“Prompt 2: Write a play where each character says no more than three words at a time.”
NEW GROUPS
CHARACTERS
1. Bald. Nondescript. Male.
2. Blonde. Quiet. Female.
3. ???. ???. ???.
All wear dark brown hooded robes.
SCENE I
A dark stage. THREE HOODED FIGURES stand in a row, bathed in a very low-light that barely brightens their faces. 1, standing directly in the middle, removes his hood. He does not look at the people standing next to him, but instead up towards the last row of the audience, as he speaks.
1.
Welcome, new recruits.
1.
State your purpose.
2 and 3 look up but do not remove their hoods.
2.
Want to fly.
3.
Want to fly.
1 lowers his head and 2 and 3 immediately follow suit.
1.
You can fly.
The stage goes dark.
SCENE II
Same stage set up as before, except now there are THREE DIFFERENT HOODED PEOPLE standing center stage. While not the same as the three before, they all share the same qualities and attributes. 1., standing directly in the middle, removes his hood. He does not look at the people standing next to him, but instead up towards the last row of the audience, as he speaks.
1.
Welcome, new recruits.
1.
State your purpose.
2 and 3 look up but do not remove their hoods.
2.
Want to believe.
3.
Want to believe.
1 lowers his head and 2 and 3 immediately follow suit.
1.
You will believe.
The stage goes dark.
SCENE III
Same stage set up as before, except now there are THREE DIFFERENT HOODED PEOPLE standing center stage. While not the same as the three before, they all share the same qualities and attributes. 1., standing directly in the middle, removes his hood. He does not look at the people standing next to him, but instead up towards the last row of the audience, as he speaks.
1.
Welcome, new recruits.
1.
State your purpose.
2 and 3 look up but do not remove their hoods.
2.
Want to live.
3.
Want to live.
1 lowers his head and 2 and 3 immediately follow suit.
1.
We will live.
The stage goes dark.
SCENE IV
Same stage set up as before, except now all three of the THREE DIFFERENT HOODED GROUPS are standing, forming a pyramid. THREE 1s stand center stage, with the 2 and 3s branching out behind them, in a broken triangle. All three 1s speak at once.
1.
Three new groups
1.
Six new recruits.
1.
For the cause.
All of the 2s and 3s remove their hoods and look straight at the audience, trying their best to make direct eye contact with any audience members that they can.
2.
We are here.
3.
Want to be.
2.
Better for us.
3.
Need to be.
2.
We need this.
3.
We want this.
2.
We crave this.
1.
You have this.
1.
It is yours.
1.
Do you believe?
All of the 2s and 3s lower their heads and the stage goes dark.
SCENE V
The stage is dark. A LOUD CRACKING NOISE reveals a stroke of lightning bursting through the sky. After the lightning the THREE HOODED 1s re-appear on stage.
1.
Came to us.
1.
Needed our help.
1.
Didn't fit in.
1.
We are guides.
1.
We are guardians.
1.
We seek truth.
The stage goes dark.
SCENE VI
The stage is bright--almost blindingly so. An UNKNOWN VOICE speaks from off-stage.
VOICE
It is time.
SCENE VII
THE THREE HOODED 1s appear again center stage, standing dark in contrast against the blinding bright light. The light behind them should resemble the sky.
1.
They are ready.
1.
They are ready.
1.
Time to fly.
The 2s and 3s walk out on large metal structures at the side edges of the stage, so it looks as though they are higher up in the sky.
1.
Do you believe?
2.
We do believe.
3.
We do believe.
The 1s drop their hoods and raise their hands in the air.
1.
You can fly.
SCENE VIII
The 2s and 3s drop from their high perches. They drop their hoods behind them and extend their arms wide by their sides, as if they can use them as wings. One by one each body hits the ground with a large thud. The bodies all lie motionless across the stage floor. The THREE HOODED 1s remain center stage, unfazed.
SCENE IX
The stage goes dark again, with the same eerie low lighting on the faces of the THREE HOODED 1s standing center stage.
1.
We will live.
The stage goes dark.
End.