THE

GRADUATE




A Play adapted by Terry Johnson
Based on the novel by Charles Webb and the Motion Picture Screenplay
By Calder Willingham and Buck Henry

(WORKING DRAFT FOR

TOWN AND GOWN
FEB 2016 PERFORMANCE)

Page 1

CHARACTERS

Benjamin
Mrs. Robinson
Mr. Robinson
Elaine
Mr. Braddock (Dad)
Mrs. Braddock (Mom)
Stripper, College Admin. Woman (Jessica)
Hotel Clerk, Frat Brother (Clark)
Carl, Doorman (Nick)
Mrs. McCleery (Mary)
Doctors Answering Service (Julia)
Waiter, Frat Brother (Jase)

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SETTING
California. 1964

ACT ONE

Scene One
House lights go down. Shot on the screen is of an outdoor pool party. Only music is heard
(Music to be decided), and as the song progresses past the first verse, low light, as though
from a lamp, comes slowly up on Benjamin. Hes seated on his bed in his diving suit. Hes
perfectly still in his total awkwardness. As the song ends and fades, sounds of a party can be
heard off stage. This could be recorded and include SOUND NOTE*1. Sound Note *1 Different
voices stand out from the overall party noise (glassware, music and people moving around)
and can be heard to distinctly say the following: (these voices can be all different or all
Mom)

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VOICES. (Mom)Listen everyone! I want to read all the things about BEN! (Jessica)Have you
seen the yearbook? Head of the debating team Captain of the cross country team editor
of the school paper secretary of your house first in your class! (Julia) Oh Im running
out of fingers to count all the awards!(Mom) Oh were just so PROUD of him!)
The sound gets louder as though a door opens and closes and DAD enters. The faraway and
yet imminent lull of the party plays through the whole scene.

DAD. Theres our feature attraction! Are you ready, feature attraction?
BEN. Could I speak to you a second, Dad?
DAD. (turning on the bedroom light) Whats the matter? BRYN (original line: What
are you doing?)
BEN. You said I should put the suit on.
DAD. I said you should put the suit on and come downstairs.
BEN. I put the suit on.
DAD. Then come on downstairs.
BEN. I just I guess I just.lost the inclination. BRYN (Original line: I lost the
inclination)
DAD. Its a hell of a suit! BRYN (Original Line: Its a hell of a suit, isnt it?
BEN. Yes, it is.
DAD. Happy Graduation!
BEN. Thank you.
DAD. The guests are all downstairs, Ben. Theyre all waiting to see you.

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BEN. Look, Dad, could you explain to them that I have to be alone for a while?
DAD. These are all our good friends, Ben. Most of them have known you since-
well, practically since you were born.
BEN. I know.
DAD. What is it, Ben?
BEN. I guess I guess Im just worried about my future. BRYN (Combined Lines from
the movie)
DAD. What about it?
BEN. I dont know. I want it to be-
DAD. To be what?
BEN. (quietly) Different.
(Mom enters, followed by Mr. Robinson.)

MOM. (to Dad) Is anything wrong?

DAD. (to Mom) No! We were just on our way downstairs.

MOM. (to Ben) Oh! Youre wearing the suit! (Mostly from the script Oh! was
added.
MR. ROBINSON. Hey! Theres our track star! How are you track star? (Track
star line is from the movie, but its been altered a little bit)
BEN. Hello Mr. Robinson. BRYN
MOM. (to Dad) The Carlsons are here!
MR. ROBINSON. (to Ben) Thats a hell of a suit!

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DAD. (To Mom) They are?

MOM. They came all the way from Tarzana!

DAD. Oh, its a wonderful thing to have so many devoted friends!

MR. ROBINSON. Ben, I want to shake your hand! Goddammit, but I am proud of you!

MOM. Were all so proud of you, Ben!

DAD. Everyones (practically) lining up down there to shake your hand!

MR. ROBINSON. Now, give me the low down on that thing you won. That
Hopperman Award.
MOVIE AND SCRIPT Combined lines from both.
BEN. Helpingham.
MR. ROBINSON. Helpingham! Right!
MOM. Its the Frank Helpingham Educational Award. He gets two years of graduate
school with it. Hes gotten into Harvard and Yale and what was the other one?
BRYN Combined lines from the play script.
DAD. Columbia.
MR. ROBINSON. Well good god! Youve bred a genius! EDITED FROM THE SCRIPT.
DAD. I guess we did.
MOM. I dont know how.
MR. ROBINSON. So, Ben what are you going to do?
BEN. Well, thats a little hard to say.
MR. ROBINSON. Ben, I just want to say one word to you- just one work-
BEN. Yes sir.

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MR. ROBINSON. Are you listening?

BEN. Yes I am.
MR. ROBINSON. (gravely) Plastics.
BEN. Exactly how do you mean?
MR. ROBINSON. Theres a great future in plastics. Think about it. Will you
think about it?
BEN. Yes, I will.
MR. ROBINSON. Okay! Enough said.
MOM. Ben is going to teach. Arent you, Ben.
BEN. Well.
DAD. Dont hound the boy, now.
MOM. Well
MR. ROBINSON. Im sure whatever he chooses to do
DAD. Whatever this boy does, he is gonna shine! Now, who needs a drink? BRYN The
script says : This boys gonna shine.
MOM. Lets go back downstairs! Are you coming, Ben? BRYN added.
BEN. Yes. BRYN added
MR. ROBINSON. I couldnt be prouder of you Ben if you were my own son.
BEN. Thank you (sir).
(MOM and MR. ROBINSON exit.)
DAD. Ben, you come on down now. (Ben sits.) Are you coming down, Ben?

