1st lines

We are introduced to Mike, a devoted thespian who feels pressure from his friends about going to theatre college.

(A spotlight comes on, the only light on the stage. You hear footsteps as Mike walks onto the stage and into the light. He takes a deep breath, looks down for a few seconds, reads a piece of paper and then looks up)

Mike: It's not really something that hard to see. Could I be a doctor? Absolutely. Would I be happy? No. I understand you want me to succeed and that's amazing to have parents that want me to be the best. But what I don't think you understand is what my version of being the best is. It's not about how much money I have or how amazing or cool people think I am or anything like that. I just want to do something that will make me happy. I want to wake up in the morning and be like “YES I GET TO WORK TODAY!” I want to sit down at my typewriter and I want to be excited. I want to fill people's minds with imagination and I want to take them far away. Anyone can be a doctor Dad but not everyone can take someone else out of their reality and into another.

(clapping from Kendall, seated in the audience. Another spot on Kendall)

Kendall: Bravo! Bravo!

Mike: You think so?

Kendall: Absolutely!

Julie: (seated opposite side of theatre, also in audience, spot on her) Yea man. You really got something. (Mike shakes his head) No I'm serious. You're like the perfect actor. You're versatile, your memory is like amazing and you really want it. People are able to tell you're dedicated.

Oliver: (also seated in the audience, spot on him) You might wanna find a different monologue though.

Mike: (a little shaken) Why?

Oliver: It's shittily written and it doesn't fit you. It's also kind of cheesy too. That's not going to get you into Suffolk, let alone Emerson.

Kendall: (coming to Mike's defense) Wow Oliver you sure know how to make a person feel great. Keep talking, your words inspire me.

Oliver: Well what am I supposed to say?

Kendall: (goes on the stage, at this point the lights on the stage go on to regular lighting) Hmmm I don't know? Positive feedback? Oh wait sorry your ego takes up too much room to allow the ability to be bearable around other people. (chuckles)

Oliver: (goes on stage, as if to challenge Kendall) Oh yeah take his monologue (picks the piece of paper out of Mike's hand) and shove it up your a*s!

Kendall: Wow original comeback dillweed.

Oliver: At least I have maturity!

Kendall: Obviously. It's just oozing throughout you.

Oliver: I don't understand why Mike keeps you around. You're an annoying little s**t. All you do is praise him and you don't push him to be better! All it is sunshine and rainbows and lollipops with you!

Kendall: Being nice never killed anybody!

Oliver: You might wanna tell that to Gandhi.

Kendall: Look he needs an ego boost every now and then! It's not a bad thing.

Oliver: I can't believe you sometimes. You make me want to twist your head off.

Kendall: Wow and I'm being the little s**t?

Julie: Guys..

Kendall and Oliver: SHUT UP JULIE!

Mike: Guys seriously I have time to figure this out, (sits down and pulls out a cig)

Oliver: Not enough time! The auditions are 5 months away. You're going to be a senior in 4. (sees the cig) Smoking still? You know what your mom says.

Mike: I know....

Oliver: Why can't you just quit?

Kendall: Chill out for a sec. He'll quit when he wants to.

Oliver: Are you kidding me? We've been through DARE, we went to the freshman underage drug use forum, his mom yells at him every time for it and he still wants to smoke? How stupid is he?

Mike: So yeah hi it's not like I'm here or anything.

Julie: (coming up onstage) Just leave him alone please. He'll quit when he wants to.

Oliver: You've been saying that for 6 months now.

Kendall: Bro let it go.

Julie: You're giving him another headache guys. (It's obvious Mike's head has been hurting)

Oliver: Look if you just agree with me, this can stop.

Kendall: Why do we have to agree with you? Why can't you agree with us? That's so unfair.

Julie: Can we just let it be guys? We'll talk about this later.

Oliver: No! We need to settle this, it's been pissing me off for 18 years!

Kendall: Suck it up!

Julie: Guys! (Kendall and Oliver are about to fight) Come on! This isn't fair! STOP IT! STOP STOP STOP!

Grant: (from the back of the theatre) Mike! (spot on Mike)

(In the darkness, Kendall, Julie and Oliver exit)

Mike: (looks up, startled) Hey!

Grant: (walks onto the stage) You okay buddy?

Mike: (swallows) Yeah yeah just a little stressed.

Grant: Let's go downtown man, just chill. You look like you need it.

Mike: (distracted) yeah yeah....sounds good.

Grant: (sees the cigarette) Dude you know you're not allowed to smoke in here. You can't get caught again.

Mike: I keep forgetting.

Grant: Yeah I'm getting you out of here. You need to see the light of day.

Mike: It's raining out.

Grant: It's just drizziling. We'll be fine.

(exit down the aisle)

(Julie, Kendall and Oliver enter from offstage.)

Julie: He left us.

Kendall: He'll be back.

Oliver: When he does get back, I'll whoop his a*s.

Julie: NO...that's not right. There's not just us in his lives.

Oliver: It should be just us. It should be only us.

(All 3 exit)

Author's Note

Ignore grammar and stuff like that. Can you basically get what's going on? Is it interesting? Only constructive criticism please.

Reviews

[Jackson Keller]

Hmm, interesting. Is this the start to something bigger? Or is this supposed to be a stand-alone thing? I liked the characters and I got a good feel for what they were like just in this short piece, but it didn't really have a discernible plot. If it were an intro it would be great, but it doesn't work as well on its own.

The way you have it staged is interesting. I'm assuming when you say they're seated in the audience you mean that the characters are actually in the audience. While its a creative idea, it probably wouldn't work too well in practice. For example, depending on where the actors were sitting, the people in the front row would have to turn around all the time. This would distract them from enjoying the show and simply annoy them. It's tempting to break from conventions, but sometimes those conventions are there for a reason.