The Unnoticed
A play by Rachelle Star Fernandez
Setting the Stage
[Stage opens up to a beautiful, life like three-dimensional forest set. There are two trees off to stage right and one on stage left. There is also one large rock (for someone to sit on) somewhere center - upstage and across from it should be a rock downstage that is near center stage (for someone to stand on). There are two shrubs, one is placed up stage left near the large rock and the other is placed down stage left and there is grass (heights of that grass can vary, make it look natural), which is cut into sections. The length of these sections can vary according to the stage length but the width of these sections has to be TWO feet per each section. The scene opens up with the only two characters of the show on stage. They can never leave. The lighting should appear as sunlight, looking as if the sun will be setting soon, but it never will.]
(As the scene goes on, the forest scene should start to disappear [interpret how you think that should happen, as the play goes on there will be examples on how to do that]. Everything in the end needs to be dead in the end the background, everything is dead except, Price. The set needs to look fake and the actors will never notice or acknowledge the sets disappearances or the changes no matter what.)
Characters:
- Desire (female) Naïve.
- Price (male) A know-it-all.
The World of the Play is a world that, the sun is always on the horizon, it never goes up and never goes down.
Both of the characters should be youthful looking, 20’s to 30’s. Desire should be younger than Price. They should be wearing fall colored clothing, though the stage is a spring setting. The costumes and the character’s hair styles should depict that this is set in an unknown time-period. The characters have no props except for their costumes.
NOTE: This play, has an interesting twist on natural selection and an unknown disease. I thought that I would not tell something about my life, but rather write something that shows what I love a lot in my life: Theatre. The theatre of the Absurd, is one of the best plays because of the ambiguity and essentially, the nothingness of life.
"Natural selection - a noun; the process by which forms of life having traits that better enable them to adapt to specific environmental pressures, as predators, changes in climate, or competition for food or mates, will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than others of their kind, thus ensuring the perpetuation of those favorable traits in succeeding generations."
Reference:
Natural selection | Define Natural selection at Dictionary.com. (n.d.).Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. Retrieved
August 10, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural+selection
[Stage opens up to a beautiful, life like three-dimensional forest set. There are two trees off to stage right and one on stage left. There is also one large rock (for someone to sit on) somewhere center - upstage and across from it should be a rock downstage that is near center stage (for someone to stand on). There are two shrubs, one is placed up stage left near the large rock and the other is placed down stage left and there is grass (heights of that grass can vary, make it look natural), which is cut into sections. The length of these sections can vary according to the stage length but the width of these sections has to be TWO feet per each section. The scene opens up with the only two characters of the show on stage. They can never leave. The lighting should appear as sunlight, looking as if the sun will be setting soon, but it never will.]
(As the scene goes on, the forest scene should start to disappear [interpret how you think that should happen, as the play goes on there will be examples on how to do that]. Everything in the end needs to be dead in the end the background, everything is dead except, Price. The set needs to look fake and the actors will never notice or acknowledge the sets disappearances or the changes no matter what.)
Characters:
- Desire (female) Naïve.
- Price (male) A know-it-all.
The World of the Play is a world that, the sun is always on the horizon, it never goes up and never goes down.
Both of the characters should be youthful looking, 20’s to 30’s. Desire should be younger than Price. They should be wearing fall colored clothing, though the stage is a spring setting. The costumes and the character’s hair styles should depict that this is set in an unknown time-period. The characters have no props except for their costumes.
NOTE: This play, has an interesting twist on natural selection and an unknown disease. I thought that I would not tell something about my life, but rather write something that shows what I love a lot in my life: Theatre. The theatre of the Absurd, is one of the best plays because of the ambiguity and essentially, the nothingness of life.
"Natural selection - a noun; the process by which forms of life having traits that better enable them to adapt to specific environmental pressures, as predators, changes in climate, or competition for food or mates, will tend to survive and reproduce in greater numbers than others of their kind, thus ensuring the perpetuation of those favorable traits in succeeding generations."
Reference:
Natural selection | Define Natural selection at Dictionary.com. (n.d.).Dictionary.com - Free Online English Dictionary. Retrieved
August 10, 2013, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/natural+selection
The Play
[The scene opens up to the two characters talking about the sunset, both are excited but Price is skeptic.]
DESIRE: This is a great spot to watch this.
PRICE: I know it is, but…
DESIRE: What? Do you think it isn’t going to happen? But he said…
PRICE: I just (pause) wouldn’t get your hopes up, you know?
DESIRE: He promised us there would be a sunset today.
PRICE: It is probably only a rumor though, but I am still hoping that he is right.
DESIRE: My grandma used to tell me about when the Sun would set. I really hoped that in my lifetime I would be able to see and the Sun would set again.
[DESIRE sits on a rock upstage in slight disappointment and PRICE stands on the rock that is down stage center, looking over the audience straining to see any signs of the sunset for DESIRE, because he sees that she is disappointed]
PRICE: (unsteady on rock, trying to look as hard as he can for the sunset [which is in the audience]) I think I see something!
DESIRE: You’re just saying that.
