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Cooking With Butter? follows Maggie, an Oklahoma high school senior, as she explores sandwiches, love, and societal expectations to uncover who she truly is and has always been.
Through a series of "lasts" and a rush to grow up, she realizes that this might just be her last chance to learn how to love.
PROLOGUE
It is May of Maggie’s senior year of high school as she stands at the most important speech tournament of her life and delivers an original oratory speech about grilled cheese sandwiches and her changing perspective of them. The scene is built as we fully meet Maggie and this world she lives in (Making a Sandwich). Getting lost in the moment and the words she speaks, the moment freezes as we jump back to late January and the first day of Maggie’s last semester of high school.
ACT 1
In a series of text messages between Maggie, Kat, and Tallie, we meet this trio as they celebrate the Maggie and Tallie’s “last first day” of high school. The day progresses as we meet Connor and Daisie as we learn of Maggie’s deep felt desire to move on from the cycle of “same old days” that has been the past (almost) eighteen years (Fast Forward). She longs for something more and the space to grow into who she truly is, though she has absolutely no clue what that means. In these moments, Connor asks Maggie to prom but it is quickly deflected by Maggie’s disinterest due to her big speech tournament also taking place that day.
Later that day, Maggie, Kat, and Tallie sit in Java Mamma for some “afternoon java”. Kat and Tallie joke around while Maggie’s mind is caught up in the efforts to begin writing her original oratory speech for the important tournament that is just a few months away. Tallie and Kat give a fictitious and nonsensical speech to Maggie in which they claim will be the “OSSAA 4A Original Oratory State Champion Speech” about sticking to what you know and abandoning the desire to grow up too fast (What You Know). The words shared stick with Maggie but at the conclusion of the song she quickly exits. Tallie takes this private moment with Kat to share that she has an idea for Maggie’s upcoming eighteenth birthday.
The following week, Maggie begins making a grilled cheese sandwich while humming and contemplates the condiments before her (Humming a Sandwich). This is shortly interrupted by a call from Kat offering to pick up Maggie for a friend get-together at a local ice cream shop. Maggie quickly puts her sandwich ingredients away and gets ready to go.
Later that evening at Andy’s Frozen Custard, Maggie, Tallie, Kat, Connor, & Daisie sit outside and play an intense game of Paranoia (Paranoia). Many questions are asked but secrets are continuously held as the coin flip repeatedly lands on tails. This is until Tallie asks Kat a question… she answers Maggie but when the coin lands on heads, she quickly deflects the question and lies about what it was. The game continues as Connor asks Maggie who in the circle she would kiss. As a rule of the game, she cannot pick Connor as he asked the question so she shares that the question doesn’t work and that she cannot properly answer it because she’s straight. In an intense moment Tallie then dares Maggie to kiss Connor who very clearly has a crush on her. With reluctance, she does and the entire group is shook.
Later that evening, Kat drives Maggie and Tallie home. Tallie pries to know what questions they were asked but the two refuse to “ruin the game”. After Tallie is dropped off, they spill all of the details of the game to each other. Maggie asks about Kat’s deflected question but it is once again avoided. Kat apologies for the kiss moment and pressure put upon her, then proceeds to ask if she wanted to kiss Connor. Maggie shares that she doesn’t have feelings for Connor but that he is a nice guy and she doesn’t think there is harm in spending more time with him as he is an easy option. Kat is frustrated and proposes to Maggie that it might be better to spend time with somebody who she can actually like back…
After Maggie is dropped off, she checks her email to read a message from Midland, the college she committed to for the following fall, regarding the speech tournament she is preparing for. They express that her placement on their speech team as well as potential scholarship is dependent on her success at that tournament. In a counter-moment, she drafts and sends a text to Connor asking if he is free Thursday night.
That Thursday night, we see both Connor and Maggie hanging out at Maggie’s house and Kat, Tallie, and Daisie crafting decor at Tallie’s. Tallie, after several occasions of ignoring her long distance boyfriend’s calls, takes one of them. Connor brings Maggie a grilled cheese sandwich as she works on writing her speech. They eat together and chat as Connor expresses that “this is what you’re supposed to do when you like someone, isn’t it?” followed by a mention that he makes his grilled cheese sandwich with mayo which throws Maggie for a loop. He shares that grilled cheese sandwiches are his favorite thing to cook and when questioned by Maggie, he elaborates on his learnings of simplicity as a small child and the pressure he feels to live up to societal expectations (The Simple Ingredients). In this moment, it is revealed that he doesn’t know if he actually has those feelings for Maggie and that he finds it hard to “fall in love” the way that others do. He shares that the kiss scared him and Maggie and him bond over this as they decide to “keep it simple” and remain friends.
