World in the Wings
by Roderick T. Long
[writing as “Starkill”]
[unfinished play, written March 4, 1976 (age 12) in Idaho Falls.]
Act I
Scene one: Typical room in modern American house or apartment. Television, table, etc. Window, open, showing skyscrapers. Bottoms of ’scrapers cannot be seen. We are on the second or third story. “From the Halls of Montezuma” is heard faintly. TESSIE puts her head through window (from the inside, not the outside. this is the third story, remember?) and looks down. MICHAEL is seated on the floor stage right (Audience’s left). TESSIE steps back from window (center).
MICHAEL: Isn’t that stupid parade over yet, Tessie? I want to go to the movie!
TESSIE: I know, but you’ll just have to wait. While you’re waiting, why don’t you come watch the parade with me?
MICHAEL: Stupid parade. I’m tired of parades! All the marching and stupid horses wearing mops on their heads and stupid songs about America!
TESSIE: Those aren’t mops on their heads, Michael, they’re pom-poms! And those songs aren’t silly! They tell about America and how great it is.
MICHAEL: What’s great about America? Pollution, crime, war – we’ll be lucky if America lives past the 20th Century!
TESSIE: Don’t be silly! It’ll go far beyod that. There’ll be huge cities and spaceships and underground tunnels and – oh! I wish I could see it!
LIGHTS GO OUT.
Scene Two: Dark. “Also Sprach Zarathustra” is heard. At the loud note, lights go on, and we see a desolate wasteland with rocky spires sticking up into the sky. A cave is seen at center. Music stops.
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