Notes: The aesthetic of this script as looking like an online chat forum is more than intentional. I visualize two Soloists. This can be an animated 16-bit cartoon with pixelated sprites or even an interactive basic video game. I can see a male and a female character sitting in front of their computers: with their heads to us, but we can see their faces as icons on each other’s screens. For example, the boy’s face would be on her screen and her face would be on his.
I can also see them playing a video game RPG with basic pixel characters: especially when they talk about “epics of epicness.” I also see their dialogue appearing in blue boxes over their heads when they sing.
In addition, I can hear the music as being synthetic and electronic like the soundtracks one would find in old Nintendo video games or old-style arcade games.
These are obviously just suggestions though and live-performers and stagecraft can be used as well.
<<Him>> They say this isn’t real.
<<Her>> They tell me not
to waste my time.
<<Them>> She/he’s not flesh or bone enough
to hold me.
<<Him>> A keyboard is not the texture
of her skin.
<<Her>> My headphones aren’t his lips at my ear.
<<Him>> But I can look at her text and feel her grin.
<<Her>> I can hear his voice
both deep and
clear.
<<Them>> These are the games we play
when the medium is the message
of connection.
<<Him>> Words on a screen.
<<Her>> Touch on a phone.
<<Him>> Our love can be seen.
<<Her>> But we are forever alone.
<<Him>> But are we?
<<Her>> Are we really?
<<Him>> We live trapped in our
blood and bone.
<<Her>> We put on our social
masks, our created
walls.
<<Him>> You can walk among people
all alone.
<<Her>> We live personal space
where only silence falls.
<<Them>> Background chatter
white noise
to lose yourself in
a distance of static.
<<Him>> So I played the game of life
where you can’t beat your bosses
<<Her>> because you work for them.
<<Him>> Where you can’t find coins
from floating boxes or the bushes
<<Her>> The money runs out.
<<Him>> And your princess is never in another castle.
<<Her>> There are no extra lives
and few second chances.
<<Him>> Each day lags.
<<Her>> Each day an epic battle of
fail.
<<Them>> Until we played the games we play
where the medium is the message
of connection.
<<Him>> Words on a screen
<<Her>> Touch on a phone
<<Him>> Our love can be seen
<<Her>> But we are forever
alone.
<<Him>> But are we?
<<Her>> Are we really?
<<Him>> I used to hate two-player games.
<<Her>> I’d not be some fanboy’s
“girl-gamer” trophy.
<<Him>> Devolving into
player vs. player
<<Her>> Disgusting words and
harassment
<<Him>> But just when the Flame Wars
seemed to never end
<< Her>> I’d just about given up …
<<Him>> We met on a Fan Site
<< Her>> Looking for an 8-Bit
Convention Flight.
<<Him>> And on the Internet
<< Her>> something
<<Him>> was
<<Her>> finally
<<Them>> Right.
<<Him>> We planned to share a room
with friends as our cash
was tight.
<<Her>> We talked on the forum
about our 8-Bit tracks
<<Him>> exchanged e-mails
<<Her>> chatting deep into the
night.
<<Him>> We got to talk
about martial arts.
<<Her>> I got to pick his brain.
<<Him>> I told her in the Matrix
I’d side with the Machines.
<<Her>> I told him about my art
in different fanzines.
<<Him>> Until the glass of the screen became
a permeable thing
<<Her>> As we Skyped
our voices rang with
smiles
<<Him>> Until
<<Her>> After exchanging pictures
<<Him>> wireless electricity crackled
<<Her>> just as Tesla had intended
<<Them>> And we
exhaled …
pixelations ….
For we played the games we play
where the medium is the message
of connection.
<<Him>> Offline they still say this
isn’t real.
<<Her>> That passion and pain
are just words on a
screen
<<Him>> Sound and fury flying across
digital space,
signifying nothing.
<<Them>> On our 8-Bit Convention Day
we plan to meet
<<Him>> Face-to-face
<<Her>> Flesh-to-flesh
<<Him>> Text-to-text
<<Her>> and brain-to-brain
<<Them>> Even if they think we’re insane.
<<Her>> Perhaps it could be a
mistake.
<< Them>> For words on a screen
connect pure and clean
and Offline can be messy.
<<Him>> I think
<<Her>> Yet I believe
<<Them>> Yet we know
in this 8-Bit Theatre
this 16-Bit Opera
our epics of epicness
will unite past blood,
bone, sex and continents
to make the greatest
multi-player role-playing
game of all!
For words on a screen
and touch on a phone
make love visible
and we are not alone.
Our medium is our message.
We are our medium,
and we are … real.
Mythic Bios 