Authenticity

By Tom Coash

CAST: Noor — Female, light-skinned, actor

Mia — Female, tanned, actor

(Both about the same age)

SETTING: Audition waiting room 

TIME: The Present

(Two women waiting for an audition. Noor reading a script, Mia struggling to put on a hijab/veil correctly. After a moment Noor helps.)

NOOR

(Noor offers to help Mia put on the veil.)

Here.

MIA

Oh my god, thanks! I hate auditions!

(Noor deftly proceeds to tie Mia’s hijab for her. Mia, flustered, points to her script.)

I should be studying lines. Choices. There’s Arabic!

NOOR

Why do you wear this?

MIA

(Points to script.)

Egyptian woman? My friend, the ASM (assistant stage manager), said they want veils. 

NOOR

Really?

MIA

Authenticity! (Tugs veil.) Hi-job in Arabic.

NOOR

Hegab.

MIA

What?

NOOR

In Egypt, we say hegab.

MIA

You’re from Egypt?

NOOR

Born and raised.

MIA

And you’re an actor?!

NOOR

My last role I played an oppressed, veiled, terrorist mother of seven.

MIA

Your English is so good!

NOOR

I went to Juilliard.

MIA

What am I even doing here?! You’re gonna kill it!

NOOR

(Shakes head no.)

They’ll probably think I’m too light-skinned. And I don’t have one of those. (Indicates veil.)

MIA

You can borrow mine.

NOOR

No, thanks. Trying to quit. Joke.

(Mia laughs.)

You’re darker than me.

MIA

Can tan!

NOOR

What?

MIA

(Mimes spraying on tan.)

Right?!

VOICE FROM OFFSTAGE

Next!

MIA (Cont.)

(To Noor brightly.)

Authenticity!

(She exits to her audition. Lights down.)

END

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TOM COASH is a screenwriter and Stonecoast MFA faculty.

Authenticity premiered as part of the G160 Festival. Directed by Rose Bonczek, performed by Alexandra Slater and Tabs Perez. The premiere production may be viewed here.

This story originally appeared in Stonecoast Review Issue 21. 

Photo by Gary Yost