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100% found this document useful (3 votes)
12K viewsDannyscript
A script of a very well known scene!!
Uploaded by
akeelpurmanundCopyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF or read online on Scribd
/ 21
DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
“DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA” was presented at the
Circle in the Square Theatre, in New York City, June 6, 1984. It
‘was directed by Bamet Keliman; the scenery was designed by
David Gropman; the lighting was designed by Richard Nelson;
and the costumes were designed by Marcia Dixey
‘The cast was as follows:
Roberta. ssi June Stein
Danny John Turturro
“DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA" received its professional
ppromiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville in February, 1984
“DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA” was originally present.
ced asa staged reading at the 1983 National Playwrights Contfer-
cence at the Eugene ONeill Memorial Theatre Center.
w
Jokn Patrick Shanley
This play is deicated fo everyone in the Bronx
soho punched me or kissai me,
and to everyone whom I punch or kissed
CHARACTERS
Roberta; 31 years old. Blue jeans, a cheap dress-up blouse
that’s gotten ratty. She's physically depleted, with
nervous bright eyes
Danny: 29 years old. Chinos and pullover shirt, He's dark
‘and powerful. He finds it difficult to meet Roberta's
gaze.
About both characters: They are violent and battered, inarticulate
and yearning to speak, dangerous and vulnerable.
A DEFINITION
‘An Apache Dance sa violent dance fortwo peopl, originated by
the Parisian apaches. Parisian apaches are gangsters or rffians,
STYLE
This play is emotionally real, but does not take place in a realistic
‘world, Only those scenic elements necessary tothe action should
be on stage. Only those areas that re played in should be lit
a DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
SCENEI
Tego tables, each illuminated by its own shaded light, Roberta
sits atone fn a eacant sulk, nursing a ber and picking ata bowl
of pretzels. Enter Danny, with a pitcher of beer anda glass, He
sils al the other. His hands are badly bruised, and one of his
cheeks is cut. He pours himselfa beer. A moment passes.
Danny: How ‘bout a pretzel?
Roberta: No. They're mine.
Danny: Youain’t gonna eat al of ‘em. Lemme have one,
Roberta: Fuck of.
Danny: Allright
Roberta: You wanna pretzel?
Danny: Yeah.
Roberta picks up the bo, takes it to Danny's table, and goes
straight back to her seat
Roberta: You can have ‘em. I'm finished with ‘em,
Danny: Thanks.
Roberta: You're welcome.
Danny: You want some of my beer?
Roberta: No,
Danny: Some fuckin bar. Nobody here.
Roberta: That's why [like it.
Danny: What's the matter? You don't like people?
Roberta: No. Not really.
Danny: Me neither.
Roberta: What happened to your hands?
Danny: Fight
Roberta: Who'd you fight?
Danny: I don’t know. Some guys lastnight, Tonight too.
2
Jokn Patrick Shanley
Roberta: Two fights?
Danny Yeh. /e-0 5
Roberta: How come?
Danny: I don't know. Guys bother me, start swinging.
Roberta: Idon’t got it. Did they say something to you?
Danny: (Explading.) Who the Fuck asked you to get it! Ain't
none a your fuckin business I lock hors with anybody! Nobody
Crosses my fuckin line, man! They can do whet they want out
there, but nobody crosses my Fuckin line
Roberta: Allright
Danny: They asked me where I was going
Roberts: Who?
Danny: The guys! was fighting tonights —>
Roberta: They asked where you were going.
Danny: That’ right So I decked the first guy. Hi him in the
rose. You hit ‘em inthe nose, they’ cant see
Roberta: Why not?
{don't know. Butit's tue
Allright .
Danny: But while Iwas hittin on him, the ther guy got me
with hs bel, 7
Roberta: That musta hurt
Danny: Yeah. made him eat that fuckin belt!
Roberta: Where you from?
Danny: Zerega, Jer
Roberta: Yeah? used to catch frogs from over at Zerega.
Danny: Ain'tnofrogs’round Zerega
Roberta: Not now. When Iwas aki
Danny: Ain't never been no frogs’round Zorega.
Roberta: Yes, there was. There used to bea litle like marsh
over on Zerege, and stad frogs init
Danny: When?
a DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
Roberta: A long time ago.
Danny: How olds that make you?
Roberta: Thirty-one,
Danny: I'm twenty-nine. When I turn thirty I'm gonna put a
gun in my mouth and blow my fuckin hedd off...
Roberta: Do itin the bathroom. Its easier to clean up.
Danny: I'm gonna do it!
Roberta: Why you say a thing ike that?
Danny: Idon't know.
Roberta: Ain’tno different tobe thirty.
