Our Bodies, Yourselves Preview

Our Bodies, Yourselves by Elaine Romero

Our Bodies, Yourselves was commissioned by Broken Nose Theatre in Chicago for Bechdel Fest 4: The Boiling Point

CHARACTERS

Theresa—Clothing optional stance. Any race.

Camilla—Nudist only stance. Latina, native New Mexican and all that means.

Ana—I’ve got kids in the car stance. From California with local DNA. Descended from native New Mexicans and all that means.

TIME Present

PLACE A hot spring.

LOCATION New Mexico, USA.

(Theresa and Camilla soak in a hot spring. They look across at the rock formations.)

CAMILLA: I see Apaches. Dancing.

THERESA: You’re just trying to be all local. Brag about your DNA.

…

I see peacocks.

CAMILLA: Where?

(She leans into Theresa.)

THERESA: Right beneath the Mesa. Next to the lone pine.

CAMILLA: That pine is protected by that rock in front of it. From the wind. No mystery about that.

(Theresa tries to see it from Camilla’s view.)

THERESA: I want to see what you see.

CAMILLA: It takes a lifetime to learn to read rock formations.

THERESA: Oh, I thought you were going to say it’s in the blood.

CAMILLA: You covet my blood. (Continuing) Where I come from, envy can cause fatal disease.

THERESA: Let me be clear, I’m not a Republican.C’mon. It’s a ridiculous position. For a person like you.

(That takes a second to hit.)

**Read the rest of the play by purchasing the Pilot Issue of New Theatre Magazine on issuu.com**