ROAD KILL An American Western Myth, in reverse By Karen JP Howes Synopsis: A dark comedy that starts with a fat woman in a watermelon print dress who lies dead in the restroom of a roadside restaurant in the middle-of-nowhere. Oddly, she isn’t the only one dead, and the folks who try to jimmy open the restroom door are indirectly connected to each other and the woman’s death. The play moves in reverse, from 8 pm to 3 pm, untangling the relationships between the characters and shedding light on the reason for the fat woman’s death. Karen JP Howes [email protected] 678-467-7552 Agent: Marta Praeger Robert Freedman Dramatic Agency 1501 Broadway, suite 2310 New York, NY 10036 212-840-5760 c. all rights reserved. February 2016 2 CHARACTERS (doubling 4m, 3f) EDDIE LOGAN An attractive man in his 30s; a loner LANA Early 30s with cat eye glasses. Smart and quirky. EMMALINE An innocent 16 year old, totally and completely in love RUSSELL A strong and well built man in his late 20s LAURA MEYERS 30s with an air of sweet southern charm; five months pregnant. BILLY EVANS Of a distinguished nature that commands respect; 40s HUGH JOHNSON 30s and grounded. He projects an aura of serenity and security SONNY Rugged, physical, high self-esteem. Late 30s to late 40s BEAUREGARDE A muscular and good looking man of Native American lineage; 30’s MARIA LLORENTE 30s. Latino; teaches Tango JAMI LANDERS Male reporter and photographer. Late 20s to 30s KATHY Waitress/scientist about 30 DIANE Forties or more Doubling: Emmaline, Kathy Laura, Maria, Diane Lana Hugh, Jami Russell, Beau Billy, Sonny Eddie Place: A roadside diner off a country highway in Wyoming Time: The Present in reverse Music: The tone can be set with something like Handsome Family’s “Weightless Again.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdjbk_G6pw&list=RDmkdjbk_G6pw On the structure of the play The play is comprised of 6 movements that take place at a lone coffee shop off a country highway 50 miles from the nearest town. The story concerns a fat woman in a watermelon print dress who lies dead in an outside restroom. As the scenes unfold in reverse chronological order, we become aware of the interconnected relationships and stories. The play takes place between 8 PM and 3 PM in a single day. 3 SETTING The setting is a roadside diner in the middle of nowhere. It’s clean and well lit. A counter and three or four stools are at upright center, perhaps angled towards the center of the stage. Behind the counter is a fridge, sink, and space for food preparation. There are other things like a cash drawer, menus, a covered glass dish to hold Danishes, a coffee station, water pitcher, fire extinguisher, rag, and a mop and bucket. The room has two doors. There’s one upstage, behind the counter that leads to the storeroom and the back door to the trailer. The entrance to the diner is situated at stage left. It leads to the parking lot. There is a sign to designate open/closed. A picture window is next to the door, at the side of a booth. It’s decorated with café curtains and a section of it can be opened. Over the window is a large analog clock that is illuminated within the darkness between the scenes to show that the play runs in a chronologically reverse order. Time is also visible by way of the light coming in from the window as the play lapses backwards from night through sunset and into a late afternoon light. (8:00 PM to 3:00 PM). There are a few tables and chairs – not many. 4 The Scenes Scene One, 8:00 PM (Eddie and Lana) …………............................................................. 6 Scene Two, 7:00 PM (Emmaline and Russell) …............................................................ 24 Scene Three, 6:00 PM (Billy, Laura, Hugh and Eddie) …............................................... 34 Intermission Scene Four, 5:00 PM (Sonny, Beau, Lana, Eddie) …...................................................... 53 Scene Five, 4:00 PM (Jami, Maria and Lana) …............................................................. 80 Scene Six, 3:00 PM (Kathy, Eddie, Diane, Lana and Billy) ............................................ 