Scholastic Spotlight: Brooklyn Morris

Beautiful

Gold Key

Author: Brooklyn Morris

8^th Grade

Educator: Kelly Moormann

Bismarck

CHARACTERS

Owen Slater, John Slater, Rose Slater, Mark Hentley, Carol Slater, Billy Kuntz, April Brick, Matthew Slater, Ms. Johnson, Holly Slater    

The Time. August 2016-May 2017

The Place. Pinewood Middle School/Grandma’s House/Airplane in Portland, Maine

The scene will change throughout the play. Currently, there are passengers, including the Slater’s, on an airplane to Maine where Owen’s family will be staying at his Grandma’s house. The keen wings of the plane give Owen a happy thought to think about, taking into consideration that he wants to study aviation and become a pilot some day.

The plane is structured so that there are two long hallways down the interior. Then there are two seats on the left-hand side of one hallway, and four seats in the middle, which are between both hallways. Finally, there are two seats on the right-hand side of the second hallway. This structure applies throughout the entire plane. There are seven rows of seats in the second class and third class sections. First class is fancy but won’t be seen since Owen’s family and himself are not in first class nor third class. Owen is seated on the right-hand side of the plane, where he is looking out of the window. His dad, John, is seated on the seat to the left-hand side of Owen. Owen’s mom, Carol, sister, Holly, and brother, Matthew, are in the middle row, but only cover three of the four seats. The plane is packed with passengers.

ACT ONE

Scene 1

Owen is twelve years old and is excited to stay with his grandma, Rose, in Portland, Maine. Owen is not like other kids; he is one of a kind and is very shy. Owen has a rare condition called Treacher Collins Syndrome. Treacher Collins Syndrome is an inherited condition of which some bones and tissues in the face aren’t fully developed. Owen’s dad, John, says that it makes Owen unique, but Owen thinks that it just makes him look silly. John, forty-two years old, is very supportive of his son’s condition. John is a hard-working and determined construction worker. Although Owen is different, John treats all of his kids as equals and always has a smile on his face with a can-do attitude. John is slowly rubbing off on Owen, because Owen tries to find the bright side of a situation as well.

The curtain rises on a stage full of passengers in a plane in second class with a glimpse of third class in the background. A mom and baby soon walk by Owen’s row. The baby takes a glance at Owen and starts crying. The mom, also startled at Owen’s appearance, quickly passes towards the back of the plane. Owen soon felt unpleasant but he couldn't help what he looked like. At this point it is about seven minutes until they land.  The pilot announces politely for everyone to raise their food trays and clasp them in their hooks. He also informs everyone to fasten their seat belts. Owen followed directions as well as all other passengers did so. The lights are mainly focused on John and Owen and around them.

    

John (Owen’s Dad): You okay bud?

Owen: (thinking of the mom and baby while sniffling) Yeah, I just wish people wouldn’t

think of me that way.

John: (softly and understanding) I understand Owen, but you can’t worry about those people. Put that behind you. (slight pause) Why don’t we play a game?

Owen: (hesitant) Okay? What’s the---

John: Tic-Tac-Toe!

Narrator: Owen quickly remembered their tic-tac-toe rivalry, and how they even had a tournament at their home in Houston with their whole family. Himself and his dad have always been competitive with each other.

Owen: (confidently) Bring….it….on!

Narrator: The Slater boys, John and Owen, played and played on the surface of a napkin until they were startled by the abrupt landing of the plane. The landing gave Owen the memory of the water crashing into the windows of his Houston house, so sudden and unexpected. Their house, which had been Owen’s home for twelve years, had been hit by Hurricane Harvey. The Slater’s are moving to Owen’s Grandma’s house to get back on their feet.

(The curtain closes.)

Scene 2

Carol, thirty-six years old, is a stay at home mom, and she is also very supportive of Owen’s condition. She isn’t outgoing but if she’s included in a conversation, she will make the most of it. Everyday, Carol strives to find a happy place because she has moderate anxiety. Holly and Matthew are Owen’s sister and brother. They’re both six years old and twins, except Holly is slightly older by two minutes. Owen tries his best to be a good role model for his two young siblings.

    Rose, sixty-nine years old, is Owen, Holly and Matthew’s cheerful, fun-loving, Grandma. She was happily married to Ferdinand Slater, John’s Dad. He sadly passed away two months ago.

    The curtain raises to a sweet, good-sized home with a hint of a vanilla scent. The Slaters walk in the door, the living room is to their left and the kitchen to their right. The stairs are right in front of them. The lights are dimmed.

Owen, Holly, and Matthew: (excitedly) Grandma!

Rose (Owen’s Grandma): Welcome everyone!

Carol: Thank you so much, Rose, for letting us stay in your home.

John: Yeah, mom! It means a lot!

Rose: You are welcome here anytime! (slight pause) Come sit! Let’s talk about your trip!

Narrator: So the family talked about their struggles and memories up to their arrival.

Rose: Why, it’s getting late! Let me show you to your rooms!

(Grandma Rose walks up the stairs, along with all the other Slaters. They turn to the right and are displayed the rooms.)

