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Short drama title: Daddy from a Rich Family Seeks Home (2023)

Female lead: Ma Lejie (playing Tang Xin), male lead: Zhang Zhiwei (playing Song Zhengyang)

Tang's main focus was on pharmaceuticals, but with the passing of Mrs. Tang, the Tang family underwent tremendous changes. Everyone blamed Tang Xin for killing Mrs. Tang in order to obtain the pharmaceutical formula…..

A small Short-Play that I wrote for a School Project. ALL RIGHT RESERVED TO ME. If anyone is at all interested in this piece contact me on Twitter Galaxy_Bunnie or even on here!

THE BANDIT FLAPPER

BY: Karina Cabrera

CAST

HELEN

COP

JAMES

AGATHA

HELEN is at a table her hands cuffed together, around her is darkness and the chair across from her is empty. She's there in the darkness for a while, tapping her foot and fiddling with the cuffs. Moments pass and HELEN stands up holding the cuffs on one of her fingers, throwing the cuffs to the ground she smiles, turning her chair to look at the audience.

HELEN: I remember the first job I went on, like it was yesterday. It runs through my mind everyday, and honestly makes me smile a little bit more each and every time. It was a fun time, I was young, and swift. Was never going to be caught at that age, plus I'm sure I could have played my way out of any trouble. Actually to hell I think I did. Ha, yeah I remember it now that little cop, he really did try to follow my tail. Was close! Real close, but luckily I am an actress honestly, could likely beat Olive Thomas in the audition rooms. But regardless I looked at the fuzz straight in the eye giving him my best doe eyes and pouty lip. Look, watch.

The lights start to shift as the table is taken out by what seems to be movers, then HELEN is there in the dark as city noises surround the space. In the back there are silhouettes to show that she is in the city of some sort. A mover comes out and throws HELEN a trench coat and duffle bag, which she quickly puts on trying to hide the bag in the process. 

COP: Hey you! Stop what you're doing!

HELEN: Oh please sir, can you point me in the right direction? I seem to have gotten lost. I'm new to town and keep forgetting the location of the Miss Agatha's Hotel? We call her Miss Aggie though. 

COP: Oh uh, I see. I'm sorry mam I think I confused you for someone else, so uh well you see just down that street right there, you're going to keep walking until you see the big ol sign that says Main Street. Once there you should be in the home stretch as Miss Aggies hotel is the big ol red building on Main. Ya can’t miss it. 

HELEN: Oh thank you so much sir! I am forever thankful for your help. Is there anything I could possibly do to repay you?

COP: O-Oh no mam, you don't need to do that. I'm just here protecting the citizens of the city and making sure a pretty woman like you gets home alright. Will you be ok walking back to Miss Aggies by yourself?

HELEN: Oh don't worry. I think I’ll be able to manage. Thank you sir, I hope you have a nice night. You've been real. Help.

HELEN starts to make an exit but as she exits the bag drops from her coat.

COP: Oh, mam you seem to have dro-

HELEN: Thank you sir, I am so sorry I guess I must be really clumsy. Well, thank you again sir-

COP: Hold on mam, I am so sorry, but you see just a few blocks from here there was a robbery-

HELEN: Excuse me sir! You're accusing me of robbing a bank? I think you need a pair of glasses sir, I could never do that. I am practically a mere little lady.

COP: Oh, well um I am sincerely mam. I guess perhaps I am in the wrong, well, here you go. You should be on your way. The sun seems to be setting and this town is sadly mighty dangerous at night. Even if we do try to keep it as safe as we can, especially for little ladies li-

HELEN exits, and finally COP realizes that she is gone. He looks around a bit as if looking for her when JAMES runs on stage catching his breath.

JAMES: Did you catch her? She ran this way the Flapper that robbed Newman's bank. Hey, Hey look at me buddy where you looking off to?

COP: Oh detective James, I am sincerely sorry I didn't see you there. I am so sorry sir uh what were you saying just now?

JAMES: Jesus h christ Harold, look up at me and stop bowing your head. You looked like a dog looking after a bone just now. Now look at me and tell me did you see if that Flapper passed by here?

COP: No sir, just a little lady, I was uh looking to see where she went off to. See the sun is setting and it could be a mighty dangerous time for-

JAMES: Harold, I don’t care about that, did you check the lady over? Right not every lady who isn't accompanied by a friend or man is a suspect. So please tell me. Please. That you at least did a search on her or any bags she had.

COP: Well, uh you see sir. She was uh just a little la-

JAMES: Harold! I don't care if she was a little lady, if she wouldn't have been able to do it. Dear god every woman we searched today has said that because guess what genius. These ladies know how to play us, act all sweet and innocent, make us lower our walls. Do you hear me Harold?

COP: U-uh yes sir I. I understand I am sorry I will make sure to search any suspect well next time, uh real well.

JAMES: Good, now at least tell me you were able to confirm that she wasn't wearing what the suspect wore.

COP: Uh, w-well

JAMES: Jesus Christ Harold! You did not. Please tell me that you know that the lady wasn't wearing a flapper dress or so god. If I have to do more paper-

COP: Well uh, you better get that pen ready and b-buckle up sir.

