Play 126: Parties part I

CHARACTERS
ANTHONY, 17
ROSA, 17

(It’s late at night, Anthony is sitting outside on the curb by the street with a beer in his hand. He is outside a house where a party is going on, loud music emanates from it. He is staring at the ground lost in thought.)

(He takes a sip from the beer without looking up.)

(Rosa exits the house and walks towards him. She too has a beer in her hand.)

ROSA
Hey.

(He turns around.)

ANTHONY
(Surprised.)
Hey.

ROSA
Mind if I join you?

ANTHONY
No, go ahead.

(She sits down on the curb next to him.)

ROSA
What’re you doing out here?

ANTHONY
Thinking.

ROSA
Just thinking?

ANTHONY
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Needed to get some air.

ROSA
Same here.

(Beat.)

ANTHONY
I hate parties.

ROSA
So why’d you come then?

ANTHONY
I don’t know.

ROSA
No idea?

ANTHONY
Nope.

(Beat.)

I wish I hadn’t.

ROSA
Come on, it’s not so bad.

ANTHONY
I know.

ROSA
So what’s wrong?

ANTHONY
Nothing.

ROSA
It doesn’t look like nothing.

ANTHONY
What’s that supposed to mean?

ROSA
Come on, something’s on your mind.

ANTHONY
I guess.

ROSA
Why don’t you tell me then?

(He takes a large sip of the beer.)

ANTHONY
How about I don’t?

ROSA
Keeping whatever it is bottled up isn’t going to help anything.

ANTHONY
(Angrily.)
Why the fuck do you care?

ROSA
Sorry, I—

ANTHONY
(Worried.)
No no, don’t be. (Beat.) Fuck, I’m sorry.

ROSA
It’s okay.

ANTHONY
God, here you are trying to be considerate and helpful and I fucking snap on you.

ROSA
I said it’s okay.

ANTHONY
No it isn’t.

(He takes a sip of his beer.)

ROSA
It’s really okay, I undestand.

ANTHONY
Thanks.

(Beat.)

ROSA
Are you sure you’re okay?

ANTHONY
Honestly?

ROSA
Yeah.

ANTHONY
Not even close.

ROSA
I’m sorry.

ANTHONY
It’s okay.

ROSA
What’s wrong?

(Blackout.)

Play 125: Greetings

CHARACTERS
VINCENT, 17
AARON, 17
GIRL, 17

(They are walking down the hallway towards the exit of a school.)

(The girl passes them in the hallway.)

GIRL
Hey.

VINCENT and AARON
Hey.

(She keeps walking down the hallway, and exits, they walk out the exit of the school and sit down on the stairs outside.)

VINCENT
I never know when to say hi to people.

AARON
It’s not that hard.

VINCENT
I know, but it always feels kind of awkward, I usually wait for them to say hi.

AARON
Well I mean, if you know them, then say hi.

VINCENT
It’s not that simple really.

AARON
What are you talking about?

VINCENT
I mean, like if you barely know them you never know.

AARON
I guess.

VINCENT
But then if someone you even barely know passes you in an empty hallway it’s always awkward, because neither of you knows whether to say hi, so I just usually end up looking at my watch or at the wall or something.

AARON
That’s kind of awkward.

VINCENT
I know.

(Beat.)

But if you’re passing them in a crowded hallway, sometimes you don’t even greet someone you know well.

AARON
I usually do.

VINCENT
Really?

AARON
Yeah.

VINCENT
Oh.

(Pause.)

I just never know what to do.

AARON
It’s really not that big of a deal.

VINCENT
I agree, it’s just awkward.

(Beat.)

AARON
You’re over-thinking this.

VINCENT
I guess.

AARON
No, I mean, you have actually thought about the dynamics of whether you say hi to people based on how well you know them and how crowded the hallway is.

(Beat.)

VINCENT
I know.

(Beat.)

It’s kind of pathetic isn’t it?

AARON
Just a little.

(They laugh.)

VINCENT
It’s conversation at least.

AARON
True.

(Pause, awkward silence.)

AARON
You know, now that I think about it,it is a little confusing.

VINCENT
It is.

(Blackout.)

Play 124: String Theory Hurts My Head

CHARACTERS
TEACHER, early 30s
STUDENT, 17

(They are standing in an empty classroom.)

STUDENT
So what is it exactly?

TEACHER
Well, it’s complicated.

STUDENT
Well yeah, obviously. But, just the basics I mean.

TEACHER
Well, everything is made up of these miniscule strings.

STUDENT
That would explain the name.

(The teacher laughs.)

TEACHER
Yeah.

(Beat.)

So these strings vibrate, and can at different frequencies. It’s almost like a guitar string if that helps you imagine it, they vibrate at different frequencies, and that’s what makes them different particles.

