30 PLAYS IN 30 DAYS: Play #18 "The Good Doctor" by Neil Simon

 

I have decided for the month of September to read 30 plays in 30 days. It is my belief that, if possible, a play should be read in one sitting to get a better inherent sense of the dramatic arc. Each day, I will write a short post here about the play of the day.

Play #18

The Good Doctor by Neil Simon

Neil Simon hardly needs an introduction, as he is perhaps the most prolific Broadway play hitmaker of the last eighty years or so, starting with Come Blow Your Horn in 1961. Mr. Simon died in 2018 at the age of 91, over thirty plays, 20 screenplays, and dozens of television sketches and teleplays to his credit. I can also not stress enough how every student of playwriting, or any kind of writing in general, should read his memoir Rewrites, which follows his early years of learning how to write for the stage and all the work that goes into crafting a play. His second memoir, The Play Goes On, is also a valuable look at his life, though not as heavily focused on the craft of writing. Simon won a Pulitzer for his play Lost In Yonkers, and as well as a handful of Tonys, a Golden Globe, and many other awards along the way. 

Despite some of the critical honors and his unprecedented (and never duplicated) success as an American playwright, Simon was never taken as seriously as many of his contemporaries, as though his prolific nature and the fact he was writing comedies somehow meant he was pandering to audiences, or not a craftsman worth the admiration of say, a Pinter (Pinter actually loved The Odd Couple) or a Tennessee Williams. Underestimating Simon's importance and artistry is a mistake, I think. While he had some stinkers (what writer hasn't?), the truth is, he was solid at structure, creating human characters people related to, and, as his career progressed, someone who wasn't afraid of having real pain in his comedies. Famed actress and acting teacher Uta Hagen compared his comedies to the works of Anton Chekhov.

And that's the perfect segue to talk about The Good Doctor, Neil Simon's play that is a love letter to the master, Chekhov himself. The play features "The Writer" (played by the late, great Christopher Plummer) in the original Broadway production), a stand-in for Chekhov, who talks about his love for/compulsion for writing, as he introduces sketches based on Chekhov short stories, with scenes called "The Sneeze," "The Governess", "Surgery," "Too Late For Happiness," "The Seduction," "The Drowned Man," "The Audition," "A Defenseless Creature", and "The Arrangement."  It is a bright, breezy, fun read, with Simon clearly showing much love and care to the source material and its writer, a kind of "pupil appreciation for the master" sort of piece. I can imagine audiences having a great time, so long as they don't mind watching a collection of scenes as opposed to one longer piece. I daresay this would be fun to act in as well. 

While I enjoyed reading it, it is lighter fare, even for Simon. Each scene builds to a kind of punchline and little more, and while Simon is skillful in tying them together with the character of "The Writer," the play does feel a little disjointed.  

But it is good old fashioned entertainment, nonetheless.

The Good Doctor ran for 203 performances in 1973 at the Eugene O'Neill Theater, and was nominated for Four Tonys, with Frances Sternhagen winning one for Best Featured Actress in a play. 

GREAT QUOTES FROM GREAT PLAYWRIGHTS

 

Because Playwrights Are Potently Quote-able

If you are like me, you are a man who needs a shave sitting at his computer wondering how to eke out a living as a playwright in the small town of Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, during a pandemic. 

Or, another way that you may be like me, is that you like quotes. For me, quotes can be inspiring, funny, strange, or at the very least, diverting. Since many of my heroes are famous playwrights, I like to look quotes from playwrights, so I figured, why not share some of my favorites?  If you're like me, you'll like them. 

I personally wish I could always remember and feel the truth of this great quote from the amazing Suzan Lori-Parks:

"Each moment is perfect and heaven-sent, in that each moment holds the seed for growth."  

Nice, right?

Tony Kushner, the genius behind Angels in America, among several others once said, "As a playwright, you are a torturer of actors and of the audience as well. You inflict things on people."

Noel Coward believed "Work is much more fun than fun," while Neil Simon reminded us that "If no one ever took risks, Michaelangelo would have painted the Sistine floor."

George Bernard Shaw gave us this advice:  "Better keep yourself clean and bright; you are the window through which you must see the world," as Lynn Nottage encouraged us to "Replace judgement with curiosity." 

"Things are beautiful if you love them," said Jean Anouilh, and I can't argue with that. I also can't argue with Arthur Miller when he said, "Betrayal is the only truth that sticks."

And absolutely no one should be able to argue with Edward Bond: "The human mind is a dramatic structure in itself and our society is absolutely saturated with drama."

Theresa Rebeck said, "I write a lot because, if I don't, I start to panic, and I calm down when I write," feelings I often share. 

Samuel Beckett is often quoted as a proponent of failure, which is its own kind of encouragement: "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better." Edward Albee must have been a fan of this quote (he was definitely a fan of Beckett), as he said, "If you're willing to fail interestingly, you tend to succeed interestingly."

Another favorite of mine from the Theatre of the Absurd, Eugène Ionesco, said, "Ideologies separate us. Dreams and anguish bring us together."  And he wasn't just talking about rhinoceroses, either. 

Lanford Wilson warned that "Nobody's safe around a writer," and he was probably right. 

Perhaps the best way to end this batch of quotes are with this short quote from Harold Pinter (another favorite of mine). I have often found it inspiring on bad writing days, and I hope you all will, too:

"Good writing excites me, and makes life worth living."

The Long Journey A Playwright Can Make: Finalizing My Play, The ReProgramming of Jeremy.

The Cover of the published edition of my play, The ReProgramming of Jeremy, available HERE and HERE.

And so it is, folks...
It started a number of years ago, roughly six to be exact. I had an idea for a play. I had an image in my mind of a young man, and I knew that I would name him Jeremy, after a dear college friend of mine of mine named Jeremy (Mimi) Bradley. (Yes, she's a girl). I always loved her name...
In any case, I went over to the Thompson Free Library with my laptop and pounded out a draft in two days or so. The aesthetic of the play was influenced by "The Incident at San Bajo" by Brad Korbesmeyer, and by one of my favorite novels, "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner. I've had people since tell me that it reminds them of "The Laramie Project", but I am almost embarrassed to admit that I had not read nor seen that play at the time that I wrote "The ReProgramming of Jeremy".
I produced the play myself (which I was proud of myself for accomplishing, as I had never done such a thing before), and had two performances at Lakewood Theater, and a few at the Center Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft, all performances followed by a discussion. My little play made the cover of the Morning Sentinel in Waterville, above the fold, with a headline, "A Play For Our Times". The initial cast included myself, Alyson Saunders, Raelene Keniston, Michael Pullen, Hannah Louise (and later, Marisa Bradford in that part), Lucas Boffin, and Sue Burke McKay. The play, which is about a gay teen named Jeremy who has ended his life after being sent to a "straight camp" was written in reaction to terrible stories I kept reading in the news. After we had such good press, I received a bunch of emails, calling my play (which hadn't even been performed yet) a "gay puff piece", while others questioned the definition of bullying, and others still saying gay teen suicide wasn't an issue.
Shortly before we premiered at Lakewood Theater, a young man named Jamey Rodemeyer ended his life after being bullied constantly at his school. This really hit me and my cast in a big way.
So, anyhow, that was the beginning of my "Jeremy" journey, and Jeremy has not been out of my head much since. The play has been performed by a brave and wonderful high school theatre teacher named David Valdes in both New Hampshire and Florida. And there is a motion picture adaptation of the play coming from one of the scripts biggest fans, Gail Springer Wagner, who has worked hard and put a lot of love into the project, with a great group of people.
I decided, with the motion picture so close at hand, to at last lay down a definitive edition of the play. It has changed a great deal since the first production. There are two new characters who now seem to me as vital as the original characters always were. Even since writing the screenplay, I have gone back to the play and changed and tinkered, and, hopefully deepened the characters--- especially the teenage ones.
I probably shouldn't say this, but 7 publishers turned down this play. I tell you this in part to explain why I am releasing it myself, but also to share what is the weirdest thing that has happened to me in my publishing career. Everyone who turned down the play sent me a personal note. 5 of them told me that they loved the play, loved the writing, but didn't think it would sell because of the subject matter. One publisher (I won't say which one), told me that the play made them weep at the end. And one offered to publish it if I removed any talk of religion from the play and cut it down by fifty percent, and I simply couldn't do that.
So here it is--- the definitive, final draft of "The ReProgramming of Jeremy"... let's call it the movie tie-in edition. Now I can put the poor boy and his haunted family and friends to rest. 
I don't know if this is my best work to date, but I do think it contains some of the best writing I have ever done. I appreciate anyone who wants to read it purchasing a copy, and anyone who might be interested in producing it to purchase a copy, read it, and contact me. 
For every copy that is sold, I am donating $1 to The It Gets Better Project, a great project dedicating to helping LGBT youth and preventing teen suicide. 
Thanks for listening to my rambling note. I hope you like the play.

If you would like to read the play, you can purchase it online at its CreateSpace Page by clicking this HERE

Or you can purchase it online at Amazon by clicking HERE

Thanks again!

APPRECIATING THE LITTLE (BIG) THINGS

a VERY cool production photo from a school group in Virginia who did my play "Confession:  Kafka in High School"

It is easy making a life for yourself in the arts. I don't say this to discourage anyone from trying--- indeed, if it is what you love, and you can't imagine yourself being happy doing anything else, then I encourage you with a whole heart to pursue your passion and follow that dream.

Just know that it's not always easy.

