The Black Masquerade (what i needed to say v1)

Striding in elegance

floating with every step

with an inquiring beauty.

Unknown faces,

hidden intentions,

sauntering down the round

golden staircase

awaiting the ball.

United in dance,

together as one.

Hands clasp together,

guiding the pretense of truth.

The emotional apathetic

The blissful depressed,

The lonely leader,

The angry lover,

dancing in unison

in the opal night.

A few words whispered

and the mask cascades off.

The lies extinguish,

the agony exceeds

the quiet eyes.

The sapphire heart shatters

as the feeling of descent

whips from beneath,

dragging down

into the inflamed shadow.

The red ink ruins the extravagant black dress.

The opaque black pearls crack.

The lace black gloves stained.

The impurity of lies.

10 minute play V3

Matt, a 22 year old guy with light brown hair is sitting on a bench alone in a park holding a coffee in one hand and a photo of another guy in another hand. It is autumn and the wind is a slightly mild and gentle. Many people are walking past, not taking notice to him and carrying on with their own lives. Matt continues to stare at the photo, as if in a trance. An elderly woman walks toward Matt and decides to sit next to him.

WOMAN

The old woman sits down on the bench but leaving a space on purpose. After an awkward silence the woman looks over and sees Matt is holding up and stares at the picture and decides to start a conversation.

Umm, hello dear.

MATT

Matt breaks out of the trance from staring at the picture.

Oh um hello.

WOMAN

You look sad dear, what are you doing all alone?

MATT

I’m just thinking.

WOMAN

May I ask about what?

MATT

About a lot of things

Woman glances over and notices the picture is of a boy and is wondering who this person was.

WOMAN

Her voice changes wondering

Is it about that boy?

MATT

Surprised

Huh? Umm yeah it is.

Matt smiles but it fades right away and his expression deepens

WOMAN

Was he important to you?

Matt stares at his photo of the boy again and has a flashback

Flashback

[The lights dim, the old woman exits off stage, and Chase enter, from stage right. Matt Stands up from the bench and opens the door to his house only to find Chase in the kitchen next to the doorway.]

Enter Chase

MATT

Opens the door and looks to see who is home

Hey

Closes door behind him and looks away.

Chase is surprised by Matt.

CHASE

Hey! You’re home right on time!

Chase excitedly greets Matt.

MATT

What’s for dinner?

CHASE

I made you’re favorite!

MATT

Bluntly asks

Why? What’s the occasion?

CHASE

Voice is pained

Huh? You don’t remember?

MATT

Whatever, I’m going to change.

[Matt exits stage left, goes and takes off his work clothes and is in shorts and a white T shirt and re-enters At this time Chase set up the dinner table all cheery. They both sit down, Matt sitting on the opposite side of the table facing Chase.]

MATT

Takes a bite of the food

Oh my God, What is this?!

CHASE

Huh? I thought you liked it?

MATT

It’s disgusting!

Matt throws the food across the table hitting the wall, just missing Chase’s head. Chase sits frozen, not knowing what to do, as Matt walks up and leaves the dinner table. Matt then sits down and watches the TV while Chase is cleaning up the mess. Matt’s cell phone rings on the table. Chase picks it up.

CHASE

Umm… Hello? Yes this is Matt’s phone, who is this?

Matt looks over at Chase and runs toward him

MATT

angrily

Give me my phone Chase!

CHASE

Chase’s voice weakens.

His what?

MATT

Give me my damn phone Chase!

CHASE

Looks down and voice is almost a whisper

Umm ok… I’ll tell him you called.

MATT

Grabs phone

Why the hell did you pick up my phone?

CHASE

Voice is still in a whisper

Who’s John?

MATT

No one you need to --

CHASE

I just thought…

MATT

Thought what? Nothing is going on between--

CHASE

Matt, he called.

MATT

And what did he say?

CHASE

Nothing.

Chase looks at Matt and attempts to smile. Once he realizes he can’t he just turns away and walks upstairs.

I just thought… Matt, how could you?

MATT

What the hell did he say?

CHASE

Yells

You know what he said!

