10/27 Trey & his grandfather by Michelle V.

Trey is now 22, and it has been a year since he’s been released from juvenile hall. He was sentenced to stay there until he turned 21. He believes he has completely reformed. He was taken in by his grandparents and has been living with them until now. Just a week ago, their house was broken into by presumably burglars and Trey’s grandparents were severely beaten. His grandmother didn’t make it, while his grandfather is in critical condition. The doctors believe he doesn’t have much longer.

TREY

Pa?

MCCOY

Come in, come in

TREY

You look…

MCCOY

Ah, you can say it. Not so good. Old. Five minutes away from becoming a corpse.

TREY

No, no, I… how are you?

MCCOY

Alright. Come in, come in. take this chair here.

(Trey takes a seat in the chair next to his bed. There’s a long silence before he puts his head into his hands)

TREY

I shouldn’t have gone out with Trevor, I shouldn’t have, especially to just go and drink

MCCOY

No, no don’t start

TREY

Then Nona would still be here (pause) you guys are all that I have

MCCOY

Come on, stop it. How do you think I feel? I couldn’t even protect her. My hands, they used to pick brick by brick and build walls. Now, as you can see, they are useless. Useless to help my wife

TREY

Pa…

MCCOY

Trey, don’t worry about a roof over your head after I’m gone…

TREY

No, no Pa I don’t care…

MCCOY

Oh you’ll care when winter comes around. Don’t talk such nonsense. Our house is your house. And you better take care of it, okay? No parties, no girls, no loud music late at night (winks). And water Nona’s plants. She’d kill me if I didn’t remind you.

TREY

Okay Pa

MCCOY

Listen. Just be a good man Trey. I’ve seen the change, you’ve lived the change for a year now.

TREY

Okay Pa

MCCOY

I know the past is the past. What that man has, or whatever that thing was that attacked me and your Nona, is not inside of you.

TREY

Ok…

A nurse enters. Trey decides to leave the two alone and stands outside the hallway. He looks down at his phone and he sees that it’s his girlfriend of three months, Monica. She has arrived at the hospital.

MONICA

Where is he, is he okay?

TREY

Yes, yes… or at least I think so. Let’s talk outside.

MONICA

Outside? I want to see your grandfather.

TREY

He’s my grandfather. The nurse is with him anyways

MONICA

Allriiiight…

(They exit out the entrance)

MONICA

What’s going on?

TREY

I dunno

MONICA

Well do you think he’s going to make it?

TREY

I don’t know Monica. Stop asking.

MONICA

Well jeez, Trey, sorry for caring

TREY

Yea, just stop reminding me that he’s gonna be gone soon

MONICA

I wasn’t…

TREY

Yea you were. And he isn’t your grandfather. So stop acting like it.

Monica looks down, completely offended.

TREY

You just… it’s not your grandfather in there. To come home and to see... to see him, lying there… at the bottom of the couch, next to Nona… in her blood- God, you couldn’t even recognize her. With the life just stolen away from her. I thought, I thought he was gone with her too. In that second, I felt this incredible pain that had been building up, building up, building up since I walked through that door, until it washed away into this numbness... And I saw the two people that I had loved the most, the ones that… loved me, and would never hurt me…. I saw them lying there.

MONICA

Oh my god… Trent…

TREY

And, there was the chair… the back was completely broken off and one of the legs was covered in, in, it was this deep color. It was laying down right beside her, not even hidden, not even ashamed of what it had did. I stood before that, thinking, what’s left? What’s left? Is there anything in the world that I have anymore…

MONICA

But I’m here…

TREY

Yea and for you to walk into this. I can’t ask you to stay.

MONICA

But I will

TREY

You shouldn’t. It won’t get any better

MONICA

How do you know? How can you say this?

TREY

Because I’ve spent a lot of time alone. Thinking. A lot of time thinking alone. And during all that time, there wasn’t a day that I didn’t plan what I was going to do for them. How I’d be better for them

MONICA

But you are!

TREY

No, it’s too soon for you to tell. I already know that at least. I’ll admit, it look like I was starting to… heading in the right direction but…

MONICA

Don’t. Just shut up.