My first two plays were published in March of 2010.  One of them was Rumplestilskin the R-Dawg: Hip-Hop Minstrel, from Brooklyn Publishers and the other was Confession:  Kafka in High School, from Playscripts, Inc.

Now, almost five years later, my plays have been performed in 44 different states and 4 different countries.  I have 32 publications in four different catalogs, and my work has been chosen to be a part of three different anthologies.  I have self-produced a few plays for adults, been to different festivals and competitions, met some really great people, and even have a script that some kind folks in Delaware are working hard to make a movie from.

Best of all, I hear from students every now and then from all over the country (and, sometimes, all over the world).  They'll drop me a line on my Facebook Page or at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com, and ask me questions, or just say hi.  Sometimes, they'll send me cool pictures like the one above.  Or, this one below:

A poster for a production of my play, "Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School Dating"

All of this is super cool, and I love it.  But, still, it is easy to get down on myself many days.  After all, I'm 37 years old and I don't have a "steady" job (or, according to some, a "real" job--- but that's for another post), I struggle financially a great deal, and have no money put away for the future, because I barely have money for the present.  Such things can make one lose faith in themselves a little from time to time--- while I'm grateful that my work is produced, and I'm thankful for every group who chooses my plays, I've yet to have a definite "hit" per se.  A few have come close, but not quite.  And that's okay.  My playwriting career grows a little every year, and it feels wrong to ask for more than that.

But, in my defense, it is human nature to want to climb to the top of your field, or, at the very least, have a good view of the top from where you are.  And everyone wants stability, as well as a reward for hard work (and writing plays can be very, very hard work).

So when I get down on myself, I'll look at the messages I have received from students, or at the many cast photos and production photos.  I'll stop and remind myself of something very important:  the productions of my plays aren't just a list on a piece of paper I receive from my publishers.  They are teachers preparing a group of students.  These students practice to memorize words that I put on a page to tell a story.  They stand backstage before a show, feeling that same excitement and energy that I feel when I'm in a play, and they are feeling it for my work. My work!  This group of kids have come together to CREATE, they have formed a CAST BOND, all revolving around a play I WROTE!!

When I think of my work in these terms, I smile, and feel very special and honored and lucky.  No, I am not rich.  But my work is important.  In some small way, I have touched lives.  My work has taken on a life outside of me, and belongs to all of these other people now, and not just me.

And that's something that money can't buy.

Bad Morning: Bobby Keniston Talks More About Rejection

Greetings, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  I am your host, Bobby Keniston, and I keep this little part of the internet to write about theater.  As always, feel free to comment below if you agree with me, or think I'm full of poo.

Today's post is a bit more personal than usual--- I tend to like to act like an instructor of sorts, give out tips and advice, but, today, well, I've had the wind knocked out of my sails for a little bit.  I'll be fine, of course, I'm used to it, but, for the moment, I'd rather just write and see what happens.

I've talked about rejection before, but it bears repeating for anyone who is interested in pursuing theater, acting, and writing as a livelihood, or even just as a hobby.  You are going to face a great deal of rejection, and you have to learn to deal with that and not let it knock you all over the place.  At least, don't let it knock you all over the place for too long.

So this morning, I check my email, and, lo and behold, there is a nice rejection note from a nice company for a play I recently submitted.  It is a company I have other plays published with, and a good relationship with--- I like them a whole lot, love how they handle my plays, and am grateful for the work they do getting my plays productions all around the country.  I like the company so much, I gave them an exclusive first look at this new play, when, usually, I submit to a few companies at the same time.

Okay, so I should be used to rejection by now, shouldn't I?  I've been in the business long enough, and have certainly been rejected plenty of times.  Yet this rejection has hit me harder than many others, and I am trying to figure out why.

You see, usually, the second I get a rejection notice, the first thing I do is submit the play to another company.  It's good for the soul.  So I did that very thing this morning.  I went to another company I love, who have an online submission form.  I uploaded the play, filled in all the information, revised my synopsis to make sure it was as good as could be, spent a good half hour making sure everything was as it should be, and when I pressed the button to submit, and error occurred, telling me to try again later.  So, I don't really have that feeling of satisfaction yet, the feeling of moving on and trying again after my rejection.  I'm not going to let a computer error keep me from submitting to this second company, of course, but I just can't fill it all out again at this moment.  I don't have the energy.

So here I am, thinking about my rejection.

It's natural, and, indeed okay to feel bad about being rejected.  In fact, it's not easy to feel good about it.  It's all right to think, but not to wallow, and so, hopefully, this blog post will help me move things in the right direction.

So why is this one bothering me so much?  Here are some thoughts:

1.  I haven't had a play rejected in a while.  My submission numbers have been down this year, and every play I have submitted has been accepted.

2.  I really thought this company was going to accept this play.  Which, I guess goes to show, you shouldn't be overconfident about such things.  I just thought this particular company would think itself a good home for this particular script.  Alas, that is not my decision to make, and, nor should it be.  This is a fine company that knows what it is doing, and, if they don't think they can sell this particular script, then they made the right decision.  Again, their rejection letter was kind, and very mindful of the fact that I am currently one of their writers.  I shouldn't have assumed they would like this one as much as some of the others I have with them already.  (Of course, it's not necessarily a matter of "liking" the script, but whether they feel its right for their catalog--- two very different things)

3.  Many of the plays I write are accepted without a prior production, so I've never really seen them on their feet.  This show, however, I produced with my hometown theater as part of an evening of one acts.  I directed the play, had a great cast, and I saw fist hand how well audiences responded to the play.  So much laughter and cheering!  People loved it!  I've never had such positive feedback for a play I've written and directed!  And my hometown doesn't necessarily get excited about theater all that often.  I know the script is easy to produce, has witty dialogue, but is also poignant--- I've heard the laughs and seen the other emotional impacts of it--- so, I guess, what I'm saying is, I know that the play PLAYS and PLAYS WELL.

4.  Because it was so successful in production, perhaps I was riding high on the script as a surefire win.  It's easy to do so when you see how much an audience loves it.  It's like you've got proof that it should be a "hit", because your individual production was a hit.  But the page and the stage are two different things.

So, yeah, I'll get over this, and fairly quickly, but I am going to allow myself to feel upset about it for a while.

Perhaps that will make it all the more sweeter when the script does find a home.


To Learn More about my published plays, CLICK HERE, OR HERE, OR HERE, OR HERE!

I've started a new blog where I am writing a short story every day for a whole year!  Each story will be between 100-250 words.  Please check it out!  (I've had too much rejection for one day).  
CLICK HERE to read my new blog!

WATCHING MY PLAY IN COMPETITION: A Big Thank You to Cheverus High School!

A production of my play, "The Dark Tower" presented by Cheverus High School
From Left to Right:  Jesse Rodrigues, Heather Bridge, Zoe Leblanc, Abby Thomas

Greetings theater lovers!  Welcome to Theater is a Sport, my little piece of the internet where I talk about all things theater!  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I'm a playwright, actor, and director who's been at it for about 25 years, and am still learning more and more each time I'm involved in a play.

Today, I want to talk about the joy a playwright feels in seeing their work performed.  After all, that's why we write plays in the first place, right?

I live and work in the state of Maine, and, even though I have 33 published plays for the youth, high school, and community theater markets published, I very rarely get to see a production of one of my plays performed in my home state, except for productions I put on myself.  My plays have been performed in 43 different states, as well as in Canada, Australia, and even Prague, but, for whatever reason, I don't get a whole lot of action here in Vacationland.  For whatever reason, I seem to be most popular in Iowa, Nebraska, California, and South Dakota.

So, naturally, when I learned that Cheverus High School in southern Maine was producing my play "The Dark Tower" for the Maine Principal Association's One Act Play Competition, I was thrilled!
The talented group from Cheverus won their regional competition and made it to the State's.  I had the good fortune this last weekend to travel up to the state competition held at Stearns High School in Millinocket and cheer them on!  I remember when I was a high school student how much I loved the one act play competition, and to know that now, all these years later, a play of mine was there at the state level, in a location I may very well have traveled to, was a genuine full-circle kind of rush for me.

First, I should say, I was a little nervous.  Not because I was worried about their production--- after all, they had made it to the state competition, so I knew that they obviously had worked hard and done well.  I was nervous because it's always a little nerve-wracking for a playwright to see how well their script does in competition.  I wanted it to serve this group well.  I wanted their decision to do my play, and work their hearts out on it, to be one that they didn't regret.  And, of course, as I had never seen a high school group do this particularly challenging play, I was desperate to see if the play itself worked as a performance piece.  No matter how proud I am of a script on the page, seeing if it works on its feet is a whole different story.

I am proud to say that I was blown away with what Cheverus did with the play.  Their costumes, set, lighting, and sound were all fantastic, and really brought together a stage picture that captured the mood and tone of the play.  It is a bit of an epic fantasy in forty minutes, and the teenage actors handled the heightened language with ease, and made it accessible.  It was clear they had studied the script, and the legends it portrays with a a serious eye for detail, and had internalized the feeling and themes throughout.  In short, they got it.  They knew what I was trying to say with the play, and served the intentions, while also making it their own.

They made this playwright very proud.

I must give special props to the added fight choreography, which helped to break-up and change the pace of a very dialogue heavy script.  Well done!

After their performance, I waited in their section of the audience to make their triumphant entrance after striking the set.  I shook all of their hands.  They were tired from a long day of travel, tech, and, now, the performance, but their smiles and appreciation for my support was evident, and meant a lot to me.  I shook each of their hands and thanked them, and had them sign my playbill, and then let them rest.  After all, it was their moment.  While I wrote the play, this was their production, and I wanted their experience at states to be about them, and not about the playwright.

