A DREAM PLAY CONTINUESTHERAPY OF

THERAPY OF DREAM PLAY CONTINUES

DIRECTIONS;

Big writing table in the center

 A few books on the table including a book by ALBERT CAMUS

Lots of scripts on the table as well.

A huge bag near the table full of scripts and papers full of notes

A chair

A chez divan upstage

(Sybil enters carrying a big heavy shoulder bag.

classical music is playing

She starts searching from her pile of scripts

she search for some particular script from the bag on the floor.

finally picks up CAMUS BOOK AND STARTS TO READ IT...

(SCENE ABOUT QUOTATIONS OF CAMUS)

(FINALLY SHE STARTS TO TALK)

SYBIL:

I AM LOOKING FOR A PLAY.  I KNOW I WROTE IT A WHILE AGO.

I KNOW I DIDN'T FINISH IT BUT I REMEMBER THAT I STARTED IT.

ACTUALLY I STARTED MANY PLAYS BUT DIDN'T FINISH MOST OF THEM

BECAUSE I COULD NEVER FIND THE UN-FINISHED SCRIPTS.

I HAD PUT IT IN A HUGE BAG LIKE THIS ONE...

I HAVE MANY HUGE BAGS IN THE ATTIC.

BUT I HAVE NO IDEA IN WHICH BAG DID i PUT MY UNFINISHED PLAYS,

THE ONES I AM LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW.

I HAVE TO FIND THOSE PLAYS SO I CAN FINISH ONE OF THEM AND GET READY

FOR THE DEAD LINE. BELIEVE IT OR NOT BUT FINALLY MY PLAY HAS BEEN

BOOKED IN A HUGE THEATER WITH THOUSANDS OF SEATS WHICH WILL BE ALL

FILLED BY MY BRILLIANT NEW PLAY.

THERE IS NO AUDIENCE YET BECAUSE THERE IS NO PLAY YET.

I HAVE TO FIND IT FIRST AND THEN TAKE ALL THE ILLNESS OUT OF THE PLAY

IT'S CALLED ,"DRAMATURGY" BUT I CALL IT , THERAPY OF THE PLAY.

EVEN THE PLAYS NEED THERAPY LIKE ALL HMAN BEINGS.  WE ARE ALL SICK

AND WE CLAIM TO WRITE PLAYS SO THE PLAYS HAVE TO BE SICK AS WELL.

I AM THE PLAY DOCTOR AS WELL

I DO TE THERAPY OF THE PROBLEMS IN THE PLAY AND I HAVE SO MANY PLAYS

HIDDEN IN THE ATTIC, IF ONLY IF I COULD FIND SOME OF THEM BECAUSE NOW

IT'S URGENT BECAUSE I HAVE DEADLINE.  PLAY IS BOOKED...

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

A WOMAN OF COLOR, AN IMMIGRANT WOMAN, NOT SO TALL, NOT SO THIN,

NOT SO YOUNG AND HER PLAY IS BOOKED IN A HUGE THEATER AFTER

TRYING FOR THIRTY YEARS AND NOW I CAN'T FIND THAT PARTICULAR

PLAY WHICH WILL FILL THE THEATER AND I WILL BE ON MY WAY TO THE WHOLE

STARDOM BUSINESS...AND NOW I CAN'T FIND IT...

(Looks in the bags)  (A persistent loud knock at te door)

SYBIL:

WHO IS IT?

JOHN:

JOHN...

SYBIL:

JOHN WHO?

JOHN:

YOUR DOWNSTAIR NEIGHBOR...

SYBIL: (Goes to the door and open it a crack.  John peeks through)

WHAT DO YOU WANT?

JOHN:

YOU ARE MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE

SYBIL:

I AM MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE?  I AM MAKING TOO MUCH NOISE?

ARE YOU HARASSING  ME AS USUAL? DO YOU HEAR A BAND PLAYING IN

MY PLACE? DO YOU SEE A ROCK OPERA BEING PERFORMED HERE?

DO YOU HEAR DRUMS BEATING? GET OFF MY BACK.  YOU HAVE BEEN

BOTHERING E FOR YOU FALSE ACCUSATIONS FOR 25 YEARS.

 AM THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS FUCKING BUILDING WHO MAKES THE LEAST NOISE.

I AM THE ONLY TENANT IN THIS LOUSY PLACE STUCK ON A FLOOR ABOE YOU

UNFORTUNATELY WHO IS ALWAYS QUIET LKE A PERSON IN A COMA...

I AM THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS GODFORSAKEN BUILDING WHO HAS NO TV, NO

ROOM MATE, NO STEREO, NO CHILDREN RUNNING AROUND, NO PETS, NO DOG

LIKE YOU, YOU WHO HAVE A FEROCIOUS DOG WHO BARKS ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT

AND YOU FUCKING SCARE ME WITH THAT AWFUL DOG BECAUSE YOU KNOW THAT I

AM FRIGHTENED BY YOUR DOG AND YOU HARASS ME AND HARASS ME AND

HARASS ME AND THE FUCKING MANAGEMENT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING.

