JUMPING THROUGH THE INVISIBLE HOOP

A play in 1 act

By Allison Reeser

© 2020 by Allison Reeser

York, Pennsylvania, 17406
22areeser@cypanthers.org
 CHARACTERS

KARLA Main character. Humble and careful.

Member of the Radicalesbians
LITA Friend of KARLA. Likes to have fun.
Takes things seriously when needed.
KOOKY Owner of the bar. Assertive and confident.
Can be avaricious at time

A regular at the bar. Helpful and kind.

ROBERT
 SETTING

A lesbian bar located on the outskirts of Greenwich Village, New York.

TIME

8 o’clock on a Friday night. The year is 1970.

 ACT I

SCENE 1

(KARLA and LITA have just arrived at Kooky’s.

The bar reeked of smoke and strong perfume with
worn down bar stools and chairs. There are small
tables lining the room with a dance floor in the
center and a bar on the left. It was a busy night with
music and dancing. )

KARLA

Are you ready to have fun tonight? It’s not like we get to do this often.

LITA

I’m about to freak out. Staying in last Friday was such a downer.

KARLA

I don’t know about you but I’m on the make tonight. It’s been a while since
we’ve gained the confidence to hang here.

LITA

Do you wanna sit at the bar or a table?

KARLA

Let’s get a table, that way Kooky can’t harass us.

(Both laugh and walk over to an empty table towards the

corner of the room.)

LITA

Did you hear about the raid last weekend? I heard a few people got arrested.
Scary stuff.

(The music gets a bit louder. There are about 6 people on

the dance floor, but the evening has just begun.)

LITA

I’m gonna get a drink, what do you want?

(KARLA looks around at all of the people sitting at the

bar.)

KARLA

I’ll take a mint julep.

LITA

Okay, I’ll be right back.

(KARLA stares at a woman across the room, daydreaming.

Her reality comes back when she sees a regular walking
over to her table.)

ROBERT

Hey Karla, how’s it hangin’?

KARLA

I’m having a blast. How are you, Robert?

ROBERT

You know how it is, I had to beat feet last Saturday. The police pulled the car
right up to the door so I ran out the back.

KARLA

Pull a chair up. When Lita gets back you can give us the run-down.
 ROBERT

Okay. Have you two been staying out of trouble?

KARLA

I’ve been trying to but the Radcalesbians is up to 40 women now, which means
our sit-ins are starting to get larger. I guess that’s a good thing though.

(LITA walks over to the table with two drinks in her hand
and takes a seat in-between KARLA and ROBERT.)
LITA

Hey Rob!

ROBERT

Hey Doll. So get this, I’ve gotta give you the run-down on the cops.

KARLA

Go for it.

ROBERT

So last week when I made a run for it they almost got me. I had ID on hand and
my job would have fired me if they found out. If you girls hear them pull up
you gotta put your hair down and just sit at the bar with a drink. Since you two
don’t dress “dyke”, you’ll be able to pass.

KARLA

Well what about you?

ROBERT

If they storm us, I’ll have to bug out, but if it’s just a routine check-in I’ll grab
one of you and start dancing. They can’t do anything if that happens.

LITA

Well let’s hope that doesn’t happen anytime soon, okay?

KARLA

Didn’t you get caught at the passion pit a few weeks ago, Lita?

LITA

Almost! You know what I had to tell ‘em?

ROBERT

Let me guess. You told them you “accidentally fell into her face”?

LITA

No way! This time I made up a good one. I told him she choked on some
popcorn and I was giving her mouth-to-mouth!

(KARLA and ROBERT burst into laughter at her “joke”.)

KARLA

Lita, that makes absolutely no sense at all.

LITA

Hey, as long as they don’t call my parents I’m fine.

KARLA

You don’t think they’re gonna find out on the news in 3 weeks?

ROBERT
Why would you be in the news?

(KARLA looks over at LITA raising an eyebrow. They both

nod their heads and look back at ROBERT.)

KARLA

So, we have a plan. In two weeks there’s gonna-

(KARLA gets interrupted by a voice. The smell of hairspray

surrounds the table.)

KOOKY

Can I get you ladies another drink?

(KOOKY is a tall, lengthy woman with layers of makeup

and a beehive shaped hair-do. Obviously drunk, she leans
on the table where the bunch is sitting.)

ROBERT

We’re still working on these, Kooky, but thank you.

KOOKY

I’ll be back in 5.

(KOOKY stumbles away looking for more customers to

harass.)

KARLA

As I was saying, at the Second Amendment to Unite Women, we’re going to

show up with t-shirts and show them that what she said was outrageous. I’m
sure you saw the news letter.

LITA
We’ve been planning it at Rita’s house. It’s gonna be outta sight!

ROBERT

You gals better stay safe. But that sounds amazing.

KARLA

Well I better cut out soon, we have to finish planning tomorrow.

LITA

You just wanna leave before Kooky comes back and re-fills your drink!

(They burst into laughter as KARLA stands up and pushes

in her chair.)

KARLA

Stay safe tonight, okay?

LITA

For sure, I’ll see you tomorrow!

(KARLA walks away from the table and out the front door.)

THE END.
JUMPING THROUGH THE INVISIBLE HOOP by Allison Reeser