Program 40 [SEWC]

Act I Scene 1

Waiting for Alfie

Set: A bus-stop bench on a busy sidewalk in front of a park. There is a young family having a picnic in the background.

Time: Late afternoon (just before sunset) on the Tuesday after the Labor-day following the reader's (audience's) fortieth birthday.

Cast:

GEORGIE - 42 year old man.
BILL - Man between 80 & 100 who has a cane but obviously does not need it.
FREDERICK - 39 year old man.
GINNY - 22 year old college girl who is very chipper.
MARIE - 56 year old mother of Ginny.
Henrietta - Woman in her 50s with vibrant black hair and a gray streak at one temple.
ALFIE - Man in mid 20s who is very outgoing and good friends with Georgie.
EXTRAS - A young family consisting of a husband, wife, and toddler (boy or girl).

Open Curtain

Georgie is sitting on the bench and filling in the crossword puzzle from the local paper while humming. Bill walks by Georgie with a light step and while twirling his cane. Bill turns around to talk to Georgie.

BILL: Hiya Georgie, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be at the chess tourney in Pleasure Park?

GEORGIE: Well I would be, but I received that obscure government text.

BILL: You mean the one where certain people over forty are mandated to choose between government programs?

GEORGIE: Yeah that one. It said we were all supposed to be at the nearest busstop at 8pm today, and not much else. And the crux of the matter is that it didn't even give details about this choice we're supposed to be making.

BILL: What about Alfie? You two are chums. Didn't he tell you something? He is still working for the bureau right?

GEORGIE: He's not answering my calls. But I sent him a text, and he responded that he'd meet me here and explain everything to me. But what about you? If you received the text, why aren't you waiting too?

BILL: Ah, but mine simply stated that this round is not requiring the participation of anyone over eighty. Well; good day lad, I have a tournament to go win.

Bill walks offstage with a quick and light step. He is passed on his way offstage by Bill coming onstage in an obvious hurry.
GEORGIE: Hey Freddy! What's the rush?

FREDERICK: I'm late, I got an important text and I need to be at the Imperium Building.

GEORGIE: I thought just people over forty got that government text. But mine said to be at the busstop not government center.

FREDERICK: No, no . . . different text completely. I still don't trust it though. But then again, I don't trust anything enacted by this new socialist regime that was elected by these college kids.

GEORGIE: Hmmm . . . well, I guess I was just hoping you knew something more than me. I was waiting for Alfie, but he hasn't shown up yet.

FREDERICK: Yeah; if anyone would know something, it would be Alfie. That one does tend to have an ear for the gossip. Well, if I see him at the Imp., I'll send him your way. Gotta go.

Frederick continues on his way in his resumed hurry. Marie and Ginny walk up to Georgie with Ginny holding Marie's arm. Marie sits on the bench with Georgie and Ginny stands behind Marie. The family in the park leaves the stage.

MARIE: So you got the text too, eh? She speaks to Georgie without looking at him.

GEORGIE: That I did. And now I'm hoping that Alfie will get here before the bus does so that he can tell us what is going on. Georgie glances at his pocket watch while making the last statement.

MARIE: That sounds just like you Georgie, always waiting on Alfie. Well, you just keep him away from my Ginny you hear. Ginny rolls her eyes with exagerated head movement. But you don't need Alfie to tell you what is going on . . . I'll tell you right now. It's the government poking their noses where they don't belong again!

GEORGIE: Tell me about it. The New Imperium thinks it knows what is best for us all. And so we should all just line up and accept their decrees.

GINNY: I know, isn't it great?! The New Imperium will provide all that we need. We just have to trust in them!

GEORGIE: To Marie aside. Is she always like this?

MARIE: No, sometimes she thinks before she speaks.

GINNY: Mom!

MARIE: Although, those times seem less and less since she started at the new government college.

Henrietta walks onto stage and sits between Georgie and Marie on the bench.

HENRIETTA: Oooh, this is sooo exciting . . . don't you think? I know, I know . . . we were chosen! Out of everyone, they chose us.

GINNY: I know, you are so lucky to have been chosen by the Imperium. You get to be pioneers in the New World System.

GEORGIE: Speak for yourself kid! If you think so much of the program, why don't you go in my place?

GINNY: Oh, I wish I could. But that would be cheating, right? No, we must trust that the Imperium knows best.

A buzzing comes from everybodies cell-phones, except Ginny's. Only Henrietta looks at the text.

HENRIETTA: It seems as if our two choices are the Soylent Program or the Mars Program.

GEORGIE: Well, I see someone at the Imperium has a sense of humor.

GINNY: Ummm . . . what is soylent?

MARIE: Ginny, why don't you run along home now. I canhandle waiting for a bus on my own.

GINNY: Just as well, isn't that the bus coming up now anyways.

GEORGIE: Yes it is . . . and I do believe that's Alfie driving.

Close Curtains

END ACT I, SCENE 1

a reply to: JDeLattre89

Awesome writing!!!

a reply to: JDeLattre89

Star and flag. You have done well!

a reply to: Nothin

I agree!!! You should write one too!

originally posted by: Quantum12
a reply to: Nothin

I agree!!! You should write one too!

Thanks Q12. You have a generous soul.
But here: everyone wants to know why Alfie is driving the bus.

a reply to: Nothin

Lol!!!

Thanks all . . . and yes, Nothin you should try a hand.

But here: everyone wants to know why Alfie is driving the bus.

That's for Act I, Scene 3 . . . if I get that far.

a reply to: JDeLattre89

That was different, I like it!

Waiting with anticipation for the rest. I wonder/hope if/that maybe Alfie is a renegade and is going to load the bus with other rebels and make a great escape to...?

a reply to: JDeLattre89

Very interesting. Thank you.

