Heroines of Chaos

Eco Drama: Stage Play for schools, adults, colleges and theaters.

Student forum: Climate Change, Global Warming, Politics, Planning, Ecology, Economics.

Free script for several actors.

Version 5.0
Netball, God, and Money.
climate change solutions.

SCHOOL NETBALL COURT – DAY.

There is an after-school practice game in progress. Two teams of fifteen/sixteen-year-olds, each wearing different colored bibs. One of the players is TAMARA (16, born in the USA, with part-Polish blood) wearing the CENTRE bib. Throughout, Tamara speaks with a Wisconsin drawl. The referee on the sideline is Zsófi, in uniform with boater, whistle, and PREFECT badge.

(Delbee comes on and stands at the front of stage, to one side.)

Hi. You may be wondering about the Nipah virus. It is generally associated with fruit bats, the mortality rate is over forty percent, and yes, there is the odd outbreak. But meanwhile, back in New Zealand, at a private school somewhere.

(Tamara, near the shooting circle, throws the ball. PEEP!)

Footwork!

(Tamara sees Zsófi on the sideline, paddling her extended arms up and down in front - the footwork-fault gesture. Tamara looks down at her foot, which is over the white shooting circle line. She shakes her head in disbelief. Tamara hands the ball over to the opposing team.)

(SCENE LIGHTING OFF TEMPORARILY : BLACK-OUT)

(Tamara holds the ball and hesitates for more than three seconds. PEEP!)

Held ball!

(Tamara looks across at Zsófi, who raises one hand high with three fingers extended. Tamara looks frustrated. Tamara hands over the ball again.)

(SCENE LIGHTING OFF TEMPORARILY : BLACK-OUT)

(Tamara obstructs an opposing-team player. PEEP!)

Obstruction!

(Zsófi holds out both arms in front, palms facing. Tamara looks perplexed, but hands the ball over again.)

(SCENE LIGHTING OFF TEMPORARILY : BLACK-OUT)

( A long blast on the whistle. Game over. Then, a short peep on whistle. Tamara looks over at Zsófi, who beckons Tamara over. Tamara approaches Zsófi.)

What’s your name, girl?
Tamara. Tamara Jackson.
American?
Yup.
Oh, is that why? It’s not basketball! It’s netball.

(Tamara frowns.)

No dribbling, no contact. And centre must stay outside the shooting circle.

(Tamara looks dejected.)

Look, you’ve got the ball-skills. You could make the school team.

(Zsófi smiles at Tamara.)

Which part of the US?
Door County. Wisconsin.
What’s that like?
Ya know, lots of orchards.

(Zsófi vocalises sudden acute interest.)

Cherry?
Sure.

(Zsófi’s face is pleased and smiles.)

Know how to pick cherries?
Sure.
Awesome! I need experienced fruit-pickers. This weekend, my place. Minimum wage. Yes?
Sure.
Friday, bring your weekend gear. You’ll be sleeping over at my place.

(Tamara nods.)

We can go over the netball rules together, eh?

(Tamara smiles.)

Ya know, I’d like that. ...
Of course.

(Zsófi waves goodbye with her fingers, and wanders away, then looks back with a smile before heading toward the car park. Tamara stares after her.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

SUBURBAN KITCHEN – NIGHT

LARA Jackson née Iwaskow (34, an American-religious conservative, but solo mother) is dressed conservatively in black. Tamara, still in netball gear, sits at the table on a stool, and watches.

(Lara prepares dinner for Tamara.)

Ya know, it’s just pickin’ cherries, Mom.
I must speak with her mother first.
Ya know, Mom, both her parents are dead already. Zsófi lives on her own.

(Lara snorts.)

I will not have you consorting with harlots, girl.

(Tamara rolls her eyes, but best not to argue. Gently:)

Ya know, Zsófi’s not a harlot, Mom.
Honor thy mother! Lift up thine eyes unto the hills.

(Lara stands there, praying away with her eyes closed. Tamara tiptoes away.)

Dear Sweet Lord Jesus, we pray for our daughter Tamara.

(Tamara escapes on tiptoes, leaving the door ajar.)

May she find sweet solace in Thy arms.

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

SAME GIRLS’ SCHOOL: CAR-PARK – DAY.

Zsófi, holding a dandelion, stands by her EV (use two chairs, a tyre) checks her mobile, and waits.

(Tamara, carrying her satchel, and a weekend bag, arrives and looks round for Zsófi. Tamara spots her.)

Zsófi! Zsófi!

(Zsófi looks up, and waves. Tamara goes on over. Zsófi kisses the dandelion, and presents it to Tamara. Tamara laughs lightly, and curtsies. The two girls have a brief, chaste hug. Tamara puts her bag and satchel on the UTV. Zsófi gestures Tamara toward the nearside. Tamara gets in. Zsófi mimes closing the passenger door. But it does not shut properly.)

Oh dear, the door won’t shut.

(Zsófi pretends to use her butt to shut the car door. Eager, Zsófi gets in, and they drive off together.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

SAME CHERRY ORCHARD – DAY.

Zsófi, Tamara, and Altan with straw hats, and strap-on front buckets, are picking cherries, mostly using A-shaped ladders with wide foot-extensions on large ground-sheets.

(Periodically, they carry the pickings to a small, old packing shed and cool-store beside the orchard.)

(TIME-LAPSE SEQUENCE. TIME PASSES: they keep picking, drink from water bottles from time to time, right until SUNDOWN. Then they pack up, eat on the verandah, quiet, exhausted, but content. The girls sleep in the farmhouse: Altan outside. SUNRISE. Tamara brings out breakfast for Altan. They pick cherries all day. They pick cherries, pause in the shade to drink water, then pick more cherries, repeat.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)

PRIVATE GARDEN OF REMEMBRANCE AS BEFORE – DAY

Zsófi stands by her mother’s grave, Tamara by her side. Delbee stands at the front of the stage, to one side, as before.

(Delbee exits.)

Hi, a month has passed. The harvest is over. But Tamara still comes and sleeps over at the weekends.
It’s just my mother’s ashes.

(Tamara gives Zsófi’s arm a squeeze.)

Wow! She was young.
Breast cancer. The worst thing is: I can’t talk to her now.

(Tamara gives Zsófi a hug.)

Ya know, you have me now.
And I have an orchard.

(Zsófi leads the way up toward the house.)

Ya know, Leviticus says: thou shalt not lie down with man kind.
You come up with the weirdest things, sweetie.
Zsófi, you’ve kept Altan on, eh?
He's a good worker. Why not? Are you jealous?

(Tamara looks away, then tucks her arm inside Zsófi’s.)

( SCENE LIGHTING OFF : BLACK-OUT : Black-out)

(END OF SCENE)