This Pizza

THIS PIZZA BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

JIM and JEFFREY sitting in a pizza shop in New Haven, Connecticut.

They stare at a large pizza pie.

It looks glorious.

JIM: You ready for this?

JEFFREY: …

JEFFREY takes a sip of water.

JEFFREY: … I think so.

JIM: Ok.

JIM reaches over for a slice.

JEFFREY stops him.

JEFFREY: Allow me.

JEFFREY picks up a slice and places it on JIM’s plate.

JEFFREY picks up another slices and places it on his own plate.

JIM: Thank you.

JEFFREY nods.

JEFFREY: Ok. Let’s do this.

JEFFREY and JIM pick up their slices of pizza and take a bite.

They chew. 

They look at each other. 

They chew some more.

They absorb the flavor.

They absorb the texture.

They close their eyes.

They absorb what they are feeling.

JIM: This pizza tastes the way bread is supposed to taste and tomatoes are supposed to taste and the way mozzarella is supposed to taste… all in one.

JEFFREY: This pizza is like tradition and growth and experience with a hint of forward thinking.

JIM: This pizza is the beauty of simplicity.

JEFFREY: This pizza is the opposite of trying too hard.

JIM: This pizza is fugue.

JEFFREY: This pizza is a five star match.

JIM: This pizza is August Wilson dialogue.

JEFFREY: This pizza is a Steph Curry three point shot.

JIM: This pizza is a Ryan Coogler boxing sequence.

JEFFREY: This pizza is a Kaepernick read option.

JIM: This pizza is a Terrell Suggs sack.

JEFFREY: This pizza is Jimmy Garoppolo's face.

JEFFREY: This pizza tastes like love was infused into the flavor.

JIM: This pizza knows me.

JEFFREY: This pizza has become me.

JIM: This…

JEFFREY: This…

JIM: This –

JEFFREY: Pizza…

JIM and JEFFREY open their eyes.

JIM & JEFFREY: Wow…

END OF PLAY.

Nice Walks Old Friend

NICE WALKS OLD FRIEND BY JEFFREY LO
(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

JOMAR, 71 years old, sits on a bench by a lake.

JOMAR:

There used to be a time you were never late for this.

Our walks around the neighborhood.

Pointing out the houses we wished we could own.

Joking about how we would lick it to claim it as ours.

Walking by this lake.

Throwing rocks in it for fun.

Coins in it for luck.

Each other for… love.

It’s probably for the best we don’t throw each other in the lake now. 

We’re much too old to get out of it once we are in.

Pause.

JOMAR takes a deep breath.

JOMAR:

I hope you are on your way my love.

A moment of silence.

JOMAR closes his eyes and feels the wind on his face.

BELINDA enters.

JOMAR opens his eyes.

JOMAR:
Belinda.

BELINDA nods.

JOMAR:

My love.

BELINDA nods.

JOMAR:
Sit with me?

BELINDA nods.

BELINDA sits next to JOMAR.

JOMAR tries to hold BELINDA’s hand but cannot.

JOMAR:

You are late, my love.

BELINDA shakes her head.

JOMAR: 

You are not late?

BELINDA shakes her head.

JOMAR:

I see.

Well then.

You must be gone, then.

BELINDA nods her head.

JOMAR:
And I have forgotten.

BELINDA nods her head.

JOMAR:
I do this often, I think.

BELINDA nods her head.

JOMAR:
Ok.

BELINDA stands up.

JOMAR:

Don’t go.

Please.

BELINDA sits next to JOMAR.

JOMAR:

Don’t leave me.

Even if just in my mind.

It’s only a matter of time anyway…

Only a matter of time till I join you…

Please stay.

Lights fade.

END OF PLAY.

What You Can Get Away With

WHAT YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH BY JEFFREY LO
(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

TRAN enters.

TRAN:
Hello there.

Hi.

My name is Tran.

I am a performance artist.

I was given the assignment to create a show for you today.

Now, in my art I like to subvert stereotypes.

Especially stereotypes about Asian-Americans.

You know like the stereotype that we are overachievers?

So in the interest of subverting the stereotype that all Asian-Americans are overeachers,

I will take the assignment of creating a show for you today and –

TRAN suddenly exits.

End of Play.

Wi-Fi Panic

WI-FI PANIC BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

MARGO sitting at her desk.

MARGO looks at her laptop.

She clicks on Google Chrome.

Google Chrome reads – “Cannot connect to server”

MARGO waits.

MARGO clicks refresh.

Google Chrome reads – “Cannot connect to server”

MARGO clicks refresh.

Google Chrome reads – “Cannot connect to server”

MARGO clicks on Safari.

