100 Stage Directions of Praise (or 100 Acts of Praise)

Enters a field.
Looks deeply at every blade of grass, at every flower.

Lets out a giant exhale that sends a wave of movement through every blade of grass, through every flower.

Picks up a cup of tea once it has cooled enough to still be hot but drinkable.
Holds it between both palms in a mug prayer, feeling the warmth deep in each palm.

Enters twirling across the space. Exits twirling.

Takes an orange from the pile of oranges. Smells it.
Peels it into a perfect coil of rind.
Holds up the rind for viewing.

Recoils rind into original shape. Eats one slice at a time.

Enters following the path of an imagined spiral on the ground, taking one step at a time, coiling towards center at the pace of the breath.

Pauses at center.
Places hand on heart for three beats. Returns back the way arrived.

Sits in the middle of the floor in a darkened room.
With each hopeful gasp, the room brightens more and more until it is at full brightness. Smiles.

Outside.
Points with excitement over the audience’s heads.

Points, re-points, both arms out, emphatic, imploring, until the audience looks to see if there is really something there in the empty sky behind them, before turning back to find an empty stage.

Places a layer of naked cake on a pedestal and frosts it with white icing. Adds a layer and frosts.
Adds another layer and frosts, until a ladder is needed to continue. Exits.

Enters with a ladder and adds more layers, going up and down the ladder to do so, until the cake is at a height out of view.

Lights a candle and climbs out of view to place it at the top.
Climbs back down the ladder and looks up at the candle, letting it burn until it burns out.

Sits at the foot of a tree.
Stillness.
Raises hands up and twinkles fingers. The leaves above shimmer in response.

Stamps down foot two three four five times in rapid succession with an enormous smile, arms spread wide.

Takes a big drink of water then spurts it like a fountain, lifting one leg into the air behind.

Falls to knees, bows head, raises arms high, palms facing upward in surrender.

Hops from boulder to boulder with the grace of a goat, led by the heart.

In the middle of a frothing crowd of bodies, performs a prostration in a focused light. Silence.

Enters rolling a large stone with great effort. Rests stone at center.
Stands on stone, radiant.

The sound of a church bell tolling the hour. Listens until the final bell.
Waits to no longer hear it.
Waits to no longer imagine hearing it. Breaks to resume action.

Sits in a chair, running a long silk scarf through hands that enters from offstage.
The silk seems endless until a large pile of silk accumulates on the floor beside the chair. Reaches the end, savoring the final feel of fabric, before letting it drop to the floor. Hands held up in contemplation, the silk lifts up from the dropped end and exits above.

Stands at a counter, stirring a bowl of batter with a large wooden spoon.
A beat rises from the rhythm of the stirring as other percussive sounds rise.

Spreads a blanket out on the ground.
Lies down, facing upwards as stars appear above like pearls.

After a false start, begins jumping rope faster and faster, as if about to take flight. Takes flight.

The sound of a storm passing. Stillness.
The sound of birds returning.

Sews button onto shirt. Finishes, holds it up.
Puts shirt on and buttons up.

Arranges flowers in a vase like pencils in a cup. Once done, gives them a fluff.

Darkness.
The sounds of crickets and katydids. Frogs too.

Approaches the empty bowl on the table.

Removes, piece by piece, fruit from a brown paper bag, placing each into the bowl with care, arranging them for beauty.

Folds up empty bag.
Places bag under arm.
Exits as an ornate, gold picture frame drops down from above to hang in front of the bowl.

Enters carrying a basket of clean bedding atop head.
Sets down basket near clothesline.
Snaps a large white sheet before hanging it up on the line.
Repeats with rest of linens until all are hung on the line.
Takes empty basket and exits as light rises and a breeze flows, rippling through the linens.

Sits near a garden bed.
Hears a rustling in the bushes.
Gets up and looks to find a polyphemus moth, stumbling through the garden bed.
Stays hunched over, eyes on the ground, and follows the moth as it ambles across the space. The moth seeks shelter at the ankle. A fluttering pleasure.
It continues its stumble across the space.
Stands upright and stays behind, watching the moth exit.

Cores and apple.
Cores a second apple.
Holds both apples up to eyes like a set of binoculars. Peers through.

Places palms over eyes. Puts palms together. Holds them near lips.

Climbs as high as possible on a ladder.
Looks out, shielding eyes from the sun.
Leans back, closes eyes, allowing the sun to warm and illuminate face.

Sits in the middle of the floor.
Takes out a piece of chalk.
Draws lines from self outward all directions on the ground. A circle of radiating lines.

A clothesline of dried, white linen wafts like spirits.
Enters humming with empty basket and begins removing one linen at a time from the clothesline. Folds each piece with crisp care and precision, placing each into the empty basket.
Once final piece has been folded and placed in basket, lifts basket onto head and exits.

Climbs up into a winter tree.
Scatters petals of all colors onto a breeze as light brightens.

Stretches like a cat: thorough, wide, full-bodied, whiskered.

Takes a piece of chalk and draws a hopscotch court on the ground. Tosses the piece of chalk onto the board.
Plays hopscotch to retrieve the chalk.
Plays again.

