Game, Set and Life (2017)

Taylor Thomas and Jackson
LaRose in the play “Game,
Set and Life”

Game, Set and Life

by Taylor Thomas

Click here to watch “Game, Set and Life”

SET: Tennis net down the middle of the stage.

PROPS: Taylor 8 – Tennis Racquet

Taylor 21 – Racquet, Tennis bag w/towels, water bottles

COSTUMES: Taylor 21 – Tennis Pro Whites

Taylor 8 – t shirt, shorts, socks, sneakers, baseball cap

MUSIC CUE: Life is a Highway, play for at least 10 seconds while…

LIGHTS UP: on Taylor 8 SL playing with tennis racquet.

SLIDE CUE: TENNIS COURT slide #1

MUSIC ENDS AS Taylor 21 enters SR (with gym bag with water/towels) and places it DS of tennis net.

TAYLOR 21: Are you ready to lose? I think you are. (He turns to the audience.) That guy over there is my younger self. And I’m about to teach him a lesson.

TAYLOR 8: I don’t know what losing is. (He turns to the audience.) That’s my older self over there…he looks like kind of a jerk, doesn’t he?

TAYLOR 21: Get ready. You’ll find out now.

TAYLOR 8: I’m ready. (takes a stance)

(Taylor 21 serves the imaginary ball right the down the tee. Taylor 8 just turns his head as the ball flies by him.)

TAYLOR 21: That’s what losing is.

TAYLOR 8: I’m only eight. I never really played. (to the audience) I told you he was a jerk.

TAYLOR 21: What are you whispering over there?

TAYLOR 8: Nothing. Don’t you remember what it was like to be eight?

TAYLOR 21: (bouncing the tennis ball) Yeah, I remember but I try to put it in the past…where you belong.

TAYLOR 8: There is no past, now that I’m here. Won’t you shoot me an easy one?

TAYLOR 21: Sure I will. (He chuckles.)

Taylor 21 serves an easy one to Taylor 8.

Taylor 8 swings and at the same watches the ball go by.

TAYLOR 8: This is very hard.

TAYLOR 21: It’s always going to be hard. You just to get used to it.

He bounces the ball and hits him another easy serve. They hit a three ball rally. (They’re making “tennis” noises.) On the third ball, Taylor 8 turns his head and watches the ball go by.

TAYLOR 8: Just stop it already! I want to win a point.

TAYLOR 21: Do you want it to be easy? What’s the point of me playing with you?

TAYLOR 8: What do you mean?

TAYLOR 21: If it’s too easy, what do you get out of it?

TAYLOR 8: Just hit me the ball already.

(Taylor 21 serves a little bit harder. They hit back and forth. Taylor 8 swings hard. Taylor 21 turns his head looking down.)

TAYLOR 21: Out!

TAYLOR 8: Darn it! I don’t believe you.

TAYLOR 21: (indicate) Come over and check the mark if you want. (to the audience, walk DS) It really was out. (indicate) You can really come see the mark too if you want.

TAYLOR 8: No, I believe you. You’re me and you know I’m honest and always was.

TAYLOR 21: You’re right, I was always honest, Still am (gesture)

TAYLOR 8: Of course (gesture), My serve now?

TAYLOR 21: Are we playing a game or just hitting?

TAYLOR 8: I can’t play a game – you’re 21 and I’m only 8!

TAYLOR 21: You’re right. (He lobs the imaginary ball and Taylor 8 catches it. Taylor 8 bounces the ball but he doesn’t do it very well.) Come on, Come on – we’re playing tennis.

TAYLOR 8: Don’t you think about anything else?

TAYLOR 21: No not really, why should I?

TAYLOR 8: (XDS by net) So, what about your girlfriend? Don’t you like her?

TAYLOR 21: (XDS by net) I do like her, but I don’t see her that often.

TAYLOR 8: You see what I mean? What about Mom and Dad?

TAYLOR 21: What about them?

TAYLOR 8: Well, you don’t see them that often. Why?

TAYLOR 21: Because I’m so busy.

TAYLOR 8: Why are you so busy?

TAYLOR 21: Well, because. (He spreads his arm sort of showing the tennis court.)

TAYLOR 8: Okay, okay. (He makes the same gesture as Taylor 21 did.) So this is all I got to look forward too? (to the audience) Now it’s my turn to teach a lesson.

SLIDE CHANGE: TAYLOR 8 PHOTO – slide #2

TAYLOR 21: What do you mean?

TAYLOR 8: I think you forgot something. What did you have for breakfast this morning?

TAYLOR 21: What does that have to do with anything?

TAYLOR 8: Just tell me.

TAYLOR 21: Well, I had a protein shake. So what.

TAYLOR 8: What do you think I had? Can you remember?

TAYLOR 21: I do remember. Pancakes with bacon and chocolate milk. Mom made it.

TAYLOR 8: Yes, she did.

TAYLOR 21: So?

TAYLOR 8: That’s what I’m trying to explain.

TAYLOR 21: Explain what? What does that have to do with breakfast?

TAYLOR 8: I’m just showing you forgot. You’re so busy that you forgot.

TAYLOR 21: Yeah, maybe I did forget something.

TAYLOR 8: Yeah, you did, (GESTURE WITH RACQUET) but that’s okay.

TAYLOR 21: I miss all that sometimes. (indicate the racquet) Serve it to me.

SLIDE CHANGE: TENNIS COURT – slide #3 (same as Slide #1)

Taylor 8 misses his first serve into the net.

TAYLOR 21: Fault!

TAYLOR 8: Oops, Sorry about that.

TAYLOR 21: Here is another ball.

(He hits the imaginary ball to Taylor 8. Taylor 8 catches it and gets ready to serve again)

TAYLOR 8: Watch out, this one’s coming fast!

TAYLOR 21: (to the audience) Oh, sure.

Taylor 8 serves the ball, Taylor 21 hits it back right down the line. Taylor 8 watches it go by.

TAYLOR 8: That was just luck.

TAYLOR 21: Try again. Don’t stop until you get it right.

TAYLOR 8: Geez, How long does it take?

TAYLOR 21: Well, how good do you want to be?

TAYLOR 8: I want to be better than you when I am you.

TAYLOR 21: One step at a time. You’re going to have to work very hard…everyday.

Taylor 8 starts to serve again. They play 3x rally – Taylor 8 runs DS. Runs US, runs DS, goes for the lob and falls on his knees, DS by the net, he is panting.

TAYLOR 21: Um, are you all right over there?

TAYLOR 8: Would you like to take a quick break?

TAYLOR 21: Why do you want to take a break?

TAYLOR 8: (panting) As you can see, I’m obviously tired. (panting)

TAYLOR 21: But we just started.

TAYLOR 8: (get up) You’ve obviously forgotten something else.

TAYLOR 21: (join him DS by the net) Oh yeah, what?

TAYLOR 8: Well, you forgot how it was when you first started. You’ve come a long way.

TAYLOR 21: I guess I have.

TAYLOR 8: (to the audience) Maybe he’s not such a jerk after all.

TAYLOR 21: Are you whispering again?

TAYLOR 8: I’m just pointing out to these nice people in the stands (indicate) that I turn out to be a pretty nice guy.