This is an excerpt from Jack Neary's adaptation of CINDERELLA. The complete script is available by clicking HERE.
CINDERELLA
A generic forest setting, with some
flexibility for various locations,
including Cinderella's home, a friendly
graveyard, the palace, the aisles, and
the always-popular "addressing the
audience limbo."
At rise, two doves, BLANCHE, a female,
and WHITEY, a male, are in the friendly
graveyard.
(As far as the dove costumes are
concerned, they should be dovelike but
not elaborate. I'm thinking maybe a
basic white tuxey thing with maybe a
hat with a couple of feathers in it.
No obtrusive beaks. Nothing to take
away from the actors' delivery.)
Blanche paces nervously, as Whitey
hangs out.
BLANCHE
This is just...this is...this is too much...I mean the
tension...the tension is...it's just...the tension...the
tension is...You know what I'm talkin' about here?
WHITEY
You're talking about the tension.
BLANCHE
Exactly. I'm talkin' about the tension. It's just...the
tension is just...it's just...
WHITEY
Unbearable?
BLANCHE
Exactly. Unbearable. The tension is unbearable.
WHITEY
Blanche, you gotta relax.
BLANCHE
Relax? Is that what you said? Relax? How can I relax?
Tell me that. Go ahead, Whitey, tell me. How? How can I
relax? Better yet, why? Why should I relax?
WHITEY
Because you're a dove. You're the symbol of peace and
tranquility.
BLANCHE
Well, right now I'm the symbol of tension and irritability.
I can't relax. Not until I find out who the Prince is going
to pick to be his bride!
WHITEY
It's out of your hands. There's nothing you can do about it.
BLANCHE
Oh, yeah? Is that right, smartypants? Well, there IS
something I can do about it. I can pace and whine and kvech!
That's what I can do about it!
WHITEY
You're embarrassing yourself.
BLANCHE
In front of who? You? Big deal!
WHITEY
No. In front of them.
(indicates audience)
BLANCHE
Them who?
WHITEY
(points)
Them!
BLANCHE
(looks, shrieks)
Aaaah! Who are they?
WHITEY
They are the people who want to know why you're so tense!
BLANCHE
Oh. Well. Maybe we should tell them.
WHITEY
Maybe we should.
BLANCHE
All right. You start.
WHITEY
No. You start. It'll get your mind off your problem.
BLANCHE
I don't have a problem! The Prince has a problem. That's
who has a problem!
BLANCHE (CONT'D)
And if he doesn't do something about his problem pretty soon,
I'm...I'm...Oh, the tension...the tension...
WHITEY
Tell them the story! From the beginning!
BLANCHE
Oh, all right, all right, all right!
(moves to tombstone)
It all started right here a few months ago. Right by this
tombstone. This is where Whitey and I live...
WHITEY
Perch.
BLANCHE
What--ever! This is where we perch. And one day, we were
perching...minding our own business...
(they get into perching
positions)
...when this sweet young girl appeared, carrying flowers to
her mother's grave...
MARIANNE, a very sweet and pretty young
girl appears, with the flowers, and
places them in front of the tombstone.
She then talks to the stone.
MARIANNE
Hello, Mother. I'm sorry I didn't get here yesterday. I try
to visit every day, but yesterday Father had to go into town
to see that...that lady...and he wanted me to come along to
meet her.
BLANCHE
(speaks to Whitey, Marianne
can't hear)
She's been here every day since the funeral almost a year
ago!
WHITEY
Ssh!
BLANCHE
She can't hear me. I'm a bird!
WHITEY
You certainly are.
MARIANNE
Oh, Mother, he told me he was going to marry her! And it
makes me so....so very...
(she begins to cry)
BLANCHE
Upset. I bet it makes her upset.
WHITEY
No flies on you.
BLANCHE
Where?
WHITEY
Ssh. Listen...
MARIANNE
I remember what you told me when you were so ill. You told
me to always be good. You said that if I were good and
honest and kind and never lost my temper, that no harm would
come to me, and that I would lead a wonderful life. But,
Mother...Father doesn't see what this lady is really like.
He is blinded by her...and...well, he gets so worried about
me when he travels and...oh, when I see Father with
this...lady....it makes me so...so...
BLANCHE
Mad. I bet it makes her mad.
MARIANNE
Angry.
BLANCHE
Same thing.
WHITEY
Ssh!
MARIANNE
But I want to be good. Because that's what you asked of me
when you...you...
BLANCHE
Died.
WHITEY
Ssh!
BLANCHE
Oh, ssh yourself!
MARIANNE
So I will be good. No matter what happens. I won't get
angry. I won't disobey. I will do everything Father and
this...lady ask of me, because I know if I do, I know if I am
a good person, that good things will happen for me.
BLANCHE
Oh, dream on, sister.
WHITEY
Ssh!
MARIANNE
Goodbye, Mother. Until next time...
(Marianne leaves)
Blanche and Whitey step away from their
perches and address the audience.
BLANCHE
Well, we had grown quite fond of this girl, even though we
didn't know her name.
WHITEY
Marianne.
BLANCHE
And when we saw what she...what?
WHITEY
Marianne. Her name is Marianne.
BLANCHE
How do you know?
WHITEY
I pay attention. You fret. I pay attention.
BLANCHE
Well, anyway...we were curious about what was going on, so we
followed her home that very day...and wouldn't you know it-
that lady she was talking about was there!
WHITEY
As was her father. And they had a very big surprise for
little Marianne.
(we see Marianne's home)
BLANCHE
I can't believe you knew her name...
WHITEY
Ssh!