Ah, the sweetness of summer is here!

I came across this drama game a few months ago, and if I know middle schoolers, I know they will love it. Whether you’re wrapping up the final days in your classroom or beginning a summer drama project, I’m certain this game will be a perfectly sweet one to play!

JUNE DRAMA GAME: “Step into the Sweet Shop!”

Directions: Have your entire drama group line up on stage. They should imagine they are each holding a bag of candy. When you call the name of a particular candy, they’ll pull that candy out of their bag, put it in their mouth, and react with any appropriate series of facial expressions.

POSSIBLE CANDY NAMES:

The Super-Pucker Lemon Sour

The Teeth-Cracking Tough Toffee

The Lip-Blister Chili Bomb

The Icicle Blast Mint

The Yum-Yum Drop

The Yuk-Yuk Chew

The Sticky-Sticky Taffy

The Monster Jawbreaker

The Mystery Sweet

Rules: This game is primarily about facial expression and gestures–the non-verbal stuff. No loud shrieking, uncontrollable bawling, or actual vomiting, please.

Variation #1: Play this game like charades. Each participant gets the name of a candy on a slip of paper and acts out eating it. The rest of the group has to guess the type of candy.

Variation #2: Play with real candy! Defend the game to any suspicious onlookers by calling it “method acting training.”

And finally, check out the perfectly hilarious video of this game:

Mr. Chop’s Sweet Shop!

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. Coming at you all summer! Check in on July 1st for another drama game!

Hello all, and Happy Spring!

Let’s celebrate the month of May with an easy, breezy drama game. I have some marvelous mini-skit possibilities for you and your students. They’ll show off the drama skills you’ve been working on all year long, and they’ll spark everyone’s imagination in creating a scene. But above all, they’re just a bit of springtime fun!

MAY DRAMA GAME: “Marvelous Mini-Skits”

Directions: Divide your group up into smaller groups of two to four actors each. Then give each group an idea for a short skit and provide them with the final line that cues the end of the skit. Allow them at least a few minutes to come up with a plan for their dialogue, and then let each group take their turn on stage. See? Easy!

SKIT IDEA: Getting ready for a surprise party.   FINAL LINE: “Surprise!”

SKIT IDEA: Playing a board game.  FINAL LINE: “Game over.”

SKIT IDEA: On a long hike up a mountain.  FINAL LINE: “Hey, we’re at the top!”

SKIT IDEA: Sitting in a traffic jam.  FINAL LINE: “Finally! We’re moving!”

SKIT IDEA: Picking a dog out at the pound.  FINAL LINE: “That’s the one!”

SKIT IDEA: Baking cookies in the kitchen.  FINAL LINE: “Yum!”

SKIT IDEA: Getting ready for a family photograph.   FINAL LINE: “Say cheese!”

SKIT IDEA: Landing on Earth as a bunch of aliens.  FINAL LINE: “Let’s go back to Zibtron.”

SKIT IDEA: Greeting each other at a family reunion.  FINAL LINE: “Time for pasta salad, everyone!”

SKIT IDEA: Doing a large load of laundry.  FINAL LINE: “Done! That was the last pair of underwear.”

SKIT IDEA: Playing mini-golf with only one club.   FINAL LINE: “Wow! A hole-in-one! I win!”

SKIT IDEA: At a dance party.   FINAL LINE: “Awww…the music stopped.”

SKIT IDEA: In the car on a long road trip.  FINAL LINE: “I know. Let’s play the quiet game.”

SKIT IDEA: Ordering in a restaurant.  FINAL LINE: “I’m starving.”

SKIT IDEA: Wasting time until the movie starts.  FINAL LINE: “Shhhhh! It’s starting!”

SKIT IDEA: Having a Thanksgiving meal.  FINAL LINE: “Time for a nap.”

SKIT IDEA: Setting up a lemonade stand.  FINAL LINE: “Look! Our first customer!”

Rules: Everyone has a role in the skit. The scene ends at the final line—no additional dialogue, please.

Variation #1: Have every group do a second version of their scene—giving the final line a completely different tone.

Variation #2: Challenge the group in their non-verbal acting abilities. Have the only line be the last line.

When I set young actors loose to develop a skit, I prefer to give them a little structure. This is why I offer them a starting point (idea) and an ending point (final line). Call me particular, but I love a short, snappy skit with a satisfying last line. You’re sure to see the evidence of that in my three comedy skit collections. Check them out!

