Post by Rena on Nov 13, 2006 22:03:17 GMT -5
okay, this isn't ACW-related but it seems fitting to be put into the Advice and Criticism thread. It's a 5-8 minute play I had to make for my drama course, so I wanted to post it here and get some critique from all of you. 
Girl Talk
[lights up, revealing a table and three chairs. Rayne is already sitting at the table with what looks like a yearbook. She stirs her coffee and places the stir stick aside on top of a napkin. Very soon Mara comes in stage right on her cellphone.]
MARA: I’ve already told you three times I want that report on my desk in two hours. No I’m not at my desk, I’m at “Grind Me” for a cup of coffee. I’ll be there in about an hour if you have any questions. Okay….you have my number.
[She hangs up the phone and places it into her purse, letting out a sigh of relief. She looks up and
smiles towards Rayne, who has already got out of her seat. They embrace, holding each other for
a moment until they sit in their seats.]
RAYNE: Oh, Hey honey. How are you?
MARA: I’m tired and overworked. God, I look like I’m 46. I have barely seen outside my office for a few weeks. [slumping In her seat, sighing] I need a break.
RAYNE: Oh stop, you look great!
MARA: You too, honey. [looking offstage, left] Hey, can I get a cup of coffee? Thanks.
[Rena comes in stage right, and immediately sits down with shopping bags]
RENA: I’ve been looking all over for this place. I went into this store called “Bind Me”. It was some weird toy store, the shop girl said it was for adults. But what kind of adults play with toys? Anyways, I kept shopping until I found this place.
RAYNE: [looking at the bag that says “bind me” on it.] What did you buy there?
RENA: well I got a few panties. [searching through the bag] And…
[the bag begins to vibrate. Mara and Rayne look at Rena, but she only gives them an
uncomfortable smile until the vibrations stop]
RAYNE: Mike working away again?
RENA: Yes. I’m pretty sure he’s cheating on me, so I think I might get a P.R to investigate.
MARA: Public Relations?
RENA: No. You know, one of those guys that sneak around and find dirt about your husband.
RAYNE: Sweetie, you mean a P.I….private investigator.
RENA: That’s it, thanks. [finally seeing the yearbook.] Oh my God, you didn’t.
RAYNE: I did. Girls, it’s been ten years. In the past ten years we’ve grown apart, and maybe we can look back at the old times and see how close we are.
MARA: Look, I have a deadline in an hour and a half. Is this going to take long?
RENA: And I have a Pride parade meeting to go to.
MARA: When did you start going to Pride parade meetings?
RENA: Not too long ago. There’s some really cute boys. I’m hoping to score one soon.
RAYNE: Sweetie, the only reason those boys will want in your pants is to check the size.
RENA: What?
MARA: They’re gay, honey.
RENA: Oh, that makes sense. I was wondering why all the girls told me that taking off my shirt helps the thinking process for a theme. And the guys gave me a manicure. Look [showing the nails].
MARA: How nice for you.
RAYNE: [flipping through the yearbook] Oh my God, look at us. [stops and points.]
MARA: look at my hair! Is that Casey Myers? Looking back he was really cute.
RENA: Yeah, I’m glad I dated him. We became so close.
RAYNE: [still looking at the yearbook] Rena, you dated him for like a week.
MARA: We were so mean to him after that. He had to hang out with the nerds because we refused to sit near him.
[the girls laugh to each other about the great memories from what Mara said. The girls continue to
laugh, but RENA has stopped laughing and is in thought.]
RENA: Didn’t he die?
[MARA and RAYNE stop laughing and then ponder themselves.]
RAYNE: I think so.
[A small pause which is to seem like they are having a short moment of silence, but then shrugs it
off and continues viewing the yearbook]
MARA: [pointing to a page] Remember her? She came in grade 10 thinking she was the new hot girl in school.
RAYNE: And we poured all of our milk into her purse!
RENA: And we chopped her carrots into tiny pieces so they’d get stuck into her teeth!
MARA: We never did that, Rena.
RENA: oh. Well, I know she did have to leave school because of us.
