Table of Contents
Good People
PRODUCTION HISTORY
Good People received its world premiere by Manhattan Theatre Club (Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director; Barry Grove, Executive Producer) on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, on March 3, 2011.
Good People was commissioned by the Bank of America New American Play Program. The production was directed by Daniel Sullivan. The set design was by John Lee Beatty, the costume design was by David Zinn, the lighting design was by Pat Collins and the sound design was by Jill BC DuBoff. The dialect coach was Charlotte Fleck, the production stage manager was Roy Harris and the stage manager was Denise Yaney. The cast was:
| MARGARET | Frances McDormand |
| STEVIE | Patrick Carroll |
| DOTTIE | Estelle Parsons |
| JEAN | Becky Ann Baker |
| MIKE | Tate Donovan |
| KATE | Rene Elise Goldsberry |
CHARACTERS
MARGARET: white, about fifty
STEVIE: white, late twenties
DOTTIE: white, mid-sixties
JEAN: white, about fifty
MIKE: white, about fifty
KATE: African American, early thirties
VARIOUS OFFSTAGE VOICES: probably prerecorded
PLACE
The play is set in South Bostons Lower End, and in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
NOTES
A slash ( / ) in the dialogue indicates the start of the next spoken line.
The name Margie is pronounced with a hard g in the middle, not a j.
Act One
Scene 1
South Boston, Massachusetts. The alley behind the Dollar Store. Theres a dumpster back there, a rusty chair, and a door labeled DOLLAR STOREDELIVERIES ONLY. The back door opens and Margaret, about fifty, comes out with Stevie, her manager, late twenties. Stevie carries a folder.
MARGARET
Did she ever tell you the turkey story? Up at Flanagans?
STEVIE
No.
MARGARET
When I worked up there, and she came in? She never told you that turkey story?
STEVIE
I dont think so.
MARGARET
She was pregnant with you. No, Jimmy actuallyshe was pregnant with Jimmybecause it was near Christmas, and your father was locked up in Walpole again, so she didnt have any money for anything.
STEVIE
(Offers her the rusty chair) You wanna sit down?
MARGARET
She had nothing. Except Saint Vincent de Pauls. Thank god for them. They used to give out toys at Christmas to the ones who couldnt afford it.
STEVIE
Margaret, listen for a / second
MARGARET
(But she keeps going) I dont think they did Christmas dinners though. And your grandmother had passed by then, so there was no dinner to go to. So your mother comes into Flanagans, and shes out to here. (Indicates belly) Whens Jimmys birthday?
STEVIE
January.
MARGARET
Right, so shes out to here, and in this big coat. Remember that blue coat she always wore?
STEVIE
Yeah.
MARGARET
And shes walking up and down the aisles, slipping things in the pocketspotatoes, and cans of cranberry sauce, cookies, because you guys gotta eat, right? So she comes waddling up to my register. And Im like, Hey Suzie, how are the kids? And she doesnt wanna talk obviously, shes just trying to push through the line: Oh, theyre good, I was just looking for something, but you dont have it, so Im gonna try someplace else. And then the turkey falls out of her coat. It hits the floor right between her legs. A turkey. Boom.
And I swear to god, she didnt miss a beat. She looks up, real mad, and yells, Who threw that bird at me?!
(Really laughing now) Oh, we died. Everybody there. Ya had to laugh. Who threw that bird at me?! She was a funny sonofabitch. Pardon my French.
STEVIE
Look, Margaret
MARGARET
God, she was funny. I think about her all the time. Your mother was a good lady. Its a lesson though. Youre lucky you dont smoke. Too young, your mother.
STEVIE
Can we do this?
MARGARET
(Beat) Sure. (Moves to the chair) You gotta make them give you a real office, Stevie. Because these alley conferences? No way to run a business. It smells back here.
STEVIE
I know you dont wanna talk about why I brought / you out here
MARGARET
No, I know. I was late, Im sorry.
STEVIE
Its just, the district manager / comes in
MARGARET
I know. It was my Joycey again. You know I cant leave her alone when she gets outta sorts. And I pay Dottie Gillis a little bit to keep an eye on her, but Dots not the most reliable.
STEVIE
Right, but the district manager comes down on me about it.
MARGARET
No, I know, that guys an asspardon my French.
STEVIE
Maybe, but hes also my boss. And he looks over those punch cards.
MARGARET
Okay.
STEVIE
No, not okay. Youre late every day. Twenty, thirty minutes. Yesterday it was almost an hour.
MARGARET
Its not every day.
STEVIE
Pretty much it is, and that reflects badly on me. He wants to know why I cant keep my employees in line.
MARGARET
You have to explain about Joyce. Shes in a program, thank god, but thats only so many hours a week. I cant / always
STEVIE
I explained it to him, but theres only so much / I can
MARGARET
Its not just me, Stevie. Karen calls in sick every couple days.
STEVIE
Yeah, well, Im talking to Karen next.
MARGARET
Well, while youve got her out here, you should ask her why she tells everyone youre gay.
STEVIE
(Beat) What?
MARGARET
She says youre gay.
STEVIE
(More bemused than offended) Im not gay.
MARGARET
I know.
STEVIE
So why does she say that?
MARGARET
Because you go to bingo.
STEVIE
That makes me gay?
MARGARET
Im just tellin ya what Karen says to people. You go to bingo a lot. More than I do. More than Karen does.
STEVIE
I like bingo.
MARGARET
Obviously.
STEVIE
Plenty of men go to bingo.
MARGARET
I wouldnt say plenty, but yeah.
STEVIE
Freddy Gleason goes to bingo.
MARGARET
Yeah.
STEVIE
Frank Moore.
MARGARET
Yeah. A few old-timers, but yeah, thats what Ive been telling her.
STEVIE
Okay, it doesnt matter.
MARGARET
Are you gonna bring it up with her though?
STEVIE
No, Im going to say to her exactly what Im saying to you. The district manager came / in