SUPERHERO COMEDY SKITS

FAIRY TALE COMEDY SKITS FOR A RAINY DAY

A COLLECTION OF TEN COMEDY SKITS

 

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. I won’t abandon you during the summer break. A new drama game coming in on June 1st!

Shazam! Ka-pow! Bazinga!

Brand new this spring, I am pleased to present my… 

Superhero Comedy Skits!

I had so much fun writing these, and I just know middle schoolers are going to love the crazy characters. Plunger Boy, Glue Girl, Captain Meatloaf, Swamp Boy–these are just a few of the hilarious superheroes I created for this collection!

There are twelve skits total, with two skits you can preview for free on the website: The Adventures of Plunger Boy and Glue Girl Gets Stuck.

They’ll come to the rescue for…

A fabulous Friday activity

A cure for spring fever

A last minute substitute plan

A “Superhero Olio”

Quick skits for a talent show

Some fun for the last week of school!

 

So, gather up some capes and masks, and download the collection today!

 

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

No tricks here! Just a Happy April!

It may be April Fool’s Day, but I assure you, there’s nothing hidden up my sleeve. I definitely have another free and fun drama game for you!

Many of you know exactly what it’s like to work with that unpredictable, erratic, crazily-dramatic creature known as “the middle schooler.” They will be immediate geniuses at this game.

APRIL DRAMA GAME: “Emotional Rollercoaster!”

Directions: Have your group sit in one long line of chairs on stage facing the audience.  Their job is to act as if they are watching a movie. As the director, you’ll narrate an erratic story that prompts a different emotion every few seconds.  The “movie-goers” should respond with the appropriate facial expression and ride the emotional rollercoaster!

Here’s an example of an over-the-top/ridiculous story you can use:

“The movie has begun and everywhere on screen there are chickens. You’re confused. Why are there so many chickens? What in the world are they doing? But the chickens look happy and content, and you really like chickens, so you’re happy, too! But wait. A big, burly farmer has come onto the screen, and he looks awfully mean. You’re suspicious. Oh no! The farmer’s grabbed one of the chickens and is holding it tightly…too tightly. You feel quite angry at this. Why is he trying to hurt a perfectly innocent chicken? And then, the chicken turns into a zombie right before the farmer’s eyes.  You’re shocked. A chicken zombie? Whoa. No one saw that coming. Actually, that chicken looks pretty hilarious. You’re laughing pretty hard now!  That is until the chicken’s eyes start spinning, and he’s smoking from the beak. Now you’re genuinely frightened.  You can see that the chicken has clamped his claws on the farmer’s arm and is pecking madly at his face! Suddenly, you’re worried about the farmer. He looks like he’s in real trouble. But then the farmer manages to free himself from the chicken zombie and escapes. Phew! You’re relieved! Then the chicken returns to normal. Everything looks calm again. But none of the other chickens want to go near him now. The chicken zombie is left all by himself. Now you’re sad for that chicken. He’s lonely. He has no friends. But then a puppy appears and approaches the lonesome chicken and nuzzles it, wanting the chicken to play. The chicken perks up, and your heart melts. All is well. THE END.”

Rules: No one talks during the movie.

Variation #1: Have a few students act out the short movie as you narrate while the rest play the movie audience.

Variation #2: Have your students take turns playing narrator and making up their own emotional rollercoaster stories!

Variation #3: Instead of a verbal story, use various clips of music to inspire different emotions.

This game is excellent for practicing convincing facial expressions and dramatic gestures. Many of my Fairy Tale Comedy Skits end with a particular expression on an actor’s face designed to get a laugh. Taking a ride on the “Emotional Rollercoaster” game will help them practice that non-verbal punchline!

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. Look for my next free drama game on May 1st right here on my blog!

Happy Heart Day, One and All!

I just can’t keep this treat to myself today. It’s as sweet as a box of chocolates. It’s as lovely as a bouquet of roses.  It’s my new logo!

TA DAH!

