Download Dinner Party Sample

** All student names have been edited with YYYYYYY, XXXXXX, and
OOOOOO but the creative student that made this will know who he or she
is! 
Cast of Characters
YYYYYYYYYY: an outgoing 17 year old who has begun her first year at St.
Lawrence University.
XXXXXXXXX: YYYYYYYYY’s brother, a sophomore at SUNY Canton.
Mom: the mother of XXXXXXX and YYYYYYYYYYYY, very warm and loving.
Dad: retired Police Officer and currently a Security Guard, father of
XXXXXXXXXX and YYYYYYYYYY.
Charles Darwin: an older college man and friend of YYYYYYYYY’s, believes that
evolution and natural selection played a large role in shaping the environment.
(Actually Lived: 1809-1882)
Gregor Mendel: another college friend of YYYYYYYYY’s, believes that there is no
genetic basis for the theory of natural selection to occur. (1822-1884)
Thomas Malthus: college friend who believes that much of the human suffering is
an inescapable consequence of the large, growing population. (1766-1834)
Jean Baptiste Lamarck (AKA Johnny B.): college friend, believes in theory of
use and disuse and the inheritance of acquired characteristics. (1744-1829)
Ernst Mayr: college student, natural selection is the most important part of
evolution, gradualism explains large changes in the Earth over time. (1905-2005)
Charles Lyell: college student who supports the theory of uniformitarianism, that
geological processes have not changed throughout Earth’s history. (1797-1875)
Stephen Jay Gould: Harvard Professor, and also author, who believes in the “Age
of Bacteria” rather than the “Age of Man” (1941-2002)
1
“Come and Knock on Our Door…”
Act I
Scene 1
The setting takes place in a typical American house in the quaint little town of xxxxxxxxx. It is a
bright Sunday afternoon and YYYYYYYYY OOOOOOOOO has left college for the weekend to visit
her family.
YYYYYYYYY- So Mom, I invited this guy from my Evolution class to come over for dinner. Is that
okay?
Mom- Oh that’s fine. Evolution? I thought you hated that stuff.
YYYYYYYYY- (rolls her eyes) I do. But I have to take it, so Charles has been tutoring me a little bit.
I feel kind of bad for him since he came all the way from Great Britain and doesn’t have any family
here.
(XXXXXXXX, also a college student and older brother to YYYYYYYYY, enters the scene.)
XXXXXXXX- Who’s from Britain?
YYYYYYYYY- Charles Darwin, this kid in my class.
XXXXXXXX- Ohhh…When’s he coming?
YYYYYYYYY- Anytime now, I said he could come around 4.
Mom- XXXX, can you start setting the table?
XXXX- Sure Mom.
(There is a faint knock at the door. After being greeted, a short, shy man timidly enters the kitchen.)
XXXX- Charles! I’m glad you didn’t get lost! This is my mom and my brother XXXXXXXX. My dad’s
in the living room.
Charles- Hello. It is very nice to meet all of you. Can I help with anything?
(The dryer has buzzed, alerting everyone that the clothes are done, just as the potatoes begin to
boil over.)
Mom- (frantically runs to fold the clothes) Oh shoot! Would you mind getting the potatoes? You can
mash them too!
Charles- I don’t mind at all. YYYYYYYYY, where is the masher?
YYYYYYYYY- Right here. There’s milk and butter in the fridge too.
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(Dad saunters into the kitchen.)
Dad- Is supper ready yet? I am starving!
XXXX- Yeah almost. XXXXXXXX, get everybody drinks.
(The five sit down at the dining room table, ready to eat. Just then, 2 cars pull into the driveway and
a loud knock is heard at the door.)
XXXX- Hey Greg, Tom. This is a nice surprise!
Gregor- Yeah, well, we were driving around and decided to stop in.
Thomas- I hope you don’t mind, but we brought some friends. This is Ernst Mayr, Charles Lyell,
Stephen Jay Gould, and Jean Baptiste Lamarck. We just call him Johnny B.
Johnny B.- (with a heavy French accent) Oui oui. The Americans butcher the France language.
