Appendix: Scripts for scenes
Below are scripts for the scenes we have used in this resource. We have elected not to write scripts for Who Would Your like to Work With? and How Can I Help You? We felt that if we were to describe how the bodies were positioned or the tones of voice that are being used, we would be going against the points of the scenes, which are to discuss how these factors can be interpreted differently.
License
All scripts are Copyright Mirror Theatre 2022.
What’s in a Title?
These vignettes all take place at a health care facility.
Vignette 1
In an examination room.
Nurse A: Taissa, is it Miss, Mrs., or Ms.?
Patient A: Um, technically Mrs., but I actually prefer Ms..
Nurse A: But I think your husband would prefer Mrs….
Patient A: Um, actually, my wife doesn’t care for Mrs. either, so just put Ms.
Nurse A: Oh, okay.
Vignette 2
In an examination room.
Nurse B: Hey, good day. Is it Mrs., Miss, or Ms.?
Patient B: Technically Mrs., but I prefer Ms.
Nurse B: Thanks, but I guess your husband might prefer Mrs.
Patient B: Actually, my wife doesn’t care for Mrs. either, so please just put Ms.
Vignette 3
In an examination room.
Nurse C: Miss, Mrs., or Ms.?
Patient C: Um, technically Mrs., but I actually prefer Ms.
Nurse C: Thank you. Um, does your husband prefer Mrs.?
Patient C: Um, actually, he prefers Ms.
Vignette 4
In an examination room.
Nurse D: Before I take your blood pressure, I notice one boxed hasn’t been ticked off. It is Miss, Mrs., or Ms.?
Patient D: [inner voice] Do I say anything? Uh… [to the nurse] Actually, it’s Dr.
Vignette 5
In an health care office.
Nursing Supervisor A: Welcome to the team. Um, do you prefer Mr. Norris or Joe?
Nurse E: Actually, I have a doctorate in nursing.
Nursing Supervisor A: Oh wow, but maybe not used here because it might confuse the patients.
Vignette 6
In an health care office.
Nursing Supervisor B: Oh hello you two, I’m so glad you could make it to our first meeting. Um, Angie, do you go by Miss., Mrs., or Ms.
Nurse F: Um, Miss will do.
Nursing Supervisor B: Thank you. And, Joe you obviously go by Mr.
Vignette 7
In an examination room.
Nurse G: Employer please?
Patient G: West Coast Airlines.
Nurse G: Oh, it must be so much being a flight attendant, huh?
Patient G: Pilot.
Vignette 8
In an office.
Interviewer: So, do you go by Miss, Mrs., or Ms.?
Patient H: [inner voice] uh, not again! [to the interview] Mix. Spelled Mx.
Interviewer: Sorry, that’s not on the form.
Donation
To be published in: Norris, J., Hobbs, K., & Mirror Theatre (In Press). Playbuilding as qualitative research.
[Nadia, Joe, and Candace are drinking coffee around a table.]
Joe: So you’re going to Cosco on the weekend, aren’t you?
Nadia: Yeah.
Joe: So, if I gave you 50 dollars would you pick up a bunch of treats, uh, for next rehearsal?
Nadia: Yeah, of course.
Joe: Okay thanks. Just bring the receipt and then we’ll claim for it.
Nadia: Okay!
Joe: Okay, good.
Nadia: Do you know that this reminds me of?
Joe: What?
Nadia: Have you guys scene the new $10 bill?
Joe: No.
Candace: No, I didn’t know there was one.
Nadia: Really? It’s the first Canadian bill to feature a woman of colour.
Joe: Wow. That’s great.
Candace: That’s amazing… so cool!
Joe: Speaking of $10 bills, when I was coming out of the Dollar Tree picking up our coffee mugs for rehearsal, there was a woman coming across the parking lot in a walker. And, I figured out what was gonna happen… and she said, “Hey sir”. And I decided to be a little friendly, I said, “Yes?”. And she said, “Look, I have three teenage boys, they’re hungry, we don’t have any money. Would you mind giving me some cash?” Normally, I say I don’t have any change and I don’t have any bills. And, often I don’t, I just go by credit card, but this time I looked in my wallet and I found a $10 bill and I gave it to her.
Nadia: You gave her a $10 bill?
Joe: Yes!
Candace: That was really nice of you.
Joe: Yep, I think so.
Nadia: But, isn’t there an LCBO right beside that Walmart?