This logo has been a long time coming, but it was totally worth the wait! If you’re into the details, you’ll spot a silly cowgirl hat, a Shakespearean feather quill, a whimsical heart, an adorable fairy, a piece of pickle pie, a comical chicken, and a villainous mustache. Each one of these tiny images is a nod to something I’ve written: the Cowgirl Cookie old-fashioned melodramas, the Shakespearean spoofs, the Fairy Tale Skits, the Pie Palooza plays, etc. And I stand behind my tagline. They are all incredibly fun to direct, fun to perform, and fun to watch!

To celebrate in style, I want to offer everyone a

SPECIAL TREAT and FREE RESOURCE:

My Five Tips for Comedy Skits!

Perfect for those of you who have downloaded my Ten Short Comedy Skits or my Fairy Tale Skits for a Rainy Day. Share them with your young actors and actresses working on their comedic skills. Enjoy!

FIVE TIPS FOR COMEDY SKITS

1) Timing really is everything.

Performing a successful comedy skit is like telling a really good joke. It calls for perfect timing.  Too fast, and your audience won’t get it. Too slow, and it’s deadly boring. Much of the humor will be in the pace of the skit—how snappy or deliberate lines are being delivered, significant pauses, etc. The skit should feel like a perfectly timed basketball play with a slam dunk at the buzzer!

2) Make us believe.

If you’re working without props in a skit, then make your gestures believable.  For instance, if your character is opening a door, then consider what that truly looks like in all its steps: reaching for the doorknob, turning the handle, stepping back, opening the door, looking expectant, etc. Your job is to make the audience see what isn’t there.

3) Work on the small stuff.

Humor is not just being big and loud.  A facial expression, a tone, a gesture, emphasis on a particular word or line, a pause at the right moment—these are small things, but they all have the power to get a huge laugh. Just getting loud doesn’t necessarily make a line funny.  A true comedian knows how to get a laugh in ways other than sheer volume!

4) Let the script do the heavy lifting.

Don’t overact.  If you’ve got a funny script, it should be able to do most of the work.  You shouldn’t have to scream hysterically, collapse dramatically on the floor, or pretend to violently throttle your fellow actor to get a laugh from the audience. The lines are there—use them!

5) Crush the last line.

Treat the last line of a comedy skit like the punchline it’s meant to be. It’s the gold nugget you pull out of your pocket at just the right moment. Strike the proper tone and expression in the last line, and the entire skit succeeds! So satisfying.

 

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. New free drama game coming March 1st right here on my blog!

Hello there, and Happy February!

As promised, I have a new game for you and your drama group to play this month. Consider it my valentine to you, because it is LOVE-ly for practicing movement on stage. And if you happened to miss January’s game “Mamma Mia,” just check out my previous blog entitled “Free Drama Games in 2019!”

Enjoy this one. It’s for all ages, group sizes, and spaces!

FEBRUARY DRAMA GAME: “Mystery Space”

Directions: Have your entire drama group stand quietly to one side of your stage space. As the director, you will call out a “mystery space” that your stage has suddenly, magically become. Example: a busy chocolate factory on Valentine’s Day. The job of everyone in the group is to cross to the other side of the stage behaving as if they are moving through that particular setting.

Rules: Safety first! All players must be mindful of others while moving across the stage. And no running straight across the mystery space to the other side–that’s just cheating!

And here’s the good stuff. A list of “mystery space” possibilities to get you started:

• a large vat of marshmallow cream
• a blizzard of popcorn
• a sticky movie theater floor
• a pleasant rainstorm
• a deep, dark fog
• a spot of bright sunshine
• a long swimming pool
• a scorching desert
• a thick jungle
• the depths of outer space
• a fierce wind
• a coral reef deep underwater
• a cloud of mosquitos
• a room full of floating feathers
• a layer of knee-deep mud
• a pen of chickens
• a swamp of alligators
• a play area of puppies
• a slow parade of elephants
• a field of relaxing lavender
• an alleyway of rotten eggs
• a bakery with the smell of fresh bread
• a basketball game in play
• a slope with skiers and snowboarders coming from upstage
• a scenic spot where a family is desperately trying to get their picture taken uninterrupted

Variation #1: Everyone must move across the mystery space in complete silence–letting gestures and facial expressions do all the work.

Variation #2: Break up your large group by having them cross the mystery space in small groups. Or in pairs.  Or as individuals. Or mix it up and keep it unpredictable.

Variation #3: Play it like charades. Each player gets the “mystery space” handed to them on a slip of paper, crosses the stage accordingly, and the rest of the group tries to guess what the mystery space might be.