STUDENT
Wait, so everything are these string, and the only thing that makes them different is the frequency they’re vibrating at?

TEACHER
Yes. It’s not that strange to imagine, we’ve already accepted that light and radio waves and sound along with many other waves are all just the same thing really, but the frequency of them is what makes them different.

STUDENT
Okay.

(Beat.)

So, how do they know this?

TEACHER
Mean scientists?

STUDENT
Yeah.

TEACHER
Well, if it does turn out to be true it resolves a large problem.

STUDENT
What?

TEACHER
There’s a conflict between Quantum Field Theory and General Relativity.

(Beat.)

STUDENT
Wait, you said if it does turn out to be true.,

TEACHER
Yes.

STUDENT
So it hasn’t been proven?

TEACHER
Not yet, it very well might be within the next decade or so though.

STUDENT
Oh yeah, doesn’t it have something to do with those new giant particle accelerators they’re building?

TEACHER
Yes, that would provide convincing evidence for supersymmetry.

STUDENT
Supersymmetry?

TEACHER
Yes.

STUDENT
So that’s what, like a part of string theory?

TEACHER
Of superstring theory.

STUDENT
Superstring theory?

TEACHER
Yes.

STUDENT
I think my head is starting to hurt.

TEACHER
You get used to it after a while.

(The student laughs.)

(He looks down at his watch.)

STUDENT
Shit, I’m late for my next class.

TEACHER
You should get going then.

STUDENT
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Thanks for all that though.

TEACHER
No problem, any time you want to we can continue this conversation.

STUDENT
Cool, I might have to take you up on that offer. Anyways, see you later.

TEACHER
Bye.

(The student exits quickly.)

(The teacher goes and sits down at his desk.)

(Blackout.)

Play 123: Bad Doormat

CHARACTERS
VINCENT, 17
ALISON, 17

(They are sitting on a couch watching television.)

VINCENT
Isn’t it hilarious?

ALISON
What?

VINCENT
Tim Duncan’s voice.

ALISON
I guess.

VINCENT
It’s so unexpected.

ALISON
That’s true.

VINCENT
I mean, he’s fucking gigantic, and then has a pretty high pitched voice, it’s so funny.

ALISON
It is pretty amusing.

VINCENT
Yeah, I love it when people’s voices completely don’t fit them.

ALISON
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Or their personalities.

VINCENT
Yeah.

(Beat.)

Sometimes I feel like I’m like that.

ALISON
Hmm…

(Pause, she appears to be thinking.)

That is kind of true.

VINCENT
Yeah.

ALISON
I mean you’re what, 6’2’’?

VINCENT
Almost.

ALISON
And pretty strong I’d guess.

VINCENT
Kind of.

ALISON
But then you’re like the least scary person ever.

(He laughs.)

VINCENT
Yeah, I’m about as not violent as you can get.

ALISON
I can’t imagine you actually hitting someone.

VINCENT
I can’t either really.

(Beat.)

I want to sometimes, but I can’t see myself actually doing it.

ALISON
Yeah.

(Pause.)

And, you’re just such a passive person in general—no offense meant.

VINCENT
None taken, I am.

ALISON
Yeah.

VINCENT
I must be the largest doormat ever.

(She laughs.)

ALISON
And impractical, I mean, you can’t be a very effective doormat, people would just trip over you. Either that or have to awkwardly step over you.

(He laughs.)

VINCENT
I can’t even be a good doormat, it is truly a sad state of affairs.

ALISON
Indeed.

(They laugh.)

(Blackout.)

Play 122: Over-Zealous

CHARACTERS
JOSHUA, 18
ALAN, 17

(Alan and Joshua are sitting on a couch in front of a TV.)

(Joshua stands up.)

JOSHUA
(Yelling.)
It just fucking pisses me off so much!

ALAN
Calm down.

JUSHUA
Why?

ALAN
(Annoyed.)
Cause I fucking agree with you!

JOSHUA
You do?

ALAN
(Frustrated.)
Yes!

JUSHUA
But you said--

ALAN
(Interrupting him.)
I was just playing devil’s advocate for a second.

JOSHUA
But you agreed?

ALAN
Yeah, I said that from the beginning.

JOSHUA
Oh.

(He sits back down.)

(Pause.)

Sorry.

ALAN
It’s okay.

JOSHUA
No seriously, I’m sorry, I went kind of overboard.

ALAN
Kind of?

(They laugh.)

JOSHUA
Yeah, guess sometimes I just get a bit over-zealous when I care about something.

ALAN
It’s okay.

JOSHUA
Thanks.

ALAN
Don’t worry about it.

(Pause.)

JOSHUA
So.

ALAN
So.

(Beat.)

JOSHUA
TV?

ALAN
Definetely.

