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WHAT IF

A short anti bullying play

Uploaded by

omoteshodavidolakunle
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0 views

WHAT IF

A short anti bullying play

Uploaded by

omoteshodavidolakunle
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Title: What If?

Duration: 5-7 minutes

Theme: Anti-bullying

Characters:

Josh – The new student, isolated and struggling with bullying

Emma – A kind-hearted classmate who notices Josh

Other Students – Background characters who contribute to the bullying or


indifference

Scene opens in a dark classroom. The room is silent except for the sound of
Josh’s heavy breathing. He sits alone at a desk, illuminated by a single
spotlight. His hand trembles as he holds a blade, surrounded by lifeless
figures—his classmates sprawled across desks, frozen in place. On the desk
in front of him is a crumpled letter. He stares at it, lost in thought.

Josh (voice trembling, almost whispering to himself)

“I didn’t want this... I didn’t want to hurt them. But they didn’t care. They
never did.”

He picks up the letter and begins reading aloud, his voice filled with pain and
frustration.

Josh (reading)
"It started the moment I walked into this classroom. The whispers. The looks.
The laughs behind my back. Being new isn’t easy, but being invisible... that’s
worse."

"At first, they just ignored me. Pretended I wasn’t there. For a whole week, I
might as well have been a ghost."

He looks up at the bodies of his classmates, his voice bitter.

Josh

"But then they noticed me. Not because of who I was. No... they noticed
because I was smart. I topped the class, and that was enough for them to
turn on me."

Josh’s grip tightens around the blade.

Josh (with anger)

"It was little things at first. A shove in the hallway. My books ‘accidentally’
knocked over. Then it got worse. Every day, I felt smaller. Weaker. Until I
couldn’t breathe."

He slams the letter down.

Josh

"I couldn’t take it anymore. So I wrote this... this final letter, and I made a
plan. I poisoned their food, and now... now they know how it feels to be
powerless."

Josh stands up, pacing in the dim light. His voice drops to a whisper, full of
sorrow.
Josh

"Would it have hurt to be kind? Just once? Would it have killed them to notice
me? To stop the others?"

A long pause. Suddenly, a faint glow appears on the opposite side of the
stage. The classroom begins to transform, shifting to a "what if" scenario.
The bodies of the students disappear, and the scene rewinds to an earlier
moment. Josh is sitting alone at his desk, clearly upset, when Emma enters
the room.

Emma (bright, friendly)

"Hey, Josh, right? Mind if I sit here?"

Josh looks up, surprised that someone is talking to him. He nods hesitantly.
Emma pulls up a chair.

Emma (genuinely curious)

"I saw your answers in class today. You’re really smart. How do you do it?"

Josh (shrugs, unsure how to respond)

"I just... study a lot, I guess."

Emma (smiling)

"Well, you’re doing amazing. I’m Emma, by the way."

Josh’s tense posture relaxes slightly as Emma’s kindness begins to break


through his walls.
Emma

"Look, I’ve noticed that things have been a bit... rough for you lately. I just
wanted to say, if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here. And hey, how
about we team up on the next project? I could use some of your brains!"

Josh looks at her, a flicker of hope in his eyes.

Josh (softly)

"You really mean that?"

Emma (genuinely)

"Of course I do. No one should feel alone here."

The classroom light brightens, and the atmosphere feels warmer. The weight
of isolation begins to lift from Josh's shoulders. He puts the blade down on
the desk and takes a deep breath.

Josh (to himself)

"What if... it had been like this?"

The scene pauses as Josh stands up and faces the audience directly.

Josh (addressing the audience)

"It doesn’t take much to change someone’s story. A smile, a word, a moment
of kindness. It could save a life. It could have saved mine."

Emma stands up and joins Josh in facing the audience.


Emma

"We all have a choice. To ignore, to hurt... or to help. What will you choose?"

Josh and Emma stand side by side, the classroom disappearing behind them
as they step into the light together.

Lights fade out slowly as soft music begins to play. End scene.

Message: This play reminds us that even small acts of kindness can have a
powerful impact. Bullying is more than just words or actions; it’s the silence
of those who stand by and do nothing. A little empathy, a little courage, can
change everything.

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