Rock, a musical experience 4.3 – ACT I

Rock “A musical experience” Ver.4.3

A play in three acts

Music, Lyrics, and Script

By

Ronnie Lee

Copyright 1980 Ronnie Lee Knauss

By Ronnie Lee 4441 N. Gravel Ridge

Coral, MI 49322

231-354-6308

E-mail: ronnieleerocks@gmail.com

Cast of Characters

Listed in the order of appearance:

Planted actors All of them look like they’re part of the audience. These actors intermingle with the audience. Some of them have a few lines in the play but the rest of them improvise with what’s happening at the moment. They are in the group arriving in the parking lot, purchasing tickets, and setting in the auditorium.

Joel Our hero of the play. He is the janitor at this theater. He works for Mr. Strickler with Mr. N.E. Body. He is the center of attention while people are buying their tickets. During this time there is more than one Joel character acting out the part at different times. The idea is to expose every member of the audience to the character of Joel not so much the individual actor but recognizing that character.

Mr. N.E. Body Mr. N.E. Body is dressed in a one-piece work suit with a hardhat. He is one of the workman Joel has had several run-ins with. Whenever Mr. Strickler has a problem with Joel in the lobby he calls Mr. N.E. Body to escort him out of the room. Mr. N.E. Body lives in the first building on stage left. It is a cutaway view and you can see the inside of his two-story home. He spends almost all the time on the second story, drinking beer, in an easy chair watching television which is showing the live performance of the play. The audience can see what he has watching. Mr. N.E. Body is not aware of the presence of the audience. His refrigerator is on the first floor and throughout the performance he’s constantly going downstairs to get a beer and then back upstairs to his easy chair.

Mr. Strickler Mr. Strickler is Joel’s boss. He is a tall imposing figure with a bald head and hair on the sides. He is dressed in a dark suit white shirt thin dark tie. He wears wingtip shoes and thick black horn-rimmed glasses. He carries a clipboard and is constantly stopping and writing down something. He has a very salty attitude when addressing Joel but a super sick sweet personality when dealing with the public. He can be seen constantly hassling with Joel throughout the performance.

The dream voice The dream voice is actually Joel’s conscience speaking to him. So the character that is playing Joel has to pre-record these parts so he can carry on a conversation with himself. He should sound something like a wrestling match announcer.

The Band The Band is a typical 60s rock band. The members consists of a drummer with a trap kit, and a percussionist. The rhythm section is bass guitar and rhythm and lead guitar player. There are four female background singers. A full choir is set up on the back wall of the stage. They enter and exit as needed to perform with the music. They are not on their platforms at the back when the audience enters the auditorium. Stage right is a keyboard player playing a Hammond B3. Stage left is another keyboard player using a rack of multiple keys that can produce the piano, clavinet, and synthesizer sounds of the 60s music. There is a screen behind the band for visual effects and videos.

The Dancers The dancers are young hippy kids that flood in and out of the enter/exit points in the set. They are colorfully dressed complete with beads and long hair. Some of them are carrying burning incense again to stimulate the sense of smell to the audience. During the psychedelic dance scenes, half the dancers are dressed in black, the other half dressed in white. Some dancers can be dressed as rats coming in and out of the manhole covers.

Susie Sweetheart Susie sweetheart is Joel’s girlfriend. She is dressed like a schoolgirl during the 60s. A hippie chick. Leather boots short skirt longhair and beads.

The Class When the band is not playing they become the class and the extras

& Extras taking part in the action stage left in stage right, like walking up and down the street. Some of them hang out with the punks.

Punks in alley The punks are dressed and act like a street gang occasionally hassling a passer buyer constantly peeking in the window of the bar/restaurant.

Lady in window Stage right a lady is popping in and out of a second story window. She is seen watering her flowers and shaking the dust out of rugs throughout the play. Whenever someone is saying something negative she sticks her head out the window and shakes a rug.

Smarty Martins Smarty Martins is Joel’s rival for the attention of Susie sweetheart. During the time he’s in the classroom he’s constantly trying to get her attention. He tries to flirt with her whenever Joel is not paying attention. He is dressed in a three-piece suit. He looks like an and acts like a lawyer.

Laugh-in-doors The Laugh-in-doors are used to inject one liners and punch lines into the play using the old Rowan and Martin Laugh In TV program stage set up. Sometimes there is a person with his door open just listening to the play. Again there is lots of room for improvisation. No one ever enters or exits through these doors. Sometimes their lines are used to express someone’s conscience or feelings. One thing is to have people from the Laugh-in-doors and the manhole covers shoot champagne poppers at each other. One door opens up and holds out a net, out of the other door comes different shooters trying to make it into the net. They are totally unaware of the audience, and are there to just distract what’s going on. Have sound effects such as wild animals and birds coming out from behind the Laugh-in-doors at different times. Another good one would be to hear a gunshot, then a pause, then someone would say “OH they got me”. This would be done by using a starting pistol and having someone else just shout the lines with the doors still closed.

Crystal Crystal is the cocktail waitress in the bar scenes. She is the one that slips Joel the Mickey, the spiked Coke.

Mary Mary is with the band and she picks up Joel in the bar.

Scene

This play is a 1960s rock musical. At the time of conception the old civic center in Grand Rapids Michigan was the venue chosen for this performance. This building has been torn down and replaced by a newer downtown Grand Rapids. This theater was the first place that the author ever saw a live rock ‘n roll concert. They had bands play there like the Dave Clark five, the Buckingham’s, and Bob Seger.

It is a night time scene for both stage left and right at the beginning of the performance. Stage right, the city scene has street lights lit with an occasional passerby. Stage right is divided into three sections. The first section is the front door of a bar/restaurant. There is a pay phone on the outside of the building. People are going in and out of the bar/restaurant. The second building front is a two-story brownstone with pots of flowers in their windows. The third building front is a church. Stars are painted in the sky. There is a brick wall aley way on each side of the stage. A sheet of clear plastic is hung over the walls so they can be spray painted again and again by the dancers.

Stage left is pretty much dark. Stage left is divided into three sections. The first section is a cutaway of a two-story home, easy chair refrigerator and television. Second section is Old Greenville High schoolhouse entrance door. The third section is divided up into many the multicolored Laugh-in doors and windows.

Time

1969 the last year of the 60s and things are about to change.

