couch with a faux hawk that

9:50

would have been cool ten years ago and

9:53

stiff bedazzled jeans.

9:57

Hum.

9:58

She thumps another page.

10:00

Not take you humping through another paper's headlines

10:02

today? Just what exactly are you always searching

10:04

for in there?

10:05

Let me alone, Cooper, I'll.

10:11

Tell you what. You're looking for, a new

10:13

way to be miserable.

10:15

My god, Mama clinging

10:17

to the morbidity of the news day in and

10:20

day out.

10:21

And you're sitting right there watching

10:23

me. Now, which is worse? Humph?

10:28

Cooper, Leave your mama alone and let me read

10:30

my paper. You can instruct me on

10:32

how to live. Once you get off that couch and

10:34

out from under that blanket you've been living in the

10:36

last eight years since the accident, Take

10:42

a bath and put some clothes on. Cooper.

10:44

Mama, you yourself aware in a sleeping robe.

10:46

In this very instance, it's

10:51

French, a French

10:54

robe, a sill a robe, Mama,

10:57

the frenchness.

10:58

Don't make it outawere, Cooper,

11:02

you're drunk.

11:06

You are too, Mama,

11:10

So don't you dare.

11:13

She is?

11:18

They are? They

11:20

make drunk eye contact for a moment.

11:25

Little Lily May enters from

11:27

the kitchen.

11:27

You leave mom alone. She's doing her best.

11:29

Cooper, Listen to you, Lily

11:32

May. Mama's little lap dog.

11:33

Now just because she's small, don't make her

11:35

a lap dog.

11:40

That's right.

11:41

It sounded like you just went yep, yep,

11:45

crash.

11:46

The sound of thunder and lightning causes them

11:48

all to look towards the windows. Sky

11:51

is dark, the lights flicker.

11:55

Rains coming in.

12:01

All you ever do is pick on everyone, Cooper,

12:03

because you got the hard heart. It ain't

12:05

our fault. You got a drink to get through the day.

12:09

An hour, a minute, a second.

12:11

Wow, Lily May, you've really memorized

12:13

your units of time measurement.

12:16

Congrats, kudos.

12:18

Would you listen all you squeaking and

12:21

squawking, just like old times.

12:23

Terry Ah in glamorous city

12:26

clothes, standing

12:28

on the other side of the screen door, holding

12:31

a newspaper over her head. They all

12:33

rush over to open the screen door.

12:35

Huh sounds like a cartoon in here.

12:38

Well, let me help you with the door. Now starting

12:40

to rain here, really big out

12:42

there, big big

12:46

old drops the size of gumballs.

12:49

Terry Anne, Oh my goodness, you look

12:51

incredible.

12:52

My first child. Come in here, sit down

12:54

beside me. Let someone

12:56

get you a water. Well, put your bags down,

12:59

Terry Anne, cat gut your tongue.

13:00

Talk to us.

13:01

How's New York City advertising?

13:04

What the city folk acts like? Why have been

13:06

gone so long? You don't think you're better than us? Now?

13:08

Do you?

13:09

No? No?

13:10

Not better? Just different?

13:12

Oh?

13:14

Different?

13:15

Like hell?

13:15

Like?

13:15

How do you mean, Terry inne? Like in a good way or

13:17

a bad way?

13:18

What's different?

13:19

Yeah?

13:20

How do you mean, Terry Ane?

13:21

Oh I don't know. Y'all will put me on

13:23

the spot.

13:24

Lord, I've

13:26

been traveling all day and I'm not ready to make

13:28

a speech. Okay, I

13:31

do enough of that in my advertising company.

13:37

I need to lay down a minute and put a hot washcloth

13:40

on my face for a good, solid twenty minutes.

13:43

Take some of this rain chill out of me.

13:46

Hey, I bought you all an espresso

13:48

machine.

13:51

She pulls a small espresso machine

13:54

out of her.

13:54

Back plug

13:56

it in, Mama, can she plug it in?

13:58

I don't see why not.

14:01

Maybe because she's gonna blast out all the electrical

14:04

with this an espresso when we have a perfectly

14:06

good coffee maker that's worked just fine

14:08

for the last fourteen years.

14:09

Oh just wait, Cooper.

14:12

Wait.

14:12

You see how fast it makes a cup of java,

14:16

and.

14:17

It's quiet as hell. You'll

14:21

never want to brew up a pot again.

14:24

It can make big cups or small cups

14:27

or medium cups too. You

14:30

choose the size by pressing a button.

14:34

You can tell how big the cup is by how

14:36

big the cup.

14:37

Is on the button.

14:42

You haven't mentioned the taste, not even once.

14:45

Because it tastes like saving time, Coop.

14:50

That's important in New York City and

14:53

other big cities as well. It

14:56

tastes like not standing over a stove

14:59

every morning, or wa eating on a coffee maker

15:01

from an entire pot of coffee when all you want

15:03

is the one cup you pick

15:05

me up, shandrain.

15:06

You have energy. Cooper, Okay, defeats

15:08

the whole point.

15:09

Well, Daddy would be rolling

15:11

in his grave as much as he loved coffee

15:14

if we knew where his body was and have been able

15:16

to bury him.

15:16

That is, Daddy's

15:19

ghost is projected onto a wall

15:21

above everyone's heads. No

15:24

one can see him.

15:26

I'm over in the cornfield, over

15:30

by the shutdown mine. You

15:32

can find my body there, fell

15:34

into a mine. Chef looking for a place to fish.

15:38

Oh, I miss y'all that crazy, but

15:41

Terry Ann. You need to ditch

15:43

that new fangle and espresso and keep coffee

15:45

how it's supposed to be

15:47

aromatic, dark and

15:49

rich. If

15:52

you want to get that kind of flavor, it takes time,

15:55

plain and simple.

15:57

Yep, Daddy would be rolling in here.

16:01

Cooper, you take your daddy's damn

16:03

name out of this. I'm sick of it.

16:05

Mama. Jean slaps Cooper across the

16:07

face. Mama, what the fuck?

16:12

She slaps him again.

16:13

And don't you dare swear on top of

16:15

blaspheming your father.

16:18

You can't blaspheme your daddy. You can only

16:20

blaspheme God, God, damn

16:22

it.

16:23

Daddy's ghost slaps Cooper, but

16:26

he can't feel it. Cooper

16:29

stumps to the couch and crawls back under

16:32

his blanket, disappearing.

16:34

Gosh, Cooper why do you have to go and start

16:36

something a silence?

16:39

Terry Anne plugs in an espresso, fills

16:41

it with water, inserts a pod,

16:44

and presses a button. A

16:46

whirring mechanical sound fills the house.

16:49

And Terry Anne, you get that goddamn contraption

16:52

out of here. It isn't that quiet,

16:54

because I can hear it. It is.

16:56

It is quiet, Mama, No, it.

16:58

Isn't, Mama. Jean hers

17:00

an espresso through a window. The

17:03

window breaks, but then espresso falls back

17:06

into the house on the floor, in a pile

17:08

of glass.

17:09

And this is why we can't have anything nice for

17:11

ourselves or make any kind of progress in this

17:13

world. Fear of mama's tantrums.

17:16

Why do you think I left this place.

17:18

It's okay, Mama, don't have one of your fits.

17:21

It's all gonna be okay. Let me rub

17:23

your temples with hot oil.

