So I tried something new this year at the ScriptWorks Fling, writing a play without any words of dialogue. And I ended up really liking it, though I knew it would take a lot to make it work (characters age 60 years over the course of the play and it requires sound effects representing vastly different locations across 7 scenes).
It didn’t get selected this year and/but I feel like it’s a stronger piece than some of the ones I’ve written which have been selected.
It’s going to be a hard one to produce, so I thought I’d post it here just so it’s easily accessible (at least to me!).
So here it is. I’d love to think I could find a home for it at some point. Or at least use it as inspiration for another dialogue-less piece down the line.
A HUNDRED LITTLE PIECES
Polly: Thoughtful, introverted, endearing, will age from 10 to 70
Jessica: Pretty, a bit self-centered but likeable, will age from 10 to 70
Random Guy: May or may not be the same guy throughout, will age from 10 to 70
SCENE I: We hear the lively SOUNDS OF AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL YARD during lunch recess. POLLY, age 10, comes on with a small carry-on suitcase behind her, decorated with a pony on it. She looks nervous, a bit uncertain. She walks to the opposite side of the stage and sits down. Then opens the bag, pulls out a lunchbox, also with a pony on it, and from that, a sandwich or apple.
After a moment JESSICA, also 10, walks in, confident, pretty, forthright, with a backpack on. She walks to the side opposite Polly, sits cross-legged and pulls out her own lunchbox. She grabs a bag of popcorn or crackers.
Polly sees Jessica and her eyes widen. She’s intrigued and a little excited. She takes a few thoughtful breaths and thinks of something. She reaches back into her bag and pulls out a large piece of white paper.
Then she pulls out a box of crayons. She finds a large red crayon and puts the paper flat on the ground and begins to draw. We see her draw a giant red heart. Once done, she looks over at Jessica who is focusing on her lunch.
Polly gathers her courage and folds the heart in two. Then stands and walks over to Jessica. Once she’s close, Jessica looks up curiously. Polly hands her the paper. Jessica seems confused and unfolds it.
Before she has to chance to really look at it RANDOM GUY, also 10, strides on and sits brashly down next to Jessica, not even glancing at Polly. He just smiles and starts gesturing in an attempt to be charming and cool. Jessica seems amused by him. Then she remembers Polly, looks disapprovingly at the heart picture and crumples it up. Then throws it back across the schoolyard.
Polly is crestfallen and displeased by the interaction between Jessica and Random Guy. She shuffles slowly over to the crumpled piece of paper and picks it up.
As Jessica and Random Guy continue to interact, Polly gathers her strength and opens up the drawing again. She goes back to her spot and sits down, then works to straighten out the paper, getting rid of as many creases and folds as she can. After she gets it decently flat, she stands again. Then marches courageously over and stands between Jessica and Random Guy. He is incredulous, can’t believe Polly is back.
Polly sticks her arm out straight and hands Jessica the heart drawing again.
Jessica looks at Random Guy and shrugs. Random Guy laughs. And then Jessica laughs. Then she folds the heart picture back in two and begins ripping it into shreds until it’s in a hundred little pieces. Then she flings it in the air so the pieces land across the schoolyard.
Polly’s shoulders slump as she watches the shreds of her affection float away.
Then Random Guy gets up and reaches out his hand for Jessica. Jessica puts her items back in her backpack and grabs Random Guy’s hand. He leads her offstage.
Polly looks down at the pieces of paper, gets on her knees and begins to collect all of them together. She looks off at where Random Guy and Jessica went as the lights slowly go down and the sounds of the schoolyard fade.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
SCENE II: Ten years later we’re in an airport. We hear the SOUNDS OF A TERMINAL, with announcements about delays, security risks, gate changes, etc.
Polly walks on with her carry-on bag (this time without the pony) and stands in a long security line. She looks annoyed and agitated with the wait ahead. She takes a small step forward every once in a while as the line progresses.
Before long, Jessica emerges from the other side of the stage. She too is in this line which snakes back and forth for a long while. She’s in the row next to Polly and is approaching her. Jessica wears a backpack, has headphones on and is staring at her phone.
Polly sees Jessica and her eyes widen. She can’t believe it’s Jessica after all these years. But is it really her? Her energy jumps and she squints to try to figure it out.
It is her, it is! Polly is nervous and self-conscious. She begins primping and fixing her hair and clothes, trying to make sure she looks as good as she can. They continue slowly approaching each other with baby steps even as the sounds of the airport are blaring and distracting.
Once they’re a few feet away, Polly smiles widely and tries to get Jessica’s attention with the motion of her head. Then her hands. Then her whole body.
Jessica continues to focus on her phone and doesn’t look up. She just doesn’t see her.
Polly begins calling out to Jessica. We see her mouth move though we can’t hear what she’s saying. Jessica keeps her head down as they pass each other.
Polly looks back at her, can’t believe they didn’t connect. She reaches an arm out to Jessica, but before she can make contact an invisible someone behind her nudges her and she reacts, falling back in line.
They continue walking slowly apart to the edges of the stage. As they reach the edge, the lights and sound slowly fade.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
Scene III: Ten years later. We’re at a night club and hear the SOUNDS OF A LIVE ROCK AND ROLL SHOW.
Polly walks into the crowd with a drink in her hand, works through the people toward the front.
