RESONATING SOUND

Important Info: Everyone in the world has a bar (like a battery, this could be a piece of colored velco that is attached to your chest over your heart.) on their chest that reveals their mental state (high/green = happy; yellow/orange = Upset/meh; Red = depressed; Black = no returning point). If the bar reaches black, that person has no way of reaching back up to the green, they will forever be black. Furthermore, people who have a black bar, usually commit suicide and can ask police officers and ‘relievers’ (people with the career to help black-bars peacefully pass away) to aid them; aka ‘relieve’ them of the pain.

CHARACTERS:

Randy Highschool junior. Red bar, nearly black. Tall, quiet, and reserved.

Luke Highschool Junior. Green bar. Outgoing, friendly, happy, and always positive. People would often stop him in the halls to say hello/good morning/goodbye. Football player.

Reliever Very sweet, high pitched voice. She usually wears pink, but you can portray this character however you see fit.

Madeline Highschool senior. Green bar. Kind, protective, but can be seen as narcissistic and rude at times.

SCENE 1: ​

SETTING: Highschool Hallway. Painted lockers/bags on the ground.

RANDY Starting from stage left, he will slowly make his way to stage right as he talks. His ‘speech’ is a soliloquy, so no other characters will hear him. The bar on his chest is BLACK, so wear a light-colored shirt. I used to have a green bar. I used to be full of light, hope, ​ excitement...Now I’m just numb to it all. My bar’s color began going down in 8th grade when I was first confused. That’s when I lost myself because it felt like every time I looked into the mirror, I was looking at a stranger. Sometimes, when I think about it, this whole system of showing everyone’s bar color off to the world is counter-productive. I mean, shouldn’t our mental health be something we can keep quiet about? Randy stops ​ walking to check out his book.

LUKE Enters from stage left, behind Randy, pulls his backpack off of his back, and looks in it like he’s looking for a textbook.

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MADELINE Enters from stage right. When she sees Randy standing there, she steers away from him as if he has a disease. Her face distorted in disgust. When she sees Luke, she rushes over to him, glancing over at Randy. Luke? Luke! Hello? Snap out of it! ​

LUKE He was in a daydream. Huh? Oh, sorry, hey, Madeline. What’s up? He sees Madeline glancing ​ ​ over at Randy, he looks at him and looks sorry for him. Damn, his bar’s black… ​

MADELINE Yeah… Oh, anyway, I got you that homework you missed while you were out sick last week. It’s not much, so don’t worry about it. She pulls out a small stack of crumpled up paper from ​ her bag.

LUKE Takes the papers from her and looks very pleased. Urgh! Thank you! You are such a lifesaver, ​ Mads. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

MADELINE Glances back over at Randy, again. Yeah, no problem. Hey, do me a favor, don’t talk to that ​ black-bar kid. I know you have a soft spot for the depressed ones, but there’s no point in trying to help him. He’s had a black-bar since last year, sophomore year. I mean, I’m ​ ​ surprised he hasn’t gone to a reliever yet, but he might have a chance today during lunch.

LUKE He was staring at Randy but quickly looked at Madeline as if she said something important. Wh-what do you mean? What do you mean he might have a chance today? Why?

MADELINE Oh, you didn’t know? There’s a reliever coming here during lunch to make themselves more accessible to the black-bars. I hear that the black-bar kid ‘Susan’ is going, and she’s only had a black-bar for a week. She’s talking as if it is funny, so add a couple of scoffs or ​ whatever you believe to be a good addition.

RANDY Has been listening to their conversation and is now putting his book back into his bag.

LUKE He’s not diseased, Mads, he’s just… Broken. But he’s not unrepairable!

MADELINE Luke, he’s been ‘broken’ for more than a year. Why can’t you just drop it and be like the rest of us and just ignore it? Ignore them. I mean, think about it, they’re just depressed teenagers, let them go to the relievers and die. It’s more peaceful than doing it yourself.

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LUKE He is quiet for a bit when the bell rings for class, he is angry. I’ve lost my appetite for today. I ​ can’t eat when I know kids my age are going over to a reliever. Luke storms off stage ​ ​ ​ right.