17:24

Mama, that

17:26

sounds like that would be all right, of

17:31

course it does.

17:32

She's gonna rub your temples with oil like your damn

17:34

Cleopatra.

17:38

The screen door squeaks open, and there

17:40

stands Evangeline, dressed

17:43

practically soaked in rain, standing on broken

17:45

window glass, carrying bags

17:47

of groceries. Which she sets just inside

17:49

the door, staring at then espresso machine.

17:52

What in the hell is going on here, Oh,

17:55

Evangeline, Same old,

17:57

same old. I'm afraid mama's in

17:59

the midst of having one of her fits.

18:01

Well, Mama, can you please have it later in

18:03

the year.

18:04

I just carry this turkey four and am miles

18:06

from the grocery the last half mile

18:08

and the rain to boot That rain

18:11

really came in. The mud is three

18:13

feet deep. We're

18:15

all gonna eat this food together tomorrow,

18:17

just like you told me, Mama when you asked me to

18:19

go pick it up.

18:20

Now.

18:20

I don't want to be sweeping up glass and taping

18:23

up a window on top of it, but you

18:25

know I will be the one to do it because no one else

18:27

slifts a hand around here.

18:29

Let me help you. Come on, give me a

18:31

hug. I missed you, of Angeline.

18:34

They hug.

18:35

It's a fancy smelling perfume.

18:37

Oh, I can get you some.

18:39

I get samples through that advertising

18:41

agency that I work out. You

18:45

deserve something pretty?

18:46

Will that be nice?

18:48

Plus when it's free, it smells extra good.

18:51

They share a warm, excited laugh.

18:56

Hey, you know, maybe you could come out there

18:59

too. We could be rooming. Why not?

19:01

I mean it, they might have another

19:03

job for you at the advertising agency where

19:05

I work. You're a

19:07

hard worker and it's huge. Plus

19:10

those men have more money than they know what to

19:12

do with.

19:13

We all hate ads.

19:21

Don't kid yourself, Terry In, you're doing the demons

19:23

bidding.

19:26

Cooper stop it. It's such a nice idea,

19:28

the two of them in New York City taking

19:30

on the world together, pair of sisters

19:33

with their heads on straight and their hearts in the right place.

19:35

Can't you just let anyone have anything?

19:37

Cooper?

19:38

What has anyone ever let me

19:41

have?

19:42

I could have died on this couch years

19:44

ago, and knowing what I've ever noticed.

19:48

And maybe you should die, you old

19:50

sack of shit. Whoo

19:54

is it ever?

19:55

Coming down?

19:56

Rain?

19:57

Driper hitting my hat like two by fours.

20:01

Their neighbor Buck enters in a ten

20:03

gallon hat and a big belt buckle. He

20:06

shakes his hat off outside the door.

20:08

Buck as I live and breathe.

20:13

Okay, I thought you

20:15

were staying up country forever. Thought

20:18

you were gonna get trampled by a horse or fall.

20:20

Into a well of some shit. But now

20:22

here you are, falling alive.

20:25

I told you all, I had the gumption to

20:27

make it anywhere. Listen.

20:30

If you love the wild, the

20:32

wild loves you back. It's

20:34

a formula, that's all there

20:37

is to it. And I got a bunch

20:39

of real nice venison curing in

20:41

the trunk.

20:42

I'll give you some. It's got

20:44

a magnificent shoewe to it.

20:46

The real question is is there

20:48

a seat for old Buck at your Thanksgiving

20:50

table?

20:51

I sure would appreciate it.

20:53

My mama ain't feeling good and she'd

20:55

like to rest up the next couple of days.

20:57

I'm sorry, but no, there isn't Buck.

21:04

We don't have enough food, and we don't

21:06

have enough plates, and I refuse to eat

21:08

on paper plates. Always having I always

21:10

will. It's a class

21:13

thing, nothing personal.

21:15

Hey, don't mind her. Mama's in one

21:17

of her moods. Mama, stop listening to us,

21:19

and go on and smoke your cigarettes out on the window.

21:22

You know how that calms you down. Go on and.

21:24

Smoke, mama, that'll calm you.

21:26

You've been home two minutes and already trying

21:28

to run the place, speaking in that

21:30

condescending city voice like you pity

21:33

me. Don't forget I birthed you out

21:35

of the dead center of my vagina.

21:38

Mama,

21:43

Mama, Oh, don't act scandalized,

21:45

Lily. May we all come from the same damn

21:47

place. But I want y'all to listen

21:49

and listen good. This

21:52

old house, as many footsteps

21:54

as y'all have taken in it from when

21:56

you was little tops on up to now, this house

21:58

is my house. It was before

22:01

you were ever born. I worked

22:03

for it, Your daddy worked for it. As

22:05

many bites of food as your greedy mouths

22:08

have eaten in the kitchen or at this here

22:10

table. It don't make it your kitchen,

22:12

and it don't make it your table.

22:15

You see, it's all mine. So

22:17

when someone waltzes in here asking

22:19

for a seat at my table, I'll

22:22

be the one to answer, and y'all

22:24

should fall silent. You

22:27

don't even know what when it's feeding y'all, keeping

22:29

y'all clothed, drying your tears, putting

22:32

band aids on your cuts. It took a lot. It

22:34

took a lot. It

22:36

took a lot.

22:39

Mama Jean shuffles off in her slippers and

22:42

it sends a staircase that leads to off

22:44

stage as everyone watches her

22:46

entire shuffling ascent.

22:50

I do feel bad she had to feed us.

22:55

You kind of have to admire her.

22:57

She just managed to create a home where there's never a dull

22:59

moment, even in a town as

23:01

dull as this one.

23:04

Will I'll best be pushing off toward

23:06

home, but.

23:08

Don't feel unwelcome on mama's account. She's

23:11

had a hard life, but she don't mean nothing by

23:13

it. We'd love for you to be here with

23:15

us.

23:16

Ah, well, that's awful nice,

23:18

but I don't want to ruffle any feathers.

23:21

You won't be We all love your company, promise.

23:23

Lily May sounds like you're

23:25

sweet.

23:26

Armed Buck.

23:28

Having decency may be a foreign

23:30

to you, but not. Everyone's hearts are directly

23:33

connected to their genitals.

23:34

Whooh, she shoots, She scores.

23:39

L O l.

23:42

Buck and Lily May laugh for a long

23:45

time.

23:49

Very damn funny.

23:51

All this intrigue and drowmly all bring

23:53

into the house is special, and I must admit

23:56

I'm quite entertained. It's a nice

23:58

break from the simple life. Live here out

24:00

of my respectful devotion to our

24:02

mama. But can someone help

24:04

me with these groceries? I've been standing

24:07

here just inside the door, surrounded by the food.

24:09

You'll all be eating tomorrow, hoping it would

24:11

occur to someone, but it didn't.

24:14

Sorry about the head trip you're on.

24:16

I was just getting ready to vomit watching Lily

24:19

may make fuck eyes.

24:20

At my friend Buck.

24:25

No, I wasn't fucking fucking

24:28

fuck y.

24:31

All right, I really best be heading out, all.

24:35

Right, Well, do come back tomorrow though. Okay,

24:37

I know we seemed like a mess, so we'll have ourselves

24:39

together by then.

24:41

Feed you some turkey.

24:42

There's a lot of love here, regardless of other hate.

24:47

Any of turkey to go around.

