Shades of blue by Olivia Briggs

Shades of Blue

By Olivia Briggs

Susan is a sixty-year-old campaign manager for a leading presidential candidate. She is a proud member of the Women's Liberation Movement. As smart as she is hard-headed, her career is everything to her. The play is set in a campaign office in Nevada. Posters, featuring a sophisticated woman in her 50s, above the caption: "Rebuild, Revitalize, Rewind. Bernadette Lang 2016", hang along the walls. Susan stands, facing the audience, scrutinizing the fourth wall. The play begins with her monologue, which is addressed to Emily.

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SUSAN:

Pick a word. Pick any word that you think makes people feel something. Inspirational, change, creativity, regenerating, liberalizing, creative, growth, improvement, upward mobility, democracy, democracy, democracy. And what have you got? A bunch of concepts. A whole lot of blown out jargon that doesn't really give anyone any real sense of things, anything visual that they can grab onto, wrap their fist around, and say "Yes. I understand that. I can see that and I want it." People just instinctually hear those words and they think "Well, that sounds good," but sounds isn't enough anymore. Sounds doesn't tap into what people want.

So, what do people want? They want security, they want peace, they want their Saturday night cook-out and a bucket of beer. Inane and sedentary, but that's what they want. They want to know they are taken care of, that the sun will shine brightly on them, that at the end of a long day they can still get an ice cream cone and a giggle in front of the boob tube just like they did when they were children. Ah! Now you understand the essence of it, the essence of these people. All they want to do is be little children again, dive back into that burning nostalgia, that rosy sepia that forgave them the obligation to get up and do, to stand up and say, even sit down and think.

So, now think of a word. Think of a word that promises to give that back to them, and what have you got? Hope? No. Change? No. Can? Can? Can? No. No. No. They want a word that promises to take them right back to where they started this little ride. Rewind. Ahhhh. Now, isn't that beautiful. Don't you think?

Connecting Flight By Tony Yajko

Connecting Flight
By Tony Yajko
Laura, a college student, is waiting for her parents in an airport bar. She is about to get married to her girlfriend, Toni. She has been casually chatting with the waiter in the bar.
LAURA
Oh, you don't know Toni at all. Well, we do have a lot in common. We both like the same music, go to the same school, we're both majoring in law... We're both women.
Nothing more to say?
I remember when Toni and I finally told my parents. They came to Boston to help us move into my new apartment and I kind of figured my mom knew what was going on, but my Dad was totally clueless. So anyway, we got all our furniture moved in and my Dad says to me, "sweetie, where is your bed?" I was totally speechless. And then there was this dead silence where nobody knew what to say. And I think that's when it finally sank in.
My folks didn't speak to me for a year... said they "needed time to accept us". Last summer we went on vacation in Cape Cod and Toni came along. Well as soon as my father saw her get out of the car with me he says, "Did you have to bring her along?"
Toni just looked at my father and said... "Well, it would be a little weird if I didn't invite your daughter."



They didn't bother to show up. Well... so much for my parents being here for the wedding. I know they were checked in on that flight. I made the reservations myself. Everyone on board has already been through here... I'm sick of trying to include them in the wedding when they don't want to be a part of it.

Connecting flight by Tony Yajko

Connecting Flight
By Tony Yajko
Laura, a college student, is waiting for her parents in an airport bar. She is about to get married to her girlfriend, Toni. She has been casually chatting with the waiter in the bar.
LAURA
Oh, you don't know Toni at all. Well, we do have a lot in common. We both like the same music, go to the same school, we're both majoring in law... We're both women.
Nothing more to say?
I remember when Toni and I finally told my parents. They came to Boston to help us move into my new apartment and I kind of figured my mom knew what was going on, but my Dad was totally clueless. So anyway, we got all our furniture moved in and my Dad says to me, "sweetie, where is your bed?" I was totally speechless. And then there was this dead silence where nobody knew what to say. And I think that's when it finally sank in.
My folks didn't speak to me for a year... said they "needed time to accept us". Last summer we went on vacation in Cape Cod and Toni came along. Well as soon as my father saw her get out of the car with me he says, "Did you have to bring her along?"
Toni just looked at my father and said... "Well, it would be a little weird if I didn't invite your daughter."