MATT

What are you talking a--

CHASE

Voice quivers

He said you two were together.

MATT

Bluntly

And?

CHASE

Surprisingly questions

And?

MATT

And?

CHASE

Voice gets increasing louder

Matt, there is no and! What’s going on?

MATT

Nothing.

Tries to brush off the subject

CHASE

Matt, please just tell m—

MATT

Voice changes into a violent tone

I said it was nothing!!!

CHASE

shocked

How can it be nothing Matt? He said you two were together, so then what does that make us?

MATT

quietly

I don’t know

CHASE

What do you mean you don’t know? Matt I love ---

MATT

Just stop.

CHASE

Voice is pained

Matt what’s going on here?

Slight pause, Chase’s concern increases

Ma—

MATT

Yells

I said stop!

CHASE

Voice shakes

What?!?! Do you really expect me to let this go? I love --

MATT

What don’t you get when I say stop? It’s over! Just stop!

CHASE

Wait…What? What’s over, you and John or you and—

MATT

Between me and John. We had nothing in the first place anyway.

CHASE

Then why did he call and say tha—

MATT

Chase just get out of my face!

CHASE

Chases voice is choking up

Matt why were you with him? And for how long? Why didn’t you t--

MATT

Yells furiously

Chase just shut up!

CHASE

Matt I’m not going to sto--

MATT

Yelling increases in volume

Chase just shut up! I’m sick of you, why don’t you just stop? Don’t you think that’s why I cheated on you? Because you know what, you get on my nerves beyond reason. And.. and.. I just don’t know what to do with you anymore!

CHASE

Tearing up, voice shakes even more

Wait Ma—

MATT

You are worthless; I don’t even know why I was with you. Maybe because I felt sorry or maybe because I knew it was going to be over soon between us.

CHASE

Slowly shaking his head, almost into tears

Matt…I --

MATT

It’s just over, there’s nothing between us anymore.

CHASE

eyes wide open

Matt… you don’t mean –

Chase walks closer toward Matt with his hand reaching toward Matt’s face

MATT

I fucking hate you!

Matt then backhands Chase in the face

Pause and awkward silence between the two. Chase’s expression is in a slight shock but then his emotion consumes him, immobilizing him. He doesn’t move his head, rather he moves his body toward the bedroom. Tears are dripping down his face. Before Matt knows what he did, he tries to reach his hand to Chase however Chase isn’t looking at him and interrupts him while looking away.

CHASE

I’m sorry.

Chase turns around slowly and walks into the room. Matt’s hand is still extended toward Chase with his mouth open about to say something but his voice wouldn’t work. Once Chase is in the room, Matt whispers.

MATT

Chase…

Matt leans on the wall.

Damn it!

Matt pounds the wall. Matt walks back to the couch and watches T.V.

[Chase reenters the stage holding a velvet box and walks toward Matt]

CHASE

Whispers while giving the box to Matt

Here.

Chase smiles but clearly is still somewhat crying

Whispering

Happy anniversary Matt.

Before Matt could react, Chase exits the house and leaves stage left.

MATT

Opens the box and sees the ring

He was going to propose to me tonight…

Matt tries on the ring. Looks at his hand and puts the box into his pocket.

It was a perfect fit…

[Matt runs to the door, and looks outside, but no one is there. He closes the door and punches the wall inside the house. He then walks into the bedroom and then looks at the various pictures of them together. He then walks to the deck outside of the bedroom and sees the bucket of ice with champagne. He looks around and the deck is all set up all nicely. Matt looks around and decides to go back to the living room. He then picks takes his cell phone and calls Chase. Chase’s phone rings on the couch.]

He left his phone…I can’t believe it. He’s actually gone.

[Matt then sits down and flips through channels]

Ugh… how can there be nothing on T.V.?

[Matt throws the remote and the channel changes to the news then Matt’s cell phone rings at the same time and he does not recognize the number.]

Confused tone

Yeah this is Matt, who is this?

Matt is trying to concentrate on the T.V. at the same time

Wait what?

