SKIT:
Introducing Al-Anon to Desperate Housewives.
this big diamond ring I’m wearing. (raises her hand and shows the
girls.)
The scene: sitting down at Brianna’s kitchen table playing poker.
A girl’s night out so to speak.
A weekly ritual, but it’s about to change.
(Narrator introduces the characters:
Characters:
Sue Ellen: desperately seeking affection from her spouse who works &
(Everyone admires it and says OH WOW.)
Brianna: Oh, Gabby, stop showing off. (she says this as teasing
and laughs it off)
Lynn: You guys think you have problems, well, I have 4 kids
attached to my hip all day and I get no help from Doug, All he
wants to do when he comes home from work is sit on the couch
watch sports and drink beer. I get no help from him at all. I’m very
angry these days.
Sue Ellen: Yeah, I get frustrated a lot.
Edna: hummm, can I say something? I’m trying to find someone to
spend the rest of my life with and all I can find is someone who
has a drinking problem.
Brianna: Edna, where to you go to find these nice guys?
Edna: Well, I go to night clubs, of course.
Brianna: You got to find a better place to look.
Edna: Hummmmm, you might be right Brianna.
drinks too much. (9 lines) (SHIRLEY)
Lynn: husband works all day, she stays home and has 4 young
children, stay at home mom, has too much on her plate. (7 lines) (ELEANOR)
Brianna: Dressed immaculately, does everything perfectly, so she
thinks. (9 lines) (ELVA)
Gabby: former model, has to have expensive things like fine
jewellery, the latest fashion. (7 lines) (BETTY)
Edna: continues to pick the wrong guy to settle down. A drinker’s
magnet.
(8 lines) (DOREEN)
Mrs. McClusky: older and listening to all them complaining and little
do they know that she has been in Al-Anon for years. (15 lines)
(Mrs. McClusky, all the while listening to them tentatively, nodding from
time to time finally opens her mouth and says…..
(FRANCES
ANNE)
Mrs. McClusky: After hearing all of you complain every week
about your husband’s drinking problem. It’s the same stories every
week. I may have a solution for all of you.
Brianna: You do?
Mrs. McClusky: Have you ever heard of the support group called
Al-Anon Family Groups?
(As Sue Ellen picks up her cards she begins to speak)
Sue Ellen: This is so nice getting together like this. Can I share
something with all of you?
(Everyone nods YES) I’m worried about something tonight.
Lynn: Oh, what are you worried about?
Sue Ellen: Mike is working late almost every night and when he
does come home, he smells like beer. I am getting worried about
his drinking.
Brianna: I know Orsen drinks one or two every night but I don’t
think he’s a problem drinker. Sometimes, he uses abusive
language but he always apologizes after. It’s like a second
honeymoon.
Lynn: Brianna, you are always on your honeymoon, get back to
reality.
Gabby: You know, Carlos has a few too many and on some
mornings I have to call in sick for him. I don’t want him to loose
him job because he won’t be able to buy me expensive things like
(Everyone answers NO)
Brianna: Is it a secret society I don’t know about?
Lynn: I don’t’ have time to go to a support group, I have enough
on my plate with 4 kids.
Gabby: Is that for people who drink too much?
Edna: I’ll try anything if it means I don’t have to deal with problem
drinkers anymore.
Sue Ellen: OK…girls settle down ……What is an Al-Anon Family
Groups. Mrs. McClusky.?
Mrs. McClusky: Wait, wait (waving her hands in the air) One
question at a time. Give me a chance to explain.
(They all reply: I’m sorry)
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Sue Ellen: OK, go ahead, we’re all ears. (gestures to Mrs.
McClusky to continue)
Mrs. McClusky: First of all, it’s not a secret society, second, it is
certainly not for the problem drinker. And third, no it’s not a place
to find a husband. Al-Anon is a recovery program for people who
believe their lives have been affected by someone
else’s drinking. You meet every week to share your experience,
strength and hope with each other. It was founded
by two remarkable women.
Sue Ellen: Women just like us?
Mrs. McClusky: You might say that, they too were affected by
their husband’s drinking. So they did something about it.
Brainna: Tell us more
Mrs. McClusky: All you have to do is to be willing and try a few
meetings to listen and learn and maybe you will find help.
Edna: Are men allowed there?
Mrs. McClusky: Yes, Edna, you always have men on your mind.
Edna: Well, yes.
Sue Ellen: Well, I do worry a lot about Mike…I should try it. But I
am afraid if I do decide to go to a meeting, maybe someone will
recognize me and tell Mike.
McClusky: Not to worry Anonymity is highly recommended. First
names only. It is strongly advise that who you see there and what
you hear there not to be mentioned to anyone outside the group.
Lynn: So if I stop arguing…… I’ll feel much better?
Mrs. McClusky: Yes………… (hesitates) but if you all want to
know more, you have to try a meeting.
Brianna: It sounds perfect, Let’s all go to a meeting soon.
Edna: OK, Mrs. McClusky, where do find this meeting?
Mrs. McClusky: hummmmmm (looking at her watch) there’s a
meeting starting in 15 minutes.
Sue Ellen: Hey, how do you know so much about this Mrs.
McClusky?
Mrs. McClusky: I’ve been a member for years.
Lynn: Who knew. (waving her hands in the air with a puzzled look
on her face)
(They all get up to leave but Sue Ellen asks…………..
Sue Ellen: Wait…. What will we tell our husbands when we get
home late from our poker game?
Brianna: We’ll tell them we were desperate for a late night Tim’s
coffee fix.
(Everyone laughs……………………….
Gabby says: I’ll catch up with you guys I forgot my purse.
(The others leave the stage)
(Gabby runs back to the table and grabs some of the money
and waves it at the audience and says)
Gabby: I need a new diamond ring…. (and giggles out the door)
After a few minutes they all come back to take bow.
(Everyone nods in approval)
Gabby: I want to go to a meeting too if it will stop Carlos from
drinking.
Mrs. McClusky: Al-Anon is not for the problem drinker, it’s for you.
Edna: Really!
Mrs. McClusky: The program will show you how not to enable the
person who has a drinking problem.
Gabby: What does enable mean?
Mrs. McClusky: it’s when you do something for someone that you
know they can do for doing for themselves.
Gabby: I didn’t realize I was doing that.
Lynn: Well, girls, are we going to try a meeting? I think it will
help…. I’m desperate enough.
Mrs. McClusky: When some of you argue with them, it gives them
an excuse to drink more.
THE END
Created by: BT - DR for District 12
December 1-2010
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