ACT 1 On a ferryboat in New York Harbor. We can see the Statue of Liberty. Richard Stewart, 30, is taking pictures. Richard:Excuse me. 1 My name is 2 Richard StewartI'm a photographer3. May I 4 take a picture of you and your little boy? Mrs. Vann:What's it for? 5 Richard:It's for a book. Mrs. Vann:You're writing a book? Richard:It's a book of pictures 6. I call it Family Album, U.S.A. Mrs. Vann:Oh, that's a nice idea Well, it's fine if you take our picture. I'm Martha vann. [She offers her hand.]7 Richard:Thank you. I appreciate your help. 8 [to the little boy]I'm 9 Richard. What's your name? Gerald:Gerald. Richard:How old are you, Gerald? Gerald:Five. Richard:And where do you live? Mrs. Vann:We live inCalifornia10. Richard:Well, welcome to New York.11 OK, just a second. 12 [He takes out a reflector 13 to have more light for his photographs.] I'm almost ready here. [Alexandra, a sixteen-year-old girl, is watching.] Alexandra:Can I help you? Richard:Oh, please. [He gives her the reflector to hold. Then he speaks to Mrs. Vann and her son.] Hold Gerald's hand, please. Great! Now point14 to the buildings. Terrific! 15 Give Mommy a kiss, 16 Gerald.Nice! Thank you, Gerald. Andthankyou, Mrs. Vann. Mrs. Vann:Oh, my pleasure 17 We'll be looking for your book.18 Richard:Thank you. Good-bye.Bye,19 Gerald.[to Alexandra]Thanks 20 again. Alexandra:Oh, you're welcome 21. Richard:Hey, 22 let me take your picture! Alexandra:Wonderful.Please. Richard:Are you from New York? Alexandra:No, I'm from Greece23. I'm an exchange student24. Richard:When did you come here? Alexandra:Three months ago. Richard:Your English is very good. Alexandra:Thanks. 25 I studied English in school. [They sit on a bench.] Richard:Would you like some coffee? Alexandra:No, thank you. Tell me about your book. Richard:Oh, it's not finished yet, but I have some of the pictures. Would you like to see them? Alexandra:Yes. I'd like that. Richard:Here they are. 26[He opens his bag and takes out a photo album27.]Family Album,U.S.A. It's an album of pictures of the United States:the cities, the special places, and the people. [He shows her the photos.] And these are pictures of people working:steelworkers, 28 bankers,29 police, street vendors, 30 ambulance drivers,31 doctors… Oh, this is my father. He's a doctor. This is my mother. “It's an album of pictures of the United States.” Alexandra:What's her name? Richard:Ellen. My younger brother, Robbie. He goes to high school. This is my sister Susan. She works for a toy32company.Here's my grandfather. He lives in Florida. And this is my wife Marilyn. Alexandra:Oh, she's very pretty. Richard:Thanks. 33 And what about34 your family? Alexandra:They are in Thessaloniki. That's a large city in northern Greece. But now I'm living in the Bronx35. Richard:With a Greek-American family? Alexandra:No. Hispanic. 36 Richard:[He hearsafoghorn.] Ohno! It'sfive thirty37. Will you excuse me? I have to meet my wife. Alexandra:It was nice meeting you.38 Richard:It was a pleasure meeting you,39 too. Thanks for your help. And good luck! I've got to go. 40 By the way, 41 I'm Richard. What's your name? Alexandra:Alexandra. Richard:Bye-bye, Alexandra. Thanks. Alexandra:Bye-bye. [Richard hurries off the boat.Alexandrasees that he forgot one of his bags. She takes it and begins to follow him.] Richard! Richard! You left your bag! |