Father Joy by Sheri Wilner
This Play is the copyright of the Author and may not be performed, copied or sold without the Author's prior consent
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Abigail: Age 25, an art student
Paul: Age 49, a sculptor and university professor
Ruth: Age 50-52, Abigail's mother
Harry: Age 52, Abigail's father
SETTING
Paul's university office, Abigail's studio/apartment in the city,
Harry and Ruth's home in the suburbs, Paul's apartment in the
city. All locations should be depicted with minimal set pieces (i.e.
chairs only) to facilitate quick movement between scenes.
TIME
Present day.
PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTE
Harry's "condition" should be primarily depicted via the other
actor's reactions to him. Changes in lights and his costume might
also be considered but I wholeheartedly believe the disappearance
should occur primarily in the audience's imagination and not through
the use of special effects or theatrical technology.
Also, the "sand" that is mentioned in the script need not be
actual sand. It is preferable that the actors mime and suggest its
presence.
SCENE ONE
PAUL is sitting in his office behind his desk and looking the
contents of an open file folder full of pictures. ABIGAIL sits facing
him.
PAUL
OK. Well. You've been an excellent student. Really fine work.
Consistently fine work.
ABIGAIL
Thank you.
PAUL
Just one last piece of advice
ABIGAIL
Yes?
PAUL
More life.
ABIGAIL
More life.
PAUL
I think you know what I mean by that.
ABIGAIL
Yes. Of course.
PAUL
Good. So no questions?
ABIGAIL
How am I supposed to make money being a sculptor?
PAUL
Ah
ABIGAIL
Oh. Sorry. That was my mother's question. I promised her I'd ask.
What I want to know is
PAUL
Yes?
ABIGAIL
Last semester you called some of my figurative sculptures
"mannequins—."
PAUL
Yes. Well, what I meant was or what I should have said is that
your work sometimes lacks how shall I ? A sense of inner
life. Some of your pieces were well a bit short on personality,
vitality, "life force" —it's called all sorts of things. I
see you grapple with it. Hell, we all grapple with it. But it will
come.
ABIGAIL
What if it doesn't? What if all I can make are mannequins?
PAUL
Well then art history has given you a wide array of options to
choose from. You could drink yourself to death. Blow your brains out.
Or cut off your ear and then blow your brains out.
ABIGAIL
Great.
PAUL
I only mean to say that's the struggle. That's the fight. For
me, for you, for everyone. But I've been watching you. Er grow.
And I see that it will come.
ABIGAIL
I don't know It's just well I still feel like I don't
know how to give clay life, or stone a personality.
PAUL
I didn't either. I didn't make anything good until I started
working with natural materials. One leaf changed my whole life. Keep
experimenting. And don't stop until you find the substance that
responds to your hands like nobody else's that's just waiting
for you to pick it up and give it a shape, a life.
ABIGAIL
Yeah. All right.
PAUL
It will come. You're a passionate young woman, Miss
Margolis. Abigail.
ABIGAIL
Thank you. Really. I can't tell you how much that means to hear
you, of all people say that I mean since you know since
I have such an admiration for your work.
PAUL
Well—.
ABIGAIL
You know
PAUL
Yes?
ABIGAIL
I'd love to um
PAUL
Go on.
ABIGAIL
Well I don't know if you'll need an assistant, you know, for
wherever it is you're going, or doing, but if you know
there were ever any opportunities to work with you again, I'd be
very interested.
PAUL
Thank you.
ABIGAIL
Yeah. I'd umm I'd love to study or work - with you again
in whatever capacity presents itself.
PAUL
I will ah I will keep that in mind.
ABIGAIL
Your announcement came as a real disappointment—. Everyone in the
class. We all—.
PAUL
Yes. Well. You'll be in good hands with Professor Zackheim.
She's very ah talented.
ABIGAIL
Yes. She is. I mean she's not like
(beat)
This is so hard. I've learned more from you in one semester than
in all—. Some of my friends in the class, we've joked about taking
next year off you know, and coming back when your sabbatical is
over—.
PAUL
I don't think I'd recommend that—.
ABIGAIL
It's not like we're in a hurry to graduate or anything. Staying
one more year wouldn't exactly be much of a hardship I mean the
longer we can put off paying back our student loans and facing the
real world the better, right?
PAUL
Ms. Margolis
ABIGAIL
I'm sorry. Am I rambling? I'm rambling. I'm sorry.
PAUL
Well, Abigail, there has been something special with us, hasn't
there? A ah mutual understanding, if you will. It's something
I've sensed all semester and I I ah feel safe to say it has
not been a product of my imagination.
ABIGAIL
No. I ah no. I ah I think you're right.
PAUL
Out of all the students I've taught here, I have found you
the most sympathetic.
ABIGAIL
Sympathetic?
PAUL
Not you know, sympathetic like sympathetic. I mean it in
ah the French way. The way the French use the word. Sympathique.
Oh god, I'm making an ass of myself. Please tell me you know what
I'm trying to say.
ABIGAIL
I ah I think I do. At least I know what sympathique means.
I mean it's got a couple different meanings but I think
PAUL
Well, the meaning that doesn't mean "sympathetic" that's the
one I mean. And I don't mean it only in the physical sense I
mean that there has seemed to develop between us a mutual sympathy.
Ah sympathie.
ABIGAIL
Yes. I think so too. I've definitely noticed that.
PAUL
Yes. Well. The only thing acceptable in this day and age to
conclude this conversation would be a handshake. So.
(HE stands up and offers his hand for ABIGAIL to shake.)
ABIGAIL
I think given the circumstances with you leaving and all a
brief hug wouldn't be considered inappropriate.
PAUL
A hug that was not initiated by me.
(ABIGAIL walks around his desk and embraces
PAUL. HE returns the embrace. ABIGAIL kisses his cheek.)
ABIGAIL
Thank you for everything.
PAUL
Best of luck to you.
ABIGAIL
You too.
PAUL
OK then.
ABIGAIL
OK.
(beat)
917-291-3385. Goodbye.
(SHE quickly exits. PAUL stares at the door from which she just
exited. After a moment, HE writes her number down on a piece of
paper.)
[end of extract]
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