A Midwinter Night’s Skate
CHARACTERS:
*Narrator 1 – Isaac
*Narrator 2 – Allyson
*Narrator 3 – Julia
*Narrator 4 – Ashon
*Bobby – Trevor
*Josh – Josh
*Anna – Anna
*Elaina – Kayla
*DJ Hairdog – Cayden
*Rink Manager – Jacob
Cashier – Zakeriya
Security Guard 1 – Jeremiah
Security Guard 2 – Michael
Concessions – Ms. DeLeón
*Hailey (friend of Anna) – Hailey
*Mariah (friend of Anna) – Mariah
*Angel (friend of Bobby & Josh) – Angel
Skate Rental – Jose
Party Planner – Zachary
Dad/chaperone – Damien
Gretchen (mean girl) – Ava
Gertrude (mean girl) – Mrs. Pasterick
Mr. Daniels (chaperone) – Mr. Daniels
Ms. DeLeón (chaperone) – Ms. DeLeón
Mrs. Pasterick (chaperone) – Mrs. Pasterick
* = Main Characters
80’s Terms You Need to Know:
· Moonwalk = Michael Jackson’s famous dance
· Wiggin’ = freaking out
· Amped = pumped
· Maverick = Tom Cruise’s character in the movie Top Gun
· Fly = awesome
· Flash = cool/awesome
· Hairdog = someone who sports a mullet or a really big permed “mall” hair do
· Doy = duh
· Choice = cool
· Wizard = cool
Scene 1
1980 Something, at MJ High School
N1: Welcome to MJ (Michael Jackson) High School – home of the Moonwalkers.
N2: It is 1980 something and everyone is getting ready for the annual winter masquerade skate ball.
N3: With the ball being 2 days away, the energy at the school is totally tubular.
N4: Bobby and Josh (two bros) secretly like the same girl, Anna.
Bobby: Who will you ask out to the masquerade?
Josh: That’s for me to know, and you to find out.
Bobby: (rolling eyes) That’s totally lame.
Josh: Take a chill pill, dude.
N1: As they are walking down the hall, they notice Anna at her locker (#202). She is sporting a fresh perm and neon pink leg warmers.
Bobby: Sup Dudette?!
Anna: (holds hand up) Talk to the hand Bobby. (flutters eyelashes) Hey Joshy.
Josh: (blushes) Those leg warmers really bring out the color in your eyes.
Anna: (to Josh) Are you going to the skate ball? (wink wink)
Bobby: (thinking she is speaking/winking at him) Cowabunga! I’m down.
Anna: (rolls eyes) Eww. I’m out. (leaves)
N2: As Anna leaves, Elaina walks in with her wide rimmed glasses and Pac-Man t-shirt. She walks to her locker, #201, and pulls out her Rubik’s cube.
Elaina: (frustrated with the Rubik’s cube) Ugh, I hate this thing.
N3: Elaina is so focused on solving the cube, she bumps into Josh.
Josh: Watch where you’re going, space cadet.
Elaina: (looks up and locks eyes with Bobby) oh-uh-um hi Bob –
Bobby: – Yo. Gotta go. (quickly exits)
N4: Elaina and Josh awkwardly look at each other and walk off in separate directions.
Scene 2
Near the Lockers
N1: As the class bell rings, the hallway clears, except for two girls who are ditching class.
N2: Josh sneaks into the locker wing with a note in hand.
Josh: (to himself) Hopefully Anna will say yes!
N3: He runs up and slips it into the vents on locker #201.
N4: Wrong locker spaz!
Gretchen: Barf-me-out! Did you just see that? Josh AND Elaina?!?!
Gertrude: Gag me with a wooden spoon!
Gretchen: I’m supposed to be with Josh! There is no way that he would ever like that geek!
Gertrude: Grody! How could he like that nerd?
N1: As Josh exits, Bobby enters holding a note of his own.
N2: He tiptoes up to locker #202 and slides his note into the vent.
Gertrude: (angry) WHAT???!!! That’s so bogus!
Gretchen: I’m wiggin’ out right now. What is happening?
Gertrude: We will make them pay…somehow.
Scene 3
Near the Lockers (a little while later)
N3: After a grueling fitness test in PE, Elaina limps to her locker.
Elaina: (to herself) Stupid burpees. Why do they make us exercise?!
N4: She opens her locker to find a love letter.
Elaina: (reading it to herself) “Hey gorgeous, I really want to skate with you at the ball. Look for my Storm Trooper mask and you will find your handsome prince. Later babe.” – My dream has come true! Bobby, I will never throw this away! (kisses letter)
N1: Bobby is hiding in one of the hallway alcoves and spots Elaina kissing her letter.
Bobby: Grody, Josh gave a letter to her?
N2: Meanwhile, Anna struts to her locker after breaking her fitness test record in PE.
Anna: (to herself) I am so amped. Best. Day. Ever.
