Sisters Dulcea and Catalina are two sisters who work with their father in a Mariachi band. Their father’s dream was to be in the band with his daughters and to become an American citizen. Unfortunately, the girls begin to see a change in him. Watching him person some of his favorite songs and not being able to remember the words. They immediately knew that something was wrong. He is soon diagnosed with Alzheimer. The girls do everything in their power to keep up the bills in the house while both taking care of their father as best they can. But the harder they work, the worse things seem to be getting. His health ultimately fails and he passes away. This is a story of ultimate love and the importance of supporting family. A true vision of what a family is willing to do to stay together and care for each other in the midst of sickness and pain. Playing the music that had always been a part of their home and their father’s life. A beautiful story of the connection that sisters have and how it can never, even in the midst of the worst of realities, stop supporting each other. *Characters are both Mexican American and will speak Spanish throughout.
Mariachi Melody
(Dulcea a Mexican- American eighteen-year-old girl hurries around her room. She is looking for the Mariachi clothes she is supposed to be wearing.)
DULCEA: (As she lays out the clothes) Basic Charro outfit: black pants, jacket, (looking around) where is my white shirt? (She finds it) and tie. Done. (She stops, yelling off) Catalina! Catalina are you awake? (Knocking on the door with no response then opening it to see Catalina still sleeping in her bed.) Catalina! Get up. (Catalina her seventeen-year-old sister wakes slowly until she looks at the time. She pops up!)
CATALINA: Shit! Why didn’t you wake me up?
DULCEA: Not my job to wake up my little sister for work. (Yelling off) We’re coming Papa, Catalina needs five more minutes!
CATALINA: It’s Saturday, no alarm. (Yelling off) Four minutes!
DULCEA: Liar. You have a job, set an alarm. (Laughs)
CATALINA: Not cool. You could have gotten me up when you got up- (She tops and looks at her.) You overslept too. (Both laugh)
DULCEA: Yep. Sure did. I was in the middle of the best dream-
CATALINA: About? (She begins to tie her tie when Dulcea comes in to help her.)
DULCEA: Thanks.
CATALINA: About?
DULCEA: (Beat, looking at each other in the mirror.) Mama. About being able to one day retire Papa from the band so he can rest. (Smiles)
CATALINA: He will, one day and we will make sure that he enjoys doing nothing while we take care of him.
DULCEA: All he has known all is life is taking care of other people.
CATALINA: Great man.
DULCEA: Yeah. (Picking up Catalina’s hat and handing it to her then grabbing hers. Putting them on.) When we got here from Mexico, I was so scared that we would be poor again.
CATALINA: We’re still poor.
DULCE: But poor here and poor there are different.
CATALINA: Mama dying-
DULCEA: - the coyotes. It was hell getting here.
CATALINA: But Papa figured it out. (Into the mirror) Look at us now. In a Mariachi band Papa created. Me playing and you dancing. It’s good Dulcea.
DULCEA: Really good.