Five Shots by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 18 2018 - Five Shots.jpg

FIVE SHOTS BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

FIVE SHOTS raise a shot glass.

ALL: 

A SHOT!!!

FIRST SHOT: 

To this year!

I feel it. I can’t explain it but I feel it.

This will be my ye –

OUR YEAR.

MEN.

This will be OUR YEAR… For love.

This. Will. Be. Our. Year. For. Mother. Fuckin’. LOVE. YES! What up!

I just feel it. You know? I mean, it’s about time that it be my time.

LookatmeLookatme.

How old do I look? Dontanswerthat.

It’s about time love found me.

And I’m not talking about no one night stand, Romeo and Juliet, just hit puberty love.

That ain’t shit.

I’m talking about that real love. That real, real love. I’m talking that MARY J. BLIGE REAL LOVE. You know what I’m talking about? MMM! Shoot.

So here! This is it! To this year!

FIRST AND SECOND SHOT:

A SHOT!

SECOND SHOT:

To the douchebags!

As the great Kanye West once said.

Well, a toast is what he said. A toast to the douchebags…

He was a douchebag too.

I guess it makes sense. He would want everyone toasting to him…

Douchebag.

All of them. Allofthem.

You know I haven’t met a decent man? In my entire life not one decent man.

The closest thing to a decent man in my life was my father and if you knew my father you would know how sad that is. Ask my mother.

I should’ve known. I should’ve fucking known. What made me think he was going to be any different from the rest of them? His kind eyes? His charming smile? He did nice things for me. Psh, they all do nice things for you until they’re over you. Then they just ignore you, take advantage of you, or cheat on you. OR ALL THREE AT THE SAME DAMN TIME.


Whatever. I’m fine. I’ve got an awesome job. I’ve got you guys… I’ve got myself.

So…

Great.

I’m great.

SECOND AND THIRD SHOT:

Another shot please.

THIRD SHOT:

Sorry. I’m going to need another one because –

Well…

I’m really scared about what I’m going to be saying here.

You shouldn’t be scared. Well maybe you should.

What I mean is, I’m not going to be doing or saying anything stupid here.

Actually it might be stupid depending on how this all turns out but I mean I’m not going to try and murder you or anything if that’s what you’re thinking. I don’t know why that would even cross your mind but in case it did, I want you to know that I’m not going to… umm… murder you.

Wow. How did I get on that tangent? Look at me rambling. Ok. I guess I should.

Cool.

Yeah.

Great.

This is great.

Fantastic.

Um… Ok. I suppose I should start now.

 

I have a crush on you.

Wow, that’s how I’m starting that? Like a 12 year old boy.

Wowshitok.

No turning back now. Cat’s out of the bag. I have a crush on you.

Woo…

What? What do you mean you knew?

It was…?

Obvious?

So, like, driving two hours to get you a cupcake from your favorite cupcake shop for your birthday wasn’t subtle?

Really?

You should hear about the other ideas I had…

So… you know. And…

Yeah?

Ok.

Cool.

Great.

Should we get another? Great

THIRD AND FOURTH SHOT:

Another please!

FOURTH SHOT:

I would like to make a toast.

To the birthday boy.

I have been lucky enough to spend the last four years of my life with you and I can’t wait to live what the next years have in store for us.

Umm…

I was having a really difficult time figuring out what I should say today. When I thought it, I realized – when love is true you feel it. You really feel it. But still, you can’t quite describe it.

 

In trying to explain this I read this book. The book said that at the beginning of time, we were all four eyed, eight limbed monsters. And we humans as monsters were trying to reach Zeus and the Gods. Trying to be like them if not better. Naturally, the Gods didn’t like this so they struck us down and split humans in half into the two eyed, four limbed monsters we are today. Now, the book describes love as finding the other two eyes and the other four limbs that match us just right so that we can continue as we were before we were struck down. That is how they describe love. Finding the partner who will elevate you and you will elevate so that you two can continue our journey to being as great as the Gods…

You…

Thank you for loving me in the perfect way.

The way I need.

Not too much. Not too little.

Not judgmental. Not trying to change who I am.

Your love sees me and helps me become the best version of myself possible.

You push me to be as great as the Gods. And I hope I do that for you too.

I love you.

Happy birthday.

FOURTH and FIFTH SHOT:

This one’s for you.

FIFTH SHOT:

I thought she was the –

I can’t even say it. Did you see that?

I can’t even say it anymore. I start to and my mouth freezes mid-word. Just like that. Watch.

