Hope for Hope

Here is my latest work. This play came about, from the fact that for a long time adopting a child has been on my mind, and it is something I want to do, when I get married and become steady in my career. With that being said I give you "Hope for Hope"

Cast of Characters

Hope………………………………………A 5 year old girl, who was abandoned as an infant

Ms. Tara………………………………....Head of the girls home where Hope is at

Melanie Porter…………………………………...Hope’s adoptive mom

Brett Porter………………………………………..Hope’s adoptive dad

Meredith Porter………………………………….Hope’s older adoptive sister and Molly and Brock’s older sister, who is 16 years old

Molly Porter……………………………………….Hope’s older adoptive sister, Meredith’s younger sister, and Brock’s older sister,  who is 12 years old

Brock Porter……………………………………….Hope’s older adoptive brother and Meredith and Molly’s younger brother, who is 7 years old.

Scene I

Time: Friday. Mid-morning (9:30 am). Halloween 2014

Setting: Grins and Giggles Girls Home. Nolensville, Tennessee

(At Rise we see HOPE running around playing and MS. TARA getting ready to page HOPE to her office)

HOPE

Good morning Ms. Tara! Happy Halloween!!!

MS. TARA

Oh, good morning Hope. Happy Halloween to you too! I was just about to page you to my office.

HOPE

Why were you going to page me to your office? I did not do anything wrong did I?

MS. TARA

No honey, of course you did not do anything wrong. Do you remember last week when I was talking to you about how you may be adopted soon?

HOPE

Yes I remember. You told me not to get my hopes up just in case something were to happen, and I was not chosen to be adopted.

MS. TARA

I know I told you that. Although today is your day! J

(HOPE looks at MS. TARA confused)

HOPE

What do you mean today is my day? What makes today different from any other day?

MS. TARA

Well today is the day you will be going home to your forever family!

HOPE

Really? (Excitedly) This is the best news ever. I hope they are nice!

MS. TARA

I am sure they will be. They will be here at 10:30 am, so you can meet them and you can be their daughter.

HOPE

But wait the Halloween party is at 11:00 am, I will miss all the fun.

MS. TARA

No you won’t. I told them to be here at 10:30 am, so you could meet them and get to know them, and then they can come to the Halloween party with you.

HOPE

Oh, yay! This is going to be the best day ever!! J

(MS. TARA and HOPE exit)

End Scene

Scene II

Setting: Porter Home. Nolensville, Tennessee

(At Rise we see MELANIE in the living room of the Porter home with BRETT getting ready to go pick up HOPE)

MELANIE

Honey today is going to be a really great day.

BRETT

I know! I can’t wait until we have Hope in our arms. I bet she will be daddy’s girl just like Meredith.

MELANIE

Or she could be a mama’s girl like Molly is. And then Brock is a total daddy’s boy.

BRETT

Yeah I know. When Brock was born I got my little buddy.

MELANIE

Well I am glad you have someone you can do manly things with and bond with over sports.

(MEREDITH and MOLLY come downstairs to the living room)

MEREDITH

Hey, mom what do you think it will be like when Hope gets here?

MOLLY

Yeah, will she be a little hyper and bouncing off the walls. Or shy and reserved?

MEREDITH

Will she cry a lot the first few days? Will our family dynamic change?

BRETT

These are all great questions girls.

MELANIE

Your father is right these are good questions. We really do not know her personality, other than what was in her file that is at Grins and Giggles Girls Home.

BRETT

Your mother is right. Hope has not had that love from parents ever, so we don’t know how long her clinginess will last, or if she will be resistant to wanting to be held and just be left alone until she warms up to us.

(BROCK comes downstairs joining his family in the living room)

BROCK

Hey, when will it be time to go get Hope?

BRETT

Soon buddy. According to the head of the girls home, Ms. Tara, she said to be there at 10:30.

MELANIE

(Checking her watch) It is 9:50, so I want you guys to help me carry stuff out to the car. Today is their Halloween party, and I have candy to give to all the girls there. Also, I need someone to put the booster in the car, and grab her gift we got her.

