The Tie
http://blog.chandrahasa.com/archives/category/bangalore/page/
a ten minute piece for two young men.
Theater Words offers royalty free plays and scenes, plays for women, plays for Black actors, African American plays, plays with gay themes, ten minutes plays, scenes, plays for children, plays for small theater groups, created by the Performing Arts Department of The Shipley School.
THE TIE
CAST: 2 males
INTENT: Pacing.
Careful use of understatement.
Introduction to a dramatic and emotional role for young men.
STAGING: Paul - seated. Mike - standing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mike: Are you all right?
Paul: Yeh, sure.
Mike: Are they gone?
Paul: Yeh.
Mike: I was going to come back right away, but I thought I should wait until they had left.
Paul: They've been gone for a long time.
Mike: It's only been since seven. They were here pretty fast.
Paul:Seems like forever.
Mike:Did you make the call?
Paul:Yeh.
Mike: How's your mom?
Paul: She's in the kitchen.
Mike: Do you have to go over there now?
Paul: No, why?
Mike: Well, you have a shirt and tie...
Paul: Oh, I was going to the movies with Katie.
Mike: Oh yeh, I forgot. Did you call her?
Paul: Yeh, she knows.
Mike: What she say?
Paul: Nothing really. What could she say?
Paul takes out a pack of cigarettes.
Paul: I've been waiting to see that movie, too.
Mike: What are you doing with them?
Paul: Plans have a way of breaking up.
Mike:Paul, where'd you get them?
Paul: I went for a walk.
Mike: To buy cigarettes? If your father...
Paul: Yeh, so.
Mike: I can't see you smoking.
Paul: Why not? You do.
Mike: Yeh, but that's different.
Paul: What's different about it?
Mike: My old man doesn't care.
Paul: Doesn't care if you drink either, does he?
Mike: What's that supposed to mean?
Paul: He gives you beer.
Mike: Yeh, but...
Paul: I've been at your house when he pops a bottle for each of you from the refrigerator.
Mike: Yeh, but that's different. We're at home, watching the game,.... you know.
Paul: My dad never drank anything. Don't even have a bottle of beer in the house.
Mike: So?
Paul: That's why Im wearing this tie.
Mike:: What are you talking about? .
Paul: You know why I've got this tie on?
You know why?
Because I'm not allowed out of the house on a date unless I have a tie on and either a
jacket or sweater.
Do you have any matches?
Mike:Come on Paul. Not today.
Paul:Why not? Do you have a match or not?
Mike: Here's a lighter.
Paul: Pretty cool. Where'd you get this?
Mike: My old man gave it to me.
Paul: You know, he's a pretty cool guy, your father.
Mike: Yeh, he's all right. At least when he's not martinied up.
Paul: Did you ever get drunk with him?
Mike: Nah, why would I do that?
Paul: cause he's your dad.
Mike: So what, your dad doesn't even drink.
Paul: I know that. That's what I mean.
He didn't drink. He didn't smoke.
He made me wear this tie.
Mike:Whets the tie got to do with anything?
Paul: Why couldn't he have shared a beer?
Why couldn't he give me a smoke?
Why did he leave me like this?
What kind of a man was he
To leave me alone
Leave me with nothing
(He rips off the tie)
This is all I got.
I'll smoke my lungs out if I want to.
I'll get so drunk I'll spit up my guts.
I'll make myself a man.
I don't need him to do it.
I don't need him.
Mike: Calm down man
Calm down.
Paul: You have a father, Matt
You have someone who treats you like a man
A guy who drinks with you.
Who buys you smokes.
Who hangs around.
Who doesn't leave you.
Mike: You're hurt Paul.
You're just talking.
You're hurt.
Paul:I hate him.
I hate him for what he did.
Mike:Come on man,
I know it's tough.
Paul: All I have is this tie.
What will I have tomorrow?
Mike: More than me.
Paul:You too, You too,
Why can't I be like you?
Be like you and your father?
Screw you man,
(He starts punching at Matt)
Screw you
(The punching continues. Matt grabs Paul's arms.)
Mike:No, not like me.
Not the bruises the bruises
the hits, the fists, the kicks, the burns.
I need to drink his beer.
I need to share his cigarettes.
To watch his games.
I need them to be his son.
To be his friend.
To be near him.
You don't need anything.
You've got yourself now.
You're your own man.
(Pause)
Paul: He left me alone.
He left me alone.
(Cries out and embraces Matt)
He left me alone!!