Danny: It's gotta be different.
Roberta: I'm thirty-one.
Danny: I heard ya. That's you! Me, 'm twenty-nine and Ecan’t
stay the way I am for too fuckin long.
Roberta: Why not?
Danny: Cause Tean’t!
Roberta: You from Zeroga whaddaya doing here?
Danny: There's nothing goin on over Zerega.
Roberta: Nothing going on here.
Danny: Yeah, well maybe like that Peaceful
Roberta: You don't look peaceful to me.
Danny: I'm peaceful. But people fuck with me.
Roberta: Why don't you come over, sit with me.
Danny: I don't wanna. This s good where Lam.
Roberta: Allright.
Danny: I'm sorry.
Roberta: Thats all right.
Danny: Is that guy looking at me?
Roberta: Who? Fred? No, he's sleeping. He's drunk. Can't you
see, his mouth’s open, .
Danny: Oh, yeah. There's light on his glasses. I couldn't see his
John Patrick Shanley
‘eyes I thought he was looking at me,
Roberta: What ifhe was?
Danny: I'd beat his fuckin face in.
‘They bot laugh
Danny: You from here?
Roberta: Yeah,
Danny: Where?
Roberta: Right up the block.
Danny: What, you married?
Roberta: Divorced.
Danny: Gotta kid?
Roberta: Yeah.
Danny: Who's takin care of the kid?
Roberta: My mother. My mother always takes care of the kid.
Danny: That's a good deal
Roberts: Yeah. You gotta friend, you know, a girlfriend?
Danay: No.
Roberta: No?
Danny: Webroke up.
Roberta: What was her name?
Danny: Cecilia,
Roberta: Italian?
Danny: Yeah.
Roberta: I'm Italian.
Danny: She gave mea pain in my ass! She was very fine, but
she'd make me go to her house Sitaround with her fuckin parents.
‘And she'd talkin this totally fuckin phoney-ass way when her par-
ents were around. Would you like a glass of soda, Danny? Oh,
please be careful with your cigarette, Danny. Like she wasn’t the
same one | humped inna pay toilet! I'm sorry. gotta bad mouth.
Roberta: Maybe she had to play phoney cause her parents were
drivin her crazy?
3B DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
Danny: 1d thinkso.
RobertatThate my father If thoughtT woul’ get in bad trou
biel ake big hfe and stab Kimin he face about ity tines
Dansys Tate my father, oo
Roberts Yeah?
Danny, He'd but hate himanyway. He wasa mestpackr,
Fe used io get ral mad all the tine One tie he got so mad
Cause sornebody did something that hes fuckin did
Roberta: I wish my father would di. He was the one who
trade me get marred. Tis guy 1 knew got me pregnant: 1 was
tke eighien. And my father made me get maried to im. He
wasn'ta bed guy. We moved into ti apartinent was seared
Burtt ras nic, oo I started, you knows to davrate: And then
my parents started comin ave all the tie. Ths ls how you put
Up caring. Tis show you wash the flor. My fuckin mother
stried cookin the fakin mess! And hi guy, ty husband, he
tras ike, What the fack is goin on? His parenis were col. just
ike called once na while on the phone lt so bad. Sick n he
morning. Mother knockin onthe door by twelve o'clock My
father comin in after work. And the guy, ny husband, when he
ft there twas ike, Who the fack are you?
Danny: What's your name?
Roberts Robert,
Danny, Mine's Dany.
Roberta: Somstimes | ust star screaming, you know? Forno
Feason at all My mother thinks Fn cay. Slybe you've nigh.
Maybe! sipalda shot myself inthe ead when tara thi
Danny, You want some bee?
Roberta: Sure
‘any rings ve cr ponr some be, nd then ges ck
tonite
Roberts You waltin for somebody?
Danny. No
Rober Meneither.
16
John Patrick Skantey
{don’t know anybody anymore.
: Tgota gtlrend, Shirley. She lives next door to me.
‘Always has, Never got married, We used t9 have good times
tvnen we wore Kid. We both had long hair and we'd go bicycle
Tiding.Thave a picture home. We looked great She's pig now
She pesto these bars up the two Mundreds. Thay golive bands.
Guys pick her up. she goes ncars with em Shel gt in any gy’
tar We used to aif gv in my bedroom and get fucked up. She
esata dope now 1 use Some, but she uses aot
Dannys think killed a guy lastnight.
Roberta: How?
Danny: beat him up
Roberta: Wel that’s not killing» guy
Danny: 1 don’t know.
Roberta: What happened?
