Past Lives
Susan scene from Past Lives, practice script
- Women
- Playing age Teens
- 3 pages
- Two-person scene
- Drama
A drama scene from Past Lives for an actress, playing age teens (13–19), with Corrine.
Past Lives: Susan scene
INT. CORRINE AND SUSAN’S APARTMENT - DAY/RAINING
A small but cozy NYC apartment. Outside, a storm rages. Standing on a step ladder painting a molding is CORRINE, once pretty and confident, but currently edgy and distracted. She’s fairly certain she’s losing her mind, and it shows in everything she does. Her sister SUSAN enters. She’s drenched and wearing a backpack. She has spunk. Forced to grow up fast, she’s mature for her age, but still a high school girl underneath.
SUSAN
Hey. We may need to build an ark.
CORRINE
I’ve been calling you...
Susan observes Corrine’s compulsive painting. Not good.
SUSAN
You’re painting again. I thought we decided yellow for the moldings.
CORRINE
Susan, I don’t ask for much. But you’re supposed to come straight home from school and when you don’t, and I call and you don’t answer, I worry, okay?
SUSAN
Sorry.
CORRINE
Where were you?
SUSAN
Drinking and having unsafe sex.
Corrine isn’t amused. Susan extracts used texts books from her bag. Walks up to Corrine with them.
SUSAN (CONT’D)
I stopped by the NYU bookstore.
Corrine stares at the books. At Susan. Then turns away and resumes painting.
CORRINE
Hope you kept the receipt.
SUSAN
But you said--
CORRINE
I know what I said. But I’m not going back.
Susan is hurt and disappointed. She considers what to say when the power suddenly goes out. Susan blurts out.
CORRINE (CONT’D)
Great. This place is a dump.
SUSAN
Those douchebag social workers were here yesterday.
CORRINE
What? They weren’t supposed to come by until Friday.
SUSAN
They know you O.D.’d, Corrine. They were asking where you were.
CORRINE
What did you tell them?
SUSAN
I said you were with your therapist. I kept the whole ’past life’ part to myself.
CORRINE
Okay, that was smart.
Susan explodes.
SUSAN
Corrine! They’re coming back in three days, and if you’re not here, and sober, they’re going to take me away.
CORRINE
Listen to me Suse, no one is taking you anywhere. I’m going to figure this out and everything will be fine, do you hear me?
Susan pauses.
SUSAN
Yeah, okay.
She takes a breath and wipes her tears.
SUSAN
Are they helping you?
CORRINE
They’re working on it.
SUSAN
Just... get better, okay?
Corrine hugs her.
CORRINE
I will. I promise.(Beat) I love you.
SUSAN
I love you too.
Excerpt for study and audition practice. Watch the show or film for context.
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