A Summer Vacation with the Clark Family

By JB Burrage

Justin and Victoria are looking to having a wonderful time on vacation with her family in a beautiful rented home on the beach. The vacation quickly turns sour, as Justin finds himself standing alone against Victoria's entire family. A breaking point is reached and Justin makes a move that will change his relationship with his wife and his in-laws forever.

Cast: 7; three men (one off-stage), three women

• Language: English
• Publisher: JB Burrage
• Release date: Oct 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9780983811091

JB Burrage

JB Burrage is a writer living in the Atlanta, Georgia area. Originally from Meridian, Mississippi, he joined the US Army in 1999, serving until 2010. He currently operates a company called The Mad Writer Project, LLC, where he creates and publishes blogs; especially on mental health issues; plays, books, and is working towards a dream of creating theater productions. More information about him, including The Mad Writer Project, can be found at jbburrage.com. 

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Copyright © 2015 by JB Burrage. All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9838110-8-4 (Acting Edition)

ISBN-13: 978-0-9838110-9-1 (eBook)

For inquiries, request for permission, to secure rights for performance or other needs, please contact JB Burrage through his website at www.jbburrage.com.

CAUTION: Professionals and amateurs are hereby warned that this play is fully protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. All rights, including professional, amateur, motion pictures, recitation, lecturing, public reading, radio broadcasting, television, and the rights of translation into foreign languages are strictly reserved. In its present form, the play is dedicated to the reading public only.

All rights, including the amateur live stage performance rights, are controlled by the author. The right of performance is not transferable.

Copying this play either in print or electronically without written permission of the author is strictly forbidden by law. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, performing, or otherwise, without the written permission of the author.

Due authorship credit must be given on all programs, printing, and advertising for the play.

Published by The Mad Writer Project, LLC.

Printed in the United States of America.

This goes out to all the people who believed in or supported my dreams. This goes out to the ones who stuck with me when things were dark and difficult. This goes out to the one who saw the potential in me when I sometimes didn’t see it in myself.

Finally, this goes out to the dreamers. Don’t let go of the dream. But don’t just keep dreaming... go out there and make it happen!

Cast of Characters

JUSTIN BENTON, former human resources manager who is now working as freelance management consultant.

VICTORIA CLARK-BENTON, Justin's wife; newly employed as a paralegal

TONY CLARK, Victoria's older brother.

TRACY CLARK, Tony's wife.

MR. CLARK, Victoria's and Tony's dad

MRS. CLARK, Victoria's and Tony's mom

THOMAS, Victoria's ex-boyfriend

Production Notes

The setting is present day for the duration of a week during the summer. It takes place in a rented beach front house somewhere on the East or Gulf Coast. All characters are working-class, even though JUSTIN is in between jobs. TRACY gives the impression that she is solely a housewife. All scenes take place in the beach house's living room.

THOMAS is an off-stage character.

A Summer Vacation with the Clark Family

Act I.

Before the Storm

SCENE 1

[It's afternoon. JUSTIN and VICTORIA playfully enter with their luggage, into the living room through the front door.]

VICTORIA: (Playfully) Stop it, babe!

JUSTIN: Nope. Not till you say please.

[JUSTIN continues to play with VICTORIA, then ends with an embrace and a kiss.]

VICTORIA: (Pulls away) I'm so glad that we finally got a chance to take a vacation, baby!

(Looks around)

I mean, look at this place. It's so beautiful. So serene. I remember I always used to come here when I was a little girl. And now-

JUSTIN: We're finally here. On the beach. We can do some thangs here.

[JUSTIN moves in to seductively embrace VICTORIA.]

VICTORIA: (Pushes back) You better stop, boy, before somebody