Play Five- Creations

[Lights up on a single writer behind a desk. He scratches his head with his pencil and scribbles on his pad of paper. He looks up and starts as he notices the audience.]

WRITER:
Oh, hello. Did my wife let you in? Eh, I guess that's not really pertinent. I don't mean to be rude, but, do you mind? I'm trying to write. You see, I started on something that I thought I loved. Then I realized that I really did love it, but only when it was in my head. It's hard you know, to make things come to life. In your head it's easy to make them dance, and sing in a realistic fashion. You can make them sound the way you want, move the way you want, even chew gum the way you want. But, it seems that every time I create someone I can't bring myself to give them a tragic life.....I wish our creator was like that.

[Long pause and the writer goes back to writing. Lights fade.]

Play Four- Alone

[Lights up on a five people sitting on the stage. There is music playing and each person has a pencil and paper in front of them. They are writing. After a beat, one of the end people get up, leaving their things and walks off stage. Another beat, another person does the same thing. This continues until the person in the middle is the only one left. She continues writing for a second and then picks her head up. She looks around. noticing that everyone's gone.]

GIRL:
Where...

[The girl looks at her watch.]

GIRL:
Oh, it's over...

[The girl looks at her things and wrings her hands.]

GIRL: [To herself]
I'm not going to stop. Alone or not, I can't stop.

[The girl picks up her pencil and begins writing again. She pauses for a moment and looks around sadly. She then shrugs and continues writing. Lights fade.]

Play three- Dolly.

[Lights come up on a girl sitting in the middle of the stage. She holds a doll and is lovingly brushing it's hair back from it's face. She looks up at the audience.]

GIRL:

See dolly here? She was once like you and me. We played together. I would whisper secrets in her ear at night. Things that I didn't want others to know.  I knew that dolly wouldn't tell. She's a good dolly. Once, I almost left her at a gas station. Mommy drove all the way back to pick her up because I couldn't stop crying. Dolly always liked to have her hair brushed. She used to say that it felt nice on her brain. I always laughed at her because I wasn't brushing her brain. I taught dolly the alphabet. She learned really fast. Then I taught her how to read. Her favorite book was always Where The Wild Things Are. I liked that book too. I never used to sleep without dolly. I would tuck her in and kiss her on the forehead. Then we would both settle down to sleep. She was my best friend [Beat of her looking sadly at the doll.]  And then I grew up.

[The girl takes one last look at the doll and gets up. She sets it on the ground and walks away. Lights fade.]

Play Two- The One

[Lights up on an old man. He sits on a bench and feeds squirrels/ birds. After a beat an old woman hobbles in. She sits next to him and watches the animals eat.]

OLD MAN:
Pleasant weather out today, no?

[The Old woman nods and looks out ahead of her. A different old man walks up and greets the old woman. They go off together. The Old man keeps feeding the animals. When the couple is completely off stage, he looks after them, longingly.]

OLD MAN:
I was hoping she was the one.

[Lights fade as he continues to feed the squirrels/ birds]

First play-a-day not graded- Requirements

[Lights up on a young girl sitting at a table.There is the remains of a midnight snack in front of her, and there is also a stuffed bunny sitting to the side of the mid-night snack. The girl leans back in her chair and happily pats her stomach. The bunny speaks:]

STUFFED BUNNY:
Are you full now?

[The girl nods.]

STUFFED BUNNY:
Are you sleepy?

[The girls eyes start to droop and she nods.]

STUFFED BUNNY:
Are you happy?

[The girls eyebrows knit together and her eyes slowly open. She looks at the bunny.]

GIRL: [Worriedly]
Oh no! Is that a requirement?

[Blackout]

Play Twenty-Nine- Maybe.

[Lights up on a girl, C.S. She wears daintily colored clothing and a blank expression, except for sad eyes.]