Before curtain time:

Our performance starts the moment the audience arrive at the parking lot. Immediately they are exposed to organized chaos. The parking lot would resemble a construction site. One can see what appears to be the final stages of getting ready for the play and somewhat of an art fair. Scattered throughout the parking lot are craftsman producing their wares. One side you see potters working with Clay. Some would be spinning pots on the wheel while others made different things with clay. Over a little farther you’ll see somebody making jewelry. Next to them would be a leather worker making belts pocketbooks and fancy buckles. None of the venues at this time appear to be selling anything just making things. Any time some member of the audience expresses interest in purchasing any of the artworks the vendors will hand them a card which will inform them that they can purchase anything they see after the performance is over. Each vendors cards will have his business contact information on it. This is to help promote his artwork after the play.

Workers hustle about moving backdrops props and scenery. Everywhere they look there is literally a circus happening around them. Mixed in amongst the stagehands are actual jugglers and circus acts with a complete carnival atmosphere. Exciting the sense of smell the new arrivals will be exposed to the usual carnival and fair food vendors. Some of the food vendors walk amongst the crowd giving away small free samples of their treats. As people enter the parking lot, they are exposed to un-readiness everywhere.

As the audience enters the lobby to buy tickets they will be exposed to an unusual welcome. Unknown to the audience there are actors mixed in with them. These planted actors, start to interact, with the audience in the midst of the chaos. The most dominating character is a younger looking boy named Joel. He is dressed in a baggie cleaning outfit with a push broom and MP3 player around his neck. Yet the audience can also hear the music from the soundtrack of the play being played on it.

The other actors job is to interact with Joel and bring attention to him and his bungling. To strengthen the characters presence, several other actors are dressed identically like Joel. They appear and disappear with precise timing to give the appearance that this boy is really moving. It’s very important that at least once all the members of the audience have seen the Joel character somewhere before they get to their seat. This is very much like a Marx Brothers routine of one character going in one door and instantly coming out another door quite a distance away. Joel has been seeing throughout the building in many different mishaps. The plant actors bump into him making him spill trash, or get hit by his broom etc.

Joel’s boss, Mr. Strickler is in the lounge during all this time. Each time there is an incident with Joel Mr. Strickler comes over and stops Joel from doing what he is doing. Then Mr. Strickler yells for Mr. N.E. Body to come and help and he takes Joel out through a door to backstage. Just a few seconds after Joel disappears through the doorway another Joel character steps out another door in a different part of the lobby. The second Joel goes through the same routine is the first and Mr. Strickler and Mr. N.E. Body comes over and escorts Joel back out through another door. This continues on while the people are getting tickets. Mr. Strickler with the help from Mr. N.E. Body run from Joel to Joel attracting attention from anyone standing in the lobby. Before everybody gets to their seat they would’ve seen Joel with Mr. Strickler cleaning and re-cleaning trash and joking with the people who are arriving.

There are video crews spread out from the parking lot to the auditorium. They are set up and videotaping but still act as if they are not ready either. They are rushing around and they pay no attention to the people arriving. The video crew secretly try to capture as many close-ups of the faces of the people from their car to their seats. These close-ups will be used later as flashbacks on the monitor screens during the performance. The live action video captures all the important scenes with Joel and they are flashed on the screens located in the lobby and the auditorium while they are happening. He is continuously being hassled by his boss with a clipboard, saying where things should be put in when they are to be done, and that he should be working and not talking with people. The purpose of this is to expose Joel to as much of the audience as possible before they are seated.

When the audience enters the auditorium for the first time they will be amazed because of all the action taking place. The audience becomes more confused when they see that not only the curtain is open, but there is still people running about getting ready. These stage crew actors, do not interact, with the audience that is coming in to be seated. They go about their chores totally unaware that anybody has come into the auditorium. Some workers are actually standing around chatting with each other and not getting anything done. The attitude that is necessary to project to the audience is, will they be ready by Showtime or is there a play happening here tonight or not?

In the crowd are also plant actors who look and act like part of the audience and interact with Joel. They improvise and comment loudly with him. This will strengthen his unnecessary clumsiness and spaced out character and bring more attention to him.

The set is different than most. It is a theater in the round as much as possible but around the audience. Two scaffolding sets are on both sides of the auditorium. Along the walls of both stage left and right are walkways which appear to be sidewalks in front of old brownstone buildings of the 60s. These sidewalks can be built right over the backs of a few of the seats on the edge of stage left and right if necessary. The scaffolding is left open for the audience to see thru and behind them. Behind the sidewalks are the front of buildings in Anytown USA. These buildings have doors and windows that actually open and are used throughout the performance.

Video screens cover most of the places that the stage does not, including behind the audience. Something is on the screens at all times except when otherwise stated. When you want to accent someone’s certain part all the videos become live action of that character. When you do not want the video distracting from the action on stage all monitors go to the old test tone off the air black and white screen.

Enter stage left, onstage, an elderly looking couple appear to be lost and they have their tickets in hand and are looking for their seats. Eventually two security guards come on stage with them one from the audience one from backstage. They look at the couples tickets and slowly escort them off the stage to their seats. The elderly couple appear to be confused and drag out this process. When the couple is finally seated the officers go about their business and disappear.

The scaffolding on stage left is set up in a country seen. There is a dirt road walkway and it’s divided up into three sections. The first section closest to the stage is Mr. N.E. Body’s farmhouse. He is a fellow worker and he has several incidences with Joel throughout the theater. This is the main interest point on stage left. It is a cut away of the inside where Mr. N.E. Body lives. You can see the front door frame and mail box that has Mr. N.E. Body’s name on it, and the open first and second floors. There is an easy chair and television on the second story.

Mr. N.E. Body is a beer drinker but unfortunately the refrigerator is on the first story. He is constantly going up and down the stairs to get a beer. Throughout the first two acts none of the other actors are aware of his presence when he is at home. Halfway through the third act when he does it again, Joel stops the show and acknowledges his presents. He tells Mr. N.E. Body, that he and the audience will wait for him this time until he’s done. This is the first time there has been any communication between the beer drinker and the rest of the other actors. From then on until the finale Mr. N.E. Body is in his own little world and no one pays him any mind. During the last few minutes of the performance the beer drinker joins in the celebration.

The second section on stage left is the front of Greenville High School 1960’s. The third section on stage left is like something right out of the TV show Laugh-in. It is a bright hippie colored painted wall with several doors that open at different times with somebody contributing a humorous punchline.

Stage right is a city sidewalk that has many enter and exit points. There’s a couple manhole covers that people pop in and out of along with doors and windows. There are three building fronts along the sidewalk on stage right. The first building front is a bar/resturant. Smoke is constantly coming out its swinging doors. The blinking fluorescent sign in the window says beer. The second building front is a two-story brownstone apartment building with pots of flowers in their windows. The third building front is a church. Center stage there is a long ramp with a microphone on a stand.

