1-800 FLOWER POWER
By Deborah Vines


A middle-aged, meek woman takes a telesales job selling flowers at a company similar to 1-800 Flowers. New to the job market, she begins her first day on the job with a naïve sense of excitement, which soon fades. Her boss immediately proves himself to be uncaring and borderline abusive (will not let her go to the bathroom), which is only a sign of things to come. As the sales woman takes one call after the other, each caller becoming more and more difficult, she experiences the trials and tribulations of dealing with “the public” and working a low-end job. By the end of the play, the sales woman is pushed way beyond her limit. Forced into a sort of emotional catharsis, she musters up the courage to “give it back” to one abusive caller – and then finally, in a grand coup, calls up the competition, orders a bouquet of flowers for her boss with an enclosed card that reads “I quit.”

CHARACTERS

SALES WOMAN 40s, meek, soft-spoken, cheerful voice, plump, average looking, easily intimidated and flustered – out in the work force for the first time, perhaps a single mother trying to survive and raise her kids
MR. PETERSON Tall, slim, slightly effeminate, late 20s

CLAIRE A “well-fed” woman in her 60s

LISA Early 30s, attractive

JOHN Good-looking, well-dressed, 40s

KAREN Striking, 35, attitude up the wazoo

RODNEY Preppy, 20s


SETTING

The sales office of 1-800 FLORALS.


TIME

The present.

CONTROL
By Deborah Vines


Control is a short one-act play that is a play within a play within a “film” within a play within a “film,” within a play. The play takes the audience on a ride as it opens on a tension-filled scene between a perverse Nazi commander and a young German girl, who, as his object of affection, is under his complete control. The scene builds to a climactic fury and when the two players are about to go over the edge, a man yells loudly from the audience, breaking up the scene, and the actors do a complete 180, becoming totally different people – and we realize this is a play about two actors rehearsing a scene. The formerly masculine, threatening Nazi is now a complaining, whining actor, and the contrite, soft-spoken German girl is now a tough-talking Brooklynite. That scene then evolves and reaches a crescendo when suddenly a woman comes on stage, breaking up that round of action. We then find out she is a therapist and realize this is not a play about an actor performing badly, but a play about people who are working through their issues in a drama therapy session. And from there the play continues to twist and turn until its denouement where the audience is left wondering who is really in control.

CHARACTERS

MAN #1 Dark-haired, good-looking, large frame, 40s.
WOMAN #1 Pretty, blond, petite, 20s.

MAN #2 Small-framed, 20s.

WOMAN #2 Tall, strong presence, 30s

MAN #3 30s or 40s.

WOMAN #3 40s.

VOICE O.S. Any voice, male or female.


SETTING

A bare stage with two wooden chairs that face each other.


TIME

The present.

FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE
By Deborah Vines


A bittersweet dramedy, an elderly woman takes in a cat, at the behest of her daughter, to ease her loneliness. The woman forms a deep bond with the cat, who she never wanted in the first place, only to lose him to an illness. The play is not only about how deeply we can love an animal, but it serves as a metaphor for the love the woman felt for her deceased husband and the unexpressed anger she has been carrying since he passed and left her alone.

CHARACTERS

DOROTHY 60s -70s, crusty, opinionated
JEAN 30s, Dorothy’s daughter, controlling

MIKE Pleasant looking, laid back, a glint of humor in his eyes, could be anywhere in age from 40s – 70s


SETTING

Dorothy’s modest apartment.


TIME

The present.

HANGMAN
By Deborah Vines


A couple in a movie theater, waiting for the show to begin, experience the psychological impact of terrorism when they see two men in the theater several rows down, one of which is carrying a backpack. Their imagination gets the best of them, and a lively, paranoid discussion ensues. In the end we find out that man with the backpack is not a middle eastern terrorist, but Julio, a waiter at a Mexican restaurant that the couple frequents.

