Blue Morpho, a play in three short acts

by Marieth Coetzer and Deborah Lapp

Blue Morpho: A Play in 3 Short Acts

CAROLYN WITHROW (28): is as beautiful and elegant as the butterflies she keeps. Carolyn is thin, favors blue, and floats butterfly-like. Carolyn cooks rich gourmet dishes for Ken and his friends and smiles graciously, but she doesn’t eat: dandelion greens with lemon juice, maybe. A sliver of cheese.

KEN WITHROW (28): is rather athletic. He goes to work in a suit. He wears a workout outfit or rugby shirt and jeans at home.

TWO MEN (guy pals of Ken): are rarely, if ever, seen, only heard reacting to sports on TV (which could be light and sfx only): could be crew members.

Carolyn’s MOTHER (aka Meredith, 50-something): is thin, spry, dressed in Talbots slacks and blouse or sweater.

The Blue Morpho BUTTERFLIES: a puppeteer dressed all in black, sitting on a chair inside the lepidopterarium, with bright blue gloves designed to look like butterflies. A bit of white outlining blue will make the butterflies stand out. In Act 2, the puppeteer can read the ADVERT VOICE (or it can be pre-recorded). In Act 3, one hand is a shimmering green leaf with a fluorescent white chrysalis in the middle. The Blue Morphos are Carolyn’s spirit animals, mimicking her moods and reflecting her actions.

SCENE:

            Downstage-center (with room to walk in front of it) is a lepidopterarium, a butterfly habitat, its corner facing the audience, in the space between the breakfast room/kitchen, stage left, and the dining room/living room, stage right. The habitat should be solid from the floor up to 3 or 4 feet to hide the puppeteer. The “cage” part of the lepidopterarium might just be a frame (or its ceiling might suspend from above)—the audience must be able to see through it. The puppeteer sits on a low stool in the downstage corner of the habitat, mostly hidden within it, except for his or her hands. There may be a light shining up for the butterfly hands to fly into. The lepidopterarium fills what was probably once a sitting room for the help, who probably also kept an eye on what goes on around the lovely Withrow home (just as the Blue Morpho BUTTERFLY puppets appear to do, following the action). There’s a liquid feeder that Carolyn fills from a door near the breakfast table.

            The breakfast table abuts the lepidopterarium. Two chairs face each other across a small table, so that when the characters face each other, they are in profile and not hidden by the butterflies. There’s a “door” to the outside from behind the lepidopterarium and the breakfast table. Only the “L” of a kitchen counter is necessary (to lean against facing the breakfast table, to pour wine or coffee from, to pile dishes on, to scrape food into a trashcan underneath it). The refrigerator and oven, downstage left, might actually just be offstage and suggested. Any chairs or a bench can be placed out of sight behind the long edge of the counter, where the men watch sports, mostly unseen, on TV. If there’s an actual TV, it’s on the upstage wall, but it could easily be suggested with light and sound. There’s a “door” out the kitchen offstage to the garage. Neither of these doors needs to be visible to the audience.

            The Withrow’s living room is stage right. An easy chair or a sofa may suggest the living room up right, but a Christmas tree might fill much of the upstage living area in Act 2. A table lamp sits on a side table by the chair or sofa. The door to the bedrooms is visible upstage right (so there’s a door to exit on either side of the lepidopterarium: one exits to the outside; one exits to the bedrooms, plus the one exit door from the kitchen, stage left).

            Summer.

ACT 1: Summer

Scene. 1

Lights up on CAROLYN, who wears a blue silk tunic over yoga pants, expensive heeled boots, a Williams & Sonoma-ish apron loosely tied. She floats from the kitchen counter behind which KEN and TWO MEN are watching sports. TV might be suggested with sound and/or light, but not distractingly so. Carolyn glances from the counter while thumbing through a cookbook. No dialogue, just pantomime. White wine bottle and diet Coke on the counter with some stemmed glasses. Coffeemaker and 2 cups for scene 3 can be on the counter from the beginning.

Light comes up from the lepidopterarium. Butterflies flap once or twice. Dip to the feeder, retreat to a “perch.”

