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Filtering Information Page to Stage

SETTING:

It is early 2008. It's primary season. States are choosing their nominees for the election. Obama has been nominated a candidate in the presidential election, and Sarah Palin is rising to fame. In a Boston newsroom for NBC, there is a meeting area with pale cream-colored walls. The paint job is perfect and there are not clumps or cracks in it. A thin blue carpet lies on the floor, across the entire room, and cushioned wood chairs surround an oval-shaped wood table. To the left there is a large metallic door with a small window. Through it you can see a hallway. To the right, a flat screen TV is showing reruns of NBC’s recent shows. The room is of a medium size. It is large enough so that people would be able to walk around. There are no windows and the room is extremely clean. There is a light bulb on the ceiling, and a heating system along the edges of the wall.

CHARACTERS:

William Jones: A representative from General Electric. He is a big, loud, powerful man who has very traditional values. He believes that his ideas are most important and is rather self-centered and vain.

Bill Lyman: Editor for NBC. He is a small, nervous man who just wants a good, exclusive story people will want to watch. He is extremely intimidated by his co-workers etc… and is always fidgety. He wears large round glasses.

Casey Martin: A reporter for NBC. He is a young man who is overly enthusiastic about his job and every story he gets. People don’t take him seriously most of the time. He is tall and thin.

Delia Smith: A producer for NBC. She is a mother of 4. She is always frazzled but very dedicated to her job. She believes that the public shouldn’t be kept from important, critical information even if they don’t want to hear it.

Nancy Rodríguez: Director for NBC. She is a stern, formal woman who thinks everything should be orderly and perfect. She always dresses to work formally, in suits.

// (Bill is sitting quietly at one end of the table, fumbling with his notes when William storms in from the open door on the other side of the room) // WILLIAM: //(slams door behind him)// What is the meaning of this? //(screaming)// I get called in from my golf game to represent NBC? Come on! //(looks around with critical eyes)//

BILL: //(stands up and his jacket knocks over his coffee, he tries quickly and desperately to wipe it up with a napkin, adjusts his glasses)// Not enough people like the story on women’s rights? //(muttering anxiously)// I told them to talk about McCain!

WILLIAM: //(raises his arms in the air)// What kind of operation are you running here? You can’t even keep your viewers! Fox has taken them all! //(slams fist on table)// Wasting my time!

DELIA: //(opens the door and walks in briskly, hair wisps in her face, slightly out of breath)// Am I on time? I’m so sorry, little Tommy had a soccer game and Alice had a tooth ache and the other two wouldn’t calm down! //(takes a deep breath)// Did I hear someone say ‘Fox News’? I thought those were unmentionable words.

WILLIAM: //(glances up at Delia, sizing her up)// I’m from General Electric. Your ratings are plummeting. I’m thinking: //(punches fist into hand with every word)// story, big, exclusive!

CASEY: //(Nancy and Casey open the door and walk in, Casey is carrying two coffees, he hands one to Nancy and she accepts it)// Sorry we’re late, got held up at the coffee machine. But, story you say? We already had the perfect thing! Women only get paid, like, 74 percent of what men do for equal work. Isn’t that fantastic?! The story, I mean. //(looks around enthusiastically)//

WILLIAM: Okay, who invited the rookie? As if he has anything to say on women’s rights. Hey kid, did you even finish high school? Let’s not waste my time. I’m here on behalf of General Electric. //(crosses arms and stares daringly at Casey)//

CASEY: //(jumps up excitedly)// Really? Pleasure to meet you, sir! I’m so inspired by your work! Truly. That heating system I installed last year is fantastic! //(puts out hand, willing William to take it, William looks at it in disgust)//

BILL: //(hardly breathing between words)// Err…actually I think he works with the news section of G. E. //(Casey looks slightly confused)// You see, big corporations such as General Electric buy and sell smaller companies like NBC. Could everyone sit down? William has some stuff to discuss… //(everyone sits down with a questioning expression)//

DELIA: //(everyone looks nervous, to William)// What are you trying to suggest?

WILLIAM: //(stands up proudly, quickly glances down at his notes)// Right now General Electric, //(speaks with big hand motions)// the company I work for, in fact the company you all work for, is noticing some low ratings and viewers for NBC. This is just the first stage, the cause if you will. If there continues to be a downward slope in terms of the popularity NBC has, there will be some serious consequences. //(looks up with a hard expression)// You all know about our potential deal with Comcast. That is, we’re considering selling off NBC. Your work is so not worth it sometimes.