N3: As she opens her locker, a letter flutters out.
Anna: What is this? (opens letter & reads aloud) – “Dear radical babe, I have heard you ‘feel the need…the need for speed.’ Do you want to race at the skate ball? You will recognize me by my Maverick costume. Love, your daredevil soulmate.” – This is so fly! Josh finally took the first step!
N4: As Anna is daydreaming of her and Josh on the rink, two of her good friends walk up.
Hailey: What’s the matter with you? You look happier than usual.
Anna: I got a love letter from Josh. He is so dreamy.
Mariah: That is so flash!
Hailey: (looking at the letter a little closer) That doesn’t look like Josh’s handwriting? I sit behind him in math and it’s like way hard to read.
Anna: He probably spent a lot of time writing it.
Mariah: He is such a stud!
Hailey: I wish I would get a love letter…
Mariah: If he is going to be Maverick, who are you going to be?
Anna: Princess Leia is my favorite character…
Hailey: You should totally do the side buns.
Mariah: How adorable.
Scene 4
At the Rink (the day of the skate ball)
N1: As the teens are prepping for the masquerade, the chaperones, party planner, and rink staff are preparing for the dance.
N2: Little do they know, it will be a night filled with drama.
Party Planner Parks: Welcome to the 32nd Annual MJ High School Masquerade Skate Ball. First order of business is to get the playlist ready. DJ Hairdog, are you ready to blast some tunes?
DJ Hairdog: No doy, that’s what you are paying me for.
Party Planner: Don’t talk to me like that, or you are fired.
DJ: Who else are you going to hire? Who would take this job?
Party Planner: Obviously someone better than you –
Security Guard 1: - Don’t give sass to DJ Hairdog. He’s the star of the show.
Security Guard 2: Quiet! Or Party Planner Parks will fire both of you.
Party Planner: (composes himself) Alright, chaperones, I need one of you to decorate the rink, and three of you to do surveillance.
Mr. Daniels: I got decorations! I’m going to put on my skates and practice.
Dad: Surveillance is fine with me. I’m here to keep an eye on my daughter…to make sure nothing happens.
Ms. DeLeón: We’ll scope out the exits and cover any nooks and crannies. (exit)
Rink Manager: Concessions, we need you to pay attention to food temperature. We don’t want any kids getting sick tonight.
DJ Hairdog: (under his breath) Like last week.
Rink Manager: (defensive) That was a one-time thing. I thought we agreed we wouldn’t bring it up again.
N3: As tasks are being discussed, Mr. Daniels is attempting to decorate the rink with streamers.
Mr. Daniels: (falling) oo-oo-oo-ahhhhhhhhh! Oh don’t worry about me. Everything’s good here.
Rink Manager: And skate rental, make sure to sanitize the skates before handing them out.
DJ: We don’t want another case of foot fungus on our hands.
Rink Manager: Again, that was a one-time thing. STOP BRINGING THIS STUFF UP! (pauses to take a yoga breath) Moving on…cashier, you need to watch the money this time. It’s your job!
Concessions: Yeah, last time we lost out on our tips because of you. I needed that money to touch up my perm.
Rink Manager: THAT WAS A ONE-T – forget it!! I’m done. I quit. This job is trash! (stomps off)
Cashier: (raising hand) I’ll take the job! I’ll take the job!
DJ Hairdog: Why? You won’t get a raise, and it will be more work. And plus, you can’t even do your own job.
Party Planner: Wait! I can give you a raise if you hold on just one more night!
Rink Manager: (hesitantly) Okay… I’ll stay. But only if you do what I say. (clears throat) Since someone interrupted me… Skate Rentals, once again, make sure you sanitize the skates.
Skate Rental: That wasn’t me, remember? I was out sick. But don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.
Party Planner: Alright then, now that everything is under control, let’s get this party started!
Scene 5
The Masquerade Skate Ball
N4: The students are arriving to the rink and are making their way to the entrance to pay for their tickets.
N1: The mean girls are first in line. Gretchen got word that Anna would be dressing up as Princess Leia.
N2: So to make things more interesting, she decided to wear the same costume in hopes of stealing Josh.
Gretchen: Oh my gosh! I totally look better than Anna.
Gertude: You are totally rocking those side buns.
N3: One of the security guards is patrolling the front entrance as students are walking in.
N4: The guard notices that Bobby is wearing aviator sunglasses and stops him.
Bobby: Is there something wrong?
Security Guard 1: I’m sorry, but you can’t go inside with those aviators on.
N1: Bobby notices that the Security Guard is wearing aviators himself.
Bobby: Well, if I can’t wear them, then why can you?
N2: Bobby catches the Security Guard off guard. He pauses.
Security Guard 1: Okay, don’t tell anyone I let you wear those inside. You got lucky this time.
N3: Bobby keeps walking with a smug look on his face.
N4: As do the rest of the party goers.
