4 Aug 2015

PROMPT:

Brian, 22, and Chris, male, 23, sit on a couch in Brian’s apartment, drinking bottles of beer.  Both are drunk.  A gun sits on the coffee table in front of them.

BRIAN

(laughing)

Dude, how wasted am I?!

CHRIS

(laughing)

You been watching too much TV, man.

BRIAN

You saying I’m not wasted?!

CHRIS

No, dude, you are totally wasted.

BRIAN

Well, that’s good.  I would hate to have drunk a case of beer and not be wasted.

Both laugh and clink bottles.

CHRIS

Oh, man, I just remembered!

(reaching into his back pocket  excitedly, and taking out a photo)

Do you remember this?!

Chris hands the photo to Brian, who looks at it puzzled.

BRIAN

Who is this?

CHRIS

That’s me, you, and Franklin when we were seven playing Little League.

BRIAN

(annoyed)

I never played Little League.

CHRIS

Sure you did!  We were seven, living in the Third Ward in Houston, I was the pitcher and Franklin was the catcher.

BRIAN

I didn’t play Little League!

CHRIS

Sure you did!

BRIAN

(growing in anger)

Quit saying that!

CHRIS

Don’t get upset, Brian.  We were all young.  You just don’t remember.

BRIAN

I remember my childhood just fine!  Chris, I didn’t play Little League.

CHRIS

Sure you did!

BRIAN

(standing)

Shut up, man!

CHRIS

I was the pitcher. Franklin was the catcher and you played... you played... What position did you play?  Let’s go knock on Franklin’s apartment door.  He’ll remember.

BRIAN

(in a rage)

I never played Little League!  My mom couldn’t... couldn’t buy me a uniform!

CHRIS

They were giving away uniforms to the kids who couldn’t afford them.

BRIAN

We didn’t take charity!  I still don’t take charity!

CHRIS

(annoyed now)

You’re always buy the beer!  That’s charity, asshole!

BRIAN

Fuck you!

(Picks up the gun)

Fuck you!

CHRIS

Dude...!

Chris shoots Brian five times.

End of play.

31 July 2015

PROMPT:  An unforgivable act . . .

Carolyn Maye, interdisciplinary artist

Janet, 29, dressed for a date and carrying a purse, and Mitch, 30, walk down the street holding hands.
MITCH
Well?
JANET
I’m... I’m not ready.
MITCH
(growing annoyed)
This is our fourth date!
JANET
And I’ve had a great time, but I just got out of...
MITCH
(interrupting)
Our fourth date in two weeks!
JANET
I know, but...
MITCH
You’re going to be thirty next week.
Janet drops Mitch’s hand and stops.
JANET
(growing annoyed as well)
I know how old I am.
MITCH
Things are going to start sagging.
JANET
Things?!  What things!?
MITCH
I know you’ve had sex before!
JANET
What’s that supposed to mean?!
MITCH
It means you’re no blushing virgin!  What’s the big deal!?
JANET
What kind of women do you usually date?!
MITCH
Women who aren’t afraid of sex!
JANET
I’m not afraid of sex!
MITCH
Prove it!
JANET
You are a pig!  We go on a couple of dates...
MITCH
Four dates!  I’ve spent $500 dollars on you!
JANET
And so I owe you?!
Janet opens her purse and takes out her wallet she removes a credit card.
JANET
(cold)
Fine.  There’s an A.T.M. in the next block.  I think it will only let me take out $200, but it’s yours and if you think I own you more...
MITCH
It’s not the money!
JANET
Then why did you bring it up!?
Mitch takes a deep breath.  He knows he’s gone to far.
MITCH
I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have brought up the money.
JANET
No, no!  It’s obviously very important to you.
MITCH
It’s not important.
JANET
More important than my feelings!
MITCH
Janet,... I’m sorry.
JANET
Do you often pay for sex?!
MITCH
Not often...
JANET
Oh my god!
MITCH
(hurrying to explain)
It’s been a long time.  I was much younger.
JANET
Every woman is just a prostitute to you!  If you pay enough...
MITCH
No...
JANET
(shaking her head)
And to think I was beginning to think you might be the...
Janet turns and starts to walk away.  Mitch reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder.  Janet grabs the hand, spins around and puts Mitch in a choke hold.  Mitch can’t breath for a moment.  Janet realizes she may have over reacted and lets Mitch go with a slight shove so then he staggers forward a step.  Mitch after he catches his balance rises up.
MITCH
You bitch!
Mitch runs at Janet who avoids the charge.  She reaches into her purse and pulls out a small hand gun and levels it at Mitch.
JANET
(calm)
I believe this date is over.
Mitch stands petrified.  Janet backs away, keeping Mitch in her line of sight, off stage.
End of play.

27 July 2015

PROMPT:  NO!

