Posted on December 8, 2013 at 6:33 pm

A Little More Homework

EVAN
If you stand here behind me
And you call me a man
And you’re counting on me to come through,
You should know that I’ll give you
The best that I can,
But we all have a little more homework to do.

If you’re walking beside me
And you want to be friends,
You should know I’m depending on you.
So you gotta hang in there
‘Til the whole story ends
‘Cause we all have a little more homework to do.

And I’ve been looking in the back of the book for the answers,
Hoping the bell wouldn’t chime,
But I’m not ready to put down my pencil just yet,
There are too many answers that I didn’t get.
I need a little less pressure,
And a little more time.

I am trying to follow,
I am trying to lead,
I am trying to find what is true,
But if you’re gonna stand with me,
Then you have to concede
That we all have a little more homework to do.

CHARLOTTE enters, followed by the other KIDS singly and in groups; THEY assemble into formation on the stage, both the characters they played and the real kids they are at the same time.

CHARLOTTE (to the audience, including EVAN, PATRICE and ARCHIE)
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day
Turns to day turns to day.
You get a little bit older, a little bit taller,
A little bit better, a little bit.
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day
And the days before all go too fast,
You can’t hold on.
So you go

CHARLOTTE & RICHIE & EVAN
Day turn to day turns to day turns to day
Turns to day turns to day

EVAN
And I’m a little bit older, a little bit stronger,
A little bit smarter – A little bit.

CHARLOTTE & RICHIE & EVAN
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day
Turns to day

CHARLOTTE
And the days ahead comin’ on so quick,
You can’t get out of the way.

CHARLOTTE & RICHIE & EVAN
You keep runnin’

ALL KIDS
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day
Turns to day turns to day
And I’m a little bit older, a little bit faster,
A little bit closer, a little bit.
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day
And the sky goes blue and the sky goes black
And no matter what you do, you can’t GO back!
You go day into day into day…

EVAN (to the audience)
I turned thirteen, my parents split up and I went from the greatest city on earth to a place I never thought I’d call home.

ALL
Day into day into day.

PATRICE (to the audience)
I turned thirteen, and I kissed a boy.  More than once!

KENDRA
I turned thirteen and signed a virginity pledge.

ALL
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…

LUCY
I did not sign a virginity pledge.

BRETT
I failed math.  But we won the championship!

ALL
and i’m a little bit braver, a little bit broader,
a little bit brighter, a little bit…

ARCHIE
I turned thirteen and I had to have spinal cord surgery.  God, that sucked.

ALL
Day turns to day turns to day!

EDDIE
I got busted for driving my Dad’s pickup.

ALL
Day turns to day turns to day!

CHARLOTTE
I got drunk.

MOLLY
And I’ve been looking in the back of the book for the answers.
hoping the bell wouldn’t chime.

MALCOLM
My parents split up.

CASSIE
But I’m not ready to put down my pencil just yet.

RICHIE
There are too many answers that i didn’t get.

SIMON
I need a little less pressure.

ALL
And a little more time.
I am trying to follow,
I am trying to lead,
I am trying to learn what is true.
I am trying to be what you want and I need
And we all have a little more homework.
We all have a little more homework.
We all have a little more homework
To do.
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…
A little more homework to do.
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…

The KIDS begin fading offstage.

A little more homework to do.
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…

EVAN, ARCHIE & PATRICE
A little more homework to do.

OTHER KIDS
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…

EVAN
A little more homework to do.

OTHER KIDS
Day turns to day turns to day turns to day turns to day…

EVAN, alone on stage, turns to the audience. 

EVAN
My name is Evan Goldman.  I live at 24 Plains Drive, Appleton, Indiana.  I’m thirteen years old.  And I’m just getting started.

The lights fade on EVAN surrounded by a gorgeous Indiana night sky.