They didn't bother to show up. Well... so much for my parents being here for the wedding. I know they were checked in on that flight. I made the reservations myself. Everyone on board has already been through here... I'm sick of trying to include them in the wedding when they don't want to be a part of it.

Under the rainbow by Lisa Huberman

Under the Rainbow

By Lisa Huberman

Daphne, 20, seems to have it all. A former geek, she now has a smart, gorgeous boyfriend and an apartment located in the center of the campus social scene. And yet she continually finds herself seeking solace in the company of Rick, the sweet, awkward library worker with a passion for the Wizard of Oz books. Daphne gains not only a new appreciation for Oz, but also a new understanding of herself.

In this monologue, Daphne confesses her inner fears and insecurities to Rick.

DAPHNE:

I'm an adult now. You look at me and you see someone who is stable who dresses well. Well put together. But I look in the mirror and I'm still the awkward 13-year-old in the back of the class who can't keep her mouth shut, brings avocado sandwiches to school and could only afford to shop at the thrift shops. Whose middle school crushes turned out to be gay or in love with the prettier girls. I look in the mirror and still see her. And I'm terrified that if I'm not careful she's going to come out and then everything will be ruined. Everything I've worked for - transferring here, learning how to do my makeup, going through therapy. Will all go away. And everyone will see I'm just a mess. That's crazy, isn't it?

You must think I'm a psycho now, huh?

Great, now I've freaked you out because once again I don't know when to just shut up and let people assume the best about me.

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Daphne uses characters from the Oz books to work through her feelings about Rick, after she discovers he is mentally disabled.

DAPHNE:

You know what I could never get past?

In Tik Tok of Oz when Dorothy finds out that Toto can talk.

In the book Dorothy gets over it in a minute. But I never bought that shit. Dorothy must have felt pretty stupid when she found out. She must have been thinking, wow, everyone else knew Toto could talk and me, his best friend didn't even notice, I must be a complete idiot. If I were Dorothy, I would have put on Ozma's magic belt and have it take me anywhere - to some neglected corner of Quadling Country or across the desert and to the Kingdom of IX.

I'll bet she wishes she never found out.

They both might have been a lot happier.

Eygptology by Lisa Huberman

Egyptology

By Lisa Huberman

Inspired by true events, Egyptology tells the story of Cate, a scholar in her 30s who is struggling to maintain a relationship with her daughter Maddy after her former partner enters into a straight relationship and adopts an increasingly religious worldview. Throughout her journey, Cate draws inspiration from the spirit of her research subject, Egypt's female pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut.

In this monologue, Cate argues with the spirit of her research subject, Queen Hatshepsut, about why she doesn't want to include Hatshepsut's affair with her architect in the biography she is working on.

CATE:

I don't want to highlight the affair with Senenmut because I don't want it to be a Hollywood story. They make films about male leaders that stick to the politics-- why can't women have stories in which their romantic lives aren't explored? You're so much more than that.

Men get to be brilliant, badass, and politically savvy. They get to have stories in which their spouses are just arm-candy. But with stories about female leaders, it's always the man who is either the key to their success or their Achilles heel. He takes over the entire story. You could argue that Cleopatra was the first of the Ptolemies to learn Egyptian or that Nefertiti acted as regent after her husband died, but that's not why anyone cares about them. In comparison, you're more like Hillary Clinton. You're not innately sexual. You're defined by your intelligence and your strength.

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Cate takes offense when Charles, the husband of her former partner, makes sweeping generalizations about her research, and attempts to educate him about the difficulty in recognizing female historical figures for anything besides sex appeal.