MADELINE She groans. Luke, why are you so obsessed with them? I will never understand. She exits stage ​ ​ left.

SCENE 2:

SETTING: Cafeteria. Tables set up with trays on them.

RANDY Holding a small tray (no need for actual food on it, just a tray will do fine). The reliever is standing in the middle of the room in a pink dress. Randy puts his tray down on the table and begins to SLOWLY walk over to her.

LUKE Is walking with Madeline, looking upset, holding his own tray. He and Madeline walk over to a table but he doesn’t sit down when he sees Randy. Hey. Hey. Hey! No, no, no, no! Dude, ​ wait!

MADELINE She had sat down, but she grabbed onto Luke’s arm. Luke! What the hell are you doing? Let him ​ go! He’s practically just a waste of space anyway.

LUKE Rips his arm out of her grasp. What the hell are you talking about? No one is a waste of space! ​ ​ ​ He’s a living, breathing, human being who deserves a chance! You can’t just throw someone away like a piece of trash. Storms over to Randy. Come with me. ​ ​

RANDY What? No, who are you? You know what, never mind, just leave me alone. I don’t need another person to tell me to do it, alright? I’m going, so you can leave me be.

LUKE Huh? What? NO! Oh, God, no, that’s not why I’m here or talking to you. Chuckles. I’m actually ​ ​ here to stop you. I don’t want you to get ‘relieved’. Deep sigh. Actually, no, you know ​ ​ what, I’m gonna say it how it is. I’m not going to let a fellow student go and kill himself just because a stupid bar tells you how happy you are! Takes his hand and smiles. You’re ​ ​ coming with me whether you like it or not. He drags Randy off stage left. ​

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SCENE 3:

SETTING: Music room. Instruments are all over the room, multiple chairs are lined up in a crescent shape.

RANDY Gets dragged on stage (through stage right) by Luke. What the hell are we doing here? And why ​ do you care so much? It’s obvious that your friend doesn’t care what I do, so why would you?

LUKE Luke laughs a bit as he sits down on one of the chairs. Woow~. Already onto the serious and ​ personal questions, sheesh. Anyway, we’re here so you can get your black-bar back up to a green-bar.

RANDY Scoffs loudly and looks a bit angry. I knew it! You’re just here to make fun of me for having a ​ black-bar! Everyone knows that once you have a black-bar, you can’t ever get back up to ​ ​ any other color. I’m stuck like this...Forever.

LUKE Groans loudly and grabs something from his bag. Urgh… Seriously?! Who cares about these ​ stupid ‘mental-bars’ or whatever?

RANDY Awkward silence for a couple of moments. ...Everyone. Everyone cares about these ​ ‘mental-bars’.

LUKE Yeah, whatever. But, just because everyone else cares about it, why does that mean you have to care too? Why can’t you choose whether or not you ignore it? Or are you too caught up in the societies ‘perfect image’ that you can’t even see that there’s so much more to life than worrying about a stupid bar.

RANDY Yeah, says a green-bar. I mean, do you realize how lucky you are to have a green-bar? It’s become rare to even see green-bars anymore, everyone’s usually a light-yellow or below. I mean, you’d probably pass hundreds of black-bars before you even see a green-bar.

LUKE You wanna know why my bar’s green? Because I don’t care about it? Everyone’s bars are so low because it’s all they think about. It’s always about keeping your bar as high as possible and never letting it get bad. I mean, they bottle up everything that’s inside of them, they don’t even let themselves cry because they’re so scared of this stupid bar.

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RANDY Yeah, I could never do that, even if I didn’t have a black-bar. Large sigh, Randy sits down in one ​ of the chairs and a puff of dust flies up into his face making him cough/sneeze. I still ​ don’t get why we’re in a crusty-dusty music room that no one ever uses.

LUKE We’re here because it’s a room that no one comes into, so we can never be disturbed. We’ll never have to worry about bullies, or anyone while we’re in here. And also, so I can introduce you to the wonderful world of music!

