William still play NHD

this is a play I wrote for my National History day project which is a competition. If you do well you go to the next levels city then if you do well enough you go to state. I don't know yet if I'm going to the next level but it was fun performing it.



William Still script



Characters
William Still, the main character, who is secretly keeping records about escaped slaves. Peter Still, William’s brother.
Henry “Box” Brown who mailed himself to William.
Maria Weems a female slave who disguised herself as a man to escape and wore a sling so no one would know she couldn’t write.
William and Ellen Craft married couple. Ellen dressed up as a man and pretended to be a “master of a slave” so the couple could escape from the South together. Eventually they traveled to England. Ellen had a bandage and crutch as part if her disguise.
Letitia, William Still’s wife
John Brown raided Harpers Ferry. Still’s hid and took care of John Brown’s two sons after Brown was hanged.


ACT ONE SCENE ONE
WILLIAM: (writing in journal. Say aloud) Dear diary, can you believe it? I can’t believe it. I have a brother and his name is Peter Still. I was doing my job at the Vigilance Committee, recording down important information about the escaped slaves that came here to Philadelphia for help and to find their family members. I am proud to say that my office is the first place a new freedman or woman comes for aid.

This afternoon, a man came to me and told me the story of how his mom ran away to be free and left him. His grandmother said, “One day you’re going to go to Phil-a-del-Phia can you say Feel-le-del-phea?” The man nodded to her question. Now he was in Philadelphia looking for his mom, Sydney Still. I froze at his heartfelt story. Peter looked scared as if I might call the police on him. He started to back away in fear. I told Peter I was his brother. I didn’t know I had a brother until he walked through the door.

This is when I realized that the records I was writing and recording were more important than I thought. The documents could be used to locate fugitive slave’s families or friends. In this job I’ve helped so many interesting people. (Look up thinking. Have pictures of documents taped in to journal show documents to audience.)

I’ll never forget the biggest surprise Henry “Box” Brown. He wanted to be free so badly he risked being turned up side down and in all different directions. He actually mailed himself to my office. The day he arrived my comrades and I opened the box and he popped out. (Have box in background get up and move to the box labeled this way up and look inside. Go and sit start to write again)

There was the young Miss Maria Weems or should I say “Mister” Weems. She thought of every thing. She disguised herself by dressing up as a man she wore a suit and a top hat. She wore a sling on one arm so no one would know she couldn’t write her name. She had a bandage over face since she didn’t grow facial hair. It came to me from Maria and other characters disguising as men was easier because men had more privileges than women. Men could move from around the country doing work.

ACT ONE SCENE TWO
WILLIAM
(Stand up and act like answering the door. Then move to the edge of the stage walk back and forth as if pacing) can I help you men this evening? Yes I am William still. (Nod at the invisible men Look like resting on edge of door.) You say a guard told you to come to a man named William still? You were on Harpers Ferry, the ship John brown just raided, and you are in need of shelter and aid. You men can go upstairs to the left there are some empty rooms you can use. John Brown should have waited to raid Harpers Ferry like Harriet Tubman and I told him to. (Act as if calling upstairs Letitia three more men have arrived from Harpers Ferry. Letitia, my wife, and I must take care of John’s two sons while he is away as well as six fugitive slaves and the three men from the boat. (Talk
softly to self as if trying to remember something looking down at the floor pace a tiny bit)
I need to buy clothes for five more people. I must record the stories. (Yawn look tired stop pacing)

It’s a tricky job keeping my records not to mention finding a place to hide the documents. I’ll hide them in a grave until it’s safe. No one will look there. At any point in time if anybody finds the documents I could be thrown in prison. (Act as if a shiver went down back.) I don’t want to be thrown in prison again; once is bad enough. Lets see who wrote to me in the mail. (Pick up envelope and start reading) Ahh, the queen sends a letter informing me the Crafts are in good hands. They are in disguise as a slave master and his slave. I sent them to the queen of England Where even slave catchers must treat them like royalty.
(William reads another letter and frowns at the bad language.) As I was saying there are huge conflicts with this job besides being caught. I just got another hate letter. It’s one of the most profane letters I’ve received since starting this job at the Vigilance committee. Calling me terrible names and threatening my life – all because they don’t like me aiding slaves to become free.(head to desk and start writing letter) I must write to Harriet and see if she knows about the fugitive slave law; and that this law says any African found will be taken back to the plantation or sold; even if they were safely in the North; it will really effect the under ground railroad making it harder to escape safely
I had my own coal and stove business. I housed many people who were escaping and I recorded the stories of at least 649 slaves. I am a man of many talents.