Their director told me that it was the first time their school had ever made it to the state competition, which made me feel good, too.  Now, obviously, I know it wasn't my play that gave them the edge to make it to the state's, but, rather, their hard work and dedication, but it still felt good all the same to have my work represented there.

The other plays performing that evening were "Dogg's Hamlet", "The Dancers", and "A Doll's House".  I must confess, I couldn't help but smile at the fact that I was on a bill with Tom Stoppard, Horton Foote, and Ibsen.  That's something that doesn't happen for me very often.

So, once again, thank you to Cheverus High School for choosing my play, "The Dark Tower".  I hope it is something you will  always remember with fondness, just as I will always remember watching you perform this play that is so special to me.  Your production is a prime example of why I write for teenagers, and you definitely showed the audience that theater is, in fact, a sport.

Until next time, thanks for reading my blog, and feel free to comment below, and follow me.

The Writing Process

Greetings all, and welcome to Theater is a Sport. 

Amazing playwright and buddy Bradley Hayward invited me to take part in in a #bloghop that asks writers about their writing process.  (To learn more about Bradley's many wonderful plays, click on his name above.  To read his answers to the questions, click HERE)

I rarely get invited to things, so I figured, what the heck?  I'll give it a shot.  I'm passing this along to playwright buddy Wade Bradford, so stay tuned for info about where to read his responses!

So, without further meandering....

THE WRITING PROCESS

1.  WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?
I have recently finished a batch of ten minute fractured fairy tales for a possible anthology at some point.  I have had a great deal of fun working in the ten minute form.  I am also working on a sixty minute play that I was commissioned to write by Lakewood Theater for their fall production for kids.

In other news, I'm also finishing up my first YA novel, and hope to be able to find a home for it someday. 

In a grander scale look at the question, I'm ALWAYS working on trying to become a better writer.  It's on of those goals that never has an end.  Thankfully.

2.  HOW DOES YOUR WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN YOUR FIELD?

Interesting question.  I write for the youth and high school markets for the most part (though I still do write plays for adults as well), and I have nothing but respect for all of the fine ladies and gentlemen I have had the pleasure to meet and stay in touch with who also write for this market. 

I don't mean to cop out with this answer, but I believe EVERY writer brings something different to their work just by being themselves.  I admit, when growing up, I would find that a good number of the plays one found in high school catalogues seemed a bit formulaic, and those types of plays still exist, although I must say that the climate has changed. 

What I try to bring to my writing, is a base for younger people to grow from.  When I was writing my play Confession: Kafka in High School, I was truly hoping that my play might encouraged a student to seek out other absurdist works.  Kind of like a gateway play to some of the great writers.  I had a similar hope with my play The Dark Tower, which was based on the Browning poem.

One thing I've noticed about my writing lately is that I tend to write from a very "once upon a time" place and feeling, even my darker pieces.  This isn't true for all of my plays, but I think there's a part of me that is very much about fairy tales, and I don't just mean Cinderella.  I mean plays that have a feeling of myth and lore to them, even if they are set in modern day times.  Frankie and the Gingerbread Boy is a good example of what I mean.

3.  WHY DO YOU WRITE WHAT YOU DO?

The simple answers to this question are A. Because I think I'm pretty good at it, and B. Because I enjoy it. 

To elaborate a little, I believe that good plays for high school students and younger are VITAL for the future of Theater, not only in America, but all around the world.  Maybe if a student is in one of my comedies, they'll be inspired to read a comedy by Neil Simon or Moss and Hart.  If they read one of my absurdist plays, perhaps they'll be eager to devour the works of Pinter, Beckett and Ionesco.

I know that my love of acting and writing came to me while I was a young student, and wouldn't have happened without good, solid plays written for my age group.  Being in The Actor's Nightmare by Christopher Durang changed my whole impression of what plays could be.  To this day, I'm still a huge fan of Durang and all of his more adult-themed works as well. 

I like to imagine (particularly after receiving a royalty check that was smaller than I'd hoped), that some student, somewhere out there, got their first taste of theater by being in one of my plays, and have since grown a love for it that will stay with them forever, no matter what career path they may choose.

It's a nice thought that I hope is true. 

4.  HOW DOES YOUR WRITING PROCESS WORK?

It differs from play to play. 

For the most part, I like to write very quickly.  With a ten minute piece, I like to write it all in one setting, and then work on revision later.  With my longer one acts, I generally get a draft out in 2 to 3 days (although, I have written a few of them in a day).  Remember--- these are drafts.  Some rougher than others. 

I like to write in silence, and, to be honest, it is almost like having a conversation with myself, where I am playing all of the different characters in my head (I was an actor before I became a writer). 

Sometimes I outline (especially if I'm stuck), but most of the time, I don't.  Although, I do like to know how the story will end in my mind before I start writing. 

I like to think of "writing" as he term that also encapsulates all the time spent thinking about a project in my head.  Rolling it around back and forth, imagining all the sights, smells, sounds.  Envisioning a character's quirks.  When I'm actually sitting at the keyboard, I call that "typing" or "transcribing".  That's not to say that new and exciting things don't hit me while I'm doing the typing--- they certainly do.  But even the thinking is part of the "writing", whether you're making notes or not.

Speaking of making notes, if I get an idea that might be promising, I do keep a notebook where I'll write down possible titles and synopses.  To be honest though, the REALLY good ideas are the ones that I don't forget.  The ones that keep demanding attention in my head.  In a sense, they are demanding me to write them. 

I don't know if you'll find this interesting, but I do sometimes like to write longhand first, and I use white legal pads and different color pens when I do.  Writing this way sometimes forces me to think a bit more when I need to.  Other projects, the ones that are bursting to fly out of me, go write to the computer, however. 

Okay!  I guess that will just about wrap this up.  I'm passing along to extraordinary playwright, Wade Bradford.  Stay tuned and I'll link you in to his responses!  In the meantime, do check out Bradley Hayward's answers to these questions, and, while you're at it, check out some of his plays, too. 

But most of all, please remember--- theater is a sport. 

FEEDBACK: Praise and Criticism

Hello everyone and welcome to Theater is a Sport. 

Here is one e-mail I received this last Friday (note:  I did not change a word):

"Hi I think this is how I reach Bobby Keniston?  I am the Director of Theatre at St. Paul's School and am interested in producing The Re-programming of Jeremy.  I would like for you to guide me through the process of achieving the rights?

Would also love for the playwright to possibly come in to discuss the process of writing this fine piece.

David"

This obviously made me feel good.  Especially the part about "the process of writing this fine piece."  The play he is talking about, The Re-Programming of Jeremy, is an unpublished piece I am very fond of, and I'm very happy this nice gentlemen David liked it and wants to produce it.

Here is another e-mail I received on Friday, this one by a seventh-grade actress (I also did not change a word, though removed her last name):

"I recently purchased the end of the movie to preform in a forensics competition and received it in the mail today. I am a little confused by the ending, all if that leading up to one line changing his decision. It diminishes then piece and takes away drama from it. My friend and I are disappointed to preform it and wish it had ended another way. Could you explain what you were thinking?

Taylor  (a seventh grade actress)"

Obviously, this second note stung a little.  As a writer, you want to please people who read your scripts (particularly a young person).  It's not easy to read about two young actors being "disappointed to perform" something you've written. 

Now, I responded to David, thanking him very much for his kind words.

And I responded to Taylor as well... THANKING her as well.  I thanked her for reading my script and taking the time to write to me, and then, to the best of my ability, answered the questions she asked me.  I have no idea if I'll hear back from Taylor, or if my answers are going to help her see the play in a different way and like it better, but, I feel I owe it to a reader to write back if at all possible.  I'm fairly certain that Taylor, being in seventh grade, perhaps didn't realize that she was a little direct with her criticism.  To be truthful, I was sort of delighted by her message, considering she how young she is, and how her criticism of my play was well thought out, and obviously she had read the piece in its entirety and thought about it.  Good for her!  It's cool to think about a 7th grade actress taking it as seriously as she obviously does, and I do hope my response was met in that same serious spirit. 

I so rarely receive correspondence about my work, that getting two messages on the same day was very exciting, the good and the not-so-good. 

So... what's the lesson?

Well, to start with, always be appreciative of the feedback of your work, so long as it is clear that the person has truly read or watched your work and thought about it.  Had I received a letter just saying that End of the Movie is stupid and that I'm obviously a bad writer, I wouldn't have even considered a moment in writing back.  But this letter I received was thought out.  My response to her was in no way defensive, but, rather, appreciative of her thoughts, and, attempting to give my thought process in why I made the choices I made in writing the piece.  And, of course, I have had SO much positive feedback for End of the Movie, that I feel very good about the piece.  It was almost somewhat refreshing to read a differing opinion. 

So, appreciate the feedback you receive, good or thoughtfully critical.  After all, it's still a person who is taking the time to read (or view) something you have created. 

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is all we can really ask for.

Until next time, please remember--- Theater is a sport. 

An Example of Playwriting Format

Greetings everyone, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I am your theater-obsessed host for this blog. 
I am sometimes asked about playwriting format, so I'm going to give an example of the format I use.  I have used this format for every single one of my plays that have been published and picked up, as well as for plays I've entered into contests and had produced.  So, while some might say that my format isn't exactly correct, it is at least working for me so far!  To be honest, I have seen so many different examples of what is supposed to be "correct playwriting format", and all I can say is, each one is at least a tiny bit different from the others.  All I can speak for is what has worked for me, and I hope you find it helpful.

