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Conrad A. Panganiban

Conrad A. Panganiban

playwright | conradap@gmail.com

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the gift cast image

The Gift

Posted on 07/01/2019 by Conrad

Download the script (PDF)

The Gift
A 10-minute Sci-Fi Drama Comedy
by Conrad A. Panganiban

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Ysa Manansala: Late teens to early 20’s. Female. Intelligent. Wise ass. Heart-transplant recipient and owner of a powerful gift.
Cora Ayala/Female: Mid 40’s. Female. Art collector. Stoic and matter-of-fact.
Noah/Male: Male. Assistant to Cora Ayala.

SETTING
1) The quad area of a college campus.
2) Fine arts gallery.

Lights are dimmed to show a pedestal with a figurine on it US.

USR is a female facing SR talking on her cellphone. USL is a male facing SL talking on his cellphone. DSC is YSA MANANSALA, a late teens to early twenties female sitting in the quad of her college reading a book with backpack at her feet. As FEMALE and MALE are having separate discussions, YSA goes through differing emotions based on these conversations.

FEMALE
I can’t believe that this is happening to me!

MALE
How can this be happening to me?

FEMALE
After all the auditions I’ve been on. After all the “You’re just not what we’re looking for right now.” Or the countless hours of checking my phone after the “Thanks, don’t call us, we’ll call you,” it’s finally paid off!

MALE
Correction. We were going to get married. I don’t know what happened. Look, if I knew I wouldn’t be talking to you now.
All she said was, “I think we need a break.”

FEMALE
I know crazy! So it was during my lunch break when the director called and asked if I’ve ever been to Orlando. Do you know what’s in Orlando? I swear I almost peed in my pants! Hold on. Did I? I don’t know? I don’t care. Holy shit! Dreams actually can come true!

MALE
Over the phone. I never thought that I’d break up over the phone. I never even thought that we’d ever break up. All these plans after graduation. Shot. All these dreams I had for us. Over. What am I gonna do, now?

FEMALE
Duh, I’m hella excited!

MALE
Numb. I can’t feel anything.

FEMALE
Stupid happy!

MALE
Fucking crappy.

FEMALE
It’s like I got all these emotions running all over my body…

MALE
And I wish I can make them… stop.

Lights out on FEMALE and MALE as YSA collapses from emotional overload.

Lights back up as NOAH, previously the MALE is moving the pedestal around the room and MS. CORA AYALA, previously the FEMALE, instructs him where to place it.

CORA
No. I wanted it over there. Wait. No. That doesn’t look right. Put it there. A little to the right. Please be careful. You don’t know what I did to get my hands on that piece of Philippine history.

Enter YSA on her cellphone.

YSA
I’m having dinner here too. Uhh, yeah. I’m spending the night here too. No, Mom. You don’t have to call her mom, she said that it’s cool for me to crash here. Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. I love you too. Bye.

After hanging up the cellphone, she turns to face CORA.

YSA (CONT.)
Uh, Ms. Ayala?

CORA quickly looks at YSA with a dismissive look.

CORA
The gallery is closed. Please leave. Thank you.
(To NOAH)
Put it back to where you had it before.

YSA
Ms. Ayala, I was just wondering if we can talk for a quick sec.

CORA
I have important business to attend to, Miss…?

YSA
Manansala. Ysa Manansala.

CORA
Noah, please show Miss Manansala the exit?

NOAH goes to YSA and takes her by the arm.

YSA
I knew Michael.

CORA
(To NOAH)
Wait. Help the others in the West Wing.

NOAH starts to exit.

CORA (CONT.)
Oh, and Noah, please check the front entrance for any more unwanted… visitors.

NOAH
Yes, Mam.

Exit NOAH

CORA
Miss Manansala, I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing here, but please make whatever you have to say about Michael expeditious.

YSA
Right. I just… Uh, I needed to tell you that…

CORA
Noah!

YSA
I have Michael’s heart!

CORA
What?

YSA
I’m the one with Michael’s heart. Not like in my bag or something cuz that would be like gross. But, the one he donated. I have it. Beating inside me.

CORA
So, you’re the one. I see.

