3. Come
On In My Kitchen – Robert Johnson (arranged by Moran)
LIGHTS UP on "Deisel" – a coffeeshop just off the
corner of Highway and Main in Mount Revere, IA.
(ANNA MAE enters from House Left
in scarf, hat, and mittens.
She mimes
unlocking and opening the door to Deisel on the ramp Stage Right.
She starts a pot of coffee onstage. Maybe turns a radio on.
After a moment, the STRANGER can be heard playing something on his guitar from House Left. It's the opening riff to "Come On In My
Kitchen" by Robert Johnson.
The
Stranger, wearing wintry clothes, playing his guitar, enters House Left, follows the ramp down to Diesel. ANNA MAE has come out to hang
the OPEN sign up on the wall and sees him)
ANNA MAE
You better come on in my kitchen
It's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
(Stranger enters the space, still playing. Anna Mae
helps him off with his hat and cloak -- if he has one.
He
sits.
She brings him a cup of
coffee. He maybe stops playing. Has a sip.
The two banter. He's a stranger in
town. She works here on the weekends.)
STRANGER
You know where Bethelhem (PRONOUNCED: BETHEL-HEM – and I
know that's wrong. Shut up) is from
here?
ANNA MAE
Are you fucking kidding?
(They continue to banter while she
works. He picks up his guitar. She might dance a little with what he's
playing.
THE PLAYERS – perhaps singing
their lines as they enter – enter. They
fetch or take out their instruments and settle in with the song)
1st PLAYER
The woman I love – I took from my best friend
The joker got lucky, stole her back again
The joker got lucky, stole her back again
CHORUS
You better come on in my kitchen,
It's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
2nd and 3rd PLAYER
Oh, she's gone, I know she won't come back
I've taken the last nickel out of her gnashing sack
CHORUS
You better come on in my kitchen,
Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
STRANGER
When a body gets in trouble – everybody puts you down
You looking for a good friend and none can be found
ALL BUT STRANGER
You better come on in my kitchen,
Babe, it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
(Free verses – any player or actor who wants to make something up, should do it
at this point in the song – only rule is that the content needs to make sense
with the chorus – and the chorus can't be re-written)
ANNA MAE
Winter time's comin', it's goin' to be slow
You can't make the winter, babe, that long dry, so
Winter time's comin', it's goin' to be slow
You can't make the winter, babe, that long dry, so
CHORUS
You better come on in my kitchen,
'Cause it's goin' to be rainin' outdoors
(All the players are settled
into place)
A PLAYER
Or whatever it's doing out there.....
