Rules are meant to be broken
Characters of the play
Jodi Parker
Matt Sandburg
Catherine Parker- Jodi’s mother, she takes care of her until she turns 18.
Mitch Parker- Jodi’s father, Jodi has not seen him much as he left when she was only 7 years of age.
Stephen Sandburg- Matt’s parents, owners of a world renowned magazine E! Talk.
Scene 1
Stephen’s cabinet (Left of the stage)
Stephen:Next person please! Come on in young lady. Sit down, so what is your name? What have you done so far? Where have you studied? What have you studied? Do you have the answers to all these questions?
Jodi: Yes sir, I do. I am Jodi Parker. I was the editor of my schools magazine for 4 long years. I have studied in U Texas, I have majored in Journalism and I am from Manhattan.
Stephen: Are you the same Jodi Parker who lived next to my old house in Manhattan?
Jodi: Yes sir, I am not too sure sir, I left that house when I was 12 after that…….. well it’s a long story not worth hearing.
Stephen: Matt come in will you! Look who has come for our interview! It’s your own Jo!
Enters Matt he is amazed when he looks at her.
Matt: Hey Jo! What have you been doing? Its been ages since I saw you! You have not changed one bit! You still have your car pendant with you!
Jodi: Somethings can never change Matt! I have gone all around the world clicking photos for magazines, now I seriously need to settle down.
Matt: Show me homie! I mean I want to see your photos.
Jodi: Yeah sure, can I show them to your father first?
Stephen: Oh yes Jo show me! We really need a good photographer, we have been using the same photographer for years, I think since the time you two were kids.
Matt: How are they dad? She was good those days as well.
Stephen: They are really good, can you take her to the design room and show her your page designs, after that you can take her to the release of Nissan’s new car we can add a section on luxury cars! We have to evolve right?
Matt: Hey can we like integrate the car unveiling and the after party as well, right? We can like have it like a feature or something right? That would be wicked.
Jodi: I like that I really, really like that! So you are creative still!
Stephen: Yeah, yeah quit talking and starting moving! Deadlines, you got to meet deadlines!
(Jodi and Matt move to the other side of the stage heading towards his cabin. Matt is talking to her on the way to his cabin)
Matt: So, Jo what else have you been up to? I just started here about a week back so I’m trying to get use to the place. We’ll sure have a lot of fun here.
Jodi: Whatever! Hurry up, remember what your dad said? Deadlines, we need to meet deadlines!
(Both of them sit down and Matt opens a cupboard full of E! Talk magazines)
Matt: These are all the magazines which are really worth the read, are you use to clicking pictures of models and beware of the others at work they are picky when it comes to clothes, so try to stick with brands.
Jodi: Are you like trying to make me go bankrupt? I don’t buy branded never! Ever!
Matt: I really need to take you shopping cause you are gonna work for E! Talk so you have to look good. After the shoot and the party lets got to the mall, you so need a wardrobe change!
Jodi: That’s fine with me, but I can’t buy weird colors like Pink and light blue it looks odd on me and I feel odd looking at myself.
Matt: That is alright, I also don’t like uggy colors like that. So what is your phone number? I do not want to lose you again!
Jodi: Uhh huh ok. So here you go. So when is the event actually? Do I need to change into something appropriate now?
(Jodi and Matt go to the dressing room and she changes into a black velvet gown)
Scene 2
Catherine Parker comes inside and starts to enquire about her daughter
Catherine: Can I please speak to your editor? My daughter came here for an interview and I don’t know if she has got in or not. Could you please find out and let me know as soon as possible?
Stephen: I am the editor, who are you looking for?
Catherine: My daughter, Jodi. You look very similar! Have I seen you somewhere before?
Stephen: Are you Catherine Parker? I was your neighbor a long time ago!
Catherine: Yes I do remember you! How are your wife and your son?
Stephen: Your daughter is with my son now in his room, let’s go there. Your husband works for us, I always ask about you and Jo.
Catherine: Really! I don’t have a husband, I mean I have been single since Jo was 10, he left both of us.
(Enters Mitch and is surprised to look at Catherine he is left speechless)
Stephen: Hello Mitch do you remember her?
