One of my short plays (a favorite) focusing on the playwright and finding the right words while the actor is left searching for her/his "motivation." Feedback is always helpful and indeed welcome. I call this one:


FIVE PEOPLE AND A PLAYWRIGHT IN SEARCH OF A PLAY
By Eleanor Tylbor

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

BRENDA: Acerbic, aggressive, abrasive manner of communication

CHARLENE: Naïve, innocent and soft-spoken

MITZI: Confident, loves life especially relations with opposite sex

CHLOE Emotionally stable, secure, impatient nature

JULIE: The Playwright: creative, plagued with feelings of doubt and inadequacy

THE TIME Early morning hours


SETTING: Living room. A card table and chairs are situated to the side of the stage. On the other side of the stage is a computer set up consisting of a desk, chair and computer. There is a pile of crumpled paper strewn all over the floor

AT RISE: Four women are seated on fold-up chairs around a card table, absorbed in adjusting the playing cards in their hands. Bowls of popcorn and soft drink cans litter the surface of the table. On the other side of the stage the playwright (JULIE) is sitting at a computer desk, arms bent at elbows, staring out into space. She works the keyboard as the characters recite their lines

BRENDA
In case anyone cares, something is about to happen…very soon now…could even be momentarily…I can feel it…

Lays down cards on the table and thrusts remaining card in the air for all to see

Victory is at hand – or in my hand in this case! Oh I’m a winner all right!

CHARLENE

Shoves a hand full of popcorn in her mouth, and attempts to speak

Goof fo' you. Paf me de drink, Miffi

BRENDA
Didn't your momma teach you it's not nice to eat and talk? Then again for some people, a full mouth is part of a lifestyle. Isn't that right Mitzi, dearest?

MITZI
Jealousy will get you nowhere, sweetie. At least I'm not a dried up where it counts!

BRENDA
Touchy! I was merely commenting to Charlene that well-bred people don't speak with their mouths full! But then being that you’re a multi-tasker…I mean handling more than one person at a time…

MITZI
Breeding comes naturally in your family, doesn't it? Did they forget to give you your cube of sugar today? Clop your hoof once for yes and two for no

CHLOE
(to herself)
Bicker, bicker…bicker, … It would be nice to have a quiet game of cards for a change without throwing verbal knives at each other

CHARLENE
I think I'm close to calling Gin…

BRENDA
I would stay out of this if I were you, Chloe. Is your brother eligible for parole, yet?

CHLOE
I'm gonna start calling you Bossy, along with the other "b" word that rhymes with itch, and usually associated with a female dog! I try to be nice to you and what do I get in return?

CHLOE stares into space for approx. 10 seconds in silence


What do I get in return? Does anybody know?

CHARLENE
Do we guess?

CHLOE
I don’t think so. My mind is a complete blank. Is that normal?

Pause of 10 seconds while they all stare out into space


CHARLENE
I’m waiting

BRENDA
Me too. What are we waiting for?

MITZI
Some words and sentences I think

BRENDA
(puzzled)
Don't blame me for what comes out of my mouth. I just say the words. I don't create them. By the way, Chloe, what's your brother in for this time? Armed robbery or is it murder? I didn't mean to say that…or maybe I did…I’m not sure

MITZI
I really don't know why but I feel compelled to tell you…

Stands up and leans towards BRENDA

BRENDA
(standing up)
What?

MITZI
Why am I standing? I mean, what's my motivation? Could somebody tell me, please?

CHLOE
So sit down if you’re not sure. My philosophy is when in doubt – don’t

MITZI
Don’t what?

CHLOE
Um…I dunno. Take my word for it and just don’t. That’s all

CHARLENE
(excitedly)
Gin! What’s supposed to happen, now?

BRENDA
I’m not sure but I think something important is gonna happen. Does anybody have any ideas?

MITZI
Well…for starters, we’re all holding these pieces of paper in our hands

CHLOE
I wonder if that’s significant. What do yours look like, Brenda?

BRENDA
Let’s see… White background with red and black thingies…

MITZI
Thingies?

BRENDA
I dunno what you call them but they’re pretty, though. And there are numbers in the corners

CHLOE
Me too! Go figure!

MITZI AND CHARLENE TOGETHER
Ours too!

BRENDA
Okay. We’re making progress here. So…these playing cards… Hey! These are playing cards!

CHARLENE
You think?

BRENDA
I know! Those words just popped into my head!

