Barbie-Q as a play

 

CAST 

Tracy: Lead. A young girl 

Lin: Tracy’s younger sister 

Mother: Tracy and Lin’s tired mother 

Man: Random middle-class guy on the street 

Salesman: Skilled salesman selling damaged barbies. 

Barbie-Q: A short play 

Written by: Kai Schwartz 

Based on the Barbie-Q short story by Sandra Cisneros 

(Tracy and Lin walk together through a busy street, passing vendors and merchants while playing with their Barbies. Ken ‘enters’ the game. Ken is pretend and Tracy and Lin mime having another doll. Lin’s barbie steals Ken. During stealing, Lin takes Ken from Tracy.) 

(Girls get carried away and bump into MAN on the street. Tracy drops her handbag and loses hold of her Barbie. She goes to quickly pick up her Barbie but forgets about the bag.) 

MAN: Hey!

MOTHER (Embarrassed) : Oh, I’m so sorry. They just get so carried away. I’m so sorry to have disturbed you. I… 

MAN: Oh it's alright. I used to have a daughter myself you know. 

 

MOTHER: Oh, of course, of course. I mean…thank…well nice to see you. 

MAN: Yes, good to see you too. (Noticing the barbies for the first time) I see you’ve got some dolls there. 

TRACY: They’re not dolls. They’re Barbies. This is my Barbie. 

LIN: And this is my Barbie. 

MOTHER: Ok let’s not disturb him any longer. (Begins to usher them away) 

MAN: That’s a very nice outfit you’ve got there. 

TRACY: (Suddenly embarrassed) Um…yeah. She really likes these cloths. So…uh…she wears them everyday!! 

MAN: I see. Well, I was on my way to Halsted Street Warehouse sale to sell my daughters old dolls, but would you like them? (MAN removes two well-loved and outdated Barbies from his bag and offers one to each girl.) 

MOTHER: Oh, that’s really alright. We were just going anyway. Let’s go. 

LIN: But Mommmm…I want new cloths for Barbie. Not just a new Barbie. 

MOTHER: It was nice seeing you. 

MAN: If you’re sure. (Picks up bag TRACY dropped. Returns the bag with the 2 offered Barbies in it) Here’s your bag. 

TRACY: Oh than- 

MOTHER: Thank you so much but we really must go. (MOTHER ushers TRACY and LIN offstage. TRACY and LIN both fight to stay and get the free Barbies they believe the MAN still has) 

Scene 2 

(MOTHER leads the girls to a produce stall where she begins talking/haggling with the shopkeeper about prices.) 

TRACY: A new outfit! Why can’t we have them? It’s not fair. 

LIN: Yeah. Mom never listens. They were free. No money! 

TRACY: So cool looking Barbie… (trails off as LIN claps their hand over their mouth and points at TRACY’S bag). What? OH! His Barbies! (TRACY and LIN begin to switch the cloths from the MAN’s Barbies onto their own. They are ecstatic) 

TRACY: Oh my gosh. This outfit is fancy!

LIN: Yeah! Even more unique than the sock dress! She has a business suit!!! 

TRACY: This is the “Sweet Dreams” Barbie! Jenny has this one! 

LIN: That one even has a hairbrush and hand mirror! It’s so cute! 

MOTHER: C’mon girls, we need to get some bread from Mr. Pemone before we head home. (to herself) I hope he has some spare loaves from yesterday. 

TRACY AND LIN: Ok 

MOTHER: (slightly confused at them agreeing to go) Oh. Right. Ok let’s go. 

 SCENE 3 

(MOTHER and kids enter what is usually an empty lot. Litter collects behind crates and walls. But today people mill through a hastily constructed yard-slave esc space. A large sign says, “Halsted Street Warehouse Fire Sale”. The fire in the factory made the toys worthless on the main market. However, nothing is seriously wrong with the toys aside from smelling burnt. Next to the sale is Mr. Pemone’s bakery. MOM sees the sale first and tries, unsuccessfully to move the KIDS along before they see it.)

TRACY: Mom, Mom! What’s that! I think they’re selling Barbies. 

MOTHER: I’m not sure Tracy, let’s- 

LIN: Mom, I think they have Bendable Legs Barbie! She’s the newest, bestest Barbie EVER! 

MOTHER: Now come on- 

LIN: Mom, can we get here pleaseeeeee? 

TRACY: Yeah mom! Pleaseeeee! 

MOTHER: Now girls. We are here to get food. Not toys. 

TRACY AND LIN: Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease- 

MOTHER: STOP! You already have your own Barbies. There is no reason why you need any mor-(Sees Barbies the MAN gave them). Where did you get those? 

LIN: The nice man gave them to us! Look! My Barbie has a cool suit and- 

MOTHER: I told you no. I said you couldn’t get them. 

TRACY: Why mom? Why? Just cuz we can never get new ones doesn’t mean we can’t get used ones. 

MOTHER: Fine. You can keep this one but no more. 

LIN: Mommm can we please just take a look inside? 

TRACY: Yeah mom. Pleeeeease. 

MOTHER: Fine! 

LIN: Yay- 

MOTHER: But ONLY a look. We are not getting anything. 

TRACY AND LIN: I know… 

(MOTHER and KIDS walk over to the stall. The SALESMAN offers the children all kinds of Barbies in varying conditions of scorched and soaked.) 

SALESMAN: And have you seen this wonder? She’ll look good as new once she dries out! 

TRACY: Oh, I love her! 

MOTHER: You know what I said. Only to look. 

LIN: Yeah but Mom, when are we ever going to get new cloths for our Barbies? 

SALESMAN: This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Prices will probably be going up soon. (TRACY and LIN are admiring a Barbie with singed hair and dress. Mom looks at the kids with a look of sadness and conflict.) 

MOTHER: How much for the one they’re playing with? 

SALESMAN: That one will only be 3 dollars! I’ll even throw in these beautiful accessories for a round total of 5 bucks. 

MOTHER: Fine. Here. 

KIDS: YAYYYY!! (KIDS celebrate and play with all the barbies they have. All exit) 

SCENE 4: 

(Mother sits alone in her room)

MOTHER: Someday they’ll realize those are not the best dolls. They’ll break before Tracy is ready. They won’t be cool by the time Lin invites her friends over. Not to mention the waterlogged hair and burned dresses. But they’re happy. What more can I really ask for? 

 THE END