TREY

You don’t understand what it takes to create this something, this something inside of me. I thought the peace and silence of four years would be enough, just enough to kick it out. But it’s alive and well. And it’s only been saving its energy these past years, ready to really show me.

MONICA

I don’t understand Trey.

TREY

You’re not suppose to. You’re the lucky one. You’ve never had to see where I’ve been.

From Andi Smith's The Island In The Hills: Scene 2 Big Ugly Secret

Annabelle: Paige I saw you last night.
Paige: What do you mean?
Annabelle: I saw you, you don’t have to act like you don’t know what I’m talking about.
Paige: Whatever, you might have seen me, but I don’t have to tell you anything.
Annabelle: Hm. Well now I’m beginning to believe there is something I should know- I was just going to assume you were out tracking a constellation of stars or waiting for some kind of rare comet sighting, continuing your research as usual, feeding your relentlessly hungry IQ.
Paige: Well you’re right about that actually.
Annabelle: I don’t know Paige, I think your life just got a lot more interesting…Or at least from my perspective. What were you doing out there? It was nearly 4 in the morning…?
Paige: Gosh, I’ve been able to keep you and mom out of my business all this time, and now? I’m so close to being out of here! This is ridiculous, you better just drop it and leave me alone.
Annabelle: I don’t know why you have such a huge problem with me Paige, I am your big sister, maybe it’s time we start acting like sisters, maybe it’s time I start being a role model for you, allowing you to confide in me.
Paige: Ha! A role model for me? I’d rather be caught dead than be walking through life with your ungrateful demeanor, nothing about you is anything I’d want to be.
Annabelle: Please. You seem so fussy though when mom favors me, isn’t that something you wish you had? I mean it’s just so painfully obvious, and when I say painful- I mean, you really appear to be in pain…
Paige: Ya, right. Pain is far from the mere frustration I feel… in that I am simply not equal under the law of this home.
Annabelle: Come on Paige, don’t think I don’t notice Mom’s bullshit motive in ignoring you. I can see now, that it’s not you…it’s her…and I know why.
Paige: Wow, I didn’t think you were capable of that…
Annabelle: Capable of what?
Paige: Looking at someone outside of yourself.
Annabelle: Well, you’re not the only one trying to go about your business without the noses of others in your way. I do what I need to do to play my part, and play to the level expected. You don’t always accomplish the most by being the insightful child. Sometimes you just have to know your role.
Paige: Well, you’re giving mom all the excuses in the world to ignore what she is responsible for. In her mind, your overwhelming neediness and drama keeps her occupied being a “mother” While I am just, well…not a problem I guess! But maybe I should start giving her a run for her money, ya know, start tugging just as hard on the other arm… drive her mad! Madder than she already is!
Annabelle: You don’t want to do that Paige, it’s not worth it. Stick it out, you’ll be 18 before you know it. And who knows… this big ugly secret might just blow over if and when you decide to flip your lid and let it be known.
Paige: I can’t believe it. You know about this, how long have you known about this?
Annabelle: Paige, you can confide in me… I haven’t told a soul.

Fringe and 'He Hale Kou' by Rebecca V

I responded most to the last piece, being Nick’s, because I felt the character development throughout the piece was not forced. There was a beginning, middle and end that arched the plays’ entirety, where I felt I had a clear understanding of each character’s wants and needs. The dynamics between Ellen and Roderick were clear and concise, something that I felt was lacking in comparison to the plays prior. Also, I felt the intensity of the more dramatic moments were based on characters needs, as oppose to the influences of drama (for the sake of having dramatic moments) itself. The moments where Roderick mentioned wanting to pet Ellen, as he pets a dog in hopes that she would then want to be her friend was a precise, secluded moment into his character, which I felt was previously hinted at through his use of barking whenever his doorbell rang as well as the moments where he felt a need to rely on the ownership of dogs as an excuse for his being absent and/or unavailable. For the concept of peeling back layers as a way to define a character, and find out more about what drives them, I found that Nick’s piece had a well-balanced approach between drama and dialogue, which is something that I’m continuously working with in my pieces.