I thought she was the –

You see?

I can’t finish the sentence.

How could she do this to me?

Leave me like this, after all the times we shared together and all the…

This is…

I’m going to hyperventilate.

I can’t breath…

Do you know what it feels like to have someone rip your heart out and –

What am I talking about? Of course you don’t know what it feels like. You’re too good looking.

Must be nice.

Well whatever you think it is, however you think it feels. All that pain you think you’d feel if anyone broke your heart….

Take all that and multiply that shit by 20 billion because I guarantee you it is worse. It is worse than anything you can ever imagine.

I can’t believe she could –

She just –

I was –

MARRIAGE.

I was thinking MARRIAGE.

I was looking at rings.

I was looking at venues.

Puppies. Baby strollers. Real estate agents.

ALL OF THAT.

I looked at all of that.

But despite it, she still had it in her to shatter everything.

Shattered…

I loved her.

I really, really loved her.

LOVED HER.

A LOT.

I still do love her.

Oh my god what am I going to do? Oh my god. I think I need another sho –

ALL OTHER SHOTS:

DUDE!!!

SECOND SHOT:

Shut up already!

SECOND SHOT exits.

FIRST SHOT:

She left you. It hurts. We get it.

FIRST SHOT exits.

FIFTH SHOT:

But –

 

THIRD SHOT:

No really. We get it. You should stop. Seriously.

THIRD SHOT exits.

FOURTH SHOT:

No more drinking for you. You’re CUT OFF.

FOURTH SHOT exits.

FIFTH SHOT:

But I loved he –

ALL OTHER SHOTS:

SHUT UP!!!

FIFTH SHOT:

FIFTH SHOT exits.

End of Play.

Seeing Michael McDonald or, I Keep Forgetting by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 17 2018 - Seeing Michael McDonald or I Keep Forgetting.jpg

SEEING MICHAEL MCDONALD OR, I KEEP FORGETTING BY JEFFREY LO

(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

MARCUS walks into his bedroom.

MARCUS: Alexa, turn on the radio.

ALEXA: Turning on radio.

 I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald plays, mid-song.

 MARCUS: Oh snap. YES! This song is my JAM! I forgot about it.

 MARCUS jams out to I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald.

MARCUS loves I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald.

Marcus dances to I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald.

I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald ends. 

MARCUS: I forgot how much I love that song! Have I seen that music video before? Alexa. Play on YouTube. I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald.

ALEXA: Playing on YouTube. I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald.

 MARCUS looks at the TV.

I Keep Forgetting by Michael McDonald plays.

MARCUS sees Michael McDonald appear and realizes…

MARCUS: Wait – he’s white!?

 BLACKOUT.

 

END OF PLAY.

I, Too, Dream America by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 16 2018 - I Too Dream America.jpg

I, TOO, DREAM AMERICAN BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

Eugene.

EUGENE:

I entered this world like anyone else. 

A child of God.

A slimy, dirty, nasty looking pile of American baby. Fresh out of my mother’s womb. And like anyone else I kicked and I cried and I whined to my mother and to my father.

Like you did, and he did, and she did. I did.

But then the clocks ticked and I began to grow. And as I grew, the clock’s hands, like the paint filled hands of a preschooler in art class, began to paint my the color of my skin not like yours, not like his, not like hers, but like mine. Like my mother’s. Like my father’s. And like those that came before them.

I discovered this brown paint on my body and then: these men in the history books: they aren’t me. The women on the TV screens: they aren’t my mother. The men on capitol hill: they aren’t my father.

This paint. This damn paint would not wash off my body. I soaped and I soaped and I soaped and I rinsed and I rinsed and I rinsed and I repeated.

Nothing happened.

No amount of water, soap or bleach could ever make it go away. Everyday, I will look in the mirror and I will see my paint. My 300 year old tattoo. I will carry it like my father did and my son will. I will carry it to the skies and when I reach the top I will stand. Proud. To carry my paint. My tattoo. Our skin. 

I, too, dream America. For I, too, am America.

Lights fade.

 END OF PLAY.

Six Asians on Stage by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 15 2018 - Six Asians on Stage.jpg

SIX ASIANS ON STAGE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

Lights up on Six Asian-Americans on stage.

First person is a Vietnamese-American Guy.

Second person is a Filipino-American Guy.

Third person is a Chinese-American Girl.

Fourth person is an Indian-American Guy.

Fifth person is a Japanese-American Girl.

Sixth person is… actually…. That’s the sixth person.