Light comes up on MOTHER, who sits at the breakfast table, closest to the lepidopterarium, and threads elastic through a waistband (or some similar short-term, attention-demanding business). A glass of white wine and a cocktail napkin are already on the table in front of her. We have entered the middle of a slow and awkward conversation, now in a lull.

CAROLYN: (leans her narrow frame against the kitchen island, faces her MOTHER and shrugs) The doctor says the window for each cycle is short.

BUTTERFLIES: (flit over to mother’s side, as if listening, perch).

MOTHER: (takes a sip and wipes the stem of her glass with a cocktail napkin. Looks at her daughter aggressively). And…? You’ll make sure you are in tune with the “cycle,” I presume (the mother’s exasperation is thinly veiled).

CAROLYN: (narrows her eyes, answers slowly). …and this month, Ken was away (lifts both palms to ceiling from shoulder-high)…golfing with buddies in the desert. (removes cork from wine bottle). (Sarcastically) He needs his “guy-time.” (shrugs) But I suppose I like my time alone too.

MOTHER: (after a pause) Such a waste. It’s expensive, isn’t it?

CAROLYN: Golfing?—sure.

MOTHER: (sighs) The procedure.

CAROLYN: (simply lifts her eyes ceilingward for all response. She walks over to fill the butterfly nectar; nectar in one hand, wine bottle in the other.

BUTTERFLIES fly down to feeder.

CAROLYN: (From behind her mother). The doctor says I have to gain 20 pounds. (fills her mother’s glass from mother’s left and continues around the table toward the counter, her back to her mother)

MOTHER: (placing her waistband project in her lap, speaking to her daughter’s back) You’ll do that then.

CAROLYN: (reaches for the Diet Coke on the counter and fills her glass. Turns to face her mother) Of course (her eyes cold). I want a baby. (to black).

Scene. 2

(The house quiet, dim lights in dining room, CAROLYN lays out a yoga mat by the lamp in the living room, lies prone, and flaps alternating knees to elbows like a moth before a flame. Intense, pumping, music). She coils up pupa-like and extends, her pale face reddening with exertion. She rolls up the mat and leaves the room upstage into bedrooms. The lights go out).

            Bumper music, projection of butterflies in flight.

Scene. 3

(KEN enters though the living room from bedroom up-right in a suit)

KEN: Good morning, Morphos! How you doin’ boys? (he pours coffee in the kitchen, comes downstage to look out front window at the audience—as if watching Carolyn). When his MOTHER-in-law enters, he greets her with less levity in his tone and returns to the kitchen) ‘Morning, Meredith.

MOTHER: (watches him retreat from her). Well, good morning. (She sits at the breakfast table, as she had previously).

KEN: (pointing to BUTTERFLIES, trying to be jocular) I call this one LeBron; this one Brady; this one is Tiger. (update names to current sports icons)

MOTHER: (not impressed) Nice. What big deals are you incubating today? (when he doesn’t answer, she asks) Is Carolyn up?

KEN: (hands her a cup and sits across from her) She’s running—gone for a run. (in measured syllables, inhaling deeply) Meredith--we have a problem (a deep exhale) …and I don’t know what to do about it.

MOTHER: (sips and says archly) Ken, I’m not the one to tell you about the birds and the bees.

KEN: (ignores this) It’s about Carolyn.

MOTHER: Yeeeees (drawing the word out)--she said the doctor told her she has to put on some weight if she wants to get pregnant.

KEN: He told her that months ago, when we first started. If anything, she’s lost weight. (He pauses, shakes his head somberly) She doesn’t eat.

MOTHER: (as if rehearsed) She’s never been much of an eater. (sets her shoulders authoritatively) Even when she was small, I had to bribe her…

KEN: (cutting her off, exasperated). You’d think a baby would be incentive enough.

MOTHER: Do you think… (she begins. Changes tack) Maybe she should see a             specialist. What does her doctor say?

KEN: (nodding pensively) Yes…Definitely. She needs to see someone. I mean, I don’t talk to the gynecologist, the specialist, but yes, definitely.

MOTHER: What does Carolyn say?

KEN: (almost indignant, but pleading) Oh, I can’t tell her. I can’t tell her what to do. There’s no way I can talk about it.