MARA: Didn’t she go to a psychiatric ward or something?
RAYNE: I thought she just switched schools.
MARA: No, because I remember our teacher telling us in homeroom she wouldn’t be with us anymore. And Marcy, her only friend, told me she went there.
RENA: All we did was try to help her. Who knew calling someone an ugly pig would hurt so much? People need to just get over themselves.
RAYNE: There’s the B group. You know, I was seriously considering letting Karen join our group.
MARA: Yeah, but then she got pregnant and had to drop out of school. I wonder if she had a boy or a girl. She was so young, too. I’m sure she was scared.
RENA: Well it’s her own fault! Obviously her parents didn’t teach her the word “no”.
MARA: And since when did you learn that answer Ms. Date-a-guy-for-a-week?
RENA: Hey, that’s not fair! I just haven’t found the right one.
MARA: Well you better get looking soon. We’re almost thirty, you know. Soon we’ll get bags and wrinkles.
RENA: looks like you’ve got some of your own, Mara.
MARA: And that’s why I’m glad I snagged Bryan out of High School.
RENA: The first that would actually take you after you lost your “second” virginity to him.
MARA: I was a born again virgin!
RENA: That’s because no one would touch you after everyone found out you had-
RAYNE: [pointing into a page] Who is that? [MARA and RENA look over on the page]
MARA: I don’t know. She doesn’t look like she was in the C group. That was the drama crowd.
RENA: And she definitely wasn’t in the D group. That was the nerds.
RAYNE: maybe she was a teacher?
MARA: I can’t believe we don’t know her. We knew everyone!
RENA: Maybe we didn’t know her because she didn’t go to the school.
RAYNE: She obviously went, or she wouldn’t have been in our yearbook.
MARA: Wait, I know her. Let me see. [takes the book and looks closer into the yearbook]. It’s Maureen Plow…you know, the plow cow.
RENA: But she’s so skinny.
MARA: She wasn’t always. I guess when she finally lost all that weight no one noticed her. She was pretty, though.
RENA: How’d she lose it so fast?
MARA: I remember hearing it was anorexia. But I also heard it was mono. I’m not too sure what it was.
RENA: But you get mono from kissing. If I remember her before that no one wanted to kiss her.
RAYNE: You don’t get mono just from kissing, Rena. I think it was bulimia, though. She was always teased and I never really saw her eat for a very long time.
MARA: [looking at her watch] Guys, you know how I’ve loved this but I really have to go back to work.
RENA: And I have to go to my Pride meeting.
RAYNE: You’re still going?
RENA: Of course! The boys promised to do my make-up. And the girls told me they’re buying me a pair of Birkenstocks, so I want to see if they fit. They were so surprised I didn’t have a pair of those sandals.
[the girls smile and stand up, hugging each other. MARA looks at the yearbook one last time,
then looks at the girls]
MARA: Hey, do you think that maybe we were a little harsh in high school?
RAYNE: What do you mean?
MARA: I mean, we were so malicious to people that just wanted us to accept them. Don’t you think it would have been easier to just all be together so that everyone would be equal?
RENA: but then who would we have to make fun of?
MARA: Don’t you think that maybe life is a little more important than us three girls sitting around in a coffee shop gossiping and making fun of everyone but ourselves?
[the girls look at one another, then move their eyes up to think. In unison the smile and smack
away the thought as if it were a fly]
Girls: No.
[MARA slings her purse around her arm and begins to walk out.]
MARA: Same time next week?
RAYNE: Sure. Same table. Gather up all you can find about everyone in our high school so we can laugh at their lives now.
[MARA nods and then exits stage right.]
RENA: Yeah! And then we can go to that adult toy store called “Bind me” together. They have these really fun rubber swords. The shop girls told me that you don’t use them for playing swords, but I don’t know what else you’d use them for.
RAYNE: We’ll let you know next time.
RENA: Okay. And they have these whips, and handcuffs…I think that’s for playing cops and robbers. The shop girls says I don’t know much about anything.
RAYNE: That’s not true. You just have a very…unique outlook on life.
