Playwriting for portfolio

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MANAGING EDITOR Tony DeGenaro

PAGE DESIGNER Mike Cirelli

COPY EDITOR Whitney Reed

advertising Jeff Kintner

faculty advisor Shannon Lakanen

Staff Mackenzie BoyerEmily ClarkKayla ForsheyMeg FreadoAlyssa MazeyBrittany Peltier Kathleen Agnes QuigleyJordy Lawrence Stewart

a special thanks to Dr. David Todd and his Intermediate Playwriting class for providing the plays in this book.

submit your work Email all submissions for the 2013 fall chapbook to [email protected]. Submissions are reviewed on a blind submission policy by the Q&Q editorial staff. Current graduating seniors are not eligible to submit work to next year’s fall chapbook. Submissions must be under five double-spaced pages. (Poetry can be single-spaced.)

GET involvedThe Q&Q is always looking for students to join our staff. All years and majors are welcome. Sign up for ENGL 2294: Literary Magazine Practicum. We meet every Thursday from 5-6:30. Email [email protected] for more information.

editorial board positions The Q&Q is calling for applications for editorial board positions, including fiction editor, poetry editor, nonfiction editor, drama editor, and art editor. Email [email protected] for more information. Applications are due Monday, April 30.

QUIZ quill&otterbein university’s student LITerary MAGazine

THE SUPERHEROES SHOW!! | 3

YOUNG LOVEBRIDGETTE WILTERDINK

THE SUPERHEROES SHOW!!KAYLA FORSHEY

redos and mistakesKRISTINA FEDECZKO

AT THE DOORSTEPJORDY LAWRENCE STEWART

PULLING THE TRIGGERWHITNEY REED

WHAT’S REALLINDSEY ROWLAND

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6PLAYS

PLAY 1 | YOUNG LOVE | 5

BRIDGETTE WILTERDINK

YOUNG LOVE

1PLAY


Characters ROBERT, 7-year-old boy JESSICA, 7-year-old girl MOTHER, late 30s FATHER, early 40s

SCENE 1(The stage is set as a back-yard; there is a bike in one corner, a baseball, bat, and glove next to a swing set placed upstage right. A back porch is set stage left, has a back door. Center stage is a wooden bench. In front of the bench is an old fashioned steering wheel from a car fixed to a pole in the ground. It should appear to be a “car” facing stage right.)

(ROBERT enters from the back door of the house half carrying, half dragging a large piece of plywood. He walks to the bench and props the wood against the bench. It is cut and painted to look like a red 1920s car. He struggles to hold the car in place while he attempts to hammer it to the bench.)

YOUNG LOVE | 7

FATHER

(Coming to the screen door and opening it, watching ROBERT for several mo-ments.)

Robert, what are you doing?

(Steps onto the back porch and folds his arms. ROBERT continues to struggle and nail.)

ROBERT

I am trying (pause to hammer) to nail my car (hammers harder out of frustration) to my bench but it isn’t working!

FATHER

Would you like some help? I can hold the car for you.

ROBERT

(Pauses his work to look at his father very seriously.)

No thank you Father. I have to do this on my own.

FATHER

Alright Robert, but if you decide you could use some help, you can come get me. I’ll be listening to the news.

(ROBERT nods and goes back to hammering the car. Lights dim to black out.)


SCENE 2(Lights up to dusk in the yard. ROBERT is gone. FATHER and MOTHER stand in the yard, looking at ROBERT’s completed project. The car was perfect when ROBERT started, but now has a few dents and scrapes and is slightly crooked.)

MOTHER

This is what Robert was doing in the yard all afternoon?

FATHER

Yes. He struggled with it and I offered to help but he said, rather seriously too, that he had to do it himself.

MOTHER

Where did he get the car cutout?