XXXX- Well, it’s nice to meet you. Why don’t you come in and join us for supper. Is it all right Mom?
Mom- Yes it’s fine. We have TONS of food. Pull up some chairs.
Dad- So, Johnny, are you actually from France?
Johnny B.- Oui, I began a foreign exchange program in my high school, et I have decided to return
to this country for, euh, how you say… continue my schooling. Yah?
XXXXXXXX- So what school did you go to when you first came here?
Johnny B.- I went to the Hammond School. I did not like it very much, the girls, they are very
snobby…and quite rude.
YYYYYYYYY- Tell me about it!
Mom- So XXXX, how is college coming along? Are your grades slipping at all?
YYYYYYYYY- No, not really. Everything’s going fine except for my gay evolution class! I just don’t
understand why a bat’s ancestor is not in fact, another bat. But, Charles is helping me a lot and we
have a test next week I’m studying for.
Charles- Actually, I think it’s quite simple a theory. You see, it starts off with the Earth. Because of
the law of uniformitarianism and also gradualism, the Earth must be quite old.
Dad- The law of uniforma what-y?? I don’t think I learned about that when I went to school!
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Charles Lyell- It really just means that the geological processes that go on now, like earthquakes
and such, have been going on in the past too.
YYYYYYYYY- Well what’s gradualism have to do with any of this stuff? I always thought it meant
learning how to graduate.
(Everyone stares blankly at this remark.)
YYYYYYYYY- (sounding uneasy) Well, you know…cuz Catechism is where you learn about
religion…right? And so…I just thought…
(Everyone is silent and looks at YYYYYYYYY in awe.)
Ernst- (shaking his head) No no YYYYYYYYY, my dear. Gradualism is where many small changes
on Earth occur over a long period of time but end up making a profound change.
XXXXXXXX- You’ll have to excuse my sister, she’s a little slow. Haha.
Mom- XXXXXXXX! That wasn’t nice!
XXXXXXXX- Mom! You’re forgetting that XXXX also thought that Detroit was in Chicago!
(Everyone laughs while YYYYYYYYY blushes.)
Charles Darwin- Well anyways, back to evolution. Basically, it just shows how creatures have
changed and adapted themselves to their environment. The theory of natural selection helps
describe it.
Ernst- Yes! Natural selection is a large part of evolution. It means that, as a species began to
reproduce and grow as a population, competition for food and living space arose. The animals that
were better suited for their environment could get food more easily, while the others began to die
off. The reward for being better suited? Those animals got to reproduce and made more animals
like themselves.
Thomas- Could someone please pass the broccoli?
Greg- Yeah, and can I get some more of that meat? That is good stuff Mrs. OOOOOOOOO, what
kind is it?
Mom- Oh, it’s giraffe meat.
Charles Darwin, Ernst, Greg, Thomas, Johnny B., Stephen, and Charles Lyell- (in unison)
GIRAFFE????
Dad- Yup! Last year when I was in Africa for Clarkson Security training,
Stephen- Why did you have to go to Africa?!? Isn’t Clarkson only 20 minutes from here?
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Dad- Yeah, but those Clarkson kids act like they’re in a jungle, and some Head Honcho up there
got the idea to send us to Africa for a weeklong training session. Personally, I think the wild
animals were better behaved than the students at Clarkson are! But anyways. As I was driving
around in the Hummer, this HUMUNGOUS giraffe comes running out of nowhere!! I had no time to
stop! So I hit him and when I got out of the Hummer, he was just lying there in the road dead. I
decided to pick him up and throw him in the backseat. The African guy that was with me said they
tasted pretty good, so I brought him home! Let me tell you what, it was difficult getting him on the
plane! But, Clarkson paid for everything so it’s all good!
Johnny B.- Interesting…You know, the giraffes used to have short necks.
Greg- No they didn’t! Shut your mouth Johnny B., you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Johnny B.- I don’t know what I’m talking about?? Maybe you don’t know what you’re talking about!
Stephen- Oh great…here we go again.
Johnny B.- What? Is true!
Greg- It is not!
