Burrows - Glorias Guy

Glorias Guy

a play by Joan Burrows

Playwrights Canada Press

Toronto

To the Alumnae Theatre, celebrating its one hundredth anniversary of developing women in theatre, and especially to the New Play Development group of women writers for their continued support and wise counsel.

Contents

Production History

Glorias Guy was first produced by the Alumnae Theatre, Toronto, as part of their first FireWorks Festival from November 13 to December 1, 2013, with the following company:

Peggy: Jennifer Monteith

Guy: Robert Meynell

Jessie: Liz Best

Gloria: Anna Douglas

Eva: Erin Jones

Leslie: Sangeeta Wylie

Producer: Dahlia Katz

Director: Anne Harper

Stage Manager: Edgar Chua

Set and Lighting Design: Ed Rosing

Sound Design: Gabrielle DAngelo

Costume Design: Bec Brownstone

Properties: Tess Hendaoui and Tara Gostling

Characters

Peggy

Guy

Jessie

Gloria

Eva

Leslie

Act 1

Scene 1

The setting is the upper floor of a furnished resort boathouse. A large picture window in the upstage wall looks out to the lake, and distant trees are showing the early colours of autumn. Beside this window is an entrance consisting of a locked door and a screen door. The main room has a couch, a smaller chair, and a coffee table on an area rug. There is a counter with basic kitchenware and a small refrigerator. Downstage right is the door to the bathroom and above this is another door to a bedroom. A door stage left leads to a second bedroom. The room is neat and ready for its weekend guests. Margaret peggy Anne McConnell, carrying a large garment bag and grocery bags, walks in front of the picture window and then unlocks the door. She enters.

peggy: Oh my God! The boathouse suite! Looks exactly the same.

Offstage voices are heard.

jessie: How much farther?

She turns her attention to the voices stage right.

peggy: Are you okay, Ma? Just a few more steps up. Do you need any help?

jessie: Im fine. Guys right behind me. Youre still there, right, Guy?

guy: Dont worry, Mrs. McConnell. Ive got your rear.

jessie: Dont be cheeky, Guy.

guy: Dont you be talking to me about cheeky.

peggy walks into the central room, putting the garment bag over the back of the couch and the grocery bags on the counter. She quickly does a check of the rooms beginning downstage left, crossing to the bathroom stage right and then disappearing into the bedroom door beside it. jessie and guy appear in front of the window heading toward the door.

Thats it, Mrs. Mac! Doors on the right.

An older woman, maybe in her early seventies, dressed in pants and jacket enters winded and carrying a rather large garment bag, a sewing basket, and her purse.

jessie: Oh my.

She crosses into the room and sits on the chair, still clutching the garment bag.

guy enters behind her. He is around forty, lean and casually dressed in jeans, T-shirt, denim jacket, and baseball cap. At the moment he is somewhat loaded down with weekend bags, a portable sewing machine, and yet another garment bag.

guy: Sorry, Mrs. Mac. Pat opened the boathouse for the girls because its what Peggy wanted. I dont think she realized youd be coming with them. She could give you some rooms in the main building on the ground floor. Except for a few wedding guests, were not very busy. Off-season and all.

jessie: I wasnt part of the original plan. But when some of the girls cancelled out, Margaret Anne asked if I wanted to come for the weekend rather than just for the wedding tomorrow. It seemed like a good idea considering theres still a few alterations to be made on the dresses. Especially your nieces.

peggy enters from the bedroom.

peggy: Are you all right, Ma? I forgot how many steps there were to get up here. Let me take the dresses.

She removes the garment bag from jessie s hands and hangs it up on a coat hook near the door. She does the same with the others while she continues the conversation.

Its just that we wanted the boathouse for old times sake. A little nostalgia this weekend for Leslies fortieth birthday.

guy: I was just saying that Pat could find some rooms in the main building.

peggy: Oh, no. Itll be fine, wont it, Ma? Well make sure you dont do the stairs too often. Ill get Kerry and the girls to come here to try on the dresses; more privacy from the groom.

jessie: Its fine, dear. But where will everyone sleep?

peggy: Well, you and Ill grab that room. Its got two single beds and next to the bathroom. In case you have to get up in the night.

jessie: Not in case, dear. When and how often is more like it.

peggy: Whoever arrives next can claim the other room and last in gets the couch. Well set up the drinks and snacks and settle in for a good old-fashioned pyjama party. Just like back then. Care to join us, Guy? Cant promise the lingerie will be as interesting this time round though.

guy: Thanks but Pat and Jimmy have me pretty busy with the rehearsal party tonight. Its my job to make sure the groom and his men dont go overboard and end up too hungover to watch the bride come down the aisle tomorrow afternoon. Besides, I dont wear PJs. Might be distracting especially for you, Mrs. Mac.

jessie: Dont be so fresh, Guy. I may not teach you anymore but I still see your mother every Wednesday at the hospital guild. She wouldnt want me sharing that information with the other ladies, now would she?

guy: (laughing) My mothers been shaking her head over me for a long time now.

jessie: Youre telling me. When she used to start in on her Tales of Guy, it made the rest of us glad we had daughters! I need to freshen up, Margaret Anne. Then Ill help you with the dresses. Guy, be a dear and take the bags into that bedroom for us.

jessie heads into the bathroom.

guy: Good idea. Establish territory before the others arrive.

peggy helps him with the bags.

peggy: Eva should be here soon. Leslie cant get up from the city until late. Shes gonna be stuck in that traffic. You probably havent seen her for years.

guy: Uh... actually, I ran into her last spring, out in LA. We were at the same... party. My firm was representing some restaurateur opening a new place and she was there.

peggy: Oh? Funny she never mentioned it.

guy: Since Ive been home I see her picture constantly in the paper with some celebritys arm around her. Allens Bistro with a four-star rating. Who wouldve thought that our Leslie would become one of the major restaurateurs in the city?

peggy: Shes done really well for herself. One of the success stories of our class.

guy: The only success story.

peggy: What about you? Mr. LA Lawyer, no less!

guy: Hello. Living in Woodsville now. Carrying luggage in my brothers resort. Those LA days are over.

peggy: But youre still a lawyer. You got further than most of us.

guy: Further? Im not so sure.

peggy: Look at it this way. You got the education. Leslie got the money. This weekend is sort of a surprise fortieth birthday party for her.

guy: Itll be nice to see her again.

peggy: Shes only here for tonight. Some film producer has booked her place for a wrap party tomorrow night so she has to get back to the city. I havent seen her since Evas wedding.

guy: To the dentist?

peggy: Divorced that one. Seems teeth werent the only things he was filling.

guy: Oh.

peggy: She married Steve two years ago. He sells insurance. But knowing Eva the Diva, Im sure were in for more drama about husband number two. At least Leslie said she had some great news to share.