CERELLA OF STANTO ISLAND
Cast of Characters:
CERELLA, 25, an up-beat Italian girl with a New Jersey accent; works as a hairdresser and isn't in tune with the gossip of the town.
TRACY, 25, an Italian energetic gossip queen who loves using her hands when she talks and telling people the latest news of the town; Cerella's best friend.
GODFATHER, 45, Cerella's mysterious Uncle Joe who has a lot of loose end jobs; likes gives off the impression he's a tough Italian man but really is kind, especially towards Cerella.
CINDY, 24, the Step sister of Cerella who is a quiet girl and not as mean as Cerella makes her out to be.
FREDDIE JR, 26, a nice guy who's tall, tan, and very handsome.
The play takes place in a small town in Stanton Island, New Jersey
SCENE I
AT RISE:
(It is mid afternoon on a sunny August day. In the center of the stage there is a table with two chairs and the background of a restaurant behind it. To the right and left of the restaurant are backgrounds of rows of stores. A light is shining on the center of the stage. CERELLA and TRACY come walking out of the restaurant door carrying their ordered food. They sit down at the out door eating patio table. CERELLA is dressed in her plain black salon uniform accessorized with brightly colored earrings, bracelets, rings, and fake nails. TRACY is dressed in a tight animal printed dress accessorized with jewelry, fake nails, and extensions in her hair. The only sound heard is the clattering of their jewelry and clanking of their high heels and a faint sound of diner music in the background.)
CERELLA: (taking a bit of her food) I'm so hungry.
TRACY: I know. This is my favorite place to eat. I'm so glad we came here. We haven't had time to do this in a long time.
CERELLA: I know. I've been workin at the salon every day since my step father decided I needed a job to pay for things on my own.
TRACY: (with a disgusted look on her face) I can not believe that man. I really don't understand how you could even live with him, he's always—
CERELLA: (looking around in curiosity and not paying attention to TRACY'S ranting) Hey Tracy what's that place over there?
TRACY: Cerella, where have ya been? It's The Castle. It's the talk of the town.
CERELLA: (shocked) Are you serious? How come I haven't heard of it?
TRACY: I don' know but anyone who's tan and juiced will be there tonight.
CERELLA: Tonight? What's tonight?
TRACY: Cerella I'm telling ya if it wasn't for me I swear u'd be livin in a shoebox. You'd think with you workin in a salon all day and night you'd hear some gossip. But anyway, tonight's the opening night of da Castle!
CERELLA: Oh my gosh! I haven't heard any of this.
TRACY: (leaning in closer to CERELLA) Yes! And apparently Freddie junior, ya know the son of Freddie De Lucia, the man that owns practically every tanning salon in the area is gonna be there. (In secret) Rumor has it he's been lookin around for a nice girl to wear on his arm.
CERELLA: (shocked and out of the loop) Freddie De Lucia has a son?
TRACY: Yes! (Casually) He's always at the gym with that Tony Gallo and Sal Marino but I don' know if you've ever seen him around, he's a low key kinda guy and a good lookin one too. (Making quotations with her hands) His friends call him "da Prince". (Pause) Ya know, he'd be good for you, a nice tan, Italian, juice head.
CERELLA: (rolls her eyes) Tracy, you know I'm not the superficial type. (Pause, with a smile on her face) But if I was, what's he look like?
TRACY: Ya know he looks like your typical tan and muscular Italian, except tanner and more muscular.
CERELLA: Oh my gosh, I gotta meet this "Prince"!
TRACY: Oh my gosh Cerell, we gotta go tonight!
CERELLA: We have to! (Putting money on the table and getting up) Let's finish up here 'cause we gotta go get our nails done and go tanning. I got this leopard dress and black pumps last week that I can wear; it'll be perfect.
TRACY: (excited) Oh that will look so cute!
CERELLA: Remind me to stop and get some bronzer on the way home. I gotta look extra tan for tonight and I feel like I need a darker shade anyway.
TRACY: (getting up from the table) Yeah Cerella we gotta make sure you look good. (Leaning in and saying in a low gossip) I heard that step sista of yours, Cindy, has been askin around about Freddie. Monica and Rita were telling me she's after him and are gonna be there tonight.
CERELLA: (walking off stage right) Oh that's it, we gotta go! We can't let that happen.
TRACY: (walking off stage right next to CERELLA) I know right!
Curtains close
SCENE II
AT RISE:
(It is later in the afternoon the same day. CERELLA walks into her bedroom carrying a shopping bag and is talking on the phone. Her room is painted a bright lime green on the walls. Her bedspread, pillows, curtains, and rug are all covered with animal prints. Her room is messy with clothes and shoes thrown around.)