Johnny B.- Yes, you see the giraffe had a short neck, at first. But it needed food to eat, for
nourishment, and it had to eat the leaves off of the trees. So the neck, it keep growing because the
giraffes would stretch and stretch to reach the high leaves.
Greg- You expect us to believe that???
Johnny B.- Oui! C’est true! It is because of use and disuse and also the inheritance. You see, the
baby giraffes inherit the long necks from parents. I am right, non?
Charles Darwin- I think it sounds right.
Greg- But it’s not! There is no genetic basis for this evolution garbage!
Mom- Well, you know something, I didn’t make anything for dessert! Why don’t we all go to Poor
Ole Satch’s??
(They all agree and begin to pile in cars to go to the restaurant a couple miles away in the town of
Outerubangyland.)
XXXXXXXX- (whispers to YYYYYYYYY) Let’s not put Gregor and Johnny B. in the same car, they
might kill each other!
YYYYYYYYY- Yeah, you’re right. Hey Greg! Why don’t you ride with me and my dad?
Greg- Alright!
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Act I
Scene 2
(The seating arrangements are configured. In one car are Dad, Mom, YYYYYYYYY, Greg, and
Stephen. The next car is filled with Johnny B., Charles Darwin, Ernst, and Thomas. XXXXXXXX
follows the gang in his Ford Ranger with Charles Lyell.)
Greg- (obviously still worked up) Can you believe that Johnny B.?? Waaa! What a weirdo! I can’t
believe he actually thinks giraffes had short necks at first!
Mom- Yeah, we don’t believe in that evolution stuff either. I think that God created the world and all
the animals in it.
(A conversation commences in the car Charles Darwin is driving.)
Johnny B.- He does not believe in our theory Chuck!
Charles Darwin- I know, I know.
Johnny B.- Psh! Stupid Americains!
Act II
Scene 1
(The gang enters the restaurant and orders a chocolate cherry cake and vanilla ice cream.
YYYYYYYYY notices her old AP Biology teacher, Mr. James Buckley.)
YYYYYYYYY- Mr. Buckley! What are you doing here? Hot date??
Mr. Buckley- (in his normal high pitched voice) Of course I have a hot date, OOOOOOOOO! Think
I’d come to a restaurant alone??
YYYYYYYYY- Well I didn’t know! So, where’s your lady friend? I hope she’s a lady.
Mr. Buckley- OF COURSE SHE’S A LADY! She just left and I’m about to leave too.
XXXXXXXX- Mr. Buckley! How’ve you been? Why don’t you come over to our house and visit with
us! (whispers to Buckley) XXXX’s brought all her geeky science friends home. Maybe you could
help liven the party!
Mom- That would be a great idea! Yes, let’s all go back to our house and have a chat!
Mr. Buckley- All right, that sounds good. I’ve been wondering what my favorite students have been
up to anyways. (Winks at XXXXXXXX and YYYYYYYYY.)
Act II
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Scene 2
(Everyone arrives at the OOOOOOOOO household once more and sits in the living room for
coffee.)
Mr. Buckley- So YYYYYYYYY, how is college going?
YYYYYYYYY- I LOVE it! But my evolution class is so stupid!
Mr. Buckley- You’re taking an evolution class?! But you had such a hard time with it in my class,
why would you decide to take it again?
YYYYYYYYY- I didn’t. They’re making me. I’d rather learn how I can help people, ya know? Like
stopping war and hunger.
Thomas- But YYYYYYYYY, since humans have such a large population, their suffering is really
inevitable.
Charles Darwin- I’m trying to help her out as much as I can. She doesn’t have a problem with
natural selection, but she does struggle with punctuated equilibrium.
Charles Lyell- With punctuated equilibrium, you have to keep in mind the fossil record. You see,
paleontologists have noticed a sudden change in the fossil record.
YYYYYYYYY- What do you mean?
Charles Darwin- I think what Chuck is trying to say is that geologists observed species appearing
as new forms rather suddenly in a layer of rocks, then remaining unchanged for a period of time,
and disappearing from the fossil record as soon as they appeared.