The six people look at the audience and after a moment, they smile in unison.

DING!

What lovely smiles!

ALL: We are Asians!

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Asian-Americans!

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY: On stage!

ALL: Ooooooh!

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: I know!

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: What a concept!

JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL: Of all different varieties!

ALL: Woooooooooow!

SIXTH PERSON: And –

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Don’t!

SIXTH PERSON: What?

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: Just stop…

SIXTH PERSON: Why?

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY: Seriously?

SIXTH PERSON doesn’t say anything.

The actors snap back attention to the audience.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: I am NOT Chinese!

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY: I am NOT Chinese!

JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL: I am NOT Chinese!

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: I am NOT Chinese!

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY (To INDIAN AMERICAN GUY): I mean… no one thought you were bro…

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: …. Right.

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: I AM Chinese!

ALL: That is a CHINESE person. THAT. RIGHT. THERE.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY points to CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Chinese.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY points to JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Not Chinese.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY points to CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Chinese.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY points to JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: Not Chinese.

JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL: They get it.

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: ... right.

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: I AM an Asian-American!

ALL: He is an Asian-American too!

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: Thank you!

SIXTH PERSON: I AM AN ASIAN-AMERICAN TOO!

The other six stare at SIXTH PERSON.

Silence.

SIXTH PERSON: What?

FILIPINO-AMERICAN: What the hell are you doing here?

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: You’re white.

SIXTH PERSON: No I’m not.

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: Are you seriously going to lie about that?

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: I need to know who cast you.

SIXTH PERSON: Why?

VIETNAMESE-AMERICAN GUY: This play is called SIX ASIANS ON STAGE BY JEFFREY LO. If Jeffrey Lo found out you were cast in this he would not be happy.

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY: He’s a homie of mine and I can confirm, JLo would NOT be happy.

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: You should go.

SIXTH PERSON: What?

CHINESE-AMERICAN GIRL: Seriously.

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: Go.

JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL: Or I’m gonna call the JACL.

INDIAN-AMERICAN GUY: or CAATA.

SIXTH PERSON quietly looks at the rest of the group.

He doesn’t want to go.

SIXTH PERSON: Are you sure I have to go? I just want to be a part of the crew!

The other five point to the door.

SIXTH PERSON: I just need work… You know how it is.

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY starts texting on his cell phone.

The other four don’t budge. Still pointing at the door.

SIXTH PERSON: I mean… I can pull off being one you guys! I mean look at my facial features. If you’d just open your eyes and –

EVERYONE ELSE: GET THE HELL OUT!

SIXTH PERSON: OK OK!

SIXTH PERSON runs out.

JAPANESE-AMERICAN GIRL: Thank God!

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY gets a text back.

FILIPINO-AMERICAN GUY: Alright, just heard from Jeffrey. He said we can go ahead and change the title of the play. FIVE ASIANS ON STAGE.

ALL: FIVE ASIANS ON STAGE!

Blackout.

END OF PLAY.

Jack, Learning to Live by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 14 2018 - Jack Learning to Live.jpg

JACK, LEARNING TO LIVE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

JACK sitting on the stage floor, cross legged.

JACK looks at the audience.

JACK needs to take a deep breath.

JACK closes his eyes.

JACK takes a deep breath.

 

Pause.

 

JACK continues to breath.

 

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

 

Lights fade.

END OF PLAY.

Menu Items Available by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 13 2018 - Menu Items Available.jpg

MENU ITEMS AVAILABLE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

Ten Star Louie’s.

CHRIS enters.

CHRIS: God I’m hungry.

CHRIS walks up to SHARON, behind the cash register.

SHARON looks at CHRIS, stone faced.

When she speaks to him, she speaks stone tongued.

SHARON: Welcome to Ten Star Louie’s, my name is Sharon, can I take your order?

CHRIS: Yes. Yes you can.

SHARON: Ok.

CHRIS: What do you recommend here?

SHARON: Everything.

CHRIS: Ok. Let’s see…

CHRIS checks out the menu.

CHRIS: What about a triple cheeseburger?

SHARON: One second.

CHRIS: What?

SHARON: One second.

 

SHARON looks back to the kitchen where DAVID, the cook is.

SHARON: DAVID!

DAVID: YEAH!?

SHARON: DO WE HAVE THE TRIPLE CHEESBURGER?

DAVID: WE’RE OUT!

SHARON (To Chris): We’re out of the triple cheeseburger…

CHRIS: Ok… What about the double cheeseburger?