GIRL:
Maybe I don't want to be your friend anymore.
Maybe I don't want to write.
Maybe I don't want to talk.
Maybe I want to talk.
Maybe I don't know how to talk.
Maybe I want to be alone.
Maybe I want to be in a room full of people.
Maybe I want to cry.
Maybe I want to laugh.
Maybe words hurt.
Maybe they heal.
Maybe I like chocolate.
Maybe I prefer flowers.
Maybe I think actions speak louder than words.
Maybe I think words are nice.
Maybe I enjoy wearing dresses.
Maybe I would much rather be in jeans.
Maybe I write plays.
Maybe I write poetry.
Maybe I share my life with others.
Maybe I keep my life to myself.
Maybe this speech sounds natural.
Maybe this speech sounds forced.
Maybe I sing along to the radio.
Maybe I don't listen to the radio.
Maybe I read Vonnegut.
Maybe I just read Golding.
Maybe I wear a mask.
Maybe I expose myself.
Maybe I like morning.
Maybe I like the night.
Maybe I lie.
Maybe I tell the truth.
Maybe I mean it.
Maybe I don't.
Maybe I want to die,
Or Maybe, just Maybe I want to live.
Maybe you have no idea.
[She smiles sadly at the audience.]

Maybe you should guess.

[Blackout.]

Play Twenty-Eight- Questions.

[Lights up on a girl and a boy, sitting side by side. The girl, without looking at the boy asks:]

GIRL:
Can I ask you a question that I think is kinda silly?

BOY: [Not looking at her either.]
Go ahead.

GIRL: [In all seriousness.]
....Do you love me?

BOY: [Clearly jesting.]
..Eh.. Sometimes.

[He nudges the girl in a "Hey, we're just joking around" manner. She looks at him sadly.]

GIRL:
I hate you.

BOY:
What'd I do?

GIRL:
Nothing.

BOY:
..Whaa..?

[The girl gets up and walks away leaving the boy sitting alone, looking confused. Lights fade.]

Play Twenty-Seven- Not anymore.

[Lights up on a girl sitting center stage. There are a ton of people all around her. They mull together, but keep a circle of space around the girl, who keeps her eyes down. All of a sudden she stands up yells:]

GIRL: I DON'T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE!

[Everyone turns and looks at her in silence. She ignores them and stomps off stage. The people pause for a beat, and then go back to mulling with eachother. Lights fade.]

Play Twenty-Six- I HATE YOU!

[Lights up on a car at a gas station. A girl sits in the passenger seat, a boy sits in the back behind her. She turns and smiles at him. He shakes his head.]

BOY:
I hate you so much.

GIRL:
I hate you so much more than you hate me.

BOY:
I fucking hate you.

GIRL:
I FUCKING HATE YOU!

BOY:
OH MY GOD! I FUCKING HATE YOU!

GIRL: [Whispering]
I hate you.

BOY: [Also whispering]
I hate you.

[Lights fade.]

Play Twenty-Five- Potty Heart.

[Lights up on a bathroom. A girl walks in and goes to a toilet. There is a beat or two of her messing with the chest of her shirt. (Back to audience.) When she turns around she has her heart in her hand and she looks at it, with blood dripping down her arm. She then throws it into the toilet and flushes it. She watches it go, sadly, then walks out. Lights fade.]

Play Twenty-Four- Playground Bruises.

[Lights up on a playground there are two small children pushing each other on a swing. One pushes the other too high and the one on the swing falls off when the swing is at it's highest. When the child lands it starts to cry and the one that was pushing the swing runs away. Lights fade.]

Play Twenty-Three- AMEN!

 [Lights up on the bedroom of a little girl. She kneels by her bed in pink footie pajamas. She looks up at a tapestry hanging on her wall, as though reading it.  The tapestry is of the "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep." Prayer. (She's to young to read anything real.) Her mother stands to the side recording her, with a smile on her face.]

LITTLE GIRL:
Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray dear Lord my to keep, if I shall die before I wake, I pray dear Lord my soul to take. Dear Lord, please bless Mommy, and Daddy, and doggie, and the kitty. (Pause of deep thought.)....(Shouting) AMEN!

[The little girl climbs into bed and the mother puts the recorder away, chuckling. Lights fade on the mother tucking the little girl into bed.]

Play Twenty-two- Hand Holding.