MOTHER: Listen, Ken, we’ll cover it (meaning she and her husband will pay for an eating disorder specialist)

KEN: It’s not that. But, sure, maybe she’ll go if you set it up…call it a physical or something. The thing is…don’t say anorexia or anything…She’ll totally shut down. Even with you. (He stands and looks at his watch on the inside of his wrist). Hey, I have to go--breakfast meeting.

BUTTERFLIES: (lift and settle)

KEN leaves for work before Carolyn returns.

MOTHER: (watches downstage, looks out the window, down the street and picks up the telephone; she’s calling her elder daughter with an idea). Hi, it’s Mom. How are the babies? (She laughs at the reply, and looks out the window). I’m at your sister’s. (She looks at the butterflies as she listens).

BUTTERFLIES: The sun is shining sideways across their nectar, and they sip greedily).

MOTHER: No, not this month. (pause) Yeah, she’s pretty grumpy about it. I just had a short talk with Ken, though. (She goes to the window and sits in the dining room chair where she has a clear view down the street, as if looking for Carolyn) You’re good at research. Will you do something for me? (pause) Mm-Hmm. Anorexia nervosa. (MOTHER paces looking out the window and back at the door). They’re going to Ken’s family for Thanksgiving, but maybe by Christmas? (listens) You shouldn’t have to be the one to say something, no (She nods). Or maybe it should be you. (pause) Sure. Okay--See you then. (MOTHER puts the phone back in the cradle and pours another cup of coffee, is surprised by CAROLYN’s entrance).

BUTTERFLIES: react to CAROLYN’S return.

CAROLYN: (comes in the door behind the lepidotarium, pours herself water and squeezes lemon in it, stretching her calves between sips, looks at her MOTHER, but doesn’t say anything).

MOTHER: (breaking the silence) I’ll make eggs. How would you like them?

CAROLYN: I’m drinking water now.

MOTHER: (forces a little laugh) It’ll take a few minutes, of course.

CAROLYN: It’s my kitchen. I’ll make eggs (walks through the living room and exits; the shower might be heard).

MOTHER: (wipes the clean counter. Sits at the breakfast table. Stands up and opens the refrigerator. Closes it. She looks at the butterflies, who are also most active at this time of morning. She picks up the paper Carolyn has brought in, opens it. She flaps the pages without really looking at them).

CAROLYN: (flutters into the kitchen in a white tunic with blue yoga pants, her wet hair up in a messy do, but mascara applied, lip gloss. She pulls eggs and butter from the refrigerator (props might all be on a table offstage), hoists a T-fal skillet onto the stove. She chops scallions and peppers. Butter sizzles. Dramatically, she whips the eggs with cream in a bowl and eases them into the pan. She pours herself some coffee, black).

MOTHER: (watching all this elaborate show) You’re all dressed up (MOTHER sets the table).

CAROLYN: I have a doctor’s appointment today—a long one.

MOTHER: (disappointed) But I have to go back this afternoon. I thought I’d take you to lunch.

CAROLYN: I was thinking you could leave after breakfast.”

(CAROLYN sprinkles cheese over the top of the omelets and sets one at each place. Her mother takes a bite and smiles at her daughter. Carolyn smiles back—fake smile--picks up the newspaper and opens it across her plate—points to the paper). Oh, I want to see this. Miss Saigon! Did you ever see it? (doesn’t wait for her mother to answer). I heard it’s magnificent. (flip of the paper) Mary Cassat exhibit at the Met. (Ad lib to keep the references relevant: she’s enthusiastic about a movie with an actress she likes. She slides her untouched plate aside and reads aloud dramatically about the actress’s performance. As her mother finishes, CAROLYN picks up the empty plate with a flourish and sets it on her own, offering the paper to her mother. She slips the silverware in the imagined dishwasher, offstage).

MOTHER stands, but before she can step towards the kitchen, CAROLYN deftly blocks her access.

CAROLYN: Well, time to go (sliding the food from her plate into the trash can).

            (to dark).

