THE EDGE OF NOIR A Virtual Play By Gary Peterson CASTE 2M, 2F SET/TIME! No sc coquirements/About 20 minutes This grity, comedic take on the film noir gence starts wi from deme, [Doesnt it alwayse] When Velma “The Sa calls The Daily Oraculor with a fp, ni Rockford suddenly finds himself on th Velma says she has informotion about the priceless Star of Skag stolen that very afternoon in broad daylight! But Velma doesn’t sing quite loud enough, 0 Rocky lun: fo prvae invesigalor Sanantho Spade to help him decipher Velma's tip and catch the gem thief. Samantha follows the trail and is soon in touch with local smalltime consman Shifty Weaselman, who promise that will lead Samantha to the perp and put Rocky's slory above the frontpage fold of the moming edition. This easy-to-produce one-act spoof is ful of short monologues and splitsereen style phone calls that pays homage to The ‘Maliese Falcon and olher 1940s films of the noir gene. fer & series of clues We can help you “Zoom” into Virtual Theatre with our “A HOW-TO GUIDE FOR VIRTUAL THEATRE” For when the show must go on... line! Download it now for free at www. pioneerdrama.com/pdl/VT_HowTo.pdF A Virtual Play By Gary Peterson 3% Pioneer’ DRAMA SERVICEA Virtual Play By Gary Peterson Copyright © 2020, Pioneer Drama Service, Inc. Professonals and amateuts are hereby wamed that a royalty must be paid every tiv, prerecorded, virtual, or online performance, whethor o° nat admission i chaned All inquires regaraing ghts—incucing but not limited to amatour, presi, ear, broadcast, intemet, television, cable, motion petue, Ive streaming, public eaing ara translation into a foreign lenguege—should be addressed to Pioneer Drama Sanice Ine., PO Box 4267, Englewood, CO 80155, No live, preecorded, virtual, or online performance, broadcast, reading, or Presentation of any kind, In whole or in part, may be given without permission hse Pioneer Drama Service, In. These rights are fully protected under the copyright laws ofthe United States ofAnerng and of all courtsies covered by the Universal Capysght Convention or wit wich the United States has reciprocal copyright relations, inclacing Canada, Mexico, Atal ‘and all nations of te United Kingcom, ONE SCRIPT OR ESCRIPT PER CAST MEMBER MUST BE PURCHASED For PRODUCTION RIGHTS. PHOTOCOPYING, REPRODUCING, EMAILING, OR DISTRIBUTING ALL OR Any PAR ‘OF THIS BOOK WITHOUT PERMISSION IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN BY Lav, On all paper and cigtal programs, panting, and advertising, the folowing inomaton must appear: 4. The fl thle: The Eege of No 2. Wing cred by Gary Peterson 3. Publication notice “Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Senoe, Denver, Cotas" 3 Pioneer Drama SeRviceABOUT VIRTUAL THEATRE Virtual theatre is a new and exciting art form that is just beginning to ‘evolve and reveal Its potential. Just a short time ago, no one would have conceived of trying to perform a scene, let alone an entire play, with every actor isolated in their own home. ‘And yet, it's happening, with surprisingly positive results. This play is written specifically for the characters to be communicating electronically, without face-toface dialogue, yet still interacting with ‘each other in real time. This unique quality creates the ideal scenario 10 perform them on Zoom, Google Meet, or a similar digital platform, Even though the audience will be watching the performance on a screen, this is still a theatrical play, not a screen play for a movie. Cinematic, elements such as camera angles, shifts in lighting, elaborate sets, and close-ups on an actor's facial expressions are beyond most people's skills. Yet these productions are like movies in that the camera becomes a tool that helps us create our characters. As actors, we reed to learn to play to that, even as we sit in front of our laptops. By necessity, blocking Is quite limited in virtual theatre, elevating body language—facial expressions, gestures, posture, and body positions— to a heightoned level of importance. For instance, facing the camera directly is the strongest body position, but this should never be a static pose. You can create a more nuanced performance by adopting other positions, such as a