ACT I

Scene 1

SETTINGS: As the people are seated all the action fades slowly to the stage. There we find Joel sweeping his way slowly to center stage. He puts down his broom and starts goofing off with the instruments. One of the actors planted in the audience starts to interact with Joel by shouting out “Free Bird, “Smoke on the water”. An improvised interaction between the two takes place for a couple of minutes. Joel picks up his broom again and start sweeping. As he works his way up to the center stage ramp the lights dim. The video crew has disappeared and there is nothing on the monitors. All other action as faded to a stop leaving Joel with nothing to do but bump into the hot microphone which has no reverb, sounding flat.

(The house lights dim, the stage lights slowly fade, and a spotlight shines on Joel.)

Joel

Whoops! Is this thing on?

(Joel is tapping on the microphone and blowing into it. With a very timid voice he says)

I always wanted to talk into one of these things.

(Then after a slight pause and too close to the microphone and distorted he repeats)

I always wanted to talk into one of these things!

He pauses again for the reaction of the

audience. One of the plant actors yells out

“Look it’s the broom pusher”. Some of the

other plant actors react slightly. Some

of them still have no reaction and have not

yet given themselves away

Boy, it’s loud!

(He hits the microphone tap, tap, blow, blows. Then speaking directly to the audience)

I can hear it louder out there where you are then I can it up hear.

Pointing to his mouth, and looking around to

See if anybody is coming after him. Then he

chuckles to himself. Now showing on all the

monitors are videos of the audience themselves

when they arrived, purchased the tickets, and

found their seats.

I sure hope Mr. Strickler doesn’t hear this. He’s my boss and he gets mad easy. Don’t tell anyone I’m up here.

(Joel pauses, takes a deep breath, and stairs up like he is looking to the stars)

I look to the stars and dream of what I want to do. When I watch a concert my eyes are always on the singer. I know how to use this microphone.

(He gets down into a rock ‘n roll stance, keeps then up again.)

The plant actors

(react and laugh. One shouts out)

That a boy Elvis…

Joel

Boy I sure wish I could be a singer in a group.

Then there are strobe lights flashing,

colored lights shining in every direction,

along with psychedelic colors and patterns

on all the monitors. The video crew sneaks

back in and start shooting. There is a

sound of a loud chime. And a ghostly

voice is heard saying.

The dream voice

So you want to be a singer? So you want to be a rock star? Well grab a hold of that microphone right there…

The band starts to play the intro to the song

Complain’n. The stage is Lit up with black

lights. Joel grabs the microphone ready to sing

… And take that their guitar!

Two girls, one white and one black, bring Joel

a guitar and he puts it on. A male plant actor

whistles while others laugh and react in a confused

way. One of them yells what is going on here?

The girls run off back to the band stand as stage

lighting comes up slowly on a disco rock dancing

and party scene.

Joel

(Joel acting a little timid and slow to react)

Wow!…. Well okay… All right!

With guitar in hand Joel joins in with the

band playing the intro to Complain’n. The

stage lights come up

The Dancers

Dancers are coming from backstage and out of the

doors of the buildings along the streets. Stage right

kids are running out of the schoolhouse to the stage.

Video crews are only filming from onstage the live

performance. Mr. N.E. Body enters from stage left

front carrying a lunchbox.

Mr. N. E. Body

Mr. N.E. Body is dressed in a work suit like Joel and is one of the workmen Joel had run-ins with earlier with Mr. Strickler. He travels along the dirt road to his front door. He checks the mailbox which is full of bills. He looks at them and grumbles “Bills”,. And then he puts them back in the mailbox. He opens the front door and walks in. He removes his hard had and unzips his work suit and takes it off letting it fall to the floor. Exposing him dressed in a sleeveless white T-shirt, white and red boxer shorts, and black socks with garters. He puts the hard hat back on. He puts his lunch box on the table and opened the refrigerator looking for some food. He finds none so he takes out a can of beer and goes upstairs. He turns on the TV. He brushes off the empty beer cans from the chair to the floor. Then he plops himself down in his easy chair, puts up his feet and drinks the beer. Again the plant actors try not to stick out at this point but keep a response between the stage and the audience and draw attention to the new things as they happen.

(Joel steps up to the microphone and shouts. Now the microphone

has typical rock ‘n roll slap back echo and reverb setting.)

Joel

All right! … Okay ah….yeah…Here we go now…..ah come on…hay.. hay …yah.. yah..

(He looks back at the band to see if they are ready. They respond

that they are. Joel looks out at the audience and asks.)

Joel

Are you ready?

(Plant actors start to clap and shout yeah!)

Joel

Okay!….

(Joel hands the guitar to one of the female background singers and she runs off with it.)

Mr. Strickler

Mr. Strickler enters stage left. He can be seen peeking through and around the open curtain. He is smoking a cigar and has his clipboard in hand. He sees Joel but does not notice the band or any of the stage action or players. He breaks into a rage and stomps slowly out to stop Joel from goofing around with a microphone. As Mr. Strickler makes his way to Joel all the lights fade back to the way they were when Joel had first approached the microphone. The video crew stop filming and disappear.

(Joel keeps on singing into the microphone)

Joel

All right … Okay … Here we go now …

Mr. Strickler puts his hand on Joel’s shoulder.

All of a sudden the reverb and echo effects are

gone off the microphone. The band stops playing

immediately. They are left silent and in the dark.

Mr. Strickler turns Joel around and in a foreign

accent he says..

Mr. Strickler

Just what in the Sam Hill are you doing out here boy?

Joel

(He is totally shocked, caught off guard and dumbfounded.)

Ah..ah..Mr. Strickler! ah..Im…ah ah

Mr. Strickler

Now who did you think it would be? I’m the one who always catches you loafing. I have to keep my eye on you all the time. We have a show to put on here boy. We got no time

for these kind of shenanigans going on. You have your job to do and this is not it. So grab your broom and get sweeping!

Joel

(Very apologetic)

Gee bos…I…ah…uhmm…I just saw the microphone and I wanted to try it myself.

Mr. Strickler

Well I’m not going to hear that anymore! Like I said, I’m not your boss no more, you’re fired!

(Mr. Strickler looking directly at the audience)

Fired now… right now!

(Very sweet and apologetic)

I’m very sorry folks, but this is the kind of help you get these days.

