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From Issue #7, Winter 2005 RT
for Seasoned Citizens Well, here we are again in the dead of winter - one week snow and cold and the next, summery weather that melts all the ice and snow in preparation for the next wintry blast. This is a great time to settle in by the computer (or fireplace) and write some guaranteed to be successful scripts (or plays if you wish) for your group. The universal problem for successful Senior Reader's Theatre is acquiring scripts that always work. Many people think that they have to use commercial scripts and plays when they are really better off writing their own. It fits the genre better and is what the majority of their audiences are looking for. OK! So who can do the writing for your group? Why, you can! Yes, it's true and it's very easy and guaranteed to be successful if you follow a few steps that apply universal rules for successful scripts - you don't even need to know what the rules are (although you will surely recognize them as we go along!) Our first challenge will be Humor (rather than Comedy, as they are not really the same, but we won't go into that here!) So, how do we arrive at our script? We have all experienced funny situations or have been told a joke we think is the funniest things we have ever heard. Pick one! I'll start with one that I remember from way back in the years of the big war when I was a member of the Boy Scouts of America. One of our assignments at a summer camporee was to create a short humorous skit and present it to the whole encampment. What follows is essentially a variation of that skit which was based on an old joke. (Set your situation) NARRATOR: Today we are going to visit the Biology classroom of Professor Hinklemeyer. As the scene opens the Professor is beginning his class for the day. Our players are the PROFESSOR, and his STUDENTS. PROFESSOR: (in a crazy professor type delivery) Und mine students, today I vill demonstrate for you how to use the number one scientific marvel for our Biology classroom…vich iss .. der microscope! CLASS: Oh! Ja! Show us professor we want to learn! PROFESSOR: Yah! Yah!...Vell, first ve clean der eyepiecer here at the tippy topper of der microscope…then ve adjoost the doo-hinkus - ah - right here so that you can zee clearly. CLASS: Yes, yes. Show us more professor. (Building tension ...) PROFESSOR: Ooo - Holly smoke-ums! Vas is dis? I see them! (even more excitedly) I zee them! STUDENT #!:
(very excitedly) Oh yes, Professor. What do you see? PROFESSOR: (becoming agitated) Oh, I zee them, I zee them! STUDENT #1: But, what do you see Professor? PROFESSOR: (short pause, dramatically) The little green men! STUDENT #3: (astonished) The little green men! PROFESSOR: Yah! Yah! The little green men. STUDENT #1: What are they doing? STUDENT #2: Yes, Yes what are they doing? PROFESSOR: They are looking, Ja, They are looking, looking everywhere. (Next line is the set-up) STUDENT #1: (incredulously) What are they looking for? (Here comes the punch line) PROFESSOR: (curtly and with drama) Little green women, you fool! OK, this is a very short and humorous skit that can be used almost anywhere your group performs. You can use it stand alone or depending on your group's needs add to it almost endlessly. Some advantages of this way to acquire your scripts: (1) the humor is universal (2) it's guaranteed to be successful (3) and also important: There are no royalties or permissions needed. If you use this method please let me know. Also, I would appreciate copies of any scripts you might create, and I promise I will collect them and make them available to you on-line free of charge. I might even include a few that I have written which have been very successful. Til we meet again. gb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Want to be notified by e-mail when the next issue of RTD is on line? Just click here.... |