CASSEROLE

Set in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Casserole revolves around Clair Wilson, a Godly woman with love to spare, and her grumpy husband, Leonard. A normal day goes into high gear when Clair learns that a publisher saw her recipe for “Mayonnaise Casserole” and wants to feature her in a new cookbook, The Midwest Chef. Frenzy takes center stage when their abstract artist daughter shows up with a mysterious guest, followed by the cookbook’s editor and photographer. When a wild menu is set before them, a food-slinging argument erupts revealing secrets and setting the stage for Clair’s loving wisdom.

CLAIR  WILSON,  54-year-old housewife with a strong western

Wisconsin accent. She is very proud of her "creative" casseroles. 

She has a huge heart, exudes love and affection and surprises others 

with her wisdom, much of it derived from watching "Ellen."

LEONARD WILSON, 57-year-old manager of Delshire’s

department store. He is orderly, neat, responsible and practical. Although he

frequently sounds gruff, there is a deep current of love for Clair.

ERICA WILSON, their daughter, a 29-year-old artist now living in New York

City. She’s independent and spirited and, at heart, very much

like her mother. She’s also very protective of her mother and loves Penny.

PENNY CAUFIELD, 32-year-old successful marketing professional

with her own business in New York City. She is tall, fierce, graceful,

confident and protective with a Rosalind Russell flair. Penny is also

a trans woman. 

ZACHARY SIMMONS, 35-year-old head editor of Williamsburg

Publishing. A hipster, his dark, polished-looking hair is very neat

but a little bouffant. He likes to think of himself as being droll.

NICHOLAS,  30-year-old freelance photographer/videographer. He,

too, is a hipster .His favorite piece of clothing is a black T-shirt that 

reads “IRONIC T-SHIRT.” 

One interior, the Wilson home in Eau Gallie, Wisconson. July 3, 2015

CLAIR. Leonard. You won’t believe this. Mr. Simmons saw

my recipe for Mayonnaise Casserole in the Gazette / and

he—

LEONARD. Ah c’mon. How would he ever see that?

CLAIR. I think he went to the university. He’s meeting some

old professor in that creative writing thing they have. And I

betcha that professor saw my recipe and sent it to him. Oh,

my … tomorrow is going to be THE best day.

(CLAIR goes to the box LEONARD organized for her and

starts pulling out recipes.)

CLAIR . And he wants me to make all my favorite

recipes, and he’s going to take some photographs and even

some kind of video or something. He probably wants to

talk about it with his colleagues, dontcha know. Oh dear

… what should I make? I’ve got the Cowboy Cornbread

Trifle or the Root Beer Raisin Meatloaf … It’s the Fourth

tomorrow … I can whip up some M&M Macaroons and

just use the red and blue M&Ms.

LEONARD. Now Clair, don’t go getting head over heels

about all this. There’s no contract. There’s no up-front

money. Don’t go off like some flibbertigibbet.

CLAIR. You’re right. (Breathing deeply.) I need to calm

down and get my head on straight.

LEONARD. Make a good first impression. Fix your hair,

wear something … professional, and for heaven’s sake, get

organized.

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