Ignore, Sacrifice, Commit: The Musical

Which Relationship Do

You Have with Your

Well-Being?

Playbill synopsis: Meet Coach. A caring individual, empathetic to the needs of others, who wants to make the world a better place. Yet, for all the good Coach envisions, Coach is currently facing his own personal crisis.

Caught between four competing forces. The twins: business-building (Biz) and doing the work he truly loves (Passion); his personal relationship management (Pal); and making himself a priority in his life (Me), Coach is caught in a relationship trapezium: torn between himself and four competing directions, unequally.

Choices must be made. Difficult choices that can be summed up in the question, “Do I Stay or Do I Go?”

Coach knows there is a right answer, but is lost in overthinking, over-analyzing, and over-feeling.

The struggle is real, as the curtain goes up, and we enter:

SCENE 1: The Dilemma

Present day.

Coach sitting alone in his home office. The faint glow of their computer lights his face.

Surrounded by session notes, training video summaries, marketing plans, missed texts from his friends, unanswered calls from his family, and a receipt for an unused gym membership (a gift from Me).

Biz, Pal, Passion, and Me enter, singing a chorus of a singular demand:

“So what’s it gonna be boy, yes or no?’

Coach: “Let me sleep on it. I’ll give you my answer in the mornin.’”

The chorus rises, deafening, “I GOTTA KNOW RIGHT NOW!!!”

[Cut lights. Stage black.]

Scene 2: History Lesson, Part 1 – Ignore

[Music fades in] “Well, I remember every little thing as though it happened only yesterday…”

Coach is sitting in his living room chatting with Pal about Biz. Me sits in the shadows, listening; it’s as if she’s not even there.

Coach: “I’m scared. Can I do this? I’ve never run a business before.”

Pal: “Of course you can. I’ll be with you every step. I got your back.”

[KNOCK]

It’s Passion, delivering Coach’s certifications and business license.

Coach has been waiting for this moment. They’re now official!

“Biz, c’mere! Wow! It’s real! Are you ready?”

Coach, Biz, and Passion hug. They start heading out the door together to celebrate.

Pal: “Wait. Where are you going? I thought we were hanging out today?”

Coach: “Oh…sorry. This changed everything. I gotta go. I’ll catch you later.”

The three exit. Pal stares at the door as the stage lights dim.

Me sings, “Don’t forget me, I beg…”

Scene 3: History Lesson, Part 2 – Sacrifice

Interior, bar.

Coach and Pal are catching up. Pal is visibly disturbed and upset. Coach looks semi-interested in being there…other things are on his mind. Me sits in a booth, back in the shadows.

Pal: “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in months! WTF, dude?”

Coach: “It’s a lot…between keeping Biz satisfied, I swear he just doesn’t stop…it’s a constant hustle, and trying to make Passion a priority, I have no time for Me, let alone anyone else.

Pal: “It’s taking time away from us too. I don’t know who you are anymore. Where’s my friend? I never thought I’d see you like this.”

Coach: “Sorry dude. This is important. I gotta do this…nothing else matters. If you can’t accept that…no, wait, you said you’d have my back, you’d support me through this.

“You two-faced moth….Forget it. I’m done. We’re done.”

Coach storms off stage, ranting, “Don’t worry. I won’t lose any sleep tonight.”

Pal and Me notice each other. They share a concerned look of worry.

[Lights fade to black]

Scene 4: History Lesson, Part 3 – Commit

Coach, lying on sofa in living room. He’s covered in a blanket, thermometer in mouth. He’s sick from burnout, a candle burning from two ends: Two ends named Biz and Passion.

Me sits nearby, comforting Coach.

Coach: “Thanks Me. I promise once I get over this flu, I’ll pay more attention to you. This has been a real wakeup call. I didn’t realize how much those two were taking away from us.”

Me smiles a knowing smile. She’s heard this before…too many times.

[Email notification beeps]

Coach: “Ugh! Dammit! I forgot to reschedule that session. I gotta be ready in ten minutes or I won’t get paid.”

Me removes her hand from his forehead and looks down at the floor sadly. She’s a third wheel, and she knows it.

Biz enters, followed slowly by Passion.

Biz lifts Coach from the couch and pushes him toward the office. Passion shuffles behind them, distantly close.

Me sings in a low, sad voice, “If you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it…”

[Lights fade to black]

Scene 5: The Choice

Same setting as Scene 1. Only a few minutes have elapsed from our opening.

Coach reaches forward and closes his laptop. He’s made his decision.

Rising from the chair, he paces around the room, picking up papers, throwing away some, organizing others. It all seems futile.

Coach realizes he made his choice a long time ago. He married his business on the day the papers arrived. He thought it was Passion, but now he knows.

He shrugs, defeated.

Coach slumps in his chair, reopens his computer. The faint light from the screen fills the room as he begins typing.

[Lights dim.]

As the curtain drops, Paradise by the Dashboard Light slowly fills the auditorium.

                        Now I’m Praying for the end of time

                        To hurry up and arrive

                        Cause if I gotta spend another minute with you

                        I don’t think that I can really survive…

                        I won’t break my promise

                        Or forget my vow….

                        But God only knows what I could do right now…

As the surrounding lights and music fade, Coach is seen in a tight spotlight, alone on stage.

[PHONE RINGS]

The message goes to voicemail as Coach continues to focus on his computer in dimming light.

[BEEP – a voice is heard over the speaker]

“Hey, dude, it’s Pal. It’s been a while, and I know you’ve been really busy, but I just wanted to let you know that Me and I are engaged. We got together after you and I met at the bar a few years ago, and…well, we just connected.

“Anyway, I hope you’re doing good. Gotta run…we’re off on another adventure. I have no idea where she’s taking me this time…

“Damn, life is great, ain’t it?”

[Lights fade to black]

Fin

Sometimes the most honest next step isn’t a decision—it’s a pause.

The Quiet Pause is an invitation to step out of the noise and reconnect with yourself, without pressure or productivity.

Learn more about the Quiet Pause.

Brief lyric excerpts used for commentary purposes under fair use.

"Should I Stay or Should I Go" - The Clash (Mick Jones, Joe Strummer)
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light" - Meat Loaf (Jim Steinman)
"Someone Like You" - Adele (Adele Adkins, Dan Wilson)
"Goodbye Earl" - The Chicks (Dennis Linde)
"Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" - Beyoncé (Thea Austin, Beyoncé Knowles, Terius Nash, Christopher Stewart)