Danny: 1 wasat this party. X guy named Skul. Evelybody was
getting fucked up. Somebody sad there was some guys ostsie.
trent out. There were these tivo guys rom another neighborhood
but there, Tasked “em what they vere doing there, They knevr
somebody. One of em was a big guy. Real drunk, He said they
‘ranted fo go, but something about twenty della [fold him to
ive me the twenty dollars, Bu he id’ have ested hing
fim. But when [hit him t never scemed tobe ha, you know?
Iti lot in the chest nd face bt tid soem f donating
Thad him overa car hod His end wanted to take hit away
ssid okay. Tey stared to go down the block And they started to
fight Sol ranatier them. Tht onthe litle guy a mite, an then
Tstanted workingon the big guy again, Everybody just watched.
hithim as hard es {could for about fen minutes t never seemed
like enough, Then {looked at his face. His teeth were all bro-
ken. He fell down. I stomped on his hickin chest an | hoard
something bres. [grabbed him under the arms and pushed him
vera lite fence. Into somebody’s driveway, Somebody pointed
fo some guy and said he had the tent dolar. hiked him in
the nats He went ight of the gros. Then ete
Roberta: You probably didnt kl him.
uv Danny: Idon’t know:
Roberta: Iseena lotta people get beat up. They looked real bad,
but they wereall right.
Danny: It don’t matter.
Roberta: You ever been in jal?
Danay: No.
Roberta:_I wonder what it's like. Maybe i's crazy, but some-
times I think I'd like it
Danny: Why?
Roberta: I don’t know. Just a change of scenery to keep me
from going off my nut
Danny: Idon't gett
Roberta: What?
Danny: You don’t make me mad
Roberta: So?
Danny: Everybody makes me mad. That's why Idon't ever talk to
nobody. That’ why I'm siti in this fuckin bar. don’t fel ike walkin
‘home. I feel like !™m gonna have to fight everybody in the whole
fuckin Bronx to get home. And I'm too tired to fight everybody.
Roberta: You live with your mother?
Danny: Yeah.
Roberta: Think she's worried?
Danny: My mother's a fuckin dishrag. Dishrags don't worry.
Roberta: Is he stupid?
Danny: Idon’tknow.
Roberta: Well, what's she like?
Danny: She works in a bakery. She gotta get up real early,
‘When she comes home, she throws up.
Roberta: Why?
Danny: From the sweetness. The smell ofthe sweetness is too
much, and it makes her puke. .
Roberta: My mother’s nervous, There's something wrong with
Fy
Jokn Patrick Skantey
her thyrol
Danay: Why don’t you rip her fuckin thyroid out?
Roberta: Idon’tknow.
Roberta comes over and joins Danny at his table
Danny: What are you doin?
Roberta: I'mlonely.
Danny: I think you're makin me mad.
Roberta: Cause Fm sittin here?
Danny: Cause you want something, and Iam definitely not up
to fuckin nothin! You don’t understand! I'm jumpin out of my
fuckin skin! Everything hurts! I could bite your fuckin head!
‘Leave me alone! Everything hurts!
She grabs kim by the shir
Roberta: You're crazy, you know that?
Danny: Yeah, [know.
Roberta: You're lucky you don't stutter. You're lucky you don't
bite your fuckin tongue! You're alucky guy!
Danny: What the fuck you sayin?
Roberta: Nothing you could understand, alright?
Danny: You calling me stupid?
Roberta: I'm calling you crazy, Crazy! But what you don’t
know isI'm crazy, too! Veah. You don't know me! I could do any-
thing. I did something so awful. [aint even gonna tell you what.
If told you, you wouldn't even look at me.
She lets go of his shir.
Danny: Pete ain’t nothing you coulda done would seem like
anything to me. What'd you do?
Roberta: 'mmnot gonna tell you.
Danny: Look, I think [kid a guy, What could be worse than that?
Roberta: Suckin off your father.
Danny: What?
Roberta: A daughter suckin off her father. That be worse than
» DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
killin somebody, wouldn't?
Danny: Did you do that?
Roberta: Answer me!
Danny: Idon’tknow. No. Did you do that?
Roberta: Yeah
Danny: [thought you hated the guy?
‘Roberta: Yeah, I always did. [always hated him and wanted to
run away. But then, after, hated him different. So I wanted to
stick a butcher Knife in his nose. Ja! Right in the middle of his
rose. And then pull down slow till got to his mouth.
Danny: That wouldn’t kill him. I don’t think it would.
Roberta:_It’d be good. Peoplo'd ask him why I did it, and he'd
say, [don't know. But he'd know.
Danny: I'mhavin trouble breathin
Roberta: Why? What's wrong?
Danny: I start thinkin about it, Whenever I start thinkin about
‘reathin, I can’t breathe right.
Roberta: So forgetit.
