Something to Keep us Warm

by Stephen Gregg

A heartbreaking and hilarious one act. How does a family deal with watching one of their own disappear?

About 25 minutes

Times given are approximate and do not include intermissions/scene changes/breaks

9
1 M | 3 W | 5 Any Gender, Plus offstage voices

Simple set

23 pages

Norma is running out of time. Thanksgiving Trick or Treat is upon her and the tablesweat isn’t finished and she can’t remember which of her daughters is older. How does a family deal with watching one of their own disappear?

This heartbreaking and hilarious one act would be a wonderful experience for students onstage and off. Lots for your tech team to explore—from ghost costumes, to lighting, to creating a “tablesweat.”

Characters

9
1 Man, 3 Women, 5 Any Gender, Plus offstage voices

Norma Tuffler [W] 136 lines: Early 40s. Though it's never explicit, Norma's dying of a brain tumor. Mother to Mince and Elodie.
Gabriel Tuffler [M] 56 lines: Early 40s. Father to Mince and Elodie.
Mince Tuffler [W] 94 lines: 16. A tad on the quiet side.
Elodie Tuffler [W] 39 lines: 14. Always assertive. At the moment, agressive. Angry and Griefing over her mother's illness.
Five ghosts [A] 0 lines: All different from one another - when one sees them, one has some idea of what they looked like in life. They’re different shapes and sizes, or colors. There’s often a tell: one wears glasses, or carries a stuffed bear. You get the idea. Ghosts are a signal that death approaches.
Trick or Treaters [A] 4 lines: Offstage Voices. One of whom, late in the play, is an adult.

Subgenres: Character study Ghost Story Halloween
Settings: Present day
Dress: Contemporary costumes Fantasy costumes
Audience: Teen
Features: Character study

Set: Interior set Simple set
Cautions: Frank talk of death
Themes: Adolescence Death Family Illness/Health Memory Parenting/Family
Other uses: Class work Competition Scene work

Prop List

Standing Lamp, A Radio, Coat Rack, Scarves, Heavy Coats, Small Bookshelf, Norma's Chair, Basket with Tablecloths, Dining Table fo 4, Cane, Ceramic Elf, Coat/Scarf/Hat, Collection of Elves, Plasic Pumpkin or other type of Carrier, (2) Bowls of Halloween Candy

Multimedia

Related Titles

Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
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All others must pay at the time of ordering.

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Royalty fees apply to all performances whether or not admission is charged. Any performance in front of an audience (e.g. an invited dress rehearsal) is considered a performance for royalty purposes.

Exemption details for scenes and monologues for competition.