LIGHT SWITCH
A One Act Play
by
William R. Boyer
Copyright © 2019 reyobllib@yahoo.com
Cast of Characters
Thomas: Late 40s husband
Tatiana: Late 40s wife
Nate: 17-year-old son (may be entirely audio)
“Light Switch” premiered July 12, 2019 at the Detroit Repertory Theater. Directed by Rebecca Godwin, Tony Amato played the role of Thomas, Matt Paciorkowski as Nate, and Maureen Paraventi as Tatiana.
Setting
Middle class living room in middle America.
Time
The present.
Darkness, howling wind, thunder, some brief helicopter sounds. A siren and barking dog echo in the distance. THOMAS fumbles around the shadowy living room, near a large sofa, wearing work clothes with a lit candle lantern. He’s trying to light a slightly similar glass-encased candle. TATIANA yells from a nearby bedroom.
THOMAS
Damn it. This wick won’t light.
TATIANA
What? Are you talking to me?
THOMAS
It won’t light.
TATIANA
What?
THOMAS
This candle I’m on.
TATIANA
Get a handle on what?
THOMAS
Candle. It worked fine last time. Look, I don’t want to yell while we’re in. . .
TATIANA, dressed in a bathrobe, stumbles into the room with a small broken flashlight.
TATIANA
Thought you were getting some flashlights. This is bad.
THOMAS
Why? It’s probably no worse than the last outage.
TATIANA
How do you know?
THOMAS
They have utility crews all over, just waiting for something like this again.
TATIANA
And they’re idling in their big trucks, just down the street?
THOMAS
No, you know what I mean. If the whole town is out, it still shouldn’t last more than a day or two.
TATIANA slams down the broken flashlight on a light-stand next to the couch.
TATIANA
A day or two.
THOMAS
Relax.
TATIANA
It took almost three days last time.
THOMAS
And before that, the blackout lasted only two or three hours.
TATIANA
We don’t really know what caused this one.
THOMAS
Not yet. What do you want me to say?
TATIANA
That everything’s going to be all right.
THOMAS
Everything’s going to be all right.
TATIANA
You don’t sound convincing.
THOMAS
Everything’s going to be fine, my love.
TATIANA
So no flashlights?
THOMAS
I’m starting with the candles first. You may have to help me find some batteries.
TATIANA
Batteries? You’re supposed to—
THOMAS
Two. Size C.
TATIANA
Not trying to sound anti-feminist here, but shouldn’t the man of the house be unpacking some kind of emergency Boy Scout kit right about now?
THOMAS
Been a bit too busy this month to restock my line of military grade LEDs—
TATIANA
—Shouldn’t you check the fuse box or whatever?
THOMAS
Did you look across the street? Both sides, they’re all out.
TATIANA
Nate. We have to call him. I do. Now.
THOMAS
So your phone works?
TATIANA (starts searching for phone)
Yes, but my juice is low. I just put it down somewhere.
THOMAS
I just started charging mine in the bathroom when we lost power.
TATIANA
Nate may be trying to drive home.
THOMAS (lights second candle)
There. Finally. Quite an accomplishment.
TATIANA
Maybe girlfriend’s house has power.
THOMAS
If not, I’m sure he’s in no hurry to get home.
TATIANA
What’s that supposed to mean?
THOMAS
If I was Nate, I’d try to take advantage of the darkness—
TATIANIA (finds cell)
Her mother is home. Here it is. They’re not alone—
THOMAS
Well, they’re surely not studying now. . . .
TATIANA (dialing number)
Should I just tell him you’re lusting after his girlfriend?
THOMAS
Huh? Lusting after Sherrie?
TATIANA
You don’t notice how uncomfortable he gets when you say how cute she is.
THOMAS
So that makes me lusting after his girlfriend?
TATIANA
It makes you suspect.
THOMAS
Suspect? What are you talking about?
TATIANA
Your browser, when you forgot to close your laptop last week, remember?
THOMAS
When you were poking around my work space?
TATIANA
Work space? You mean your playroom? He’s not answering—
THOMAS
My computer?
TATIANA
“Naughty Nurses?” Naughty Nurses? And their bad bedside manners? Really?