Dana Hall (she/her) is a playwright, actor, and mental health therapist. The Theater Association of NYS (TANYS) awarded her Excellence in Playwriting. She was a finalist for the Morecambe Fringe John Clarke Memorial Prize for scriptwriting. Her self-performed and original monologue (Snowglobe) won the Femuscript Monologue Contest. She was the Audience Choice Award winner (Underneath) at the Eclectic Theatre Patchwork Festival and a finalist Winner in the Hear Me Out Monologue Competition (Sound Mind). During the pandemic list 2022, the New York Journal named her one of the 50 under 50 most influential creators. Away from the stage, her best-selling children’s book Beyond Words won the Mother’s Choice Award. Her plays have been published with Next Stage Press, Heuer, Stage Plays, & Smith Scripts. She is currently in residence with the Dramatists Guild Institute's Certificate of Dramatic Writing program. She is also a member of the Dramatists Guild, League of Professional Theatre Women, Honor Roll!, and International Centre for Female Playwrights. DanaHallCreates.com
Instagram: @DanaHallCreates

(UN)Drinkable

Characters

Person 1: POC, any age, reads numbers that represent the people of Flint, Michigan

Person 2: POC, any age, reporting news/government official

Nannette: An older resident of Flint, 65+, woman, Black

Resident 1: POC, any age, resident of Flint

Resident 2: POC, any age, resident of Flint

Production Notes

Read zip codes as 9.0.2.1.0. not 9,0210 etc.
Script is open to stylization. Production is encouraged to explore and engage with themes.
Those playing residents should construct fully realized identities, families, hopes. dreams.
Doubling and/or voiceovers are welcome.
NANNETTE need not be a singer, but she does sing.
The pacing is casual/relaxed on NANNETTE’s scenes, but outside of that there is an escalation/a musicality.
As for staging, think Sarah Kane mixed with the Laramie Project.
Blood in the Water by Grandson https://youtube.LsHYFQgQxpw

Relevant History

On April 25, 2014, the City of Flint, Michigan changed its municipal water supply from the Detroit-supplied Lake Huron water to the Flint River. The switch caused water distribution pipes to corrode and leach lead and other contaminants into municipal drinking water. Residents were exposed to dangerous levels of lead, and outbreaks of Legionnaire disease killed at least 12 and sickened dozens more. Citizens voiced their concerns but state officials were dismissive, it was only after residents took to the streets in protest and garnered national attention that government officials stepped in at a federal level. They began to receive letters that were misleading and contradictory as the water crisis escalated, those letters are featured in this play. The human-made public health crisis lasted April 2014-June 2016+, the impact will be felt for generations to come.

* Flushing hydrants and pre-flushing before testing water samples skewed results. Mixing in populations not using the river water gave false reports that suggested the contamination wasn't pervasive. It has been said the Flint River actually started on fire twice due to its high levels of pollutants and yet the city still switched the water supply over ignoring the welfare of nearly 100,000 city residents, 9,000 under the age of six.

*The demographics of Flint are 54% black and 4% Hispanic, however, there is a large undocumented population that was isolated from resources during this time.

A Systematic Catastrophe

Flint was/is not an isolated case, ongoing crises across the country have highlighted the continued fight for access to clean drinking water. Many of the cities or regions experiencing poor water access or conditions are in predominantly Black or Hispanic communities.

"Health disparities and climate change are not the fault of the most impacted communities.They've been driven by those with the most financial wealth. We have to address the 'systemic and institutional racism' across those sectors working on climate issues." - Dr. Jalonne L White-Newsome (School of Public Health Alumna and Senior Program Officer at The Kresge Foundation. Quotes from her 2020 MLK lecture at Michigan State)

The stage is dark but for an image of a faucet. We hear the sound of water dripping. Lights up on NANNETTE. She is seated in her living room. It is humble and in need of fixing up, but it’s home. She is looking at a drawing of nature done by a child.

NANNETTE
There are certain things in this life you take granted. A blue sky, a green tree, these are things you assume will be there. They’re the stuff of our children’s earliest drawings, but they’re not promises. Living next to one of the cleanest purest water supplies in the U.S. I took for granted that the water running over my dishes, in my morning tea, the water I used to brush my teeth and bathe in would be safe.

The dialogue of PERSON 1 & PERSON 2 should mimic the cadence of the dripping water and not be afraid to overlap; physically countering one another and growing in emotionality.

