The October People’s Choice Award goes to…

Posted by on October 25, 2024

The people have spoken… The October People’s Choice Award goes to Steve Harper for his play, Excuse Me, Sir, presented as a staged reading at Monday Night PlayGround on October 14th live at Broadwater Second Stage and simulcast via Vimeo Livestream. Congratulations, Steve!

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

EXCUSE ME, SIR
by Steve Harper

CAST

Marshall: Black, 30. Works in the kitchen at the Monticello
plantation, Charlottesville, VA 1796.

Lights up on MARSHALL, Black, 30. The
sound of a busy kitchen all around him.

MARSHALL

You can laugh all you want. I make it just as good as James did.

Or Peter. (beat) Don’t matter that if Peter wasn’t sick he’d be

in this kitchen. He is. And I am. He turned it over to me. So, I

made the tart. You all saw me. And they all liked it. They ate

it up. Smiled. I made ‘em smile. (beat) That’s what Williams

said, and he was in there serving. Which means it turned out

pretty damn good. (beat) They might have been surprised, but

James knew and Peter knows he can trust me with the desserts.

With the sweet things. (beat) Because I learn fast. And I’m

sweet. You know I’m right. (beat) Just like I am most of the

time. (beat) You know Williams don’t lie. No reason he should

tell me something that’s not true. That don’t make sense. (beat)

I’ma prove it. (beat) I’ll ask him. (beat) Not Williams. Mr.

Jefferson. (beat) Yes, I know better than to disturb him after a

meal, but I seen James do it and Peter, too. So, I can get away

with it. Tonight. (beat) I’ma talk to him. You’ll see. He’s

always liked me. Compared to all of you. Not being mean – being

real. Factual. In fact, the way he let James go. The way he

allowed him to leave. I’ll tell you – He’s going to do that for

me, too, someday. (beat) ‘Cause he likes me. (beat) I know James

was special and Peter – all of them – and we know why. And

that’s not me. Granted. But I got my own way. And he likes me,

too. (beat) Keep laughing. (beat) I’ma talk to him. You’ll see.

(beat) Who wants to bet me? I’m serious.

Join us for the next round of Monday Night PlayGround on November 11th! For more info, click here!