TOUCH IT
By Joe Musso
SYNOPSIS: A chance encounter in a public park is the setting for this
abstract play in which strangers fail in their attempt to communicate and
only succeed when they abandon their efforts.
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CAST OF CHARACTERS
Three men*
SETTING
A sunny day in the park. A park bench.
*TOUCH IT has been performed with an all-female cast and a mixed gender
cast.
PRODUCTION HISTORY: TOUCH IT was produced by NewGate
Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island, from June 10-26, 2005; by the
Worcester Arts for Youth in cooperation with the Redfeather Theatre
Company in Worcester, Massachusetts, on June 17, 2005; and by the
Gulfport Community Players in Gulfport, Florida, from July 14-24, 2005.
TOUCH IT was previously produced by the Uptown Players in association
with Nantucket Theatrical Productions in Nantucket, Massachusetts, the first
two weekends in July 2004 and was produced by City Theater Company as
part of their 9th Annual Delaware Ten Minute Play Festival on July 28, 2004,
in Wilmington. TOUCH IT was also a semi-finalist for the Creative
Mechanics Theatre Company’s 2005 STAGE THIS! Festival and received a
staged reading at Brass Tacks Theatre Company's Third Annual Rosetta
Festival of New Works in New York on April 24, 2004.
AT RISE:
A sunny day in a park. A man (MAN ONE) is sitting on a bench. He
is holding a rectangular box (about the size of a shoe box). Another
man (MAN TWO) walks on stage and sits next to him. MAN TWO
begins reading the classified section of the newspaper.
(To MAN TWO.) Excuse me, sir.
(Putting down his newspaper.) Are you speaking to me?
Yes. I want you to look in my box.
Why?
You'll see.
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MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN ONE opens the box and MAN TWO looks inside it. The
audience is blind to what’s inside the box.
MAN ONE: (Continued.) Will you touch it?
MAN TWO: No.
MAN ONE: It’s okay if you touch it.
MAN TWO: I don’t want to.
MAN ONE: Come on, touch it.
MAN TWO: (Looking off stage.) Maybe that man over there sleeping
under a tree, maybe he would like to touch it.
MAN ONE: (Closing the box.) I don’t want him touching it.
MAN TWO: As you wish.
MAN TWO resumes reading the newspaper. After a few moments, he
puts the newspaper down.
MAN TWO: (Continued.) Where did you get it?
MAN ONE: I don’t know.
Copyright © MMIV by Joseph Vincent Musso. All rights reserved. Caution:
Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that TOUCH IT is subject to a
royalty. ALL INQUIRIES CONCERNING PERFORMANCE RIGHTS,
INCLUDING AMATEUR RIGHTS, SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO
HEUER PUBLISHING LLC, PO BOX 248, CEDAR RAPIDS IA, 52406.
www.heuerpub.com
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MAN TWO: When do you first remember seeing it?
MAN ONE: I don’t remember the first time I saw it.
MAN TWO: I asked you when you first remembered seeing it, not the
first time you saw it.
MAN ONE: Are you trying to confuse me?
MAN TWO: No, I’m searching for clues.
MAN ONE: I’m telling you, I don’t remember anything.
MAN TWO: I'm afraid that puts you at a disadvantage.
MAN ONE: How?
MAN TWO: You have no point of reference.
MAN ONE: You’re not being supportive.
MAN TWO: (Returning to his newspaper.) Believe what you want.
Pause.
MAN ONE: It’s high time you reveal whose side you’re on.
MAN TWO: It’s not a matter of taking sides.
MAN ONE: It most certainly is.
MAN TWO: I refuse to argue with you.
MAN ONE: You’re ruining everything.
MAN TWO: (Putting down his newspaper.) You’re just mad I won’t
touch it.
MAN ONE: You’re ruining everything.
MAN TWO: At least I looked at it.
MAN ONE: That’s not enough.
MAN TWO: I haven’t called the police - - yet. So count your
blessings.
MAN ONE: (He stands and starts tap dancing, poorly.) I’ll be here
tap dancing when they arrive.
MAN TWO: Where are your taps?
MAN ONE: I can hear them fine.
MAN TWO: Your shoes don’t have taps.
MAN ONE: It doesn’t matter.
MAN TWO: When you dance in a public park, it does matter.
MAN ONE: Not to me.
MAN TWO: What you’re doing can hardly be called tap dancing - you're making a fool of yourself.
