Excerpt from
ReUnion, by Chris Evans copyright ©
2001
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Cast of characters: Tony Griffith (The scene is the empty high school gymnasium of Reston High School. It is decorated for a dance. A banner hangs reading RESTON VICTORY TOUR 1981-REBELS RULE. There is a table with punch and cookies. An older man walks in and looks around. He takes a cookie and then takes a bite. He talks to the audience.) Tony I remember it just like this. (Pause) Welcome to Reston High School. Home of the Rebels. Located in beautiful downtown Reston. Nice town. There’s about 800 kids in this school. Most of them are just getting into their cars after seeing the homecoming football game against the hated cross-town rival Falls Bison. (Pause) We won. 27-0. (Lights come down on Tony) (Scene
One- I love him so much...) Justine Hello? (Pause-no answer. The crying stops) Are you okay? Tina Yes. I’m fine. Justine Are you sure? (Tina Devore opens the door and walks out) Tina Oh, God. Justine What? Tina You’re a cheerleader. Justine That’s a bad thing? Tina I’m sitting in a toilet balling my eyes out in front of a cheerleader. Justine You weren’t really in front of me. The door was closed. Tina But still- Justine That was a joke. You’re supposed to laugh. Tina I’m sorry. Justine Nothing to be sorry about. (Pause) So.... Tina So? Justine What were you balling about? Tina Oh, no. Nothing. Justine You’re lying. Tina Yes, I am. Justine So, you aren’t going to tell me? Tina It’s way to embarrassing. Justine Okay. (Justine turns to leave) Tina What do you think of Scotty Gianelli? Justine The football player? Tina Yes. I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this. Justine What about him? Tina I really like him. Justine Aaaannndd? Tina That’s it. I really like him. Justine You like him so much that you’re sobbing in the girl’s room? Tina Look at me. Justine Yeah? Tina I’m not his style. But I really want to be his style. Justine He doesn’t like any girl who can answer all the Wheel of Fortune answers before he does. He can play football but he isn’t too bright. Tina I know, but that doesn’t matter. Justine Love from afar? Tina Yeah. Justine I can go out there and introduce you. He’s over with the rest of the football boys yucking it up. Tina He’d laugh at me and then I would have to die right there on the floor. Justine We can’t have that. Tina No. Justine What are you going to do? Tina Stay in the bathroom and cry. Justine Not a very fun night. Tina I know. Justine Why don’t you wear makeup? Tina Because I look like a clown when I try to put it on. Isn’t the natural look in? Justine For girls who don’t get dates. (Pause-opens her purse) Come here. Tina Why? Justine You’re going to meet Scotty Gianelli tonight. Tina Justine, no. Justine Come here. You can’t meet him looking like someone from Hee-Haw. Tina He’s going to laugh. Justine Not after I’m done with you. Come here. Tina Are you sure? Justine Twenty years from now, you are going to thank me. (Tina walks over to Justine) Tina Why are you doing this? Justine (in a high voice) Because I am your fairy cheerleader, Cinderella. (Tina laughs) Head up. Tina Are you any good at this? Justine My parents wanted a boy. They were going to name him Justin. I had to get pretty quick or I was going to wind up crazy. Tina Or crying in a bathroom. Justine Or crying in a bathroom. Head up please. (Justine is making Tina up) Tina What does he like? Justine Scotty? Tina Yeah. Justine Chicken wings-the spicy ones, football, beer and kissing with his tongue. Tina How do you know that? Justine I’m a cheerleader. I go out with football players. Tina You went out with him? Justine Yep. For about three months. All he wanted to do was eat and make out. Tina Isn’t that what guys are about though? Justine Well.... Tina Oh my God, you slept with him? Justine Oh, no. No, no, no. If that would have happened he would have died of not knowing what to do. He just wanted to make out.. Tina How was he? Justine All tongue. I think that’s the only he way he knew how to do it. I joked with him that family reunions must be pretty intense. “Hey, Grandma! Come here and give me a kiss” (Justine acts out a sloppy tongue kiss) Tina (laughing) You are talking about the man I love. Justine He’s a nice guy. But he’s still a boy. He looks at things as games. I don’t know. Maybe someone like you can find the good Scotty. Take that ribbon out of your hair. Tina What are you going to do? Justine It’s 1981. The uptight bookworm look is out. Time for David Lee Roth hair. Tina He’s not sexy. Justine What are you talking about? David Lee Roth is sexy on a stick. (Justine frizzes Tina’s hair) I’m done. Take a look. (Tina walks over to a mirror) What do you think? Tina It’s really different. Justine Do you like it? Tina Yeah, I think I do. Justine Okay, Cinderella. Time for the ball. Tina How am I going to do this? Justine You are going to walk right up to him and say “Hi, I’m Tina...and I think you’re really cute.” Tina That only works in the movies. Justine One way to find out. Tina I’m going out there. Justine Lights, camera, action. Tina I’m going. Justine He’s waiting. (Tina runs over to Justine and hugs her) Tina Thank you. Justine Go. Go. Tina This is just like GREASE with Olivia Newton John. (Tina exits-Justine goes to a mirror and begins touching up her own makeup-she smile-lights crossfade back to Tony) Tony I remember my best friend in High School. Eric Dalton. We were these two guys always seen together. We would sit and laugh and the dorky things we would talk about. Jesus. Life ticking by and we would try and figure out the deep meaning of the topic of the hour. This of course meant that we would not be dating girls. That didn’t happen until later. I joined the football team. Eric moved to Washington. I never heard from him again. I don’t remember genuinely laughing again. (Lights down on Tony) (Scene
