ABSENTIA by Olivia Matthews Olivia Matthews
[email protected] 321 266 0194 April 20, 2020 CHARACTER NAME BRIEF DESCRIPTION AGE GENDER Neo Baines/Esther Grows up during storms. Black. 20 Female Diana Baines Neo's adoptive mother. Black. Late 50s/Early 60s Female Tanya Dandridge Neo's biological mother. Late 30s Female Tyler Williams Neo's best friend. Black. 20 Male Clayton Harris Black. Appears as 40s Male if he's Neo's father. TIME Now and eight years earlier. SETTING The suburbs, a bus stop, and the woods out in the hills of Clermont, Florida. NOTE The actor playing Clayton also performs The Rabbit. ABSENTIA/MATTHEWS/APRIL 2020 1. PART I Lights up on a stage adorned in funeral flower arrangements and balloons. In the center stands a podium. Instrumental gospel music plays softly. Tyler, nervous, is sitting in the audience waiting for the service to start. Tanya and Diana stand at the church's entrance, arm in arm. Diana looks out at the stage and congregation and is daunted by their sight. TANYA You think you’ll still go to Alaska? DIANA Huh? TANYA I’m trying to distract you. Are you still going to Alaska? DIANA I kinda have to, don’t I? TANYA I’m sure you could get your money back. DIANA No, I mean I have to go for- It’s a shame that you can’t come with me... TANYA I might run into you in Juneau too. I’ll be there in August, same as you. Oh I heard it’s lovely there.