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Scenes From
A Dramatic Relationship.
By Gino Cirignano
Published July 2000
At the time, I was a freelance writer of
a weekly newspaper column that dealt with
a subject we are all too familiar with.
As the "Dear Abby of Driving",
my weekly dialogues in print were an educational
motoring experience for my readers as well
as myself.
I was also dabbling in scriptwriting.
My partner and I had developed several TV
sitcom pilots and one was real close to
being a done deal. In other words,
we really liked it.
Fast forward to my girlfriend at the time
(a struggling actress in LA dating a would-be
scriptwriter -- now that's original) who
wanted me to try my hand at writing a "3-Minute
Audition Scene". This is one of those
one-person monologues, she explained, where
I could showcase her considerable talents.
And one more thing -- it had to have a unique
twist.
Oh, is that all? I thought about
it for a while and was having trouble coming
up with the right angle. But then it hit
me! I remembered hearing about one
of those 'so strange it had to be true'
stories and began formulating the plot that
eventually expanded into the one-woman act
that follows.
No, I never got to see her perform the
scene, in case you were wondering. Our relationship
closed in New Haven. Never made it to Broadway.
But it was close to being a done deal. And
we really liked it…
A One Woman
Play
FADE IN:
INT. STAGE WITH SINGLE SPOTLIGHT
(OUR ACTRESS IS CENTER STAGE WITH HER BACK
TO THE AUDIENCE, AS SHE SLOWLY TURNS
AROUND TO SPEAK…)
ACTRESS:
Have you ever been raped? Let me
tell you about it. First, you have
to understand that it’s something you
never fully recover from. Psychologically,
it’s devastating. The rapist
has a power over you that you can never
outlive. The shame, the humiliation. Thinking
that maybe you had something to do with
it. Feeling guilty for even being
there…
(SHE CLEARS HER THROAT
AND BEGINS WALKING, STAGE LEFT.)
ACTRESS:
How do you face your lover? Your
kids? Your family never really understands
or looks at you the same way again.
In their eyes, you have been desecrated
- soiled - you are something dirty.
I guess it’s like someone who moves
after being burglarized. It never
feels like their home again. They’ve
been violated.
But when you’ve been raped, you can’t
move into another body. And your lover
feels like it isn’t theirs anymore.
You belong to the rapist from that point
on…
(SHE WALKS BACK TO CENTER
STAGE)
ACTRESS:
And just when you start to lead a normal
life again, you’ll see someone who
looks like your rapist. Or you’ll
flash to that moment when the knife was
at your neck or the gun was at your head.
You wake up in the middle of the night
and you can feel your rapist’s touch.
Having your clothes and humanity ripped
off your person. And you feel
ripped off! Mad as hell! And
powerless. Remembering how you thought you
were going to die - and wishing you did…
(SHE STARTS TO CRY OR
LAUGH?)
ACTRESS:
Being raped is like dying. A very
real part of you is taken away and never
comes back. The nightmare is the part
that is alive has to live with it.
All you know is that you’ll never be
the same again…
(SITTING ON A STOOL, A
FEW FEET STAGE LEFT)
ACTRESS:
So, how do I know so much about it?
I know - because…
(PHONE RINGS SUDDENLY
FROM OFF-STAGE)
ACTRESS:
Oh, my God! I can’t answer that!
What if…?
(PHONE STOPS RINGING)
ACTRESS:
What kind of life is this? This has
got to stop! Rape counselors say it’s
a natural reaction. They call it post-traumatic
stress syndrome. All victims of violent
crime know what I mean…
(SHE LOOKS UP HIGH)
Maybe the rapist isn’t just around
the corner, or behind the bush or hiding
in your closet - but try convincing someone
of that when they are alone. They
say it’s something you have to learn
to live with. If they only knew…
(PHONE STARTS RINGING
AGAIN)
Hell, that call could be news about a free
trip I’ve won, or free tickets to a
Broadway show! Wow! How
nice it would be to go out on the town,
dinner for two, a play, a carriage ride
through Central Park…
(SHE STOPS TALKING AND
STANDS, FROZEN)
ACTRESS:
That’s where it happened. Late
at night, walking through the Park.
We should all know better, right?
Well, some of us ask for it. And some
of us will never feel safe in that Park
- or this city - again.
(SHE MOVES CLOSER TO THE
AUDIENCE)
I can recall every detail. I can
feel it, breathe it, taste it - like it
was yesterday. Because I’ve been
there. And you know something…?
(OUR ACTRESS STARES OUT
AT THE AUDIENCE AND A BIG SMILE SPREADS
ACROSS HER FACE…)
ACTRESS:
…I loved it! Watching that guy
beg for mercy. My girlfriend pointing
a gun at his head - as he had to give me
everything I wanted!
(SHE LAUGHS WITH SATISFACTION)
ACTRESS:
All the rape victims I have counseled.
Hearing
(PAUSES, CONTEMPLATING.)
Sure, he can identify me - which is why
I won’t answer the phone or open the
door. But just let him go to the police
with how these two weak, defenseless females
had their way with him….
(LAUGHING OUT LOUD)
We’ve come a long way, baby…
(SHE WINKS AT THE AUDIENCE
AND TURNS TO LEAVE)
Besides, who says guys have all the fun?
I guess you can say, pay-back really is
a bitch…
FADE OUT:
THE END
"The
Rape" © Gino Cirignano, 9/18/98
Gino Cirignano
is a Computer Software Instructor and Freelance
Writer who wrote the "Road Scholar"
driving advice column every Sunday for seven
years in the Copley Los Angeles Newspapers.
Gino also wrote and self-published a safe
driving guide called, "Crosstown Trafffic"
and developed a website on the world of
driving at: http://members.aol.com/roadscho/
He lives with his wife in California.
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