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Pity the Fool
by D.
M. Larson from freedrama.net (cast: 2m 2w)
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A man,
JEORGE, hangs on the wall as a part of a modern art piece. People walk
through the gallery and look at the odd pieces of modern art. A couple
of women, SAGE and MARY stop at the man.
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Beat 1
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SAGE
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What's
this?
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MARY
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It's
called "Pity the Fool."
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SAGE
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It's
amazing. The man looks so lifelike.
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Mary
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It's
like he could walk right out of the painting and talk to us.
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Beat 2
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JEORGE
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Do you
have any water?
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SAGE
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You
heard that right?
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MARY
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Yeah.
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JEORGE
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Water.
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SAGE
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I'll
get some water.
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Beat 3
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JEORGE
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Wait.
Please.
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MARY
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What?
Uh... who? I mean...
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JEORGE
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Why am
I here?
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MARY
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Sure...
let's ask that question.
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JEORGE
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This is
my self-portrait.
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MARY
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Pity
the fool?
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JEORGE
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Yes.
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Beat 4
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MARY
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Well...
it's working. I feel sorry for you.
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JEORGE
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Everyone
does.
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MARY
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Oh...
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SAGE
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Found
some water.
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JEORGE
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Thank
you.
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Beat 5
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MARY
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So
uh... this is a self-portrait.
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SAGE
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You're
the artist?
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JEORGE
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Yes.
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Beat 6
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SAGE
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I have
to say I've never seen anything like this.
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JEORGE
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It's a
variation on the living statue idea.
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MARY
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So not
original?
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JEORGE
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Not
really.
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SAGE
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Well,
I've never seen anything like it.
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Lesson 23: Beats
One of the first analytical tools a director will apply to a play is to break the play into beats. A new beat is created under three conditions: 1) A character enters the scene 2) A character exits the scene 3) There is a change in topic. This will break the play up into smaller bits for the actors to rehearse and for the stage-manager to idenify what is needed for each scene. Below is an example of a the beginning of a play being broken into beats. It is called Pity the Fool and the full play can be found at FREEDRAMA.NET