24:48

Buck, Well, I'll think about

24:50

it.

24:51

You know.

24:51

Sometimes Mama says she's under the weather,

24:53

but then she feels better the next day.

24:55

Plus, I don't want to inconvenience, y'all.

24:57

Oh, you should join us, but we want you.

25:00

I'll FaceTime you tonight and check in.

25:02

Well, all right, i'd

25:05

like that.

25:06

Buck tips his hat and exits.

25:09

Oh,

25:11

the idea of y'all facetiming is disgusted.

25:14

FaceTime is so boring.

25:16

It is if too bores are talking.

25:19

Terry Anne's phone ringers.

25:22

Oh, I'm sorry, I have to take this.

25:24

It's the advertising company that I work for

25:27

back in the city. Yo,

25:30

Terry Anne here, how are you, and

25:32

happy holidays to you as well.

25:35

Oh, I can't.

25:35

I can't wait to get back to work. If I'm being honest, Okay,

25:38

yeah, no, just hit me with it.

25:40

What's up? Okay?

25:43

Right?

25:45

Yes, okay, Well, I can't say I understand because

25:48

I don't.

25:49

I don't. I really don't,

25:51

and I'm a smart person. I'm

25:55

sorry.

25:55

I can accept your compliment about

25:57

the situation, Greg, right.

26:01

Right.

26:04

I know you do, but in the circumstance,

26:06

it's just meaningless to hear it from you.

26:08

Greg.

26:08

Your voice sounds so smug and detached.

26:11

It's the holidays, Greg, and I spent so much money

26:13

on my flats and I got in new apartment, and I'm

26:16

just trying not to curse. Okay, that's all I'm doing right

26:18

now. I'm trying really hard not to curse Greg,

26:20

and I'm trying not to scream.

26:22

Greg.

26:24

I'm sure you have to go. I would too if I were you.

26:26

No, I can come back in a week and clear out my things.

26:28

No, I don't want them shipped, Greg, I want

26:30

to come in and get them.

26:32

I don't want them shipped.

26:34

I don't have a doorman like you do, Greg. Things

26:36

get stolen in new York City without a doorman.

26:39

Okay, well, I.

26:40

Hope you never have the misfortune of getting fired

26:42

or robbed. This isn't a threat, Greg, I'm

26:46

saying, I hope you don't get robbed.

26:48

Okay, well, cool beans. Okay, you

26:50

motherfucking asshole. Okay, catch

26:53

you on the flip gee rereg.

26:57

Blackout. Connie

27:00

Brenda Akacb enters

27:03

in a very highly patterned floral dress.

27:05

She is carrying bouquets of flowers.

27:08

You you hello,

27:11

hello, hello, hello.

27:12

Hello, gobble

27:15

gobble gobble. Y'all y'all

27:18

Happy Turkey days? Anybody here?

27:20

Hello?

27:21

Did y'all leave.

27:25

Silence? Adore slams

27:27

in the direction of the kitchen. Cbe smiles

27:29

and hides behind a couch. Evangeline

27:33

enters, clapping flower off her hands and

27:35

wiping them on an apron. When she gets close,

27:37

Cebe bursts up from behind the couch.

27:40

Oh my goodness, Connie Brenda, you devil,

27:46

always scaring people.

27:48

Way I got you, sweet of Angeline.

27:51

I cannot tell you how happy it made me

27:53

to see you thinking you were all alone

27:55

in this house.

27:57

You jump up in the air like a dang old

27:59

fairy.

28:00

Shame on, UCB.

28:02

You devil. I thought I was alone.

28:07

They all left to go buy some last minute

28:09

groceries, napkins and such.

28:11

You bought the flowers.

28:12

They're on the table, sweet thing, picked

28:14

them all morning. My

28:17

garden's empty. Now the

28:24

whole field looks

28:26

like a scourge swept through the

28:30

things I do for this family. Cut

28:34

Oh my god, damn flowers.

28:35

Well it looks

28:37

like you drop some on your dress.

28:41

Looks down at her extremely floral dress

28:43

and laughs.

28:44

Oh, you stinker.

28:46

Come on, let's have us a drink before these hellions

28:48

get back in here and ruin everything.

28:50

Well, I can't be drinking.

28:52

Cebee, got too much cooking to do.

28:53

Oh come on, let's sit out on the porch

28:56

or on this here couch, put our feet up,

28:58

and have us a few drinks.

29:00

A couple laughs.

29:01

We deserve it for putting up with your mama's shit

29:03

all the time, especially you,

29:06

Evangeline.

29:06

It's too much.

29:08

You ought to just up.

29:09

And leave her someday, not in a cruel way,

29:12

but just go live your life. Let

29:14

her and Cooper sit around in their chosen doom

29:17

and gloom.

29:18

Come on, take a load off.

29:19

I'll help you cook after, And you know my cooking

29:21

blows you're cooking out of the water.

29:24

Oh okay, the drink does sound.

29:26

Nice, Evangeline starts pouring

29:28

drinks.

29:29

You know, you're the only person in this family that

29:31

I ever really sit back and talk to, laugh

29:34

with. You're the only one in

29:36

this family that asks me questions about

29:38

myself instead of asking for favors. Lord

29:41

knows, I love when you come for Thanksgiving.

29:43

It's the only good part for me.

29:45

Well, you know you were always my favorite

29:48

niece, Evangeline, always have been since

29:50

you were small. You can tell a baby's

29:52

personality.

29:53

You know, she

29:56

SIPs her drink.

29:57

Your story can't in here in

30:00

this old house, that's for sure.

30:02

You ought to go to New York with Terry Ann.

30:05

She did offer.

30:06

Then it's settled. She can support

30:08

you till you find your sea legs, so

30:10

to speak. Met a sea captain

30:12

once who said that all the time about finding

30:15

your sea legs, and I just love

30:17

that phrase. You'll

30:19

come alive in New York.

30:22

Well, well what.

30:25

Well, Terry Ann didn't want me to say nothing

30:27

to anyone, just wanted to pretend everything's

30:29

all right. But she got fired

30:32

yesterday, lost her big advertising

30:35

job. Oh so there

30:37

goes my new York.

30:38

Plenty of jobs in NY.

30:44

That's what a city is, a place

30:47

full of jobs. Jobs

30:50

you can't even imagine, Like restaurants

30:53

where they hire pretty girls like yourself

30:55

to stand inside the door and welcome people

30:57

and write down their names. You don't

30:59

even have to wait tables as long as you do

31:01

your makeup real nice.

31:03

There's voices approaching from out on the front

31:05

porch. Terry Anne, Lily May and Cooper

31:08

enter, with a glum Mama Jean behind

31:10

them.

31:10

Ah, well would you look with the cat drug in

31:12

CB?

31:14

How are you?

31:14

Auntie? You look outstanding? And I

31:16

love that dress? Is that from a pattern or is it

31:18

storebop? Because it looks store

31:20

bought?

31:21

Hell, it should look store bought.

31:23

I paint enough for the damn pattern.

31:28

They share a laugh.

31:32

House, New York City.

31:33

I love it. Yeah, No, I just love it.

31:35

Found My people love my job. It's

31:39

perfect.

31:40

Well, that's great, very.

31:42

Lucky, very lucky.

31:44

I love being a working woman and making my own

31:46

money, the independence. She

31:49

starts to cry,

31:52

excuse me, I have to go check on the turkey.