Maggie has a moment of realization. If Connor can love differently, then why can’t she. We hear a montage of voices as the act concludes.
ACT II
The act begins as Maggie sits and vigorously works on writing her speech. Some time has passed. She types away and eats a grilled cheese sandwich inspired by her previous conversation with Connor in a reprise of the shows opening, Making a Sandwich (Cooking).
Later that day, Maggie picks up Kat for a Sonic run before running to grab a forgotten item at Tallie’s house. Kat and Mags sit and discuss their favorite songs leading to them asking Siri to play “New Music” from Ragtime. In a misunderstanding, Maggie’s phone begins to BLAST “Batteries” by Yo Daddy Billy (Batter-). The awful rap about batteries and women plays before eventually being stopped by Kat. They joke that that is now “their song”. After parking the car for a moment, Maggie suggests that they make playlists for each other! Hesitantly fearful to reveal too much, Kat eventually agrees. They look at each other intensely and “pick whatever song comes to mind” (Playlist). They both question the meaning of the chosen songs (Helpless, Take a Chance on Me, Forget About The Boy, Kiss Me…) as we learn that they both desire to share how they truly feel about one another. Kat almost does but not before they receive a message from Tallie asking when they are dropping by. The moment comes to an end.
At Tallie’s house, Tallie once again watches her phone ring as she sends her boyfriend’s call to voicemail. She continues to work on party decor before tucking it away and hiding her phone as Maggie and Kat enter. Tallie shows them a pendulum that she “borrowed” from a local shop and how to ask questions to the universe through it. They all try it. When it is Kat’s turn, Maggie urges Tallie to grab the water bottle that she previously left. When Tallie leaves the room to do so, Maggie and Kat have a moment where Kat asks the pendulum “are there good odds that Maggie and I-” which is interrupted by Tallie’s reentrance. At this point Tallie has fully caught on to what’s going on. Maggie and Kat exit and Tallie has a moment on her own where she reflects on her fear that she is pushing down her emotions and dissects why she feels that she cannot love her boyfriend of four years (What You Know (reprise)). She feels that she is holding back how and who she truly loves, but nonetheless, her phone rings again and when she answers it to her boyfriend, she says “I love you” back.
On Kat and Maggie’s way home, sexuality is discussed as they both elaborate on how they don’t quite know if they're straight. Maggie comments on how she feels like there is a part of her she is ignoring and Kat feels similarly. In a moment of stillness, Kat asks to kiss Maggie. They almost do… until… another text from Tallie interrupts the moment. They part ways but agree to have a fancy Applebee’s dinner the following Friday as an early birthday celebration for Maggie. Tallie gives her a kiss on the cheek and then exits.
The following Friday, Maggie gets ready in prom-ish attire for Applebee’s (Flowers In Her Hair). Kat picks her up but instead of Applebee’s they end up at a surprise birthday “prom” for Maggie! Tallie, Daisie, and Connor are all there to surprise her and she melts. She is crowned “prom queen” and has her “prom court dance” with Kat. In this moment the others discuss the beauty within it and what the next year and transition to college might hold for them all. Tallie shares that she has broken up with her boyfriend so that she can grow “on her own”. In that tender moment, Connor offers to dance with her and they do. Daisie boogies on her own but not for too long before sneaking away. Kat and Maggie have a sweet moment, but of course, it is interrupted. The song dramatically switches to “Batteries” by Yo Daddy Billy. They all laugh and rap along (Batteries).
After prom, Maggie and Kat drive and Kat tells Maggie that she has feelings for her and doesn't quite know what to do. They hold hands in a sweet and tender moment as they express their fear or the uncertainty of the future but their thankfulness to be here now.
EPILOGUE
The previous scene segues back to the present. We are back at the OSSAA 4A Speech and Debate tournament as Maggie once again stands and delivers the remainder of her speech. She talks of how she spent so much of her life making her grilled cheese sandwiches with butter and how learning that the joy that the mayo brought her as well when she opened it as an option changed her entire perspective. She continues to comment on how we often put ourselves into “belief boxes” pertaining to how we were raised… Just because you were raised with butter being the only condiment needed to make grilled cheese sandwiches doesn’t make the mayo any less valid. People’s sandwich preferences are their choice, and love is love.
The rest of the cast joins her at the conclusion of her speech as the fourth wall is broken. They do not visibly acknowledge each other, but rather keep their gaze at the audience. They are all now a part of this. They take each other's hands with uncertainty for the future but with love for how far we’ve come as the cast stands and holds a sense of unity with the house. A final hum is heard and lights fade.