Now Mr. Strickler turns around back to Joel speaking

with the same gruff attitude as a moment ago

Now come on kid, pack it on out of here. I have a show to put on that was due to start minutes ago! I don’t need to deal with this stuff.

Mr. Strickler turns his back on Joel and starts complaining

about Joel’s work and output as he walks away.

You are always off dreaming somewhere looking at the stars. When kids are about 12 years old these days they start dreaming. And by the time they’re 21, they sleep all the time!

(Mr. Strickler exits stage right)

Mr. N.E. Body

At the same time that Mr. Strickler exits stage right, Mr. N.E. Buddy runs out of beer. He looks around and sees a can on a small table just within reach. He picks up and shakes the half-full can. He smells it, burps and sits it back down. Then he gets up and goes downstairs and gets a new beer out of the refrigerator goes back upstairs and continues watching television.

(Street lights dim and crickets stopped chirping as daytime begins.)

A new day begins along both streets. Stage right a lady raises the curtain and waters her flowers. Again kids appear hanging out in front of the school stage left. A bum walk stomping down the street looking in garbage cans. A street peddler goes by. A boy talks to the girl on steps. The girl’s mother keeps yelling from a window for the girl to come in.

Mother in window

(Mother is yelling out window at daughter while shaking the dust from the throw rug)

You come up here and finish these dishes right now!

Girl one

Okay!… Okay!

(But the girl does not go to do the dishes)

A Mailman rounds the corner stage right and delivers mail to all three places. Then he walks directly across the stage to get over to Mr. N.E. Body’s mail box. He opens the box and sees that it still has mail in it. He struggles to put in the new bills. But he cannot get the door to go shot because it is full. He walks up through the audience and disappears out the back of the auditorium. He is not aware of the presence of the audience. All the action and actors on stage right start to disappear. There is no sound distraction any longer coming from stage right except for an occasional passerby down the sidewalk. All this time Joel is still watching the retreat of Mr. Strickler, scratching his head, unaware of the action stage left and right. The video monitors show different scenes of Mr. Strickler and the pains of running the theater and of being the boss. These video clips give strength to the other side of what it’s like to be the boss. At the end of the video the song 12 to 21 begins to play and Joel starts to sing. The band is now visible. The set up is a traditional rock ‘n roll set. The band members are people that have walked off the street and onto the stage with the musicians, at different times going on stage and picking up instruments and just flopping around.

(Joel is still at centerstage as he strips off

his work sute, exposing a hippie type dress,

his long hair falls out of his work at. He sings)

ACT I

Scene 2

12 to 21

Joel

When it’s 12 to 21, life has just begun

Video screens now showing a light

show of colors and patterns. The live

acting is still on Mr. N. E. Body’s TV

You are part of the un-respected age. To try to make it on your own is discouraged by the old.

Joel pauses and looks back at the direction of Mr. Strickler’s exit. The band keeps on playing until Joel comes back in singing. The video monitors now show an instant replay of Mr. Strickler leaving the stage complete with football looking logos on the screen and an announcers giving play-by-play. There should be two voices like football announcers and Joel looks up at the house speakers and waits until they are done, then picks it up again with no comment.

Joel

Until young ideas are distorted and decayed.

(The video monitors now show young soldiers at war in Vietnam)

Why teens to fight world wars? Why not keep the laws enforced?

The monitors show a quick flash of the tablets

of stone which have the 10 Commandments

written upon them. They switch to live action

some of which is the audiences response.

Joel

And arrest those who advertise.

(Monitors show the government, Nixon’s cabinet)

For legal murderers, Army-tized.

(Monitors show draft registration, posters, and protesters)

For they are the draft, that sends chills up your back. Just when life has begun, when it’s 12 to 21.

(Monitors show scenes of parties, beach scenes, kids having fun, and running amok)

Joel

There are things about being young, that makes growing old kind of fun. Like girls, cigarettes, hot rods and beer. But most of them fail to hold interest appeal. And end up only as regret.

(Monitors show clips of really bad television commercials)

You can’t believe all you here, what you see isn’t always clear. All are tantalized by, profit seekers dirty lies. To live life without a care, is encouraged everywhere. Just when life has begun, when it’s 12 to 21.

(The music goes into a lead, while Joel dances with back-up singers.)

The Band

The band strikes a whole note chord holding it out until it fades. Monitors show the replay again of Mr. Strickler’s exit.

(Joel turns back to look at the microphone, then he looks to the direction of Mr. Strickler’s exit.)

ACT I

Scene 3

Joel

Fired!…. Oh no…. not Fired!… What will my parents say? My folks will go nuts!

(Feeling real low and dragging his foot on the floor the stage)

I just got out a high school, I got my very first job, and now I got fired!

The Band

The band starts to play an instrumental version of 12 to 21 starting with a piano solo. Stage spotlight is dimly lit above the piano. Next to the band, stage right shows a home singing with the Joel #2 standing at the open door. As Joel #2 is standing in the doorway, you see his father and mother sitting in their living room. Joel #2 has his back to the audience.

(Joel #1, the real Joel, is looking at the audience.)

Father

So,..you got fired,… Hey? Can’t you work?… Or are you just lazy? What did you do? Did you get caught sleeping?

Monitors show only black and white

films of the 20s, wild West, caveman,

knights in shining armor fighting.

Why, when I was your age I used to work eight hours a day in the potato fields and walk 5 miles to school!!

Someone in the band plays taps on the trumpet

the Father gives him a bad look and continues

You had better realize what you’ve got and how easy you have got it! I’m surprised you even made it through high school. You don’t even know how to read as fast as the neighbor kid and he’s and great school! Didn’t you learn anything in school besides how to grow your hair and girls? Grow up! You’d better change your ways before your older.

Joel

Joel does a double take, speaking

first out towards the audience, and

then back to the dad on stage.

But dad! I can explain. It wasn’t my fault. You always blame everything on me. It’s always my fault.

Father

You might as well let the Army take you.

(Monitors show recruit Marines getting their crewcut haircuts.)

At least they would make a man out of you. All you ever want to do is listen to music and play that guitar yours. Don’t you know that there is more to life than just music and having fun?

Joel

Yeah, but….

The actor in the doorway, Joel 2

response, he nods his head.

Father

Yeah, but what?

The band or a recording plays some Tommy

Dorsey style music in background. Music should

be left alone to the good old songs that meant

something instead of all that rock ‘n roll yeah

yeah yeah. Why I remember when I was a child…

Now start fading in of visual #2 on screen behind

band. It shows a small boy playing on the piano

the song “12 to 21”.

