(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

Poem - Voices of Insecurity

[Girls all stood in a line, with emotion. The poem builds and builds, lines run
over each other, gets louder.]
CLARE: Trapped, ladylike, makeup, cleaning, quiet, dieting.
STEPH: If you want boys to like you, you need to do it like this
CELIA: I should have fought for my own feelings but instead I just said Ok and stayed
until the morning.
SARAH: I turned the corner and two of his friends ended up cornering me.
NYLA: One of the guys grabbed her and kissed her after she tried to fight him off
EMILY: I thought I was such a freak and immature.
ADAIRE: I cant believe I bumped into him looking like this. I wish I was wearing
makeup.
STEPHANIE: You look like a slut; go upstairs and change.
MICHELLE: I've always had a hard time locating the beauty in myself.
OLIVIA: Agreeing rather than arguing cause its just easier that way.
NYLA: She was still going through issues connected to when she had been anorexic
and bulimic.
EMILY: I dont put my whole self on display because I want them to like me.
STEPHANIE: Harsh words, broken bruised heart, and one hit and I came back
CELIA: I quieted myself constantly to a point where I didnt say how I really felt
[Recording of these lines starts to layer over the live voices, added sound
effects of factory, the lines become distorted and robotic, until the sound is
like that in a factory.]
Movement: Factory line making women
WOMEN are moved along the conveyer belt, molded into the correct shape
by MASKED FIGURES, and form two vertical lines (almost like military.)
VOICEOVER: Welcome to the annual Social Conformity Awards! Please welcome your
host, for the 2014th time... the Patriarchy!
Patriarchy opening speech

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

VOICEOVER: Thanks for having meagain. You know, people ask me, what makes
you so successful, so powerful? How do you stay on top, year after year? Its all
thanks to you gals and it all boils down to one simple sentence. Know! Your! Place!
Everyone! Know! Your! Place! Again! Louder! I cant hear you (hand cupped to
ear) Cmon ladies! You nag your husbands louder than that! Except for you spinsters,
of course. I guess you nag your cats. Ba-dum-dum! Am I right guys? Dont pussy out
on me now! You know I am! Alright, I wont make you admit it in front of the gals. After
all, they hold the keys to the magic kingdom, dont they? Nudge, nudge, wink, wink!
(loud groans and boos) Okay, calm down girls. No one like a shrew! Now on with
the show! (Music up as Patriarchy leads audience in Know Your Place!as he
exits the stage.)
Poem - The most beautiful thing about me #1
[Girls still in vertical line, frozen like dolls, no emotion:]
STEPH: The most beautiful thing about me is- (silence)
EMILY: The most beautiful thing about me is- (silence)
NYLA: The most beautiful thing about me is- (silence)
CELIA: The most beautiful thing about me is- (silence)
Blackout. WOMEN exit, except for CLARE and OLIVIA.
Scene - Mirror
[Two girls looking in mirror]
CLARE: You could be a model if you lost 30 pounds
OLIVIA: Leggings are not pants, I can see your vagina.
CLARE: You have such a pretty face, but
OLIVIA: Your hair is so beautiful, never cut it!
CLARE: Youre SO pretty if you just lost some weight.
Blackout.
Scene - Math Class At least youre pretty
Two chairs set up diagonally.

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

SARAH: (writing on the board as teacher) Okay, I need you to do 1 through 15 in

the next 20minutes until class ends
ADAIRE: Its like crazy, right, do you get any of this?
JAGGER: Uh, yeah I guess, I mean I think you just have toSARAH: ADAIRE! I need you to focus on your paper, okayADAIRE: I was justSARAH: You have 20minutes, come on.
ADAIRE turns back around to JAGGER
JAGGER: It doesnt matter if youre not good at Math, at least youre pretty.
ADAIRE: smiles and turns around. Stands up and performs:
Monologue - But I am held down
ADAIRE: I have my own mind, I want to use it. I have my own ideas, thoughts, opinions.
I dont want someone else telling me what is right. I want to decide what I think is
right. I want to use my mind for good. I want to use it to help. I want the freedom of
doing so. But I am held down.
MASKED FIGURES come on stage and start clearing chairs, they push SARAH
and JAGGER off stage but forget about ADAIRE.
VOICEOVER: Welcome back everyone! And to you ladies too, hahaha. Youre watching
the 2014 Social Conformity awards. We apologize for that sudden commercial break, as
our winner in the category of best Accidental Social Conformity (MASKED FIGURES
run back on stage and usher ADAIRE off stage) decided to suddenly run wild and
start spouting opinions in her acceptance speech. But you know how women are,
always blathering away, thinking that their pretty little female thoughts count as
opinions. But lets move on, shall we?
Scene - Mascara
(S is sitting in front of mirror begrudgingly doing makeup and E walks in and
is amazed)
EMILY: You do it so perfectly. Can you please show me? Show me!
STEPHANIE: You need to do it like this. (hands E mascara). You take the mascara and
brush it along your lashes.

