SCENES FOR TEENS: Hungry Elsa at Breakfast
Comedic scenes for teen actors by Gabriel Davis
SCENE 2: ELSA AT BREAKFAST, FRANNIE'S HOUSE, KITCHEN
MOM
Um …. who is your .. friend … honey?
ELSA
I’m Els…
FRANNIE
Elsie, this is Elsie. She’s … an exchange student from Norway and … funny story. You know the Johnsons down the road, they are her host family but they had to go out of town for a … a friend’s wedding in India and so … rather than have Elsie stay all by herself in that big lonely house, I thought … maybe she could stay with us … just until they get back?
MOM
Oh … um …
DAD
Sounds great! Elsie, do you like lutefisk? I know it’s popular with the Norwegians. I’m a big fan of lutefisk myself … great excuse to stock up our fridge up with some lutefisk …
MOM
Oh, no … dear … please.
DAD
But until then, what do you girls say to some of these chocolate chip banana pancakes?
ELSA
Oh yes please!
DAD
Help yourself, help yourself, don’t be shy!
MOM
None for me dear. The annual fundraiser is just weeks away, and all the big donors will be watching my weight.
DAD
That can’t be true.
MOM
It seems like the less I eat, the more they donate.
DAD
All the wives are like sticks. Afraid to sneeze at the school fundraiser, they might blow away!
MOM
Well, we sticks gotta stick together. Am I right, girls? I’m having a delightful parsley and cucumber smoothie for breakfast. Any takers?
ELSA
Try to see this and believe it.
FRANNIE
I believe, I believe!
ELSA
Do you?
FRANNIE
I really do. Dad these pancakes are sooooo good.
ELSA
(Trying to get a fork full of pancake to her mouth, an invisible force seems to be blocking it)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
MOM
Are you alright, dear?
ELSA
No, I am not ok! I want to eat this delicious looking morsel, but the collective imagination of girls everywhere, your daughter included, cannot fathom the idea of me placing it inside my mouth!
MOM
Have some smoothie.
ELSA
(Drinks it)
But apparently this they have no problem imagining.
FRANNIE
She’s just talking about some of the pressures we’re facing from some of the girls at school.
DAD
Stick moms are raisin’ stick daughters, huh? Gotta figure out a way to stick it to ‘em.
MOM
Well this stick’s gotta run. I’ve got a fundraiser to plan!
(Exit Mom)
DAD
I’ve got it – speed eating!
ELSA
This sounds Fascinating. What is this speed eating?
DAD
A great way to break the taboo of eating a little junk, is to eat a lot, fast.
Now, in my young days I actually placed third as Nathan’s National Hotdog eating championship.
I taught Frannie here my secret squash and gulp technique couple years back, kids a natural. I bet you could place if you ever wanted to compete, make yer old man proud and blaze a trail for those scaredy sticks at your school to follow. Someone’s gotta step up and lead!
What do you girls think? Are you ready to change some minds and hearts?
ELSA
Yes. Change minds and hearts. That’s it.
FRANNIE
No, dad, I’m not … my stomach hurts just thinking about it, just no.
DAD
Why?
FRANNIE
It’d be a mistake.
DAD
But tell me why?
FRANNIE
No dad …
DAD
Tell me why
Wasn’t nothin but a tummy ache
Tell me why
Speed eatin aint no mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I’m puttin the hot dogs away
FRANNIE
I’m puttin the hot dogs away.
ELSA
I’ll work on her.
DAD
Great. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta drop a deuce!
(Exits)
FRANNIE
Ooh, dad!
ELSA
Frannie.
FRANNIE
I am not becoming a competitive speed eater to … free your hungry soul or whatever. Not happening.
ELSA
Nathans hot dog event is big, national exposure. What if we printed a t-shirt for you with my likeness on it kicking back some wieners.
FRANNIE
You realize how wrong that sounds?
ELSA
If the world could see you being celebrated, a national eating champion, while wearing my image … maybe people would start to believe in that image of me?
FRANNIE
No
ELSA
If we can capture the imagination of girls the world over … if we can get them to imagine me a little bit rounder … maybe I can finally land a chocolate banana pancake on the moon!
The moon is my mouth in that metaphor.
FRANNIE
It’s a terrible metaphor.
Alright, I’ve got to get to school. We’ll need to figure out a place for you to hang for the day.
ELSA
How about school?
FRANNIE
No. I’m taking you to a place called Starbucks.
