© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg.

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 About the Author…
Andy Pavey is a commissioned playwright, who
writes short plays for Drama Notebook. He is a
student who attends UWC-USA. He previously spent
nine years with Davenport Junior Theatre, the
second-oldest children‘s theatre in the United States,
where he acted in productions, managed the props
building, and wrote plays for young actors to
perform. In addition to writing, Andy is an avid
backpacker!

Thank the Author…

Do you love this play as much as we do? If your group performs this piece, be sure to
credit Andy Pavey and Drama Notebook in your program and advertising. You may also
wish to make Andy‘s day by dropping him a line or sending pictures of your production!

Contact Andy at: [email protected]

About the play…

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is an adaptation of
the short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Benjamin is born
unlike any other child – like an old man instead of a
newborn baby. He spends the rest of his life aging
backwards, watching his loved ones grow old as he grows
younger. The play is poignant comedy that asks the
question, ―Which is better? To grow old and frail with a
lifetime of memories or to grow younger and younger,
eventually having no memory at all?‖

This is a wonderful opportunity for teens to work on

comedic skills, characterization and even theatrical makeup.

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 3

 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Written by Andrew Pavey

CHARACTERS(In order of appearance)

ROGER BUTTON
FITZGERALD
MOM BUTTON
BENJAMIN BUTTON
DOCTOR KEENE
HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
ROSCOE BUTTON

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 4

 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Written by Andrew Pavey

Before the play opens, as the audience is gathering, a sign sits or hangs
center stage. The sign reads: ―It is a pity that the best part of life comes
at the beginning, and the worst part at the end. - Mark Twain.‖ The sign
is removed shortly before the play starts.

On open, ROGER BUTTON is standing center stage, holding his hat,

nervous. Lighting is very sparse (maybe a spotlight). FITZGERALD is
downstage right, narrating.

FITZGERALD
Roger Button was a wealthy man, related to the This Family and the That Family. He owned the
local hardware store, and was a confident fellow until the day his child was born. It was his first
experience with the charming old custom of having babies—Mr. Button was naturally nervous.
He hoped it would be a boy so that he could be sent to Yale College in Connecticut, at which
institution Mr. Button himself had graduated.

ROGER BUTTON approaches FITZGERALD and extends his hand for a

handshake.

ROGER BUTTON
How do you do? Name‘s Roger Button.

FITZGERALD
Uh. Mine‘s Fitzgerald. You aren‘t supposed to be here.

ROGER BUTTON
Oh, sorry.

ROGER BUTTON retreats a couple of steps. There is a sound from off-

stage, away from where ROGER BUTTON and FITZGERALD are standing.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(unseen, crying like an old man) My teeth! Where are my teeth?

ROGER BUTTON
(perplexed) Doctor Keene must be having some difficulties.

FITZGERALD
I don‘t think that‘s the doctor...

MOM BUTTON enters, pushing BENJAMIN BUTTON in a baby buggy, his

feet hanging out. He appears to be wearing only a blanket. BENJAMIN is
very old. DOCTOR KEENE trails behind.

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 5

ROGER BUTTON
What is going on? Is everything okay here?

DOCTOR KEENE
Why, yes. I suppose so. After a fashion.

ROGER BUTTON
Where is the baby? And why is this old gentleman being pushed around in a buggy by my wife?
Dear, you look quite healthy considering that you just gave birth.

MOM BUTTON
(coddling BENJAMIN BUTTON) Isn‘t he precious?

FITZGERALD
(still narrating) You see, everyone says babies are precious, especially when they are... not so
beautiful.

MOM BUTTON kisses BENJAMIN BUTTON on the head.

ROGER BUTTON
Is this some kind of foul joke? I want to see my baby this instant!

DOCTOR KEENE
You‘re looking at him.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(to ROGER BUTTON) Are you my father? Because if you are, I wish you‘d get me out of this
place—or, at least out of this ridiculous buggy.

ROGER BUTTON
Where did you come from? Who are you?

BENJAMIN BUTTON
I can‘t tell you exactly who I am, because I‘ve only been born a few minutes—but my last name
is most certainly Button.

ROGER BUTTON
You lie! You are an impostor!

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(to DOCTOR KEENE) Nice way to welcome a newborn child. Tell him he‘s wrong, why don‘t
you?

DOCTOR KEENE
You are wrong, Mr. Button. This is your child, and you‘ll have to make the best of it. We‘re
going to ask you to take him home with you immediately.

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 6

BENJAMIN BUTTON
I‘m right glad of it. This is a fine place to keep a youngster of quiet tastes. With all this yelling
and howling, I haven‘t been able to get a wink of sleep. I asked for something to eat(he holds
up his bottle) and they brought me a bottle of milk!

MOM BUTTON
(to ROGER BUTTON) Let‘s go, dear. Precious baby is hungry.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
While we‘re buying food, I‘ll need some clothes. (He holds up his diaper.) Look! This is what
they had ready for me. Ridiculous.

MOM BUTTON
That‘s what babies wear, sweetie.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
Well, I‘m warning you: this baby‘s not going to be wearing anything in about thirty seconds.
This blanket itches. They could have at least given me a sheet.

ROGER BUTTON
(he grabs the handle of the stroller and starts to leave) Don‘t mess with the blanket! Keep it on!

