In a desperate attempt to get to Langston Hughes, Dorothy West decides to propose marriage. Louise Thompson tries to talk her out of it and shares the reality of what it means to be in love with a man like Langston. Louise also reveals a secret behind her own failed marriage. As plans for life after Moscow remain unclear, Mildred Jones offers to stay with Dorothy in the Soviet Union for another season. But what type of relationship is Mildred looking for? Dorothy shares her unconventional plans for the future.
Executive Producers:
Byron Allen
Carolyn Folks
Jennifer Lucas
Geraldine Moriba
Regina Griffin
Cast:
J Ivy As Langston Hughes
Evan Frazier As Dorothy West
Nancy Gilliam As Rachel West
Kyla Lacey As Helene Johnson
And Tarrey Torae As Sylvia Garner
Broderick Clavery as Henry Lee, James The Translator and The Meschrapbom Official.
Breanna Cosette As Mildred Jones
Susaye Lawson As Louise Thompson
Basil Rodericks As Countee Cullen
Stephan Rumphorst as Carl Junghans and Boris The Russian Sergeant
Sidney Apolonio as The Volunteer Coordinator
Sam Riddell as The Train Conductor
Jon Kelly as The News Reporter
Written By Alle Mims
Directed By Ares Harper and Regina Griffin
Producer and Sound Design Sam Riddell
Audio Engineers Aaron Reppert and Carey Durham.
Technical Support Craig Ross and Sabua Samandu.
Booking Producer And Logistics Coordinator Taji Senior
Audio Podcast Editor Justin Sloan
Dramaturg Alexis Williams
Art Design By Trevor Irmler
Music By: Transitions And URSS Soviet Chorus
Audio Recording Smash Studios
Videographer Templeton Wright
Research for Harlem And Moscow was facilitated by The Schomburg Center, Project Muse, The Schlesinger Library On The History Of Women In America At The Harvard Radcliffe Institute, Cherene Sherrard-Johnson’s Book “Dorothy West’s Paradise”, as well as Literary Sisters by Verner D. Mitchell And Cynthia Davis.
Sincere thanks go to The Dramatist Guild, The Dramatist Guild Foundation, Dr. Jennifer Wilson, Dr. Saidiya Hartman, Dr. Brent Hayes-Edwards, and Dr. Lauren Brik-Elmore.
And theGrio gives a special thanks to Gabrielle Holder, Genia Nooks and Gill Talent Group team.
Full Transcript Below:
Announcer: You are now listening to the Griot’s Black Podcast Network, Black Culture Amplified. Hello, you’re listening to Harlem and Moscow, an original audio play presented by the Griot Black Podcast Network. Harlem and Moscow is a six episode drama with three additional companion podcasts. Harlem and Moscow, Red Flags.
Narrator: Harlem and Moscow is based on a true story. Episode 6, Return Home to Harlem, stars J.Ivy as Langston Hughes. Evan Frazier as Dorothy West, and features Nancy Gilliam, Susaye Lawson, and Brianna Cosette. I am your narrator, commenter, and ultimate guide, Jared Alexander.
Last time on Harlem in Moscow, Dorothy West and her friends are reeling after their movie is cancelled while they are still abroad in the Soviet Union. Although the production company has its own excuses for Henry Lee, the reporter of the group, has his own theory involving an American G. I. and an attempted bribe.
Langston will hear no slander against the Soviets, and both men double down, with Henry Lee going so far as to accuse Meshapom of sabotaging the revolution. As the men fight it out, the women grow close, when they learn that another woman on the trip has attempted to take her own life. After becoming pregnant, Dorothy and her special friend and roommate Mildred Jones realize they have very different views on abortion, marriage, and love.
It is then that Mildred reveals that the Russian sergeant who has been courting her while in Moscow has proposed. Although Mildred does not plan to accept, as a divorced woman of little means, she does need to marry someday. Dorothy is left feeling alone and confused about her own future. To make matters worse, Langston is seen with a Russian doll on his arm on a theater date.
An obvious ploy to maintain favor with the Soviets, Langston abruptly leaves the show, and a furious Dorothy picks up the story from here.
