ANTIDRUG

Drug abuse message with Christian theme

(scene: Stage lights are dimmed almost to dark, heavy metal rockmusic blares as a tour group -- any size -- enters holding theirears, remaining near wings. Non-speaking members of the groupremain upstage of speaking actors and must keep their voices andmovements to a minimum in order to avoid stealing focus fromspeaking actors)

KATIE -- (outspoken, natural born leader, enters first, shouts)Turn it off!

ASHLY -- (the most popular girl in school, runs ahead of groupto DC, reaches toward audience, twists imaginary knobcounterclockwise)

(music stops, lights begin to dim up very slowly)

ASHLY -- Sorry. I like my music loud.

(group drop hands from ears, grumble briefly, begin lookingaround)

ASHLY -- Okay, so, this is the last stop on your tour of mybody. (motions broadly L to R) This is my brain.

JANEY -- (ditzy) I'm sorry, my ears are still ringing. What didshe say?

KATIE -- (shouts in Janey's ear, approaching Ashly) This isAshly's brain!

JANEY -- (walking with Katie) You don't have to shout. I canhear you.

KATIE -- Why is it so dark in here?

LIZ ---- (a genious, follows) Everything in Ashly's brain iscoated with this black substance. What is it?

(group mills toward C)

JANEY -- I'm more interested in what's on TV. (points toaudience rear)

ASHLY -- Oh, that. That's not a TV set. That's....

LIZ ---- ...that's obviously, the video readout from Ashly'seyes.

KATIE -- She's watching a TV program. Ashly, why are youlistening to loud rock music while watching TV? How do you knowwhat's going on on TV if you can't hear the words?

ASHLY -- I have the TV going every minute I'm home. I don'treally pay much attention to it. Here, let me close my eyes.(reaches toward audience, pulls down imaginary window shade)

(lights dim down immediately, then begin to dim up very slowly)

KATIE -- Sure is dark in here.

LIZ ---- Yes, and what is that smell?

ASHLY -- I don't know. Isn't that what a brain is supposed tosmell like? Maybe we can take a tour of Elizabeth's brain nexttime. What do you think it would be like in there?

JANEY -- Nothing but computers and library books....

KATIE -- ...and the music of Johann Sabastian Bach.

LIZ ---- Very funny, guys. But I don't listen to music while Istudy. It's distracting.

ASHLY -- Well, if there are no more questions, I guess the touris over. Let's exit my body through my nose. (sings) Right thisway, please. (points, starts toward exit)

KATIE -- Wait a minute. You haven't told us what all this otherstuff is.

JANEY -- Yeah, you can barely see it. But there's another TV setthere. (points toward back of audience) See it guys?

KATIE -- Yeah, but it's not very bright.

(group nods, mumbles in the affirmative)

LIZ ---- That would be the video readout for Ashly's memories.

JANEY -- Oh, yeah, it's getting brighter now, but you can hardlymake out the picture. It looks like someone is shaking hisfinger into Ashly's face and yelling at her. But I can't hearthe sound.

LIZ ---- That video screen is covered with the same blacksubstance that's covering everything else in Ashly's brain. Andwhat IS that smell? It smells like anticeptic. Can you smell it?

ASHLY -- Not me. (nervously) I can't smell anything and it's mybrain. So, it must be your imagination. Okay, everybody, (sings)right this way to the exit. (turns to exit)

KATIE -- (peering over the edge of the stage) Wait a minute,Ashly. (points down) What's this?

(group cranes necks to look over edge from where they'restanding upstage)

ASHLY -- It's nothing. Let's go. The exit is right this way.(points to exit expectantly)

JANEY -- (looking down) It's a pit...

KATIE -- ...and there are things floating in the pit. Can yousee how the surface is moving like a liquid? (makes floatingmotion with hand)

(group members nod and consult one another)

LIZ ---- It's covered with that same black substance. What ISthat anticeptic smell? I've smelled it before.

ASHLY -- It's just a BRAIN guys. Come on, let's go.

KATIE -- The light is getting better in here. You can make outsome of the things floating down there. (points) There!Something is floating to the top. It's a face. That'swhat-her-name, Amy Daniels. Isn't it?

JANEY -- Who's Amy Daniels?

KATIE -- She moved to town when Ashly and I were at the otherschool. Ashly chummed around with Amy for a few days and thendropped her when she found out that Amy lived in the trailer

park. It made Amy cry.

LIZ ---- (points down) That is the pit of Amy's regrets.

(group buzzes with speculation)

JANEY -- Really? What else is down there?

ASHLY -- Alright, guys, I'm sure you've all got some regretsin your brains too.

LIZ ---- I know what the loud music and television are for.

ASHLY -- What are you talking about? What does that have to dowith my brain?

LIZ ---- You play your music loud and watch TV every spareminute of the day, so you won't have to think about those(points down) regrets and (points to the memory video screen)the bad memories.

KATIE -- (points to memory video screen) Hey, I recognize theface of the person who is shaking his finger in Ashly's face.That's...

JANEY -- ...That's Ashly's Dad. Can you turn up the sound,Ashly?

ASHLY -- This tour is over guys. Let's go! Right now!

LIZ ---- I know what the black substance is.

KATIE -- You do? What is it?

LIZ ---- Ashey is a stoner.

JANEY -- A what? What's that?

KATIE -- Liz, do you realize what you're saying?

LIZ ---- I'm saying I recognize that anticeptic smell. I knowwhat the black substance is that covers everything in Ashly'sbrain so that she won't have to think about her bad memories andher regrets. It's alcohol...

KATIE -- ...and drugs. Oh, Ashley.

ASHLY -- Listen, you guys, I think I have been a very gracioushostess to let you take a tour my body. But, if you're going tostart accusing me of using drugs....

JANEY -- ...LOOK! (points down) Something else is floating tothe surface in the pit. It's another face. I recognize him!That's Jesus.

LIZ ---- That's Jesus, alright.

KATIE -- No daah! Ashly is a Christian.

LIZ ---- Yes, but why is Jesus in the pit of Ashly's regrets?

ASHLY -- Alright! That's it. This tour is over! Get out of mybody right now! (reaches toward audience, twists imaginary knobclockwise)

(music blares, lights dim, everyone but Ashly covers ears andexits quickly)

ASHLY -- (when everyone is out of sight, twists imaginary knobcounterclockwise)

(music stops)

ASHLY -- (looks down at the pit of regrets, sobs) I'm sorry,Jesus. (exits tearfully)

(lights dim to dark)