SHARON: DAVID!

DAVID: YEAH!?

SHARON: DO WE HAVE THE DOUBLE CHEESBURGER?

DAVID: WE’RE OUT!

SHARON (To Chris): We’re out of the double cheeseburger…

CHRIS: Seriously?

SHARON: DAVID!

DAVID: YEAH!?

SHARON: ARE YOU SERIOUS!?

DAVID: YEAH!

SHARON (To Chris): Yes we are serious.

CHRIS: … Thank you. What about just a cheeseburger?

SHARON: D –

CHRIS: Actually. Allow me. DAVID!

DAVID: WHO ARE YOU!?

CHRIS: YOUR CUSTOMER. DO YOU HAVE A JUST A REGULAR CHEESBURGER!?

DAVID: …

CHRIS: I SAID DO YOU –

DAVID: I’M LOOKING!

CHRIS: SORRY!

SHARON: He’s looking.

CHRIS: I got that.

DAVID: I THINK WE MIGHT HAVE…

CHRIS: Really!?

DAVID: NOPE. I WAS WRONG. WE’RE OUT!

CHRIS: God damnit!

SHARON (Screaming into his face): WE’RE OUT OF THE REGULAR CHEESBURGER!

CHRIS: I HEARD!

CHRIS takes a moment to examines the menu closely.

CHRIS: That’s all you have on the menu…

SHARON turns around and examines the menu closely.

CHRIS: That is every item on your menu.

DAVID emerges from the kitchen and examines the menu closely.

DAVID: Huh.

SHARON: You’re right. That is everything on the menu…

DAVID and SHARON turn around and look at CHRIS.

CHRIS: SO WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STILL HERE!?!?!?

Silence.

DAVID and SHARON look at each other.

Beat.

DAVID and SHARON slowly exit the restaurant.

END OF PLAY.

Step One to Goodbye by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 12 2018 - Step One To Goodbye.jpg

STEP ONE TO GOODBYE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

ANABEL and GRACE sitting at the kitchen table.

GRACE watches ANABEL stare at the envelope on the table.

Silence. 

GRACE: Anabel.

No response.

 GRACE: Anak.

ANABEL: Huh?

GRACE: Are you going to open it?

ANABEL: Of course…

GRACE: Ok.

ANABEL: Eventually…

GRACE: What are you waiting for?

ANABEL: I’m scared.

GRACE: Why?

ANABEL: What do you mean, why?

GRACE: Whether you open it now, or open it later, what’s written inside is going to be the same.

ANABEL: Mom, now is not the time for logic.

GRACE: But Anabel, I’m serious –

ANABEL: Seriously, please give me a minute. Please.

GRACE: Ok… Ok… 

ANABEL takes a breath.

Silence. 

GRACE: Kasi, I want to know too, you know.

ANABEL: Ma!

GRACE: Ano!?

ANABEL: Please!

GRACE: Please what?

ANABEL: You are not saying the right things.

GRACE: What do you want me to say?

ANABEL: Do you know how scary this is for me?

GRACE: Tell me.

ANABEL: What?

GRACE: Tell me how scary it is for you.

ANABEL: I just… You say it yourself, all the time, everything you do in life is so I can get a good education and a good life and… so this is for you too not just me. And I don’t want to let you down…

GRACE: Anabel…

ANABEL: I know, I know, you won’t let me down Anabel.

GRACE: Oh no, if you don’t get in, I will be very let down.

ANABEL: MA!

GRACE: What? It’s true! Everything I do in life is just so you can go to a good school and lead a good li –

ANABEL: Thank you mom, we’ve been over this.

GRACE: BUT - …

GRACE doesn’t finish her sentence till she has her daughter’s full attention.

ANABEL: BUT what?

GRACE: But if you don’t get in… it won’t be the end of the world. Ok?

ANABEL looks at her mom.

ANABEL takes a deep breath.

ANABEL opens the envelope.

ANABEL looks at GRACE.

ANABEL: … I got in.

GRACE: You got in?

GRACE and ANABEL, crying at this point, hug each other

ANABEL: I got in...

END OF PLAY.

Laura, Part 1 by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 11 2018 - Laura Part 1.jpg

LAURA PART 1 BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

LAURA, JEFFREY and a typewriter. 

JEFFREY: Laura.

LAURA: Yes?

JEFFREY: What should I write about?

LAURA: What?

JEFFREY: What should I write about?

LAURA: What should you write about?