Danny: A guy told me, if you think you're gonna have a heart
attack, if you keep thinkin about it, even if your heart was aright
to begin with, in the end, you'll have one. You can make your
heart go bad.
Roberta: That's bullshit.
Danny: It's true!
Roberta: How do you know?
Danny: Ian feel it happening! I don't wanna die like that.
don't wanna die from my own mind. I gotta think about some-
thing else. Davy Crockett. (Sings) Davy! Davy Crockett. !
Roberta: He came into my room. He was drunk. It was real real
‘dark. He was mad cause I'd gone out partyin and my mother was
‘away and nobody’d been watching the kid. He was yellin at me
‘and I was thinkin, He yells and Ido nothin.So [stared eryin and
‘sayin Twas sorry. He put his hand on my face. [put my hand out
John Patrick Shanley
and I touched him. There. He got quiet. That's what did it.I made
him get quiet.I could never make him do anything. That's why I
did it. $0 I could make him do things. That was the only time.
‘There was one other time after that when he wanted me to, but I
‘wouldn't. And that was good, oo. Right then aa
Danny: I was supposed to marry this girl Cecilia. I called her
Sissy. She liked that, but she wouldn't let me call her that in front
(of her parents. don’t know what was with her and her parents
Roberta: Did you hear what told you about me and my father?
Danny: Yeah, Iheard.
Roberta: Would you beable to kissa girl who'd done that?
Danny: It don’t mean nothin to me.
Roberta: Really?
Danny: Sure realy.
Roberta: Would you kiss me?
Danny: What, you don’t get kissed?
Roberta: Nobody knows but you.
Danny: What'd you tell me for?
Roberta: Idon’t know.
Danny: Well, won't tell nobody.
Roberta: That don’t help.
Danny: What d’yo want?
How am I gonna get rid of this!
What?
What I done!
Danny: I don’t know.
Roberta: Tean‘t stay ike Iam! I cant stay inthis fuckin head an
more! IfI don’t get outta this fuckin head I'm gonna go crazy! I
could eat glass! [could put my hand inna fire an watch the fuckin
thing burn and I still wouldn't be outta this fuckin head! What am
T gonna do? What? [can’t close my eyes, man. Ican't close my eyes,
and see the things I see. I'm stil in that house! I wouldn't a
believed it but I'm sil in that house. He's there and I'm there, And
a DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
sy kid. Who's nuts already. It's like, what could happen now?
You know? What else could happen? But somethin’s gota. I feel
like the day’s gonna come when I could just put out my arm and
fire and lightning will come outta my hand and burn up every-
thing fora thousand miles! It ain't right to feel as much as T fel
Danny: What you tellin me for?
Roberta: No reason, allright?
Danny: You want something
Roberta: So what. Don’t you?
Danay: No.
Roberts: Lise
Danny: Hey, you wanna smack? I don't lie!
Roberta: So whatif you did, itain‘ so terrible
1 don lie!
All right
Danny: I'm tellin you the truth. [don't want nothin from you.
Roberta: I got a good deal in my house. t got somethin it's
almost like my own apartment. When you get to the top of the
stairs there's separate door tothe room Isleep in. Don't ave to
eal with my parents at all if I go right in that room. 'd never
deal with ‘em iF it weren't for the kid.
Danny: I'mnot goin anywhere with you
Roberta: Who asked you to? So what are you goin to do?
Danny: Stay here, drink my beer.
Roberta: All night?
Danny: That's right.
Roberta: The place closes.
Danny: So when it closes, I'l go someplace els!
Roberta All the places clos.
"go someplace else!
‘And getina fight, right?
Danay: Maybe. f people fuck with me!
n
Jokn Patrick Shanley
Roberta: Ain't no maybe. You're gonna haveta fight. Because
you were right. You're gonna haveta fight every motherfuckin
body in the Bronx. And even it probably won't get you home.
Danny: You don’t know.
Roberta: Tknow.
Danny: Get sf my case, bitch!
Roberta: Come home with me.
Danny: What for?
Roberta: Cause you're the one! told.
Danny: That ain't no reason.
Roberta: Oh, yes it ist Ibis to me.
Danny: No.
Roberta: Let me ask you something,
Danny: 1 ain't tellin you shit.
Roberta: Tell me why your hands areall ripped up.
Danny: I got ina fight!
Roberta: And that mark on your face.
Danny: I got ina fight, tld ya
Roberta: Yeah, you told me,
Danny: That's right
Roberta: And you think you killed somebody.
Danny: That's right, too
Roberta: Why?
Danny: Shut up!
Roberta: Iwanna know
Danny: What are you, a fuckin social worker! Shut up Isai
Roberta: Why don’t you tell me before somethin happens and.
