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Stage Play / Just Like Her
Scene one
(Molly is sitting in one of the chairs in the dining room. She is looking at some mail when she hears her father yell. She throws the mail onto the table as if she wasn’t looking at all. You can hear her dad calling from the door in another room.)
Jason: (not completely on stage yet yelling like I love Lucy from off stage)Heeeey Moooooolllllllly I’m hooooommmmme!, how was your day today? (walks into the dining room from stage right)
Molly: Not really better than any other day of this week or last. Yours?
Jason: O, fine I suppose you know work and such (chuckles to himself)
Molly: Well I wont keep you from your(mumbles the rest and gets up from the table and begins walking away to stage left)
Jason: Hold up Molly I wanted to talk to you (sits down at the table and picks up the mail)
Molly: (interrupting him) You just did.
Jason: Now wait just a minute. I am your father and you will listen to me now sit down so we can have a normal conversation.
Molly: Normal? There is nothing normal about my life dad. Nothing. Nothing. NOTHING!
Jason: (pleading) just listen please. You don’t even have to sit if you don’t want to.
Molly: Good, I’m standing go ahead talk
Jason: Well I’m worried about you
Molly: (interrupting again) Well that sure is a first isn’t it? (sarcastic laugh) You’re worried about your daughter. Because no father has even said that before thanks for the originality! (begins to walk away again stage left)
Jason: That’s enough. For heavens sake how old are you? 23 or 5? ( pauses and opens a letter and skims it looking very upset) Now as I was saying, (puts letter down on the table so Molly can see) Its about time for you to get back to school. You haven’t been to any classes in over a week. (points to paper) The school is sending letters now about your not attending classes and wondering if you are deathly ill. (picks up letter again and shakes it angrily and pounds it on the table) So I’ve made a decision. If you don’t get back to school in the next two weeks I’m stopping the school from taking your tuition money out of my account and when or if you want to go back you can pay for it yourself . Also, you are going to get your own place and stop living with me and you can take those books (gestures to the stack of unused law books in the corner) with you, That is unless you go back to school.
Molly: Wow. Thanks dad I really appreciate that. But if you really think that changes anything and think that I’m going anywhere other than this house in the next two weeks you’re completely wrong! And you technically can’t force me to move out I’m your daughter and I’m over 18 a legal adult so I don’t have to do what you say!
Jason: Well that was very sweet of you to explain Molly but you’re actually incorrect. (pauses looking at other envelopes on mail as if waiting for her to dare ask the question that she wants to)
Molly: What’s that supposed to mean?
Jason: It means I’ve scheduled an appointment for you with a very helpful psychiatrist and you’ll be going to it everyday starting tomorrow so you will be leaving the house. Also, if you refuse to move out I will charge you rent and then you will be treated like a boarder instead of my daughter!
Molly: You’re sending me to a shrink? Really am I a psycho now dad?
Jason: No honey, I just want my daughter back, I don’t even know who you are anymore. Ever since your mom (pauses as if searching for the right word) became deceased
Molly: (interrupting yet again) O deceased, that’s a new one! Why don’t you just say dead like any other person? HUH? Or maybe kicked the bucket if you’d like something less conventional for that matter. Dad you just need to accept the facts One: she IS gone. Two: she was the only parent that I had anything in common with and now I don’t have one of those parents! And Three: Now I’m just stuck with you my dad who barely grieved over his ex-wife’s death and now decides to make his daughter stop grieving too, by threatening her! (She begins to exit stage left but turns just before she actually leaves the stage) And I’m not going to a shrink either because I’m not the one who really has the problems! (turns back and stomps off stage left Jason just sits at the table looking stunned and lights fade)
End Scene One
(now Molly is sitting on the couch in the shrinks office When the lights go up Jenna is walking in from stage left as if she was coming in a door. Molly is flipping through one of the many magazines that fill the coffee table in front of the couch. Jenna has a notepad/ journal that she is holding when she walks in for any notes she has to take. She looks very business-like and does not seem to smile that often. )
Jenna: Hello Molly, my name is Jenna Brinker. (Walks over to where Molly is sitting and puts her hand out for Molly to shake. Molly looks at the hand for about two seconds looks at Jenna’s face with a look on uncertainty and then goes back to flipping through her magazine) I’ll be your psychiatrist for the next two weeks. I am very qualified for this job and have helped many of my patients for
Molly: Oh, so that’s what I’m called
Jenna: I beg your pardon?
Molly: I’m a “patient” (uses air quotes) you know that really does make me sound more like I’m crazy and not just grieving over my mother who just died about a week ago.
Jenna: Well, I’m very sorry to hear that you feel that way.
