The Piano

Characters:

Hala: A 19 year old female, with blonde hair. An artist who plays the
piano, and sings,
And considers music her life.

Sarah: A 19 year old female, with Mediterranean looks, long curly light
brown hair and
A great body. She is more on the intelligent side, tends to be the one
generally
With a better understanding of the world.

Shahira: Younger sister to Sarah, 16 years old. Overweight, with
shoulder length curly
Brown hair. Has a massive crush on Ricky Martin. Wants to be a
Hollywood
Superstar, has narcissistic tendencies.

The three girls tend to be characterized with insecurity and low
self-esteem. The three are Egyptian taking a summer course at
UCLA.

Setting: 18th of July 2000. An apartment in Los Angeles. A sitting room
connected to a bedroom. The bedroom containing three beds.

(Inside an apartment in Los Angeles, it's midnight.
The curtain opens on a glazed Hala dressed in nightwear,
Staring into nothing on her bed. She Lies Down.
Immediately the house door unlocks. A very excited looking Shahira,
holding a Ricky Martin poster book and her Camera, walks in, followed
by A very drowsy Sarah. They lock the door behind them and Shahira
throws her jacket on the couch. They are both dressed up.
Meanwhile Hala stirs in bed as she hears them locking the door.
Both girls are heading towards the bedroom)

