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THE FIRE Ten Minute Play by D. M. Bocaz-Larson
The play is free of charge, but I ask that you provide pictures and/or a video tape of the final production. Also, please provide programs, promotions, and/or newspaper articles about the show. Finally, provide feedback from the director, actors and others involved in the production. (If you are unable to meet the above requirements, there will be a small royalty fee charged per performance.) Thank you and enjoy the script! Author contact information: D. M. Bocaz-Larson Grants, NM 87020 (505) 285-4464 pocolocoplayers@yahoo.com Cast of Characters TANDE – lost person with only an address and no memory of anything else SLEEPER – a person to be feared who is the only one who can guide TANDE TERRY – a friendly and concerned person who befriends TANDE SHOUTER – an angry individual who is annoyed easily HYPE – quick to get into other people’s business WHINER – complains about everything and everyone SWEET – an overly friendly person who is upset by harsh words DOWNER – willing to cast a dark shadow on any situation Scene 1 (Lights in this play are dim to show darkness. A blue tint to the lights might add to the effect. On stage are several cots with people sleeping on them. TANDE enters cautiously among the sleeping people. He reaches about center and is distracted by a sudden loud snore behind him. This causes him to run into a cot, C) SLEEPER Who that? What's with knockin' my bed? SHOUTER Quiet! SLEEPER You quiet yourself. TANDE I'm sorry. Please go back to sleep. SLEEPER Don't you start tellin' me what to do. You done plenty already. TANDE It was an accident. SHOUTER Will you shut up?! HYPE Who's yellin'? WHINER Hey, man. Go to sleep. There's other people around here ya' know. SLEEPER Yeah, I know. So shut your trap. TANDE Please, all of you, go back to sleep. TERRY Who's the fancy talker? I bet he wears a tie? SLEEPER I don't see none on him. He lucky. I would a used it to strangle him. TANDE I'm sorry. I just need a place to sleep. SLEEPER There ain't none here. TERRY You got two cots. Why don't you give him one? SLEEPER What with you? You take a likin' to him? TERRY Well, he ain't got no tie. SLEEPER And I ain't got no cot. So go somewhere else. TANDE I'll go. It's okay. SWEET You can always sleep with me, honey, I got lots of room. DOWNER What're you talkin' about? You're the one who needs two cots. SWEET Careful what you say, I might cry. WHINER Oh, man. Last time she cry, she wouldn't shut up all night. TANDE Everyone, please. I didn't mean to cause so much trouble. SLEEPER You too late. You already did. Now, you have to pay. SWEET (Almost a whisper) Be gentle with him. SLEEPER Shut up, woman! SHOUTER Why don't you?! I'm tryin' to sleep here. (Silence. SLEEPER crosses to SHOUTER's bed, DR. He stands over him a moment) What do you want?! SLEEPER No one mouths off at me. SHOUTER Too late, I already did. (In a quick motion, SLEEPER tips the cot, kicks SHOUTER, and pins him to the floor with his foot. TANDE tries to escape L during this but is caught by HYPE and WHINER. HYPE and WHINER push TANDE roughly into a sitting position on a cot, DL. Once again everything is still again) SLEEPER What you say to me, boy? SHOUTER Nothin', nothin' at all. SLEEPER And what you say to me later? SHOUTER Nothin'. HYPE (Holding TANDE) We got this one. WHINER What you gonna do with him? SLEEPER (Crosses to TANDE, grabs his face roughly and makes TANDE look up at him) Does I scare you? TANDE (Softly) Yes. SLEEPER (Smiles, still holding him, looking into his eyes) It's that look I love. I loves it more than women. And you's got it. (He roughly releases TANDE. Others leave him alone and go to the corners to converse. SLEEPER sits on his cot. TERRY goes to TANDE) TERRY Hi, there. TANDE Hi. TERRY My name's Terry. (Holds out hand. They shake) TANDE Tande. TERRY I think Sleeper likes you. TANDE I think you're wrong. TERRY He's not as bad as he looks. He's really a pussy cat deep down. TANDE Yeah, with long claws, long teeth, and rabies. TERRY Oh, you’re funny. I like you. TANDE (Brushing off the unwanted intimacy) Where am I? DOWNER (Joins them) You're down, man. You're at the end of existence. TERRY He exaggerates. DOWNER You eg-za-der-dates if you's sayin' otherwise. TANDE I was told to come here. At least, I think so. (Takes out paper) Here's the address. (TERRY is silent when he sees paper) DOWNER That's bad man. Real bad. TANDE What is? DOWNER That place. TANDE Then this isn't it? DOWNER This place is far from it, man. This is TANDE Maybe I shouldn't go. TERRY You have to. TANDE Who will take me there, then? TERRY (No longer cheerful) Sleeper can take you. TANDE Sleeper? Why him? DOWNER That's a bad place. Only Sleeper goes there. (To TERRY) They say he's from that neighborhood. TERRY If that's possible. TANDE Can it be that bad? DOWNER Where you comin' from, man? Don't you know nothin' about this neighborhood? TANDE This is all new to me. DOWNER It better be unnew and fast or you's gonna lose yourself here. TERRY That place where you're going... TANDE Yeah? TERRY It's dangerous... cops don't even go there. DOWNER And when Sleeper goes, he don't bring no one back. TERRY You didn't have to tell him that. DOWNER It's the truth, ain't it? TANDE I'm free, aren't I? I just won't go. I'll stay here. That's easy enough. DOWNER You forget. Sleeper won't let you. You're stuck. TANDE Damned if I do, damned if I don't. DOWNER Hey, he catches on quick. TERRY Not quick enough I'm afraid. TANDE Won't Sleeper help me through? DOWNER Sleeper? Help? Those words don't go, man. Sleeper would sooner see you hurt than helped. That's his way. TANDE I may as well go alone then. TERRY Sleeper would go anyway. It’s his job. You may as well go with him. DOWNER You stick with Sleeper in that neighborhood, man. You'll be glad you did. With them the way they are there, he'll be your best friend. TANDE I don't understand any of this. What is this stupid address? I don't want to go, but what else can I do? There's nothing behind me. There's nothing here. The only thing I have is this address. DOWNER Keep what you got. It could be worse… but not much. (Moment of silence. SLEEPER gets up and puts on a jacket. SLEEPER crosses over to them. DOWNER sees him and crosses away. TANDE and TERRY notice SLEEPER when DOWNER leaves) SLEEPER (To TANDE) You comin'? (TANDE looks to TERRY pleadingly) TERRY You'd better go. (TERRY gets up and crosses away) SLEEPER Show me your paper. TANDE Paper? SLEEPER (Louder and sharper) The address! (TANDE quickly gives it to him) SLEEPER (Laughs darkly) Bad place. What's a fancy talkin' little wuss like you doin' in a neighborhood like this? TANDE Someone gave me the address. I don't remember them saying anything else. SLEEPER Probably better that way. TANDE What is this place anyway? SLEEPER That depends on you. TANDE What is that supposed to mean? SLEEPER (Laughs) You see. What that they say. "Patience is a..." What's that word? TANDE "Virtue." SLEEPER Yeah. You got to get yourself some of that. TANDE I thought I had plenty before this. SLEEPER You find you got a lot less after. (Starts R) It's time. TERRY (Goes up to TANDE) Keep safe. SLEEPER I ain't got the time! TERRY You'd better go. TANDE Good-bye. Perhaps I'll be back this way again. (TERRY smiles sadly) SLEEPER You comin'? (TANDE follows SLEEPER off R. TERRY watches sadly. DOWNER glances reluctantly, but turns away. Lights fade to black) |
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