First you, begin with the title page.  The rest of this example will speak for itself.  I recommend using a standard font like Courier or Times New Roman (which is now my preferred font).  Note:  This example starts with the title page, so keep scrolling down to see everything!

PLAYWRITING FORMAT

A short scene

By

Bobby Keniston

Draft: September, 2012

SCENE 1

SETTING: A high school classroom. Desks, a whiteboard, etc. The teacher’s desk is center stage. Students are D.S.R.

AT RISE: Two students are sitting at desks in the otherwise empty classroom. They are RAY, 17 and somewhat gawky, and STEPHANIE, 17 and very popular. 

RAY

Excuse me…

STEPHANIE

Are you talking to me?

RAY

Yeah. I know we’re supposed to have a quiz on playwriting

format today, and I’ve totally spaced on some of it.

STEPHANIE

(incredulous)

Really?! But it’s so easy!

RAY

Yeah. I think I know some of it…

STEPHANIE

Okay, look: first off, if it’s only necessary to label

the scenes if it is more than one scene. 

RAY

Right…

STEPHANIE

Make sure there are 1-inch margins all around the page.

RAY

Yeah.

STEPHANIE

For each individual scene, you need have the setting,
and what’s going on when “At rise” of the scene. 
Characters names in these directions should be ALL CAPS.
And, you don’t start numbering until the 2^nd page. Center
the character’s name, and tab in once for the dialogue

2.

STEPHANIE (CONT’D)

under it. And if someone’s dialogue isn’t finished before

the page break, you write their name and CONT’D in
parentheses on the next page.

(RAY is silent a moment, probably wondering about how stage directions work. STEPHANIE looks at him, and telepathically sends the information that stage directions are written in parentheses in italics, and are separated by a space between dialogue.)

RAY

Thanks for the information. Any specific fonts?

STEPHANIE

Either Courier New or Times New Roman are the preferred
fonts.

RAY

Cool.

STEPHANIE

Any other questions?

RAY

(a little shy)

Well… yeah, actually. Do you want to go out this weekend?

STEPHANIE

(smiling)

Well, gosh… No, I sure wouldn’t.

RAY

Oh.

(There is an awkward pause, and then…)

BLACKOUT

END OF SCENE

AN APPRECIATION OF LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS (THE MUSICAL): An analysis from a playwriting perspective, Part I

Cast of "Little Shop of Horrors" at the Center Theatre.  Perhaps my proudest moment as director and actor.

I'm not ashamed to admit that I admire a great number of musicals, but, the one I have the most special place for in my heart is Little Shop of Horrors, a musical with a book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken.  Ashman and Menken would also collaborate on a musical version of Kurt Vonngegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and perhaps become most famous for their work on such Disney films as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin.  Sadly, Mr. Ashman is no longer with us, but his work with Little Shop continues to live on through countless community theatre and school productions every year.  A few years back, it had its Broadway debut (it originally was an Off-Broadway smash, and Ashman was happy to keep it as an Off-Broadway show in his lifetime), and, of course, their is the movie version starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin, which has achieved a cult status.

Of course, Little Shop of Horrors the musical was based on a cheesy 1960 B-movie of the same name, directed by B-movie master Roger Corman, and featuring a young, unknown actor named Jack Nicholson in the role of a masochist who tastes of the sadistic dentist's talents. 

The story is basically a Faustian one:  poor insignificant fellow (in this case, Seymour, an employee of a flower shop on Skid Row) meets a shady character (in this case, a giant Venus Flytrap-like plant called Audrey Two) who starts to make all of his dreams come true--- success, love with his Helen of Troy (in this case, a sad and abused fellow flower shop employee named Audrey), and plenty of money.  Unfortunately, all of this comes as a price, and our poor hero loses everything because of the blood on his hands. 

All this in a musical comedy.

I was fortunate enough to direct and star in a production of this musical a few years back, and I can safely say it is the work I am most proud of as a director (and, perhaps, even as an actor--- forget perhaps, it definitely is).  I was lucky to have a wonderful and hard-working cast, fun and interesting puppets, and just great stage chemistry all around.  Perhaps one day, I will write a blog post about this wonderful experience, but tonight, I'm going to talk about Little Shop of Horrors from a playwriting perspective.

Howard Ashman presents Little Shop of Horrors as a musical comedy (albeit, a dark one), but, at the same time, he adheres to Aristotle's theories of tragedy.  In fact, this musical is a perfect, entertaining lesson of Aristotle's thoughts on rising action, climax, catharsis, as well as his notes on a tragic hero.  (I am discussing the stage version of the musical, not the movie, which changed the stage ending for a more upbeat one). 

The very first thing we hear in the stage production is an announcer's voice introducing us to the world of the show.  A prologue, if you will.  Next, we meet the Ronnettes, three young ladies on Skid Row, who serve as the musical Greek Chorus of the show.  Oh, what wonderful imagery in the very song, even!  What clever lyrics!  Do a 1950s sounding number, we have lyrics such as "Shang a lang, feel the sturm and drang in the air"... such a brilliant way to set up the dual aesthetics of the show!

I don't want to ruin the show for anyone, so if you are not familiar with it, please stop reading this post, as it is almost impossible to analyze it without giving away any major plot points.

We learn quickly that our tragic hero, Seymour Krelborn, is a bit of a nerdy putz, working at Skid Row florists (a dying business) for the formidable Mr. Mushnik, who took Seymour in when he was just a kid.  Seymour nurses a crush on the sweet, but terribly abused Audrey, who often shows up to work with black eyes or a cast on her arm. 

Seymour discovered a strange new kind of Flytrap after a total eclipse of the sun, which he has named Audrey II, in tribute of the woman he's in love with.  After showing it to Mushnik at Audrey's insistence, and displaying it in the shop window, business takes off.  Unfortunately, the only way for Seymour to keep Audrey II healthy is to feed it his own blood.  Suddenly, Skid Row Florists is a huge success, and Seymour is becoming a bit of a celebrity.  The shop is renovated, Mushnik is happy, but, alas, Audrey is still with her abusive boyfriend, Orin Scrivello, a sadistic, nitric oxide huffing dentist.  Yikes!

Of course, what Seymour doesn't know, is that Audrey reciprocates the crush, and dreams of living in a sweet matchbox home with the "sweet little guy". 

After being adopted by Mushnik (as Mushnik is afraid Seymour might leave the shop with Audrey II, thereby ruining his new thriving business), Seymour discovers that Audrey II can talk.  And it is HUNGRY.  Too hungry for Seymour to feed with his own bandaged fingers anymore.  Audrey II suggests that if Seymour kills someone so it can feed, Seymour will get everything he desires... even that "one particular girl", Audrey.  Seymour is horrified at the thought of killing anyone, saying that no one deserves to die and be chopped up and fed to a plant.  However, Seymour changes his mind after witnessing Orin hurting Audrey, and he decides to kill Orin.

Unfortunately, Seymour can't do it.  He goes to Orin's practice with every intention of shooting him, but his conscience won't let him.  Fortunately, he doesn't have to.  Orin overdoses on nitric oxide, and dies.  Act I closes with Seymour feeding his chopped up body to Audrey II. 

All up to this point is a brilliant example of rising action.  Unlike many musicals, Ashman's lyrics always advance the plot or advance character development.  Nothing seems wasted.  And the songs are so clever, seamlessly weaving character development and exposition, as well as forward-moving action all into one. 

One could do worse in learning to set up a play in classic Aristotle Tragedy form than studying the first act of Little Shop of Horrors.

In my next post, I will discuss Act II of my favorite musical, and how Ashman follows the rules of climax, falling action, catharsis, and denouement. 

UPDATE:  To read Part 2, CLICK HERE

Until then, thanks for reading, and remember:  Musicals are pretty awesome, and theater is a sport!

As always, if you have any thoughts or comments, feel free to comment below, or e-mail me at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com

TIPS FOR PLAYWRIGHTS ON WRITING A PLAY FOR COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTIONS

Lakewood Theater, my summer home, initially designed as a Broadway-style theater in Maine, is now kept alive by hard-working community theater folks called Curtain Up Enterprises.  Who says Community Theater has to be little?

Yesterday, I gave some valuable tips about Writing for the school theater market in a way that will help you get published (to read that article, click here).   This was a lesson for the business side of playwriting, after having done so many posts on the craft of playwriting. 

Today, I'm going to do the same thing for playwrights interested in writing plays for the community theater market.  This is a wide and deep market to tap into, just like school theater.

I want to take a brief moment to say that there is no shame in being a playwright who focuses their energy on writing for these so-called "amateur" markets.  Yes, it would be nice for everyone if their plays could have successful runs at a Regional Theater, or, dare you even hope?, an Off-Broadway or Broadway Theater!  Truth is, I know many playwrights who write for the school and community theater markets, who still have professional productions of other plays quite often.  We must remember that if you want playwriting to be your career, it is also your job, and also your business.  As Tim Kelly, one of the most prolific and vastly-published playwrights in American history once said, "On Broadway you can make a killing, but you can't make a living".  This is true.  Either you're a smash on Broadway or a failure.  There isn't much room for in-between.  (Yes, I am somewhat generalizing here, but please stay with me)  Mr. Kelly had over 350 plays published for the amateur markets, and, at the height of his career, had over 6,000 performances of his plays a YEAR.  All over the world (his plays were translated into dozens of languages).  Now, while this might not garner a playwright the same respect as a Tom Stoppard or Harold Pinter (two writers I greatly admire), it will allow you to write for a living, and a six-figure living at that. 

