The Chateau Rainbeau Holiday Door
Decorating Contest

SYNOPSIS

After Ray loses his husband, he moves into Chateau Rainbeau, a gay retirement facility where his friend George lives. James, Ray’s long-time nemesis also lives there. Their enmity breaks out in the open when they both enter the facility’s annual holiday door decorating contest. The play deals with issues of rivalry, coping with grief, and finding love in ones seventies.

CHARACTERS (3M)

RAY KAMINSKI:  Gay male, age 70+, any race or ethnicity. Retired florist. A recent widower still working through grief. An old friend of George but a new resident of the Chateau Rainbeau Retirement Community. In decent physical shape.

GEORGE DELANEY:  Gay male, age 70+, any race or ethnicity. Retired accountant. An established resident of Chateau Rainbeau. He and his late husband were close friends with Ray and his late husband.

JAMES RANDALL JAMES:  Gay male, age 70+, any race or ethnicity. Slender and good-looking. Long-term resident of Chateau Rainbeau. Ray's long-time professional nemesis. Thinks he’s God’s gift to interior decoration and to other gay men. Arrogant and smarmy.

SETTING

The living/dining room of Ray’s apartment in Chateau Rainbeau, a retirement community for gay men. Settee or easy chair, small dining table with a couple of chairs, other furnishings as desired. Doorways lead to a bedroom, the kitchen, and the exterior hallway.

TIME

The present, or ca. 2023. The holiday season, beginning the Friday before Thanksgiving.

RECOMMENDATIONS FROM READERS ON NEW PLAY EXCHANGE

Debra A. Cole: “Humor, heart, and a dash of delicious camp... this delightful and touching short play by DON BAKER will make audiences feel so many things. I was lucky enough to hear this read at the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series, and the performances were stellar. THIS is the perfect choice for a festival or senior acting troupe to bring to colorful life.”

Julie Brandon: “A lovely and poignant story about grief, change and new possibilities. This gem by Don Baker reminds us that while we're all different, we are very much the same. The gentle humor combined with a honest look at aging is skillfully portrayed in this wonderful play.”

Sam Heyman:  “I love the world Don Baker creates in this play so much. The all-gay-male retirement community of Chateau Rainbeau could support so many diverse stories, but I am thankful that it gave birth to this poignant comedy about moving beyond one’s grief. I would gladly pass many half hours with Ray, George, and James Randall James and audiences will delight in this play’s heartfelt and humorous storyline. Presented as part of the Playwrights Thriving Reading Series, it was a delight for all involved.”

Ken Love:  “I've read and recommended the work of Donald E. Baker before. And I've got to say that this particular piece, "Contest", is yet another addition to my list of work I enjoy by this writer. Three characters who are so dimensioned and well rendered that they seemed to be sitting beside me as I read the play. In one enthusiastic sitting. I can only imagine what the effect of a live production would be. Nicely done, Mr. Baker!”

 Michael C. O'Day:  "A sweet, poignant, marvelously observed story of age and grief and friendship at the gay retirement home Chateau Rainbeau, a setting so warmly humorous and richly detailed that it's astonishing it only features three characters over fifteen pages. (Seriously, naming the cheesy small-town Hobby Lobby knock-off "Alec Kazam's Crafts and Hobbies" is worth the price of admission alone.) Beautiful, multi-layered work.”

Nora Louise Syran:  “A sweet literal coming of age piece perfect for the holidays. I found the imagery of the door decorating a fun yet also poignant symbol. Moving into this new community, this door he has stepped through is an opportunity for new encounters, new friends and old and the chance to express a very rich life lived, and a lover loved -- all while competing with his foppish foil character and giving us some laughs along the way. Well done.”

Jacquelyn Floyd-Priskorn: “This has all the makings of a great series I would watch eagerly every week. The characters are fun and engaging. The antics of being the best door decorator make for great sitcom scripts, but the last lines between George and James were so tragic and lovely, it is what makes a show even better than just the sitcom antics that draw you in. George, Ray and even James are characters I would love to see more from!”

Danielle Wirsansky: “The Chateau Rainbeau Holiday Door Decorating Contest beautifully blends humor and heartfelt emotion. As Ray navigates grief and rivalry in his new home, the play explores themes of love, loss, and second chances. A warm, engaging holiday tale with a delightful mix of poignancy and wit.”

Philip Middleton Williams: “It's a matter of reality that the holidays with all their commercialized tidings of comfort and joy are a tough time for people who have lost loved ones. Moving on alone is not easy, and in this warm and often humorous short play, Don Baker takes on grief and the competition to outdo the neighbors in holiday decor. All it takes is a little taste, charm, and good friends (not to mention a good-natured rivalry) to make the season bright.”

Brent Alles: “A very enjoyable holiday-themed play. Wonderful characters that draw you right into the story (should provide great parts for actors to play as well). Some very funny lines, but there's a poignancy that I appreciated as well. It elevated this above a jokey holiday celebration into something much more rewarding to read/view. In the end, you have here an involving, humorous, touching slice of life that would fit in well with a holiday one-act festival or even being produced on its own.”

Morey Norkin: “This is such a lovely, sweet story, perfect for the holidays. Although it deals with grief, it is never maudlin. Baker provides plenty of humor and warmth plus one truly smarmy character that everyone will be rooting against. Let the decorating begin!”