[Lights rise on an apartment flat. A woman dressed in a horizontally stripped black and white long sleeve shirt. She has on a dark pair of tight fitting jeans and a scarf. She is mostly hidden behind an easel. She taps her foot to a beat that she alone hears. She may hum a little. She is neither grim, nor happy. She is almost apathetic, yet completely absorbed in her art. The phone rings. She lets it ring and the answering machine clicks on.]

ANSWERING MACHINE:
Please leave a message after the tone: BEEP
Hi honey, it's Mom...I'm just checking in making sure that you're okay. We haven't heard from you in a few weeks and your father and I have been worried... We were wondering if you'd like to come over for dinner...or we could go out...whichever. We know that you've been down, but honey, It'll look up, I promise. Well, call me back. Love you, buh-bye. (Click)

[The woman continues painting for a moment and then sets her brush down. She goes over to the answering machine and deletes the message. She goes over to her easel and picks up the canvas. She hangs it on the back wall. It's an image of two hands that had been holding on to each other, barely touching as they break apart. Lights fade as the woman straightens the picture.]

Play Twenty-one- Don't wait up.

[Lights rise on a bedroom. In the bed is a woman. She looks exhausted and every now and then her head falls on to her shoulder and she drifts off to sleep. After a beat though, she jerks her head up, to repeat her eyes drooping, falling asleep on her shoulder and jerking her head up. After a little while a door is heard opening and closing from downstairs. Someone tries to sneak up into the room, but the woman jerks her head up, yet again, when the man walks in. He wears an EMT uniform and smells of crisp fall night air and cigarette smoke.  He looks at the woman lovingly.]

MAN:
Honey, I told you not to wait up.

[The woman sleepily holds her arms out to him. He crawls across the bed to reach her and they embrace. The woman then lays her head on his chest and falls asleep. Lights fade.]

Play Twenty- DADDY

[Lights up on a cemetery. A little girl in a white, lacy dress holds a bouquet of red roses. She travels to each tombstone and bows her head. After a beat she straightens her head and places the rose on the grave. She moves to each. After all of the roses but one are gone, she goes over to the last grave. It's labeled DADDY. The girl curls up against the tombstone and plays with the rose in her hand. Tears start to fall down her face. Lights fade.]

Play Nineteen- Not Good Enough.

[Lights up on a lady, Beth, standing behind a window, much like those at the DMV. She chews a wad of gum and is flipping through a fashion magazine. A man walks in and knocks on the plastic window when she doesn't look up. ]

MAN:
Ma'am?

[Beth carefully sets down her magazine with a sigh and looks at the man. She points at her name badge.]

BETH:
I've got a name.

MAN:
Uh, 'scuse me, Beth, um. I'd like to make a correction on my son's college information?

[Beth pops her gum and stares at the man. There is a beat of the man shifting uncomfortably.]

BETH:
Can you read?

MAN:
Uh, what?

BETH:
Can. You. Read?

MAN:
Yes, I can.

[Beth pops her gum and leans forward a little. She looks up and then leans back to where she was before. She pops her gum again and points up. The man looks up.]

MAN: [Reading]
This is the complaint window.

BETH:
You got a complaint?

MAN:
No, I just want to correct my son's...-

BETH:
NOT good enough.

[Beth presses a button in front of her and a person come out from behind the window, where Beth stands, with a boxing glove on. The person punches the man in the face. The man is knocked out cold. The person goes back from where they came from, and Beth presses another button. A different person comes from off stage and grabs the man by the feet and drags him off. Beth settles back into her magazine and pops her gum. Lights fade.]

Play Eighteen- Sneezing Vines.

[Lights up on two people in the jungle. They stand on one side of a river in a deep ditch. Each have red, watery eyes, and the sniffles. They look miserable. There are howls coming from behind them. Person One grabs a vine that hangs down. ]

PERSON ONE:
Quick! Grab on!

[They both grab on, but person one sneezes. The vine snaps.]

PERSON TWO:
What the hell happened?

PERSON ONE:
I dunno, I just sneezed.

[Person one grabs another vine and they both grab on. Person two sneezes and the vine snaps.]

PERSON ONE:
What the Hell?

PERSON TWO:
I don't know!

PERSON ONE:
You try this time.