This game is a great exercise to go with my Fairy Tale Comedy Skits for a Rainy Day, which call for the setting to change with every skit. Cast members have to convincingly act as if they are in a particular space (movie theater, office, hospital, etc.) without the help of a backdrop or props.

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. Don’t forget to check my blog on March 1st for another free drama game!

Happy New Year, everyone!

I am very happy to share a New Year’s resolution here at Fun Middle School Plays…

FREE DRAMA GAMES to one and all in 2019!

That’s right. Every month here on my blog, I’m going to share a drama game you can play with your theatrical group which practices a dramatic skill, boosts their confidence on stage, and is, above all, fun! In my own experience as a drama mentor, I’ve found you can never have too many quick and easy drama games up your sleeve. They are just the thing to warm up a group, settle a group down, start a rehearsal, end a rehearsal, or simply burn off some extra nervous energy. (And sometimes you just need to fill five minutes, am I right?)

So, I’m starting the new year off with a bang. The drama game I’m sharing for January has never, ever failed to be a hit with kids!  It’s my tried and true.  It’s my go-to activity. I also know it can be done with all ages, but middle schoolers especially love it. Warning: they will not want to end the game…ever.

JANUARY DRAMA GAME: “Mamma Mia”

Directions: Circle up your group with everyone giving themselves a little elbow room. The game begins with one person in the circle stepping into the middle and crossing to someone else in the circle. On their way across the circle, they say the words “Mamma Mia” in the expression of their choosing. Options are absolutely endless: in a secretive whisper, in a cheerleader yell, in a creaky voice, in a baby’s gurgle, in a sarcastic tone, in an authoritative demand, in the squawk of a chicken, in a question, etc.. Once they’ve reached the other person, they take that person’s place in the circle, sending that person out into the middle to say “Mamma Mia” with a different expression. Play repeats until everyone has had at least one turn stepping into the middle and saying “Mamma Mia” in a new way.

Rules: Everyone should be given an equal amount of turns. Every expression of “Mamma Mia” should be unique–no repeats. “Mamma Mia” should be the only words spoken–no extra dialogue, please.

Variation #1: Advanced players can add specific movement, gestures, and facial expression to fully envelop a particular character while saying “Mamma Mia.”

Variation #2: Instead of the words “Mamma Mia,”use a key word or words from the script you’re currently practicing as a group.

You will be truly amazed at how many different ways a group of kids can come up with to say “Mamma Mia” while playing this game.  And that’s the point: to practice expression just using two little words. This drama game also demonstrates how powerful expression is on stage–how the meaning of a line can completely change depending on how it is delivered.

This game is reflected in my Secret of the Spoon mystery dinner show, which has the exclamation “Mamma Mia” throughout the script, said with a different expression each time. I’ve played it with every drama group I’ve ever worked with, and it’s always been too much fun! Enjoy!

Happy January!

Wishing you all the best on stage…and beyond!

–Alexi

Fun Middle School Plays

P.S. Don’t forget to check in on February 1st for another free drama game!

Looking for a fun script for your summer drama club? 

Need a light-hearted show to perform out in the sunshine? 

Want a fundraiser that’s easy, breezy, and cookie-filled? 

Then check out the perfect choice: A Cowgirl Cookie Play!

 

   

Cowgirl Cookie is the endearing heroine in this trilogy of old-fashioned western melodramas, and she is in love with two things: reading mysteries and solving mysteries. Cowgirl Cookie finds herself tracking down everything from missing chocolate chips to her own Grandma Sugar with the help of her friendly sidekick, Snickerdoodle, and a family full of Cookie sisters. A goofy sheriff, a line-up of silly narrators, and a hapless gang of villains are also part of the comedy in every play!

These Cowgirl Cookie Plays are nothing but fun for young adolescent performers! Every show is a mixture of silly characters and hilarious dialogue with a “mystery ingredient” stirred in to keep the audience guessing!

Perfect for summer. Ideal for an outdoor stage. And foolproof for fundraising!

But be warned. These plays are like a good chocolate chip cookie. You won’t be able to stop at the first one!

Purchase any script from Fun Middle School Plays during June, July, or August, and I’ll send you the recipe for Cowgirl Cookie’s Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie for Free!

And Happy Summer from Fun Middle School Plays!