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BEN. I dont think so. BRYN changed from No Im not

DAD. All those people down there, (Ben)!
BEN. (All) those people down there are grotesque!
DAD. Grotesque?
BEN. And youre grotesque.
DAD. Youre calling me grotesque?
BEN. Youre grotesque and Im grotesque, were all grotesque. Not actually
grotesque, youre not grotesque, but I have this feeling of grotesqueness when I
think about leaving this room, alright?
DAD. Ben, youre all tied up in knots. Youve just had the most strenuous four years
of your life back there, and
BEN. They were nothing.
DAD. Four golden, (wonderful) years
BEN. Which add up to nothing.
DAD. Im going to have words with you later, but for now Im going to go downstairs
and tell those people you are suddenly sick, and then Im going to entertain those
people on your behalf.
BEN. Yes sir. Thank you.
DAD. Are you sick, Ben?
BEN. Oh yes.
DAD. Well, then I guess you better get out of that suit.

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(DAD exits. BEN starts to take off his scuba gear. He sits. After a moment, MRS.
ROBINSON enters.)
MRS. ROBINSON. (from the doorway.) Oh. I guess this isnt the (bathroom), is
it? BUT, its close to the play the play says spare bedroom.
BEN. (standing) Its down the hall.
MRS. ROBINSON. That is a hell of a thing.
BEN. Yes. Yes it is.
MRS. ROBINSON. It looks like a prophylactic.
BEN. A what?
MRS. ROBINSON. For the severely anxious.
BEN. Yes. Well. Would you excuse me, please?
MRS. ROBINSON. How are you, (Benjamin)?
BEN. Fine, thank you. The guest bathroom is down at the end of the hall.
MRS. ROBINSON. Your mother sent me up here to lie down.
(MRS. ROBINSON moves into the room and sits on the edge of the bed.)
BEN. Look, Mrs. Robinson, I dont mean to be rude, but-
(MRS. ROBINSON takes a cigarette from her purse and lights it.)
MRS. ROBINSON. Is there an ashtray in here?
BEN. No.
MRS. ROBINSON. Oh, I forgot. The track star doesnt smoke.
(She holds her match in her hand. Ben brings his wastebasket over and she puts it in.)

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MRS. ROBINSON. Is it a girl?

BEN. Is what a girl?

MRS. ROBINSON. Whatever youre upset about.

BEN. Oh. No. Im just sort of disturbed about things.

MRS. ROBINSON. In general.

BEN. Thats right.

MRS. ROBINSON. Benjamin, I need to ask you something.

BEN. What?

MRS. ROBINSON. Will you drive me home?

BEN. What?
MRS. ROBINSON. My husband had to go back to his office, and took our car. I dont
like to be alone. Will you drive me home?
BEN. (handing her his keys) Here, you take it.
MRS. ROBINSON. (She doesnt take the keys.) Your brand new car?
BEN. Do you know how to work a foreign shift?
(She shakes her head.)
BEN. You dont?
MRS. ROBINSON. No.
BEN. Look, Mrs. Robinson, Im sorry not to be more congenial, but I really want to be
alone. (Taken from a couple lines in the play)
MRS. ROBINSON. May I ask you a question?

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MRS. ROBINSON. What do you think of me?

BEN. What do you mean?
MRS. ROBINSON. Youve known me nearly all your life. You must have formed some
opinion.
BEN. Well, Ive always thought that you were a veryniceperson.
MRS. ROBINSON. Did you know I was an alcoholic?
BEN. What? (he stands)
MRS. ROBINSON. Sit down, Benjamin. Did you know that? COMBINED FROM A
COUPLE OF MOVIE LINES.
BEN. No. (he sits.)
MRS. ROBINSON. You never suspected?
BEN. Mrs. Robinson, if you dont mind my saying so, this conversation is getting a little
strange. I mean, what if Mr. Robinson came back up here right now? (he stands) BRYN
took pieces from a few different lines I guess???
(she stands)
MRS. ROBINSON. He should be gone for several hours. In fact, I expect he will
be back quite late.
(She takes a step towards him. He puts his hand up and retreats.)
BEN. Oh my god.
MRS. ROBINSON. Pardon?
BEN. Oh no, Mrs. Robinson, oh no.
MRS. ROBINSON. Whats wrong?

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BEN. Mrs. Robinson, you didnt I mean, you didnt expect

MRS. ROBINSON. What?
BEN. I mean, you didnt really think I would do something like THAT?
MRS. ROBINSON. Like what?
BEN. Well, what do you think?
MRS. ROBINSON. Well, I dont know.
BEN. For gods sake, Mrs. Robinson, you come to my room, you sit on the bed.
You start opening up to me about your personal life, and then tell me your
husband will be gone for hours!
MRS. ROBINSON. So?
BEN. Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me, arent you. (pause) Arent you?
MRS. ROBINSON. (she is touched.) Why no. I hadnt thought of it. But I feel rather
flattered that you
BEN. (mortified) Mrs. Robinson will you forgive me for what I just said?
MRS. ROBINSON. Its all right.
BEN. Its not all right. Its the worst thing Ive ever said to anyone.
MRS. ROBINSON. Sit down.
BEN. Please forgive me. Because I like you. I dont think of you that way. Im just all
mixed up.
MRS. ROBINSON. Its all right. Really.
BEN. Mrs. Robinson, it makes me sick that I said that to you.

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