Dorothy West: Langston walked off without so much as a goodbye. Everyone was looking towards the future, even Comrade Sylvie Chen was charming her way into Langston’s heart better than I ever could. It was finally time for me to do something about my future. If Mil was starting to look for a husband, so would I! The two days leading to our last trip, I rehearsed what I would say to Lang in Turkmenistan.
I wanted his advice more than anything, but God had other plans. I was late meeting them because my woman’s sickness came on. By the time I got there, Louise broke the news.
Louise Thompson: Sorry kid, Lang already left for Japan, with Sylvie Chen in tow.
Dorothy West: I was crushed.
But, something Mil said reignited my courage.
Mildred Jones: Lang asked about you.
He told me to give you his love.
Dorothy West: Maybe if I had seen him in person, he could have calmed the green monster inside me. But, I only had images in my head of Langston and comrade Sylvie Chen. Her showing him China and Japan and the Far East. Them discussing politics. Who knows how long they would be traveling together.
I wanted it to be me. I wanted to be with him more than anything. Yes, Mil and I were still close, but things had changed after she told me of her proposal. Even she agreed that I needed a husband. I couldn’t wait around. I needed to make a decision before Sylvie did. The day before we left, I was in my room alone, writing Lang about my plans once I left Moscow.
But I imagined him putting a ring on Sylvie Chen’s finger with the Japanese sunrise behind them and a madness took hold of me. I wrote and wrote and I didn’t stop to look at what I was writing. I didn’t even hear the door open.
Louise Thompson: Dorothy?
Dorothy West: Oh! Louise, you startled me.
Louise Thompson: I tried knocking. I thought maybe no one was here.
I
Dorothy West: was writing. Would you like to come in?
Louise Thompson: Thank you. We’re all getting together, those of us who are left anyway, for one last dinner. We’ll be leaving in a few minutes. Dorothy? Did you hear me?
Dorothy West: Yes. Dinner.
I’m sorry. I need to write this before I lose my nerve.
Louise Thompson: Who are you writing?
Hmm?
Dorothy West: No one. It’s nothing.
Louise Thompson: Was nothing also making you cry last night?
Your eyes are a bit puffy.
Dorothy West: It was being out in the
country with all that irritating cotton.
Louise Thompson: Let me see this.
Dorothy West: No, Louise! Give it back now!
Louise Thompson: Dorothy! Please tell me this is a writing exercise and you’re not going to mail this!
Dorothy West: Weren’t you just lecturing me the other night about the benefits of being married?
Louise Thompson: Yes, and I also tried to impress on you all the things to think about when it came to who you marry. You’re letting yourself get swept up in your feelings.
Dorothy West: What’s wrong with that?
Louise Thompson: What’s wrong with it is you’re about to propose to Langston Hughes, the greatest Negro writer of our time, in a letter. This reeks of desperation.
And if he does say yes to meeting you in Paris, getting married, getting you pregnant, then what? There are certain parts of Langston’s lifestyle that you haven’t fully accepted.
Dorothy West: It’s like
I say in the letter. I don’t mind if he wants to continue to travel and lecture. I want him to. I only ask that I’m allowed to wait for him with our
child.
Louise Thompson: You’ll be waiting a long time. Here, sit down. There was something I left out of our conversation the other day. Do you mind if I smoke?
Dorothy West: I would rather if you didn’t. At least use an ashtray.
Louise Thompson: Thank you. Did Wally ever tell you the real reason we divorced?
Dorothy West: No, and I never asked. It’s not my place.
Louise Thompson: I asked him for a divorce.
Because he could never admit that he was a homosexual.
Dorothy West: Louise, you shouldn’t be saying that. It’s private and
Louise Thompson: And it’s true. Everyone knows it, including Wally. But he would rather drink himself blind than admit it.
Dorothy West: Langston and I are different. You’ve seen him with me. He’s fond of me.
Louise Thompson: He’s fond of everyone, the fool.
