THE PLAYWRIGHT –
TRACK ONE, SCENE FIVE
(THE PLAYWRIGHT accosts SARAH and THE GUIDE)
PLAYWRIGHT
Hi, sorry. Can we
talk for a minute.
THE
GUIDE
This is the playwright.
PLAYWRIGHT
Hi. I just wanted to
give you some insight into the character of Sarah. I don’t think you’re quite nailing it
yet. I’ve seen a lot of Sarahs now. But I don’t want to get in the way of your process
so if you want me to back off just say so.
SARAH
(Her choice)
PLAYWRIGHT
Right. Right. Let me just say the thoughts Sarah has are
unlike everyone else. She oozes
creativity. And as she went through
life, people tried to beat it out of her, metaphorically, not physically but
that didn’t get rid of it though it dimmed it for a time. She was a genius but tried to hide her
genius and then, you know, she died too soon.
I have this image in my mind of her as a child discovering her power for
the first time—She’s in a pool and there’s a lot of light—like too much
light--actually maybe that’s not helpful.
Forget that. I never said
that. Can you forget that? So stupid.
You know what, no, okay, if you can play down to earth but also like in
the clouds. Cause she’s mysterious but
you feel like you’ve known her all your life.
So there’s that familiarity but also there’s part of her that’s
completely unknowable that belongs only to her, you know? She’s not like the rest of us, you know. She’s super charismatic. So do that too. Just be like, more. Okay?
It’s hard, I know because there’s only one Sarah and she’s like not like
the rest of us so it’s hard to play that but just think of like Jesus Christ or
like Lady Gaga. Like if Lady Gaga was
charismatic. You know what I mean? Like
a movie star but with a real inner life.
Smarter than a movie star. But no
less beautiful. A mind like a
laser. Got it?
SARAH
(Her choice)
PLAYWRIGHT
Okay. I’ve said too
much. I shouldn’t talk to the
actors. Can we take her the alternate
way? Let’s change it up. I think take her the other way it’ll work
better, okay?
THE
GUIDE
I don’t know.
PLAYWRIGHT
She can handle it.
THE
GUIDE
I don’t want to mess up the schedule.
PLAYWRIGHT
If there’s a problem, I’ll take the heat.
THE
GUIDE
I don’t really care about that.
PLAYWRIGHT
It’ll be better. You
can see that, can’t you?
THE
GUIDE
I have to take care of her.
She’s my responsibility. You can
just sit in your ivory tower and watch.
PLAYWRIGHT
Ivory tower?
THE
GUIDE
Yeah.
PLAYWRIGHT
Are you talking about Juilliard? Okay, yes I went to Juilliard. It was amazing. So what?
A lot of people went to good schools.
THE
GUIDE
You have it with you?
PLAYWRIGHT
The diploma? Yes,
okay I carry around my diploma from The Juilliard School. Lots of people do that. It’s nothing.
It’s not weird. (to SARAH)
Do you want to see it?
SARAH
(Her choice)
(PLAYWRIGHT
takes it out.)
PLAYWRIGHT
It’s beautiful. So
crisp. A work of art. I’m going to take it with me.
THE
GUIDE
You can’t take the diploma.
When you die, it stays here.
PLAYWRIGHT
Yeah, but I’m going to take it with me.
THE
GUIDE
Okay but you can’t.
PLAYWRIGHT
I’m proud of it. Is
that a sin?
THE
GUIDE
I mean yeah, in the Judo-Christian—
PLAYWRIGHT
That’s not—
THE
GUIDE
I mean, you asked.
PLAYWRIGHT
I’m not in an ivory tower.
I resent that.
THE
GUIDE
Sometimes I hurt people’s feelings.
PLAYWRIGHT
I’m an artist. Okay,
I don’t always come see the play. But
I’m making other art. I’m busy. Doing important things. God’s work.
THE
GUIDE
God’s work?! God’s
work?!! It’s just a play.
PLAYWRIGHT
It’s not just a play.
THE
GUIDE
What I do is important.
What you do . . . I don’t know.
PLAYWRIGHT
Well, that’s bullshit but whatever. I have to go to my other job. Ivory tower!
Fucking ivory tower!! Are you
going to go the alternate way? Go the
alternate way. You want to go the other
way, don’t you?
SARAH
(her choice)
PLAYWRIGHT
Good luck, with your Sarah.
Oh! You know what? Channel Meryl Streep.
(PLAYWRIGHT exits. THE GUIDE and
SARAH continue their journey.)
SCRIPTED --TRACK
TWO, SCENE THREE
(DIRECTOR accosts SARAH and THE GUIDE.
PLAYWRIGHT hides behind director.)
THE GUIDE
Oh! The
director. (THE GUIDE is not happy about this)
DIRECTOR
(to SARAH)
What are you doing?
You’re not supposed to go off script.
It’s all planned very carefully.
The playwright wrote a bunch of stuff down in a room once and that’s the
stuff we’re doing, right?
PLAYWRIGHT
Right.
DIRECTOR
So we don’t appreciate you making stuff up when you’re not
supposed to make stuff up.
PLAYWRIGHT
We don’t appreciate that.
DIRECTOR
We don’t want you to ruin the experience for the audience.
PLAYWRIGHT
Don’t ruin the play.
Everybody’s always trying to ruin my play. The actors and the directors and the
designers. And then it’s all my fault. It’s not my fault. Everybody thinks it’s my fault.
DIRECTOR
No one blames you.
PLAYWRIGHT
Everyone does. Just
please don’t ruin my play, okay?
DIRECTOR
Can you do that?
PLAYWRIGHT
Can you?
DIRECTOR
Can you?
PLAYWRIGHT
Can you?
THE
GUIDE
I’m sorry.
(Enter FREE WILL in bondage gear, perhaps being led in on a leash.)
WILL
Don’t pay any attention to them.
PLAYWRIGHT
Will, this doesn’t concern you.
DIRECTOR
It’s not about you.
WILL
You do what you want to do.
DIRECTOR
Will!
WILL
My name isn’t just Will.
It’s Free Will. I’m called Free
Will because of how free I am with my body and my favors.
DIRECTOR
You don’t exist!
PLAYWRIGHT
Get back in your cage!
In your cage!
THE
GUIDE
Sorry about this.
WILL
I am free. I am freer
than you will ever be! You do what you
want, Sarah or whatever your name is.
Don’t be penned in by the man.
PLAYWRIGHT
Stop it, Will. You
always ruin everything.
WILL
We are free. We are
all free. Don’t let anyone tell you how
to be, who to be, how to act. Don’t give
in to societal pressures. Ignore your
culture. Be you who you are
completely. If you want to be naked, be
naked. People will deal with it.
PLAYWRIGHT
Please don’t take off your clothes. Everyone leave your clothes on. It isn’t that kind of show.
WILL
It can be. It can be
whatever kid of show you want.
DIRECTOR
Okay, can we table this?
WILL
No.
THE
GUIDE
I’m sorry.
(THE GUIDE starts to lead SARAH off.)
WILL
Let’s take acid.
DIRECTOR
Oh my God. Get back
in your cage.
WILL
I’m calling Equity!
(THE GUIDE lead SARAH off.)
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