Play-a-Day Wednesday (Week 5)

Meds


[Lights up on a woman laying on a bed. She is clearly drunk and an empty alcohol bottle is clutched in her hand.]

Woman:

[Yelling] Honey! Get in here!

[A second later a little girl peaks through the door to the room.]

Girl:

Yes, Mama?

Woman:

Go get me my pills!

Girl:

Yes, Mama.

[The girl exits. The woman collapses on the bed, passed out. The girl enters a second later.]

Girl:

Mama? I have your pills.

[The girls pokes her mother.]

Girl:

Mama?

[The girl sighs, drops the pills on the floor and leaves. Slamming the door behind her. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Sunday (Week 5)

We live


[Lights up. A man is in a hallway of a hospital. He is sitting and waiting. He is in a suit and there is a suitcase resting by his feet. He is talking on a cell phone and slightly agitated.]

Man:

[On the phone] - well tell Sherman that if he doesn't respond in 2 days then the deal is off. [Pause] Yes, Maurice, I know what I'm doing - [Pause] Don't you even -

[A doctor comes down the hallway. He stops in front of the man. The man immediately closes his phone and stands up.]

Man:

[Nervous and quiet] Are the results back already?

Doctor:

Yes, and [Pause] I'm sorrym sir, but the results are not spectacular.

Man:

[Sitting down heavily] Please, just tell.

Doctor:

I'm sorry, but you have cancer.

Man:

[Slapping his knee angrily] Damnit!

[The man flips open his phone and presses a number. He presses the phone to his ear.]

Man:

Sorry, Maurice. I'm going home.

[The man stands and shakes the doctors hands. Lights start to fade as the man picks up his suitcase and exits. Lights all the way down.]

Play-a-Day Saturday (Week 5)

A Better Son/Daughter



[Lights up. A girl is sitting on a couch a couch with another girl. One girl, Trish, is holding some blankets in her hands. The other girl, Anna, reaches out and takes them.]

Anna:

I can't thank you enough for letting me stay here, Trish.

Trish:

It's no problem, girly. [Standing] You know where the bathroom is and everything.. so I think I'm gonna go hit the sack.

Anna:

Okay, I think I'm probably going to go right to sleep as well.

[Trish exits. Anna sighs and leans back on the couch. Her eyes droop shut and her cell phone rings, startling her. She looks at the screen and shakes her head and sighs.]

Anna:

[Talking to the phone] What do you want, Mom? [Pause] It's not going to be better this time, Mom, I - I just can't keep doing this. You say your going to change, but nothing ever changes.

[Pause]

You know what, Mom. If you say that Demons are in you, then why don't you go on ahead and give in to those demons that posses you. I really don't fucking care what you do with your life right now. [Pause] Bullshit, God never blessed you. [Pause] Go to hell.

[Anna closes her phone and throws in onto the floor. She then covers herself with a blanket and lies down on the couch. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Wednesday (Week 4)

Flaws


[A girl is in a public bathroom. She steps onto a scale and begins to weigh herself. After a second she catches a glimps of a post-it note on the wall in front of her. She takes it off and reads it.]

Girl:

[Reading] Don't worry, this scale could never tell you how truly beautiful you are.

[The Girl smiles and sticks the post-it note back on the wall. She then walks over to the sink and mirror. ]

Girl:

[Sighing] Great a pimple is coming.

[The girl notices another post-it on the mirror. She takes it off and reads it.]

Girl:

[Reading] No mirror in the world could show you the true beauty of yourself.

[The girl smiles puts the post-it back and walks out the bathroom smiling. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Tuesday (week 4)

Why can't we be friends?


[A little boy is playing in a sandbox and a little girl carrying a pail and shovel sits next to the boy. She smiles at the boy.]

Girl:

Hi!

Boy:

...Hi...

Girl:

[smiling] Wanna be friends?

Boy:

No.

Girl:

Why not?

Boy:

Because... girls have cooties.

[The boy gets up and runs away, girl sits and her lip starts to quiver. After a second she just shrugs and begins to dig and fill her pail. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Monday (Week 4)

Lost



[A little girl is hanging onto her mom in a clothing store. Her mother is busy looking at clothes and she lets go of her mom.]

Mother:

Now, don't go far, Sarah. Make sure I can always see you.

Sarah:

Okay!

