Clowning

Around By Ricky Diaz Email: rbdm93@mail.missouri.edu Cell: 618-670-8338 Address: 2900 Old Highway 63 S. Columbia, MO. 65201 2012 Ricky Diaz

Characters :

Billy (10): A small, skinny, young boy who is haunted by the evil clown spirit Beebo. He is deathly afraid of Beebo, but his parents dont believe Beebo actually exists, which cases Billy extra anxiety. As a result of his fear, Billy often sleeps with his parents in their room. Beebo (NA): The demented, evil clown spirit that haunts Billy. He is the spiritual reincarnation of a clown toy Billy broke in a toy store when he was a baby. When Billy broke him, Beebo was thrown away and carried off to the dump where he was trapped and rotting away for eight years. The eight long years Beebo spent rotting in the dump caused his spirit to go mad and became tortured and depraved. He blames Billy for all the torture hes been through and wants to get his revenge. Billys Mom (30s): Billys mother. Shes loving and kind, but is adamant in believing that Beebo is not real. She does everything she can to help Billy realize this, but is frustrated and out of options. Shes exasperated and confused. She feels like shes an unfit mother because she is unable to comfort her only child. Setting: Billys bedroom at night Time: Present Day

1. SCENE 1: CLOWNING AROUND Lights fade up to half on BILLYs bedroom. Its decorated with rockets and other space related objects. BILLY sits in his bed uncomfortably. He nervously scans the room. His bedroom door opens. BILLY Ah! Get away from me! BILLYS MOM walks into the room. She flips a light switch and the lights come up to full. BILLYS MOM Billy? Its just me, Billy! BILLYS MOM walks over to BILLYs bedside and motherly comforts him. BILLY snuggles into her desperately. Oh baby, did you have another nightmare? BILLY nods. Billy, I know nightmares are really scary and they can seem pretty real, but theyre not. BILLY No! This is real! Hes real! BILLYS MOM Billy, your father and I are running out of things to say here. Weve done everything we can do. BILLY You can let me sleep in your room again. BILLYS MOM That was supposed to be a temporary thing, sweetie. You cant sleep in our bed forever. BILLY I wont sleep in your bed forever. When I turn sixteen, Ill move to the floor. BILLYS MOM I dont think your father would like that idea too much.

2. BILLY Its only for eight more years! Hell live. BILLYS MOM So will you, if you just sleep in here tonight. BILLY Not if I die! BILLYS MOM Billy! Thats enough. You are going to be fine. BILLY But what if he comes back? BILLYS MOM He doesnt exist, honey. Hes only a bad dream. He cant hurt you. BILLY Would you mind telling him that? BILLYS MOM chuckles and gently kisses BILLY on his forehead. BILLYS MOM If I ever see him, I will. [Beat.] I love you, baby. BILLY I love you too Mom. BILLYS MOM Sweet dreams. BILLYS MOM walks over to the door. She flips the light switch and the lights fade down to half. BILLYS MOM exits. BILLY nervously slinks down under his covers and tries to go to sleep. Theres a brief pause. After a few beats, BEEBOs menacing cackle is heard from under BILLYs bed. BILLY sits up fearfully. BILLY Hes not real. Hes not real. He is not real. BEEBO (From under the bed) Whos not real?

 3. BILLY Ah! BILLY jumps. BEEBO cackles and slowly slides out from under the bed. BILLY throws his covers over his head, attempting to hide from BEEBO. BEEBO sees BILLY hiding under his covers and decides to mess with BILLY. BEEBO Oh! Where could Billy have gone? He was just here a second ago. [Beat.] Billy? BEEBO begins scouring the room, checking places BILLY could obviously never be in. He scans the entire room, throwing objects around to scare BILLY even more. Is he in here? [Beat.] Nope. What about over here? [Beat.] No? Maybe he went to sleep with his mommy. BEEBO cackles evilly and slowly walks over to the door. He opens it and then shuts it without leaving the room. Then he silently sneaks over to BILLYs bed and disappears behind the headboard. A few beats pass and then BILLY nervously emerges from under his covers. BILLY scans the room, but doesnt see BEEBO. He gets out of his bed and starts walkig to his door. BEEBO slowly creeps out from behind the headboard and silently shadows BILLY. BILLY Hes never left the room before. BILLY opens the door and peeks his head out. BEEBO ducks behind the door. After a beat, BILLY comes back into the room, turns around to face the room, and shuts the door revealing BEEBO hiding behind it. BEEBO I got you now! BILLY Ah! BILLY runs and jumps behind his bed. BEEBO dances around cackling hysterically. When hes finished laughing, he begins approaching BILLY slowly and menacingly. BILLY Mom! Mom! Help! Hes here! Hes here!

4. BILLYS MOM (Off-stage) Billy! BEEBO scrambles to find a place to hide. He runs to the door. When BILLYS MOM enters frantically, BEEBO ducks behind the open door unseen. Billy, whats going on? Are you okay? BILLY Mom, its Beebo! Hes here! BILLYS MOM Billy, I thought we talked about this. BILLY But Mom, here in here right now! Hes right behind the door! BILLYS MOM Hes behind the door? BILLY If you dont believe me, look for yourself! BILLYS MOM walks over to the door and peeks behind it. BILLYS MOM Billy. BILLY You see, you see, I told you he was back there! BILLYS MOM The only thing I see is a lamp. BILLY What? BILLYS MOM shuts the door to reveal BEEBO standing completely still with a lampshade on his head. BILLY Thats Beebo! Cant you see its him?

