At UVA, Spencer Wilson swears revenge on his parents, while at WKU Esther Edelman blossoms into Ashley Allen in this origin story from 2007.
At UVA, Spencer Wilson swears revenge on his parents, while at WKU Esther Edelman blossoms into Ashley Allen in this origin story from 2007.
Season 2 Cast (bold denotes cast appearing in this episode):
Natalie Wachen as Ashley Allen (Ester Edelman)
Chris Osbrink as Spencer Wilson
Joe D. Reitman as Stephen Sly / Elijah Edelman
Janora McDuffie as Monica Edelman
Andia Winslow as Effie Edelman
Brian N. Taylor as Vinnie Valient
Nan McNamara as Elizabeth Ellis
Eddie Goines as Wahlid Walid and Tommy
Ashley Chaney as Helen and Charlie Cole
John Kassir as Coach and Rabbi
Christian L. Scott as Tanya and Desiree
Rebecca Johnson Wendy Wilson and Yael
Jacques Derosena as Jamie Johnson and Jafari
CREDITS:
Written & Directed by Natasha Lewin
Produced by DaVida Chanel Smith of Creating, Etcetera
Engineered by Tom Fritze
Casting Director Medge Ross
Music courtesy of Brian Babylon
Copyright 2021
This episode contains adult content.
INT. APARTMENT - EVENING
Hip hop MUSIC. 2007 cell phone RINGS.
JAMIE Hello?
ESTHER (crying on phone) Jamie...?
JAMIE Esther?? What happened???
INT. HOME - EVENING Lounge MUSIC. VOMIT.
SPENCER Done?
TANYA THOMPSON I think so. How’d I get this drunk? I only had one glass.
SPENCER I’ll rinse this out. There’s a trash next to the bed. See? Here.
TANYA THOMPSON Okay....
FOOTSTEPS. Muffled VIBRATION. SHUFFLING.
TANYA THOMPSON Hello?
TOMMY THOMPSON (on phone) Tanya, where are you?!
TANYA THOMPSON I don’t know.
TOMMY THOMPSON You don’t know where you are??
TANYA THOMPSON Spencer...
TOMMY THOMPSON Spencer?? The senator’s son?
TANYA THOMPSON Yeah.
TOMMY THOMPSON Where?
TANYA THOMPSON I think his place. I don’t know.
TOMMY THOMPSON His place where? Find an envelope with an address on it.
TANYA THOMPSON I can’t move.
TOMMY THOMPSON He tied you up??
TANYA THOMPSON No. I’m drunk.
TOMMY THOMPSON You don’t drink.
TANYA THOMPSON I did tonight.
TOMMY THOMPSON Find me an address or I’m calling the police.
TANYA THOMPSON No! No police. Hold on....
INT. SLY OFFICE - EVENING
Sly MUZAK. Office phone RINGS.
STEPHEN SLY Sly.
VINNIE (on phone) Unky Steve? It’s Vinnie.
STEPHEN SLY I’m busy. What do you want?
VINNIE You weren’t answering your cell so--
STEPHEN SLY It’s late, Vinnie.
VINNIE I have a question about the Christmas party.
STEPHEN SLY That’s not for a month.
VINNIE Well I need to find a date and Liz said I can’t bring anyone who works at Sly ‘cause it’s not allowed.
STEPHEN SLY Liz said that??
VINNIE Is it true?
STEPHEN SLY No! What a harpy.
VINNIE Ha! Yeah, the harpy. Thanks Unky Steve. Good night!
Phone on RECEIVER.
HELEN What’d he want?
STEPHEN SLY You should go Helen. I gotta call Liz.
HELEN STEPHEN Now??
SLY Yes, now! Go!
INT. APARTMENT - EVENING
Hip hop MUSIC.
JAMIE And just like that he said leave?
ESTHER Just like that. No integrated parties. Can you imagine?
JAMIE Yes. I haven’t been to one since I’ve been here.
ESTHER That’s awful. Why do you stay?
JAMIE I got a football scholarship. It’s too late to transfer now.
ESTHER Man, my mom nailed it.
JAMIE She knew about this place?
ESTHER About Kentucky. Guess I’m going to Boston now.
JAMIE Why even come here?
ESTHER The College Heights Herald. Working there guarantees a job in journalism after graduation. And it almost guarantees a Pulitzer Prize. No other campus paper anywhere has that same cred.