[Person two shrugs and grabs a vine. A loud howl is heard and both look over their shoulder, terrified of the noise.]

PERSON ONE:
Let's go!

[Person two grabs the vine and hauls himself up on it, Person one follows. They start to swing, but Person one sneezes. The vine snaps and both fall to the ground.]

PERSON ONE:
CURSE THESE ALLERGIES!

PERSON TWO:
.....Mine's a cold.

PERSON ONE:
CURSE YOUR COLD!
PERSON TWO:
CURSE YOUR ALLERGIES!

[Another howl, even louder/closer this time. Person one and two look at each other, grab a vine and swing. Just as they get over the river both of them sneeze, sending them falling into the water below. After the splash is heard, Person Three is seen climbing out of the trees with a big pair of sheers. He chuckles to himself. There is another loud/close howl and he stops chuckling. He looks both ways, scared, and speed walks off. Lights fade.]

Play seventeen- Sorry, Mr. Fly.

[Lights come up on Heather. She is in her bedroom and is starting to pull back her covers to crawl in. There is a buzzing sound. She looks at where the buzzing is coming from.]

HEATHER:
Alright, Mr. Fly, I'm going to bed, you just shut up and leave me alone and you can stay.

[Heather climbs into bed and covers up. She pauses and then looks at her light. She lets out a disgusted noise and gets up. She shuts off her light and makes her way back into bed. After a few beats of silence, she screams. There is the sound of her running, and the lights come on.]

HEATHER:
WHAT DID I SAY?! Oh my God. I warned you.

[She moves to her closet door and grabs a fly swatter off the handle. She stalks around her room, looking for the fly. After a few beats, she pauses and then SLAM! She swats the fly. ]

HEATHER:
Ew.

[She finagles the fly swatter under the fly and throws it away. She looks at it in the trash.]

HEATHER:
Sorry.

[She shuts off her light and climbs back into bed.]

END.

Play Sixteen- Exes and Ohs, Emma.

[Lights rise on a little girl. She holds a teddy in the crook of her arm and kneels at the side of her bed. There is a distant yelling and door slamming heard from down the hall. The little girl responds with slight facial twitches, but it is something that she is used to. She clasps her hands and bows her head.]

LITTLE GIRL:
Dear Lord, Thank you for the food that I put in my belly today. The Mac and Cheese was good. Also, thank you for Teddy, I love him. [She gives her teddy a quick kiss on the head.] Thank you for Mommy and Daddy not fighting until I got into bed. I like it better than when I'm out there. But, Lord? Do you think that you can make them stop? It scares me alot sometimes. Right now is a bad fight, so, can you please protect Mommy from him? I know that she's not the best Mommy. I know that the pills she takes aren't good for her. I know she's bad, but she's my Mommy. Will you please send Daddy's angel down to protect us...Once we're all protected he can go right back, promise. Mommy tells me that you're a mean, awful man that doesn't love us.That's why you took daddy away. I don't believe her...Is that wrong of me? [A giant banging of a door is heard and the fighting gets louder.] Lord, can you please make all of this stop? Thank you, Love always, Exes and Ohs. Emma.

[Emma pulls back her covers and crawls into bed. She places Teddy under the covers next to her and tucks them around him. She kisses him on the head. Emma puts her head on her pillow and snuggles into the blankets. There is a particularly loud bang and Emma pulls the covers over her head. Lights fade with the noise of the fight still going.]
END

Play Fifteen- Cookies.

[Lights up on a window of a third floor room. There is a beat of silence and then the window is flung open by a woman. She throws a laptop out of it.]

WOMAN:
FUCK YOU AND YOUR COOKIES YOU PIECE OF SHIT LAPTOP!

[The woman slams the window shut and stomps away. There is a beat of silence and the lights fade on the window.]
END.

Play fourteen- So....Tired....

