Music & Lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver Book by Kristen Guenther PRODUCTION SCRIPT www.stagerights.com OUT OF MY HEAD Copyright © 2011 by Ryan Scott Oliver & Kristen Guenther All Rights Reserved All performances and public readings of OUT OF MY HEAD are subject to royalties. It is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America, of all countries covered by the International Copyright Union, of all countries covered by the Pan-American Copyright Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention, and all countries with which the United States has reciprocal copyright relations. All rights are strictly reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, by any means, including mechanical, electronics, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. Publication of this play does not necessarily imply that it is available for performance by amateurs or professionals. It is strongly recommended all interested parties apply to Steele Spring Stage Rights for performance rights before starting rehearsals or advertising. No changes shall be made in the play for the purpose of your production without prior written consent. All billing stipulations in your license agreement must be strictly adhered to. No person, firm or entity may receive credit larger or more prominent than that accorded the Author. For all stage performance inquiries, please contact: Steele Spring Stage Rights 3845 Cazador Street Los Angeles, CA 90065 (323) 739-0413 www.stagerights.com CAST OF CHARACTERS Cast Total: 6 – 4F, 2M WOMAN 1: The artist; introverted yet deeply expressive and creative. Soprano with mix belt. WOMAN 2: The hypochondriac; neurotic, emotional, in need. High belt or mezzo. WOMAN 3: The vixen; sexy, but funny. Somehow fractured. Low alto belt. MAN 1: The Catholic; young, searching, fragile but open minded. Pop tenor. MAN 2: The playboy; experienced, strong, dominating outwardly but inwardly submissive. Rock baritone. THERAPIST: Even keeled, intense, thoughtful, speaking only SCENES In present day, free group therapy in New York City, five strangers and their therapist journey through their loves, losses, and lives in a series of selected moments from their sessions together. Man 1 has a wife, is gay, and fearing for his eternal soul. Woman 1 is an artist, struggling with a life of expectations and failure. Woman 2 is crippled by her hypochondria and fear of just about everything. Woman 3 seems to keep dating and losing the same type of man: gay. Lastly, Man 2 is the perpetual cheater, incapable of commitment and afraid of love. As the story progresses, they share and they fight, make break-throughs and relapse. Through it all, their therapist is there, with bad coffee and cheap cookies, to keep them talking and connecting. Childhood, family, exes, and identity all come into the light as the five strangers begin to trust and learn about one another. Man 1 recounts his religious upbringing, sex with his wife and starts to come to terms with who he truly is. Woman 1 begins to let go of the baggage of her childhood and past relationships, focusing on her art and the future. Woman 2 sees the toll that her paranoias are causing on her life, and meets a man who makes her feel safe, allowing her to truly plan for the future she never thought she could have. Man 2 finds what he needs in Woman 3, and the two begin to understand a new kind of love, one that is based on mutual attraction and acceptance. Ultimately, they work together to shed light into their lives and leave a little less broken and a little more brave than they began. SETTING A Group Therapy Room TIME Present Day RUN TIME 70 Minutes MUSICAL NUMBERS #1 MAKING BEAUTIFUL ....................................................................................................... Company #2 CRAYON GIRL .................................................................................................................. Woman 1 #3 LOVER KILLER ..................................................................................................................... Man 2 #4 DENY YOUR CREATION ........................................................................................................ Man 1 #5 PERFECT ......................................................................................................................... Woman 3 #6 SOME OTHER WAY TO FEEL .................................................................................. Man 2, Man 1 #7 A HYPOCHONDRIAC’S SONG ......................................................................................... Woman 2 #8 QUARTET ......................................................................................................................... Company #9 SARAH FITCHNER ........................................................................................................... Woman 1 #10 MY OVERLY DRAMATIC WAYS ........................................................................................ Woman 2 #11 TO DO ................................................................................................................................... Man 2 #12 KAMA SUTRA ................................................................. Man 1, Woman 1, Woman 2, Woman 3 #13 AND IF I SHOULD STAY? .................................................................................... Man 2, Woman 3 #14 MY ART IS ME/FINALE ................................................................................................... Company OUT OF MY HEAD – PRODUCTION SCRIPT 1 SCENE 1 Lights up on MAN 1, talking to a confessor. MAN 1 I feel like I’m in prison. Not that I’ve ever been in prison, I haven’t. I just mean talking through a screen like this, reminds of the movies when the wife goes to visit the husband, he’s all in orange, she brings rice crispy treats, (because they don’t have those in jail) and they talk on that telephone thing through the glass, I’m Tim, by the way. Hi. Shit. I’m not supposed to say my name, am I, Father? Or shit. I mean say “shit” not take a “shit.” I’m sorry, I’m nervous. I’ve just never been to confession before and I’m feeling very, very… nervous… Lights up on WOMAN 1, in her studio. WOMAN 1 Hi, may I speak to Suzanne? It’s Sarah. Again… Just wanted to know if you’d heard anything yet… Ok. Make sure to tell them that the paintings do not have to be grouped with the clay model— okay. Just make sure they know they can be separated— okay, I’ll call you at the end of the day. Just to be sure. Lights up on WOMAN 2, in her room. She is eating a sandwich and reading a thick, hardcover book. WOMAN 2 Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis… Lou Gehrig’s disease… onset is very subtle… symptoms include wild muscle spasms, especially in the hands… (as she proceeds, her hand begins to gradually shake) general weakness and feeling of fatigue (long pause here as she lethargically takes a bite) …slurred or thick speech… drop-dropping things… difficulty chewing or swallowing (coughs) …and uncontrollable periods of laughing. Well at least I don’t have that, right? (she starts laughing) Lights up on WOMAN 3, at brunch with her boyfriend. WOMAN 3 Is this a joke? This is a joke. This is joke. This is a JOKE!!! You can’t break up with ME!? Lights up on MAN 2, at his apartment. MAN 2 It happened ONCE. She means nothing to me, honestly, it was just stupid fun! Not fun, it wasn’t fun, actually it was painful, I didn’t want to do it, it was an accident, it happened by accident, a two or three-time thing. Wait— when you count is it one time you see each other one time or do you count each time you had sex each time you saw each other. It meant nothing. Little pause, then softly: EACH ACTOR begins their respective lines following at *, overlapping with the previous and ad libbing at “Etc.” 2 OUT OF MY HEAD – PRODUCTION SCRIPT WOMAN 1 Still nothing? * Okay, I’ll call back. Wait— Suzanne, let them know how much I appreciate their consideration. I know how important their selection process is and I know that I’m taking their time up—no, I will tell them, too, but— Suzanne, this is really important. (Etc.) WOMAN 2 Call 911! Okay… on hold… maybe I should take my organ donor sticker off— I want to donate my organs but what if they take them out and then I recover and I have no more organs left… That woman in Russia just woke up in her coffin at her own funeral only to have a heart attack and die from shock… this is so upsetting. At MAN 2’s “Stop!” ALL ACTORS stop speaking for MAN 1’s line— MAN 1 Should I just start now? Music explodes into the scene. SONG #1: MAKING BEAUTIFUL (ALL) Music. Lights rise slowly on MAN 1, at confession. MAN 1 (quietly) I’VE GOT A LOT TO CONFESS, FATHER. WELL, AS YOU SEE, I’M A MESS. WELL— YOU CAN’T SEE— BUT GOD, HE SURELY CAN. I’M A TROUBLED MAN, FOR EVERY DAY THAT I WAKE I THINK THERE’S BEEN A MISTAKE. Lights cross-fade and rise on WOMAN 1, in an artist’s smock, on the phone. WOMAN 1 HI, MAY I SPEAK TO SUZANNE? HI, SUZANNE— (pause) NO, I UNDERSTAND. MY WORK IS “GOOD,” AND THOUGH YOU “LIKE MY STUFF,” IT’S NOT “EDGY” ENOUGH FOR YOUR GALLERY TO SHOW. NO NEED TO SAY IT; I KNOW. She hangs up. MAN 1 WHAT AM I? WOMAN 1 WHAT DO THEY WANT? WHERE IS THIS GOING…? OUT OF MY HEAD – PRODUCTION SCRIPT 3 MAN 1 WHAT AM I PUNISHED FOR? WOMAN 1 I’M DRIVEN, AND DREAMING— MAN 1 GOD-GIVEN A SOUL THAT’S SCREAMING OUT— WOMAN 1 MAN 1 OUT OF ANSWERS, THERE ARE NO ANSWERS I’M FAILING I’M FAILING AND FALLING APART AND FALLING APART FOR GOD. FOR ART. WORK WITH ALL YOUR SOUL. HARD TO MAKE IT WHOLE. START TO TAKE YOUR ROLE MAKING BEAUTIFUL. TRUST THE HEART OF ME FAITH IN THE ART OF ME BELIEVE IT’S ALL PART OF ME MAKING BEAUTIFUL. (to “Suzanne”) (to “God”) AND YOU’LL SEE AND YOU’LL SEE I CAN MAKE I CAN MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF ME. SOMETHING OUT OF ME. GIVE ME TIME, GIVE ME TIME, I’LL SHOW THE WORLD THAT I’M I’LL SHOW THE WORLD THAT I’M MAKING BEAUTIFUL. MAKING BEAUTIFUL. Lights rise on WOMAN 3, at brunch with “her boyfriend.” WOMAN 3 YOU THINK THAT WE’RE LOSING TOUCH? WELL, THAT’S FINE, ‘CAUSE I NEVER LIKED YOU THAT MUCH.