one-quarter front position, facing partially left or fight. If two actors face one another in full profile on the screen, it will create the sense that they are sharing the scene. For even more dramatic effect, a three-quarter back position so that only your shoulder, ‘and one side of your head is visible can suggest weakness, hurt, or anger. Of course, standing is always an option, too, Clearly, virtual theatre is far more than storytelling on camera, and there's @ world of acting still to be done to add depth and meaning to the words you're speaking, even without a traditional stage. Want more tips and suggestions? Pioneer Drama is proud to offer you complimentary copy of A How-To Guide for Virtual Theatre. Download it now for free at www.ploneerdrama.com/pdf/VT HowTo.pdf ‘THE EDGE OF NOIR A Virtual Comedic Mystery By GARY PETERSON CAST OF CHARACTERS (in Order of Appearance) STIRLING "ROCKY" ROCKFORD... Daily Oracular beat reporter 7 working the night desk known as “the songbird”; but loose-ipped; a snitch hard-boiled private detectiv you know the kind FOX “SHIFTY" WEASELMAN........professional drifter; the name 18. says itall VELMA TANAGER..... lovely 25 ‘SAMANTHA SPADE... SETTING Time: The present, though feeling a lot like the 1940s. Place: The city SET DESCRIPTION Suggested green screen backdrops include a newsroom for ROCKY, a dingy, disheveled office for SAMANTHA, and a bowling alley and a forest for SHIFTY. ROCKY, VELMA, and SAMANTHA could simply use dark, muted backgrounds suggesting a “noir” style. However, the bowling alley and forest backgrounds for SHIFTY are central to the plot. @arowrs musr ae ourcnasso eeFone wePnooverne TuIs seniPrTHE EDGE OF NOIR CAMERA ON: ROCKY sits behind the night desk of @ semidarkened newsroom. it's the graveyard shift. His opening narrative sets the tone for this film noir play. (See PRODUCTION NOTES.) ROCKY: (Deadpan.) My day starts at midnight. This is the time of night that most good citizens are home in their beds, dreaming Of sunlight and the moming to come. | work the night desk of our town's local newspaper, The Daily Oracutar. While the city sleeps uneasily, | must remain awake and vigilant to any murmur of crime or evildoing. For, on any given night, some malefactor might commit a misdeed so foul that | get just the great bad story | need to rocket me off this desk and to the top of the fold My job is to listen to police scanners and hope for the occasional juiey tidbit called into our tip line by some wouldbe squealer. (On cue, SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS on Rocky's desk. (See PRODUCTION NOTES.}) Like that. Will this be just the ticket to that supreme scoop? Or will | once again be forced to listen to a tale of some two-bit hoodlum pilfering pastries from Grandma's cookie jar? (Pause,} Literally. Last week there was this kid who— (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS. ROCKY answers the phone.) Night desk Stirling Rockford speaking, VELMA: (CAMERA ON. VELMA talks on the phone from a nondescript room in her home. She acts furtively and speaks in a breathy manner, like Marilyn Monroe.) Is this The Daily Oracular? ROCKY: Yosh, lady. What's on your mind? VELMA: And you're Rocky Rockford, ace reporter? ROCKY: That's my moniker. VELMA: Well... (Long pause.) ROCKY: C'mon, lady, cough it up. You got a tip for us or what? VELMA: The sumptuous sapphire, the Star of Skagway, has been stolen! » ROCKY: (Unperturbed.) Old news. The gem was stolen this afternoon. Broad daylight. Guards all around. Crime of the century. A sapphire worth its weight in emeralds. On loan from famed billionaire socialite Lane Woods. (Angry, then sad.) | was at home, asleep, Missed the whole megillah ‘cause | work the night desk. Sorry, lady. (Moves to hang up.) VELMA: Wait! | might know whodunit. ROCKY: You do?! Now that's a story. Spill it! VELMA: There’s this guy, see? | saw this lowlife drifter there at the scene— ROCKY: You got a name?1 VELMA: | ain't giving you my name! ROCKY: Not yours! The drifters. VELMA: Oh! | only know him as... (Looks around and speaks low.) Shifty. Shifty Weaselman. 