Dandelions and Other Short Plays (#wattys2016)

Why I Write

(A boy walks on stage with a pin and a notebook in his hand. When he puts his pin to paper, a part of the stage will light up as his creation begins to unfold. At first the boy will begin to narrate, and then the characters he creates will begin to speak.)

Boy: (Begins writing a monologue about a prince) I've often dreamed of her; dreamed she will return, and it will be fine. She'll come back, and we... (The prince begins to take over speaking.)

Prince: ... will be one. She will come back and I will be hers and she will be mine, and we will be... (The prince stops as the boy rips the paper and crumbles it.)

Boy: No. No. (He begins to try once again to start writing.) No you have to leave me. You're so talented and you're going to have... (A man speaking to his lover begins to take over)

Man: to give up a lot of time. And I want you to focus on getting your dream, going to hollywood. You can't have any distraction in your way.

Woman: Will we still always love each other?

Man: Of course we... (Man stops as the boy begins ripping up the paper again. The boy begins writing a bunch of different characters who will appear on stage overlapping each other with theres speech. They'll come on one at a time.)

Boy: You love me? But what is love it's...

Man: ... it's a deep connection rooted in a deep ground of trust, and comradery that perseveres through time, space, and eternity. It is the deepest form of emotion in the...

Princess: I've found a Romeo. He is the smoothest sweet talker. The greatest scholar, almost that of a nerd. He's romantic and dreamy, and easy going, and all around an amazing...

Minstrel: And I remember the feeling of weighted nothingness. It was the most unexplainable and tormenting thing I've ever had to endure. And all I could think about was my...

Nerdy Boy: ... and you see there's no possible way I you can have ions, and neons in the same semi-quatic straticular entistry. It's nearly impossible to contain all of the.

Psychogirl: ... Oh I'm crazy am I? You know you are just like Will! That's right! You're not the first suitor I've turned away. And if I murder you now you won't be the last! You will...

(All the characters stop as the boy rips out sheets of paper and throws them on the ground. Lights come up as a boy and a girl are standing together holding dandelions.)

Girl: And what shall we wish for then?

Boy: That one day after this life we'll be together. (They both blow on the dandelions as the light on them fades. Then a Spotlight comes up on a girl (the boy's sister) sitting on a bench)

Sister: I'm going to be going away for a while. I'll come back and see you of course, and I'll always be there if you need me. I just won't be right here beside you.

Boy: But what if I need you right there beside me? What if everything goes wrong? What if you're the only one I need, and you're not there?

Sister: You've just got to surround yourself with people like me. People who'll build you up.

Boy: I love you. (Lights fade, then come back up and the sister is no longer there. A voice is heard off stage)

Sister: I love you too.

Boy: (Goes center stage) I didn't begin writing to win a girl, or to win awards, or just for the heck of writing. I began writing to tell people how much they meant to me. And then I kept writing to show that same feeling to audiences. I write to remember, to discover, to avenge, and to show others what I've learned through all of this. That's why I write. (Boy picks up notebook and begins saying what he writes) Lights fade. End of play.

END OF PLAY