Cast of Characters
(In Order of Appearance)

Tommy - The youngest child in the family (5 - 6 years old); annoys older brother; attention-seeking.

Mrs. Baker - Mother; outgoing, upbeat personality.

John - The oldest child in the family (8-11 years old); the birthday boy; intimidated by popular school boys.

II. The School Boys/ Teacher

Martin - John's best friend (8-11 years old); awkward, wears glasses; also shy around popular school boys.

Andrew - School boy (8-11 years old); follows Chad's lead; nicest of the popular boys.

Matthew - School boy (8 -I I years old); Chad's best friend. D. Chad- School boy (8-11 years old); leader of the popular boys, bossy, and a bully; proves to be a coward.

Teacher - (Could be played by Mrs. Greenly.)

III. The Birthday Party

Mrs. Greenly - Old, grumpy woman; a mysterious guest at the birthday party.

Pop-Pop - John and Tommy's maternal grandfather.

SCENE I

(The Baker family's kitchen, early Sunday morning. Mrs. Baker is serving breakfast. Tommy and John are seated at the table.)

Tommy: Mommy, John's birthday is tomorrow. When are we going to have a party?

(John groans.)

Mrs. Baker: What's wrong John? Don't you want to have a party?

Tommy: (Puzzled.) Yeah, don't you want cake?

John: (Annoyed.) I don't care about cake!

Mrs. Baker: John, what's wrong?

John: Well, the last time I had a party, everybody thought it was boring, except Martin. Tommy put three fingers in the cake, and nobody wanted to eat --

Tommy: (Loudly, cuts John off.) I didn't put three fingers in the cake. I just put one finger in three times!

Mrs. Baker: (Ignoring Tommy.) Well, you can always try again John. (Enthusiastically.) We'll try something different this year, something exciting! It was just a bad year.

Tommy: (Dreamily.) Ice cream.. .presents.

John: Well, I guess-

Mrs. Baker: (Interrupting.) O.K. then, that's settled. I'll make invitations, and you can hand them out to your class tomorrow. O.K. John?

John: (Still unsure.) O.K.

SCENE II

(On the School Playground, Monday afternoon.)

John: Hey Martin! I got an invitation to my birthday party for you.

Martin: Cool, let me see. (Reading invitation aloud.) You are invited to John's 9th birthday party.Date and Time: Sat., Oct.7 (7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.)
Location: John's grandparent's farmhouse off of Maple Drive
(To John.) Your grandparents are going to be there?

John: No, they're on vacation.

Martin: Still, at your grandparent's house?

John: It was mom's idea. (Quickly changing the subject.) Well, I got more invitations to hand out.

Martin:I'll help.

(They walk over to three boys in their class. The boys are bouncing a ball in a circle on the playground.)

John: (Shyly.) Hi guys, I got invitations for you.

(He gives them invitations and walks quickly away to play marbles with Martin.
The first boy, "Andrew" passes the ball to the second boy, "Matthew." They continue to bounce the ball to each other during the dialogue.)

Martin: Oh, he's having another party. I'm not going. It'll be boring like last time.

(Matthew opens his invitation and laughs.)

Martin: He's having it at his grandparents' farm house! It does sound boring. I'm not going. Are you Chad?

Chad: Hmmm...Yes, l'm going.

Martin:(Surprised.) You're going?!

Chad: (Confidently.) Yes, that way I can tell everyone how terrible it was!!

(The boys cackle at his idea. Chad pretends to throw the ball to Matthew, but tosses it back to Andrew. Matthew stomps his foot in annoyance.)

Matthew: Well, if you're going, I guess I'll go too.

Andrew: Me, too.

Chad: I guess we should tell John we're going to his party.

(Chad dribbles the ball over to John and Martin.)

Hey, "Birthday Boy", we're coming to your party.

John: (Stuttering.) Oh, th-that's g-g-g-reat. (Recovering himself.) I'll tell mom you're coming.

Chad: C-C-Can my teddy bear come come too?

(A teacher passes by.)

Teacher: May my teddy bear come too?

(Andrew, Chad, and Matthew snicker as she leaves.)

Mathew: I hope we can see your grandma's knitting.

Andrew: Maybe we can rock in her chair.

Chad: I'm looking forward to milking the cow!