Mike: What time will it be?
Paul: Saturday.
Saturday at ten.
Will you come with me to the cemetery?
Mike: Sure. (Exits)
(Paul puts the tie back on)
CAST: 2 males
INTENT: Pacing.
Careful use of understatement.
Introduction to a dramatic and emotional role for young men.
STAGING: Paul - seated. Mike - standing.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Mike: Are you all right?
Paul: Yeh, sure.
Mike: Are they gone?
Paul: Yeh.
Mike: I was going to come back right away, but I thought I should wait until they had left.
Paul: They've been gone for a long time.
Mike: It's only been since seven. They were here pretty fast.
Paul:Seems like forever.
Mike:Did you make the call?
Paul:Yeh.
Mike: How's your mom?
Paul: She's in the kitchen.
Mike: Do you have to go over there now?
Paul: No, why?
Mike: Well, you have a shirt and tie...
Paul: Oh, I was going to the movies with Katie.
Mike: Oh yeh, I forgot. Did you call her?
Paul: Yeh, she knows.
Mike: What she say?
Paul: Nothing really. What could she say?
Paul takes out a pack of cigarettes.
Paul: I've been waiting to see that movie, too.
Mike: What are you doing with them?
Paul: Plans have a way of breaking up.
Mike:Paul, where'd you get them?
Paul: I went for a walk.
Mike: To buy cigarettes? If your father...
Paul: Yeh, so.
Mike: I can't see you smoking.
Paul: Why not? You do.
Mike: Yeh, but that's different.
Paul: What's different about it?
Mike: My old man doesn't care.
Paul: Doesn't care if you drink either, does he?
Mike: What's that supposed to mean?
Paul: He gives you beer.
Mike: Yeh, but...
Paul: I've been at your house when he pops a bottle for each of you from the refrigerator.
Mike: Yeh, but that's different. We're at home, watching the game,.... you know.
Paul: My dad never drank anything. Don't even have a bottle of beer in the house.
Mike: So?
Paul: That's why Im wearing this tie.
Mike:: What are you talking about? .
Paul: You know why I've got this tie on?
You know why?
Because I'm not allowed out of the house on a date unless I have a tie on and either a
jacket or sweater.
Do you have any matches?
Mike:Come on Paul. Not today.
Paul:Why not? Do you have a match or not?
Mike: Here's a lighter.
Paul: Pretty cool. Where'd you get this?
Mike: My old man gave it to me.
Paul: You know, he's a pretty cool guy, your father.
Mike: Yeh, he's all right. At least when he's not martinied up.
Paul: Did you ever get drunk with him?
Mike: Nah, why would I do that?
Paul: cause he's your dad.
Mike: So what, your dad doesn't even drink.
Paul: I know that. That's what I mean.
He didn't drink. He didn't smoke.
He made me wear this tie.
Mike:Whets the tie got to do with anything?
Paul: Why couldn't he have shared a beer?
Why couldn't he give me a smoke?
Why did he leave me like this?
What kind of a man was he
To leave me alone
Leave me with nothing
(He rips off the tie)
This is all I got.
I'll smoke my lungs out if I want to.
I'll get so drunk I'll spit up my guts.
I'll make myself a man.
I don't need him to do it.
I don't need him.
Mike: Calm down man
Calm down.
Paul: You have a father, Matt
You have someone who treats you like a man
A guy who drinks with you.
Who buys you smokes.
Who hangs around.
Who doesn't leave you.
Mike: You're hurt Paul.
You're just talking.
You're hurt.
Paul:I hate him.
I hate him for what he did.
Mike:Come on man,
I know it's tough.
Paul: All I have is this tie.
What will I have tomorrow?
Mike: More than me.
Paul:You too, You too,
Why can't I be like you?
Be like you and your father?
Screw you man,
(He starts punching at Matt)
Screw you
(The punching continues. Matt grabs Paul's arms.)
Mike:No, not like me.
Not the bruises the bruises
the hits, the fists, the kicks, the burns.
I need to drink his beer.
I need to share his cigarettes.
To watch his games.
I need them to be his son.
To be his friend.
To be near him.
You don't need anything.
You've got yourself now.
You're your own man.
(Pause)
Paul: He left me alone.
He left me alone.
(Cries out and embraces Matt)
He left me alone!!
Mike: What time will it be?
Paul: Saturday.
Saturday at ten.
Will you come with me to the cemetery?
Mike: Sure. (Exits)
(Paul puts the tie back on)