[As they are still on the rocks, the grass starts to move, perhaps being pulled off-stage by some sort of string by stagehands (be creative though, if you think of another way try it). BUT the movement of the grass needs to be slow but not too slow to make it look as if it were fading away in pieces, the characters don’t notice]
PRICE: I am not! The sun is moving, slowly but it is moving! (He actually starting to get a little excited as DESIRE runs toward him) See! I told you I wasn’t lying (he smiles).
DESIRE: Oh! I see it! (She then frowns and starts to walk away) I just wish it would be faster.
PRICE: (As his smile goes away he starts to look slightly confused, looks at her, he is not really sure what to make of this.) You are so impatient… he said that it would take awhile. Why can you just enjoy it?
[As this is going on one of the trees on stage right starts to go away. This can be done again by a stage hand that is perhaps been behind the tree all the time. This can be the same for all the trees (but again if you think of another way, try it). A bush at this time after the tree can fade away also.]
DESIRE: (a little mad at his comment) I am not impatient! And, I know what he said! I am enjoying it…
PRICE: (a little annoyed) I can’t believe I am out here with such a baby. The world doesn’t spin because you tell it to! (He starts changing the subject) Look, I am going to sit here and wait for the sunset, and I would love your company, but you have to be patient.
DESIRE: (sits down next to him) Fine… I will wait patiently. I really do want to see this and I don’t want to be alone either (looks at him).
PRICE: Good. (Looks at her and side-hugs her) I need someone to share this event with.
[During this moment another tree (the one on the stage left) and bush (on stage right) both start fading away. Now all that should be left is one more tree on stage right, and a bush and the two rocks]
DESIRE: (Undoes the hug that PRICE started) Yeah… oh, look! I think it might be starting!
PRICE: Do you think it’s going to happen now?
DESIRE: Like I said, I always wanted to see the sun set! I just wish it would happen now! Do you think it will take much longer? (She stands up, still looking at the “horizon”)
PRICE: What do you mean how much longer will it be? We don’t even really know if it will happen, we are going on what he said, not facts.
DESIRE: Well, look who is being the impatient one now!
PRICE: Sorry Desire, I guess this whole waiting thing is getting to me too. I just really don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Maybe it will happen soon, we will just have to be patient.
DESIRE: I have been patient, I have been patient my whole life. I just really want it to be today, I guess. He said it would be today.
PRICE: I think something is happening in the horizon, it looks like it moved a little.
DESIRE: If that is the sunset, I will kiss you!
PRICE: Well, then that sun better set!
DESIRE: Do you think it will ever happen?
PRICE: (he says it with hope but also skepticism) It’s got to...
DESIRE: I hope you are right Price. I really do.
[They look at each other with melancholy expressions and then back to the “sunset.”]
PRICE: Hold on Desire, let me look again. (He goes to the end of the stage, wishing he could do more, But while he is looking, he notices something!)
PRICE: HEY WAIT! Look at the Sun Desire! It isn’t setting! It’s rising!
[He doesn’t notice that as he is looking in amazement at the sun rising that, Desire, skin gets tones of purple and black (try to use lights from the sides of her with a framed lens on her with these colors, like the sun is doing something to her. He does not see this, while Desire starts to struggle for more and more air; she is gasping, because for some reason she cannot breathe. He is perfectly fine.]
PRICE: WOW, I cannot believe this!!!! I am going to have to tell everyone about this! He was right but in the sense that the sun would move!!! Not that it would set but that is would rise!
DESIRE: (Gasping for air, starting to give in, behind him, trying to get to him, but she can’t) Price… It’s (inaudible words, deep breathing)…hel-
PRICE: SHHH! Desire!!! (He breathes in fresh air, but he does not turn around) Wow this is completely amazing. I hope you are watching this Desire; you were the one that wanted to see this miracle happen.
[Lights stay up on actors. Desire is on the floor, not moving, appearing to have died, the color of purple and black is gone and has faded away. Price, is just sitting there, and has not noticed anything, because he is just sitting there watching the sun, that is slowly getting a little higher in the sky (Try to use lights that could be manipulated somewhat like the way the suns rays would be doing). Everything in the background slowly comes back except the grass but the trees and bushes are dead and the rocks have turned brown.]
PRICE: (sitting down) Aw, isn’t life grand.
The actor looks fondly at the “horizon.” Lights of the “horizon” do not fade but actually gets brighter until curtains are completely closed.
THE END
DESIRE: This is a great spot to watch this.
PRICE: I know it is, but…
DESIRE: What? Do you think it isn’t going to happen? But he said…
PRICE: I just (pause) wouldn’t get your hopes up, you know?
DESIRE: He promised us there would be a sunset today.
PRICE: It is probably only a rumor though, but I am still hoping that he is right.
DESIRE: My grandma used to tell me about when the Sun would set. I really hoped that in my lifetime I would be able to see and the Sun would set again.
[DESIRE sits on a rock upstage in slight disappointment and PRICE stands on the rock that is down stage center, looking over the audience straining to see any signs of the sunset for DESIRE, because he sees that she is disappointed]
PRICE: (unsteady on rock, trying to look as hard as he can for the sunset [which is in the audience]) I think I see something!