CERELLA (on the phone with TRACY) Tracy I can't believe the price on this bronzer. I know it's actually ridiculous, I'm going back tomorrow to get like another three packs. (Walking stage right towards her closet and looking franticly through her clothes) Im gonna look amazing now with my leopard dress. (Laughs) I know right. (Frustrated and looking around her room) Oh my gosh, I can't find my outfit! (Walks stage left over to her mirror and reads a post-it note on it) Tracy you'll never believe this. (Angry and yelling) My mother left me a note: Cerella, I told Cindy she could borrow that leopard dress of yours. It'll be nice for you to share your things. PS: I told her she could take the car tonight too. (Panicking) Tracy, what am I suppose to do know? (Hears a knock on the door) Yea Trace I'll call ya back someone's here. (walks stage up and opens door of her bedroom) Oh if it's not my very own godfather! How you doin' Uncle Joe?
GODFATHER: Fine. How you doin?
CERELLA: Terrible, Cindy just finding new ways to ruin my life.
GODFATHER: I never liked that girl. I told ya mother not to marry that man but why would she listen to her own bother.
CERELLA: (pacing up and down her room) She just came in here and took the dress I was gonna wear tonight to The Castle. Now I have nothing to wear and probably won't be able to go.
GODFATHER: Nonsense! Hold on, I'll be right back. (Leaves stage left and returns with a bag)
GODFATHER: Listen, I just finished a job at the department store and I have a few dresses in my trunk—
CERELLA: (waving her hand in frustration) Oh Uncle Joe, you and your "jobs". I'm not wearing a dress you stole.
GODFATHER: Sweetheart, I didn't steal nothing. There was a pile of clothes just sitting there and I asked the lady next to them if I could take them of her hands. She just stood there, kinda like a statue, and said nothing—
CERELLA: (shocked) Uncle Joe, you stole the dresses from a manikin? I can't wear that!
GODFATHER: (laughing) No sweetheart I'm just messing with you, the owner of the department store is a friend of mine. He told me to pick out a dress for my lady for my troubles. So I did. (Pulls a pale blue beaded dress out of the bag and holds it up) This dress. (Handing her the dress) I think you need it more than my lady so wear it tonight.
CERELLA: (gasps at the sight of the dress) Are you sure? (Jumping in place in excitement) You're seriously like the best godfather in the world you now that? (Grabbing her keys ready to leave) But I gotta go find a new pair of pumps now.
GODFATHER: (steps in front of the door) Slow down there sweetheart, (pulls out a pair of shoes from the bag) you think I'd leave without giving you shoes? What kind of godfather would I be if I did that?
CERELLA: (eyes light up at the sight of the shoes; sarcastically) From your friend?
GODFATHER: (handing CERELLA the shoes) Yea, again, for my troubles.
CERELLA: (taking the shoes in her hands and examining them in awe) Uncle Joe, you are seriously the best. The glass heels on these things are beautiful and will give me like another five inches. (walks stage left and holds the dress and shoes up in front of the mirror) Thank you my one and only godfather! You're a life saver.
GODFATHER: (reading the note on the mirror) No problem baby doll. Now from this note it seems like u don't have a ride there either.
CERELLA: (Shrugs in disappointment) Ugh I forgot about that!
GODFATHER: (puts his car keys in her hand) I've got you covered sweetheart. I got a brand new Porsche convertible outside that you could borrow for the night.
CERELLA: (walks upstage and looks out the window) A Porsche convertible? When and how did you get that?
GODFATHER: (walks upstage and looks out the window too) It's a beauty ain't it! (Walks stage left and sits on her bed) But it's just for today. Again, I did a job for a friend who owns a car dealership and he gave it to me to take for a test drive. I gotta take it back tomorrow though. (Looks at his watch and gets up from the bed) Well honey, your Uncle Joe's gotta go now. (Walking over the CERELLA) I got another job at the barber shop to finish up.
CERELLA: (questioning looking on her face) The barber's shop? Uncle Joe what is it that you do anyway?
GODFATHER: Ahh I'm a lotta things: an electrician, plumper, exterminator, and (pausing and hugging CERELLA) a fairy godfather when I need to be.
CERELLA: Thanks Uncle Joe.
GODFATHER: (walking to the door) No problem Cerella. (Closing the door behind him) Have a good time tonight. (Turns around and opens the door again) Oh and Cerella—
CERELLA: Yea?
GODFATHER: Listen, I don't want you driving home to late at night, so be home by midnight alright?
CERELLA: (smiling) Alright Uncle Joe.
GODFATHER: (closing the door behind him) Twelve o'clock sharp! I'll be calling ya. (Closes the door and exits stage left. CERELLA smiling and standing in front of mirror holding dress up)
Curtains Close.
SCENE III
AT RISE:
(It is the next day in the afternoon. The Curtain is closed and loud music is playing. As the curtains open, CERELLA and TRACY are in CERELLA'S bedroom. TRACY in laying on the bottom of CERELLA'S bed and CERELLA is fist pumping to the music and dancing around.)
TRACY: (getting up from the bed and walks stage down to turn off the stereo) Alright! Alright Cerella! (Anticipation on her face) I get it now please finish the story! I can't take it any longer!
CERELLA: (very bubbly and re-enacting everything she does) Okay, okay, okay! So we were fist pumping like all night which was so much fun! Like I seriously I have never seen someone who's as good as a fist pumper as this guy.
TRACY: (walks stage up and sits on the bed while bouncing up and down) Ahh! Cerella you are like the luckiest girl I know!
