Characters –  

Jessie J  – (in her early 30’s)

Dylan  – (in his early 30’s)

Ravi – Guitar Man  – (in his early 60’s)

Guy in Crowd

Song – “Price Tag” by recording artist Jesse J

Scene –

Takes place on the busy streets of Manhattan where Jessie J and Dylan (who are boyfriend and girlfriend) are looking around at the crowds of people on a warm spring afternoon. They are contemplating life as they are talking with each other, looking at the people passing by and overhearing people’s conversations.

Jessie J

Look at all these people walking quickly around Manhattan like they are late for something extremely important. Let me ask you something? Dylan, what do you think these people are up to? Have you ever noticed the way people act? Its funny when you stop to really look around and see how people behave.

Dylan

Yes, it is funny. It’s like people constantly need to keep themselves busy, like slowing down and enjoying life is not acceptable.

Jessie J

Tell me about it. Life can make you sick sometimes when you stop to think about what people put so much damn importance on and how no one can even enjoy themselves for a minute without running off to the next thing that they must complete that day.

Dylan

I agree. Life is crazy and totally mixed up but life can also be beautiful at times too Jessie. There is so much beauty in life that people glance over and miss.

Jessie J

Life is indeed a gift that many people throw away because they are so caught up in some type of nonsense. Life is filled with people who think they are too good to hang with certain people and people who are too proud to take off the tinted glasses that they are hiding behind.

Why is everybody so serious?

Acting so damn mysterious?

Got your shades on your eyes

And your heels so high

That you can’t even have a good time

Dylan

Everyone is doing their own thing. You got groups of people everywhere rushing to their destinations. Life isn’t all about the glamour, money, fame and fortune and over time everyone has forgotten about the true meaning of life.

Jessie J

Right! So many people put a price on everything, and they forget about what really matters. They worry way too much about what other people think and as a result they don’t enjoy life anymore. That is the sad reality of the world today. Dylan, you understand what I am saying? But how can we influence the world to see things differently?

Dylan

There is no easy solution to that, Jessie, because, just by looking around Manhattan, you can see so many perfect examples of what we are describing. A world that has forgotten how exciting the simple things in life could be if they all just stopped for a minute. Maybe a change could be made and maybe people would come together as a community and show more love towards one another.

(Dylan is talking out loud to the world of people walking by but is not looking for a reaction from anyone.)

Everybody look to their left (yeah)

Everybody look to their right (uh)

Can you feel that (yeah)

We’re paying with love tonight

Jessie J

People put themselves through this misery and they can choose to stop but they rather continue and keep living each day the same as the last.

Dylan

Its almost like people are puppets or strings that tell them their next move to make are moving marionette dolls and them.

Jessie J

Our world has an obsession with money. Why does a person feel to be happy he or she needs to acquire more things that are not necessary in life. Happiness does not come from things you see, it comes from stuff that money could never buy.

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money.

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the price tag.

We need to take it back in time,

When music made us all unite!

And it wasn’t low blows and video hoes,

Am I the only one getting tired?

Dylan

Seems like everybody’s got a price,

I wonder how they sleep at night.

When the sale comes first,

And the truth comes second,

Just stop for a minute and

Smile

Jessie J

A smile can really change a person’s whole attitude towards something but a smile is hard to come by.

Why is cracking a silly little smile so difficult?

Dylan

It’s because people are all about themselves these days and are in their own private little bubbles that they are permanently stuck in.

Jessie J

You remember when we were kids, Dylan? Time has gone by so fast and the reality is that kids do not care about anything but having a good time. They do not judge others and are much more accepting than us grown ups are towards one another. Why can’t grown-ups carry through with that mentality? Kids are not worried about impressing people because they just like what they like for their own sake. Kids don’t need anybody to tell them what is so-called “cool” because they decide for themselves what is cool. Grown-ups on the other hand think they have things all figured out. Maybe it’s the kids that really have life figure out instead.

Dylan

Very true Jessie and well stated.

Why is everybody so obsessed?

Money can’t buy us happiness.

Can we all slow down and enjoy right now.

Guarantee we’ll be feeling alright.

Jessie J

Just look at that man sitting across the street on that tree stump. He looks lonely playing his beat up guitar for whoever will listen and waiting for someone to put a couple of dollars into his guitar case.

Dylan

Lets cross the street and give him some money. Jessie, do you have five dollars on you? That seems like a fair amount to give him.

Jessie

That would be nice of us to give him a little something. His playing is excellent and it is a shame that he makes his money by playing on the streets for people who most likely do not even appreciate how truly talented he is. People are walking right past him like he does not even exist and as if they are deaf and do not hear his wonderful sound.

(Jessie and Dylan cross the street and Jessie drops $5 into the guitar cases of the man who is playing. They stand in front of him while he plays another song and then they introduce themselves.)

Dylan

Excuse me? Your playing is fantastic! But why do you play here on these streets? Don’t you have anywhere better to play? Don’t you need to be making more money to survive?

Guitar Man – Ravi

I’m Ravi, nice to meet you.

(Ravi holds out his hand to shake Dylan’s hand.)

You see, it does not matter where I play as long as I am playing the music that I love. All I need is me and my guitar and even if no body is listening I can still make music for myself and God. Isn’t that what music should really be about anyway? People should make music because they love what music does to them not only because they have a crowd of people watching them. The pure expression of the sound is much greater than if you are playing in a fancy place because anywhere will do if you are simply enjoying what you are doing.

Dylan

I guess you are right, Ravi. Music does not need to be played on a stage or like you said for a crowd of people. If Jessie and me were the only two people that watch you today that probably would not be important to you because you play for yourself and not for the people necessarily.

