CASTING SIDES — ROCKY
Scene: Phone Call with Mickey — Tense Reunion
Read Type: Cold & Intimidating
Character Note: Rocky is a man who uses silence and intimidation to keep control. He’s defensive,
proud, and quick to reassert dominance when threatened. Underneath the menace is guilt — but he
buries it with threats and posture.
SIDE — Phone Call
[Phone rings. Rocky picks up. His voice is flat, clipped.]
ROCKY (cold): Yeah.
MICKY (sharp): Where you at?
ROCKY (firm, dismissive): Out. Handling things.
MICKY (pressing): You knew I was coming home today. You wasn’t at the house. You wasn’t at the
club. Matter fact, I ain’t seen you at all. That don’t add up, Rocky.
[Beat. Long silence. Rocky lets her words hang, then responds low.]
ROCKY (controlled, dangerous calm): Watch how you talk to me, Mick. You just got home. Don’t start
pressing me like you the one in charge.
MICKY (cutting back): Before I came home, I gave you two weeks. Two. I told you straight up—clean
up whatever you got going on. Handle it. ‘Cause I wasn’t about to walk out them gates looking like
nobody’s fool. So answer me—what’s really been going on while I’ve been down?
ROCKY (snaps, voice sharper): Ain’t nothing goin’ on. You hear me? Nothing. I been running the spot,
keeping everything moving while you was away. You don’t like how I do it? That’s your problem.
MICKY (accusing, cold): No. You been living in my house, driving my car, spending my money. That’s
not holding it down, that’s babysitting. And from what I hear on the streets already, you wasn’t exactly
loyal.
[Beat. Rocky doesn’t laugh this time. His silence is heavy, menacing.]
ROCKY (quiet threat, low): People out there run their mouths. You believe ‘em over me? That’s
disrespect. Don’t forget who’s been out here, while you was locked away.
MICKY (final warning): You had 5 years to play house. You had two weeks to clean it up. You think I
came home to play games?
[Beat. Rocky exhales, steady, almost mocking.]
ROCKY (dark, controlled): Friday night, then. Face to face. You want answers? You’ll get ‘em. Just
remember—be careful what you ask for.
[She hangs up. Rocky stares at the phone, jaw tight, fury simmering. He mutters under his
breath—barely audible.]
ROCKY (to himself, low): She don’t know who she talkin’ to.
Performance Notes:
• Keep volume low; make the threat felt through silence and texture rather than shouting.
• Use small physical beats even over the phone: a slow exhale, a hand clench, a slight smile that never
reaches the eyes.
• Variation 1 — Icy Bully: flat, almost bored menace. Variation 2 — Wounded Predator: quick flashes of
hurt that fuel anger.
• Audition cut: Start at the line ‘Watch how you talk to me, Mick.’ and end on ‘You want answers? You’ll
get ‘em.’ (~45–60 seconds).