Play Around

ANNOUNCER

Welcome, gents and gals and others. Wiggle those bottoms snugly into your seats and saddle up for the ride, because the play is about to begin. Don’t worry—there will be no audience participation in this production. You are safe! For this particular show at least! You can even sleep if you like! Just don’t snore! Now, let’s get started. Introducing… the characters of this here play. Ah, there he is, the one who lives for outcomes.

THE ONE WHO LIVES FOR OUTCOMES

(entering)

I am the one who lives for outcomes.

ANNOUNCER

And here comes the one who has learned grace.

THE ONE WHO HAS LEARNED GRACE

(entering)

I am the one who has learned grace.

ANNOUNCER

Who’s next?

THE ONE WHO SEES IN BLACK AND WHITE

(entering)

I see things in black and white.

ANNOUNCER

Yes, thank you. Hello to you, the one who sees in black and white.

THE ONE WHO SEES IN BLACK AND WHITE

Hello.

ANNOUNCER

And here comes Ms. Navy.

THE ONE WHO SEES NAVY

I see everything in navy.

ANNOUNCER

But never black!

THE ONE WHO SEES NAVY

Never black.

ANNOUNCER

Ah, and the life of every party, the one who is ashamed.

THE ONE WHO IS ASHAMED.

I am ashamed.

ANNOUNCER

Who’s left? The secret. (Beat.) The secret. (Beat.) THE SECRET.

THE SECRET

(stumbling out)

Sorry. Hi.

ANNOUNCER

Introduce yourself please.

THE SECRET

I’m the secret.

ANNOUNCER

Punctuality is a virtue, friends! Remember that. Thank you all! You may now leave the stage.

(All but The Secret leave the stage. The Secret takes a stool in the back and sits quietly.)

ANNOUNCER

Are we ready to begin? (Beat) I can’t hear you! I said, are we ready to begin? (Waits for some sound from the audience) Alright then. Let’s begin!

(The sound of many unintelligible voices blending begins as a murmur then builds into loud white noise as the theater darkens. It stops abruptly. A single match is lit. It goes out. It’s lit again. It goes out. The third time, the match catches on the messy stack of pages being lit and bursts into a flame. Behind it, we see the face of The One Who Is Ashamed watching it glow.)