Andrew & Matthew: Moo! Moooooo!

Chad: Cock- a -doodle- do!

(Boys continue making animal sounds. John walks away miserably. Martin follows.)

John: I didn't think this was a good idea.

Martin: (Comforting John.) The party didn't start yet.

John: I know but--

Martin: Let's just see how it goes.

John: (Uncertain.) O.K.

SCENE III

(John's grandparents' farm. The day of the party. A barn'door is far stage right; The house is stage left. The party room in the house is visible to the audience.)

(Martin rings the door bell holding a big present. John peers out the window nervously, sighs with relief, and opens the door.)

John: Sorry, I took so long, but I thought you were one of the other boys.

Martin: That's O.K., where's Tommy?

Tommy: (Jumping out from his hiding spot behind a chair.) Here I am!

Martin: Hey, you little rascal you scared me!

(Tommy giggles and jumps on top of Martin, knocking the present out of his hand. John picks it up and puts it on the table. Tommy and Martin wrestle on the floor laughing. Chad, Andrew, and Matthew walk to the door and ring the bell.)

John: (Nervously.) This must be them. (Martin and Tommy stop wrestling and stand up. John walks slowly to the door.) H-Hi g-g-guys nice t-to see y-you.

Chad: (Mockingly.) H-Hi stutter box.

Andrew &
Matthew: (Following Chad's lead.) H-Hi.

(Mrs. Baker appears, overhearing the boys making fun of John. John notices his mom and gives her an "I told you so" look. She shrugs.)

Mrs. Baker: Well, let's start the party. You can put your presents on the table. Our first game is outside.

(She walks outside. Lights blackout. Stage hands remove presents from the table.)

SCENE IV
(The party continues. The lights come up, and the boys and John's mother walk back inside the house.)

Martin: Hey, those were fun games!

Andrew: (To Chad and Matthew.) You gotta admit they were fun.

Chad: (Stubbornly.) No, they weren't.

Mrs. Baker: I'm going to get the cake. It's in the barn. (She looks out the window.) Oh, I better hurry. It looks like a big storm is coming!

Boys: O.K.

(Tommy sneaks away from the boys to try to get a peek at the presents. He gasps when he notices they're gone.)

Tommy: The presents are gone!

(Everyone looks slowly at the table. Their eyes grow wide in amazement, except for John.)

John: Tommy, you promised you'd behave! You're always causing trouble. Wait till mom - (They hear a terrilying scream. John becoming fearful continues.) That must be mom! (He runs to the barn and he brings his mother out. She is shaking and trying to catch her breath. They are both damp from the storm.) Mom, mom, are you alright? (He helps her sit on the rocking chair.) Mom what happened?

Martin: (Running to her.) Mrs. Baker are you alright?

Mrs. Baker: I-I think I s-s-saw a-a ghost!

(Tommy screams and hides behind the rocking chair. Chad shrieks, as well, and runs and hides in a corner. Andrew and Matthew run to John.)

Tommy: (Panicked.) W-W-where is it now?

Mrs. Baker: (Calming down.) It disappeared when John came in.

Tommy: (Trembling.) Oh. (A knock is heard. Tommy covers his eyes.) I'm not looking.

(The door opens and a mysterious old woman with a hood covering her face appears.)

Martin: (Cautiously.) Who are you?

Mrs. Baker: Oh, I almost forgot about our special guest. Please come in.

John: (Whispering.) Mom, you didn't tell me we were having a guest.

Mrs. Baker: This is Mrs. Greenly. Her great-grandfather used to own this house. She came to tell us a story about the farm. (The lights flicker and turn off. The boys scream.) Don't panic. I'll light some candles. (She walks blindly out of the room).

Chad: (Whimpering.) I want my mommy! (Everyone turns and looks at him surprised. Chad responds defensively.) I -I don't like it when it's dark.

(Mrs. Baker returns with three candles. One of them is lit. She starts lighting the other two candles.)

John: (Trying to make Chad feel better.) Oh, I don't really like it either. (John goes over to his mother.) Mom, may I have a candle?

Mrs. Baker: Sure. (To Mrs. Greenly.) Oh, please have a seat.