P.S. Be sure to check out my Fundraiser Play Ideas page on my website for advice and inspiration for how to bring in the bucks with a Cowgirl Cookie Play!

Happy Spring, One and All!

I am very excited to announce a new product on my website!

This is a collection of twelve comedy skits—all featuring favorite fairy tale characters and all truly hilarious. For teachers, as the end of the year approaches, this collection will be a terrific resource to have in your back pocket for that rainy/snowy/perfectly sunny day you need a little comedy relief!

If you liked my Ten Short Comedy Skits, you’re going to love my Fairy Tale Comedy Skits for a Rainy Day! 

They’re perfect for…

…an emergency substitute plan.

…some material for a Spring Talent Show.

…a fun olio to add on to your Spring Play performance.

…an easy activity for the last week of school.

…some comedy relief on a day you need some!

So check out my Fairy Tale Comedy Skits for a Rainy Day! They’re sure to put a new spring in your step!

I’ve been known to get a little crazy, and this month will be no exception. The proof is this: I’m sharing my recipe for “Death by Tiramisu” with anyone who purchases a playscript in March…for free!  Serve up some tiramisu after a Fun Middle School Play, and don’t be surprised if members of your audience actually swoon. It’s a dessert to die for!

Tiramisu sound too fancy? Think again. The name simply means “little pick-me-up” in Italian, and the traditional version is made with layers of coffee-dipped cookies, rich cream, and shaved chocolate. Easy. Gorgeous. Deadly good.

It’s going to be a delicious dessert following any play performance, but it’s a match made in heaven with my mystery dinner show, The Secret of the Spoon. Tiramisu has a starring role in this particular script! The play tells the story of the Pastalucci Family who run an Italian restaurant and are mourning the loss of their beloved Nonni…not to mention the special spoon she used to make her famous tiramisu. It’s a comedy, it’s a mystery, and it’s a dinner show all layered into one play. And like tiramisu, it’s a crowd pleaser!

A Mystery Dinner Show with a Dessert to Die For! It’s madness, I tell you!

And have I mentioned how dead easy tiramisu is to make? Four layers and you’re done! Don’t anticipate having to make it the day of the show, either. Tiramisu gets better when its had a chance to sit and put its feet up. Prepare it the day before your show, go about your business, and it will be ready and waiting for its entrance the following evening.

In my recipe for “Death by Tiramisu,” I not only give you the instructions on how to prepare the original version but also advice on easy substitutions, possible variations, and some tips on making it for a large group.

So purchase a script from Fun Middle School Plays in the month of March, and enjoy my recipe for “Death by Tiramisu.” It would be madness not to!

Dearest Drama Teachers/Mentors/Directors,

I have a sweet surprise for you. Better than candy hearts. Lovelier than a bouquet of roses.  More delicious than a box of chocolate-covered cherries. And I’m offering it free with any purchase of a playscript from Fun Middle School Plays during the month of February. It’s the recipe for my scrumptious, one-of-a-kind, grand champion Perfect Pear Pie!

A PLAYSCRIPT paired with a PIE RECIPE…what could be better for Valentine’s Day?

So what is this “Perfect Pear Pie”? Oh my.  Well, it’s not a fruit pie with chunks of pear, as you might imagine.  It is instead a rich, caramel-flavored cream pie with a crust of coconut crumble, topped with whipped cream and cinnamon-sugared pear slices. It’s as if pear and caramel and coconut threw a raucous party, and you were invited! It’s won the hearts of family, friends, strangers, and pie judges alike. And when I call this pie a grand champion…I’m not being dramatic. I’ve got the blue ribbon to prove it.

And speaking of pie, you’ll notice on my website I have a Trilogy of Pie Palooza Plays for sale.

    

All three of these playscripts are incredibly fun, side-stitchingly funny, and really simple to stage and costume. Let’s call them the ultimate cure to cabin fever.

These Pie Palooza plays also make absolutely terrific winter fundraisers. Put on the play, and then add on pie-related pieces like a pie contest or a pie auction. You’ll have a very exciting event on your hands, and your community will love it! See my Fundraiser Play Ideas for all the advice and encouragement you’ll ever need to host your own version of a Pie Palooza.

So purchase a script from Fun Middle School Plays, and don’t delay! February is the month of love, and I want to send some your way with my Perfect Pear Pie recipe. ‘Cuz you’re my valentine.