‘you can’t tell me no mare?
Danny: You're tryin ta cross my fuckin line, man!
Roberta: That's right! I am. I’ve been sitin here starin at a spot
fon the wall for about a thousand years, and if don’t talk t0
somebody about somethin, somethin that means somethin, I'm
a DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
_gonna snap out! You understand? I'm gonna snap the fuck out!
Danay: Don’t you work no shit on my head or I'l kill ya,
understand?
Roberta: Tunderstand, okay? I just don’t givea flyin fuck.
Danny: You can do what you want out there, but don’t you
cross my line or you'll be dead!
Roberta: Then I'l be dead. That scares me about as much as
Halloween.
Danny: Don’t push me.
Roberta: Why not? What else I got to do to pass the fuckin time!
Danny: Don’t I'm tellin ya!
Roberta: know, know. You're a cold killer witha hair trigger
and I better tiptoe outta your way before I get wasted. Pardon me
if don't faint
Danny: Please!
Roberta: You don't scare me, asshole. I see worse than you
‘rawlin around in my sink. You're about as bad asa faggot in his,
‘Sunday dress! Your mama probably sil gives you her tit when.
‘you get shook up! (She starts slapping him.) What's the matter,
‘badass? Somebody get your matches wet? This your time of the
month? Huh? Huh? You don't remember how to pop your fuckin,
‘ork? Huh? Or do you get off on pigs rubbin their shoes on your
ugly dick-lick face, you lowlife beeteake faggot!
‘Snapping out, he roars and choke her. Ske does’t struggle.
Danny: [old you! I told you!
Roberta: I... got
Danny: You can’t push me!
Roberta: Harder.
Danny: (Lesher goin horror. Jesus!
Roberta: Why'd you stop?
Danny: Don’ttalk to me.
Roberta: Who aml gonna talk to if don’t talk to you?
Danny: (Stars fo cry) Leave mealone.
Jokn Patrick Shantey
Roberta: No.
Danny: Everybody leave me alone.
Roberta: Why you so quick with your hands?
Danny: Idon’t know.
Roberta: You know.
Danny: I'm too full.
Roberta: What?
Danny: I'm too full... for anything ... © move right. can’t
Watch out
Roberta: Talk
Danny: Watch out, Listen. [can’t stop myselfif hit you,
Roberta: That'll right. don't careand I’m not seared
Danny: People can’t talk to me anymore.
Roberta: hear you.
Danny: can’t workanymore. They don’t want me on the truck
Roberta: I hear you.
Danny: It's ike they don’t listen to what they say to each other,
they was listenin, they'd have to start swingin. They'd have to.
Roberta: But you listen
Danny: {don’t wantto.
Roberta: Butitain'ta question a want
Danny: No.
Roberta:_It’s how you are.
Danny: They talk to each other. Nobody talks to me. I'm alone
wherever Iam,
Roberta: Me too,
Danny: [stat to think, I'm breathin,I'mbreathin, and then that,
gets hard to do cause I'm thinkin about it, and Istart to think
about gettin a heart attack, and I feel pain, O NO, everything
hhurts! Everything hurts! Why does it keep on when Ican’t do
anything. Somebody help me!
Roberta: Ilhelp you. DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
bap fe ep
cad ees
Dap Benign etn
Smeg ttn ya ei,
SP cay aaa arene ae near
Sinem! Tapantess rion
fates Yeyoes
Dae pei
memes
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ses Wage btm
een
pois tne tet
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Toc rptanking le
SEIT ma Dear oe ater
26
John Patrick Shanley
Roberta: Come on, Lets get outta here. Let’ go home.
‘They exit, slowly and quietly. The lights go down,
SCENE?
Roberta and Danny on a mattress on the floor ofa tittle rom
with no right angles. Somewhere above them isa small, crooked
window. The colors ofthe room are slate blues and dove grays. A
Tile lamp sits, oma ite stool:it's lit. There's some shelving,
left. A doll, dressed as a bride, stands on one ofthe shelves.
‘They've ust finished
Roberts Sowhatsyourram?
Danaye Danny. What, yu orgealready?
Roberta: No, remember no.
Dannye_ Yours is Robert
Roberts: You gota good memory
Dannyr Nobig et
FBovena: You didn mind?
Danayr What?
Roberts Doin it with me?
Dany No
Robert: Alor what ld you? About my fatert
Danny: No/Why would I care? 2
Roberu: Doatbe suid You vant somethin to drink?
Dannye Whaddaya got
Robert Tgotsome red wine.
DanayrOhay.
