Mother of Blue Stars

Cleveland, Ohio

January 1943

The Banas kitchen.

ACT 1

Characters:

Andy Banas, 55, unskilled factory worker.

Mary Banas, 52, wife and homemaker.

Eleanor Banas, 16, Andy and Mary’s youngest child.

Raymond Banas, 18, Andy and Mary’s youngest son.

Episode 1

[ANDY, MARY, ELEANOR and RAYMOND characters are sitting at the kitchen table]

ANDY, MARY, and ELEANOR: [Singing in unison] Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Raymond, happy birthday to you!

RAYMOND:  How’d you make this cake, Ma?  I mean with all the rationing.  You must’ve bribed the A & P!

MARY: Oh, I have my ways.

ELEANOR: So Raymond, how does it feel to be eighteen?

RAYMOND: It feels like seventeen.

ELEANOR: I can’t wait to be eighteen!

RAYMOND: Don’t worry, Sis, it’ll come fast.  Two years will fly by.  You’ll look up and presto! Eighteen!

MARY: Raymond, open your present.  It’s from all of us.

[Beat]

RAYMOND:  Nice wrapping job.

MARY: That’s your sister’s handiwork.

ELEANOR: I also frosted the cake.

RAYMOND: Let’s see, what do we have here?  Socks?

ANDY: They’ll wool. They’ll help keep you warm at the filling station.  

RAYMOND: Didn’t Albert ask for socks in his last letter?

ANDY: He’ll survive without wool socks.  He’s in the south Pacific.  It’s warm there.

MARY: And I’m sure ALL your brothers wish you a happy birthday, from wherever they are.  [Sadly]  Hopefully they’ll come home soon.

ELEANOR: Cheer up, Ma.  Only Albert and Johnny are overseas.  The rest are stateside.  Stateside is much safer.

MARY: That’s only temporary.  It’s just a matter of time before they’re sent to God-knows-where.

ELEANOR: Even President Roosevelt has sons in the service, all four of ‘em.

Continued tomorrow.