The Play's the Thing, y0
Mar. 4th, 2007 10:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
revieloutionneSo, Dr. Blanning came into my Ed something-or-other class Thursday and explained the structure of plays and gave us an example assignment we could use with students, which was to write a very specific kind of play that is ridiculously short and simple, but still good by sheer virtue of being done right.
We were allowed to write one for credit, so here is mine:
Sweet Grapes
A small restaurant. Entrance on the left, a two-person booth center is the only one that matters, doors to the kitchen up right, and restrooms right. A woman, Sarah, is already seated at the booth as another enters.
Sarah: Mary! I hope you don’t mind I’m a little impatient and already ordered.
Mary: (Seating herself across from Sarah) No, that’s fine. I would’ve myself. How’s the week been?
Sarah: Good, good. James has had it strongly hinted that he’ll be up for promotion after his review.
Mary: Ooooh.
Sarah: I know. How are you and Ben?
Mary: We’re thinking late spring would be nice. Not sure if we’ll be indoors or out, if we’ll be at a church, or which, but at least we’ve got the date a little narrowed.
Sarah: Oh, that’s nice.
(The waiter, Sam, comes out of the kitchen and heads to the booth)
Sam: Mary! Good to see you again. Need the menu?
Mary: Of course not!
Sam: Right then, club on wheat with honey mustard in place of mayo comin’ up, and I’ll be right back with your lemonade.
Mary: Thanks much!
Sarah: Honey mustard? When did that happen? You haven’t changed your order in three years, God knows why, and now honey mustard?
Mary: Oh, you remember, don’t you? Last time I was in the mayo had been left out and they weren’t risking it, so Sam recommended going with honey mustard instead of going sauceless.
Sarah: No, don’t remember that at all. Huh. Must be getting old.
Mary: Oh, now don’t say that! I’m not even married yet! Can’t look forward to a long and happy life (Sam returns with lemonade) if I’m already old!
Sam: Oh, you’re not old. Are you calling her old? Pff. Your foods almost ready, back in a bit.
Mary: Isn’t he sweet? You don’t get many waiters like him anymore…
Sarah: No, can’t say that I do. (pause) What’s Ben been up to lately? I mean, it’s been a while since he’s had something up in a gallery hasn’t it?
Mary: Oh, he’s getting a big show lined up as we speak, actually. I’m a bit hazy on the details, but he’s going to be getting the whole space if it works out, so I’m excited.
Sarah: Oooh, he’s moving up, too, then? We should have ourselves a celebration sometime soon! I mean, we’d have to wait for Ben to actually get the space and for James to actually be promoted, of course, but.
Mary: Oh, of course, but most definitely.
Sarah: And it would have to be just the four of us, because if you invite other people to something like that, then you’re just bragging.
Mary: Right, right.
Sarah: And I know this is well-in-advance planning, but I think that a Wednesday night would be perfect for James and I; we’re usually not doing anything then. I mean, we’ll have to work around your and Ben’s schedules, too, but-
Mary: Oh, don’t get into the details now, we’ve got a while to wait.
Sarah: Oh, I know, but still. It’s fun to plan.
Sam: (returning with food) There you are, and there you are. Y’know, Sarah, I really don’t understand why you always order something different every time you come in. I mean, Mary here is a much easier customer to have; why not please the waiter like she does?
Sarah: Oh, I can never stand more-of-the-same-ness anywhere but my marriage.
(Pause)
Sam: Well. I think that I’ll just bring out the check for convenience’s sake; feel free to stay as long as you like, of course. Before I do that, though, do either of you intend on dessert? We just got in a grape pie that is to die for.
Mary: Oh, I think I’ll try that. I’ve never had grape pie. What about you, Sarah?
Sarah: Oh, I don’t need anything sweet, thanks.
Sam: Right. Back with the check, then.
Mary: Grape pie? Gosh, just makes you think of all the things you never think of that make perfect sense.
Sarah: No, I know what you mean. I like things like that, though. It’s such a nice little joy discovering things like that.
Mary: Yeah…
(They eat for a bit)
Mary: Oh, excuse me; I’ve got to use the restroom. Be right back.
(Mary exits, Sam arrives with the check.)
Sam: Oh, and the pie is on the house.
Sarah: Cute, but no.
Sam: What?
Sarah: Mary is engaged. To a very lovely man, and this is going to stop before said very lovely man finds out.
Sam: Shit, she’s engaged?
Sarah: She never told you?
Sam: Well, it never came up. I mean, she should have said, but I just assumed that she was… CHRIST!
Sarah: I didn’t know she had that in her! The things you never realize…
(pause)
Sarah: So yeah, Mary pays for the pie, and this ends, yeah?
Sam: Yeah…
Sarah: Look, kid, I’m sorry, but you’ve still got plenty of time to find a keeper. At least this hadn’t been happening long, right?
Sam: Yeah. It’s not so much that I’ve lost her in particular, though, y’know?
(Mary returns)
Mary: Oh, check’s here? I’ve got that.
Sam: Hang on, I forgot the pie.
Mary: It’s not on the house?
Sam: My manager caught on. We all love you guys here, but he said no more free pies.
Sarah: Oh, I left my wallet in the car! Back in a second!
(Sarah exits)
Mary: Huh. Usually Sarah’s on her wallet like you wouldn’t believe.
(pause)
Mary: Wow, you’re chatty today. What’s bugging you?
BLACKOUT
(Also: Take that Taylor! I'm not killing peoples FLists.