Then Random Guy walks on from the other side of the stage with a beer and ends up pushing past Polly so that she’s shoved a little to one side. Polly gets angry and pushes past him. He shoves her a little and she shoves back. Then her drink falls to the ground and he laughs and points at her.
She bends down to pick the drink up.
Just then Jessica shows up and winds through the crowd to stand next to Random Guy to watch the band.
Polly looks up from her kneeling position and sees her. Random Guy makes a motion that his drink is empty and points at Jessica to ask if she wants anything from the bar. She nods and he walks off.
Polly stands and walks cautiously over to Jessica and taps her on the shoulder. Jessica smiles. Then Random Guy comes back on and gives a drink to Jessica and glares at Polly. Polly, admonished, steps back away from the stage, making her way through the crowd and exiting.
Jessica glances back at her.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
SCEEN IV: Ten years later. We’re outside in the afternoon where it’s dark, dusty and incredibly windy. We hear the SOUNDS OF A TERRIBLE STORM bearing down.
Polly walks on with a handkerchief covering and protecting her mouth. She battles against the fierce winds to keep standing. She can barely see. She scans the distance.
Random Guy comes on and looks injured and confused. He falls to his knees on the opposite side of the stage as the winds kick in even harder.
Polly fights against the elements to get to him. She takes off her jacket and puts it around his shoulders. Then looks around trying to figure out what to do next.
Just then Jessica enters from the other side, struggling against the winds and dust. She stumbles, searching the land.
Polly sees her and rises up. She gives a quick check to Random Guy and starts to trek slowly over to Jessica to help her.
But Random Guy tries to stand at this point and then falls to the ground as the wind howls and lightning fills the sky. Polly sees this and rushes back to him. She looks over at Jessica and Jessica is stumbling left and right, then stumbling right offstage.
Polly works to drag Random Guy off the other side to take him to safety. She looks off after Jessica but can’t see anything. She continues to pull Random Guy offstage as the lights and sound of the storm fade.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
SCENE V: Ten years later. We’re inside a crowded restaurant. We hear the SOUNDS OF SILVERWARE CLINKING AND PEOPLE TALKING.
Polly is here holding a mug of coffee. She stands and looks toward the front door of the restaurant expectantly, hoping someone she knows will walk in.
She takes a sip of coffee and then thinks she recognizes a patron. She smiles and leans toward the front of the establishment, but then realizes it’s not who she thinks it is and slinks back.
She takes another sip. And another.
She continues to scan the crowd, hoping, hoping.
But no one she knows is stepping through the door. She has another sip or two as the lights slowly fade.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
SCENE VI: Ten years later. We’re at a beach in the evening on a nice mild day. We hear the SOUNDS OF WAVES CRASHING ON THE SHORE.
Polly stands at the edge of the stage with her pants rolled up to her knees staring out at the ocean in front of her. She looks content but contemplative, thinking back on everything that’s happened in her life.
After a few moments Jessica walks on behind her, arm in arm with Random Guy. They’re smiling and content-looking, in between words. They glance around at the seagulls and the sand and the surf.
Then Jessica notices Polly at the shore, tilting her head to see if it’s who she thinks it is.
She hesitates there as Random Guy looks questioningly at her. Jessica smiles at him and raises a finger, signifying that she needs a moment.
Random Guy nods and unhooks his arm from hers.
Jessica walks slowly over to Polly as the waves continue to crash. Polly hasn’t noticed her.
Jessica stands about a foot behind Polly and thinks for a moment, slowly reaching a hand out to touch her shoulder. But before she does, she hesitates. Then she starts to reach again but thinks better of it. She just stares at Polly’s back for a moment as Polly keeps her eyes on the water.
After a moment, Jessica lowers her eyes and turns, walking slowly back to Random Guy.
Random Guy looks at her curiously, wondering what’s going on. Jessica shakes her head and the two of them walk on. Random Guy takes a quick glance back at Polly. Then Jessica looks back too, a wistful glint in her eye.
As soon as they walk offstage, Polly senses something and looks over her shoulder. But the two others are gone.
Her brow furrows and she looks back thoughtfully at the sea as the lights begin to dim.
LIGHTS DOWN.
LIGHTS UP.
SCENE VII: Ten years later. Inside a hospital. We hear the SOUND OF A HEARTRATE MONITOR beeping slowly.
Polly walks on carrying a small bouquet of flowers.
She looks around, trying to figure out where to go in the building.
After a moment, Jessica enters from the opposite side of the stage wearing a hospital gown and looking very weak.
She smiles gently at Polly as Polly approaches.
Polly holds the flowers out to Jessica and she nods, expressing that she appreciates the gesture but doesn’t have anything to put the flowers in. Polly holds on to them.
But then Polly pulls out something else, a picture frame. She holds it up. It’s the original heart note she wrote to Jessica back in elementary school, taped carefully back together.
Jessica is touched. She reaches out for it and examines it, then cradles it in her arms.
Jessica reaches a hand out to Polly and Polly clasps it. They hold hands for a moment and smile at each other.
Then Jessica, feeling weary, pulls her hand away and, with the frame under her arm, walks slowly back to the edge of the stage and exits.
We hear the SOUND OF THE HEARTRATE MONITOR BEEPING SLOWER AND SLOWER AND SLOWER UNTIL IT’S JUST ONE CONTINUOUS BEEP.
Polly reacts, saddened. She drops the hand holding the flowers and looks off into the distance.
As she stares off and reflects on what could have been, the lights slowly dim.
End.
