At 17

Disclaimer:

fiction with non-fictional main characters, context inspired by true events

ACT 1: PROLOGUE
Lights off. Play video clip. End of video clip. Kian and
Isabelle enter on stage. Kian at the left side while Isabelle is on the
right side. Kian looks at the left side. Isabelle looks on the right side.
Red lights on Isabelle.

NARRATOR (GIRL): Isabelle Duterte— the political-dynasty-born kid who got

into news for a photoshoot in the country’s seat of power. Senior high.
Daughter to Paolo Duterte and Lovelie Sumera. Presidential granddaughter
regarded as a young and trendy millions-worth fashion celebrity. The upper
class seventeen.

Red lights off to Isabelle. Red light on to Kian.

NARRATOR: Kian Delos Santos— the continuously accused kid who got into news
for being allegedly involved in drug trade. Senior high. Poor son of an OFW,
Lorenza, and Saldy Delos Santos. A son killed by the police with fake eye
witnesses and evidences to tarnish his innocence. The lower class
seventeen.(TUNE OF SA UGOY NG DUYAN) LOCATION - KHALID

ACT 2: MUNDANE LIFE

Props men standby for first set. Lights off. Props men put up house setting.
Kian and Saldy on stage. Lights on. Kian gets his bag on the sofa/chair and
goes to his father and “nagmano”. Saldy is drinking coffee at the dining
table while reading a newspaper.

PRINCE ALI - ALADIN

KIAN: *medyo inaayos pa yung polo and gets his bag* Pa, mauna na po ako.
Ingat po kayo ah! *magmamano*

SALDY: *aabot ang kamay* Sige anak, mag-aral kang mabuti.

KIAN: Sige ho pa.

SALDY: Ay anak! Teka yung baon mo pala. *gives money to his son*

KIAN: Naku, buti naalala niyo pa! Kundi wala po akong kakainin mamaya.
*medyo sad face*

SALDY: Loko-loko ka talagang bata ka! *laughs* sige na oh, at baka ma-late
ka pa nyan.

KIAN: Sige na pa!

Kian waves goodbye to his father and goes out of the house. Kian met his
friends outside their house and did a bit of chatting.

WHEN WILL MY LIFE BEGIN - Tangled

FRIEND 1:Uy mga pre! Natapos nyo mga assignments?

FRIEND 2:Anong assignment? *laughs* Joke lang, oo naman!

FRIEND 3:‘Di nga eh, di ko kasi gets. Bahala na mamaya.

FRIEND 4: Kumopya ka na lang kay Kian, masipag naman yan eh!

FRIEND 5: Oo nga, si Kian pa!

KIAN: Mga siraulo talaga kayo! *Binatukan si FRIEND 5* Tara na nga! Pumunta
na tayo sa school.

Kian and his friends went on their way to school. Lights off. Propsmen
change setting to school (Isabelle). Lights on. Isabelle and friends ay
nagkikilay.

LOVE IS AN OPEN DOOR - Frozen

ISABELLE: Girls, I ordered Fenty. I heard maganda daw, try niyo kaya!

FRIEND 1: Hmmm... I have to do well on the exams muna, you know, pa-good
shot kay mommy. (Kylie)

FRIEND 2: OMG! Negative ako diyan. Maxed out na yung credit card ko, lagot
ako kay daddy.

FRIEND 3: When you guys buy, I’ll buy. Carps!

*Insert debut talks

Bell rings. Body guards are waiting for Isabelle outside the room.

ISABELLE: Uy, girls! I’ll go ahead na ah? See you when I see you, Ciao!

Isabelle goes inside the car. Lights off. Props men change setting to
Isabelle’s room. Lights on. Isabelle settles her things and sits. Cellphone
rings.

ISABELLE: *On phone* Hello?

PAOLO: Nasa bahay ka na ba?

ISABELLE: Yes dad.

PAOLO: ‘Di pa kami makakauwi ah, we’re out for a business trip. Do things on
your own. Malaki kana.

JANUARY: Paolo, we need you here na!

ISABELLE: *hangs up* *sigh*

Isabelle’s sister knocks on her bedroom door and opens the door.

ISABELLE’S SISTER: Ate, busy ka?

ISABELLE: Oo! Dun ka nga!

Isabelle’s sister was a bit shocked then leaves.

Isabelle goes to her study table and opens her laptop. Rants about her dad
in twitter. Play video clip about the twitter rants. Lights off.

ACT 3: A CROSS OF PATHS
 Props men change setting to Malacanang Palace’s

outdoor. Background is the building of Malacanang Palace and Isabelle’s
group at the background. Lights on.

HAYAAN MO SILA - OC DAWGS

FRIEND 1: Ano par, musta benta?

KIAN: Medyo matumal nga eh.

