Chapel in the Pines
One Act Play
By John Blais
The set is a pine forest background. A decorative frame – flowers and the like – . represents the altar. A pulpit is to the side of it. It is on the audience’s left side. The actors enter from the right side top and right side bottom which would be closest to the audience.
There are six characters for his play; two men and four women. The two men can be any age. The three women are in their early twenties with one in her early teens.
Stan and Wes are the two guys. They are casually dressed in blue jeans and shirts.
The four women are in wedding and bridesmaid dresses. Jenny is the bride. Rita is the maid of honor and then there is Becky and Jolene who is in her late teens. Each is holding a cell phone.
Act I
Stan and Wes enter from the bottom right. They are holding hands. They step to the middle of the stage. Their hands part as Stan raises up his arms to present the site.
Stan
This is it, where we’ll be married. Just look, . look it’s us Wes. It’s us. I wanted you to see before get dressed up for the ceremony.
Wes
Oh yes, this is perfect. And you are right; this is us; such tall beautiful pines. (He takes a deep breath and opens his arm) This will be the happiest day of my life, you and me together. We’ll…(he stops as he hears Jenny’s voice as she and the three bridesmaids enter from top right. Like Stan she lifts her arms up to present the sit. Jolene is looking at her cell phone and puts it down as Jenny speaks)
Jenny
This is it, where Craig and I will be married. It’s so perfect. It is us. I wanted you to see it before everybody comes.….who are you?
Rita
What are you doing here?
Stan
Who are you? What are you doing here?
Rita
What does it look like? She’s getting married.
Stan
No, we’re getting married here.
Jenny
Oh, no. Now, another thing…what…
Rita
Don’t worry. They have no business here. (She steps out from the others toward the two men) You think you can just walk in here, call your friends and have your wedding just because it’s in the woods. You see the lodge there. It’s their chapel. This is private. You should just leave.
Stan
I think you’re the one that should “Just leave.”
We’ve had this reserved.
Jenny
(she throws her arms up paces away.)
This is just what we need. They just walked in here and going to do their wedding. I suppose we’re just suppose to step aside.
Becky
(follows after Jenny and takes her hand) Don’t worry, we’ll get rid of them.
Rita
(talks over Jenny.) Sure you do. You got it reserved all right. What you got to prove it?
Jenny
If it isn’t one thing, it’s another. But this
Stan
What you got?
Rita
What I say you say? Well, I’ll just call them, and if necessary they can send somebody to get you out of here. (She lifts her phone up and punching the numbers, walks off stage. )
(Jolene watches her pass in front and turns her head to watch her pass. Then she looks at the two men. She pulls her head back like she’s first seen them)
Jolene
You’re two guys. You can’t get married.
Wes
Can’t get married? Where have you been? You live in a cave? Gay people have been getting married for years now.
Jolene
Oh, so why don’t you go and do your own thing; not ours.
Stan
Do our own thing? (he turns to Wes) There you are. Years now, and we still have to go through all this. I told the baker: “no, it’s not Bess, it’s Wes.” Dumb like he says “that’s a man’s name”. I said I know, we’re getting married. Yeah, and he gives me the look. Now, we got this teenager telling us what we can do. (he turns to Jolene) we’re getting married alright and it’ll be right here. You just wait and see.
Jolene
I don’t care; you should still do your own thing; not ours
Jenny
Jollie, let them be. You’re just making it worst.
Becky
She’s right, Jollie. Just let it be. It’ll all get straightened out. Here’s Rita.
(Rita enters with a long face.
Rita
Your wedding is next week. They’ve got this reserved.
Jenny
What? Next week. No, I wouldn’t have. How could I have. Next week? Are you sure?
Rita
Jenny, I just talked to them. It’s next week.
Jenny
I’ve got everybody coming today, the cater, the whole thing. Next week? What we going to do
Stan
Well, that is that. We should go to the lodge and get dressed.
Jenny
We got to call everybody off. . Next week? How could I have…and I knew something…We all got to get busy on our phones. (She addresses the two men.)
It’s all yours. I’m sorry if I said anything I shouldn’t have said. Rita, who you going to call? We all got to get on our phones.
(they exit the stage with Jenny telling the others who to call. Rita says she’ll get he cater, Jolene and Becky name name.)
Wes
Wait. (he walks after the women .)
Stan
Wes, where you going?
(Wes goes off stage. Stan is on stage alone looking to where his partner has gone.)
Stan
What got into him? (After a wait with Stan looking confused, Wes enters.)
Wes
I just postponed our wedding.
Stan
You mean you felt sorry for them? Really? I knew you had a soft heart, but we got people coming, the cater the whole thing.
Wes
No, I just realized what she was saying. Why are we pretending to be them; ordering the wedding, finding the preacher, ordering the wedding cake, rings, saying the same vows . saying my husband. Stan, we’re trying to be to be straight but with a little bend. We don’t have to copy them. We need to be proud of ourselves. We need to do what she said; do our own thing.
Stan
Do our own thing. Do are own thing. (he walks in a circle and faces Wes again.) You know you’re right. We need go be who we are, not them. Yean, and we should. Have something of our own. Show who we are. (he’s silent for a moment and lift his hand with a thought and reaches in his pocket and takes out his cell phone.) We got to do some calling now.
Wes
No, she said they’d set up a couple tables for us.
(smiles, they hold hands again and walk off the stage)
end
John Blais
3103 Fairview Ave N
Roseville, Mn 55113
651 604 0244
Web site: doaplay.com
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