BACK TALENTS 5'0m5f The parable of the talents SCENE 1 (Note: if no suitable keyboard player can be found to play the part of Nancy, merely play a tape and scratch all references to Nancy) ZELDA -- (old, hard matriarch, enters, pounds cane on floor) Alright, let's take it from bar 16, but this time with more extension with the arms and hands. (pounds out cadence with cane) 5, 6, 7, 8. NANCY -- (follows on Zelda's heels, hurries to piano, on cue plays a passage from "Dance of the sugar plum fairies") (three sweaty dancers dance onto stage single file) ZELDA -- Side and slide and spin and bow and straight and side and slide and spin and bow and straight and side and slide and spin and bow and straight and... ASHLY -- (arms out of sync with others) ZELDA -- Watch the arms, Ashly! ASHLY -- (looks to other dancers, brings arms back into sync) ZELDA -- Where are your smiles? This is a happy dance. Let me see some teeth. DANCERS - (all smile broadly, all in sync) ZELDA -- Side and slide and spin and bow and straight and ... (pounds cane several times) Stop. NANCY -- (stops playing) ZELDA -- (hands Nancy a check) Nancy, here is your pay check. I won't be needing you any longer. DANCERS - (exchange questioning glances) NANCY -- Did I do something wrong, Madam Zelda? ZELDA -- No, Nancy, you did a fine job. I've taught my students everything I set out to teach them. So, I won't be needing you anymore. In fact, I have a letter of recommendation to your next employer sitting on my desk. You may pick it up on your way out. NANCY -- Yes, Madam Zelda. Thank you. (exits) ZELDA -- Ladies? DANCERS - Yes, Madam Zelda? ZELDA -- My work with you is finished. I chose each of you to be my students because I saw great potential you. And I have worked tirelessly with you for many months and I did it without pay. Now it's time for you to pay me back. KATIE -- But, Madam Zelda, we have no money. There is no way any of us could pay the fee of the world's greatest dance teacher. ZELDA -- Yes, there is a way. JANEY -- But, how? ZELDA -- You will dance for me. DANCERS - (exchange glances) ASHLY -- I don't understand. ZELDA -- I am a very wealthy woman. I will invest in a separate dance production for each of you and you will give me all the profits from your ticket sales. My investment in each of you will be in proportion to your individual talent. (hands Ashly a check) Ashly, here is a check for $20,000. ASHLY -- $20,000?! ZELDA -- It should be enough money to rent the theater at the local community college with enough left over for scenery, costumes and other production costs if you watch your pennies. ASHLY -- But what if the production loses money? ZELDA -- Ashly, you are a very talented dancer. Your talent should keep the theater packed for at least a two week run. Janey, here is a check for $200,000. JANEY -- $200,000?! (inspects check) ZELDA -- Yes, with your talent, you could easily make money in the largest, most expensive theater in the city with a lavish production. JANEY -- Yes, Madam Zelda. ZELDA -- And, Katie, here is a check for two million dollars. KATIE -- Excuse me, Madam Zelda. Did you say two MILLION dollars? (inspects check) ZELDA -- That's correct, Katie. You are undoubtedly the best dancer in the country. People will want to watch you on television. This is about how much money it takes to do a decent TV production. KATIE -- Yes, Madam Zelda. (pause) Madam Zelda? ZELDA -- Yes, Katie? KATIE -- Will you be helping us with our dance productions? ZELDA -- No, Katie. After working intensely with you for all these months, I am very tired. I'm going on a round-the-world cruise to rest and relax. When I get back in six months, I expect to see a decent return on each of my investments. Do I make myself clear? DANCERS - Yes, Madam Zelda. ZELDA -- Well, get going then. Time is wasting. (exits) DANCERS - (exit opposite, mumbling among themselves, comparing checks) SCENE 2 ZELDA -- (enters wearing coat, pounds cane on floor) Alright, you three, don't keep Madam Zelda waiting. (all dancers enter wearing long skirts) KATIE -- (beaming) Sorry to keep you waiting, Madam Zelda. How was your cruise? ZELDA -- It was very relaxing. I'm ready to begin working again. So... What kind of a return did I get for my investments in you? KATIE -- When people heard that I was a student of Madam Zelda, they couldn't wait to get me on TV. Xerox and Hallmark Cards picked us up as sponsors. Here, (hands Zelda a check) you're two million dollar investment is now FOUR million dollars. ZELDA -- Well done, Katie, well done. Janey, how did your dance production come out? JANEY -- Well, the opening night audience filled only half the seats in the theater, (smiles) but when people saw the reviews in the paper, they flocked to the theater. It was standing room only for the rest of the run. (hands Zelda a check) Your two hundred thousand dollar investment is now FOUR hundred thousand. ZELDA -- Well done, Janey. Well done. Ashly? How about you? ASHLY -- (hands Zelda a check) Here's your check for $20,000. ZELDA -- But that's no more than what I invested in you. You're a very talented dancer, Ashly. Don't tell me people didn't flock to the theater to see you. ASHLY -- I didn't rent a theater. ZELDA -- You what?! You didn't do a production at all? ASHLY -- No. I was afraid it would lose money and then you'd be mad at me. ZELDA -- Ashly, I am a very wealthy woman. I wouldn't have been nearly as angry with you for losing my money as I am that you've wasted my investment in your talent. There's no excuse for wasting your talent. ASHLY -- (tearful, turning to exit) I'm sorry. ZELDA -- Before you go, I want you to know what it really cost you to waste your talent. During my round-the-world cruise, I met a producer who arranged for a world dance tour for the three of you. Katie and Janey now will each receive salaries in excess of one-million dollars. KATIE & JANEY -- (jump and yelp for joy) One million dollars! ZELDA -- But, Ashley, because you wasted my investment in your talent, you will receive nothing. Get out of my sight! (wisks Ashly away with her hand) ASHLY -- (runs to exit weeping) ZELDA -- Well, you two, let's step into my office, so we can sign the contracts. (all exit opposite laughing, joking) ©2013 Bob Snook. Conditions for use: Do not sell any part of this script, even if you rewrite it. Pay no royalties, even if you make money from performances. You may reproduce and distribute this script freely, but all copies must contain this copyright statement. http://www.bobsnook.org email: [email protected] BACK |