When Starbright Fades by Sandra Marie Vago
DOWNLOAD PRICE $7.99Add to cart
This Play is the copyright of the Author and must not be Performed or Copied without the Author's prior consent THE SETTING:
As the scene begins we hear the sounds of a clock ticking on the
darkened stage. As the lights slowly come up, we see a young woman
enter from one of two hallway doors into the main set. It is a
combination eating and sleeping room, small, cramped and poorly
furnished with mismatched table and two chairs and a rather
dilapidated old bed center, near the room's only window. It is the
second floor of a rooming house in the depressed area of Augusta,
Georgia. There is an obvious empty unpainted space, a worn spot on the
floor, an unpainted space on the wall, where a small refrigerator once
stood, an old dresser and mirror stand against one wall near the
window. A colorful, handmade piecework quilt covers the bed and a
plastic tablecloth adorns the rickety old table. There's a
pantry/storage shelf near the table with various canned goods, some
bottles of Jack Daniels whiskey, a jar of Cheeze Whiz and some
utensils and on one of the shelves is a hot plate, a toaster, some
cigars and a gun. An old rotating fan sits in front of the window,
turning slowly.
AT RISE:
Laura enters from the bathroom door in the hall; she is wiping her
face with a wet towel. She wears a simple cotton shift that is wet
from perspiration and she seems to be ill. She enters and moves slowly
to the bed, the ticking clock gets loud and slower, and we hear the
magnified sounds of the street outside. She crosses to the table and
picks up some water. Again the sounds magnify. She drops the water
glass and moves toward the window for some air. She then lies down on
the bed and seems to be dreaming at first and then sleep walking.
LAURA: Mamma….Marty?
She begins moving dreamlike through a scene, laughing, as if she we
playing a game with someone in her dream. She holds up her hand.
LAURA: You can't find me, mamma! Come out, come out wherever you
are.Come show mamma your pretty new picture… see mamma, it's a
little robin!
She laughs and starts to sing. The lights swirl in reds and blues.
LAURA: Little robin red breast, sitting in a tree.He's singing to
you, he's singing to me ... what does he say? Spring is here, spring
is here.
(Laughing)
Marty's coming tonight, mama. He wants me to marry him. I love him,
just like you love daddy, but Marty loves me more.
(She stops and her mood changes.)
LAURA: Daddy? Please, Marty wants to meet you. Please say it's
okay. pleasehe'll be here any minute.
LAURA: (Speaking now in a mocking male tone)
Please, daddy! Bullshit!
Marty calls out and appears on stage. The lights change and we see him
now, still in her dream but the lights have a dreamy, smoky feel of
sexuality. He wears an Army uniform with Sergeant stripes on the
sleeve.
MARTY: Dance with me darlin'
She smiles, running into his arms. He kisses her sensuously and they
appear to be making love to the music in another world.
MARTY: We're leaving Friday, transfer, goin' to Georgia before we
head out.
LAURA: Take me with you, please, take me with you, I don't care if
you don't love me…I love you enough for both of us.
Marty kisses her forehead and takes her into his arms to music of the
sixties. He sway's with her and the feeling is intoxicating, sensual.
He lifts her into the air, pulling her close, kissing her shoulders,
her neck and her lips.
MARTY: I think I do love you, Laura, marry me.
LAURA: Yes! I will, I love you, Marty..
Laura lies back down on the bed and starts to sing again.
LAURA: Little Robin red breast Run, run away fast, Honey girl, be
careful!
LIGHTS FADE, SILENCE.
Lights come up again on a small downstage area, a side set off the
main one. It's a table and two chairs and music is heard playing in
the background. We see MARTY and GUS as Gus grabs him on the way out.
Marty is in fatigues and the stripes on his sleeve are that of a P. F.
C.
GUS: Yo! Marty…Que pasa?
MARTY: Nothin' much, same ole bullshit.
GUS: D' ya hear? They're sayin' we might be gettin' in the action?
Hear it's heatin' up over there.
MARTY: So?
GUS: SO? Shit, man, ya know who's gonna be out there with our asses
danglin' off some fuckin' pole settin' up communication lines,
don't ya?
Marty punches him playfully.
MARTY: Fuck it, Gussy, you're tough.
GUS: Yeah? .... Yeah, yeah, sure. You ain't leavin'? We gonna have a
beer?
MARTY: Gettin' late, man. Told Laura I'd be home for supper tonight.
GUS: Thought you told me ya didn't have no icebox? I wouldn't go
nowhere didn't have no ice box in this fuckin' heat.
MARTY: Yeah, well you ain't got a wife.
GUS: Don't tell me the ole man's pussy whipped.
Marty grabbing him in a head lock.
MARTY: Wanna see who's "pussy whipped", Gussy?
GUS: Whoa, okay, okay! AnywayYou decide to get out awhile, play a
little cards, suck up a brew' r two ... you know where I'll be.
MARTY: Yeah, I know, we'll see. Know whatI'll see ya after supper.
Gus leaves as Marty mumbles to himself.
MARTY: Heatin' up! Shit. Couldn't get no hotter.
Lights fade and come up again on the room where Laura is sleeping
restlessly. MARTY enters from the hallway. He flips on the light and
sees Laura lying in bed. Upset, he shakes her.
