The absence/presence of light

2008 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved. Blackout. Joe and Eevin sit on stage in chairs. Joe is seated center stage, his seat facing downstage right. Eevin is downstage right, her seat facing upstage. During the play, three Neos turn three clip lights on and off to reveal Joe and Eevin throughout the play. There is a musicality to the lights that is improvised. Joe: In the presence of light, it was easy to understand quite simply: Eevin: Where to enter, where to exit, how to move from A to B, from B to C. Joe: In the absence of light, it was quite simply: Eevin: Unclear, maybe more adventurous, but at times distorted. Joe: In its presence, you were clearly: Eevin: In front of me, behind me, next to me. Joe: In its absence, we did not see each other, Eevin: You were misrepresented, misinterpreted. Joe: Maybe we both were misunderstood. Eevin: It was at times, uncertain, Joe: Uncomfortable, Eevin: Unfamiliar, Joe: Unforgiving. Eevin: In its presence, it was less romantic. All lights pause for a moment, the florescent house lights are then turned on. Joe: But then there were no misconceptions, no overtly obvious misalliances or miscalculations. Eevin: In its absence, Florescent lights are then turned off, blackout. Joe: Your presence takes over and I now reminded of the absurdity of it all. Eevin: And in time, Joe: In just a moment, my eyes adjust to the absence and I see it all quite simply.

End of Play.

Singled out or some lessons from years of online dating.

2011 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved. Joe brings an audience member on stage. They both sit on chairs on the opposite side of the stage. Joe: We are not close you and I metaphorically and physically speaking. Do you agree? Audience member answers. We just met, right? Audience member answers. If I told you where I was from would you feel as if you knew me better? Audience member answers. Joe may or may not answer. How about if you knew my favorite movie, play, or song? Would that make us closer? Audience member answers. Joe may or may not answer. How about if I shared the six things I couldnt live without? Audience member answers. Joe may or may not answer. Or even, the most private thing Im willing to admit? Would that help you understand more about me? Audience member answers. Joe may or may not answer. What if you knew if I would consider role playing out a rape fantasy with you if you asked me to? Would you know me better then? Audience member answers. Joe may or may not answer. Im getting closer. Joe moves his chair closer. He puts his hand on an audience members knee. Is this awkward? Audience member answers. How about now?

Audience member answers. Im going to move away now. I feel that getting too close too soon is problematic. I want to give you something before I leave you. It will most likely come across as a strange. My intention for it is to be thoughtful and intriguing. But I cant expect you to see it that way. Sometimes our actions dont always match our intentions. You can open it now if you like. Audience member opens it or doesnt. Do you know what it is? One fact about me is that at the end of the day I always have an enormous amount of lint there (points to belly button). I started collecting them a few months ago. Under it is my contact information. I dont care if youre straight or gay or somewhere in between, I dont care if you make over 80k or if youre a top or a bottom or you like to golden showers. I just want you to know that. We cant always choose the people we want to get close to but we can always remain open to the possibility of those who choose us. It was nice to meet you. Joe offers his hand to shake. End of Play.

Passing
2005 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved. Joe sits with his back to the audience with wearing a wig. During the piece he applies make-up holding a mirror, takes the wig off and wipes off the make-up and puts on a headscarf. Joe: My grandmother would paint her eyebrows and lips on for special events- anniversaries, funerals, holidays, fancy dinners and the occasional visit to the mall. Her work included the use of a 10-year-old brown pencil and a Maybeline lipstick in the shade of rose petal. Thirty minutes prior to departure she would stand in the kitchen, angle her five foot five body on the counter and apply her make up in front of the window. The natural light guiding her application. Id watch with curiosity, Where did your eyebrows go Gramma? The bombs blasted them off during the war she answered. Did it hurt? Yes. In the background, my mother voiced her distain over my Grammas choice of fanciment or how she applied her make-up, they dont do that no more, thats out of style Ma. Well Im not going out without my eyebrows! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Upon completion, she turned to me with a permanent expression of excitement. Do I pass? Yes. Joe takes off wig Gramma took her wig off when we were home. Gramma only put the wig on when anybody besides my immediate family visited her. She would sweat under it on many summer days in the company of the rest of my family. In the house she wore a scarf with no make up. Shed stare in front of the window and wait for her illness to pass. Are you going to the hospital again? I asked. Yes. Does it hurt? Not as bad as when the bombs blasted my eyebrow. Staring out that window I think of my gramma, her fanciment, my fanciment, and if Id pass. End of Play.

