Aunt Em Act One Flashcards
Dorthy: Aunt Em! Aunt Em! (Counting chicks) Aunt Em!
Aunt Em: fifty-seven, fifty-eight-
Dorthy: Just listen to what Miss Gulch did to Toto! She-
Aunt Em: Dorthy, please! We’re trying to count! Fifty- eight-
Dorthy: Oh, but Aunt Em, Miss Gulch hit Toto right over the back with a rake just because she’s says he gets in her garden and chased her nasty old cat everyday.
Aunt Em: Seventy. Dorthy, please!
Dorothy: But he doesn’t do it every day- just once or twice a week. And he can’t even catch her old cat anyway. And now she says she’s going to get the-
Aunt Em: Dorothy! We’re busy! (Exit stage through door)
Hunk: you were scared. If you was a Jack rabbit, you’d be in the next county by now.
Aunt Em: (enters with plate of cookies) Here, here, what’s all this jabber-wrapping when there’s work to be done? I know three shiftless farmhands that’ll be out of a job before they know it!
Hickory: Well, we was just having a little fun, Mrs. Gale.
Aunt Em: A farms no place for fun. You want fun, go join a circus.
Hickory: might just do that. (Flexes) Be a Strong Man, see the world.
Aunt Em: (while walking towards them) Well don’t start posing for it now. Here, here. (Holds out plate) can’t work on an empty stomach. Have some cookies.
Hunk: Gosh, Mrs. Gale
Aunt em: Just baked.
Hunk: Swell ( sits down)
Aunt em: you don’t have to sit down and eat them. Get the wagon hitched up and Zeke you go feed those hogs before they worry themselves into anemia. (Start to exit)
Dorothy: Auntie Em, really- do you know what Miss Gulch said she was going to do to Toto? She said she was going to-
Aunt Em: (stop and walk towards Dorothy while saying) Dorothy, dear, stop imagining things. You always get yourself into a fret over nothing.
Dorothy: We’ll-
Aunt em: now you just help us out today and find yourself a place where you won’t get into any trouble. (Exit stage left through doors)
Uncle Henry: oh, she but her dog eh?
Aunt em: (entering through door while wiping hands with towel) Afternoon Miss. Gulch. I just made a fresh batch of cookies if you’ve a mind to sit awhile.
Uncle Henry: if you don’t want, you’ll waste away. And I’d hate to see you dwindle.
Auntie em: Dorothy could you bring Toto out here a minute? (Face Miss gulch) I’m sure if Dorothy’s upset you in any way she’ll be only too glad to apologize as best she can.
Uncle Henry: was she sober?
Aunt em: (put hand on shoulder) Dorothy, Miss gulch here seems very upset.
Uncle Henry: of course we won’t. Will we em?
(Aunt em stays silent)
Dorothy: oh, please, aunt em! Toto didn’t mean to. He didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. I’m the one that ought to be punished. You can send me to bed without supper-
Aunt em: You hear how sorry the child is. Surely if she promised to give your place a wide berth…
Miss gulch: if you don’t hand that dog over now, I’ll bring a damage suit that’ll take your whole farm! There’s a law protecting folks against dogs that bite!
Aunt Em: how would it be if she keeps him tied up? He’s really gentle- with gentle folk that is.
Uncle Henry: uh, yes-
Aunt em: what’s it say, Henry?
Dorothy: No, I won’t let you take him.
Aunt em: we can’t go against the law, Dorothy. Im afraid poor Toto will have to go.
Dorothy: no, no no! I won’t let you take him! You go away! Ooh, I’ll bite you myself!
Aunt em: Dorothy!
Dorothy: oh please, please…
Aunt em: put him in the basket, Henry.
Dorothy: Don’t uncle Henry! (Runs towards Miss gulch)
Aunt em: (catches her and lets her cry for 3 seconds. Let’s go) Almira Gulch, just because you own half the county doesn’t mean you have the power to run the rest of us. For twenty- three years, I’ve been dying to tell you what I thought of you! And now… well, being a Christian woman, I can’t say it. (Go back to Dorthy)
Uncle Henry: nearly ain’t good enough. You got it done right now. Skies getting darker every minute. Goddammit!
Aunt Em: Come inside, honey. (Put arm around her)
Dorothy: im not going anywhere either you. If you really loved me you wouldn’tve let Toto go.
Aunt em: (act flabbergasted) she had an order from the sheriff, Dorothy. What did you expect us to do? Wave a wand and make it disappear? (Scoff and stomp off stage)
Uncle Henry: you never give up, do you? Dorothy! Dorothy!
Aunt em: (enters anxiously) she ain’t in the house Henry and that fresh batch or cookies is missing. My picture from the Mantle, that’s gone too.
Miss gulch exits
Henry and aunt em exit with Henry’s arm around her
Uncle Henry: good man
Aunt em: (frantically enters through house door) Dorothy! Dorothy! (Move towards Henry)
Hickory: you ain’t found her then.
Aunt em: She’s somewhere out in the storm! Dorothy! Dorothy! (Hold onto uncle Henry desperately)
Uncle Henry: come on everybody in the storm cellar. ( uncle Henry puts his arm around aunt em, center stage)
Aunt em: we can’t leave her out here, Henry. (Say while walking behind house to storm cellar.
