Short Play Script: The Willing Heart

Hi, everyone! You know, I have been wanting to share a short play script made by me with everyone here. I created this in 2009 when I was in university. The title is "The Willing Heart". It took me long enough to finish it because I am not someone who is creative enough and with high imagination like the art student or someone who is in that field. But, if you ask me to think about mechanical and manufacturing stuff, I can. Lol! Anyway, below is the script and please enjoy reading it. I'd be happy if whoever reads the script to leave some comments and willing to share their opinion about the play.

About the Play

The Willing Heart is a play about a high-spirited young doctor and the love she has for her patients. However, due to her lack of confidence and self-consciousness, she is afraid to treat patients on her own and always afraid of being hated by professors for always getting into troubles. Things remained unchanged until she meets a grandmother whom she always visited at night and talks with while she is asleep. Soon, they develop a close bond. Since her lung cancer is in the last stage, there is no hope for her to live long. However, before she dies, the grandmother sends the young doctor a text message, thanking her for everything she has done to her. And the text message has become an inspiration for the young doctor to continue pursuing her dream as a doctor.

Characters

DR. MIA, a freshly graduated doctor, sensitive, simple-minded, in her twenties

MRS. PARK, a lung cancer patient, in her fifties

DR. SHUEI, a senior doctor, serious but warm-hearted, in his thirties

MR. PARK, husband of MRS. PARK, in his fifties

HAZEL, nurse, in her twenties

Scene One

The scene is in the patient’s room. There is a bed at CR as well as a chair next to it. The light is dim. When the scene opens, DR. MIA is sitting on the chair and MRS. PARK is lying on the bed, sleeping.

DR. MIA [stares at MRS. PARK and plays with her fingers]: What should I do? I’m just an intern here. Why do I always caught up in troubles? [puts  her head down ,looks  upset] If I were to continue be in the professor’s black list, for sure I would be a dead meat. [sighs]

MRS. PARK [suddenly awakes, talks in a weak voice]: Doctor…

DR. MIA [jumps from her chair, is  surprised  by the voice]: Whoa! Mrs. Park! I thought you’re sleeping already. Oh my! [puts  her right hand to her chest]

MRS. PARK: Sorry. It’s very nice of you to come by to check on me. 

DR. MIA [faces against MRS. PARK, is still holding her chest and looks down]: I’m sorry. I-I have this bad habit of visiting unconscious patients. [alerts by her words and  turns around to face MRS. PARK] Ah, I mean patients who are asleep, then start talking nonsense. [looks down again] Therefore- 

MRS. PARK [smiling]: Thank you.

DR. SHUEI enters from L to the room.

DR. SHUEI [stands a bit far from DR. MIA from her back]: Ah, there you are.

DR. MIA [turns to him]: What is it?

DR. SHUEI: Quick grab something to eat or you would be hungry later. I don’t want you to starve while we are on our night shift duty. You got that, “bean sprout”?

DR. MIA [pouts her mouth as she walks pass DR. SHUEI]: It’s Mia, okay, Dr. Shuei!

DR. MIA exits L but she stops when she hears the conversation between DR. SHUEI  and MRS. PARK. She listens to their conversation without their knowledge.

DR. SHUEI [chuckles when DR. MIA is away then looks at MRS. PARK]: I’m sorry, Mrs. Park for disturbing you late at night.

MRS. PARK [shakes her head slowly and coughs]: Don’t be. Doctor, are you that young doctor’s superior? She has kindly dropped by to check on me. [coughs again] I’ve received so much care from the doctors. You are all good people.

DR. SHUEI walks beside the bed and smiles at MRS. PARK. He pulls the blanket on her. After hearing what she has just said, all he  does is smile.  DR. MIA, who is standing outside the patient’s room, is also happy to hear MRS. PARK’s comment. Then, she begins to walk towards L when she bumps into an old man at C who is coming from L. He is holding a paper bag. Both of them look at each other.

DR. MIA [adjusting her glasses]: You are…?

MR. PARK: Doctor, I’m Mr. Park. Are you the doctor who always pays her visits?

DR. MIA: Err, I-

MR. PARK [smiling]: My wife told me everything. She said a young doctor often visit her and talks to her at night. I’m really thankful for that.

DR. MIA [shakes her head]: No, I’m just an intern.

MR. PARK: I’m sorry but is it possible for you to visit her more often?

DR. MIA: Huh?!

MR. PARK [smiling and turns to the room]: She looked so happy when she told me about you. This is the first time a doctor has visited her ever since she was first admitted here. [turns to DR. MIA, face to face] From  then onwards, she seems to be more determined in fighting her illness. And she has never once shown any signs of suffering whenever I’m with her. She is determined to live and happier now.

DR. MIA smiles and feels uplifted.

Lights dim.

Scene Two

A few weeks later, in the afternoon. The scene opens at the garden of the hospital. Doctors, nurses and patients enters L and R. Some enters two by two; nurse with patient, doctor and nurse, etc. three by three or alone. DR. SHUEI and DR. MIA enters from DR, talking and laughing with each  other. DR. SHUEI, sometimes knocks DR. MIA’s head playfully.  There is a bench at DC. Then, MR. and MRS. PARK enter from CL where MR. PARK is holding MRS. PARK. MRS. PARK is on his right.