31:56

She runs off to the kitchen.

31:58

She cries when she's happy.

32:02

Y'all, I'm sorry, I

32:04

told Ceb she got fired.

32:06

Oh why would you do that? Really?

32:08

He storms off the kitchen after Tarry Ane

32:11

Cooper's right.

32:11

It may have been a silly secret, but it was

32:14

her secret, and it made her feel like things were

32:16

going to be okay.

32:17

She storms off to the kitchen after Terry A.

32:20

Well, Genie, say what you want about your kids,

32:22

but they sure stick together in times

32:24

of crisis.

32:26

Did you bring the flowers? I did,

32:29

go on and put them in several vases, real

32:31

nice and set out some dip.

32:38

Good to see you too, sis.

32:40

Are we in one of our moods?

32:42

You know, my old bone's hurting. The ring.

32:46

Rain's coming in pretty good now.

32:48

Too, mm hmm,

32:51

okay, I'll go get a vase.

32:53

CB heads off to the kitchen. Mama

32:56

Jene finds herself alone in the living room. She

32:58

sees the flowers on the table, curls

33:00

her face up in disgust.

33:03

Daisies.

33:04

She walks over to the door, throws it

33:06

open, staring at the rain pours

33:08

down relentlessly. She is deeping

33:11

some ancient memory. Buck

33:14

appears carrying flowers and almost walks

33:16

into her.

33:17

Oh, Mama Jean, my

33:20

apologies, I didn't know.

33:22

You was never mind what I was doing.

33:24

Now, Buck, why.

33:25

Are you here?

33:26

Oh right?

33:28

I suspect I shouldn't have come, and I've

33:30

made a real embarrassing mistake.

33:32

Didn't I tell you we don't have enough plates?

33:37

I suppose you did, yes, and

33:39

not enough meat? You did also

33:42

say that, yes, And.

33:44

Yet here you are looking to come eat up

33:46

all my meat.

33:51

No meat will be had by me.

33:53

I'll just be dropping off these flowers for Lily

33:55

May and and then I'll be on my way.

33:57

Nothing personal, Buck, you're

34:00

older. You'll understand when you've earned

34:02

every plank of wood and every floorboard

34:04

in your house. But people treat you like

34:06

a nuisance in your own damn

34:09

house. So thank you

34:11

for the flowers, but we already have some from

34:13

my sister's garden.

34:14

Don't waste yours here?

34:18

Well, okay, miss Jean, I

34:21

did hope Lily May would have liked them,

34:23

you know, she's just such a great

34:25

gal.

34:26

Buck turns on his boot heel and heads out

34:28

of sight. The rain pours down as

34:30

Mama Jean stares out again in silence.

34:33

CB enters with her arm around Terry

34:35

Ann's shoulder, each of them carrying vases.

34:38

All right, we're.

34:39

These flowers, We've had our heart to heart and

34:41

we're ready to get to work flowers

34:43

and cook him.

34:44

Hey, maybe I'll become a florists here in town,

34:47

open up my own shop.

34:48

Don't be silly. You're going straight back to

34:51

n Y with your head held hut,

34:53

and you're gonna get a new job.

34:55

Derry Ann. Yes, beg

34:58

for your job back.

35:00

What when I was pregnant

35:02

with you, I got laid off.

35:04

I went back in the morning.

35:07

Next morning, I begged for a second chance,

35:10

got my job back. And that's how we have this roof

35:12

over our heads today.

35:14

Mama, No way I'm doing that.

35:16

Course not.

35:17

You'll get a new job.

35:19

Cooper enters, licking a large spoon.

35:21

What lighthearted chat is going down in here? Now?

35:24

Your sister just got herself fired, and I told

35:26

her how to get her job back. Now her and c B

35:29

are coming after me, same old, same old.

35:31

Oh hush, Mama, no one is coming

35:33

after you.

35:34

Nothing's chasing any of us, but rain.

35:41

Lily May enters holding her phone, very upset.

35:44

All day long, I try to think, how does Mama feel?

35:46

Why does Mama act the way she acts, Why does Mama

35:48

say the thing she says? Why does Mama,

35:50

do the thing she does. What made her this

35:53

way? What's her logic? What we're all the

35:55

different chains of events from her childhood up on

35:57

now that led her to be the woman she is today.

35:59

I defend your every move with all the love

36:01

in my heart. But Mama, you never think one

36:04

thought about me, do you? You never even

36:06

for an instant thing, how Lily may might feel.

36:09

Well, if you don't ever care about how I feel, then I

36:11

have to care how I feel, don't I, Mama? And

36:13

how I feel is in

36:16

love with Buck, the man

36:18

you just turned away from our home while

36:20

I was in the kitchen help and cook our holiday

36:22

dinner. He's a kind hearted

36:24

person, Mama. He's not cold and reptilian

36:27

like this entire sick family. His

36:30

mom was the same way. They say nice

36:33

things to me, but cares how my

36:35

day went, how I felt, And

36:37

that's why we got married, and

36:42

that is why I got pregnant.

36:46

And I'm gonna tell him tonight that we're gonna

36:48

have a baby. Don't worry about

36:50

smiling at my news, Mama, I know you don't have it in

36:52

your heart to care. Before

36:54

long, I'll be moving out to finally start

36:56

my own life. My own family

37:00

and have your house back just how

37:02

you want it, all to yourself, with

37:04

no meat to defend your indefensible

37:06

behavior, out of the acre pity I feel for

37:08

you, with no Evangeline to cook for

37:10

you and shot for you. We all know Terrian

37:13

was the smartest one of us. All we all

37:15

knew wasn't her passion for advertising

37:17

that took her.

37:17

To New York City.

37:18

She's smart.

37:19

She hot tail it out of here as soon as she had a

37:21

chance to get away from you.

37:24

And what about me?

37:33

You're all gonna leave me here alone,

37:37

all alone.

37:39

I have no friends.

37:42

I haven't touched someone in years, haven't

37:45

been touched.

37:46

You think I like drinking this much?

37:49

You think I want to live on my mama's couch

37:51

under a ratty blanket that smells like moth

37:54

balls and liquor, eating

37:57

pizza and Ramen noodles like a college

37:59

student.

37:59

Who ever went to college?

38:03

No future? You think

38:05

I want to be living dark.

38:07

You think I want to be a living dark shadow

38:09

of Mama's dark life. Some

38:12

days I feel myself making the exact same

38:14

foul faces as Mama, grimacing

38:16

at every excited story you all tell,

38:19

finding fault with your lives. Your

38:21

words. I'm identical to Mama.

38:27

I'm a twin, and

38:30

I hate myself for it.

38:32

I drink because I can't stand to be

38:34

in myself, in my

38:37

own body.

38:39

I need escape.

38:41

I need to be somewhere else.

38:43

He takes a swig of his drink.

38:46

I feel responsible for the accident. It

38:54

was my fault. If I had stay

38:56

with Daddy that day, he'd still be here.

38:58

And we all know it.

39:00

Come up there. I know that land like

39:02

the back of my hand. We shouldn't

39:04

have split up that day. We shouldn't

39:06

have been drinking. I knew it, and

39:08

I did it anyway, went

39:11

to buy a pack of cigarettes and some beef turkey,

39:13

and that's why Daddy is gone.

39:17

And we have no Daddy in our lives

39:20

because of me.