Love, Alexi

P.S. Following your playscript purchase, be sure to check your e-mail for a copy of my Perfect Pear Pie recipe!

So, I’m back on the horse again.  The scriptwriting horse, that is.  Picture someone sitting in a saddle with a keyboard in front of them and a mug of coffee balanced on the horn. That’s me.

And speaking of coffee, the script I’ve been working on is an old-fashioned western melodrama that has a very fun setting: Lulu’s Coffee House. Because after all, when you think of comedy, mystery, and romance, don’t you think of a place where they’re brewin’ coffee and servin’ up cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting? I do.

It’s felt good to be looking for script ideas, too.  Having spent time in both careers, I can say that writing and teaching are very similar in this regard.  Writers are always on the search for their next funny line, interesting character, or intriguing plot.  Teachers are always on the hunt for their next fun project, exciting theme, or effective teaching technique. And I don’t think it’s really conscious.  It’s a sixth sense, really. Eavesdropping on a conversation in a restaurant becomes key dialogue in the story you’re writing.  A magazine spread you perused at the grocery store inspires your next classroom project. This is perfectly natural behavior for writers and teachers. (And comedians, I imagine.) And aren’t we all unconsciously looking for our next cup of coffee?

And creative projects—playscripts, classroom projects, jokes—are always an interesting ride, aren’t they? It’s typically a push and pull between inspiration and perspiration.  I believe my best writing happens when I’m working from an inspired, passionate, and energetic place.  I also know that I can’t always wait to be in that perfectly inspired, passionate, energetic place to be writing.  Sometimes, it’s just sitting down in the saddle and doing the work until the chafing truly becomes too much.

So as I finish things up in Lulu’s Coffee House, there is a nice soreness in my writing muscles. I’ve been up in the saddle, but it feels good. Now, can someone hand me a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll up here?

One year, I got a ham for Christmas.  A kid, I mean.  Not my kid, but a kid in my middle school class who was an absolute natural on stage.  Picture a young Vince Vaughn.  A sixth grade version of Robin Williams.  A Jim Belushi hitting adolescence.  Basically, I had the kid who was a ham in or out of costume. And for a drama teacher such as myself, he was the best gift Santa could have ever brought me.

I wrote our school’s holiday playscript Dear Mrs. Claus that year in large part because of this ham of mine, and it is definitely a show that is near and dear to my heart. I had my young star in the largest role of Buddy the Elf, assistant to Mrs. Claus, and he had the audience in stitches, naturally.  But more importantly, everyone else in the cast became better because of Buddy. His confidence, enthusiasm, and star energy were contagious and encouraged everyone else on stage to really go for it.  The show was a hit because everyone, not just Buddy, turned into a bit of a ham!

When you’ve got a real star, it’s a gift.  I would encourage any drama teacher to use their “sparklers” as a way to light up the rest of their cast. Or maybe you see the star potential in a particular kid. Then I say give them a meaty role! Remember, there’s nothing like a ham at Christmastime!

Dear Mrs. Claus is only one of my fun holiday shows. I have scripts for one and all in my Holiday Play Collection. May you find something that fits the ham, the side dishes, and the desserts in your cast!

In the hope you have a wonderful holiday season on stage, I’m offering a 20% discount on your first playscript purchase. Use the coupon code HAPPYHOLIDAYS20 at checkout. But act now! Coupon expires November 30, 2017.

I was reminded of an important truth the other day. You people are fun. And by “you people,” I mean middle school drama teachers.

I’m certain of this because the other day I found myself unexpectedly in a conversation with a middle school drama mentor…and we might have been perfect strangers, but we were cracking each other up like we’d been best friends since kindergarten. He confessed to me he’s always written dramatic plays…that he tried to write comedy, but the audience’s reaction was “ew.” I shared that all the scripts I’ve ever written have been comedy…I tried to write drama, but the audience’s reaction was inevitably “Ba-ha-ha!” Then we slipped into talking about our secret lives.  I told him my time as a camp cook scrambling eggs and toasting toast was merely undercover work to gather material for my next play. He told me he was only spending time as a middle school drama teacher to prepare for his sparkling career as a singer on a cruise ship. I’m not sure anyone else listening in on our conversation was entertained, but I was having a grand ol’ time.  Which brings me back to my point: you middle school drama teachers are brilliant and funny and fun. And I love knowing that I work for you.