Plays again. Plays.

Does a high kick.

Enters barefoot.
Stops still, as if forgot something.
Listens.
Gets down onto knees.
Listens.
Places ear to floor, palms pressed to the earth. Listens.
Nods.
Gets up, and continues walking.

Drinks empty a cobalt blue bottle. Holds bottle up to the light.
Lowers bottle to lips.
Blows on bottle to a rhythm of the body.

Sets up a telescope.
Peers through at the night sky. Embodies the starscape.

A swing hangs in the middle of the stage, its seat perpendicular to audience. Enters and walks past swing before pausing.
Looks around.
Looks at swing.

Gets on swing and begins swinging.
Goes higher, and higher, and higher until leaps off into the rest of life.

Enters from upstage left, pushing a large dust mop across the floor to upstage right.

Once reaches upstage right, swivels to snake back towards stage left, working back and forth, from upstage to downstage.

No part of the floor is untouched by the end of this movement.
Finishes, lifts the dust mop head off the floor and marvels at how much dirt there is.

With eyes closed, imagines sun on skin. Imagines sand between toes.
Imagines cool waves on feet.
Imagines steady breeze.

Opens eyes refreshed.

Sits down at desk and takes out a piece of paper and an envelope. Writes out a letter of all that cannot be said by lips and throat. Folds the letter.
Slips it into envelope.

Addresses the letter and affixes a stamp. Holds it dear.

Imagines holding self as a baby.

Sits down at table and notices a stack of paper.

Picks up a piece of paper from the pile and folds it into a paper airplane.

Sets plane down on table.

Repeats.

Repeats.

Repeats until a whole field of planes covers the surface of the table.

Picks up a plane, whispers a message to it, nods in mutual agreement with it, and fires it off into the air out of sight.

Repeats.
Repeats.
Repeats until the entire fleet has soared off.

Sits at table with a single quarter lying flat on its surface. Drums fingers on the surface of the table.

Picks up the quarter and sets it spinning, sending small circles of light swirling until darkness falls at the oblong sound of the coin’s settling back into flatness.

Sits still on the ground, legs crossed. A gust of wind.
Stillness.
A gust of wind.

Stillness.
A gust of wind carries petals like snow, covering the floor and body. Stillness.

Stands at sink, washing a plate with the gentle care one takes with a baby.

With a slight stoop, picks up a button mushroom, smells it.
Pushes it into mouth whole, like one would do with a marshmallow. Chews and stands stouter, firmer.

All join hands in a circle. Begin moving clockwise. Faster .
Faster .

Liftoff.

Darkness.
A full moon rises.
An owl calls out. Another owl replies.
A glowing conversation.

Sits at a table, shuffling a deck of cards.
Sets the deck down, draws two cards and begins building a house of cards, one by one.
Uses the whole deck to build a house of cards, placing the final two with great care at the top. Sits back.
Exhales.
The entire house falls in a splash as more cards fall from above like leaves.
Laughs and begins gathering them all up into a new deck.

Notices an eyelash resting on cheek. Lifts it onto fingertip.
Holds it like a wish, then blows it away.

Crisp darkness with shadows of moonglow.
Points out the features of the man in the moon, mimicking his winky smile.

One hand placed on the heart.
One hand placed on the stomach.
Three deep breaths as face relaxes into the rhythm of being.

Jumps and lands into a squat.

Alternates punching each fist into the air five times with teeth gritted from the rush of energy generated.

Enters, walking under a blooming cherry blossom tree. Pauses and looks up into the petals falling like snow. Leans back even farther, taking it in.
Floats flat onto the ground.

Rests there with arms pillowed behind head, petals gently falling.

With fluid hands gliding through air, performs a vanishing coin trick.

Tosses the coin up into the air, catches it, slaps it onto the back of the opposite hand, and peeks at whether it is heads or tails.

Fist pumps in the air, cheering the outcome.

Sits down on the ground exhausted. Places palm on the earth.
Listens through palm to the earth. Places other palm on the earth.
Listens through both palms to the earth. Plants sole of foot on the earth.

Listens through both palms and foot sole to the earth.
Places other sole of foot on the earth.
Listens through both palms and both soles of feet to the earth. Crab walks off.

Smiles with eyes.
Turns eyes and face upward. Closes eyes as if being anointed.

Takes out a deck of cards from pocket. Raps on them twice with knuckles.

Prepares the deck, then shoots them all into the space in a single stream, allowing them to splash on the ground in a chaotic mess.

Approaches the edge of a river. Sits down on the edge.
Takes off shoes.
Takes off socks.

Hovers the big toe of one foot over the surface of the water. Dips toe in, ripples reverberate.
Takes toe out.
Dips toe in further until the whole foot is submerged.

Kicks to splash.
Takes foot out.
Puts both feet in, kicking up a rain of river.

Moves as if being pulled by a string attached to the heart.

Lifts up onto tippy toes as if a set of hands pulls the head upwards, releasing the neck of its burden.

Like seeds scatter, embodies Big Bang static.