FRIEND 2: Lipat ka kaya ng pwesto? Madaming tao dun sa kabilang kanto, yung
malapit sa Malacanang. Malay mo bigatin mga nandun!

FRIEND 1: Oo nga! Tas pag malaki kita mo, alam mo na ah! *Taas both kilay to
Kian while smiling*

Kian and his friends goes near the Malacanang Palace. Lights off. Props men
removes outdoor setting. Background is Malacanang Palace. Isabelle’s group
on standby. Lights on.

KIAN: *takatak sound* Candy kayo dyan! Kuya, candy ho!

Body guard 1 notices Kian and buys a candy. Isabelle is on the phone talking
to someone, nakatalikod kila Kian.

BODY GUARD 1 (Mang Raul): Pssst boy! Candy nga dyan oh!

Kian goes near to the body guard and gives the candy. Isabelle turns around
and calls out for her body guard.

ISABELLE: Mang Raul! Pinayagan ba yung shoot ko? Tsaka ano bang ginagawa mo
dyan? *stares at Kian* Dito ka nga!

BODY GUARD 1 (Mang Raul):Ay, sorry po ma’am.

Kian and Isabelle meets in the eye. Body guard goes to Isabelle. Lights off.

ACT 4: FORESHADOWS

Props men change setting to Kian’s community. Kian is walking outside their
barangay and some people are rambling about a certain raid rumored around.

FRIENDS ON THE OTHER SIDE - PRINCESS AND THE FROG

OR ARABIAN NIGHTS - ALADIN

MAMAMAYAN 1:Teh! Narinig mo na ba?

MAMAMAYAN 2: Ang alin?

MAMAMAYAN 3: Uy mga mare, ano yan ha? Boyet,‘lika nga dito. Makinig ka!

MAMAMAYAN 1: Bali-balita na nag-uumpisa na daw manghuli dun sa kabilang

barangay sabi ni Aling Teresita!

MAMAMAYAN 2: Ano bang hinuhuli? Yung ano ba?

MAMAMAYAN 1: Oo! Mukhang yun nga! Mmmmm...

Lights off. Props men change setting to Kian’s house (dining area). Kian’s
father standby. Lights on. Kian went inside the house.

SALDY: Oh ‘nak, andyan ka na pala. Halika at kumain na tayo.

KIAN: Sige pa, hugas lang po akong kamay.

Kian washes his hands and goes to the dining table. His father turned on the
tv and sits with Kian as well. They were watching while eating. Some news
about drug cases was on the news at the TV.

SALDY: Nako ‘nak, grabe na talaga yung mga nangyayari dyan sa mga drugs-
drugs na ‘yan, ano? Kaya ikaw mag-iingat ka, masyado nang delikado, wala
nang sigurado. Lalo na sa panahon ngayon. (TUNE OF BATANG BATA KA PA)

KIAN: Eto naman si papa, nagdadrama oh! Para namang mawawala ako.Opo, mag-
iingat po ako lagi. (TUNE OF BATANG BATA KA PA)

Lights off. Props men change setting to Isabelle’s house. Lights on. TV is
turned on with the news about drugs and Isabelle is talking to her event
coordinator on her cellphone.

ISABELLE: Hello? Yes. Oo, please coordinate nalang with the participants.
Like, text them okay? Isa-isa sila. *Isabelle pauses for a while and looks
irritated* What? I can’t hear you, this tv is too loud! *ugh* I’ll call you
later!

Isabelle turns off her phone and turns off the TV. Lights off.

ACT 5: KIAN’S HIGHLIGHT

Props men changes setting to Kian’s room. Kian on standby. Lights on. Kian
walks towards his bed and lay down. Stares at the ceiling for a moment (5
seconds). *sigh* Kian sits down on his bed and reaches out for his phone on
the table beside his bed. Kian opens messenger and sees his mother online.
He opens their chatbox and clicks the video call button. Messenger rings.
Kian’s mother accepted the call.

LORENZA: Hi anak, I miss you! Kamusta? ‘Bat ka pala napatawag?

KIAN: Hi ma. Uhhh.. wala lang, gusto ko lang po ng may kausap.

LORENZA: Hmmm.. kamusta naman ang papa mo? Ano bang ganap ngayon?

KIAN: Okay naman si papa, ma. Ayun,8 medyo delikado na nga po eh, sa
kabilang barangay daw may na-tokhang, narinig ko po nung isang araw.

LORENZA: Naku anak! Mag-iingat ka lalo ah? Kayo ng papa mo.

KIAN: Opo naman ma! *pause for a while* Ay ma! Mag-aaral pa po pala ako, may
exam po kasi kami bukas eh.

LORENZA: Osiya sige, ‘nak. Goodluck sa exam mo bukas ah! I love you ‘nak.