DR. SHUEI [looks at the couple]: Aren’t they Mr. and Mrs. Park?

DR. MIA [turns around]: Eh? [smiles] Oh yes, it is them!

DR. SHUEI and DR. MIA walk to DC. So do  MR. and MRS. PARK.

DR. SHUEI [smiling]: Good day, Mr. and Mrs. Park.

MR. PARK helps his wife as she sits on the bench. DR. MIA smiles at MRS. PARK. She, then, sees a cell phone at MRS. PARK’s right hand.

DR. MIA [kneels]: You have a cell phone?

MRS. PARK: Ah, that! [looks at the cell phone, smiling] I can’t remember when my son gave it to me. But I don’t know how to use it.

DR. MIA [smiling]: It’s easy.

MRS. PARK [laughs weakly]: No, I can’t. I’m too old to learn. When you’re old, you become incapable of doing anything, especially learning new things. This old lady-

 

DR. MIA [shakes her head and smiles]: That’s not true. Now, let me teach you. [takes  her cell phone out] This is you number, right? [smiling while typing her message] Ok! I’m sending you a message right now.

               

Sound of phone’s message ringing can be heard.

MRS. PARK [smiling]: Wow!

Dr. MIA [smiling]: This is what we call an SMS. You can send one to me too. Try sending me one.

DR. SHUEI [smiling]: Believe that you can do it, Mrs. Park.

MRS. PARK [tries hard to press the button]: I won’t be able to. [shakes her head few times]

 

DR. MIA [holds  MRS. PARK  fingers, slowly press the button together]: M… I… A…

MRS. PARK [looking at the cell phone closely to her face, laughing]: The wordings are too small. It’s hard for me to see. It’s too difficult.

DR. MIA: You can do it as long as you are willing to try. You can do it, ok? [smiles, teaching her again] 

 

MRS. PARK: Doctor…

DR. MIA [still pressing the button]: Hold on for a second.

MRS. PARK [sounds sad]: Doctor, my cancer is at it’s last stage, isn’t it?

DR. MIA stops pressing the cell phone’s button and stares facing the audiences. DR. SHUEI and MR. PARK look at each other.

MRS. PARK: I know it. Although it cannot be cured, I wish to leave this world happily. [smiles and holds MR PARK’s hand] My husband is a good man. I feel sorry for him because he had sacrificed too much for me.

 

DR. MIA [bites her lip then  shakes her head and turns to MRS. PARK]: Mrs. Park, please, never ever give up on yourself. There are always hopes. You have to believe that.

MRS. PARK [laughs weakly]: Oh, doctor… You are surely one high-spirited and an optimistic person. I… really admire you for that. [touching DR. MIA’s head gently]

Then, HAZEL enters from CR, calling for DR. MIA. She is holding a file.

HAZEL: Excuse me, Dr. Mia. This is the report for patient Miss Arisa at Room 305. [gives the report to DR. MIA]

DR. MIA [accepts the file]: Thank you, Hazel.

DR. MIA and the HAZEL walk UR. While they are talking, MRS. PARK’s health condition suddenly becomes bad. She faces difficulties in breathing. DR. SHUEI tries to save her.  MR. PARK becomes worried  and holds MRS. PARK’s hand tightly. The situation becomes chaos. A  few nearby doctors and nurses try to help DR. SHUEI. DR. MIA turns around when she hears noises and she sees a huge commotion where DR. SHUEI, MR and MRS. PARK are. She quickly runs towards them.

DR. SHUEI [stand up and faces DR. MIA]: Mrs. Park… has just passed away.

DR. MIA stumbles down in shock. She is speechless. She looks at MRS. PARK’s motionless body. A message beeping sound is heard over the PA system.  DR. MIA takes out her cell phone and plans to ignore the message. However, she takes a glimpse at her phone’s screen and her eyes become wide. She reads her screen intensely. PA system starts to play the voice of MRS. PARK resembling the text message that DR. MIA is reading.

“Dr. Mia, thank you for taking good care of me. I’m blessed to meet you. I know that my days are numbered but I will not give up. I will leave this world without any regrets. Continue doing your best and always keep that high spirit in you! Mrs. Park.”

DR. MIA bursts out crying while holds her phone tightly. DR. SHUEI takes the phone away from DR. MIA and reads her phone message.

DR. SHUEI [puts down the phone and faces DR. MIA]: Dr. Mia, may this text message be an inspiration to you. Mrs. Park will never be forgotten!

DR. MIA looks at DR. SHUEI. She sobs and nods her head. DR. SHUEI  hugs her.

Lights dim. Then, all the characters, including supporting characters enter from both CL and CR with a candle on their palms and perform a short song* to end the play. 

*The short song is taken from Trinity Blood, "Broken Wings". I choose this song as the lyrics really touching and it blends perfectly with this play as it gives a message to everyone for not giving up in whatever you do and keep on moving with the faith you are holding onto.