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Dramatis Personae
Melly, an energetic, helpful girl
Alice, Melly’s pessimistic best friend
Jane, the emotional Student Council President
Ms. Sanderson, the school disciplinarian
Winter Mystery Land
Scene i: The gymnasium: The lights are dim. Fake snow covers the bleachers, and blue icicle lights hang elegantly on the walls. A few well-placed silver snowflake decorations add to the wintry atmosphere. Forty or so students, dressed in formal dresses and suits, stand in small groups around the fringes of the gym, talking loudly over the dance music. A few teachers are scattered throughout to chaperone the dance. A set of double doors serves as the entrance to the gym.
(Melly and Alice enter through the double doors and stand just inside the gym. Melly is wearing a floor length, billowy dress. Alice is also wearing a floor length dress, but hers is simpler.)
MELLY: (awed) Wow, the gym looks amazing! If it weren’t for the lines on the floor, I wouldn’t know it was a gym! (She twirls excitedly, her dress swirling out around her) Isn’t it great, Alice?
ALICE: (in a bored tone) Yeah, sure, whatever. (She rolls her eyes) How did I let you talk me into coming to this dance, anyway? It’s just going to be boring. (She sighs and folds her arms)
MELLY: You’ll see. It’ll be a blast just as soon as someone gets this party started! Come on, let’s go dance! (She grabs Alice’s hand and tries to drag her to the center of the gym)
ALICE: Hey! (She tries to pull her hand away) I don’t want to dance! (She tugs a little harder)
MELLY: (disappointed) Spoilsport. (She lets go)
ALICE: (sarcastically) Bah, humbug.
(Suddenly, a piercing scream comes from outside the gym. The students stop talking and turn to watch Jane run into the gym)
ALICE: (whispered) What, did she break a nail or something? (She stifles a laugh)
MELLY: Shush!
JANE: (hysterically) The crown, it’s gone!
(Everyone gasps. Jane sinks to the floor sobbing. The music stops. Everything is silent for a moment. Then, the students all burst into excited chatter.)
ALICE: Well, I was wrong: this is going to be interesting after all!
MELLY: Alice! That’s not nice at all. (She glances at Jane) Come on; let’s see if we can help.
(Melly and Alice walk over to Jane, who has stopped crying)
MELLY: Jane, are you okay?
JANE: N-no. The crown’s gone! (She talks quickly, her hysteria building) We can’t crown the Winter Princess without it! This is a disaster! Oh, it’s all my fault! (She bursts into tears again)
MELLY: There, there, it’ll be okay. (She pats Jane on the shoulder consolingly) Hey, why don’t you show me where the crown was? (proudly) I’m going to be a detective one day. I bet I can find some clues and solve the case.
JANE: R-really? You’d do that?
MELLY: Sure!
ALICE: (scoffing) This isn’t one of those detective books you always read.
MELLY: You’re right. This is a real case, and I’m going to solve it! (dramatically) Come on, Jane; let’s go see the scene of the crime!
Scene ii: A small room in the Student Council office: A single light bulb, already on, hangs from the ceiling. Directly under it is a small card table. A clear plastic box sits on the table. It is closed and empty.
(Jane and Melly walk in. Jane points at the box)
JANE: See? It’s just gone! I don’t know who could’ve taken it!
MELLY: Who had access to this room?
JANE: Just the Student Council and the teachers. But why would any of them want to steal the crown? This is our Winter Dance! Who would want to ruin it?
MELLY: Who, indeed. (She walks slowly around the table, peering at it like a detective in a movie would)
JANE: (nervously) Well, do you see anything?
MELLY: No not just—wait! Yes, I do! (She bends down and picks up a black bracelet from under the table) This must belong to the culprit! It’s my first clue!
JANE: (peering at the bracelet) But that could be anyone’s bracelet.
MELLY: (angrily) No, it couldn’t. I know exactly whose bracelet this is!
JANE: Who?
MELLY: It’s Alice’s. She told me she lost it today. How could she do this? I can’t believe I ever considered her my best friend!
JANE: Oh my! We have to go tell Ms. Sanderson! Alice will regret ever coming near this office! (She runs out of the room)
(Melly turns to leave, but as she does, something catches her eye. She looks closely at the box and pulls something from the cover)
MELLY: (puzzled) Feathers? But, that means…
Scene iii: The gymnasium
(The students are staring at Ms. Sanderson, Jane, and Alice, who are in the middle of the gym. Alice is facing them with a look of horror on her face.)
ALICE: I didn’t do it! I never went near that stupid crown!
JANE: Don’t lie! We found your bracelet next to the empty box!
ALICE: I lost my bracelet in PE a few days ago! I never went near the Student Council office!
JANE: Oh, so your bracelet magically appeared in the room all by itself?
ALICE: No! Someone had to have planted it! Why would I want to steal the stupid crown? I don’t even care about the Winter Princess!
MS. SANDERSON: Come along, Alice. We will decide on your punishment on Monday.
(Ms. Sanderson puts her hand on Alice’s back and starts to push her towards the door. Alice resists, but Jane eagerly helps. They are halfway to the door when Melly dashes in.)
MELLY: Stop! You’ve got the wrong girl!
JANE: (stunned) What do you mean?
MS. SANDERSON: Explain yourself, young lady. Did you not accuse Alice in the first place?
ALICE: (betrayed) You accused me!
MELLY: I’m sorry, Alice, but when I saw the bracelet, I thought…oh, that doesn’t matter! What matters is that you were framed!
JANE: But who would frame her?
MELLY: (dramatically) As I was about to leave the Student Council office, something about the box caught my eye. I examined it closely, and discovered this! (She brandishes the feather)
JANE: (scoffing) A feather? So what?
MELLY: You’re the only one with feathers on your dress!
MS. SANDERSON: Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Jane?
JANE: (sadly) I’m sorry. I just thought it looked so beautiful. I wanted it for myself. I’m sorry I framed you, Alice.
MS. SANDERSON: Let’s go, young lady. (She drags Jane from the gym)
MELLY: Okay, let’s get this dance started!
THE END
 nepie · Mon Dec 10, 2007 @ 02:53pm · 1 Comments |