Because he wants everyone to be fond of him. Unfortunately, he’s a bit too good at it. I’ve known Langston a lot longer than you, and I can tell you this is not his first offer from a young writer who just wants a baby and the chance to share a writing desk with him one day. I can tell you with absolute certainty, Langston will never give you an answer, and you must know that No answer will always be his answer.
You can go to Paris, and maybe he will join you for a few weeks before flitting off again, but don’t wait on a man or a child to start your next chapter. You’re not a kid anymore, kid. Time to decide what your life will be.
Dorothy West: Can I have my letter back, please?
Louise Thompson: At the end of the day, it’s your decision. Are you coming to dinner?
Dorothy West: I need to think.
Louise Thompson: I’ll leave you to it, then. I promise not to tell anyone, no matter your decision. And if it makes you feel any better, I doubt he’ll marry comrade Sylvie Chen either.
Dorothy West: Thank you, Louise.
Only a few of Louise’s words penetrated my stubborn heart. Enough for me to add a postscript. I told Langston that if he did not feel the same, he should ignore my letter. And just as Louise predicted, ignore it, he did. I kept my hopes up and told myself perhaps the letter didn’t reach him or he was too busy to write back.
But I met Mildred at the train station with our bags packed. She had planned to go straight home to Harlem, while I had planned to stop in Paris with Mollie for a few months.
Mildred Jones: I’m only telling you this so you’re not left abandoned.
Dorothy West: Mollie is not planning on abandoning me in Paris.
Mildred Jones: She said in no less words that she would go out with you for a night, or two, and then she would get an urgent letter calling her home and she would leave.
Dorothy West: She was the
one who wanted to go to France in the first place. We’ve already converted hundreds of rubles into francs.
Mildred Jones: That was before her second date last week. With Henry Lee.
Dorothy West: No!
Mildred Jones: That’s why she called me into her room before we left Moscow. She wanted to know if you were still in love with him.
Dorothy West: What did you tell her?
Mildred Jones: That you had quite successfully gotten over your heartache with a little help from your new friend, Mildred Jones.
Dorothy West: That’s an understatement. I suppose I’ll try to head home earlier than expected. My mother will appreciate that, at least.
Mildred Jones: All is not lost. I can still come with you.
Dorothy West: What about your return ticket?
Mildred Jones: I never bought it. I had a feeling you might want me along after all.
Dorothy West: I do, Mil.
You know I feel for you as I always have.
I was only thinking of you since I’ll be there mainly to
Mildred Jones: Wait for Langston.
It’s all right. I’ve told you many times I don’t mind sharing.
Dorothy West: I know. But I’m not sure I want to be shared. I don’t want to wrap you up in my confusion.
Mildred Jones: But I’m not confused.
I want to go to Paris with you, and after, we’ll go back to America.
You’ll be off to Boston, or Oak Bluffs, and I’ll be off to wherever I can find a rich man close to death.
Dorothy West: Mil, you are terrible.
Mildred Jones: I want to have my strawberry cake, and eat it too, for as long as I can. You should do the same. There’s no reason we can’t continue once we’re both settled with a man. Not your thinking face again.
I thought you’d be pleased to have me along.
Dorothy West: I’m thinking about what happens after Paris. Here, the Soviets offer to pay for everything, even if we wanted to stay another year, and France will run out of money eventually. Are we simply stalling until real life begins?
This is real life. Can I share with you what I’ve been thinking about my plans once we get home?
It won’t require a husband or even my family’s money. I haven’t told anyone because I didn’t want to invite jealousy, but you know how our last payout was in rubles?
Mildred Jones: Don’t I? Whoever was cleaning our room just got the best tip of their career.
Dorothy West: I don’t know why, but yesterday, I received my envelope, and when I opened it, the money was in dollars.
American dollars.
Mildred Jones: How much? 300.
You have 300 in your suitcase?
Dorothy West: Not so loud! I sent a bit home, but I still have more than enough.
Mildred Jones: Enough to do what?
Dorothy West: Promise not to tease me. I want to start my own newspaper. It would feature young Negro writers in every genre. Articles, short stories, poems. I would take on the printing responsibilities.