[Lights up on Nina cleaning her room. She is visibly upset by the mess, and eventually becomes so upset she sits down at her computer and brings up a word document. She types away, but then suddenly exits it. There is a manic energy about her. The type of energy that scares people. She empties out her dresser drawers and folds the clothes back up. She sorts them out some too, putting some clothes in her laundry basket, others in a pile on the floor. She picks up her phone and starts to dial a number. She changes her mind and presses end. All of a sudden, as though taken over by a tremendous weight, she sits, exhausted. Her eyes are only half open as she surveys her mess of a room. Still quite a bit upset about the mess, she opens up her closet and shoves everything in there. She sits back at her computer and looks at the screen, not zoning out, but not taking anything in either. She doesn't smile, if anything she looks almost miserable. She plucks at her top lip in thought. She picks up her phone and dials. The other line is picked up on the second ring.]

NINA:
Hi Muma. Huh? Oh, nothing, I was just calling to tell you that I'm really, really tired. Yes, I know. You told me.. What time? Okay. I won't. No Muma, I won't, I'm going to sleep now. Huh? Fold the...what? Oh, the dryer. Mhm, It'll be done before you get home, I promise. 'Kay, have fun...Hey, Muma?....I love you. You know that right? Okay, good. Huh? Oh, I was just checkin'. I love you. I will, and I won't let the bed bugs bite either. Goodnight, Muma. I love you...Buh-bye

[Nina puts the phone down with a sigh. She looks at it for a moment, and then exits. She comes back on with a laundry basket full of towels. She folds them all neatly and sets them back in the basket. She puts the basket by her door, and then sits down. She rests her head on her own shoulder and looks at the ground, while one hand rubs one arm. The other rests between her legs. Nina stays like that for a few beats and then gets up. She goes to her dresser and from on top of it, in a little decorative wooden box, she pulls out a prescription bottle. She brings it to her bed and sits on it.]

NINA:
...I'm. Just. So. Tired....

[She opens the bottle and takes the whole thing. She shuts off her light and then climbs under the blankets. Heard in the dark:]

NINA:
So....Tired....

[Then silence.]

END.

Play thirteen- Backin' up.

[A man sits on his couch with a laptop in his lap. He is listening to the news cast of a woman who had witnessed a robbery. He laughs hysterically at what she's saying and then, once it's over, makes up some music to put what the woman was saying to. As he starts to finish up, his friend walks in.]

FRIEND:
Whatcha doin'?


[The man pats next to him on the couch. The friend sits and the man plays the video that he had just made of the woman, who was now singing about backing up and how her daddy taught her good. (Can be found on YouTube.) Lights fade on the Friend and man laughing hysterically.]

Play Twelve- Miserable Lungs.

[Lights come up on a man sitting in a recliner watching television. He has on a bath robe and is curled tightly into a big blanket. He has a box of tissues on his lap, cough syrup tucked in close to him, and used tissues all around. He looks completly miserable. he moves to grab the remote that is close to his feet. He starts to hack and cough. After what seems like forever he gives one giant cought and a lung is flung onto the floor. His breathing becomes labored.]

MAN:
My (Gasp) Lung! (Gasp)

[The man takes one last labored breath and drops dead. Lights fade to the sound of an infomercial and the visual of the dead man.]

Play Eleven- Have a text message.

[A voice is heard in the dark. As the the story is told by the voice, the lights come up and the actors play it out.]

VOICE:
Once upon a time there was a girl named Jenn and she had a BFF named Sam. Jenn was thought to be crazy, but she really wasn't and Sam knew that. One day Jenn actually went crazy. Sam could tell that she really was,  for serious, crazy. So, Sam did the only thing that he could think of. He shot her and buried her in his backyard.

[Lights go down on Sam burying Jenn's body.]

VOICE:
THE END!

Play Ten- Animal Instinct.

[Lights come up on three girls. Each are on all fours/crouching. Two are on one side of the stage facing the other crouching girl. Behind the two girls is another girl. She stands normally. Behind the one girl, is a man and a woman, they hold hands. The three crouching girls circle each other, growling and hissing. One of the two lunges out at the one girl. The other is soon to follow. They attack the one girl, who holds her own. After a brief tussle they retreat in front of the people they are protecting. They still hiss and spit at each other. After a brief pause, the two attack again. This time they do more damage than before, but the one crouching girl still holds her own. They retreat and hiss and spit at each other some more. The two girls finally start to back down. As they back down the girl they were protecting comes over to the one crouching girl. She pets her. The one crouching girl curls up in the girls lap as she strokes her. The two crouching girls sulk in the shadows of the lights. The Man and Woman stay holding hands. Lights fade on the new friends.]