She gels up gos toa il sel, pullout atlof wine and
malay
roberts _Lonly go the one cup
Dannyt That's okay. il drink outa the bot,
Roberta No, Would you mind? We could both dink trom the
a DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
‘one cup.
Danny: No, 1 don't mind. —
‘She pours, sips, and passes the cup to kim Ske watches hime a
moment, tll he drinks.
Danny: Ittasteslike piss. _
Roberta: Illlighta candle,
Danay: Allright
Roberta: Youlike my room?
Danny: Yeah. It's good.
Roberta: It used to bea closet. I painted it myself
Danny: Uh-huh.
Roberta: [light this candle and I close this door
round light up on that roof?
Danny: Yeah, see it.
Roberta: The guy who lives over there put that light up because
hhe's got a pigeon coop, and people were stealin his pigeons.
‘Don’t you think it looks like the moon?
Danny: No.
Robertas Come on, look at it!
Danny: Allright. Yeah, it does a litle
Roberta: Likea full moon every night.
Dany howls
Roberta: Shut up! What are you doin?
Danny: Howlin at the moon
Roberta: _Oh. Well, you ain't no wolf out in the woods, so keep
it down. My father will hear you.
Danny: Fuck’em.
Roberta: You got the most beautiful eyes.
Danny: Shut up.
Roberta: Imean it.
Danny: Shut up.
Roberta: Are you blushin?
You se that
Jokn Patrick Skanley
Danny: Fuckeno. What the fuck you think Lam?
Roberta: Youa
Danny: Iveanna ask you somethin.
Roberta: What?
Danny: Who... mean how old are you?
Roberta: already told ya! And you have a good memory!
Danny: Right right So how old's your kid?
Roberta: You're ust ryin to change the subject.
Danny: So what if nn? No, relly. [wanna know How old ishe?
Roberta: He's gonna be thirten,
Danae “Old
Roberta: Yeah. He's got big hands and feet. He's gonna be a big
guy. Now he's gonna Bein high schoo.
Danny: Wow, you're gonna havea ki in high schoo.
Roberta: Yeah, aint that a laugh? I hope he does better than T
did. But he won't
Danny: Why not?
Roberta: He'sall fucked wp.
Danny: What's wrong with him?
Roberta: He's jerk He's got me fora mother.
Danny: Ieain'thisiault.
She slaps hi, suddenly rious
Roberta: You're gonna be a wiseass why don't you just get the
fuck outta here! I don’t need that! don’t need anything ike that!
Danny: Whats the fick’s with you?
Roberta: Sayin shit about the way raise my kid!
Danny: [didn’t say nothin! You sid it. And keep your hands to
yourself or you could lose em!
Roberta: That kd was ost bor crazy, thatsall. My mother don’t
understand that. Anyway f anybody got hima nats st was her. Al
the time with the eyes. All he time nct lookin at anybody.
Danny: HEY! I never said nothin about your mothethood.
» DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
‘You're probably good.
Roberts: No, /mrot.
Danny: You probably are though.
Roberta: You thik so?
Danny: Sure
Roberta: ‘Thanks.
Danny: You got sme snack
Roberta: You all right?
Danny: No big deal. Ialmost elt. fel good
“Roberta: Sool.
Danny: It does look tke the moon,
Roberta: You think 0?
Danny: Yeah. was outin the country once. At night you never
scor'so many slats. It gave me a fuckin headache. Realy, But
then I saw there was this one bunch that looked hike a bg ish.
tuna or some shit. A big fish jumpin agpund in the stars, And
cause I could see something in there, you know, somethin that
audded up, the whole thing didnt gimme a headache no more
That sound stupid? /
Roberta: You must like the country.
Danny: Thate the fuckin country. /
Roberta: Why?
Danny: All those fuckin trees. They sl bad
Roberta: Not
Dany: Yeah. They stink up eveything out there like aftershave
And bugs over the place. Mud, Rocks in yr shoes, YOU can
‘keep
Roberta: You're funy.
Danny: Who'slaughin?
Roberta: Not me ;
Danny: Ihad this teacher. He said I was stupid, Right in front
of everybody. So I punched him in his fuckin eye. Tesvelled up
30
Piokn Patrick skeniey
real good. So Gey sent met this camp the woads to straighten
try joung ass out I don’t know wat they vas thinkin about.
Gatn bit by a buncha bugs and sloppin through the fockin md
twhadrtabout to change my ind about some athe teacherin
James Monroe High Schoo. 7
Roberta: I went the del this mornin to geta rol. Chinese guy
puttin the bag, [looked at his face. And he was happy, I could
{S Ba things happen, I ges, to hi sometimes bt yo could
see things whada' bad fr hi
Danny: Let's go throw a rock thidigh his window.