IT IS YOU WHO . MAKE NOISE, IT IS...

 YOU AND YOUR ILLEGAL AIRBNB RENTALS WHO MAKE NOISE...GET LOST AND

NEVER COME BACK AGAIN OTHERWISE...

JOHN:

(Loudly)

ITS YOU WHO MAKE NOISE, YOU ALWAYS MAKE TOO MUCH NOISE WHEN YOU WALK

INSIDE YOUR APARTMENT...

SYBIL:  (Hysterical)

GET LOST, YOU MONSTER, GET LOST.  GO AWAY.  YOU HAVE DRIVEN ME CRAZY

FOR YEARS.  YOU ARE THE REASON THAT I CAN'T FUNCTION IN MY OWN HOME.

YOU HAVE BEEN KNOCKING AT MY DOOR FOR THIS OR THAT FOR QUATER OF A

CENTURY. GET LOST OR I WILL...

JOHN:

WHAT WILL YOU DO?  SHOOT ME? YOU COLORED BITCH

SYBIL: (Shut the door on him)

THE REASON  I HAVEN'T FINISHED ANY OF MY PLAYS, THE REASON I CAN'T FIND

ANY OF MY PLAYS IS HIM.  I HAVE A MONSTER ON MY BACK FOR YEARS AND YEARS.

DID YOU HEAR ANY NOISE EXCEPT THE BARKING OF THE DOG?

DID YOU SEE ME MAKING ANY NOISE?

WHEN I COMPLAIN TO THE RACIST MANAGEMENT THEY HANG UP ON ME CALLING

ME, HYSTERICAL" WHO WOULDN'T BE HYSTERICAL DEALING WITH SUCH AN

AWFUL NEIGHBOR?

THE MANAGEMENT HAS AN EXCUSE.  THEY HATE IMMIGRANTS, THEY HATE PEOPLE

OF COLOR.  THEY HATE WOMEN.  THEY LIKE HIM.  THIS WHITE PURE AMERICAN

FELLOW LIKE THEM.

THEY ALWAYS ACCUSE ME FOR YELLING.  "YOU ARE YELLING."  "DON'T YELL"

YOU ARE YELLING" STOP YELLING" "YOU ARE YELLING" . AND THEN THEY HANG UP

ON ME.  THEY JUST WANT ME TO GET OUT SO THEY AN HAVE A RICH NEW YORKE

WHO CAN PAY 5 THOUSAND A MONTH.  WHERE AM I GOING TO GO?  SO I FUCKING

TAKE THE ABUSE DAY AND NIGHT.  HOW CAN I CONCENTRATE ON MY

PLAYWRITING?  HE KEEPS ACCUSING ME BLATANTLY RIGHT TO MY FACE TO

DISTURB ME, TO AGITATE ME AND TRUST ME I DO GET DISTURBED.

I AM AN ARTIST.

I AM ALSO A THIN SKINNED IMMIGRANT ARTIST WHO IS ON THE DARKER SIDE.

I AM AN IMMIGRANT WOMAN OF COLOR ARTIST AND HE IS PURE, WHITE AMERICAN

IT'S HIS COUNTRY.  HE CAN BOTHER ME.  IT'S HIS FUCKING RIGHT.

WHEN I COMPLAIN TO THE MANAGEMENT ABOUT THIS NEIGHBOR'S HARASSMENT,

THEY SAY, "PROVE IT...PROVE IT."  HOW AM I GOING TO PROVE IT?

MY PROOF OF HIS HARASSMENT IS THAT I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO

CONCENTRATE FULLY O FINISH A PLAY.

I START A PLAY, I WRITE A SCENE OR TWO AND HERE COME

THE BANGING ON THE PIPPES, (sound of banging on the pipe)

SYBIL:

WHAT THE HELL DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

JOHN: (0ff stage)

WATER IS COMING DOWN

SYBIL:

WHAT?

JOHN:  (stick his head in the door which Sybil forgot to lock)

WATER IS COMING DOWN TO MY BATHROOM FROM A LEAK

IN YOUR BATHROOM

SYBIL:

(To the audience)

DO YOU SEE ANY LEAK COMING DOWN?

DO YOU SEE ANY BATHROOM HERE/

DID YOU SEE ME OPENING A WATER TAP?

DID YOU SEE ME WASHING MY FACE?

DID YOU SEE ME BRUSH MY TEETH?

DID YOU SEE ME WATER MY PLANT?

DID YOU SEE ME DRINKING ANY WATER?

I AM ALWAYS DEHYDRATED, AFRAID OF TURNING

THE WATER ON IN CASE THE MONSTER ACCUSE ME

OF A DAMN LEAK...

