THEATER 188: Take - Off

Alycia and Tyler meet on a flight from Houston to Los Angeles. As they experience extensive turbulence along the way, they distract themselves by sharing intimate secrets with each other.

Bernadette Armstrong directs Christine Uhebe as Alycia and David Phurdham as Tyler.

Linda Shayne is the playwright. She graduated from UC Berkeley, worked in mental hospitals and published articles about San Quentin State Prison ex-offenders, before she became a writer/director in film and TV. Shayne has written movies for Disney, Showtime, Imagine Entertainment, and directed for Nickelodeon,  Warner Bros, and Paramount. Shayne created a dramedy TV series for Quincy Jones, two animated series for Warner Bros, and a dramedy TV series to film in Thailand. She directed an award-winning documentary playing festivals and adapted a WW2 spy book for a Swiss producer. Recently, Shayne was hired to write/direct a rom-com movie.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:04

Hello, and welcome to Open Door Playhouse, a theater podcast that celebrates live theater on the podcast stage. I'm Gary Lamb. At Open Door Playhouse, we strive to bring our listeners thoughtful and surprising 10-minute shorts and one-act plays that showcase insightful and new perspectives of the world we share with others. Open Door Playhouse is a 501c3 theater organization. Support for Open Door Playhouse comes from listeners like you. Your tax-deductible donations help keep our plays on the podcast stage. Now playing in Theater 188, Take Off, written by Linda Shane and directed by Bernadette Armstrong, starring Christine Webby as Alicia, David Purdom as Tyler. The captain asks that you remain seated with seatbelts fastened for the duration of the flight. We didn't expect to be crossing into a zone of turbulence so quickly after takeoff. So as a precaution, we ask for your cooperation.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

You better buckle up. Do you think we're out of Texas yet? The sun is risen, the sun has set, and we ain't out of Texas yet. Whoa! Rough one? Not that I'm the boss of you, but hey, seems like it could be a rough ride. You might want to, you know. You alright? You look a little pale.

SPEAKER_00 1:56

Yeah, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

You a nervous flyer? Name's Tyler. I'm a sales rep, mainly software, sometimes hardware. What'd you say your name was?

SPEAKER_00 2:08

I didn't.

SPEAKER_02 2:10

Well then, what is your name?

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Alicia.

SPEAKER_02 2:14

There you go. That wasn't so difficult. So where are you off to, Alicia? You going to college or visiting family, big wedding celebration? I'd rather not talk. I got it. I'm married, one child, a girl a few years younger than you. And dang, if I said I'd rather be watching football right now, I wouldn't be lying. Come on. Nice conversation with a seat mate. Makes the flight go quicker. If you can't tell, I'm a people person. Oh, come on, give it a go. We'll probably never see each other again. You can ask me anything you want. Really? Yeah. Anything.

SPEAKER_00 2:57

Do you fuck around on your wife when you travel?

SPEAKER_02 3:01

What the hell?

SPEAKER_00 3:03

Sounds like that was a yes. Hypocrites. All of you.

SPEAKER_02 3:09

Uh no, I do not. And I don't know what got into you. I was just trying to connect. Human to human, honest and forthright conversation, that's all. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 3:22

So back to your earlier question. The reason I'm flying. It's not for school. Not for a wedding. Going to see a doctor. To be specific. A gynecologist. I'm going to get an abortion.

SPEAKER_02 3:43

I see.

SPEAKER_00 3:45

You see. Do you? Really? I'm your daughter's age. I'm educated, college graduate, and I have to leave Texas in an airplane. To get the hell out of Texas to get an abortion. Tell me. Did I shock you?

SPEAKER_02 4:08

Yes, ma'am. You rightfully did.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

Ma'am! Oh! Wow, you must be really worried. I mean, people might assume you know me, as we are sitting next to each other, and you could be accused of assisting me.

SPEAKER_02 4:27

Whoa, whoa, whoa. For what? To get an abortion? Can you please stop saying that word?

SPEAKER_00 4:34

We are probably out of Texas. I don't think New Mexico and Arizona can get you for that. At least not yet. Maybe me though. Never know. Seems like the law is a very quickly changing phenomena.

unknown 4:49

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 4:50

Maybe I should find another seat.

SPEAKER_00 4:54

Damn!

SPEAKER_02 4:55

You alright?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

The captain has informed me that one of our engine gauges is indicating improperly. Please remain seated and keep your seat in the case.

SPEAKER_02 5:07

What the hell does that mean? Indicating improperly?

SPEAKER_00 5:11

An engine with improper behavior? Like me? I'm sorry about lashing out, Tyler. Truly. I'm I'm just freaked out.