5 ROCKY: Weaselman, huh? You got an address? VELMA: | do, but Shifty don’t. He's a drifter, like | said. Never stays, anywhere more than three minutes. Scared for his skin, | guess. ROCKY: Hmmm. What does the guy—? VELMA: That's all you get from me, newshound! (She hangs up. 10 CAMERA OFF ROCKY. VELMA picks up the narration.) Rocky's a straightup guy, but | couldn't give him my name. I've had too many rursing with the law in this town. My name's Velma. Velma Tanager. They mostly calls me “the songbird" on account of when I gots some choice info, | gotta sing. | can't help myself. And I just know Shifty's got the lowdown on that gemstone. | saw him! | saw him skuiking around near the Museum of Precious Baubles on Fourteenth Street right around the time of the heist. If he didn’t do it, | bet he knows who did. (CAMERA OFF as the narration passes back to ROCKY.) 20 ROCKY: (CAMERA ON.) The dame's tip was sketchy, but far too important to my career not to do a followup. I'm stuck riding this desk ‘til 8 a.m., but | know just the gumshoe who can track down this Weaselman and put the squeeze on him. Time to call In Sam Spade. (CAMERA OFF as he dials.) 25 SAMANTHA: (CAMERA ON, SAMANTIIA sits at a desk in 9 smali, dingy, disheveled office. SOUND EFFECT; PHONE RINGS. Narrates.) This is where | come into the story. My name’s Samantha Spade. Sam for short. 'm a private investigator, according to my business cards. (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS. SAMANTHA doesn’t respond.) Not sat all unusual for me to get a phone call in the small hours— someone probably looking to hire me for some discrote logwork. (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS.) Could just be some distressed housewife looking for 2 misplaced husband—or cat. Doesn't matter. | get the same pay for every job—twenty dollars a day, two 25 _bitsamile. (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS. She finally looks to the phone.) But this call seemed different, even before | answered it Like the very ringer was saying, “This call is important.” (SOUND EFFECT: SMALL MECHANICAL VOICE states “This call is important.” This audio may be recorded or provided by an unseen person 49 near SAMANTHA, Aftor two vocalizations, SAMANTHA answers the phone.) It's your nickel. ROCKY: (CAMERA ON, ROCKY talks into the phone receiver.) Sam, it’s Rocky, i 2 SAMANTHA: (Puls the receiver away. Nerrates.) My heart skipped a beat. You see, Rocky Rockford and | go way back. We used to seo each other all the time until he got that job on the night desk. Then it was all about the news, and he just stopped calling. The big 5 lummox. into the phone.) Yeah? Whaddaya want? ROCKY: Hey, Sam, how's tricks? SAMANTHA: Doing okay, | guess. But you didn’t call to shoot the breeze, What's up? ROCKY: | gota bit of info tonight from the tip line. | thought you might jo wanna tun with it SAMANTHA: (Hopeful) A job? ROCKY: Well i'd be off the books. But look, if it pays off, there's big reward init: We could split the loot. And, frankly, a big Scoop would be ood for my career. © SAMANTHA: (Aside,) Again with his career. (To ROCKY.) Well, let's have it ROCKY: You heard about the sapphire, the Star of Skagway? SAMANTHA: Stolen from the museum. it was in all the late papers Even yours, 2 ROCKY: Well, this girlie calls our tip line tonight and says she knows the guy who saw tall go down. Gave a name. Thought maybe you'd ow him, SAMANTHA: What's the name? ROCKY: Are you in? 25 SAMANTHA: Let's say you have my undivided attention. ROCKY: Okay. She gives up the name of some shady character called Shifty Weaselman, SAMANTHA: | know Shifty. He's a professional drifter. Never stays anywhere twice. He's known for keeping his peepers open and his 30 trap shut. What'd she say about him, this tipster? ROCKY: She says he was there, saw the whole thing. He's either involved or knows who did the heist. Can you get in touch with him? SAMANTHA: Yeah, | got his number. He's got one ofthe few lines with unlimited data ata reasonable price. Grandfathered in. I'l give him 35a call, See what he knows. ROCKY: And you'l all me back when you've leatned something? SAMANTHA: Yeah, ll koep you in the loop. ROCKY: It's nice hearing your voice, Sam. SAMANTHA: Yeah, sure, (Hangs up. CAMERA OFF ROCKY. Nerrates.) 