The Unavailable Partner

Ages 12-15

Bryna leaves an empty place beside her rehearsal chair.

Her scene needs two people. The classmate she asks is packing supplies into the classroom cabinet.

"Can you practise now?"

Her classmate shakes her head.

Bryna stays beside the cabinet.

"Just once?"

Her classmate lifts another supply packet. She points to the stack still waiting beneath it.

Bryna returns to her chair.

Her first part does not need the second person. She starts there.

She walks to the marked place, turns, and says her opening line.

The empty place beside the chair stays empty.

She tries the opening again. This time she does not look toward the cabinet before turning.

At the end of the session, her classmate closes the cabinet.

She brings over the little scene card from their folder and puts it on the empty chair.

Bryna picks it up. Her own opening has one pencil tick beside it. The paired part has none.

She places the card in the folder and pushes both chairs back against the wall.