Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
CHRISTMAS
Christmas was fine. It was fine. It’s always...fine. ​(beat)
Every year, I have Gristede’s deliver the smallest turkey
they have. I stuff it. I cook it. I eat it. I watch the parades
on TV. I look at the lights on my great big tree. I have a
few glasses of Bailey’s...open my presents to myself…
and then I go​ to bed. ​(beat) Every year it seems, I drink an
extra glass of Bailey’s and sleep a little
​ more. ​(beat) Stacy, I
watch you come in here every year the day after Christmas
and all you do is complain about the loud toys your kids got.
You complain about the mess they made, how your husband
drank too much eggnog and what a pain in the ass it was to
go out to LaGuardia to pick up your mother and - on and on.
Don’t you know how
​
I envy you?
​
I ​envy you! ​(beat) I own this
whole friggin’ company. Each week I sign 51 payroll checks.
Every Christmas Eve I hand out 51 Christmas bonuses and as
I’m handing them out...I look into the eyes of the people - the
strangers - and as I meet their gaze with mine, I know that each
and every one of them has some place to GO for the holiday, each
one of them has
​ someone to LOVE. ​(beat) Don’t let the flashy
exterior fool you, Stacy. Inside this successful executive lurks a
frumpy housewife with curlers in her hair DYING to be set free.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
BOWL OF JELLO
Yeah. I figured you’d say that. ‘Cause I said it first. I just you - you always agree with me! You always take my
opinion, whatever it is! You never disagree. You always
say I’m right, y’know? ​See? See what I mean? I am
criticizing you here and you are saying to me, “Yes, yes I
know!” FIGHT BACK, why doncha? Don’t you have ANY
opinions of your own anymore? I mean, I like the Beatles,
so you like the Beatles. I hate Madonna, so you hate Madonna.
I appreciate how hard you try to please me. But you are trying
so hard to be like me that you’ve turned into some kind of mirror!
And whenever I look at you I don’t SEE you anymore, I see me!
And I am tired of looking at myself all the TIME! Are you afraid I
won’t love you if you’re different? Or what? ‘Cause it’s YOU I fell in
love with, Carol. ​(beat) I’m just getting weary, that’s all. Very, very weary.
Whatever I want to do, whenever I want to do it, it’s “fine.” “Fine.”
You never commit to ​anything. It’s like...loving a bowl of jello. There’s
nothing solid in there. You always let me have my way. Always. No, honey,
it ​doesn’t make me happy. Carol, I love you. I do, really. But...you’ve got
to put some FRUIT back into the jello. Some substance. I mean it now,
you have to. ‘Cause if you don’t...I’m gonna start goin’ out for STEAK.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
COLORS
I don’t think I ever knew what love was. I thought I did.
When I was little I thought hugging my puppy as tightly
as I could at night during a thunderstorm was love.
I thought watching my grandmother sewing was love.
And I suppose they were, in a sort of Norman Rockwellish
way, you know. But all of a sudden it’s like I’ve gone from
the wading pool off the high dive in a snap and - splash!
Love is a whole different...thing. You make me see colors
for the first time. It sounds clichéd as hell and I am suddenly
really, really embarrassed, but it’s not literally new colors,
I mean - a whole new awareness. Like, being with other
people has been me dieting on junk food all these years and
suddenly I’m dieting on prime rib...food that’s good for me
and nourishes my soul. That’s the difference: It registers in my ​soul.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
SPECTRAL AFFAIR
Danny honey, wake up. Wake up! Your mother’s house
is haunted. It’s haunted! Please, wake up. There was a
ghost in my room just now. It’s your ex-wife. She told
me if I marry you, she’ll make it her eternal mission to
damn us for all the days of our lives. Those were her very
words. Dammit, Danny, I’m not kidding! The ghost of your
ex-wife is in your mother’s guest bedroom threatening me!
I’m not sleepwalking. Look, I’m pinching myself. You go
talk to her. Go in there and tell her to get out. Set her straight.
You were the boss of that househould. I am not drunk! I never
touched a drink in my life and you know that. Look at me,
look at my face and look into my eyes. Now you snap out of
it and listen to me. It’s her or me. Now get up and go to my
room - wait. I should go with you. I don’t like you being alone
with her. She doesn’t have much on. How do I know she won’t
try and, you know, seduce you? Don’t laugh, ghosts can do
whatever, right? Well am I right? Oh, don’t look like you’re doing
this to appease me, you jerk. I’m not kidding around. Come on,
we’ll both go. Maybe we can all three talk this out.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
FAMILY TIES
I wasn’t torn up about it at all. I didn’t cry or anything.
I wanted to - or at least I think I wanted to - but I just
couldn’t. The tears wouldn’t come. Nothing behind them.
