Bro. Askia
New Member
Pay The Price Web Site
http://www.paytheprice.com/
THE STORY
College students learn to beat alcoholism, sexism, racism, and deal with the tough demands and pressures it takes to be successful, but they must PAY THE PRICE! These students are led to accept mental, physical and verbal abuse to become members of a marching band.
In this true-story in which self-discipline and unity are stressed, newcomers attempt to change the traditional membership make-up, but they must PAY THE PRICE!
This story takes place at a fictitious predominately Black Southern University in the early 1980's. Each university has some attraction that lures most high school seniors, be it academics, athletics, or a beautiful scenery.
A.S.U. known as ALBERT STEVENS UNIVERSITY, has the distinguished label of having the best band in all the land. The band is the most popular organization on campus. Thus, it is the marching band that is used as the biggest recruiting tool for most of these Black colleges. But most high school seniors who are potential college marching band members, have no idea that they are about to go through something that is the most physically, mentally, and emotionally-challenging experience of their lives.
Each freshman to try out for the band is nicknamed a crab. This nickname will stay with the band member throughout his career. The name crab comes from the dictionary as being a pest or an irritable peevishly person. Because the band is so well respected, there are a lot of students trying out; hundreds of them. The band has an initiation system to weed out the weak ones. This system is known as crabbing.
The tradition of the "Marching Tigers" is about to be challenged as the first Black female and first White male try to become members. The drum-majors and upperclassmen, STAN-THE-MAN, DICK, DOC, ANTONIO, SPIKE and others, do not want the pressure from the previous upperclassmen known as "old-heads' as the first group of "Marching Tigers" to let the tradition change. Of course the White guy, nicknamed WHITE BOY and the Black female, nicknamed MISS THANG go through twice as much. They are really treated like dirt. The upperclassmen do not want a white or a female in their band. They will do whatever is necessary to keep these two from making their band.
It somehow reminds one of slavery. The upperclassmen are seen as the masters and the crabs are the slaves.
In PAY THE PRICE! we spend an entire fall semester at A.S.U. The crabs will go through what is called pre-drill. This is two weeks of pure hell in the middle of August. The temperature is 100 degrees and there are practices of 14 to 16 hours each day. There are strenuous exercises, and an enormous amount of mental and physical abuse. For instance, crabs are taught from day one to respect the upperclassmen. At any time, a crab may get slapped, hit in the chest, or made to do other degrading things.
All band members must exercise to stay in shape. But crabs must do extra pushups, and jog extra laps around the track. They must wear white T-shirts, shorts, and military boots. Upperclassmen will sometime take the crabs' money and their car keys. They are just humiliated to the highest. During the hot long summer weeks, the crabs can't wear a cap, sunglasses, or carry a wet towel. Only the upperclassmen can do these privileged things.
Just the reverse happens when the semester enters November and December when colder temperatures arrive. These same crabs must still dress as if it were still summer. This means no gloves, no coats, and no caps.
The upperclassmen do all in their power to keep these crabs from becoming what they already are; a band member. The crabs are constantly told to BE TOUGH! BE A MAN! BE THE BEST!
Crabs are never treated like a band member until he puts on a uniform for a game or parade. Even then, an upperclassman from yesteryears could come and boss them around.
The MARCHING TIGERS, as the band is affectionately called, are rated among the best Black college bands in the nation. They pride themselves on being in tip-top shape.
The crabs must go through three times as much trouble to get in this band as one would to get into a fraternity, military or any other organization.
More than likely, if one can hang past the two weeks of pre-drill, one could take the remaining three months of hazing.
DEAN SHEP, the Dean of School Of Music and Academic Affairs, wants to end the senseless hazing tactics. She does everything in her power to break the tradition and reports to the University's President. PROF (DR. LITE), the Band Director, obviously clashes with the Dean. They have a couple of encounters on the practice field in front of the band.
PLASTIC MAN, a spoiled brat, tries out for the band. He also has an alcohol problem. He goes through some serious drama with his addiction. The band has a tough time suspending him, due to the fact that his father is the former school President and continues to donate tens of thousands of dollars to the school's trust fund.
WHITE BOY'S father, Mr. Stone has a huge problem with his only son going to an all-black college and expresses it every time he speaks with his son. MR. STONE, the eternal racist, shares his experiences with his son as a successful businessman and preaches to him that his success came by attending a major college. WHITE BOY rebels his theory and sets out to prove his father wrong by attending Albert Stevens University. But little does he know of the hell that awaits him in the band.
MISS THANG was raised by her father after her mother died early. Her father was very strict and thinks of his daughter as a "softy" and thinks she cannot handle anything tough. So she sets out to prove him wrong. She knows the tradition and tries everything in her power to prove her toughness to her father.
Though the upperclassmen harass the crabs, they also teach them about discipline and self-respect. They also stress to the crabs the importance of education, brotherhood, togetherness, and working hard - which breeds success. But the success comes with a price - the ultimate!
This story is based on the writer, producer, and director's experience in a Black College Marching Band in the early 1980s. Several characters are that of Darryl D. Lassiter at various stages of his band membership.
"The character of 'Doc' is a portrayal of me as a senior trumpet section leader," says Lassiter. "The character of 'Stan-The-Man' is a partial portrayal of me. I was never drummajor, but a lot of his mannerism are mine. The lines I gave him were said by me during my upperclassmen days. The character of 'Chocolate Buttermilk' is exactly me as a freshman. The character of 'Spike' is that of me more in my neophyte days. The character of 'Old School #1' played by Clark-Atlanta University's Band Director is a cross between himself and me just after we left college. He was my prot?g?. And just like I would tell him things to do in the band, was the same fifteen years later when he appeared in my movie. All of his scenes were shot in one take."
Copyright ? 2000 by 2 Believers Production. All Rights Reserved
Web site materials compiled and created by Darryl D. Lassiter.
Web site designed, developed and maintained by Ingrid Scurry Lassiter.
