The importance of being thankful, and of showing that we are thankful people. TF (Thankful), JF (Joyful), LW (Lukewarm) and MT (Empty) are the members of the Hart family who display their hearts to a neighbour.
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Cast:.
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5 m or f.
TF (Thankful) Hart, male .
JF (Joyful) Hart, female.
LW (Lukewarm) Hart, m or f (son or daughter).
MT (Empty) Hart, m or f (son or daughter).
Alvin, neighbour, m or f.
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Set:.
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The scene is a front porch, could be totally bare or there may be a screen door for backdrop 5 chairs (rocking chairs if available).
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Props:.
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whittling knives, a stick of wood for men, knitting needles and yarn for women.
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Special Instructions: Although the characterization can be whatever the director wishes, I see this as being a kind of “Clampett family” as in the old Beverly Hillbillies TV series..
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Sample of script:.
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TF and JF are sitting on stage, TF is whittling, JF is knittingAlvin is at extreme leftstage, raking lawn. He tries not to notice what is going on with the other actors.
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After a moment of action TF, pauses, stretches, looks around, smiles.
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TF: I do declare it is a gorgeous day for sittin’ here on the front porch, JF..
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JF: A gorgeous day it is for a fact TF..
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TF: Way I figure, JF, ain’t no person alive can look out at this day and not be thankful..
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LW comes slowly shuffling his way on stage.
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JF: Well, could be the one living exception just showed up..
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TF: Hey LW, how you doin’ on such an all ‘round gorgeous day?.
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LW: Well, it is some gorgeous, TF, I’ll give you that. . . . but hot sun that!.
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JF: Awwww but so nice to have a sunny day, not a cloud in the sky!.
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LW, shading eyes, looking up in the sky: Oh there’s clouds, can’t just see them real clear, but the clouds, they will be there somewhere. And when they come along and cover the sun, why it will be mighty chilly, you got my word on that JF..
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TF: Me I can’t see no clouds anywhere, and it is purely God’s beautiful day, and I for sure am thankful, I’ll flat out tell you that LW..
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LW: It’s a fair day, I am with you on that TF. But when things are going too good you know the time has come for the pendulum to start swinging! So my guess is we will have snow any day now..
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JF: LW, you never was one to see the sunny side of life, as I recollect..
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TF: One of them there “glass half empty” rather than “glass half full” kinda fellers, strikes me..
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MT plods slowly on stage, forlorn expression.
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LW: Be that as it may, here comes the guy whose glass is always broke. How’s things MT?.
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MT: Things? How’s things you ask? Things are at an all-time low and getting worse is what!.
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JF: Oh come on there, MT! Things is never that bad, and you know it! Some day you are gonna shock us all and be happy!.
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MT: I tried that once! Worst 10 minutes of my whole life is what!.
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TF: MT, seems like your whole life is just full of . . nothing really..
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MT: Absolutely, exactly..
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LW: Got to learn to be more like me MT..
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