Scenes from a Breakout Room Jessica Wang
Bare stage, no props. Three students stand in a row, heads poking through square cardboard cut-outs. DAN has pajama pants sticking out the bottom; EMMA is wearing jeans; and RUPERT is just in underwear. MAESTRA enters. MAESTRA: Scarlett? Are you there? Silence. Three students look awkward. MAESTRA: Scarlett? ¿Estás con nosotros? EMMA: She hasn’t really been participating. DAN: Yeah, she just keeps her camera off and doesn’t say anything. A beat. SCARLETT wanders on stage, a black square of cardboard labeled “SCARLETT B.” covering her face. She drags a bed with her and proceeds to recline on it. SCARLETT: Yeah? Maestra? I’m here. MAESTRA: Is it possible for you to turn your camera on? SCARLETT: Oh, no puedo, I’m having WiFi issues. You know, my connection? It’s not very good. SCARLETT begins to apply nail polish to her pinky finger. MAESTRA: Okay, but I need you guys to be participating. That’s why we have the breakout rooms. Okay, Scarlett? RUPERT (aside): Is there a way I can break out of this room? 34