BILL: //(flustered)// So you see, everyone, we’ve got to figure something out. But it’ll all work out //(moves hands anxiously)// it’ll all work out…

DELIA: //(boldly, to William)// Umm, are you threatening us?

WILLIAM: //(with disgust, sarcastic)// I’m really sorry miss. I didn’t mean to insult you. Maybe everyone just needs to work just the slightest bit harder. I’m just here to ask for a mind-blowing story that’ll steal back our popularity. Is that too much to ask? General Electric, you see, owns NBC. We get a big say in what stories go out. That’s partially why I’m here.

DELIA: //(swivels in her chair and brushes some hair out of her eyes)// Okay, tell me if I’ve got this right. If the stories we produce don’t make the other companies you own look good, then we’ve got to change. The place people come for their news is actually tricking them into favoring the war, nuclear weapons, republicans etc… other information you don't let out at all.

WILLIAM: Well I wouldn’t exactly put it like that. //(has a pinched expression on his face)//

DELIA: Wait, why are you selling NBC anyway?

WILLIAM: Our profits are dwindling. Comcast will get 51 percent and we'll stay with 49. Right now G. E. doesn't have the time or money to stay with such an infamous company.

DELIA: //(shrugs)// Why can’t we use the story Casey was suggesting? It’s honest and creative. No one else will think of it. Women’s pay hmmmmm… //(looks of into the distance trying to piece it all together)//

NANCY: I vote no. Sorry, but as a mother and woman myself, I know how hard it is to watch something like that. No one wants to hear it. //(has finality in her voice, but it is overlooked by the rest)//

CASEY: Aww, come on have an open mind. We’ll make it a trial run. See how it goes. Maybe the unheard of is the new heard of. //(laughs at his own joke and everyone else looks confused)// Look, I have notes right here. //(pulls a file out from beneath his chair)//

NANCY: //(has a perfect posture)// This isn’t some robot tournament. We’ve got one try to get this right. Do you want us all to lose our jobs?

CASEY: //(shakes head eagerly)// Absolutely not! I just think that people should know this stuff. I mean, if a woman is working her butt off and her co-worker is slacking and avoiding his tasks, don’t you think she should get the Christmas bonus?

DELIA: //(stands up and slams fist on the table, shouting)// Yes! We should! It’s time we women stood up for what we have deserved all along! Please! We have worked so hard for what we have now, but it’s not enough. It’ll never be enough because no matter what the government does now nothing will make up for all the hardship and torment women have been through! //(looks around the table at everyone)//

WILLIAM: //(waves Delia off with a flick of his hand)// Gosh, don’t get so sentimental. This is exactly why women are inferior, they take everything so seriously. They’re naturally emotional beings.

NANCY: //(calm and stern)// This is not professional behavior on your part William. //(sometime in the midst of this Delia sits down, flustered)//

WILLIAM: You have no right to speak to me like that. //(picks up a pencil and starts writing, under breath)// Workers have attitude… //(puts pencil down and looks back up)// Whatever. Anyways, women get paid less than men? ‘Puh-leez’. Sounds like a scam if you ask me.

DELIA: //(uses quick hand motions)// Scam? You think this is a scam? You’re the one working for a huge lobbyist corporation.

WILLIAM: And that is a problem because….? //(has a smirk on his face)//

DEILA: //(points finger at William)// I see how much effort General Electric puts into making sure everyone supports them. For heaven’s sake, you spend way more money trying to convince people you do nothing wrong than actually fixing what you were accused of doing! A couple years ago you spent like twenty //(emphasis)// million dollars lobbying. You spend ridiculous amounts of money hiding information that'll make you look bad.

WILLIAM: Well, it’s all fair. There’s no law prohibiting us from lobbying.

CASEY: Whoa!! For real?! Maybe we could do a story on that! //(rubs hands together in anticipation)//

WILLIAM: Excuse me? A story on that? Talk about self destruction!

DELIA: //(not listening)// You even give money to presidential candidates, especially Republican ones, to make sure they support you. People who complain about you are shut up with money. //(interrupted by William)//

WILLIAM: Hey, //(shrugs)// 40 percent goes to democrats.

DELIA: //(stands up in front of William)// You reach power by persuading and rewarding authority figures. You’re not fooling me! All these organizations your company controls are all sorts of public goods, news is not meant to be tampered with!

