The Elevator – Ross School (2012)
Nate Dombrowski and Hunter Cohen perform in Emma Engel’s play, “The Elevator.” Photo by Star Black.
The Elevator by Emma Engel
Click here to watch a video of this performance.
The time is the present: Monday morning in an office building in New York City
Tim enters wearing a gray suit with a gray tie and black shoes. He is running toward
the elevator and the door is about to close.
Tim: Hold it please!
Scott: Sure, no problem.
Tim enters and he sees Scott inside the elevator. Scott is wearing pink sunglasses,
antennas on his head and colorful clothing with a crazy tie.
Scott has a big smile on his face, and is standing in front of the buttons. Tim tries to
get to the buttons but Scott is blocking the way.
Tim: Excuse me…
Scott: Yes, no problem.
Tim: No I’m trying to…
Scott: We are all trying to do things in life.
Tim: No, I mean I am trying to press the button.
Scott: Ah yes. Pressing buttons, pressing faces against windows, pressing your
fingers on the keyboard, pressing flowers, pressing…
Tim: No, I just wanted to press the button in the elevator…
Scott: Oh yes, the elevator… Floor 14?
Tim: Um… actually yes, thank you.
Scott taps his head in a knowing way, as to say, I knew that.
Tim looks confused and then looks away.
The elevator doors close and the elevator music begins to play
Scott: (swaying to Top of the World, by the Carpenters for 15 seconds) What’s your
favorite color?
Tim: Uh… I’m sorry, I uh…
Scott: Color, you know… atomic tangerine, asparagus, blizzard blue, canary yellow,
jazzberry jam, fuzzy wuzzy brown… But my favorite is Magic mint.
Tim nods and looks away
Scott: Do you believe?
Tim: Uh… in what, may I ask?
Scott: Magic!
Tim: I…I don’t see how this is relevant.
Scott: Well, you know life is never relevant.
Tim nods and looks away
Scott: Magic is real.
Tim: Listen, I…I’m not sure what you are trying to do here but…
Suddenly, the elevator stops. They are stuck.
Tim: Did we just stop! Are we stuck?
Scott: Well, actually we are moving. But if we were standing in the North Pole
then we would barely be moving but since we are at mid-latitude we should be
traveling at 700 to 900 miles per hour. Which is quite fast. Then if you take under
consideration that the universe is expanding, well that’s a whole other topic….
Tim stares at Scott in shock, looks away and shakes his head.
Tim: Oh my god! Oh my god! I can’t believe this is happening to me!
He says this to himself, and repeats it
Scott: Oh, so you believe in God?
Tim throws himself to the button panel and starts pressing madly at the buttons.
Scott pulls out a bubble container and starts blowing bubbles
Scott: I find bubbles relaxing it helps to relieve stress. I think you are stressed.
Would you like to blow some bubbles?
Tim: No, I don’t want to blow bubbles! I want to get out of here! I am going to be late
for my interview!
Scott: Relax. Sometimes it’s easier to just to go with the flow, and be here in the
moment.
Tim: The moment?
Scott: You know, the moment. Now.
Tim: You’re telling me to live in the moment? I’m stuck in an elevator with a man
blowing bubbles at me with terrible music playing that reminds me of visiting my
grandparents at Hawaiian night in their nursing home. They made me eat these
little dried pineapples that they thought where so good. It was such a terrible
experience…
Scott: Do you believe in magic?
Tim: Why are you asking me this? Can’t you just leave me alone?
Scott: You know if you believe, maybe good things will happen. Tell me what you
want?
Tim: What I want is to get out of here!
Scott: Is that what you really want? Is that why you are here?
Tim: No, what I want is a job!
Scott: And why do you want this job?
Tim: It’s a job! I need a job!
Scott: But why?
Tim: Uhh, I don’t know, maybe to eat some food, to live in a house, to have clothes, to
live….!
(Tim says this sarcastically)
Tim bangs on the elevator door, yelling:
Tim: HELP! I can’t take it anymore. This music is driving me crazy! I’ve got to get out
of here!
Scott: A wise person once said, “If you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the
rain.”
As Scott says this, the music stops.
Scott: Feel better?
Tim stops.
Tim: I think so; I think I do feel better
Scott: In life, we all face obstacles. A person needs to be able to go though them and
learn from them.
Tim: Go through them? (He says calmly)
Scott: Yes.
Scott hands Tim a lollypop.
Tim takes the lollypop; un-wraps it and puts it in his mouth.
Tim: Thank you. (Calm)
Scott: See when you relax and don’t panic, good things happen.
Tim nods his head.
Scott: Would you like to get out of the elevator?
Tim: Yes
Scott: Do you believe we will get out of the elevator?
Tim: Yes
The elevator starts moving.
Tim: The Elevator! It’s moving!!
Scott: Yes, it does feel that way.
Tim: Every thing is going to be fine? We’re going to get out?
Scott: Yes it is. Yes we are.
Silent for a few seconds.
Tim: I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to panic.
Scott: It’s okay. It happens to all of us.
Tim: I liked that quote actually, who said it?
The elevator door opens, as Scott walks out he says:
Scott: Dolly Parton.
Scott walks out and so does Tim.
Tim: Thanks for the Lollypop!
Saying loudly for Scott to hear as he walks away. Scott walks the other direction, and
Tim walks another.
Tim goes to the front desk
Tim: I’m here for my interview, I’m sorry I’m a little late—
Voice behind desk: No, actually you are right on time. You may go right in through
that door.
Tim walks in, and sees Scott sitting at a desk.
Scott puts out his hand for a handshake.
Scott: You got the job!
Tim stands for a moment not believing what is happening. Scott extends his hand
and Tim takes it and they shake each others hands very happily.
Song plays: “Happy to be Stuck with you” by Huey Lewis and the News.
BLACKOUT.
THE END.