I’ve written two plays that happened to have been performed by a group of fun-loving middle school teachers.  They are my Shakespearean Spoofs: Much Ado About Soup and Midsummer Night’s Spaghetti.  

 

And judging from my seat in the audience, it looked like the cast was primarily focused on cracking each other up, and I loved that.

My theory is this: to work with middle schoolers, you need to be a fun person. This is just a survival skill. And if my scripts can help middle school drama teachers exercise that skill, well, my time toasting toast has not gone to waste.

Before I tell you anything about my playscript Much Ado About Soup, you need to promise me something.  Do not, under any circumstances, let my English professor from twenty-five years ago hear about this, okay? Because this is the man that–upon knowing what I did to one of Shakespeare’s most beloved plays–would promptly stand up from his wheelchair, grab his cane, and come after me.  Because my old professor loved, adored, and revered William Shakespeare. And anyone who didn’t believe that the Bard was an absolute, unquestionable, awe-inspiring genius got kicked out of class with one flutter of his hand.  He had no time to suffer such fools.

But here’s the thing. I adore Shakespeare, too.  I just like to make fun of him, that’s all. He’s like having that friend who excels at everything and gets perfect grades and is always coming up with something especially wise to say, and all you want to do is tease him…mercilessly. Take the plot of Much Ado About Nothing.  It’s a brilliant story of love and friendship getting muddied up by betrayal and misunderstanding.  It’s so brilliant and perfect that I immediately thought, why not just make the main characters vegetables? Let’s have Potato in love with Rosemary. And Garlic can be his sarcastic best friend.  And let’s throw in some villainous vegetables, too: Cabbage, Radish, Turnip, and Mushroom. In other words, I turned into a complete middle schooler.  Silly, sarcastic, slightly obnoxious…while still feeling deep affection and respect for greatness, of course.

I wrote my Shakespearean spoof Much Ado About Soup for a middle school teacher who needed a script that would accomplish the following: have some fun with Shakespeare, be easy to stage and costume, and could be used as a fundraiser to establish a school community garden. I never imagined I’d ever have a playscript with “Onion” as a main character, but life is full of surprises. And it was so much fun to see a collection of middle schoolers and their teachers perform the play together. You haven’t seen anything till you’ve seen a middle school history teacher dressed up as a giant head of garlic on stage and proclaim, “Love stinks!”

So it’s true, Professor.  I channeled my inner middle schooler, and wrote Much Ado About Soup. I stirred in lots of positively ridiculous puns and goofy characters, and I’m sure I have deeply offended William Shakespeare’s number one fan. But you’ll still, like, be my friend, right?

To read a sample and/or purchase the playscript, please click this link: Much Ado About Soup.  And to transform it into an easy fundraiser involving (what else?!) SOUP, check out my Shakespearean Supper section of the fundraiser play ideas on my website.

 

Hello, my friends.

When life throws you some tricky questions, depend on chocolate to give you the answers. This is my motto, anyway, after my experience working at the local library and mentoring their youth drama club.  I was far too loud and boisterous to be a great librarian, but I was just loud and boisterous enough to be a successful drama director. One summer, I had twenty-four enthusiastic young teenagers under my charge, and I wanted to write a play for them that would be a comedy, a mystery, a western melodrama, and a plug for libraries.  And in my mind, I became very attached to the following title: Cowgirl Cookie and the Case of the Missing Chocolate Chips.  I’ve always had a special affection for long titles, not to mention chocolate chip cookies.  It would be a tricky mystery to write and solve in a satisfactory way, but I trusted chocolate would be the key to everything.

So, sure enough, the characters of Cowgirl Cookie and the Case of the Missing Chocolate Chips began to develop.  Cowgirl Cookie was the heroine who loved reading and sleuthing, and she’d have a trusty sidekick, Snickerdoodle. Her Grandma Sugar would be a sassy, no-nonsense character who was known for her prize-winning chocolate chip cookies. There would be an entire family of Cookie Sisters: Oatmeal Raisin, Gingersnap, Molasses Spice, Macaroon Meringue, Peanut, and Butter.  A group of villains would appear and call themselves the Mustache Gang (Greasy, Mushy, Crummy, Soggy, Yucky, and Burnt) and be completely overlooked by the goofy local lawman, Sheriff Nutter Butter.  And finally, there would be three bossy grannies (Miz Snappy, Mix Sticky, and Miz Chewy) who would sit side stage and argue with the narrator any chance they got.

