If, Script.

This is a scrip I wrote for my drama class and I found that I liked it so I decided that I would post it here. This script is based off the poem If by Rudyard Kipling, the script follows life, enjoy

This is a script adaptation to the poem If by Rudyard Kipling, a poem that follows the struggle of the real world and all the hardships that people (young people especially) go through when they go from high school or post-secondary to the working world. This script was made with all these hardships in mind.

(Lights up on center up stage and upstage right fade in music something like Daughtry: 18 Years)

(Daughter is sitting at table reading a book)

Enter Mother:

Lily: Hey how was school today?

Caitlyn: Ok I guess, nothing much happened. The most memorable part of the day was celebrating Jessie’s birthday. How was work?

Lily: Well it could have ended better, the boss is pressuring me for the Kipling reports, and next week is the company dinner so we have to start planning that, but that’s my problem not yours. What do you want to do for supper?

Caitlyn: How about… Italian?

Lily: Sounds good. Oh and before I order the food I think it’s time we talked…

Caitlyn: About what?

Lily: Well you just recently turned eighteen so I think it’s time when I was your age my father Rudyard sat me down and told me “son this world is going to throw everything that it can at you, just remember these words. If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs, if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or, being lied about but not dealing in lies, or being hated but not give way to hatred, and yet don’t look to good nor talk to wise.”

Caitlyn: What is that poetry?

Lily: Yes, but I wasn’t finished now as I was saying…

(Lights fade out as stage is reset to mimic a church, then fade in on daughter and husband at alter with priest and Lily on “pews”)

Priest: My dear friends, you have come together in this Church so that the lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of the Churches minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated you in baptism and now he enriches and strengthens you by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.   

Lily: If you can dream- and not make dreams your master: If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim: If you can meet with triumph and disaster, and treat those two imposters just the same-

Priest: Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join your right hands, and declare your consent before God and his Church.

Christian: I, Christian Ashford, take you Caitlyn Bradshaw, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

Caitlyn: I, Caitlyn Bradshaw, take you, Christian Ashford to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.

Lily: If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Priest: do you take this woman to be your loftily wedded wife?

Lily: Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools. Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, and stoop and build ‘em up with worn out tools.

Priest: Do you take this man to be your loftily wedded husband?

Caitlyn: I do.

Priest: I now pronounce you man and wife you may kiss your bride. (Christian and Caitlyn kiss)

(Lights fade out and in on hospital, nurse is outside room with daughter and husband, father is on bed near death)

Nurse: She’s not doing too well, she said to tell you: If you can make one heap of all your winnings and risk it on one turn of pitch and toss and lose and, start again at your beginnings and never breath a word about your loss-

Caitlyn: If you can force your heart nerve and sinew to serve your turn long after they are gone and so hold on when there is nothing in you except the will which says to them “hold on.”

Nurse: Maybe you should see her, she may not make it.

Caitlyn: I think I will.

(Exit Nurse)

(Caitlyn walks over to Greg and opens a “door” she enters and Christian follows.)

Caitlyn: Hey mom how do you feel?

Lily: Caitlyn?

Caitlyn: I’m here mom, right beside you.

Lily: I didn’t here you come in.

Caitlyn: So how are you, are the nurses taking good care of you?

Lily: They are, but the pain doesn’t seem to be going anywhere it just seems to be getting worse.

Caitlyn: Would you like Christian and me to leave so you can get some sleep?

Lily: Please, it’s long past time for me to sleep.

Caitlyn: Ok, I’ll also send up a nurse with some morphine. Bye mom.

(Lights fade out, and fade up on daughter standing in front of a grave holding something hidden in the shadow.)

Caitlyn: If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, or walk with kings- nor loose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you; If all men count with you, but none too much. If you can fill the unforgiving minute, with sixty seconds worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And-which is more- You’ll be a man… My son.

(Daughter moves object into the light and it is revealed that it is a child wrapped in a towel.)

Caitlyn (cont.): I miss you mom…

(Lights fade out; Music fades in Crystal Shawnda: You can let go now daddy and sounds of rain can be heard in the distance.)