Paula Hunt

FRMS 7331

Reader’s Theater created from “Keeper of the Night” by Kimberly Willis Holt

2 x Musical Chairs

(Taken from pages 49-50 & 105-106)

Home Cast School Cast

Isabel Isabel

Olivia Delia

Frank Mary Kelly

Tonya

Setting 1 (Home): Isabel’s family has just returned home from staying with Aunt Minerva. There is a table with 5 chairs, set for dinner for 4. Olivia and Frank are sitting in their places. Tata is not there. His chair, Isabel’s chair and their mother’s chair are empty.

Isabel: (standing away from scene slightly, looking straight at audience as narrator) While I was in Tamuning, it was as if what happened to my mother didn’t happen. It was as if we were away on a trip and she was waiting on the other end of the island. But now the house is filled with her – the room where she died, her zoris by the front door, her ukulele. Everywhere I go, I bump into my mother’s ghost. At dinner, her chair is empty, the chair she chose so she could see the ocean from the window as she ate.

(During the last line Isabel indicates her mothers chair as she moves into the scene. She sits in her own chair. Scene begins)

(Olivia looks at her mother’s chair sadly and sneezes to cover her tear)

Isabel: (turns to Olivia) “Let’s trade places”

Olivia: (happy to be in a game) “Like musical chairs?” (Olivia jumps up)

Isabel: “Sort of. But we won’t take any chairs away. I’ll sit here.”

(Isabel moves to Olivia’s chair and sits down)

Olivia: (happily) “And I will sit here now”

(Olivia moves to Isabel’s chair and sits)

(Frank does not say anything, but slowly rises and moves to Tata’s chair. As he sits he looks at Olivia who returns the look – both knowing this has changed nothing. Both quickly look away. All freeze in position for 2-3 seconds.)

Isabel: (Isabel rises and moves out of the scene. She looks straight at audience again) “I’ll never have one special place at the table. I’ll sit in a different place every day. Then if I go away, no one will miss me just by looking at an empty chair.”

[As she speaks Frank and Olivia remove the chairs and family dishes. Mary Kelly, Delia and Tonya enter bringing in a bench & sack lunches]

Setting 2 (School Cafeteria): Mary Kelly, the new girl, Delia and Tonya are seated with their sack lunches in front of them. Mary Kelly is in the middle.

(As Isabel enters the scene, she says her first line directly to the audience)

Isabel: Miss one day at school and the world changes. (Isabel is now in the scene, standing with her hands on her hips. She addresses Mary Kelly) “Excuse me, Miss”

(Delia scoots over and pats the space next to her)

Delia: “Sit here, Isabel.”

Isabel: (to Mary Kelly) “You must be new. I have been sitting there (she points to where Mary Kelly is seated) for the last two years. (to audience) “I know what I said about special places at home, but this is school, this is different.”

(Mary Kelly ignores Isabel, opens her lunch bag, takes out 4 Fruit Roll-Ups)

Mary Kelly: “Want one?” (Delia takes a grape one. Tonya chooses lime.)

Isabel: “No thanks. I tried them once when an air force guy gave Tata some in trade for a gallon of tuba. Frank, Olivia and I had bellyaches from eating them.” (to audience) “We ate too many.”

Delia: (excited) “Mary Kelly invited us to the base pool Saturday.”

Mary Kelly: (Smiling at Isabel) “You can come too.”

(Isabel stares at Mary Kelly. She does not like this change to her group.)

Isabel: “Why aren’t you sitting with the brains?”

(Mary Kelly looks at Delia and Tonya. The three smile at one another)

Mary Kelly: “I like to laugh.”

(Isabel looks at the audience sadly as the scene ends)