WILLIAM: //(still has a smirk on his face)// Look, missy, that’s what it takes these days to reach success.

DELIA: The government is an institution everyone should be able to rely on. Why does General Electric manipulate so much?

NANCY: //(Delia looks ready to punch William, Nancy intervenes)// Delia I understand you’re upset but there’s no need for these questions.

DELIA: //(nods head slowly)// Yes, there is. We should know what’s going on behind our backs

WILLIAM: Well, you’ve certainly been doing a good job at snooping.

DELIA: //(glares at William then turns to Casey)// Show us what you have. Unlike //(emphasis)// some people I’m curious to know all about this story you picked up.

CASEY: //(face brightens, shuffles papers)// Okey dokey. 71 percent of men are comfortable with women working outside the home. //(Delia narrows eyes and stares at William)// 80 percent are comfortable with women earning more than them. This woman I interviewed said that because of working mothers, only 30 percent of kids are raised by their parents when they used to always be raised by the mother. This story is the perfect thing to promote Obama and Lilly Ledbetter’s case. Her suing this huge company for paying her less than her co-workers is a big deal. It’ll show people that if they vote for Obama this act of having women be paid as much as men will be signed.

BILL: //(quickly, eyes looking everywhere but directly into anyone’s, knees shaking)// Let’s do it. Come on, before it’s too late.

DELIA: //(with a look of amazement)// Magnificent! People come to NBC to get this information. Who to vote for and why?

CASEY: //(proudly sticks his chin in the air)// I know! I have a story, a video and a release form all set and ready to go.

NANCY: //(holds hands together)// The demography of our audience is Republican, Caucasian males. I highly doubt they want to hear this. Our show is going to be switched off!

DELIA: //(sits back down and looks at Nancy intently)// Not necessarily. With Obama running for office this story could be a good thing. Face it; he’s getting more and more popular by the minute. This story could be the perfect thing to bring publicity to the Ledbetter case Obama referenced!

NANCY: //(with a bit of annoyance)// Let’s find a story on how great McCain is. That’ll be popular. Remember, our audience is more or less all republican.

DELIA: //(smiles slightly)// And how about Sarah Palin’s rise to fame? If she wins the election she’ll be the first woman vice president. America is becoming pro-woman. Our viewers are republicans. So what? Palin’s their representative and she’s a woman. Fox promotes her, why can’t we?

WILLIAM: Are you serious?! Are you really going to listen to Casey and his story? For all you know he made it all up. I’ve got something better, many things in fact. //(shakes his head)// What has this world come to? Emotional producers, crazy reporters, what next?

DELIA: Arrogant representatives… //(stands up and shakes her finger at William, her voice getting louder and louder)// None of us need this consistent selfishness and greed on your part. What does that tell people when all the information they get is being controlled by someone who discriminates others?!

BILL: //(hesitantly getting up as if being pulled towards the door and the scene all at the same time)// Settle down, please. //(fakes a cough as his eyes dart anxiously)// No need for commotion. Let’s just get the story so we can all be on our way. //(sits back down and shrinks in his chair)//

NANCY: Bill’s right. Let’s get this over with. William, you’ve got ultimate power. What do you say? //(Delia sits down, glaring at William)//

WILLIAM: I say no. Period, punto….whatever you people will understand. This story not something Fox viewers are interested in. //(looks around but no one says anything. Delia is glaring at him, settles back in his chair)// Well that settles that. //(his phone starts ringing loudly and he digs it out of his pocket, annoyed, and flips it open)// Yes? I’m working on it….what’s that? Mhmmm. Yes, exactly…total chaos. Women’s rights. I know! It’ll totally mess up our reputation. //(flips phone closed// //and stuffs it in his pocket)//

DELIA: What was that all about?

WILLIAM: That was the boss. Listen, I’ve let this //(slowly)// chaos …go on long enough. Normally I just make a quick, easy decision.

BILL: //(has a shaky voice)// This is it! //(wailing)// We’re all going to get fired!

DELIA: Okay, I’ve lived in Boston for forever. In all my thirty years of life I have never been more ashamed of my country. Who would’ve ever known? Right now I have a chance to give the public what they look for. Honesty. Please, don’t keep that from them.

CASEY: You know, I think we all should just finish up this planning and be on our way. //(waves his hand towards the door)// If we’re not going to use my story, we have to come up with something…and fast. Although //(antsy)//… can we at least rethink the idea?