N1: Inside the rink, the disco ball is dazzling the walls with light, the DJ is playing Michael Jackson’s hit song, “Thriller”.
N2: A slight stench of feet lingers, but it’s being covered up by the scent of burnt popcorn and nachos.
N3: Anna’s Dad is inside surveilling as the students walk in. He sees a student wearing aviator sunglasses and approaches him.
Dad: You’re not allowed to wear those sunglasses in here, young man.
N4: Elaina, dressed as a Jazzercise instructor, hears Anna’s Dad and approaches the two.
Elaina: Why are you telling him not to wear them, when half the students here are also covering their faces with masks? It’s practically the same thing.
Bobby: Yeah, what she said.
Dad: It’s a matter of safety, but I’ll make you a deal. You can wear them for a while, but be very careful. Once you’re on the rink and skating, you need to take them off.
Bobby: Sounds good to me. (to Elaina) Hey, thanks for your help, that was rad.
Elaina: No problemo! (exits)
N1: Josh spots Bobby from across the room, and he approaches him.
Josh: Hey, what’s up?
Bobby: Oh, you know… just waiting for the couples skate. What about you?
Josh: Same. Where’s your date?
Bobby: Don’t know yet. I don’t know who they’re dressed up as.
Josh: Wizard. Well, I’ll see you around. I’m going to go get my skates.
Bobby: Choice, dude. Choice.
N2: Josh works his way to the skate rental counter.
N3: Mariah accidentally bumps into Josh when he gets there. She takes this opportunity to talk about Anna, right away.
Mariah: (excitedly) Oh hey! We’ve been looking for you. You should go skate with Anna.
Josh: Where is she?
Skate Rental: Sorry to interrupt, but what size skates do you need?
Mariah: (ignoring the skate rental employee) She was by the snack counter not too long ago.
Josh: (to Mariah) Okay, I’ll grab my skates and head over there right now.
Mariah: Rad.
Josh: (to the Skate Rental employee) Sorry, I need a size 11.5, please.
N4: The employee goes to the back and grabs the skates.
N1: He hands them to Josh. Josh grabs the skates and leaves.
N2: After Josh exits, Mariah calls Hailey over to tell her the good news.
N3: Hailey runs to the counter.
Hailey: Take a chill pill girl. No need to be so loud! What’s up?
Skate Rental: Miss, what size shoe?
Mariah: (ignoring again) Guess what? I just talked to Josh and I sent him to the snack counter to meet up with Anna.
Hailey: OH MY GOSH, that’s so cute. Most fantabulous couple ever!
N4: The two girls have been holding up the line with their conversation.
N1: The skate rental person has been waiting patiently for an answer long enough.
N2: He grows impatient and has an outburst of anger.
Skate Rental: For the millionth time, (yelling) what size skates do you need?!
Mariah: (startled) Uh… a size 9.... please.
N3: The Skate Rental employee turns around and walks to the back room.
Skate Rental: (under his breath) Girls, man. They’re always wiggin’ me out!
N4: Rink manager overhears the skate rental person lose his cool.
Rink Manager: (storming up to booth) Why are you treating the customers like this?!?! Totally unacceptable! Another outburst from you and you are doneskies. (walking off) I knew I should have left when I had the chance.
Scene 6
The Mix-up
N1: As the skating gets started, DJ Hairdog turns on Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer”, and starts skating too.
N2: Josh walks toward the snack bar with skates in hand and sees someone dressed as Princess Leia. He likes what he sees.
Anna: (looking at DJ Hairdog skate) Wowsa, he’s good!
Josh: Nice costume!
N3: Anna, who is looking for Maverick, sees the Storm Trooper mask, hears Josh’s compliment, but blows him off.
Anna: Thanks, but no thanks – and…you’re no Jedi! (skates off)
Josh: Ok, playing hard to get…catch ya later. (looks around to make sure no one saw him get rejected)
N4: As Josh licks his wounds, his buddy Angel skates up.
Angel: What’s up bro? It happens…brush it off.
Josh: It’s fine...I’m fine…everything’s fine.
Angel: Forget Princess Leia, go skate with that girl. (points to Elaina)
Josh: Ok, I’ll try. If I get rejected again, I’m leaving dude…I’m leaving.
N1: As Josh walks up to Elaina, she notices his Storm Trooper mask and starts to swoon.
Elaina: (to herself) Oh look here he comes…I sure am ready to join the dark side.
Josh: (to himself) Finally! I found Anna. (aloud) Hi, I’ve been looking all around for you. Before we skate, let’s grab a bite to eat.
Elaina: Sounds legit.
N2: After they finish their nachos, they lace up their skates and head for the rink.
Elaina: (grossed out) I can’t believe I found a press on nail in my nachos.
Rink Manager: (overhears Elaina) I’m sorry to hear you were not satisfied with your purchase. Do you still happen to have the nail? (Elaina hands him the nail) Thanks. Here’s a voucher for any food item on the menu.