Molly: Oh, just save it. Let me get one thing straight okay? I’m only here to make my dad happy and I won’t really be saying much. So, the only way you are going to help me, one bit, is if you tell my dad when the two weeks are up that I am still not in any stable condition to go back to school or do any sort of work right now and that there is really nothing more that you and your expensive psychiatric degree can do for me! Now, are there any questions you have for me other than how do you feel about that?
Jenna: I see. That’s a very interesting perspective you have young lady but I’d appreciate it if you would get one thing straight okay? (puts a very angry look on her face and gets into Molly’s face. Also, points directly at Molly and herself whenever she refers to them) If you think that I’m going along with that little plan of yours and I’m telling your father anything other than the cold hard truth when this thing is done, (dramatic pause) you’ve got another thing coming to you. (raises head and picks up pen changing her expression to an understanding/listening face) Now, how do you feel about that? (Molly sits there stunned and then gets up to leave)
Molly: Well, I suppose that’s good for today I’ll see you tomorrow (mocking tone) Doc (waves and turns walking out stage left slamming the door on her way out)
End Scene Two
(Scene three is five days later Jenna is sitting in the chair and Molly enters in stage left)
Molly: Ok I’m here the party can start now!
Jenna: Molly you are nearly half an hour late where have you been? You know showing up late, like you have the last five days, isn’t going to solve anything
Molly: Well, sorry to disappoint Jen but I actually had a little car trouble, so lay off!
Jenna: o, really? I’m sorry I didn’t realize, what happened?
Molly: My car wouldn’t go slow enough (laughs at her joke and walks over to take her spot on the couch)
Jenna: Well, hopefully you can get it fixed yourself by tomorrow or else I will have to involve your dad, you understand right?
Molly: No not really but I’m sure you’ll explain it to me
Jenna: Well you have been gone or late the last five days and since there is only nine days left until you have to go back to school or I tell your father you are fine, I’m sure you would at least like to be a little bit better by then.
Molly: Yeah, uh-huh sure whatever
Jenna: Okay then, Molly today I just want to go ahead and ask you some basic questions, like some of the other days you have actually showed up, and see how you respond to them.
Molly: fire away, unless of course you agree to go with my plan in that case I’ll take a nap on your comfy couch here (pats and rubs sofa)
Jenna: Nope that’s quite all right. (gets pen and notebook ready and writes notes every so often when Molly answers.) So let me ask you what does your dad do?
Molly: (looks at Jenna like she is crazy then begrudgingly answers) He’s a business man. He works downtown in some financial building.
Jenna: Is that all you know about your dads job?
Molly: (sighs angrily) Yes
Jenna: That’s fine we’ll move on. Where do you live and who with?
Molly: 1842 Rosemary Lane well no wait I should live there I live at um 4536 Stairbrook Parkway
Jenna: What do you mean by should live at?
Molly: 1842 Rosemary Lane was my mom’s address it’s where I have lived my entire life I’ve never lived anywhere else and now I’m forced to because no one wants to live in the house where my mother died.
Jenna: Okay we’ll move on again. How did your mother die?
Molly: She had a stress induced panic attack. (no sign of sadness on her face just facts)
Jenna: How old?
Molly: (eyes up at the ceiling) 45
Jenna: And why exactly what stress was their in her life?
Molly: Well she was a lawyer so that could create a lot of stress…. I would know…..but anyways she was very into her work and still insisted on treating me like a baby and couldn’t do anything in the house.
Jenna: Ah I see now Molly what exactly did you mean by I would know?
Molly: What my dad didn’t tell you?
Jenna: No tell me what?
Molly: I wanted to be a lawyer just like my mom I’m enrolled at Harvard law school right now.
Jenna: Oh, Well that changes things a bit.
End scene three
(Scene four is three days later Jenna is in the middle of questioning Molly in their normal positions in the small little office.)
Jenna: So, which of your parents are you most like or closer to Molly?
Molly: oh that’s easy my mom
Jenna: You were very close to your mom?
Molly: Yes but not in a conventional way. You see I was like her mini-me even though I was taller. She had brown hair like mine, I have her eyes even our personality’s were the same always trying to reach that next goal
Jenna: So you were just like her, did people always tell you two that? Like, wow, you two must be sisters or something like that?
Molly: Well, I never wanted to be away from her I loved everything about her, her perfume, her smile she was my mom (can feel herself getting emotional but stops that immediately) That’s one reason I wanted to become a lawyer was so I could work with her everyday
Jenna: Well, I noticed you used the word wanted do you not want to be a lawyer anymore?
Molly: Not exactly
Jenna: Why not?
Molly: Can we just move on to the next question please?
Jenna: Okay that’s fine next question, would you consider yourself an emotional person?
Molly: I really don’t understand your question
Jenna: Well, let me put it this was, do you cry a lot or do you just tend to hold it all in never letting it out?
