THE BYSTANDER

By: Reagan Kearney

CHARACTERS:
Ethan Lave - Male
Emily Maycer - Female
Leo - Male
Gallagher - Male
Beth - Male
William Rue - Male
Theatre Teacher - Female
Mr/Mrs.Ferris
Nick - Male
Cassidy - Female
Anna - Female
Julia - Female
SHADOW
Ensemble: Students,
Featured Ensemble: Peggy Willson,Blake Gurse,Ethan’s
Mom,Mrs.Pathway,Brayden,News Reporter (Optional)

NOTES ABOUT THE WRITING:

If it’s italicized It is emphasised. Remember, everything in the
script is written for a REASON. The use of music,projections and
simple sets is highly encouraged. The lighting can be simple or
complex. Stage everything as if all of it is a collection of
Videos,Interviews, and conversations.

Featured Ensemble May be used as students when their main role is not
on stage.

The film “The Tragedy” shown at the prom. Feel free to make this film
your own by making your own secrets, but you always make a secret
about Anna at the end.

If you want projections used in the show I think you should just shoot
scenes from the show as Security Cam Footage,Phone videos,Audio
recordings. This will give more of a found footage piece.
[PRE-SHOW]

(STUDENTS cross to other parts of stage as if they were walking in the

hallways. They should be talking. As more people come on they should
get louder this haunts PEGGY WILSON. All the sudden it goes black. We
see a cassette player or iphone press play on a voice memo)

PROLOGUE - Interrogation
RANDOM ENSEMBLE MEMBER
Ladies and gentlemen. Tonight you will be watching a collection of
videos,audios and more that is the tragedy of Sterling,New Hampshire.

We open on a blank stage with PEGGY WILSON with a light on her.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Name,Grade and relation with the victim.

PEGGY
Victim. Ethan Lave is no victim, for anything he’s the villain of the
story

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Tell me the story.

PEGGY
What’s “The Story?”. There is none. Kid dies,other kid is mad then
more die. Boom. You happy?

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Yes there is.

PEGGY
Why are you recording this? (She goes to turn it off)

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Turn it off and you face expulsion Miss Wilson.

PEGGY
Fine!

SCENE ONE: WHO’S ETHAN LAVE? - ETHAN’S KITCHEN

(ETHAN walks into the Kitchen with his backpack affixed to him.)

ETHAN
Good morning mom.

ETHAN’S MOM
Good morning my sugar cutie patootie sunshine patty cake. (Deep
breath) Amazing fantastic handsome son.

ETHAN
Mom can you show your affection somewhere else? Where’s Mark &
Brayden?

ETHAN’S MOM
Mark is at work and so is Brayden. Did you eat breakfast?

ETHAN
We’ll go with that.

ETHAN’S MOM
Ethan you need have breakfast because its-

ETHAN
(Saying it with her making her sound like a broken record). The most
important meal of the day.

ETHAN’S MOM
I mean it mister.

ETHAN
(To us) Let me introduce myself, I’m Ethan Lave. I’m in the 11th grade
and that's my dear mother.

ETHAN’S MOM
Hello.

ETHAN
She has no fashion sense.

ETHAN’S MOM
I heard that.

ETHAN
I know you did. So, it was an average day at school. I had
film,math,english,P.E and then. . . Theatre. If I had the chance to
skip that class that day I would’ve done it with (Pause) pride. It
wasn’t even that bad except for one girl. Emily Maycer. She is the
richest person in our school and is in the theatre department. Which
daddy’s money pays for.
(Transition to school should be happening during this monologue.)

SCENE TWO: WAS IT BECAUSE OF THAT DAY IN THEATRE - THEATRE CLASS

The school is filled with STUDENTS before class. One is on their
phone.

MRS.PATWAY
Mr.Gallagher I’ll be taking that.
(He snatches GALLAGHER’s phone. He snatches it back.)

GALLAGHER
Yeah kiss my ass.
(The bell rings.)
(Students are scattered talking.)

THEATRE TEACHER
Hello everyone.

EMILY MAYCER
And hello to you Mr.Tanner.

THEATRE TEACHER
You can’t keep doing this Emily.

EMILY MAYCER
What was that a dip into the funds?

THEATRE TEACHER
(Not wanting to lose the budget.) Fine you can stay.

EMILY MAYCER
I knew you would.

THEATRE TEACHER
Nick and Ethan your stage fight presentation. Today.

NICK & ETHAN

Ok.
(NICK and ETHAN get into their positions and pull out light sabers.)

NICK
And now we present. Me da miedo un rayo! (me-da-fear-a-ray) Which is
Spanish for “Big sword fight”
(NICK and ETHAN do a stage fight with the light sabers. At the end
they bow.)

THEATRE TEACHER
Good job boys. By the way that in Spanish is actually “I’m afraid of
lighting”.

