Family Dinner

Characters

MRS.LEWIS, mother of Jameson and Michelle, in her late 40’s and is a devoted housewife, has lived a quiet and quaint life.

MR. LEWIS, an intimidating man in his early 50’s father of Jameson and Michelle, the provider of the home and a strict man with old values and lofty standards. He does not hold back his words.

JAMESON (GORDY), the ten-year-old son of Mrs. and Mr. Lewis and the opposite of his father. The nickname Gordy was given to him by his oldest sister Michelle who he admires.

MICHELLE (CHELL), the oldest daughter of Mrs. and Mr. Lewis. Michelle left home at 18 and is now 23. She is strong and independent, but she comes home for family dinners once a week to see Jameson (Gordy) who calls her Chell because of his difficulty pronouncing her name.

 

Setting

The scene takes place in the Lewis’s home with a partition separating the dining room, stage left, and the kitchen, stage right. The home is cozy and well-kept. There is a front entrance door in the living room and a door that separates the two rooms and an open hallway corner in the back of the dining room.

Light turns on. MR. LEWIS is sternly reading the newspaper in the dining room. MRS. LEWIS is bustling about the kitchen preparing dinner.

Keys are heard jangling at the front door.

MRS. LEWIS excitedly rushes to the door. MR. LEWIS unmoving, continues to read. Lights in the kitchen fade.

MRS. LEWIS

Please God. Just let things go smoothly.

(MRS. LEWIS says quietly, looking at the audience and smoothing her apron and hair.)

MRS. LEWIS

Michelle! Oh sweetheart! I was worried you wouldn’t make it today.

(Enters MICHELLE, scraping her boots on the door mat and looking around the house as she speaks.)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Ma, stop fussing. Every time I come for dinner you say you were “worried I wouldn’t make it” and yet I have never missed our dinners. Which... by the way, dinner smells good today, but...

MRS. LEWIS

But what?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Doesn’t it smell like something is burning?

MRS. LEWIS

OH! Ah jeez forgot I need to keep stirring. I always forget that I need to keep stirring... Just have a seat with your dad as I get things ready.

(MRS. LEWIS snaps and runs to the kitchen. Lights flash on. MICHELLE hesitates.)

MR. LEWIS

As long as she doesn’t start anything.

(MR. LEWIS does not look up from his paper)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

No mom, I will help you in the kitchen since no one else in this house is apparently capable of lifting a damn finger.

(MICHELLE shouts to the kitchen, then looks sadly at her father who continues to read)

MRS. LEWIS

Oh! You know what, I just remembered this part actually takes four hands, come in the kitchen and tie your hair. There should be an extra apron somewhere around here…

(MRS. LEWIS says, poking her head through the door and gesturing wildly.)

MICHELLE

This part always takes four hands, doesn’t it?

(MICHELLE and MRS. LEWIS exit into the kitchen, lights in the dining room fade, MRS. LEWIS begins fussing)

MRS. LEWIS

Does it? Here, put this apron on sweetie and take this spoon. Yeah... Just like last week... Anyway, I know you “don’t want to talk about it” but it has been 8 years and you two still haven’t said a word to each other. You can’t spend the rest of your time coming to these dinners and talking around each other. I know your dad isn’t a very attentive man but that’s normal. This can’t go on forever.

MICHELLE (CHELL)

8 years? I moved out 5 years ago, didn’t I?

(MICHELLE moves towards the dining room, MRS. LEWIS grabs her arm.)

MRS. LEWIS

Yes, I think that’s right. You do still seem so young. You haven’t changed at all. Are you wearing the same thing as last week?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

I don’t know, though that seems right...

MRS. LEWIS

Something is off.

(MRS. LEWIS moves into the dining room and lights flash on. She looks at an empty chair and then at MR. LEWIS who shakes his head irate, and she moves back into the kitchen. Lights in the dining room fade.)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Everything is fine. But anyhow, this isn’t about his inability to be attentive, and you know that.

(MRS. LEWIS looks confused and then despondent, Michelle gives a long sigh)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Ma... I’ll try this time, but I won’t hold my togue if he says something out of line again. I’m an adult, and his “man of the house” attitude doesn’t intimidate me anymore.

MRS. LEWIS

All I want is for you both to try! I really am glad you could make though sweetheart, Jameson’s been having a tough time lately.

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Gordy? Why? What happened? Where is he? Gordy is supposed to be in the dining room with his father right now.

(MICHELLE takes a fierce tone, she attempts to leave, the dining room lights flash on. MRS. LEWIS grabs her and yanks her back into the kitchen, the lights fade.)

MRS. LEWIS

Don’t. Jameson didn’t want me to tell you what happened, but he’s being punished right now.

MICHELL (CHELL)

Punished? What could he have possibly done to call for a punishment?

MRS. LEWIS

Well, I stored a few of your old things in the attic when you moved out, Jameson got into them and well....

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Ma, you must tell me when something happens that concerns Gordy.

(MICHELLE grabs her mother harshly. The kitchen lights get brighter.)

