SOLNS
THE GIFT OF THE MAGI
Based on the short story by O. Henry
Adapted by Mark Bedell
(DELLA ENTERS SL, CARRYING A SMALL, ATTRACTIVELY WRAPPED PACKAGE. SHE LOOKS LEFT, LOOKS RIGHT, AND X'S TO FSR TO ADMIRE THE VIEW THROUGH THE PAWN SHOP WINDOW)
DELLA
This is the same pawn shop that---Jim! Oh, Jim! Come quick!
JIM
(OFF SL) Della?
DELLA
Over here, silly!
JIM
Where are you?
(JIM ENTERS DSL CARRYING 8 OR 9 WRAPPED BOXES. THEY ARE LARGE AND BLOCK HIS VISION. HE IS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY HOLDING THEIR WEIGHT)
DELLA
Right here!
JIM
There you are... Della you sure walk fast when you're shopping. I lost you back on Fourth Ave. How'd you wind up on Broadway? DELLA (KIDDING) Practice, practice, practice!
JIM
Huh?
DELLA
Never mind. Oh, Jim, Everything is so pretty down here during the holidays--all the colors and all the fancy decorations. (DURING NEXT LINE DELLA PUTS SMALL PACKAGE ON TOP OF JIM'S STACK. IT IS THE STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL'S BACK AND HE CANNOT SUPPORT THE EXTRA WEIGHT. DURING THE LAST OF DELLA'S LINE HE SLOWLY SLIDES INTO A FULL SPLIT [STILL HOLDING BOXES]) It all looks so good! I just want to buy everything! (AFTER REACHING THE FULL SPLIT JIM DROPS THE BOXES SO WE SEE THE COMICALLY PAINED LOOK ON HIS FACE.)
JIM
(AS LAUGHTER DIES... IN HIGH FALSETTO VOICE...) I think you did buy everything.
DELLA
Sorry, Jim, maybe I did go a little overboard with the shopping.
JIM
(RECOVERING AND RE-STACKING BOXES) A little overboard?!
DELLA
All right, a lot overboard!
JIM
It's all right, Della. But I don't care how much or how little we buy. I don't think any amount of gifts could ever mean more to us than that Christmas we had 3 years ago.
DELLA
Three years ago....Boy, things were sure different then.
JIM
Well, I've worked hard and I'm earning more money now, but back then I was only making... $30 a week.
DELLA
No, it was $20 a week, remember? Your pay was cut just before Christmas.
JIM
That's right, and $20
Based on the short story by O. Henry
Adapted by Mark Bedell
(DELLA ENTERS SL, CARRYING A SMALL, ATTRACTIVELY WRAPPED PACKAGE. SHE LOOKS LEFT, LOOKS RIGHT, AND X'S TO FSR TO ADMIRE THE VIEW THROUGH THE PAWN SHOP WINDOW)
DELLA
This is the same pawn shop that---Jim! Oh, Jim! Come quick!
JIM
(OFF SL) Della?
DELLA
Over here, silly!
JIM
Where are you?
(JIM ENTERS DSL CARRYING 8 OR 9 WRAPPED BOXES. THEY ARE LARGE AND BLOCK HIS VISION. HE IS HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY HOLDING THEIR WEIGHT)
DELLA
Right here!
JIM
There you are... Della you sure walk fast when you're shopping. I lost you back on Fourth Ave. How'd you wind up on Broadway? DELLA (KIDDING) Practice, practice, practice!
JIM
Huh?
DELLA
Never mind. Oh, Jim, Everything is so pretty down here during the holidays--all the colors and all the fancy decorations. (DURING NEXT LINE DELLA PUTS SMALL PACKAGE ON TOP OF JIM'S STACK. IT IS THE STRAW THAT BREAKS THE CAMEL'S BACK AND HE CANNOT SUPPORT THE EXTRA WEIGHT. DURING THE LAST OF DELLA'S LINE HE SLOWLY SLIDES INTO A FULL SPLIT [STILL HOLDING BOXES]) It all looks so good! I just want to buy everything! (AFTER REACHING THE FULL SPLIT JIM DROPS THE BOXES SO WE SEE THE COMICALLY PAINED LOOK ON HIS FACE.)
JIM
(AS LAUGHTER DIES... IN HIGH FALSETTO VOICE...) I think you did buy everything.
DELLA
Sorry, Jim, maybe I did go a little overboard with the shopping.
JIM
(RECOVERING AND RE-STACKING BOXES) A little overboard?!
DELLA
All right, a lot overboard!
JIM
It's all right, Della. But I don't care how much or how little we buy. I don't think any amount of gifts could ever mean more to us than that Christmas we had 3 years ago.
DELLA
Three years ago....Boy, things were sure different then.
JIM
Well, I've worked hard and I'm earning more money now, but back then I was only making... $30 a week.
DELLA
No, it was $20 a week, remember? Your pay was cut just before Christmas.
JIM
That's right, and $20