“THE GANG”

BACK TO INTRODUCTION OF RIO

RIO

ACT TWO–SCENE NINE

“THE GANG”

Captain Ernesto Carvalho is monitoring the conversation going on inside Tamanero’s hideout.  The wiretap is in a police precinct office.

Military rap style music in Am–drums start.  (Carvalho has a deep voice.)

Carvalho                      Mine, Mine, Mine. He’ll get his all right.    (Hearty laugh)

                                    Sergeant, I’m starting to love all this new technology.

You better alert our reserves.  I think Tamanero will finally

be leaving his fortress.

Sergeant                      Yes sir!  Where should they be deployed?

Carvalho                      Near the Hotel Rio Park this evening.  In the meantime, we have

an informant at the hotel who will gladly give us the details.

Sergeant                      Not that squirrel, Ribeiro?

Carvalho                      Mr. “Service with a Smile” Himself!

Sergeant                      This could be a big day for you sir.  You’ve waited years for this.

Carvalho                      Yes, this just might be the break I’ve been hoping for.

Sergeant                      I don’t mean to pry, but there are many other drug lords in Brasil.

Why is Tamanero so important to you?

Carvalho (Wistful sigh) …Important? You have no idea.  It’s time I told you a little story…

Rap starts with drum/music

Carvalho          I.          Young man struttin’ up the avenue,

Just a bit confused, not a lot to do.

Gonna get into the Gang

So he hangs out with a couple macho guys,

and they test him seein’ if he qualifies.

They recruit him for the Gang.     And they say

Seg.     Why screw up like your old man’s done?

When you work for a livin well it ain’t no fun.

Female             C.        And it goes round and round and round.

and male officers        And it goes round and round and round.

Carvalho          II.        And the Man on Top’s callin’ all the shots.

He’s the idol of the poor cause he makes a lot.

‘Cause he’s the leader of the Gang.

And the new recruit gets a job with the man,

and his first real test–whip a poor old man

Who missed his rent with the Gang.

Seg.     Twelve thousand people livin’ on that hill,

and the law of the land is the Man’s Iron Will.

Female             C.        And it goes round and round and round.

and male officers        And it goes round and round and round.

Instrumental Break—Sax Solo

Carvalho          III.       Soon the young man realized his mistake.

In a life of crime he could not partake.

He tried to quit the Gang.

The Man on Top ordered him to die.

Threw his life away in the blink of an eye.

Just one way to leave the Gang.

Seg.     Well–Tamanero was the Man on Top.

When my brother died, I became a Cop

F&M Officers   C.      And it goes round and round and round.

Carvalho                      And so it goes.

F&M Officers             And it goes round and round and round.

Carvalho                      And now you know.

F&M Officers                         And it goes round and round and round.

Carvalho                      I’ll have my justice soon!

F&M Officers             and it goes round and round and round.

Carvalho                      Come on, we’ve got a job to do.

The Captain and Sergeant walk off, as the music resolves into the next song, “Mama–reprise”