Father

Ah….. Boy did you ever hate to practice the piano. You could have been good if you had never started playing with that rock band.

Father yawns

Now you sleep all day and keep me up watching TV.

The band starts to play the song, “Late night TV”.

While song is playing father pretends to be

listening but annoyed. Joel 2 still standing

with back to audience.

Late night TV

Joel sings

Late in the twilight… When all is quite still… The night is deceiving… Can give you a chill

What little you see… In front of your eyes… Turns out to be… A bigger surprise

The dancers come out and dance with Joel number

one as he sings. They sing in call response with Joel

on the words, late night, all night, and every night.

Late night…(late night)… Late night watching television

All night…(all night)… Instead of sleeping

Every night…(every night)… You’ll find me creeping… To the boob tube.

Monitors, black and white 30’s movies, love story,

Western, murder mystery.

I can watch a love story… If I wanted to cry… I can see something gory… Even watch someone die…

I can pretend I’m a cowboy… Out riding the range… To meet his dear cowgirl… On the new stage…

The dancers take over the scene. The band plays

an instrumental.

We can turn down the lights… Set close to the screen… See all of the highlights… Not missing a scene

We can turn up the sound… So the neighbors can hear… Let them know we found… Entertainment right here…

The dancers again join in singing along with

Joel in call and response.

Late night…(late night)… Late night watching television All night…(all night)… Instead of sleeping

Every night…(every night)… You’ll find me creeping… To the boob tube.

During the ending of this song a late night television you can

hear and announce their broadcasting commercials over the

music ending. With phrases such as,

“Genuine wine simulated pearls”…” This the original “…” No harmful additives”…“But wait there’s still more”.

Father

Now that is exactly what I’m talking about. Get up in the morning. Go find a real job. Besides I don’t like the kind of music you like to play anyway.

Joel

Yeah, but I like the kind of music we play in the band. All the kids like to dance to it and

have fun.

Father

That’s the trouble with you. All you wanna do is have fun. Parties girls TV anything this fun! You lose your job because it’s no fun. You don’t clean up your room because it’s no fun. You’d better start thinking about working all your life at a hard job because you don’t keep your feet on the ground long enough to keep a good job. You are always staring into space looking at the stars dreaming, of something other rather than just getting down to work.

(The scene starts to fade)

And here’s another thing, just why, didn’t you go on to school? Couldn’t you learn anything or are you dumb or what?

(Lights now completely faded to black.)

All this time the spotlight over the piano begins to fade out. There is video clips of going to school, lunch hours, parking lot scenes, walking down the halls, are starting to be shown behind the band and all around. Students and dancers are running into the school room front door stage left and ending up on stage in classroom scene. The band’s stage starts to move centerstage to uncover the next scene. Family scene is torn down. The lights come up stage left to a school room scene.

ACT 1

Scene 4

The band

The music to “Going Cruise’n” in starts, music only. Joel starts moving to school scene stage right. He picks up some books offices stool and sits down at a desk in the classroom. In the classroom kids are wrestling, throwing around paper airplanes, drawing on the blackboard. Monitors show scenes of classroom activity and going to school. The classroom is decorated in purple and gold. Someone has written on the blackboard welcome to Greenville high school.

(A tattletale is screaming)

Tattletale

Teacher! Teacher! Teacher

(The teacher enters the room and wraps a ruler on her desk.)

Now now class… (Wraps her ruler on the desk again)… Let’s get started.

(She looks to the back at the class, Doesn’t like what she sees going on)

Oh my goodness, I must report this to the office.

(The teacher timidly leaves the room.)

Joel

(standing up on his desk and shouting)

Hey Susie, what are you going to do after school?

Monitors show scenes of kids

getting out of school. Susie looks

at Joel and then turns back

around acting not interested

Susie

Oh…nothing

Joel

Say… You know you are my girl. Do you want to go cruising later?

(Monitors show hot rods cruising the streets)

The class

Cruising… Yeah cruising… we want to go cruising to!

Joel

I will borrow my daddy’s car.

Class

Cruising… Cruising… Yeah… Bar Road daddy’s car…. Cruising… Cruising…

Joel

I filled up the tank so we can go far.

Class

FARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR…..OUT!!!!

(Joel stands in front of his desk and Susie goes over to him.)

EXTRAS & PUNKS

The street scene walkers are grooving now to the

music. The stage in street lighting is bright.

A few punks gathered in the alley near the

bar/restaurant.

(Joel is singing to the classroom)

Going Cruse’n

Joel

Going Cruise’n…. Going out cruising tonight..

(Stage right lady sticks her head out of second-story window)

Going Cruise’n…..

(Joel’s mother yells out window at Joel)

Joel, you come home right after school! What are you doing anyway?

Joel

Mom asks what I’m doing…. Tell her that I’m cruising…. Going out cruising tonight.

Mr. N.E. Body

Mr. N.E. Body gets up and goes downstairs and gets

another beer. He comes back upstairs to the TV,

changes the channels but all the channels have

on the same show, the play.

(Joel drifts apart from the class with Susie and sings)

Joel

Full tank of gas…. Going to make it last…. Drive real slow…. Farther you can go.

(Joel sings to Susie at centerstage)

My babies here…. I’ll let you steer…. Turn up the radio…. And here we go…

Monitors show live scenes.

The band plays instrumentally.

There’s lot of dancing.

Joel

Going Cruise’n…. Going out cruising tonight…. Going Cruise’n….Ma askes what I’m doing….tell her I’m out cruse’n…. Going out cruising tonight.

Monitors show scenes of Main

Street USA. Joel holding

Sue’s hand he sings

Cruise Main Street…. Turn up the beat…. So all can hear…. Ain’t nothing to fear.

Joel hugs Sue. The teacher

bursts back into the room

with the principal.

Teacher

All right now class…

Music fades, lights come up on the

classroom again. The students rush

back to their seats.

This is inexcusable. Mr. Warden has something to say to this class!

(Mr. Warden clears his throat tries to speak)

The school bell rings, school is over.

Teacher looks at the clock and gives up.

Mr. Warden wipes the sweat off of his

head and leaves followed by the teacher.

A fight breaks out in the alley but no one

on stage is aware of it. The band starts to

play the song I want to have fun.

I want’n have fun

Joel

(he sings to everyone)

Let me tell you people…. What I’m going to do….

(Points to himself)

I’m going to stay and play for you….

(Points to the floor)

And all night we can boogie to….

