(A man sits alone in the middle of a room, staring at nothing. The room is empty, with no furniture. There are three windows at the back. A second man enters stage Right. He is wearing outdoor clothing: a hat, scarf, overcoat, boots, etc. He walks across the stage and exits stage left. The sitting man (person 1) doesn't react. The walking man (Person 2) pokes his head in from off stage.)
2: Excuse me, but what are you doing?
1: (Not looking up.) I'm alone in this room and I can't get out.
2: Right. Yes. Thank you. (Exits, waits a few moments, and then re-enters.) Are you sure about that?
1: I'm alone in this room and I can't get out.
2:
Narrator: Have you ever wondered what happens after the story ends? Where the characters go when you've closed the book and put it back on the shelf? Has it ever occurred to you that the characters themselves may not like the parts they have been given, that they may wish for different endings? This is a story of what becomes of some of these characters, and what can happen when they take their stories into their own hands. This is what happens after The End (exit)
(Enter Elaine, the Lady of Shallot and Ophelia dripping wet)
Ophelia: (sighs) Men!
Elaine: Tell me about it.
O: Can't live with them
E: (interjects) Because they p
Scene 1
*A dimly-lit biology lab filled with many cages, which in turn have softly chattering animals; STAN, a young graduate student in a stark white lab coat is detachedly inspecting the cages; for the scene his intense and intellectual face should only be dimly-lit.*
STAN *Murmuring*
Habits: lazy, eating less yet drinking far more
*ALAN, roughly the same age, enters the room, still talking to someone outside; he stands in the light of the door for the rest of the scene, which should reflects off of his light-blond hair; his keen eyes notice everything, but his face is honest and joyful*
ALAN *Hurried*
Yes, yes Milly, I know; bu
Scene 1
Scene changes should be as fluid as possible, with little need for black outs. The scene headings in this play are merely an indication of a new part of the story starting.
Classical, Dramatic, Comedy, Romance and Modern on stage with their backs to the audience. Narrator runs on.
Narrator
Oh, the show's started...Oops! Well, I'm just gonna start and try and regain what little dignity I have left. (straightens up) Welcome, one and all, to our exhibition tonight! We will be seeing the things that you don't know about the theater. Like what really goes on in auditions, who the people on stage really are, and a bunch of other things
CIAN, bowler hat, medium gray trench coat, old-fashioned sunglasses, a cane.
BEAG, bowler hat, light grey trench coat.
SET: Front center, a rectangular table, around 8 feet long. To its right, as seen by the audience, an oven/stove. On the stove, a pot with steam coming from it, and on the floor to its right, a small garbage bin. To the table's left, a simple armless chair, facing the audience. On the table, one pound of ham, in one piece. The set is lit in medium light, and the remainder of the stage is left in darkness.
Curtains rise. CIAN sits at the chair. He stares directly forward. Five seconds.
CIAN: Ready, yes, they must be ready.