(Everyone gets everything loaded in the car and on their way to Grins and Giggles Girls Home)

End Scene

Scene III

Time: Friday. Halloween morning. 10:20 am

Setting: Grins and Giggles Girls Home

BRETT

Here we are! Everyone ready to go meet Hope.

MELANIE

Yes, I cannot wait to her home where she belongs.

BROCK:

Yay!! We are here!!! I cannot wait to be a big brother, where I can protect Hope.

MOLLY

Yeah, now I will have a little sister to do things with and show her how to do all things girl.

MEREDITH

Let’s quit talking about it and get in there, so we can see her.

(They all enter Grins and Giggles Girls Home)

BRETT

Okay first let’s go find out where we need to go

MELANIE

Well first we need to find Ms. Tara, so she can give us further instructions

(They head inside and spot MS. TARA)

MS. TARA

Good morning Porter family! I bet you are very excited to meet Hope.

MELANIE

Yes, we are all very excited to have our daughter home, where she belongs

BROCK

Yeah, I finally get to be a big brother.

MS. TARA

Are you going to protect Hope?

(BROCK starts to nod)

BROCK

Yes, of course! She is going to be my little sister, so it will be my job to protect her from mean boys.

(MS. TARA smiles)

MS. TARA

Well that is very nice of you. I am sure she will love having you for her big brother.

(Pause)

Now if you will all follow me down the hall I will show you where Hope is.

(MS. TARA takes the family to the playroom where Hope is)

Hope, can you come here for a second.

HOPE

Yes, Ms. Tara. What do you need?

MS. TARA

Hope, I would like to introduce you to your adoptive family. This is Melanie, your adoptive mom and Brett, your adoptive dad. And these are their kids, which are your older sisters and brother: Meredith, Molly, and Brock.

(HOPE starts getting overwhelmed hiding behind MS. TARA)

HOPE

What’s going on? Don’t let them take me.

(MS. TARA bends down giving reassurance to HOPE)

MS. TARA

Hope, everything will be okay. These are the ones who are adopting you. They are going to take you to a very nice and loving home, where you will continue to grow up and have everything you will ever need.

(MS. TARA motions for MELANIE to come reassure HOPE)

MELANIE

Hope, we are here to love you and give you a wonderful life

(Pause)

Do you want to come sit on my lap?

(HOPE nods)

That’s my big girl.

HOPE

Can we go to the Halloween party now?

MELANIE

Of course we can.

(HOPE getting more comfortable with MELANIE takes her hand)

End Scene

Scene IV

Setting: Grins and Giggles’ Activity Room

Time: Friday morning. 11:00 am.

HOPE

Come on let’s go to the Activity Room for the Halloween Party

MELANIE

Okay we are heading that way now.

(They get to the activity room, where it is decorated for Halloween)

Hope, would you like some food?

HOPE

Yes mommy. Oops, sorry! I mean Melanie

MELANIE

Hope, it is okay I am your mommy now, so you can call me mommy. Would you like to come with me and show me what food you want.

HOPE

Yes I want to come with you.

MELANIE

Here you go Hope. Why don’t you come sit next to daddy while I get you some punch.

(HOPE spots Anna and Elsa from Frozen while eating)

HOPE

Daddy, after I eat will you take me over there to see Anna and Elsa?

BRETT

Of course I will princess! But you need to make sure you eat your food first.

HOPE

Yes! Thank you daddy!!

(HOPE finishes her food and BRETT takes her to see Anna and Elsa)

BRETT

Very good for finishing your food. You are a good eater.

HOPE

Thank you daddy! Now let’s go see Anna and Elsa

(HOPE runs toward the Frozen characters)

BRETT

Whoa Hope slow down. They are not going anywhere.

HOPE

Sorry I am just very excited! I love the movie Frozen!!

BRETT

It’s okay. You love the movie Frozen. You are just like both of your sisters they like Frozen, too. Who is your favorite character?

