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  • Episode 8(Fresh Cut Flowers, Adhesive Tape, Tofu, and Lottery Tickets)
    For 2 or more performers
  • Laura R. Schwartz (bio)

Written for How Things are Made

Began formal notation on September 10, 2017 in Pittsburgh, Pa at the Pitt Music Building Library in the graduate student cave in the quiet study section. Completed while at home in Southside. Edited on a plane traveling from Houston to Pittsburgh. Somewhere in the USA airspace 1/27/18, 4:48PM. Edited again for publication January 18–21, 2019 at my apartment in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Fresh Cut Flowers

Materials Needed

  1. 1. A cutting apparatus for each performer. Preferably their favorite sharp object. Must be able to cut through a flower stem in 1-4 strokes.

  2. 2. A cutting board for each performer.

  3. 3. 2-3 flowers for each performer. Any flowers. Objects with flowers on them are also welcome.

  4. 4. Safety glasses and a pair of gloves to be worn by each performer.

  5. 5. A 2-minute timer. (The timer can make a sound at the end of the 2-minutes. I mean it’s just doing its job.)

Setup

  1. 1. Each performer, wearing safety glasses and a pair of gloves, starts with the following in front of them: a sharp object, the flowers/flower object, and a cutting board.

  2. 2. The 2-minute timer is placed in a spot that is clearly visible to all performers and started by one of the performers.

The flowers have deeply wronged you. Violence, of course, is the only solution.
You have 2 minutes to use the above materials to destroy them like have they destroyed your life.
As you destroy them, whisper to them what they have done to hurt you.
When the 2 minutes have passed start Adhesive Tape immediately.

Adhesive Tape

Materials Needed

  1. 1. The parts of the flowers/flower objects from Fresh Cut Flowers.

  2. 2. All the non-flower materials from Fresh Cut Flowers (cutting boards/safety glasses/gloves/sharp object).

  3. 3. One roll of any kind of tape including but not limited to painter’s tape, packaging tape, double-sided tape, magnetic tape, etc… for each performer.

  4. 4. A 5-minute timer. (If the 5-minute timer makes a sound at the end of 5 minutes, silence it by throwing it.)

Setup

  1. 1. Each performer, wearing safety glasses and a pair of gloves, starts with the following in front of them: the destroyed flowers/flower object, a cutting board, and tape.

  2. 2. The 5-minute timer is placed in a spot that is clearly visible to all performers and started by one of the performers.

In 5-minutes, arrange and secure all (not one piece must be missing) of your cut flowers on the cutting board. While you are completing this task narrate from the point of view (POV) of something else in the room.
If you finish before the 5-minute timer is up, do not stop narrating your chosen POV. In a non-violent manner interrupt the other performer’s progress.
Do not allow them to finish.
Only you deserve to finish.
When 5 minutes have passed pause briefly and setup for Tofu. When setup is complete start Tofu.

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Tofu

Materials Needed

  1. 1. 2 plates for each performer.

  2. 2. A square of silken tofu for each performer.

  3. 3. A set of chopsticks for each performer.

  4. 4. A 2-minute timer. (This timer may ring for the rest of the piece. If that is what it wishes to do.)

Setup

  1. 1. Each performer, wearing safety glasses and a pair of gloves, starts with the following in front of them: 2 plates, 1 square of silken tofu, and a set of chopsticks.

  2. 2. The 2-minute timer is placed in a spot that is clearly visible to all performers and started by one of the performers.

    Let’s play the tofu game!! <(^ o ^)>

Game Play

Transfer your tofu from plate to a receiving plate using only chopsticks. You many slice tofu with chopsticks to make it easier to transfer. HOWEVER, if you drop tofu on anything but your plates you must put down your chopsticks and clap 3 times before resuming. When all the tofu from the original block...

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