Matt’s voice and tone is deepens with sorrow

Wait Chase don’t! I love--

Matt hangs up the phone

You

End Flashback

[Lights dim and scene changes with Matt and the old woman back on the bench with Matt looking at the picture of Chase.]

WOMAN

Is something wrong dear?

MATT

He was going to propose to me that night.

WOMAN

I’m so sorry dear. I’m sure he knew you loved him.

MATT

Yeah…

[Matt puts the picture in his coat pocket. He then looks up and sees Chase walking down.]

Chase!

[At this point, Matt chases after Chase and the old woman exits off stage. Chase turns around and is surprised who he sees]

CHASE

Matt? What are you doing here?

MATT

Huh? Oh just drinking some coffee. And umm yeah. How have you been?

CHASE

Face is bothered

I’ve been doing fine…

MATT

Is everything okay? You don’t look f—

CHASE

Yeah I’m fine… It’s nice seeing you again.

Chase starts to walk away

MATT

Stammers

I..I..Chase..I…

Chase turns around

Happy anniversary…

CHASE

Smiles, then fades.

Voice is in a whisper

Happy anniversary Matt…

[Chase turns around and walks off again. Matt just keeps looking at Chase as the lights dim out]

[End]

the story of the sad boy

one person

one person only

they are in a dark area

I cant see anything else but

there is a small light shown on them and

they are looking down nothing else

as if they are in a trance

they are stuck

nothing

doing nothing at all

and yet I can feel everything

that they are feeling they are feeling

hate of sadness

something dark

and then the darkness is slowly inside of them

is coming out like shadows

slowly consuming them and

then the person screams

they spread out their arms

then there is nothing

just black

then it slowly fades to the lake.

It's dark

so dark out.

There are 2 people

on the lake

both with swords and

that same person

that was consumed by the shadows

is there,

sitting

facing away from the fight.

It starts to rain, and heavily

on the person

they start to cry

and the two people with swords start to fight

fighting with all they have.

They cut and there is blood one is

bleeding from his mouth

and the other is

slightly bruised

but is that a cut?

And then the person who is facing away

can feel everything.

They don’t know what to do

what, can they do?

That’s why they are thinking.

There are dead trees

in front of the sad person

who is kneeling on the water.

There is a bench. And the person thinks

why is that bench is empty.

Nothing more nothing less

just like my life

that’s what they are thinking

and the two people keep fighting.

And then the final slash and

the black out and

the blood is

everywhere

in the water

on the water

and the person who is sitting

just cries. The rain is still

going and the wind picks up

and the person alone

is just sitting.

Like nothing ever happened.

They are just sitting

again not thinking

of anything

but they are thinking.

How is this all of my fault

what did I do?

They are crying again

but a slow sob

and the fight continues behind him.

The two guys are slowly

on the verge of death but

they keep fighting.

the thunder cracks yet

no one is affected by it.

The person keeps crying and the water around him slowly

pulls him down.

The sad person disappears

from sight

but his spirit is still there. The rain

keeps going and the two people on the water

keep fighting but they both

sink

into the water.

It’s dark.

It keeps raining.

Why is that bench empty?

What else is there?

There is a building

in the background

but it’s

behind

trees.

Could this be a park?

And then the drowning continues

that’s what I think is happening

but is he nothing?

I can just feel.

It hurts.

That’s what the sad person is saying,

why me?

That’s what they are asking.

But the fight is no more.

But the fight is

within

him.

He is crying

because the fight continues

even though the two are

already gone.

he keeps crying

nothing left

he feels.

there he is in the water

alone

should I be dead?

that’s what he thinks

but not him…

no he's at the bottom of the lake

Its dark and here he

sits

slowly

waiting

scared if anyone

sees him

then the world would

end.

His world

ended

already

that’s what he thinks

and there we go

the story of the sad boy

that’s what he said.

when the sad boy says

the story ended

he has all of the

wounds

from the sword fights

hes in the water

he falls down

further

before

he was kneeling

but now

hes on his side

he looks

and it was dark

and before he died

he said i know what that feels

he closed his eyes

and that was all.

