Sweet Potato Eye

Sweet Potato Eye – a one-act, one-scene drama/comedy

Time: Seven-thirty in the morning
Place: The mattress in Olivia’s room
Principal characters: Olivia and Mommy
Setting: The messy set suggests an active toddler’s room on the second floor of an older home. Pink with flowers is the main color and theme. The room contains an unused toddler bed and rocking chair off to the side. Much of the floor is taken up by a futon mattress, which is where the child sleeps and where the opening (and only) scene unfolds. Toys, books, and clothes are scattered throughout the room.

Act One – Scene One

(Sunlight shines through the window shades. Olivia, a dreaming child, stirs herself awake. She sports some sleeper pajamas. Looking over, she sees Mommy lying beside her on the mattress. Mommy has not gotten much sleep because Olivia tossed and turned throughout the night. Olivia lets out a yawn. She turns to face Mommy.)

Olivia (prying open Mommy’s eyelids): "Mommy, you have a sweet potato in your eye."

Mommy (chuckling and needing clarification as to what she has just heard): "What did you say, sweetie?"

Olivia (deadpanned): "You have a sweet potato in your eye."