HE IS BEEN FALSLY ACCUSING ME OF A LEAK COMING

FROM MY BATHROOM TO HIS FUCKING WALLS OR CEILING

OR FLOOR AD THE MANAGEMENT DOESN'T GIVE A SHIT

I AM SO AFRAID OF THIS MOTHER FUCKER IN AN MANHATTAN APT

THAT I HAVE LOCKED MY BATHROOM...

I AM NOT ALLOWED IN BY MY OWN RULING.

I DO NOT TURN ANY WATER ON...

I HAVEN'T TAKEN A SHOWER SINCE A YEAR.

I AM SO DIRTY NOW THAT I SMELL LIKE A RAT

I AM SURE YOU SMELLED SOMETHING ROTTEN WHEN YOU CAME IN

THATS ME

SMELLY ME

FILTHY ME

WHEN I IMMIGRATED HERE IN THIS DREAMLAND

I SMELLED LIKE THE PERFUMES OF ARABIA

NOW I SMELL ROTTEN

NOW I SMELL LIKE SHIT

HE IS ALWAYS ACCUSING ME OF A LEAK...

MAYBE HE HIMSELF IS LEAKING SOME STUFF INSIDE HIS PANTS

AND ACCUSING ME INSTEAD.

MAYBE THIS BASTARD IS SUFFERING FROM SOME ILLNESS

WHERE HE IMAGINES LEAKS AND SOUNDS OF THE DRUMS,

LOUD TV

AND PEOPLE SHOUTING AT EACH OTHER IN MY APT

DO YOU SEE ANY ONE ELSE HERE BESIDE ME?

IT'S ME WHO SHOUTS AFTER HE BOTHERS ME CONSTANTLY

AND IT'S ONLY ME WHO SHOUTS (shouts and shouts) AND SHOUTS

AND KEEP SHOUTING LIKE A MAD WOMAN...

DO YOU SEE ANY TV HERE?

DO YOU HEAR ANY MUSIC PLAYING/

I LOVE MUSIC

I ALWAYS USED TO LISTEN TO MUSIC AND DANCE WITH IT

I HAVE SO MANY CD'S, THOUGH THEY ARE OUT OF FASHION

BUT I HAVE THEM IN MY ATTIC...

I HAVE ALGERIAN MUSIC, NIGERIAN MUSIC, LATIN AMERICAN MUSIC,

PUNJABI MUSIC, URDU MUSIC, PERSIAN MUSIC, INDIAN BHNGRA MUSIC,

BEATLES, DOORS, MO TOWN MUSIC, OH! HOW I LOVE THAT MUSIC...

WHEN I IMMIGRATED HERE THIS WAS NOT THE LAND OF HORROR

BECAUSE THERE WERE NO HORRIBLE NEIGHBORS...

THEY DIDN'T LIVE IN THE EAST VILLAGE

THEY WERE TOO RICH TO LIVE IN THE EAST VILLAGE

I USED TO TAKE TWO SHOWERS A DAY...

BLAST MY CHARLES BROWN AND DIANA ROSS

AND TAKE SHOWERS AND THEN DANCE NAKED...

THAT WAS FREEDOM

AMERICAN FREEDOM

THERE WERE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN THE PARK

THEY WERE MY FRIENDS

I WILL BRING SHERRY, MY HOMELESS GIRL FRIEND

AND TELL HER TO FEEL FREE TO TAKE A SHOWER

AND SHE WOULD OFTEN

AND THEN I WOULD MAKE HER A CUP OF TEA

AND WE WOULD SMOKE CIGARETTES...

NO, I DIDN'T SMOKE MARIUANA...

IT WASN'T SO GOOD HERE, STALE TASTE

ONLY IN MY COUNTRY WHERE WOMEN ARE CONSIDERED

OPPRESSED BY WESTERN STANDARDS

ONLY THERE I SMOKED JOINTS WTH ONE OF MY COUSINS

WE WOULD GET HIGH AND THEN TAKE A RIDE IN HIS OPEN SPORTS

CAR AND LAUGH AND LAUGH AND LAUGH

MY JET BLACK LONG HAIR WOULD FLOW WITH THE WIND

LIKE IN THE MOVIES

AND THEN WE WOULD STOP ON THE ROADSIDE TO HAVE

GHARAM, GHRAM JALEIBIES...A SWEET, HOT AND MELTING

WITH HONEY.

AFTER ONE GETS HIGH ONE WANTS SWEETS...

THATS HOW IT WAS BACK HOME...

I WONDER WHY I CAME HER?

THIS QUESTION BOTHERS ME

PEOPLE COME HERE FOR FREEDOM

BUT I WWAS TAKING A RIDE IN A SPORTS CAR

STONED LIKE CRAZY, LAUGHING LIKE CRAZY

AND HAD NO FUCKING NEIGHBOR ...TO HARASS ME 24/7

WITHE HOMELESS IN THE EAST VILLAGE I FELT MUCH MORE FREE

THEN THESE RICH CRIMINALS BOTHERING US THE FEW REMAINING

ARTISTS IN THIS REAL ESTATE HEAVEN...