40 had to hang up on the big lug before things got sentimental t's got to be strity business. (Dials) So| dialed Shitty 3 @ricnrs musr oe PurchAseo crore rerRooveINe THis senipr1. SHIFTY: (CAMERA ON, SHIFTY stands in a darkened hallway. He has no actual phone—he’s hands-free, on an unseen Bluetooth device. He is surly) Yeah? SAMANTHA: Your name is Fox, isn’t it? Fox Weaselman? 5. SHIFTY: (Smooth, in his best Humphrey Bogart voice.) They call me Shifty, doliface. SAMANTHA: Oh! | didn’t think you'd like that name. SHIFTY: Suits me fine. (his eves dart back and forth, but not looking directly “at” SAMANTHA.) And I recognize you, Samantha Spade. 49 SAMANTHA: (Seifconscious.) You can see me? SHIFTY: | see everything, Ain't technology grand? So, to what do | owe your phone cali? SAMANTHA: Well... we got a tip from a lady who said you might, have seen something at the Museum of Precious Baubles this afternoon— SHIFTY: So little Miss Songbird sang, did she? | knew she would. The name of your canary is Velma Tanager. | spotted her in the crowd. (Pause.) Yeah, | was there, | saw the whole caper. | know what went down. And | suppose you want me to squawk, too. 20 SAMANTHA: There might be some reward bucks in it for you. SHIFTY: Change that might to 2 will—there will be some reward bucks In it for me. SAMANTHA: Okay, there will be a reward—if the gem is recovered, SHIFTY: Well, that's up to the cops and the judges, ain't it? Stil, you got the rep for being a good egg, so I'l| help you. But not here, not Tow. The walls have ears, as you might say. But I'll give three clues to start you off. Firstly, your songbird ain't telling all she knows. She was there, too. So she saw a lot more than she thinks she saw, I'll bet. I'd question songbird again, if| were you. Remember, 20 she may be reticent, but she'll sing if the melody’s right. She can’t help herself. It’s in her nature. SAMANTHA: Will do. Do you know her—? SHIFTY: The number Is 555:WARBLER. Look, | got to get going, kiddo. I never stay in the same locale for more than three minutes. It's my own little insurance policy. The cops'll never catch Shifty Weaselman. Also, I'll give you another hint in the form of a question. Why didn’t the guards ring the alarm? (Beat.) Gotta go. As you know, I'm a drifter. SAMANTHA: You only gave me two clues. 40 SHIFTY: Be as clever as your reputation. | gave you three. SAMANTHA: How should | contact you again? 10 SHIFTY: Ubuh. 'll contact you. When I'm in a more secure location and can't be overheard. And | better be in for a taste of that reward ‘money, doliface. (Touches his ear as ifto tum offa Bluetooth device. CAMERA OFF.) SAMANTHA: (Narrates.) This seemed like @ hot lead, so | called up Velma right away. (Dials.) VELMA: (CAMERA ON. Answers the phone.) Hello? SAMANTHA: Velma Tanager? VELMA: Who wants to know? SAMANTHA: This is Sam Spade. VELMA: The private detective? | knew I shouldn't have called that newspaper, SAMANTHA: Well, you did. And I'm following up on tt. VELMA: | don’t know nothing. SAMANTHA: Aha! A double negative! So you do know something! VELMA: Maybe, but | ain't singing, gumshoo. SAMANTHA: A little birdie told me you'd sing to the right tune. VELMA: | told Rocky alls | know. SAMANTHA: Really? Let's see... (Starts to sing “Alouette,” and VELMA tries to resist.) Alouette, gertille alouette, Alouette, je te plumerai. VELMA: No, no! SAMANTHA: Je te plumeral la téte. (Lower register.) Je te plumerai la tote. VELMA: No, please! SAMANTHA: Et la téte! (Lower register.) Et a téte! VELMA: Please! SAMANTHA: Alouctte! VELMA: (Lower registei SAMANTHA: Alouette! VELMA: Je te plumerai! All right, all right I'l sing, Ill sing. I'l tell what | saw. (Pauses and takes 4 deep breath.) There was a crowd gathered around the Museum of Precious Baubles, all there to see this valuable blue gem being delivered. That’s where | saw Shifty, and he must've seen me. Very little escapes his watchful eyes, you know? SAMANTHA: (Writes notes.) Go on, VELMA: Well, there were these four guards kind of struggling to carry this small box. The box was small ‘cause the gemstone’s small. | .) Gentille alouette!mean, the gem is big by sapphire standards, but that's still pretty ‘small. So, here's these four burly