by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: Jumping to a conclusion may cause you to misjudge others.
Length: 4-5 minutes
Characters: Two singles, John and Jane
Scene/Props: A room with 2 easy chairs and a table with lamp.
Synopsis: Jane is angry because when she interrupts a group of girls involved in a conversation, they all stop speaking. She automatically assumes the worst—that they are talking about her. In the end she learns she is right…and wrong.
Excerpt:
(John sits in a chair reading a newspaper when Jane enters. She paces in anger.)
Jane: I am so angry I can just spit.
(John covers his head with the newspaper. Annoyed, Jane grabs it away.)
Jane: I was using an expression.
John: And very convincingly I might add.
Jane: Who does that, Mary Jo thinks she’s kidding?
John: Uh…you?
Jane: Do I look dumb? Like I am completely gullible?
John: Well I—
Jane: Do you see “Duh” written on my forehead?
John: Of course not—
Jane: And I thought they were my friends. Well, I know how things work. I wasn’t born yesterday. When a group of girls are involved in a conversation and I enter the room and they all stop talking at once…
(She looks at him expecting him to finish the thought)
John: They’re all catching their breath?
(She looks at him like he’s wrong, but should guess again)
John: They’re pausing momentarily for a topic switch.
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: Children adopt values by imitating the actions of their parents.
Characters: 1 male, 1 female
Length: 2.5 – 3 minutes
Scene/Props: Kitchen Table, small counter, microwave oven, microwave meal, table settings, cell phone
Synopsis: After discussing their day of questionable ethics and business practices, Mr. and Mrs. Stevens learn their son tried to steal a test at school. They are hypocritically angry at his dishonesty, oblivious to the fact that they set the example.
Excerpt:
MRS. STEVENS enters in executive business attire holding a newspaper and a microwave meal that she puts into the oven and starts. Then she sits at the kitchen table, kicks off her shoes, and begins reading the paper. MR. STEVENS enters sorting through the mail.
Mr. Stevens: You looked bushed. Long day?
Mrs. Stevens: (nods) Way long. But productive. It’s amazing how much time and energy it takes setting up off-shore accounts in order to shelter corporate profits.
Mr. Stevens: An attorney’s work is never done. And I’m sure it’s all within legal guidelines and ethical corporate practices.
Mrs. Stevens: Legal? To the finest level of jurisprudence. Ethical? A matter of corporate relevancy.
Mr. Stevens: Or expediency.
Mrs. Stevens: Exactly.
(He gives her a Hi-Five)
Mr. Stevens: That’s my girl. (He looks in the microwave) And I see dinner is on the way in typical, efficient fashion.
Mrs. Stevens: Yes, and since I’m slaving over dinner, do you mind setting the table?
(He nods, grabs silverware, and begins setting the table.)
Mrs. Stevens: And what about you, how many amazing sales did you make?
Mr. Stevens: I’m not quite sure…yet.
Mrs. Stevens: Yet?
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme:
Genuine authenticity means standing up for your convictions
Characters:
4 men, 3 women
Length: 4-5 minutes
Scene/Props:
A living room with a small sofa and a couple of chairs. A card table is used for refreshments. One couple is dressed in Ohio State attire and the other in Michigan. You’ll need snacks for the card table and a Michigan & OSU pendant.
Synopsis:
Invited to join the firm’s partners at a football game party between Ohio State and Michigan, partner hopeful, Mr. Flop tries to demonstrate allegiance to both teams. But his effort to play both sides fails and instead demonstrates a lack of conviction.
Excerpt:
Mr. and Mrs. FLOP enter together. The Flops carry both an Ohio State and a Michigan pendant.
Mrs. Flop: Remember, success means going along with the crowd. Their passion is your passion.
Mr. Flop: Their passion is football. I hate football.
Mrs. Flop: They’re the partners of the firm. And you want to make partner. So today, you love football.
Mr. Flop: (without enthusiasm) I love football.