(Joshua picks up the remote from the couch were it had been resting and turns on the TV.)

(Blackout.)

Play 121: Keys

CHARACTERS
GREG, 27
WILL, 26

(Greg is sitting on a couch in a messy apartment watching TV. Will gathers his stuff from a table to the side and starts heading for the door which is a bit behind the couch.)

(Greg turns to face him.)

GREG
Wait.

WILL
What?

(Greg picks up a DVD case from the coffee table in front of him.)

GREG
Could you take this back for me? It’s a few days overdue.

WILL
Yeah, sure.

(He reaches out to take it, but pauses in the middle.)

(He looks down at his watch.)

WILL
Shit!

GREG
What?

WILL
I gotta go, I’m going to be late.

(He puts his hand on the doorhandle.)

GREG
Wait, you didn’t take the DVD!

WILL
I know, I don’t have time!

GREG
Come on, it won’t take long.

WILL
I can’t be late for this!

(He opens the door.)

GREG
You said you would.

WILL
(Rushed.)
I didn’t realize what time it was. Sorry, bye.

(He starts to head out.)

GREG
But how will you leave if you don’t have your car keys?

WILL
Very funny.

(He reaches into his pocket.)

WILL
What the…

(He suddenly becomes very irritated.)

WILL
Where are they?

GREG
Right here.

(He holds a pair of car keys up.)

WILL
Thanks.

(He reaches out for them, Greg pulls his hand back.)

WILL
(Annoyed.)
Come on Greg, I need to go!

GREG
Not unless you take the DVD.

WILL
Come on, just give me the fucking keys!

(He swings for them again, but Greg pulls them back.)

WILL
This isn’t funny!

(Greg starts laughing.)

GREG
Take the DVD and I’ll give you the keys.

WILL
You asshole.

(He picks up the DVD.)

WILL
Now give me the damn keys.

(Greg hands them to him.)

(Will heads for the door.)

GREG
Thanks.

WILL
Fuck you.

(He exits.)

(Greg turns back to the television, and puts his feet up on the coffee table in front of him.)

(Blackout.)

Play 120: Didn’t Do Anything

CHARACTERS
MAN, late 20s
COP 1, early 30s
COP 2, mid 30s

(The man is sitting in a chair behind a bare table in a small, bare room. Cop 1 is sitting on the other side of the table. On the far wall, there is a one-way mirror, and next to it is a door.)

COP 1
Look, we know what you did.

MAN
What are you talking about?

COP 1
You don’t have to tell me.

MAN
Tell you what?

(The cop laughs.)

MAN
What’s so funny?

(The cop keeps laughing.)

MAN
And why the hell did you bring me down here anyways?

(The cop laughs even harder.)

MAN
(Angrily.)
What?!

(The cop smiles.)

COP 1
Is that how you felt?

MAN
What?

COP 1
Embarrased, angry?

MAN
What are you talking about?

COP 1
Is that how you felt?

MAN
When?

(The smile vanishes from the cops face, and is replaced with a cold look with a hint of anger.)

COP 1
You know damn well when.

MAN
Seriously, I have no idea what you’re talking about.

(The cop laughs.)

COP 1
When you shot him.

MAN
When I what?

COP 1
Don’t act surprised.

MAN
But I didn’t shoot anybody.

(The cop laughs.)

COP 1
Don’t play innocent with me. Did you really think I wouldn’t catch you?

MAN
I—

COP 1
(coldly.)
I didn’t say you could talk.

(Beat.)

Did you really think we wouldn’t find you after all the evidence you left?

MAN
I didn’t do—

COP 1
(Yelling.)
I didn’t say you could talk!

(Beat.)

(Cop 2 enters.)

COP 2
So what have we got here?

COP 1
(Staring directly at the man.)
A real punk.

COP 2
Oh really?

MAN
I didn’t do—

COP 2
(Angrily.)
Did he tell you you could talk?!

MAN
I—

COP 1
No!

MAN
I didn’t—

(Cop 1 grabs him by the collar of his shirt.)

COP 1
(Yelling.)
You shot him!

MAN
(Screaming.)
I didn’t do anything!

COP 1
(Grabbing the man closer, their faces are only inches away.)
You shot him in the leg, and then when he fell over you shot him three times in the chest!

MAN
(Screaming, tears are starting to form on the edges of his eyes.)
I didn’t!

(The cop tosses the man back into his chair.)

COP 1
(Calmly whispering.)
You shot him.

(He takes a step back.)

COP 1
(Shaking his head and muttering to himself while looking directly at the man.)
Sonofabitch.

(He walks out of the room.)

(Cop 2 shakes his head, and walks out.)

(The man remains seated in the chair, he is shaking slightly.)

(He stares straight ahead at himself in the one-way mirror.)

(Blackout.)