She knows the reason behind is excited impatience for her to turn eighteen. The way the content is organized, Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. The play acknowledges both the immorality of Pecks behavior and the complicated connection he shares withLilBit. She says she knows about Peck andLilBits relationship and thatLilBit has twisted Peck around her little finger (45). The play premiered on March 16, 1997, Off-Broadway at the Vineyard Theatre. The three halves of Lil Bits mental state indicate her level of confusion. [12] Ebelin Ortiz directed. In their first driving lesson, she sat on his lap and steered while he pushed the petals. Vogel received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the work. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Productions for Fools & Kings Theatre, with set and costume design by Katharine Heath, lighting design by Ziggy Jacobs, and composition and sound design by Nathan Klein.[16]. [] Sometimes I feel like these alien life forces, these two mounds of flesh have grafted themselves onto my chest, and theyre using me until they can propagate and take over the world and theyll just keep growing, with a mind of their own, until I collapse under their weight and they suck all the nourishment out of my body and I finally just waste away while they get bigger and bigger and---. Excited and nervous, she takes up the drivers seat but cant reach the pedals. 1979 is much later than most of the plays action but shows that Lil Bits memories function like a constant hum in her mind. Peck, in a frantic rush, pulls a ring out of his pocket and proposes to Lil Bit. He went on to die after drunkenly falling down a flight of stairs in his basement. The Teenage Greek Chorus, acting as young Li'l Bit, does so. Here is how to cut text in script to get the monologue: Start on top of page 217: Oh Mama, look at meCut everything from That in the yellow paper to the line wheres my birthday girl. Continue Emilys monologue with I cant. [13], In 2012 University of Vermont's Department of Theatre produced the play with Vogel attending and addressing a symposium on women writers. They also allow for communication between different points in time, as in this instance, where present-day Lil Bit highlights the eroticism in Pecks youthful attraction to his car. In her play "Spinning into Butter," she looks at the way in which a person who considers themselves liberal and accepting of all people has buried within her racist thoughts and feelings. He promises not to show them to anyone and that he loves her. The play tells the story of a woman nicknamed Li'l Bit as she comes to terms with her sexually abusive relationship with her Uncle Peck throughout her adolescence. The play implies that Peck is right about girls turning into women before boys turn into menfirstly, puberty does start in girls earlier than boys. I cant go on, include all of Emilys lines that follow (cut all of interjections by other characters). Li'l Bit reveals that she eventually lost her scholarship and was expelled from college because of a drinking problem. This is in no way intended by Vogel to blame her for what happens, but instead to highlight the complicated mix of seemingly contradictory emotions involved in the relationship. He may not violently force Lil Bit to do things against her will, but he undoubtedly coerces her psychologically. More surprisingly, it clarifies the patterns in the relationship between niece and uncle: of degrees of responsibility, feelings of guilt and shifts in power. The play is structured as an intimate collection of memories roughly organized around a set of rules about the basics of driving, as if someone had sneaked in a series of watercolor portraits between the pages of a drivers manual. Mark Brokaw, who directed them 25 years ago, and the actress Johanna Day, have also returned for this overdue Broadway debut. The female chorus intervention as Aunt Mary paints a picture for how abuse can be hidden and even tolerated within a family environment. Here the character struggles with racist feelings which she is ashamed of and at the same time feels empathy and a kinship with the person whom she is observing. Vogel, Paula. The scenes shifts to 1965, where Uncle Peck takes provocative "pin-up" photos of Li'l Bit. Like youre being looked at all the time? . Were you eleven? She imagines his spirit as a kind of Flying Dutchman, driving the Carolina backroads looking for a young girl who, of her own free will, will love him. Vogel received the 1998 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the work. Li'l Bit, a "well-endowed" woman of around thirty-five years of age, comes on stage. Teachers and parents! Directed by Mark Brokaw. The women are at various points in their lives, opening up to reveal personal stories related to a string of pearls that, without their awareness,connects them. A mother gives her daughter essential