And the truth is, it is difficult for any playwright to make a living from actually writing plays, so Mr. Kelly's advice has grown much more fascinating to me over the years. 

Let's get down to the tips.  You will notice that some of them are similar to the tips for the school theater market, but there are some important differences. 

TIP #1:  Statistically speaking, more females audition for community theater than males (why do you think Steel Magnolias is so popular in the community theater circuit?)  If possible, write more parts for females than for males.  Or, gender-flexible roles.  It has been an ongoing joke at many community theaters that I have worked at that if you're a male and come to an audition, you're most likely in. 

TIP #2:  Here are some of the popular genres for community theater, in, what I believe to be most popular to least popular:  musical, farce, comedy, mystery, "dramedy" (a comedy with some serious, poignant overtones), and drama.  There is also the ever-popular "Musical Revue" (see something like Ted Swindley's Always, Patsy Cline or Honky Tonk Angels, which are, honestly as they are billed, recession-proof).  As you can see, in my opinion, dramas are a harder sell, but, most respectable community theaters will do at least one of them per season, so they are worth writing.  Of course, I love writing dramas.

TIP #3:  While I do believe far more full-lengths are written for the community theater markets, there are community theater festivals that put on one-acts, so there is a market for one acts in community theater.  I have had two plays of mine attend festivals put on by the AACT (American Association of Community Theaters), and it is very exciting and a great way to network with other hard-working community theaters (who, by the way, put on some pretty professional-looking productions sometimes).  In fact, my play The Girl I'm Gonna Marry (read more about it by clicking here), did very well by attending one of these festivals. 

TIP #4:  Cast size is different for community theater than for school theater.  Unless a show is a musical or an adaptation of a classic (like A Christmas Carol), I don't recommend writing for a huge cast.  The reason is simple:  many people don't audition for community theater because they have jobs and kids and can't make a ton of time for other things.  It can be very difficult to cast a large play. (Obviously, there are exceptions, like Our Town or something, but it is also easier to cast a show most people have heard of than a new one).  I would not exceed 10 characters for a standard community theater straight play, and I actually try to keep it between 7 and 9, again, more females than males.  A farce in particular should be kept between 7 and 9.  Not a steadfast rule, some might disagree, but I'm talking in generalizations for this post.

TIP #5:  Community theater shows can be a bit more "racy" than high school theater shows, maybe a little bad language here and there, but I still would recommend, for community theater in-general, to keep it somewhat cleaner than an NYC theater district production.  No Mamet-like "F-Bombs" every other line.  You might get some productions, but you are shutting yourself off from a great many more.  In a sense, you should remember that you're writing for Middle America, or the grange houses and town halls as well as the Little Theaters.  Besides, the cleaner you keep it, the more likely you are to achieve...

TIP #6:  ... THE CROSSOVER PLAY.  A crossover play is a play that is not only done at community theaters, but also at high schools.  If you can keep it clean enough, and interesting enough, you may find yourself with a play that works in both markets, and increase your productions and royalties quite nicely.  The aforementioned Tim Kelly had a large number of crossover plays, as does Pat Cook, who I interviewed for this blog a while back.  (You can read that interview by clicking here--- trust me, it's worth a read if you're interested in this business)

TIP #7:  Keep the sets SIMPLE.  A unit set (one set for the entire show) or a representational set that can be moved quickly and easily to keep things flowing.  Community theaters by and large do not have huge budgets.

One last note that I think is very important.  AMATEUR THEATER (schools, community) is VITAL for our culture.  People who will never have the opportunity to see a show on Broadway or the West End, or even a Regional Theater with ticket prices of up to $50, will still be able to see their friends and family in a community theater production for $10-15.  I do not feel I am overstating when I say that COMMUNITY THEATER HELPS KEEP THE TRADITION OF THEATER ALIVE.  It is important, just as important as writing an in-depth piece of art for the more theater-going elite crowd.  You don't have to win a Pulitzer to make a difference in the field of playwriting.  Remember, Shakespeare wrote to please everyone, from the groundlings to the Queen. 

Let's keep that going, shall we?

Thanks for reading this article.  Feel free to comment below, or subscribe to my blog.  And if you want, you can even drop me a line at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com

Until next time, remember that theater is not only a craft, or an art form, or a business--- it is also a sport.

 

                   The Center Theatre, My Home Town Community Theater in Dover-Foxcroft, ME

Writing Inspiration: How and Why I Wrote "I Don't Mind That You're Ugly"

The Play Script for I Don't Mind That You're Ugly, available from Brooklyn Publishers

Hello ladies and gentlemen!  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host at Theater is a Sport.  Today I would like to talk to you about my writing inspiration for my play I Don't Mind That You're Ugly, a one act romantic comedy.  I believe it was the sixth play I had accepted for publication, and it is one of my favorites, largely because I think it is sweet and funny, hopefully like I am in real life.

It is no secret that here in America, many people have issues with their appearance.  For better or worse, and with help from the media, a good number of human beings obsess a little bit about the way that they look.  It was this little obsession with appearance that were the seeds of the play that would become I Don't Mind That You're Ugly.

The story is about an "average looking" (whatever that means) guy named Clyde, who is waiting at THE FANCIEST RESTAURANT IN TOWN for his girlfriend Kira.  He is planning to propose to her.  Before Kira arrives, the staff of the restaurant, who are pretty rude, do not really believe that Clyde is waiting for anyone.... how could he have a girlfriend?  Already, we begin to see that Clyde has some feelings of "not being good-looking enough" for his girlfriend.  When Kira arrives, and looks stunningly beautiful, everyone has difficulty believing that she could be with Clyde.  But Kira is a sweetheart, whose true beauty really is from within.  Clyde and Kira's dinner keeps being interrupted, once by a model talent scout (who is a bit sleazy to say the least), an overanxious restaurant hotess who wants to seat Kira where she can be seen in the "hot people" room, a busboy with a crush, a lusty chef, and weak-bladdered old woman.  Throughout their conversation, Clyde tells Kira that he thinks she is so beautiful, and he's just so "average looking", and Kira, who is not thinking, says, offhandedly, "Oh, baby, I don't mind that you're ugly."  At which point, the play takes a huge turn.  Will Clyde and Kira wind up together, or will insecurities dash their dreams.

I think a good number of people have insecurities.  I sure do.  I have been told that I am handsome, and, maybe 3 days out of 7,  I can sort of see that.  But the rest of the time, I do feel incredibly "average".  And what does that mean?  "Average".  For that matter, what does "Beautiful" mean?

In this play, beauty, ultimately comes from love even more than it does for appearances. 

I am fond of this play because for a simple, short, romantic comedy, it is not only funny, but, as I re-read it today, has genuine passion and human feeling.  Kira talking about the way she loves Clyde's smell, for example, or when she takes his face in her hands and calls him "My beautiful man", I almost wanted to cry, it effected me so much.  And no, I'm not tooing my own horn, I'm just so proud of a sweet moment such as that.

The writing of the playcame in June, 2009, and I read the first draft out loud with a dear friend of mine, who really encouraged me about it, and offered a few funny little changes that you can see in the play still today.  I wrote the first draft in a couple weeks, which is actually a little longer than a good number of one act first drafts take me.  I think I wanted to really be precise about the points of body image and self-esteem that I was trying to get across, and make sure I was still being funny at the same time.

I Don't Mind That You're Ugly was published by Brooklyn, and, so far, it has been the most produced play I have with them.  I have received wonderful feedback from schools all over the country who have enjoyed being in the show.  I remember seeing a YouTube video, a series of interviews from high school students about parts they were playing in an evening of one-acts, and it was cool to hear how they interpreted the characters in I Don't Mind That You're Ugly.

I am proud of this play, and proud of the feelings that inspired it.  I think, in this case, I really accomplished what I set out to accomplish, and that makes me very happy.  In fact, a writer can't ask for more than that.

Thanks for tuning in to Theater is a Sport.  If you would like to learn more about me, you may follow these links:  www.brookpub.com, www.histage.com, www.playscripts.com, and www.hitplays.com and search for me, Bobby Keniston, and read about my plays and look at free samples.

UNTIL TOMORROW....

LYAFTF

And remember--- theater is  not only an art form, it is also a sport.

IMPROVISATION and PERSONIFICATION: Bobby Talks about "You Take it From Here"

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host for this post. 

Ever seen a talking dog?  I don't mean in real life, but in the movies or on television.  I know you probably have.  Same with talking mice, talking ducks, all that stuff.  If you're old enough, you probably have even seen talking, singing and dancing raisins. 

Fun stuff, huh?

Well, you may know that all of these are examples of what we call "personification".  Personification is basically giving animals or inanimate objects human attributes.  This happens in literature a great deal.  It also happens in theater.  In fact, when learning improvisation, it can be very freeing for students (not to mention a lot of fun) to do personification exercises.  For example:  "Okay, you're a toaster who's had a bad day, and you're a piece of bread who doesn't want to leave his brothers and sisters on the loaf.  Go!"  Amazing and amazingly funny scenes can be improvised from such constructs.  It's impressive how creative we can make inanimate objects!

For those of you who have ever taught improvisation, you know it is not always simple.  I myself have found that there are usually a couple of students who are willing to jump right in and try it out, while several others become very nervous.  You can see the thoughts on their faces:  "I don't know what to say," or "What if I say something stupid," or "Please don't call on me, please don't call on me, please don't call on me..."   No matter how much I try to let them know that this is an exercise to just let go and react and respond, it does nothing to calm the stress. 