SPEAKER_02 5:26

You scared?

SPEAKER_00 5:28

You know what scares me the most? When I had my tonsils removed, they put me under. I hate it when they put you out. I'm always afraid that once they put you to sleep, you'll never wake up. Have you ever had surgery?

SPEAKER_02 5:43

Had a stone removed once from my kidney.

SPEAKER_00 5:46

Oh! A kidney! Abortion! Not funny.

SPEAKER_02 5:56

No, it's not funny.

SPEAKER_00 6:00

Okay, sorry, just my nerves. I've actually made all sorts of sick jokes lately, which I think are funny. Whoa. I just wish it was a week from now.

SPEAKER_02 6:18

Do your parents know about this trip?

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Jeez. Do you mean do my parents, who are about your age, know that I'm going to destroy their I didn't say that. But that's what you meant, right?

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Well, maybe. Maybe. I don't think it's right for a person to be so careless?

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Well damn, you're right. But what's a mother to do? Sorry, I joke inappropriately about things. And no. I'm not careless. I'm not. But what would you know about dealing with a pregnancy?

SPEAKER_02 7:11

Well, you might be surprised. When I met my wife, she was working in Oklahoma one week a month. But once we married and she got pregnant, she found a part-time job that didn't require her to travel. And we tried like hell for a second child, but we couldn't. I went to a fertility clinic. They told me that I was firing blanks. They said I always had been firing blanks. Never told my wife. Never told my daughter. As far as my daughter knows, she's my flesh and blood. And the funny thing is, people think she looks more like me than she does my wife. My daughter started working last year as a teacher, elementary school. And those kids adore her.

SPEAKER_00 8:18

How's that? It was not consensual.

SPEAKER_02 8:23

Oh damn. Did you call the police?

SPEAKER_00 8:29

He was someone I had dated. My parents even had him over to their house for dinner. His name is Bill. Bill Muster. He was tall, definitely not good looking, but smart. Had a good job and funny. A big guy, you know? Chunky. Not my usual type. We were set up by friends. I don't even know why I'm telling you all of this.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

You can.

SPEAKER_00 9:01

I thought I mean he seemed okay, but when he started talking about wanting to marry me, I realized he wasn't for me. So I broke up with him. About a month later, he found out that I was starting to see someone else. The new guy took me to a football game. It was just a game. But Bill. He freaked. A few days later, he showed up at my apartment on a Saturday. Round nine in the morning. It was early. I was still in my robe. I opened the door and he pushed himself into my apartment. Said he wanted to talk. His eyes were were all angry. He started freaking out about my seeing this other guy. And he grabbed me by the wrist, pulled me into my bedroom. I told him to stop. I did.

SPEAKER_02 10:05

I believe you.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

I really did. I tried to pull away. He pushed me onto the bed, slapped the side of my head, and my ears started buzzing. He undid his belt. I I just lay there, dazed, ears buzzing, staring at the ceiling, zoning out. Just waiting for it to be over. We must be out of Texas by now.

SPEAKER_02 10:41

I'm so sorry that happened.

SPEAKER_00 10:44

Yeah. Well, it isn't over. The nightmare continues, and now I have to fly to California to you know. You seem decent, and you had your thing make sense, but Alicia, this is not your fault. But it is my body.

SPEAKER_01 11:12

The captain has informed us that we are making an emergency landing and beginning our descent. Make sure your seat belts are tightened, as we are going in for a rough landing. You will need to be in a brace position. Place your feet flat on the floor.

SPEAKER_00 11:28

No, I'm really scared. More scared than I thought.

SPEAKER_02 11:33

We'll get through this. Okay?

SPEAKER_00 11:37

Thanks.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

I wasn't. I wasn't honest with you before. My daughter. She's not here anymore.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

What do you mean?

SPEAKER_02 11:54

She died. During the school shooting. You know you read about them, but they don't seem real.

SPEAKER_00 12:04

Then I'm so sorry.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Heads down on your lap. Nowch position. Heads down.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

Tyler, can I hold your hand?

SPEAKER_02 12:19

Mind if I hold your hand.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Yes, please. I'm glad that you're my seat, mate.

SPEAKER_01 12:27

Brace yourself. Brace! Brace! Our plays are produced by Bernadette Armstrong, recorded at the Oak House Studio in Altadena, California, and mixed by our talented sound engineer, David Peters. Sound effects and music downloaded from Audio Jungle and Karaoke Version. If you are interested in submitting a play for production, you can find that information on our website, www.opendoorplayhouse.org. Please share this podcast with friends and do not forget to subscribe so you will be notified when our next production goes live on the podcast.