It's a slightly altered America, but maybe it's for the better. Homer Hodges thinks so, at any rate, and is proud of his latest promotion at the St. Louis County Office of Cultural Homogenization.
They've eliminated racism, discrimination, and all the violence that goes along with the intolerance of diversity - simply by eliminating the diversity itself. Now, everyone in America is treated with the respect of a straight, white, protestant, male. It's in the constitution. Even his boss, Veretta Coleman, is happy to be advancing because of her abilities, and not because of - or despite - her color.
But problems are brewing in this new America. An underground movement is forming to bring back the diversity that was banned some twenty years ago, to bring back the freedom to be who you are, despite the dangers that come with it.
Veretta has hired one of the leaders of the underground so she can spy on him. Dennis Coszczak. Turns out he's Harley's best friend. Turns out he's got a crush on Harley. Turns out he may be leading Harley directly away from all the values he thinks he believes, endangering himself and his family's position in the government.
While Helene is busily doing her wifely chores, she's visited by three strange beings - multicultural mutants who came out of bunker of dioxin at the poisoned suburb of Times Beach. They've come to the Hodges' household taking on the challenge of getting Homer to change his ways, with the added task of convincing Harley that whether or not it's against the law, he returns the affections Dennis feels for him.
Harley and Helene like these intruders; Homer finds them obnoxious - as if he's in need of new ideas. Veretta is looking into research that Times Beach was never poisoned after all, calling the mutants' identity into question. Her own identity as a white man? That's nobody's business but her own.
Eventually Homer is forced to decide between loyalty to his family or his career; Harley is forced to decide between his family and his love; and Helene is forced to examine what kind of life she really has under this new American system.
They Came From Times Beach asks some tough questions about cultural identity, and about self-acceptance in a society that all too often places a perceived need for compliance above individual freedoms - how much freedom should we give up to keep the peace?
They Came From Times Beach was produced in November, 1998. It has roles for four men and four women, and three short dances for the mutants.
dialogue sample: all rights reserved
SCENE 1
The Office of Cultural Homogenization. Mostly we need a desk; some sort of official state logo which says Office of Cultural Homogenization, St. Louis County Branch would be nice. It’s a rather sterile atmosphere in here. The two main sets in the show will be this office and the Hodges’ house, and precedence should be given to the house. This can be reasonably makeshift & moveable.
HOMER is at his desk, shuffling a few papers around, getting a feel for the place. Today’s his first day on the job. He’s around 40 to 50 or so, your typical American professional. VERETTA should be around 40 or 45 or so. She wears white.
VERETTA
Well, congratulations Homer, you’ve finally done it.
HOMER
Yes, Ms. Coleman, I finally got the job.
VERETTA
You can call me Veretta now.
HOMER
Now that I’m promoted. Chief Censor of the Office of Cultural Homogenization, St. Louis County Branch.
VERETTA
You’re lucky. I really hated to get rid of Charlie, but he was beginning to wimp out on me. State Office said he was letting too many things get through. Too much...subversive material...if you know what I mean.
HOMER
Well, you won’t have to worry with me. I’ve always been in favor of the whitewashing of America.
VERETTA
As they say. Poor Charlie started to get culturally diverse. Longing for the old days.
HOMER
Yes, before we all decided to become...white males.
VERETTA
Straight white protestant males. We treat everyone the same because nobody’s different.
HOMER
Don’t you sometimes feel like you’ve given up your heritage?
VERETTA
Doesn’t bother me a bit. Before the change, I couldn’t get anywhere. As a black woman in America my chances for a career were nil, nil, nil. Now that I’m white, at least in practice if not in theory, I’ve moved up like a rocket. Chief of the County Office of Cultural Homogenization. Before, the only way a black person could get a job like this was because he was black. I got it because I’m qualified.
HOMER
When people were black, we wouldn’t have a job like this.
VERETTA
Well, yes. We have given up a few things, but at least we don’t have the rioting of twenty years ago. And we don’t have the discrimination. It was a wonderful move by the government. One society, one culture.
