DARKNESS: MARTIN and JENNIFER are stumb...

DARKNESS:

MARTIN and JENNIFER are stumbling around the theater, looking for the circuit breaker box.

MARTIN:

I know it’s around this area. We used to blow circuits all the time, sometimes even in the middle of a show and I’d have to get the lights up and running pretty fast! This old theater...

JENNIFER:

Here, let me help.

JENNIFER turns the light of her phone on and shines it on the walls, finally ending up on the circuit breaker box on a wall STAGE RIGHT. MARTIN heads over there and switches the circuits on, one by one, revealing a terribly neglected theater. Props are scattered all over the place, the long table and chairs on stage are overturned, curtains are torn and it’s filthy.

MARTIN slowly looks around, obviously emotional. JENNIFER’s surveillance is more objective.

MARTIN (gets on STAGE and turns a chair upright, straightens others out, then gives up in exasperation.) This was it. What was supposed to be our last performance of “Death of a Salesman”. The Unicorn Theater’s Board of Directors decided that one last show before closing because of The Quarantine would be fine.

JENNIFER:

I loved that movie! Never saw the play. Who did you play?

MARTIN:

Willie Loman. Every man. When I saw Lee J. Cobb in the movie...

(JENNIFER shrugs, she doesn’t know what he’s talking about.)

MARTIN:

Lee J. Cobb.

(JENNIFER still doesn’t know what MARTIN is talking about.)

MARTIN;

Dustin Hoffman?...Chris Pine?

JENNIFER:

Oh! I loved him in those old movies!

MARTIN:

(sighs) It was my first major role and I was psyched. It didn’t matter to me that I was playing this older guy. Every actor wants a shot at Willie Loman and this was my shot! We had a weekend of shows under our belts and had fine tuned it to where we were In The Zone. We were supposed to do two more weekends but then the word came out about closing meeting areas and bars and theaters and pretty much everything because of The Virus. The word came down from on high that Friday was to be Closing Night. We were sad and disappointed. But we understood and accepted it. That’s when IT happened.

JENNIFER

I’m so sorry. It must have hurt pretty badly.

MARTIN

Yeah, but we were going to go out in a blaze of glory. Then this guy John Spenser showed up with his huge automatic rifle and all hell broke loose. He was pissed that we decided to have a final show; said we were “selfish elitists” or something like that. Ran up on stage, waving his rifle around and pointing at the audience...screaming at everyone. I don’t think he really wanted to hurt anybody. Just scare them out of the theater. Well, it worked. Everyone panicked and made a mad rush for the exits. As you can see, it’s not a very big theater but we had a packed audience that night. People were in a weird mixed mood of celebration and sadness.

JENNIFER

My God. That must have been terrifying. So...did anybody get hurt?

MARTIN

My girlfriend, Zoe. She confronted Spenser and he knocked her down. She fell off the stage. Right there.

Indicates a specific spot on the stage.

She broke her neck and suffocated.

JENNIFER

God, I’m so sorry,

MARTIN

Worst day of my f#@king life.

JENNIFER

What happened to the theater.

MARTIN

We disbanded after the Quarantine was lifted. Everyone was broke. And broken.

JENNIFER

Did you find another place to act?

MARTIN

I never went back. Too painful. This is actually the first time I’ve set foot in a theater since then. Believe me, I’m feeling it.

JENNIFER

Do you need to sit down or go outside? I’m really in no hurry here.

MARTIN

Huh? Oh, no. I’ll be ok. Just lots of memories crashing back into my head. Should we keep moving?

JENNIFER

If you’re sure you’re ok. How long has the theater been closed?

MARTIN

Oh, about 15 years. Once the world settled down and things got somewhat back to normal, it became apparent to The Unicorn that the air was out of the balloon in this theater. They sold it just so they wouldn’t go bankrupt. It’s sat idle ever since.

JENNIFER

I really like the stage. And this is just the size my group is looking for. We’re all just out of college and a bunch of us want to bring back the old classics. We even know the first show we’d like to put on. “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” I might even direct it myself.

MARTIN

That’s a great play.

JENNIFER

You should consider going out for it. You know, you’re just about the right age to play George! Might give you a foothold back in that world.

MARTIN

I doubt it. I’m having enough issues just walking through this place.

JENNIFER

Well, think about it. Anyway, I have three other investors - some of our parents - who are onboard for a small theater like this. Just have to find the place. So far, it looks perfect. I like the fact that there’s a bar next door too. Maybe we could work out a deal with them to provide beer and wine at intermissions.

MARTIN

Sounds like the good ol’ days. What’s the name of your theater company again?

JENNIFER

Youngblood Theatre!

MARTIN

Of course it is.

JENNIFER

I want to thank you for showing me the place.

MARTIN

It was a crazy time. The big tornado had just hit Nashville and we were working on recovering from all that. Most people your age don’t remember it but that dam tornado brought out the best in Nashville with volunteers and love everywhere. It was incredible! Then the world became infected and turned upside down. The virus forced us into isolation and fear and mistrust and created worldwide panic. The shelves were empty and people were scared to come out of their homes. We never fully recovered.

JENNIFER

I wasn’t living in Nashville at that time so I don’t really recall too much about it. I remember when the tornado came through but the virus came on its tail so fast that it didn’t seem like that big of a deal. I’m sure that wasn’t the case if you lived here.

MARTIN

You’re right about that. The whole world forgot about us.

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