Drama Play

p Charlie 's Wedding , A Play in One Act

Cast of Characters

Mona

Sheila

Gertie

Scene

Drawing room of a Victorian mansion

Time

Early evening , Winter , 1896 Gertie , a black woman , dressed in elegant black satin , stands at the window , her back to the audience . She may be polishing the glass or she may be eves-dropping on the two fashionably dressed white ladies , Mona and Sheila , who sit on a divan directly behind her , facing the audience . Mona : What on earth did he say then , Sheila p

Sheila (smiling coyly : He said he wants to marry me , of course silly

Mona : But he can 't do that .can he ? I mean (a pause ) Well . you know what I mean . Men like him

Sheila : That 's just the point . men like him .they can do whatever they want

Mona : Well , I 'm just saying .they don 't buy a cow when the milk is so cheap

Sheila : Well , he might buy the cow that gives milk as good as this one does

Mona feigns embarrassment , her hands going to her face as she buries her head in her hands for a moment

Gertie moves to the right and looks at pictures in frames on the mantle of the fireplace , now obviously listening , cocking her head to hear better

Mona : Girl , you have no shame (Giggles ) But you are about to graduate from here anyway . You don 't have to marry , you don 't have to do anything but pack your bags and run , girl

Sheila : But I might just want to get married . Isn 't it what every young lady is reared to do ? Aren 't we born and bred to be the wives and ornaments of powerful men ? Isn 't it my duty as a woman ? Isn 't it my calling ? My raison d 'etre (Misprounounces the words

Mona : If it 's what you want , then by all means you should do it . Be my guest . I will dance at your wedding with a cow-bell on . But it 's not going to be to that two-timing Charlie O 'Brian , I surely do hope , child . Gertie moves until she is standing at the side of Sheila , picks up a small bowl from the end table and is wiping it slowly

Sheila : Well how can you be so presumptuous ? I mean , what do you know about it anyway ? And why do you say he is a two-timer ? If you know some gossip that I don 't then you are bound by your duty as a woman to tell me

Gertie puts down the bowl and speaks : Yes , Miss Mona , do tell all you know about this two-timing Charlie O 'Brian . Do you have some reason to suspect he may not be as morally upright and Christianified as he purports to be ? Is he , perhaps .a .man of low degree

The three women laugh and Gertie takes a seat in the chair , in pro to the audience , putting her feet up on a ottoman and...