guards trying to carry this tiny box between them up the staircase into the museum. Naturally, one of them tripped, and the box fell to the ground. SAMANTHA: Do you know which one tripped? VELMA: It was the one with the red hair. | remiember this clearly. Two ‘guys were bald, one had nice brown hair, and the last one was a redhead. He was the one who tripped. So, then this dark, cloaked ‘figure comes from out of the crowd, picks up the box and hands it to the redhead. Then, he melts back into the crowd without so much as a thank you. Quicker than lightning. The guards examined the box and seemed satisfied, so they just went on thelr way into the museum. They get inside, they open the box—no gem. | figure it was the old switeheroo. SAMANTHA: This dark figure—did you see his face? VELMA: No, he just had a cloak, And | say “he,” but It might have been a lady. | just didn’t have a very good vantage point. Shifty might know better. The crowd dispersed as soon as the guards got inside. Whoever it was, they was long gone. SAMANTHA: You think Shifty had a better view? VELMA: Pretty sure, Look, Sam, | told you all | know. Honest. SAMANTHA: All right. I'll let you go. Nighty-night, songbird. Nice ‘singing with you. (CAMERA OFF VELMA as SAMANTHA hangs up. Narrates.) Now | have to get back in touch with Shifty. (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS.) Perhaps that's him. (Answers her phone, CAMERA ON SHIFTY, who's in front of a lane at a busy bowling alley. SOUND EFFECT: ACTIVE BOWLING ALLEY, SHIFTY speaks but his words are drowned out by the loud sound.) Shifty? (SHIFTY ‘mouths some words but cannot be heard. Louder.) Shifty! If you're talking, I can’t hear yout Where are you, at the bowling lanes? (Thinks to herself.) So he won't be overheard! (Louder.) Well, | can’t hear you either, Shifty! (Pause. Flustered.) Shifty! Oh, this is ridiculous! (Hangs up and SHIFTY'S CAMERA goes OFF as the SOUND EFFECT STOPS.) I'm gonna try Rocky again—see if he’s learned anything. (Dials.) ROCKY: (CAMERA ON. Answers his phone.) Night desk. Stiling Rockford speaking, SAMANTHA: (Teasing) Oh, “Stirling Rockford,” is it? Not Rocky? ROCKY: Hi, Sam, What's up? SAMANTHA: Well, | got a little info out of that songstress of yours. ROCKY: Oh, yeah? 6 @ercnrs muse ne purcHasso sEFORE REPRODUCING THIS seRIPT SAMANTHA: | had to get tough, but | got her to sing. ROCKY: And? SAMANTHA: Sho says she saw 2 guy do a switcherco with the box the gem was in. ROCKY: There was some altercation mentioned in the story, something about a guy with a cape. SAMANTHA: She said it was a cloak. ROCKY: Cloak, cape! What's the diff? SAMANTHA: What does the blurb say? Might be important. Or it might, be nothing. ROCKY: (Picks up a news clipping and reads unemotionatly,) “Central City. Flash! 4:32 p.m. The fabulous Star of Skagway sapphire appears to have been stolen in broad daylight on the steep steps of the Museurn of Precious Baubles on Fourteenth Street. The gem was on loan from the world-famous collection of billionaire socialite Lane Woods...” yada, yada... “insured for..." (Whistles.) No wonders they're offering @ big reward for its recovery. No mention of cape, cloak, or mysterious man. (Muses.) Must've read it someplace though. SAMANTHA: Maybe there's ¢ followup? ROCKY: (Shuffles some papers on his desk and pulls up another clipping.) Wait! Here... (Reads.) ..."statemient from Red Scadan, guard for Frink’s Armored Truck company.” Summarizes.) Scadan Claims he was tripped accidentally by another guard as they ascended the stairs. A guy in a cloak Nelped him retrieve the box they were carrying. (Shrugs.) Cloak. If It makes a difference. SAMANTHA: Lends credence to songhird’s story ROCKY: Oh! Here’s something. It was Scadan’s first day on the job. (Scans more.) Hey, it was the first day for all the guards! That's unusual. (Beat,) | gotta do some digging on this, Sam, Call you back? SAMANTHA: Any time, Rocky. (Smiles. ROCKY'S CAMERA goes OFF. Narrates.) The plot thickens. | wonder what Shifty was trying to tell me before? If only he'd call again. (SOUND EFFECT: PHONE RINGS. Answers.) Hello? SHIFTY: (CAMERA ON. SHIFTY now appears to be deep in the woods. ‘SOUND EFFECT: OWL HOOTS,) Dollface? SAMANTHA: