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In this light-hearted comedy, members of The Saturday Morning Garden Club are faced with a dilemma. To keep up their century of beautifications projects in Big Stone Gap, they need new members. However, while the newest candidate from New Jersey is a master gardener and could bring in many more qualified members, she may be interested in the son of the club’s president – and that just won’t do!

Description:

This 60-minute play in two acts has a 15-minute intermission. Set in Big Stone Gap, VA, most of the action takes place in the potting shed that serves as the office for the Saturday Morning Garden Club. The backgrounds of the town venues are projected on a screen and change with each scene. The set is a dingy worktable and chairs, a bookcase filled with plant books and photo albums of work of previous years of the club.

Number of Actors:

Nine principal actors.

Letter Of Agreement

Dear purchaser:

On behalf of the Board of Directors of Shoestring Theatre Company, it is an honor to accept the invitation to partner with your organization to produce Shoestring Theatre play on your stage.

Here is our understanding.

Shoestring Theatre Company gives your organization the rights to produce, direct and perform jointly selected plays on a schedule that you determine. This includes the dates, times and number of performances.

Shoestring Theatre Company will support your oganization by providing:

Show graphics images, promotional copy, Shoestring Theatre Company logos and logos for the production.
Consultation from the writer.
Regular meetings and guidance from one of the local Shoestring Theatre Company board members.
Guidance and oversight for all marketing of the plays.
General descriptions of the plays for programs and other promotional materials.
A downloadable copy of the script.

Your organization will provide:

Production at its facility, sets, technical equipment, props, set design.
Cast, crew, music, technical staff.
Promotion, ticket sales, programs and all promotional materials.
Agreement that the script will not be edited or changed, nor characters eliminated or combined.

Terms:

It is Shoestring’s mission to promote the authentic culture of Southwest Virginia through original story and music. STC supports local arts organizations through sharing revenue and support for local productions.
Our model is one of revenue sharing in which we have designated specific performances for an organization, which donated a percentage of sales for that one performance to the group.
To that end, STC will not charge royalties for any play. Rather, for each production, we will ask that your organization provide $550 in licensing for one full run of the play and 20% of ticket sales minus the licensing fee.
Your organization will maintain and provide records of ticket sales to verify percentages.
Since a downloadable copy of the script is being provided, it is crucial that only as many copies as needed to produce the performance are printed or shared.
Your organization agrees not distribute, copy, print, or share contents of the script beyond what is necessary to produce the performance.
Appalachian musicians produce music for each of the plays. Shoestring Theatre Company can negotiate use for this music, which will be an additional licensing use fee.
Shoestring Theatre Company is the owner of the intellectual property: scripts, content, ideas, characters and characterizations.

We look forward to working with you for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Amelia Townsend
Founder, Shoestring Theatre Company

On behalf of the Board of Directors

John Norce, Treasurer
Deana Stoddard
Joanna Ormesher
Tabitha Hibbitts Grieger

Excerpt

ACT ONE

SCENE ONE - POTTING SHED The potting shed which serves as both the workroom and the unofficial meeting spot for the Saturday Morning Garden Club. A projection screen in the center of the background projects an image of a window that shows the mountains that surround Big Stone Gap, Va. A rustic working table surrounded by several chairs sets on stage right. A low bookcase filled with albums is on stage left. An open bag of potting soil, a small trowel, a small plant pot,and a water jug sit atop the bookcase. The top shelf is filled with worn albums, each one labeled with a year.

BARBARA PATTON, carrying a canvas gardening bag and ETTA West holding a piece of paper, enter and place their things on the table. BARBARA goes to the bookcase and looks through the albums, pulling one to turn the pages. ETTA flops into a chair and reads the letter with a troubled sigh.

BARBARA PATTON

I know that sound, Etta West.

(Barbara continues to look through the book, but raises a knowing eyebrow toward Etta.)

ETTA WEST

Every time, it gets grander.

BARBARA PATTON

And we always excel. Look at what we've already done this year -- the recycled bench on the Green Mile, the Christmas decorations and the Festival of Trees at the Museum, all the lamp posts and other things around town.

ETTA WEST

But this is Trail's sixtieth year! It has to be grander than all the rest. Did you see this letter from the Trail producers?

Etta rises, moves toward Barbara and hands her the letter. Placing the album on the bookcase and taking the letter, Barbara reads and smiles.

BARBARA PATTON

Oh, they ARE going all out. Let's see. Before the Trail of Lonesome Pine opening night--a week of events throughout Big Stone. Alumni gathering of all the leads from the play. Oh, I wonder which Jack Hales will return? My favorite was ---

Etta jerks the letter from Barbara and talks over her.