CHARLENE
So you say. You could’a just make them up on the spur of the moment to impress us

BRENDA
Have you ever heard me use them before?

CHLOE
I never heard them in my entire life and that’s the truth

BRENDA
Then you’re all just gonna hav’ta take my word for it! These things are called playing cards

MITZI
Let’s say you’re right. What about them?

BRENDA
I dunno…what comes next?

CHARLENE
Y’know…I’ve been wondering if I should be eating popcorn or maybe change it for something else

MITZI
All you think about is food, food, food! There are more important things in life

BRENDA
Really? Like?

MITZI
Well…there just are

CHLOE
Sometimes, I get the feeling like I'm a puppet on a string or something, bowing to someone's wishes. Do any of you ever get that feeling?

CHARLENE
I said, ‘Gin’! Hello? I'll try again. Gin… Gin… Gin.

ALL TOGETHER
So?

CHARLENE
Darned if I know. We show up every day and twice on weekends holding these playing cards in our hands. Why? I keep asking myself that very question. Why am I here? Sometimes I scream “Gin!” out loud but nobody answers. Shouldn’t somebody answer me? I’ve been screaming that word for the last six months. Always the same words and lines, and then I call out, "Gin!"

Stares out in space and babbles to an invisible person

‘…she tries to make the others understand but they just stare at her blankly…she must determine the reason for her very existence…’

BRENDA
Who are you talking to?

CHARLENE
I really can’t say. Suddenly a bunch of words came tumbling out of my mouth for no reason. It's not the first time this has happened

BRENDA
Ask Mitzi. She knows all about objects in mouths

MITZI
I'm so sick of your sexual innuendoes, Brenda

CHLOE
Why do you react that way whenever the word “mouth” is mentioned?

MITZI
It’s not that I want to but I feel I have to. It’s as if I don’t have any choice in the matter

MITZI stands up with hands on hips, leans forward until her face is directly in front of Brenda

BRENDA
Yes? Well…?

MITZI
And…um…

Moves away from table, hops up and down and starts shadow boxing, fists waving in the air

I took a self-defense course! My hands are lethal weapons!

Cuts the air with side of hand

CHLOE
What does that mean?

MITZI
You are so not with it…well, it means…it means…

BRENDA
Oh pleeze! She doesn’t know

BRENDA
Let's settle this once and for all! C'mon – right here and now

MITZI
Fine with me…what are we supposed to do next?

BRENDA
Just… keep hitting the hair and dancing around I suppose

BRENDA and MITZI spar, fists jabbing the empty air

CHLOE

Stands up and places her purse strap over her shoulder

That's it! Nobody seems to care that I have yelled “Gin!”…whatever that means, but I'm sure it's important. I don't know about you all but I'm leaving! Anybody else gonna follow me?

MITZI

Attempts to attract the attention of the playwright

Excuse me? Hello? You up there? Could you stop staring at that screen for a minute? This isn't working for me at all. I'm sick-and-and tired of being a slut with a one-track mind. This play of yours is a bunch of words with no plot or direction and it breaks every playwriting rule in the book. Where's the protagonist and antagonist?

CHARLENE
What are you complaining about? My character is insecure, indecisive and naive, and those are her strong qualities. How'd you like to have those? I'm a smart, you know! I am smart, I think

BRENDA
Off the top of my head, I would guess that part of your problem is that you're a minor character, while mine plays a major role and more attention is required to develop Brenda, properly

CHARLENE
See what I mean? How come I can't be the smart one for a change?

CHLOE
With all due respect Charlene, honey, I don't think you have the emotional range to assume an analytical role of deep thinker, like we do. Right ladies?

They all shrug their shoulders and mumble: ‘Idunno’

CHARLENE
It's just not fair! Every day I hav'ta play the part of a simple minded female when in reality, I got it up here (points to her head) Guess that's what makes the words come out

CHLOE
You see, Charlene, my background lends itself to being a character with class…one of the rich beautiful people, while you – well dear - let's just say that you have interesting words in your sentences

CHARLENE
I'm as good as anyone here! You're all forgetting that we are the sum total of the playwright's vision. Hey – I can talk smart too! Why can't we take turns being each other?

MITZI
Let's not forget here that our origins are a computer memory chip. The only rich and famous person we're connected to is Bill Gates, and that's only because our playwright uses Word to write her plays. I say…we walk. Are you with me, ladies?

VOICE OF PLAYWRIGHT (JULIE)
Is there a problem?