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

EMILY: Its making me nervous.

STEPHANIE: If you want boys to like you, you need to do it like this.
EMILY: But I dont want to do it every day.
STEPHANIE: (shrugs) If you want boys to like you.
(EMILY smudges it)
STEPHANIE: You better wipe that off before Dad gets home.
(STEPHANIE picks up make-up and leaves EMILY, who stands up and watches
the next scene)
Scene - Lets Rewind This
Song: Steaming Blues, The Hot 8 Brass Band
ADAIRE and JAGGER play Boy and Girl. NYLA and SARAH join EMILY on stage
as spectators. They dont react to the scene.
[Boy and girl at party
Girl flips hair/boy notices
Girl moves/boy checks her out
Boy catcalls/girl hears
Boy moves towards her/girl backs up
Boy puts his arm around her
Girl isnt into it/Boy gets pissed, points at boobs, etc
Boy grabs hand, girl goes with him, looks back, leave]
MICHELLE (VOICEOVER): Alright, lets rewind this and break down whats really
happening. Rewind. All the way back to the beginning. Lets look.
Play. Pause. To sexualize. Verb
Play. Pause, To sexualize: verb
Play. Pause. To objectify: verb
Play. Pause. To catcall: verb
Play. Pause. To intimidate: verb
Play. Pause. To pressure: verb
Play. Pause. To slut-shame: verb
Play. Pause. Shame: noun, feeling of worthlessness
Play. Pause. Quiet: adjective
Play. Pause. Submissive: adjective
Play. Pause. Invisible: adjective

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

EMILY suddenly reacts to what just happened and makes a move as to go

after ADAIRE but MASKED FIGURES catch her and push her off-stage.
NYLA and SARAH run forward and start flipping imaginary rope. OLIVIA runs
on stage and jumps in.
Movement - Cheerleading/Jump rope rhyme
NYLA and SARAH as rope holders (singing), OLIVIA jumping:
Cinderella, dressed in yellow
Got too drunk and kissed a fellow
Went too far, the condom breaks,
How many mistakes did she make?
(count until OLIVIA messes up, OLIVIA remains on the floor, head down. NYLA
and SARAH run off laughing as CELIA stands left of OLIVIA and delivers
monologue:
Monologue - One mistake
CELIA: My mom made one mistake, but that mistake impacted how I conduct my
relationships to this day. I know she was only doing the best with what she had. But
synapses are formed young and it is now incredibly important to me that we stop
blaming women for staying in abusive relationships. So I go on and slog through this
learned helplessness I was taught with the aid of the four words just dont say
anything.
BEN walks on from downstage wing, so that audience never sees his face.
Stands between CELIA and OLIVIA with back facing audience.
Movement - I should have walked away
Song - Gravity by Sara Bareilles
BEN centre, CELIA and OLIVIA either side. CELIA and OLIVIA are drawn in and
then pushed away, they keep coming back. CELIA eventually decides to walk
away. OLIVIA continues to be discarded then pulled back, it becomes more
and more violent as she falls to the floor, but she keeps coming back, until
she is just hanging off the man. CELIA is free, and BEN sees her as she circles
the couple. BEN walks off, leaving OLIVIA on the floor.
Movement - Fear shutting you down
STEPHANIE, CLARE and MICHELLE start their daily routine: wake up, brush
teeth, pour coffee, get on T. Fear grips them when they are on the T, and
they are pulled back to the beginning. The routine begins again, but this time
the fear shuts them down at coffee. A third time, and they dont get past
brushing their teeth. Finally, they cant even get out of bed.