(On the way back ETHAN hits EMILY with his light saber.)
EMILY
EXCUSE ME!

ETHAN
Oh I’m sorry I didn't mean to.

THEATRE TEACHER
It’s probably a accident. (EMILY gives a spoiled brat look to THEATRE
TEACHER) I mean to detention.

SCENE THREE: THE CALL - HALLWAY

ETHAN picks up the phone.
LEO
Dude what were you doing this morning where you couldn’t come.
Narrating a play.

ETHAN
(To us while still on phone) Yeah we’ll go with that.

GALLAGHER
Come skate in the street with us.

ETHAN
No. Not after what happened last time.

LEO
You only broke a rib.

ETHAN
Oh really! Fine!

(ETHAN walks to the other half of the stage where FRIENDS are
standing.)

Okay I’m only skating for a couple minutes.

FRIENDS
Ok.
(ETHAN is about to grab his skate board but doesn’t at the last
second)

ETHAN
You see this is childish and stupid and DANGEROUS We could-

LEO
Ethan!

ETHAN
Die.
(He says as he gets hit. He crawls to other side of the stage)
So if you saw I just got hit by a car killing me. Ok So the best thing
about death is that everyone pretends to care about you. Like these
kids.

JULIA
R.I.P To my BEST FRIEND IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE!

CASSIDY
I’m gonna miss you passing me in the hallway.

ETHAN
Y’all never talked to me. You all didn’t care about anyone except
yourselves. If I were still alive you wouldn’t take a second look at
me. (Switches to comedic tone.) Thank you for coming to my ted talk.

SCENE FOUR: IT’S LIKE NO ONE IS WATCHING - EMILY’S HOUSE

CASSIDY
Emily! Wow. This party is amazing.

EMILY
I know right! My clown of parents are out of town so its party time!

PAUL
Emily!

EMILY
Like him. Hi Paul how are you?

PAUL
Good. Let’s go sit down. Wait everyone smile
(He takes out a camera and takes a photo. EMILY & PAUL sits down.
EMILY gets a idea.)

EMILY
Hey losers let’s play truth or dare!
(PARTYGOERS show their approval and sit down.)
But before that… what’s the funniest truth or dare you’ve got.

BLAKE GURSE
I had to get on all fours in front of random strangers.

BRAYDEN
I had to drink ketchup. So gross.

PAUL
I was told to leave-

EMILY
But did y’all hear about Ethan Lave. How stupid.
(Everyone starts to laugh and make fun of ETHAN as he watches)

(BRAYDEN now fed up pulls out his phone.)

EMILY
So basically he got hit by a car. Like who gets hit by a car.

PAUL
An idiot. A complete idiot.

EMILY
Oh Paul. You’re so...so braindead.
STUDENTS laugh as PAUL gets pushed to the ground.
Shoot. My mom might have texted.

PAUL
And why would they care?

EMILY
She doesn’t know about the party burnout. (She sees the video now in
her phone.) Um guys.

BRAYDEN
I think we have another thing coming.

SCENE FIVE: THE WORLD WILL KNOW - OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL/ENGLISH CLASS

ETHAN
The best part of being a ghost is that you're invisible. I’ll walk
through an average day at my school. I always start my day at the
front part of my school with this lady.

PROTESTER #1
No more sugar! This girl got The Flu from eating one candy bar.

ETHAN
Very interesting take Ashley. Anyways I have… 1st period...1st period
1st period English .

MRS.PATWAY
Alright class. Can anyone tell me what George Orwell means when he
stated in his book Animal Farm “All animals are created equal ,but
some animals are more equal than others”. (PAUL raises his hand.)
Yes.

PAUL
It means that some of us (Looks at EMILY) are more fortunate and get
more privileges than others.

MRS.PATWAY
Actually correct. You know what. Class dismissed.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Good morning Van Man High it is a Friday
serious note I think I can speak for all
mourning the death of Ethan Lave and the
next Monday after 3rd period. Have a rad
which means meatloaf! On a
when I say we are all
school wide wake will happen
day. (Use as a transition)

NICK
I forgot my jac- (sees THE BOOK NO ONE KNOWS that THEATRE NERD #1 left
behind.) What the? This is Ethan’s book. (BOYS come back onstage
seeing NICK having the book in his hand.)

BETH
Dude what’s that.

NICK
I… I don’t know but I’ve seen Ethan with it.

LEO
What’s a “Book no one knows”? Seems ironic.
NICK
(turning through the pages of the book). Woah this has people secrets!
(NICK laughs.) Guys Weston Ryder still wets the bed. (BOYS laugh as
they walk offstage.)

SCENE SIX: BYE - EMILY’S HOUSE

(EMILY is sitting alone on the couch.)

EMILY
C’mon Paul what’s taking you so long.
(He enters.)