Roberta: No. I got another idea. Le’ be lke him, Danny. For
tonight anyway. Lets be happy.
Danny: Whaddaya talkin about?
Roberta: Let’ be romantic.
Danny: What?
Roberta: Lets be romantic with eachother Say things to each
other
Danny: No. Like wat?
Roberta: I don't know. Like. fyou love me, FM Tove you, to.
Danny: Tan’ shit ike that
Roberta: Sure you can! Oh dont know. Sure I dot Let's be
romantic eah ther, Danny! We've gta bed and we've... dane
Tove, and there's a candle and some Kinda moon. What do we
got? What do we got? Touch me. Put your hand on me nce and
tk tome. 7”
Danny, ith dif, touches her
Danny: You'rea mt hab?
Roberta: ‘Nice? /
Danny: You'rea. You... Your... goodlookn,
Robert:
Danny: Dor’ cantradictme when 'm telin fou somethin!
No 'mnot
Roberta: I'm sorry
Danny: You're good-lookin, DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
Roberta: Okay.
Danny: (Pause. He's working hard.) You got a nice nose
Roberta: Anicenose?
Danny: Yeah. It's like .. It looks at ya. That's right! It looks.
right at ya, your nose, and it says Hello! That's right! And you got
nice chin, too. When you, when you smile, it goes up. Yeah,
Like a balloon. No. Better. Like a bird. Like some kinda bird.
Roberta: Thank you.
Danny: Shut up! Taint finished yet!
Roberta: You'renot?
Danny: No. What are you kiddin? I gotta tell you about your
‘mouth. It's... Its. beautiful Likea flower. That's right A bird
flyin and a flower, right there on your face. And al the time your
nose sayin Hello,
Roberta: Stop!
Danny: You know what?
Roberta: What?
Danny: Say yout name!
Roberta: Why?
Danny: Jes¢say ith
Roberta: Stop. Robert
Danny: Say itagaint
Roberta: Stop. Why?
Danny: I wanna watch your mouth say your name. Say it again!
Roberta: Roberta
Danny: Again
Roberta: Roberta. What are you doin?
Danny: Watchin your beautiful mouth say your beautiful name.
Roberta: That's nice! You're bein so nice to me!
Danny: Roberta
Roberta: Stop!
Danny: Why?
2
John Patrick Shanley
Roberts's ike
Danny Alvight.
Roberta: Now I beniceto you!
Danny: Nah
Robert: es Til
Danny: You donthave to
Robert: Yes! do to. Vl save your eyes for last. You di 0
000, don tow what toy.
Danny: Dont do nothin
Roberas Your ait Your har is very sexy.
Danny: Shut up
Roberta: Very sexy. Cause it’ ike strong an sft atthe same
time and iene good when you touch Ry
Danny: Cémion, cmon, let's falk about somethin else.
Roberts Allright You gt friendly eas,
Danny: Tote ge ely any
Roberta: You go frendly ears, They make me fed endl
They make ne elite Twanta shake hands
Danny: This is so fuckin silly.
Roberta: Don't. curse
Danny: Okay
Robera:_I was savin your eyes. Cause your eyes ae very dark
tnd bent And dont thnk Know Row to sty thing boot
‘em Yourheurt ean see your heat
Ske sorry sly. As thi ps are bout
rps:
Danny; No!
Roberts: (Unshaken) Dont be scare, baby.
This time she succes in sing i, at on hsp, then om
tach fis rises.
Danny, (ety) No, no. Don’tiouch me kbs.
Rober: Somebody hurt my baby. Somebody hurt him. Some-
tickling me.
2 DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
body hurt his hinds, Somebody hurt his fae. ove you, Danny.
Jove you. know you hurt, baby. Love you.
Danay: What you doin to me?
Roberta: (Kissing hin.) I'mlovin you
Danny: Stop.
Roberta: No.
Danny: Is too much
Roberta: Comeon 5
Danny: I'mbreathin, b's Uy
Roberta: No you're not
Danny: I'm breathin too much
Roberta: Don’t worry about it
Danny: I'm grin die from this.
Roberta: I's just an idea in your mind, Look at me. Look at me.
He ook a her.
Danny: I... 1. You're good ... to be with.
Roberta: Oh, thank you, baby! Thank you!
Heslaps her. /
Danny: No! Tean't...
‘She goes right on Kissing hi.
Roberta: You don’t have tobe scared. You don't have tobe. I'm
not gonna hurt you. I'm never gonna hurt you.
Hecies ceo
anny Tm he Best
Robert: No you'e not. Noyou'e nt
Danny. Why you doin his for?
Roberts not din nothin you sit din, oe,
Danny. Yeah?
