War and Pizza

This play will appeal to middle and high schoolers who enjoy history, drama, and a bit of mystery. It’s November 1944 and many people in South Dakota still suffer in the burdens left by the Great Depression. None more so than the Brown family. WWII drags on and every family has a relative serving overseas. The tough decision is made to send the middle son Tom to Denver with the hopes he can earn money to keep the ranch afloat. Once in Denver, Tom is taken under the wing of his conniving uncle and quickly learns the ropes. Ropes that may hang him if he doesn’t make the right decision. Alone and facing the freezing streets of Denver, Tom takes refuge with an impoverished Italian American family. In return, he helps them and makes a discovery that lifts both families out of poverty.

About the playwright:

Kathleen Maule Holen has been writing plays since 2018 and has had over a dozen works published and /or performed. Several of her narrated and cued children’s plays have been published by Drama Notebook. She is a retired Nurse Practitioner and Archaeologist and is enjoying her third career as a playwright from her home in Kansas.

Excerpt from the play:

CHARACTERS

Tom Brown – middle son, coming of age
“Ma” Sarah Brown – ranch wife
Walt Brown – Pa, rancher
Andy Brown – youngest son or daughter
John Brown – second oldest son, stepping into his father’s role
Corporal William Brown – oldest son, fighting for the U.S. in Italy
Dr. Furness – family physician, older man or woman
Uncle Charlie – Walt’s unscrupulous brother
Tony Oliva – owner of the Italian Café in Denver, CO, U.S.
Mama Oliva – Italian chef/Tony’s wife, anxious mother
Monsieur Le Beau – owner of French Restaurant and Maître D’
Francois – waiter (May double)
Officer Jefferson – Denver Police Officer (May double)
Restaurant Customer – new to Italian food (May double)
Soldier – wounded, just back from fighting in Italy (May double)
Customers – non-speaking diners
Officer Scott – local Canyon City Police Officer

ACT 1 Scene 1

(November 1944 in Canyon City, SD. The Brown family living room. Loud rattling coughs are heard off-stage right. Ma and Dr. Furness enter stage right.)

Dr. Furness: I’m afraid the news is not good Mrs. Brown. Your husband has pneumonia.

Ma: No. Oh no, please, no.

Dr. Furness: I’ve given him an antibiotic injection. If it works, you should see improvement in twelve to twenty-four hours.

Ma: And if it doesn’t?

Dr. Furness: Sarah let’s have some coffee.

(Ma goes to the kitchen and returns with mugs and a coffee pot.)

Dr. Furness: Thanks. Sarah, how long have we known each other?

Ma: Must be over twenty years. You delivered William and he’s… Sorry, I can’t
think of him without crying.

Dr. Furness: It’s alright. I know how you feel.

Ma: Do you? Do you really? You and your family are here, safe and sound. I don’t
even know where my son is. He could be starving and cold or dead or captured and I wouldn’t
hear about it for months. I’m sick with anguish every minute of every day.

Dr. Furness: So many are. You have your other sons.

Ma: Is that the line you use when a baby comes stillborn? One child can’t replace
another. And they could come for John any time now. The longer this goes on the more sons I
stand to lose.

Dr. Furness: I’m sorry, I’m just trying to be helpful.

Ma: Then be helpful. Get Walt back on his feet so he can manage this ranch of his.

Dr. Furness: You and the boys are doing a good job of it.

Ma: This is not how I planned to spend my life. If he goes, I will have nothing. I
am nothing on my own.

Dr. Furness: You can trust the Browns to take care of their own.

Ma: Dependent on my in-laws for the rest of my life!

Dr. Furness: Sarah, you need to come to grips with this whether Walt survives or not. The
war is forcing you and a lot of other women into roles you don’t want. But your fears are your
own. I can only listen. I know Pastor Jacobs would offer advice.

Ma: I know. I’m sorry. Walt’s illness has brought all my feelings to the surface.

Dr. Furness: You can’t keep holding them in.

Ma: I’m so angry that he put off getting treatment till he was at death’s door. I feel like he did it on purpose.

Dr. Furness: I don’t think Walt is that kind of guy. I also know most men around here
never come to see me. They all try to tough it out. When they do finally come in, they want to
talk hunting and fishing or the weather. I finally tell them, look, you can keep trying to make me guess why you’re here, or just come out and tell me what’s bothering you today.

(Ma laughs.)

Ma: I’m sorry. You’re right. Men around here are a special breed of stubborn! But
they work hard for their families, and they take care of their wives.

Dr. Furness: I know this is a rough time. You’re going to have to rely on your sons and
your neighbors. Walt’s prognosis is not good. He’s worn himself out by working sick. Even if
the fever breaks it will be a month or more before his lungs heal.

(John, Tom, and Andy enter from the bitter cold outside and overhear Dr. Furness.)

Tom: Ma, what’s going on?

Ma: It’s Pa. He finally let me call Dr. Furness. He’s real sick; he may not make it.

Andy: What can I do to help, Ma?

(The phone rings and everyone freezes, except Dr. Furness who looks at them, confused. Ma is panicked and distraught.)

Ma: No, please, not now. The War is almost over.

(All eyes on the phone as it continues to ring.)

Dr. Furness: Sarah, you should answer your phone. It could be my office calling for me
about another patient.

Ma: Oh, yes. It could be for you.

Tom: It’s ok, Ma. We’re right here with you. Go ahead, answer it.

Ma: Hello? This is Sarah. Oh, hello Mrs. Wilkins. Why yes, we sure could use
some extra firewood. John can come by with the pick-up. Walt? The Dr. has seen him and we’re hoping for the best. No, no word from William yet. The Army is holding back his letters, I guess. Thank you, we appreciate your prayers and the firewood. Goodbye.

Dr. Furness: John, your mother needs to take care of your Father. It will be a long recovery and William is off fighting the Italians. She can’t run this ranch all alone. All you boys have to step up this winter.

John: I’ve been working alongside Pa since I could walk. I know what to do.

Andy: I know, too!

Ma: You’re a good boy, Andy.

John: Tom, take Andy into the kitchen and you two make some lunch. I’ll go pick
up that load of firewood from the Wilkins.

Andy: But I want to be a ranch hand, not a cook!

Tom: Come on Andy. I’ll show you how I make my special batter for fried chicken.
We have to eat and keep strong to do the ranch work.

Andy: Yeah, that’s right. And we’ll be helping Ma.

Dr. Furness: Sarah, you need to be at Walt’s bedside day and night for at least two days. He
will need fluids every hour and a dose of this medicine every four hours.

(Dr. Furness returns to his patient. There’s a knock at the door. Once again everyone freezes in fear.)

Ma: No, it’s almost over.

Tom: I’ll get it.

(Tom, who is nearest the door, opens it and Charlie enters.)

Charlie: Man! I almost forgot South Dakota winters. Almost.

Tom: Uncle Charlie. How’s the winter in Denver, this year?

Charlie: Not as cold and a lot less snow.

Ma: Then why did you leave?

Charlie: I heard my brother is doing poorly. I came to help.

Andy: I’m helping right now, Uncle Charlie. We’re going to cook fried chicken!

Charlie: Well, lucky me. Just in time for lunch.