JAMES: God dammit Harold, you son of a- god you're so dumb. Ok whatever its fine, do you know where this lady may have gone? I guess I’ll do your job since your fired.

COP: Oh well you see she went to Miss Agatha- Wait fired?

JAMES: Yes, fired Harold. Now, you are free to go and get out of the way of my work am I clear? (beat) Harold. Am. I. Clear?

COP: U-Uh Y-Yesir.

JAMES: Good

JAMES exits quickly following the direction that HELEN went off in, COP is there looking around for a moment.

COP: God Dammit.

COP exit. The scene starts to change showing the sunset, and we see the city line start to switch to one main building. There is the sound of the bell and doors opening and finally, the lights come up on what seems to be an inside setting. Specifically the lobby of Miss Agatha's hotel. There is a counter and behind it a door. HELEN enters.

HELEN: Ohhhhh Momma. I'm home! Momma? (beat) Oh miss Aggie! Agatha. Oh my god.

HELEN walks over to the counter and spots a bell. She reaches out and starts to ring it continuously with the next line.

HELEN: Oh Momma. Wake up lil Hel is home. Oh Momma Aggie. Miss Aggie. Agatha my Banana Mama. Miss Aggie the mega Ba-

AGATHA enters from the door, HELEN didn't see her and continues until AGATHA places her hand over HELENS stopping the ringing.

AGATHA: Every day you make me regret checking you into this hotel more and more. Now must I remind you. You don't have the right to call me Momma if you don't pay rent. An certainly not the right to call me Aggie or Agatha, or Agatha my-

HELEN: But I do got rent, see.

HELEN places on the counter the bag that had dropped earlier. HELEN also starts to shrug off her coat revealing a flapper dress underneath.

AGATHA: Helen put that damn jacket back on, I don't want people seeing a floozy in my Hotel Lobby. Now let's open this up. Oh goodness! Helen darling this is a nice haul. 

HELEN: Yeah, yeah. Now, how much more time will that buy me Momma. Please tell me you can do me a lil favor.

AGATHA: Of course, I can. That is after you put that damn jacket on.

HELEN: Oh Momma, you don't mean that come on. That jacket is just so itchy and it's hot. See look! My curls are falling out because of how hot it is.

AGATHA: Oh Helen put that damn jacket on, quickly now. Someone’s walking up to the building.

HELEN: Oh Shit. 

HELEN quickly grabs the jacket and moves to behind the counter and tries to go into AGATHA’s room. As the door opens and JAMES walks in, HELEN quickly ducks instead leaving AGATHA and JAMES there alone.

AGATHA: Well hello officer, I'm sorry but I didn't know if you saw the sign outside or not. But this is Miss Agathas Hotel for working girls. I believe it said loud and clear on the door sign “NO MEN: Unless accompanied by a Tenant. So I am sincerely sorry but you're going to have to turn around officer. Unless perhaps, you came to speak to me in which I’ll gladly have the plea-

JAMES: Ok. Mam that's enough. I am here strictly on business-

AGATHA: Now. Now! Hold up there. That is not the type of hotel that we are running-

JAMES: Excuse me Agatha. Um if I may speak so frankly but I am here just wondering about an inquiry on a young woman who's a suspect of a bank robbery a few blocks over.

AGATHA: You’re suspecting one of my girls? Heaven forbid! My girls each came from a harsh broken background. Then they came to me like little puppies in the rain. Sad, Lonely, with no roof over their heads either and no job to help support them. Well, I'll tell you, Miss Agatha. That's me: helped them get back on their feet and find them all a good little working job.

JAMES: Mam, I am just wondering if perhaps any of your tenants are a flapper-

AGATHA: Oh my heavens no! They are so modern, loud and if I dare say a whole lot of Floozys. I don't have a single Flapper here in fact oh look there is my favorite tenant right now. If I dare say she is the cream of all the crop here in Miss Agatha's hotel.

From the section that leads further into the hotel comes HELEN she is dressed in business attire with a hat on her head. But that didn't hide the fact that her hair was also a very different color, but it was still HELEN with the way she carried herself. 

HELEN: Oh Miss Aggie! I'm heading out now for the day. It seems the Office needed me to come in today as Mr. Langston’s other secretary got sick. I hope she is fine, poor girl catch-

AGATHA: Now, now Helen dear. Didn't you learn any manners? Right before you is a fine officer gentleman. He's here to ask a few questions of our tenants. Since you're the first to come down, how about you tell this fine gentleman what you were up to hmmm?

HELEN: Oh now Miss Aggie you know it's embarrassing but if you really insist. You see officer I was working upstairs on my needlework, 

JAMES: Yes well, I'm sorry to ask you mam. However I must say your makeup is very modern for a office job perhaps you should cha-

HELEN: Now now Mr. Officer. Every woman has their preference, and that was extremely rude. So I must say, I believe you owe me something hmmm? Perhaps I should know your name since you know mine. Plus you also just rudely insulted my makeup, which in my defense is the style.

JAMES: Yes, I guess you're right. But you must tell me your full name as well, so I can take you off the list of suspects. 

HELEN: Of course. So you first?

JAMES: James, James Blakely.

HELEN: Helen Debois.