NIGHT/DAWN (excerpt) by Carl Holder

NIGHT/DAWN

CARL HOLDER 499 Washington Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11238 carlholder@live.com www.carlholder.com

(REVISION 5.25.2020)

NIGHT/DAWN is performed by 3 Actors (3M) VLAD (573 years old, though he appears to be in his 60’s) sad, withdrawn, looking for hope SEAN (112 years old, though he remains a handsome twentysomething) fiery, fun, irresponsible DERRELL (late 30’s, mortal) driftless but kind, handsome but unextraordinary Please, a cast that reflects the world, the whole world...

Any body can play these roles if they identify with the character.

No fangs, no capes, no accents, no hissing, no extra blood, no needless special effects.

These are all Queer People... it’s just that some of them happen to be vampires.

Play them as real people and the rest will fall into place.

ON STAGING ( FAST/IMAGINATIVE >

SLOWER/LITERAL )

Make set/light/costume choices that prioritize the story moving steadily forward.

I sense a simple space that is transformed by creative lights and sound will be the best way...

-BUT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO keep it fast! Fluid! Imaginative! Fast!

Breath and have fun...

“When we get home darlin' and it's nice and dark and the music's in me and I'm still real hot then you kiss me there and it feels real good and I know you'll love me like you should Oh, I feel real, when you touch me I feel real, when you kiss me I feel real, when you touch me I feel real, when you hold me�

- Sylvester

1 Dark space. Nothing to see.

A figure paces in the black, studies the audience.

He paces closer and closer, considering them...

VLAD When I look into a mirror I see...nothing.

That part of the myth is true...

Along with the powers of hypnosis, flight, the ability to arrange hors d’oeuvres attractively across a platter, or to distract everyone with a joke they’ll repeat throughout the night,

some of us can even shapeshift -but I can’t so much as check for a zit so...

When something heavy is sitting on my brain my only option is to talk to the void where my reflection should be, or once was rather...

VLAD steps forward out of the darkness.

I have been alive for almost 573 years and FUCK! do I need to talk...

Can I talk to you? ...will you be my mirror?

You see I’ve been stuck on a question and right now,

I just need to be heard...

Today I officially turn five hundred and seventy-three years old.

573! ...if you can fucking believe it. Can you? Hopefully, you cannot.

Five hundred and seventy-three years, and while you’d think I’d have someone else to talk with strangely the more time that’s passed the harder that is to find...

Before I was...this, I was a front waiter over at Bram’s Steaks on 9th ...is it still there? Oh, well I suppose by now how could it be?

Anyway, I didn’t do much back in those days. Just go to work and hide.

I hid at home, I hid out in public. I hid everything everywhere.

I hid my desires, my opinions, my drinking habit...

I even hid the fact that while closing the restaurant I would often service men in the john, the sadder souls whose dates didn’t fare well. I’d give them a little something special to turn their night around. It was an act of service. I liked giving and being asked for nothing except my silence, which I gave gladly. Nobody really knew me then and I barely knew myself.

That was my life and it was fine for some long while until one night I followed a man into the bathrooms and he...put the move on me. I had never been pursued, never been wanted by someone else, not really but, I accepted of course, wouldn’t you? ...and he turned me that day.

He bit deep into who I was scared of becoming and I drank him back freely, knowing he was what I had always wanted to be. He changed me forever, turned me and I became like him. Hungrier and more alive. Hiding still in a way but no longer afraid because now I knew everything I wanted was just waiting in the night, ready for me to grab it...

A flapping of wings!

2 VLAD Excuse me...

VLAD’s goes to a window, leans out and stiffens, the flapping grows faster, panicked. He pounces!

VLAD pulls the flapper inside, close against his chest.

It is a small, shuddering bat...

VLAD Well, hello... Who are you? shh shh shh...whatsa matter, huh? No, no, no...Flying is fun, yes?

One day you learned you could ride the wind, you’re eating, fucking, and shitting all in mid-air -OHMY, what a trip that must be! ...but what now? Tear in your wing? Uncertain if you can fly, or if you even want to fly anymore? Yeah I know how it goes, shhhhh, come now, no no noVLAD clamps his mouth around the bat! It fights back as he sucks harder, a tendril of blood drips down his chin.

VLAD sucks absently and pushes open the shutters, bad club techno and a throb of rainbow neon bathes over him.

VLAD (mouth full) You see when I first turned, I remember everything was so...!!!

His gestures attempt to convey a great joy, but fail. ...but now? I’m not really sure what I’m still doing here.

VLAD dangles the dead, limp bat in mid-air... ...is it really worth the cost?

He drops the bat out the window. A couple is fighting down on the street “Will. Will?!” “Go away!” “...c’mon, Will! WILL! STOP IT NOW” “No, YOU STOP IT!” “...Will?” “WHAT MAX?! WHAT??!!”