(Joel sings directly to the fighting punks)

I want to have fun…. I don’t want to fight…. I want to have fun

The punks quit fighting. They stop and look

at themselves, than at Joel and mellow out.

Monitors show people having fun. The plant

actors applaud when the punks stopped

fighting and verbally respond.

Joel

While we are together…. And all the work is done…. Let’s dance and sing…. And will strum…. Everybody let’s have fun!

One of the punks hits another one on the

back of the shoulder as if to blame him for

causing the fight.

I want to have fun…. I don’t want to fight…. I want to have fun

(Monitors show people having fun at parties)

You can make a party out of anything…. All you need is what you can bring….

(Loud crash of thunder and lightning)

Any sort of day…. any sort of way…. I got to do is have fun

(Joel and all the actors on stage sing)

Let go all you people…. You know what you can do…. I’m going to stay and play for you…. And all night we can boogie to…. I want to have fun…. I don’t want to fight…. I want to have fun.

Punks on street hangout and slightly hassled

people passing by with, stairs, and rude actions,

etc. The band starts to play the song “Eachother”.

Each other

(Joel takes Susie’s hand and sings to her)

While I’m on the road… Away from home… All alone… I’ll think of you

Susie answers singing

When you’re on the road… And I’m all alone… Hey, I’ll think of you

They sing together

We got each other… Love will keep us together… We don’t need any other,babe… We got each other…

(Susie sings by herself)

When I rise up in the morning… My heart begins to sing… Don’t you know… I’m thinking of you…

(Joel sings by himself)

When I start my day, baby… Come what may… I think of you

They sing together

We got each other… Love will keep us together… We don’t need any other,babe… We got each other…

Joel

Late at night… The feelings right… I think of you…

Susie

All I can say, baby… While you’re gone away… I’m thinking of you

They sing together

We got each other… Love will keep us together… We don’t need any other,babe… We got each other…

(Key change, Joel sings)

How lucky can we be…

Susie

For both of us to be so happy…

Joel

Oh, what can I do…

They sing together

To show how much I will be thinking about you…

They sing together

We got each other… Love will keep us together… We don’t need any other,babe… We got each other…

Joel and Sue are left alone in the classroom after school. Lights are dim. The band is still on the bandstand playing intro to the song A as in Apple. Joel works his way over to the teachers desk and picks up an Apple. While twisting the stem he recites the alphabet up to the letter S when the stem breaks. As he recites all plant actors join in and follow him up to the letter R. Joel is the only one who says the letter S.

“A” as in apple

Joel

Told once when I was a kid…. To pull an Apple stem and say the alphabet…spelled for you….

(Holding up the Apple stem)

It would break on the first letter of…. The name of your true love…. I bet it’s true…. You know, Susie, now that were out of school and I lost my job there is nothing here for me.

Susie

Gee thanks!…. What about me?

Joel

I know there’s you, but I’m talking about life. I’m not sure what to do. I know I want to play in a band. But my parents say that’s no kind of life, that I need to get a real job, and go to church on Sunday. My mom thinks all the answers are found in the Bible somewhere. How can a book written so long ago have anything to do with us today? I, I just don’t know what I can count on.

Susie

You’re too heavy!

Joel

No, you must think about the future. I don’t want to work for a Mr. Strickler all my life. You know what I’m gonna do? I am going to go to California, New York, or Nashville. I’m going to find a place where I can play music for a living. Travel…. That’s when I need to do is travel.

Punks have lost interest in drift off into the

alley out of sight. There are still a few people

passing by on the street. It is getting into the

middle of late evening seen on the street.

Susie

Well what am I supposed to do while you gallivanting around the country?

“A” as in apple

(Susie sings to Joel)

The biggest fire alive…. Could not keep me warm at night…. The way you do.

I pray to the stars above…. That we can keep our love…. Strong and true.

To find myself alone…. Not in your care…. Would be the end of my life…. So don’t you dare…. Right away you were a part of me.. My other half, second to no one..

Try to stay.. We’ve only started you see.. To live, our life has just begun.

(Spotlight on Susie)

To hold such properties…. As we are you and me…. I idolize

I cannot ask for more…. I’ve already won before…. And got first prize

To lose at all in the end…. Would leave me know where to go…. You are all I ever wanted boy…. What I’ve been working for

Right away you were a part of me.. My other half, second to no one..

Try to stay.. We’ve only started you see.. To live, our life has just begun.

Joel

(he now sings to her)

If I could write a symphony…. A pleasant melody of our life…. It would tell that it can be…. One song in perfect harmony…. There is little strife…. To give me what you gave…. A life worth living for…. No greater gift could you will pond may be stole.

(Joel and Susie sing together)

Right away you were a part of me.. My other half, second to no one..

(Susie sings by herself)

Try to stay.. We’ve only started you see.. To live, our life has just begun.

Joel

I’ll send for you when I find the Promised Land. You know, where you can do what you want.

(He walks over to and picks up his knapsack and guitar)

I’ve got $50 and this guitar, and I’m gonna go far away where nobody knows me and start over.

Monitors show scenes of popular places in

Michigan’s State parks and beaches. Joel

looks down at his feet at the ground and

sees a rock and picks it up.

Joel

Michigan is my home. It will always be my home. I’m going to put this rock in my pocket so I can always find my way back home.

(Joel starts to walk slowly towards the street stage right.)

Susie is left sitting on the teacher’s desk. She fades to black and fog provides the effect that Joel is just dreaming all of this. Smarty Martens comes down the street going towards Joel and the stage.

Smarty Martens

Hey slick, what’s up? You going somewhere?

Joel

(sets down the guitar knapsack)

Say Marty, I’m going to take a little road trip. I gotta find my place. Here if she needs anything give her this.

(Joel hands Marty some of the money he had in his pocket)

And take her to a movie for me once in a while. You’re my best friend I can always trust you.

(Marty runs after and joins Susie. Mainstage starts to dim. Joel shouts back at Susie)

I will send for you, you’ll see.

Joel picks up his guitar knapsack. Monitors show

scenes of the open Road. Joel looks in the direction

of Susie and Marty’s exit. He puts his arm behind his

back and crosses his fingers, visible to the audience.

Joel

I’ve got money in my pocket and this guitar. I’ll go far away to where nobody knows me.

(Susie and Marty still fading slowly)

I’ll send for you, Susie. If you need anything, just ask Smarty. He’s my best friend, he will help you.

Stage darkens. Joel goes over to the street stage

right. There is only an occasional passerby. He

sets down his knapsack and starts to play on his

guitar and sing.

