October 11, 2026 · daily scene
The One Who Didn't Show
Given circumstances
- Character
- Birthday Person
- Setting
- Your living room, balloons on the walls, cake on the table, still untouched.
- The moment before
- The last guest just left. You've been staring at your phone for twenty minutes. No message.
- Scene partner
- Your friend, standing in the doorway holding their coat
Direction
Start trying to brush it off. By the end, stop pretending it doesn't hurt.
Script
You should go. It's late.
FRIENDI can stay and help you clean up.
It's fine. There's not much to clean.
FRIENDShe didn't even text?
(beat)
She said she'd be here at seven. I saved her a chair at the table. I made sure there was enough cake.
I actually thought this year would be different.
Written for Act It Up. Free to rehearse and perform for practice, classes and self-tapes.
Record this scene with a teleprompter and a scene partner who reads the other lines.
Perform it in Act It Up Or perform it in your browser