Rose: This first door to the right here is the bathroom. The next room is to the left, and one of you may sleep here.

(Owen walks into the first room, claiming it as his own, while Holly goes into the second room to the right, Matthew into the next on the left, and Carol and John go into the final room, bigger than the rest, on the right.)

Narrator: Everyone lays down their belongings, wherever they pleased, and got ready for bed. Soon, all the Slaters were fast asleep.

(The curtain closes.)

Scene 3

    The curtain raises to a school setting. Owen will transition to many different classes so he will not be in one place the whole scene.

    Owen will meet new people who stand up for him who become his friends. One person who will become his friend is April Brick. April is a tall and skinny girl. She has dark orange hair with shades of red in it along with blue eyes. She is extremely intimidating but when it comes to Owen, she is gentle and understanding.

    Another soon to be friend is Mark Bentley. He is short with brown hair and hazel eyes. He isn’t very tough but he will always lend a hand and be a friend in tough situations.

Narrator: It is Owen’s first day at his new school, Pinewood Middle School. He is very nervous because he has no idea what everyone will think of him. Owen walks up to the school and cautiously pulls on the door handle. He enters the school and everyone stares in awe at him. He feels unpleasant and hunches over, trying to prevent anyone from looking at his face. He was allowed to come the day before, which was a Sunday, to look over the school and find his classes so he knew where to go straight away. He entered his first classroom of the day. The sign on the door read Ms. Johnson and below it spelled out the word Science. Science is Owen’s specialty, he loved it after all!

(Owen entered the room with a grin on his face and walks towards the teacher’s desk.)

Owen: Greetings, Ms. Johnson, I’m Owen!

Ms. Johnson: Hello, Owen! How are you today?

Owen: I’ve never been better! Where should I sit?

Ms. Johnson: Wherever you’d like, dear.

(Owen sits in the front row in the center seat, smiling because he was excited for class. About ten more kids enter the room and they start class.)

Ms. Johnson: Good morning, students!

All Students: Good morning, Ms. Johnson!

Narrator: Owen enjoyed the class so much that it went so fast.

(Bell rings)

Narrator: Time for the next class of the day!

(Owen starts to walk towards his next class when he accidentally ran into Billy Kuntz.)

Billy: What the heck man! Why would yo---ur face! What’s up with your face?!

Owen: I’m sorry I ran into you! My face, well---

Billy: Can you fix it please! It’s creeping me out! You know Halloween is over right?

(Billy walks away down the hall.)

Owen: (mumbling and sniffling) I can’t change it.

Narrator: Owen thought about Billy’s comments, so when lunch came around, Owen was very particular where he would sit, because he didn’t want to be hurt again. At first he was sitting by himself, and two kids saw him down and came to sit by him.

April: Hi! I’m April! April Brick, to be exact.

Owen: (cautiously) Hi. I’m Owen.

Mark: I’m Mark!

Owen: Hi, Mark. I’m Owen.

Narrator: The rest of the year up until Christmas Break, Owen created a strong bond with April and Mark. At school, they were always by each other’s side.

(The curtain closes.)

Scene 4

    The curtain rises on Grandma Rose’s house where Owen, Holly, and Matthew are helping their Grandma decorate the Christmas tree. John and Carol are in the kitchen making hot chocolate. There is a peppermint aroma in the air with a smell of sugar cookies warming in the oven. The song “Jingle Bell Rock” is blaring in the background. The lights are focused on the living room and into the kitchen. Outside, snow is falling gently but rapidly.

Rose: Holly! Look at this ornament! This one is from when I was a young girl, about your age! It was always my favorite!

(Rose introduces her favorite childhood ornament to Holly.)

Holly: Wow, Grandma! That’s beautiful!

Rose: Oh my…….John, do you see this?

John: Is that my truck ornament? You kept it all these years?

Rose: Yes.

(Rose walks over to John to show him the ornament at a closer view.)

John: Wow! It was my favorite! I was always excited to hang it on the tree.

Rose: Owen, will you do the honor of placing the star on top of the tree?

Owen: I will!

Rose: Fantastic!

(John sets his precious ornament down carefully on the countertop and rushes over towards Owen. John lifts Owen up to place the star on top of the tree. Owen delicately and accurately places the star.)

Carol: Amazing work Owen!

Owen: (cheerfully) Thanks mom!

Rose: Yes, Owen, you’re a fine decorator. You should help me decorate every holiday!

Owen: I’m just happy that I could help Grandma! I would love to help you every year.

Rose: Speaking of helping, why don’t we take those cookies out of the oven and you can help me eat them?

Owen: Sounds like a plan!

(Everyone hurried to the kitchen full of laughs and smiles.)

Narrator: Owen had a marvelous rest of his Christmas Break. He unpackaged presents from his parents, Grandma and even Santa. He knew that his parents were the true Kris Kringle but he kept the magic alive for his younger siblings. (pause) Owen couldn’t contain his excitement knowing that he would go back to school and be able to see his new friends again after his Break. He now knew that beauty can only be found from within, not just in a face.