This was a time-waster while developing characters in my play, "Gin..." As the playwright plodded along adding and deleting dialogue, the characters of the play began to show signs of rebellion - at least they thought it was rebellion since they weren't exactly sure what a rebellion was. It's a longer piece but an enjoyable light one. It's cut and pasted from Word so ignore the formatting.
By Eleanor Tylbor
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 cards down on the table and thrusts remaining card in the
air for all to see
(Cont’d.) Victory is at hand – or inmy hand, in this case! Oh I’m a winner all right!
CHARLENE
Shoving a hand full of popcorn in her mouth
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, honey?
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?
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 over the table towards BRENDA
BRENDA
(standing up)
What? Anybody?
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. I can feel it in my bones. Does anybody have any ideas?
MITZI
Well…for starters, we’re all holding these hard 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
Same here! Go figure!
MITZI AND CHARLENE TOGETHER
Ours too!
Okay. We’re making progress here. Hey! These are playing cards
You think?
I know for a fact! 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 like, candy for example or ice cream
MITZI
All you think about is food, food, food! There are more important things in life
BRENDA
Really? Like?
MITZI
Well…there just are. I feel it
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. Why am I here? Why are we all here? Sometimes I yell out, “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
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
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?
MITZI
And…um…something else…
Moves away from table, hops up and down and starts
shadow boxing, fists waving in the air
(Cont’d.) I took a self-defense course! My hands are lethal weapons!
Cuts the air with side of hand
CHLOE
And that means…?
MITZI
You are so not with it. It means…it means…
BRENDA
Oh pllleeze! 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 air 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?
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 smart, you know! I am very 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?
CHLOE and BRENDA together: ‘I dunno’
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) I think this is what makes the words come out
CHLOE
You see, Charlene, sweetie, 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. 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, dear. 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 JULIE
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
PLAYWRIGHT JULIE
I never realized you all felt this way
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