I'm talking about this because I think this is really cool occupation and not many people know about it. (Which really is a shame.) But its out there and you can study it in college and all that jazz. In class we are practicing new play dramaturgy where the dramaturge works with the playwright and so we all had to write plays and then from small groups we had to pick one. Mine was not chosen (its fine people like comedy more than dramas... lame, I know.) But I'd still like to share it with you. But this is a sad play there isn't a happy ending its just life. Without further ado....
The Ones
We Never Get To Love
By
Michaella Scholz
Cast: Shelby – Young woman who has been recently married and
just found out she lost her baby.
Max- Shelby’s husband who is very overprotective.
Shelby is sitting quietly alone. We can tell
she is deep and thought. Max and Shelby are have been married almost a year and
Shelby 21 weeks with child. Max comes home from work. Shelby does not look at
Max.
Max
Shelby?
Shelby
In here.
Max
Hey darling
Max kisses Shelby on the cheek to which there
is no response.
Max
Shelby? Are you okay?
Shelby
I’m fine.
Max
Promise?
Shelby
Sure.
Max
Well what’s wrong then?
Shelby
Nothing. Nothing is
wrong.
Max
Babe, I know you. Just
tell me.
Shelby
Max, please.
Max
I just want to help.
Max pauses and grabs Shelby’s hand
Max
Please, let me help you.
That’s what I’m here for.
Shelby
It’s just so hard.
Staring off into the distance
When I was a teenager I loved to
be around babies. I loved to hold them and cuddle them and pretend they were
mine. My biggest fear was not being able to have a baby. That thought would
always be in the back of my mind. When we found out that we were pregnant I was
so happy but I was also so scared that it could all be gone in an instant.
Max
You’re almost there. We are going
to have a baby!
Shelby
Except I’m not.
Max
Wait what are you
talking about?
Shelby
I miscarried. I miscarried.
I had a baby inside me and now it’s gone. My fear came true.
Max: Shelby, I’m so sorry.
Shelby is quite and still not looking at Max.
Max
This isn’t our only chance. We can try it
again.
Shelby
Except for the fact that
I have “Uterine Wall Scarring”.
Max
Babe, We can overcome
that.
Shelby
You don’t understand.
Shelby
finally looks at Max
Shelby
It makes it really hard for me to have children.
Max
Hard is not impossible.
Shelby
But I don’t know if I
could do this again. I never got to see Marcus.
Max pauses. Processing the fact that he was
going to have a son.
Max
We were going to have a boy?
Shelby
Yeah I found out today.
Max
I was going to have a
son.
Shelby
I’m sorry.
Max
This isn’t your fault.
Shelby
Yes it is.
Max
Stop saying that. You
had no control over this.
Shelby
The one thing that I am
supposed to be able to do, like every other woman I can’t. And I can’t do
anything about it. And I’m so sorry. I know you wanted children and I can’t
give you that. You have a job and you provide for me and all you wanted was a
family to come home to and I can’t give you that. We are already married so I’m
not going anywhere. But if you want to a get a divorce and find another woman
who can give you a healthy and living son. I understand…
Max
Shelby. You’re my family.
Shelby
I’m not enough.
Max
You are.
Shelby is quite and nonresponsive Max grabs
her hand
Max
We are in this together
Shelby is still quite. Max turns her face so
she is looking at him and Shelby begins to sob.
Max
Hush. Hush.
Shelby
What happens to him Max?
Max?
Max
I don’t know.
Shelby
I want my baby.
Max
I have to be enough.
I love you. And that has to be enough.
Shelby
I love you too.
Max
If we are able to have a baby, great. If not, it’s okay. I have
a beautiful wife who I get to take care of for the rest of my days.
Shelby
And I have a great husband who acts like a child anyways.
Shelby begins to softly laugh and lets Max
hold her. After a pause the phone rings. Max gets up to go get the phone.
Max
Hello?
Uhh… Mom! How are you?
Good, good.
No mom it’s okay you don’t need to come down for the baby.
Max’s mom keeps pestering him about coming to
visit when that baby is born Max just keeps getting more frustrated.
No mom please!
Can we please talk about this later?
Mom there is no baby to see!
Max realizes that he had been quite rash and
loud with the last line and looks over at Shelby who has now curled up onto the
couch.
I’m sorry..
I have to go.
Max
hangs up the phone and goes over to Shelby
Max
Have you told your mom?
Shelby
shakes her head no
Max
I can if…
Shelby
again shakes her head no
Max
She needs to know.
Shelby
I can’t.
Max
Why not?
Shelby
Why couldn’t this have just worked out? Why did this happen to
us?
Max
I don’t know.
Shelby
I just want to die.
Max
Don’t say that.
Shelby
But it’s true
Max
What about me?
Shelby
just stares at him shocked
Max
Aren’t I enough? You say you love me but then you want to die?
Max
I’m here and it’s like
that doesn’t even matter to you.
Shelby
But Max… You do.
Max walks
out. Shelby is all alone left in the silence. Max walks back in with a blanket
that he drapes around Shelby.
Max
I didn’t want to marry you so that I could
have kids. I married you because I love you. And I love you more than I did
when I asked you to marry me.
He is still your baby.
Shelby
I know.
Max
He loves you.
Shelby
I love you. You would have made a great
Father.
Max
Shelby, I can’t imagine a better mother than
you. You’re loving. You make everybody smile. And you, are so beautiful.
Shelby? When you said you couldn’t
tell your mom about the miscarriage what did you mean about that?
Don’t shut me out now?
Shelby
I was supposed to have another brother. His
name was going to be Marcus. My mom already knows that if it was a boy I was going
to name him Marcus. I don’t want her to have to live through that again. I
remember her crying all the time trying to cope with the fact that her son was
gone. She closed up and I felt like I barely saw her. I can’t do that to her
again.
I know I have to tell her. I just don’t know when to do it.
Max
I can be there with you.
Shelby
No.
Max
But…
Shelby
Max I know you want to be there for me but
this is something I need to do for myself.
And my mom.
Max
Okay.
Shelby
Thank you.
Max
Why didn’t you ever say
anything?
Shelby
Um it’s not something we
talked about. And I wouldn’t even know how to bring it up.
Max
Yeah I understand. But you
know you can talk about anything with me.
Shelby
Yes I know.
Max
I’ll always be here for
you.
Shelby
Yes I know.
Max
Always.
Shelby
I don’t know what I would
do without you.
Max
You’d be fine. You are a
strong woman with a big heart.
Shelby
But I don’t think I could
do this alone.
Max
This?
Shelby
Just life in general.
Max
Well good thing you don’t have to.
Shelby
Neither of us do.
Max
For better or for worse.
Shelby
In sickness and in health.
Max
Till death do us part.
There is a knock at the door
Max
Do you want me to get that?
Shelby
No its okay. I’ve got it.
Shelby goes offstage.
Shelby: Mom?
Life happens and we find people who get us to keep going. And in the end it will all work out. I promise. Till next time folks!
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