That's why I'm particularly proud of a project I was involved with called You Take it From Here.  After I had a few publications with Brooklyn, my editor there, a cool guy named David, called me up and asked me if I would like to be a part of a special project with some other writers.  Turns out, a very talented playwright named Geff Moyer had presented an idea for a book of improvisation starters for personification.  I had never seen a book of improvisation starters, but I wanted to be a part of any special project presented to me, so I said yes without a moment of hesitation.  My task was to come up with 25 personification scenes and to write the first page and a half or so, leaving a wide open ending with the words "You Take it From Here..."  I thought it was a great idea.  It's a way for students to start off, relax a bit, and then finish a scene with improvisation.  I have seen it have great results in my own classroom, students who were shy about improvisation coming to life.

This was not necessarily an easy job, but it was a lot of fun.  The hardest part for me was to keep coming up with different animals or inanimate objects that might have a scene together.   Some of my favorites that I came up with were "The Root and the Stump", "The Star and the Black Hole", "The Oak Tree and the Iris Flower" and "The Deoderant and the Armpit".  Being someone who naturally wants to complete a scene, it was also difficult for me to leave things open-ended, and without a onclusion (particularly when I had such great ideas for conclusions!).  I had to keep reminding myself, "This is just to get the students started, it's just to get the students STARTED..."

The other great writers involved with the project were the aforementioned Geff Moyer, Jerry Rabushka, Chris Stiles,   and Bradley Walton, all very talented fellows, and, I'm happy to say, playwriting pals of mine (click on their names to see more of their work).  I was delighted when I was sent the proof of the final book, and got to read all the incredible stuff they came up with. 

I have found that the book is not only valuable for acting students (of any age, middle school all the way to adults), but also is an excellent resource for playwriting classes.  It's great for an in-class writing assignment to have students finish a scene in the book.  I have seen it get the creative juices flowing in even the most reticent of students.

I hate to make this sound like a commercial, but I do believe improviation is such an important part of theatre and learning how to act, and, if you would like a great resource to facilitate improv work, I cannot recommend You Take it From Here enough, and not just because I am a co-writer of the book.  I am proud to be, of course, but even if I wasn't, I would still recommend it, and that's the truth. 

So, if you want to have some fun with personification, check out You Take it From Here, right here:  http://www.brookpub.com/default.aspx?pg=sd&st=YOU+TAKE+IT+FROM+HERE  It has over 125 improvisation or creative writing starters.  After using it with some students, let me know what you think.

Thanks for checking out Theater is a Sport.  Improvisation is definitely a sport, too.

See you next time! 

FREE EXCERPT--- "Rainbow and the Goofball" by Bobby Keniston

Made for me by Claire Hamlin (Note:  Theater is a Sport is in no way affiliated with HBO or Game of Thrones)

Hello, ladies and gentlemen.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I would like to welcome you to Theater is a Sport, a blog about all things theater.

As those of you who are regular readers know, I have many plays published for the youth and high school market.  I have one play called Rainbow and the Goofball, which I wrote about three years ago, and produced for Foxcroft Academy.  It is a fairytale I invented about the world's first archaeologist, and the jester who loves her.  I happened to think it was a great kid's show, and it got a terrific response when it was produced by FA.  Kids loved it! 

So you can imagine how disappointing it is that this is pretty much the only youth play I have in my drawer that has not been able to find a publisher.  It has received excellent comments from everyone I have submitted it to, but I'm told that there just isn't room for it in their catalogues.  I am still waiting to hear from one company about it. 

Again, it is a show I'm very poud of, so I thought I would share the first part of the play with you here in this post.  It is protected by copyright, so, yeah, don't be thinking you could get away with anything...

In any case, if you enjoy reading this excerpt, drop me a line at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com.  I would be happy to work anything out to have you read the rest of it, or if you would want to produce it, we could work something out. 

Note:  if I hear from the last publisher in the affirmative, I will remove this post immediately. 

Okay, so enjoy PART I of Rainbow and the Gooball.  If you're all really good and leave nice comments, maybe I'll post the rest of it some time.  Let me know what you think in the comments (and, if you don't like it, that's fine, but don't be mean about it, please... anonymous mean comments are just kind of ridiculous in a world that's too good at being unkind). 

CAST OF CHARACTERS

RAINBOW,  a young lady.  She likes to wear overalls and dig in the dirt to find old artifacts.  She is sweet, kind, and very smart.  She is also the only person who laughs at the Goofball's jokes. 

BENNY, the “Goofball”.  He wants to be a jester, but really has only one fan.  An orphan, he was practically raised by Old Lady Thorpe.  Rainbow is his only true friend, and he is in love with her, and delights in making her laugh.

OLD LADY THORPE, the oldest lady in the village of Anterra.  She knows everybody's business, and makes no apologies for it.  She narrates the story.  She has a deep fondness for the Goofball, and gives him a great deal of guidance and support.

RAYMOND, an elder, is Rainbow's dad.  He is supportive of all she does, but often takes a backseat to what his wife thinks.  But not always.

CLARABOW, Rainbow's mom, an elder.  She loves her daughter Rainbow very much, but seems to think most of Rainbow's problems would be solved if she wore a dress once in a while and cared more about her appearance.

EDWINA, Rainbow's cousin.  She is more concerned with clothes and finding a boyfriend than anything else.  She can't understand why Rainbow would spend so much time digging in the dirt.

PRINCE SHALLOW, a young man, the Prince of Anterra.  He pronounces his name “Shay-loo”.  He is, however, like his name, very shallow, and also very dishonest.  He likes to take all the credit for himself, and never shares. 

ROSEMARIE, middle-aged.  She is the Royal Babysitter/Guard for the Prince.  It is her job to keep him in line, and she is getting very tired of his attitude.  Does not appreciate having to take care of a grown man as though he were a child. 

THE FASHIONISTA GODFATHER, ageless, though appears more young than old.  He wears the best clothes, and speaks in a thick, comedic French accent.  He appears to Rainbow to help her dress, but is also there to help her believe in herself. 

4 males, 5 females.

PRODUCTION HISTORY

     “Rainbow and the Goofball” had its world premiere at Center

     Theatre in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, as part of Foxcroft Academy's

     evening of one-act plays, in November, 2010, and subsequently

     toured to SeDoMoCha Middle School and Guilford Primary School

     The production was directed by the author with the following

     cast:

     RAINBOW   Darian Holmes

    

     BENNY     John Levenseller

    

     OLD LADY THORPE   Alissa Violet Toner

     EDWINA   Stefanie Loring

     CLARABOW   Savanna Hobbs

     RAYMOND    Patrick Tagget

     PRINCE SHALLOW  Sam Phillips

     ROSEMARIE    Sarah Hobbs

     FASHIONISTA GODFATHER   Andrew Marshall

SCENE ONE

SETTING:  Just outside the Town Square in the Village of Anterra.  It is a nice rural village.  There may be a few trees and shrubbery about to signify the rural aspect of the area.  Stage Right, we see the outline of the front door leading into Old Lady Thorpe's house.

AT RISE:  There is a rocking chair downstage right.  OLD LADY THORPE, sporting a cane she really doesn't need, comes out of the door stage right, as if going outside to just sit down.  She hums to herself.  When she sits down, she rocks a moment, and then notices the audience.

OLD LADY THORPE

(noticing the audience, startled)

     Oh sweet gravy!  (regains composure)  You startled me!   Haven't     you all been told it's not nice to sneak up on an old   lady?      Now, now, it ain't that I'm not happy to see you.  I surely am.    And you've got to get up pretty early in the morning to scare Old Lady Thorpe! I'm Old Lady Thorpe, that's    what I'm      called, 'cause I'm the oldest lady in the Village of Anterra.   Have you all been to Anterra before? (waits for   audience   response)  Didn't think you looked familiar. I'm always pleased as a plum pit to meet new folks.  I've lived in Anterra    my whole life, and I know you'll like it here.  It's peaceful, quiet, and full of lovely people.  The      Prince is a bit of   nitwit, but nothing's ever perfect.  (beat. She looks at the     audience)  You folks are lucky you met me.  I ain't tootin' my   own bugle or anything, but I know everything there is to know about everybody in Anterra.  That's my job now.  My business is      minding everybody's business, and if    you don't like it, well, it's none of your business.  There's always stories to tell, and someone's gotta tell 'em. I reckon that it's best I tell 'em,      you see, because I don't lie.  Any of you folks out there lie?      (she waits for audience reaction... if they     say “no”...)  I      don't believe you!  Everyone lies sometimes, like, “Oh, Bertha,      that hat looks good on you,” or things like that.  'Cept      me.  Now, I'm not saying I'm better than anyone, it's just that   I    can't lie.  I'm allergic to it. Makes me sneeze.  Watch,      I'll show you.  (giving an example) “I'm a beautiful young      lady...”       (she sneezes a really big sneeze) ACHOOOOO!  See?  Or      how about:     “I love to eat my brussel sprouts...”  (sneezes again)  ACHOO!       (beat)  Bless me! Now, when I tell the truth, I'm right as a    rain cloud.  Look: I'm an old lady who loves to eat candy.  (beat)  See?  No     sneezing. So you can trust me when I tell    you a story, that it's a true story. And I tell you what, I love    stories.  My favorite story in the village of Anterra is about      Rainbow and the Goofball, because I play a part in that one     myself.  But you've probably all heard the story of Rainbow

2.