39:22

You finally admitted it, son, years

39:33

of excuses, but you knew

39:35

it was your fault. You've always

39:37

been careless since you was a little boy.

39:40

Well now your chickens have come home to roost,

39:43

and I'm sorry if your worst fear is acting

39:45

like your mama. Some children

39:47

loved their mama.

39:50

Mine don't.

39:51

So you took my husband away to punish

39:53

me.

39:55

That's enough, Jane.

39:58

You've become a tyrant, a

40:01

dictator. I remember

40:03

the day years ago when you killed

40:05

that stray cat with a shovel.

40:12

You turned a corner.

40:16

The things you're capable of.

40:18

I don't know how you sleep.

40:21

You're a self centered woman, Jeannie.

40:25

You were a kind girl once, but

40:27

you're a hard woman now. Too

40:31

many cold acts piled up

40:33

on top of each other by your hand

40:35

like a stone wall.

40:37

Uh, save me the theatric CB.

40:42

We all have secrets, don't we. At

40:44

least I put that cat out of its misery.

40:47

But you're fining to let a baby go along, Jeane.

40:49

Don't.

40:56

If tonight is the night our secrets all

40:58

come out, then so be it. Lily

41:01

May here's a secret that may interest you.

41:04

You know how we always laughed because your mannerisms

41:06

favored your auntie c B. How you carried

41:09

yourself like her, You talked like her, cried

41:11

like her. Well, you may share more

41:14

blood with your beloved CB than you think.

41:17

I get all the crap in the world for how I raised

41:19

you children. But at least I raised

41:21

you. I never turned my back

41:23

on you. I never let you go hungry,

41:26

even when one of you was given to me by a

41:28

sister who didn't have any instinct to raise

41:30

her own child.

41:32

A defenseless baby.

41:35

I held that baby, took her to my own

41:38

breast, gave her a home.

41:41

I didn't do it perfect, but I did it,

41:43

and that is love.

41:45

CB sinks to the floor.

41:48

No,

41:53

no, Genie,

41:56

why would you?

41:58

You've gone too far?

42:03

Is this true?

42:06

You may as well know now you're

42:08

grown, and you should know who you are

42:10

before you go out and start.

42:12

Your new life.

42:15

Blackout. When

42:18

the lights come back up, everyone is in our same

42:20

positions, frozen in

42:22

soft light. Buck enters through the screen

42:25

door. He's glowing. No

42:27

one in the room can hear him.

42:30

Love doesn't come but once in a lifetime

42:32

for most folks, and

42:34

for some, hell not at all. I

42:36

knew I love Lily May as soon

42:39

as she looked at me. She's the

42:41

sweetest creature of all creatures walking

42:43

earth.

42:44

Mama loves her too, like her own. We're

42:47

kindred souls.

42:48

We've been facetiming every night for hours,

42:51

propping our phones against our bedroom

42:54

walls and sharing stories, dreams,

42:56

some frustrations.

42:59

It's so easy to share my life with

43:01

her, and so right. But

43:04

when I saw how her mama looked at me today,

43:07

the disgust on her face

43:10

as she stared into the purity

43:12

of my love. I

43:14

knew I wasn't good enough for her.

43:17

I knew our families would never melt

43:19

together as one.

43:21

She would never love me or let me.

43:23

Love her child.

43:26

So I took out my hunting gun and

43:28

I shot myself in The.

43:29

Head lights

43:35

go out. When they come back up, everyone

43:37

in the room unfreezes.

43:39

Well, now I know who I am. I'm born

43:41

again, new life, new blood.

43:43

Excuse me, I'm going to see Buck

43:46

now, y'all

43:51

have a good Thanksgiving.

43:54

Lily May opens a screen door, opens an

43:56

umbrella, and runs out into the hard driving

43:58

rain.

44:00

Well that was a nice, thoughtful surprise, Mama.

44:03

Really, I've done yourself this time.

44:06

And for the record, I didn't leave just to get away

44:08

from you. That's given you way too

44:10

much credit.

44:12

And though I may be fired this moment, I do

44:15

love advertising.

44:22

I love advertising passionately. I

44:25

love discovering how to connect with the consumer

44:28

and figuring out the best way to represent

44:30

that brand, meeting

44:34

everyone's needs. No one

44:36

can go ignored and the transaction or the

44:38

whole thing fails. It's about balance,

44:42

something I never had here. I

44:44

love sitting round.

44:45

A table with my colleagues and talking

44:47

about ideas.

44:48

Mama, ideas, ideas not

44:51

about our past, for the love of God, but about

44:54

brand.

44:54

New, sparkly ideas.

44:57

Wonderfully abstract and perfectly

44:59

specific ideas. It's

45:02

not about me or my coworkers' personal

45:04

lives. It's about the

45:06

product. For

45:11

once it's the product's turned to shining.

45:13

We are all merely facilitators

45:15

to guide it into the hand of the consumer,

45:20

where it belongs by divine preordained

45:23

right.

45:24

Hell, I even love the buildings we work in,

45:26

clean, bright, shiny buildings

45:29

with new furniture, furniture

45:31

that doesn't hold any dark secrets. Chairs

45:36

my daddy has never sat in, and

45:38

tables that he has never laid his eyes on.

45:42

Silence.

45:45

I feel him missing everywhere

45:48

here. Oh,

45:52

I've replaced my eyelands. I see

45:54

a place where my daddy used to be.

45:57

Well, I'm still here, baby. I

46:01

see now that I left you all in ruins.

46:04

The lights flicker every time the rain

46:06

comes in. I

46:08

would have fixed that. I

46:11

see my wife as a broken woman, unable

46:14

to mother as she should. My

46:16

son racked with guilt.

46:19

He didn't kill me, Cooper. I

46:22

took a false step the

46:24

mining company should.

46:26

Have covered that hole.

46:30

Offence the entire area.

46:37

Terry Anne makes a cup of espresso, and

46:39

the mechanical industrial sound obliterates

46:41

the words Daddy's ghost is saying as

46:44

he mounts them silently unnoticed.

46:46

In the background, Evangeline

46:49

enters brightly from the kitchen holding a wooden

46:51

spoon.

46:51

Dinner is served.

46:53

The potatoes came out best they ever

46:55

have looked, whipped high like mountains.

46:58

I couldn't have done it all without CB and

47:00

Cooper and Terry Anne and Lily May

47:03

helping me out.

47:04

Now. I know I give you all a hard time, but

47:06

I do.

47:07

Love you, and I love Thanksgiving

47:09

when we all come together in spite

47:11

of it all.

47:12

So let's see.

47:14

I set it all up buffet style in the

47:16

kitchen. You just grab you a plate

47:18

and a fork and help yourselves cleaning

47:20

to go around mama.

47:22

I think we ought to call Buck and his mama

47:24

and see if they want to join us. They're sweet

47:27

people.

47:27

I found some extra china in the pantry, and there's enough

47:30

food to feed a firehouse.

47:32

Well, come on, everybody, Lily

47:34

May screams in the distance.

47:39

Fucked my husband, the father

47:41

of my child.

47:42

Buck The

47:46

light stem, the

47:48

rain sounds increase in volume until

47:50

the stage is black the

47:53

end.

47:53

Thank you,

48:15

Thank you so much.