David Copelin, playwright/dramaturg/translator 

Nancy, 27, carrying a purse, stands on stage confronting Ben, 28.
Ben reaches for Nancy amorously, but Nancy knocks his advance aside.
NANCY
No!
BEN
What do you mean, no?!
NANCY
No, period.
BEN
What?!
NANCY
Let me explain it to you. No, is a complete sentence.  I put the period at the end so you would understand that it is ...
(air quotes)
... “the end of the sentence and the end of the discussion.”
BEN
You can’t be serious!  I took you to a nice dinner. We had wine...
NANCY
(interrupting)
You had wine.
BEN
It was still a nice dinner!
NANCY
(annoyed)
Lovely.
BEN
We went to a play...
NANCY
Hard to call that piece of tripe a play.  It was certainly words strung together that...
(air quotes)
... “actors,” and I use the term loosely, spoke out loud on stage.  But the words were jibberish...
BEN
(interrupting)
It was surrealism!
NANCY
Whatever.
BEN
It was a play!
NANCY
Fine.  It was a play.
BEN
We went to a play and then we went to the newest bar in town...
NANCY
(muttering)
God, I hate hipsters.
BEN
... And we had drinks!
NANCY
You had drinks.
BEN
You drank.
NANCY
Water.  Tap water.
BEN
You drank water?!  I thought it was vodka.
NANCY
Water.
BEN
Why would you drink water?!
NANCY
I like water.  It is the basic stuff of life on this planet.  Water is good for you.  Perhaps you should try it.
BEN
That bar has the latest in Lebanese drinks.  They use fresh herbs in... in... everything!
NANCY
Fine, if I ever go back to that bar, I will get a sprig of mint in my... water!
Silence.
NANCY
I believe this is the end of our date.
BEN
No!
NANCY
Very good!  A complete sentence, unfortunately, you do not get to decide.
BEN
The hell I don’t!
Ben steps toward Nancy, who avoids him and quickly pulls a hand gun out of her purse.
BEN
(seeing the gun)
That’s a... that’s a gun!
NANCY
Licensed and registered.  And if you come at me again, I will shot you.  I promise, I will only try and wound you, but, as I’ve never shot another human being before, and I’m nervous and rattled, I’m not sure what part of you I might hit, but rest assured, I will hit some part of you.
BEN
You... you wouldn’t?!
NANCY
Yes!  Another complete sentence.  I will shot you.  Now...
(backing off stage)
... goodbye.
End of play.

24 July 2015

PROMPT:  Don't think of a monkey.

Kent Cole, guitarist

Hilda, 34, stands waiting with her friend, Regina, 34.  Donny, 40, enters with a bit of a swagger, wearing a large semi-automatic pistol in a holster at his waist.  Hilda’s eyes bulge at the sight of the pistol and she glances at Regina who is looking the other direction.  Hilda gives Regina a nudge and when Regina turns Hilda gives a little head nod toward Donny.  Regina sees the weapon and stiffens.  The women glance at the gun all through the scene.
DONNY
Evening, ladies.
HILDA
Ah... Hi.
REGINA
Hi.
HILDA
We’re just... we’re waiting for a friend.
DONNY
Going to the movie?
HILDA
(nervous)
Yes, yes, yes.
DONNY
Which movie are you going to?
HILDA
Um...
(turning to Regina)
Which movie are we going to... see?
REGINA
We’re waiting for our friend.
DONNY
I believe I heard that.
REGINA
Yes, of course you did.  Um, we’re waiting for our friend so he can help us decide.
HILDA
He’s an ex-marine.
DONNY
I’m a vet myself.  Two tours in Iraq and a tour in Afghanistan.
Donny absent-mindedly rests his hand on the handle of his pistol.  The women cringe slightly.
REGINA
Timmy, Tim, our friend, Tim, was stationed in North Carolina.  Supply... officer.
DONNY
Couldn’t have fought the war with the men... and women, in supply.  Kept the ammo coming.
HILDA
Thank God for... supply.
DONNY
Amen.
Silence.
REGINA
What... movie are you going to?
DONNY
(laughing)
The shoot ‘em, of course.  What else?
HILDA
What... what else, indeed.
DONNY
I love car chases and automatic weapons fire and explosions.
REGINA
Who... doesn’t love a good... explosion.
DONNY
Takes me back to my days fighting the war.
HILDA
I’ll bet.
Silence.  Donny looks above the heads of the audience like he’s reading.
DONNY
I believe my pictures about to start.
REGINA
Enjoy.
HILDA
Yes, yes... enjoy.
DONNY
Thank you, ladies.  I hope you enjoy your film as well.
Donny leaves.
Hilda and Regina look at each other nervously.
HILDA
I believe I’ve lost interest.
REGINA
Me, too.
HILDA
I’ll send Timmy a text.
Hilda takes out her phone as they exit in the opposite direction from Donny.
End of play.