LITR 3731: Creative Writing
Student Drama Submission 2005

Tara Orr

Poetic License

Characters:

Bonnie – reads the role of the narrator in play

Jamie – the star of the play and very vain

Daniel – the slightly drunken frat boy and co-star of the play

Mary Kay – the overworked make up and costume designer behind the play

Alissa – the production assistant and suck-up to the drama teacher

Tara – the student playwright of “Death in Varying Degrees”

Dr. White – the egotistical and sarcastic drama teacher who takes advantage of everyone

        and everything

Sherry – a UHCL security guard; jaded especially when it comes to the students

Karen – a UHCL security guard; new to the job and a current psychology student

Concept sentence:  Students in a drama class who are practicing a new play find out that there are more important things to deal with than the badly written script.

Scene: A late evening at the school during an impromptu play practice.  There are a small group of students going over their roles in the newest school play “Death in Varying Degrees.”  Bonnie, Alissa, Jaime and Mary Kay are sitting around having refreshments and waiting for their teacher.

Jaime:  What idiot decided we should have a practice read through on a Friday night?  Not everyone in this class is lame.  I had Plans.

Mary Kay:  Oh, please.  No one wants to be here right now, especially in this rain.  Besides, everyone knows who you’d be with anyway.  (With a smile on her face) Talent isn’t the only thing that got you here.

Jaime:  (Slamming her copy of the play down) What’s that supposed to mean?

Alissa:  You should both be ashamed!  Dr. White is better than that.  He’d never sully his art with wannabe’s and flashy peacocks.

Bonnie:  (Trying to keep from laughing) Everyone just give it a rest.  I think I hear someone coming.

            Daniel walks to the doorway, leans against it casually, and blinks his eyes a

            few times before shaking his head.

Daniel: Wow! It only took three tries to find the right classroom.  (As he slowly staggers towards Jamie’s chair) Better than last week.  (He leans towards Jaime’s face as if to kiss her.)

Jaime:  (Quickly shoving Daniel away) You can try that on stage but anywhere else and you’ll end up a eunuch.

Bonnie:  Geez, Daniel.  You smell like you slept in your liquor instead of drinking it.

Daniel:  I’m offended by that remark.  I did not sleep in my liquor; I’ll have you know.  That would be waste. 

Mary Kay:  Keep up that drinking and I’ll have to put you in a girdle on opening night to hide that beer belly. 

Daniel:  At least I won’t be the only star wearing one that night.

Jamie:  Very funny.

Alissa:  Why don’t you try to sober up some before Dr. White shows up; you know how he is when things aren’t exactly how he likes them and he deserves to have things the way he likes them.  He’s a creative spirit after all.  There are some coffee and sweets on the table over there.

Daniel:  (As he heads towards the refreshment table) Sweet.  Free grub.

Amidst the bickering Dr. White and Tara walk in to the classroom.

Everyone quiets down.

Dr. White:  Well, it looks like all of you showed up.  Impressive.  I figured most of you wouldn’t make it.  (He walks to the table, refills the coffee mug he walked in with and grabs some cookies.)

Tara:  (She walks to the group pf students and takes a seat next to Alissa.)  Hi guys.

I’m glad I could join you tonight.

Everyone nods or mumbles an acknowledgment towards Jennifer except for Alissa.

Mary Kay:  What do you mean “all of you?”  Less than one third of the cast is here for this read through.  That’s kind of a waste, don’t you think?

Dr. White:  Luckily, I didn’t ask you to think.  I just asked you to show up.  I have a few words to share with you.  (He drinks and he looks at all the students sitting there) Actually, I have a few words to share with all of you.  (He walks over and puts his hand on Tara’s shoulder.) Since this is Tara’s baby, I decided that I should take her opinion in more consideration with the major choices in the play.  That would include actors, the technical aspects and the way the production is being done. 

There is a slight murmur through the group but it dissipates quickly leaving a sense of unease in the students.

Daniel:  What are you saying?

Bonnie:  Are you saying you’re going to make changes to the play with less than two weeks till performance? 

Dr. White:  What I’m saying is that there are only two people in this room who are still involved with the play; and I’m one of them.  (He starts to laugh) Tara is the other.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

After a moment of stunned silence, the students erupt in anger.

Jaime:  Are you saying I’m NOT going to be the starring actress in the play?  I was the only thing worth seeing in the whole debacle!  (She stands and throws her copy on the floor.  Lowering her voice a bit and almost hissing) I earned my role.  How dare you?

Mary Kay:  I just finished all the costumes.  I’ve been working for weeks!  You’ll never be able to redo all that work in time. 

Alissa:  (almost in tears, softly) But why? 