DESIRE: You’re just saying that.
[As they are still on the rocks, the grass starts to move, perhaps being pulled off-stage by some sort of string by stagehands (be creative though, if you think of another way try it). BUT the movement of the grass needs to be slow but not too slow to make it look as if it were fading away in pieces, the characters don’t notice]
PRICE: I am not! The sun is moving, slowly but it is moving! (He actually starting to get a little excited as DESIRE runs toward him) See! I told you I wasn’t lying (he smiles).
DESIRE: Oh! I see it! (She then frowns and starts to walk away) I just wish it would be faster.
PRICE: (As his smile goes away he starts to look slightly confused, looks at her, he is not really sure what to make of this.) You are so impatient… he said that it would take awhile. Why can you just enjoy it?
[As this is going on one of the trees on stage right starts to go away. This can be done again by a stage hand that is perhaps been behind the tree all the time. This can be the same for all the trees (but again if you think of another way, try it). A bush at this time after the tree can fade away also.]
DESIRE: (a little mad at his comment) I am not impatient! And, I know what he said! I am enjoying it…
PRICE: (a little annoyed) I can’t believe I am out here with such a baby. The world doesn’t spin because you tell it to! (He starts changing the subject) Look, I am going to sit here and wait for the sunset, and I would love your company, but you have to be patient.
DESIRE: (sits down next to him) Fine… I will wait patiently. I really do want to see this and I don’t want to be alone either (looks at him).
PRICE: Good. (Looks at her and side-hugs her) I need someone to share this event with.
[During this moment another tree (the one on the stage left) and bush (on stage right) both start fading away. Now all that should be left is one more tree on stage right, and a bush and the two rocks]
DESIRE: (Undoes the hug that PRICE started) Yeah… oh, look! I think it might be starting!
PRICE: Do you think it’s going to happen now?
DESIRE: Like I said, I always wanted to see the sun set! I just wish it would happen now! Do you think it will take much longer? (She stands up, still looking at the “horizon”)
PRICE: What do you mean how much longer will it be? We don’t even really know if it will happen, we are going on what he said, not facts.
DESIRE: Well, look who is being the impatient one now!
PRICE: Sorry Desire, I guess this whole waiting thing is getting to me too. I just really don’t want you to be disappointed if it doesn’t happen. Maybe it will happen soon, we will just have to be patient.
DESIRE: I have been patient, I have been patient my whole life. I just really want it to be today, I guess. He said it would be today.
PRICE: I think something is happening in the horizon, it looks like it moved a little.
DESIRE: If that is the sunset, I will kiss you!
PRICE: Well, then that sun better set!
DESIRE: Do you think it will ever happen?
PRICE: (he says it with hope but also skepticism) It’s got to...
DESIRE: I hope you are right Price. I really do.
[They look at each other with melancholy expressions and then back to the “sunset.”]
PRICE: Hold on Desire, let me look again. (He goes to the end of the stage, wishing he could do more, But while he is looking, he notices something!)
PRICE: HEY WAIT! Look at the Sun Desire! It isn’t setting! It’s rising!
[He doesn’t notice that as he is looking in amazement at the sun rising that, Desire, skin gets tones of purple and black (try to use lights from the sides of her with a framed lens on her with these colors, like the sun is doing something to her. He does not see this, while Desire starts to struggle for more and more air; she is gasping, because for some reason she cannot breathe. He is perfectly fine.]
PRICE: WOW, I cannot believe this!!!! I am going to have to tell everyone about this! He was right but in the sense that the sun would move!!! Not that it would set but that is would rise!
DESIRE: (Gasping for air, starting to give in, behind him, trying to get to him, but she can’t) Price… It’s (inaudible words, deep breathing)…hel-
PRICE: SHHH! Desire!!! (He breathes in fresh air, but he does not turn around) Wow this is completely amazing. I hope you are watching this Desire; you were the one that wanted to see this miracle happen.
[Lights stay up on actors. Desire is on the floor, not moving, appearing to have died, the color of purple and black is gone and has faded away. Price, is just sitting there, and has not noticed anything, because he is just sitting there watching the sun, that is slowly getting a little higher in the sky (Try to use lights that could be manipulated somewhat like the way the suns rays would be doing). Everything in the background slowly comes back except the grass but the trees and bushes are dead and the rocks have turned brown.]
PRICE: (sitting down) Aw, isn’t life grand.
The actor looks fondly at the “horizon.” Lights of the “horizon” do not fade but actually gets brighter until curtains are completely closed.
THE END
Just a thought...
This is the way I thought the Birdseye view of what I thought the set would look like and also how the grass might be separated so that it can go off stage. There could also be flowers you could add if you really wanted. This is a very theatrical and unrealistic but also realistic play, so use your mind and imagination!
For more of my work: Check out my blog!
This is my first whole play, I have written, but I have written poems and I hope to be able to have time to write more plays when I have free time. I will be doing more art though and posting more paintings soon! I just love all types of art and I thought I would share it! So please, do not copy my work. Thank you - Rachelle Star