Joe: Yes, and I knew that.
Nadia: Well, she could of easily went and bought alcohol. If she’s an addict, you’re enabling her, Joe.
Candace: But you’re just stereotyping and assuming that she’s going to go to the LCBO and get alcohol.
Nadia: Well, you’re right. It is a stereotype, but it is still possible that she may do that.
Candace: And it’s possible that she may not.
Nadia: Yes, but by giving her the money you’re possibly enabling a drug addict. Joe could have just bought her food from Walmart.
Candace: What if her kids don’t like the food that Joe got her?
Nadia: Well then, he could have asked her what they eat and what they prefer.
Joe: Well, I decided… I didn’t have time to go into Walmart. I was rushing off to a meeting, so I decided to take a leap of faith and give her the money. I think sometimes you have to demonstrate that you trust people some of the time. If not, it’s not a fun world to live in. That was my choice.
Candace: I agree.
Nadia: I don’t.
Labels
Originally published in: Hobbs, K. (2019). To Know Their Stories: Using Playbuilding to Develop a Training/Orientation Video on Person-Centred Care [Unpublished Thesis, Brock University]. St. Catharines.
Health Worker 1: [writes in chart] Patient is difficult.
Health Worker 2: [reads in chart] Difficult. [speaks to camera/patient] So are you going to be difficult today? [writes in chart] Patient refuses to have breakfast.
Health Worker 3: [reads in chart] Okay. Hmm. [speaks to camera/patient] So we’re going to work on eating breakfast. [writes in chart] Patient lashes out.
Health Worker 4: [reads chart then speaks to camera/patient] Hi Mr. Hobbs. How are you doing today? Oh you didn’t like that? Well I can bring you a different meal next time. Okay, I’m going to check in on you later, alright? [writes in chart] Patient is having a difficult time adjusting to the new environment, due to dietary restrictions, change of the meals… Responds well to positive feedback.
Role Call
In an online seminar class.
Instructor: Alright, good afternoon, everyone. My name is Mr. M, I’m going to be the instructor for you all this term. I know we are a bit of smaller class today, but I’d like to go over just a quick attendance call to make sure everyone is here. And then when I ask for your name, I’m just going to ask you a question with that to just so we can start to get to know each other just a little bit better before we start. Uh, so first on my list I have a Bernadette.
Student A: Here.
Instructor: Hi Bernadette. Welcome! Bernadette, if you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
Student A: I think I would pick shapeshifting ‘cause that’s kind of like all the superpowers in one. You know, if I want to fly, I’ll just turn into a bird.
Instructor: Hey, that’s a pretty one. Can’t argue with that logic. Okay, welcome Bernadette. Um, next up: John. Um, John, are you here? I can see your camera is off and you’re muted.
Student B: Whoops, I had my phone on mute. I’m not going to show my face today. Actually, my name is John Joseph, but I go by Joe.
Instructor: Okay great Joe, thank you. Yeah, no worries at all. Uh, Joe, my question for you: if you could go anywhere in the world to vacation where would you want to go?
Student B: It wouldn’t matter as long as it was warm and had a nice, sandy beach.
Instructor: I like your thinking. That’s a good response. Thank you very much, Joe. Next up, Rosa.
Student C: Hello, I’m here.
Instructor: Hi Rosa. Question for Rosa, um… Rosa, where are you from?
Student C: I’m from St. Catharines.
Instructor: St. Catharines, right yeah, but like… where are you from?
Student C: Um, well I grew up in Toronto, so I guess there.
Instructor: Yeah, I think what I’m getting at is I’m just curious where you were born.
Student C: Um okay… I’m from South America.
Instructor: South America! Okay, cool! Well, welcome Rosa. Next up: Dani Shae.
Student C: Hi, yeah.
Instructor. Hello, uh, Dani Shae, welcome. My question for you: What’s the most recent book you’ve read?
Student C: Oh, um, I just finished reading the Lord of the Rings.
Instructor: Lord of the Rings, very nice. Did you like it?
Student C: Yeah, I thought it was pretty good.
Missed Interpretation
At a playground. Mother A is a white woman. Mother B is a Woman of Colour.
Mother A: [calling to her children] Have fun! Be careful on the swings!
Mother B: You’re so good with them. They seem to really enjoy you.
Mother A: Thank you [chuckles].
Mother B: Can I ask… Are you exclusively with this family or are you taking other applications?
