A dream come true?

Characters:
Zenzi – Miriam Makeba at about 14 years old; Mother – her mother

Setting:
A kitchen in a township home in the 1940s

Scene 1

Zenzi, who is in the kitchen, is singing softly. Her mother comes in


Zenzi: Mama, Mama! (runs to her mother) Something exciting has happened!
Mother: What is it, my child? You look as though a dream has come true!

Zenzi: It has, Mama! You know I’ve been learning a new solo?

Mother: (laughing) I have heard it about 100 times!

Zenzi: Well, I’m going to sing it for the King!

Mother: What king?

Mirima: You know – the king from over the sea – King George.

Mother: You are not going over the sea! (sounds horrified)

Zenzi: No, Mama. (laughs) The King who is from England is coming to South Africa. Our choir is going to sing for him! I am going to sing in front of a king, a queen and two princesses!

Mother: That is wonderful news!

Zenzi: I can’t wait to see the princesses. Look, here is a picture of the little one whose name is Margaret …
Scene 2
A week later; Zenzi’s mother is in the kitchen. It is raining hard. Zenzi comes in.
Mother: My child, you are so wet! Come to the fire and get dry. (Zenzi walks slowly to the fire and sits down sadly)

Mother: What is wrong, my little Zenzi? Did you sing the wrong notes?

Zenzi: No Mama – it’s worse. I didn’t even sing.

Mother: But today you sang for the king and the queen and …
Zenzi: (Zenzi interrupts) No! We stood in the rain and waited and waited, and then the cars came … (pause) We were so excited! We stood up straight and then I took a breath …
(sobs)


Mother: What happened? Why are you crying?

Zenzi: Oh, Mama – the cars didn’t stop! They just drove past. The king didn’t even see us. They just drove past!

Mother: Oh my child! (holds her as she cries) How disappointed you must be.

Zenzi: (Stops crying and stands up straight) Mama, I won’t let this stop me! One day I will sing in front of kings and presidents. They will see that they were wrong and an African woman can become famous!

Mother: You are a brave child, my Zenzi.

Zenzi: You know, Mama – I think I saw the little princess look out of the back window of the car and wave. I will sing so she hears me one day!