(Exit Frannie, Elsa following after)
SCENE 2: ELSA AT BREAKFAST, FRANNIE'S HOUSE, KITCHEN
MOM
Um …. who is your .. friend … honey?
ELSA
I’m Els…
FRANNIE
Elsie, this is Elsie. She’s … an exchange student from Norway and … funny story. You know the Johnsons down the road, they are her host family but they had to go out of town for a … a friend’s wedding in India and so … rather than have Elsie stay all by herself in that big lonely house, I thought … maybe she could stay with us … just until they get back?
MOM
Oh … um …
DAD
Sounds great! Elsie, do you like lutefisk? I know it’s popular with the Norwegians. I’m a big fan of lutefisk myself … great excuse to stock up our fridge up with some lutefisk …
MOM
Oh, no … dear … please.
DAD
But until then, what do you girls say to some of these chocolate chip banana pancakes?
ELSA
Oh yes please!
DAD
Help yourself, help yourself, don’t be shy!
MOM
None for me dear. The annual fundraiser is just weeks away, and all the big donors will be watching my weight.
DAD
That can’t be true.
MOM
It seems like the less I eat, the more they donate.
DAD
All the wives are like sticks. Afraid to sneeze at the school fundraiser, they might blow away!
MOM
Well, we sticks gotta stick together. Am I right, girls? I’m having a delightful parsley and cucumber smoothie for breakfast. Any takers?
ELSA
Try to see this and believe it.
FRANNIE
I believe, I believe!
ELSA
Do you?
FRANNIE
I really do. Dad these pancakes are sooooo good.
ELSA
(Trying to get a fork full of pancake to her mouth, an invisible force seems to be blocking it)
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
MOM
Are you alright, dear?
ELSA
No, I am not ok! I want to eat this delicious looking morsel, but the collective imagination of girls everywhere, your daughter included, cannot fathom the idea of me placing it inside my mouth!
MOM
Have some smoothie.
ELSA
(Drinks it)
But apparently this they have no problem imagining.
FRANNIE
She’s just talking about some of the pressures we’re facing from some of the girls at school.
DAD
Stick moms are raisin’ stick daughters, huh? Gotta figure out a way to stick it to ‘em.
MOM
Well this stick’s gotta run. I’ve got a fundraiser to plan!
(Exit Mom)
DAD
I’ve got it – speed eating!
ELSA
This sounds Fascinating. What is this speed eating?
DAD
A great way to break the taboo of eating a little junk, is to eat a lot, fast.
Now, in my young days I actually placed third as Nathan’s National Hotdog eating championship.
I taught Frannie here my secret squash and gulp technique couple years back, kids a natural. I bet you could place if you ever wanted to compete, make yer old man proud and blaze a trail for those scaredy sticks at your school to follow. Someone’s gotta step up and lead!
What do you girls think? Are you ready to change some minds and hearts?
ELSA
Yes. Change minds and hearts. That’s it.
FRANNIE
No, dad, I’m not … my stomach hurts just thinking about it, just no.
DAD
Why?
FRANNIE
It’d be a mistake.
DAD
But tell me why?
FRANNIE
No dad …
DAD
Tell me why
Wasn’t nothin but a tummy ache
Tell me why
Speed eatin aint no mistake
Tell me why
I never wanna hear you say
I’m puttin the hot dogs away
FRANNIE
I’m puttin the hot dogs away.
ELSA
I’ll work on her.
DAD
Great. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta drop a deuce!
(Exits)
FRANNIE
Ooh, dad!
ELSA
Frannie.
FRANNIE
I am not becoming a competitive speed eater to … free your hungry soul or whatever. Not happening.
ELSA
Nathans hot dog event is big, national exposure. What if we printed a t-shirt for you with my likeness on it kicking back some wieners.
FRANNIE
You realize how wrong that sounds?
ELSA
If the world could see you being celebrated, a national eating champion, while wearing my image … maybe people would start to believe in that image of me?
FRANNIE
No
ELSA
If we can capture the imagination of girls the world over … if we can get them to imagine me a little bit rounder … maybe I can finally land a chocolate banana pancake on the moon!
The moon is my mouth in that metaphor.
FRANNIE
It’s a terrible metaphor.
Alright, I’ve got to get to school. We’ll need to figure out a place for you to hang for the day.
ELSA
How about school?
FRANNIE
No. I’m taking you to a place called Starbucks.
(Exit Frannie, Elsa following after)