Safari reads – “Cannot connect to server”

MARGO clicks on Firefox.

Firefox reads – “Cannot connect to server”

MARGO clicks on anything.

MARGO hits the keyboard.

MARGO bangs on her laptop.

MARGO throws her laptop.

Blackout.

End of Play.

Sleeper's Love of Sleep

SLEEPER'S LOVE OF SLEEP BY JEFFREY LO
(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

An open mic night.

SLEEPER approaches the stage.

SLEEPER:
Hello.

This is my…

I don’t know.

I dedicate this to the best thing about life.

Sleep.

Oh sleep.

Oh ohsleep.

How I love thee.

Sleep.

Fuck counting sheep.

Because if I’m counting sheep I am not with you –

Sleep.

And I want to be with you, sleep.

Always sleep.

There isn’t enough I can say about you, sleep.

Because I love thee.

Sleep.

I would sleep with thee.

Sleep.

If you weren’t already sleep.

Sleep.

If you stare at the word sleep for long enough –

Suddenly, a voice from the audience yells –

VOICE:
IF YOU KEEP ON WITH THIS BULLSHIT WE WILL ALL FALL ASLEEP.

Pause.

Beat.

SLEEPER:
Then you’re welcome.

SLEEPER leaves the stage.

END OF PLAY.

And Then We Feel Unexpected

AND THEN WE FEEL UNEXPECTED BY JEFFREY LO
(DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

GREGORY, 12, and BRENDAN, also 12, in a classroom.

The rest of the class is out at recess.

GREGORY is eating a PB&J sandwich quietly.

BRENDAN is reading a book quietly.

They are both quite quiet. 

GREGORY: Hey. Brendan right?

BRENDAN: Huh? Oh, yeah. I’m Brendan.

GREGORY: Cool.

BRENDAN: I’m sorry. I don’t know your –

GREGORY: Gregory.

BRENDAN: Gregory. Cool.

GREGORY: Yeah.

BRENDAN: Sorry I didn’t –

GREGORY: No it’s cool.

BRENDAN: Cool.

GREGORY: You’re new here, right?

BRENDAN: Yeah.

GREGORY: So how would you know my name?

BRENDAN: Right.

GREGORY goes back to eating.

BRENDAN thinks.

…

BRENDAN: But you knew my name.

GREGORY: Huh?

BRENDAN: You knew my name even though I’m new. Shouldn’t I know your name.

GREGORY: Nah.

BRENDAN: How come?

GREGORY: There’s lots of new names for you. For me, it’s just you.

BRENDAN: Huh.

GREGROY: Yeah.

BRENDAN: That makes sense.

GREGORY: Yeah. But you should know my name now.

BRENDAN: Right.

Pause.

BRENDAN: Umm… Actually…

GREGORY: What?

BRENDAN: I forgot it.

GREGORY: Already?

BRENDAN: Yeah, sorry.

GREGORY: It’s all good. Gregory.

BRENDAN: Gregory.

GREGORY: Don’t forget it now.

BRENDAN: I won’t this time.

GREGORY: Good.

Beat.

BRENDAN: Why are you inside?

GREGORY: What do you mean?

BRENDAN: Why are you eating your lunch inside? Most kids like to play outside during recess.

GREGORY: Oh well, it’s Spring and –

BRENDAN: Do you get allergies?

GREGORY: Yeah!

BRENDAN: Me too!

GREGORY: Really?

BRENDAN: Yeah!

GREGORY: Cool!

BRENDAN: I mean, not really. It kinda sucks.

GREGORY: Yeah that’s true. The sneezing sucks and my nose starts to hurt when I rub on it too much..

BRENDAN: Yeah.

Beat.

GREGORY: You hungry?

BRENDAN: Huh?

GREGORY: I noticed you don’t have any food.

BRENDAN: Oh. Right.

GREGORY: Just a book.

BRENDAN: Yeah –

GREGORY: You gonna eat your book?

BRENDAN: Huh?

GREGORY: I’m joking.

BRENDAN: Oh.

GREGORY: But really though –

GREGORY offers half of his sandwich to BRENDAN.

GREGORY: It’s PB&J. Cut diagonals. So it’s fancy. You know?

BRENDAN looks at the sandwich.

He is, in fact, hungry.

GREGORY: You’re not allergic to peanuts are you?

BRENDAN: No.

GREGORY: Oh good. Cause… Well, cause you wouldn’t be able to have any.

Pause.

GREGORY: You can have it.

BRENDAN: You sure?

GREGORY: Yeah, my dad is gonna take me to the ice cream man after school today.

BRENDAN: Oh, cool!

