Grounded for Life1
A One Act Play2
Characters:3
Narrator4
Emily – late teens, straight A student, plans to attend medical school5
Phoebe – late teens, average student, middle class family, wants to be beautician6
Karen – late teens, above average student, lower middle class, wants to be a teacher7
Scene One: Lights up. A group of teenagers are gathered in a field on the edge of the woods. Dusk is falling. The senior class members have just attended graduation and are celebrating their independence and newfound freedom. Alcohol and drugs are present. 8
(The girls have just arrived at the party and exit their car)9
Phoebe: Emily, I think we need to grab our sweatshirts.10
Emily: Yeah, I think you’re right. It will get chilly later on. Unless Tom is here to warm me up. (She laughs and winks at Phoebe)11
I can’t believe it’s finally over. We’re free! No more first period with old Mrs. Thompson. We get to sleep late and party hard all summer long. Then we are off to the University to meet new guys. Wooohooo!12
(The girls begin singing “Freebird”.) 13
(Karen runs from stage left and begins talking to the other two)14
Karen: I thought you’d never get here! Can you believe how many seniors decided to show up. Even some of the “preppies” came. 15
(Phoebe and Emily both begin talking excitedly at once) 16
Emily: Congrats, Karen on getting that scholarship to UK. I hope we get to be roommates. I know you worked really hard. 17
Phoebe: Yeah, I wish I could go too, but my parents can’t afford it. I guess I’ll just settle for going to Tri Star Beauty Academy and taking all your hard-earned dollars when I do your hair. (giggling as she looks away sadly)18
(The three friends lock arms and walk toward the bon-fire that is burning in the center of the field. A tall, handsome, athletic boy brings them each a can of beer. He whispers something to Emily.)19
Karen: (excitedly) Oh my gosh. That was Tom Collinsworth, the star quarterback! What did he say to you?20
Phoebe: Yeah girl, you gotta tell us!21
Emily: He wants us to hook up later, but I’m not sure. He’s got such a bad rep with girls. I don’t want to be just another one of his trophies. I want to leave this town and see what’s on the outside. I don’t want to live here forever, serving cookies at PTA. I’m going to get my degree and save lives. 22
Phoebe: I’d be happy to be HIS trophy! (snickering and raising her eyebrows) 23
I’ll be here for always. (sighs deeply) 24
Karen: Phebs you‘d be happy to be anybody’s trophy. (grabbing Phoebe’s beer and running. The girls move closer to the fire and begin to mingle with others) (Cast remains in background.)25
Scene Two:26
Narrator: Graduation night, a night of fond memories for teenagers all across America. A time for celebrating new beginnings and wishing fond farewells to old friends; making promises, and planning futures. A time for spreading new found wings. 27
(The fire has burned down to embers. Teenagers are lying on blankets all around the field. Music is blaring from a radio. Beer cans are strewn on the ground)28
(Karen, Emily, and Phoebe are center stage, sitting cross-legged, looking up at the stars and discussing their futures.)29
Karen: Look, a falling star. Quick make a wish! (all three look upward and mumble to themselves) Phebs, what did you wish for? 30
Phoebe: I wished for Tom to ask me out, after tonight.31
(The three girls giggle and gently slap one another)32
Emily: My future is pretty much laid out for me. My grandma left me a trust fund, so wishes are not necessary. But, I did wish for more nights like this with my two best friends.33
Phoebe and Karen in unison: Awwwww!34
Emily: Karen, what’d you wish for?35
Karen: I wished that someday, I can touch as many children’s lives as there are stars in the sky tonight. I want to help change the world. There is so much evil and mean spiritedness, today. (Excitedly) What’s with all that commotion over there? 36
Phoebe: It looks like Tom has some kind of big bird. I don’t know what kind it is. The poor thing is screeching like a banshee.37
Emily: I hope they aren’t hurting it. Look! What are they doing? Bill is pouring whiskey on it! Let’s go see if we can make them stop. 38
In unison – all three yell: STOP! Stop! 39
(As the girls run toward the boys, a flame is lit and thrown unto the bird’s alcohol soaked feathers. It ignites and the bird takes flight, screeching. A trail of smoke follows its path)40
(The girls react by stopping dead in their tracks. They are aghast at what they have seen. They begin to cry)41
Phoebe: I can’t believe what just happened.42
Karen: Yeah, me neither.43
Emily: Look, it’s still flying. I can’t imagine the pain it must be feeling. It was so free, but now….44
(The girls look skyward as the bird swoops overhead, dipping lower and lower, until finally it falls only a few feet away from them, It is dead. A thin trail of smoke rises from the burnt carcass.)45
(Silence falls over the field. No sound is heard. The forest is quiet and the music has faded. Tears trail down the faces of the teenagers in the crowd, as the realization of what they have done hits them)46
Karen: We came here tonight to celebrate our futures and our freedom from school. We weren’t thinking of anyone or anything but ourselves. I’m so ashamed for thinking, as that burning bird was flying, that it was beautiful. Its flames were like a shooting star streaking across the black sky. I even made a wish. I feel so …….insignificant, now. I don’t want to be free. I don’t want to fly. I feel like I should be grounded for life, just like that helpless bird.47
Narrator: The senior class learned that some of the most valuable lessons aren’t taught in school. They come after graduation. Their first foray into independence led them to experience that freedom and responsibility have a price. 48
Author notes
week 4 mission 1
AP Top Poet
The story is fictional, although depictions of the burning bird were factual. I wasn't there that night but it is imprinted forever in my mind. A classmate of mine in college used only that act, in a descriptive writing assignment. Thank you Sharon for the inspiration
Peace Muddy
What did you think? Please comment!
