pages: title ·· 1 ·· 2 ·· 3 ·· 4 ·· 5 ·· 6 ·· 7 ·· 8 ·· 9 ·

MUSIC
LIGHTS UP

There are three major areas 
of the stage. One is the 
center. The other two are on 
opposite sides of the 
center. Know that, for the 
most part, the action will 
alternate between the two 
sides. Each area should have 
its own lighting system. 
Frozen on the secondary 
stage are four actors. A 
FATHER, cradling MOTHER in 
his arms on a couch and 
their two children, SON and 
DAUGHTER. They are dressed 
in costume to look as if 
they are not in costume. It 
is the fifties. MOTHER is 
weeping with her head in 
FATHER's lap. FATHER looks 
distraught. SON and DAUGHTER 
are standing looking at 
them. The music stops and 
the freeze is broken. 
MOTHER's weeping becomes 
audible. The two CHILDREN 
look at each other then at 
their mother. FATHER 
suddenly becomes angry. 
CHILDREN are confused. The 
phone rings.
Title: "The Weaker Soldier"

MOTHER
Who is it?

SON
We haven't answered it yet, Mom.

FATHER
Son, You wanna answer the phone please?

DAUGHTER
I will.

DAUGHTER goes to the phone 
and answers it. All eyes on 
her but for MOTHER, who 
already knows.

Yes?... Um... Yeah.... They're here... I will... Yes...  
No.

She hangs up. Pause. The 
CHILDREN stare at FATHER and 
MOTHER.

FATHER
What the hell are you looking at the both of you!!??

Pause as MOTHER'S weeping 
intensifies.

What are you STARING at?!

SON
We just.... I don't.

FATHER
TWENTY YEARS OF YOU WORTHLESS...!!!

DAUGHTER
Dad, are you okay?

FATHER
He was twelve years old...

SON
Dad, tell us what happened.

DAUGHTER
I've never seen mom crying.

FATHER
	(Beginning to break down into a state like 
	MOTHER's.)
Just stop staring at her.

SON
Mom?

DAUGHTER
What's... 

Pause.

MOTHER
A little boy is born into the world. Is he put there or 
did he just fall blindly in? A baby. There is always so 
much hope for a baby. Everybody wishes to have the same 
chances, that's why. It is understood that a baby can 
go a million different places and do a million 
different things. He represents the future. But we are 
foolish, are we not? We should never have hope, we can 
never be sure. We should always expect that bad things 
will become...

FATHER starts crying.

SON
Mother.

MOTHER
	(Screaming)
Your brother is DEAD!! He's DEAD!! They've KILLED HIM 
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND??!! They finally KILLED HIM!!!

Her sobbing turns into 
moaning. The CHILDREN look 
at each other. 
Blackout.
Applause.
Lights come up on the center 
of the stage. These are the 
house lights. An audience 
emerges from the wings. 
There are eight audience 
members. Half of the 
audience is dressed for the 
theatre. The other half is 
dressed casually. The well-
dressed half exchange some 
words with each other then 
leave. Their names are 
GREGORY, NICOLAS, EMILY and 
CAMILLE. They are CAST 
THREE.
As they leave:

NICOLAS
I hope the second act lives up to the first.

EMILY
I think that the "Mother" character is doing 
wonderfully.

GREGORY
She's good. We swim together sometimes.

NICOLAS
Oh, swimming.

Exeunt

The other half remains on 
stage. Their names are 
CAROL, JACOB, MARK and 
STEVEN. They are standing. 
They are CAST TWO. As they 
speak some of the actors are 
striking the set and are 
beginning to set up another 
living room setting on the 
other half of the stage. 
CAST TWO remains in the 
center, talking. The actors 
may not even be visible as 
they strike and set but it 
is obviously happening. This 
dialog is rushed through, 
not important.

CAROL
The first act sucked, let's go.

STEVEN
Carol, we can't go. We already paid.

JACOB
I think it's supposed to get better anyway.

CAROL
Whatever, I'll just go to sleep.

MARK
The acting is okay. I had no idea that this was going to 
be so intense. I can't wait.

CAROL
Okay, we'll stay.

STEVEN
What did you think about the long forest and apple trees 
monologue?

JACOB
I wasn't paying attention. A play needs to start with 
action. With movement.

MARK
But the whole thing was set up by that monologue.

CAROL
Can we talk about something else?

JACOB
So what did you guys do today?

CAROL
Jacob and I went to the museum. Have you been to the 
museum lately?

STEVEN
No. I haven't been in years, probably.

CAROL
It was super. The impressionists.

MARK
Good. I don't like the impressionists.

JACOB
Because you watch so much T.V.

MARK
What does that mean?

JACOB
T.V. rots your brain of all artistic judgement.

STEVEN
I don't really watch T.V.

CAROL
I don't.

JACOB
You don't!

STEVEN
She likes the impressionists.

CAROL
Don't listen to him. 

JACOB
Mark, does Carol watch T.V.?

MARK
Who? What? What?

Pause. They all laugh.

STEVEN
The end is supposed to be funny.

CAROL
Jacob. You are a hypocrite.

JACOB
What makes you say that? I am just an observer.

CAROL
Oh, right.

MARK
What?

CAROL
Nothing.