ACT 1

Scene 5

Montcalm County

Joel

(Joel sings verse 1, 2 & chorus)

When I was young and in my teens… Went on the road to Chase my dreams… Had to find out who I was…

I found out life aint what it seems… One cannot live beyond one’s means… It don’t work I know just because

From the dirt roads of Michigan… To California’s ocean sand… I carried all I owned in my pack…

With a guitar held in my hand… I set out for some distant land… And hope that I would not come back

I left all my family, in Montcalm County… Good times and friends came to an… end new life began… Left all my family, do they remember me…? New times and friends about to begin never to end

Hazy Crazy

As long as I can remember, life’s been good to me.

(Monitors show flashbacks of Joel in his youth)

Just makes me kind of wonder, what the future is going to be.

(Monitors show newsreel footage band starts to boogie with hazy craze)

Hazy craze taking over, I want to leave all the good.

(Monitors scenes of space ocean fields)

Walk right out and start over, to any place that I’m not known as a kid.

Monitors show scenes of family activities. Lights

go up on a scene of a family setting down to eat

supper, stage left. The father responds between

Joel singing.

Joel

I was 14 when my pot says to me…

(Father voice only)

You want to be glad where you’re at… You are alive, well, warm and free… Now that’s more than others got..

Monitors show black-and-white scenes of the

good old days.

Change your ways before your older… Realize where you’re at…

And never become a soldier… And do the things that were wrong that I done.

Dim house and stage lights except for streetlights

stage right. Monitors show scenes of gradeschool

childhood playgrounds.

Joel speeks

Lately you know… I want to leave my mind… And take a little trip in time… Back to where I spent my life, as a kid.

Monitors, Christmas commercials, and the

Christmas tree business in Michigan.

Have you ever wondered… through the fields at harvest time? …Christmas is in the city… Open market for the Pine…

Crazy faces taken over…

Monitors, TV commercials. Mr. N.E. Body’s

TV goes black. He tries to change the channel

and finds that all the channels have the same

picture. He sits back down stunned.

Joel sings

Don’t you know the commercials lie?… Makes you want to start right over… Before it vanishes from our eyes.

(The band takes an instrumental with small light show and dancers)

You say that the war is over… No more shall die… Well you know that war is not over… And you know the reason why.

(Monitors, pollution, smoke on stage)

Crazy haze, taken over… You can smell it in the air… Makes you want to start right over… And do the things that were wrong as a kid.

Monitors, scenes of on the road, hitchhiking.

Joel is walking on the street, using a moving

conveyor belt giving the appearance of walking

down the street. Monitors all flash scenes of

America tourist sites while Joel is on the

moving sidewalk.

ACT 1

Scene 6

Monitors, show scenes of America that match

up to the words that are being sung. The Statue

of Liberty, Kansas wheet fields, and the Ozarks,

the Rockies. All screens show scenes of America

and Americans celebrating the Fourth of July.

America

Joel sings

No place have I lived… This fine, I’ll give what I can give…

To keep the gift of freedom here to stay… So my kids can have tomorrow and yesterday

So wide and spacious… Are your skies…Beautiful valleys… And mountains high…

From sea to sea… Shore to shore… This place can’t ask…. For anything more…

(Choir is lit up and all sing dancers dancing)

America… We will see this through…

Joel sings alone

I’ll do what I can do…

Full choir alone

America…

Joel alone

I love you…

(Joel sings to the audience)

No seven wonders of the world… Can compare with our soil…

To be able to grow the food we can… And share it with our fellow man…

(Everybody sings including dancers)

America the world needs you…

Joel alone

Got to take a firm stand…

Everybody sings

America she needs all of you… Do for her what you can…

America… We will see this through… I’ll do what I can do… America…

Joel only

I love you…

Choir only

Sea to sea… And shore to shore… This place cannot ask for more…

(Monitors still showing scenes of USA)

Joel

Well, I guess this is it. This is as far as I feel like going. Anyhow, I’ve seen the Statue of Liberty. Tasted the great barbecue in Kansas City, Kansas, I was almost mugged in New York, and survived an earthquake in San Francisco. I have stuffed myself on Texas brisket. I drink spring water out of a stream in a tin cup from the Ozarks to the Rockies. And I have never missed a silver spoon. I have had feast and famine. I’ve walked many miles and have run out of gas on Highway 80. I have been everywhere and I still haven’t found any peace of mind. It’s hard to tell who you can trust. Friends are here today and gone when you need them. I would like to know more about people, then I could avoid some of the things they do. Who can you trust? Is it my fault? I don’t want to fight the system, but it seems like the government should take care of people so they would not want to take from anyone else.

Joel strolls the streets looking into windows.

What few passerby’s there are, don’t look at him.

Monitors show news flashes. Mr. N.E. Body’s TV

has on the play live action. He gets up and raids

the icebox for munchies. He doesn’t find any so he

gets a piece of old pizza from under a newspaper,

smells it and takes it and a beer back to his seat

and sits down. Joel starts to sing.

Seems like nobody gives a care

Joel sings

Seems like nobody gives a care… People starving everywhere… Farmers demonstrate in despair… Shoot cows and bury them there… Protest for their fair share.

(The band is dimly lit and sing along with Joel)

Seems like nobody gives a care… Seems like nobody gives a care

Mr. N.E. Body tries to get another channel

on his TV but no luck there all the same the

live performance. Monitors, Nixon and

Watergate.

Corruption is spreading everywhere… Seems like nobody gives a care…

Monitors, people rioting in the street.

If any of us are in despair…

Monitors, live action of the audience

Do something instead of sitting there… Get out and do your fair share…

The passerby’s on the street and Joel sings

to one of them.

Make it or break it…

Monitors, elections people voting.

Make it or break it… What you going to do?

Mr. N.E. Body gets more munchies and

beer. Joel sings.

Seems like nobody gives a care… So much wasting everywhere…

Monitors, dumping on landfills.

Seems like nobody gives a care… That Biafra a is in despair…

Monitors, the starvation of that country.

Her people are dying their… Never got their fair share… Seems like nobody gives a care…

Monitors, farm, farming.

Food should be growing everywhere…

Mr. N.E. Body returns to his seat.

Seems like nobody gives a care… Farmers work hard in despair… Cost of living hits hard there… Big business took more than their fair share…

Monitors, bank buildings factory buildings.

The Parson’s tail

Joel

Well, the Parson has told his tail… And the jailers set the bail… Now there’s nothing more to tell…

(Joel singing to the audience)

‘Cause nothing’s left undone… Not a stone left unturned… There is fear in your eyes

Light show, fear, thunder and lightning,

street people are startled and act scared.

