Affirmations
By Mark Andrews
Characters
Penny: Loud, Excited, Emotional & Lively Songbird, Awkward.
Kenny: Aged, Hardened Carpenter, Knowing.
Setting: The first constructed scene is of a school performing arts classroom. Simple, and open.
Act I, Scene 1
(Carpenter on stage frames a small wall. He drives the last nail and prepares to stand it up. Turning to another carpenter stagehand.)
CARPENTER
“Let’s get this wall up and be done for the day.”
(The wall stands up. Velcro & Latch a drywall piece that looks like a school music room.
Child Enters the stage.)
CHILD
Today I will be auditioning with (my favorite song) by (my favorite artist).
(Sings the song as though for an audition.)
(At the song’s conclusion, someone walks out and posts the cast on the school music room’s wall.)
( At the same time a piece of drywall is attached to the reverse side of the wall. The backstage facing wall resembles a home living/kitchen space decorum.)
(The Child reads the casting paper then turns to the audience, huffs, visibly upset, and storms offstage.)
Act I, Scene 2
The second scene is a home kitchen area, off center. The well lit kitchen area is clean, but opposite the stage is a lamp-lit cluttered workbench.
(The wall spins around, splaying the home living space with the child slumped and sobbing in a stool at a table top. Enter Carpenter, not immediately noticing the sobbing Child.)
CARPENTER
“How was your day, sweet pea?”
CHILD
(Through sobs)
I got beaten out of the school play by Ronnie Bulger! She has a boy’s name! I’m not good at anything!
(Sobs)
CARPENTER
(Assesses the situation)
Let me show you what I am good at. Wait right there.
(The carpenter goes to edge of the stage while child remains sobbing and grabs wood for
a birdhouse. Returning to the table with the wood and a small hammer he teaches his
child how to wield the hammer and together they build a birdhouse.)
CARPENTER
Wow! Look at that, YOU built that birdhouse. It is quite good.
CHILD
I’m going to hang it from our tree.
(Gets up to run outside.)
CARPENTER
Maybe with your help, next we’ll build a treehouse.
CHILD
Joyful paroxysm, yippee!
(Exits.)