See, I never knew my father. He left us when I was just
a kid - only 4 - no, 5 I think. And I don’t blame him,
y’know? Because when I finally got to know him - right
before he died, really, I saw that he and Mom were just
too different to work out. And I don’t blame either of
them. It wasn’t their fault - It wasn’t anybody’s - they
just didn’t work out. The only regret I have is that I didn’t
get to know him sooner. Because he was a good man.
Oh, she always told me he was a horrible bastard, but I
knew he wasn’t. I knew it. She just thought she was shafted.
She had so many dreams...they just never came true. And
she shouldn’t blame him for that. I don’t. I just wish...I dunno,
I wish I could’ve FELT something.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
OVER
I’m amazed that you honestly feel that sending flowers
and gifts will smooth everything over and I’ll forget that
not less than one week ago I found you in bed with another
woman. I don’t think you understand; I said that’s it. It’s over.
Let me explain. For whatever reasons, I fell in love with you.
Partly, well mostly with the part of you that need me. No,
don’t cry, John. It won’t work. I’m not kidding. I protected
you as best I could but I wasn’t very bright because that
wasn’t what you needed, to be coddled. What you needed
was someone to say no, that won’t do, but I’m not your
mother or your sister or your friend, I was your lover and
I deserved more respect than that. Stop saying you need me.
You don’t need me, and I don’t need you. We don’t need
each other. You abused the privilege of being my lover.
I need myself now, not you. I’ve neglected myself for a
long while on your behalf and that’s a sin. I’m sorry, John,
but you cannot send gifts, I’ll send them back. You cannot
come to see me, I’ll turn you away, and you cannot come
to me crying, I’ll not cry with you. You’re on your own now.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
FROM THE HEART
I KNOW you want to. And I appreciate it, believe me,
I do sincerely appreciate it. But you don’t HAVE to. I know
it’s customary and I know you feel you should, but you really,
honest-to-god don’t HAVE to! Really! Mom has SO many
friends...they ALL ran out and did SOMETHING extravagant…
Punch bowls - do you know how many crystal punch bowls
I have now? Seventeen. No glasses or ladles to go with them;
just the bowls. I have one hundred and nineteen dishes that’s 3 ½ sets....71 forks, 42 spoons, and 9 knives....eight
toaster ovens and three microwaves. I should be opening
a restaurant, not getting MARRIED. ​(beat) I’ve known you
since - when? First grade, Peggy? Listen - and I mean it don’t go wasting your money on me. Your blessing is worth
more to me than all the Tupperware on the East Coast.
And that’s from the heart.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
DATING
I am a wonderful person; I know that sounds vain,
but I am. I really and truly am. I’m very likable.
I hardly ever pitch a fit or raise my voice at people,
or animals...I’m neat and clean and I read all the
best-selling books and I’ve seen every one of Jimmy
Stewart’s movies and I can recite just about all of
Shakespeare’s sonnets. I know. I know, I’m coming
on too strong here. It’s our third date and I’m - I’m
scaring you, I can see that. I’m sorry. I just...we all
have FAULTS, right? We all do. Maybe you beat your
cat or run-over turtles on the highway or maybe it’s not
even a spiteful thing - maybe you buy the wrong kind
of laundry detergent everytime you go to the grocery
store and you kick yourself for not being able to
remember. And it’s not your fault, you can’t remember,
you know, and people, you know, come DOWN on you
for that. And, well, so I have trouble remembering people’s
NAMES, okay, it’s not like I do it on purpose, it’s just my
THING...my one great flaw. And I think you’re a really
terrific person and I like you a whole lot and who knows,
maybe we’ll spend the rest of our LIVES together...for all
we know. And I know we’ve been out three times now and
I know you call me every night but - before we go any further…
I have to confess - and don’t, like, hate me for this I CAN’T REMEMBER YOUR NAME!
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
HAROLD
(Smiling madly) Hello...Hello, Harold...Y
ou’re finally up! Finally...up. I didn’t know
what to do with myself while you were gone,
Harold, no, no, I ​really didn’t. So...I made ​this
for you. See? It’s ​you, Harold, my toe nail clippings
are your teeth, and the buttons from my Hello Kitty
jacket are your eyes. And the rest is made out of used
Spiderman band-aids, and my hair! ​(Breathing heavily)
I’ve only seen you on TV before...never this close, NEVER.
No, no, no, shhh! Shhh!!!! Don’t try to scream, Harold
darling, the gag won’t come off, no matter how hard you try.
I would know, I was in girl scouts! And struggling will
only make the chains, duct tape, and bungee cords seem
more...​uncomfortable! ​(Beat, Beat)
There you go! Now was that so hard?
(Laughs, it starts out as a giggle then gets out of control)
Oh, Harold, we’re going to have so much fun together,
SO MUCH FUN! I ​love you, Harold. What’s that?
