Saturday, September 22, 2012

In the Trees II: Lust on the Limb


And here's the sequel to my Doubleshot 60 second play, this one based on the word "Lust." 



(Scene: we're high in the forest canopy of South America, eight years later than the last scene. Two of our sloths, Cynthia and Albert, are hanging from the same tree limb. They're laughing and flirting.)

              CYNTHIA
     Oh, you!

              ALBERT
     Oh, you.

              CYNTHIA
     No, oh YOU.

              ALBERT
     No, oh YOU.

(They laugh.)

               ALBERT
     God, Cynthia, I love this time with you.

              CYNTHIA
     And I you, Albert. You make me happier than I ever thought I could be again.

              ALBERT
     It's been eight years, Cynthia.

              CYNTHIA
     And sometimes I think that's almost enough.

              ALBERT
     Oh Cynthia. You know I love you. That's why I keep hanging on this limb. Monsoon or drought, brown beetles or brown leaves, I've been here with you.

              CYNTHIA
     It's true.

              ALBERT
     I have wanted you so. Gazing day after day on your svelte curves, your delicate snout, that cute little band of coloration over your eyes....

              CYNTHIA
     We all have that.

              ALBERT
     But on you it's so erotic.

              CYNTHIA
     Albert, I've wanted you too. And now that the children have left the limb and are halfway to another tree, I think that maybe I can imagine a different life.

              ALBERT
     A life with me?

              CYNTHIA
     Yes. Yes, I think so.

              ALBERT
     My darling!

              CYNTHIA
     My own!

(They begin to rush towards each other. They're sloths. Before they can get there, from the trunk end of the limb:)

              OLIVER
     I'm back!


(End of Play)
 

Friday, September 21, 2012

In The Trees




The good folks at NPA are staging Doubleshot, their 24 Hour Play Festival, tomorrow at 7:00 pm as part of the Broadway Center for the Performing Arts' "Free For All" Fall Festival. This time round they asked me to write a 60 second play--with the option of a second one to fill in for a fellow playwright who's had to drop out.

So I did. It was so much fun I wrote a second one right after.

The theme of this Doubleshot's "The Seven Deadly Sins," and yes, I drew Sloth. 

So without further ado, here's a tiny drama I call "In the Trees."



(Scene: We're high in the tree canopy of the South American rainforest, upwards of 60 feet above the forest floor. It's a lovely late afternoon. Hanging on one long tree limb are three large sloths, Albert, Oliver and Cynthia. Oliver is hanging between Albert and Cynthia. Oliver has just woken up with a start.)

               OLIVER
     Ohmygod HELP!

(Albert and Cynthia wake up.)

              OLIVER
     Ohmygod please help me someone I'm slipping!

              CYNTHIA
     Oliver?

              OLIVER
     Ohmygod!

              ALBERT
     What's going on?

              CYNTHIA
     Oliver's yelling!

              OLIVER
     I'm slipping!

              CYNTHIA
     Oh my god he's slipping!

              OLIVER
     Do something!

              ALBERT
     We've got to do something!

              CYNTHIA
     Oliver! We're coming sweetheart! Just hold on!

              OLIVER
     I'm slipping!

(Albert and Cynthia start to move towards Oliver as fast as they can. They're sloths.)

              ALBERT
     It's okay buddy! We're coming!
              CYNTHIA
     Hang on darling!

              OLIVER
     I'm still slipping!

              ALBERT
     Just don't look down!

              OLIVER
     My toes! My toes! They're letting go!

              CYNTHIA
     Almost there sweetheart!
          (they're not a lot closer.)

              OLIVER
     Why god why? Why me?

              ALBERT
     Don't look down!

              OLIVER
     Why just three toes? Do you hate sloths?

              ALBERT
     Almost there buddy.

              OLIVER
     Oh god. Cynthia, tell the children that...Cynthia?

              ALBERT
     I think she's asleep Oliver.

              OLIVER
     Really? Well that's just....
          (he looks over to Albert, who's also nodded off.)
     Well that's just...
          (he nods off, still hanging on.)

(End of Play)