photo by Marc Wieland www.unsplash.com
“In the Corn Maze,” a play by Francesca Badalamenti ’18 is one of five scripts selected as statewide winners in the 33rd annual NJ Playwrights Festival high school contest. The play will be staged by professional actors during the Playwrights Festival on June 21, 2016. In preparation for the performance, Francesca will be working with professional dramaturges, directors and actors from Playwrights Theatre of NJ. The play was written and revised in Creative Writing class. As a result of this accomplishment, Francesca will receive a Governor’s Award in Arts Education and membership in the Dramatists Guild of America.
IN THE CORN MAZE
CHARACTERS
NATE: 26 year old male, dating Charlie, type A personality, just finished college and is working as an intern with a job offer in New York. He knows what he wants making decisions comes easy to him.
CHARLIE: 25 year old male, dating Nate, has one more year of college, indecisive, unsure of his relationship with Nate, calm.
SETTING
Corn maze
TIME
7pm the night before a very important meeting for Nate
(Six walls of corn stand perpendicular to the audience. Upstage, in the farthest left
column, is an entrance sign. Downstage, in the farthest right column, is an exit sign.
CHARLIE is chasing NATE downstage through the center column of corn yelling and
out of breath. The lights raise but not by much/dim.)
CHARLIE
Nate! (big inhale) Slow down!
NATE
(Turns around and the two are face to face with their sides to the audience downstage in
the center column. NATE is aggravated) Slow down? The farm closed two hours ago!
CHARLIE
I’m sorry… (two deep breaths). I’m sorry we lost the map, and (sigh) I’m sorry you don’t think moving forward is the best way out but I can’t keep chasing you like this. If you want to head back to the entrance that’s fine, we can split up and whoever gets out first can…
(on the spot idea) help lead the other out.
NATE
Now you tell me it’s a good idea to split up! After being so set on sticking together since you lost the map.
CHARLIE
You were right. We have a better chance splitting and I’m done arguing. (pointing in the direction of the entrance sign) You can go back if you want but I’m moving on.
NATE
(irritated) Good.
(CHARLIE puts his hands on his knees bending over to catch his breath)
NATE
(Nate turns around walking back up stage. ¾ of the way up he looks back at CHARLIE
with concerned eyes) Charlie?
(CHARLIE quickly lifts his head up looking upstage at NATE)
NATE
Make sure to yell over every once in awhile so I know you’re okay.
CHARLIE
(turning around to the audience)
Okay, Nate.
(The lights go out but a spotlight remains on NATE as he continues walking upstage
looping around the corn wall to his left proceeding to walk downstage. CHARLIE takes a
couple steps downstage looping around the corn wall to his left and begins walking
upstage barely seen by the audience because of the blackout. While the spotlight is on
NATE, CHARLIE will walk upstage turning around the corn wall to his right so when
the lights raise again he will be facing the audience and walking downstage.)
NATE
(takes a couple steps downstage, checks his watch, and puts his hand to his head)
(stressed out, breaking the fourth wall)
Even if we do get out of this maze I’m gonna be a mess for my meeting tomorrow. Who wants an advertising rep that can’t even pull it together for a follow up interview?
What am I supposed to say tomorrow? ‘Sorry I’m not ready for this meeting but my boyfriend lost our map in a corn maze.’ Oh sure, that’ll get me the job!
(sighs, takes a few more steps then stops abruptly)
Two years together. I love him, but why’d he drag me here so close to closing?
(questioning himself)
Why did I let him?
(slowly walks downstage, thinking to himself)
God Charlie, why do you always leave me with so many unanswered questions?
(phone alarm goes off, NATE takes it out of his back pocket to turn it off)
Reminder. Meeting tomorrow, 7am.
(deep breath)
If I’m stuck in here I might as well rehearse.
(puts his phone back in his pocket)
Question: Do you feel you’re ready for so much responsibility at such a young age?
(confidently)
Answer: There’s no doubt in my mind. My education in addition to my various interning positions have prepared me for-
(Lights raise and spotlight goes out. CHARLIE is walking downstage in the sixth
column. At this point NATE is ¾ of the way through the second column ready to turn around the wall to his right when he hears CHARLIE)
CHARLIE
(calling, worried, facing the direction of the entrance sign)
Nate! Just calling over like you said. How’s it goin?
NATE
(shouting at CHARLIE)
How’s it goin? I have the biggest meeting of my life in the morning and we’ve been stuck in this fucking corn maze for two hours!
CHARLIE
(startled, tries to respond calmly)
I’m sorry, Nate. I thought coming here would be a relaxing way to spend our two-year anniversary.
NATE
(even more enraged)
Relaxing?! Please, Charlie, enlighten me! What about this is relaxing?
CHARLIE
(apologetically)
Listen, I would have brought you earlier but you know they would have laughed, mocked, thrown things, like they always do. Two gay guys in the middle of this town showing any affection in broad daylight would be ridiculed instantly and you know that. I’m sorry, I didn’t know we were going to get lost in here.
NATE
Of course you didn’t. Just like you don’t know if you want to move in together, you don’t know whose parents you want to visit this Christmas, you don’t know if you want to come to New York with me after college- that is, if the job offer still stands after I screw up this meeting! Honestly, Charlie it’s like you’re in constant limbo! I love you but
(throwing his hands up in the air)
God make a decision for once.
