Skating Loose Screws

Cast
Elizabeth(protagonist)- Victoria  
Iain- Derek
Hailey- Elise
Elizabeth’s dad-Joel
Riley (antagonist)- Lauren
Chorus- Mena, Laura, Kailey
Poetry-readers- Laura, Kailey
Narrator- Carrie
Background party people(BPP)- Susan, Lily, Mena, Laura, Kailey
Background sleepover people(BSP)- Susan, Lily
Team member- Chloe

Act 1 Scene 1
Narrator- Elizabeth laces her skates and anxiously waits to perform at the state finals with her team. They slide gracefully onto the floor and twist and turn, as synchronized as a machine. Elizabeth glides away from her team for her solo and spirals. On the last turn, her skate’s wheel falls off. She stumbles and falls to the floor. She cries out painfully and grabs her ankle. The audience gasps. (everyone gasp) She looks at her team as they move off the floor.(team exit stage) Elizabeth unlaces her skates and limps off the floor in shame.(limp off stage) Well, that probably doesn’t make much sense to you, so let’s just start at the beginning. (link arms, skip around)In grade school, Riley and Elizabeth met and were instantly inseparable friends, doing everything possible together. (silently chat “interrogatively”) So it was no surprise when Riley asked Elizabeth to take skating lessons with her.(fake skate) Elizabeth was a natural, it came easily to her. But Riley had to practice and practice and practice, and was still never as good as Elizabeth, but that never mattered to her until they got to middle school. When Riley started to get jealous of Elizabeth and started longing to be the best. Elizabeth and Riley slowly began drifting apart, when they both met new friends(be with new friends), stopped car pooling together, until Riley left the skate team to join a new team with her new friends. Now that they are in high school the competitions are a lot more intense . . . complex . . . competitive. (pause) And now winning means everything to Riley.
Act 2 Scene 1         
Narrator- It was Elizabeth's birthday and like it is for most people, it’s her favorite day of the year (starts to pack backpack) . Elizabeth was getting ready for school when her dad knocked on the door.
E.Dad- (Knock on door) Hey Lizzy, Happy birthday!
Elizabeth- (look at Dad and smile)  Thanks dad!
E.Dad- No problem, so are you taking the bus, or is Iain picking you up?
Elizabeth- Umm . . . Iain is picking me up, but you better get going, or you’re going to be late for work.
E.Dad- Ok, well, have a good day! (exit room) 
Elizabeth- Thanks, you too! 
Narrator- Now that Elizabeth’s dad left, she continued to get ready and checked her phone
Elizabeth- Oooh! New message! (looks at phone, and reads message out  loud) *I’m here and Happy Birthday, Lizzy! - Iain* (Smile and sets down phone)
Narrator- When Elizabeth was ready she grabbed her backpack and headed out of the house to Iain’s car.
Act 2 Scene 2
Iain- Hey Lizzy!
Elizabeth- Hey, what’s up? 
Hailey- Happy birthday! Are you ready for your surprise?
Elizabeth- I can’t wait!   
Iain- How’s your routine coming?
Elizabeth- Ahg, you ask me everyday! I won’t show you until Sunday at my competition.
Iain and Hailey-WHYYYY!?!           
Elizabeth- Because it’s a surprise!
Iain-(joking) Fine. (Drive off stage)
Narrator- Once they arrived at school the day flew by,  Elizabeth couldn’t wait to see what her big surprise was! Iain and Hailey decided to take Elizabeth skating, while her dad was setting up her party at home.
Act 3 Scene 1
Narrator- Elizabeth’s dad worked hard to make the decorations look perfect for his daughter’s special day. Steadily, people started to arrive because it was coming time for the party to start. (reach up stick banner)
E.Dad- (looks at phone) *We’re here- Iain*(hush everyone) Everyone quiet, quiet she’s coming!(BPP hush and hide)
Hailey- Hey, Liz, do you wanna grab a snack?    
Elizabeth- Yeah, I'll go grab something. (E,H,I go over to crowd)
Everyone- (jump up) Surprise!
Elizabeth- Oh my gosh you guys this is awesome! Wow!
Narrator- They all had a great time. The party was Elizabeth’s favorite birthday yet. . . After everyone had left, Elizabeth had a sleepover with a few selected friends.(everyone but few selected friend exit stage)
Hailey- We should watch a movie! What do you want to watch Lizzy?
Elizabeth- Oh whatever is fine.
Hailey- No, it’s your birthday you choose.
Elizabeth- Fine, I choose . . . Thor!
BSP- Yeah!                 