JEFFREY: Yes.

LAURA: You never ask me what you should write about.

JEFFREY: Well I’m asking you today.

LAURA (Smiling): Ok.

JEFFREY: Ok.

LAURA thinks. 

LAURA: Write about me.

JEFFREY: About you?

LAURA: About us.

JEFFREY: Are you sure?

LAURA: Is that a dumb idea?

JEFFREY: Never.

LAURA: So you’ll do it?

JEFFREY: Sure… But…

LAURA: What?

JEFFREY: What about us?

LAURA: What about us?

JEFFREY: I could write about how we first met.

LAURA: Or how we first fell in love.

JEFFREY (Joking): Those aren’t the same story?

LAURA: No!

JEFFREY Oh well I must’ve misunderstood…

LAURA playfully nudges JEFFREY. 

JEFFREY: I can write about that time I met your parents for the first time.

LAURA: Or the time I met your parents!

JEFFREY: And they tried to make you eat all that Filipino food.

LAURA: They loved to test the white girl…

They smile at each other.

They hold each other.

 JEFFREY: I can write about the first time we held each other.

They kiss.

 LAURA: You can write about the first time we kissed.

 JEFFREY pulls LAURA closer.

JEFFREY: I can write about the first time we –

LAURA: NO! You will not put that on stage…

JEFFREY: I can just change the names –

LAURA: STOP.

They laugh.

They happily look at each other.

Beat. 

JEFFREY: Ok.

LAURA: What?

JEFFREY sits at the typewriter.

JEFFREY: Ok. 

JEFFREY begins typing.

END OF PLAY.

This Is Not An Excuse (A Play About Not Jeffrey) by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 10 2018 - This Is Not An Excuse.jpg

THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE (A PLAY ABOUT NOT JEFFREY)

(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

A guy standing alone on stage.

He is MAYBE 29 years old.

He is MAYBE Filipino-American.

He is MAYBE a playwright.

Let’s call him… NOT JEFFREY.

It doesn’t really  matter what we call him really.

We can call him whatever we want.

Except Jeffrey.

He is most definitely, most certainly, for sure NOT JEFFREY.

NOT JEFFREY: So…look. This is not me making any excuses. But I have the flu. And I thought I was recovering but a few hours into the day it turned out I am TOTALLY not recovering. And I’m working on this big project in addition to this long extended project and that big project is really coming down to the wire and is taking up a lot of my time and energy and… 

NOT JEFFREY Catches himself.

NOT JEFFREY: This is not an excuse. Even though if I needed to make an excuse, I would have a very real and understandable one. Because there is just so much going on in my brain and in my body and in my heart but still… This is not an excuse. THIS IS ME DOING WHAT I SAID I WOULD DO DESPITE THE FACT THAT I WOULD HAVE A VERY GOOD EXCUSE TO NOT DO IT.

 NOT JEFFREY looks around.

Is the audience confused?

Probably

NOT JEFFREY is confused.

NOT JEFFREY is panicked.

We better save him before this goes too far.

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS!

BLACKOUT.

 END OF PLAY.

Patient Zero & Patient One by Jeffrey Lo

Jan 9 2018 - Patient Zero and Patient One.jpg

PATIENT ZERO & PATIENT ONE BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

Lights up on PATIENT ZERO.

They are standing all alone.

SNEEZE!

PATIENT ZERO is miserable.

SNEEZE!

PATIENT ZERO blows their nose.

PATIENT ZERO lets out a bit of a whimper.

Poor PATIENT ZERO.

 

PATIENT ONE enters.

A sniffle from PATIENT ZERO.

This catches PATIENT ONE’S eye.

SNEEZE!

PATIENT ONE sees how miserable PATIENT ZERO is.

PATIENT ZERO wipes their nose with their sleeve.

Another whimper from PATIENT ZERO.

PATIENT ONE: Would you like a tissue?

PATIENT ZERO: Oh! That would be great.

PATIENT ONE crosses to PATIENT ZERO as they grab a tissue from their bag.

PATIENT ONE: Here, I have plenty, let me just get it out of –

PATIENT ONE turns to PATIENT ZERO with the Kleenex then suddenly –

SNEEZE!

Right in PATIENT ONE’S face…

PATIENT ZERO freezes. They don’t know what to do.

PATIENT ONE (Erupting with rage): ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?

PATIENT ZERO: I’m so sorr –

SNEEZE!

AGAIN!
This time PATIENT ONE’S mouth was open.

Blackout.

END OF PLAY.