[Sarah runs a couple of feet away and then smiles and giggles. She then hides in the middle of one of the racks. A giggle is heard and lights fade. A couple of seconds later Lights rise again and mother is gone. Sarah peaks out of the clothing rack and yawns. Then comes out completely.]

Sarah:

Mommy?

[Sarah looks around and starts to panic.]

Sarah:

Mommy!?

[Sarah runs to the exit of the store and ends up on the street. There are people walking all around her on both sides not paying attention to her in the least. Tears start to leak out of Sarah's eyes.]

Sarah:

Mommy... ?

[Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Saturday (Week 4)

Generation


[A girl is walking down a street. She has torn and dirty clothes on, looks tired, weary and hungry. She shuffles over to a dumpster and lifts the lid. Not being able ot see over the tap she finds a trashcan and flips it over. Stepping up on the trashcan she peers into the dumpster. She moves things around and shovels through garbage. Finally she finds a half-eaten muffin, she tears the rest of the wrapper off and stuffs it into ther mouth. She sighs and slumps her back against the dumpster, sitting on the trashcan. After she swallows she peers at the wrapper in her hand. She makes a sound of disgust and throws it.]

Girl:

[Looking at her dirty hands] Look at you.

[The girl gets up and clutches her torn jacket closer to her body.]

Girl:

I think it's time to go home.

[The girl shuffles away from the dumpster and down the street. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Wednesday (Week 3)

Shadows and Regrets


[A girl, Lena, is walking down a street, holding tightly onto a suitcase. She is looking around, a sad expression on her face.]

Lena:

[Softly] Nothings... changed. [Pause.] This is a bit of a let down...

[Lena approaches a house but doesn't enter and instead sits on the porch swing. Another girl walks by, see's Lena and runs up to her.]

Sarah:

Lena! It's been so long!

[Sarah and Lena hug. Sarah smiles enthusiastically while Lena just smiles slightly. Sarah sits next to Lena, in a comfortable silence.]

Sarah:

So how long are you visting for?

Lena:

Not long. Just a little while.

[Sarah nods. Another comfortable silence.]

Sarah:

Everything's changed hasn't it?

Lena:

Yes. Nothings changed, yet everything has changed.

[Sarah nods again. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Tuesday (Week 3)

24 Hours


[A girl is sitting outside a building, she looks very tired and very angry. It is dawn and the sun is starting to come up. She is sitting on the dirt ground. A stray cat comes up to her and rubs against her leg.]

Girl:

I've been sitting right here in the dirt for 24 hours. I've forgotten what I'm worth, I mean clearly I'm not worth much, since he forgot about me here. He said that he'd be here last night. [Pause] And everyone wonders why I'm not trusting? It's because of things like this. [Petting the cat] I wish I was older so that everyone wouldn't say I was too young for everything. Its not my fault, that I was born when I was! I wish I could grab a car and just drive, completely and utterly alone. I want adventure, I want to go places. To be stuck here the rest of my life!? I'd kill myself.

[The Girl gets up]

Well its no use waiting on people, I'll make my own way home.

[The girl starts to walk]

[Scoffing, and shaking her head] 24 freaking hours...

Play-a-Day Sunday (Week 3)

Zero



[Lights up in a New York City style club. There is a bar along the back, and the front is a floor for dancing. A man enters and looks around, standing by the door as if expecting someone to come over to him. When nobody does he sighs and walks over to the bar. He huffs and sits at one of the stools. The bar tender notices him and walks over to him.]

Bartender:

What can I get for you?

Man:

Just a Gin and tonic for me.

[The bartender nods and makes the drink. Then sets it down in front of the man.]

Bartender:

Whats your problem?

Man:

Well, I'm suppose to perform here tonight, and no one has come and found me yet.

Bartender:

[Nodding] Where you from, anyway?

Man:

Maine.

Bartender:

[Wiping down the counter] Let me give you a little secret. You're a Zero.

[The man offended opens his mouth to speak. The Bartender cuts him off.]

Bartender:

You're in the big city now, boy. Whats you're name?

Man:

It's -

Bartender:

No one's going to ask you. [Pause] You better go find out for yourself where they want you to go.

[The bartender wipes down some more of the counter.]

Bartender:

Because trust me, boy. You're a zero here, you may have been a big shot there. But no one cares who you are or where you are, unless you show them its worth it.

