Fathers Under Fire

Being a father and the pressures and problems that can be a part of fatherly duties.

Fatherhood, a job in which we can never be good enough since we are, in either a positive or negative manner, shaping the future. Too bad there is no reset button or DELETE and TRY AGAIN options. Two families, the Smith’s and the Jones’ are struggling with the usual family issues. The father in the Smith family is found to have an extramarital affair and a pregnancy happens. And a son of the Smith family is arrested for gang activities. The Jones family supports Smith family members affected by these happenings.

Unfortunately, this drama tells happenings that are commonplace within many homes today.

Cast: 13, (many can be m or f)

• Jones family:
  • Father Jim  (late 30’s)
  • Mother Carolene (late 30’s)
  • Son Dwain (late teen)
  • Daughter Cheryl (mid teen)
  • Daughter LaWanda (pre-teen)
• Smith family:
  • Father Desmond (late 30’s)
  • Mother Chandelle (late 30’s)
  • Daughter Shereene (late teen)
  • Daughter Trisha (early teen)
  • Son Desmond Junior (late teen)
  • Son Mark (pre-teen)
  • Raynelle (early to mid 20’s)
  • Baby Jenny (this could be done using a doll rather than baby)

Bible Reference: Exodus 20

Set:

• Scene 1 Smith living room - regular home furniture
• Scene 2 Jones living room - regular home furniture
• Scene 3 Desmond Jones office - desk & minimal office furniture
• Scene 4 same as Scene 2
• Scene 5 - same as Scene 1

Lighting:   standard

  Sound:  wireless if available

Song:   none

SFX: none
Costumes:   standard

Props:  cell phone, large doll (if used for Baby Jenny)

Special Instructions:

Time: 35

Sample of script:

Scene 1:     Smith living room

Desmond sitting couch cam chatting with someone, texting on cell phone, holding phone ahead, smiling, texts, all this to show he is on cam chat with someone. A few seconds,  Junior comes on stage, moves behind Desmond, speaks

Junior:       Pop, got a minute?

Desmond shocked, jumps, drops phone, Junior picks it up

Desmond:     Give me back that phone boy, give it here, now!

Junior looks at the phone

Junior:       What’s the big deal? . .  Why so jumpy Pop?

Desmond tears the phone out of Junior’s hands

Desmond:     Don’t you never touch my stuff boy! . . This here is personal! . . Now leave my stuff alone, you hear me?

Chandelle:    Desmond!

Junior, giggle: Likely Pop he’s in a chat room with some hot chick.

Desmond freaks out, grabs Junior by the shoulders, shakes him

Desmond:     Don’t you talk stupid talk, you hear? . . . Don’t ever talk stupid talk like that unless you plan to leave this house!

Junior:       Pop you’re hurting me!

Desmond:     This hurt is nothin’ like you’re gonna feel, you keep up this stupid talk!

Chandelle:    Desmond, what are you going on about with the child?

Desmond:     He’s no child, should know better than lay hands on other people’s stuff.

Chandelle:    What’s the big deal, so Junior held your phone . . . nothing major about that!

Chandelle reaches over and takes Desmond’s phone from his hands, opens it up

Desmond freaks out, grabs the phone

Desmond:     Everybody! . .  You keep your hands off my phone . . .!

Chandelle:    What’s with this phone thing Desmond? . . What do you have on your phone that you are afraid for me or your children to see?

Desmond:     Not afraid! . .  Not afraid at all! . .  Just my private business, that’s all.

Chandelle:    Was a time when there was nothing private between us Desmond. Now seems you are secretive.

Mark:        Wouldn’t it be funny if Pop had him a girlfriend?

children giggle, Desmond becomes upset

Desmond:     I have had about enough of this stupid talk . .  Not one more word from any of you, understood?

Trisha:       Can I play solitaire on your phone Pop?

Desmond, angry:    Are all you people deaf? . . . I said no one touches my phone!

Shereene:     Dwain Jones’ dad lets his kids play solitaire on his phone.

Desmond:     Who cares what your boyfriend’s old man lets his kids do? . . . Seems like you figure us Smith’s are s’posed to keep up with the Jones’! And I got no intention of keepin’ up with goody-goody Jim Jones. Likely Jones he lets his kids play with his phone on account of likely he has nothing to . . um . .

Chandelle:    Nothing to hide Desmond?

Desmond:     OK, I had enough of this from you people . . . I’m outta here, goin’ to the office.

Desmond quickly exits stage

Mark:        Why’s Pop so angry Mom?

Chandelle:    Your father has a lot on his mind.

Shereene:     Pop isn’t happy like he used to be.

Trisha:       He used to be so fun to be with. . .  Now even when he’s home he isn’t really with us, just spends time on his cell phone.

Junior:       Don’t go and be baggin’ on Pop, he has a lot he has to do, being as how he’s the only one here with a job, bringin’ in cash.

Chandelle:    Well I wish your father would let me take a job and help out financially.

Shereene:     I want to get a job as well. Dwain said he could get me a job at the grocery store where he works.

Trisha:       I want to babysit but Pop won’t let me.

Mark:        And I could . . . (thinks) . .  I’m not so sure what . . but I could do something.

Junior, takes on Desmond’s voice and delivery:      You all know full well Pop don’t want his wife and kids workin’ outside the home, wouldn’t look good for business. Folks would figure Pop wasn’t good enough businessman to take care of his family. So just you all forget that stupid stuff!

Chandelle, hugs Junior:
Desmond Smith Junior! . . . You are getting to be more like your father every day!

Chandelle looks closely at Junior, thinks, frowns, turns away

lights down

Scene 2:      Jones family living room

Family are sitting around the room, Carolene is reading magazine, Dwain and Cheryl studying, LaWanda is playing video game, Jim watching TV
Dwain is getting frustrated