Neighbors Two: Pillars of the Community

By David Heyman

Neighbors Two is a three act play to be performed on a raised stage in front of the audience. There are two scenes: the open living area of the Desantos’ home, and the wrap-around new porch of the Solomons’ next door.

Lisa has just been given a ride home from school by her new boyfriend, Steve, who is a college freshman. He has recruited her to march in an anti-gas-drilling protest rally in which he is a major organizer. Lisa is excited by her role in the march, but she knows her mother would not want her to date an older man. Greg's guitar music can be heard in the background.
Lisa is frustrated because Honey, her friend, neighbor, and confidant, is not returning her calls. In a monologue at the proscenium, she complains about how royalty payments from gas exploration have changed all the people she knows. Gretchen walks in from the kitchen garden. Lisa suspects she has been at the Solomons’ house, and probably with Billy. The two dispute proper clothing for Lisa.

Duke and Fred, his brother-in-law, both lawyers, return from the successful conclusion of a dispute between Oakstone Electric and Bear Mountain Township. The conversation is about green causes, Esther Solomon's proposed restaurant, and the possibility of a protest rally. Dina enters with more celebratory wine. Honey drives up in her new blue convertible, greets everyone, and the two teens walk to the back exit. After a brief celebration the women retire, leaving Duke and Fred to talk. Duke accidentally finds a pregnancy test kit and worries that his daughter is pregnant.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Wilcox Publishing
• Release date: Aug 7, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465826633

David Heyman

David C. Heyman, M.D., retired after forty-three years in the medical practice of anesthesiology. Renewing his interest in creative writing, he is now pursuing ideas that he recalls from talking with patients, raising four children, and keeping up with current events.His first printed book is Money Grows on Trees! Economics for Teens, in which his main motive was to tell his grandchildren how hard their parents had to work to provide for them. Next, he wrote two eBooks—the first two plays of a series called Neighbors—based on families in rural Pennsylvania during the gas-drilling boom. Recently, he wrote Slip of the Tongue, a dark morality play about a small-town radio talk-show host. Coming soon will be a series of iconoclastic, humorous stories called Ether Frolics.He lives in Montoursville, PA, and enjoys reading and participating in local cultural events. He also plays the piano for challenge and relaxation.

Book preview

NEIGHBORS TWO

PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY

~

David C. Heyman

Smashwords Edition, Published by eBookEditor.net

Copyright 2011, David C. Heyman

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Table of Contents

Synopsis

Cast of Characters

Act 1, Scene 1

Act 1, Scene 2

Act 1, Scene 3

Act 2, Scene 1

Act 2, Scene 2

Act 2, Scene 3

Act 2, Scene 4

Act 3, Scene 1

Act 3, Scene 2

Synopsis

Neighbors Two is a three act play to be performed on a raised stage in front of the audience. There are two scenes: the open living area of the Desantos’ home, and the wrap-around new porch of the Solomons’ next door.

Lisa has just been given a ride home from school by her new boyfriend, Steve, who is a college freshman. He has recruited her to march in an anti-gas-drilling protest rally in which he is a major organizer. Lisa is excited by her role in the march, but she knows her mother would not want her to date an older man. Greg's guitar music can be heard in the background.

Lisa is frustrated because Honey, her friend, neighbor, and confidant, is not returning her calls. In a monologue at the proscenium, she complains about how royalty payments from gas exploration have changed all the people she knows. Gretchen walks in from the kitchen garden. Lisa suspects she has been at the Solomons’ house, and probably with Billy. The two dispute proper clothing for Lisa.

Duke and Fred, his brother-in-law, both lawyers , return from the successful conclusion of a dispute between Oakstone Electric and Bear Mountain Township. The conversation is about green causes, Esther Solomon's proposed restaurant, and the possibility of a protest rally. Dina enters with more celebratory wine. Honey drives up in her new blue convertible, greets everyone, and the two teens walk to the back exit. After a brief celebration the women retire, leaving Duke and Fred to talk. Duke accidentally finds a pregnancy test kit and worries that his daughter is pregnant.

In the next scene, Duke and Fred meet Esther, the wife of the former hog farmer; she has undergone a metamorphosis into an attractive, beguiling beauty. Duke and Esther discuss the close attachment between their spouses, and the downside of the coming rally. In the following scene, Lisa discusses Steve and the rally. Greg has joined the protestors, and the children want Duke to join the marchers. Duke desists, but says he will write a strongly-worded letter to the proper authorities. Later, Duke tells Gretchen about the pregnancy test kit he found and his concern about Lisa. She tells him not to worry.

As the next act begins, Lisa and Greg discuss the protest, ecological perils, and their parents. Later, on the Solomon's porch, Gretchen tells Billy she is pregnant. Billy does not respond the way she had expected. Meanwhile, Greg is working on guitar songs and discusses some ominous signs about the protest with Lisa.

In the third scene, Lisa sounds off in her second monologue. Duke and Gretchen are alone in the living room, and Gretchen tells Duke she is pregnant. He is thoughtful, and his reaction is muted. They begin to talk about how a new baby will affect their life, when Greg enters after being next door with Honey.

In the last act, Duke and Fred have been jogging and discuss Gretchen's pregnancy. Fred says Dina will be extremely jealous. They discuss sex and the chance of forgetting an encounter. It is Saturday, the day of the protest; when they leave, Gretchen and Dina enter and listen to TV news. The Solomons arrive with Egg-McSolomons to watch the extensive TV coverage of the protest as the marchers move along Round Hill Road, their territory. A small blue convertible turns into the Solomon's driveway, nearly striking a marcher; the mob turns violent and tries to turn the car over. Billy and Duke rush to help Honey, the driver. Greg and Lisa fight the crowd. The families return to the Desantos' home.

In the final scene, about six months after the protest, Lisa performs her final monologue. Behind her, in the living room, is the dark spectral and supernatural shape of a pregnant Gretchen wearing a long coat. As Lisa finishes, bright lights turn on and Dina enters with Gretchen’s suitcase. Mother and daughter have a play-ending exchange before Gretchen leaves.