GREGORY moves to sit next to BRENDAN and hands him half his sandwich.

GREGORY: Yeah, Tuesdays.

BRENDAN: Tuesdays?

GREGORY: My dad takes me to the ice cream man on Tuesdays.

BRENDA: Cool.

Beat.

GREGORY: You know sometimes it’s a woman.

BRENDAN: What is?

GREGORY: The ice cream man. Sometimes the ice cream man is a woman.

BRENDAN: Huh…

GREGORY: But we still call her the ice cream man. Isn’t that interesting?

BRENDAN: Is it?

GREGORY: Not really, actually…

The boys laugh.

Pause

….

Silence.

…

Beat.

…

GREGORY: Hey Brendan.

BRENDAN: Yeah?

GREGORY: Can I ask you a question.

BRENDAN: Uh huh.

Pause.

Pause.

GREGORY: Do you remember my name?

BRENDAN: Yes! 

GREGORY: You do?

BRENDAN: I do!

GREGORY: I don’t believe you.

BRENDAN: Why not?

GREGORY: Actually, that wasn’t my real question.

BRENDAN: Then what was your question?

Pause.

Pause.

Pause.

GREGORY: Umm… Can I try something?

BRENDAN: Try what?

GREGORY: You might not like it.

BRENDAN: Then why would I let you try it.

GREGORY: But you might like it too! And… I just… I don’t know. Can I try it?

Pause.

BRENDAN: Ok.

Pause.

GREGORY kisses BRENDAN.

Silence.

Beat.

GREGORY: Sorry.

BRENDAN: No, it’s cool.

GREGORY: Was that ok?

BRENDAN: I think so. Maybe?

GREGORY: Ok.

BRENDAN: Who knows?

BRENDAN smiles at GREGORY.

GREGORY smiles back.

BRENDAN shrugs his shoulders.

The two boys laugh.

BRENDAN: Gregory.

Lights fade.

END OF PLAY.

Last Day At Larry's

LAST DAY AT LARRY'S BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

A bar called Larry’s.

EDWIN sitting alone at the bar.

He is sipping a whiskey on the rocks and reading a book.

Some smooth jazz plays in the background.

Sip… sip…

Read… read…

Sip… sip…

LARRY enters.

LARRY: Edwin.

EDWIN: Larry.

LARRY: Another?

EDWIN: Please.

LARRY grabs a bottle of whiskey and puts it down next to EDWIN.

LARRY: Here you go bud.

EDWIN looks at the bottle.

EDWIN: What, am I supposed to pour it myself?

LARRY: I mean, you could drink it from the bottle if you want.

EDWIN: The bottle?

LARRY: That’s yours.

EDWIN: The whole bottle?

LARRY: Yes.

EDWIN: I wanted one more not a whole bottle.

LARRY: Well I gave you the whole bottle.

EDWIN: I’m not paying for the whole bottle.

LARRY: You’re not paying for the whole bottle.

EDWIN: What am I paying for?

LARRY: Nothing.

EDWIN: Nothing?

LARRY: Nothing. It’s yours. The bottle is yours.

LARRY takes out a glass.

LARRY: But you have to share with me.

LARRY pours himself some whiskey.

Pause.

EDWIN: Why?

LARRY: Because I want some too, goddamnit.

LARRY clinks his glass with EDWIN’s glass.

EDWIN: That’s not what I mean, Larry. You’re worrying me.

LARRY: How am I worrying you?

EDWIN: You just giving away all your stuff? You gonna kill yourself?

LARRY: No. I’m not gonna kill myself, Ed. What the hell do you think? And I’m not giving all my stuff away, I’m giving you a goddamn bottle of whiskey. What’s the big deal?

EDWIN: I’ve been paying for my whiskey here for over 10 years Larry that’s what the big deal is. I’m confused by it.

LARRY: Well…

LARRY finishes his glass and refills it.

LARRY: As my most regular regular at the bar… I wanted to give you a gift. To say goodbye.

EDWIN: So you are killing yourself?

LARRY: What?No!What?What’sTheMatterWithYou?

EDWIN: Goodbye?

LARRY: What’s your obsession with me killing myself? Ain’t no one ever told your ass goodbye without it being a suicide note?

EDWIN: But –

LARRY: I’m closing the bar.

Silence.

LARRY: I’m closing the bar, Ed.

Silence.

EDWIN: Why?

LARRY: I can’t do it anymore. The upkeep, the service, the assholes, the rent… It’s becoming to expensive for me to keep running this place. Financially and emotionally.

EDWIN: You don’t like us at your bar?

LARRY: I like you at my bar. The others – they can fuck off. I like their money though.

