Zeid Abughazaleh – Digital Marketer – Screenwriter

(This play utilizes both live performance and recorded video projected on a screen on stage to mimic a television that gives the characters access to the past. Filmed scenes are bolded)

Donny walks through the door, terrified. He throws his hat on the floor and starts taking off his jacket before The Machine catches his eye. With half an arm in and half out of the jacket he runs over to it and trips on the floor. He crawls to the remote and gets himself up, taking his jacket fully off. He cleans himself up and takes a deep breath. The screen turns on, 

We see Donny in an office meeting room surrounded by his peers. There is a bottle of whiskey on the table, empty. They all start discussing an important case.

DONNY

I’m telling yous. I’ll win this case. You know how confident I am with it? Tell me all the facts now then shred the papers because I don’t NEED EM. 

His peers start cheering for him as another peer walks in with another bottle of whiskey. 

The screen stops. It cuts to Donny in bed.

Donny: No. No. Where’s the rest? Where’s the middle parts? 

He tries to rewind the video but it always stops for three seconds right before he wakes up and after the second bottle comes in. 

Donny: Oh god. What am I going to do?  I’m screwed. There goes my job.  Wait, Dotty! Dotty! 

He starts searching the apartment for her. Dotty walks through the door and notices all of Donny’s stuff scattered around and The Machine paused at him in bed. 

Dotty: Donny. You home?

Donny: DOT! Oh thank God I need your help. It’s the machine. It’s broken. 

Dotty: What do you mean it’s broken? How did you break it? What did you do now?

Donny: I didn’t do anything! Well, I did, but not to The Machine! I’m trying to remember something but every time I try to rewind to it, it just skips to the next day. 

Dotty: Were you drunk?

Donny: Might’ve been a bit tipsy.

Dotty: How serious is this memory? Is this a joke you forgot the punch line to or the name of your client?

Donny: It’s, all the evidence on my client, for my case tomorrow. 

Dotty: You don’t have any paper evidence? 

Donny: We kind of shredded it. I bet my job I could win this case. Help?

Dotty: Donald Anthony Sublime how could you?

Donny: I’m sorry Dotty I really wasn’t thinking. I mean, I’ve been so comfortable winning cases with this thing that I was sure it would help this time too. What’s broken with it? 

Dotty: Your drunken memories can’t be projected to you because they don’t exist. 

Donny: So I’m doomed?

Dotty: Not exactly. Who was the most sober person there? Maybe we could get him to rewind his memories and try to get what we can. 

Donny: I am nothing without you Mrs. Sublime. 

Dotty: You’re right about that. Go to the office, try to find someone from that night that was sober enough. I’ll try to work some things out here, maybe I can trick it. I’ve been developing this new crystal for it. Might just give us the boost we need. 

Donny: I know exactly who to get. This bastard can outdrink a Russian and run a marathon the next day. Joseph Rallaway!

Dotty: Run.