Maybe I should hold a pool to see what Alfie does . . .

a reply to: JDeLattre89

I hope noone chooses the Soylent Program!! YIKES!!! LMAO!!!
This was very well written!
Thank You for letting Us 'see' the characters in Their motions...
S+F!!!
I see Screen Writer in Your future!! Syx

a reply to: SyxPak

Nah, just humble bookstore owner.

Thnx though!

a reply to: JDeLattre89

You are Welcome but don't sell Yourself short! Syx

Alright, finished writing Act I, Scene 2. Will post in the next few days after typing it out.

originally posted by: JDeLattre89
a reply to: SyxPak

Nah, just humble bookstore owner.

Thnx though!

You only sell humble books, or regular books too?
Just kidding. Looking forward to the next scene.

a reply to: Nothin

Nope, egotistical owner of an humble bookstore filled with excitable books.

Act I, Scene 2

Madame Director

Set: 8:30 p.m. A plainly furnished meeting room. There is a large circular table taking up the room with a single door behind it, and two small tables on either side of the door.

Cast:

FREDERICK - 39 year old man.
SUZZANA - 32 year old government bureaucrat.
JOHNNIE - 39 year old twin of Jill.
JILL - 39 year old twin of Johnnie.
MIKEY - 39 year old (man or woman).
GINNY - 22 year old college girl
EXTRAS - Tom & Bob. Security Force guards in mid 20s.

Open Curtain

We enter the scene with four confused people sitting around the table. Suzzana is standing at the head of the table. Two guards stand on either side of the door.

SUZZANA: I reckon that you are all wondering what you are doing here. And we will get to that I promise. But first, I must ask you to please place your cell-phones in the basket. She passes a basket around the table.

FREDERICK: All's the better anyway, this thing has brought me nothing but heartache anyway. He drops his phone into the basket with the rest and hands the basket to the guard Tom as he steps forward.

SUZZANA: Yes, well your old phones are being replaced by our new state of the art government phones.

JOHNNIE: Nice! I never had a top-of-the-line phone before. Jill elbows Johnnie and makes a face at him.

FREDERICK: Yes, well I'm sure our new toys come with strings attached. Isn't that right Madame Director? What, is it equipped with a tracking device?

SUZZANA: Very astute Mr. . . . she glances over a list on her clipboard . . . ah yes, very astute Mr. Frederick. I think I shall nominate you as the nominal leader of our little counsel here. Yes, there is a tracking device on the phones, among many other functions of which you will be briefed on all of them after this meeting. But among other things these phones are limited to only be able to call the pre-programmed numbers in them. Now, Mr. Frederick, I suppose you know what is involved in your new role? She leans in real close to Frederick as she asks this last question.

FREDERICK: Yeah; if the counsel fails to perform as planned, I am to be held responsible.

Suzzana nods her head and Jill and Mikey lean back in order to try and get farther away from her.

SUZZANA: Very good indeed.That's two for two. I do believe I chose wisely this time.

MIKEY: Raises hand tentatively. Umm . . . Madame Director? Why exactly are we here? You said something about a counsel, but nothing about our function or why us.

SUZZANA: That is a good question. As for your function; that will be made clear in due time. Why you on the other hand, well I thought that would be perfectly clear. You are all thirty-nine years old. That is to say, that you are not yet old but you are beyond usefulness to the Party. Why you specifically . . . now, that was completely random. But there are perks.

MIKEY: We get perks?

FREDERICK: Yeah, we get to choose our fates in the next culling.

A cold smile spreads across Suzzana's face not quite reaching her eyes.

SUZZANA: I wouldn't have put it that way exactly; but yes, that is essentially the jest of it.

JILL: Wait, culling . . . what culling?

FREDERICK: He looks over at Jill. Well, if you'd been paying attention to the Socialists' platform for the past decade or so, you would have noticed that they think the world is overpopulated. It seems that their solution is to remove everyone over forty from the planet.

SUZZANA: That's right again. I am really starting to like you.

JILL: Yeah, but you also said we could choose our fates. That means there's another option right?

FREDERICK: There is always another alternative. After all, you wouldn't expect the loyal members of the Imperial Regime to share the same fate as the common people would you?

MIKEY: But the Regime is supposed to exist to help the people.

JOHNNIE: Nothing is ever as it is supposed to be.

FREDERICK: That's right Johnnie. The thing about the Regime is . . . it exists only to further itself. Right, Director?

SUZZANA: Top of the class again. You would have had a promissing future in the Regime had you only been born a decade or two later. Anyways, I think that about covers the pleasantries today as well as our topics for this briefing. I think it is time to introduce you to your handler. Bob, would you please be so kind as to show Ms. Ginny in?

Bob walks out the door.

JILL: Our handler?

FREDERICK: She means our watcher. Someone to report to higher on our activities.

Bob walks back in the door closely followed by Ginny.

SUZZANA: Well now, Here she is. Everyone, this is Ms. Ginny. She will be your liason for the foreseeable future.

GINNY: Good day Mistress Suzzana. She redirects her attention to the faces at the table. Oh, this is so exciting! She giggles excitedly and bobs up and down on her toes.

Open Curtain

END ACT I, SCENE 2

a reply to: JDeLattre89

Thanks. More please!

a reply to: Nothin

Workin on it (well when I have free time that is).

originally posted by: SyxPak
a reply to: JDeLattre89

I hope noone chooses the Soylent Program!! YIKES!!! LMAO!!!
This was very well written!
Thank You for letting Us 'see' the characters in Their motions...
S+F!!!
I see Screen Writer in Your future!!

Syx

My wife read it yesterday and asked me what Soylent was.

I then had to explain Soylent Green to her.