EDWIN: Well?

LARRY: Well that’s no way to live, Ed. Dealing with people I want to fuck off just cause I need their money. That’s not a way to go about it. So today, for the one guy I do like around this place – I am going to give you something.

EDWIN: But Larry –

LARRY: Just take it and shut up.

Pause.

Beat.

LARRY: I’m gonna figure something else out. I turn 60 next week. I’ve been here for damn near 30 years. I gotta do something before it’s too late…

EDWIN: Will you keep in touch?

LARRY: Oh who knows. If it’s meant to be, I’ll see you around. If not then… it’s been nice knowing ya.

LARRY begins to exit.

LARRY: That’s all yours now so take it with you when you go. But you’re good to stay and read as long as you like. You won’t be able tomorrow so…

LARRY exits.

END OF PLAY.

You Look Tired

YOU LOOK TIRED BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

A projection reads 10:34 AM.

Lights up.

APRIL at her desk at work.

A co-worker approaches APRIL.

CO-WORKER 1: Hey… How are you doing there?

APRIL: Oh, fine.

CO-WORKER 1: You sure?

APRIL: Yeah, why?

CO-WORKER 1: You’re looking tired. Did you have trouble sleeping last night?

Blackout.

A projection reads: 12:05 AM

Lights up.

APRIL in the break room at work.

A co-worker approaches APRIL.

CO-WORKER 2: Hey.

APRIL: Hi!

CO-WORKER 2: I know how you feel. This week has been just so crazy around here.

APRIL: What do you mean?

CO-WORKER 2: They’ve just been working us to the bone. I am so tired too.

Blackout.

A projection reads: 2:02 PM.

Lights up.

APRIL leaving a meeting at work.

Supervisor approaches APRIL.

SUPERVISOR: Hey April, can I talk to you for a second?

APRIL: Yeah, sure, what’s up?

SUPERVISOR: You know… I was thinking, you could take the rest of the day off.

APRIL: … did I do something wrong?

SUPERVISOR: No, of course not. I just thought, you know, you could use the rest of the day… to recharge… get everything back together… get some rest. You know? I don’t want you to work yourself too hard.

APRIL: But I’m not –

SUPERVISOR: You look tired.

APRIL: I’m actually –

SUPERVISOR gives APRIL a long hug.

APRIL just stands there and takes it.

SUPERVISOR: Hang in there…

Blackout.

A projection reads: 2:03 PM.

Lights up.

APRIL in the bathroom at work.

APRIL washes her face.

APRIL stares at the mirror.

APRIL considers.

Silence.

APRIL: This is just what I look like.

Blackout.

END OF PLAY.

Silver Living Center

SILVER LIVING CENTER BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

ANGELO, a 60 year old Filipino-American man.

ANGELO is sitting on a bench outside of a care home facility.

Beside him is an aging sign for the facility that reads “SILVER LIVING CENTER”

ANGELO sits alone and quietly, staring off into space.

An automatic sliding door gets ANGELO’s attention and he turns around to look at it.

No one enters or exits through the door.

The sliding door slides shut.

ANGELO turns back around to look at the space.

Silence.

…

…

A NURSE starting her shift enters and walks towards the automatic sliding doors.

NURSE sees ANGELO.

NURSE: Kamusta Po…

ANGELO nods his head.

NURSE: We were all… everyone in the unit was… Lola Jenine... (Pause) We are all sorry for your loss.

ANGELO: Salamat. (Pause) And thank you all for taking care of her. All those years.

NURSE: Of course. (Starts to make her way through the doors) Let us know if you need anyth –

NURSE stops.

NURSE: Wait why are you here? Do you need anything?

ANGELO: Oh. No. Nothing. I’m just… I’m just here.

NURSE: Ok. Well. Can I get you a water? Or…?

ANGELO: No. No. Thank you though. I’m ok.

NURSE: Ok.

NURSE nods her head and enters the care home.

ANGELO sighs.

Silence.

…

ANGELO looks at the sign for a moment.

Silence.

…

Silence.

…

ANGELO hears someone approach.

Slowly, ANGELO’S daughter, SAM, enters.

ANGELO sees SAM.

ANGELO: …

SAM: Hey.

ANGELO: Hey.

SAM: Can I sit with you?

ANGELO nods.

SAM sits with him.

ANGELO: Why are you here?

SAM: Why do you think? … To find you.

ANGELO: How did you know I’d be here?

SAM: Hunch.

ANGELO: That obvious?

SAM: Yep.

Pause.

SAM: No. I’ve been looking for you for hours.

SAM playfully nudges ANGELO.

A brief silence.

