Gone in 60 Seconds (2015).
Below are the plays from my fifth year of writing for the Chicago One-Minute Play Festival, occurring this year at The Den Theatre under the curation of Dominic D’Andrea.
A Good Kid was directed by Patrice Foster and Sustain by Lee Stark. These are the original, uncut scripts; both had cuts made to them in production either for purposes of time or other directorial decision.
My complete collection of these plays can be read here.
A Good Kid
ANDREW
VIRGINIA
CLAIRE
ROSS
ANDREW and VIRGINIA sit in their living room, speaking to CLAIRE, who listens attentively. She has a notebook and pen but rarely writes anything.
VIRGINIA
You do your best. I know that’s what everybody says, but—
CLAIRE
—it’s true.
VIRGINIA
Yes. It’s true. People say that because it’s true. But it’s not just about love and support.
ANDREW
No.
VIRGINIA
It’s about giving them ideals. Standards.
ANDREW
A compass.
VIRGINIA
That’s the word for it.
ANDREW
I tell him, his very first day of junior basketball at the rec center: You’re on a team. Don’t be selfish. Think of the team. Take the shot if you have it, not because you want it.
VIRGINIA
He was such a good player. He stopped in high school. You know why?
ANDREW
Listen to this. Listen to this.
VIRGINIA
He was volunteering at the local shelter. It was conflicting with practice. His coach said…
ANDREW
(overlapping) …Jesus that guy…
VIRGINIA
…”you choose ball or you choose those deadbeats.”
ANDREW
Walked off the team. Right then. Right there. I want you to know that. That’s my son. That’s who he is. Make sure you say that.
ROSS enters. He wears a jacket and jeans. His face has been freshly washed but not fully dried.
ROSS
Mom. Dad. I’m ready.
VIRGINIA goes to ROSS, straightening his jacket, fixing his hair. ANDREW speaks to CLAIRE.
ANDREW
You’ll get that check to us, yeah? For your exclusive? We have legal to pay for.
CLAIRE
Of course.
ANDREW
He’s a good kid. A good kid. Got mixed up with a rotten crowd is all. (He stands to join VIRGINIA and ROSS.)
CLAIRE
You’re calling—
ANDREW
I know what I said. A rotten crowd. You can fucking quote me on that.
ANDREW, VIRGINIA, and ROSS walk offstage, into a sudden flurry of flashbulbs and people yelling “Officer! Officer!” CLAIRE makes a note in her notebook.
End of Play
***
Sustain
WANDA
KEITH
KEITH sits in a chair onstage. WANDA has just entered, carrying a case containing a reeded instrument. They look at each other, she with quiet anger and he with quiet shame.
She sets a chair in front of him, sits down, and removes the instrument from the case. Looking directly at him, she plays a single, sustained note on the instrument for as long as she can sustain it in one breath. She removes the instrument from her mouth.
WANDA
And then the nurse came in and switched off the monitor.
Pause.
KEITH
I should have been there.
WANDA puts her instrument back in the case.
WANDA
Yes. You should have. But you weren’t. And now you never will be.
WANDA exits.
End of Play
Creative Control 