Something to Keep us Warm by Stephen Gregg - Theatrefolk

Something to Keep us Warm

Recommended for High Schools

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

Simple set

 23 pages

Dramedy

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.”

Free Classroom Study Guide

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

Characters in this play are currently identified as male or female. Directors are welcome to assign any gender (binary or non-binary) to any character and modify pronouns accordingly.

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, aggressive. Angry and grieving 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

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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.

We accept orders worldwide using the following payment methods:
Purchase Orders accepted from US and Canadian Schools.
Info for your purchasing department.

A vignette play is a collection of short scenes on a theme. You'll love working with the variety and flexibility of the scenes. Your actors will love the fast pace and fun characters.

There's more. Every Theatrefolk vignette play holds the unexpected. A showcase monologue. A dramatic moment. A change in form. A left turn.

Ideal for classwork, competitions, and more!

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