I was off and running with the plot, too.  All of the chocolate chips in town had gone missing.  Cowgirl Cookie was on the case but running out of leads.  The silly Sheriff had no ideas.  The Mustache Gang just played dumb.  And Grandma Sugar was fit to be tied with the town’s cookie contest right around the corner and no chocolate chips in her cupboard.

So I had a crazy set of characters and a great mystery…but absolutely no idea how everything would resolve. But somehow, I wasn’t worried.  It’s difficult to explain, but even into the middle of the play, I just had this feeling–a blind faith–that the answer to the mystery would somehow end up being about chocolate.  And sure enough, by the time I was writing the final scene, it came to me.  One of my Mustache gang members, Burnt, wouldn’t have a real mustache at all—it would just be chocolate smeared on his upper lip!  And Cowgirl Cookie, with her Nancy Drew-like sleuthing skills, would put it all together: Burnt was a chocoholic.  He’d eaten all the chocolate chips in town, save the one bag under his cowboy hat. And hurrah! Mystery solved.

So, if you believe in chocolate as always the right answer, check out my play page for Cowgirl Cookie and the Case of the Missing Chocolate Chips. And if you’re ready to move onto other fun Cowgirl adventures, you can check out my entire Cowgirl Cookie Trilogy which includes Cowgirl Cookie and the Mysterious Disappearance of Grandma Sugar and Cowgirl Cookie and the Ghost of the Grange.

Hello there, gang.

Let’s talk pie.  More specifically, let’s talk banana cream pie.  Have you made one, tasted one, loved one? Or have you passed over it on the pie menu as too ordinary? I’m curious, because not everyone adores banana cream pie, but those who do seem to have appeared everywhere in my life.  And I believe this special combination of cream and crust has played a powerful role in my destiny.

I know that sounds dramatic, ladies and gentlemen, but consider the evidence.  My mother (an infamous ad libber in the kitchen) sent me off into the world with just one recipe written down: her banana cream pie.  I successfully wooed my future husband with a consistent supply of banana cream pie. I actually won a ribbon in a local pie contest with my banana cream pie.  Whenever I ask any of the men of my family what they want for their birthday, the answer is always, always the same: banana cream pie. Case closed.

As a playwright, banana cream pie has come in handy for a good punchline or a fun plot point. It’s featured most prominently in my third Pie Palooza play: All’s Fair in Love and Pie.  At the time I was writing the script, I felt somebody was missing in my pie character line-up.  I had Strawberry-Rhubarb and Peach and Blueberry and Cherry and Apple, and they were all deliciously funny characters.  But I needed somebody else.  Someone solid, old-fashioned, classic.  And as I was mulling this over, a young fellow in my school approached me with a special request.  Could he please, please, please wear his new banana suit in my upcoming play?

Do you hear that? The angels singing, I mean?  Because I’m sure they were at that moment.  Of course the missing pie character was Banana.  Of course, of course, of course!  Why hadn’t I put this together before?  I’d made enough banana cream pies to supply a horde of hungry middle schoolers in a three day pie-eating contest! It was clearly time for banana cream pie to appear on the stage.

So in All’s Fair in Love and Pie, the character of Banana ends up being a rather aggressive defender of the dessert which often gets overlooked in a pie line-up: Banana Cream Pie.  His best line is when he turns on the other pie characters and grumbles, “You girls are all fancy and glamorous with your fruit fillings and your top crusts.  Me? I gotta prove myself with the basics: eggs, milk, butter. Ya think that’s easy?”

And I’m sorry for this spoiler alert, but Banana ends up walking away with the blue ribbon in the town’s infamous pie contest at the end of the play.  Call it justice. Call it destiny.  It was pure plot satisfaction for me with sliced bananas and whip cream on top.

To read a sample of the play, you can pop over to this link: All’s Fair in Love and Pie. And to check out my entire Pie Palooza Trilogy of playscripts, with or without bananas and cream involved, please head to this link: Pie Palooza Trilogy. And here’s to banana cream pie getting its proper due.