La Casita Feliz (English Synopsis)
Special thanks to Patricia MacLean and Emily Serna
La Casita Feliz (The Happy Little House) is a comedy about a dysfunctional, yet loving, family and the 9-year-old daughter’s efforts to turn her household into the ideal home of her dreams.
Characters:
Camila, 9-year-old girl
Madre & Padre, her parents
Marta, her teenage sister
Fernanda: her friend
Valentin: her frenemy
Rosa: the family housekeeper
Camila, 9-year-old girl
Madre & Padre, her parents
Marta, her teenage sister
Fernanda: her friend
Valentin: her frenemy
Rosa: the family housekeeper
- Scene 1: Camila and her mom get ready to take Camila to a birthday party. The location has changed, they can’t find the invite or the present. Madre can’t remember if the party is for a girl or boy and puts a girl’s toy into the gift bag though the party is for a boy.
- Scene 2: Camila is sitting alone outside the party/skating rink when her friend Fernanda and frenemy Valentin come out. Valentin teases her, sarcastically asking for very girl-y presents. He mocks her for being alone and watching the action from afar and Camila gets back at him by pointing out she saw him fall and it was entertaining. Fernanda breaks up their argument and pretends to race Valentin in order to get him to leave.
- Scene 3: Madre is asking for Camila when her sister reminds her she’s at a party and she needs to be picked up. Madre asks her to call their father to get her on the way home. She protests, saying he always says how busy he is. She calls anyway and he is too busy. Madre asks Camila’s sister to go get her, but she feigns busyness. Madre has to go get her, but now she’s late.
- Scene 4: Camila sits alone, waiting for her mom to come after everyone has left. Camila is mad, though her mom says she’s only 15 minutes late.Camila is also mad because the gift she gave to the birthday boy was a doll. Camila says she didn’t have fun and her mom says she can skip the next one, but Camila huffs and says that actually the party wasn’t the problem.
- Scene 5: Camila sits alone waiting outside the school, waiting for her mom to take her to lunch (at McDonalds) when Fernanda comes out. Fernanda mentions that there was a parent meeting last week saying kids should just stay for lunch because otherwise certain kids are outside waiting. Camila starts to realize that the parents were referring to her. Fernanda tries to pretend she’s forgotten who the parents were talking about, but eventually confirms they mentioned Camila by name. Camila, embarrassed and angry, runs off.
- Scene 6: Madre doesn’t understand why Camila didn’t want to go to McDonald’s before returning to the school. Camila says that she was 30 minutes late and she doesn’t want to ever go to McDonald’s or go back to school. Her mom says, “you’re going to school because I am meeting my friend Martita for tea.” Camila gets an idea, gets her playhouse, gathers items to take inside and locks the door.
- Scene 7: It’s the next morning and Padre is looking for his papers. Madre is getting ready for work and looking at the house while Padre doesn’t notice it until he runs into it. Madre asks Camila about the house and she announces she’s on strike and that the door/windows are locked. Camila says she is not getting out nor going to school. Marta walks in and thinks her mother is talking to herself. Marta is shocked to discover Camila slept in the house. When she says goodbye, Camila is pleased she said goodbye. Madre leaves saying she’ll call the housekeeper to let her know Camila is home alone.
- Scene 8: Camila’s imagination comes to life and she sings about a life where she is spoiled by her parents and doted on by her sister. The whole family appears and wants to have hot chocolate together. In this world, her parents have never missed the kids’ activities.
- Scene 9: Rosa, the housekeeper, comes in and wants Camila to use her asthma inhaler. Camila doesn’t want to use her inhaler. Camila responds to Rosa by meditating, saying “ommm . . . “ and Rosa starts to think that Camila is possessed. Rosa calls Madre at work, and Madre is interrupted by her boss while trying to talk to Camila.
- Scene 10: Padre comes home frantically looking for some work papers. Camila tries to get his attention from within the playhouse. Camila has the papers he’s looking for and tosses them out of the playhouse onto the living room floor. Padre leaves in a hurry without realizing she’s in the playhouse.
- Scene 11: Marta comes home from school and asks Camila why she’s in the playhouse. Camila explains that she plans to stay until she’s grown up and that she has everything she needs inside the playhouse with her candy and TV remote. Marta wonders how Camila goes to the bathroom, but Camila says that’s her personal business. Marta tries to take advantage of the situation by asking Camila to turn over her “earthly possessions.” Camila says that material things are not important and asks to be left alone to meditate.
- Scene 12: Padre comes into the living room and looks through some papers without paying attention to Camila. He asks how her day went, and when she responds saying that she ate candy and followed her own rules, he says that’s great that she has everything she needs at school. Padre leaves in a hurry.
- Scene 13: Madre comes home tired from work and realizes that Camila is still in the playhouse. She asks Camila to come out, and Camila tells her that she no longer belongs to this world. She continues saying “ommm.” Rosa still thinks she’s possessed and suggests they call a priest. Padre comes back reading work papers and says that he’s leaving in a few minutes. Camila. continues coughing, and Marta brings her a cup of water. Madre asks Padre if he isn’t concerned about Camila, and he says she sounds happy. Madre is frustrated that Padre isn’t helping take care of the situation at home with Camila. Padre says he has to go back to work and leaves. Madre, Rosa, and Marta brainstorm about how to get Camila to come out of the playhouse. They decide to ask her to use the remote to put on a certain TV show. When she reaches her hand out, they take the remote, thinking that she’ll come out. Camila stays inside, however, saying that she’ll read instead. They continue brainstorming. Marta suggests that they need to think like Camila. Marta realizes that Camila is likely bored inside the playhouse, so she suggests they bring a friend who will entice Camila to come out, and they decide to invite Fernanda.
- [NO SCENE 14]
- Scene 15: Camila’s imagination again comes to life. Lively music comes on, and she happily dances with Padre and the rest of the family. They pose for a happy picture.
- Scene 16: Marta brings in Fernanda and prompts her to read a prepared statement about how worried she is about Camila and how she should come out of the playhouse. Marta finishes reading the note to Camila, and Camila realizes that it’s actually Marta speaking (not Fernanda). Camila realizes that Madre and Rosa were also in on it and tells them to leave her alone with Fernanda. Camila tells Fernanda that her family doesn’t pay attention to her. Fernanda realizes that she has the same issues with her family and asks to join Camila in the playhouse.
- Scene 17: Madre, Rosa, and Marta return, complaining that their plan didn’t work. Rosa suggests that Madre ask Camila what she wants. Camila explains that this is her world now and nothing will entice her out unless the family can come to an agreement. Camila requests that the whole family come together.
- Scene 18: Camila’s imagination again comes to life. She imagines they are celebrating her birthday with thoughtful gifts and everything is perfect. They again take a family photo.
- Scene 19: Padre comes home from work and still isn’t paying attention to Camila. Fernanda’s mother calls asking when she can come pick her up. Confusion ensues when Marta, Madre, and Rosa try to explain that Fernanda is there but has locked herself inside the playhouse with Camila. Madre, Marta, and Rosa explain what has happened with Camila. He is also unsuccessful in getting her to come out, suggesting the same ideas they’ve already tried. Camila reads her contract/agreement to them including items like being picked up on time, having her parents attend her school events, etc. As her parents agree, Camila and Fernanda come out of the playhouse. Camila’s final request is that they play together, pretending to be monkeys. They enjoy being silly and playing together and take a family photo, this time in reality as a truly happy family.