The play that I’m currently working with seems to rely on the relationships between each character, as well as the weight in their past experiences in comparison to their current situations. The problems of what each character is specifically after, as well as where their voice fits in with the overall concept of the play is what I am constantly grappling with. I am having a hard time allowing each character their space to speak, and more so, what it is they are yearning to get across to the characters around them. The location is set in Hawai’i, specifically North Shore on the island of O’ahu. The area is far away from the influences of town and/or tourism and certain parts of that area on the island lack electricity. The idea of ‘He Hale Kou’ which translates into ‘you have a house’ invites the sense that each character has played a part in building a house on a remote part of an island that they can each return to at any point in their lives, under the condition that only the four of them that built it in the beginning have access to it’s insides. The areas I feel allow the most exploration are about what time period the characters are in, as well as what they will do with/do each other, that will affect the shared space of the house overall.

Caroline's Response to Fringe Show

Do a one or two paragraph written response to seeing the Fringe plays. Answer any or all of the following:

- Which piece did you most respond to? Why?

Honestly, I responded to Nick’s piece the most because there was a natural pace to the progression of the relationship. It was charming and sweet. It also mixed visual indicators of progression that served just as strongly as the dialogue to show growth, such as the light bulb and the coffee. The man with Asperger’s was strange enough but funny enough to hold onto my interest while still remaining believable and definitely enjoyable The other pieces worked. The theme of the first piece compelled me to reflect on honesty and the politics of truth. The images in the second piece fit the slow piece and though it was not the most engaging piece, I still was drawn into the silent world of the unhappy couple. The dancing and live video feed assisted the dynamism of the silence, so that action manifested in a different way other than plot.

In addition, do a one-paragraph summary of the piece you're working on in class.

Pedro is coming back. I’m going to play with extending the piece, though I am happy with it as a one-act. There’s more I’d like to go into…especially Pedro and his struggle with identity and abandonment. I’d like to include more “real” or serious (though funny) conversations with his mother and perhaps even more confrontation on his father’s part, to try to encourage him to be a better man (and grow up). Though the piece works with its original arch, I think it could go deeper into cultural issues within the Latino community, such as absentee fathers and children being raised on illusions of success instead of true, personal success. I think I’m going to have the parents pester him a little more; Mami, in reality, and Papi, in a fantastical way. Hopefully, it’s not too forced, but it’s already set up for more and I would like to explore.

Randall Jong's Response to Fringe and summary of Play

Randall Jong

Fringe Response and Play outline


1. I thought “The Ballad of 423 and 424” and “Brave, Battling Autism” were two plays that really captured my imagination for the stage. In “Brave, Battling Autism” the use of silence and movement were surprising because it took me to an uncomfortable place. I wanted to here them say something, but when they didn’t I was more focused on the little details: the way he kept fiddling with his hands, the way she looked at him. And then they danced and conveyed so much information about their relationship than what words can. The Character of the MC was really compelling because she was speaking Spanish (which I know very little of) and held this camera that zoomed in on those physical details. Why was she there? Why was she needed?
For “The Ballad of 423 and 424” I thought the use of set and light were truly effective in portraying Ellen and Roderick’s relationship. The doors at the end of the play, when they were opened, was such a strong image for me because it gave me a visual space where I can see the change of the story. It left me wondering if those doors will ever be closed.

2. The relationship between Angie and Boy is a sibling affair with this “ideal” couple of Carol and Mike causing the action and drama. While I was writing the rest of this one act play, Carol and Mike became really strong characters that further developed into Angie and the Boy’s relationship. The lie Angie told that her and the Boy are getting married gets to be the base for other lies and secrets, and for me, it allowed the characters to explore their carnal desires and wants. One of the problems I have is to effectively tie in certain themes into the play…like the theme of being someone or something else (reincarnation). I find that theme strong in all four characters: Angie, Boy, Carol, and Mike.