DOCTOR KEENE
(calling out after ROGER BUTTON and MOM BUTTON) Um, congratulations!

BENJAMIN BUTTON
And a cane, father. I want to have a cane.

BENJAMIN BUTTON, MOM BUTTON, and ROGER BUTTON exit. A solitary

light remains on FITZGERALD, who continues to narrate.

FITZGERALD
The Button family took their... boy... home, and named him Benjamin. Uh, little Benjamin
Button may have looked a tad bit different than the other boys, but the Buttons dressed him
like a little boy despite his looks.

BENJAMIN BUTTON enters, still an old man, wearing ridiculous little boy
clothes, riding a tricycle across the stage with a basket on the front of it.
He could also be sucking on a pacifier.

MOM BUTTON
(from off-stage) Benjamin, are you having fun on your tricycle?

BENJAMIN BUTTON stops, takes a small, colorful rattle from the tricycle‘s
basket, and shakes it while rolling his eyes.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
Yes, mother...

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 7

 BENJAMIN BUTTON takes a large book from his basket and reads it
aloud. The following is a quote from the original book.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
You are meant to lose the people you love. How else would you know how important they are
to you?

FITZGERALD
Gosh, that‘s bleak.

BENJAMIN BUTTON puts the book back in the basket, circles the stage on
his tricycle, and then rides back to the sound of MOM BUTTON‘s voice
off-stage.

FITZGERALD
Benjamin was as puzzled as anyone else at the apparently advanced age of his mind and body
at birth. He had read up on it in the medical journals, but found that no such case had been
previously recorded. The years zoomed by, and Benjamin Button, born an old man... became
younger .

BENJAMIN BUTTON enters and takes up his position behind a ‗Button &
Sons‘ Hardware Store counter, with tools and hardware hanging behind it
(this can be a mobile set piece if necessary) . BENJAMIN BUTTON now
looks to be around 40 years old. His hair is no longer white, and his back
is no longer crooked.

FITZGERALD
Benjamin graduated from Yale, and returned home to help with the family business.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF enters.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
Good afternoon. May I help you?

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
I hope so. I need a sparkplug wrench and a gap gauge.

BENJAMIN BUTTON finds the tools scattered around the shop.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
I haven‘t seen you around here. Are you new?

BENJAMIN BUTTON
Uh, I‘ve been away at college.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
College? How old are you, exactly?

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 8

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(uncomfortable) 23. I look old for my age. Name‘s Benjamin Button.

The two shake hands.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
I‘m Hildegarde. Hildegarde Moncrief. Would you want to maybe get a cup of coffee or
something?

BENJAMIN BUTTON
I sure would. I‘ve been drinking coffee since the day I was born.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
Is that right?

The two exit together, chatting.

FITZGERALD
It was love at first sight. They were both 23, but while Benjamin‘s body was getting younger,
Hildegarde‘s body was aging in the way the rest of us all do. Love knows no bounds. They were
married, and had a son of their own, named Roscoe. Roscoe was baby sized when he was born.
The years passed, and the hardware store was successful.

ROSCOE enters, wearing a football uniform and holding a football.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF enters, much older now. BENJAMIN BUTTON is
now a teenager. They are arm-in-arm. BENJAMIN BUTTON is wearing a
football uniform (or a few parts of the outfit, if there is not enough time
to change) .

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(to HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF) Wait over there. You might break a hip.

ROSCOE
Go long, Dad!

BENJAMIN BUTTON runs and ROSCOE throws him a pass or two.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(running back towards ROSCOE) I‘m glad I enrolled at Harvard with you, son. I never had the
chance to play football when I was in my teens. It‘s way better in my sixties. (to HILDEGARDE
MONCRIEF) Right, dear?

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF
(can‘t hear) What‘s that, Benny?

ROSCOE
Hey dad, go over and get mom. It‘s almost game time.

© Drama Notebook www.dramanotebook.com The Curious Case of Benjamin Button pg. 9

 ROSCOE, HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF, and BENJAMIN BUTTON exit
together.

FITZGERALD
Hildegarde continued to age, and Benjamin continued to get younger. He lost all interest in
business and in the serious things of life. He played with toys and made mud pies.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF enters, bent back. Very, very old. She is holding
BENJAMIN BUTTON‘s hand. He looks extremely young.

BENJAMIN BUTTON
(crying like a baby) I‘m tired. I‘m hungry.

BENJAMIN BUTTON curls up center stage in the fetal position.

HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF holds his hand as he drops to the floor, and
then she lets go and fades away.

FITZGERALD
Hildegarde died of old age. She loved him until the end.

The stage grows extremely dark. There is a spotlight on BENJAMIN

BUTTON. The spot fades slowly away as the following line is spoken.

FITZGERALD
And then Benjamin Button remembered nothing. When he was hungry he cried—that was all.
Through the noons and nights he breathed and over him there were soft mumblings and
murmurings that he scarcely heard, and faintly differentiated smells, and light and darkness.
(the lights completely fade) Then it was all dark, and his white crib and the dim faces that
moved above him, and the warm sweet aroma of the milk, faded out altogether from his mind.

Old HILDEGARDE MONCRIEF enters once again, holding the sign

displayed at the start of the show with a solemn look on her face. After
about twenty seconds, she exits again, and the lights go black.

CURTAIN

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