HOMER
Well, I’m ready to get to work.
VERETTA
Good, there’s lots to do. There’s a youth drama festival coming up and they’re trying to pull a fast one on us. Somebody’s been surfacing original versions of some old plays. I need you to contact them and assist them with the rewriting.
HOMER
What’s going on?
VERETTA
Look at this! (Tosses a bunch of scripts on his desk) I have no idea where they came from. Torch Song Trilogy still has homosexuals! Fiddler on the Roof with Jews! Blacks in A Raisin in the Sun! Take them out! It’s all very bad news. Once this stuff gets out all the stress of Old America will come home to roost, and we need to make sure it doesn’t happen first in St. Louis County.
HOMER
Yes. I heard about Oklahoma.
VERETTA
Those Indians. They still think that they’re an independent nation within in a nation with the right to do whatever they please. I’m glad that rebellion was put down. Like they should get special privileges.
HOMER
Well, we did come in and take over their land.
VERETTA
And my family was dragged here in chains on a slave ship! We’ve got to put that behind us if we’re going to get anywhere. Everybody’s worried about heritage. Don’t they remember that HERITAGE is what got us into this mess to begin with? All the fighting, shooting, riots, all in the name of heritage. I lost my brother in one of those riots. These last 20 years have been a godsend, Homer! Oh! by the way, we've hired a new man for the position of Censor One that I need you to keep an eye on. I think he’s part of the underground.
HOMER
And who might that be?
VERETTA
His name is Dennis. Dennis Coszczak!
HOMER
Dennis Coszczak? He’s my son’s best friend.
VERETTA
You mean Harley knows Dennis?
HOMER
They’re always together.
VERETTA
Well, good. He can help us spy on him. State Office has issued me a warning on him. He’s part of a society that’s been showing unwashed movies and has been secretly trying to turn America back into the old style multicultural horror it was twenty years ago. It’s always the young people, isn’t it?
HOMER
Charlie was fifty-five.
VERETTA
It’s always the old people, too, then. You know what I mean.
HOMER
Well, what evidence do you have?
VERETTA
First of all, he’s still using a Polish name. It needs to be changed. Cossack or something.
HOMER
Not Cossack, that’s too Russian. Or some sort of Russian ethnic anyway.
VERETTA
You’re right. How about Kosak. It’s a lot easier to pronounce.
HOMER
Yes. Before I always felt like I was throwing up every time I said it.
VERETTA
And don’t let on to him. We want to investigate. So don’t let Harley know, and don’t tell that wife of yours, either.
HOMER
Helene? Yes, she does spread things about. She’s never quite acclimated to things like they are. Even after twenty years.
VERETTA
I don’t understand it. Still a housewife. Oh well. We’re going to give Dennis some, shall we say, delicate field work and see how he reacts. As a Censor I he doesn't have a lot of responsibilities, and we need to find out more about him before he finds out more about us.
HOMER
I’ll see what I can do at home. Harley likes to talk about him.
VERETTA
Harley needs to date some women, if you ask me.
HOMER
(eeek!) Yes, you’re right. He’s nineteen already. One would think he’s got some little devil on the side somewhere.
VERETTA
One would hope!. Having a wife is definitely the way to go in advancing your career. Especially with the state. It sure beats the heck out of being one.
HOMER
Wait a minute, I love my wife.
VERETTA
Does she love you?
HOMER
Yes, yes, we are a very happy family.
VERETTA
Good. But watch out. If Dennis gets too much a hold of Harley your whole family could be in for some rough rolling.
HOMER
Harley’s pretty close to incorruptible. He doesn’t remember the way things were. He hasn’t had a revolutionary thought in his life!
VERETTA
I still say if he spends too much time with a man noted to be in the underground, people will talk.
HOMER
You haven’t proven Dennis is in the underground yet.
VERETTA
We will. You forget due to my position I have access to a lot more classified information. So let it ride for now...but we definitely will prove our point.
HOMER
Well when we do, you can be damn sure he’ll have no more contact with my son.