VLAD Oh my, seems they’re having a night of it....

The fight ends in an explosion “JUST FUCK YOU, MAX!” “...well not toNIGHT, I GUESS THEN, HUH WILL?! ...whatever” “tsk...asshole!” and grumbles fade in opposite directions...

VLAD How lovely. Do you remember fighting like that, not just getting through?

I can almost remember... just almost.

3 VLAD closes the window, turns to the audience.

VLAD So there it is, one cheap lay and some centuries later I have gorged on everything I denied myself for so long and while I’ve never failed to find others like me, to find excitement, or my next hot meal, every night I venture into ends with me alone. Nothing ever even really satisfies me anymore.

My hunger has now just become an emptiness, a hole to consider, a problem to fill...

What happens if I continue to feed it? More of this? Endless nights that go on forever and ever?

What would happen if I stopped feeding it completely? ...would the all nights stop then too?

I’ve often wondered ifSEAN and a TRICK stumble into the shadows nearby.

TRICK The fuck is this place? Where are we?

SEAN Shhh. It’s fine. No one’s ever here...

VLAD steps back into the darkness, watching...

TRICK You still want me...?

SEAN I dunno...maybe...

TRICK Quit teasing! You promised!

SEAN If you insist.

SEAN pounces on the TRICK, biting his neck.

TRICK Ahhhhh! What the hell?!!! SHIT! HELP! HEEELLLSEAN plants his fist in the TRICK’s mouth then awkwardly wrestles him to the ground, keeping a constant suck on his bleeding neck.

The TRICK fights back as long as he can but slowly the life drains out of him completely.

4 SEAN continues eating the TRICK still for some while, noisily poking at different spots to find the remaining blood, switching to the other side of his neck, down to the wrists then eventually leaning into the inner thigh and crotchVLAD finally steps down, pissy.

VLAD For fuck’s sake, are you finished yet?

SEAN ...excuse me? Oh. Hello.

VLAD Hello. Are you finished?

SEAN I mean, I could be.

VLAD Great. So? Maybe?! You could leave?! I was in the middle of something.

SEAN ...in the middle of what?

VLAD Fuck you...

SEAN What’s your deal? Why you so cranky, gramma?

VLAD I was... working through some thoughts. Alone?

SEAN She has thoughts! You know you can like literally fly around and go anywhere you want so likeVLAD You know what?! It’s fine, doesn’t matter, do whatever here I don’t care...

VLAD starts to leave.

SEAN I was kidding! Did you want some?

5 VLAD No. SEAN Are we really gonna fight about this?

VLAD ...I suppose we are!

SEAN I suppose we are... Why do you talk like that?

VLAD ...bitch...

VLAD has almost vanished.

SEAN ...hey! Hey, comeback! HEY! VLAD What?!

SEAN Don’t be like that. Come back. Stay a second.

VLAD turns and reconsiders, takes one step back in.

VLAD You can have it. I really don’t care, it’s fine.

SEAN I’m Sean.

VLAD Okay.

SEAN Okay so...

SEAN smiles, gives a lil’ snap.

This gets a smile out of VLAD. SEAN ...and what’s your name...?

6 VLAD steps in fully.

VLAD My name is Vlad.

SEAN ...Vlad?

VLAD nods. SEAN stops, he tries to hold in a huge laugh but can’t.

SEAN WHAT?!!! VLAD?!! VLAAAD?!! You gotta be kidding me!!

VLAD starts to storm off again as SEAN continues to cackle.

VLAD Fuck off...nasty little mary, fuck you twice!

SEAN No no no no no no no! Wait! I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to laugh...

SEAN chases VLAD down and blocks his exit.

VLAD I have flesh rotting between my teeth that’s older than you!

SEAN I know. I’m sorry! It’s just, your name? You know, it’s...

VLAD What? ...such a ridiculous stereotype?

SEAN must suppress some laughter but he’s got a lid on it.

SEAN Yes...

VLAD Like Lance, or Chad, or Count Derrick?! Vlaaaaad?

SEAN Yes, yes, yes!

VLAD ...believe me, I know.

7 SEAN I didn’t mean to laugh. Forgive me and stay? It’s good to talk to another...

VLAD stares back at him, cold and still.

VLAD ...it’s Sean?

SEAN Yep. VLAD Alright...

SEAN nods, he’s finally pulled himself together.

VLAD slowly takes him in.

VLAD Sean. Well, I mean that’s not much better -ssssssssssssssssSeeeeeaaan!

SEAN smiles. VLAD does too.

SEAN ...give me a light?

SEAN produces a cigarette, VLAD lights it.

VLAD Those things’ll kill ya...

VLAD produces a cigarette now, lights it.

SEAN ...funny.