OLD LADY THORPE (CONT’D)

and the Goofball,haven't you?  (waits for audience response) No?     You mean to tell me you've never heard the story of Rainbow and     the Goofball? (waits for response)  What, you all been living in    the back end    of a cave?  I thought everybody knew that story!      Well, now, this is a treat! It all happened      here in the village

of Anterra.  Now let's see... anyone know a good way to start a      story?  (waits for audience response...)  Oh right, that's a good way: Once upon a time in the village of Anterra, there was    a young lady named Rainbow.  She was different from a lot of    girls.  She liked to wear big overalls and dig in the dirt,      looking for things.  But you don't need to hear all this from      me...look over yonder... (she points left)  Here she comes now.

(The lights fade on Old Lady Thorpe, as RAINBOW enters from stage left.  She is wearing big overalls and boots.  She has a shovel and a pail, and a cloth containing artifacts that she has found.  She scoots down center stage, and mimes digging.  EDWINA, who is dressed in a very pretty outfit, is right behind her.  She looks bored and disgusted.) 

EDWINA

     Rainbow, this isn't what I had in mind when I said we could

     hang out today. 

RAINBOW

     I'm sorry.  You're not having fun?

EDWINA

     What on earth is so fun about digging in the dirt and finding

     gross old things?  I thought maybe we would go to the shops in

     the village.  I hear there's a new place where they put color

     on your fingernails... isn't that a scream?

RAINBOW

     Why does anyone want color on their fingernails?

EDWINA

     Because it looks pretty!

RAINBOW

     Oh.

EDWINA

     Some people prefer color to dirt!  I don't know what to do with you  sometimes.  If you weren't my cousin, I doubt I would even bother.

3.

RAINBOW

     I'm sorry, Edwina.  Hey, I bet if you tried digging in the

     dirt next to me that you would like it!  If you would just

     try, you'd see how interesting it is!

EDWINA

     I like to stay clean, thanks.  I'm not interested in making my

     hands all yucky.  Who'd want to hold them if they were yucky?

RAINBOW

(indicating an artifact)

     But just look at what I've discovered already!  These are all

     artifacts from a culture that lived long before we were even

     here.  These give us a clue as to what their lives might

     have been like!  Isn't that exciting?

EDWINA

     Oh, how do I put this so I don't hurt your feelings?  I don't

     want to say that this is all very boring.  Let's see.  Oh,

     I know!  It's just that I don't find any of this interesting

     in the least bit.  Not even a little. Not even a tiny, tiny,

     eency-weency…

RAINBOW

     Well, I guess if that's the nicest way you can say it...

EDWINA

     I knew you'd understand.  Let's go to the shops!

RAINBOW

     If you want to go to the shops without me...

EDWINA

     Okay, see ya!  (she starts off left, but then stops)  Oh, no!

     The Goofball is coming this way!

RAINBOW

(excited)

     He is?

EDWINA

     Just perfect!  (beat)  I hate how he always talks to you...

     and the way he looks at you is absolutely disgraceful!  As if

     you would ever want to be seen with him!

RAINBOW

     He's my friend.

4.

EDWINA

     How could he be your friend?  He's a Goofball!

RAINBOW

     He's funny.  And besides, there's more to him than that.  He's

     very nice.

EDWINA

     Well I don't know about that, and I don't want to know.  Eeew.

(At this point, BENNY comes on from stage left.  He is wearing a jester's outfit, complete with a jester's hat.  He carries a small bag of props that he uses for his “act.”  He is very excited to see Rainbow)

BENNY

     Rainbow!  There you are!  I wasn't looking for you, but, sweet

     biscuits, am I happy to see you!  (he starts to cross to her,

     excited, but trips and falls.)

EDWINA

(laughing)

     Good one, Goofball!  Have a nice trip?

(Rainbow rushes to Benny and helps him up.  He smiles at her.)

RAINBOW

     Benny!  Are you all right?

BENNY

     Yuppers!  I don't think I broke anything.  Maybe a few bruises,

     but mostly on my dignity...

EDWINA

     I don't think you've had any dignity for a long time, Goofball.

RAINBOW

     Edwina, don't be rude.

BENNY

     That's okay, Rainbow, she's right... I donated my dignity to

     science!

(Rainbow laughs, and Benny joins her.  Edwina rolls her eyes)

EDWINA

     I'm going to the shops.  I've had enough dirt and silliness for      one day.  (starts to exit)

5.

BENNY

     Have fun at the shops.  I hope you find a new outfit.  I think

     I've seen you wear that one before.

(Edwina spins around, horrified)

EDWINA

     Bite your tongue!  You have not!

BENNY

     I COULD bite my tongue, but I don't see how that will change the

     fact that you wore the exact same outfit at the village carnival

     two and a half months ago.

EDWINA

     I never wear the same outfit twice in public!

RAINBOW

(playing along)

     I think Benny's right.  I do remember seeing you in that dress

     before, and I'm pretty sure it was at the carnival.

EDWINA

     Oh no!  I better get home and change!  I can't go to the shops

     in a second-worn dress!  (she rushes off left, upset)

(Benny and Rainbow wait until she is fully gone and then burst out

laughing)

RAINBOW

     I suppose we shouldn't tease her like that.  Did you see the

     look on her face?

BENNY

     I sure did.  (he mimes Edwina's horrified face, and her storming

     off.  Rainbow laughs)

RAINBOW

     Sometimes she deserves it.  She can be so mean. I'm sorry she

     calls you goofball.

BENNY

     That's okay.  Everybody does.  Except you.  At least they

     notice me, I guess.

RAINBOW

     I know, Benny, but I worry that too many people are laughing at

     you and not with you.  You don't deserve that. 

6.

BENNY

     You're right.  I guess I just want to make people laugh so

     much, that sometimes I even make myself the joke.

RAINBOW

     Did you do your act in town today?

BENNY

     Sure did! 

RAINBOW

     How'd it go?  Did you get any money or gifts?

BENNY

     Well, a few people threw rocks at me.  Does that count?

RAINBOW

     Oh no!

BENNY

     It's okay.  I've got a hard head.  (he knocks on his head) 

     Besides, I make you laugh.  At least I have one fan.  (he

     smiles at her)

RAINBOW

     You know what I think?  I think you're ahead of your time.  In

     years to come, people will realize how groundbreaking you were.

     You can take comfort in the fact that it's never easy being

     ahead of your time.

BENNY

(blushing)

     Thanks.  As long as I make you laugh, that's good enough for

     me.  (he looks at her for a moment in silence.  Then, changing

     the subject:)  So, did you find any new arty-facts today?

RAINBOW

     Yes, I did!  Let me show you!  (she crosses to her cloth, and

     retrieves one of her artifacts and brings it over to Benny) 

     I found this today.  (she points to something on the artifact) It looks like someone carved a little picture on here. I think     this is most likely was the head of some kind of weapon

     for hunting, or maybe even a farming tool... I'm not sure,

     but that's my hypothesis.  You know what a hypothesis is, right?

BENNY

(not sure)

     Uh, I think so.

7.

RAINBOW

(telling him)

     Guess.

BENNY

     Part of a triangle?

RAINBOW

     No, I meant that a hypothesis is a guess.  Well, not just

     any guess, but a guess that has facts supporting it.  See,

     because of the shape of this artifact, I can guess that it

     was made either for hunting or farming.  Get it?

BENNY

     I sure do!  Thanks for explaining it to me. 

RAINBOW

     You're welcome.  I just wish I could explain more.  (she

     replaces her artifact in the cloth)  It's so amazing to find

     things from so long ago!  I like to imagine what it must have

     been like to live then.  How they found their food, made their

     clothes.  How hard they must have worked to survive. Don't

     you think it's fun to think like that?

BENNY

     I had never really thought about it.  But listening to the

     way you describe it makes me wonder about it too.  (beat)  Do

     you think people told jokes back then?

RAINBOW

     I bet they did! 

BENNY

     I wonder what was considered funny.

RAINBOW

     I bet people like you, people who have told jokes and stories

     have been around since the beginning of it all!  People have

     always needed to laugh and be entertained.  Human beings can't

     work all the time.  (she gets back down on the ground to do

     some more digging)  You want to help me dig?

(Benny hunkers down and puts his hands inside his prop bag)

BENNY

     Gee, Rainbow, I would love to help you dig, but... (he pulls

     his hands out of his prop bag... his hands now have two

     big rubber thumbs covering his own thumbs)  I'm all thumbs!

8.

(Rainbow laughs and Benny joins her.  He takes the thumbs off and puts them back in the bag, and sits next to her to help her dig)

RAINBOW

     That's a good one, Benny.  All thumbs!  That's great!  (beat)

     I was thinking about your act the other day, and I have an

     idea... I don't want to tell you what to do or anything...

BENNY

     I would love to hear any suggestions you have!

RAINBOW

     Well, I was thinking that when you finish telling a joke or

     doing a bit, that you could have a little catchphrase to spice

     it up, really take it home.

BENNY

     Like what?

RAINBOW

(shy)

     Well, I was thinking something like--- ba-dum-bum-ching. 

BENNY

     Ba-dum-bum-ching?

RAINBOW

     I know, that's probably silly...

BENNY

     No, no, silly is good.  That's my motto.  Let's try it out.

     (thinks for a second)  Okay, here goes:  What's the difference

     between Edwina and a tailor's dummy?

RAINBOW

     I don't know.  What?

BENNY

     A tailor's dummy doesn't just think about clothes all the time!

     Ba-dum-bum-ching!  (Rainbow laughs)  Hey, it works!