5. BILLYS MOM All I see is a lamp. BILLY Take off the lampshade! Then youll see its him! BILLYS MOM removes the lampshade to reveal BEEBOs face frozen with a light bulb in his mouth. BILLYS MOM See Billy, its just a lamp. BILLYS MOM looks away from BEEBO towards BILLY. When she does, BEEBO takes the light bulb out of his mouth and gives BILLY a taunting grin and wave. BILLY Mom, look! BEEBO places the bulb back into his mouth and freezes just before BILLYS MOM turns around. BILLYS MOM (Sterns) William Graham Abernathy, that is enough. Its just a lamp! Theres no Beebo! He isnt real! You need to stop this. BILLY But Mom-- BILLYS MOM Good night, William. BILLYS MOM exits leaving the door open. BEEBO pushes the door shut gently. He starts cackling and dancing around hysterically. BEEBO Its time, Billy. Youre coming with me. BILLY Wha-wha-wha-where are you taking me?

6. BEEBO Im taking you to my world, Billy. Its a truly horrible place! He cackles evilly. Youll simply despise it! BILLY Why are you doing this to me? Just leave me alone! BEEBO You dont remember me, do you? From all those years ago? BILLY I dont know what youre talking about! BEEBO The toy store, Billy! The toy store! Ooo, the toy store. BILLY What toy store? BEEBO The toy store, Billy. The toy store where you and I first met. [Beat.] You were just a baby then. Your mother was pushing you through the store in a hideous baby blue stroller. She brought you over to my display to see if you wanted a toy clown. The cashier took me out of my case and handed me to your mother so she could give you a closer look. She put me up to your face, and you know what you did? [Beat.] Do you know what you did to me! BILLY No. BEEBO You swatted at me! [Beat.] You smacked me right out of her hand. [Beat.] And I fell. Oh, I fell hard! [Beat.] When I hit the floor, my face shattered. BILLY So? BEEBO So? So!? [Beat.] This is what you did to me!

7. BEEBO pulls a disgusting, filthy, clown doll with a broken face out of his pocket. BILLY gags from the rotten smell. The cashier threw me away and I was carted off to the dump! [Beat.] I rotted in that dump for eight years before I was finally set free! [Beat.] Now its my turn to play with you, Billy. Let me warn you... I play rough. He cackles evilly. BILLY Beebo, Im sorry! I was just a baby! I didnt know what I was doing! BEEBO Begging wont help you, Billy. Im going to drag you down to a place nobody will hear you scream! BILLY Please, dont! BEEBO Come on Billy. Stop clowning around! BEEBO laughs maniacally and uncontrollably. He begins singing the Marilyn Manson version of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)" by The Eurhythmics. Sweet dreams are made of this. Who am I to disagree? Traveled the world and the seven seas. Everybodys looking for something. BEEBO points at BILLY as to indicate that BILLY is what hes been looking for. Some of them want to use you. Some of them want get used by you. Some of them want to abuse you. BEEBO points at himself. Some of them want to be abused! BILLY starts crying. BEEBO laughs at him. Theres no use crying, Billy. Theres nothing sadder than the tears of a clown... when theres no one around! BEEBO laughs maniacally.

8. BILLY Go away! BEEBO Oh, Im going, Billy. But youre coming with me! BEEBO lungdes to grab BILLY. BILLY dodges and runs to his drawers. He reaches in and rummages around for something. Just when BEEBO is about to grab BILLY, BILLY turns around and whacks him with a Star Wars light saber. BEEBO Ow! BILLY Im warning you. I know how to use the force! BEEBO Ooo, Im shaking in my giant red shoes! [Beat.] Come here! BEEBO lunges for BILLY again. BILLY swings and smacks BEEBO across the face with the light saber. BEEBO falls to the ground. BILLY I broke your face once, and Ill do it again! BEEBO I dont think so. BEEBO stands up and stares angrily at BILLY. BILLY swings at BEEBO with the light saber again, but this time BEEBO catches it in mid-air. He yanks the light saber away for BILLY and throws it under the bed. Thats enough of that, Billy. No more games. [Beat.] Well, at least no more of your games. BEEBO laughs maniacally. BILLYS MOM (Off-stage) Billy! Whats all the ruckus going on in there? BEEBO scrambles once again to find a place to hide. He disappears behind the headboard just before BILLYS MOM enters.

9. What are you doing? It sounds like theres a war going on in here! BILLY rushes over to his mother and hugs her tightly. Hes crying. BILLY Mom, dont let him take me! Dont let Beebo take me away, please! Ill do all my chores! Ill never sleep in your room again! Just please dont let him take me! BILLYS MOM Oh my gosh, honey! Youre shaking. Baby, tell me whats wrong? BILLY Beebos trying to take me! Dont let him, please! BILLYS MOM Honey, I dont know why youre so scared of Beebo. Hes not real. BILLY Yes he is. Hes behind the bed! I swear! BILLYS MOM Fine Ill check. Whether hes there or not, I think you should sleep in my room tonight. BILLYS MOM walks over to the bed and pulls it out a bit to look behind it. BILLY Do you see him? BILLYS MOM Theres nothing back here, honey. BILLY Not even a lamp? BILLYS MOM No, not even a lamp. BILLY runs over to his bed to look for himself. Theres nothing there. BILLYS MOM walks over to the door. Come on Billy, come sleep in my bed tonight. Well call your father in the mor--

10. A light saber protrudes out of her chest with blood dripping from it. The light saber retracts and BILLYS MOM collapses to the floor. BEEBO slowly steps into the room over BILLYS MOMs body. He wipes the light saber off with a white cloth. BILLY stumbles backwards as BEEBO looms over him. BEEBO Time to go Billy... After a few beats, lights fade to black. END OF PLAY