Narrator- (leave room go to blanket) As they were watching the movie Riley slipped away with the excuse of having to go to the bathroom, while really looking for Elizabeth’s skates. But Riley had remembered Elizabeth always kept her lucky skates under her bed for safe keeping. Riley slipped the skates out from under her bed and loosened the bolts to a few of her wheels.(loosen bolts with screw driver)
Chorus:
I’ll be 1st, I’ll be 1st, I’ll be 1st . . .(sneakily) now.
Narrator:After, she put them back into the box and slid them back underneath her bed. Riley wisely loosened the bolts to her lucky/competition skates because she knew Elizabeth would be practicing in her lesson skates the next day.(return to movie) She then went back to the party and continued watching the movie.
Poem:
Friendship is forever
But so is a grudge
I wish I could have been more clever        
But no such luck whatsoever
Elizabeth- (yawn) I’m tired. I think I’ll go to bed now
Hailey- Me, too. (yawn)  
Narrator- *The next morning*
Narrator- The girls went to bed and were surprised with pancakes and bacon for breakfast in the morning, Elizabeth's favorite.
Elizabeth- Ooo! What’s that smell?(smell)  
Hailey- I know, it smells great!(smell deeply)
E.Dad- Good morning girls, who’s ready for some breakfast?
Everyone- Me! Me! Me!( Girls rush off stage to find the kitchen)
Narrator- Once the girls had finished eating, Elizabeth asked her friends if they minded leaving so she could practice for her big competition the next day.    
Act 3 Scene 2
Narrator- The next day at the competition Elizabeth caught a glimpse of Riley before performing.
Elizabeth- Good luck, Riley!     
Riley- (look at her slightly guilty and leave stage)   
Narrator- Now here’s where we left off . . .
Elizabeth’s performance is going great until she twists her ankle and limps off stage. Next Riley’s team rolls onto the floor for their performance. (roll on to stage)
Team member- Hey Lizzy, what happened out there?
Elizabeth- I don’t know, but my wheel fell off somehow.     
Team member- Any idea how it happened? 
Elizabeth- No, I… they were perfectly fine yesterday. I’m not sure but someone had to have loosened them up a bit. (Elizabeth stands to get up but cries out in pain and falls back onto the chair. Iain rushes over to her.)
Iain- Hey, are you okay? Your ankle . . . ?
Elizabeth- I think I sprained it when I fell.    
Iain- Oh no! Here, let me go get some ice for you. ( Hailey comes over and starts talking with Elizabeth)
Elizabeth- Thanks, you’re the best! (Iain rushes off stage and comes back with ice and crutches a few minutes later)
(Iain, Hailey, and Elizabeth make their way off stage.)
Act 3 Scene 3
Narrator- The three friends get back to Elizabeth’s home where Elizabeth decides to call Riley and see how their teams did.
Elizabeth- Hailey, would you pass me the phone?
Hailey- Sure thing!( grabs phone off of table and gives it to her.)
*Phone Dialing*
Riley- ( sort of muffled) Hello?
Elizabeth- Hey, Riley! I was just calling to see how our teams did. What place did you get?
Riley- (excited) OMG! We finally got first place! I’m soo happy!
Elizabeth- Wow! That’s great! Do you know what place my team got?
Riley- Umm… one sec… your team got second place.
Elizabeth- (kind of disappointed) Oh… that’s good.
Riley- (VERY guilty sounding) Hey, do you think I can come and visit for a little?
Elizabeth- Yes! Of course you can!
Narrator-  Elizabeth was so excited to finally be able to be closer to Riley again. But what came next shattered Elizabeth’s hopes for a new friendship.
*Riley knocks on the door* 
(Iain gets up from the couch where he , Hailey and Elizabeth were talking. He goes over to the door and opens it, Riley comes in, crying.)
Riley- (sobbing) Oh! I’m soo sorry! This is all my fault!
Elizabeth- (looking very concerned) Riley, what’s wrong?! How is me spraining my ankle YOUR fault?
Riley-(sniffling) You wouldn’t like me very much if I told you.
Poem:
Guilt is strong
but so am I
I did a bad deed
when I was full of greed
(Iain and Hailey are in the background looking very confused)
Elizabeth- You can tell me anything! You know I won’t be upset with you.
Narrator- (say it but it’s also happening) Riley tells her everything, apologizing relentlessly.
Chorus: 
Leave me greed, Leave me greed you no longer control me!
Elizabeth-(looking very stunned) I… I … think I need a minute.  
(she picks up her crutches and makes her way off stage, looking very upset. Iain rushes after her)       
Hailey- (very upset looking) HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING!!!???  
(Riley rushes off stage with her head in her hands)

Act 4 Scene 1
Narrator- Elizabeth steadily accepted the truth and forgave Riley. Elizabeth got used to the crutches, but was tortured by not being able to skate for 6 months.  Her friends were very supportive and helpful. As for Riley, she confessed to the judges that she had indeed sabotaged Elizabeth’s skates and accepted the punishment of her team being disqualified from moving on to The World Championship. Riley then quit skating and tried skiing. Elizabeth continued to be  #1 skater, while Riley rose up and to become the #3 skier, but no longer cared to be “The Best”(emphasize) just tried “Her Best”(emphasize) and that was enough for her. This story shows us that greed, can lead to jealousy, which can lead you to make bad decisions  you wouldn’t have chosen otherwise. So never dwell on greed, and never let it become jealousy or it will controls your actions.