PAUL
Sorry.

EMILY
Were you in my fridge again. Fattie.

PAUL
Shut up.

EMILY
Woah! That was rude.

PAUL
Sorry.

EMILY
Wow you’re such a bad boyfriend. Your so childish and like I don’t
even know at this point. (It should be clear she is gaslighting him at
this point.)

MARK
What?

EMILY
Yeah I’ve actually been seeing Graham Miller. He’s like 10,000 times
better than (Looks him up & down.) You.

PAUL
(He is shocked at this.)
Graham Miller. Wow and I’m the bad one here.
EMILY
Less talking. (Pause) More kissing.
(She goes in to kiss him.)

PAUL
Get away from me! I’m done.
(He leaves. After a moment she gets a message from BRAYDEN it states
“Want to have some fun?”. If you want, you can have SHADOW hold up a
phone with the message. She grabs her backpack.)

SCENE SEVEN: DON’T MESS WITH KARMA - SCHOOL

EMILY (Con’t)
Did everyone like see that video.

PEGGY
I don’t know.
(A video appears behind everyone showing the events of SCENE FIVE. The
video plays as the STUDENTS stand in shock. EMILY and PAUL appear in
front of everyone.)

EMILY
What? I know I look good but stop looking.

BLAKE GURSE
How about you, freak!
(STUDENTS exit stage while calling EMILY insults such as
“Loser”,”Weirdo”,”Outcast”,”Wart”. EMILY stands CENTER DOWNSTAGE as
PEGGY is UPSTAGE RIGHT falls to her knees and starts to cry.
BLACKOUT.)

SCENE EIGHT: UPDATES - INTERROGATION

PEGGY
After that day no one was safe. First it was Emily Maycer then it was
Paul,Mayci,Adam and then me.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Miss Willson care to explain why all these worksheet and test answer
keys have the watermark “Peggy’s Answers”.

PEGGY
I’m not telling you anything.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Not revealing information can revoke your scholarship.

PEGGY
Financial Aid. I did it for financial aid.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
I’m sorry but I have to revoke your scholarship.

PEGGY
(Mockingly) I’m sorry. (Angrily) I don’t care!

SCENE NINE: A SORE SUCKER - GYM

THEATRE TEACHER
So due to uh…budget cuts I’m now the gym teacher. So we’re gonna play
dodgeball
(STUDENT groan and voice their disapproval.) C’mon get a move on.

EMILY
Is that your gym outfit?

JULIA
(Mocking her) Is that your big mouth?
(A whistle blows insinuating the start of the game. EMILY gets hit and
lets out a groan of defeat. CASSIDY sees.)

CASSIDY
Haha! Blow it out your ear!
(CASSIDY gets hit.)
This game is rigged.

PEGGY
Welcome to dodgeball, Barbie!

CASSIDY
Oh you cow!

PEGGY
Oh you are about to regret that. (PEGGY pushes CASSIDY to the ground
and is about to punch CASSIDY when THEATRE TEACHER intervenes.)

THEATRE TEACHER
Hey! Hey! I don’t know what boy this is over but ladies it’s not worth
it. I remember Correy Addams and I clawed Katy Stevens so I could go
to the prom with him and well now I live with nine cats. So it’s not
worth it. Anyways buy your prom tickets.

PEGGY
Um… that’s not what this is about.

THEATRE TEACHER
Ohh I know. (points to PEGGY.) You stole (points to CASSIDY .) Her
man.

CASSIDY & PEGGY

No!

SCENE TEN: WELL THAT'S THAT - OUTSIDE SCHOOL

WILLIAM and ANNA appear walking onstage.

WILLIAM RUE
So Anna I was thinking it our junior year.

ANNA
Yeah.

WILLIAM RUE
And I think we need some happiness in our lives right about now.

ANNA
(dreadfully) Yeah.
(LEO,BETH,GALLAGHER appear onstage about to do a big promposal.)

LEO
(come on stage looking like fools.) Yo Yo Yo. Anna Banana go to prom
with my homie Will-i-o

ANNA
You guys are weirdos but I’ll go.

SCENE ELEVEN: THE BIG SURPRISE

(THE BOYS stay on stage but spaced out symboling they are no longer in
the same place. ALL pull out phones.)

GALLAGHER
Okay so like are we still doing that you know assignment.

LEO
You mean the film?

GALLAGHER
I mean yeah. It’s our major grade for the class. Maybe we should
dedicate the film to Ethan.

BETH
Yeah and also is it just me or does it feel like we're living in a
play.

ALL BOYS EXCEPT BETH

No that’s just you.

SCENE TWELVE: GETTING READY

(THE GIRLS appear onstage with makeup and some dresses. They are to be
assumed to be getting ready for prom.)