MAN ONE stops dancing. He remains standing.
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MAN ONE: Will you at least hold the box?
MAN TWO: No.
MAN ONE: I’m not asking you to touch it anymore. I’m only asking
you to hold the box.
MAN TWO: (Looking off stage.) There’s a pretty girl over there
sitting on a blanket. She’s reading a romance novel.
MAN ONE: So?
MAN TWO: Let her hold the box.
MAN ONE: I don’t want her touching it.
MAN TWO: She’ll only be holding the box.
MAN ONE: I said no.
MAN TWO: Now you understand why I don’t want to hold it.
MAN ONE: No, I don’t understand.
MAN ONE sits down on the bench.
MAN ONE: (Continued.) I don’t understand at all.
MAN TWO: That's your problem, not mine.
MAN ONE: Are you staying much longer? Someone else might walk
by and want to sit on this bench.
MAN TWO: Next to you?
MAN ONE: Yes.
MAN TWO: While you’re holding a suspicious box?
MAN ONE: You sat here.
MAN TWO: Where?
MAN ONE: Here, on this bench.
MAN TWO: You see, I’ve already begun denying it.
MAN ONE: So that’s your game.
MAN TWO: I’m telling that girl on the blanket what’s in the box.
MAN ONE: I don’t want her touching it.
MAN TWO: It’s out of your hands now. She might call the police.
MAN ONE: Getting her to do your dirty work.
MAN TWO: I never said I want her to call the police. I only said she
might.
MAN ONE: You’re not trying to stop her.
MAN TWO: I haven’t told her yet.
MAN ONE: But you will. I know your type.
MAN TWO: You know nothing about my type.
MAN ONE: Oh yes, I think I do.
MAN TWO resumes reading the newspaper. MAN ONE begins
drumming on the box.
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MAN TWO: (Putting down his newspaper.) Why did you want me to
hold the box?
MAN ONE: (Stops drumming on the box.) Maybe the burden is too
much. Maybe the box contains the ashes of my dead father.
MAN TWO: It doesn’t. I’ve already seen inside.
MAN ONE: I really want someone else sitting next to me.
MAN TWO: There’s no guarantee they’ll touch it either.
MAN ONE: I don’t care anymore if anyone touches it. I just want
someone to understand why I want it touched.
Slight pause.
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
blanket.
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
there.
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
What you just said shows great maturity.
Thank you - - I’m about to walk over to that girl on the
Show her what’s in the box. Let her touch it.
I'll explain my philosophy to her.
No, no, start with small talk first, maybe a joke.
My philosophy is violence. I’m going to strike her.
Strike her? What did she do to you?
I don’t want her touching it.
She’s way over there. She can’t hurt you from over
Will you get off the bench?
Your thirst for bloodshed is alarming.
Please, get off the bench. It’s my only hope.
Pause.
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
Okay, I’ll get off the bench.
You will?
Yes.
When?
As soon as you want me to.
That’s terrific.
You'll leave the girl alone?
I won't lay a finger on her.
And the man sleeping under the tree?
I haven’t threatened him yet.
You should be rewarded for your restraint.
I didn’t do it for a reward.
That makes it all the more admirable. Now, open the
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MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
box.
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
Why?
Brother, just do it.
MAN ONE complies and opens the box. MAN TWO reaches in and
touches something. The audience remains blind as to what’s inside.
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
MAN TWO:
MAN ONE:
I can’t believe it.
I can’t either.
I'd given up trying to change your mind.
It always works out that way.
I really didn’t want anyone else touching it.
You said as much.
What happens next?
I have to leave at some point.
I’m staying, at least for now.
I don’t blame you. A splendid sunny day. A nice bench.
Will it be soon?
MAN TWO looks confused.
MAN ONE: (Continued.) When you leave me?
MAN TWO: Now, as a matter of fact. I’m leaving you now.
MAN TWO stands and reaches for the box.
MAN TWO: (Continued.) May I?
MAN ONE: Of course.
MAN ONE hands the box to MAN TWO.
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MAN TWO: (Handing MAN ONE the newspaper.) Here, I’m finished.
MAN ONE: Thank you.
MAN TWO: Good day.
MAN ONE: The same for you.
MAN TWO exits with the box. MAN ONE begins reading the classified
section of the newspaper. MAN THREE walks on stage holding the
same box. MAN THREE sits on the bench. MAN ONE puts down the
newspaper. Slight pause.
Fade.
THE END
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