Play Nine- You blinked.

[A man sits cross legged in front of a sitting dog. They are staring into each other's eyes with blind determination. After a few beats the Man eyes get wide and he starts to laugh. softly at first, but it progresses to a deep belly laugh. The dog barks at him]

MAN:
Don't you bark at me! I WON! BECKY! BECKY, HONEY!? I WON THE STARING CONTEST! I WON!

[The man run off stage to find Becky. The dog looks after him for a beat, sneezes and walks off as the lights fade.]

Play Eight- I love you, 'Lissa.

[Lights come up on a man, Thomas. He sits on a couch with a laptop in his lap. He hums a little and types away. A Woman, Alissa, enters and comes up behind him and sets her chin on his head. He stops humming and tries to look at her. He laughs when He can't]

ALISSA:
What are you writing?

THOMAS:
A story..

ALISSA:
About what?

THOMAS:
About us.

ALISSA:
What about us?

[Thomas shrugs. Alissa looks at him for a moment and then grabs the laptop. He lets her take it. She climbs over the back of the couch and settles down cross legged next to him. She reads from the computer.]

ALISSA:
I love you. I told her. She smiled at me happily. I don't think that she knew how much I really need her.

[Alissa looks at Thomas questioningly. He nods encouragingly she continues.]

ALISSA:
So today is the day that I am going to show her how much I need her. I am going to ask her hand in marriage. Alissa.....[Choking up] will you marry....me?

[Alissa bursts into tears and Thomas takes her in his arms. There is a beat and then he pulls away from her enough to look in her face.]

THOMAS:
Well, what do you say?

ALISSA:
Y-Yes!

THOMAS:
I love you, 'Lissa.

ALISSA:
I love you. I love you too.

[Lights fade as Thomas pulls a ring out of his pocket and puts it on her finger. Alissa looks at it with a hand over her mouth and they embrace.]

A Shared Love.

[Lights up on an empty stage. A woman and a man enter. They meet in the middle and each pulls out a heart from the inside of their shirts. The woman, a pink heart, the man a blue. They exchange hearts and nod happily at each other. They exit off the opposite that they entered. Lights fade.]

[Lights come back up on an empty stage and the man and woman enter again, from where they exited last. They give each other back their original heart. They nod sadly at each other and walk off the way that they came from the first time. Lights fade.]

[Lights come back up on an empty stage. The man and the woman enter again. They meet in the middle and pull out their original hearts. They smile at each other and rip them in half. They exchange half so they both have one blue half and one pink half. They put it in their shirt, and pause. They take each other's hand and exit together center stage. Lights fade on the empty stage.]

Play Seven- The Customer is alway right.

[Lights up on a grocery store. A man hums a little as he stacks some apples. A woman rushes in and grabs the man by the collar of the shirt and holds him up against the case, some of which have fallen to the ground.]

WOMAN:
WHERE IS IT?!

MAN:
What? Where's what?!

WOMAN:
You know what I'm after, don't you play games with me!

MAN:
HELP! HELP ME! THIS WOMAN IS CRAZY!

[The woman releases the man and looks shocked. She smacks him.]

WOMAN:
How dare you! I am not Crazy!

[The manager rushes over and the man throws himself behind her/him]

MANAGER:
What is going on here?

MAN:
She's crazy! That's what's going on here. She thinks I know where it is. I don't even know what IT is.

WOMAN:
[Starting to sob]
H-he does though! He knows where the c-coke is.

MANAGER:
Crazy or not Johnson, this woman is a customer. You could have told her where the coke is. The customer is ALWAYS right. No matter what their mental state. You're fired.

MAN:
But-But...

MANAGER:
NO BUTS! Get out of my store.

[The manager takes the woman's arm, supporting her.]

MANAGER:
There, there miss. I'll show you where the coke is.

[The woman nods, still sobbing. They walk away. The Man stands, looking after them with a shocked look on his face. Lights fade.]

Play Six- Mermaid Kisses.

