CARLA, THE COPY-SHOP GIRL, A TALE OF CANAL STREET: Libretto


SYNOPSIS:

Act One:
The action takes place in Fall, 2003, about eighteen months after 9/11/01, in a copy shop in lower Manhattan, in Trinity churchyard, in a nineteenth-century law office, and in Carla's room. As Act One opens, Carla is in the churchyard reading Bartleby, the Scrivener as she finishes lunch . She and the narrator of Bartleby introduce themselves, and she hurries back to the office. There we meet Sally, her boss, and the other copyists, Ed and Dave, and we witness their daily round. At the law office, we meet Turkey and Nippers, also at work, copying legal documents. In the next scene, we meet Lulu, who runs the coffee bar in the copy shop, and Ginger Nut, messenger for the law office, who wanders into the copy shop, where he makes Lulu's acquaintance. Bartleby appears, for the first time, and "prefers not to" (#1) help proofread documents. Sally asks who wants to work overtime, and the workers sing the "I Prefer Not to (Work Overtime)" song. Carla, a budding conceptual artist, discusses the conceptual art scene in the People's Republic of China with Ed and Dave. There is a melee in Bartleby's cubicle, as he once again "prefers not to" (#2). At the office Christmas party, Sally proudly introduces their new state-of-the-art machine, the Bosaki X4593, and Ed and Carla hook up, making Dave jealous.

Act Two:
It is Spring, 2004. Carla and Ed are having lunch and reading "Bartleby" in the churchyard. There is a spate of "I prefer not to's" (#3), culminating in Bartleby's cessation of copying. Dave expresses his hatred for the job and his co-workers, fretting especially about the illegality of the enterprise. Carla introduces "Blow-Up, Blow-Down," her politically provocative conceptual art project. Dave dissimulates interest, then quarrels with Lulu, and Sally takes objection to the art. At the law office, the incident with the ginger-nut seal occurs. Ed and Carla sing "The Copycat Song," expressing their disdain for copyright laws. When Barleby refuses to vacate the law office, the narrator relocates the business, leaving Bartleby alone there. Time passes, and he hears that Bartleby has been arrested and removed to the Tombs. Late one night, quoting Jonathan Edwards, Dave robs and vandalizes the copy shop in the name of free will. Lulu and Ginger Nut witness the act, too frightened to intervene.

Act Three:
The next morning, the damage is discovered. The narrator goes to the Tombs, where Bartleby refuses to acknowledge him. Dave has cast suspicion on Carla, and Sally refuses to believe Lulu and Ginger Nut. Bartleby dies. Sally leaves for a new job, first reluctantly firing Carla. She appoints Ed Acting Manager, and he hears the truth from Lulu and Ginger Nut. Dave resigns by e-mail, mocking everyone and pretending to have come into a small inheritance which he will use to pursue his film studies full-time. Ed offers to rehire Carla, and, when she refuses, he gives her money. He promotes Lulu to copyist and gives Ginger Nut the coffee-bar job, at which he will work part-time so he can also continue at the law office. In her room, Carla is preparing the faux resume, a conceptual art piece for her upcoming show, and getting ready to leave for the Job Center (unemployment office). The narrator comes in, they sing the "Ah, Bartleby, ah, Humanity" duet, and she leaves him sitting alone in the room.


SAMPLE:

Act 1, 2. Trinity Church, the graveyard: Fall, 2003:

Carla sitting on a tombstone, reading as she eats & drinks
She reads, opening duet . . .:

{Narrator:
I am a rather elderly man. For thirty years, my avocation has brought me into contact with a singular set of men about whom nothing that I know of has ever been written. I mean the law copyists --or scriveners.

{Carla:
I’m just a poor working girl, I take life as I find it. Actually, no, I’m an artist
--a painter, primarily conceptual-- but, to pay the rent and buy the groceries, not to mention art supplies, I work at a copy shop, unnamed, ten blocks south of Canal Street. (No free advertisements for the running dogs of capitalism!)

Duet:

[She eats, drinks, reads on].