A PLAYSCRIPTS TITLE

Thank You for Shopping!

Full-Length Play, Dramatic Comedy  /  4w, 3m, 5 any gender (adult)

When Maeve’s father passes away and she inherits the family grocery store, her future feels uncertain, especially when her ex-best friend Harper comes back to town. Amidst the aisles of food, employees, family and friends, vignettes introduce us to the community as they navigate love, loss and forgiveness.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 3m, 5 any gender (adult)
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Suggested Use
    • Competition or Audition Material
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary

When Maeve’s father passes away and she inherits the family grocery store, her future feels uncertain, especially when her ex-best friend Harper comes back to town. Amidst the aisles of food, employees, family, and friends, a series of vignettes introduces us to the community as they navigate love, loss, forgiveness, and the highs and lows of life during one of the most simple and consistent parts of it: grocery shopping. Thank You for Shopping is a play about the importance of searching for what you want in life – and appreciating what you already have along the way.

History

Thank You for Shopping! was first presented as a developmental reading at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia, on 24 March 2024.

THE REGISTERS

MAEVE – A young woman whose family owns the local grocery store. Her father, the patriarch of the family, has just passed away. She’s figuring out what to do with her life. Female.
HARPER – Maeve’s ex-best friend from high school. After getting a big scholarship, she left town and moved across the country for a fancy business school. She comes back to town because she needs to talk to Maeve. Female.
DREW – The leader of a group of teenagers who cause havoc in the grocery store parking lot. Any gender.
BLAKE – One of the teenage troublemakers. Any gender.
JESSE – One of the teenage troublemakers. Any gender.
JORDAN – One of the teenage troublemakers. Any gender.

THE DAIRY AISLE

ANNA – A young woman who has fallen hopelessly in love with the man who stocks the milk in the dairy aisle. Female.
BROOKE – Anna’s best friend, who pushes her to go after love. Female.
THE MAN BEHIND THE MILK – The man who stocks the milk at the store. Male.

THE CANNED GOODS AISLE

BILL – An old pro and longtime employee of the store. Male.
CRAIG – An excited but nervous new employee at the store. Male.

THE PASTA AISLE

DYLAN – Riley’s partner, incredibly nervous about their families meeting for the first time tomorrow. Any gender.
RILEY – Dylan’s partner, trying to get Dylan excited about their upcoming meeting of the families. Any gender.

THE GREETING CARD AISLE

ALEX – A young person trying to figure out how to express their love. Any gender.
JOAN – An older woman who helps Alex navigate their feelings. Female.

THE MEAT AISLE

SHANE – A bro and a recent vegan. Male.
BROCK – A bro and a lover of meat. Male.
CHAD – A bro and a lover of meat. Male

THE BAKERY

LIV – One of Sadie’s bridesmaids and Diana’s best friend. Ruined the wedding cake earlier that day. Female.
DIANA – One of Sadie’s bridesmaids and Liv’s best friend. Is trying to save Sadie’s wedding and Liv’s sanity. Female.

Cast the show with as many or as few actors as you would like. We used doubling for our world-premiere reading, but you can do this play with any configuration you want. The only actors who shouldn’t be doubled are the two playing Maeve and Harper.

This play is a vignette play. For transitions, please feel free to use characters, lights, music, and scenery to mask scene changes or make them feel organic. There are scenes in “The Stockroom” that can be used as transitional devices, but please, be creative with it!

Cast the show with as many or as few actors as you would like. We used doubling for our world-premiere reading, but you can do this play with any configuration you want. The only actors who shouldn’t be doubled are the two playing Maeve and Harper.

This play is a vignette play. For transitions, please feel free to use characters, lights, music, and scenery to mask scene changes or make them feel organic. There are scenes in “The Stockroom” that can be used as transitional devices, but please, be creative with it!

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting

    Maeve’s family’s grocery store. The present. 

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Duration 90 minutes

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:

Authors

Erika Kuhn

Erika Kuhn is a playwright, actor, and director. Her play Thank You For Shopping! co-written by Justin Borak received a staged reading by the West Virginia University School of Theatre and Dance and is available at playscripts.com. Her play Kill the Bird was the recipient o ...
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Justin Borak

Justin Borak is a Lebanese-American playwright based out of New York City. He was named a finalist for the 2025 Lanford Wilson New American Play Prize and a semifinalist for the 2026 Eugene O’Neill National Playwright’s Conference for haters gonna hate, was named a finalist f ...

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