This play deals with inclusion and the tendency for some to avoid it in certain situations. The voluntary exclusion exhibited in the piece works to show that not all exclusion takes the form of individual excluded from group, but can work the other way around.

Interior Classroom – Day

FITZSIMMONS: Good morning class. Today we have a new student who just moved here from Montreal; her name is Amber Villeneuve-Laurent (butchers name)

AMBER: (correcting him) Villenueve-Laurent.

FITZSIMMONS: Sorry, Villenueve-Laurent. You can sit there (motions). Now please excuse me class, I need to go prep for the scavenger hunt we will be doing today. I hope you all remembered to bring your hiking boots. (AMBER looks down at her high heels)

(exit FITZSIMMONS, AMBER sits down, silence ensues)

CHARITY: Hi, my name’s Charity. Nice to meet you.

(AMBER sighs)

KRIS: So you’re from Montreal, that’s so cool. I have a cousin who lives there, Paul Hartford, do you know him?

(AMBER rolls her eyes)

KRIS: Fine, don’t answer then.

SARAH BETH: Omigawd guys don’t they speak French there? Maybe she doesn’t speak English.

AMBER: I speak English.

SARAH BETH: Oh that’s good. You know I didn’t know if you did or not “cause when you corrected Mr. Fitzsimmons it sounded like you had an accent or something, so yeah. I really like your bag. I”m Sarah Beth by the way. It’s like Elisabeth, but with Sarah instead of Elisa.

JAMIE: So why did you move here? (ALL respond with “Yeah, why did you?” and variations)

AMBER: Because my father cares more about his career than his family and would rather his family be miserable in the country than happy in the city.

QUINN: As Che Guevara said: “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine”. (QUINN extends his hand)

CHARITY: Well I’m sure you’ll get used to it. Besides there’s tons of fun things to do here.

AMBER: (laugh) Like what?

CHARITY: Well the Youth Group meets at the church every Friday night and there’s games and prizes. We’re going camping next month.

AMBER: Oh my god.

BRANDON: And deer season will be starting soon.

SARAH BETH: Don’t be silly, Brandon. Amber’s a girl she isn’t into hunting. No but seriously there’s going to be this bon fire this weekend and Jamie’s older brother Curtis will be there, he’s back from Fort McMurray, and he’s totally cute. Not as cute as Toby Keith but when he has a cowboy hat on he kind of looks like him from the back sort of.