PERSON 1
48502

PERSON 2
This is not an emergency. If it had been you would’ve been notified immediately.

PERSON 1
48503

PERSON 2
Our water has recently violated a drinking water standard.

PERSON 1
48504

PERSON 2
Though we have exceeded the maximum level of contamination, a remediation plan is in effect.

Lights up on NANNETTE. She is seated in her living room, looking out the window.

NANNETTE
Folks from the city department started draining the fire hydrants at night. It floods the streets during the day. I’ve never seen anything like it and I’ve been here all my life. I checked the paper, nothing. If something was really wrong- there’d be a headline, it’d be on the cover. I would’ve heard something. Right?
Look at him out there, my grandson loves jumping in those puddles.

Lights down on NANNETTE.

 We hear the rush of shower water. NANNETTE is singing the African American Spiritual “Strange Things Happening Every Day,” as we hear the following between her words.

PERSON 1
48532

PERSON 2
A “Boil Water Advisory” has been issued due to a drop in pressure in the city water supply.

PERSON 1
48504

PERSON 2
Due to this drop in pressure, bacterial contamination may have occurred in the water system.

PERSON 1
48505

PERSON 2
Bacteria are not generally harmful and are common throughout our environment.

PERSON 1
48532

PERSON 2
Do not panic, we anticipate a speedy remediation of the situation.

NANNETTE in a robe singing as she does her shower routine (i.e. she takes down hair, gets a towel, lays out some clothing, etc…).

NANNETTE
When my water started coming out brown. I let it run and run, until it wasn’t so brown anymore. I just stand and wait and wait and sing my song a little bit more. I try not to shower too often these days.

PERSON 1
48502

PERSON 2
At this time the water may be used for showering, baths, shaving, and washing.

NANNETTE enters the shower letting the water wash over her.

PERSON 1
48503

PERSON 2
Disinfected byproducts have been detected in the drinking water at a higher level than the federal threshold. All residents are advised to use filtered water for drinking at this time.

Lights down on NANNETTE. We see and hear a faucet dripping. After a moment we see NANNETTE back in her chair, still in her robe. Her hair is wrapped in a towel.

NANNETTE
My grandson would say the water tastes like a cold metal coin on his tongue. He’d mix it with Kool-Aid and sugar. He says it tastes real good that way.

Lights down on NANNETTE. Back to faucet.

PERSON 1
48507

PERSON 2
Corrective measures are currently underway. Filters will be distributed.

PERSON 1
48532

PERSON 2
Thank you for your cooperation, we anticipate a speedy remediation of the situation.

Lights up on NANNETTE in her chair. She is sipping on tea.

NANNETTE
The neighbor works at the car plant he said they started seeing rust on the new parts they were making... He says he heard them saying the river water was corrosive and those old lead pipes connecting us to the water supply were starting to leach real bad... they switched back to the Lake Huron water supply we had before... but we haven’t heard anything about this-  us residents- we’re still using the river.

We hear NANNETTE singing as we see her water plants in her home. She starts folding some laundry.

PERSON 1
48504

PERSON 2
Warning, coliform bacteria detected do not swallow the water. Do not allow it to get in your eyes, nose, or mouth.

NANNETTE begins to itch.

NANNETTE
My skin started itching, the doctor she says lots of things cause rashes, she gave me some cream...(she rubs her head and as she does a clump of hair comes out, this troubles her deeply.) Someone said it might have something to do with my age, but it’s never happened before, so I don’t know.... (she holds it out worried, inspecting it).

She tucks the hair into a napkin. Lights down. PERSON 1 exhibits heightened emotions.

PERSON 1
48502, 48503, 48504

PERSON 2
Warning, lead has been detected in children’s blood samples in the impacted areas. Children and disabled individuals should have their bath supervised to make sure water is not ingested.

Lights up on NANNETTE in her chair, she is affected, grieving, at a loss.

NANNETTE
(Despair, heartbreak, and grief drips in her words.) Turns out they were testing the water by zip codes, but the codes don’t line up well with the water system, so for awhile the testing wasn’t accurate. We didn’t know how bad it really was until... the kids were getting sick.
Sarah’s boy stopped growing, Lisa’s daughter’s beautiful skin had patches...
Lead in the blood has a short window where you can see it. So while they’re testing folks are trying to say we aren’t seeing what we think we’re seeing. We aren’t ignorant! We aren’t blind!
These babies were drinking this at school.
(NANNETTE holds up a water bottle that is yellow-ish/orange in color)
My grandson-- drank this-- bathed in this. If I would’ve known sooner--

Lights down on NANNETTE. Red flashing warning light.