RANDY Music? Scoffs in an annoyed manner. Seriously? ​ ​

LUKE Yup. And you’re going to listen. You literally don’t have a choice in the matter. I kinda, may have, forgotten that the door locks from the outside as soon as you close it… So we’re going to have to wait until lunch is over.

RANDY Awkward silence again. I hate you. ​

LUKE I know. Smiles and digs into his backpack, grabbing a phone with some earphones, giving Randy ​ one earphone, and keeping the other to himself. You seem like an alternative kinda guy, ​ let’s start with that. Oh, and I can give you some band recommendations too once we figure out what genre you like.

RANDY Right… Look, I’m just going to be frank with you; I don’t care for music, nor do I care about you. You’re the one who grabbed me out of the cafeteria and pulled me into a, now locked, music room. Anyway, I’m just going to ask you straight up, why would you, ​ ​ Luke, the popular football player, want to help me?

LUKE Because, believe it or not, I understand what you’re going through. Sure, our pain is probably very different from each other, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been where you are. And I’m helping you the same way I helped myself. Music.

RANDY ...Fine, I’ll stay this once, only because you locked me in. But, you don’t do this to me again. After today, we go back to ignoring each other. Sound good?

LUKE

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‘Ignoring each other’? I never ignored you, I just never knew how to approach you. And, if you come tomorrow, I’ll answer the question I know is floating in your mind right now. ‘How do you know what I feel?’

RANDY Goddamn it… You’re very persuasive. Alright, fine. Today and tomorrow, but that’s it! ​

LUKE Smiles and puts Randy’s earpiece into Randy’s ear, then clicks on a song. Lights fade out as Luke sways to the music, and Randy begins to sway a bit as well.

SCENE 6:

SETTING: Cafeteria. Tables are set up everywhere, Luke and Madeline are walking over to an empty table, Randy is sitting alone.

MADELINE So… Where were you yesterday? I lost you during lunch after you stormed out with the saddo.

LUKE He has a name, Mads, it’s Randy. And, anyway, we just went to the music room so I could introduce him to some of my favorite songs, singers, and bands.

MADELINE Urgh… I knew it. You’re adopting the sad little orphan puppy. She said that as if it was gross. ​ Big sigh. What on earth is wrong with you, Luke?

LUKE Is it seriously that bad, Mads? Frustrated, angry, annoyed. Is it so bad that I want to help him? ​ ​

MADELINE Luke! You can help people who can actually use your help. People like him are helpless, they’re ​ ​ pretty much dead already. It’s best to just give up on them….But, of course, you won’t do that, will you? What are you gonna do when he still decides to relieve himself after you tried so hard to help him? ​ ​

LUKE If he decides to go through with the relieving, that’s his choice, at least I’ll have the comfort of ​ knowing I actually tried to do something!

MADELINE Why don’t you get it!? Black-bar’s are idiotic, low-lives who are destined to relieve themselves! The world’s better off without them. She gasps after saying this, covering her mouth in ​ horror. LUKE

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‘Better off’? What the hell is wrong with you, Madeline? Do you think that my little sister was destined to have a black-bar when it was the bullies who caused it? Are you saying that the world is better off with my little sister, my baby sister, dead?! ​ ​

MADELINE Stammers over her words. N-No...W-well… Luke, I-... You know that’s not what I meant! ​

LUKE No, Madeline, I think it’s exactly what you meant. I can’t believe you. You disgust me. Storms ​ ​ ​ off with his food tray and sits with Randy, who simply stares at him in shock.

SCENE 5:

SETTING: Music room, once again. The entrance is on stage right. Luke is already in the room, sitting on one of the chairs, listening to music on his own.

RANDY Enters stage right, stops as he sees Luke. You’re already here? I thought for sure you were going ​ to bale on me. You know, so you don’t have to answer the terrifying question.

LUKE Smiles and laughs, removing his earphones. And I thought you were going to ditch me. You’re 3 ​ minutes late.

RANDY I didn’t realize I was being timed. Sits down next to Luke. Alright, now, answer my question. ​ ​ How on earth do you know how I feel? You’ve never had a black bar before, and I doubt you’ve ever gone lower than a yellow.