Mitch: (Hesitantly) Uhh yeah, I do. How….are…you? How…is…my a baby girl?
Catherine: She is fine I am fine. Your baby girl is in with Matt. I mean she got in here she is really good at photography.
Mitch: Oh that is really nice. Let’s go and see her.
Catherine: Can I talk to you in private Mitch?
Mitch: Yes sure,
Catherine: Why did we divorce? Was it because of something either of us did? Or was it something else?
Mitch: Let us deal with this later cause I want to see my baby girl. I have not seen her for 10 years.
Catherine: Ok alright. Let’s talk later! Our baby girl has grown up a lot she still wears the pendant you gave her. The car one. Let’s go! Now! Soon!
Scene 3
(Mitch, Catherine and Stephen come inside Matt’s cabin. All of them are surprised)
Mitch: Oh my God! Look at my girl! She is not a girl! She is so, so oh I don’t know what to tell!
Jodi: Daddy, daddy, daddy, daddy! Where have you been? I have done so many things and I am into photography!
Mitch: Yes I know Jod! I am the head of the photography team here.
Jodi: Oh Daddy! I am in your department now!
Mitch: Oh! So you are replacing me! The mag is really in good hands now!
Stephen: So I take it that you have stepped down, and you agree that we have got a good replacement?
Mitch: Yes, yes I am as sure as I can be. Oh Jodi! I really wish I had my camera with me now, I want to treasure this moment.
Catherine: Hey Mitch can we talk now? After all these mushiness is over?
Mitch: You could not stand me clicking so many photos, you made me sign the agreement and you gave me a deadline to get out after Jod turns 10. I have been single since then as well. I already had a family which was you and Jodi and now I am empty and I am sick of clicking photos. I am getting old and so is my style so now you know exactly why I left. It was you and not me!
Jodi: Mum always told me that you left us because you were sick of living with her. Oh so now I get it why she came with me here. She didn’t want me to get in here because of photography.
Stephen: So that is why your photos are so drab and dull!
Jodi: Enough of the drama, I need to go for the shoot now you can continue all the drama you want to! C’mon Matt lets go we’ll get late if we stay here to see this show!
Matt: Don’t you want to know your daughter? What kind of a father are you?
Jodi: Matt! Now! Let us go!
Matt: Event can wait, family first work is next. Dad’s rules! You love following them don’t you?
Catherine: Ok, fine lets sit down and discuss. Drag some chairs around so we can talk in a group.
Matt: Since she is the head of photography, Mitch can you like get back together?
Jodi: Stop being creative Matt. Don’t butt in when adults are talking, rule number 3.
Stephen: (Sarcastic tone) Ok, so stop picking me and my rules, the magazine is very successful thanks to my rules.
Catherine: Rules are meant to be broken! Getting back to the point, Matthad a good point.
Mitch: Jodi baby you look so beautiful! Where did you study? What camera do you use? Is it one of those cameras with an LCD and chips inside for storing the pictures?
Jodi: Yes Daddy, I have one of those hi-fi cameras. It is just like the one you gave me but the chip helps in storing the photo and the LCD shows a preview so we can click more and better daddy. Sometimes technology changes only a bit. I set the same shutter and aperture size.
Catherine: Things change Jo and so do people because of technology. Some become old and lame because of technology.
Matt: I am really amazed Jo you actually know the technical stuff, you so need to teach me!
Jodi: You better stick with your stuff. Daddy do you want to go home? We have a new home its bigger than the old one. You could stay in a room of your own!
Mitch: Oh, I will baby girl. If, your mother has no problem with it.
Jodi: I don’t think she will have a problem or something. I need you and she will get it.
Mitch: Why don’t you live with me? Its right opposite this. Can you see the house there?
Jodi: Yes daddy. Mom can I go? I have spent 10 years of my life with you! Can I at least spend some time with him?
Catherine: Ok fine, go already this is way too mushy for me to handle.
Matt and Stephen together: Yay! We did it! We did it!
Jodi, Mitch and Catherine all give a very surprising look.
____________________________________________________________________
Hope you like it. Cheees Deepa