48:18

I know that you know, people could be feeling

48:20

a lot of feelings right now, and

48:22

I don't want to. You know, it can

48:24

be jarring to rush straight into a Q and A, but

48:27

we really do need your feedback and

48:29

help. You

48:31

know, I have some questions for you.

48:34

I'm hoping you have some questions for us. You

48:36

know, as a playwright, this kind of information is just

48:38

invaluable.

48:39

Like if anyone when

48:41

did you cry?

48:44

That that's something that would help me. Like

48:47

which parts did you cry during.

48:50

Chelsea Peretti?

48:51

Ladies and gentlemen? Huh

48:54

wow both?

49:02

Did you relate to one character mostly

49:05

or was it constantly shifting who

49:08

you related to?

49:10

Other things you could.

49:11

Share with us as just is there a character you would

49:13

cut?

49:20

Did the pace feel good? Did it?

49:23

Did it ever feel like it was dragging? Do

49:27

you feel like the story came through clearly?

49:30

These are the kinds of things even if you want to, you

49:32

know, let me know after the

49:34

show was would you see it again?

49:40

And if anyone has any questions for us or

49:42

wants to answer any of those questions, well

49:45

we'll start the Q and A now, and

49:48

first of all, just a hand for my wonderful actors.

49:50

I mean, what a.

49:53

What a beautiful read?

50:04

Anything at all?

50:07

Where do you find.

50:11

That's a great one for the table.

50:19

Let?

50:19

Me start with motion head my way.

50:22

Oh, I find the power is in the

50:25

words. I mean it was. It was from

50:27

the play right down.

50:28

I mean, we're just vessels, and she's definitely

50:30

she's the water for the rain. Water if

50:33

you will, it fills that vessel.

50:37

I've just recently

50:39

lost a friend of suicide, and when when

50:44

I read the part of Buck, it wasn't so much

50:46

about me playing someone.

50:49

It's about me channeling that friend

50:52

and making sure that pain is

50:54

conveyed to you guys properly.

50:56

Right.

50:56

And the guy's name was Buck, right, that was the crazy

50:58

coincidence.

50:59

Yeah, he was my uncle.

51:08

I think for me, when you read a when

51:10

you read a role like Lily May, I mean, this

51:13

is a this is a role that can define someone's

51:15

career. And all

51:17

I wanted to do was honor the writing

51:20

and honor her truth, and honor this person

51:22

and make her a person. So

51:25

I think Chelsea for that opportunity.

51:26

Thank you.

51:31

Yeah, I

51:33

too find most of my inspiration from

51:36

the text, and.

51:39

I feel really, yeah, i'm

51:41

text based worker.

51:45

I related to Evangeline a lot though, because

51:48

I too often feel ignored, like

51:50

there's a foot on my neck.

51:53

As a POC.

51:54

So yeah,

51:56

it was just easy to relate to.

51:59

Me too.

52:03

Christ You

52:13

know, I am actually Southern. I'm

52:15

from North Carolina, and when Chelsea

52:18

first told me she was writing a Southern piece,

52:21

you know she's from being from the Bay Area,

52:23

I was a little incredulous, But

52:35

when I read it, I was like, boy, fuck, you

52:37

nailed it.

52:39

Did It's just

52:41

a testament to her ear and her

52:43

compassion and and just

52:46

thank you. I really felt like I was going

52:48

back to my hometown and

52:50

thank you.

52:51

I need that, I needed this.

52:53

Thank you.

52:57

I'm actually shy, so I don't really know.

53:00

I know, I know it's really embarrassing,

53:02

but I am I

53:08

I can't really I will say, I will say

53:10

I can't really speak to inspiration.

53:12

I don't know.

53:13

I believe inspiration is for amateurs. I

53:15

think you do the work, and I think

53:17

that I

53:20

think it's really clear that Chelsea did the

53:22

work and we all just kind of followed.

53:24

So thank you, Chelsea, Thank you.

53:26

You know, I think in thinking

53:28

about the question that you asked is a beautiful

53:31

question, I

53:35

think for me, I think that this sort

53:37

of origin of this for me was the rain. And

53:43

there's there's such a duality to rain,

53:45

right because it can flood us and overwhelm

53:48

us, it can cleanse us, it

53:50

can be dirty, it can be clean, and you

53:52

know, to me, that is that's life,

53:54

and that is family. You know, family, Family

53:58

can cleanse and family can.

54:00

And ruin your life. So it's.

54:04

It's just something that I thought

54:06

it was the perfect symbol. And you know, I was sitting

54:08

here in l A and these rains were coming down. I

54:10

thought, God, the rain is

54:13

coming in, you know, and

54:15

I have to do something with this, you know. And I'm

54:17

just so honored that that people went out

54:19

on this, you know, limb

54:22

with me. Is there any other questions?

54:25

Yes, in the front? How did you

54:27

pass the roles?

54:29

How did you know?

54:32

Well, it's funny, it's such a it's been such

54:34

a long journey

54:36

because initially I had you know,

54:38

eight other actors in mind, and

54:43

and it was this whole you know, sort

54:46

of evolution where

54:48

you go, Okay, this person can't, this person can't, and

54:50

like and

54:54

then the people that you wind

54:56

up with wind up being the right ones

54:58

for the role. I wouldn't have would have been happy

55:00

with the kind of high goals

55:02

I was going with. The

55:05

people that wound up coming into this project

55:08

were born to do this project.

55:10

So you know, it's just nature

55:12

and Nate once again. Nature kind

55:14

of you know, plays a role here. So

55:17

yeah, I don't know if if any

55:19

of you want to talk about the audition process, but

55:22

I had.

55:23

I had originally auditioned for the

55:25

role of Tyranne and I'm sorry,

55:28

sorry, oh.

55:30

I didn't say anything, Oh okay.

55:33

And that it's funny because that's how I saw myself.

55:35

And you know, when I got the call that I was

55:37

cast as Ali May, I thought like, this doesn't make sense

55:39

to me, and then I realized. Then

55:42

I realized, wait a second, Chelsea

55:45

is a genius because a

55:48

real Lily May when you think

55:50

of who she is, this person, deep down

55:52

to her core, she wants to be Tyryanne,

55:55

but she's not.

55:56

And it's

55:59

so funny because to us the cast

56:01

you are such a Lily May. No,

56:04

we totally feel that

56:07

that's.

56:07

That's Chelsea being a genius.

56:10

But one idea that has come up and we tend

56:12

to work, you know, in non traditional ways. And

56:16

one idea that's come up is, you know, we rewrite

56:18

this based on your notes and we

56:21

restage it and mix up all the casting, so

56:24

you know, I would be Buck and you know, maybe

56:26

you would still be Lily May, but.

56:27

Like people would switch, a

56:30

lot of people would switch.

56:31

So that's one direction.

56:33

Yeah.

56:33

During my audition, you actually made

56:35

me read the entire play alone,

56:38

and.

56:40

That's when I was still kind of shaping

56:42

it as a woman.

56:44

Yeah.

56:44

I wanted to see, like if you had any good impros,

56:47

right, right.

56:48

And then I threw it up on Vimeo,

56:50

sent that to you. Yeah,

56:52

and you said you're not in this, and

56:56

then later on you said.

56:57

I brought you back in.

56:58

Yeah, I brought you in and then I

57:00

was I'm off for only so I didn't I didn't audition.

