Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: Christmas Gifts (11/13/08)
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TITLE: It's Still Wrapped | Previous Challenge Entry
By Jan Ackerson
11/18/08 -
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After a beat, a stagehand dressed in coveralls enters with a large present on a dolly. The gift is at least five feet tall; he struggles to transfer it from the dolly to the stage.
When the present is in place under the tree, the stagehand leans on the dolly, wiping his brow with a bandana. He noisily blows his nose into the same scrap of fabric. When the audience laughs, he looks up, giving them a sheepish grin and a wave before leaving the stage.
Another beat, and he returns, this time with a second stagehand. Together they are carrying an enormous package, obviously heavy. They carefully ease it to the floor beside the first gift.
For the next few minutes, this activity continues. The stage beneath the tree is a large turntable, and after every two or three gifts is set into place, this rotates so that the stagehands—there are several of them now—are always depositing the gifts more or less at center stage.
The stagehands do not speak, but occasionally there is a small, humorous moment: one present is thumped heavily on the foot of a hapless worker, another is obviously too cumbersome for the lone man who carries it and he drops it to the floor from several feet up. There is the sound of the tinkling of glass, and the stagehand looks around guiltily, then hurries offstage. One present is seen to jiggle and twitch a bit until the turntable takes it out of sight.
Finally, the stage is full of gifts. The workers stand at stage left, admiring the tree and the enormous gifts. One of them smokes a cigarette.
For just a few seconds, the house lights go out. When the lights return, the stagehands have left. The turntable starts up, stopping when a huge gift wrapped in blue is front and center. Through backlighting, the audience can see that inside the package is a shiny new bicycle. The bike remains backlit for a bit, then all lights go out. Seated in the dark, the audience hears the ripping of paper, excited shouts, the honking of a bicycle horn.
When the lights come on again, the bicycle package is gone. The turntable starts up.
This begins a sequence of light, motion, and sound that continues through several cycles. No words are ever distinguishable—the voices are heard as if from a great distance, but the emotions are always evident.
Lights on—the turntable spins
Backlit gift: a sparkling, boxed engagement ring
Lights off: sounds of ripping paper, ooohing, loud smooching
Lights on—the turntable spins
Backlit gift: a large ragdoll with red yarn hair
Lights off: paper ripping, girlish giggles
Lights on—the turntable spins
Backlit gift: puppy. A person in a dog costume prances and paws from inside the gift previously seen twitching
Lights off: paper ripping, yip yip, slurping and laughter
Lights on—the turntable spins
Backlit gift: several pairs of argyle socks
Lights off: ripping, groans of disappointment
Finally, only one present remains. Backlighting reveals a rugged wooden cross.
When the lights are extinguished, there is only silence in the theater. No wrapping paper ripping, no shouts of delight. Simply silence.
After perhaps twenty seconds, the lights return. A stagehand appears at stage right, fiddling with an array of dials and knobs. Nothing happens, and he turns to the audience with an exaggerated shrug.
Lights off. No sounds.
Lights on. The stagehand returns with a co-worker. They fiddle with the dials again, occasionally pointing at the package and bending their heads over the controls. Together, they stroll over to the gift and adjust its position on the floor, then fiddle again.
Lights off. No sounds.
A longer pause. After 45 seconds, the house lights return. The stagehands all enter and begin to dismantle the enormous tree branches. Some pack ornaments and lights onto carts and wheel them offstage. Everyone ignores the final package.
At last, there is nothing left on stage but the backlit package containing the cross. The lights remain on until finally the audience comes to the realization that the show is over.
They file out restlessly, sometimes glancing back at the stage: have they missed something?
No, the cross is still there, still wrapped—still wrapped, in shimmering gold paper and a deep red bow.
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Powerful.
What a message.
Blessings,
Norms