ETTA WEST

Barbara Patton! For heaven's sake! You can't get all hot and bothered over an actor, who may not even come. After all, you're a happily married woman.

BARBARA PATTON

And you're a ---

ETTA WEST

Don't say it.

BARBARA PATTON

Awh, Etta West. You think you know what I was going to say.

ETTA WEST

Listen, old girl. We've known each other since fourth grade. I know all your tells.

BARBARA PATTON

Oh, you do! Well, what am I thinking now, missy?

ETTA WEST

Hmm. You're wondering why we are wasting time and not figuring out what the garden club will do for the sixtieth.

BARBARA PATTON

So, let's get started. First, we have to make it her idea or it won't fly.

They walk to the table and sitdown.

ETTA WEST

The theme is in the letter. "Sixty Years of Trails."

BARBARA PATTON

Creative.

ETTA WEST

Barbara...be nice.

BARBARA PATTON

I'm always nice, old girl.

(Deep sigh as Etta gives her squinty eye)

Ah.. you got me. Next time, it will be your turn to be the 'old girl.'40 years later and we're still trading that title. Let's see. We will do the landscaping as we've always done. June Tolliver Playhouse in front of the stage and at the gate and the house itself.

SCENE 9 -- DUSK ON WOOD AVENUE

The projector screen has changed to a dusky scene of Wood Avenue, looking back from Curklin's toward the mountain. CHEYENNE and DARBY are walking together through the audience and end up standing together on the street, dressed for an evening out.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

Darby, I see what's going on with you and Larkin. All the glances, flirty looks. Times you disappear. And now you're telling me you're ditching me to go to Bristol with him tonight!

DARBY PIERPOINT

It's not like that, Cheyenne. He wants me to hear this singer that he thinks could be good at the Trail pre-show.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

You're not on the Trail production team.

DARBY PIERPOINT

Larkin wants just one opinion first. Then, if I like the music, he will bring recordings to the whole team.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

So,you alone are the judge. The modern day version of taking you to see his etchings.

DARBY PIERPOINT

I've told you it's not like that. Larkin didn't think that Barbara and Etta would like to go to the club in Bristol.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

And why's that!

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

But you are not stupid. A military widow -- still in her prime. Can't tell me you didn't think about that.

DARBY PIERPOINT

Cheyenne Campbell. I do believe you are jealous. Just because you lost Larkin, you ---

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

---I did not lose Larkin Gibbons and I do not want him.

DARBY PIERPOINT

That's not what he says.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

Oh, Darby. You've fallen hard already -- if you believe any of his versions of the truth. You know me better than anyone. You know the real history.

DARBY PIERPOINT

That was before I met Larkin in person. He's not at all like he was with you. He's sincere now.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

You have been brainwashed. I left Larkin after he could not quit the other women. Since then, I've tried to reform him -- to talk some sense into him. To get him to grow up for his own sake.

DARBY PIERPOINT

I know all about it.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

What! Darby, listen to me. You are hurting. It has barely been a year since Jake was killed in that helicopter training exercise.

DARBY PIERPOINT

Don't talk to me about Jake. You have no idea what it's like. One minute your whole life is perfect. Then, a damn helicopter crash on an Army base in New Mexico destroys all your hopes and your love.

(She turns away from Cheyenne and draws a deep breath)

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

(Sighs and tries to get Darby to look at her)

Darby. You have every right to build a new life. But I'm telling you, for your own sake, be aware of how Larkin really is. He's not changed much since I went out with him.

DARBY PIERPOINT

I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

Darby, if you get this wrong, it will break your heart -- one that is already shattered. And it will tear the club apart.

DARBY PIERPOINT

What do you mean?

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

Remember Macy Gibbons. It's taken her years to forgive me for breaking her boy's heart and she still barely tolerates me -- but only because she likes my mama.

DARBY PIERPOINT

Well, I don't have to worry about that. Macy loves ME. Now, I'm leaving. I'll see you tomorrow at church.

CHEYENNE CAMPBELL

That's a long drive alone late at night.

DARBY PIERPOINT

Who says I'll be alone.

Darby stomps off stage left. Cheyenne watches her go, then goes off stage right.

END OF ACT I

The Saturday Morning Garden Club

The Saturday Morning Garden Club

View Agreement

Description:

Number of Actors:

Nine principal actors.

By continuing with this purchase, you certify that you are authorized to make this purchase on behalf of my organization and have read and agree to the terms outlined in the STC letter of agreement.

Excerpt