FATHER

They had it on sale at the toy store. It was the only one they had and Robert really wanted it. He asked me if I would get it for him but I told him no; if he really wants it that badly, he’ll have to save up for it. I’ll tell you what, I thought he would just brush it off and go buy another toy but he walked right up to Mr. Clark and asked him to put that car on hold because he was going to come back and buy it and then he walked out.

MOTHER

Really? He’s been saving his allowance all this time to buy that car cutout? But why? He never wanted it before, he was always happy to pretend to be in a car with just the bench and the steer-ing wheel.

YOUNG LOVE | 9

FATHER

Your guess is as good as mine. It was blue in the store. I think he paid Mr. Clark extra to paint it red for him. I heard him talking to one of his little friends that it had to be done in time for Tues-day. Do you know anything about Tuesday?

MOTHER

(Smiles softly and pats his arm.)

Tuesday is Valentine’s Day.

(FATHER smiles broadly and laughs.)

That car cut out reminds me of the car you rented on Valentine’s Day last year, do you remember?

FATHER

Of course I remember.

(Father chuckles and kisses her cheek.)

MOTHER

You sent Robert to see his grandparents and you and I went for a long drive in the country and had a picnic. It was wonderfully romantic! (MOTHER and FATHER embrace and kiss.) I love you honey!

FATHER

I love you too darling.

(FATHER wraps his arm around MOTHER’s waist and they walk inside as lights dim to black out.)


SCENE 3(Lights up on the backyard. MOTHER is sitting in a rock-ing chair on the back porch knitting, watching Robert swing on the swing set.)

MOTHER

Robert?

ROBERT

Yes, mother?

(ROBERT jumps off the swing and scurries over to her.)

MOTHER

What are your plans with that car? Your father and I have been admiring it for a few days and I have to say, you are keeping it in much better condition than your other toys.

ROBERT

That’s because it isn’t a toy Mother, it’s my car and I have to keep it clean and looking nice for Tuesday.

MOTHER

Well what’s on Tuesday?

ROBERT

Jessica and I are going to go for a drive for Valentine’s Day, just like you and Daddy did. Can I cut some roses from the neighbor lady’s house to give to Jessica? Daddy gave you roses last year too.

YOUNG LOVE | 11

MOTHER

(smiling)

I don’t think you should cut the neighbor’s flowers, she might get upset. (ROBERT looks saddened.) But what you could do is pick all of the pretty dandelions we have here in the yard and give them to Jessica. She will like those.

ROBERT

You really think so? Tell Father he isn’t allowed to mow the lawn until Tuesday morning! He can’t run over my flowers!

MOTHER

(laughing)

I promise Father will not ruin your flowers.

SCENE 4(Lights up on the backyard. ROBERT enters from the back door, dressed in a handsome outfit and holding the hand of JESSICA, also dressed nicely. JESSICA is holding a bouquet of dandelions and grinning.)

ROBERT

It is time to take our drive my darling.


(They cross the porch and descend, going to the “car” and getting in. JESSICA is bouncing from excitement. MOTHER and FATHER come to the screen door and watch ROBERT and JESSICA.)

JESSICA

Where are we going honey?

(She giggles and hides behind the flowers for a moment. ROBERT chuckles and starts the car. Both children start bouncing as they “drive.”)

ROBERT

We can go wherever you want darling because today, I would drive to the moon and back for you.

(Both children blush and gig-gle. MOTHER and FATHER smile and chuckle. JESSICA giggles and kisses ROBERT’s cheek quickly.)

JESSICA

Let’s go to the moon and back then.

(Lights fade to black. End.)

THE SUPERHEROES

SHOW!!


YOUNG LOVEBRIDGETTE WILTERDINK

THE SUPERHEROES SHOW!!KAYLA FORSHEY

redos and mistakesKRISTINA FEDECZKO

AT THE DOORSTEPJORDY LAWRENCE STEWART

PULLING THE TRIGGERWHITNEY REED

WHAT’S REALLINDSEY ROWLAND

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Playwriting for portfolio

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