Roberts Thats righDo yourealy think you ke that uy?
Danny dono
Roberta: Thope not
John Patrick Shanley
Danny: He was a real mess
Roberta: Butt takes lot to kill somebody, right? mean lots of
poople've been hurt worse than you hur that guy, bet and they
Eian’t di, Sur! Thats righ. Babies fll outa windows five sto-
ries high and go right on cryin. Ol ladies get run over by buses
fan pop right back up. You hear about ital the tine
Danny: don’t know. He wasn’t... He wasn's dead when eft
Roberta: Then you probably didnt kill nobody at all,
Danny: I coulda killed him. Even if didn’t Aint thatthe
Roberta: Between you and me, yeah It's the same. Ope way or
the other (A distant boat hare sounds listen! (It sounds aga, and
‘hen once more) There. You heat?
Danny: Whats it?
Roberta: Big boats .
Danny: Ain'tno Bdais around here. There's no wate}
Roberta: Yeah theres. I's nota block over orlike that, but the
ccean’s right ot there. (The hare sounds again) See? That's a big
boat goin down some like river tothe ocean,
Danny: Whatever you say
Roberta: That's what itis. There's boats right up by Westch-
ster Square. What’ tat, twenty blacks? Look sometime, you'l
sce ‘em. Not the real big Ones, Bat big Sea boats. I meta sallor in
the bar onetime. Inthe outfit, you know? I was all over him. But
he turned out to be nothin—a pothead. He giggled a lot. I was
too bad because... Well, it was to0 bad. When we got martied,
re and Billy, that was my husband, we smoked a ball of opium
one night really knocked me out fel asleep like immediately.
And I dreamed about the ocean. It was real bu. And there was
the sun, and it was real yellow. And I vas out there, right inthe
middle ofthe ocean, and I heard this nose. turned around, and
‘whaddayea think I saw? Just about right next to me. A whale! A
‘whale came shootin straight outa the water! whalet Yeah And
he opened up his mouth and closed it while he was up there in
the air. And people on the boat said, Look! The whales are
8 DANNY AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA
jumpin! And no shit, these whales start jumpin outta the water all
‘over the place. And I can see ther! Through one a those round
‘windows. Or right out in the open. Whales! Gushin outta the
water, and the water gushin outta their heads, you know,
spoutin! And then, aftera while, they all stopped jumpin. It got
Quiet. Everybody went away. The water smoothed Out. But [kept
Tookin atthe ocean. So deep and blue. And different. It was dif-
ferent then. ‘Cause I knew it had all ther whales init.
Danny: What if you ...Nab, lain’t gonna say that
Roberta: What were ya gonna say?
Somethin I'm not gonna say. (Referring tothe doll.) Is
Roberta: That? t's justa doll
Danny: Yeah, I know that. But is it supposed to be you?
Roberta: Yeah, I guess so. Shirley gave it to me, My friend.
‘When I was gonna get married,
Danny: It don't look like you
Roberta: No kiddin.
Danny: Itdon’t have your nose.
Roberta: No?
Danny: No/Did you get inthe whole white out, you know,
‘when you got married?
Roberta: Not really. We got married a City Hall. My mother
‘was pissed. he's religious. But we wanted get that part over
‘with T was showin, It woulda been stupid in white It’s an ugly
room, though, when they marry you at City Hal. t's like school
“Dany: Why you keep the doll?
Roberta: Italn’t much o keep.
Danny: vs prety.
Roberta: You think so?
Danny: Bein a bride. Allin white and everything. Flowers. 1
‘was ata weddin once. They left through this garden. All these
roses all around. I never seen s0 many roses. Bees buzzin. Lotsa
ther Flowers t00. They came out. Everybody was throwin rice
%
John Patrick Shanley
Why do they do that?
Roberta: Idon't know.
Danny: And then the bride came out. The groom was nothin
He looked good. (Picks up the dll gently.) But it was te bride
Here comes the bride, here comes the brid. 1 was sittin on this
stone bench, waitin fr ‘em to come out When I saw the bride, 1
Stood up, She was $0... stood up. Tis big white dress. A vell
Flowers in her hand with ribbons blowin around. Lite ribbons.
[And all around her. All these roses. And the bees buzzin. And
nice girls. And everybody dressed in good clothes! Then every-
body started throwin ze. Not hard. Nice and easy. Friendly. 1
forgot to throw mine You wanna hear somethin realy erazy? I
mean, nuts?
Roberta: What?
Danny: I'm not gonna tll ya.
Roberta: Comon, what?
Danny: Allright. wanted tobe the bride.
Roberta: ‘Thats nuts
Danny: I wantéd to be the bride, Walkin out the big door. All