The February People’s Choice Award Goes to……..

The people have spoken… The February People’s Choice Award goes to Lauren Gorski for her short play, THE PRINCESS DIARIES, presented as a staged reading at Monday Night PlayGround on February 19, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Congratulations, Lauren!

Courtesy of Ms. Gorski, we’re pleased to share the first two pages from the award-winning script. Enjoy!

“The Princess Diaries”
By Lauren Gorski

Character Breakdown
SARAH FORBES BONETTA – West African princess late 19th century – Female – 30s – Black
CLEOPATRA – Ancient Egyptian Queen – Female – 30s – Any Race*
CINDERELLA – Classic storybook princess – Female – 20s – Any Race
BELLE – French princess late 18th century – Female – 20s – 30s – White
PRINCE – Classic storybook prince – Male – 20s – Any Race
*For years, scholars have debated whether Cleopatra was Roman, Egyptian, Greek, black, white, and everything in
between. Her race is whatever story you want to believe.

Setting: a garden in a magical wood.

Three women, SARAH, the host, CLEOPATRA (CLEO), and CINDERELLA (Cindy). sit in the garden, with tea and snacks, and a stack of books on the table in front of them. Around them, a few snakes crawl through the garden and around Cleo. Sarah stands to attention.

SARAH:

Welcome ladies, to the 12th semi-annual Royal Book Club. I understand it has been a busy year for all of us princesses and queens in our respected time periods, so I appreciate each of you joining me in this magical garden where we’re all ageless and time stands still.
(pulls out clipboard, checks off an item on her list)
That explains enough, right?
(moves on to next point)
Now, we have some housekeeping to take care of before we dig into today’s reading.  First of all, Cleo, you’ve got to stop bringing snakes to book club.

CLEO:

They want to learn.

SARAH:

(frustrated, but has to smile through it)
That’s not, that doesn’t make sense, I’m not even going to… we’re moving on.  Okay, we’ve got a newcomer to introduce. I want to welcome Cinderella and congratulate her on her new marriage to…? What’s his name?

CINDY:

The Prince.

SARAH:

Oh, haha. No, his christian name.

CINDY:

( upbeat)
OH! I don’t know that.

SARAH:

Well, that’s fine. I mean, not really indicative of a healthy relationship…but he’s a prince, right? So welcome, again, to Royal Book Club.

CINDY:

Thank you! It’s such an honor to be here. This is my first club! I mean, the singing mice did invitee to their acapella group, but this is way different.

SARAH:

Mmmhmm.

CINDY:

I’m sorry if I come on too strong. I’m just used to being around other women that are jealous of me. But, here, we’re all equals. Royals.

SARAH:

With that enthusiasm, we’ll let you choose next meeting’s book? How about that?

CINDY:

I actually hate reading.

SARAH:

Great! Then it’s settled.

BELLE rushes into the garden, frazzled. Her book (Donald Trump’s “The Art of The Deal”), and notebooks spilling out of her hands.

BELLE:

I’m here! I’m here!

SARAH:

Hello, Belle.

CLEO:

Who invited her?