CHARACTERS

WOMAN Adult (could be any age from 20s - 40s, and any race, other than middle eastern or Hispanic), pleasant looking.
MAN Same description as woman.


SETTING

A movie theater (indicated by two chairs facing audience).


TIME

The present.

A HOLIDAY HELPING
By Deborah Vines


Holiday Helping is about a dysfunctional family who reunites for the holidays. Jane Norton, who has progressively become more and more agoraphobic, is trapped in a marriage of non-communication. Her husband, Eaton, is highly opinionated arch conservative. They each live in their own isolated and polar opposite worlds. During the Christmas holidays, Jane, in a last ditch effort to find some connection with family (or on a sub-conscious level to save her sanity) gathers up all the “loose ends.” These include Gram, Jane’s mother, who is bordering on senile dementia; Jane and Eaton’s two boys, each of whom has his own take on life (Slash, a punked-out rock and roller, and Jerome, a highly intelligent, straight-laced college student, with little to say to anyone); Darla, Eaton’s estranged sister, who flies in from LA where she is struggling to make it in the arts; and finally Wanda, Jane and Eaton’s daughter. Everything is turned upside down when Wanda, who is a public defender, reveals she is pregnant by Jesus, her current boyfriend and former client who was busted for possession of marijuana. Eaton goes berserk, the family unravels, and through a sudden mishap where Eaton falls down the stairs injuring his “trick knee,” the family gains an opportunity to speak their truths. Jesus is the catalyst that finally brings the family back together. The play ends in a tender moment, as each family member makes quiet amends and Jane finds the strength to go outside.

CHARACTERS

JANE NORTON Pleasant looking, early 50s, suburban housewife, tastefully dressed, neurotic, agoraphobic.
EATON NORTON Jane’s husband, 50s, nice looking, arch conservative, highly opinionated.

GRAM A feisty, silver-haired woman in her 70s, and “in her own world.”

SLASH a.k.a. ELLSWORTH Jane and Eaton’s 21-year-old son, who dresses in full heavy metal/rock and roll regalia.

JEROME The Norton’s older son, 23, bookish, preppie looking; in contrast to his brother, Slash, quite the conservative

DARLA Eaton's sister, late 30s, attractive, stylish, quick-witted.

WANDA Jane and Eaton's daughter, 28, slight in build, on the shy side, and fairly conservative looking.

JESUS A handsome 18-year-old Puerto Rican, dressed like a gang member.


SETTING

A well-appointed living room/dining room in the Norton’s New England home.


TIME

The present.

JACKIE AND CLARISSE
By Deborah Vines


This full-length tragic-comedy is loosely based on a true story about an unlikely relationship that develops over the telephone between Clarisse, who lives and works at a high-profile talent agency in LA, and Jackie, an ex-con on parole who works in a minimum wage job taking ticket counts for bands. A victim of spousal abuse, Clarisse finds respite, and in an odd way, love, through her relationship with Jackie, who is fighting his own battle to remain “straight” in an unforgiving world. Through Jackie’s ultimate demise, Clarisse finds the courage to leave her husband.

CHARACTERS

CLARISSE * Early 40s, average looking, soft-spoken, possessing an innate intelligence.
JACKIE * Street-smart, hyper-kinetic, charmingly uncultured, 30s.


SETTING

Jackie’s dingy office in Miami Beach and Clarisse’s well-furnished, well-appointed office in Los Angeles.


TIME

The present.

* NOTE: The characters can be played by actors of any race – abuse does not “discriminate.”
The playwright originally wrote the role of Clarisse for a black actress and Jackie for an Hispanic man.