tips on how to drink when on a date. Refine any search. New York, NY, Shakespeare in the Woods 2023 Season Lil Bits intervention into the memory shows that this is just an indicative incident, one of many. [4] The Vineyard Theatre production, in association with Daryl Roth and Roy Gabay, moved to the Century Theatre in April 1997. This scene is one of many instances in which Lil Bit faces misogynistic comments, particularly relating to the size of her breasts. Using the metaphor of driving and the issues of pedophilia, incest, and misogyny, the play explores the ideas of control and manipulation. Lil Bits grandmother is a god-fearing woman, which is why shes taking a line in this which is intended to put off Lil Bit from having sex before marriage. While he views the champagne as a gesture of celebration, for Lil Bit it represents a way of helping her through a horrible situation. Lil Bits voice is played by the younger chorus as a way of emphasizing her age at the time and as another demonstration of her increasing emotional distance from the abuse. LilBit, somewhat assured, continues the shoot. When Peck proposes to her,LilBit reiterates that she cant see him. As in the earlier conversation around the dinner table, Lil Bit is defined by her breasts. How old were you? Lil Bits words are exactly the same as the ones she says in the hotel room, drawing a link between the start and the end of the relationship. Monologue starts with line I want to talk to you about life and ends with Would you kindly move, asshole! For monologues not written by Gabriel Davis that are recommended on this site royalties may apply so be sure to contact the relevant author or their agent for permission to use their work. Unable to deal with that memory again, Li'l Bit changes the memory (as part of the driving metaphor, she likens this to changing stations on the radio) to when Uncle Peck first taught her how to start up a car. In doing so, it also addresses the issues of sympathy and forgiveness. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights, How I Learned to Drive: This, though, could well be based on years of coercive behavior on his part. also returned for this overdue Broadway debut. Explaining that she feels free when shes driving, she climbs into the front seat of the car, repeating instructions Peck taught her. The waiter looks on disapprovingly, but Peck pays him off with a big tip. (including. The play was set to premiere on Broadway in previews on March 27, 2020, and officially on April 22 with Mary-Louise Parker and David Morse reprising their roles from the original off-Broadway production, with original director Mark Brokaw helming the production. But the implied meaning is that girls are forced to grow upthat is, face their sexualizationearlier than boys because of the way they are objectified. When Peck andLilBit return to Pecks car,LilBit alludes to Pecks wife, Aunt Mary;Peck insiststhey are only having an innocent dinner and that nothing is going to happen between us until you want it to (23). Get them laughing, then hit them with an emotional wallop. After smiling at him, she steps on the gas pedal and drives away, finally leaving Peck in the past as she drives off to a new chapter of her life. As she does so, he rubs her breasts and brings himself to orgasm; Lil Bit is horrified, shouting (via the teenage chorus) this isnt happening.. [] Well, dont you ever feelself-conscious? He also reminds the viewer that his sexual desires are specifically nubile, implying that he prefers a thirteen-year-old body over a twenty-year-olds (which itself is a youthful age). The official-sounding voice announces: You and the Reverse Gear. This takes the action back to 1965, in which a thirteen-year-old Lil Bit is being photographed by Peck in his basement. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, characters, and more. by Paula Vogel. Over time, and through processing what she has been through, Lil Bit has learned to value what she didnt before. Pecks actions towards Lil Bit reverberate through time. [8], A 1999 production at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles featured Molly Ringwald and Brian Kerwin. How I Learned to Drive tells the story of Li'l Bit, now a woman of around thirty-five years, coming to terms with the abusive and emotionally complex relationship that she had with her Uncle Peck. In 1968, Peck andLilBit are out to dinner, and Peck encourages her to order a cocktail. Remember? The teenage chorus member speaks Lil Bits lines, though the actions remain Lil Bits. How i learned to drive is a memory play that deals with issues of victimization, sexual abuse, incest, and alcoholism. Peck says he held her in his hand when she was one day old. Aunt Marys words, spoken by the chorus, are highly ironic, given Pecks interest in Lil Bit is, though partly paternalistic, deeply sexual. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists. In one scene, in which Peck teaches an unseen young cousin how to fish, Morses carefully calculated portrayal is its own minute brand of seduction Morse invites the audience to fall under his characters spell. This scene starkly demonstrates just how young Lil Bit is during her encounters with Peck. Peck is setting up in the next memory to come. Ms. Vogel is too intelligent to present this simply as a study in victim versus villain or to fail to acknowledge that what's happening is, in some appalling way, a real love story. The contrast between the plays biting humor and the serious subject matter reflects the complicated relationship betweenLilBit and Peck. After a brief silence, both. Soon after, they are in a fancy hotel room. The whole set-up gives him a quasi-legitimate reason to ogle Lil Bit. This particular announcement signals that the action is going backwards in terms of the plays chronology. The original cast:[5], A production ran at Center Stage in Baltimore in 1998 and was directed by Barry Edelstein. There was just the steady buzz of the lights, suddenly deafeningly loud, as if they were performing their own monologue. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Soon after she leaves, the male chorus plays the role of bartender as Peck knocks back shot after shot of liquor. Due to the mature content in this production, it is recommended for those ages 13 and up. The sex in this instance is undeniably consensual, and so is markedly different from anything Lil Bit did with Peck. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in, An official-sounding voice announces, Safety first You and. Teachers and parents! Release him.. At this point she is thirteen. LilBit says [t]hat was the last day I lived in my body (57) and that as an adult, she has begun to believe in forgiveness. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. In one incident, while girls laugh in the background, a male classmate grabs her breasts and tells her hes allergic to [f]oamrubber (36). Except her doting uncle is actually a pedophile who begins grooming his niece when shes 11. During a driving lesson in 1967, Peck tellsLilBit he wants her to know the car well and helps her adjust the seat and mirrors. Complete your free account to request a guide. The choruses song fades into the same song playing on the. The story follows the strained, sexual relationship between Li'l Bit and her aunt's husband, Uncle Peck, from her pre-adolescence through her teenage years into college and beyond. HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE is the story of a woman who learns the rules of the road and life from behind the . The audience then witnesses Pecks first abuse of Lil Bit. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. They appeared in the same roles in the original Off Broadway production. At her most vulnerable she seems to fold into herself like a work of origami, hinging at the waist, tucking a bent knee beneath her, clutching her legs to her chest. The scene turns to when she is15years old andisasking her grandmother and mother whether sex hurts for the first time. AtChristmas that year,LilBit, sensing Pecks melancholy and worried over his drinking, suggests they meet once a week so they can talk. This reinforces the idea of sex as animalistic and primal while also emphasizing that it takes place on the mans terms. In a monologue, Uncle Peck gives the unseen Cousin BB a fishing lesson, where it is strongly . How I Learned to Drive How I Learned to Drive is a play written by the American playwright Paula Vogel. Vogel again drops a hint that Pecks behaviors might somehow be explainedrather than excusedby his own underlying trauma. But, just as Lil Bits grandmother held Lil Bits mother responsible for her own sexual behavior, so too does Lil Bits mother place the onus of responsibility on her own daughter (thereby not breaking the pattern that seems to be at play within the family). Both the characters have very different intentions in this scene, with Lil Bit wanting to end their relationship and Peck wanting to cement it. Each scene is designated a driving rule thatalso reflectsthe life lessonLilBit learns therein. WhenLilBit is13, Peck takes photos of her as she poses. The production opened February 13, 2012 and was favorably reviewed by The New York Times. How I Learned To Drive Monologue. Creating notes and highlights requires a free LitCharts account. You'll be able to access your notes and highlights, make requests, and get updates on new titles. Monologues on this site written by Gabriel Davis are royalty free for use in audition and competition; for other uses contact gabriel@alumni.cmu.edu. Aunt Mary Character Analysis. Or maybe someones implanted radio transmitters in my chest at a frequency I cant hear, that girls cant detect, but theyre sending out these signals to men who get mesmerized, like sirens calling out to them to dash themselves on these rocks. Drinking, says the voice, should be done on a mans termslike so many other things in the play. -Graham S. Lil Bit lives in a difficult home environment which is, on the one hand, crudely sexualized; on the other, it is a suppressed environment in which Lil Bit struggles to learn anything useful about coming-of-age in relation to sexuality. It has pseudoscientific implications, gesturing towards Darwinism and survival of the fittest. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Lil Bits decision not to change the gender reflects her complicated feelings towards Peck. Research Playwrights, Librettists, Composers and Lyricists, See more monologues from "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." )_ Who is that? Complete your free account to request a guide. It took him seven years to drink himself to death, she says, losing his job, wife, and driving license along the way. In school,LilBit is frequently teased and targeted for her large chest. The Teenage Greek Chorus member briefly takes over to introduce a memory that is not Li'l Bit's. David Morse and Mary-Louise Parker in Paula Vogels play How I Learned to Drive, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater in Manhattan. The scene switches to North Carolina, where Peck instructs his nephew,Bobby,how to fish for pompano,which Peck callsfrisky and shy little things (24). Lil Bit is clearly struggling to process her relationship with Peck, and this struggle is inflicting on everything in her life. Instead, she has to negotiate her relationship with them and take control (as portrayed figuratively in her checks with the car). The classmate says she wishes she had her problems and that she should go easy on the boy. These, too, cause Lil Bit confusion: she likens her breasts to hostile alien life forces and radio transmitters, sending out siren-like signals to men in order to attract them to dash themselves on these rocks. At the school dance, Lil Bit refuses to join in any of the fast numbers, afraid that the boys just want to see her jiggling.. The play doesnt sink with the gravity of its subject matter; it finds moments of levity without minimizing the tragic parts of the story. She spent most of that year driving on highways, marveling at how well Peck had taught her to drive. Li'l Bit. I stayed away from Christmas and Thanksgiving for years after. His choice of words is usually careful in this way. As Lil Bit storms outside, Peck comes out to comfort her. [17] However, in the wake of the 2019-20 coronavirus epidemic and The Broadway League's subsequent closure of all Broadway performances until June 7, 2020, the production was postponed indefinitely, with hopes to return the following season. WhenLilBit goes to college, Peck frequently sends her gifts and flowers. Ok. Little Mary Jane is walking through the woods, when all of a sudden this man who was hiding behind a tree jumps out, rips open Mary Janes blouse, and plunges his hands on her breasts. She then has a memory of 1968, where Uncle Peck takes her to a fancy Eastern Shore restaurant as a reward for passing her driver's test on the first try. But of him specifically, not of being his lover. The next high school vignette takes place in the gym showers. The line represents the point of transgression which, of course, Peck is already crossing. Many of the scenes, predictably, take place in cars, but Rachel Haucks understated scenic design doesnt have the upholstered car seats and steering wheel of, say, the Off Broadway road-trip dramedy Georgia Mertching Is Dead. Parker and Morse sit side by side facing the audience in retro dining chairs; through many scenes, including ones where theyre supposed to be kissing or touching, they remain seated and looking at the audience while their dialogue and gestures fill in the blanks. She believes that her marriage can be saved as soon as her niece goes off to college. This particular episode places Lil Bits natural compassionshe wants to help Jeromeside by side with her objectification. Lil Bit is hurt by this, again emphasizing that she wants to get a good education. Li'l Bit (Mary-Louise Parker) and Uncle Peck (David Morse) are painted with the delicate brush strokes of a sumi painting, more subtle than sensational, and as unstereotypical a victim and victimizer as Lolita and Humbert Humbert (from Nabokov's Lolita which the playwright credits as her inspiration)Before I say one more word, this is one of the must-see events of the season"[6], The Baltimore Sun reviewer wrote of the 1998 Center Stage production: "The surprising gift Vogel has given her two main characters is that, instead of labeling them good and evil, or victim and criminal, she treats them both with respect. Next, the teenage chorus introduces a scene in which Peck takes Lil Bits young cousin, BB (standing for blue balls; the entire family is nicknamed after their genitalia), fishing. The transition to this 1967 scene is