KIAN: I love you too ma! ‘Wag mo pababayaan sarili mo dyan ah? Ingat ka din
lagi. Miss na kita ma.. *teary-eyed*

LORENZA: Anak, para ka namang namamaalam, san ba punta mo? *laughs* Joke
lang! Sige na, miss ko na din kayo.

Lorenza ends their call. Kian puts down his phone and gets his book on the
table beside his bed. Kian reviews his lessons. After a few seconds, Saldy
will shout to Kian.

SALDY: ‘Nak! Patulong muna sandali dito.

KIAN: Sige pa, wait lang po!

Kian goes out from his bedroom and goes to his father.

KIAN: Ano po ‘yun pa?

SALDY: ‘Nak, ikaw na muna magsara ng tindahan, may aasikasuhin lang ako.
Pwede ba?

KIAN: Sige po pa.

Saldy goes out of the house. After 3 seconds, Kian goes out of the house to
close their candy store. Plays suspense sound effects. The three policemen
on their way to Kian and reaches Kian’s place.

POLICEMAN 1: Hoy!

Kian looks at the policeman.

POLICEMAN 2: Sumama ka samin! *tulak kay Kian papunta kay Policeman 3*

Policeman 3 rolled up Kian’s shirt covering his head and face. Policeman 1
holds Kian in his hands. The policemen and Kian walks towards the basketball
court. They reached the basketball court. A witness is peeping through their
gate and have seen what is happening. Policeman 3 throws Kian at the side of
the court. Policeman 2 fired up his gun in the air. Kian is crying and
begging for his life.

KIAN: Ano po bang ginawa ko? *cries* Wala naman po akong ginagawang masama.
Tama na po, maawa na kayo.. (TUNE OF BATO SA BUHANGIN)

The policemen laughs and beats Kian.

KIAN: Parang-awa niyo na po.. Tama na po.. May test pa po ako bukas..
*cries* (TUNE OF BATO SA BUHANGIN)

POLICEMAN 1: Takbo! Takbo!

The policemen shot Kian consecutive times until he died. Kian lying on the
ground. Lights off.

ACT 6: ISABELLE’S HIGHLIGHT

Propsmen change setting to Malacanang Palace interiors with Isabelle’s pre-

debut photoshoot crew on standby. Isabelle poses in the middle with her red
gown. Lights on.

PHOTOGRAPGHER: Nice shot oh ibang angle naman! Make-up retouch agad!

Make-up artist buts in the middle of the shoot to retouch Isabelle.

Continues the shoot. Few more shots and Isabell flaunts then the crew wraps
up.

ISABELLE: Thank you guys it’s a wrap. *snaps and takes a pic to post on
social media*

Photographer posts a sneak peak of Isabelle’s photos on social media

Isabelle goes home with the bodyguards. Lights off.

Propsmen change setting to Isabelle’s room, Isabelle sits on her bed. Lights
on.

ISABELLE: *scrolls through her phone and sees she is trending* Woah there.
Isabelle is raging and vents out through a tweet

ISABELLE: *typing* I hope you do something useful with the freedom you are
given, other than making hateful comments and carry so much unnecessary
weight on your shoulders. I hope you will find the maturity to focus on more
alerting issues and not on a 17 year-old girl, try to be useful.

Isabelle sighs. Lights off. Propsmen change to Isabelle’s school setting.

Schoolmates sitting on their chairs on standby. Lights on.

Isabelle enters the room

BULLY #1: Guys have you seen the photos? *smizes*

BULLY #2: Alin ba? Yung trending?

BULLY #3: It’s a shameless display of wealth and power. Grabe nakakahiya.

BULLY #4: Does being the first granddaughter give you the privilege of using
the presidential seal?

BULLY #5: ON. YOUR. PRE-DEBUT SHOOT? I don’t think so.

BULLY #6: Sana ako din apo ng presidente. Sana all (TUNE OF UPUAN)

All of them stare at Isabelle and laugh. Isabelle walks out of the room and
goes to the comfort room. She puts on make-up while subtly crying. Lights
off.

ACT 7: THE END

Spotlight on. Kian and Isabelle shares the stage. Isabelle is in her bloody
red gown and Kian on the floor with the sign “wag tularan” with blood just
where the gown’s linen sits.

NARRATOR: Two young Filipinos of the same age, but of different

socioeconomic class— handled differently by the state, accepted differently
by its people. This is the privilege one benefits from while the other may
never have.

While the elite enjoys, the poor is murdered.

Same age, same country, different worlds, different privileges. (TUNE OF

BATO SA BUHANGIN - CHORUS)

Lights off. Lights on. Kian was asleep on the table, handouts scattered.
Kian wakes up looking terrified and then laughs.

KIAN: Grabe! Akala ko totoo na! Nakatulog lang pala ako kakareview.

Lights off.