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

Over this movement piece, OLIVIA delivers monologue from the ground.
OLIVIA: I need to tell you that Im crumbling, and youre doing it to me. It was you who
built me and made me strong enough to hold on, to touch, to speak, to explain, to feel,
to love. But was it too much? Did I do something wrong? Have I said something? I dont
feel you there when I reach out any more, and every time I feel the empty space, a part
of me crumbles. And Im panicking. Im slipping back to the paranoia and insecurity that
was there before you and it feels like this vicious circle where your distance is causing
me to shrink but my shrinking is pushing you away. I know you werent going to be there
holding me forever but I thought you would wait until I was strong enough to stand on
my own. Were not finished. Im not ready. Im scared that once I am a pile of rubble it
will be so long before I ever have the strength to build myself again. Im crumbling, and
its you.
MICHELLE stands up. MASKED FIGURES come on and move STEPHANIE and
CLARE offstage. NYLA and RENATO walk on from either side, face the front as
if looking in the mirror, washing hands etc.
Scene - Restrooms
MICHELLE as androgynous individual walks into womens room
NYLA: Oh, dude, sorry, this is the womens room
MICHELLE walks into mens room.
RENATO: Lady, this is the mens room. Womens room is next door
MICHELLE steps forward and delivers:
Monologue - Ill keep reaching
MICHELLE: Freedom is an orb of light thats just beyond my fingertips. Ill keep
reaching. I long for the day when I can say free, free at last
MASKED FIGURES come on and move MICHELLE off stage.
Scene - Im done!
STEPH is sitting on chair, three MASKED FIGURES surround her. Without
speaking, they pick at her, while VOICEOVERS of men and women criticize
her, telling her how to improve herself. She tries to defend herself until finally
she cannot take it any longer and yells Im done! Im done! Im done!
MASKED FIGURES are blown off stage with the force of her words.
At the same time, on either side of this grouping, we have two MASKED
FIGURES, one pushing ADAIRE, the other pushing OLIVIA, towards center

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

stage. On the first Im done, OLIVIA and ADAIRE hold their hands up to the
MASKED FIGURES. On the second Im done they stand up and push the
MASKED FIGURES off stage. On the third Im done they turn back around
and look at each other and STEPH. Then all three of them say together with
determination:
ALL: Im done.
Poem - Voices of Empowerment
Song - Wonder, by Emelie Sand
As song begins, STEPH, OLIVIA and ADAIRE begin to see themselves anew, in
wonder of their own selves. One by one, WOMEN come on stage and deliver
their line.
>>>>>> Ideally would have had more lines from the Sexuality/Womanhood
prompt but was missing from Dropbox <<<<<<
EMILY: I like wearing skirts, makeup and form fitting clothes because I really feel
confident in how I want to represent myself.
SARAH: I no longer let men on the train scrunch me smaller in my seat. I push back
with my thigh cause Im not about that shit.
ADAIRE: I feel confident saying no to sex, and I can also flaunt it to get some when in
the mood, because a girl has needs!
MICHELLE: When I look at my graduate class, I am so delighted to see so many
women. Educated, smart, creative, caring, innovative, dont-fuck-with-me women.
NYLA: Every day I learn more and more about the woman I want to be and am
becoming and its completely against societal ground rules of what it means to be a
woman or lady like - I never liked that term lady like, I dont believe in it. Only
because I do the complete opposite of what societys rules say a lady should do.
STEPH: My short hair is fabulous, and anyone who says otherwise can step off. It does
not make me any less of a woman in any way, and I look great, and I dont have to deal
with knots in my hair, so...
CELIA: It feels like ordering food online. You know, that freedom to pick and choose at
your convenience, and even write down special instructions. You dont have to deal with
the other person at all, and they have to deal with your order.
Scene - Funny Women
CLARE facing front, SARAH hidden behind her. WOMEN (who are still all
onstage) turn to look at action.

