Pool Party Play Script

Pool Party is a dramedy that details the struggles of party planning while maintaining friendships. Nomi finally has permission to host a pool party, but her excitement is tempered by the fact that she has been given a strict limit on the number of guests allowed. As her girlfriends take over the task of extending invitations without her knowledge, she has to decide if the ensuing drama it is causing is worth it. This play is an excellent ensemble choice with distinct character voices for teen girls!

Patti Veconi is a Brooklyn-based music and drama teacher, director of youth theater, dramaturg and playwright. Though her niche is writing in the adolescent voice, her plays for adults have also been produced in theater festivals around the country. Patti holds a BFA in music theater from Virginia Commonwealth University and a master’s degree in educational theatre from New York University. Patti is published with Eldridge, Heuer and Heartland in the U.S. and with Lazy Bee Scripts in the UK.

Excerpt from the play :

CAST OF CHARACTERS

NAOMI (NOMI) – A young girl planning to host a party, but conflicted about the responsibilities of doing so.

ASHA – Nomi’s best friend and an enthusiastic organizer and leader.

NOREEN – Free spirited and easy going. Noreen can be a little clueless or miss things that should be obvious, but in a charmingly unaffected way.

LENA – A serious student and very pragmatic. Lena is both mature and playful.

JENNA – Very confident and aware of all the boy/girl dynamics, she is unfiltered to the point of being unkind sometimes.

ZIAH – Slightly insecure, and maybe not fully aware of how cute and smart she is. Feels somewhat competitive with Jenna.

SARAH – A cheerful girl who gets along with everyone and wants to see everything work out.

TIME:   Present.
SETTING:   A bare stage.

SCENE 1

(Lights up on NOMI as she addresses the audience.)

NOMI
(Addressing the Audience.) It took weeks for my mom to finally agree to let me have a party – and the rules! You see, it’s a pool party and she’s totally paranoid someone will hit their head and die at the bottom of the pool and nobody will notice until it’s too late and all of our young lives will be ruined. It’s almost not worth it. But I’m pretty sure it is worth it, cuz I really want to have a party. I just hope – well – I hope there’s no drama, you know? But there probably will be. I mean, with my friends, anything can be turned into a crisis.

(NOMI turns around to see ASHA enter.)

ASHA
So?

NOMI
She said yes!

ASHA
Finally.

NOMI
I know.

ASHA
Are you texting or just telling people about it? Ooh, no I know; let’s do a Snapchat invitation!

NOMI
Too risky.

ASHA
How?

NOMI
I’m only allowed to have ten people.

ASHA
What? You can’t do that.

NOMI
It’s the only way my mom would agree. She thinks too many kids won’t be safe.

ASHA
But that’s stupid, it’ll never work. (Ticking off her fingers as she counts.) Sarah, Leah, Noreen – wait, do you and I count as part of the ten?

NOMI
I’m not sure…well, you do.

ASHA
How can I count as one of the ten? I’m your best friend and we’re having the party together.

NOMI
Yeah, but you don’t live in my house, so I’m pretty sure my mom’s going to make me count you.

ASHA
(Shaking her head and ticking off her fingers again.) OK then, me, Sarah, Leah, Noreen, Abigail, Jenna, Ziah, Lena, Dorret…and Jona. That’s ten. I think we can do it.

NOMI
Yeah, it’ll be great. We can even make it a skinny dipping party.

ASHA
(Looking at NOMI like she’s nuts.) Nooooo. What are you talking about?

NOMI
You only listed girls. I did not agree to a lifetime of chores and good grades for an all-girls party.

ASHA
Dang.

NOMI
We have to cut at least four.

ASHA
Cut four of them? No way!

(NOMI Turns to address the audience as ASHA freezes.)

NOMI
See that? See my friend Asha’s face? That is the face of early-onset drama. And she can put out some award-winning performances, let me tell you. I knew it couldn’t possibly just be fun and easy to throw a party.

(NOMI turns back to ASHA.)

NOMI
Here’s what we’re going to do, let’s start with our list of boys first and –

ASHA
Yes! Some of them are obviously persons of interest for certain girls, so that will make the girl list easier.

NOMI
Exactly. Start with Oliver.

ASHA
After what he said to Abigail? Are you kidding?

NOMI
He’s my cousin. I have to invite him.

ASHA
Have to, like, as in your mom said you have to?

NOMI
As in, it’s just understood. Believe me, I don’t have a choice on that one.

ASHA
But Abigail is not one of the cut girls.

NOMI
There are no cut girls at all yet; we’re starting with the boy list, remember?

ASHA
Yes, but whether we start with the boys or not, the girls list already exists on my fingers. (Holding up her fingers to make the point.) We can’t pretend they don’t. This already happened. (She holds up one finger at a time, starting with her thumb.) Sarah, Leah, Abigail…(She stops, waving her middle finger.) See that? Abigail is my middle finger. It’s a sign.

(ASHA’s phone beeps.)

NOMI
And how, exactly, do you read that sign?

ASHA
No idea. (Reading a text on her phone.) That’s Lena. I’m supposed to meet her and Noreen to work on our history presentation.