(NATE turns around the column to his right and the stage lights go out as a spot light
raises on CHARLIE)
CHARLIE
(breaking the forth wall)
How can I make decisions like this? It’s not that easy. Maybe for him it is but the world isn’t black and white like that for most people.
(starts slowly walking downstage)
It’s definitely not for me… Maybe we’re okay.
(unsure)
We could make it work.
(stops walking, uses hand gestures when talking)
I mean… I could make it work. He could make it difficult. We’re running around in circles and… I’m just so… exhausted. Do I care for him? Yes. Do I still love him? Maybe. Two years feels like forever with him. But it’s not the “I feel like I’ve known you forever” feeling it’s more of the “I feel like this could go on forever” feeling. Should it feel like that? We talk less. But maybe that’s because he listens less.
(takes a few steps)
He’s so stubborn.
(brings his right hand firmly down perpendicular on his left)
Everything has to be planned down to the last second with him.
(turns his head towards the direction of the entrance sign and continues talking to himself as if NATE is there)
You know what you want when you want it and most of the time you get it but we don’t all know what we want. At least I don’t.
(spotlight goes out and the stage lights raise. CHARLIE stops walking when he hears
NATE calling him.)
NATE
Made any decisions yet?
CHARLIE
(looks stage right where he hears NATE’S voice. The lights raise as the spot light goes
out on CHARLIE who’s still facing stage right shouting over the corn. NATE is ½ of the
way up the 1st column of corn as he faces the direction of the exit sign to talk to
CHARLIE.)
(to NATE)
Yes, I’ve decided I’m headed in the right direction.
CHARLIE
(looks confused and annoyed at his answer)
NATE
(to himself, taking a few steps forward while talking)
What the hell Nate? Have I made any decisions yet? In the past two minutes? This is a relationship! When we make decisions we’re supposed to be thinking about the other person. Lately all the decisions you’ve been making have only benefited you. I’m just weighing my options.
(CHARLIE places his hand to his head in frustration. NATE waits with his weight shifted
to one leg, as if its a causal argument.)
NATE
(louder)
Did you hear me, Charlie? Made any decisions yet… you know about our relationship? Moving in together? Christmas? I’ll take any decision, any at all!
CHARLIE
I can’t just leave this town, Nate. You know that.
(turns to face downstage, continues nostalgic)
My family, my friends, my memories, they’re all here. I grew up a few blocks from the college. I learned to ride a bike on the Park Street playground. I want to teach at my old middle school, help change how they see people like us. It’s not easy for me to choose between you and the rest of my life. I want to go to New York with you but what about my future, my career?
NATE
(enthusiastically)
They’ll love us there Charlie! We’ll finally be treated normally!
(rhetorically)
You’re saying you’d rather stay in this scrappy little town with its strip malls, homophobic people, and rundown movie theater than come live with me in the greatest city in the world to start our life?
CHARLIE
(mumbles)
You mean your life.
NATE
(offended/confused)
What?
CHARLIE
(quiet, holding back his anger)
Your job.
(starts walking slowly to the exit sign)
NATE
(frustrated and confused)
Charlie, what are you talking about?
(walks slowly upstage still listening to CHARLIE)
CHARLIE
(walking out of the corn maze)
Our life is your life and your life is your career. You don’t even see me half the time. Projects, tests, internships, work—you put everything ahead of me. I’m sick of being second Nate.
NATE
(stops 1/4 of the way from the entrance sign and turns to yell over the corn to CHARLIE)
Oh, please Charlie. You know how much you mean to me. Stop overreacting. When we get out we’ll hug and walk back to the car and argue about something else next week.
CHARLIE
(standing out of the maze a few steps from the exit sign he faces right, responds quietly)
When you get out of the maze.
NATE
(still yelling over the corn maze)
What?
CHARLIE
I’m waiting at the exit sign for you.
NATE
(sarcastically)
When did you decide it would be a good time to update me on that?
CHARLIE
(annoyed)
Just follow my voice…
(NATE starts walking towards upstage towards entrance side and loops around the final corn wall to his left and begins walking downstage, following the sound of Charlie’s
humming.)
CHARLIE
(small smile)
You know, you officially asked me out under this exit sign.
(laughs)
You were so nervous you mixed up all the words but I knew what you were trying to say.
NATE
(turns stage left and starts walking towards CHARLIE)
(laughs)
I remember. You kissed my cheek and I almost passed out.
CHARLIE
(looks down, twirling his hands together, nostalgic)
We were so happy then.
NATE
(NATE looks at his phone)
Blue or black tie tomorrow?
CHARLIE
(lifts his head up, aggravated)
Are you kidding me right now?
NATE
(casual)
You’re right black’s too formal.
CHARLIE
(snappy)
Nate, you want a decision so bad? Here you go. I’m not moving to New York with you.
(short beat)
Good luck on your interview tomorrow.
(turns around to stage left as if he’s about to walk off stage)
NATE
(running to the exit sign)
Charlie, what the hell has gotten into you?!
CHARLIE
(Charlie quickly turns around)
I gave you what you wanted, Nate. A decision.
(Turns quickly around and walks off stage)
NATE
(quickly calling CHARLIE back)
Charlie, don’t be rash. We don’t have to decide about New York today. Let’s talk it over.
CHARLIE
(from offstage)
Happy Anniversary, Nate. Knock ‘em dead tomorrow.