Not for Children

by B.C. Stands

As a poor, white family fights the sale of its farm, a dark secret has caused TJ, the youngest member, to speak only in movie quotes. An unexpected visit from the town’s new, black sheriff brings the family’s problems to a head. After a murder is exposed, the family fights among itself for someone to take the blame. Once all the cards are on the table, the sheriff and Granny Mason, the matriarch of the family...

As a poor, white family fights the sale of its farm, a dark secret has caused TJ, the youngest member, to speak only in movie quotes. An unexpected visit from the town’s new, black sheriff brings the family’s problems to a head. After a murder is exposed, the family fights among itself for someone to take the blame. Once all the cards are on the table, the sheriff and Granny Mason, the matriarch of the family, formulate a plan that could be mutually beneficial. After the sheriff arrests Granny Mason and takes her to jail, TJ and his mother try to figure out their future.

The location, in what is still a dry county as of 2024, is real (and largely unchanged from the time of the play in the 1980s). The house and the mosquitoes swarming outside are real. And the story, while fabricated, is a tribute to my actual roots. As the title states, life is “not for children” (and neither are many movies).

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Not for Children

Character Information

  • TJ
    An insecure, effeminate, teenage boy.
    Character Age
    Teen
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Male
  • Granny Mason
    TJ’s grandmother. In poor health but tough.
    Character Age
    60-70's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Cina
    TJ’s mother. Unbalanced.
    Character Age
    30-40's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    White
    Character Gender Identity
    Female
  • Sheriff Jones
    SHERIFF JONES An honorable man. Alcoholic.
    Character Age
    30-40's
    Character Race/Ethnic Identity
    Black
    Character Gender Identity
    Male