Leans back glowing and pats stomach one, two, four times.

Places index finger in middle of forehead.
Arcs finger upward and outward, pointing beyond self.

Smiles.
Cups each beaming cheek in each palm of each hand, holding joy.

Sits and feels each and every strand of hair on head.

Stands behind a beaded curtain that spans the doorway.
Runs fingertips along the strands, glittering the sounds of beads clanking throughout the space.

Inflates one joint at a time with movement, emerging from an instar state.

Darkness.
The sound of shuffling feet.
The sound of a hand searching along a wall. The switch is found; the light turns on. Relief.

Goes to throw out a piece of trash.
Steps on lever to open the trash can lid.
Peers inside.
Closes lid without putting trash inside.
Places piece of trash in the center of the floor.
Returns to trash can and retrieves a piece of trash.
Places it on the floor in relation to the first piece.
Returns to trash can and takes another piece of trash to add to the emerging pattern on the floor.

Repeats, piece by piece, forming a mandala of discarded objects in an ever-widening circle until all the trash has been emptied from the can.

Finishes washing the dishes in a tub of soapy water and then throws the water from the tub out the back door in one, swift motion.

Checks pulse at neck; eyes searching the distance.

Finishes reading a book.
Closes the book.
Turns the book over in hands, contemplating what is held between its covers.

Goes over to the shelf to place object up high, just out of reach.
In the effort to place it, the object slips and falls to the ground; shatters in a glitter of motion.

Takes a piece of paper, tears a tiny piece off, throws it in the air. Celebration.
Tears another tiny piece and throws it in the air.
More celebration.

Picks up the pace to tear and throw tiny pieces of paper into the air until the entire piece of paper is gone.

Looks at empty hands. Shoves them into pockets. Exits.

Tip hats with warmth at one another.

Pours a glass of water.
Holds up glass in reverie, catching and throwing light around the room.

Lifts small glass cake cover.
Takes out small cake.
Admires it, then devours the entire thing. Blinks in disbelief.

Blows bubbles from a bubble wand. The entire space fills with bubbles. Floats away.

An expectant, sharp breath in, word/thought at the tip of the brain. Head tilts up and angled, eyes search upward an attempt to reach for it.

Lifts head to smell the air. Holds arms out.
Rainfall.

Breaks branches into smaller pieces.
Builds a campfire.
Lights the fire and holds hands to it, basking in the glow. Others gather.

Looks into mirror, pulling back at sides of eyes to smooth the wrinkles.

Leans back from mirror and lifts chin to unroll the neck, smoothing hand downward from jawline to collar bones.

Looks straight into mirror and smiles: cheekbones appear, brow rests, eyes glow.

Is bundled in many layers of clothing.

Begins removing one layer at a time, shedding each piece to the floor before taking a step forward.

Makes way downstage, one removal, one step at a time. Makes way down steps, up aisle, to behind audience.
A strong white light emits from the exit behind audience. Final piece of clothing is removed and step taken. Naked silhouette exits.

Holds cupped hands in secret close to face.
Parts thumbs to peek inside; closes thumbs back up.
Parts thumbs and whispers to inside; closes thumbs back up. Holds cupped hands away from body.
Throws palms open as if releasing a dove.

A large group moves at a shared, natural rhythm, with each member equally spaced from each other. A shoal sharing direction that twists and turns by snap, collective decision. A fluid collective.

A seated line of strangers.
From one end, turns to whisper into the next one’s ear.
A message sent down the line.
The final one listens, turns down to look at the beginning. Makes the shape of a heart with hands.

Sit down together on the ground with a bulging brown paper lunch bag. Take turns selecting a cherry from the bag.
Eat and spit out pits; twirl stems between fingers like tiny propellers. This is all there is to do.

Stand facing each other.
Take each other’s face in hands.
Trace each other’s features with delicate, sweet movements. Hold each other’s smiles.
Pat each other’s heads.

Encounters another walking towards. A mirror dance of same guessing. Share a laugh.
Pass each other.

Hug each other, imagining each other’s bones.

Jumps into a game of double dutch.
All women, all laughing. An endless interchange of joyous bodies.

One by one, milling into the space, a large, wandering group amasses. All movement stops.
All turn to face same direction.
All clap hands once overhead.

Milling resumes and group disperses.

A large ball of human bodies at center.
With a sigh one peels off and stands at the periphery.
With another sigh another peels off and stands next to the first on the periphery. On and on until:
Blooms from where crouched, protected, nourished.
Stands tall at the center of the circle, beaming gratitude.
A collective, grateful sigh.

Brings out an enormous loaf of bread on a cutting board. Sets it on the table.
Looks around at everyone.
Begins slicing the bread.

Each person comes up to the table and takes a piece, bowing with gratitude. Each person holds their piece of bread until the last is served.
Each person raises up their piece of bread.
They all take a bite.

A collective “mmmmm”.

An outer ring joins hands and moves clockwise.
An inner ring joins hands and moves counterclockwise. The sound of a drum.
A circular dance.

A crowd.
A purpose.
Joyful cheers during a unified, ecstatic dance of praise.