ACT. 2: Christmas

Scene. 1

(before the stage lights up, Christmas music can be heard faintly in the background. Stage lights up to reveals the same main living area. Multi-colored Christmas lights shine above the window. A plate of Christmas angel-shaped cookies on the table). A Christmas tree might stand in the corner next to the lepidopterarium. The tree decorations are carefully color-coordinated with a light blue theme and blue decorations. Christmas music changes to a radio advertisement about healthy meals to eat at Christmas time).

ADVERT VOICE (puppeteer or pre-recorded): (feel free to ad-lib for local food choices, but the gist is: food is how we show our love; eating together brings a family together) Serve down-home love this holiday season with Delectable Down-home Ham (or something similar).

KEN: (comes into the main room from the living room carrying carefully wrapped presents, all matching. Wearing a Christmas-themed sweater).

(the doorbell rings)

KEN: (removes a present from under his chin and calls offstage): Carolyn, your mother’s here!

CAROLYN: (offstage) I’m changing!

KEN: You looked just fine in the blue. I’ll get it! (walks towards the door as the door opens. MOTHER is there) Hey, come on in.

MOTHER: (does so and closes the door) Aren’t you ready to go yet?

KEN: Almost. Carolyn’s still trying to find something that doesn’t look like it’s from the maternity section, but, honestly, she’s looking pretty good. (in warning) I wouldn’t say anything, though. She complains about looking “puffy.”         (places the gifts on the table, picks up a cookie and takes a bite).

MOTHER: (admonishing her son-in-law) Leave those for later—(regards the   plate of cookies) oh, she made blue angels. (back to his comment). I can’t imagine she likes being enormous. I hated it.

KEN: She’s not that enormous, Meredith; she’s pregnant.

MOTHER: (ignoring him, continuing her evaluation) But she looks good—tired, but still beautiful.

KEN: She says she looks like a manatee (takes a marker and writes names on the gift labels). Which she doesn’t. I keep telling her it doesn’t matter; she looks great in anything. She just ignores me.

MOTHER: It’s not just about you, you know.

KEN: Yeah, I know that. But it isn’t all about her either.

MOTHER: (raises her eyebrows) I hope you haven’t said that to her.

KEN: (scoffs) No. (After a moment of silence) I’m sorry… It’s just been hard. It’s a huge adjustment and I’m just trying to make it easier. I’m trying to let her know she’s not going through this alone.

MOTHER: Like when you left her to go on the golf trip.

KEN: (defensive) She said that was alright. She likes her alone time, you know, her “cocoon.” That’s what she says.

MOTHER: (shakes head) You’ve got to start reading between the lines.

KEN: I…(About to answer when Carolyn shouts offstage)  

CAROLYN: (from offstage) Don’t forget the Morphos!

MOTHER: (reaches for the feeder before KEN can put the presents down and   starts to do it)

KEN: (sighs and turns back to stack the presents)

MOTHER: (quietly) It’s not your fault. I think seeing her sister will help. Maybe she’ll talk to her about it.

KEN: I really hope so, but I’m not sure the sisters are doing so well right now. Carolyn complains about Carla acting like she knows everything about motherhood. She says Carla used to be so smart, and now, with all those babies, she can’t even finish a complete thought.

MOTHER: (feeds the butterflies and turns back to Ken) It hasn’t gotten better at all?

KEN: (As CAROLYN walks in, he lowers his voice) No.

CAROLYN: (comes in wearing the blue top with black leggings) What are you two whispering about?

KEN: (turns towards her and smiles) What we got you for Christmas—All of you. (he reaches lovingly around her belly from behind).

CAROLYN: (shoves his hands away annoyed). Knock it off.

KEN: (looks over Carolyn’s head at Meredith in appeal)

CAROLYN: (to MOTHER) You really didn’t have to come--we could have met you there.

MOTHER: (puts on a bright smile) I wanted to ask how you were before the chaos at your sister’s.
CAROLYN: I’m fine. Except we’re going to be late. Ken, did you finish the gifts?

KEN: (holds up the gifts as proof) Wrapped and ready.

CAROLYN: Put them in the car then. Mom, you take the cookies.