Guitar Man – Ravi

That’s correct. Thanks for the money dude but I really was not looking for any money. Everyone is so concerted with money these days and money drives a wedge between people. All I want to do is make music. Do you hear that sound, isn’t that sound great. Dude, you’ll never know great music if you are just playing it for the money.

Well, keep the price tag

And take the cash back

Just give me six strings and a half stack

And you can, can keep the cars

Leave me the garage

And all I, yes all I need

Are keys and guitars?

It’s like this man

You can’t put a price on a life

We do this for the love

So we fight and sacrifice

Every night

So we ain’t gonna stumble and fall

Never

Waiting to see a sign of defeat

Uh uh

So we gonna keep everyone

Moving their feet

So bring back the beat

Jessie J

I finally found someone who agree with me and understand the beauty that life can be. You are awesome man. Your guitar playing is awesome and your words are awesome. Can we listen to some more of your playing?

Guitar Man – Ravi

(Even though the guitar man is not trying to be cool, his voice has a swag tone to it. Like he does not have to try and be cool because he knows that he is cool.)

Sure girl. You want to join in and sing with me? I’m sure you can pick up on the next couple of verses.

Jessie J

I don’t know. Just start singing now, out here? I don’t know about that even though I think your playing is wonderful.

Guitar Man – Ravi

Oh, come on, you know you are dying to break out that voice of yours that I am sure you have. Girl, you are really gorgeous and it is just a matter of expressing your natural voice. The voice God gave you.

(Ravi tries to hit on Jessie even though he knows that he is out of line and too old for her.)

Dylan

Slow down there, Ravi. That is my woman you are talking to.

Jessie J

It is alright, Dylan. No need to bug out. Let me see if my voice can keep up with you and follow the beat.

(A few people now have walked over and they are admiring what is going on and moving along to the music.)

Dylan

(Saying in a whisper and covering his hand over his mouth so that the people who just walked over do no know that he is talking about them.)

Jessie, look at all the people who just came over to listen to you. I think we have started a chain reaction. It looks like more people want to join in and are getting excited about the music as well.

Jessie J

I see that Dylan. We were talking about how music can unite people and would you look at this. We have united the people on the streets today with just some simple words, a man and his guitar, the sun and the fresh spring air.

(More people stated to gather around and they joined in and embraced the music. Some people stated singing along and before you knew it the whole street was filled with people singing and acting like they all knew each other. People were smiling and saying hello to each other and it was great to see how the music helped to unite everyone.)

Guitar Man  – Ravi

(Speaking to the crowds of people that were standing around and listening to him play and Jessie J’s singing, while they paused their show for a few seconds.)

It’s not about the money, money, money

We don’t need your money, money, money

We just wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the price tag

Ain’t about the (uh) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching

Ain’t about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Wanna make the world dance,

Forget about the price tag.

Dylan

(Speaks to the crowd.)

That’s right everyone. Ravi and my girlfriend, Jesse, do not want any money from you people. They are just happy that you all have gathered around and stopped your rushing around to appreciate.

Jesse J

(Also speaking to the people who were gathered around.)

Who would like me to sing another song, anyone?

Guy in Crowd –

(Yells out loudly in an enthusiastic tone.)

Go ahead girl! Show us how you can sing!

(Jesse turns around to Ravi and asks him if he knew of a certain song that she thought would be a good choice to sing.)

Jessie

Ravi, do you know this song? I would like to sing it for everyone now.

Guitar Man – Ravi

(Ravi talks in sort of a cocky way.)

No need to worry, sweetheart. You just start singing and I will pick up and follow along. I got this, no problem. I was born to make music.

(They both made music together and the crowd clapped for them as if they were on a stage.)

Dylan

Ravi, I guess the stage can be anywhere you decide to put it because music cannot be defined to a location. You probably make music on this dirty, unkempt street almost everyday and you enjoy yourself regardless of those circumstances.

Guitar Man – Ravi

That is what I was telling you two.

(Ravi talks to the group that was gathered around him as if he was preaching.)

Come on everyone if you are having a good time with me and my new two friends then

Everybody look to their left (yeah)

Everybody look to their right (uh)

Can you feel that (yeah)

We’re paying with love tonight

Dylan

This is great! We managed to turn a normal day into something extraordinary. Jessie, I love you darling.

Jessie

(Turns to Dylan and gives him a great big smile.)

I love you too, babe. Look at Ravi he is still playing even though I have stopped singing and look at the people enjoying his playing. This is just how life should be.

Life ain’t about the (uh) Cha-Ching Cha-Ching

Ain’t about the (yeah) Ba-Bling Ba-Bling

Just wanna make the world dance

Dylan

How adorable is that older senior couple dancing over there. They sure aren’t letting their age get in the way of their moves. Good for them that they are so much in love and know how to embrace the moment. Jessie, people are lining up to give Ravi money but he is turning them away. He must make money doing something else in life.

Jesse

Music just gives him pleasure and the smiles on people’s faces seem to be enough for him to gain his own personal success from.

Dylan

Ravi, will get back double in life due to his kindness and generous spirit.

Jessie

I like Ravi and he is extremely gorgeous.

Dylan

Now, honey don’t you start flirting with him.

Jessie

Come on, Dylan. You know what I mean. Ravi, isn’t the kind of person that you run into everyday. He is gorgeous on the inside and understands what makes life truly special.

(Ravi kept playing and Jessie J and Dylan kept enjoying his music and watching the crowds of people who were also enjoying his music and getting happier. The people in the crowd were laughing along with the other people who they were standing next to. The day showed how the true power of music, kind words, being able to live in the moment, a little bit of caring and the companionship towards others can have an affect on people and bring them together, if just for one day.)

The End.