Fangtasia Welcomes The Maker

Written and Directed by Mary Dumas

In order of appearance:

The location is the Galleria Ballroom of the Westin, Boston.  As you enter you see powdery residue on the carpet that seems to outline a body, dusty, with a wooden stake on the heart area.    Immediately ahead of you are cocktail rounds covered in red table cloths, one is RESERVED for THE MAKER and her party.  (This table also has some SFX lighting that are turned on at the end of the play.)  To the right of center of the back of the room on a high ledge, about 10’ square, of the staircase is the Sherriff Eric’s formal chair   (Perhaps a “FANGTASIA Welcomes The Maker” sign will be strung up along the back wall. )

8:00pm

Our play opens as people enter the cocktail room stepping around the dusty outline on floor.  (Perhaps a server directs them away from the debris?) They mill about, without a host or hostess.  The bar is open, and Vampire Cho, is behind the True Blood area, being assisted by servers in red and/or black clothing.  These servers offer True Blood to the guests, and instruct them that if they’d like anything more “mortal” they are welcome to visit the bar.  Snacks are also put out by the servers. 

8:20pm

Eric and Pam enter the room and stand at the dusted outline.

ERIC

Pam, who was supposed to be here?

 

PAM

(sniffing for an odor)

It’s the backup bartender. Jose?

 

ERIC

What happened that he’s been dusted?

 

PAM

I don’t know, Eric.  Obviously, I wasn’t here.

 

ERIC

This is too important.  We can’t have any screw-ups.  The Maker will notice this!

 

PAM

We’ll pretend this is a mystery dinner, tell the guests that it’s a… a game. 

Like the kind mortals play at those science fiction conventions.

 

ERIC

Sure, that will work.  Get me Sookie Stackhouse.

 

Pam steps away for a moment to flip open her cellphone and place a call.

 

PAM

Bill, bring Sookie.  (pause)

I know she’s working, so am I. (pause)

Eric wants Sookie here now, there’s been a….  (pause)

Just get her here, pronto.

 

Pam snaps the phone shut and steps back to Eric.  They exchange a knowing nod.

 

Eric and Pam move through crowd glad handing, greeting people.  Eventually they ascend to the Sheriff’s chair.   Eric lounges in his Sherriff’s chair, one leg thrown over an arm as though he hasn’t a care in the world.  He glowers at the crowd for a moment.  Pam stands at his right hand, examining her nails and looking bored.   

 

8:40pm

 

The servers start to look toward Eric expectantly, and this should get the crowd to quiet and look toward him as well. 

 

ERIC

For those of you who are new to the FANGTASIA bar I’d like to introduce myself.  I am Eric Norseman, Sheriff of the Vampires of Louisanna.  This (he indicates, Pam) is my (pause) assistant.  I wish to  welcome you all to our special celebration for The Maker.  Please be sure to sample our house specialty, True Blood.  Do not be alarmed by Cho, senior our bartender.  In a previous life he was Yakusa, he only looks as mean as sin now.

 

Cho looks sourly at Eric rolls up his sleeve to show his many tattoos, then reaches behind and flashes his sword, in a show of power.  Then he smiles.

 

PAM

We have a very special evening planned.  And so we (hesitate) are hosting a special mystery game.   We’ll discover who dusted the “vampire” on the floor.  Ha, ha, doesn’t that sound delightful.  So go about your business and enjoy yourselves, drink, visit, while we finish preparing the, um, game.

 

 

9:00

 

Sookie and Bill arrive. 

 

Sookie stops and gapes at the dust on the floor, her face says this is really messy and disgusting.

 

 Bill escorts Sookie up the stairs to where Eric is lounging in his chair.

 

ERIC

Why Miss Sookie, lovely of you to join us.

 

SOOKIE

What do you want, Eric?  I was working this evening. You owe me for taking the time off.

 

PAM

You’ll be taken care of, but as you can see we have a situation on our hands.

 

BILL

(to Sookie)

I believe that dust on the floor as we came in was the bartender.

 

SOOKIE

That was a vampire?!  I could have sworn they blew up more than that.

 

Pam, Eric and Bill shake their heads in dismay.

 

ERIC

I want you to walk around and, um, listen for anyone having a thought about what happened to our departed friend there.