RENA: I never thought of that. Thanks, Rayne. Bye!
[Rena exits stage right. RAYNE gathers up her things and exits.]
[lights off.]
Girl Talk
[lights up, revealing a table and three chairs. Rayne is already sitting at the table with what looks like a yearbook. She stirs her coffee and places the stir stick aside on top of a napkin. Very soon Mara comes in stage right on her cellphone.]
MARA: I’ve already told you three times I want that report on my desk in two hours. No I’m not at my desk, I’m at “Grind Me” for a cup of coffee. I’ll be there in about an hour if you have any questions. Okay….you have my number.
[She hangs up the phone and places it into her purse, letting out a sigh of relief. She looks up and
smiles towards Rayne, who has already got out of her seat. They embrace, holding each other for
a moment until they sit in their seats.]
RAYNE: Oh, Hey honey. How are you?
MARA: I’m tired and overworked. God, I look like I’m 46. I have barely seen outside my office for a few weeks. [slumping In her seat, sighing] I need a break.
RAYNE: Oh stop, you look great!
MARA: You too, honey. [looking offstage, left] Hey, can I get a cup of coffee? Thanks.
[Rena comes in stage right, and immediately sits down with shopping bags]
RENA: I’ve been looking all over for this place. I went into this store called “Bind Me”. It was some weird toy store, the shop girl said it was for adults. But what kind of adults play with toys? Anyways, I kept shopping until I found this place.
RAYNE: [looking at the bag that says “bind me” on it.] What did you buy there?
RENA: well I got a few panties. [searching through the bag] And…
[the bag begins to vibrate. Mara and Rayne look at Rena, but she only gives them an
uncomfortable smile until the vibrations stop]
RAYNE: Mike working away again?
RENA: Yes. I’m pretty sure he’s cheating on me, so I think I might get a P.R to investigate.
MARA: Public Relations?
RENA: No. You know, one of those guys that sneak around and find dirt about your husband.
RAYNE: Sweetie, you mean a P.I….private investigator.
RENA: That’s it, thanks. [finally seeing the yearbook.] Oh my God, you didn’t.
RAYNE: I did. Girls, it’s been ten years. In the past ten years we’ve grown apart, and maybe we can look back at the old times and see how close we are.
MARA: Look, I have a deadline in an hour and a half. Is this going to take long?
RENA: And I have a Pride parade meeting to go to.
MARA: When did you start going to Pride parade meetings?
RENA: Not too long ago. There’s some really cute boys. I’m hoping to score one soon.
RAYNE: Sweetie, the only reason those boys will want in your pants is to check the size.
RENA: What?
MARA: They’re gay, honey.
RENA: Oh, that makes sense. I was wondering why all the girls told me that taking off my shirt helps the thinking process for a theme. And the guys gave me a manicure. Look [showing the nails].
MARA: How nice for you.
RAYNE: [flipping through the yearbook] Oh my God, look at us. [stops and points.]
MARA: look at my hair! Is that Casey Myers? Looking back he was really cute.
RENA: Yeah, I’m glad I dated him. We became so close.
RAYNE: [still looking at the yearbook] Rena, you dated him for like a week.
MARA: We were so mean to him after that. He had to hang out with the nerds because we refused to sit near him.
[the girls laugh to each other about the great memories from what Mara said. The girls continue to
laugh, but RENA has stopped laughing and is in thought.]
RENA: Didn’t he die?
[MARA and RAYNE stop laughing and then ponder themselves.]
RAYNE: I think so.
[A small pause which is to seem like they are having a short moment of silence, but then shrugs it
off and continues viewing the yearbook]
MARA: [pointing to a page] Remember her? She came in grade 10 thinking she was the new hot girl in school.
RAYNE: And we poured all of our milk into her purse!
RENA: And we chopped her carrots into tiny pieces so they’d get stuck into her teeth!
MARA: We never did that, Rena.
RENA: oh. Well, I know she did have to leave school because of us.
MARA: Didn’t she go to a psychiatric ward or something?
RAYNE: I thought she just switched schools.