We were allowed to write one for credit, so here is mine:
Sweet Grapes
A small restaurant. Entrance on the left, a two-person booth center is the only one that matters, doors to the kitchen up right, and restrooms right. A woman, Sarah, is already seated at the booth as another enters.
Sarah: Mary! I hope you don’t mind I’m a little impatient and already ordered.
Mary: (Seating herself across from Sarah) No, that’s fine. I would’ve myself. How’s the week been?
Sarah: Good, good. James has had it strongly hinted that he’ll be up for promotion after his review.
Mary: Ooooh.
Sarah: I know. How are you and Ben?
Mary: We’re thinking late spring would be nice. Not sure if we’ll be indoors or out, if we’ll be at a church, or which, but at least we’ve got the date a little narrowed.
Sarah: Oh, that’s nice.
(The waiter, Sam, comes out of the kitchen and heads to the booth)
Sam: Mary! Good to see you again. Need the menu?
Mary: Of course not!
Sam: Right then, club on wheat with honey mustard in place of mayo comin’ up, and I’ll be right back with your lemonade.
Mary: Thanks much!
Sarah: Honey mustard? When did that happen? You haven’t changed your order in three years, God knows why, and now honey mustard?
Mary: Oh, you remember, don’t you? Last time I was in the mayo had been left out and they weren’t risking it, so Sam recommended going with honey mustard instead of going sauceless.
Sarah: No, don’t remember that at all. Huh. Must be getting old.
Mary: Oh, now don’t say that! I’m not even married yet! Can’t look forward to a long and happy life (Sam returns with lemonade) if I’m already old!
Sam: Oh, you’re not old. Are you calling her old? Pff. Your foods almost ready, back in a bit.
Mary: Isn’t he sweet? You don’t get many waiters like him anymore…
Sarah: No, can’t say that I do. (pause) What’s Ben been up to lately? I mean, it’s been a while since he’s had something up in a gallery hasn’t it?
Mary: Oh, he’s getting a big show lined up as we speak, actually. I’m a bit hazy on the details, but he’s going to be getting the whole space if it works out, so I’m excited.
Sarah: Oooh, he’s moving up, too, then? We should have ourselves a celebration sometime soon! I mean, we’d have to wait for Ben to actually get the space and for James to actually be promoted, of course, but.
Mary: Oh, of course, but most definitely.
Sarah: And it would have to be just the four of us, because if you invite other people to something like that, then you’re just bragging.
Mary: Right, right.
Sarah: And I know this is well-in-advance planning, but I think that a Wednesday night would be perfect for James and I; we’re usually not doing anything then. I mean, we’ll have to work around your and Ben’s schedules, too, but-
Mary: Oh, don’t get into the details now, we’ve got a while to wait.
Sarah: Oh, I know, but still. It’s fun to plan.
Sam: (returning with food) There you are, and there you are. Y’know, Sarah, I really don’t understand why you always order something different every time you come in. I mean, Mary here is a much easier customer to have; why not please the waiter like she does?
Sarah: Oh, I can never stand more-of-the-same-ness anywhere but my marriage.
(Pause)
Sam: Well. I think that I’ll just bring out the check for convenience’s sake; feel free to stay as long as you like, of course. Before I do that, though, do either of you intend on dessert? We just got in a grape pie that is to die for.
Mary: Oh, I think I’ll try that. I’ve never had grape pie. What about you, Sarah?
Sarah: Oh, I don’t need anything sweet, thanks.
Sam: Right. Back with the check, then.
Mary: Grape pie? Gosh, just makes you think of all the things you never think of that make perfect sense.
Sarah: No, I know what you mean. I like things like that, though. It’s such a nice little joy discovering things like that.
Mary: Yeah…
(They eat for a bit)
Mary: Oh, excuse me; I’ve got to use the restroom. Be right back.
(Mary exits, Sam arrives with the check.)
Sam: Oh, and the pie is on the house.
Sarah: Cute, but no.
Sam: What?
Sarah: Mary is engaged. To a very lovely man, and this is going to stop before said very lovely man finds out.
Sam: Shit, she’s engaged?
Sarah: She never told you?
Sam: Well, it never came up. I mean, she should have said, but I just assumed that she was… CHRIST!
Sarah: I didn’t know she had that in her! The things you never realize…
(pause)
Sarah: So yeah, Mary pays for the pie, and this ends, yeah?
Sam: Yeah…
Sarah: Look, kid, I’m sorry, but you’ve still got plenty of time to find a keeper. At least this hadn’t been happening long, right?
Sam: Yeah. It’s not so much that I’ve lost her in particular, though, y’know?
(Mary returns)
Mary: Oh, check’s here? I’ve got that.
Sam: Hang on, I forgot the pie.
Mary: It’s not on the house?
Sam: My manager caught on. We all love you guys here, but he said no more free pies.
Sarah: Oh, I left my wallet in the car! Back in a second!
(Sarah exits)
Mary: Huh. Usually Sarah’s on her wallet like you wouldn’t believe.
(pause)
Mary: Wow, you’re chatty today. What’s bugging you?
BLACKOUT
(Also: Take that Taylor! I'm not killing peoples FLists.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-03-05 04:44 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-05 05:16 am (UTC)Still egoist, just not as much. Besides, even taking it at "inserting my name" value, am I not saying that mayo is a bad thing, there?
no subject
Date: 2007-03-05 04:46 am (UTC)