Just as she says this, the 
new living room should be 
set and the first secondary 
stage should be completely 
gone. On the delivery of 
this next line they will 
enter the room and become 
comfortable in it. It is 
obvious that the scene has 
changed dramatically. It is 
a different time and a 
different place. At an 
appropriate point within the 
scene, CAST THREE should 
emerge and observe. The 
scene begins. 

CAROL
Mark are you still thirsty?

MARK
Sure. Hey Jacob do you have anything to drink?

JACOB
Yeah, what do you want?

MARK
Water.

CAROL
I want water.

JACOB
Steven?

STEVEN
No. Thanks. What time is it?

MARK
Almost one.

JACOB exits to get the 
water.

CAROL
So Steven. How are you?

STEVEN
I'm fine. Why?

CAROL
You just look tired.

STEVEN
Well, I've been busy.

MARK
Yeah, I'll bet. New project?

STEVEN
Yes.

JACOB re-enters with water.

JACOB
Here you go.

STEVEN
I need to get going. It's later than I thought.

CAROL
It is late.

MARK
Okay. Drive safe.

CAROL
Bye.

JACOB
You sure you don't want to stay a while longer?

STEVEN
No, why?

JACOB shrugs.

Okay.. I'll see you later. 

STEVEN exits. MARK and CAROL 
are silent.

JACOB
Did Steven leave early?

MARK
Yes. It is getting late.

CAROL
It is getting late.

JACOB
He used to stay the longest.

CAROL
Yes, he did.

JACOB
Have you noticed anything a little strange about him 
lately?

MARK
Steven?


CAROL
He doesn't talk much anymore.

MARK
He's just really busy, I think.

CAROL
He's quiet.

JACOB
Yeah.

MARK
Quiet. How is he quiet?

CAROL
He usually says more things, right?

JACOB
Yes, I think so. I mean. If I were depressed or sad. If 
I didn't have anything to say, that is what it would 
mean.

MARK
What?

CAROL
Think about it this way, Mark. 

JACOB
It seems like he just got here.

CAROL
If I just stopped talking one day. Just out of nowhere I 
stop talking. Wouldn't you notice? You would be worried, 
right?

JACOB
That is all it is, really.

MARK
But I don't think that he is being quiet.

JACOB
But he is.

MARK
You guys always get on other people like that.

CAROL
What?

MARK
He's just busy.

JACOB
What?

MARK
You're always finding reasons why other people are 
having problems when they aren't.

JACOB
No we don't. 

CAROL
We're just concerned about our friends. He has been 
acting strange.

JACOB
Yeah.

MARK
Last time it was me Jacob. You get all worked up and you 
think real hard and then you justify these big problems 
that I have and you tell everyone about them. They don't 
exist! I show up at your place a couple days later and 
everybody looks at me. You people are arrogant. That's 
what it is. We all have our ups and downs Carol, we're 
all a little tired now and then. You analyze and assess 
and.. it's like you think your therapists. You're not. 
Right? This is how you find meaning in your lives. 
Vicariously. You look through the eyes of your friends 
but it's all... fucked up. You see much more than there 
really is. You add. You exaggerate. It's sick. I was 
fine that day. I was tired. My parents call me and ask 
me if I need anything. Don't do that. Don't do that to 
Steven. He went home. It is late. Get it?... Don't do 
that.

Pause. Nobody moves.

CAROL
Well... Mark.

JACOB
You've got some real insight, buddy. Haven't you?

CAROL
Steven is acting strange. That's it. We noticed it and 
we commented.

JACOB
Get real, Mark. Please. We aren't out to complicate 
people's lives. This really disturbs me.

MARK
Look at yourselves. Now I'm in for it, right? I'm so 
messed up in the head, right?
	(He stands)
I wonder what's wrong with me now? 
	(He runs to the phone). 
Ms. Miller, your son is acting strange, you better call 
him and offer him soup.

CAROL
Calm down Mark. 
	(She stands)

MARK
Don't be calm, I won't be calm. Look at you. Are you 
going to "talk" me down now, Carol? Jacob, go get a 
spoon I might swallow my tongue.

JACOB
	(He stands) 
Why don't you sit down. Maybe you're right. 
	(He looks at CAROL) 
Let's talk about it.

MARK
Goddamnit, this is your favorite part isn't it? You 
really get to put your skills to the test.

CAROL
	(As she speaks to MARK, she is moving closer to 
	him very slowly)
Mark, I want to know what you are saying. I want to see 
in myself these problems. 
	(She looks at JACOB but continues speaking to 
	MARK.) 
You are right. We over-analyze. We are sad, Mark. We're 
lonely, you know? Like you. We have to make ourselves 
seem meaningful to ourselves. We are afraid of what is 
our own so we try to live out and correct what we see in 
others. Don't you see? Sit down.

MARK
What are you doing? I am leaving.

JACOB
Sit down.

CAROL is now right next to 
MARK.

MARK
I am not going to sit down. I am going to go home and go 
to bed. Yes. I am fine.

JACOB
You...

CAROL reaches out and 
touches MARK. MARK is 
startled and his anger 
allows him to pull back and 
strike CAROL on the face. 
She falls to the ground.

Oh my god. Mark.

He walks to where CAROL 
lies.

Mark.
	
MARK does not move. 
BLACKOUT.