 

SOOKIE

(Loudly)

What are you talking about?

 

ERIC, PAM, BILL

Shhhh!

 

SOOKIE

So you want me to walk around and see what’s on everyone’s mind?

 

ERIC

Yes, darling, that is what we’d like you to do.

 

BILL

What are we supposed to be telling people as we walk around?

 

ERIC

We’re telling them it’s one of those fake mystery game things, so say something like you’re the “detective” there to help figure the mystery.

 

Bill nods and begins to step away with Sookie.  Then steps back.

 

BILL

Oh!  Has The Maker arrived yet?

 

ERIC

(exasperated)

No, Bill, we don’t know if she’s here yet.  You know how it works.   We’ve all met her, but then she goes and glamours everyone she meets, so we don’t know who she is again.

 

SOOKIE

Who’s The Maker?

 

PAM

Just the reason we’re all here.  Just go about your business, find out what happened.

 

SOOKIE

Fine, I’m feelin’ so appreciated.

 

Sookie and Bill walk about crowd pretending to read minds. Eric and Pam will walk and visit among the tables.  Cho will also be serving drinks making sure everyone has a drink, threatening people with sword as he feels necessary.  As they continue they ask about what people think about the mystery, and whether or not the Maker has arrived.

 

 

 

9:10

 

Older woman in white comes slowly walking in among the tables.  No words are spoken by her, most people do not notice her.

 

Eric, Pam, Cho and Bill circulate to the point where they are surrounding all sides of the table Charlaine Harris is seated at.  They aren’t looking at the table, but are spacing the table away from the rest of the crowd. 

 

White woman floats to the table area, Sookie comes over to table eventually. 

 

The SFX lights come on at the table.

 

SOOKIE

Gran?!  What are you doing here?  Y- you’re dead!

 

GRAN

Shh Shh Sookie-child I’m not really dead, because none of us are really,… well, …alive.

 

SOOKIE

What are you talking about?

 

GRAN

Well, these vampires call her the Maker, but she’s more than that.  She is who brings us to other people, she will  never let us really die.

 

SOOKIE

Gran, you are making less than any sense.

 

GRAN

Your, um, friends, the vampires call her The Maker, because that’s all they know about how they’ve come to be.  But she’s not a Maker, she is someone even more powerful.  She is (pause for effect) The Writer.

 

SOOKIE

The Writer?

 

GRAN

Yes, Sookie dear, the reason we all exist.  Every time someone opens one of her books we’re alive again.   And every time a screen play is performed or projected we come alive again.

 

 

SOOKIE

But the vampires say they’ve met her, they know her!

 

GRAN

But then she does something …sparkles them.... or something like that?

 

SOOKIE

They call it glamouring, Gran.

 

GRAN

Oh, yes, that’s it.    It’s just how they explain it to themselves, they are a rather self sustaining lot, aren’t they?   Sookie, right now I’m going show you to The Writer.

 

SOOKIE

Can I bring the v…  my friends.. over to meet her too?

 

GRAN

Of course, dear child.

 

SOOKIE

Bill! Get Pam over here with Eric.  Cho too.

 

BILL

What is it?

 

SOOKIE

Gran wants to introduce you to someone.

 

BILL

(perplexed)

Sookie, your Grandmother is dead.

 

GRAN

He can’t see me child, I’m dead in his world, the world inside the book.   

(pointing to Ms. Harris) 

She’s right here.

 

SOOKIE

Guys, I’d like you to meet The Maker!

 

Eric goes down on one knee, Bill bows, Pam & Cho stand at attention.

 

ERIC

We are truly honored, Maker.

 

(SOMETHING HAPPENS HERE?)

 

Lights go off

 

(VAMPIRES AND OTHER GO BACK TO ERIC’S CHAIR?)

 

Eric goes back to chair with Pam, Sookie, Bill and Cho.

 

ERIC

Isn’t this party is supposed to be done by now?

 

PAM

What was it we were supposed to be doing?  Oh, yes a mystery game thing. Spies, dust pile on floor. Oh, we forgot to finish cleaning up after the last one.

 

SOOKIE

(with a can she’s found)

I think that’s Carpet Fresh.  You’re going to have to speak to the help.

 

THE END

 

 

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