The November People’s Choice Goes To…..

Posted by on December 4, 2020

The people have spoken … The November People’s Choice Award goes to Scott Mullen for his short play, COURAGE, presented as a staged reading on Zoom on November 9. Congratulations, Scott!

Courtesy of Scott Mullen, we’re pleased to share the first few pages from the award-winning script. Enjoy!

COURAGE
by Scott Mullen

CHARACTERS

REGGIE (30s-50s, male).
KAT (20s-30s, female).

SETTING

A rooftop.

_____________

REGGIE stands at the edge of the roof,
looking out at the night, not wearing a
mask. KAT comes out behind him. She’s
masked. She stops about 12 feet away.
Stares at him. He finally notices.

REGGIE

Sorry. I have a mask if you want me to put it on.

KAT

… No. It’s fine. We’re outside.

She moves up to the edge too. Keeping
her distance.

REGGIE

You should take yours off. The air is so nice tonight – you
don’t want to breathe it through a mask.

KAT

Los Angeles air?

REGGIE

Trust me.

She reaches up, and takes off her mask.
Breathes.

REGGIE

Nights like this, I don’t mind working late. Not if I can
come out on the roof on my break. Unwind. Think about tough
choices.

KAT

Tough choices. Yeah.

REGGIE

Do you work in the building?

Kat doesn’t say anything.

REGGIE

I’m sorry – I’m not hitting on you or anything.

KAT

4th floor. Public relations.

REGGIE

9th floor. Insurance.

KAT

… How’d you get into that?

REGGIE

Just sort of fell into it. Pays the bills. You?

KAT

Same.

They look out at the world.

KAT

So what’s your tough choice?

REGGIE

My father’s dying in a hospital in New York.

KAT

I’m sorry.

REGGIE

He’s 89. It’s not Covid, it’s other things. Colon cancer,
mostly. My mother and sister are with him.

KAT

So why are you here?

Reggie looks out at the world.

KAT

I should apologize for asking that question, but I’m not
going to. Why aren’t you there?

REGGIE

I’ve been asking myself the same thing.

KAT

And?

REGGIE

I’m afraid.

KAT

Of him?

REGGIE

No. We get along great. I love him.

KAT

So –

REGGIE

I’m afraid of this virus. Of sitting in a plane, with other
people, for 5, 6 hours. Masks or not, that’s a risk. I
don’t want to bring it to him. Or to my mother. Or my
sister. And I really don’t want to get it myself.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Join us on December 14th for the next Monday Night PlayGround on Zoom! Click here for more info.