MOTHER: We don’t need to rush, there’s plenty – 

CAROLYN: (interrupts) I told you, I don’t want to be late. I want to get a head start on dinner before Carla starts bossing me around. Also, I want to pick up some Diet Coke since no one seems to let me have champagne.

MOTHER: You know, you really shouldn’t drink Diet Coke either. Carla was telling me that artificial sweeteners can cause…

CAROLYN:  Why does everyone have to tell me what to do?!

KEN: (looks at MOTHER and shakes his head) Let’s getting going.

MOTHER: (takes the cookies and opens the door for KEN who’s carrying the presents)

(Scene ends with CAROLYN checking on the butterflies and stepping into the other room and turning off the television with a resounding click, looking at herself in a mirror, feeling her “puffy” cheeks and grimacing).

ACT 3. Spring

Scene 1

Scene fades from black to reveal the living area late at night. CAROLYN enters wearing a blue silk nightgown with brown trimming at the bottom. Lights from the TV room indicate the television is on in the background, and there’s the faint sound of golf commentators. KEN has fallen asleep on the couch watching it. CAROLYN floats through the living room but stops at the habitat where the Blue Morpho BUTTERFLIES are fluttering, stirring.

CAROLYN: (Peering into the lepidopterarium, she runs hand over her stomach. To the BUTTERFLIES, she asks) You couldn’t sleep either? (She droops her head for a moment, then stage whispers to the butterflies). You’re so beautiful, so delicate. I don’t know how he can call you after football players (With her back to the audience, she unties the nightgown and glances down at her stomach. A look of frustration settles over her face. Noticing that their nectar is empty, she turns towards the kitchen to refill it, allowing the strings of her robe to trail behind her like drooping wings. She hangs up the nectar again and turns to hear KEN waking up. Very quickly, she ties up her night gown).

KEN: (sleepily) Hey, what time is it? (from behind her, he reaches his left arm around her and places his left hand on her belly)

CAROLYN: (grimacing—she hates this) Around midnight.

KEN: (pulling her towards him) I didn’t keep you up, did I?

CAROLYN: (defensive, as if she needed an excuse to be up) No, I was filling up the nectar. It was empty. (turns and goes back to bedroom up right).

KEN: (goes up left, turns off the television. He rubs his hands sleepily over his eyes and follows her up right). Don’t stay up too late. You need your rest.

CAROLYN: (exhales, visibly annoyed).

(Fade to black)

Bumper music—projections of dead leaves or dead insects or butterflies, barren landscape.

Scene 2

            Scene fades from black to reveal the living area again. Except this time, it is eerily quiet. Light streams in through the curtains but there’s a tint of gray. The silence is broken when the doorbell rings. KEN enters from up right, dressed in long frumpy pants and a football shirt. He opens the door to reveal MOTHER wearing dark blue jeans and a neat green sweater.

KEN: (sleepily) Hey, Meredith. What are you doing here this early?

MOTHER: (serious tone) I came to pick Carolyn up. I’m taking her to breakfast. We’re going to talk today about…(frowns sympathetically) you know.

KEN: (lets her in the house and asks with a similar tone, a little trepidation about how Carolyn will react)) She always called it “The Runt.” (skeptical) Is she expecting you?

MOTHER: No, I thought I’d surprise her. How’s she doing? Miscarriage hits some women hard…some (decides not to elaborate)…I hope to cheer her up—she has to look on the bright side, that’s all there is to it. There’s still the one.

CAROLYN: (entering from up right, wearing the same nightgown as the night before).

MOTHER: (forces her tone into a happy one as she sees CAROLYN) Good morning, Sleepy-head!

CAROLYN: (annoyed at first, wandering towards the lepidopterarium, as if by habit) Mom—what are you doing here?

KEN: She’s here to…

CAROLYN:  (looks into the lepidoterarium) wha– Ohhhhhh! (searches the habitat in obvious distress).

KEN: What? (looks back and forth between the two women)   What’s the matter? What is it?

CAROLYN: (shocked and almost disgusted tone) They’re…They’re dead!

            (Light shines on the habitat to reveal it more clearly. There is none of the usual liveliness and bustling of activity. It looks empty and still).