Hala
(Not very enthusiastically, almost like she has a lot on her mind) Eeh
dah, you guys are back already? How was it?
Shahira
(Face lights up, without hesitation, almost rushing)
It was amaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazing. Hala you cannot imagine how amazing it
was.
Sarah
(walks over to the wardrobe)
(Interrupting) You should have seen her the moment she walked into the
concert. She held onto my hand, da, even before she see's him, and she
kept saying. (Mockingly) "Oh my god I'm gonna faint, really, my
heart... my heart... it's gonna stop"(They all laugh)
Hala
So is he good looking?
Shahira
Oh my God, ya Hala Ricky looks nothing like the pictures. He is a lot
taller and more muscular, and he has the most incredible arms. (Sigh)
Every time he'd step on stage I'd just wish you would have been there
to see just why I like him so much.
Hala
Well maybe Sarah can tell me. So was it any good?
Sarah
It sucked. You know how much I hate him and it wasn't helping that his
music was blaring in my ears
Shahira
(Glaring at Sarah waiting for a change in reply, Sarah looks the other
way still standing at the wardrobe, rolls her eyes and pretends to pick
out something to wear) Come on, cut the guy some slack, you have to
admit he was very gorgeous and he's a great performer. (Sarah continues
rummaging through clothes and ignores her. Shahira getting frustrated)
Come on you have to give him at least that much credit. He is
good-looking isn't he?? Isn't he?
Hala
Is he? Sarah you will really disappoint me if you admit to that.
Actually I can only trust it coming from you.
Sarah
(Almost finding trouble in saying so)
He is good-looking.
Hala
Really?
Sarah
Yep, I have to admit he is quite good-looking, he has something Marlon
Brando about him.
Hala
Get out of here!!!! Never
Shahira
Uha, I even thought he had something Brad Pitt about him but Sarah
would never admit to something like that now would she!!!
Sarah
Never he looks nothing like him. His music however still sucked, he
doesn't have a great voice. I have to give him credit for his energy
though; he was jumping up and down and dancing on stage like a
monkey.
Shahira
Oh and he actually looked at me and smiled!!!
Hala
Really?
Sarah
(Rolls her eyes) It was dark Shahira you were five rows away, he
couldn't have possibly been looking at you because he would never have
been able to see you.
Shahira
You don't believe me do you, he really did. It's almost like we had a
special connection, cos I know so much about him I was reacting
perfectly to everything he did, and I guess that is why he
smiled.
(An uncomfortable silence, Hala's expression changes to mellow)
Well, I'm gonna go and work on my Spanish I have a quiz tomorrow. I'm
so not in the mood to study. My God I can just sit and think about him
all night.
(She walks out singing "go, go, go, ale ale, go, go, go, ale ale
ale...)
Hala
So it's good you had fun.
Sarah
Yep the kind of fun I would have done without but it was a nice night.
So how did you spend your day?
(Sarah is picking up the rubbish in the living room, looks disappointed
after picking up Shahira's Jacket.)
(Yelling) Come take your jacket, this is the last time I'm picking up
after you!
Hala
Nothing, I went over to Sherien's and we worked on our business
assignment.
Sarah
You really shouldn't kill yourself over the projects you get assigned,
I mean the professors understand that it's the summer and that you are
here to have fun rather than study.
Hala
But I can't let my parents down ya Sarah. They'll kill me. They spent a
huge amount of money on this trip. I would personally feel terribly
guilty if I don't pass.
Sarah
Yes Hala, I understand that, I don't want to fail either, you know how
much I want to graduate. Everyone knows how much I want to graduate,
and yet I seem to be enjoying myself more than you. Ya Hala we are in
the States for the first time, you should try and have more fun. So did
you not get to finish the assignment? (Shahira walks in smiling and
sits on the couch with her books in her hand)
Hala
No, I didn't get to finish it.
You know these girls are so amazing.
Sarah
Who?
Hala
Sherien, Mona and Nadia.
Sarah
Yeah? Why? (almost with a raise of the eyebrow)
Hala
God really loves these people, they are so religious, they depend on
God in everything and he never fails them, isn't it amazing.
Sarah
Yeah, alhamdullilah. They sound like really spiritual girls, I'm happy
for them.
Hala
They gave me a misaliyah today, so that I wouldn't miss out on the
prayer.
(Shahira hides her head in the book almost as if in anticipation of
what is to come next)
You know, I was talking to Sherien and I was telling her how
desperately I wanted to play the piano cos I was so depressed and that
it would definitely be something to soothe the tension with the
studying and she said, that the piano, was haram. She said I could
employ my time doing something better like praying or by
studying.
Shahira
(Quickly shocked and enraged)
How could they tell you that!! They are such hypocrites, the other day
when we went to Mona's birthday party they were listening to music
weren't they? They were dancing to music, di Sherien di specifically
was dancing like anything on her birthday, was that good employment of
her time. My God I don't believe how she could say this right after you
told them how much it means to you!
Sarah
Exactly!! Ya3ni If you really want someone to love God do you tell them
to give up on the most special thing to them? I mean they look at you,
you are not wearing the hijab, we don't pray, not right now anyway, and
the first thing they ask you to do is give up on the piano? How
trivial!! If they weren't so dogmatic, they would have known
better!!
Hala
It's not the piano so much as I felt so low and underminded you
know.
You see I just don't think they understand how much it means to
me.
Sarah
They can never understand that because they don't have that talent,
they don't know anything about it because if they really did they would
have never said something like that to you.
Hala
I don't know they just made me feel low like I was acquainted with the
devil. The thing is I know I believe in God and I want to be a good
Muslim but after I left I felt so low.
I don't know I just felt really depressed. (Pause) I think I'm gonna go
to bed.
(Hala lies down on bed. Shahira goes offstage)
Shahira
(Calling out) You guys do you want to work on the posters for Egyptian
night now or shall we leave it till later?
Sarah
Whatever, but isn't it too late now?
Shahira:
We have to make a start, it's in three days time and we haven't done a
thing about it yet.
Sarah
Khalas ok, get the stuff. (Looks at Hala who is trying to sleep) It
isn't just the piano ya Hala is it?
Hala
(Almost screaming and breaking into tears. Sits up) No Sarah it isn't
just that. Ya Sarah I'm so useless. My life is worthless. I can never
once feel good about myself. It turns out the only thing I love is
wrong, I'm just so stupid.
Sarah
How can you even say that, you are very talented you are very beautiful
you shouldn't say this about yourself?
Hala