BRENDA

Hands on hips, facing direction of playwright

We got your attention, huh? We've had it with these crappy lines! We're bored of being portrayed as vacuous women with blank minds. We're people too! We have feelings and we hurt and…

JULIE
May I remind you that you're nothing more than a bunch of words strung together to make a sentence? I make you who and what you are and I can eliminate you all with a push of my forefinger and a delete button. You're only communicating with me now because I'm exploring dialogue choices. You're all a figment of my imagination

CHARLENE
No need for threats, here. There's only so much that characters can take and we've reached the end of the line, so to speak. Do you like that, ladies? End-of-the-line?

CHLOE
Trés wit-ty, my dear

JULIE
What should I say? I've re-written and re-written you all at least two dozen times and no matter what I do, the dialogue sounds… wooden. And don't even ask about the plot, or lack of one, thereof

BRENDA
That's because you really don't really believe in us, do you? Deep down inside you're toying with the idea of deleting the text and starting a whole new play that will move in a new direction. Do you know what it's like living under that threat? I'll tell you – it's very disturbing

PLAYWRIGHT
Did I write that? I don't remember writing those words…

CHLOE
Now there's a perfect example of what I'm talking about! We never know where you're gonna take us next, right ladies? It's like…there's giant hands hanging over the stage dangling precariously, ready to strike at a moments notice. It's the uncertainty of the delete button that gets us down!

MITZI
For example, why do you always make me as an over-sexed whore? Maybe it would be good to be an upright female for a change. Not necessarily a nun or anything but an intelligent woman who has a direction and purpose in life. Not somebody who dresses in clothes three sizes too tight. Let Charlene assume that part for once. Wouldn't you like that, dear?

CHARLENE
I'll pass but I know where she's coming from! In spite of all your attempts at re-writes, you still make me out like an empty-headed…duh! I want to be respected like the rest of them, except Mitzi…no insult intended…

MITZI
None taken, dear. I'm used to it by now

JULIE
I never realized you all felt this way

BRENDA
Have you ever taken the time to really think about it? Of course not! We're mere computer bytes that can easily fade off the screen into oblivion, right? Not! We're an integral part of your imagination and without us, you have nothing

PLAYWRIGHT
But…you don't exist, other than the lives and personalities I give you!

CHLOE
Is it asking a lot for a few changes? A little respect? Some nice words and phrases? I don't think so! C'mon ladies, we're walking!

PLAYWRIGHT
You can't leave…

BRENDA
Watch us!

They attempt to move but stay as they are

JULIE
Have you characters not realized yet that every word coming out of your mouths, every physical movement that you all make is being written even as we speak? By me! The playwright! Without me, you’re nothing!

CHLOE
So now it’s threats, is it? We're merely asking for are some small changes, a few adjustments and maybe a new story line? You've been writing this play for how long now? Maybe two years? More?

JULIE
Is it my fault it needs lots of editing?

BRENDA
There comes a time when you have to stop playing with words and either produce it or let it die a peaceful death

CHLOE
I'm sure we can all come to some kind of an agreement that would be mutually beneficial to all concerned

MITZI
Do me a favor and make her speak like normal people?

JULIE
What about me, huh? Does anyone care about my feelings? You can't imagine what it's like to stare at a white screen, day after day, write a couple of sentences, read them over and then realize it's garbage! Inane, stupid, drivel! Then you wonder if you've still got it or maybe you never had it! Maybe give up the idea of playwriting altogether

CHARLENE
That would be so sad, 'specially being that you're so passionate about it!

MITZI
Don't fall for her sob story, Charlene. Let's get down to our demands. I wanna be somebody else. Gimme some interesting qualities. Lines that make me appear strong with a direction in life…and make me memorable

CHARLENE
…and I want more lines. How is it that everyone else gets major scenes and I'm limited to a few quips and comments? That's not balanced writing. I also want more emotional range, so that I can make the audience feel. Could you write me like that?

MITZI
Know what? For a change maybe it would be nice to have maternal qualities. I want to experience what it's like to be loved – really loved - by a husband and children. I'd really like that…

PLAYWRIGHT
Tell you what. You all furnish the inspiration and I'll supply the story line. That way we all win

CHLOE
Will we get credit as co-writers? I mean, after all, we do contribute something to the play

JULIE

Keying computer keys

Suddenly, everyone's a playwright! Act one, scene one…

Curtain


©2002 Eleanor Tylbor


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