JAMIE Shoot, talk about old boys club. The Herald’s historically white.
ESTHER Really? I didn’t know that.
JAMIE Well they sure ain’t gonna advertise it on the brochure.
ESTHER That’s the truth. There’s a Black girl on the brochure.
JAMIE (laughs) Sorry to burst your bubble, E.
ESTHER Don’t be sorry. I’m glad you’re here. Thanks for picking me up.
JAMIE Anytime. We gotta stick together.
ESTHER This sucks.
JAMIE Racism sucks.
ESTHER How much more life are we gonna be denied for the color of our skin?
JAMIE Me, a lot. You... Who all knows you’re Black here?
ESTHER You, Dan, probably his whole frat.
JAMIE No. He said he’d It’s just me Dan. He said he'd get in trouble.
ESTHER Why?
JAMIE Fuck ‘em. Be white.
ESTHER What??
JAMIE Who can tell? I mean I can but I’m Black. You wanna stay, stay.
ESTHER You mean pass. I can’t do that.
JAMIE Why not? Black people darker than you been doing it for years. How bad you want that journalism job?
ESTHER Pretty bad.
JAMIE Fuck this place. Get yours.
INT. HOME - EVENING
Lounge MUSIC. Muffled CAR PULLS UP. Door SLAMS.
TANYA THOMPSON I don’t feel right.
SPENCER It’s your first time drinking. It’s normal. Now come on, let’s get this shirt off. You threw up all over it.
TOMMY THOMPSON (O.S.) TANYA!!
POUNDING on door.
TOMMY THOMPSON (O.S.) (CONT'D) OPEN THE DOOR!
SPENCER (to Tanya) Who’s that?
TANYA THOMPSON Tommy called.
SPENCER Shit. Don’t you trust me? Fuck!
FOOTSTEPS.
SPENCER (CONT'D) Yeah, yeah. Keep your pants on.
Door UNLOCKS. OPENS.
SPENCER (CONT'D) Look Tommy she --
SMACK! THUD!
TOMMY THOMPSON Where’s my sister?
FOOTSTEPS
SPENCER My tooth!
TANYA THOMPSON I’m here Tommy.
TOMMY THOMPSON Are you okay??
TANYA THOMPSON Yeah, fine. I threw up a lot.
SPENCER I didn’t touch her, asshole.
TOMMY THOMPSON Then how’d she get so drunk?
SPENCER She’s a lightweight.
TOMMY THOMPSON What’d you call her?
SHUFFLING.
TANYA THOMPSON Stop it. He didn’t do anything.
PHONE DIALS 9-1-1.
SPENCER (in phone) I’d like to report an assault.
TANYA THOMPSON No!! Tommy, apologize.
TOMMY THOMPSON For what??
SPENCER Spencer Wilson. 317 Walnut Drive.
TANYA THOMPSON Cops, Tommy. He’s calling the cops.
TOMMY THOMPSON I don’t care! He got you drunk You’re only 18!
TANYA THOMPSON Spencer, please. This is all a misunderstanding. Tell them!
SPENCER No way. I’m pressing charges.
TANYA THOMPSON Please! They could shoot him!
SPENCER He should thought of thought about that before he broke my tooth.
INT. OFFICE - NIGHT
MUZAK. Phone RINGS.
ELIZABETH ELLIS (in phone) It’s past work hours, Stephen.
STEPHEN SLY What’d you tell Vinnie?
ELIZABETH ELLIS I told your nephew the exact same thing you told me: Office relationships aren’t allowed.
STEPHEN SLY I said we had to be careful, I never said they weren’t allowed.
ELIZABETH ELLIS Really? That’s odd. Maybe it was HR. I’ll ask Helen. Put her on, will you? ... Hello, Stephen?... You’re pathetic.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
CRICKETS.
TANYA THOMPSON He was only protecting me.
COP Tell it to the judge. Watch your head, Thompson.
TOMMY THOMPSON Call mom. And coach!
Car door SLAMS. ENGINE starts. Police siren
TANYA THOMPSON (to Spencer) Why’d you do that? Do you know what happens to Black men with cops?
SPENCER That’s what you get for trying to sully my name.
TANYA THOMPSON
I wasn’t trying to do anything but get home!
SPENCER Then you’re both fucked. Enjoy!
Door SLAMS.
INT. SLY OFFICE - DAY
Office MELEE. FOOTSTEPS hurry.
VINNIE Hi, I brought you a coffee.