And to my surprise… There’s nothing left undone.

(Monitors, trials scenes and elections)

Well the rabbits are on the run… And their trial has just begun… Now the elections have been won…

‘Cause nothing’s left undone… Not a stone left unturned… There is fear in your eyes…

(Thunder and lightning)

And to my surprise… Nothing’s left undone.

(Joel sings three-part harmony vocal with

the band. Moonlight lights up the band.)

Lucky moon… Won’t you come out tonight… And shine on me…

I want to make believe it’s all right… At least it’s going to be.

Well the White House got our goat…

(Monitor, White House)

And still the people don’t vote…

(Monitor, elections)

Now we’re all in the same boat…

(Monitor, sinking boat)

‘Cause nothing’s left undone… Not a stone left unturned… There is fear in your eyes…

(Thunder and lightning)

And to my surprise… Nothing’s left undone.

(Spotlight on Joel)

Well, someone’s been lying a lot… And I don’t know if you know it or not… Now we are in an awful spot.

(Street person shouts)

What can I do to start a change?

(All the laugh-in doors open up and shout)

Yeah, we all want to know what we can do to start a change.

ACT I

Scene 7

The dancers are dressed half in black in half

and white. The black dressed dancers all sing

along whenever the line is, “you don’t need

anybody but yourself”. The white dressed

dancers are the only ones that respond, “yes

you do, yes you do, yes you do”. This is call

and response.

You don’t need anybody but yourself

(Joel sings)

You don’t need anybody but yourself… You don’t really trust anybody else… Cause all you really need is your self

(Black dancers only)

You don’t need anybody to tell you where to go… You are the only one who really knows… Don’t look for the kind of love that nobody sends… Everything will work itself out in the end…

It’s getting better, better all the time… About to blow your mind

(Dancing covers the whole stage)

You don’t need anybody but yourself… You don’t really trust anybody else…

You don’t know what you’re doing… When, with someone else you’re fooling…

Cause, all you really need is yourself.

People yell out the windows and the laughing

doors are carrying on conversations.

Laugh-in doors

What you say?… What you say?… What you say?…

Ya gotta stay?… Ya gotta stay?…Ya gotta stay?…

The same old way… The same old way…The same old way…You’ll

Never change… Never change…Never change…

Things have changed

(Joel is sitting on a trashcan and sings)

Joel

Things have changed since yesterday… I stand alone in what I say…

Friends turn their heads and walk away… They say I changed since yesterday.

Dancers drift away, leaving a night scene

on the street with just a passerby.

Water late

(Joel is in the spotlight. The band is just backing up.

Background singers sing along with Joel)

Staying awake late at night… Wondering if I will be all right…

Don’t want another restless night… Worrying about things that will be all right..

(Monitors, news flashes)

(Joel sings alone)

I heard it on the news today… Dicks thrown it all away… You know he’s seen his better day… Now, will all have to pay… The king’s power should be taken away..

(Monitors, old black and white

cowboy bar fight scenes)

Right back to where we started again… Doing what we can… Get back to where you started again… Give it all you got why you can… Living, doing the best job at what you can.

(Monitors, government, politics)

It’s got to be an oddity… Or some sort of comedy… To make all this and oddity… A well put together commodity… I say in all honesty… We are all actors in this comedy…

Mr. N.E. Buddy laughs loudly at this but

no one reacts to this. Joel starts working

his way toward center stage. Monitors,

scenes of monkey see monkey do.

Joel

The joke is over, it’s no doubt… And soon we will all find out… Who’s the person under doubt…

(Monitors, trials scene in a courtroom, Lady blind justice)

Who has been shooting off their spout… Who’s at fault for the drought…

(Monitors, different dictatorships, then a dam letting the water out)

Who has open the gate and let the water out

(Monitors, news clips of Watergate Joel sings to the audience)

Born too late for Watergate… But it was not my mistake… Meet you at the pearly gates… Don’t hesitate or be late… Give all who pass you a fair shake… To make a friend is no mistake.

(Monitors, Nixon speeches holding up fingers saying I am not a crook)

Joel sings to the monitor screens

It’s kind of hard to understand… How power can corrupt a man… To take himself a selfish stand…

(Monitors, Vietnam War)

To try to possess all the land… And take what belongs to another man.

(Joel starts moving towards the band. A lady is on the street corner and sings)

Lady

Right back to where we started again… Doing what we can… Back to where you started again… Give it all you got why you can… Living, doing the best you can…

(Lady on the street disappears, all action fades to a dark night scene)

Joel sings without the accompaniment of the band

Staying awake late at night… Wondering if it will be all right… Don’t want another restless night… Worrying about things that will be all right.

The whole theater goes dark. A spotlight shines on the Laugh In Doors as they read their lines. Each character opens his door, says his lines, and shuts the door.

Laugh-In Doors

Old woman

(she opens her door)

I wish we could go back to the way it was when I was a girl. You could buy an ice cream cone for a nickel and a loaf of bread for a quarter! Nowadays a nickel won’t even pay for a phone call, and you buy penny candy with a quarter!

Student

(opens his door)

Ahh, you just lived in a different era when people had to work for a living. Nowadays people live for working.

(Old woman shuts her door in disgust, student shuts his door)

Man number one

(he opens his door)

Hey Fred, you know what’s worse than one politician running for one job?

Man number two

(he opens his door)

No Ed, what’s worse than one politician running for one job?

Man number one

One politician running for two jobs!

All the rest of the doors open and throw confetti

at man number one verbally cutting down his

bad joke. He shuts his door. Slowly the others

shut their door. Then man number one opens

his door.

Man number one

Na, Na,………..Na..Na..Na

(All other doors open and interrupt him saying)

Na…………Na…………….

(all doors go shot blacked out set)

Door 4

(a nerd with glasses opens his door, again in the spotlight)

One politician can’t run twice. You don’t know your jobs.

Door 3

(opens door)

You don’t know your politicians.

(Both door 3 and door 4 close)

Door 1

(door opens to a female character 1)

If we paid off the national debt, does that mean we don’t owe anybody anything?

Door 3

(opens door)

Nobody but the IRS.

(Door 1 and door 3 close)

Door 5

(opens door female character 2)

I think if the Arabs got all the oil, we should be nice to them.

Door 6

(opens door, male and military uniform)

Let’s trade them food for crewed!

Door 1

(opens door)

Get down!

(Door 5 and 6 close)

Door 2