MARTY: Laura, Jesus baby, its six o'clock…. Hey. What the
fuck…
He slips into the bed next to her and starts to caress her but she
fights him, still deep asleep
.
LAURA: No, daddy ... no ...no!
He moves away, looking at her and then he becomes angry.
MARTY: What the fuck? I ain't your daddy. Okay! Shit, that all you
do all day, lay on your ass 'n sleep!? I thought you were fixin'
supper tonight.
LAURA: (Still half asleep) I can't stay here anymore, I just can't
mama….. Oh, god, that you, Marty?
MARTY: No, it's the fuckin' Easter Bunny.
LAURA: Oh, honey, I'm sorry… I was sleepin', I…uh D' I say
MARTY : D'you say what?
LAURA: Nothin'....I'm so glad you're home. I had another really bad
nightmare'n
MARTY: Yeah, I knowI know. Every friggin'day lately…nightmares.
Don't start right now, okay? I'm tired, I'm hungry and it's hot.
(He starts taking off his uniform.)
MARTY: Goddamn is it hot!
LAURA: I'm sorry, honey, this one was really crazy. I thought I
was.you were Never mind. It was nothin'.
MARTY: Yeah, nothin'; that mean ya ain't got nothin' for supper
again either?
He looks around the room and picks up a picture she's drawn on the
table where chalk and other pictures lie scattered.
LAURA: I know, I promised I'd make you something.
MARTY: Oh, yeah, that's okay, maybe we can eat this.
He crumbles it and throws it at her. She quickly grabs it,
straightening the paper.
LAURA: That was early this morning, honey ... before the ... before I
fell asleep ... how long have I?
MARTY: Ya know where I was early this morning' and all goddamned
day? Out in the friggin' sun climbing poles, sweatin' my ass off.
Blood poundin' so hard in my temples, felt like my head'd explode.
Bam! Right through my fuckin' forehead! Then I come home and there
you are, Laura, layin' on the fuckin' bed, sleepin' againor
drawin' a fuckin' pi'ture.
Laura goes to him, putting her arms around his neck and kissing his
cheek but he's angry now and he doesn't respond.
MARTY: Don't hang on me, Laura, it's too damn hot.
Shit just gimme a cold.
(He looks toward the empty place where the ice box should be.)
MARTY: Where's the ice box?
LAURA: The ice box?
MARTY: Jesus! Ya mean to tell me they didn't bring that back today
either? What the fuck?
LAURA: I asked the ole lady, honey, just like you told me, honest.
MARTY: You asked old the ole lady? Fuckin' bullshit. I said you tell
that ole broad
LAURA: No, I did, I said, “Marty says we gotta have it and he means it
this time". So she'll have it up here tomorrow. I made'er
promise. Somethin' about a part they couldn't get' r some¬thin'....
Honest, honey, I told her. I'm sorry.
MARTY: You're sorry! I know, Laura. I ask you to do somethin'; you get
sick or draw a pi'ture instead. You're always sorry, can't you ever,
just once.
(He goes toward her with his fist raised, then stops.)
MARTY: You know what, fuck it.
(He starts out the apartment door.)
LAURA: Where ya goin', you're not leavin'?
MARTY: I'm goin' to the john and take a piss. Then I'm gonna take a
cold shower before I friggin' explode from this fuckin' heat,
okay…
LAURA: Yes, honey, sure, I'm sorry.
MARTY: It was a hunnerd and ten in the fuckin' shade, ya know?
LAURA: I know, it was hot in here too.But it had to be worse out
there.
MARTY: Damned straight. Just gimme a towel.
Laura quickly gets a towel from the dresser.
LAURA: Here, honey. I'll borrow some ice and have a nice cool drink
for ya when ya come back. I love you'n I'm really sorry.
He takes the towel and goes to the bathroom in the hall. Laura picks
up her crumpled picture and some chalk and begins to fix it.
LAURA: There, that's better Ice!
She grabs a bowl and starts down the hall to the other door and
knocks. MITZI steps out.
LAURA: 'Cuse me. I wondered if you'd mind if….
MITZI: I heard, sweetie. You need some ice.
LAURA: If it ain't too much trouble, we didn't get our ice box
back yet.
MITZI: S' okay.
(She hands the bowl to her partner.)
MITZI: Lou, put some ice in here for the little girl next door. The
ole lady'll run ya around to keep from spending a dime to fix
anything. I'll talk to'er for ya if ya want. Hey, Lou, fill it up
real full for'er.
LAURA: Thanks. Marty, works in the hot sun all day 'n I should'a had
somethin' cool for 'im to drink.
MITZI: Ain't your fault. Listen, you just lemme know if ya need any
more.
LAURA: Thanks, again. That's real nice.
She takes the bowl and goes back to the room. As she enters, she gets
some glasses and a pitcher of water. Marty enters, wet and carrying
his clothes with the towel around his waist. He tosses the dirty
clothes on the bed, watches Laura for a minute and then steps up
behind her and puts his arms around her.
MARTY: Listen, before…. I, uh. I. you know, didn't mean
toHey…I figure there's room enough for two in that shower.
Wanna cool off with me?
Laura smiles and he picks her up and kisses her.
Lights fade.
[end of extract]
DOWNLOAD PRICE $7.99Add to cart