CHARLIE COLE Thank you. That’s so sweet.
VINNIE I’ve got good news, turns out Eliz- a-bitch was lying. We can totally go the Christmas party together, no problem!
CHARLIE COLE Really?? That’s so awesome. You can finally introduce me to your uncle.
VINNIE You’ll love him. He’s super great.
Elevator DINGS. FOOTSTEPS.
CHARLIE COLE There he is now.
VINNIE Hey! Unky Steve!
STEPHEN SLY What? I haven’t had any coffee yet.
CHARLIE COLE You can have mine. I haven’t touched it.
STEPHEN SLY Thanks darling. And you are?
CHARLIE COLE Charlie Cole.
VINNIE One of our new interns.
CHARLIE COLE Nice to meet you, Mister Sly.
STEPHEN SLY You too, Charlie. Great name.
CHARLIE COLE
That means a lot coming from you.
VINNIE
Charlie’s gonna be a news anchor.
STEPHEN SLY Oh yeah? Where you now?
CHARLIE COLE UCLA.
STEPHEN SLY Freshman?
CHARLIE COLE Sophomore. I’m 19.
STEPHEN SLY Good. Very good.
VINNIE She’s my date for the Christmas party.
CHARLIE COLE He asked me to go.
STEPHEN SLY Good. I’m glad you’re coming.
CHARLIE COLE Me too.
VINNIE Me too.
STEPHEN SLY What floor you on?
CHARLIE COLE Seven, with the writers.
STEPHEN SLY Ugh. Awful. Sorry about that.
CHARLIE COLE
I actually enjoy it. They’re so full of energy and passion.
VINNIE Cameramen are like that too. Passionate.
STEPHEN SLY See you around, Charlie. Thanks for the coffee.
CHARLIE COLE I sure hope so.
VINNIE See ya, Unky Steve.
STEPHEN SLY Stop with the Unky Steve, okay Vin? Enough.
VINNIE Right.
FOOTSTEPS
VINNIE (CONT'D) He’s always such a grouch until he’s had coffee.
CHARLIE COLE No. He’s great.
INT. HOME - DAY
Lounge MUSIC. Cell phone rings.
SPENCER Why hello, mother. How are you?
WENDY WILSON (on phone) Coach Maven called last night.
SPENCER Why?
WENDY WILSON You know good and goddamn well why. We’re not going through this shit again with you.
SPENCER I didn’t touch her!
WENDY WILSON Then what’d you do to that girl?
SPENCER Me?? Her brother almost broke my jaw.
WENDY WILSON We didn’t press charges.
SPENCER What?! He punched me!
WENDY WILSON We can’t have you ruining your father’s reputation.
SPENCER That’s all you care about. Votes. What about me? Your son?
WENDY WILSON You’ll be fine. At another school.
SPENCER Are you kidding?? You’re making me transfer?
WENDY WILSON Either that or drop out completely. Your choice.
SPENCER This is crazy. All because of that piece of shit?
WENDY WILSON We can’t afford to lose UVA or the Black vote. Understood??
SPENCER Oh I understand. Don’t worry, mom, I’ll make sure Dad will never have to worry about the Black vote ever again.
INT. STUDENT AFFAIRS OFFICE- DAY
Office MELEE.
ESTHER Excuse me, I need to update my name before classes start.
ATTENDANT Another newlywed.
ESTHER Sort of.
ATTENDANT Got your marriage certificate?
ESTHER
No, not yet but I um, I don’t want to be called by what you guys currently have me as.
ATTENDANT Sorry sweetie. You gotta have legal documentation or I can’t help you.
ESTHER Look, I’m going through a nasty divorce. (sotto) He’s Jewish.
ATTENDANT Ugh. I’m sorry. Okay, I normally wouldn’t do this but because of your circumstances --
FILE CABINET opens. SHUFFLING.
ATTENDANT (CONT'D) Here’s the form. When you get your divorce finalized we need a copy of your new paperwork on file, okay?
ESTHER Absolutely.
ATTENDANT I need your current student ID and drivers license.
ATTENDANT (CONT'D) Oh yeah, I see. Edelman. Yuck.
ESTHER Yeah. Bad, right?
ATTENDANT What are you changing your name to?
ESTHER Allen. Ashley Allen. I’m gonna use my middle name. For a fresh start.
Tune in next week for the Season 2 Finale of White Privilege Radio Play .