10 minute play

Matt, a 22 year old guy with light brown hair is sitting on a bench alone in a park holding a coffee in one hand and a photo of another guy in another hand. It is autumn and the wind is a slightly mild and gentle. Many people are walking past, not taking notice to him and carrying on with their own lives. Matt continues to stare at the photo, as if in a trance. Lydia, a girl who is 22 also, calls out Matt’s name breaking him out of his trance.

Lydia:

Matt!

Jumps up and down waving her arms. Matt raises his head and then smiles in compliance. Lydia meets up with him and sits next to him on the bench.

Matt:

Hey Lydia.

Lydia:

What are you doing here?

Matt:

Just thinking.

Lydia:

About what?

Matt:

About a lot of things

Lydia glances over and sees a picture of Chase in Matt’s hand

Lydia:

Her voice changes into a concerned/worried tone

How long has it been?

Matt:

One year.

Lydia:

How are you keeping up?

Matt stares at his photo of Chase and has a flashback

Flashback:

Matt opens the door to his house only to find Chase slowly walking down the stairs with a downcast look.

Matt:

Hey.

Chase is surprised by Matt

Chase:

Hey…

Chase looks away as soon as he greets Matt. He then sits on the couch trying to avoid all visual contact with him.

Matt:

What’s for dinner?

Chase:

Umm… Whatever is in the fridge…

Matt:

You didn’t cook?

Chase:

No, not tonight.

Matt:

Well why not?

Chase:

I was upstairs doing something.

Chase’s voice weakens.

Matt:

You know I expect food when I get home from work okay? Or else I would’ve gone out to eat with a few –

Chase:

With John…

Matt:

With who?

Chase:

With John…

Matt:

Why would you s—

Chase:

Matt, he called.

Matt:

And what did he say?

Chase:

Nothing

Gets off the couch and starts to go upstairs but is stopped by Matt’s grab.

Matt:

What the hell did he say?

Chase:

Nothing

Looking away not making any eye contact with Matt.

Matt:

Okay you know what? Fine what ever.

Matt takes a step before Chase says something.

Chase:

Voice quivers

He said you two were together.

Matt:

Bluntly

And?

Chase:

Surprisingly questions

And?

Matt:

And?

Chase:

Voice gets increasing louder

Matt, there is no and! What’s going on?

Matt:

Nothing.

Tries to brush off the subject

Chase:

Matt, please just tell m—

Matt:

Voice changes into a violent tone

I said it was nothing!!!

Chase:

shocked

How can it be nothing Matt? He said you two were together, so then what does that make us?

Matt:

quietly

I don’t know

Chase:

What do you mean you don’t know?

Matt:

Just stop.

Chase:

Voice is pained

Matt what’s going on here?

Slight pause, Chase’s concern increases

Ma—

Matt:

Yells

I said stop!

Chase:

Voice shakes

What?!?! Do you really expect me to –

Matt:

What don’t you get when I say stop? It’s over! Just stop!

Chase:

Wait…What? What’s over, you and John or you and—

Matt:

Between me and John. We had nothing in the first place anyway.

Chase:

Then why did he call and say tha—

Matt:

Don’t take him too seriously. Oh my god why won’t you just stop?

Chase:

Matt were you with h—

Matt:

Yes I was! But it wasn’t anything, just stop okay.

Chase:

What do you mean stop? Why would you—

Matt:

Yelling

Chase just shut up! I’m sick of you, why don’t you just stop? Don’t you think that’s why I cheated on you? Because you know what, you get on my nerves beyond reason. And.. and.. I just don’t know what to do with you anymore!

Chase:

Tearing up, voice shakes even more

Wait Ma—

Matt:

Chase just shut up! You are worthless; I don’t even know why I was with you. Maybe because I felt sorry or maybe because I knew it was going to be over soon between us.

Chase:

slowly shaking his head almost into tears

Matt what are you saying?

Matt:

It’s just over, there’s nothing between us anymore.

Chase:

eyes wide open

Matt… please you don’t mean –

Walks closer to Matt arms wide open Matt slaps him

Matt:

I fucking hate you!