LUKE Well, actually, I got to a dark red once, nearly black. And the reason I know how you feel is because a couple of years ago, my little sister relieved herself after she got a black-bar because of these bullies in her class. She was the sweetest little thing in the world, but would always find a way to steal my shoes. Anyway, when she relieved herself, I hit an all-time low and I didn’t know what to do with myself. My bar began to go down to a red and was about to turn into a black-bar, but then, I found music and it saved my life.

RANDY So… you think that if you introduce me to music, it might save my life as well? I’m sorry, I just don’t think some little tunes and someone singing is going to do much for my black-bar. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it worked for you, but… it’s just music.

LUKE

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“Just music”? Have you ever actually listened to a song? Music isn’t just some tunes strung together, it has meaning! Each writer expresses so much emotion and devotion into their lyrics and into the instrumental piece. When they do that, the listeners can tune into it. I mean, I doubt you’ve ever truly listened to the lyrics of a song, you probably just put ​ ​ some music on as a background noise.

RANDY What, so you think that the music will just ‘resonate’ inside me? You think I’ll be able to connect with these singers and their lyrics? Okay, let’s say that I do, how would I ‘connect’?

LUKE Well, first off, you need to actually try and not just do it for no reason. Secondly, we’re going to have to find a genre of music you like. The reason I suggested alternative is because it gives the artist a lot of freedom to express themselves. For example, Twenty One Pilots are able to throw so much emotion into their music that I’ve actually seen people cry.

RANDY Fine, fine. I’ll take it seriously.

LUKE It doesn’t sound like you’re taking it seriously. Luke is starting to get a bit annoyed/frustrated. ​ Look, Randy, I’m just trying to help but I can’t do anything if you don’t even try. Just… Please, try, for me.

RANDY Big sigh. Alright, I’ll try. ​

LUKE Gives Randy one earphone and taps something on his phone. This is a twenty-one pilot song ​ called ‘car radio’. I think you’ll like it.

RANDY Is quiet for a few moments. I don’t see how this song could do anything for-- He went silent and ​ ​ grabbed Luke’s hand as his mouth hung open. Oh, my god! The sound is literally ​ resonating within me! It’s like the singer wrote this song exactly for me because he ​ knows what it’s like…

LUKE See? You just gotta give things a chance, Randy.

RANDY Pulls Luke into a tight hug and begins to cry. Thank you. Thank you so much, Luke. Thank you ​ for giving me a chance.

8

LUKE Hugs him back. Hey, Randy… How did you get a black-bar in the first place? ​

RANDY Let's go and sniffles a bit. Oh, uh… My dad left a couple of years ago to go marry his secretary ​ who he was cheating on my mother with. My mom’s never had great mental health, so as a coping mechanism, she began drinking and turned into an absent mother. I was left in charge of cleaning her up and had to grow up a lot faster than I wanted to, I never really had any time to accept my emotions and what was going on around me, and when I finally tried to open myself up to everything, it was like a lead weight dropping on top of me. My mental health, obviously, plummeted and, in middle school, students would bully those with a bar that was below yellow…

LUKE Randy… Just because your bar was below a yellow doesn’t mean you’re not worth saving, or helping. You can always raise your bar up, even in times like those when it feels impossible. Nothing can always be bad, there’s always a bit of good, you just have to look for it. For example, I know that after your dad left, he lost his job and is now living in a rats nest.

RANDY Laughs a bit along with Luke. Yeah, and he does meth and other drugs with his new wife, so they ​ got what was coming to them. Anyway, I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but… My bar’s black and that means it can never change, so I don’t know what you were trying to do.

LUKE Is it? Is it black? Taps the bar on Randy’s chest which is now orange (you can change the colors ​ when the boys hug).

RANDY Wh-what?! Jumps out of his chair and stairs at his bar. W-Wait! This is impossible! H-How!? ​ ​ Laughs in amazement. Thank you! You’ve done so much for me, I don’t know I could ​ ​ ​ ​ ever possibly repay you!

LUKE Well… I know one way. Stands up nervously and looks at Randy. ​

RANDY Anything, anything!

LUKE Go on a date with me?

End scene :)

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