57:05

Yeah, And I remember Mosha

57:07

asking me, you know, when I said you're gonna play Daddy's

57:09

ghost. I

57:12

remember him saying, like, do you want a traditional

57:14

ghost voice? And

57:17

I thought, that's amazing that you have that in

57:19

your arsenal and I said, you know, just play

57:22

it, just play it real.

57:23

It was it was originally going to.

57:24

Be I'm still in the corfield,

57:28

and.

57:28

Then she threw the power of for directing really

57:30

dialed that down to

57:33

the character that that became Daddy's

57:35

ghost.

57:38

I'll just say people don't know that about Chelsea, that Chelsea's

57:40

a director.

57:41

Right, Yeah, you know, yeah.

57:45

That that's

57:47

not clear. Chelsea directed this whole reading.

57:49

So once again,

57:54

any other questions there?

57:57

Oh?

57:58

Yes, the other area?

58:05

Wow?

58:07

She The question was, can you talk about the other

58:09

areas of symbolism in the play

58:12

besides rain?

58:13

Sorry?

58:15

Is that what you mean?

58:16

Okay, but you got the part about the rain,

58:20

because that's bad if you didn't.

58:23

I mean a lot of stuff ties into the rain.

58:25

I mean there is flowers and what makes

58:27

a flower grow.

58:32

I'm sorry, I

58:35

almost find that question disrespectful to

58:37

her vision. Yeah.

58:39

I wasn't gonna say it, but I just kind of feel like sometimes

58:41

like, and of course we're open to feedback,

58:46

but it's like sometimes the feedback

58:48

is like what are the symbols? It's like, I don't

58:50

know, like, can you do some of the footwork? Yeah,

58:54

can you name a symbol and then

58:56

we'll we'll talk about that symbol that

58:58

you yourself noted.

59:01

Next question, it's like, can you talk about the

59:03

other symbolism and death of a salesman other

59:06

than selling stuff.

59:07

It's like, I

59:09

mean, I guess there is an espresso machine

59:11

for me, Like I

59:15

mean, I would have loved.

59:16

For you, you know, to come from you. But

59:21

for me, that was about the industrialization

59:23

and the mining you know, company

59:26

that didn't protect Daddy. You

59:30

know that that his very words are

59:32

kind of enveloped in an industrial were

59:34

and and that's where we are right now. We're

59:38

not protected, we don't have

59:40

healthcare.

59:43

Well, Chelsea, Chelsea,

59:45

we'll talk a little bit about the symbol of symbolism

59:48

of Terry Anne being

59:50

so connected to her phone, being so

59:53

connected to it.

59:54

Well, and it's interesting because Buck and Lily may

59:56

as well. I mean, their love story unfolds on the phone.

59:59

So I mean, it's all so just about how no matter

1:00:01

where you are, if you're in a rural

1:00:04

home, you know, these

1:00:06

phones have infiltrated our lives. Then

1:00:09

espresso machines. I mean, it's there's no way

1:00:11

to get away from it.

1:00:13

I mean, I feel like, if you hear this play and you.

1:00:16

We're not involving you just because you just that

1:00:18

is fair, and that is fair.

1:00:21

I'm sorry, No, you're like this stage

1:00:23

direction, so it's kind of I feel there's

1:00:26

like levels.

1:00:26

So I don't and

1:00:29

I am sorry, no, no, I'm sorry.

1:00:31

No, no, I mean, do you want to make one

1:00:33

comment?

1:00:34

Well, I was just going to say, I feel like, if you hear

1:00:37

this play and you don't understand

1:00:39

the connection to what's going on with privacy

1:00:41

in the NSSA, uh,

1:00:44

maybe you didn't hear the play because

1:00:46

it's there.

1:00:47

And that's why we're not involving you. Man, that's

1:00:49

that's exactly the kind of stuff we.

1:00:51

Don't And I am gonna leave and I

1:00:53

should.

1:00:53

No wait, wait, I don't want you to feel and

1:00:55

walk. I mean this is a family, right.

1:00:58

And it is a family, and I am on a lower level.

1:01:02

Right.

1:01:04

Yes, there was someone who had a question over there I thought,

1:01:07

or over there you did.

1:01:11

Oh my god, isn't that amazing?

1:01:14

That's so cool. I love that.

1:01:16

I mean, and that's the kind of thing that theater does.

1:01:21

So I guess guy,

1:01:24

no, I'm sorry, no, no.

1:01:27

No, no, no, no, we're not we're not

1:01:29

doing that.

1:01:31

I'm sorry. He doesn't have a name card. So

1:01:33

if you want to try

1:01:35

that question for someone else.

1:01:38

Your relationship to the family and

1:01:42

this.

1:01:43

Is getting Metay, this

1:01:45

is getting very meta, and it's something that we're

1:01:47

trying to kind of keep it to the page because

1:01:51

you know, we're trying to take this all

1:01:53

the way.

1:01:56

Any other question, Yes.

1:01:59

As someone who's worked in New York in

1:02:01

advertising, I just totally identified

1:02:04

with.

1:02:07

I feel like my colleagues would equally relate.

1:02:10

Yeah, wow, thank

1:02:17

you.

1:02:24

I mean we're also like open to doing

1:02:26

for pay, like at any advertising company.

1:02:29

Like during a lunch break or whatever, just set up.

1:02:33

I don't know if you guys can see, but Kate's crying, Oh

1:02:38

yeah, we'll do it in New York.

1:02:40

Yeah, that's really thank you, Thank you.

1:02:45

Sorry.

1:02:51

So, yeah, was there any And I know this

1:02:53

is hard, but can we go around the room and get one

1:02:55

thing you loved and one.

1:02:56

Thing you hated.

1:03:01

Just so we get a little balance, because I know it's

1:03:03

hard to kind of critique, but that's what's going to help

1:03:05

us grow. Was there anything that didn't didn't make sense?

1:03:07

Was there any part where you were like cut

1:03:09

this page, you know, like

1:03:13

oh in the back, yes, kill

1:03:19

himself.

1:03:20

But you know it's interesting.

1:03:21

I mean we may have different thoughts on this, but

1:03:23

I think it's partly how he played it.

1:03:26

Yeah, I would.

1:03:27

Say that partly

1:03:30

how he played it tonight and then we did a rehearsal

1:03:32

it was a little different, and tonight it got.

1:03:34

You're not wrong, yeah.

1:03:36

Yeah, but but did you want to speak

1:03:38

on that? Did it feel rushed on the page, because

1:03:40

I'm open to also it could be on my end.

1:03:42

I just I just feel like, and

1:03:44

this is you can tell me if I'm overstepping

1:03:47

my balance.

1:03:48

But any sort of setup would have helped.

1:03:54

I would go as far to say,

1:03:56

maybe a second line of setup

1:04:00

instead of just me going

1:04:02

home, rock going home?

1:04:04

Right right, But that's neither here nor there.

1:04:06

You know, it could have been right right right,

1:04:08

right.

1:04:08

Well, it's sort of like the element of surprise where you kind

1:04:10

of want people to not go, oh now, he'll

1:04:13

probably kill himself, you know, right,

1:04:15

And that's.

1:04:15

Like a lot like life. Oh him,

1:04:17

he's gone.

1:04:18

Yeah yeah right.

1:04:19

It's almost like you're saying in a way like it would have been nice

1:04:22

if you had written a much more hackneyed

1:04:24

traditional play instead of a sort

1:04:26

of masterpiece of avant garde theater.

