"The Debutante"
                                                    © 2000 Lawson H. Caldwell

Synopsis
Time – 1964 - Early Summer
Place – Clarksville – A town in the Deep South

In 1964 people were just waking up to the issues that would mold the world for decades to come.  The
Civil Rights Movement was already underway.  Vietnam was a rumble.  The Women’s Movement was
about to take off and Stonewall and the Gay Rights Movement was still in the closet.  Twenty-year old
Field Anderson realizes that he cannot be who he is in his deep southern hometown of Clarksville.  He
cannot stay and pretend to be a happily married man with children when he knows in his heart that he is
gay.  As the playwright, I thought that it was important to focus on a young man's feelings in a period when
society rarely acknowledged or accepted them.  The play surrounds Field's sister Catherine's debut to
southern society as well as Field's giant step into a new world.  Not only is it Catherine’s coming out but it
is Field’s coming out as well.

Cast of Characters:
  1. Catherine – Nineteen years old.  Very beautiful, funny, flirty and somewhat spoiled.  She has a mind
    of her own.
  2. Sarah – Nineteen years old.  Next door neighbor and childhood friend of Catherine and Field.  She
    craves attention from boys.  She has always been in Catherine’s shadow.
  3. Field – Twenty-one years old.  Handsome, athletic, good sense of humor.  He thinks a lot about his
    feelings and what he wants out of life.
  4. Tyler – Twenty years old.  Typical college man’s man personality.  He is infatuated with Catherine
    and wants desperately to make love to her.
  5. John – Twenty years old.  Somewhat reserved, polite and considerate.
  6. Grace – Forty-five years old.  Outspoken but polite.  She gets her point across without offending
    anyone.  She realized that she is outspoken for the time.  She is very family oriented and has a
    strong belief in southern and family tradition.
  7. Dora – Sixty years old.  Reserved and direct.  She enjoys working for the Anderson's as well as
    feeling like family.
  8. Wilson – Fifty-five years old.  Somewhat boisterous.  Very stubborn and believes that women are
    expected to marry and have children and men are to work, settle down and marry and have
    children.  He realizes his wife is outspoken and is constantly trying not to discuss any issues with
    her.