Through a series of "lasts" and a rush to grow up, she realizes that this might just be her last chance to learn how to love.
PROLOGUE
It is May of Maggie’s senior year of high school as she stands at the most important speech tournament of her life and delivers an original oratory speech about grilled cheese sandwiches and her changing perspective of them. The scene is built as we fully meet Maggie and this world she lives in (Making a Sandwich). Getting lost in the moment and the words she speaks, the moment freezes as we jump back to late January and the first day of Maggie’s last semester of high school.
ACT 1
In a series of text messages between Maggie, Kat, and Tallie, we meet this trio as they celebrate the Maggie and Tallie’s “last first day” of high school. The day progresses as we meet Connor and Daisie as we learn of Maggie’s deep felt desire to move on from the cycle of “same old days” that has been the past (almost) eighteen years (Fast Forward). She longs for something more and the space to grow into who she truly is, though she has absolutely no clue what that means. In these moments, Connor asks Maggie to prom but it is quickly deflected by Maggie’s disinterest due to her big speech tournament also taking place that day.
Later that day, Maggie, Kat, and Tallie sit in Java Mamma for some “afternoon java”. Kat and Tallie joke around while Maggie’s mind is caught up in the efforts to begin writing her original oratory speech for the important tournament that is just a few months away. Tallie and Kat give a fictitious and nonsensical speech to Maggie in which they claim will be the “OSSAA 4A Original Oratory State Champion Speech” about sticking to what you know and abandoning the desire to grow up too fast (What You Know). The words shared stick with Maggie but at the conclusion of the song she quickly exits. Tallie takes this private moment with Kat to share that she has an idea for Maggie’s upcoming eighteenth birthday.
The following week, Maggie begins making a grilled cheese sandwich while humming and contemplates the condiments before her (Humming a Sandwich). This is shortly interrupted by a call from Kat offering to pick up Maggie for a friend get-together at a local ice cream shop. Maggie quickly puts her sandwich ingredients away and gets ready to go.
Later that evening at Andy’s Frozen Custard, Maggie, Tallie, Kat, Connor, & Daisie sit outside and play an intense game of Paranoia (Paranoia). Many questions are asked but secrets are continuously held as the coin flip repeatedly lands on tails. This is until Tallie asks Kat a question… she answers Maggie but when the coin lands on heads, she quickly deflects the question and lies about what it was. The game continues as Connor asks Maggie who in the circle she would kiss. As a rule of the game, she cannot pick Connor as he asked the question so she shares that the question doesn’t work and that she cannot properly answer it because she’s straight. In an intense moment Tallie then dares Maggie to kiss Connor who very clearly has a crush on her. With reluctance, she does and the entire group is shook.
Later that evening, Kat drives Maggie and Tallie home. Tallie pries to know what questions they were asked but the two refuse to “ruin the game”. After Tallie is dropped off, they spill all of the details of the game to each other. Maggie asks about Kat’s deflected question but it is once again avoided. Kat apologies for the kiss moment and pressure put upon her, then proceeds to ask if she wanted to kiss Connor. Maggie shares that she doesn’t have feelings for Connor but that he is a nice guy and she doesn’t think there is harm in spending more time with him as he is an easy option. Kat is frustrated and proposes to Maggie that it might be better to spend time with somebody who she can actually like back…
After Maggie is dropped off, she checks her email to read a message from Midland, the college she committed to for the following fall, regarding the speech tournament she is preparing for. They express that her placement on their speech team as well as potential scholarship is dependent on her success at that tournament. In a counter-moment, she drafts and sends a text to Connor asking if he is free Thursday night.
That Thursday night, we see both Connor and Maggie hanging out at Maggie’s house and Kat, Tallie, and Daisie crafting decor at Tallie’s. Tallie, after several occasions of ignoring her long distance boyfriend’s calls, takes one of them. Connor brings Maggie a grilled cheese sandwich as she works on writing her speech. They eat together and chat as Connor expresses that “this is what you’re supposed to do when you like someone, isn’t it?” followed by a mention that he makes his grilled cheese sandwich with mayo which throws Maggie for a loop. He shares that grilled cheese sandwiches are his favorite thing to cook and when questioned by Maggie, he elaborates on his learnings of simplicity as a small child and the pressure he feels to live up to societal expectations (The Simple Ingredients). In this moment, it is revealed that he doesn’t know if he actually has those feelings for Maggie and that he finds it hard to “fall in love” the way that others do. He shares that the kiss scared him and Maggie and him bond over this as they decide to “keep it simple” and remain friends.