I WISH I COULD JUST GET AWAY FROM HIM

HOW THE FUCK DID I GET STUCK ABOVE HIM?

(noise of banging on the door)

SYBIL:

(to John who is at her door again)

I SWEAR IF YOU DON'T LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE...

JOHN: (stick his head in the door)

(Smirking)

WHAT WILL YOU DO?  WHAT WILL YOU DO?  SHOOT ME? HAHAHAHA

SYBIL:

DO YOU WANT ME TO SHOOT YOU?  I THINK YOU DO...I WOULD HAVE SHOT YOU

LONG TIME AGO BUT I DON'T HAVE A OTHER FUCKING GUN...

EVERYONE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS A GUN

EVERY ONE IS SHOOTING EVERYONE ELSE RIGHT AND LEFT

ONLY ME, ONLY FUCKING ME HASN'T SHOT YOU YET

IF I ONLY HAD A GUN YOU WILL BE DEAD AS DOOR NOB LONG TOIME AGO.

JOHN:

IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF THE ATER COMING DOWN

YOU WILL BE SORRY.

SYBIL:

I AM SORRY NOW.

I AM SORRY THAT I GOT STUCK WITH YOU FOR YEARS

I AM SORRY THAT I DON'T How are you?VE A GUN

I AM GOING TO GO TO THE MAYORS OFFICE TOMORROW

TO COMPLAIN ABOUT YOU.

JOHN:

(smirks and make fun of her)

MAYOR? OUR MAYOR HAS THE TIME TO LISTEN TO THE LIKES OF YOU?

IT WILL TAKE YOU AT LEAST ONE YEAR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT

AND THE MEAN TIME YOU WILL BE SORRY FOR BEING BORN

 MY BATH ROOM IS DAMAGED BECAUSE OF THE LEAK

I WILL GET THE REPAIRS DONE AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY

AND PAY A LOT OF MONEY.  I AM GOING TO GIVE MYSELF

A BRAND NEW BATHROOM WITH MARBLE TILES AND ALL

AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY THROUGH YOUR FUCKING MINORITY NOSE.

SYBIL:

(screams and screams and bang the door on him and lock the door this time)

GO FUCK YOUR SELF. GO FUCK YOUR SELF.

YOU PIECE OF SHIT

YOU PICE OF FILTH

GO FUCK YOUR MOTHER WHO GAVE BIRTH TO THE LIKES OF YOU...

GO FUCK YOUR SELF..... (screams)

HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON WRITING?

HOW AM I GOING TO HAVE ANY CREATIVE IDEA AMONGST

THIS UNENDING HORROR?

WHAT A SHITTY LIFE?

WHAT AN AWFUL MESS WITHOUT ANY SOLUTION?

THIS FUCKING ASS HOLE BOTHERS ME, ACCUSES ME FALSLY..

HARASS ME ALL DAY LONG AND ALL NIGHT LONG

AND MY UNFINISHED PLAY IS FINALLY BOOKED...

MY LAST CHANCE TO HAVE ANY KIND OF A CAREER

AND I AM AMONGST A MONSTER WHO WILL KILL ME

EVENTUALLY...I WILL HAVE A HEART ATTCK BECAUSE OF ALL THIS STRESS

BEFORE I BUY A GUN OR GET AN APPOINTMENT WITH ANY OF THESE

ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS URBAN JUSTICE, LEGAL AID LAWYER, HUMAN RIGHTS

CENTERS, MAYOR'S OFFICE, THE CITY COUNCIL'S OFFICE...

SOME WELL WISHERS GAVE ME ALL THOSE NAMES TO SEEK FREE HELP

AND I HAVE TRIED BUT EVERY TIME I GO TO ANY OFFICE, THEY INFORM ME THAT

THE PERSON I WANT TO SEE IS OUT FOR LUNCH OR GONE HOME FOR THE DAY.

IT'S AMAZING, THE DAY How are you?D JUST STARTED AND THE PERSON OF MY

INTEREST HAS ALREADY GONE HOME FOR THE DAY.

YOU SEE WHEN YOU SEEK HELP FOR FREE

THEY ALREADY KNOW THAT YOU ARE THE LEAST IMPORTANT PERSON

DOWN AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LADDER AND BY THE TIME MY

TURN WILL COME, IWOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN OUT OF THE

BUILDING AND WOULD BE A HOMELESS PERSON.

I WISH THE HOMELESS WERE STILL IN TOMPKIN SQUARE PARK SO I WILL HAVE

SOME COMPANY...

BUT THEY ARE ALL DEAD AND GONE...I WONDER WHERE DID THEY ALL GO?

I MEAN THE ONES WHO ARE STILL ALIVE...

THEY WERE CHASED OUT OF THE PARK BY POLICE MEN ON HORSES...

BEATING AND ARRESTING THEM...

IT WAS A SCARY SIGHT.