MOTHER: (approaches CAROLYN on the right side of the habitat as KEN crosses to the door of the habitat on the left side, by the breakfast table) What do you think happened? (she reaches for her daughter, but hesitates as if afraid to touch her).

CAROLYN: (visibly upset) I don’t know, (inhales deeply) I fed them last night!

KEN: Their nectar is still full. (reaches in and delicately picks up the feeder and sets it on the table. He looks at his wife and lifts an equally delicate butterfly. Treats it gently as if hoping it will wake up).

CAROLYN: (comes around the front of the lepidoptarium, brushes her finger against the wing in disbelief).

KEN: Guess these beauties just weren’t built to last.

MOTHER: (still on the right side of the habitat, in a soothing tone) I’m so sorry, Carolyn.

CAROLYN: (disgusted) What a rip off (she comes downstage to sit and slump down on a corner of the living room chair) those were expensive! And I took good care of them…

MOTHER: (same soothing tone) Of course you did, Carolyn, it’s alright, you can always-- 

KEN: (leans into the habitat to put the butterfly back but hesitates, noticing something, investigates quietly, while…).

CAROLYN: (interrupts mother) No, it’s not alright! (stands up from table to face downstage) I’m sick of everything dying around here, around me –    (pause, quieter) inside of me!

KEN: (surprised tone that borders on impressed) Oh, wow.

CAROLYN: (turns to snap at him) What?

KEN: (gently lifts a leaf out of the habitat and holds it out) They laid their…eggs.

CAROLYN: (recoils and steps back, then moves toward the habitat, stands beside KEN).

KEN: ‘Think they knew what they were doing all along?

CAROLYN: Maybe.

MOTHER: (moves to face the couple) I came to take you to breakfast. What do you two think?

KEN: (looks at CAROLYN)

CAROLYN: (smiles weakly) I’m starving.

            Scene fades to black.

Scene 3

Before the lights turn on, distant sounds can be heard as opposed to the silence of the previous scene. The sounds are sports commentary and sizzling, which create a domestic feeling. Slowly the scene fades to light.

KEN’s friends are over. CAROLYN is the only woman in the house. She is making stir-fry by the stove. Her hair is tied up and she’s wearing black yoga pants and any top. Time has passed as she’s clearly very pregnant. Her stomach bulge is more highlighted under her Williams & Sonoma apron. As she’s cooking, she pops some bite of food into her mouth—maybe a couple of times—She hums to herself.

BUTTERFLIES: a spotlight reveals the movement of a leaf (one of the puppeteer’s hands is a green leaf with white chrysalis) in the habitat.  

CAROLYN: (Glances up from her cooking. Sees the movement and comes closer to touch the leaf and outline the chrysalis with her upstage hand). The gray light gains some more yellow, revealing

BUTTERLIES: a green chrysalis, hanging from a leaf, shaking and moving. CAROLYN pantomimes watching in amazement as she watches the tips of brown wings pushing their way out of the chrysalis. She watches the          wings squirm and struggle ultimately reveal…

BUTTERFLIES (a beautiful Blue Morpho--the other hand of the puppeteer--who flutters up).

CAROLYN: (quietly) Your parents are gone, beautiful. Stupid things wouldn’t eat.

BUTTERFLIES: one butterfly hand continues exploring its environment. It finds the nectar and reaches for it greedily).

CAROLYN: backs up and taps KEN without disturbing the other men.

KEN: (follows her to the lepidopterarium) The Morphos. (they share a significant smile. How you doin’, Federer?

CAROLYN: (jabs him playfully and laughs)

KEN: What? You like Serena better? Venus? (He takes her hand. They look for a moment, and KEN kisses her cheek, and she accepts it).

CAROLYN: smiling blissfully, looks for a while and turns back towards the stir-fry. She hands two plates to KEN just as the TWO MEN cheer loudly in the other room. CAROLYN takes one plate and helps herself to a portion of food. She pours herself some milk. CAROLYN sits down at the table with her plate and glass, eating slowly while watching the butterfly sip its nectar. Slowly, she eats, clearly enjoying the food, while looking at the butterflies, two now. Her hand rests on her stomach; she laughs as she reacts to the baby’s kick. 

Scene fades to black.