(Mrs. Greenly walks spookily over to the rocking chair. Compassionately, John gives one candle to Chad. Mrs. Baker places another candle by Mrs. Greenly.)

Chad: (Quietly.) Thanks

Mrs. Greenly: (Hoarsely.) Eh-eh-em. (Everybody quickly looks over at Mrs. Greenly and sits down wherever they are.) My story begins about 100 years ago. It was a night quite like this one. It was very windy and dark storm clouds covered a full moon. Now, my great-grandfather and grandmother had a son about your age named "Martin". (Martin's eyes grow wide and he covers his mouth.) The family had been working out in the fields. With her hair and skirts all a blowing, my great-grandmother noticed a dark funnel approaching rapidly in their direction. She yelled, "We've got to get to the storm cellar, a tornadoes coming! Hurry!" Then my great-grandparents started rushing to the cellar. But Martin ran toward the barn. My great-grandfather cried, (Mrs. Greenly screeches loudly.) "Come back. Where are you going?!" Martin replied, "To find Petunia!" Now, Petunia was his favorite pig. He-

Tommy: (Interrupting.) He went to get his pig.. .named "Petunia"! Why?

(Mrs. Greenly gives Tommy a piercing look. Tommy runs and hides behind his mom.)

Mrs. Greenly: (Sharply.) I was about to tell you before you most rudely interrupted me. Several years before the big storm, Martin was cleaning Petunia's sty. Petunia was acting strangely and kept squealing and nudging Martin in his buttocks...

Tommy: You mean his butt? (The boys giggle nervously. Tommy looks at the boys.) What?

(Mrs. Greenly shakes her finger at Tommy and continues.)

Mrs. Greenly: Martin asked Petunia, "What's wrong?" Martin looked in the direction Petunia was squealing and saw a (Mrs. Greenly pauses for effect.) a rattlesnake. Luckily, the rattlesnake was far enough away that Martin could back out of the barn safely. From then on, the pig had become Martin's favorite pet. Now where was I. Oh yes, back to the storm. The tornado was approaching rapidly. Martin ran to find Petunia, and his father couldn't stop him. Fearful for Martin's life, he sadly went back down into the storm cellar. My great-grandfather heard a loud scream and a squeal. Martin and Petunia were never seen again.

(The boys shudder and there is a long pause.)

Martin: I wonder what happened to them.

Johm: Me. too.

Martin: He-he had my name!

Andrew: I'd be scared if he had my name.

(The boys nod in agreement.)

Mrs. Greenly: Well, I must go.

(She sweeps her cloak around her and exits out the door.)

John: Mom, what did the g-ghost look like?

Mrs. Baker: (Concerned.)

It was a young boy. He was calling something like "Petunia"!

Boys: Aghhhh!

Chad: "Mommy!" (Covers his head.)

Martin: What are we going to do?

Tommy: I wonder where the presents are?

Andrew: Yeah. Do you think someone took them?

Tommy: Maybe, it was the g-ghost!

Andrew: You're probably right.

(The lights flicker and turn back on.)

Mrs. Baker: Gosh, the party isn't really going the way I planned. The presents are gone, and I dropped the cake. But before I send you home I have to ... (Dramatic pause. Mrs. Baker cheerfully continues.) ...introduce our "Cast of Characters"!!

(The boys look at each other puzzled. Mrs. Greenly re-enters and Mrs. Baker continues.)

John's grandma as "Mrs. Greenly"! (Mrs. Greenly removes her cloak. John and Tommy's mouths drop open. Tommy runs to his grandma.)

Tommy: Hey, grandma, you're never that mean to me!

(Everyone laughs, except Chad who is still recovering himself.)

Mrs. Baker: John's grandpa as our "tech crew"!

Tommy: What's a tech crew?

Mrs. Baker: The tech crew are people who work back stage during a show with lighting, props, and stufflike that.

(Tommy nods even though he doesn't understand her.)

Tommy: Hi "Pop-Pop Tech!"

(Everyone laughs even Chad.)

Mrs. Baker: (Merrily.) I'll go get the cake and presents!

Tommy: Hoorah!

(Laughing, she walks outside to the barn.)

Pop-Pop: Hey, what did you guys think of the party?

Martin: It was terrific!

Andrew: I loved it!

(Matthew looks nervously over at Chad