(They laugh some more.  Old Lady Thorpe comes out from stage right.)

OLD LADY THORPE

     Oh, I thought I heard laughin' out here.  It's good of you,

     Rainbow to laugh at the poor boy's jokes.  He even gets me to

     laugh, if he catches me unawares. 

9.

RAINBOW

     Well, Miss Thorpe, I think Benny is very funny. 

BENNY

     But looks aren't everything!

(Old Lady Thorpe laughs, but Rainbow doesn't)

RAINBOW

     I don't like it when you make fun of yourself. 

BENNY

     You don't?

RAINBOW

     No.  It's okay to laugh at yourself, but don't put yourself

     down.  Okay?

BENNY

     Okay, I won’t.  I promise.

RAINBOW

     Good.  (she smiles at him)

OLD LADY THORPE

     When you're finished helping Rainbow, come on inside, Benny. 

     I need you to run some errands for me.

BENNY

     Sure thing.

(Old Lady Thorpe goes back inside stage right)

RAINBOW

     It's very kind of you to help out Miss Thorpe so much. 

BENNY

     She practically raised me.  She's the closest thing to a mom

     I've got, even if I do have to call her Old Lady Thorpe like

     everyone else.  She took me in, gave me shelter, let me eat all

     the brussel sprouts she didn't want.  If it hadn't been for her,

     I would have grown up without any kind of a home.

RAINBOW

     I wish my folks were supportive of what I do.  You see, I

     have this dream of taking all these artifacts I've found, and

     displaying them all in a big building, so that people can come

    

10.

RAINBOW (CON'T)

     in a get a good idea of what life must have been like in the

     past!  It would be like having my very own museum!  And I would

     show people around and explain what everything was for!

BENNY

     That's a great idea!

RAINBOW

     I'm glad you think so.  When I told my parents about it, my

     dad didn't say anything, and my mom told me I would have to

     wear a pretty dress if I wanted people to listen to me about

     my artifacts.

BENNY

     I think you look pretty enough already.  (realizes what he

     has said)  I mean... well, it's just that I think you don't

     need to worry about what you're wearing to be pretty.  (again)

     I mean, the thing is...

RAINBOW

     Thank you, Benny.  (she takes his hand)  You're a really good

     friend. 

BENNY

     And you're my favorite Rainbow.  I always find a pot of gold

     whenever I see you. 

(They look at each other, both a little bashful.  The voice of CLARABOW from offstage startles them, and they release hands.)

CLARABOW

(offstage left)

     Rainbow!  Where are you, girl?

(CLARABOW and RAYMOND enter from stage left.  They are Rainbow's parents.  Clarabow is a very determined woman, and sometimes a little pushy, but she does love her daughter very much and wants what she believes is best for her.  Raymond is very quiet.  He doesn't talk much, but he is kind and strong.)

CLARABOW (CON'T)

     Oh, there you are.  Digging in the dirt again, I see.  (notices

     Benny)  Hello, Goofball. 

RAINBOW

     His name is Benny, mom.

11.

BENNY

(to Rainbow)

     That's all right.  (to Clarabow)  It's a pleasure to see you

     today, ma'am. (to Raymond)  Sir, I hope that you are feeling

     well.

RAYMOND

(nods to Benny)

     You don't have to call me, sir, Benny.  That's what they called

     my father.  Call me Ray.

BENNY

     Thank you.

RAYMOND

     And how is Old Lady Thorpe doing?

BENNY

     She's doing well.  I'll tell her you were asking.

RAYMOND

     Do that.  Ain't never met someone couldn't tell a lie before.

     (chuckles)  Leads to some of the craziest truths I ever heard.

BENNY

     Sure does.  (laughs)  Speaking of which, there's some things

     she needed my help with.  If you'll excuse me.  Thanks for

     showing me your artifacts, Rainbow. 

RAINBOW

     You're welcome. 

(Benny exits stage right into the outline of Thorpe's house.)

CLARABOW

     Do you have to come this far out of the village to dig, my

     dear?  I have been looking all over for you. 

RAINBOW

     I'm sorry.  What is it? 

CLARABOW

     You're father and I have been talking...

RAYMOND

     Don't make this out like it was my idea.

12.

CLARABOW

     Raymond!  We agreed this was best.

RAYMOND

     You agreed, Clara.  I just shrugged my shoulders.

CLARABOW

     Then why don't you stay silent now, and let me handle this,

     dear? (Raymond shrugs and gives his daughter a look of apology)

     Rainbow, I have decided that it's high time to for you to stop

     playing in the dirt.

RAYMOND

     Clara... 

RAINBOW

     I'm not playing in the dirt, mom.  I'm working.  I'm discovering

     things that explain how people were living their lives centuries     ago. 

CLARABOW

     Yes, dear, and I'm not putting down your interests.  But what

     exactly do you intend to achieve from all of it?  It would be

     one thing if you could somehow use any of this for any

     good purpose...

RAINBOW

     It does have a good purpose!  By learning how societies have

     grown and progressed over the years, we can continue to grow

     and progress ourselves. 

CLARABOW

     Listen, my little cabbage, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings.

     I am happy you have interests, and I'm very proud of you for

     being so smart.  Just like me.  (RAYMOND snorts, Clara moves on)

     But there comes a time when we have to put away some of our

     goals and ambitions.  Don't you think, sweetie, that it might

     be time for you to admit that this is a hobby? 

RAINBOW

     But...

CLARABOW

     An important hobby, yes, and a hobby that gives you a great

     amount of pleasure, but still a hobby.  I'm not asking you

     to give it up completely.  But just limit your time in the dirt.

     Put on a dress.  Meet a man.  You're getting to be at the

     marrying age...

13.

RAYMOND

     She's in no rush to be married, Clarabow.

CLARABOW

     Of course you would say that, dear.  (to Rainbow)  Let someone

     see you outside of the dirt.  Then, once you're married, maybe you can still find time to look for your little doo-dads from      history, if your husband doesn't mind you doing it.

RAINBOW

     Mother, I'm not looking to get married or give up what I love.

RAYMOND

     I told you she wasn't looking to get married.

CLARABOW

     Rainbow, right now you can't seem to understand, but one day you     will.  One day you'll think to yourself, “where have my dreams   gotten me?”  You'll  look at the other women your age who are   married and have children, and you'll think, “what do I have?”      And you'll just see all of dirt you've been digging through.

RAYMOND

     Now Clarabow, you just stop it.  There isn't one thing wrong

     with our little girl following her interests and having dreams.

     She's got plenty of time.

CLARABOW

     I'm just trying to help her.

RAINBOW

     It's okay.  I understand, mom. 

CLARABOW

     So why don't you call it a day, and head on into the village

     with us?

RAYMOND

     Remember, pumpkin, you don't have to if you don't want to.

RAINBOW

     You two go on ahead.  I'll meet you there in a few minutes. 

CLARABOW

     Good girl. 

(Clarabow exits stage left.  Raymond hesitates, looking at his daughter, wanting to say something.)

14.

RAYMOND

     Rainbow, I...

CLARABOW

(offstage)

     Come along, Raymond.

(Raymond sighs.  He looks at his daughter a moment, not knowing what to say.  He pats her head to try to comfort her, then exits.  Rainbow is alone.  She looks sadly at the artifacts she has discovered.  She tries not to cry.  Benny enters from out of the house.)

BENNY

     Oh, did your parents leave?

RAINBOW

     Yes.  They went into the village.  I'm supposed to meet them

     there. 

BENNY

     Hey, that's where I'm headed!  I can escort... (notices how

     sad Rainbow looks)  What happened?  Are you all right?

RAINBOW

     I'm okay.  I'm sorry, I have to go.  (she starts to leave)

BENNY

     Rainbow, wait!  What about your artifacts?

RAINBOW

     You can keep them. 

(Benny jogs up to her)

BENNY

     Whoa, whoa, whoa.  (Rainbow stops and looks at him)  What have

     you done with my friend Rainbow?  (she doesn't laugh)      Seriously, what's going on?  You found some really great stuff

     today.  Why aren't you taking it?

RAINBOW

     Because it doesn't matter. 

BENNY

     Sure it does.  You're the best artifact-er-er I know!

RAINBOW

     Please, Benny.  You keep them.  So they'll at least mean

     15.

RAINBOW (CONT’D)

something to someone. 

BENNY

     I don't like seeing you so sad.  (beat)  Okay.  How 'bout this?

     I'll hold on to them until you want them, because I know when

     you feel better you're definitely going to want them.  Deal?

RAINBOW

(with a slight smile)

     Okay. 

BENNY

     Well, that's better.  There's a little smile at least. 

RAINBOW

     Thanks.

BENNY

     Hey, if you need to talk or anything, I'm here, all right?  I

     don't always have to be a goofball.  I can be a good listener

     too.

RAINBOW

     I know Benny.  I know.  (she exits stage left)

(Benny watches her go, sad that his friend is so sad.  He goes to where she left her shovel and the cloth she had wrapped her artifacts in.  He picks them up gently and puts them into his bag of props.  He walks off.)

END OF SCENE ONE

OKAY, THANKS FOLKS.  If you enjoyed this, let me know, drop me a line or leave a comment.  If you didn't, that's fine, but don't bother bring me down.  If you're interested in reading more, go ahead and ask me at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com.  If you would like to read more of my stuff, check out www.brookpub.com, www.histage.com, www.playscripts.com, and www.hitplays.com, and search for my name, Bobby Keniston. 

Until next time, please remember--- Theater is a Sport.  Bye bye for now.