CASSIDY
AHH! Anna you look so good. (ALL GIRLS except ANNA show approval for
the dress.) He’s going to love it!

ANNA
Really? I hope he does.

JULIA
Everyone say it with me! (She pulls out her phone.)

ALL GIRLS
Junior prom! (She takes a photo.)

BLAKE GURSE
Guys this prom is going to be so good!

CASSIDY
For sure!
(Light appears on the other side of the stage with BOYS getting ready
for proms.)

WILLIAM RUE
Dudes it’s the night!
(BOYS cheer on and get pumped.)
Who’s pumped?

BETH
Gallagher (GALLAGHER & BETH walk away from the group.) Do you have it?

GALLAGHER
Yeah bro. (GALLAGHER puts a USB DRIVE in BETH’S pocket.)
Guys the limo here.

SCENE THIRTEEN: A NIGHT TO NOT FORGET

THEATRE TEACHER
Hi guys welcome to prom!

BETH,WILL,LEO,GALLAGHER & GIRLS

Thank you Mr.Tanner.

ETHAN
Prom night. A night I was to never forget but now I’m watching
everyone have fun while I’m dead.

(I recommend putting some dancing right here.)

THEATRE TEACHER
Alright dudes and dudettes it’s time to vote for your prom king &
queen!
(STUDENTS cheer and whoo in anticipation.)
Now go to the link in your email and vote!
(STUDENTS pull out phones and pretend to vote. BOYS except WILLIAM RUE
go to a separate corner to discuss the plan)

BETH
Okay everyone has the VPN right?

BOYS EXCEPT BETH & WILL

Yep.

BETH
Okay so Gall and I will hook up the film to the projector and you guys
would hack the voting form.

GALLAGHER
Let’s rock this place.
(BOYS spilt up to their part of the plan. We put a spotlight on
WILLIAM RUE and ANNA dancing together.)

WILLIAM RUE
So I’ve been thinking and this time there isn’t a stupid promposal
with it.

ANNA
(ANNA laughs) Okay.

WILLIAM RUE
Let's travel the country before college. My uncle has a cabin up in
North California. We’ll spend the summer up there. There’s a nice
creek with pretty flowers and I just think it’s paradise on earth.

ANNA
You sure are a dreamer Will.

THEATRE TEACHER
Okay you teens the ballots are in for your (Year of production) Van
Man High prom king & queen! Your prom king is drumroll please… William
Rue! (WILL walks up to the stage and puts his crown on.) And your prom
queen is drumroll again… Anna Bakely! (ANNA walks up to the stage and
puts her crown on. WILL whispers something into ANNA’S ear to make her
smile.) Ladies and gentlemen your prom king and que-
(A video interrupts the moment. The video in question is the film the
BOYS made. “The Tragedy” displays on the big screen behind the stage.
This video should be pre filmed with photos and videos of the cast
used in place. The video should be a mixture of the BOYS voices
exposing everyone. The last person to be exposed will be ANNA.)

WILLIAM RUE
Guys what is wrong with you guys. That is Anna! And you guys exposed
her for a stupid reason! Let’s go Anna. (to the BOYS.) Never talk to
me again! (ANNA & WILL go offstage and get in the car. A sound efx
should play of a car starting. STUDENTS stay onstage looking straight
ahead as in looking outside. Play a car driving sound efx for a couple
minutes. Then play a car crash sound efx. It’s presumed that WILL
crashed the car into the school. Before WILL crashes into school have
ANNA say things i.e “Please don’t” & “I’m begging you” STUDENTS
scream. STUDENTS hit their floor. A light shines on an other side of
the stage showing PEGGY. Another tragedy has struck the town.)

EPILOGUE

MR/MRS.FERRIS
So you knew what was going on why didn’t you tell someone.
(We go back to the scene when NICK walks back into the classroom
finding “A book no one knows”. You can see her in the background
watching it happen. The events happen again as PEGGY stands in the
background.) Now I’ll ask you again why didn’t you do anything about
it.

PEGGY
I… I didn’t think they were gonna do anything with it. I mean they’re
all idiots. I’m surprised half of them made it to junior year.

MR/MRS.FERRIS
Your actions led to the death of many of your fellow peers.

PEGGY
Are you really about to hold a teenager responsible for the actions of
man who was mad at his friends on prom? You must have a sad life. I
quote George Orwell’s Animal Farm “Man serves the interests of no
creature except himself.” It was better for me to mind my business.

NEWS REPORTER
Here we are in the town of Sterling,New Hampshire where 2 awful
tragedies happened in the matter of a month. The town is still
grieving over the loss of Van Man High students Ethan Lave,Leo
Col,William Rue & Anna Wells. This is your reminder if you see
something, say something.

PEGGY & NEWS REPORTER

May they rest in peace.
(FLICKERING LIGHTS THEN BLACKOUT).
END OF PLAY.