THAT'S WHY I MARRIED YOU

I wrote this play for my final project in my Intro to Drama class. We had to look at several pictures, pick three that inspired us and then write a play. Tell me what you think.

PICTURES

 Peasant woman on steps of raised wooden house – primitive conditions
 Wolf in snow (photo) wearing tracking collar
 Bathers at Grenouille

My play is a modern comedic play about the life of a middle class married couple living in NYC.

TITLE

THAT’S WHY I MARRIED YOU

CHARACTERS

Grace – A plump woman in her 40’s.
Henry – A round roly poly man in his 50’s.

PLACE

A small one bedroom apartment in NYC.

TIME

The present.


SCENE I

Lights rise to reveal a small kitchen. A small wooden table and two chairs are the only other items in the room. Grace is at the sink doing the dishes. She is wearing a simple dress with a white apron. Henry is at the table reading the morning paper. Henry is wearing a modest suit and tie.

GRACE. (She sighs and looks over at Henry longingly.) Henry?

HENRY. (He looks over at her over his glasses.) Yes, Grace?

GRACE. What are we going to do for our anniversary next Wednesday?

HENRY. Same thing we did last year, Grace. (A beat.) Absolutely nothing!

GRACE. (She spins around holding a frying pan up in the air.) What?!?

HENRY. (He considers what she may do with the frying pan, but doesn’t move a muscle.) I was just kidding, honey. Relax. I will take you out to a nice restaurant and then we’ll go to the theatre, ok?

GRACE. (She smiles and lowers the frying pan.) Yes, that sounds much better. What play are we going to see?

HENRY. (Smirking) The Taming of the Shrew!

GRACE. (Yelling and turning to run after him with the frying pan.) HENRY!!!!

HENRY. (Jumping out of his chair and grabbing his coat, he runs out the door laughing.) HA HA HA

Lights black out.

END SCENE

SCENE II

One week later. Lights rise to reveal a modest living room with a couch in the middle of the room. A coffee table is positioned in front of the couch on a small rug. A coat rack with two coats on it sits near stage right. Henry is sitting on the couch drumming his fingers. Henry is wearing a very basic tuxedo.

HENRY. Grace, Are you ready yet?

GRACE. (Offstage.) Not yet. Five more minutes.

HENRY. That’s what you said thirty minutes ago!

GRACE. (Offstage.) Well, you want me to look nice right?

HENRY. Yes.

GRACE. Well, then quit bothering me while I am getting dressed.

HENRY. If I wanted to go out with a street walker I could have just gone down to the corner!

GRACE. (She storms in from stage left wearing a formal black dress.) Street walker?!? Henry! I cannot believe you just compared me to a street walker!

HENRY. (Smiling.) You’re here aren’t you?

GRACE. (Glaring at him.) Yes.

HENRY. Then it worked! Come on, let’s go.

GRACE. Sometimes I wonder why I married you.

Henry stands up and walks over to Grace. He then kisses her ever so gently.

GRACE. (She is flushed from his kiss.) Oh, yeah. (A beat.) That’s why.

HENRY. (He walks over to the coat rack and picks up her coat. He then holds it out to help her put it on.) Madam, your coat.

GRACE. (She walks over to him and allows him to help her with her coat.) Merci, Monsieur.

Henry and Grace exit stage right arm in arm. Lights black out.

END SCENE.


SCENE III

Light rise to reveal a very nice French restaurant. Several tables and guests are seated about the stage. A coat rack is near stage left. A maitre d is standing at his podium also near stage left. Grace and Henry enter stage left. Henry takes Grace’s coat and shakes it as if shaking the snow off of it. Grace shakes the snow off her head.

GRACE. My goodness, the snow was worse than we thought it would be.

HENRY. (Nodding his head as he hangs up the coats on a coat rack nearby.) Yes, yes it was.

GRACE. Thank you.

HENRY. (Smiles at Grace and then approaches the maitre d.) Yes, I have a reservation.

The maitre d looks up and down the guest list and the finds their name. Henry slips the maitre d an undisclosed amount of money. The maitre d nods and seats them at a table at center stage. Henry pulls Grace’s chair out for her and then seats himself.

HENRY. So, Is La Grenouille, one of the top 5 restaurants in NYC ok with you?

GRACE. Yes, Henry. Thank you.

HENRY. I am glad to hear that.

GRACE. Henry, how are we able to afford to eat here tonight?

HENRY. I told the maitre d you would do the dishes.

GRACE. (She begins looking at the table to find something to throw at him.) What?!?

HENRY. I’m kidding. If you must know. (A beat.) I pawned my grandfather’s pocket watch.

GRACE. Oh, Henry. You didn’t have to do that.

HENRY. Yes, I did. You are special to me and I wanted to take you out to a really nice restaurant. We never get to go out to nice places and I wanted you to have a nice evening tonight.

GRACE. You have such a big heart. That right there is why I married you. (Grace leans over the table and gives him a kiss.)

HENRY. Don’t forget we are also going to a show tonight.

GRACE. (She kisses him once more and then sits back down.) What are we going to see?

HENRY. (Smirking.) I think it is one you can relate to.

GRACE. Really? What’s it called?

HENRY. (Stifling his laughter.) Wicked!

Lights black out.

END SCENE.

FIN