Reader's Theater for Keeper of the Night

1. “Oh No She Didn’t…Wear a BIKINI!!!”
Characters: (8) Mary Kelly Narrator 1
Delia Narrator 2
Tonya Narrator 3
Isabel Narrator 4
Notes: Have all narrators sit on stools to the left of “stage.”
Preview: Delia, Tonya, and Isabel have visited Mary Kelly for the weekend. Mary Kelly has shown them
her house and they have just entered her room.
Narrator 1: Mary Kelly stands in the center of her room with her hands on her hips. A sense of pride
covers her face. She watches as Delia, Tonya, and Isabel admire her belongings.
Narrator 2: Delia admires the largest collection of Madame Alexander dolls she has ever seen.
Narrator 3: Tonya counts the stuffed animals piled in the corner of her room. Her face shows her
concentration and determination.
Narrator 4: Isabel admires Mary Kelly’s book collection. She pays special attention to a brown,
leather copy of Jane Eyre.
Isabel: (In a trance while running her finger down the spine of Jane Eyre) How many times have
you read it?
Tonya: (confused) What?!?!
Narrator 3: The new conversation obviously interrupts Tonya’s counting as she looks flustered and
begins to start over.
Delia: (smiling) Look at this collection of Madame Alexander dolls. Where did you get all of
these? You have so many!
Mary Kelly: (rolling her eyes) Oh, my dad has always bought them for me. How childish, right?!?!
Delia: Oh, uh, yeah… (under her breath) WOW!
Tonya: (shouts out) 48!
Narrator 3: Tonya has completed her teddy bear counting task and is obviously amazed and proud!
Mary Kelly: Huh? 48 what?
Tonya: (embarrassed) Um, Isabel asked how many times you’ve read that book. I was just
guessing.

2. Narrator 4: Isabel looks up from Jane Eyre for the first time. “Good recovery” she thinks. She
knows Tonya was really talking about 48 teddy bears. It’s so pathetic how Tonya and Delia are
so entranced by all of Mary Kelly’s things.
Mary Kelly: Read what? (glancing at the book in Isabel’s hand) Oh, that. I’ve read it a few times.
It’s OUR favorite, right? (smiling at Isabel)
Narrator 4: Isabel throws a fake grin Mary Kelly’s way. She has nothing in common with that girl,
and the thought that she could even be remotely interested in the same things makes her
stomach hurt. Isabel knows she’s not like her.
Mary Kelly: Never mind that. Let’s go to the pool! You guys have to meet my Mike!
Narrator 1: Mary Kelly crosses the room and pulls open a dresser drawer. She pulls out eight one
piece bathing suits.
Mary Kelly: (As if she was giving orders) Borrow one of mine.
Tonya: Really?
Mary Kelly: Yeah. Sorry I have no bikinis. My mother treats me like a child and won’t let me wear
one yet. She drives me crazy sometimes!
Isabel: (Obviously annoyed, and very sarcastically) How unfair! I’m sure she’ll let you wear one
soon.
Narrator 2: Delia looks at her hand-me-down suit sticking out of her pink bag.
Delia: (excited) I like the orange one!
Tonya: The pink one’s nice. But, oh, I’ll wear the green one!
Narrator 1: Mary Kelly looks at the girls with a sense of approval. She looks across the room
expectantly at Isabel, who picks up her bag and exits to the bathroom. All of the girls go into
another room to change.
Narrator 2: Mary Kelly, Delia, and Tonya return to the room first. When Isabel returns, they are all
modeling their stylish one pieces.
Narrator 1: Mary Kelly’s mouth drops open when she sees Isabel….wearing a bright yellow bikini!
Isabel: (smiling) I’m ready.
Mary Kelly: (smile fading) Your parents let you wear a bikini?
Narrator 4: Isabel ignores Mary Kelly’s question.
Isabel: (as she walks out of the room) Let’s go!