Between the Bells

BETWEEN THE BELLS

A Play by Alaina Adams

A sequel to Angela Buzan’s “Before the Bell” and Donnie Dicus’ “The End of the Day”

Setting:

An urban public high school in Phoenix. Compilation of events between first hour and 9^th hour during one week in October before Fall Break.

CAST OF CHARACTERS:

• DR. A: a woman in her early 40s, called “Dr. A,” who works as an administrator in training
• DAUGHTER: Dr. A’s teenage child. A senior full of pizazz and social justice fire
• TEACHERS: various
• COUNSELORS: various
• STUDENTS: Various, names are pseudonyms
• STAFF: support staff

Scene 1: Home

DR. A: [lugging briefcase, protein shake, and teenage daughter to car] Did you grab my coffee kiddo?

DAUGHTER: [Rolls eyes dramatically] You already drank your coffee. Some of it is on your shirt.

[DR. A mumbles something unintelligible and dashes back into house to change shirt].

Scene 2: Before School

TEACHER: [approaches DR. A in parking lot] I saw on Facebook that kids at Anonymous Sister-High School are planning a walk out to protest the school to prison pipeline. You’re the first administrator I’m seeing so I’m telling you. You should alert someone.

DR. A: Send me a screen shot. Thank you.

[exit TEACHER enter STAFF inside doors of school]

STAFF: I have a follow up on the bed bug sighting. Nothing to worry about. False alarm.

DR. A: Thank you.

[exit STAFF and enter COUNSELOR outside DR. A’s office]

COUNSELOR: Don’t forget we have our FAFSA event today and you are in charge of crowd control for the 500+ seniors that may show up.

[BEN appears at DR. A’s door and interrupts conversation]

BEN: Can I touch your Harry Potter wand again? It gave me good luck on my test last week.

DR. A: Yes. But don’t take more than one sour ball from the jar on the magic table this time.

COUNSELOR [waiting at door]: Sour balls – yaaaas! [Takes a yellow one]

BEN: The yellow ones are gross. You should eat a red one.

COUNSELOR: I’ll eat one of each.

BEN: No fair! I’m a growing boy and should get two…

COUNSELOR: I’ll give you mine if you fill out a FAFSA later today since I know you’re a senior.

BEN: Deal.

[exit COUNSELOR and STUDENT]

DR. A: [Finally puts purse in desk and runs off to 4 project meetings].

Scene 3: Mid-Day

DR. A [monitoring campus during passing period – calls security staff on radio]: We have a dog on campus. Students are trying to feed it Takis. Can someone bring the golf cart to herd or fetch it?

STAFF: 10-4.

DR. A [still walking and monitoring – classes back in session]: WHOOAA there – where are you running off to? Do you have a pass?

RIZINA: Eff this. I’m out. I told that teacher I’m not writing one more essay in his class!

DR. A: Walk with me. Let’s talk.

RIZINA: Fine but I’m not doing the assignment.

Dr. A [talks to RIZINA, walks entire campus with student to reduce aggression levels, conversation ends in hug and student escorted back to class].

[exit RIZINA. DR. A power walks to her office, grabs protein bar, and sprints to 3 teacher evaluation meetings].

Scene 4: After School

SERGIO: Dr. A!! High Five! I told you that I’d bring you back the $2 that you loaned me for the bus last week. Thanks for not writing that referral for chucking a pencil across the room during detention – bad day. You saved my bacon.

DR. A: You don’t need to pay me back if you need the cash.

SERGIO: Word. I’ll keep it. But I will bring you a slice of cheesecake I’m making in my culinary class tomorrow as payback. Deal?

DR. A: Is it plain or strawberry? Cherry? Something else that’s exotic?

SERGIO: None of that fancy crap. Plain all the way.

DR. A: Though I admire the art of including fruit, I applaud your purist form and accept your terms.

[exit SERGIO. DR.A grabs handful of sour balls from magic table, jogs to facilitate after school PD session, then leaves campus around 6:00pm]