"Just A Prayer Away"Introductory
This play is based on a young woman named, Maxine. Maxine lost her mother at the tender young age of ten. Maxine and her four sisters were then raised by their Grandmother and two Aunts. The girls never knew their father. Being raised by their grandmother, they were brought up in church. Maxine was the oldest of all her sisters.
Maxine back-slid from church after twenty years of serving God; She was saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit. she sang in the choir and was always about Gods business. But there was something missing in her life, and that something she thought was a man. She knew that it was not the will of God for her to go out and find a husband, but she ignored what God had to say concerning that issue. The bible tells us, “A man that findeth a wife, findeth a good thing and obtain favor of the Lord”. Not a woman that finds a husband, but a man that finds a wife.
Instead of Maxine waiting on God to send her a husband she went looking for one and became involved with a guy who goes by the name, Fontaine. Fontaine deceived Maxine by telling her that he was saved and that he loved the Lord. He began to pretend that he was saved by reading the bible studying and quoting scriptures. Fontaine joined the church that Maxine belonged to. He was a fine young man but he was a trickster, liar, cheater and a deceiver.
Maxine's grandmother, (Big Mama) saw straight through Fontaine and knew that he was up to no good from the very beginning. She tried talking to Maxine about Fontaine. However, Maxine didn't want to hear anything negative she had to say about him. She told her grandmother that she was wrong about Fontaine and that he was a decent person.
After several dates with Fontaine, Maxine's feelings were getting more and more involved and he knew it, and used that against her to get her in bed with him. One night he sweet talked her into having sex. After a couple of times of having sex, he then talked her into going out on the town for a good time. Fontaine took Maxine to a bar and that's when and where she had her first drink of alcohol, Gin and Juice, a very cheap drink I might add. She started smoking cigarettes, weed, and staying out all night. Fontaine then turned her on to a higher drug called, COCAINE. She started off by snorting it up her nose, then lacing cigarettes and joints with it. After a while she began smoking it out of a glass pipe.
Maxine's family began to see a change in her appearance, her attitude and her behavior. They started questioning her about her new friend Fontaine. Questions such as; “where did you say you met him? what church did he attend? Is he married? Does he have any children? And does he even have a job?” Maxine began to get angry because of all the questions and she answered not a one of them. But she did tell them that she was moving out of the house to be with Fontaine. They were all stunned.
When Maxine met with Fontaine she told him that she had moved out of the house and that she wanted to stay with him, and that’s when he dropped a bomb on her. He told her that he was not interested in a relationship with her anymore and definitely not a commitment. He also said, "it was just fun and games and he don't want a junky for a wife".
Fontaine left Maxine stranded and all alone. He left her to be with someone else. Maxine was devastated, confused, hurt and ashamed. She had no place to go but back home and that was the last place she wanted to be. Maxine refused to call her family.
Maxine strayed away.....Big Mama and the girls went to the police station to file a missing person’s report. The police told them that since Maxine was grown and had left on her own there was nothing they could do about the situation. After not hearing from Maxine in a couple of weeks the family begin to worry. They had no way of contacting her, didn't know where she was staying, or who she was staying with.
A few more weeks had gone by, months, a year and they still had not heard from Maxine. They didn't know if she was dead or alive, all they could do was pray for her safety and hope that she would return home soon. Maxine was on the go and didn’t want to be found by anyone, all she wanted was to get high. She was caught up in the Devil's den and the Devil was having a good time with her. Maxine was out of control, and that was the life of Cocaine that had taken over her.
Characters Of Play
REV. ELROY DOON-BUGGY: Comical Preacher: Mid sixties, strange looking,
stutters when he preaches, speaks with a southern accent.
Occupation: Preacher. Black afro wig, thick crooked glasses, white shirt, black pants that are too tight and short and tweed jacket. Black shoes, white socks, different color suspenders and neck tie.
SISTER STACY: Mid thirties. Comes to church just to flirt with Rev. Doon-Buggy
and to get money from him. She upsets the other sisters in the church and gives them something to talk about. She loves to make a scene and wants to be seen by any and everyone that is looking at her. When praise and worship is going on she makes a scene by dropping her handkerchief and bending over to pick it up in a seductive way. Sister Stacy has five children and no husband.
Occupation: Mother. Blonde short wig, sun glasses, red short, tight low cut dress.High heels, jewelry, make-up and red lip-stick.
That Fine Brother: Early thirties. Good-looking brother came to the church to listen to the word of God but got side tracked by Sister Stacy and her too short, too little and too tight red dress. All the sisters are checking him out. Low cut neat hair, nice two piece suit with shirt, tie and shoes to match.
Occupation: Entrepreneur. A chain of men clothing stores.
The Nurse: Early forties; Serves the Preacher and members of the church with hospitality.
Nurse’s dress uniform all white.
Occupation: Nurse.
Extra Characters: Sister. Stacy's five kids, an usher and a drunk sitting in the back of the church.