Comments
1 - 17 of 17
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Muddy, I still love this one, too...
Wanderer
beginning: 5, language: 5, plot: 5, ending: 5, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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This is sooo powerful...I was reading it and I never expected that to happen. It was written in such a beautiful way, especially for a play. I am at such a lost for words that I feel that I cannot adequately (sp?) describe how much I truly enjoyed this. Thank you so much for entering and good luck.
Cassie -
Very well written, but how horrid a thing for someone to do. Thankfully it's only fiction, but it's still disturbing. I could just see the bird burning, trying desperately to get away to save its own ill-fated life. Tragic!
Good luck with the contest. You are quite a good writer. Hugs, Patricia -
Richard-
When I started reading, I could not help but laugh. To think, a man in his forties writing about some giggling women that have just shed their high school years. I must say, I couldn't wait to see where you took this.
As it progressed I noted the more serious tone, and adapted to it. The bird thing really did make me drop my jaw (for I knew it had to be something that you had known of/ seen/ etc. before). That metaphor was intricate, and beautifully written.
Tom is quite right. The competition is blazing more and more every week. I cannot even imagine what it will be like when only two remain! After a week or so, I find that this will be near impossible to judge.
- Justin -
Thank you sidewinder...I wrote this as a morality play...I hope so too...Peace Muddy
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striking drama within this!
I could see this as a high school play being performed.
! wonder if some will understand the moral behind this! -
I couldn't imagine what it would be like to witness such a site. This is the kind of story that really has to be taken on the metaphoric level of it all, which was very apparent. Take care and God bless.
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this is a very well written piece that kept me interested til the end with its raw power great job
love and light
blaze -
Great Job
This was really good, it seems like this competition is really heating up. Just when I think I'm doing very well, everybody else comes out with some great writes, that makes me question my confidence. It's funny that a 22 year old writes about world war 2, and I think (47) writes about high school graduation, that just shows the versatility throughout the contestants in this competition, good job Muddy, I expect to see you go even deeper in this competition, and I hope that I'm there with you, later man, Tom -
Excellent
I work with teenagers everyday. My wish for them is that they retain their innocence as long as possible, alas, they must learn the hard realities of life.
As a former drama coach, I found this story one I would like to see performed. -
very good
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nice message
i hope some phoenix rises up
from these ashes -
Muddy I gasped right along with those girls. This is one powerful story my friend. Masterfully written. It touched me deeply, hope someone that needs the message gets it.
Red -
Excellent write.. living each day teaches a new chaptre in life ?? Wat do u say ? Thats how life goes.. learning.. and forgetting
good luck !!
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Sadly beautiful, Scribe...Sigh... So many hard lessons ahead of 'em...I wouldn't wanna be a teen again for anything in the World; especially not now...Well written, Muddy...with a moral that's hard to miss...
{looks askance at Kimberly} Tell me 'bout it, O Wondrous One...I'll be 47 in September...still learnin'...LOL 
Good one, Scribe...
Wanda
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This was an awesome write. I enjoyed it immensely. Keep on writing I would give you applause but I have no more points or applauses left. I see so many good writes on here it's hard to choose.
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There's no doubt about it... life certainly presents some very interesting lessons. Just when you come to grips with a teenager, you are thrust into adulthood. It's always feel like one strange cycle after another to me. Even at 44, it's still like that. This is awesomely told.
♥ Kimberly
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