YSA
That’s all? “I see.” I kinda figured that you’d be at least somewhat happy, or even thankful, that a part of your son is still alive.

CORA
I just don’t like to be reminded of the reason of how you have his heart.

YSA
I’m sorry. I was told that he died in an accident.

CORA
I figured that’s what they told you. But, a rope around the neck isn’t exactly an accident.

YSA
I… I didn’t know.

CORA
Well, luckily for you, the fall just snapped his neck. But as you can attest to, his heart just kept pumping.

YSA
Oh… kay. I can see that you two were “real” close.

CORA
Oh, we were. Ever since he was born, I tried to help him with this, let’s just say, extraordinary ability that I was afraid would only be seen in his lifetime. Something I think you already know.

YSA
Look, all I know is that a month after the transplant I fully recovered. The doctors didn’t even know what to make of it, and I sure as hell don’t. My mom, bless her Catholic soul, thinks that I’m like this miracle child.

CORA
And, you don’t believe in miracles?

YSA
Only if the miracle is whipped and in a jar. Ms. Ayala, I need to know what’s happening to me?

CORA
Consider yourself Blessed.

YSA
Uh, quite the contrary, how can I make these things stop?

CORA
Isa?

YSA
More like Eee-sa. It’s short for Ysabella.

CORA
Interesting. Well, Ysa, it is a part of you now. What you have, the part of my son, can never be stopped.

YSA
There has to be a way. I didn’t lie to my mom by coming all this way to find out that… I can’t live like this.

CORA
But without Micheal’s heart you were going to die anyway.
Think of his heart as a gift for you to live.

YSA
Then why did he commit suicide?

CORA
He’s dead because he didn’t want to become special.

YSA
Special? Did you see a yellow bus drop me off? I don’t want this thing that makes me special. All my life, I’ve just wanted to be normal. I’ve been in and out of hospitals watching other kids my age all over MTV doing the normal things like going to concerts, or even having a Super Sweet Sixteen, okay maybe that’s not normal, but you know what I mean. And now I have this new thing beating in me, which I thought would find normalcy, has turned me into a freak who can feel the emotions of everyone and everything around me.

CORA
As I said, it’s a gift. You will get used to it.

YSA
But, I don’t want to get used to it. I liked it better when I was a heartless bitch that didn’t care about people because I couldn’t be like them.
In time you kept trying of the gift Instead, he

CORA
will see the ultimate power of what you have. I to tell Michael just how special he was because he had. He could’ve been someone important.
just became a dissappointment.

YSA
What kind of mom, wait, you know, you’re not even worth calling that. What kind of thing are you?

CORA
Ysa, his, and now your ability, is far greater than any blood relations. What you have can change the world for the good of all humanity.

YSA
Wrong. Being a mother is the greatest thing in humanity because only a woman can bring humanity into this world.

CORA
I see that you have a better relationship with your mother than I had with Michael.

YSA
Duh? Stevie Wonder could’ve seen that. Look, I’m sorry if that was harsh, but me and my mom have been through a lot together. And I don’t want this ability, as you call it, to be another thing for her worry about.

CORA
All this time. I always believed that I was only trying to help my son. And now…

YSA
Feels a sensation in her heart.
Wow. I think he knows that you’re sorry. That got me right here.

CORA
As I said, there’s no way to stop it. But there is a way to control your gift.

YSA
Can we stop calling it a gift, please?

CORA
But it is. With Michael, he just didn’t understand this ability.

YSA
Ability. Gift. Whatever. I just want it to stop.

CORA
By feeling the emotions of others, you help heal them.

YSA
So what you’re saying is that people feel good when I take the suffering away from them.

CORA
In other words, yes.

YSA
Then in my other words, that sucks donkey liver! Sorry, I’m down for all that peace, love and happiness crap, but how did this become my cross to bear? I’m sure that fate could’ve chosen someone way more reliable, like I don’t know… Jesus Christ?

CORA
I think fate got it right in this case, Ysa. You said that you and your mom went through some hard times.

YSA
That’s none of your business, and I think that this conversation’s over.

YSA Picks up the artifact on the pedestal.

YSA (CONT.)
Either tell me how to stop this curse inside me or this is dust.

