Take Proper Care — Mary Miller

TAKE PROPER CAREIn 1955, in Atlanta, Georgia, the line dividing blacks and whites was clearly defined unless you happened to be a nine-year-old white girl struggling to hold on to the only family you had left.AWARDS & NOTICESNational Playwriting One Act Competition, Finalist, Dubuque, IA. Little Theatre of Alexandria National One Act Playwriting Competition, Finalist, Alexandria, VA. George Kernodle One Act Playwriting Competition, Finalist, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. ABOUT THE PLAYAfter the sudden death of her parents, a young girl nervously waits for her aunt and uncle to come take her to live with them. What she doesn't understand is why she has to go live with relatives she barely knows and can't continue to live with the woman who has practically raised her. Growing up in the segregated south in 1955 was a difficult time for everyone. But before the end of the day, this young girl will learn how hard it is to cross the color line. A line she never really knew existed before. SETTING:The stage is a kitchen, which is in the process of being packed for an impending move. It is filled with boxes that are taped shut and labeled..."Pots" "Pans" etc. The WOMAN is carefully packing all the remaining fine china and silver. The CHILD is watching and helps occasionally. The kitchen itself has seen years of wear. In the center is an old dining room table with four chairs. There is the usual refrigerator, stove and sink. The cabinets over the sink are white metal and well worn.Note: The stage can be as simple as a table with two chairs surrounded by several large cardboard boxes filled with newspapers/packing material. The beauty of the play is in the relationship of the two main characters not in an elaborate set.CHARACTERS:CHILD: An nine-year-old white girl. She is wearing a dress but is obviously uncomfortable. Her brunette hair is clean but tangled as if she had done it herself. WOMAN: An old black woman, of indeterminate age. She is dressed in a worn J.C. Penney grey uniform. Her stockings are rolled down around her knees and she wears heavy white oxford "maid" uniform shoes.ADULT CHILD â€" VOICE OVER: The voice of the child as an adult opens and closes the play. It is possible to cast this part as a character on stage but it is not necessary.TIME:The play takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955.PLEASE NOTE: The dialogue in TAKE PROPER CARE is written in a Southern Dialect. The use of double negatives, incorrect tenses and the deletion of words is done to reflect the sound and tone of the 1950's creating an economy of speech that was prevalent at that time. This does not mean that the characters are ignorant or that they will always speak incorrectly ... they are simply comfortable with each other and their speech reflects this.