YYYYYYYYY- Oh. So it doesn’t really show the different steps the animal took to change?
Charles Lyell- Correct. Punctuated equilibrium just refers to how a species may change rapidly
instead of slowly and gradually. A species’ small change would occur right after it bud from the
parent species and then not change. That’s where punctuated equilibrium comes from: a long
period of equilibrium, or staying the same, punctuated by episodes of speciation.
YYYYYYYYY- I think I finally get it now!
(Suddenly, the lights go out and everyone in the house is engulfed in darkness. Unexpectedly, the
phone rings, causing everyone to jump.)
XXXXXXXX- This is kinda like a scary movie, don’t you think?
(Everyone nods suspiciously.)
YYYYYYYYY- I guess I’ll get it. (She fumbles her way through the darkness to the phone.) Hello?
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Voice on the phone- Hello! This is Malcolm from the Publisher’s Clearing House! Is this the
household of a Mr. XXXXXXXXX ?
YYYYYYYYY- Yes it is.
Voice- Could you please relay a message to him?
YYYYYYYYY- Sure.
Voice- Tell him that he has won our contest and will be greeted with his surprise within the next
hour! Thank you very much. Goodbye!
YYYYYYYYY- (hangs up the phone.) XXXXXXXX, that was really weird. Some guy from the
Publisher’s Clearing House just said that you won a contest and you have a surprise.
XXXXXXXX- I won? I WON!! YES!! YIPPEE I WON!!!
Dad- What did you win?
(Amidst all his rejoicing, XXXXXXXX doesn’t hear Dad and runs quickly upstairs to his bedroom.
Everyone looks at each other with puzzled expressions)
Act III
Scene 1
(Still in the dark living room, heated debates occur between the guests. Jean Baptiste Lamarck is
still feuding with Gregor Mendel, Stephen Jay Gould is arguing with Charles Lyell, and Thomas
Malthus quarrels with Ernst Mayr. Charles Darwin sits quietly while YYYYYYYYY and Mr. Buckley
try to calm the others down. Mom and Dad discuss XXXXXXXX’ strange behavior between
themselves.)
(Unexpectedly, there is a rapid knock on the door which startles everyone. The conversations
cease and everyone remains silent and frightened.)
(Cue spooky music.)
(The knocking continues. No one wants to risk his or her lives in answering the door, so everyone
is still. Finally, the door opens and suddenly a man appears in the doorway! (
Dun, Dun, Dun.
)
Who could this man be? What would he want at such a late hour of the night? Does anyone know
he’s coming?)
The Mysterious Man- Umm…Hello? Is anybody home? I came to speak to XXXXXXXX
OOOOOOOOO. Hello?
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(XXXXXXXX comes barreling down the stairs just as the lights come back on.)
XXXXXXXX- Patrick Roy???? I can’t believe it! It’s really you! I can’t believe I won the contest!
(Patrick Roy is the goalie, number 33, of the NHL Hockey Team Colorado Avalanche. He is also
Mr. Buckley’s arch nemesis.)
Mr. Buckley- PATRICK ROY??????????? WHAT THE HECK IS THAT GUY DOING HERE????
XXXXXXXX- Mr. Buckley! I won this contest and now I get to spend the whole week with Patrick
Roy! Isn’t that exciting?
Patrick Roy- Hi everybody. Boy, looks like we’re having a party. What’s going on?
Greg- We’re having a discussion about evolution.
Patrick Roy- Oh, since it was all on the news and everything?
YYYYYYYYY- What was on the news?
Patrick Roy- You didn’t see it? Turn the T.V. on, it will probably be on some channel.
(And lo and behold, on CNN, Jesus was telling the world to stop believing and teaching evolution.
Everyone in the room, YYYYYYYYY, Dad, Mom, XXXXXXXX, Charles Darwin, Jean Baptiste
Lamarck, Ernst Mayr, Charles Lyell, Thomas Malthus, Gregor Mendel, Stephen Jay Gould, Mr.
Buckley, and Patrick Roy listened as Jesus told the story of how Earth and everything in it was
created by God.)
(Close Curtain.)
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