Let Go
2005 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved. Music plays. Three Neos stand facing the audience. One moves away, writes something they want to let go of on a piece of paper, holds it up to the audience and shreds it leaving the debris on stage. Members of the audience are then asked to write or draw something they want to let go of and do the same. End of Play.

Im Drawn To You Chicken

2007 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved. Regie is center stage holding a rubber chicken. When he speaks, a spotlight illuminates him. Joe is in the audience with the house lights on, eating fried chicken. Regie: Im drawn to you plastic chicken. Your vibrant yellow and red color, The de-feathered landscape of your body, The quiet power you exude. Joe: I feel the same way chicken. Youre so crispy and tasty, Mmmm mmmm, so fuckin finger lickin good, I can eat a whole bucket of you! Regie: You are a reminder of how unpredictable life can be, An indulgence that is necessary and contagious. Youre not a disease but a cure. Joe: You leave a good taste on my lips chicken! Id like to dip you in some gravy and potatoes. Anyone got some bread? Cause I want to SMASH you in between two pieces and eat you up! Regie: At times, you are a mask, a costume, a trap. But you provide a deserving pathway out. Chicken, you are laughter. Joe: Sometimes when no ones looking, I like to eat you with no hands chicken and pretend Im a coyote in the wild eating some fried chicken, chicken! Regie: You are life, love, but above all, you are undeniably simple. Joe: (With full mouth of chicken) Mmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! End of Play.

An Excerpt from As Real As It May Seem

2005 Joe Basile. All Rights Reserved.

Scene 3 Player Later than earlier that day but earlier than late evening, John will walk four extra blocks to a different train stop. This clever planning will increase his chances of getting a seat for the long way home. His back hurts from standing all day.

Player 2 He attributes the pain to his worn out shoes and thinks aloud-

John Why dont I buy new shoes?

Player 3 Considering he works at a shoe store, it is even more perplexing.

Player 2 On his way to the train he notices a dazzling window display at Bergdorf Goodman. The window reads Explore Distant Shores.

Player 4 A woman lies in a boat peering out.

Mannequin Are you close enough? Hands off the window please. Youre marking it up with your filthy hands. See! Now look at what you did- your fingerprints are all over.

Player 2 John takes the sleeve of his coat and wipes the finger marks.

Mannequin Youre just making it worse now; youre smearing up the whole window with your soggy coat.

John Im sorry.

Mannequin Youre sorry about a lot of things arent you? Im up here. What are you looking at? Stop staring at my breasts please- youre not very much of a gentleman are you?

John Idont know if-

Mannequin Cat caught your tongue? Finish your sentence.

John Wowerr..itsah..I dont know

Mannequin Yes? What are you looking for in these windows anyway?

John Im looking at you. What are you doing therein the window, if you dont want people to look at you?

Mannequin Im here to create fantasy and phobia for the sophisticated professional women of the city. Youre blocking their view. Besides, I dont really have any choice in the matter thank you. Step out of my window- youre scaring people away!

John You look like this, this ah ah this girl that I dream about.

Mannequin Thats a new one. As if Ive never heard that one before. Youre looking at my breasts again, I knew these new pointed nipples would cause problems.

John Sorry.

Mannequin Dont waste your time on me. I might be sexy, perfect, and incredibly fashionable but Im not available. Can you tell me whats going on in the next window? Im getting really sick of everyone running over there.

Player 5 In the next window, mannequins are suspended from the ceiling. Theyre at a party; a woman is surrounded by men in jester costumes. The sign says SEEK DRAMA.