“Mmph Mmm Hmm”? Oh Harold, you love me too!
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
PETER PAN
Well...It all happened like this; In our school, I was the ​only boy to try out for the spring play, in
all of Greenwood Academy. And, being the only boy, I thought I was a shoe in for Peter...You
know, Peter Pan? Green tights? Neverland? ...Elf shoes?!?! Anyways, I audition, it goes well, I
get called back...I get called back for Captain Hook, Wendy’s brothers, and the father...but ​not
Peter Pan. So, I try the very best I can, and a few hours later, the drama teacher ​Mrs. Bailey
thanks and dismisses us. The next day, Friday, after school, the cast list goes up. I run up three
flights of stairs to the drama room, and by the time I get to the top, I’m com​pletely out of breath.
So, I push my way through the crowd, and I look at the list...I continue the list down with my
pointer finger, and finally see my name. I follow it straight to…”Tinkerbell”. ​(Laughs) I had
clearly made a mistake, so I went back to the left side of the list, and found my name and role
again…”Tinkerbell”. “Tinkerbell”... ​(Realizes) “TINKERBELL”?!?!? “TINKERBELL” THE
FAIRY? After briefly crying in the Janitor’s closet in the 4th floor science wing, I ran home for
dinner. I arrived home, and went ​straight to the kitchen table. “Mom!” I call out. “Where’s
dinner?”. All I want is to eat as quick as I can and then get the hell out of there. “Just a minute,
honey” she calls…”Tell me what role you got in ‘Peter Pan’ first”. “Tinkerbell, mom” I call
back, only to hear dishes crashing on the ground and the sound of my mother crying. I walked
into the other room, and saw that she was laughing….LAUGHING! I was so ashamed, that I ran
upstairs to my room and didn’t come out ​all weekend. So you see, Principal Davis, I couldn’t
have been the one who called the CIA on Mrs. Bailey for being a terrorist and selling illegal
nuclear weapons, or the one who burned her house down, smashed her cat to death, and fed her
classroom gerbil a cyanide capsule! Don’t you see? I’m innocent! I was at home all weekend!
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
BOXER’S NIGHTMARE
Look at me! Look at me, all of you! See me for what I am. ​(pause)
Please stop lying to me. Please. Every time I’ve thrown a punch ,
it was meant to kill. I didn’t throw it unless it oculd do serious damage.
I packed a lifetime of hate into every punch. With every punch I
hoped to kill, to stop my opponent. To drop him to the canvas. Knock out!
It’s the only way to survive in my world. I mean, how can you throw
a punch just hard enough to knock someone out but not hard enough
to kill him? You can’t. You can’t. You go in to punch someone’s
lights out. Whether it’s for ten seconds or forever. Now I have.
I have punched someone’s lights out forever. You know, I felt it.
I knew even before I threw the punch. I wound up and reached back
into my childhood and let go. I could have stopped it but I didn’t want to.
I knew it would kill him. Now stop your lying. In my heart I know
I murdered a man tonight. Now you can try to call it a lot of other
things but I know different. So please, let me live with this.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.
Moment Before:
1. Situation:
2. Entrance:
3. Partner’s Line/Action Before:
SUMMER CAMP
God, I hate this place. I hate these kids. I ​really hate these kids.
I thought, before I came here, that they’d be wild some of the time.
But I thought they’d behave too. Aw, they don’t ​ever behave. I have to
keep track of this whole damn cabin-full of kids. All by myself.
And they’re always losin’ stuff or gettin’ hurt, or HEY! Put that down! Put it DOWN! You’re gonna poke your eye out,
you keep playin’ with that. Listen to me! Put it DOWN! ​(Pause)
Y’see that? It’s always like that. Y’know, it’s like they know I hate ‘em.
And they do stuff like that just to piss me off, know what I mean?
Jerry, don’t put that in your mouth. I don’t care what they did on TV,
just don’t do it, okay? Jerry, will you - Jerry? Good. That’s good. ​(Pause)
I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Caroline. You remember Caroline,
don’t you? With the ​hair? Yeah, well ​she was the one, wanted to
WORK here together. Okay, fine. So I stay here. Man, she walks OUT on me.
I busted my ass for her, I did anything she wanted. Left me for a damn…
arcade manager. So. Here I am. Camp Yoc’na. I call it Yech-na.
Makes the staff mad. Hey - do you smell something burning?
(Looks around, sees something) Wait a minute. I’ll be right back.
4 Basic Questions:
1. My name is _____________. I am a ______ year old ________________ from _________________.
2. I am talking to _____________. He/She is my ________________________. Our relationship can be
described as _______________________________________________________________________.
3. This scene is taking place ______________________ during the _______________. We are having a
public/private​ conversation in a ​public/private​ place.
4. My super-objective is ____________ and I will _____________________________________ to get it.