MARA: No, because I remember our teacher telling us in homeroom she wouldn’t be with us anymore. And Marcy, her only friend, told me she went there.
RENA: All we did was try to help her. Who knew calling someone an ugly pig would hurt so much? People need to just get over themselves.
RAYNE: There’s the B group. You know, I was seriously considering letting Karen join our group.
MARA: Yeah, but then she got pregnant and had to drop out of school. I wonder if she had a boy or a girl. She was so young, too. I’m sure she was scared.
RENA: Well it’s her own fault! Obviously her parents didn’t teach her the word “no”.
MARA: And since when did you learn that answer Ms. Date-a-guy-for-a-week?
RENA: Hey, that’s not fair! I just haven’t found the right one.
MARA: Well you better get looking soon. We’re almost thirty, you know. Soon we’ll get bags and wrinkles.
RENA: looks like you’ve got some of your own, Mara.
MARA: And that’s why I’m glad I snagged Bryan out of High School.
RENA: The first that would actually take you after you lost your “second” virginity to him.
MARA: I was a born again virgin!
RENA: That’s because no one would touch you after everyone found out you had-
RAYNE: [pointing into a page] Who is that? [MARA and RENA look over on the page]
MARA: I don’t know. She doesn’t look like she was in the C group. That was the drama crowd.
RENA: And she definitely wasn’t in the D group. That was the nerds.
RAYNE: maybe she was a teacher?
MARA: I can’t believe we don’t know her. We knew everyone!
RENA: Maybe we didn’t know her because she didn’t go to the school.
RAYNE: She obviously went, or she wouldn’t have been in our yearbook.
MARA: Wait, I know her. Let me see. [takes the book and looks closer into the yearbook]. It’s Maureen Plow…you know, the plow cow.
RENA: But she’s so skinny.
MARA: She wasn’t always. I guess when she finally lost all that weight no one noticed her. She was pretty, though.
RENA: How’d she lose it so fast?
MARA: I remember hearing it was anorexia. But I also heard it was mono. I’m not too sure what it was.
RENA: But you get mono from kissing. If I remember her before that no one wanted to kiss her.
RAYNE: You don’t get mono just from kissing, Rena. I think it was bulimia, though. She was always teased and I never really saw her eat for a very long time.
MARA: [looking at her watch] Guys, you know how I’ve loved this but I really have to go back to work.
RENA: And I have to go to my Pride meeting.
RAYNE: You’re still going?
RENA: Of course! The boys promised to do my make-up. And the girls told me they’re buying me a pair of Birkenstocks, so I want to see if they fit. They were so surprised I didn’t have a pair of those sandals.
[the girls smile and stand up, hugging each other. MARA looks at the yearbook one last time,
then looks at the girls]
MARA: Hey, do you think that maybe we were a little harsh in high school?
RAYNE: What do you mean?
MARA: I mean, we were so malicious to people that just wanted us to accept them. Don’t you think it would have been easier to just all be together so that everyone would be equal?
RENA: but then who would we have to make fun of?
MARA: Don’t you think that maybe life is a little more important than us three girls sitting around in a coffee shop gossiping and making fun of everyone but ourselves?
[the girls look at one another, then move their eyes up to think. In unison the smile and smack
away the thought as if it were a fly]
Girls: No.
[MARA slings her purse around her arm and begins to walk out.]
MARA: Same time next week?
RAYNE: Sure. Same table. Gather up all you can find about everyone in our high school so we can laugh at their lives now.
[MARA nods and then exits stage right.]
RENA: Yeah! And then we can go to that adult toy store called “Bind me” together. They have these really fun rubber swords. The shop girls told me that you don’t use them for playing swords, but I don’t know what else you’d use them for.
RAYNE: We’ll let you know next time.
RENA: Okay. And they have these whips, and handcuffs…I think that’s for playing cops and robbers. The shop girls says I don’t know much about anything.
RAYNE: That’s not true. You just have a very…unique outlook on life.
RENA: I never thought of that. Thanks, Rayne. Bye!
[Rena exits stage right. RAYNE gathers up her things and exits.]
[lights off.]