MRS. LEWIS

Your father caught him wearing one of your dresses! Happy? It wasn’t a pleasant time to say the least. Your father came up with the punishment. Jameson is not allowed to leave his room other than to the bathroom, school, and this dinner.

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Mother! How can you support that? That's completely unfair! Gordy should be allowed to walk about in his own home whenever he wants, and all this just because he put on a dress? And he’s supposed to be down here right now. I think...

MRS. LEWIS

MICHELL STOP OKAY! He isn’t down here but there is a reason. Let us just continue our dinner peacefully as it should be.

(MRS. LEWIS growls the end. MICHELLE is visually surprised and concerned by her MRS. LEWIS's sudden outburst.)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Mom, what the hell are you on about? Can I just talk to Gordy?

(MICHELLE says this in exasperated tone, visibly uncomfortable. MRS. LEWIS continues speaking like nothing happened.)

MRS. LEWIS

I know honey, but Jameson doesn’t want you concerned with that, he just wants to see you and talk with you so please don’t start anything tonight. You are already going to fight with your father about the same thing that you always fight about. This argument involving Jameson has no place in our dinner tonight. I’ll call him down now so you guys can start.

JAMESON FOOD IS READY AND YOU HAVE TO SET UP THE TABLE!

(MRS. LEWIS howls this. Hurried footsteps are heard, and MICHELLE whips her head around as she hears her name called)

JAMESON (GORDY)

CHELL! I have so much to tell you!

MRS. LEWIS

Yes, yes, I bet you do, and you two can talk while you set the table. Go on Michelle.

(MRS. LEWIS says loudly, annoyed. Lights flash on in the dining room. JAMESON dashes from the hallway opening to the kitchen and pulls MICHELLE out, already speaking with excitement. lights in the kitchen fade.)

JAMESON (GORDY)

I found a way to break it Chell. You feel it don’t you?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Feel what Gordy?

JAMESON (GORDY)

It felt wrong that I didn’t come down for dinner, right?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Mom said you were in trouble…

(MICHELLE eyes MR. LEWIS who is still unmoving.)

JAMESON (GORDY)

Of course, she had to come up with something. But without me here you must have felt how everything was wrong. If we all leave, there won’t be a dinner anymore. Or Chell, you and I can leave. We have to get out tonight.

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Gordy, I know it must be hard that I only see you once a week now, but you can’t come live with me. Our mother and father can take care of you. You will understand when you are older.

JAMESON (GORDY)

That isn’t what I meant! I want to walk out that door with you. It won’t open for me. Chell, tell me, what did you do the week before today? Where did you come from outside that door?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Gordy, what on earth are you talking about? I worked all week.

JAMESON (GORDY)

Where do you work?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

You know where I work. Let’s sit down now, we can talk more after dinner, okay?

JAMESON (GORDY)

Don’t you understand Chell!? You don’t have to. We don’t have to keep having this dinner forever. We’re finally free!

(MR. LEWIS is looking up from his paper. MRS. LEWIS is frozen in the doorway. She is holding a pan from the hot oven with no mitts. MICHELLE is shaking)

MRS. LEWIS

Dinner is ready, hope you like it’s a brand-new dish. Michelle? Are you okay you don’t look too well. Let’s get some food in you and start dinner and everything will be better.

MR. LEWIS

Do what you’re told for once Michelle!

JAMESON (GORDY)

Michelle, please listen we don’t need to keep having this dinner. The cycle can be broken! Haven’t you noticed things are already different!

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Gordy you can’t do this. I know it’s hard being the youngest. You’re so invisible here just being a kid. It’s hard to sit quietly and watch me and dad fight every night. No. WEEK! Every week I come over...  I-I think I should be going by now.

(MICHELLE slowly walks to the door. JAMESON begins to cry.)

JAMESON (GORDY)

Where are you going? You can’t leave until you understand!  

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Maybe I don’t want to understand! I can’t change this now. It’s all we’ve done, just a simple family dinner. Why break out now? I’ll see you next week.

(During this interaction JAMESON is still at the dinner table almost unable to move.)

MRS.LEWIS

Please God. just let things go smoothly.

(MRS. LEWIS says this quietly looking at the audience. She walks to the oven and puts the pan back in. JAMESON sits in the dining room with MR. LEWIS. MRS. LEWIS smooths her apron and hair as keys jangle at the door.)

MRS. LEWIS

Michelle! Oh sweetheart! I was worried you wouldn’t make it today.

(Enters MICHELLE, scraping her boots on the door mat and looking around the house as she speaks.)

JAMESON (GORDY)

Chell. I am so happy to see you.

(JAMESON says this despondently, as if sick.)

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Hi Gordy! Ma, stop fussing. Every week you say you were “worried I wouldn’t make it” and yet I have never missed our dinners. Which... by the way, dinner smells good today, but...

MRS. LEWIS

But what?

MICHELLE (CHELL)

Doesn’t it smell like something is burning?

END OF PLAY.

 

Author's Note

Crediting people? If I wrote this for a class and it was a group project but my partner did nothing much besides come up with character names and writing a terrible outline that I did not stick to, how would crediting them work? This is a question of curiosity, I have no intentions of publishing anything ever and am only looking for simple feedback on my writing.