A new series of mini-dramas based on public conversations, as overheard and rewritten by local playwright/director Aurora Stewart de Peña.
Overheard at Ideal Coffee on Ossington
Jim and Alona sit on stools in the window with their coats on. The upper halves of their bodies are turned cordially toward each other.
Jim: And he dictates a lot of the songwriting, which is weird, because he doesn’t play an instrument.
Alona: (Nodding) Hmm.
Jim: So he sort of sings what he wants us to play.
Alona: (Nodding) Hmm.
Jim: (Almost melodically) Bah-duh-bah-duh-duh!
Alona: (Nodding) Hmm.
Jim: And then I play with my friends in Parkdale.
Alona nods once.
Jim: Some gypsy jazz stuff.
But we really need to get some singers involved.
Alona: (Nodding) Hmm.
Jim: Take it up a notch.
Pause. Alona looks at Jim.
Jim: So, yeah.
Notch.
Pause. Alona looks at Jim.
Pause. Alona looks at her hands.
Jim: Do you play any instruments at all?
Alona: No.
Pause.
But I do like music.
When I was younger, I dated a lot of musicians.
Pause.
Alona: I mean, I’d like to sing. The Royal Conservatory has a program.
____
Aurora Stewart de Peña is half of the theatre company Birdtown & Swanville (the other half is Nika Mistruzzi). You can follow her on Twitter at @Aurorahhh.
For more, follow us on Twitter at @torontostandard, and subscribe to our newsletter.