[A sailor sits in a little row boat. He whistles and holds a fishing pole. There is a tug on the line and the fisherman pulls it in to find a mermaid at the end of it. He stops whistling. The Mermaid pulls herself up onto the edge of the row boat, grabs the sailor’s cheeks, and gives him a big kiss on the lips. She then swims away. The sailor looks shocked. Beat. ]

SAILOR:
…No, best not tell anyone about this…

[He nods happily with his decision, casts his line and starts to whistle again. Lights fade.]

Play Five- Free Like The Birds.

[Lights up on a little boy struggling to open a window. He gets it open and climbs up on to the sill. He looks down and waves.]

NATHAN:
HI MOMMY!

[A mother’s panicked voice is heard.]

MOTHER:
Nathan? Baby? What are you doing up there, get down!

NATHAN:
No Mommy, I want to be free! I want to be free like the birds!

[Nathan spreads his arms and jumps. His mother screams and a dull thump is heard. Blackout.]

Play Four- Mardi Gras in my MOUTH!

[Lights rise on Bob. He holds an unmarked container. He reaches his hand in, pulls something out and sniffs it. He pops it into his mouth and his eyes light up. He turns and sprints off stage, lights fade. Lights come back up on Bob and Jim. Bob excitedly holds out the box. Jim looks at him questioningly]

BOB:
Best. Thing. Ever.

[Jim reaches his hand in and pops it into his mouth. His eyes light up. Bob and Jim look at each other and they turn and sprint off stage. Lights fade. Lights rise on Bob and Jim, Bob offers the box to Phillip, while Jim bounces excitedly.]

PHILLIP:
What’s this?

BOB:
Best.Thing.Ever.

JIM:
It’s magical!

[Phillip puts his hand in and pops it in his mouth. His eyes light up. All three look at each other, turn, and sprint off the stage. Lights fade. Lights rise Jim and Phillip bounce excitedly around Bob as he holds out the box to Carl.]

BOB:
Best.Thing.Ever.

JIM:
It’s magical!

PHILLIP:
Mardi Gras in my MOUTH!

[Carl looks at them all skeptically. He reaches his hand in and pulls out the food. He looks at it and then pops it into his mouth. He swallows and raises an eyebrow at the three others.]

CARL:
Uh, guys? You know that these are just Cheerios, right?

[Bob holds the box high while Jim and Phillip flank him.]

BOB, JIM, AND PHILLIP:
ALL HAIL THE CHEERIOS!

[Bob, Jim, and Phillip all freeze t admire the cheerios, Carl shakes his head sadly and mutters as he walks off.]

CARL:
I need to find new friends…

Mi Corazon.

[Lights up on a kitchen. Poppy sits on one end of the table, while Maria sits on the side. They are playing go fish.]

MARIA:
Go Fish. Poppy?

POPPY:
Mmm?

MARIA:
Will you tell me a story?

POPPY:
Once upon a time, there was a little girl named Maria and her Poppy loved her very much. And they lived happily ever after. The end.

MARIA:
No, Poppy! A real big story!

POPPY:
A real big story you say. Hm. Come sit over here.

[Poppy pats his lap and Maria excitedly jumps out of her seat and makes her way onto his lap.]

POPPY:
Let’s see… Once upon a time, in a land far away, there was a fish.

[Lights go down on Poppy and Maria. They come up on a fish. The story is played out from this point on.]

This fish’s name was Phillip. Phillip was a pet fish. He lived a sheltered life in a bowl on the dresser of a little girl, much like you. Phillip loved the girl, but the girl loved cats. Now, she did love Phillip as well, but you can’t pet a fish, or let it lay on your lap, can you? The little girl spent most of her days playing with the kitties, but at night, she always kissed Phillip’s bowl and said goodnight. The cats became jealous of this because they never got a goodnight kiss or a goodnight from the little girl. They plotted to have Phillip killed. One night, while the little girl was away, the cats came out and knocked Phillip over. They tried to get him, but he flopped his way to safety. The cats taunted him the whole night. In the morning when the little girl came home, she found Phillip. Thinking that her friend had died, the little girl started to cry. One of her tears hit Phillip and he came right back to life. He started jumping around in her hand. The little girl squealed with joy and put Phillip back in a tank. They are still best friends, to this very day and the cats are no longer allowed to play in the little girl’s room. The End.