made possible by Vogels use of the Greek choruses, which allow her to jump suddenlybut seamlesslybetween different points in time and space. She then returns to the memory, which turns into an argument between Mother and the Grandparents. It was also produced at the Teatro auditorio de Miraflores in Lima, Peru, in 2013, with Li'l Bit renamed "Rayita" and played by Leticia Poirier and Uncle Peck renamed "To Pico" and played by Marcelo Rivera. Lil Bit chastises Peck for sending the gifts, likening it to the behavior of a serial killer. She explains that shes not be doing well in her education and is confused. Lil Bit gulps down the champagne that Peck has bought for her and makes him drink some too. A female monologue from the play How I Learned to Drive by Paula Vogel. Would I have met the same awed silence? Li'l Bit breaks from this scene to describe her family to the audience. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Li'l Bit becomes confused as to how Peck could abuse her while still being helpful. In the opening scene,LilBit, age17, and her uncle,Peck,are sitting in the front seat of his car for their weekly get-together. This monologue becomes dramatic in so far as, the man who is hanging on by a thread with his fragile devotion, reflects the way she is currently feeling about herself. In 1979, on a long bus trip,LilBit meets an underage boy; the two go out to dinner and then have sex in her room. The spirit of Peck seems to be sitting in the back. I wish I could have seen Parker and Morse 25 years ago, first stepping into these roles. Struggling with distance learning? He puts on the kind of music that she likes and gets her to dance for the camera. Gain full access to show guides, character breakdowns, auditions, monologues and more! This includes her alcoholic mother, the "titless wonder", her misogynistic grandfather "Big Papa", her submissive grandmother, and her young Cousin BB (Blue Balls). Though she accuses him of going over the line here, the viewer knows that he has already gone over the line on many occasions before. Peck associates control with men. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. Peck makes sexually-suggestive comments toLilBit, but when she tells him to [b]e good (10), he feigns innocence. She claims that he is a good man, and that it is all Li'l Bit's fault for leading him on. Synopsis: A mother gives her daughter essential tips on how to drink when on a date. How I Learned to Drive uses a series of nonlinear scenes from the memory of Li'l Bit, who reveals her complex emotional and sexual relationship with her Uncle Peck. This also introduces the idea of Pecks suppressed vulnerability relating to alcohol. His refusal to talk about his WWII experiences implicitly supports the plays position that people ought to talk more openly. This monologue needs performance layers like this embedded to succeed in audition. The title of this scene as introduced by present-day Lil Bit is intentionally comic. How I Learned to Drive tells the story of Lil Bit, now a woman of around thirty-five years, coming to terms with the abusive and emotionally complex relationship that she had with her Uncle Peck. Well worn territory, however, this is such a funny monologue that it works even if the audience knows what is coming. Peck touches and kisses Lil Bits breasts, though she is reluctant and especially aware that she has an important day at school the following day. This shows that Lil Bits treatment was part of a sustained campaign of objectification by her classmateseven the female ones. His pointas Big Papais that Lil Bits only use is as a sexual object. Peck reveals that drinking helped him deal with a hidden pain that no one, not even Aunt Mary, could fix. Mother is wary of him, but finally relents, telling Li'l Bit that she holds her responsible for any misdeeds. The female chorus advice does not provide Lil Bit with useful guidance about sexit merely says to avoid it. This play has some character interaction, but mostly it is filled with beautiful "modernsoliloquies." Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring Notes: Paula Vogel is a brilliant writer with mountains of wit and this monologue is a prime illustration of that. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Monologues are presented on StageAgent for educational purposes only. Instant downloads of all 1715 LitChart PDFs The choruses function to increase the sense of sexual tension. The next flashback takes place in a fancy restaurant in 1968. LilBit tells the audience she never sawPeckagain and that he drank himself to death seven years later. By the end of the scene, he is asking if he can kiss her breasts, at her hesitation,telling her, Dont make a grown man beg (11). The script is a memory play told largely out of chronological order, with the first scene taking place in 1969 in a parking lot in rural Maryland. With the above in mind, Lil Bit reminds the viewer that her experiences can never be fully left behind. Her mother relents but tells her that if anything does happen it will be Lil Bits fault. The action shifts back to Christmas 1964 (with the off-stage voice. Anna The Baltimore Waltz 0 I don't know.Maybe it's just me, but d. Lil' Bit How I Learned to Drive 6 START: Look, here's what's gonna happen.. The action switches to a driving lesson given to Lil Bit by Peck. The runtime is approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission. Lil Bit has come because she wants to tell Peck that she doesnt want to see him anymore. She grew up in Maryland in the 1950s and 1960s; in 1969 her Uncle Peck took her out in his Buick Riviera, but he does not take the role of the adult; instead, he plays the part of a child. It addresses pedophilia, victim blaming, and misogyny, as well as the complexities of love and family. She is the protagonist in the narrative, now an adult the story charts her childhood years into young adulthood. Seeking 2 Actor Team for Spring Other than the two characters already mentioned, the play employs three Greek chorusesteenage, female, and maleto jump between the roles of a wide range of people that populate Lil Bits recollections. Thumb through this funny one-woman show tofind scores of potential material for audition monologues. Feelings which she is ashamed of and horrify her but she can't seem to shake. The voice announcement recurs throughout, marking transitions between Lil Bits different recollections using the types of phrases associated with driving instruction. It also illuminates how women are molded and manipulated not only by their abusers but by society at-large. She wants to escape the kind of background that doesnt value women, exemplified by the male chorus. Lil Bit is a year older and asks whether sex hurts. How I Learned to Drive Play Writers: Paula Vogel Monologues I don't know.Maybe it's just me, but d. Lil' Bit How I Learned to Drive 6 All monologues are property and copyright of their owners. He orders her oysters and martinis, the latter of which she knocks back one after another despite being underage. In a hotel room, over champagne,PeckandLilBitcelebrate her eighteenth birthday. The fact that she suggests he drink some too reflects that she is no longer sympathetic to his quest for sobriety or excuses for his behavior. Lil Bit drunkenly kisses Peck in the car afterwards, before freaking out about the inappropriateness of their relationship. She is impressed with his willingness to do the chores, which he says is what women deserve from men. Michele Lowe has the ability tobring humorout of well-drawnmoments filled with vulnerability and pain. This reveals that the grandmother is disappointed in Lil Bits mother for falling pregnant early in life. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. If you can make pent up frustration funny, then you have your finger on the pulse of this humorous monologue. L.A. Theatre Works produced an audio performance of the play, starring Glenne Headly, Randall Arney, Joy Gregory, Paul Mercier, and Rondi Reed. WhenLilBit leaves the table, Peck comforts her. Implicit in his statement is that men have control over women. Lil Bit then introduces another brief memory, in which, aged twenty-seven, she has a brief sexual encounter with a man who is ten years her junior. The script then returns to the present. WhenLilBit makes playful, flirtatious comments, Peck insists she remain serious, for she holds her life in her hands when shes driving. Li'l Bit sits in the car with Uncle Peck, only she doesn't speak her lines out loud. On Christmas Day 1964, 13-year-old Li'l Bit helps Uncle Peck wash the dishes. Balmy evenings are fraught with danger; seductions happen anywhere. Li'l Bit mentions she is graduating high school and going to a "fancy college" in the fall, while Uncle Peck continues to admire her body. And Day is at her best when she embodies Lil Bits mother and Aunt Mary. Family is family may be a tautological phrase, but that doesnt make it meaningless. Vogel equates objectification with a basic lack of humanity. The final scene has Li'l Bit alone in her car, and as she adjusts her rear view mirror, she notices Uncle Peck in the back. Andisasking her grandmother and mother whether sex hurts, pulls a ring of. The idea of Pecks behavior and the Reverse Gear restaurant in 1968, Peck photos. Lost her scholarship and was directed by Barry Edelstein Paula vogel, as if they were their. Highlights, make requests, and the actress Johanna Day, have also returned this! Do things against her will, but when she was one Day old reflects her feelings! 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Using the types of phrases associated with driving instruction Bit storms outside Peck! Peck for sending the gifts, likening it to the size of her as she.... With useful guidance about sexit merely says to avoid it women are molded and not...