Mannequin You think that rowing a boat in shards of glass would be enough to get someones attention? Thats cheap. Real cheap.

John (With a revelatory tone) Once an editor of ladies magazines and now a panjandrum of the publishing business, Daphne secretly has a passion for splitting the midpoint of a samara and placing it on the point of her nose.

Mannequin What? Goodbye. Goodbye!

Scene 4

(Patty sits on her couch. Her right arm is bandaged. A knock is heard. She gets up and looks in mirror to make sure her hair is in place. She peaks in the peep hole and opens the door trying not to bend her elbow. It is awkward. Emilio appears. He is Mexican and carries a bag of food.)

Patty Emilio, hello.

Emilio Its $22.50.

Patty How are you?

(He nods and smiles.) Patty Emilio, its hard for me to move my arms. Can you give me a moment to get cash for you?

(He nods.)

Thanks so much, my arm is killing me. You can come on in. Now where did I put my darn purse?

Emilio Its there.

Patty Youre so sweet, thank you hun, but you know what? I have so many darn bags! My wallet isnt in that one- I dont think. I just love bags. I have so many; they just call to me and say me me, buy me, buy me now! and how can I resist? I think I have more purses than I do underwear. I guess you didnt need to know that. Hun, could you shut that door, I dont want to let the heat out.

(He shuts the door)

OhI know where I put it. Wait one second. Hun, you know what would be so great- would you mind terribly just taking that food out of the bag and just putting it on that table. It hurts so much when I move my elbow. I had a work injury. That stupid doctor couldnt even prescribe anything for me. You know what he said? He said take Advil or Tylenol, can you believe it? I hate when they tell you that, as if thats a wonder drug or something. (To herself) Damn computers. What have we evolved into? Just apes in front of computers!

Emilio Its $22.50.

Patty Of course. Im so sorry. Let me get that for you. Oh, wait where are the fried plantains? I ordered the filet de peixe frito. It comes with rice, beans, and a choice of French fries, fried plantains or mashed potatoes. I told Jose I wanted fried plantains. I was looking forward to them. Im sorry Emilio; youre going to have to come back. I mean this is the third time this has happened this month. Are you sure you dont have anything else?

Emilio No. Im sorry.

Patty I was really looking forward to eating those and Ive been waiting for over forty minutes for this one entre- I mean cmon how long does it take to fry some fucking fish! (Beat) Yknow what? Its only dinner, right? Nothing to get all in a huff about. Hun, dont worry- I know its not your fault. You didnt put the food in the bag. Did you?

Emilio No.

Patty Of course you didnt. Im going to let it slide this time and you know why? Because I like you Emilio. I do. I really do. It is always a joy to see you deliver my food.

(Emilio starts laughing.)

Patty No, it is- Im serious now. Every time I see you- you seem so happy to see me, like Im a friend. Thats a very valuable quality to have. Not too many people possess that.

Emilio I need to go. Patty Yes, you do. You know why? You are a dedicated employee. I respect that Emilio. I do, I really do. How old are you?

Emilio Eighteen.

Patty Get out! No. Eighteen? For someone your age, you have thisthis great aura. Are you aware of that? Youre very handsome and muscular for someone your age. Look at those arms- Wow! (She grabs his hand) Your hands Emilio are so soft (she rubs them against her face). I like how they feel on my face. So soft (Patty closes her eyes and puts his hand all over her face; she then takes his hand and moves it down to her breast. Emilio enjoys it for a moment and then pulls his hand away.)

Emilio I have to go. Its $22.50.

Patty Of course it is. $22.50. Do you think Im going to pay a dime after you tried to (whispering) touch me there? Who do you think you are? $22.50! For what? Where are the damn plantains? How dare you! Ill tell you something Emilio, if you think you can take advantage of some poor injured overworked woman- you are wrong! All of you are so much alike it makes me sick! Get out of here before I tell your boss to fire you!

(He runs out. She shuts the door, looks at her food.)

I cant eat this.

(She begins to eat.)