LOVE! THAT 4-LETTER WORD
By Deborah Vines


Love! That 4-Letter Word is a full-length two-act musical comedy. The play is set alternately in the offices of two psychologists and counselors for the lovelorn, Dr. Ian and Dr. Kathryn Lieb, and different bars “around town.” The Liebs, like some of their clients, are experiencing relationship problems of their own; Dr. Kathryn wants to separate from her husband. Dr. Lieb, who is going through a mid-life crisis, has turned his affections on Venus, the Lieb’s cute, sexy receptionist, in reaction to his wife giving him the old heave-ho. As Dr. Kathryn counsels Carol and Cleaver, a married couple on the brink of separating, she sees herself through these two, and begins to question her decision to leave her husband. The other characters who come through the offices, whether in individual session with the doctors, or in group, slowly uncover their own truths, which in effect enable others around them to see theirs. Jeffrey, who thinks he is in love with Venus, finds his true self as Sam (AKA Samantha) unravels her/his own. Hazel, a sprightly red head, who falls in love every time she turns around, finally comes to grips with her codependency by falling in love, one more time, with the “wrongest” of wrong men. Sally, who hides her pain in one night stands and alcohol, is the muse that enables Dr. Ian to let go of his pride and let Dr. Kathryn back into his heart. A nine character play, Love! tells of the many faces of amore, the challenges of being in love and out of love as seen through the lives and eyes of these two psychologists and the people who come in and out of their offices. The plot is replete with twists and turns and surprises in the end. The music runs the gamut from ragtime through the 40s and 50s, right up to contemporary rock & roll. The score includes several heart wrenching, haunting ballads and many upbeat and campy tunes.

CHARACTERS

DR. KATHRYN LIEB 40s, attractive, confused about relationship with husband.
DR. IAN LIEB Late 40s, prideful, going through mid-life crisis, graying hair.

VENUS Early 20s, sexy, aloof, a bit icy, leather-loving.

JEFFREY Mid 20s, high-tech nerd, slovenly dresser.

HAZEL 20s, red hair, big energy, co-dependent.

SAM Late 30s (a.k.a. Samantha), neurotic, red hair (into drag).

CAROL Early 30s, attractive, controlling, married to Cleaver.

CLEAVER 30s, handsome, frustrated, struggling actor.

SALLY Late 20s, pretty, tall, likes to drink.


NOTE: Players can include several ethnic groups.


TIME

The present.

NADINE'S LAMENT
A Short Play

By Deborah Vines


Nadine works for “The Boss,” who is overworked, tired, and a bit on edge. No matter what she does, she cannot get him to notice her. The play is a metaphor for the frustrations of being young and single in a fast-paced, over charged world and being unlucky in love. Pushed to the edge with frustration, Nadine loses it and lets her boss have it. And finally, he notices her and agrees to shoot her (with his arrow). Her boss is not other than the often-times elusive Cupid.

CHARACTERS

BOSS Male, mid 30s, average looking, with an edge.
NADINE Pleasant looking, 25 years old, New York accent.


SETTING

The boss’s office. One desk on stage should suffice.


TIME

The present.

WEB-ENABLED
A Short Play

By Deborah Vines


Web-Enabled is a one-act comedy about e-love. Jenny and Carl, both of whom are dissatisfied and lonely in their marriages, meet through the Internet. Their communications become intense and passionate. They decide they have to meet each other, to explore what has evolved between them. The play opens when Carl first enters the hotel where Jenny has reserved a suite. Neither one of them know what to expect, and when Jenny opens the door, she finds that Carl has misrepresented himself, both in terms of his physical self and age. What ensues is a dance of awkwardness as Carl, who has not had any physical contact with his wife in years, tries to get Jenny in bed by trying to recreate the passion they shared in their e-mails. The comedic play touches upon issues of attraction and physical beauty and how that dictates our feelings for another person.

CHARACTERS

JENNY Late 20s, pleasant looking, tall, slim, wearing a long, tasteful, casual dress.
CARL Short, 50, not really attractive, but not totally unattractive (perhaps a Woody Allen type), with a dry, sometimes sardonic wit, dressed in shorts, flower shirt, socks and sandals, trying to appear hip, but missing the mark.


SETTING

An expensive hotel suite near the California coast in LA.


TIME

The present.