SINCE THEN THE WORD HOMELESS HAS ALWAYS SCARED ME

AND THIS BASTARD, WHITE FASCIT NEIGHBOR OF MINE

IS TRYING VERY HARD TO MAKE ME A HOMELESS IMMIGRANT

WOMAN OF COLOR...

I HAVE TO BUY A GUN BEFORE THAT HAPPENS

BUT RIGHT NOW I HAVE TO FUCKING LET HIM GO

FROM MY MIND AND CONCENTRATE ON MY UNFINISHED PLAY

AND GET READY TO FINISH IT AND SUBMIT IT

AND THAT'S MY ONLY CHANCE OF A DECENT FUTURE

AND THAT IS IN CASE IT'S A SUCCESS AND MAKE

PRODUCERS A LOT OF MONEY

THEN FOR SURE I WILL BUY MY OWN TOWN HOUSE LIKE ALL THE

SUCCESSFUL PLAYWRIGHTS WHO ARE ALWAYS CHERISHED BY THEIR

OTHER SUCCESSFUL PLAYWRIGHT WHO LIVES NEXT TO THEM IN THEIR

OWN TOWNHOUSES...

WHAT A GLAMAROUS LIFE...

THAT'S REAL AMERICA

THAT'S REAL SUCCESS...

A PLAYWRIGHT WITH A TONY, A PULITZER, A BROADWAY SHOW AND A TOWN

HOUSE OF HIS OWN...

AND ME?

PLEASE...

I HAVEN'T TAKEN A SHOWER IN AMERICA FOR THE LAST ONE YEAR

BECAUSE OF THE POWERFUL AMERICAN NEIGHBOR AND NO GOLES OR

URBAN JUSTICE HAS COME TO MY RESCUE.

MAYBE I SHOULD SHOOT MYSELF.

PROBLEM STILL REMAINS.

NO GUN.

I NEVER HAVE THE THINGS I NEED WHEN I NEED THEM.

I WAS FOR SURE NOT EQUIPPED FOR AMERICA.

FOR SURE NOT EQUIPPED FOR THIS CULTURAL HUB, NYC....

DANCERS

DANCERS:

A SHORT PLAY
BY
BINA SHARIF

copyright:binasharif 2019

CHARACTERS

JESSICA: A WOMAN OF COLOR

MARY: A WHITE WOMAN

TWO DANCERS PREPARING OR A PERFORMANCE

(Jessica has just finished her rehearsal

Mary is at the bar doing her warm ups.

Jessica approaches her when Mary finishes

JESSICA:

ARE YOU ALRIGHT MARY?

MARY:
(In a very strange mood which is kind of un-expected)

YES,  WHY? WHY DO YOU ASK?

JESSICA:

BECAUSE YOU SEEM PALE

MARY:

THANKS FOR YOUR CONCERN BUT I AM ALRIGHT AND WHY SHOULD I NOT LOOK

PALE? I AM PALE.  I AM OF IVORY SHADE WHICH LOOKS AS PALE AS A PALE PEARL

AND I LOOK THAT WAY...UNLIKE YOU...

MARY:

WHAT? UNLIKE ME?  WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

JESSICA:

YES, THAT'S WHAT I MEAN.  UNLIKE YOU.  YOU WHO COME FROM SOME GOD

FORSAKEN HOT DESERT AND LOOK LIKE AS IF SOME ONE PAINTED YOUR FACE

YOUR ARMS, YOUR LEGS,  YOUR WHOLE BODY WITH DARK CHARCOAL,  WITH

BOILING COAL AND HOT LAVA AND YOU LOOK AND SMELL LIKE JET BLACK INK

ALWAYS BOTHERING ME ABOUT MY SKIN COLOR, INSTEAD OF ACKNOWLEDGING

THAT YOU ARE JEALOUS OF MY IVORY COMPLEXION.  AT THE SAME  TIME YOU

PRETEND TO BE NICE AND CONCERNED, ALWAYS ASKING ME, "WHY DO I LOOK SO

PALE? AM I ALRIGHT? AM I FEELING WELL."

LET E TELL YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL.  I LOOK PALE BECAUSE I AM PALE. I AM WHITE.

NOT OFF WHITE OR OFF OFF WHITE BUT WHITE, PURE WHITE. I AM NOT JET BLACK

LIKE YOU AND YOU ARE JEALOUS, JEALOUS OF MY BEAUTY, MY DELICATE AND

FRAGILE SKIN UNLIKE YOUR SKIN WHICH IS LIKE A PARCHMENT STRETCHED OUT

LIKE TOUGH LEATHER OF CHOCOLATE LAYERING .

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR SKIN COLOR AND COLOR OF COAL.

YOU MUST COME FROM COAL COUNTRY.  YOU MUST COME FROM THE KINGDOM

OF BLACKNESS, BLACK AS A DEEP DARK NIGHT.