Beat.

SAM: How are you doing?

ANGELO: Sometimes I feel ok… But most of the time, I don’t.

SAM: I get that.

ANGELO: How about you?

SAM: Um. Fine. I guess. I don’t know. It’s kind of surreal, you know?

ANGELO: Yeah.

SAM: Lola’s the first person in my life to die.

ANGELO: Really?

SAM: Yeah…

ANGELO: I guess your right huh?

SAM: Yeah.

ANGELO: It keeps happening the older you get.

SAM: Right.

ANGELO: You get used to it after a while.

SAM: Really?

ANGELO: In some ways, yes. In others, no… Your Lola dying… That’s gonna hurt no matter what.

SAM: What are you doing here?

ANGELO shrugs.

Beat.

ANGELO: I should have been here more, I think. No. I know. I know. I should have been here more.

SAM: You did your best…

ANGELO: No… I don’t think I did. I don’t think I did, Sam. 

Pause.

ANGELO: You know, your Lola never wanted to move here. When your Aunt’s and I brought it up to her she was so pissed off at us… Especially your Tita Sam, she said. She expected it from me but thought your Tita Sam was better than that… I don’t know. I thought it was the right thing to do. She lived on her own for so long and you know, it’s hard to live by yourself when you’re old... She yelled at us, “If you’re so worried about me being on my own, then how come none of you let me just stay with you? Huh?”

SAM: I can pay rent! 

ANGELO laughs.

ANGELO: She’d always yell that, wouldn’t she?

SAM: I can pay rent if you make me pay rent!

ANGELO: As if we’d make her pay…

Pause.

ANGELO: As if I asked her to stay with us…

Silence.

SAM: Don’t be hard on yourself about it, Dad. It’s not easy to take care of someone who’s gotten old… It’s a tough decision.

ANGELO: It’s also not easy to take care of three babies and raise them to be adults.

SAM: I mean… sure but…

ANGELO: … But what?

SAM: … Just don’t think about it too much. It’s easier that way.

ANGELO and SAM start to laugh.

The laughs help them breathe a little easier.

As the laughter dies down, ANGELO puts his arm around SAM.

SAM: Be easier on yourself... Try to be easier…

ANGELO and SAM sit and breath together.

…

The automatic sliding door opens.

ANGELO and SAM both turn to look but no one is there.

The sliding door closes.

SAM rests her head on her dad.

Lights fade. 

END OF PLAY.

Do You Hear Me Stars?

DO YOU HEAR ME STARS? BY JEFFREY LO (DOWNLOAD PDF HERE)

SARA, alone with the stars.

SARA:

Hey.

It’s me.

Again.

Do you hear me?

Hard to tell sometimes since you don’t –

What am I saying? Obviously you don’t –

I guess. It’s just that since you are the only ones that I have…

It’d be nice to get some sort of something.

Something resembling a response.

Resembling interaction?

Resembling… –

I don’t know.

Anyway, hello.

Here I am.

(Silence. SARA closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.)

Here I am…

            (Beat)

Do you ever get the feeling that, maybe, we have a problem with being unhappy?

Like… you take stock of everything in your life

Every detail in every nook of your being and you can’t quite find anything wrong with it

Like REALLY wrong not kinda wrong but REALLY wrong

You can’t find any of that but you sit and you sit and you think and you think 

And you land on… I am unhappy.

…

…

I feel that way.

Like all the time. And I don’t know why.

And I don’t know if anyone else feels this way.

For all I know this is a normal way to feel.

The only ones I’m talking to about this is you guys and –

Well. Yeah.

I can’t talk to others about it because, like, don’t you hear how it sounds?

It sounds so… I don’t know.

Like. Nothing is wrong.

Everything is fine, all things considered it’s just…

Unhappy.

Unsatisfied.

Un… something.

…

…

Not enough words…

There should be more words…

            (Pause)

I think there would be more words for sadness if we weren’t meant to feel embarrassed about it.

And I don’t know why we’re made to feel so embarrassed about it when it seems so easy for us to end up that way.

What about you guys?

Up there.

Or girls, now that I think of it.

Or…

Hell.

You’re stars.

Boy… girl… you don’t need it

You are stars…

            (Pause)

I’ll be one of you someday.

I think.

Don’t laugh.

I don’t know if you’re laughing but if you are – don’t.

That’s what I think and that thought is just as reasonable to have than any other…

It might not be right but…

But…

I hope so…

…

Because.

…

…

If I do become a star.

            (SARA contemplates this more.)

Because, after all of this, if I do become a star…

Then that would be nice.

And I reckon I would feel that.

…

A star… 

END OF PLAY.