NANCY: No, we can’t. Who wants to hear about how all their friends at work are actually secretly being paid much more than them? This story will just start some unnecessary feminist revolution. Besides, it’s nothing compared to what Fox will have. Our viewers will turn away from us.

DELIA: //(looks slightly hurt)// It’s not unnecessary, it’s the hard truth.

NANCY: Plenty of mothers are working day and night for their kids and families. These statistics //(points to the file in front of Casey)// prove what everyone knows but doesn’t want to believe.

DELIA: Let’s at least give them a chance to decide for themselves if the story is worth watching or not.

BILL: //(hands are fidgety, looks at floor)// Delia, maybe you should let it go. Another time we’ll do the story.

WILLIAM: Exactly! Let it go. //(slaps Bill’s shoulder not unkindly, Bill looks terrified)// My buddy Bill here has got the right idea. Look, one //(puts up one finger)// no one wants to watch this story and two //(puts up a second finger)// it portrays America in a negative manor.

DELIA: Are you seriously that stubborn? //(tosses her hair)// Now is the time! This story will powerfully influence people's decisions on who to vote for. If we wait, we may have lost that. The whole point of news is to give the public valid information. They come to us for help with difficult decisions, like who to vote for. So, we're going to become just like Fox, deceiving and dishonest. Anything to get money.

WILLIAM: //(voice rises)// This operation is just ridiculous. I came here for a story, a simple story, one that’ll beat Fox News, //(shudders)// and it’s become a debate session. //(picks up a pencil and starts taking notes)// I’m going to have to report this disorganized meeting. It appears our fears of corruption were valid.

NANCY: //(stern expression, a sort of “poker-face”)// Oh, please. This was one of the mere instances of chaos here at NBC. It’s not a daily occasion. We normally work well together.

WILLIAM: Unfortunately, that is not what I have seen. I’m going to send a letter to General Electric suggesting that they make some changes. //(stands a bit taller and shakes his head, to himself)// I really didn’t want to sell NBC to Comcast, but we may have no choice by the ways things are going.

BILL: //(panicking)// Please, sir! What do you want? Money? //(hands shaking)// Please don’t throw us out! NBC has been good to me. I don’t want another job! You see how I am, with no strong will to think of. NBC respects that and I can finally do something I’m good at! I love being an editor. And now I have everything to lose!

NANCY: We all have something to lose. Delia has passion for her job, Bill gets acceptance, Casey has enthusiasm and I.... //(voice cracks)// I may not seem like I like my job at all but I do, I really do. I like the sense of importance it gives me. //(quietly)// Please don't fire us...

WILLIAM: Oh so now you’re getting all feminist on me? Whose side are you on, anyway? NANCY: I’m not on anyone’s side. We are a team, let’s start acting like one. Now is not a time to be discussing whether or not we should let people know about women’s pay. I know this must be stressful for you all, but pull your act together. Delia, if you don’t like that we suppress information, then this is not the place for you. Now, where were we? WILLIAM: I was just talking about the instability of this place. DELIA: General Electric invests itself in weapons, finance and nuclear power. William, you probably don’t want this story to go out because it reflects badly on your major money sources. Not to mention the Republican Party. //(raises her eyebrows as if daring someone to contradict her)// And so instead of just letting this story go out you're going to fire us, cut right to the source.

WILLIAM: The problem is that the story isn’t anything Fox viewers will want to watch. We need to uphold these things you mentioned… //(shrugs)// Not women’s rights. Especially now with Bush in office and the election so close.

DELIA: //(almost shrieking)// This is crucial information for women across America. It’s our duty as workers for NBC to let people know things they should know. It won’t be long before the public finds out what has been hidden from them and what we had to do with it. //(raises hands as a gesture to show that her patience has run out)// But I give up here. I quit. Ha! Funny, isn’t it? When William first came here I was worried about being fired for not putting enough effort into my work. Well, I’ve given my all to NBC and I’m finished. I’ve even shown you the consequences that will soon come back at you like a boomerang. I don’t need you to help me tell the world what they’re blinded from. Just you wait! I’ll get a boycott going! We’ll boycott all you sponsors’ products until they leave you and you’re left with nothing! //(storms off, leaving everyone astounded)//

CASEY: //(quietly)// Some things are more important than losing a job, especially one that gives you a bad gut feeling. (//William packs his stuff and briskly walks out)//

// (curtain closes to a bunch of confused, startled faces) //

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