YOU WHO HATES YOURSELF, YOU WHO WANTS TO BE LIKE ME, YOU WHO WANTS TO

, SMELL LIKE ME, INSTEAD YOU WISH THAT MY COMPLEXION IS BECAUSE OF SOME

KIND OF SICKNESS, CONSUMPTION PERHAPS AND YOU WANT TO SHOW EMPATHY

TOWARDS ME BUT MY SWEET BLACK HONEY, DON'T WORRY.  I AM NOT GOING TO
.
DROP DEAD ANY MINUTE SOON.

I AM WELL ENOUGH TO DANCE.  HEALTHY ENOUGH TO DANCE AND BREATH

FREEDOM, FIT ENOUGH TO LOVE, TO LAUGH, TO CONSUME, TO SHOP, TO TRAVEL,

TO LIVE, TO LIVE, TO LIVE FOREVER.

IT'S YOU WHO AFTER SEEING ME DAY AFTER DAY CAN'T BREATH.

IT'S YOU WHO IS GOING TO DIE OF YOUR BLACKNESS OR A HEART ATTACK SOON.

I HOPE YOU STOP BREATHING SOON SO I CAN GET RID OF YOU AND YOUR

 MANIPULATIVE PHONY CONCERNS ABOUT MY WELL BEING.

JESSICA:
(In total shock, Her body is completely still. She is unable to move, unable to react, unable to

comprehend and absorb what just happened to her.  She always knew that she lives in a white an

black world, she knew she is surrounded by racism, bigotry, unpleasantness, but have never

experienced these kinds of emotions, this kind of emotional trauma of such blatant racist attack on

.her person.  She started to grasp for air.  She started struggling...struggling to breath.  She couldn't

breath.  She finally collapsed on the dance floor.)

MARY:
( Jubilant)

I KILLED HER.  I FINALLY KILLED HER.  I GOT RID OF THE NEGRESS IN TEN SECONDS

WHAT THIS COUNTRY COULDN'T ACHIEVE IN 300 YEARS.  I ACHIEVED IT IN A

FRACTION OF A SECOND.  I FINALLY HELPED END THE WHITE AND THE BLACK

PROBLEM.  ALL THIS BULLSHIT...WE HAVE TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT TOWARDS

BLACKS, TOWARDS PEOPLE OF COLOR.  FUCK PEOPLE OF COLOR.  I WANT TO LIVE

AMONGST WHITE PEOPLE AND WHY NOT?  I AM WHITE, I WANT TO BE AMONGST

WHITE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALL PALE COMPLEXIONED, THIN BODIED, CLAD IN PALY

COLORED CHIFFON SCARVES, SILK GOWNS, CASHMERE JUMPERS AND DANCE ALL

NIGHT WITH TALL, WHITE PALE RICH MEN ALL NIGHT.

I DON'T EVEN WANT BLACK PEOPLE AND PEOPLE OF COLOR AS MY SERVANTS.

THEY GIVE ME TE CREEPS AND I HAVE TO SMILE AND SAY NICE THINGS TO THEM,

HELL NO.

I AM GOING TO SAY RIGHT TO THEIR FACES WHAT WE, THE PALE WHITES OF THIS

ISLAND, THIS VAST WHITE LAND, WE THE OWNERS OF THIS WHITE LAND, WHAT WE

EXACTLY FEEL, HOW WE EXACTLY FEEL ABOUT THEM AND ARE AFRAID OF SAYING

IT BECAUSE OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS...

CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT THIS WORLD HAS COME TO...W HAVE TO BE POLITICALLY

CORRECT TO OUR SLAVES NOW?

GIVE E A FUCKING BREAK.

AND YOU BLACK AND BLUE WOMAN OF COLR BITCH, STOP BREATHING ALRIGHT...

IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE SO ALREADY...

I NAM NEVER GOING TO CALL THE AMBULANCE... THAT'S FOR SURE...

HELL YES, NO AMBULANCE IS COMING FOR YOU BITCH BECAUSE i AM NEVER

CALLING 911. GOOD LUCK IN BLACK HELL FULL OF PEOPLE OF COLOR....

DANCERS

DANCERS

MARY

JESSICA

DANCERS

DIRECTION:

(When Mary came in the rehearsal room, Jessica was already at the bar and didn't seem like the person Mary thought she knew. so she waited near the bar till Jessica finished her exercises and
then went to her.

MARY:

ARE YOU ALRIGHT JESSICA?

JESSICA:

YES,WHY?  WHY DO YOU ASK?

MARY:

BECAUSE YOU SEEM PALE

JEESSICA:

THANKS FOR YOUR CONCERN.  I AM ALRIGHT.

AND WHY SHOULD I NOT LOK PALE?  I AM PALE.

