Monologue Mania: Monologue Mania July 2, 2019 Disappearing Act! - a play in one act by Janet S. Tiger (c) all rights reserved

Welcome to Monologue Mania- one new free* monologue a day- -and still going!

Today is Day # July 2, 2019 To look at the other titles - click here

first year - Feb. 13, 2014 - Feb. 12, 2015 - now in year 6 with one-acts.

I've continued with a monologue a day until the spirit moves me to stop - if you have any ideas for a monologue you want me to write, please let me know at tigerteam1@gmail.com.

Get more great award-winning monologues - MonologueZone.com

If you'd like to write your own monologues, I happen to have a book for that -

How to Write a Monologue in 10 Easy Lessons (Well, maybe not so easy)

Thank you for your comments - and for liking and sharing this site on Facebook, Google - with friends. Wishing you much success!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monologue Mania July 2, 2019 Disappearing Act! - a play in one act by Janet S. Tiger (c) all rights reserved

Please note - in the last month, including this, I have posted 3 one-acts and a monologue. Okay, maybe not the same as one monologue a day, but still, one of the plays has been produced - (The Elbow of the Mountain on June 16 for That 24HrThing -) and I entered two of the plays in a contest. This play was one I wrote that enabled me to get chosen for That24HrThing- so, it, too, was written in 24 hours.

Disappearing Act! © May 26, 2019

a play in one-act by Janet S. Tiger tigerteam1@gmail.com

Setting - A living room but far from home Time – Now and then

Characters -

Marissa - age 9 in a top hat

Clarissa – her mother, 30s, very uptight

“The Neighbor” –odd, very odd

(We do not see the living room as it is in the dark. Marissa enters with a flourish, with a top hat and a baton, she is smiling and bowing to the audience.)

MARISSA - Thank you! Thank you! For that lovely introduction! You look like a wonderful audience, and I’m sure we are going to have a great time tonight……And now, for my faithful fans, I know you have been waiting for some of my best tricks, like the Disappearing Bird! Or the Switch of the Aces! But I have a new effect, I will make someone appear on stage who never wanted to be here….introducing…..CLARISSA!

(As she says this, lights go up to show a very stage living room as CLARISSA enters, holding a bag, shaking her head)

MARISSA – Otherwise known as MY MOTHER!

(She points at Clarissa, who is annoyed)

CLARISSA - What are you doing in that stupid hat? I told you not to pick it out of the trash

from our neighbor! It might have fleas!

MARISSA - Listen to her sweet tones and know that this woman is one of the best moms in the

world!

CLARISSA - And what are you doing with these vegetables in the kitchen?

(She opens the bag to show oddly shaped carrots and cucumbers)

CLARISSA - I told you that you have to put away things when you use them! No one wants

to eat cucumbers and carrots that have been used in some silly juggling games!

MARISSA – Now every good trick comes with a good story, and this is no different!

CLARISSA - And have you done your homework yet?

MARISSA – This mother of mine, she has a truly special ability….

CLARISSA – I just got another letter from that incredibly annoying teacher of yours….

MARISSA - She can make any moment happy!

CLARISSA - He keeps sending this notes about your inability to focus! And your disruption of

class with antics! If you don’t shape up, you are going to be put in the moron class – oh, what is the politically correct term…..special education…..

MARISSA – See! What a delight!

CLARISSA - And you need to clean up your room – it looks like an elephant went through!

MARISSA - Now watch this!

(She waves the baton and her mother continues talking but there is no sound heard. A person enters, this is the neighbor)

NEIGHBOR - Is it still working?

MARISSA - Oh, yes! Look!

(They watch Clarissa getting more and more irritated, but no noise is heard from her and the other two start to laugh)

NEIGHBOR - So much better! Didn’t I tell you the hat would work?

MARISSA - It is the bomb! And you told me there’s another step….

NEIGHBOR - It’s not much different than the first, just do this….with the wand….

