1 28 LIGHT YEARS FROM NOW By Rachel Bykowski Rachel Bykowski [email protected] rachebykowskiplays.com 2 CHARACTERS PRESENT JOSIE 47-48 years-old, identifies female, exists in the time of 1969-1970. MADDIE 20-21 years-old, identifies female. Josie’s daughter, exists in the time of 1969-1970. The actor who plays Maddie also plays all of 1930’s and 1940’s Josie. ANNABELLE 23-24 years-old, identifies female. Fran’s daughter, exists in the time of 1969-1970. The actor who plays Annabelle, also plays all of 1930’s and 1940’s Fran. SETTING The play takes place in: • A secluded field in the Midwest during the 1930’s and 1940’s that is renovated into an industrial parking lot in 1969-1970. • Josie’s kitchen and Maddie’s bedroom in 1969. • Fran’s old bedroom in a small town a few miles outside of Anzio, Italy in 1969-1970. The set pieces are minimal and should be easy to move on and off stage. The only room with a little more detail should be the bedroom in Italy. There’s a window frame draped with rose pink curtains and the bedroom should give off the hue of lavender. For the most part, the stage should be fluid, like space between time. TIME The play jumps between the past and present. The past is 1930’s and 1940’s and the present is 1969-1970. PROJECTIONS Any time there is a letter in a projection it signifies the letter was written sometime in the past. It could be a few days, weeks, months, or 28 years ago. When Maddie writes her letters, they are in the present and do not require a projection. CASTING Inclusive casting is required to reflect anyone who has ever felt heartbreak and regret, as well as, all those who lived through World War II and Vietnam in America. Every race and ethnicity in America fought and experienced World War II and Vietnam. SCENES • Stellar Nebula – A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. The gas and dust are created when a star dies, explodes, and launches the gas and dust into space. From this violent death and sacrifice of one star, another star can be born. • Protostar – Gravity begins to pull together, creating immense pressure and heat. Radiation emits from the center ball of energy and travels into space. • A Star – Hydrogen and helium, held together by gravity, create this glowing orb of gas. At its core, nuclear fusion reacts to support the star against gravity, generating photons and heat. • Red Giant – A giant star nearing the end of its cycle still trying to cling to the last remaining hydrogen that fuels its dwindling nuclear fusion. • Supernova – A calamitous explosion that causes a star to expel most of its mass creating a luminous spectacle of light. • Black Hole – The star fully collapses in on itself. This collapse creates such a strong pull of gravity no matter, light, or radiation can escape. 3 Stellar Nebula A nebula is a giant cloud of dust and gas in space. The gas and dust are created when a star dies, explodes, and launches the gas and dust into space. From this violent death and sacrifice of one star, another star can be born. July,1942 in a clearing surrounded by dense trees. It’s late at night and that’s a good thing because only the stars can keep secrets. 1942 JOSIE sits in the middle of the field holding a flashlight. She is dressed in her nursing uniform and is noticeably hot from the summer night. She has been waiting for quite some time. She might play with the flashlight’s beam to occupy herself; turning it on and off. Suddenly, a beam from another flashlight appears and startles 1942 JOSIE. She stays quiet and turns her flashlight on and off three times. The other beam answers by turning its light on and off three times. 1942 FRAN enters carrying her flashlight. She is wearing an oversized jacket, far too warm for the July weather. Silence. The two stand in each other’s beams of light. They circle, moving faster and faster, as the gas and dust swirls tightly together. 1942 JOSIE Where have you been? 1942 FRAN To the stars and back. 1942 JOSIE You said one or two nights. 1942 FRAN It’s hard to tell time when you’re with the stars. 1942 JOSIE I almost went home. 1942 FRAN The stars were watching you. 1942 JOSIE Staying out // until sunrise. 