I AM OF IVORY SHADE WHICH IS AS PALE AS A PALE PEARL

THERAPY OF A DREAM PLAY

THERAPY OF A DREAM PLAY
BY
BINA SHARIF

copyright:binasharif 2019

the play includes following  playlets.  (The play is about writing the play under
calm and peaceful atmosphere in the playwright's own home but unfortunately
she has a nasty neighbor who is racist and aggressive and at all hours of day and night disturbs her
concentration with false accusations of complaints such as,
MAKING NOISE: (making noise?  she sits for hours to write very quietly, no music, no tv, no pet
no children to run around, but he keeps coming back knocking at her door, knocking at the pipes from down below, ordering her to be quiet)

COMPLAINS OF WATER COMING DOWN A LEAK, A LEAK, A LEAK

(She hasn't
 even turned a water tap to drink a drop of water or to brush her teeth or to water the plants
but the neighbor has some kind of agenda against this lady for years but at this moment she is really
getting upset and frustrated because finally after writing many plays she has been invited to submit one of her play for a big opportunity and she us going through many of her plays to decide which one to send or this major grant.  So she hasn't slept for many nights, keep looking at certain parts of her
plays to decide which one will fit the bill but her agitation reaches a point where there is no return.)

CERTAIN PLAYS SHE GOES THROUGH IN THE SELECTION PROCESS

SYBIL'S DESPAIR

FUN PLAY

PREDICTION

THE DANCER

THE WINDOW

She finally decide to write a new play and submit that one because it suddenly seem perfect and the name of the play she starts to write is....

THE LEAK, THE RED LEAK.

SO MUCH STRESS...FAR TOO MUCH STRESS FOR ONE LIFE TIME

TOO MUCH STRESS...FAR TOO MUCH STRESS FOR ONE IFE TIME

FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF THERAPY

FIIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF THERAPY

SYBIL GOES BACK TO THERAPIST FOR HER ON-GOING DESPAIR

SYBIL:

I am un-able to decide what to do, which way to go  any more...

THERAPST:

What do you mean any more?

SYBIL:

 I mean recently

THERAPIST:

Is this a joke?

SYBIL:

What do you mean?

THERAPIST:

How long have you been in therapy?

SYBIL:

As long as I remember

THERAPIST:

Then why did you say, "ANYMORE?"

SYBIL:

I don't know.   just said it...

THERAPIST:

Are you aware that you are in therapist's office/

What ever you say here is taken extremely seriously.

It's like being in the police office or in the prosecutor's office,

or in the detective's office.  For example, if you say something like,

'I have thoughts of killing so and so" . Or, "I am thinking of killing someone."

That means that you are a dangerous person, a person who needs to be watched.

You can't ust say in court of law, "Oh! I don't know, I just said so and so."

There are consequences of your thoughts which lead to your actions and actions

of violent thoughts can be violent...

SYBIL:

You are scaring me.  You are behaving like I have already killed someone and I am on trial and you

are the prosecutor who wants to hang me. I thought you were my therapist who wants to help me...

THERAPIST:

And I am helping you by making you aware that you can't just say things, things which have no

meaning to you but might have a terrible meaning for some one else...

SYBIL:

But I am the one who is in trouble.  It's me who need help, it's me who can't make decisions...

THERAPIST:

Since when?

SYBIL:

Since when what?

THERAPIST:

Since how long have you been un-able to make decisions?

SYBIL:

All my life...

THERAPIST:

That's the problem...

SYBIL:

I know that.  I know it very well.  I have known it for a very long time...

THERAPIST:

And what do you want me to do about it?

SYBIL:

I don't understand what you are saying?  I have a disability...

THERAPIST:

Just one disability?

SYBIL:

What do you mean?

THERAPIST:

I asked you if decision making is your only disability?

SYBIL:

As far as I know...

THERAPIST:

You want me to surprise you?

SYBIL:

Surprise me about what?

THERAPIST

About your other disabilities?

SYBIL:

Oh1 my god...

THERAPIST:

Yes, you can say that...but one disability leads to another.

It's like your bad knee.  If not treated causes problems to the other knee.

Now you have both knees in trouble.  It started with one knee right?

And it went to the other knee, the other knee trying to help you instead you helping

the first knee.  Your second knee is more sympathetic to your first knee than you were

and look what happened to your second knee because of your carelessness...

It's just like that.  You are disable to decide, right?

SYBIL:

Yes.  Right now I am totally un-able to decide about anything

THERAPIST;

So you are disable?

SYBIL:

In some way yes...

THERAPIST:

What do you mean?  In some ways?

SYBIL:

In the decision making department

THERAPIST:

And you think you are perfect in other departments?

SYBIL:

Not perfect.  Who is perfect?

THERAPIST:

Many people are perfect

SYBIL:

Maybe?  But we have been told that human beings are not perfect

THERAPIST:

It's the excuse of disabled people.

SYBIL:

It's not an excuse.  It's a fact

THERAPIST:

What fact?

SYBIL:

Fact about human beings.  We are capable of making mistakes.  We are not perfect.

THERAPIST:

What mistakes imperfect human beings make?

SYBIL:

I don't know.  I can' know about the whole human race...