They puff cigarettes a bit, quiet...

VLAD You know...I used to know this guy who could blow smoke rings out of three places...

SEAN What.

VLAD I’m serious!

8 SEAN You did not.

VLAD I did. He did the classic ones, of course.

VLAD inhales, blows a perfect smoke ring out of his mouth.

SEAN nods in mild approval.

SEAN Okay...

VLAD Then he did these one-nostrils ones.

VLAD inhales again, presses a nostril closed and blows tiny smoke rings out of the other side.

SEAN Wow. Okay, that one is actually impressive!

VLAD smiles and bows his head coyly.

VLAD ...thank you.

They both smoke more for a while...

SEAN So? VLAD Hmmm?

SEAN The third way?

VLAD The...third way?

SEAN What’s the third way the guy could blow smoke rings?!

VLAD Ohhh......well, if you want to see that one we’d have to go somewhere much more private.

9 VLAD shoots SEAN a loaded and playful stare.

SEAN ...huh?

VLAD cocks his head to the side disappointed.

VLAD Really?

SEAN ...OOOHHHHH! VLAD There we go.

SEAN Okay. I get it, that IS funny! ...you know what, I like you.

They share a smile, go back to their cigarettes.

SEAN walks to the window, listens to the club music below.

He sways sensuously in time with the song, torchy and throbbing.

VLAD stands still, watches him a moment.

SEAN Have I ever seen you around before? ...what’re you getting into tonight? ...wanna do something?

VLAD shrugs.

VLAD ...maybe SEAN I mean other people are the worst but I could use someone to roll with. Do you go out?

VLAD Yes. Less lately...

SEAN Let’s have some fun! We could dance? Pick up something tasty andVLAD What about him?

10 VLAD gestures to the dead TRICK on the ground.

SEAN Oh. You know, get rid of him, then find a club or something. See what we can get into...

VLAD Do places like that still exist? I’m not sure I’m up forSEAN We don’t have to. ...no big deal... Me and this other guy I hang out with sometimes, we’ll pick up some total dumb yums from a bar and then take all of them to his house because he has a roof? So we take them up to the roof one by one, leave the others downstairs, and then we just GO TO TOWN on each of them! -but like one at a time? Really intense, it’s hot.

Then eventually this last one is downstairs just wondering where all of his friends are and by the time we take him up to the roof and he SEES what’s been going on, oh maaaan...

Trust me, it’s amazing.

VLAD starts to back away.

VLAD It does sound wild.

SEAN It is! You’d love it. You hungry? We could also just like get something to eat?

VLAD I had a bat earlier so...

SEAN A bat?

VLAD Yes. I eat bats sometimes.

SEAN ...is that even really food though likeVLAD Is this going to be a problem?!

SEAN It’s fine!

VLAD Okay, then.

11 SEAN I just mean... are you full enough on that orVLAD I need to go! Sorry.

SEAN What? No. You gotta eat...

VLAD It’s getting late. It’ll be dawn soon so...

SEAN Okay so some other time maybe...

VLAD ...maybe.

VLAD shrugs, turns to leave.

SEAN Hey! Do you want to hang out again?! I mean...I’d like that.

VLAD Sure.

VLAD goes further into the dark.

SEAN So I can call you?!

VLAD ...yes?

SEAN Okay! I’m gonna call you. Yes? VLAD OK! Fine. Bye. SEAN Go0odbyeee, Vlad!

VLAD ...goodbye, Sean.

12 SEAN It was nice talking with you. Really.

VLAD nods and disappears into the darkness.

SEAN Talk soon! ...bitch.

The music outside gets louder, a dance track.

SEAN rushes to the window and the neon washes across him.

He steps up onto the sill, observes the street below.

SEAN moves his body to the song with a growing confidence.

The beat drops and he leaps on the dead TRICK like a pouncing cat!

SEAN drags the TRICK away as neons spin, flash, and change color the music gets louder, louder, and louder untilThe music cuts out. Everything drops into a black silence.

Silence for a while, then...

Birds chirp. Light slowly returns to the window, the sun rises outside...

SEAN’S VOICE Hey Vlad...you told me to call so...it’s Sean? ANYWAY I’m just laaaying around in my coffin... wondering what you’re up to...do you get antsy waiting for the sun to set too? I do...

SO It really was fun talking with you the other night. I hope we can meet up again sometime?

Anyway. I’ll try you later, byeee!

Light moves across the window, city noise floats in.

SEAN’S VOICE Hey. It’s Sean again. I just thought I try you...again... Guess you’re a heavy sleeper! It’s okay, y’know what? I forgot I’m seeing someone else later so...just call me when you’re around!

Daylight falls into evening and the city sounds shift, less traffic now and more people milling about on the street.

VLAD sits in the shadows and eats a bat dispassionately.