[Lights fade on the story and come back up on Poppy and Maria. Maria is asleep, curled into Poppy’s chest. Poppy scoops her up and gives her a kiss on the head.]

POPPY:
[Whispering]
Mi Corazon.

[Poppy carries her off. Lights fade]

Play three- Dog Eat Man.

[Lights rise on a man. He is all bundled up and has a cigarette in one hand. The other is crossed over his chest. He leans against the wall and tugs the collar of his coat to protect himself from the cold. He finishes his cigarette, flicks it to the ground and grinds it out with the toe of his boot. He spots the audience.]

MAN:
Oh, I didn't see you there. Cold innit? You should be inside, where it's warm. That's where I would be. You never know what could happen on a cold night like this. The cold dulls the senses. Someone could steal up behind you, slit your throat, steal your shoes, your coat. You never know. [He lights another cigarette.] You never know. [He looks at his watch.] Eh. It's a cruel world out there. Man eat man, dog eat dog, Hell, even dog eat man. That's the problem with us humans. We think we're better than everyone and everything else. Yet, we can be taken down with one bite from a rattler. Or a single sting from a jellyfish. Jesus, even bees can get the better of us. [He looks at his watch again.] Eh. I best be gettin' back to the wife. The kids should be down by now. It was nice chatting.

[He nods his head politely and tucks it into his jacket. He walks off into the dark. Lights fade.]

Play two- Reach.

[Lights come up dim on a man, dressed in red and a woman, dressed in white. They sit cross legged. The woman’s arm is stretched all the way towards the man; the man’s arm is stretched towards her, but only half heartedly.]

WOMAN:
Reach!

MAN:
I don’t think I can.

WOMAN:
It’ll be alright. It’s not hard.

MAN:
I don’t think I’m ready.

WOMAN:
I’ll help you.

MAN:
I don’t know…

WOMAN:
It can work, just reach.

MAN:
We’ll see.

WOMAN:
Please?

[The man looks into the woman’s eyes for a beat and then reaches his arm out towards her they touch and the lights come up full force. He pulls his hand away in shock and the lights go dim again.]

MAN:
I’m sorry. I can’t.

[The man lets his arm drop to the ground and he hangs his head. The woman looks at him in something that resembles anguish. She keeps her arm outstretched to him, though not as desperately as before. Lights fade.]

Play one- The Dark Man.

[A spotlight clicks on, center stage. It’s empty until a man dressed in dark clothing steps into it. He looks out into the audience with a blank face.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not covet thy neighbor’s things.

[A spotlight clicks on to a man hanging from the ceiling by a rope that is wrapped around his neck. The Dark man does not recognize that he is there.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not lie.

[A spotlight comes up on a man slouched against the wall with a bullet hole in the middle of his forehead.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not steal.

[A spotlight comes up on a small child lying in a pool of blood, cradling the stump of an arm with a missing hand. He moans and rocks back and forth.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not commit adultery.

[A spotlight comes up on a dead woman surrounded by pill and alcohol bottles.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not murder.

[A spotlight comes up on a man, pinned to the wall. A stream of blood trickles out of his mouth.]

DARK MAN:
Honor thy father and thy mother.

[A spotlight comes up on a little girl. Her throat is slit ear to ear.]

DARK MAN:
Remember the Sabbath.

[A spotlight comes up on a man in a pool of blood, his wrists slit.]

DARK MAN:
Do not take the lord’s name in vain.

[A spotlight comes up on a man. His eyes are glazed and blood is pouring out of his mouth. His tongue has been cut out.]

DARK MAN:
You shall not worship idols.

[A spotlight comes up on a woman underwater with a cinder block tied to her leg.]

DARK MAN:
[Changing from expressionless and starting to cry]
And you shall have no other gods before him.

[The Dark man pulls out a knife and plunges it into his stomach. He sinks to his knees. All lights fade as the Dark man stays on his knees, clutching the knife and gasping for breath.]
END