[The man nods, stands, finishes off his drink, and leaves. The bartender shakes his head and smiles, getting another customer a drink. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Saturday (Week 3)

When You're Gone


[Lights up on a bedroom. An old man is sitting up on his bed. He has a frown on his face. He looks over to his bedside table and grabs the picture that is there. The picture is of an older lady. He looks at it for a moment and gently touches it with his fingertips. After a beat the man places the picture back very, very gently, like it could crumble in his hands. He then gingerly gets up and walks over to a vanity. There is a silk pink bathrobe hanging off of the mirror, he hesitantly touches it with his fingers and then caresses it. He rubs the bathrobe against his face and takes a deep breath, inhaling. He lets the bathrobe drop, tears start to form in his eyes. The old man walks back to the bed and wearily falls back into the sitting position onto it. He folds down the covers and lays down. Covering himself up, he closes his eyes. After a second he sits up slightly and gently picks up the picture frame. He kisses the picture and lovingly looks at it. He then fluffs up the pillow next to him and places the picture frame onto it. He then lays back down and closes his eyes. Lights fade slowly.]

Play-a-Day Thursday (Week 2)

Congratulations



[Lights up on a living room very dimly, a woman is sitting on a couch. She looks like she has been crying for a while, and has a crumbled up tissue clenched in her hand. She has a dazed look on her face. There is a stand at the edge of the couch with a phone on it. After a moment she looks at the phone and presses a button, a man's voice plays.]

Mark:

[On answering machine] Look, Sarah. I'll be over in a bit to get the rest of my things. I know its been some months, but I've been really busy, I just hope you haven't thrown anything else. [Pause] Look, I-I don't want to surprise you or anything, but ... I met someone. She's great and-

[The answering machine beeps, marking the end of the message. Sarah just sits staring straight ahead. After a second a knock jumps Sarah and jumps up. She then walks offstage.]

Mark:

[Offstage] Um, hey Sarah. Why is it so dark in here?

[Sarah walks on stage again and sits on the couch where she was just sitting. Mark and another woman enter.]

Mark:

Sarah?

[Sarah doesn't answer. Mark sighs and him and the woman exit offstage another way. Some shuffling is heard and Mark and the woman re-enter, him carrying a box. He beckons for the other woman to leave, she does, the way they entered the house.]

Mark:

[Sitting on the couch gently] Sarah?

Sarah:

[Softly] Why do you get to be happy? I was about to give you my heart. You left me.

Mark:

Excuse me?

Sarah:

I-I mean Congratulations. [Tears start to leak down Sarah's cheeks.]

Mark:

Thanks, Sarah. [Nervously] Sh-She's really great, I mean, Sarah. If I can move on, don't you think its about time that you tried? Even a little?

Sarah:

Please, leave.

Mark:

[Shocked] What?

Sarah:

[Turning to Mark with tear stains down her cheeks, forceful.] Go away.

[Mark nods, stands, takes the box and exits. Sarah let's out a sob as soon as he leaves. Lights fade as she fold's into herself physically, still crying.]

Play-a-Day Tuesday (Week 2)

Butterfly Kisses


[Lights up on a small bedroom. A little girl, Lily, is playing in the corner with dolls and other toys. She looks very happy and content. A second later a man, her father, David, enters. He walks over to the bed and sits in the chair next to it, and he just sits and observes his daughter playing with her toys, happy and content. After a moment, he is noticed.]

Lily:

Daddy!

[Lily races over to David with a great big smile on her face. She carries a doll, that has it's hair braided.]

Lily:

Look Daddy! I braided Sarah's hair!

David:

Good job, sweetie! [Patting the bed] But it's time for bed, why don't you get in?

Lily:

Okay!

[Lily runs around the other side of the bed and climbs under the covers.]

David:

Did we forget something?

Lily:

Oh yeah! [Getting up on her knees, she clasps her hands together, closes her eyes, and bows her head] Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to taken. Amen.

[Lily then hurries under her covers and smiles. David smiles back.]

David:

Now what kind of kisses do you want to give tonight? Eskimo kisses or Butterfly kisses?

Lily:

Butterfly kisses!

[Lily stretches up and brushes her eyelashes against her father's. She smiles and lies back down.]

David:

[Smiling, he kisses Lily's forhead] Goodnight, sweeheart.

Lily:

[Grinning] Goodnight, Daddy.