I’ll have help, of course. But it will mostly be me. Who knows? Maybe I’ll publish the next great Negro writer. What do you think?
Mildred Jones: I
think no one could do a better job.
Dorothy West: You don’t have to flatter me.
Mildred Jones: The best thing about you is that you listen, Dot. Even when you’re hearing something you don’t want to, you still listen and take it all in.
I know you’ll be open to opinions and not just printing whatever you like. I’m not a writer, but I’ll be there on the front lines with you. Have you found someone to do your cover art? I’ve also done some layout work for the Amsterdam.
Dorothy West: You’re hired!
Mildred Jones: Here we are, our train out of Russia and into the unforgiving real world.
Are you laughing or crying? I was only joking, Dot.
Dorothy West: It’s not that.
It’s just that we’re leaving, and I feel like I’m saying goodbye to my childhood.
Mildred Jones: We don’t have to get on.
Dorothy West: We can’t stay in Moscow forever.
Mildred Jones: Not forever. Maybe for winter? I’m not getting married in the cold, and we won’t be the only ones who stay.
Wayland is still here with his new Russian girl. I’m sure Lang will come back through Moscow before he goes anywhere else. Although, I can’t guarantee Sylvie Chen won’t be on his arm.
Dorothy West: I don’t know.
I’d miss Christmas. Although, I’ve always been curious about how a godless country celebrates something like that.
And I want to write more about those veiled Afghan women we met in Turkmenistan.
Mildred Jones: Of course, it won’t all be sunshine. I doubt there’s an abundance of strawberry cake during the winter.
Dorothy West: If we do stay, only one rule for the rest of our time here. No more crying. That’s not very ladylike, and I am a lady. A very rich lady with lots of American dollars lining my suitcase.
Mildred Jones: What you’re saying is that you’ll be paying for dinner and drinks, comrade.
Dorothy West: The Soviets will buy us dinner and drinks. It’s the least they could do. And Boris can buy the cake.
Louise Thompson: Dot! Mil, you two better shake a leg.
Dorothy West: I think we’re going to stay.
Louise Thompson: Really? I knew you had let Russia into your hearts, as well as your stomachs.
Dorothy West: There’s something in my heart. I’m not sure if it’s Russia.
Louise Thompson: Oh, if you’re staying, then take these. Can you believe they gave us rubles the day before we were to leave? The perfect metaphor for the Soviet Union attempting to help the Negro. We can’t say they didn’t try. Goodbye, you two.
Mildred Jones: Goodbye.
Dorothy West: Thank you for everything.
Louise Thompson: See you in Harlem.
Dorothy West: So we stayed another five months. We traveled more, I wrote, Mil painted, and yes, kept seeing her Boris. He even learned some English.
Rachel West: Uh, Uh, Uh. What we’re not going to do is skip over this proposal story with Mr. Langston Hughes.
Dorothy West: Oh mom, it’s fine, really. I did see Lang again, and we’re still close friends.
He never brought up the letter, which I guess is as close to an answer as I’ll ever get.
Rachel West: I am going to say what I need to say, and you are going to hear me. Langston’s not responding was his attempt to save your reputation as well as his. Do not tell anyone about this. You and he had a childish flirtation.
But you realized he was not the settling down type. And we will leave it at that. You can’t go into the summer in Oak Bluffs with a failed proposal following you around.
Dorothy West: I don’t know if I want to stay in Oak Bluffs all season.
Rachel West: Where else would you go? Your father sold the flat when Helene left Harlem.
Dorothy West: I want to get my own place.
I still have my money from Moscow. And if the newspaper does well, I know I’ll get more writing jobs.
Rachel West: I entertain this fantasy of being a writer, but it’s time you get serious.
Dorothy West: I am serious about this, Mom. I’ve never been as serious about anything. I’ve already started sending requests for contributors.
Helene, Countee and Lang are all sending something. People are excited about this.
Rachel West: If you’ve already started, I guess you don’t need my permission.
Dorothy West: Maybe not, but I would love your blessing. You and father have believed in me, supported me when I moved to the city, when I wanted to act and write and go to school.
