The Cloud and the Tornado
The Cloud and the Tornado
By Breanna Savage
Characters:
JOHNNY CIRRUS - a lonely cloud who oh-so wants to be loved
SARAH NIMBUS - another cloud, Jimmy’s love interest, mean
CLARK STRATUS - a jock cloud, big cloud on campus
OTHER CLOUDS - the girl clouds (2) and boy clouds (3)
BUTTERFLIES - some butterflies (4)
WESLEY “THE TORNADO” TWISTER - bad gang/drug dude
Setting: The sky. Blank stage with perhaps a few wooden cubes to work with as you please.
ACT I: SCENE 1
Lights up. JOHNNY enters, looking back at where he came from.
JOHNNY
Where is everyone? I looked away for just a second, and then they seemed to all evaporate.
(he sits and rests his head on one hand dejectedly)
Why should I be surprised? No one likes me. I may as well evaporate.
SARAH
(offstage)
Sounds like a good idea.
JOHNNY flinches and stands, searching for the voice. SARAH enters with the OTHER GIRL CLOUDS flanking her.
JOHNNY
(excited to see her)
Hey, Sarah! Long time no see!
SARAH rolls her eyes and scoffs. The OTHER GIRL CLOUDS giggle.
JOHNNY
Hey, Sarah? Have you got a date for the Sky Ball yet?
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 1
No, she hasn’t!
SARAH
Shhhh!
(to JOHNNY:)
It’s not official, but I know Clark Stratus is going to ask me. Probably even today. You should find someone else to take your charity case.
JOHNNY
Wha-?
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 2
(loudly)
She wants you to find someone else to go to the Sky Ball with because you are not cool enough to be with her!
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 1
Or me.
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 2
Or me!
SARAH and OTHER GIRL CLOUDS exit. JOHNNY sits.
JOHNNY
What just happened?
ACT I: SCENE 2
The Sky Ball. There is a disco ball and SARAH, CLARK, OTHER CLOUDS, and BUTTERFLIES are dancing to some sky-themed music (like “Blue Skies” except more dancy).
SARAH
This is so much fun!
CLARK
Yeah, baby. Oh, watch out! A Cloud 9!
CLARK does this Cloud 9 dance move, which may involve holding out nine fingers and jiving. EVERYONE woos. JOHNNY enters.
JOHNNY
Hey, guys!
EVERYONE ignores JOHNNY. JOHNNY starts dancing badly.
SARAH
He sucks so bad!
CLARK
No kidding. Aren’t you glad you picked me instead of that lame excuse for condensation?
SARAH
Oh yeah.
Change of song. EVERYONE woos at the song selection. JOHNNY woos a second later and continues the bad dancing. He runs into SARAH with a move. She shoves him.
SARAH
Get offa me, dorkus!
JOHNNY
Oh, sorry, Sarah. I didn’t mean to-
CLARK
Hey, get away from my girl, dweeb!
CLARK shoves JOHNNY.
JOHNNY
I didn’t mean to do anything. I’m sorry, Sarah.
CLARK
That sounded like a threat! I’m gonna beat you up!
JOHNNY
Wait… what?
CLARK starts for JOHNNY but is interrupted by a surge of wind. WESLEY “THE TORNADO” TWISTER, with his trademark bling, enters, assesses the scene, and starts ripping wings off the BUTTERFLIES. The BUTTERFLIES fall to the ground and crawl away. The OTHER CLOUDS run away. WESLEY approaches SARAH and CLARK.
WESLEY
What up?
CLARK, looking like he’s about to pee his cloud, runs away crying.
SARAH
Wait, Clark! Where are you going?
SARAH runs after him. WESLEY approaches JOHNNY.
JOHNNY
(not getting it)
Hey there!
WESLEY
(taken aback by this strange confidence)
Hey…
(has a realization)
Hey, kid. Would you like to try something… cool?
JOHNNY
Like what? Like a new dance move?!
WESLEY
Um… yeah. Somethin’ like that.
(takes out a bag of poppy dust)
Wanna try some of this, homie?
JOHNNY
(amazed)
What is it?
WESLEY
Oh, it’s the shizzle. It’s called “poppy dust.” It’ll take you to beyond beyond.
JOHNNY
Sounds heavenly!
WESLEY
Have some.
JOHNNY
(reaching in and grabbing a pinchful of the dust)
Bottoms up!
(eats the pinchful, lets it digest)
Whoa…!
JOHNNY starts dancing well. WESLEY admires his new junkie.
ACT I: SCENE 3
SARAH and the OTHER GIRL CLOUDS are sitting, chatting.
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 1
I can’t believe Clark ran away like that.
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 2
Yeah, seriously. Big cloud on campus, my eye.
SARAH
Urgh. I’m so bummed he’s such a wimp! I could’ve been killed by that maniac, and what does he do? RUNS AWAY CRYING! I could give him something to cry about… Maybe I will!
OTHER GIRL CLOUDS
Yeah!
JOHNNY stumbles in, strung out on poppy dust.
SARAH
Oh, look. It’s dorkus.
JOHNNY
Why don’t you just precipitate already?
SARAH
…What?
JOHNNY
You know, you have always been hurtful to me, so now I just want you to DIE!
SARAH starts crying. OTHER GIRL CLOUDS stand.
OTHER GIRL CLOUD 1
You need to leave.
JOHNNY
Fine.
JOHNNY exits. OTHER GIRL CLOUDS comfort SARAH.
ACT I: SCENE 4
SARAH enters via spotlight.
SARAH
(addressing audience)
Johnny died not too long after our fight. The poppy dust had led him down a dark path and he overdosed. He precipitated over a pretty island. I’m sure he would’ve liked that.
Blackout.