HOPE

My favorite character is Elsa. She is the best one in the whole movie

BRETT

Elsa is your sister, Meredith’s, favorite character also. I bet you two will have fun singing “Let It Go”

(BRETT takes HOPE’S picture with Anna and Elsa)

HOPE

Now can you take me to bob for apples, please daddy.

BRETT

I actually need to go talk to mommy and Ms. Tara. Why don’t you see if Molly will take you to bob for apples?

HOPE

Oh alright daddy.

(HOPE goes to find MOLLY)

MOLLY

Hi Hope. Are you having fun?

HOPE

Yes I am. I was wondering if you would go with me to bob for apples.

MOLLY

Okay, but just for a little while, because I don’t want to get all wet.

HOPE

Yay! Thank you sissy!

MOLLY

No problem Hope!

(HOPE sticks her head in the water trying to get an apple)

HOPE

Look sissy I got one!

MOLLY

Awesome job Hope!

(HOPE tries to hug MOLLY)

Hope, no hugging me until you dry. I don’t want to get wet.

(HOPE starts crying and runs to MELANIE)

MELANIE

Hope, what’s wrong sweetie?

HOPE

Molly said I can’t hug her

MELANIE

Well, Hope you are wet from the water and she just doesn’t want to get wet. Just wait until you dry and you can give her a hug

HOPE

Okay mommy.

(MELANIE gathers the family with HOPE so they can leave)

End Scene

Scene V

Setting: Porter Home. Nolensville, Tennessee

Time: Halloween Night. 5:00 pm.

(MELANIE is in the kitchen prepping dinner and sees HOPE come to the living room)

MELANIE

Hey, Hope do you want to help me cook dinner?

HOPE

Can I really help you?

MELANIE

Of course you can. Go get a chair, and you can stir the chili for me. That will be a big help.

HOPE

(Looking for MELANIE’S approval)

Like this mama?

MELANIE

That is exactly right Hope. Very good! Okay, dinner is almost finished why don’t you go wash your hands and tell your brother and sisters and your daddy that dinner is ready.

(HOPE runs off to find the rest of the family and they all enter the dining room)

BRETT

This looks yummy honey, especially on this cold night.

MELANIE

Yeah, I figured I would make something easy, which is warm, since we are taking the kids trick-or-treating tonight.

MEREDITH

Speaking of tonight, don’t forget I am going to a school Halloween dance.

MELANIE

That’s right I have your flapper costume right here, ready for you to put on.

(MELANIE turns her attention to the other three kids)

After you are finished with your dinner I would like you to go put your costumes on, so we can drop off your sister at her dance and start trick-or-treating.

HOPE

But mama I don’t have a Halloween costume.

MELANIE

Of course you do, I went and bought you an Elsa costume and you have a Frozen bag for all your candy.

HOPE

Really!? Oh thank you mama.

MELANIE

Oh you’re welcome baby.

(The Porter kids go get their costumes on and they head out for a full night of trick-or-treating fun)

(MELANIE is in the living room with BRETT after a full night of Halloween fun)

MELANIE

You know Brett this really has been a great day and a great Halloween

BRETT

It really has been. I am so glad that we get to provide a safe secure home for Hope to grow up in.

MELANIE

Yes, I agree with you. I am glad everything went as planned and now Hope is our daughter.

(HOPE comes downstairs just as MELANIE and BRETT are talking)

BRETT

Hey princess!

HOPE

Hey daddy. Hey mama. I just came down to tell you, thank you for adopting me, since most people prefer babies and I am 5 years old. You have really given the hope to have a really great and wonderful life.

MELANIE

Oh Hope no need to thank us. We are very glad to be able to provide you with everything you will ever need and help you in whatever you choose to do in life. Why don’t you go on to bed now, it is getting late and you have had a big first day.

HOPE

(HOPE hugs and kisses MELANIE and BRETT)

Oh alright. Goodnight mama! Goodnight daddy! I love you both so very much

MELANIE & BRETT

Goodnight Hope.

End Scene