THERAPIST:

Do you know about yourself?

SYBIL:

About myself?

THERAPIST:

Yes, about yourself...what other mistakes have you made beside not being able to

decide about what shoes to wear, or what dress o wear, or what color blouse to buy?

SYBIL:

Yes,  I have problems about all the other things you mentioned but those are not the mistakes

those are the decisions.  I have told ou again and again that I have a problem making decisions

and you are being hostile and intimidating about my vulnerability...

THERAPIST:

I am not insensitive to your vulnerability.  But thats not vulnerability, that's stupidity...

you are now un-able to decide what shoes to wear, what dress to wear,  what blouse to buy..

and you are calling me hostile.  Do you want me to pamper you and tell you it's ok.  it's perfectly

ok to always ask others, "Should i buy black blouse or red blouse?  Should I wear sneakers or

heels today?  Don't you have any belief in you?  Any sense of trust in you?  These are ordinary things

if you can't decide about little things how can you decide about big things?

SYBIL:

That's exactly why I am here.  Thats exactly why I am paying you my money year after year after

year.  I have spent my whole inheritance on this this so called therapy which doesn't give any

answers towards healing but only asks aggressive questions about the problems.

THERAPIST:

Your problems are so immense that aggressive questions have to be asked

SYBIL:

I have no problem except decision making process....

THERAPIST:

Listen to her people...

SYBIL:

What people?  You have other people in the room?

THERAPIST:

You see any other person here?

SYBIL:

But you said, "Listen to her people."

THERAPIST:

That was a metaphorical statement

SYBIL:

Why did you have to make a metaphorical statement when there is no body here except us...

THERAPIST:

That's when one makes metaphorical conclusions when there is no one else is around but

you can still see people.  That's called, a metaphor ...

SYBIL:

But therapy must not deal with metaphor.  Therapy is real.  Isn't it?  It's between two people,

the patient and the therapist.  They are both real.  Talking about real problems and trying to find a

solution...

HERAPIST:

W are talking about problems but that doesn't mean we can solve them...

SYBIL:

What?  What did you say?  Why am I here if you can''t solve my problems? Why am I paying my

money?

HERAPIST:

Money can't solve all the problems.  Money actually causes more problems.  If you didn't have

money o pay me, you would have tried very hard to solve your own problems.  It's because of the

money that you are here.  There are two problems here.  Your problem about lack of your ability

to decide about important things and petty things and your money.  Your money makes you incapable

o solve your own problems.  So with the joy of having money you seek help....

SYBIL:

But it's important to seek the advice of an expert if you can't solve problems on your own.

I mean this is America.  We are Americans.  Help of all kinds is available here.  How o dress, how to

sneeze, how to be popular, how to be famous, how to speak properly, how to assert your self without

yelling...I mean if you start yelling, no one takes you seriously...people completely ignore the

problem which made you yell to begin with.  All they keep repeating is.  "You are yelling.  You are

yelling.  "Stop yelling" . 'She is yelling"  'You are yelling."  She is yelling."  and by that time, the

problem which made you yell was totally ignored.  So there are experts to go to to seek help...

especially when you have money.  Thats what America is all about.  Have money, have problems,

and solve them by paying money to the experts like I have been doing for a very long time

but I have a feeling that you are not interested to solve my problem...

THERAPIST:

I am interested.  I am very interested to solve your problem.  I am an expert.  I earn my money

by solving problems.  But the problem here is that you hired me for one problem.  Your lack of ability

to make decisions.  hats what you are paying me for.  But your inability to make choices, make

decisions have causes so many other problems...like I gave you he example of one knee problem

which caused the second knee problem, which caused the back problem, legs problem, feet problem,

spine problem but the patient went for physiotherapy only for one knee problem.  Patient is paying

only for one knee, one problem, like you and that one single problem has caused so many other

problems that with only one fee, the doctor, the therapist, the physiotherapist can not treat all the

subsequent problems and not ge paid for all the multiple problems. we ae here in America.

Everything is specialized.  Different doctor for the foot, different doctor for he mouth, nose, eyes,

liver, kidneys,  stomach, Utres, heart, limbs, throat, thyroid, eyes, lymph glands, blood vessels...

I mean you have to pay a lot of money, many different visits, to many different doctors for many

different problems and you fortunately have money.

So if you are serious about treatment , you have to think and  decide if you want to be healthy

you have to pay for all the other problems which came from your single problem of not being

able to make decisions.  Remember that you came to me years ago...for one problem and

because of that now you have so many more problems...If you are willing to pay me 10 times

more, I will be glad to elp you....

Oh! gee, we went overtime.  My next patient must be waiting in the waiting room.

Now I am sure she as well has developed a second problem of being neglected by her

own therapist but that's also your fault,  because you have never been able to understand

how the system works here in America...Let me tell you one more time.

Here in America, one problem leads to another problem and that is why we have so many experts

and that's why every you and every one else have to have tons and tons of money to get American

expertise............