Mrs. Flop: I’m not convinced.
Mr. Flop: (dumb football player voice) Duh…I love football.
Mrs. Flop: (pats him on the back) Work on that.
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: Your priority in life is demonstrated by where you invest your time.
Characters: Four women
Length: 5 – 6 minutes
Scene/Props: Health club setting with stationary bike, rowing machine, hand weights.
Synopsis: Three ladies with different motives embark on a weight training program with a personal trainer. But the personal trainer is more like a drill sergeant that pushes them beyond their level of endurance. So they quit the work-out and go for yogurt instead.
Excerpt:
A stationary bike, rowing machine, and hand weights are arranged to represent circuit workout stations. DORIS jogs in and then jogs in place as she waits for those following her. She wears a shirt with the words, PERSONAL TRAINER on it a whistle around her neck. In trails SANDY, JANET and LINDA. Sandy wears old, baggy cotton sweats, Janet wears contemporary work-out attire and carries a small athletic bag on her back. Linda is a fashion statement of the latest brand name apparel.
DORIS: Left, right, left, right, get those knees up! Left, right, left, right. Suck in those stomachs! Left, right, left, right, fall out!
(Linda, Janet and Sandy collapse to the floor in a heap panting for breath. Janet pulls a box of tissues out of her bag.)
JANET: (blows nose) I signed up for personal training not personal persecution.
SANDY: Really. I don’t have to pay for this kind of abuse. I get it at home for free.
LINDA: It’s a good thing they have valet parking. I’m already too tired to walk to my car.
(Doris shakes her head with disgust.)
DORIS: Looks like I’m gonna have to down grade into whimp mode. All right. My job is to get you in shape. This is circuit training. So pick a station and start exercising. I’ll come back and tell you when to switch. And remember, no pain, no gain.
(As Janet, Linda, and Sandy each take a work-out station, Doris blows her whistle with a ear splitting shrill and the ladies begin. Doris nods with satisfaction and jogs off stage. When she’s gone, they slow to a stop. Janet grabs another tissue and blows her nose.)
SANDY: You know, on the T.V. commercial for this health club, everybody was smiling. It looked like fun.
JANET: (sarcastic and nasal with nose in tissue) Oh, yeah. I’m having a great time. I thought exercise was supposed to help allergies. (She pops a pill from the bag.)
by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: You can’t control your circumstances, but you can control your attitude
Length: 4-5 minutes
Characters: John & Jane
Scene/Props: Office break room with a vending machine and a table with chairs.
Synopsis: John is angry when the vending machine takes his money without delivering a candy bar although it works fine when Jane buys something. John calms down when he and Jane talk about attitude adjustment. Until John puts in more money.
Excerpt:
(JOHN enters and approaches the vending machine. He looks and makes his decision.)
John: Ah…snickers. Time for a chocolate fix.
(He drops in coins and waits, but nothing happens.)
John: (irritated) What’s up with this?
(He gives the machine a casual smack with his hand, but nothing.)
John: (more annoyed but smiles tolerantly) You just gotta love technology.
(He looks around, sees no one watching and hits it harder a few more times. Still nothing.)
John: (He smiles but it’s now very tight jawed) Yes sir, technology is wonderful. It’s the marvel of modern civilization. A tribute to man’s inventive genius, it’s…it’s…
(He pauses, searching for words and looking around with his very tight smile and then attacks the machine in a flurry of hits, kicks and then shakes it with both hands. He finally stops and bends over with his hands on his knees to catch his breath.)
John: Man, I need to get in shape.
(JANE enters, makes a selection and starts to put coins in the machine.)
John: I wouldn’t, the machine is out of order.
(But he’s too late. She inserts the coins, makes a selection and a candy bar drops down. She unwraps and begins to eat it.)
John: Hey!
(He tries pushing several buttons, but nothing. Then he begins hitting it, growing increasingly more violent to the point of kicking and shaking it until Jane intervenes.)
Jane: John, take it easy will you?