Maggie has a moment of realization. If Connor can love differently, then why can’t she. We hear a montage of voices as the act concludes.
ACT II
The act begins as Maggie sits and vigorously works on writing her speech. Some time has passed. She types away and eats a grilled cheese sandwich inspired by her previous conversation with Connor in a reprise of the shows opening, Making a Sandwich (Cooking).
Later that day, Maggie picks up Kat for a Sonic run before running to grab a forgotten item at Tallie’s house. Kat and Mags sit and discuss their favorite songs leading to them asking Siri to play “New Music” from Ragtime. In a misunderstanding, Maggie’s phone begins to BLAST “Batteries” by Yo Daddy Billy (Batter-). The awful rap about batteries and women plays before eventually being stopped by Kat. They joke that that is now “their song”. After parking the car for a moment, Maggie suggests that they make playlists for each other! Hesitantly fearful to reveal too much, Kat eventually agrees. They look at each other intensely and “pick whatever song comes to mind” (Playlist). They both question the meaning of the chosen songs (Helpless, Take a Chance on Me, Forget About The Boy, Kiss Me…) as we learn that they both desire to share how they truly feel about one another. Kat almost does but not before they receive a message from Tallie asking when they are dropping by. The moment comes to an end.
At Tallie’s house, Tallie once again watches her phone ring as she sends her boyfriend’s call to voicemail. She continues to work on party decor before tucking it away and hiding her phone as Maggie and Kat enter. Tallie shows them a pendulum that she “borrowed” from a local shop and how to ask questions to the universe through it. They all try it. When it is Kat’s turn, Maggie urges Tallie to grab the water bottle that she previously left. When Tallie leaves the room to do so, Maggie and Kat have a moment where Kat asks the pendulum “are there good odds that Maggie and I-” which is interrupted by Tallie’s reentrance. At this point Tallie has fully caught on to what’s going on. Maggie and Kat exit and Tallie has a moment on her own where she reflects on her fear that she is pushing down her emotions and dissects why she feels that she cannot love her boyfriend of four years (What You Know (reprise)). She feels that she is holding back how and who she truly loves, but nonetheless, her phone rings again and when she answers it to her boyfriend, she says “I love you” back.
On Kat and Maggie’s way home, sexuality is discussed as they both elaborate on how they don’t quite know if they're straight. Maggie comments on how she feels like there is a part of her she is ignoring and Kat feels similarly. In a moment of stillness, Kat asks to kiss Maggie. They almost do… until… another text from Tallie interrupts the moment. They part ways but agree to have a fancy Applebee’s dinner the following Friday as an early birthday celebration for Maggie. Tallie gives her a kiss on the cheek and then exits.
The following Friday, Maggie gets ready in prom-ish attire for Applebee’s (Flowers In Her Hair). Kat picks her up but instead of Applebee’s they end up at a surprise birthday “prom” for Maggie! Tallie, Daisie, and Connor are all there to surprise her and she melts. She is crowned “prom queen” and has her “prom court dance” with Kat. In this moment the others discuss the beauty within it and what the next year and transition to college might hold for them all. Tallie shares that she has broken up with her boyfriend so that she can grow “on her own”. In that tender moment, Connor offers to dance with her and they do. Daisie boogies on her own but not for too long before sneaking away. Kat and Maggie have a sweet moment, but of course, it is interrupted. The song dramatically switches to “Batteries” by Yo Daddy Billy. They all laugh and rap along (Batteries).
After prom, Maggie and Kat drive and Kat tells Maggie that she has feelings for her and doesn't quite know what to do. They hold hands in a sweet and tender moment as they express their fear or the uncertainty of the future but their thankfulness to be here now.
EPILOGUE
The previous scene segues back to the present. We are back at the OSSAA 4A Speech and Debate tournament as Maggie once again stands and delivers the remainder of her speech. She talks of how she spent so much of her life making her grilled cheese sandwiches with butter and how learning that the joy that the mayo brought her as well when she opened it as an option changed her entire perspective. She continues to comment on how we often put ourselves into “belief boxes” pertaining to how we were raised… Just because you were raised with butter being the only condiment needed to make grilled cheese sandwiches doesn’t make the mayo any less valid. People’s sandwich preferences are their choice, and love is love.
The rest of the cast joins her at the conclusion of her speech as the fourth wall is broken. They do not visibly acknowledge each other, but rather keep their gaze at the audience. They are all now a part of this. They take each other's hands with uncertainty for the future but with love for how far we’ve come as the cast stands and holds a sense of unity with the house. A final hum is heard and lights fade.