copyright © 2002 Clinton A. Johnston

After the Show

By

Clinton A. Johnston

Setting

Backstage of some theater in Cleveland, Ohio; 3:00 a.m. during BuddyMon’s tour in support of his latest album.

 

Characters

Gillian Marsh — freelance writer on assignment for Rolling Stone; starts with will-I-ever-get-this-interview attitude

Susan Carnegie — manger for BuddyMon; starts with a mellow, end-of-the work day attitude

BuddyMon — up and coming reggae singer; starts unconscious

[Darkness.]

["A Piece of My Heart" sung by Janis Joplin starts to play.]

[Lights up]

[Sue and BuddyMon sit at a table. Sue sits SR, relaxed, sipping a beer. BuddyMon is collapsed and unconscious C. There is another chair and beer SL for Gillian]

[Enter Gillian from SR door. As she enters, she looks at BuddyMon to see if the music has caused him to stir.]

Sue

No need to hurry, Ms. Marsh. He’s still out cold.

Gillian

[Crossing and sitting down SL to her beer.]

Great. Any idea when the mighty giant will wake up?

Sue

Aww, don’t be like that. Tonight’s a good night.

Gillian

Susan, an hour and a half ago he finished his concert, took three encores, threw up twice, drank a hot tub’s worth of booze, and vanished for forty-five minutes. When we finally found him, the roadies were using him as a tool bench. This is a good night?

Sue

At least I know where he is. Plus, it’s 3:00 a.m., and he hasn’t threatened to quit yet tonight. All of the band is still talking to each other. There’ve been no fights, no cops to pay off, nothing ingested that cost over $30 to get, and no potential paternity suits that I’ve had to pull off of him in mid-copulation. And until I have to drag his increasingly valuable carcass off to the bus, all I have to do is sit here, drink my beer, and make sure he doesn’t drown in his own vomit. [Pause] See? It just takes the right perspective [Notices Gillian is staring at her] … What?

Gillian

I’m sorry. It was nothing. I thought …

Sue

What?

Gillian

Like I said, I’m sorry. It’s just … are you married?

Sue

[Slight pause]

Oh, things aren’t that desperate, sister. You’re gonna’ get your interview; you’ll just have to wait around for it.

Gillian

No, no, it’s not that. It’s … was your name always Carnegie?

Sue

[Slightly cautious]

No, actually, it used to be Fennell.

Gillian

"Susan Fennell?" Oh my God. You’re Seizure Sue.

Sue

Aww, Fuck.

Gillian

I knew it! You’re Seizure Sue from The Banshees!

Sue

Fucking rock writers. I don’t suppose you’ll let me get out of this.

Gillian

Let you get out of what? Man, The Banshees were great! And you … you and Carrie King were The Banshees. You didn’t chart as well, but you’ve out sold The Runaways and The Gogo’s. In ’85, people were calling you "Punk Rock’s Keith Richards." Randy Rhodes said you were one of the most exciting new guitarists playing.

Sue

Yeah, but that was after I blew him.

Gillian

But Rolling Stone said that on Bitches In Heat, you played with … wait… "the ferocity and passion of a jungle cat that’s been locked in your daughter’s bedroom, unfed, for the past sixteen years."

Sue

Oh come on, tell me that wasn’t written by some guy who wanted someone to blow him.

Gillian

God … Seizure Sue. I … I’ve wondered about you for years. What happened to you? Why didn’t you ever do a solo career?

Sue

[Slight pause]

It’s all her fault really?

Gillian

Whose, Carrie’s?

Sue

No. [Indicating Janis Joplin] Hers. You know, I actually saw her in concert. I was three. She must have made a great impression, because when I heard her records seven years later, it was like your mother’s voice or sister’s or your cousins. Hell, she was your whole goddamn family. It was like coming home. You ever see footage of her perform? You wanna’ talk about passion, that woman was like a heart released. And everyone fell in love with her. I wanted that so badly. I wanted to be just like her.

Gillian

Yeah, but why are you here? Why didn’t you …

Sue

I can’t sing. I can’t hold a tune with pliers, and you just don’t get solo careers when all you can do is play guitar. I mean, maybe if you’re Jeff Beck, but who the Hell listens to Jeff Beck? [Suddenly fears Gillian pities her.] Anyway, it’s not so bad. I’m still in the business, and taking care of this one is like baby sitting compared to just one month on the road with Carrie. You should have seen the things I pulled off of her. [Snapping back] But who cares, right? Hey, I’m not your story. I don’t wanna’ be in your story. He wakes up, you talk to him and only about him. That’s why you’re here. Don’t you forget that.

Gillian

I won’t. You don’t have to get all huffy. It’s all your fault … anyway.

Sue

What do you …

[BuddyMon stirs. Gets up. Looks around and stumbles off through SR exit]

Gillian

No matter how much I tried, I was never any damned good at the guitar.

[Music changes to Bob Marley’s "Three Little Birds." BuddyMon stumbles in back to his place.]

BuddyMon

Hey, girl. What’d ya’ change da tape for?

[BuddyMon collapses again on the table.]

Sue

[Pause]

Yep … it’s a good night.

[Blackout]

"After the Show" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

"After the Show" debuted April 12, 2002, performed by Annaliese Moyer, J.D. Ruelle and Clinton Johnston.

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