[David turns off the light and exits. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Monday (Week 2)

The Morning Of

[Lights up in a bedroom. Light is streaming through a window as if to say "Morning" a woman, Grace, is laying in bed. An alarm goes off and she sits up and turns it off and sits up. She sighs and dangles her feet off the side of the bed. After a minute another woman, Mandy, enters with a tray full of breakfast foods.]

Mandy:

[Setting the tray down on the bed] Hey sweetie, how are you doing today?

[Grace just shrugs and chooses not to respond.]

Mandy:

[Sighing] You can't hide in here forever, Gracie. You have to get out sometime.

[Grace once again shrugs.]

Mandy:

You know you're welcome to stay here as long as you wish. Just I wish you would come out. I'm going to make you go see him or anything... I just wish you would be somewhat human to the rest of us.

Grace:

[Softly] I'm sorry.

Mandy:

I know, sweetie. Just... don't get lost in here, yeah? I would like to see my Grace again someday.

[Mandy smiles and Grace slightly smiles back.]

Mandy:

[Sighing] Eat something, yeah? You're getting way too thin.

[Mandy exits and Grace slides off the bed. She kneels by the bed with her elbows up on the bed, her hands clasped in "prayer" style.]

Grace:

Please, Lord. Just get me out of this city.

[Grace stands and pulls a bag out from under the bed. She stares at the door for a moment, takes a long, deep breath, opens it and exits. Lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Saturday (Week 2)

City



[Lights up a woman is walking fast down a bust street. It is night and raining out. She runs into a man and her purse and papers that she was carrying fall to the ground. She immediately drops to the ground and picks up her things, the man picks them up as well]

Woman:

I am so sorry. I was in a hurry and wasn't watching where I was going.

Man:

That's alright, it was just an accident.

[The woman stands finished with picking things up and so does the man. The man hands the woman her things and looks into her face.]

Man:

Do I know you?

Woman:

No, I'm pretty sure we've never met.

Man:

Are you sure? I feel as though I've met you before?

Woman:

No, I'm sure we haven't. [Pause, Impatient] Look, I have to go. I'm in a bit of a hurry.

[The woman hurries down the street]

Man:

Wait! What is your name?

[The woman stops and turns]

Woman:

Anna!

[The woman hurries on and exits]

Man:

[Scrunching his face in thought] Anna...

[Lights fade]

Play-a-Day Thursday

Reasons to Love You


[A woman is sitting on a couch humming to herself. A man enters and sits down next to her. She smiles at him.]

Woman:

You know I love you right?

Man:

Of course.

Woman:

Of course.

Man:

Hmm?

[The man smiles at the woman.]

Woman:

Nothing.

[The woman smiles and pulls out a folded piece of paper, she then hands it to the man.]

What is this?

Woman:

[Pause] Go on, read it.

Man:

[Clearing throat] 1. You make me laugh, 2. You make me smile, 3. You're always there for me, 4. You cheer me up when I'm feeling sad, 5. Your the best friend I could ever want. [Pause] What are all these?

Woman:

[Smiling] The reason's why I love you.

[The man smiles back and lights fade.]

Play-a-Day Monday

Worried Shoes

A little boy is sitting on the

edge of his bed, he has his

pajamas on and also a pair

of shoes. His mother enters.

Mother:

Hey, darling. Why don't you take off those shoes and climb into bed?

Ryan:

I can't, Mama.

Mother:

Why not?

Ryan:

Because, Katie's not home yet.

Mother:

What does your sister being out have to do with you having shoes on?

Ryan:

Well... [Pause] These are my worried shoes.

Mother:

Your worried shoes?

Ryan:

Yes, whenever I worry about something, I have to wear them. [Pause] And I'll worry until Katie is home and safe.

Mother looks at Ryan and

smiles. Lights slowly fade.

Play-a-Day Sunday

Fairy-Tales

A little girl is on her bed in her

room. Her mother is sitting on

a chair beside her bed.

Megan:

Mommy! Mommy, tell me a story!

Mother:

Alright, sweetie. What do you want the story to be?

Megan:

I want a Fairy-Tale!

Mother:

[Jokingly] A Fairy-tale!? Whats that?

Megan:

[Laughing] Mama! You know what a Fairy-tale is!

Mother:

[Laughing] Alright, sweetie. [Pause] Once upon a time, there were three little pigs...

The lights slowly fade as Mother

talks.