Fringe and Process Response #1

Safiya Martinez
CW 602—professor Conboy
Responses to The Fringe One-Acts


After seeing three one-act plays at The Fringe, I realized that I responded most to The Ballad of 423 and 424. I felt that the dynamic between Ellen and Roderick was established effectively at the beginning—Roderick as Ellen’s struggling neighbor, Ellen as Roderick’s slightly beleaguered love interest. We later discover that Roderick has Aspberger’s. Roderick clearly is infatuated with Ellen, and she is dealing with her own bouts of loneliness and loss, and these issues were some of the reasons that the characters had a hard time connecting initially .
I felt that the writing and direction moved the pace along beautifully. The tensions created in the cat-and-mouse game between Roderick and Ellen was at once believable, heartbreaking and hilarious. There were surprising moments sprinkled throughout the play. When Ellen brought over the Easter meal, I thought for sure the characters were going to connect, but of course Roderick became shy and retreated to his apartment.
An interesting part of their dynamic was that the characters went back and forth between needing one another—the kind of interdependence that develops over time between people—and running away due to fear of intimacy and the scariness of expectations. I particularly enjoyed how the play ended—on the note of openness and possibility for both characters. Perhaps there may be a future of some kind of Roderick and Ellen. Or maybe, the possibility of a nurturing friendship is really at the heart of this engaging work.














Safiya Martinez
CW 602—Professor Conboy
Response to In-progress work



2. In addition, do a one-paragraph summary of the piece you're working on in class. Just try to sum up how the piece is developing for you. How are the characters and stories developing. What do you see as the opportunities for more exploration in the piece. Where do you think you're having problems?




I am working on scenes that are intended for a one-woman show based on my life as a first-year teacher in New York City. The piece see-saws between two perspectives: life at school, the teachers’ personal life. In the world of school, I embody different characters, mostly students. In scenes and monologues I act out student fears, anxieties and frustrations. I also seek to give voice to their hopes and innate intelligence. I am working on new sections to bring my own voice forward, and these have been some of the more challenging scenes to write. Interestingly enough, many of the characters to emerge initially were male voices, and it’s been a lot of fun getting in touch with what makes a middle school boy tick, and dramatizing that for the stage.
I also had a great time with Vanessa, a character who is a thirteen-year old girl in the seventh grade. She has, in my opinion a lot of righteous anger at the world, at her school and at the boys in the school who in some ways, do run the show. At this point, what I want to work on is finding my story arc. I have been working on this project for nine months, and have lots of scenes. Several of which fit well together, but I still don’t have the more elusive component: the thematic or structural glue that holds them together. I hope that as I continue to write, some of the opacity I’m dealing with at this stage in the writing process clears up a bit. However, I remain excited and ready to move forward with these stories.

10.6.10 "The best dyke" Elina G-

LORI

Your nails are a little too short here.

LUIS

Oh I know it's because Myriam likes it this way.

LORI

But you're the owner of your fingers, I mean if I were with you, I'm just saying, don't think I wanna be with you I mean it would be so awkward. I mean it's not that you're not attractive in a positive way I mean to me you're positive you're attractive I mean I like your fingers they're thin and gracious especially your thumb it seems vigorous and soft but I think you should do what the fuck (she says it to show him she can use bad words, it sounds fake) you want with your body because you have an elegant gesture and anyway I think I'm homophobic I mean homosexual

LUIS

Oh that's cool are you seeing anyone?

LORI

No, I'm available. I mean I saw Katharine Hepburn in a sitcom the other day and also Venus Williams holding her racket up in the air when she won game set and match ; and Patti Smith on youtube and I know I'm an homosexual. But I mean... I'm open you know. If you wanna have a coffee sometimes I know this place it's a beautiful bench in a Park the bench is green and the Park is green and I love Nature, do you love Nature?

LUIS

Definitely. We should go hiking sometimes, it would be fun.

LORI

OH YES. Give me your number I'll send you a message in a text Friday night around 7 when it's week end time!

LUIS

Sure. 360 985 9663. I'm kind of flaky, I'll try to call you back but you know I spend a lot of time with Myriam and she's pretty jealous.

LORI

Oh I understand. Women, huh...

PROFESSOR LAUTNER

Hey happy campers! You really think you're roasting marshmallows on the beach don't you? Ah! Giving your phone number.. Why don't you give your address, your keys and beg for harassment instead? Jesus.

LORI, smiling smoothly

Don't worry Luis, I would never do that to you...

Pause.

LORI

I can see why you're so into Myriam though, she has great taste. She lives in the pretty red house at the end of Webster street, doesn't she?