Dr. White:  Why?  You losers want to know why I’m getting rid of you?  (He takes a bite of cookie and disdainfully stares at the fuming students for a moment.)  Where to begin?  Tara is the first truly talented student I’ve seen in years.  The muse has opened my eyes.  Then there’s the rest of you.  Bonnie, Bonnie, Bonnie.  Your narration lacks a certain something; like an iota of life.  Listening to you narrate a drama is like watching a bad infomercial with the sound off.  Mary Kay, I have seen better costuming on a no name Barbie doll in the dollar store.  I mean, did even open eyes to work?  (He is becoming louder and more animated as he turns and faces Jamie and Daniel.)  Daniel, if you spent half as much time with the script as you do puking after one of your frat parties, you might actually have the potential to be a bad actor.  As for you Jaime, my little ingénue, your performance is…rather lacking.   (He starts to move towards Alissa as he speaks.)  Finally, we come to the end… (He stops moving and starts to grab at his chest, gasping, unsuccessfully, for air.)  

Tara: Dr. White?  What’s wrong?

Dr. White falls to the floor. 

Alissa:  NO!

Jennifer: (Screams) Someone help us!

 Jamie: I guess I was too much for him after all.

Daniel: (Daniel goes back to the table for another cookie.) Dude, that sucks. (Takes a bite of cookie.)

Two UHCL security guards come rushing into the classroom.

Sherry:  What is going on here?  We heard you all the way downstairs in the office.

Mary Kay:  Our sham of a teacher just keeled over.  Don’t you people screen who you are going hire at this place? 

Bonnie:  (leaning over Dr. White’s body) I think he’s dead.  (Then moving towards the food table)  At least I know his sense of taste was dead.  I mean he chose this piece of crap over some of the classics.

Tara:  Hey.  I worked hard on that.  Don’t take your anger out on me.  I can’t help it if he liked my style.

Mary Kay:  You know he liked Jaime’s performance and you still think he had style?

Jaime:  Shut up!  No one asked you to be on stage.

Karen:  Now, now guys.  Everyone just needs to take a little break.  I know that you’re all in shock over this painful loss but we have to be kind to each other.  While anger at a sudden death is understandable, it’s not really healthy.

Sherry:  Thanks for the therapy session Karen, but how about you do the job you get paid for and help me out?  (She walks to Dr. White’s body and rolls him over.)

Daniel:  You’re sure not joking about anger being unhealthy.  Dr. White had been raising hell when he keeled over.  His face was so red I thought he was going to burst.

Tara:  Maybe he just had a heart attack?  He wasn’t exactly a young buck.

Sherry:  No, I don’t think that’s it.  Look at his lips.

Jaime:  (Under her breath) Never again.

Karen:  Don’t worry Jaime.  You may not see him in this world but he’ll always be in your memory. 

Bonnie:  Man, I hope not.

Sherry:  They’re blue.  (She leans closer to his face.)  There’s also a faint smell of …almonds?  I think he was poisoned.

Everyone puts down the food they’ve been eating.

Tara:  Who brought the food?  That should solve the problem.  Who ever brought the food would have to be the one who did it?

Mary Kay:  I brought it but I didn’t poison him.  He told me to bring the food as a surprise.  Why would I do it if I knew I’d be caught? And although I don’t really like the majority of you I wouldn’t risk someone else.

Sherry:  It seems like it has to be you.  Who else could have done it? Although it it seems more plausible that a massive dose was ingested quickly like in a drink because food takes longer to get through the system.

Daniel: Hey wait a minute Dr. White already had a cup of coffee when he walked in the room, and he was with Tara.

Tara: I didn’t do it he is the only one who liked my play. I didn’t do it.

Jamie: I don’t care who did it. Who ever did it thank you.

Alissa:  (Crying.) Stop it, stop it all of you! Don’t disrespect Dr White. Even dead, he’s still an artistic genius.  (Everyone looks at her.)  Besides, I did it.

Karen:  Now calm down.  Don’t let this loss make you crazy.

Tara:  Why?  He liked you?

Alissa:  No.  He just liked for me to do everything for him.  Get me the paper.  Get me the cast listing.  Get my lunch.  Get me my coffee.  I heard the way he talked about you, Tara.  You were taking my place and I couldn’t have that, now could I?  (Tara slumps into her chair.)  Oh, I got his coffee for him, alright.  I got him one hell of a cup tonight.

Bonnie:  You’re more of a freak than I pegged you for.  I don’t know if I should praise you or hit you.

Sherry:  Well, no one’s going to get that chance to slap her until she gets to the station.  (She handcuffs Alissa and leads her past the body.)  Although, it might make me feel better since you interrupted my dinner.

Karen:  Now Sherry, do you think that will really help you?  I think you’re just transferring emotions onto someone else to make you feel better.

Sherry:  Shut up.  Let’s go.  (Sherry, Karen and Alissa walk out.)

Alissa: (Trying to kick Dr. white as she’s escorted by.) You ruined everything.  I was supposed to be your muse not that hack writer.  Stupid man.  I was your inspiration!  You just didn’t realize it yet!

The students slowly start to walk to the door, finally quiet.

Karen:  (voice is heard from the in the hall.)  I think we can work through this anger if you just try.