by Chip Tudor | Feb 18, 2015
Theme: Missionaries are real people who need to feel that they are connected to and supported by the church.
Length: 4 – 5 minutes
Characters: Game show host, two contestants and a missionary.
Scene/Props: A table for the contestants. A chair for the missionary. The game show takes place stage right and the missionary is seated stage left. The two scenes alternate on and off.
Synopsis: Two contestants compete on a superficial game show called “Name that Need.” The contestants try to answer questions about the needs of missionaries, but are unable to answer even one correctly. In contrast, a missionary delivers a monologue that communicates real, heartfelt needs.
Excerpt:
(SFX: Up tempo music and crowd noise)
SPOTLIGHTS ON THE GAME SHOW
HOST: (big show biz grin) Hi and welcome to Name that Need. An informative quiz show that educates you on the needs of missionaries. Today our two contestants are John and Mary. Welcome to the show.
(John and Mary smile and shake hands with one another.)
FREEZE ACTION, LIGHTS OUT AND SPOT LIGHTS ON MISSIONARY.
MISSIONARY: Lord, I feel so out of it…disoriented… and yes…even a little disillusioned. I return to the states after 5 years of serving you in another country and everything is different…I’m different. I need to talk about my experience. But no one wants to listen. Nobody has time.
FREEZE ACTION, LIGHTS OUT, AND SPOT LIGHTS ON GAME SHOW.
HOST: All right. First question. Missionaries need from us: Advice…Support…Credit Cards.
MARY: Credit cards. They’re like, everywhere you want to be.
HOST: (imitates buzzer sound) Ehhh! Wrong!
JOHN: Advice?
HOST: Ehhh! Wrong again! The answer is support. Next question. Providing moral support for a missionary means…
MARY: Supporting them in teaching good morals.
HOST: Ehhh! John?
ONE: Giving them a pat on the back for a job well done. No, wait. That’s morale.
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.)