90 The tone of the play is best set with music blending American West, Gothic and Blues 5 Scene One – The CLOCK on the wall shows the time is 8:00. Night. Lights come up on an empty roadside restaurant. The sign on the door says CLOSED. A MOAN is heard from the back room, EDDIE stumbles into view with his hand on his head. An apron is tied around his waist. He has a headache. His arm hurts. It’s the muscle. He can hardly lift it. EDDIE Jesus Christ! He puts ice from the freezer in a rag and presses it to his head. He sees a pile of money on the counter. Confused, he picks it up and walks around the counter to open the cash drawer. He holds only a few bills from within the drawer. Counts what was on the counter – a few hundred, and puts it in the drawer. He closes the drawer. He feels a twinge from the pain in his head. He picks up a rag to clean off a table. He takes up an envelope tucked between the salt and pepper shaker. He examines it. He picks up a partially eaten sandwich. Takes both to the counter. He notices a mop propped near the door and takes it behind the counter as well. The door opens. LANA, an attractive woman in her thirties enters through the door at upright. Over her shoulder is slung a large purse. LANA Hi’a. Open right? She flips the sign around. It now reads OPEN (to those outside) EDDIE Yeah. It should say open. LANA The sign must have gotten turned around, but I figured you’d be open since your lights are on. Thank God, too. You’re the only stop for miles. EDDIE Can I get you something? LANA Are you the one in charge? EDDIE Yeah. I’m the new manager. 6 LANA That’s good. Do you take suggestions? EDDIE What? LANA Like a little postcard thing with boxes that I can check and one that says “other” with a comment line? EDDIE Do you have a comment about something? LANA Yeah. I think you ought’a have an electronic time control on your restroom out there so after a certain number of minutes, after like fourteen and a-half let’s say – if the door doesn’t open, the time clicks off and the door’s blown off its hinges. Which would come in handy when a fat Lady in an orange dress with a watermelon print has been shoved against the door for a couple hours. I filled my gas tank, re-applied my nail polish, saved someone’s life, and listened to two chapters in my private eye audio book. You know how long half a day is to someone who’s been drinking diet coke? It’s an eternity, and what if she’s dead? EDDIE Dead? (His head hurts) oh. LANA You okay? EDDIE Yeah. Why would someone be dead? LANA People die. Do you have a headache? I got something for it. With this bag, I’m prepared for just about anything. LANA takes a table a bottle of Tylenol, Advil and Asprin from her purse and places them on a table. LANA I find they work for different types of pain. She picks the Tylenol EDDIE Do I know you? 7 LANA I don’t think so, but it’s a small world, so maybe. Puts the meds in his palm. EDDIE You want some coffee? LANA Where did you learn to offer a cup of coffee to a person who needs to use the bathroom? EDDIE It’s a coffee shop. LANA You have any Danish? EDDIE (taking the medicine) Sure. EDDIE puts a Danish on a plate and puts it in front of her. He takes the medicine. LANA Your name isn’t Joe. EDDIE I know. LANA It says “Joe’s Place” on the sign out front, but I figure it’s an advertising thing. What’s your real name? EDDIE Eddie. LANA Eddie? Okay. My name’s Addie. Eddie and Addie. It means there’s only one letter different between our names and that letter is just a vowel. EDDIE That’s right. 8 LANA It’s unusual for names to even begin with a vowel. EDDIE What about Ellen? LANA What? EDDIE Just off the top of my head I can think of Edward. Amy, Arnold, Igor LANA Who’s named Igor? EDDIE It’s a name that begins with a vowel. LANA I’ve spent my life studying things, Eddie. I’ve spent my life noticing things. That’s why I can tell you that the reason my bladder is full is because of a fat lady in a watermelon print dress. Most people wouldn’t have noticed the dress she was wearing. But I observe things, which is exactly why I know the sign out front is for making people feel comfortable and unthreatened by telling them your name even though it isn’t your name. Hell, how do I even know if your name is Eddie? EDDIE What? LANA I could ask to see your driver’s license, but then you can get a driver’s license made up in Mexico for a bottle of Tequila and a hundred bucks. EDDIE (lying) I didn’t know that. LANA You ever been to Mexico? EDDIE (lying) No.