Shifty! I'm so glad you called! It tums out Velma did know something. SHIFTY: She tell you about the guards? SAMANTHA: What about them?SHIFTY: They were bogus. They're a gang led by this guy named Red ‘Soadan. They call themselves the Red Hair Ring, on account of his flaming red locks. But they didn’t steal the jewel. SAMANTHA: It must have been the guy In the cloak, SHIFTY: Smart gall Yeah, it was him. He swapped the real box for a duplicate when he picked it up off the ground, SAMANTHA: And you saw his face. SHIFTY: Yeah, yeah | did. | recognized him. SAMANTHA: Well, who was it? SHIFTY: | clued you in the last time | called. SAMANTHA: | couldn't hear you! SHIFTY: If your ears were open, you heard plenty! Plus, listen now. (SOUND EFFECT: OWL HOOTS.) You can't miss this last clue. SAMANTHA: (Earnestly.) Fox, you know who stole the sapphire. You're alone now. Why don't you just come out and tell me who is the culprit? SHIFTY: Dollface, I've already told you the guy's name, and their motive. You just have to put it together. They tell me you're one ‘smart cookie. You'll get it. And when you do cateh the perp, Ill be expecting a good chunk of that reward dough. (Touches fis ear, CAMERA OFF.) SAMANTHA: (Long pause as SAMANTHA tries to decipher clues. Narrates.) And then it hit me. It was allright there, just Ike he said Dials.) So, | called Rocky one last time. ROCKY: (CAMERA ON. Answers his phone.) Night desk. Stirling Rockford speaking, SAMANTHA: Rocky, | got it. | know whodunit. ROCKY: So? Do tell! Let's hear i. SAMANTHA: | think you better be the one to call the police on this one. Lane Woods is still a big name in this town. ROCKY: Lane Woods? The billionaire socialite? He was behind this? SAMANTHA: Stole his own gem, for the insurance money. ROCKY: Now that’s a story! SAMANTHA: ‘Shifty Weaselman laid it all out for me like breadcrumbs. Why didn’t the guards ring the alarm? Because it was an inside job. They may have been planning to steal it, but they never got the chance. Lane Woods did the swap too quick. Shifty talked about insurance in our first conversation. That was his third clue to me, And Lane Woods's motive. ROCKY: Of course! SAMANTHA: Shifty actually clued me in on the name, as well. The ‘second time | heard from him, he was in a bowling alley. Couldn't hear a word he said because the noise from the lanes were so loud. But that was the clue. Get it? “Lane”? Next time we talked, f heard an owl, so he was in the “woods.” ROCKY: Cute. Do you think he'll come down to the police station and make a statement? He's the eye witness. SAMANTHA: I'm sure he will for a share of that reward money. Besides, I'm pretty sure that’s one place he’s never been. Not ‘ven for three minutes. (BLACKOUT.) END OF PLAY 9 @osours must ox puncusseo Berone wePRoDUeING THs seRIeYPRODUCTION NOTES PROPERTIES Phone (ROCKY, VELMA, SAMANTHA) SOUND EFFECTS Phone ting, mechanical voice, bowling alley, ow! hoot, COSTUMES: ALL characters are inspired by 1940s film noir. It's at the director's, discretion whether to use period costuming ar modern day adaptations. Details below are simply suggestions. ROCKY could wear a loosened tie and maybe even have a fedora or ‘other hat with a press badge on his desk, VELMA should look glamorous with heavy, femme fatale makeup. She might wear a chic ball gown. ‘SAMANTHA could wear a trench coat and hat, like Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon, SHIFTY Wears a dark suit with a dark shirt and tie. ABOUT THE FILM NOIR STYLE Influenced by film noir of the 1940s, this play is driven by consistent narrations intermingled with characters speaking on the phone in a spittscreen style similar to the old movies. Because of the classic feel of the play, it could be fun to find some old rotary phones or old fashioned phone receivers for authenticity. But there’s no reason you must! In fact, SHIFTY specifically uses a hands-free device, Feel free to have fun with the anachronistic feel of characters seemingly from a different era living in a modem world and communicating via modern devices. Or even mixandmatch! For example, you could add rotary phone sound effects even if a character uses a modern smart phone, Have fun with it!