(By now in tears. Hala sits on the floor) Ya Sarah look at me. I'm 19,
and my life means nothing, I have achieved nothing. I don't know what
is wrong with me, nothing has ever gone right in my life nothing
does.
Sarah
What have I done with my life? I'm 19 too aren't I? You have to
understand that not everyone achieves something by the time they are
19. There are people in our very university who have failed, years in a
row, you are 19 and you will be graduating in less than a year, how
many people get to do that? (Shahira comes in holding papers and
markers in her hands. Places them on the floor and sits next to
Hala)
Hala
La ya Sara, you are beautiful, you have an amazing body, you get along
with your parents, and you have Shahira. For God's sake you had an
Italian tell you that he wishes girls in Italy looked like you. You are
not like me. There just never seems to be an end to this depression. I
put so much hope on this stupid university and it so was not what I
expected it to be, I walk around the campus like a zombie, I fall in
love with guys who are totally screwed and they end up ruining my life.
Every time I try to diet and think I'm gonna loose weight, I gain it
double and feel like a whale. I wanted to come to the states and I
thought everything would be better here, and yet nothing seems to
change I'm still depressed, and I hate it. I want to be genuinely happy
if just for one day.
Sarah
Hala, you try too hard. You sooo feel the need to be in a relationship
that you make it seem like it's the end of the world. You have to
understand that you are special, you do not need someone else to
complete you and make you feel special.
Shahira
Hala!!!! For God's sake, I'm twice your size and you don't see me
complaining so much, come on. I mean we came here and look how
appreciated we are, we walk in the streets and people are telling us
"you are beautiful". It's just that we don't have the type of character
that Egyptian girls tend to have. We do not know how to get Egyptian
men, and believe me after being treated like a queen here I don't know
if you should want to.
Hala
People are telling you and Sarah that you are beautiful, I look so
common, and there is nothing special about me...
Shahira
(Shahira interrupts with a raise of the eyebrow) Las Vegas? That
doesn't ring a bell?
Hala
(Relaxes, in recognition of what Shahira points out) It's not just the
guys, it's just that in my failure in getting the guys I realize the
failure that I am. Every time I try to be someone or something, it just
never works out. I don't know who I am.
Sarah
It's only a phase, every single teenager goes through it. I would
actually be worried if you were 19 and knew who you were and understood
yourself.
(Sarah sits on the floor with them. Shahira has already started on
hers)
Shahira
Yeah, everyone goes through it, even the elite of people, remember that
movie girl interrupted, both Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie, said they
went through it in real life. I mean you know Winona Ryder went so far
as to admit herself into a mental hospital because she was convinced
she was crazy. Believe me you are ok.
Hala
Well if this is a phase then it's a pretty long one, I've been this way
ever since I was 16. (She pauses to compose herself) You guys, I'm
really sorry, you probably think I'm stupid. You should go to bed you
have class tomorrow.
(She gets off the floor and heads for the bed and sits on it)
Sarah
(Sarah stands up heads towards Sarah and sits next to her)
Hala, I won't let you sleep with a heavy head!! You have to understand
just what a great person you are. You are so talented, you see
sometimes I just wish I could be like you. You are an incredible
person. You are special, you are beautiful, and you should not let
anyone convince you otherwise, gorgeous crush or not! It's all because
of that astronaut guy that sits next to you in class. Isn't it?
Hala
(Smiles knowingly in Sarah's direction) You are the last one to speak
Sarah!!! And his name is Armstrong. (Short pause) Now that I've calmed
down I feel really stupid. You know that feeling, when you really need
to cry, talk to someone and clear your thoughts out, and then you just
feel really stupid, like it was unnecessary.
Shahira
Heck, I sure don't think you are stupid, I feel stupid myself for
throwing a tantrum this afternoon before the concert because I thought
I looked ugly. You see you are such a good person you sat down with me
and made me change my mind and I went out and had fun.
Hala
I guess it's my turn to cry now. (Pause) It's just so depressing, I
can't get along with my parents, I'm 19 and I still have to beg to
leave home and go out with my friends, I can't help but imagine when
I'm in my 50's and my mother is still asking me to come back by ten.
It's crazy. (Pause) You know but I don't actually feel stupid about
this, I feel glad I talked this out, I was totally ruining this summer
for you guys with my mood swings.
Shahira
Is this anything new, you always ruin our summer, depressed or
not!!!
(Playfully, she says this while picking up the materials, putting them
in a drawer and heading towards her bed)
Sarah
You know better than to say that. I mean can you imagine how terrible
our summer would have been without you!! Come on who would have
continuously felt a need to put Shahira's musical taste back on track,
or who would always switch channels from MTV to VH1...actually Shahira
can do that. (Sarcastically)
Hala
You know what I don't know what I would have done without you guys. I'm
so sorry I ruined your night for you you were so happy.
Sarah
Don't say that. Ricky's voice was enough to ruin my night.
Shahira
(She glares at Sarah and then turns to Hala)
See if you had come with us to the concert like I told you you wouldn't
have had to go through this now would you.
Hala
(Sarcastically) Yeah Ricky Martin with his $10,000 Armani leather
pants, would have made me feel a lot better, the guy was practically a
superstar by the time he was twelve.
Shahira
You see I wanted to tell you something when we were talking, but I
didn't know whether it was appropriate at the time or not.
Sarah
Not Ricky again is it?
Shahira
What do you think?
Sarah and Hala
Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!!!
Hala
You never stop talking about him do you. (Laughing) You'll grow out of
it.
Shahira
I'm proud to be a fan of Ricky's and I don't care whether people think
he is a sappy pop sensation or not. I like him and I will continue to
like him.
Hala
Yep I guess I know just what you're talking about.
Sarah
Are you feeling better?
Hala
Yeah I think so, I needed that.
Sarah
Are you gonna go to class tomorrow?
Hala
I have a holiday tomorrow. I guess I'll just stay at home and thank my
lucky stars that I wasn't Winona Ryder when she was 19! Ha ya
Shahira?
Shahira
Or Ricky for that matter, he was totally depressed when he was your
age.
Sarah
Yeeeh, good night.
Hala
Yep, just what I was going to say.
Shahira
No really (during speech lights fade out and conversation fades) he was
soo depressed he used to paint all these really...

CURTAIN