Molly: (in a strong voice scaring Jenna) NO!
Jenna: (startled) Ok Molly, calm down
Molly: No I will not calm down! (Molly then goes crazy and pushes the magazines off the coffee table, drops books on the floor and takes tissues from the box and scatters them everywhere in a ruthless tirade, all the while Jenna hides in the front of the chair still writing notes as Molly yells.)
Molly: I’m not an emotional person and I don’t hold things in either! You see there are no tears streaming down my stupid face are there? No, but, I’m not exactly holding back either am I? No, I’m not! So you can put in your stupid book that I’m done here and you can call my dad and say whatever you want! Bye Jenna (exits, stomping, stage left and with a final act of destruction, kicks the sofa and slams the door)
End scene four
(scene five is the second to last day of her two weeks Molly and Jenna are really talking about unpleasant things now and they both know it Jenna is trying to say the right thing and not get another hissyfit and Molly knows emotional parts are coming whether she likes it or not. Lights go up and Molly enters stage left)
Molly: Hi
Jenna: Molly was just expecting you’d be here soon.
Molly: Ya, but that’s probably only because you called and told my dad I haven’t come the last three days and he drove me here himself so this is the second to last day right?
Jenna: Yes as long as you decide to go back to school, if not then you’re just coming back her.
Molly: Is that a threat then?
Jenna: No, but either way you get something you don’t want
Molly: What do you mean?
Jenna: Either you have to go back to law school or come back here you don’t like either of them
Molly: What? Is that the impression you have gotten over these weeks? That I don’t like law school? I love law school
Jenna: You just don’t want to go back because?
Molly: No, no, no stop making me talk about this stuff (starts to get ready to cry but really wants to hold it back)
Jenna: just let it out Molly, anything you say can be confidential I don’t have to tell your dad
Molly: (looks around then blurts it out in about two seconds) Okay, okay, I was just like my mom so if we were so alike and she died from stress because of her work how do I know that I’m not going to end up the exact same way as she did? After all I’m just like her in everyway so how do I know that my life won’t be ended early like hers? She was 45 that only gives me a little over 20 years and I don’t want that! (is laying on the couch with head into the cushions)
Jenna: Well, Molly thank you
Molly: What?
Jenna: your done here I can do nothing more but to tell you that you aren’t like her in every single way and that you should just live your life, if you want to be a lawyer, be one if not, that’s ok too.
Molly: but
Jenna: No Molly no buts just think about it and you’ll understand (smile warmly)
End scene five
(Scene six is the final scene. We are back in the dining room at her fathers house the day after Molly has told Jenna everything and the last day for her to go back to school. They are eating breakfast at the table)
Jason: Wow, honey that’s wonderful! I’m so glad you decide to go back.
Molly: Yes I think it’s in everyone’s best interest however there are some conditions I have set
Jason: and those are?
Molly: No activities or clubs or sports or a job or anything like that I should just focus on school
Jason: Yes, that probably is best, you wouldn’t want to get like your mom and be too stressed out!
Molly: Yeah, I wouldn’t want to be just like her (Jason and molly laugh as the lights fade)
End Scene Six
The End
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Comments: This is a very interesting play. I like the way you have the time elapse, and the way you show how the therapy session progress through that time. I also like the way you describe the therapy sessions, and also the connection she has with her mother.
Suggestions: Just a few points that confused me.
“(You can hear her dad calling from the door in another room.)” What was he calling? Her name? Specify.
“for the next two weeks.” This seems a bit unreal. I don’t know of many people that can have therapy sessions everyday, let alone come up with an epiphany of the problem in such shot of a time span. Besides, people usually move through stages of acceptance, but over time.
“I am very qualified for this job and have helped many of my patients for” two things, with the very qualified part, it sounds unprofessional. Most doctors try to relate to their “patients” so they try to seem approachable. Most people would not find tooting their own horn approachable. Second, I don’t think many psychiatric doctors call their clients patients, because of the stigma associated with that word
“Jenna: Molly was just expecting you’d be here soon.” This was confusing, didn’t Molly just come in?
Your ending also seemed weak. I don’t think you should have her laughing at a death joke about her mother. Especially since you have that it has barely been two weeks since it was an immobilizing thing to her. Perhaps rework it that she is just accepting it, and have a father daughter bonding moment instead.
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I don’t believe you have to state that Jason is yelling like I Love Lucy. Just leave it at yelling form off stage. When you say that molly mumbles you should still have some words there.
When Jason is trying to make Molly talk to him it sounds a little stiff
If Jenna looks so profesional don’t have her use words like ‘nope’
I understand it’s only meant to be 10 minutes long but the ending is too blunt. Have her father go into a meeting or something. don’t just have him in there in the beginning and end. He needs more involvement for the end to work at all.
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