Mother A: They are my kids.
Mother B: Oh. [awkward pause] They look just like you, so makes sense… [another awkward pause]. Sorry…
But I’m a Good Person
At a hospital.
Nurse A: Hi Sheila, how’s it going?
Nurse B: Hey Jordan, god, crazy shift, eh? How are you?
Nurse A: I’m good, thank you. I’m just calling to make a plan for Shirley in Bed 8.
Nurse B: Right.
Nurse A: Okay, so she’s got the compound fracture, right. I just left her. She’s in a lot of pain, so I wanted to call you immediately. I am going to order her a morphine IV: 5-10 ml every 30 minutes for her pain, okay?
Nurse B: Oh, okay. Shirley, right? Okay, yeah, I’ll see. She might not need that much morphine though, Jordan. She seems to be more emotional than anything. I mean she can barely collect her thoughts. Are you sure you want that much?
Nurse A: Yep, so she’s reporting an 8 out of 10 on the pain scale. I know it’s been a absolutely crazy night; have you had a chance to take a look at the x-ray yet?
Nurse B: No, no, no…
Nurse A: Okay, that’s okay, it just came in, but when you do get a chance please take a look at it. I think you’ll agree with me, it’s a really complicated compound fracture. I think that she’s right in saying 8 out of 10. Our main priority is to get that pain under control before you can do anything. Before you can even start thinking about prepping her for surgery, we need to get that pain management.
Nurse B: Mhm. Okay, I’ll go reassess her. Maybe, but I can’t imagine she’s having that much pain, but anyway…
Nurse A: Okay, yeah, go take another look. I think you’ll change your mind.
Later that night.
Nursing Supervisor: Hi Sheila, how are you doing?
Nurse B: Hey Kev, how are you?
Nursing Supervisor: I’m okay. I hear you had quite the night on the floor tonight.
Nurse B: [almost in tears] Brutal.
Nursing Supervisor: Mhm. Yeah, brutal. I was hearing… I was talking to Jordan, just to be upfront with you and that’s how I know it was a rough night. Tell me what was brutal about it.
Nurse B: Uh. I just- I feel… I feel sick. I really was ineffective. I just- I can’t believe it. We had this lady, you see, in Room 8, and she had a really bad fracture. And, you know, she came in and she was really, really emotional and, uh, you know Jordan evaluated her pain. And, you know I didn’t really agree with her. I thought she was just really upset and more emotional. And, the fact of, you know, how she was…
Nursing Supervisor: “How she was”? I’m a little confused. You mentioned emotional as well and, frankly, if I had a broken leg, I’d be pretty emotional too, so tell me more about that.
Nurse B: Well, you know… Well, she was really, really emotional and… you know, certain cultures, they can be more emotional, and it doesn’t mean that, you know… that we have to give them the maximum amount of pain medication. I mean, you know, it’s a high dose. It’s addictive and we have to be careful, you know, but… and yes, of course, she’d be upset. I mean… yeah, of course she would be. But that’s not what’s upsets me, you see, it’s… [holding back tears]. It’s like I have a- I have blind spot or something and, I mean, I just went against everything that I was taught, in terms of, like, patients’ pain. You want to believe what the patient says because that’s their perception. It’s not what I think. And, I was wrong! I assumed she didn’t have, you know, that much pain because, you know, who she was. And I assumed that she was just more emotional. Oh my god, Kevin… When we went to prep her for surgery – I mean I’ve seen people in pain but – she was in unbearable pain. I’ve never… And I gave her the minimal amount of an adult dose. It was barely spitting in a jar. I mean, it was not enough. You know, that’s on me. That’s what’s really upsetting me. I think I was… I didn’t help her. I could have harmed her and… You know, I’m a good person.
Better?
To be published in: Norris, J., Hobbs, K., & Mirror Theatre (In Press). Playbuilding as qualitative research.
[Four people hold tableau sculptures. Someone approaches the sculptures, assessing them.].
Fixer: Hmm… mhm [shakes head: “no”. She adjusts the first sculpture]. Better.
[Adjusts the second sculpture. Better. [The sculpture slowly molds back into its original position].
[Adjusts the third sculpture]. Better. [The sculpture slowly molds back into its original position].
[Adjusts the fourth sculpture]. Better. [The sculpture slowly molds back into its original position].
[Glances at her sculptures.] Better?
[The sculptures approach her and glance at her inquisitively] For whom?