Two-“I met him before the game...”) (The bleachers in the gym at Reston. Carmen DiGinova, the team quarterback is sitting next to Franky McCloud, the team center.) Carmen You were brilliant tonight. Franky Thanks, man. Carmen Yeah. Brilliant. (Pause) Franky You okay? Carmen Sort of. You keep a secret? Franky You pregnant? Carmen Franky... Franky Because if you’re pregnant I’d have to tell everybody. Carmen Hosehead, shut up. Franky Okay. What’s up? Carmen I talked with a scout today. Franky Really? Carmen Really. Franky Who was he from? Carmen USC. Franky California? Carmen Yeah. Sat in my house and he offered me a full ride. Said the pros would take a look at me at USC. Would also get that pre-med no problem. Franky You gonna go? Carmen Yeah, I think so. There’s a problem. Franky And her name is Kim. Carmen And her name is Kim. She was expecting me to go to some college in the area. We could go to school together and who knows what would happen after we graduated. Franky You guys are in love, huh? Carmen Yeah. Franky So what are you gonna do? Carmen I can’t tell Kim yet. I have to think about this. You can’t tell her. Please. Franky My lips are sealed. Carmen Thanks, bro. (Pause) Franky Southern California. Wow. Carmen Can you believe it? Franky You’re good but not that good. But what the hell you gonna do for an offensive line? Musclebound surfers going “duuude” a lot. You aren’t going to have me and Gianelli covering your butt anymore. (Kim Kelly enters) Kim Why are you talking about his butt? Franky You kinda grow close to a guy who has his hands touching your butt for an entire football season. Kim I’m sure you two will make a cute couple. Carmen Shut up. Me and Franky together. Just wouldn’t work. Kim I agree. Carmen Me and Gianelli. We’re a couple. Kim That’s funny. We’re a couple too. Carmen Come here. (Kim sits between Franky and Carmen) Kim Franky, you getting fatter? Franky More of me to love, baby. Kim Can’t love it if you can’t find it. Franky Ha-ha. Carmen She’s good. You won’t win. You might as well give up now. Franky I’ll let you two do all you’re making out. Outta here. (Franky exits-pause) Kim Nice game tonight. Carmen I was pretty good huh? Kim You’re always pretty good. God, I love to watch you play. You are like a man playing on a field with boys. Carmen It’s like everybody else is in slow motion. Kim Can you kiss me now? (Carmen leans in) Wait. Carmen What? Kim You shower? Carmen Yes. With a bunch of guys. Kim Okay, kiss me then. (They kiss-pause) Are you okay? Carmen Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. Kim That big mysterious meeting went fine? Carmen You get all this from a kiss? Kim Yes. How did your meeting go? Carmen Fine. Coach just wanted to talk to me. Kim About what? Carmen Game stuff. Kim Really? Carmen Really. Kim Okay. (Pause) Can we go? Carmen Where? Kim I don’t know. I’m just bored. (Franky enters) Franky Kegger at Gianelli’s. Carmen That guy always gets the frickin’ beer. Kim He’s got a moustache in high school. He looks like he could be his own Dad. Franky Then you know his family. Kim (to Carmen) Let’s go. Franky Yeah, loverboy. Can’t beat free beer. Carmen Okay. We get caught, we blame it on Gianelli’s Dad. Franky We take your car? Carmen (tosses him keys) You’ll get your licence one day, big fella. Franky Thanks, Dad. Don’t be too long. Carmen We won’t. Where’s Gianelli? Franky He’s over by the food table talking to some girl. See you out there. (Franky exits-there is an uncomfortable silence) Kim Are you okay? Carmen I love you. Kim Jesus, Carm, what happened in that meeting? Carmen Nothing I can talk to you about yet. Kim Why? Carmen ‘Cause it’s about us. Kim When are you going to tell me? Carmen When the time’s right. I can’t tell you about it at a high school dance. Kim I’m scared, Carm. Carmen So am I. Kim I love you, too. Carmen I know. (Pause) Kim I’ll wait in the car with Franky. (Pause) Does he know? Carmen Yes. Kim I think you two should be going out sometimes instead of us. (Kim exits-there is a pause as Carmen is left alone) Carmen Kim, I think I’m moving to California. (Lights crossfade to Tony moving to the bleachers and sitting down) Tony Do you remember your first kiss? I do. It was under a bridge outside of town. Her name-what was her name? It was a spice. Rosemary-Rosemary Nevin. We were both nervous and then she asked me if I had ever kissed a girl before. I couldn’t breathe. I remember squeaking out a “No.” She smiled. She said “Come here.” She closed her eyes. Since I had never done this before I followed suit. She said, “Now, kiss me.” I leaned over, ever so slowly, and softly kissed her.....nose. Okay, yeah, I missed. I was embarrassed and had the vision of being the only man in the world who would never kiss someone of the opposite sex his whole life. She took my hand and then reached over and kissed me softly. So softly. The shock of the event made my senses come alive. Perfume, warmth and the softness of that kiss. I’ll always remember that. You say you never forget your first. In today’s world that has a different meaning. Me? I’ll never forget my first kiss. Rosemary Nevin, here’s to you. (Tony raises a glass of punch and
