The Letter from a Girl (Stage Play)

This is a story about a girl. She’s no name because she could be anybody. She could be anybody around us. Every class has a girl like her. She is a typical student who goes to school on a day with her homework finished and prepared for the test. She is the perfect girl. Teachers force her to get along with others, so she does. Her parents want her to go to school every day, so she does. She doesn’t have any choice, so she has followed what adults around her said. Many people think she is an exemplary student because she is a bright and serious-minded person, so nobody noticed that she is “queer.” This is the story of that girl, called Girl A. She likes texting on SNS at night. The audience can see Girl A and B, but cannot see any other people.

[Girl A is sitting in front of her desk in her room and typing. The letters which she types are projected on a screen so that the audience can see the websites, and the messages which are sent by Girl A, B, and other people. Before the play starts, the audience is faced with her room. There is a desk—a PC, some pens, and some books are on it—in the dim light.]

Girl A: I want somebody who just listens to what I say.
[Girl A’s message is projected on the screen above her.]
Girl B: How about me?
[The audience cannot see Girl B, but can see her reply on the screen.]
A: Sounds good.
A: When and Where?
B: How about tomorrow?
A: I have to go to school.
B: You don’t have to. You can be absent. When you hang out with your friends on weekdays, you can feel superior.
[Girl A laughs and restarts typing.]
A: I don’t need that, cuz I can feel it every day.
B: Ah, I remembered that you are…
A: an EXEMPLARY student.
B: So, when is fine?
A: Friday.
A: After school.
B: Okay. Then we can meet at the station.
[Turn off the spot light on Girl A and the screen for a few seconds. Girl A continues sitting in front of her PC and opens another web site. Then turn on the light.]

A: Parents, friends, teachers and other people around me want me to be a girl, but I do not think I am a girl. Do you understand my feeling?
MTF: Hi A, I do. [MTF replies. It is also shown on the screen. They’ve known each other for about a year, but they’ve never met, just texting on line.]
A: I’m considering eliminating her.
MTF: Eliminating whom?
A: The girl, the good girl. The girl who always goes to school on time with her homework finished, and ready for the test. The girl who is supposed to be attracted to boys.
MTF: Anyway, please let me know if there’s something I can do for you.
A: Thanks, MTF.
[Turn off the spot light on Girl A and the screen again. Stage set change. Take out Girl A’s desk and other materials from the stage. Then turn on the light. Girl A and Girl B are standing on the stage.]
A: I told you do not come around school.
B: Who cares? Nobody looks at me.
A: I do care.
B: All right, I won’t come to your school. Don’t be so upset. How was your day?
A: Not so bad.
B: You told me that you had a test today. I’m sure you did very well.
A: Yes, I did it, of course. And today was the last day of the test.
B: So, now you are free! You don’t have to think about anything except—
A: You, B.
B: I’m so glad to hear that.
A: Since just after I answered the last question of my math test, I’ve dreamed of the time I will spend with you.
B: Where do you want to go? I’ll follow wherever you go.
A: I want to buy letter paper. I need the most beautiful one, like—imagine, you are sitting on your chair to write a letter to the person you love the most in the world. What does the paper which is put in front of you like?
B: I’ve never written a letter.
A: What? I thought most children have the experience that writing short letters to their friends, family, and other familiar people.
B: It’s true that I have never written that.
A: Hey, let’s write a letter together. I’ll buy letter paper, so we can share. Also you can use my pen. What do you think?
B: I’m not sure. I don’t know how to write and where to buy paper.
A: Don’t worry, all you should do is to just follow me. I can lead you to the shop and teach you how to write a letter. Oh, you have to think about who you want to send a letter. You can send it to anybody, your friend, family, and—even whom lives far away from here.
[Turn off all lights.]

[Stage set change into Girl A’s room. Girl B sits on the chair and writes the letter. Turn on the light and the screen which projects a letter which Girl B is writing.]
Dear A
I could not know your name, because we often met and talked face to face, but we were neither classmates, family, nor friend. We were just on-line friends. You had many followers and I was one of them. I do not know how many followers you had met, but I guess you had met some of them and I was one of these. The last time we met, you took me to the shop near your school and bout me some letter paper. One is white with illustrations of flowers are printed on, gilt-illustrated one, and simple pad without any illustrations or letters. I said that I do not need so much paper, but you said that it is interesting for me to have several kinds of paper because I can choose one thinking about whom I want to send a letter to. It was true, I noticed after choosing the paper to write a letter to you. I don’t know who you wanted to write a letter to, and whether you finished writing and sending it. MTF (recently followed me) told me a story about a girl. According to the story, a girl said that she was considering about erasing a girl. I hope she succeed in it before she lose her. I’m sure she did. You taught me that I can send a letter anybody even whom lives far from me. I hope you find this letter and read it.
Sincerely,
B
[Turn off screen and spot light.]