LITR 3731: Creative Writing
Student Drama Submission 2003
Corrie
Lawrence
“Exit
Lines”
Concept
Statement:
A class of students, in
unusual form, drives a professor to extreme behavior.
Theme
Statement:
Trying times reveal to us the need for changes of which we are
sometimes otherwise unaware.
[Characters
Dr.
White, a disgruntled professor
Will,
the inner voice of Dr. White, a disgruntled professor
Jennifer,
a student
Giselle,
a student
Robert,
a student
Laurie,
a student
Tamrynn,
the last straw…(a student)
Scene:
A classroom much like our own; Dr. White stands at the front of the class,
preparing to begin the day’s lesson; Will, acting as Dr. White’s inner
voice, kneels partly hidden from sight, underneath the professor’s desk.]
Dr.
White:
[glancing at
watch] Okay… ten o’clock It looks like we’re about ready to begin class…
[ENTER JENNIFER]
Jennifer speaks while making her way to a nearby
desk
Jennifer:
Hey, Dr. White. How
are you today?
Dr.
White:
Fine, Jennifer…and you?
Jennifer takes a seat and crosses ankles, with
her feet on the desk
Jennifer:
Yeah,
I’m fine I guess…you know how it goes – up and down, but oh well,
whatever…
Dr.
White:
[looking
curiously at Jennifer] Um, Jennifer. I
know that you’ve had class with me a number of times, and that you’re
comfortable – but…um, it’s probably more advisable for you to sit
correctly… for the furniture’s sake and all…I’m sure you can understand
that…
Jennifer:
Oh –
Sure…no problem. [Uncrosses
legs and sits slouching instead]
Dr.
White:
[still with
a puzzled look] Okay, then it looks like we’re ready to get started today.
Continuing on with our discussion of literary techniques often used in
dramatic composition—
[ENTER
GISELLE]
Giselle
enters classroom walking swiftly and sits down on front row.
She begins noisily unloading bag and slapping binders and notebooks on
desk getting settled for class.
Dr.
White:
[clears throat, and glances occasionally at Giselle as speaking]
As, I was saying, we were talking about techniques used in dramatic
compositions, lets turn to page 355 to see what Minot says about—
Giselle slaps another binder down loudly.
Dr.
White:
[annoyed and speaking loudly] Giselle!
[pausing, continues more quietly] –uh if you could please hold off, you
can look on with another student and unpack in a moment.
Giselle:
[surprised, nods, then shares a book with nearby student]
O-kay… [slowly]
Dr.
White:
Thank you.
Okay, now, where were we?…oh, yes. Robert, if you would, please, on page
three-thirty-five, read from the last paragraph where Minot discusses secondary
scenes and exit lines ….
Robert:
[begins reading] “Occasionally,
a secondary scene may have a dramatic unity in itself …..” [voice becomes
quieter, and fades to background noise]
Dr.
White stares dreamily into space, facial expressions changing as Inner voice
speaks…
Inner
voice/[Will]:
Gosh, how long is it? Four—no, five weeks left of school….just drama
and journals left to grade…Then I can quit checking my e-mail and voice
messages. Ahhhhhhhh [blissfully]….and then Christmas break. Oh yeahhh…
Maybe I’ll go back up north for a week and escape this government funded
school of Southern drawl for a bit…
Robert:
[has finished passage] Did you want me to continue reading?
Dr. White…
Dr.
White is oblivious.
Inner
voice/[Will]:
Yeah…back up north where the leaves actually change color, and it
snows— away from this Houston smog…[Dr. White, smiling now]…and away from
these Texas students and their—
Jennifer: Dr.
White! [loudly]
Dr.
White snaps back into reality, and looks at Jennifer.
Jennifer: Dr. White, are
you feeling all right?
Dr.
White: Yes…just fine.
[shakes head]…you’re finished, Robert?
Robert: [with
a strange look] Yes.
Dr. White:
Then let’s move to talking about the crucial aspect of exit lines.
First of all does everybody understand the basic idea from their reading?
Or rather, I’ll ask if anybody doesn’t
understand it….
Dr.
White scans classroom for hands, meanwhile Laurie and Tamrynn have struck up a
conversation carried on in whispers.
Dr.White:
It looks like everyone understands then, so if I were to ask for an
example, what is something that might be effective? [pause] Anybody?
Laurie:
[looks up from conversation, sheepishly] Um, Dr. White, could you explain
the term to us again.
Tamrynn
begins doodling on notebook.
Dr.
White:
[visibly frustrated] I just asked if everybody understood it, but for
anybody who didn’t get to the reading or wasn’t
listening, Minot tells us that exit lines are lines that can be given to a
character to punctuate a climactic scene. It’s generally a “memorable,
startling, or dramatically revealing statement.”
Laurie:
Okay. [nodding in understanding]
Dr.
White:
That answer your question well enough?
Laurie:
Yes. Thanks.
Dr.White:
[looks around] Who wants to try an example then…Tamrynn?
Tamrynn:
[looks up
from doodling] Huh? Sorry—example of…what?
Dr. White puts hand to his head in disbelief
Inner
Voice/[Will]:
[chanting quickly]
Five
weeks – trees and snow.
Five
weeks – trees and snow.
Out of dodge – No more students!
Five
weeks – trees and snow.
Dr.
White:
[grinds teeth, then says to self] No more students…
Tamrynn:
[politely] pardon?
Dr.
White:
[sighs] If you would, give us an example of an exit line.
Tamrynn:
Exit line
– yeah, what was that again?
Dr.
White:
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!!!
[losing control now] THAT’S IT!!!
I QUIT!!! [begins
gathering his papers and belongings]
Laurie:
Wait. You can’t quit. You
have to give us grades for everything we’ve done in here, first.
Dr.
White:
[vehemently] You want grades?
InnerVoice/[Will]:
[with relish] Oh yeah. Give ‘em grades, Craig!
Dr.
White:
[points at students as he shouts] F
for you, Laurie! F for you, Tamrynn! And you! And you, Jennifer! And Robert! [turns
to Will] And a big fat F for you too,
Will! Everybody fails!!!
Now
I quit!
Will:
[peering out from under desk] Wait a second!
What did I ever do?
Dr.
White:
Fine! D-minus!
Something to be thankful for over your Holidays. And nobody can accuse me of not having a heart!
Dr.
White turns to leave.
Jennifer:
But,
Dr. White, what are you going to do if you quit?
Dr.
White:
I’m going on a long vacation, and when I come back—IF I ever come back, I will be joining a more dignified
government-funded profession!
Robert:
[bewildered] Doing what?
Dr.
White:
I’m going to work for the Post
Office!
~Fin~