nativity
accepted & first performed as part of 2nd annual baltimore one-minute play festival.
characters: mother, father, outside person 1, outside person 2
[if there are four chairs, no one has to use them. you could place small props on them: flowers; plants; a painting; small box; not necessary, but it could create a “home” atmosphere. mother sits on the ground in front. the two outside people are not members of the family. they could be visitors, doctors, nurses, intruders, police officers, social workers, but not family. they stand one at each side of the sitting mother and pass back and forth a baby. father in the back behind the chairs from time to time does cartwheels or, if that is hard on the actor, a silly dance.]
outside person 1: baby will make great kindling!
outside person 2: awww! let me hold baby. mother did a fabulous job! father gave his all. want to start baby eating pineapple. [kissy-face at uplifted baby.]
mother: give me my baby! where is my baby?
father: that’s going to go viral! eating each day just to live and work like i’ve done all my life. working toward one flash, you can’t sacrifice. tell little bugger to eat a hamburger.
mother: [crying but brave] left out, scratched, milked, kicked!
loving forever--right, father-crazy-dance! hate on your shoes! enormous BABY! radical change, eggs over easy, sunny-side up, and carrots, raisins.
father: what’s that, sweetie?
mother: makeover! i’m carving out space to work, and baby’s going to bounce on my knee and help me write.
outside person 2: she’s making violence but making sense. wants it, needs it. o hide baby! [dumps baby in arms of outside person 1.]
outside person 1: hold on! make out the paperwork. remember the bonfires behind the mills on falls road? crackling trash, found wood, chopped trees. age twentysomething!--headed for a sacrifice in that moment unrealized: giving up one day. lost are the punks playing music, drinking 40s, skating the ramps and making out on account of the cold. ideas deserted like burnt marshmallows. o rushing falls, cars, bikes, moon. got to give baby-- [outsiders exit with baby.]
father: woman of my dreams, i’ll be playing guitar and making videos.
mother: videos my ass! where the fuck is my baby!
THE END
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