MAN, late 20s to early 40s, confused in the midst of a confusing situation
BRODY, 30s, fast-talking businessman
DEREK, late 40s, earnest missionary hoping to help people
RICKY, early 20s, avid video-game player
BO, late 20s, 24 hour fitness work-out bro
ANA, 9-14, young girl who earnestly wants to help her father
NEWSCASTER, may be doubled by anyone other than MAN or ANA
MOM, late 20s to early 40s, mother of ANA
DOCTOR, any age, caring physician, perhaps doubled by BRODY, DEREK, RICKY, or BO
TIME
APRIL 1, 2020
PLACE
AN ABANDONED STORE
NOTES
• Feel free to change character names to reflect the ethnicity/gender of whichever actors you would prefer to cast (see FINAL NOTES at the end).
QUOTES
“When we direct our thoughts and words toward the outcome we most desire, we ignite grace.”
Cheryl Richardson
“The only person you are destined to become, is the person you decide to be”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Editor's Note: This is the original script, as shared by the author.
MAN wakes up suddenly in an empty store1. Looks around, confused. On one empty shelf there sits a small bottle of hand sanitizer2.
BRODY
I will give you $500 for that bottle!!!
MAN
What?
BRODY
$500, that’s the last bottle of hand sanitizer in the whole city. You take Venmo?
MAN
Well, yeah. Wait, how can this be the only bottle left in the city?
BRODY
Where have you been? OK hi, my name is Brody I work in on-line sales. There was an accident which led to a virus outbreak three weeks ago, nothing serious but time is money and I have a client…
DEREK (enters with scarf around his face from the outside)
Is that sanitizer?
BRODY
Whoa, we’re in the middle of a transaction here
DEREK
I am Brother Derek from First Church and we have been looking everywhere for sanitizer.
MAN
Yes, it’s the last in the city.
DEREK
You must give it to me. Our pastors are serving all the sick people they can and they must have that sanitizer.
RICKY (pops up from behind a shelf with laptop)
Can you guys keep it down? I am trying to concentrate.
MAN
What are you doing?
RICKY
Just in the middle of my video game. Have a raid in 10 minutes so I’m completing a quick sidequest and farming for new weapons.
DEREK
When was the last time you showered?
RICKY
Like I have time for that. Don’t worry I’ve got some dry shampoo (pulls out a bag of flourec and completes actions as he explains them) a dash of this massage the scalp. A bit of this in your pits to soak up some funk and then you mix a finger full in your mouth for toothpaste.
MAN
Why don’t you just use sanitizer?
RICKY
SANITIZER!!! Oh my gosh I need that! I got sandy bits in my sandy bits just give me a squeeze.
BO
HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!
BRODY
Who called in Baywatch?
BO
Alright what seems to be the problem here.
MAN
No problem I just found the last bottle of sanitizer.
BO
I’ll give you $500 for it.
BRODY
Whoa, whoa, wait. $1,000!
BO
No, you wait bro. I have got to get that sanitizer.
RICKY
You’re Rambo, there is no way you need it as much as we do.
BO
Not Rambo, Just Bo. And it’s not for me, but my wife, well ex-wife. She left me and it was my fault, I was too busy and look she’s moved on. But if I can give her that sanitizer I can at least make something right.
BRODY (grabbing Sanitizer which stays in MAN’s hand)
Cute story but money talks.
DEREK (grabs as well)
Think of the helpless.
BO (grabs as well)
For love!
RICKY (grabs as well)
Naughty bits!
MAN (rips the sanitizer away from everyone)
ENOUGH!!! Look you all have good reasons (to RICKY) except you. I can’t keep being pulled in all directions. I just need a minute to figure out what to do.
ANA (enters with a small flowerec)
Is that hand sanitizer?
MAN
Yes, yes it is.
ANA
I need it for my dad. He tries really hard, but things don’t always go his way. He gets way too busy but no matter what he finds time for me. I love him very much and he’s in trouble.
MAN
What’s your name, little girl?
ANA
Ana
ANA gives flower to MAN, in exchange for the bottle
MAN
And your father’s name?
ANA (putting the sanitizer on the MAN’s hands)
Broderick Adams. He just needs a little help.
MAN looks up at her shocked. The next lines rapidly overlap each other.
DEREK
Wait, I’m Broderick Adams.
BO
No, I’m Broderick Adams.
BRODY
What are you talking about I’m Broderick Adams.
RICKY
Why does my head hurt?
In the middle of this mass confusion the actors spin off stage as the MAN moves confused
DOWN CENTER. Stage is dark.
NEWSCASTER
Breaking news, huge accident just off the 5. Traffic was at a standstill when a drunk driver came barreling down the on-ramp, hitting the stopped vehicles at 120 miles per hour.
As the NEWCASTER is speaking two car headlights5 come rushing from BACK CENTER through FRONT CENTER running over MAN right at the word “hour.” A huge crashing noise happens as the lights zoom by the man who buckles for impact. Total black-out as MAN is “hit” and a moment of silence.
NEWCASTER
Three are dead, two injured, and one man remains in critical condition.
Lights comes up with MAN in hospital bed. DOCTOR to his side flashing a light in his eyes. ANA is to the side distraught with her MOM consoling her.
DOCTOR
Are you there sir, you had quite a stir.
MAN (jerks awake)
Yes, yes, I’m here.
DOCTOR
Good, good. You were in a serious accident so just a couple questions. What is your name?
MAN
Broderick Adams.
DOCTOR
And what do you do for a living?
MAN
I have a lot of jobs. But the reason I’m living is I’m her dad.
MAN and ANA hug
Upbeat music (perhaps 60s go-go type music) starts blasting as ANA jumps up to the Down Center and starts dancing. She shares a stanza of dance which each version of her dad (BRODY, DEREK, RICKY, and BO) who bops in and out, ends with a extended dance break with MAN and MOM ending with ANA and MAN alone. Dance ends with ANA jumping into MAN’s arms on the last downbeat.
FINAL NOTE: I did my best to write the script in a way where the actors could be played by any ethnicity. The central character’s name is Broderick Adams but the last name could be switched to something more fitting to the actor’s ethnicity. If the producer would prefer to cast it predominantly with women then I would suggest changing the central character’s name to Elizabeth Adams changing the alternate versions of the WOMAN to be named Liza, Betsy, Ellie, and Bonnie respectively. I suppose you would also need to change the script’s title to whichever name is decided.