PERSON 1
48505

PERSON 2
Lead, Leaching, Legionella

Lights up on NANNETTE looking through her mail. She opens a bill with a PAST DUE stamp on it. She tosses them to the floor as she reads them.

NANNETTE
I never thought about what was in the water. I never thought I’d have to. They keep sending the water bill. It’s gone up since all this...happened. 90 dollars. 120 dollars. I’m supposed to pay for something I shouldn’t use?!

Lights down on NANNETTE. Red flashing warning light continue.

PERSON 1
48506

PERSON 2
Corrosion, Tainted, Trihalomethanes

Lights up on NANNETTE.

NANNETTE
I drank the water for eight or nine months before the bottle water distribution started. In the poorer parts of town, those folks drank it for one and half years.
My neighbor takes his truck and brings me 25 bottles, that's about two and half gallons for the whole week....After using it to cook, and wash my face, I run out before the weeks up and I’ve got no choice...but to use it...

Lights down. We see and hear a faucet dripping. Then we see two residents join NANNETTE. This is active and should not be delivered in a straight line- find reason to move and engage.

RESIDENT 1
With silence it flows in us, around us -

RESIDENT 2
Seventy-eight miles through our city.

RESIDENT 1
Lapeer, Flint, Flushing, Montrose.

NANNETTE
We are made of this water.

RESIDENT 1
Spatter, Slosh, Swoosh

NANNETTE
You and me and all the things born in this small town-

RESIDENT 1
Babies washed in sinks, children dancing in the hydrants-

RESIDENT 2
The pitter-patter of staccato splashing as they run through puddles.

NANNETTE
This murky water found its way into our homes-
Through our pipes- through to our...

RESIDENT 1
Tinted.

RESIDENT 2
Tainted.

RESIDENT 1
Tap.

We hear the water dripping.

NANNETTE
Water. Water that nourishes our plants, seeps into our soil.

All three put hands into dirt. They show their hands covered in dirt.

NANNETTE
Sifting through the dust -

RESIDENT 1
It crumbles -

RESIDENT
It erodes-

NANNETTE
Contaminated.

RESIDENT 1
Ashes and ashes -

RESIDENT 2
Dust to dust-

NANNETTE
The stories yet to be told, the trauma yet to unfold-

RESIDENT 2
48502, 48503, 48504 -

NANNETTE
These forgotten numbers trickle past - sifted through our finger tips-

RESIDENT 1
48505, 48506

RESDIENT 2
People whose lives will never be the same.

NANNETTE
In a cash strapped town,
Systemic racism washes down stream-

RESIDENT 1
Not a single drop spilled.

RESIDENT 2
Watered down promises,

RESIDENT 1
Filtered through lies.

NANNETTE
Everyone, everything, every- man, woman, child, every person made of this-

RESIDENT 1
Liquid poison runs through us.

RESIDENT 2
For generations to come-

RESIDENT 1
Who’ll have the courage to step forth? To say this is enough.

RESIDENT 2
How will we wash this dirt from our hands?

RESIDENT 1
Because you can run with a lie -

RESIDENT 2
But when it knocks on your door you can’t hide the truth.

NANNETTE
Listen, I’ve seen good people here doing good things, folks speaking out, refusing to accept injustices but I’ve also seen the evils of greed that flows through this town-

RESIDENT 2
Lack of affordability,

RESIDENT 1
An aging infrastructure,

RESIDENT 2
Underinvestment in black and brown zip codes,

NANNETTE
Which leave our thirst for equality-

RESIDENT 1
Unquenched,

RESIDENT 2
Unrecognized,

NANNETTE
And our water undrinkable.

NANNETTE goes back to her couch in her living room. She picks up the drawing her grandson
made, it can be projected. This is her hope- OUR hope for the future.

NANNETTE (CONT)
There are certain things in life we take for granted. But this (referring to picture) this can no longer be one of them. Privilege makes folks blind but we all must open our eyes to what’s before us. If this can happen to me, it will happen to you.
Don’t wait until it does, because it’s true what they say, ‘you never know the worth of water until the well runs dry.

END PLAY