1:04:30

Yes, well,

1:04:35

yes,

1:04:37

machine the window.

1:04:49

Yes, are

1:04:53

you an engineer? Okay,

1:04:58

I'll change it.

1:05:02

I'll change that.

1:05:03

What what do you think would be like the

1:05:06

most logistically accurate,

1:05:09

non theatrical try

1:05:13

it out?

1:05:14

Yes, I did.

1:05:15

I had ten espresso machines, I

1:05:18

ordered window panes. No,

1:05:24

but I listen. I you know, and I know I'm asking

1:05:26

for feedback. Then I'm getting angry, but it's.

1:05:31

I will change it. I'm change

1:05:34

it.

1:05:34

Are you sitting with the person that asked about the symbolism?

1:05:38

Get the fuck out of here?

1:05:41

Are you twins? That's

1:05:43

that questions to everyone?

1:05:47

Did anyone cry?

1:05:48

Did anyone cry?

1:05:50

Oh?

1:05:50

Cool?

1:05:54

Yes?

1:05:54

Over there with the watch on.

1:06:00

Who ghosts in it?

1:06:01

And they were represented in different ways.

1:06:04

Choice.

1:06:16

That's a tough one. That's a tough one,

1:06:18

you know. I think that I wanted it to be.

1:06:22

An element of surprise that

1:06:25

buck.

1:06:26

You don't know, why is he glowing? Why is

1:06:28

he walking in in this way? I wanted the final

1:06:30

line in his monologue.

1:06:31

Shot myself in the head to be,

1:06:34

oh, he's a ghost.

1:06:36

But I didn't want it projected on the wall because that's

1:06:38

kind of Daddy's ghosts space in

1:06:40

kind of the stage map that I.

1:06:42

Kind of drew.

1:06:45

An espresso through the window.

1:06:48

Everyone has their space, and that space,

1:06:50

of course will be changed now.

1:06:54

But this is so helpful.

1:06:55

I'm gonna I'm gonna tear this thing apart and

1:06:59

kind of redo it. Should

1:07:01

it be happier? Do what do you want a happier ending?

1:07:06

Great?

1:07:08

Any final question before we go

1:07:11

sign the front page of our script.

1:07:14

Yes, I also know.

1:07:16

More about Cooper's bedazzled

1:07:19

jens.

1:07:23

You know, and always of course ask questions

1:07:25

about the acting to Cooper's

1:07:30

bedazzled jeans.

1:07:31

What was what was.

1:07:35

Like?

1:07:35

How did he Arriet?

1:07:37

You know like that are you familiar

1:07:39

with like just like Ed Hardy

1:07:43

in my mind, he you know, went to uh,

1:07:46

you know, a dollar store or he bought

1:07:48

the Ed Hardy jeans when they were kind of a hot item

1:07:51

and they just kept being on

1:07:53

him, you know, as as.

1:07:55

His life stayed a little bit stagnant.

1:07:57

But he was trying at one point

1:07:59

and then it just stayed in that zone.

1:08:03

He's not gay,

1:08:15

Yeah, And we we talked about that for like forty

1:08:17

minutes at coffee and John

1:08:19

it was very.

1:08:20

Important to John that it wasn't a gay character.

1:08:22

And I

1:08:25

said, look, I get it, you know, and I think

1:08:27

you can play any type of role.

1:08:28

And you know, I'm not into

1:08:31

you know.

1:08:31

Boxing people in I want people to play

1:08:35

straight. So yes,

1:08:40

did you consider you

1:08:50

look so nice?

1:08:53

That was a real curveball.

1:08:58

But I mean one thing I was thinking of that

1:09:00

is should you

1:09:02

know. One idea that I might take things

1:09:04

in a rewrite is should everyone be a

1:09:06

ghost and they

1:09:09

all died at the same accident with

1:09:11

Daddy and they don't know

1:09:13

what they're fighting it because there

1:09:16

it's sort of like the sixth sense.

1:09:17

I don't know if you've seen it. So

1:09:20

that was one idea. And also there was an idea like maybe

1:09:22

there's.

1:09:22

A dog ghost and and it just

1:09:24

barks but no one can hear that. Yes

1:09:31

in the glasses. Well,

1:09:42

some things it's like lost in translation. It's

1:09:44

the whisper, you know, it's I

1:09:47

mean Terry Anne lost her job.

1:09:48

I think it's like big city tough.

1:09:50

Breaks, right, I mean you you must have

1:09:52

created a backstory.

1:09:53

Yeah,

1:10:00

yeah, so, but

1:10:03

sometimes just lose a job.

1:10:07

Next question, you.

1:10:09

Said you were curious about that, and there

1:10:11

was anything else you asked why

1:10:17

c B. Well, I don't think you

1:10:19

were fully tuned in. She

1:10:23

didn't have to, she chose to.

1:10:26

Did you have a.

1:10:27

I know that most of my actors here tend

1:10:29

to create an elaborate backstory on the page

1:10:32

I did.

1:10:32

I had so many backstories

1:10:37

and as pitched to Chelsea. I

1:10:39

don't want to say they were shut down like Chelsea's.

1:10:43

Chelsea's way of directing is sort

1:10:45

of like through destabilization.

1:10:50

I don't know if I'm saying that that's but

1:10:55

yeah, I mean which backstory?

1:10:59

I mean?

1:10:59

My favorite one was the one that she really

1:11:02

was wanted to go to the big city

1:11:04

herself. In her case, it was Los Angeles.

1:11:08

And she just struck out, uh,

1:11:11

never quite made.

1:11:12

It and came back and

1:11:15

Mama Jean was very defensive because the may

1:11:18

was getting a little long in the tooth and

1:11:20

and uh she gave

1:11:22

up. Chelsea didn't like that one, but.

1:11:26

This was the face that I got.

1:11:27

It's fine.

1:11:28

Well I still don't understand it,

1:11:30

but you know, I wanted

1:11:33

to go to Los Angeles.

1:11:34

Who did you did?

1:11:35

Seebee? Oh I'm

1:11:39

so sorry. This is a touchy

1:11:42

I went like that.

1:11:44

Yeah, so there was contact right there.

1:11:46

Yeah, AnyWho, you

1:11:48

know, just to speak to Chelsea's directing style

1:11:50

for a minute.

1:11:52

She's really do have to wrap up

1:11:54

after Yeah.

1:11:55

Yeah, sure, she's strong and she's fierce,

1:11:57

and as an actor, that's what you're looking for you

1:11:59

know, you want some one who's gonna tell you when you're wrong,

1:12:01

to lead you and just tell you when you're wrong you

1:12:04

yeah, and push you to push you.

1:12:06

Yeah, sometimes you cry.

1:12:08

Sometimes it's not even about the acting stuff. It's just

1:12:10

like personal atteunts on

1:12:12

your character that help you feel

1:12:15

like you can build your other characters.

1:12:16

Yeah, sort of tear them down and see

1:12:18

what rises you.

1:12:21

Guys, thank you so much for being a part

1:12:23

of this. Thank

1:12:27

you to my actors, and

1:12:31

write us a letter if you have any thoughts,

1:12:34

leave it at the office.

1:12:35

And we'll we'll pore over those letters.

1:12:37

I will thank you so much, and

1:12:39

thank you to Dave King as well.

1:12:44

Chelsea Peretti