Gone in 60 Seconds (2014).
For the fourth year in a row, I participated in the Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, occurring again at Victory Gardens Theatre under the curation of Dominic D’Andrea.
Below are both plays I submitted, although this year only The Icebergs of Eden was produced. It was directed by Juan Villa.
Plays from the past three years can be read here, here, and here.
The Icebergs of Eden
ADA, an adult woman
EVERETT, an adult man
ADA and EVERETT sit next to each other on two chairs. They each hold a bucket or bowl filled with ice cubes. ADA holds out her hand and EVERETT places an ice cube on it.
ADA
There was a moment.
EVERETT
When it was everything.
They move their seats a short distance apart.
EVERETT
There was a moment.
ADA
(hands the ice cube back) When it was over.
They move their seats further apart and turn the backs towards each other.
ADA
There was a moment.
EVERETT
(rolls/slides the ice cube to her across the floor) When it might have returned.
They move their seats further apart and stand atop them. As they speak, they toss an ice cube at each other, playing catch. If they drop one, they pick another from their bowls and keep going.
ADA/EVERETT
There was a moment.
ADA
When you said.
EVERETT
When you said.
ADA
“Not if you were the last woman.”
EVERETT
“Not if you were the last man.”
They move their chairs farther apart, stand on them again, look at each other.
ADA
There was a moment.
EVERETT
When you were the last woman.
ADA
When you were the last man.
They dump their ice out around their chairs.
EVERETT
When everything was gone.
ADA
And I missed you.
EVERETT
And I missed you.
End of Play
***
Tradeoff
CARMEN
JOHN
BARBARA
Elementary school students
Lunch. All three children have packed meals and are looking inside them.
CARMEN
Ham and cheese.
JOHN
Turkey.
BARBARA
Chicken salad.
JOHN
Yuck.
CARMEN
Gimme.
CARMEN and BARBARA trade sandwiches.
BARBARA
Anybody want my pudding?
JOHN
Chocolate?
BARBARA
Tapioca.
CARMEN
No thank you.
JOHN
Oatmeal cookie.
BARBARA
Deal.
BARBARA and JOHN trade desserts.
JOHN
I’ve got an apple.
BARBARA
Me too.
CARMEN
Me three.
JOHN
What kind?
BARBARA
McIntosh.
CARMEN
I dunno. Red.
JOHN
Never mind.
Pause. They each bite into their sandwiches. JOHN and CARMEN produce fat
envelopes from their lunches and hand them to BARBARA.
CARMEN
From my mom.
JOHN
From my dad.
BARBARA
What should I ask my grandpa?
CARMEN
It’d be nice if we could get school lunch back.
BARBARA nods and places the envelopes in her sack. They eat.
End of Play
Creative Control 