(He takes the wand and waves it, now CLARISSA freezes, but we hear her again)

CLARISSA - I am sick and tired of listening to your excuses, young lady! First your father,

well, I could divorce him, but you! How do I divorce a child? I mean, I think you’re a little large to leave on the hospital doorstep…..

(Marissa is hurt by this and turns away, the neighbor is upset and starts waving the wand wildly. Clarissa reacts by jumping and speaking)

CLARISSA - Maybe they have some type of military school for girls like you, I don’t think

regular girls finishing schools will help, you are certainly not a regular girl!

(As Marissa is almost crying, the neighbor points the wand up, then sideways and

CLARISSA stops, with no sound heard)

NEIGHBOR - Isn’t that better?

MARISSA - (Sad, but happier Clarissa is quiet) Yes, but…..isn’t there another way? I mean, to

fix her…..permanently?

NEIGHBOR - There is something else, but I don’t know if you’re ready…..

MARISSA - I think I\m old enough to take care of myself….

NEIGHBOR - All right……if you say so…..

(The neighbor takes Clarissa by the arm and leads her offstage while Marissa watches)

MARISSA - Goodbye. I hope I miss you someday…..

CLARISSA - I only wish I could change everything…..all those stupid things she does, the

magic and the funny clothes. Why couldn’t I get a normal child? Is that too much to ask?

(When Clarissa is offstage, Marissa turns back to the audience)

MARISSA - And that is how I got to make my mother disappear! It was my neighbor’s magic

hat! I call it my hat trick! I hope you liked it…..

(She looks around the stage)

MARISSA - I like being on stage….it’s a safe place. That’s why I’m glad they made this room

to look like my home. There’s only one problem – I can’t seem to do all the tricks, like

before…..I can still do most of them…..like the card tricks, and the scarves…..

(She illustrates by shuffling and pulling scarves from her arms)

MARISSA - But the one with my mom, where she disappears, I can’t do that, because…she

won’t come back…..and I don’t know why……I wave the wand…..

(She gives the wand a flourish)

MARISSA - And I put on the hat with an extra tug….

(She illustrates)

MARISSA – Nothing works….

(The neighbor returns)

NEIGHBOR - Is there anything you might want changed?

MARISSA - Can I get her back, even for a little bit?

NEIGHBOR - No, it doesn’t work that way.

MARISSA - Even with the hat? And the wand?

NEIGHBOR - When you wave the wand it’s one thing, when you hit with the wand, that’s

different….

MARISSA- I forgot about that

(The neighbor turns to the audience)

NEIGHBOR - She always forgets about that…..

MARISSA - It was the only way…..to make her stop…..

NEIGHBOR - (To the audience) Sadly, it’s not the first time she’s done this…..

MARISSA- (Getting annoyed) But with Dad, I didn’t use the wand! Instead of sugar in his

coffee….I just put in some anti-freeze ……But Mom didn’t like coffee…..

NEIGHBOR –(to the audience) I suspected, but she was so young…..

MARISSA - I am young! I’m only nine!

NEIGHBOR - Yes, dear, you were only nine then…..and that was twenty years ago….

MARISSA - Can I do more magic now?

NEIGHBOR - Yes, you can dear…..these nice people will come back later if they have more

questions….Now it’s time…..

(He takes the wand and turns to leave, she watches him with a gleam in her eye)

MARISSA - Wait, Mr. Neighbor, before you go……

(He turns back to her, she reaches into her pocket)

MARISSA - Did you get that string I asked for?

(He shakes his head)

NEIGHBOR - You know the rules…..

(He goes to leave and she follows him)

MARISSA - I do! But I figured out how to make my own string! I took my old sweater and

look!

(She holds out string in her hands and she chases him off. The end for now)

---------------------------------------

* Note: A few words about 'free' - all these monologues are protected under copyright law and are free to read, free to perform and video as long as no money is charged. Once you charge admission or a donation, or include my work in an anthology, you need to contact me for royalty