Stephen Metcalfe - Writer & Director

Emily premiered at The Old Globe theatre in 1985. It was directed by Jack O'Brien. It was subsequently proudced at the Manhattan theatre Club in 1987. The play is availabe from Samel French.

EMILY

(PRODUCTION NOTE: The titles IN CAPS are suggestions. For possible projections. For mood. For setting.)

NEW YORK AT NIGHT

(The couple at a beautifully appointed table seem taken from some modern romantic fairy tale. She is attractive, sparkly eyed, elegantly dressed without being ostentatious. He is not only incredibly handsome but is a picture of confident, manly, three piece suited success. He pours white wine into exquisite crystal wine glasses. In the candlelight, the wine glimmers like pale gold. The crystal reflects the gleam of polished tableware. The couple are obviously in love. They stare into one another's eyes, oblivious to the rest of the world. The man, JASON, raises his glass.)

JASON
To you.
EMILY
No. To you.
JASON
Hey. To us.
EMILY
(thrilled)
Oh!

(They smile softly, click glasses and drink. They gaze into each other's eyes.)
JASON
We are dangerous.
EMILY
You think?
JASON
Anything flammable should be kept at a distance. Don't you feel it?
(taking her hand)
Sssss. Hot.
EMILY
(melting)
Oh, I do feel it, I do.
JASON
(a moment)
So. Talk to me. How was your day?
EMILY
(modestly)
Well...
JASON
Bullish? I bet it was. The market's always up for you. Did you make a million dollars?
EMILY
Almost.
JASON
You're a wonder, Emily.
EMILY
No. A woman.
JASON
(toasting)
To money.

(They clink glasses and drink. They stare deeply into each other's eyes.)
EMILY
It's so hard to believe we've only known each other a week, Jason. I feel like we've known each other forever.
JASON
I feel the same.
EMILY
Do you? Oh, I knew that.

(A ruggedly handsome man passes up and behind the table. Emily's eyes are drawn to him. The man smiles at Emily.)
JASON
Hello there?
(Emily pulls her attention back to the table.)
EMILY
I'm sorry.
JASON
A friend?
EMILY
For a moment I thought he looked familiar but no.
(pause)
Jason, do you ever have a hard time telling people the truth? Are you concerned with their feelings?
JASON
Yes, I am.
EMILY
Is it ever dificult to tell people how you really feel about them?
JASON
Yes. Yes, it is.
EMILY
Jason... I shouldn't ask but I've just got to...how do feel about me?

(Jason's feelings render him speechless. He caresses Emily's cheek.)
EMILY
Yes. Yes, I thought so.

(She reaches into her jacket pocket. She pulls out a velvet jewlery box and places it on the table.)
JASON
What's that?
EMILY
Darling, I bought this today.

(She opens the box. A diamond ring twinkles in the candlelight.)
JASON
Holy shit.
EMILY
Jason, I'm going to be blunt... may I be yours?
JASON
I don't know what to say.
EMILY
Say yes and make me the happiest woman in the world.
JASON
This is awfully sudden.
EMILY
I know.
JASON
This is... out of the blue.
EMILY
Sometimes, darling, you have to go with what you feel.

(She turns to a passing waiter.)
EMILY
May we have a bottle of your finest champagne?
JASON
Emily, for chrissake, we've only known each other a week.
EMILY
Only a week. But a very long week.
JASON
Look, I like you. I do, but...
EMILY
But what?
JASON
What kind of girl wants to marry a guy after only knowing him a week?
EMILY
Jason, are you saying no!?
JASON
Emily, I... I... I gotta go.

(He rises. He pulls money from his billfold.)
EMILY
Jason, you can't, I've made all the arrangements!
JASON
Arrangements!?
EMILY
The church, the caterer. I've even been looking at houses in the suburbs.
JASON
Emily, if I wanted a wife and a house in the burbs, I would have stayed in Cincinnati.

(He exits.)
EMILY
(calling after him)
Jason, don't let it end like this! Jason, please, what will I tell mother!? Jason!

(Emily is paralyzed, her face a mask of shock and disapointment. She bows her head, defeated. The handsome man enters behind her.)
SEAN
Jesus, Brown, are you proposing marriage again?
EMILY
(Emily breaks into a huge, happy grin.)
Hi, Sean!
SEAN
You really are crazy, you know that?
EMILY
Yup.
SEAN
You oughta be seein' a shrink.
EMILY
I would, but I'm afraid a shrink would recommend internment.
SEAN
You know what your problem is, don't you. You're afraid of commitments.
EMILY
I love you, Sean. I want you to bear my children.
SEAN
That a proposal?
EMILY
God forbid.
SEAN
When they finished making you, they broke the mold.
EMILY
I know. It's wonderful to be unique.

(The waiter enters with a bottle of champange. Emily takes it and hands it to Sean.)
EMILY
Champagne?

(Emily exits. Lightchange.)
vast empty rooms!

(Emily enters.)
EMILY
(to the audience)
Hi. How you doing? Hello. Well, what did you think? Sneaky? Manipulative? Did I have you going? Don't worry, it gets worse. Come on, let's go someplace where we can be alone.
(a self amused giggle)
Really. I want to tell you all about me. I want to tell you all about my apartment. Ready? Let's go.
(Beep-beep-beep.)
EMILY
It is six thirty in the morning. I start my day trying to kill my digital alarm clock.

(CRASH. AND THEN: BEEP-BEEP-BEEP.)
EMILY
It just won't die. I roll out of bed. It's not a long fall. See, there is nothing in my bedroom but the mattress. No bedframe, no bureau. The walls are bare. Laundered blouses are stacked against the dirty laundry. I do keep meaning to get a laundry bag. The living room! Ta-da! The living room is as barren as the bedroom. The only furniture is a chair, a sidetable, a color t.v. with VCR and cable attachment and an exercise bike that I use as a coat rack. I don't keep much in the fridge. A carton of Tropicana, a carton of skim milk, some left over Chinese, and sometimes but not for long, a carton of Hagen-Daz! It goes very well with the Wall Street Journal. I don't keep anything in the cupboard but instant coffee. I don't wash dishes, I don't clean ovens, when the milk is sour, I drink my coffee black. What else. I have 23 conservatively cut suits just like this. I can tie my ribbon tie by feel which is a good thing cause I don't have a bedroom mirror. I have a briefcase. I have an umbrella. When I head dout in the morning, I have highheels in my bag and Nike's on my feet. I usually run late. I work on Wall Street. Wall Street. Home of the great business lunch.