CORA
I know what it’s like to go through hell and back, and you can help your mom.

YSA
You don’t know anything about her.

CORA
But I know about you, and I know that you’d do anything for her. You can take away the pain she had after your father left you and her.

YSA
How’d you know about that?

CORA
After Michael died, we had to choose the perfect person who would be able to fulfill what was supposed to be his destiny. Uptil now, I have only been allowed to read parts of your file, but now I realize that you’re far too important to be used for the wrong reasons.

YSA
What the fuck are you talking about?!

CORA
It’s better if I show you.

YSA
The hell you will!

CORA closes her eyes and concentrates on the happiest of thoughts of someone able to heal the world of its problems which YSA feels immediately. In return, YSA passes the guilty feeling of saddness and regret caused by the death of Michael to CORA. Overcome by grief, CORA collapses.

YSA
Holy shit. What was that?

CORA
Slowly getting up.
You did that.

YSA
I did what?

CORA
Not only can you feel other people’s emotions, you can transfer emotions into others as well.

YSA
You mean I can make someone feel better just by thinking happy thoughts and then they can feel good.

CORA
Or the opposite as you have just demonstrated. You’ve passed your first test. Quite impressive.

YSA
Impressive? I don’t see anything impressive about creating a temporary patch for human feelings. It’s more like… just an emotional band-aid.

CORA
But you have to remember that the purpose of a band-aid is to eventually heal.

YSA
Not all cuts can be mended. Some are just too deep, leaving behind permanent scars.

CORA
Then let me teach you how to at least start the healing process. I know that you came here to stop this power, but think of what you are able to do. Instead of having the ability to start fights, you can end them. You ultimately have the power create peace and understanding in this intolerant world.

YSA
That’s impossible. The world is way bigger than just me to handle.

CORA
Believe me, your power isn’t only controlled by you.
Emotions can be contagious, like the sound of crying at a funeral or the laughter in a comedy club. It just needs someone to jump-start it in a positive direction. So, will you help me help you?

YSA
I swear if you screw me over, I’ll lay more guilt on you than all the Filipino parents have ever put on their children.

CORA
I know you can do that. So, you have my word. Do you know if you were being followed when you came here?

YSA
I didn’t think I was worth being followed.

CORA
You are now. Some people other than me know about your ability and will stop at nothing to use what you have for evil deeds. Are you and your Mom still living in Salinas?

YSA
How did you…?

CORA
We have to get her before they do, especially if they knew you were here. Noah!

Enter NOAH.

NOAH
Yes, Mam.

CORA
If anyone asks for me, tell them I’ll be out until Monday.

NOAH
Yes, Mam.

YSA and CORA exit quickly. NOAH checks to make sure that they have left and dials a number on his cellphone.

NOAH
Boss. You were right. The girl showed up here. No. They just left. I heard Salinas… Lights fade out

END OF PLAY

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Headshot of Conrad A. Panganiban

Conrad A. Panganiban (he/him/his) is an award-winning Filipino American playwright representing the San Francisco Bay Area. His plays include Daryo’s All-American Diner, Welga, and River’s Message. Conrad’s work has been produced by Bindlestiff Studio, The Chikahan Company, CIRCA Pintig (IL), the MaArte Theatre Collective, and CATS (Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene) . Awards include: Best Play of 2023, Daryo’s All-American Diner (BroadwayWorldAwards Chicago), Best New Play, Daryo’s All-American Diner (Chicago Reader, Best of 2023), Susan Fairbrook Playwright Fund Awardee (TheatreWorks Silicon Valley), 2023 New Voices in Comedy Writing Fellowship (Killing My Lobster), James Milton Highsmith Award Winner (SFSU), National Ten-Minute Play Festival Finalist (Actors Theatre of Louisville), and Bay Area Playwrights Festival Semi-Finalist (Playwrights Foundation). Resident Artist: Bindlestiff Studio. Member: Dramatist Guild of America, and Theatre Bay Area. MFA, San Francisco State University. @consplayspace

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Scripts on this website are copyright protected and may not be reproduced, distributed, disseminated, altered or performed without the author’s prior written permission. conradap@gmail.com

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