smiles) (Scene
Three “One day were gonna rise up...”) (Standing by the refreshment table
are Mike Milton and Mike Berger-they are watching the
festivities) Milton Why? Berger Why what? Milton Why do we come? Berger Here? Milton Here. Berger To watch the mongoloids. Milton We’ve got nothing better to do? Berger My algebra was done hours ago. Milton And mine. Berger Because we’re smart. Milton I concur. (Pause-they drink) Berger Look at them. Milton Who? Berger The football mongoloids. Milton They won tonight, you know. Berger Whooppeee! Milton School spirit? Berger Do they show up to the chess club matches? Milton That would be no. Berger Yet we show up to the football games and why? Milton We have school spirit. Berger We have school spirit. Milton Go Rebels. Berger Go Rebels. (They give each other a high five-pause) Milton I wouldn’t mind a spare cheerleader or two. Berger Who wouldn’t? Milton To come to our chess club matches, doof. Berger I meant that too. Milton Sure. Berger I meant that too. Milton And what of the cheerleaders? Berger They’re pretty. Milton If you’re into makeup. Berger They’re sexy. Milton If you’re into musclebound thighs and padded bras. Berger I kinda like those. Milton Really? Berger Really. Milton I didn’t know that about you. Berger Just trying to be honest. Milton I appreciate that. Berger I’m your friend. Milton And I am yours. Berger And I appreciate that. (Pause-they drink) Milton What do you think it would take to get a cheerleader to go out with us? Berger Blindness. Milton No, really. What would it take to get a cheerleader to go out with us? Berger Together? Milton No. Berger I like you but not that much. Milton That’s not what I meant. What I meant was any good looking girl with us. Separately. Berger Money. Milton How much? Berger More than we have. Milton Strike one. What else? Berger A car. Milton A really nice car. Berger Unlike your Mom’s station wagon. Milton Or your Schwinn. Berger My bike is a nice bike. Milton But not girl material Berger No. Not girl material. Milton Strike two. What else? Berger Athletic ability. Milton I disagree. Berger Oh, really. Milton Yes, really. And I’ll tell you why. Berger I’m listening. Milton My friend, I’ve got the key. Berger Go on. Milton You gotta have a good heart. Berger What? Milton A good heart. Berger Like a knight? Milton Fine example. Berger Thank you. Milton A knight in those days spent days upon his trusty steed. In the hot sun and in his armor. Berger He would smell bad. Milton That he would. He had no shaving materials. Berger Quite a scraggly beard. Milton Indeed. But who always got the girl? Berger The knight? Milton Exactly. And why? Berger His trusty steed? Milton He had a good heart. Weren’t you listening? Berger I thought I was. Milton I thought you were too. No, the stinky, scraggly knight always got the girl because he would do something heroic to show how pure and true and good his heart was. This is a lesson for us. If we have a good heart, we of the chess club, will rise up and claim all the girls while the lumbering ox of the peasant- Berger The football player. Milton -will do nothing but get drunk on ale and toil away for us. So sayeth the captain of the chess club. Berger So sayeth us all. (Pause) So where do we start? Milton I don’t know. Berger What? Milton I think we already have them. Berger How do you know for sure? Milton Do we do nice things? Berger We do. Milton Do we say nice things? Berger Most of the time. Milton Do we live well? Berger We do. Milton Then I state right here in front of everybody that we have good hearts. Berger Okay. (Pause-they drink) Milton Hey look. Berger What? Milton The party must be ending. The quarterback is leaving. Berger Where do you want to go now? Milton The arcade’s open late. Berger You played Pac-Man yet? Milton Pac-what? Berger A new game down at the arcade. It’s really cool and it’s real easy once you figure out the code they’ve set up. Milton You have the code? Berger I do. Milton Then let’s go. How do we get there? Berger I have my bike. I can give you a ride. Milton That’s good. Berger I have a good heart. Milton It shows. Well knight, let’s board your trusty steed and journey to the arcade. Berger What? Milton Let’s go. (They exit-lights crossfade to Tony sitting in a chair down center) Tony What do you want to be when you grow up? I remember. In order, an engineer, an astronaut, a football player for the Dallas Cowboys, an actor, a radio disc jockey and finally a soldier. The passion that I wanted to be each of these was unmatched. Until the next one. Things change. Things always change. End of excerpt To read the rest of the play, pleaase order Reunion from Direct Plays |