1942 FRAN I hitched a ride on the first shooting star. 1942 JOSIE It’s not like I have work // in the morning or anything. 4 1942 FRAN I traveled at the speed of light to get here. 1942 JOSIE I was worried. Those buses, they break down // all the time. 1942 FRAN Nothing is more reliable than a star. 1942 JOSIE I can’t wait for you. 1942 FRAN grabs 1942 JOSIE and plants a longing, passionate kiss on her lips. The stars burst to life. 1942 JOSIE I thought about going to your parents- 1942 FRAN -You didn’t! 1942 JOSIE Well, that woke you up. 1942 FRAN Josie… 1942 JOSIE I didn’t. 1942 FRAN I will always meet you here at our kiss. 1942 JOSIE They’re going to meet me when we move in together. 1942 FRAN Roommates… 1942 JOSIE It’s a start. Realistic. 1942 FRAN I want to keep dreaming. 5 1942 JOSIE How’s your gram? 1942 FRAN Fine. She was happy I came to see her. What lie did you tell your mom to let you stay out so late. 1942 JOSIE I’m a twenty-year-old woman, Fran. I don’t need to tell my ma- 1942 FRAN rolls her eyes as if to say, “Yeah, right.” 1942 JOSIE …I told her you and Daniel broke-up. 1942 FRAN What!? Why the hell would you say that? 1942 JOSIE I’ve been staying out ‘til midnight for days. You want me to tell my ma, “Oh, Ma, Fran just wants to grab ANOTHER late-night coffee. Be back before sunrise.” 1942 FRAN But why Daniel? 1942 JOSIE People think the only reason girls meet late at night is to cry over boys. Daniel had to go. 1942 FRAN But he was the perfect cover, Josie! 1942 JOSIE We’ll make up another boyfriend for you. Or maybe, in a sudden turn of events, Daniel comes crawling back to you on his hands and knees. Saying how wrong he was for ever leaving you. 1942 FRAN And I take him back? 1942 JOSIE Of course you do! Did you not hear me say, “Crawling on his hands and knees…?” 1942 FRAN I would NEVER take someone back after they left me. Once you’re gone, then you’re gone for good. Scorched earth policy, baby. 1942 JOSIE Aren’t you sweating in that thing? 6 1942 FRAN Oh, it’s okay. 1942 JOSIE It’s over eighty degrees even at night. 1942 JOSIE starts to playfully unbutton 1942 FRAN’s coat. 1942 FRAN stops her. 1942 FRAN What are you doing? 1942 JOSIE Well, we are at the kiss. 1942 FRAN Seriously, stop… 1942 JOSIE What’s wrong? 1942 FRAN Look, tonight is not like any other night. 1942 JOSIE Okay…? 1942 FRAN Tonight, Josie, tonight, we are going to travel through space and time. 1942 JOSIE I don’t want to dream anymore. I want something I can feel. 1942 FRAN You watch. I’m about to make this dream a reality. I finally see everything coming together. I see my future so clearly; I can touch it. 1942 JOSIE You just started secretarial school. I think you need to slow down. 1942 FRAN About that… 1942 JOSIE What? No… 7 1942 FRAN Josie, please, let me explain- 1942 JOSIE -You promised me. 1942 FRAN I know what I // promised you- 1942 JOSIE Nursing school. Two years! We helped each other through our programs for two years. Then, you tell me the week before you graduate you just, “Aren’t interested anymore.” 1942 FRAN No. I said it wasn’t enough. What do you do as a nurse? You take care of sick people all day and for what? For another sick person to roll right in, and then another, and another? What kind of impact are we really making? 1942 JOSIE We are healing people. Not everyone can do that. It takes a special gift to put someone else’s needs before your own. 1942 FRAN I promised you whatever I did, I would make you proud. 1942 JOSIE You know what makes me proud? A steady paycheck! 1942 FRAN Just listen, actually, no, look. 1942 FRAN takes 1942 JOSIE gently by the chin and directs her attention to the night sky. 1942 FRAN Do you see it? 1942 JOSIE I see stars. 1942 FRAN Yeah, but one in particular…that one, right there, just left of the Big Dipper’s handle. 1942 JOSIE It’s pretty. 8 1942 FRAN It’s yours. 1942 FRAN gets down on one knee to propose. 1942 JOSIE What the hell are you doing? 1942 FRAN There are so many stupid reasons we can’t be together. Well, I say they’re all manmade laws. When you marry someone, you marry them in the eyes of the universe. So, no, I didn’t buy you some manmade ring, to fit in some manmade law I don’t give a shit about.