CERELLA: I know right! So after like a while of dancing we were both really hot and I was starting to get uncomfortable so we went outside…
TRACY: (clutching a pillow in her hands) Yea! Yea!
CERELLA: So we were talkin and talking and then (pauses and walks stage right over to TRACY and re-enacts what she says) he takes my hands in his and looks into my eyes.
TRACY: OH MY GOSH CARELLA! And then…
CERELLA: (drops TRACY'S hands and suddenly the excitement is drained from her face) And then my cell phone goes off! (Falls forward on her bed) It was my godfather calling me at twelve o'clock on the dot, making sure I was leaving.
TRACY: (disappointed and shocked) WHAATT?
CERELLA: I know! And my godfather was waiting for me at my house for the car so I had to leave right then and there.
TRACY: (sympathetic) Cerell that's horrible. I'm so sorry!
CERELLA: Well there's good news and bad news to the story…
TRACY: (excitement rising to her face again) Oh well what is it?
CERELLA: Well the bad news is that when I was walking to my car I dropped the new bronzer that I bought today. The good news is that before I left I gave him my number and he said he's gonna call me!
TRACY: (bouncing on the bed again) AHHH! CERELLA! THAT'S GREAT!
(Someone knocking on the door)
CERELLA: Hold on Tracy. (Walks stage left and opens the door)
CINDY: (whipping tears from her eyes) Hi, Cerella I just wanted to give you your dress back. (handing CERELLA the dress) Thank you for letting me borrow it.
CERELLA: (no emotion) yea, you're welcome. What about the shoes?
CINDY: (eyes pop open and panic strikes her) Ah, I have them in my room. I'll get them for. (Turns around and walks away)
CERELLA: (no emotion) OK. Whatever. (closes the door behind her)
TRACY: What's with her?
CERELLA: What are you talkin about?
TRACY: Well clearly she's upset about something since she had like a river flowing outta her eyes.
CERELLA: (dismissive) Oh yea, she's been crying like that all day. Something about a guy last night, I don' know the whole story.
TRACY: (getting off the bed) Uhm that's ashame. Listen I gotta go to work but I'll call ya later. (With excitement) Ah I'm so happy for your! Keep me updated. (walks to the door stage left)
CERELLA: Alright Tracy I will. Bye.
TRACY: (closes the door and exits) Bye.
Curtains close.
SCENE IV
AT RISE:
(It is about an hour after TRACY leaves. CERELLA is in the kitchen eating lunch at the table when she hears a knock on the door.)
CERELLA: (walks stage left and opens the door) Hello. Who are you?
FREDDIE JR: Hey, how you doin'? I'm Freddie DeLuca (pause) Junior.
CERELLA: (with attitude) Yea so, why you here?
FREDDIE JR: (hesitant) Well last night at The Caste—
CERELLA: Yea?
FREDDIE JR: Ah well I was dancin with some girl and she must have takin her shoes off or something to dance ya know—
CERELLA: (getting impatient) Yea it happens. So spit it out, what do ya want?
FREDDIE JR: (talking faster) See she left before we got to actually talk. All I know is her name is Cinderella or something and she couldn't find one of her shoes when she was leaving because there were so many people in there. So after everyone left a worker found it and gave it to me and asked if I knew whose it was. (Holds up a black shoe) So I took it and I asked around and found out she lives here.
CERELLA: (surprised) Hey that's my shoe!
FREDDIE JR: (shocked) So you're Cinderella?
(CINDY enters stage right into the room with her head down and one black shoe in her hand)
CINDY: (in a small voice) Cerella, I have to tell you something.
CERELLA: (to FREDDIE JR with attitude) No. I'm Cerella.
FREDDIE JR: (as if he made a connection in he's head) Oh so you're Cerella. (Confused) So who's Cinderella?
CINDY: (still with her head down) Cerella, I lost your other— (looks up and is shocked)
CERELLA: (annoyed to CINDY) Yea you lost my other shoe? I know. (to FREDDIE JR. un-amused and points to CINDY) That's Cindy or since we're addressing her by her full name now, that's Cinderella.
CINDY: (to FREDDIE JR) Freddie?
FREDDIE: (delighted) Cindy!
CERELLA: (taking one shoe from CINDY and the other from FREDDIE. Un-amused) yea, yea, Cinderella meets her prince Charming. (walks stage up to the table to eat her lunch)
FREDDIE: (to Cindy) So Cindy, do you wanna go out to grab a coffee or something.
CINDY: Sure.
FREDDIE: Well let's go. (they begin to walk out the door and as Freddie is starting to shut the door behind him he turns around) Oh Cerella?
CERELLA: Yea?
FREDDIE: I'm cousins with Mikey, he said you guys met last night. I told him. When I told him I was stopping by here, he asked me to give this to you. (pulls out a pack of bronzer from his pocket and leaves it on the table) Here you go. (Smiling) I'll be sure to tell him I met you and how lovely you are. (Turns around and walks out the door stage left).
CERELLA: (drops her sandwich from her hands) oh.
Curtains Close.