Monday Blues

I apologize. I was going to post yesterday, but I was not highly productive, other than a gym visit and physically going to class.

I've decided, however, to post twice to make up for it today. The first is a little sample of some of the playwriting I do, and the next post is going to be another opinion piece. So to introduce, I'll give the summary, and then a scene. I wrote this a while back, but I've only written a few scenes.

Title: ”Treasured”

This plays centers around a young woman, Beth, whose decrease of control in her own life has lead her to become obsessive in her practicing of the piano. She decides she must perform “Gaspard de la Nuit” by Ravel at her next recital. The play itself echoes the piece, which is structured in three movements: Ondine, Le gibet, and Scarbo.Ondine, in Ravel’s work, is inspired by the oneiric tale of a water fairy that is almost akin to a siren. For Beth, this seduction occurs when she first hears the piece performed, quite accidentally, while listening to a classical radio station. Enamored by its daunting technicality and fluid expressionism, she feels its difficulty will impress anyone who listens to her playing. In the first act, Beth has a confrontation with her mother, who is disappointed in the report card that has just been mailed home. Later that evening, at the dinner table, her parents continually harp on Beth about the impracticality of her music, the B’s on her report card, and their perceptions of her as being lazy and unmotivated. Throughout the first act she is in conflict with them, her teachers, and friends, and as she finally retreats to her room and turns on the radio at the close of the third act, “Ondine” begins to play.         
The second movement of the piece, “Le gibet”, is the setting of an observer viewing the outside of the city, and a hanged man. Here in the play, it is the sealing of fate after she buys the sheet music and begins to practice. For a while, life continues as usual, but gradually, as her need increases, her friends begin to notice her drawing away. Eventually her parents also try to interrupt her practicing by sending her to a therapist, though it is unclear whether they do this because they are concerned for their daughter or irritated by the constant piano playing. Beth, as she begins to practice upwards of eight hours a day, is seen skipping school and meals. Her frustration at her perceived lack of progress grows greater, and at the end of the second act, she seems to decide to discontinue.        

The third movement, “Scarbo”, centers around a demon that haunts the observer, creating nightmares and generally causing mischief. Though Beth has attempted to stop playing the piece, her mind and body won’t let her. Plagued by nightmares and phantom twitches of her fingers, she returns to the keyboard, returning to her practice schedule. Though her parents attempt to stop her, she lashes out at them, confronting their hypocrisy and stuck ways of thinking, though she doesn’t seem to truly believe this herself. Beth repeatedly asserts to her piano teacher and friends that her rendition is just not good enough, and that her playing is awful, and it is somewhat akin to anorexia- as Beth gets better and better, she sees herself as worse and worse and practices with a frenzy that seems almost mad. At the night of her recital, she nearly refuses to go on, having nothing else prepared, but her teacher convinces her to play. As she performs the piece perfectly, the recital audience is entranced, unable to fully comprehend the kind of magic they are witnessing. Spellbound, they do not applaud, and Beth deflates, entirely crushed by this seeming dismissal of her performance. The act ends as the audience onstage sits in silence.

Act 2, Scene 3

        Beth is in a therapist’s office. She sits on a couch, while the therapist sits in front
        of a desk in a somewhat imposing leather swivel chair. The therapist is holding         
        a yellow legal pad and pencil.

THERAPIST: So your mother tells me you’ve been playing a lot of piano lately.

BETH: Is that what she said? Or was it something more like (in a cruel imitation of her mother) “She won’t stop practicing, she’s driving me crazy!”?

THERAPIST: All she said to me was that you’ve been practicing for extended periods of time. Why are you doing that?

BETH: (dryly) Practicing? Well, it makes perfect. And I’ve just got to be perfect, right?

THERAPIST: Do you think you need to be perfect?

BETH: No one’s perfect.

THERAPIST: That doesn’t stop you from wanting it though, does it?

BETH: Maybe.

THERAPIST: So what are you practicing?

BETH: Gaspard de la Nuit. It’s a piece by Ravel. For my recital.

THERAPIST: When is your recital?

BETH: Two months from Friday.

THERAPIST: That seems like a ways away to be practicing so diligently.

BETH: It’s not. This piece- it’s. Well, it’s different. More difficult than anything else I’ve ever played.

THERAPIST: Tell me about it.

BETH: Well, I first heard it a month ago, on the radio. I was entranced, I guess. I bought the sheet music and then asked my piano teacher to help me learn it. He told me I just needed to practice it. So then I started practicing. A lot.

THERAPIST: How much is a lot?

BETH: Anywhere from 4 to 8 hours a day.

THERAPIST: On just that piece?

BETH: Well, I spend about 45 minutes on scales and technical studies, but the rest of the time it’s just on that piece, yes.

THERAPIST: Do you feel like you need to prove something? You seem to feel derisively about your mother’s opinion of your practicing.

BETH: She doesn’t like that I want to play piano. I know she hates that she let me get so many lessons, and has a piano in the house. She wishes I would study more and get better grades.

THERAPIST: Does that hurt you?

BETH: Playing piano is my passion. Aren’t parents supposed to want their children to pursue their passion?

THERAPIST: Ideally. But sometimes parents get confused. (after a long silence) Do you think playing this piece will help?

BETH: It’s so hard. I guess if I play it perfectly, they’d have to notice, right?

THERAPIST: Notice what?

BETH: Me. They have never noticed me. Except for when I irritate them.

THERAPIST: What makes you say that?

BETH: All they ever do is yell at me. “Beth, your report card came back, it was shameful!” “Beth, your room is a pigsty, clean it up!” “Beth, stop playing piano and go study!” I just want them to pay attention to something good for once.

THERAPIST: Have you talked to them about this?

BETH: No. It’s not exactly polite to tell your parents they’re awful at parenting.

THERAPIST: Well no, I mean, couldn’t you ask them to be more positive with you?

BETH: Why? I mean, what other kid has to ask for attention. I’m too old to cry and throw temper tantrums. I feel ashamed to have to ask. I’m just an imposition to them anyway.

THERAPIST: What makes you say that?

Alright, there you go. A sample of my "creative" writing. Hope this is interesting. Also, any feedback is highly appreciated.