CATE:

Cleopatra wasn't Egyptian. She was Greek. Well, Macedonian. And she didn't look like Elizabeth Taylor.

We only remember her that way because she slept around a lot. It's not even fair to group her with ancient Egyptian history. She lived closer to our time than the time of the Pyramids. Even Queen Hatshepsut. They hadn't built pyramids for almost 1,000 years when she took the throne.

Hatshepsut ruled for nearly three decades in peace and prosperity. Cleopatra lost her empire to the Romans. If Hatshepsut was male, and was recognized for all her achievements, she would be honored as much as King Tut and Ramses. She'd be fucking Napoleon. Or at least Eisenhower. But those kinds of stories aren't interesting for women. You never see Hatshepsut portrayed in films starring Elizabeth Taylor. One of the major players has to be male in order for anyone to care.

Repulsive by Joe Brofcak

Repulsive

By Joe Brofcak

Amelia describes her encounter with Brandt to her friend on the phone.

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AMELIA:

Oh my god, Jen, this guy - he is to die for! Tall, with dark hair. Blue eyes, almost clear. I noticed him because his skin seemed to shimmer. Yeah, I know, but it did. Swear to God.

It was at that club. The one in the village. Called Retinal Fetish. Like, two in the morning. Yeah, I know, my parents thought I was over at Rebecca's. My dad doesn't give a shit what I do anyways.

You wanna, like, hear the story, or not?

Okay, so, I noticed him as soon as I walked into the club. No problems with the fake ID. He was sitting at the bar, alone, and I thought he was just gorgeous. His pale skin, glowing under the blacklight is what did it. He looked like a vampire. Yeah, I know, crazy, right? You sound like my mom.

So, yeah, it took me like an hour, but I finally went up to him. Yeah, I was nervous, but I couldn't take my eyes off of him. And after what happened with Trevor… I just felt like I needed to... do something, you know?

So I went over - I tried really hard to be, like, super-casual, and I bought a drink at the bar right next to him. I could feel his eyes boring into me, but, I sipped my wine, and tried to play it cool. But inside, I was like, "Here I am! Talk to me!"

Finally he did. Jen, it was, like, one of those perfect romantic conversations that you only see in the movies. His name is Brandt; he's so smart, I could just listen to him forever. We couldn't take our eyes off each other, and I was staring at him, thinking, "I'm yours."

That's why when he said - and it sort of scared me - okay, it really freaked me out... He was like, "You're so beautiful I want to drink your blood." Kinky, right? I brushed away all the fear, fear of him, of closeness, fear of how things were happening so fast, I swallowed that all down and said, "Sure."

I'm seeing him tonight.

Interstate by Joe Brofcak

Interstate

By Joe Brofcak

Michelle, an attractive young housewife, has run away from her unhappy marriage after injurying her infant son, Adam. While hitchhiking, she is picked up by Jack, who asks her why she is on the run.

MICHELLE:

No one would believe me. They kept saying I needed help, that I was going crazy. They wouldn't listen! So what if I was a little depressed after Adam was born? It doesn't mean I would ever hurt him! He was just crying and crying and I couldn't get him to stop, Jack. I couldn't get him to stop. His screams echoed throughout the house! Before I knew it, I was in the nursery, shaking him and he slipped out of my hands and... I dropped him, Jack!

Can you imagine dropping your son? I saw his whole life play out as he fell... or the life he was losing. And I was powerless to stop it. I was frozen. But you wanna know the scariest thing, Jack? As he fell, there was a part of me that was relieved. I felt a great weight ease from my shoulders. Then he hit the floor and I snapped out of it. Adam had a broken wrist, but seemed okay. My family didn't care. It was the final straw, they said. But I'm not crazy, Jack. I didn't need to go to a mental hospital. I needed to get away from the person I'd become, to leave it all behind. Start fresh. You understand that, don't you?

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