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

VOICEOVER: Women arent funny, Tina Fey is only funny cause she acts like a guy
SARAH rises behind CLARE, goes in Stephs face with clares inner
monologue:
SARAH: Someone once told me women arent funny, and that Tina Fey is only funny
because she acts like a man! Well I would like to oh so kindly tell this person that A.
Tina Fey is a god. B. That the heat was such a funnier movie than This is the end
ever could be. (CLARE joins in first nervously, then with power) C. I partook in a
comedy show with only women, we sold out our show, had people standing to watch it.
And it went so well that we are having another show this semester! (CLARE on her own
now) D. Oh and go fuck yourself you jerk-off.
WOMEN cheer for CLARE.
Scene - On the T
CELIA, STEPHANIE, EMILY and MICHELLE as people on the T, holding on to
handle.
VOICEOVER: Next stop Boylston
STEPHANIE, EMILY and MICHELLE transform into human bubbles and
alternately Bwoop, Meep and Doodeloo while bumping into CELIA. After
a while, CELIA pops one bubble at a time and bubbles shrink after being
popped. Then they freeze.
CELIA: I reached a point of fed-upness and I will no longer allow men to dominate my
space on the train. I deserve every inch of that seat that barely fits my ass anyway and
no businessman who feels it necessary to display his dominance through that open leg
stance is going to squish me in. A simple excuse me usually does the trick, but if that
doesnt work I will go right on ahead and mimic his stance. Theres a little moment of joy
every time those flat front slacks close right up.
VOICEOVER: Entering Boylston
Everyone sheepishly grabs handles again. WOMEN onstage cheer for CELIA.
As the cheering dies down, WOMEN become reflective and gradually take out
pieces of paper and pens.
Poem - Letter to my 13 year old self:
MICHELLE: Dear Michelle
ADAIRE: Dear Younger Adaire
CELIA: Dear Celia (From future Celia)
OLIVIA: Hey Olivia!

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

STEPHANIE: Hey Steph

EMILY: Emily,
STEPH: Hey Dude,
CLARE: Hey Kid
NYLA: Ny,
SARAH: Dear you,
CELIA: Girl, youll never IMAGINE how cool you turned out.
NYLA: Your body is starting to go through some changes, embrace it.
EMILY: You are learning to own your shit, not be ashamed about it.
MICHELLE: You will be happy, but you will go through and have already gone through
periods of despair. Dont give in or give up.
SARAH: Be brave. Take risks.
CLARE: You may want to take it easy on your hair and accept that humidity and curls
will never co-exist.
STEPHANIE: You deserve more than you think you do
STEPH: I guess what Im saying is that who you are is just fine. You have plenty of time
to grow into it. You can do this.
OLIVIA: So hang in there, follow your instincts,
MICHELLE: Well never meet, per se, but we will synthesize and be one, always.
ADAIRE: Youll get through. Im here, so I know.
CLARE: I carry you with me. Youll survive, or I wouldnt leave you there.
WOMEN fold up their letters and put it back in their pockets, or in their shirts.
Movement - Fuck yeah, I am exactly who I want to be
Song - Happy, by Pharrell Williams
Each WOMAN dances on their own then passes on the energy to another
WOMAN until everyone has danced, then everyone acts out the thing that
makes them most happy, then dances into a horizontal straight line and
freeze like dolls.
Poem - The most beautiful thing about me #2/In my mind
ALL: The most beautiful thing about me is -

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

[GIRLS start to unfreeze as they say their line with feeling]

ADAIRE: My laugh. It's beautiful because it's contagious and it makes me and others
happy.
CLARE: My self-knowledge. I know my flaws and I know my strengths and I know when
to clue others in so I don't upset them or so they can help me.
NYLA: My eyes. They're extremely Middle Eastern and big. I think most of my emotion
or the state I'm in is reflected in my eyes.
MICHELLE: My mind. The years have developed and burnished it with knowledge,
awareness of the complexities of the world we live in, and compassion for those who
fumble, struggle, and strive through the forest with me. And that is beauty.
Future WOMEN walk the front as they say their line:
STEPH: In my mind I'll finally be completely comfortable in my own skin
CELIA: I am changing. I am changing policies. I am changing people
ADAIRE: I have not lost weight. I have no time to hate myself.
SARAH: I will be better in mind and soul.
EMILY: I will be curious and obstinate still, but more patient, more steady,
OLIVIA: I have found a place to call home
STEPHANIE: I will be outspoken and frank
CLARE: I will be surrounded by people that support me,
MICHELLE: I want to keep trying new things. I don't know what it will be, but I can
dream.
Movement - Power (Music: Gold, from Once):
Start in pairs or threesomes. Groups join up. Until there is one person in
power. Then the masses are in power. Then suddenly no one has the power
(or the power is within them). People start to move around, gradually having
relationships with people. Sometimes there are fleeting power struggles...
people go their aid and rescue them.

(Em)Power - Playmaking Final Project - Elise Bragard

Last image is everyone still, contemplating where their power comes from. At
peace.