I want to prove to you that wasn’t all for naught. I truly believe all those things, and this trip abroad all pointed me to this moment and this opportunity. I want this.
Rachel West: A newspaper. Wouldn’t a quarterly make more sense? You won’t be publishing daily or even weekly. Would you be including your own writing? If you do, don’t be using your real name. You don’t want people thinking you’re spending all this money just to publish your own work. And, this should be a Negro publication.
You hear me?
Dorothy West: So, you approve?
Rachel West: You were right.
Your childhood is over. I had always pictured sending you straight into marriage. Like it used to be for girls. I see now you don’t need that, but Dottie,
do promise me you’ll come back to Oak Bluffs. This cottage belongs to you as much as anyone.
Dorothy West: Of course I’ll come back, Mom.
This is still my home. Harlem is where the work is. When I’m satisfied, I can’t imagine any other life than a quiet one on the island.
Rachel West: Perhaps with a husband? And some grandchildren? I don’t mind waiting.
You’ve grown into such a smart woman. I finally trust you to ask for your own spoon at the ice cream counter.
Dorothy West: Thank goodness for that. I love you mom.
Rachel West: I love you too. Put me down for a subscription. I want to be your first sale.
Dorothy West: Yes, ma’am.
Rachel West: Help your mother up to bed. And if you sneak Helene in, keep the noise down.
Dorothy West: We will.
Rachel West: Still can’t believe you wrote that damn letter. One year abroad and you’re a modern woman.
Dorothy West: Mom!
Rachel West: All right, all right. I’m going. Good night, Miss Dorothy West, traveler extraordinaire.
Dorothy West: Good night.
Narrator: Thank you for listening to Harlem in Moscow, an original audio play presented by
theGrio Black Podcast Network and created by Byron Allen. Executive producers are Byron Allen, Carolyn Folks, Jennifer Lucas, and Geraldine Moriba. We’d like to thank our amazing cast, starring J. Ivy as Langston Hughes, Evan Frazier as Dorothy West, Nancy Gilliam as Rachel West, Kyla Lacey as Helene Johnson, and Tarrey Torae as Sylvia Gardner.
Broderick Clavery played the roles of Henry Lee. James the Translator, and the Meschrapbom Official. Also starring, Brianna Cosette as Mildred Jones, Suze Lawson as Louise Thompson, Basil Rodericks as County Cullen, Stefan Rumphorst played the roles of Carl Junghans and Boris the Russian Sergeant, Sidney Apollonio as the Volunteer Coordinator, Sam Riddell as the Train Conductor, and John Kelly as the News Reporter.
Harlem in Moscow was written by Ali Mims. Executive producer, Regina Griffin. Aries Harper and Regina Griffin are the directors. Sam Riddell is the producer and sound designer. Audio engineering from Aaron Reppert and Kerry Durham. And technical support from Craig Ross and Saab Samandu. Our dramaturg is Alexis Williams.
Logistics coordination from Taji Senior. Art design by Trevor Ermler. Music by Transitions and URSS Soviet Chorus. The play was recorded, in part, at Smash Studios, and Templeton Wright is our videographer. Research for Harlem in Moscow was facilitated by the Schomburg Center and Project Muse. Also, Shereen Sherar Johnson’s book, Dorothy West’s Paradise.
As well as Literary Sisters by Verner D. Mitchell and Cynthia Davis. Sincere thanks goes to the Dramatists Guild, the Dramatists Guild Foundation, and also Doctors Jennifer Wilson, Sadiya Hartman, Brent Hayes Edwards, and Lauren Brick Elmore for their expertise and inspiration. And the Griot gives a special thanks to Genia Nooks and the team at Gill Talent Group.
We hope you enjoyed harlem and Moscow. You can learn more about the real people and the real events of the Harlem to Moscow trip on our companion podcast, Harlem and Moscow, Red Flags. Harlem and Moscow is such a powerful story that few people know about. Please rate, review, share, and tell a friend about this important adventure in Black history.
I am Jared Alexander. Thank you for listening.