Pause and awkward silence between the two. Chase’s expression is looked was in a slight shock but then his emotion consumes him, immobilizing him. He doesn’t move his head, rather he moves his body toward the door. Before Matt knows what he did, he tries to stick out his hand to Chase however chase isn’t looking at him and interrupts him while looking away.

Chase:

I’m sorry.

Chase turns around slowly and walks out of the house. Matt’s had is still extended toward Chase with his mouth open just about to say something but his voice wouldn’t work.

Matt:

Chase…

Matt leans on the wall.

Damn it!

Matt pounds the wall. Matt walks upstairs into their room looking around for the light switch. Matt sees a note on the bed and reads it.

Meet me on the balcony.

Matt walks toward the balcony right outside the bed room and looks at the bottle of champagne in a bucket of ice, a bouquet or red roses and a velvet box all on a table. Matt picks up the velvet box and opens to see that there was a ring on the inside.

He was going to propose to me tonight?

Matt tries on the ring. Looks at his hand and puts the box back.

It was a perfect fit… God Damn it!

Matt punches the outside of the house. He then walks back into the bedroom and then looks at the various pictures of them together. He then walks downstairs and decides to sit on the couch and turns on the T.V. and flips through channels.

Ugh… how can there be nothing on T.V.?

Matt throws the remote and the channel changes to the news then Matt’s cell phone rings at the same time.

Confused tone

Yeah this is Matt, who is this?

Matt is trying to concentrate on the T.V. at the same time

Wait what?

News Channel:

Just recently a male around the age of 20 was just hit by a drunk driver while walking on the side of the road right off of Brooklyn Ave.

Matt:

No, no…

Matt hangs up the phone

End Flashback

Lydia:

Matt? Hello? Anybody there?

Matt:

The last thing I ever said to Chase was that I hated him. He was going to propose to me that night.

Lydia:

I’m so sorry Matt… I’m sure he knew you loved him.

Matt:

Yeah…

Lydia:

Well I have to get to work, I’ll talk to you later. I hope things get better. Bye Matt.

Matt:

Bye Lydia.

Lydia leaves. Matt looks at the picture of Chase once again.

You’ll never know how much I loved you.

1. I know it’s really choppy and the formatting is bad, but besides that what should I add besides more stage directions?

2. How should I make the situations more angst?

analyzing a picture

Sitting on the dock, thinking how everything feels so perfect. The water is so beautiful, glimmering in the sunlight. The wind blows a little bit, and I shiver a little bit. I knew I should have brought a sweater. He then leans into me, wrapping his arm around me to protect me from the slight chill. I just look at him and smile. He smiles back. I can't help from being swept away. My heart flutters and my emotions are all of nervousness and happiness. He leans in for a kiss and I give in. My heart beats faster than before but I couldn't be anymore happier. He backs off and I smile. He smiles back. We both turn to look at the water again, this time with me closer to him, with his arm around me, protecting me.

Blind warm up

So here I am looking or can I even say that? I'm a blind person wondering how life is, wondering about my surroundings, wondering how I have to deal with everyone looking at me or not. But what is looking? I heard it was staring through your eyes? Well I could never do that because the fact that I’m blind would I quote “would freak people out” I mean how am I supposed to know what’s going on, I mean I try my best. So now I'm in this room waiting for someone to pick me up. Its a little nerve racking actually, I mean it’s my first time in this building? I mean how else am I supposed to feel about the unknown? But then again I guess I am used to it. Everything is always dark for me. I don’t see shadows I don’t see light and I don’t see anything in between. Now how is this possible for me to comprehend these concepts when I can’t even see them? This idea about light and sight and everything that deals with vision, that I don’t have, how am I supposed to be put on par with everyone who can? Why do I have to be the one that had to be deprived of this thing that everyone else just assumes that they get? It’s just not fair and I don’t understand why I have to be this person who has to deal with this. I feel so alone, that I don’t how to deal with this. I mean my parents they do care and they do try really hard, (I bet they are used to me now) but the fact that I’m this burden to them and that they will never understand the way I think and the way I feel. I guess I am just alone. And according to this phrase that I have heard, I’m swimming in my own darkness.