Righteous Insanity

New Skit - King Solomon's Court

King Solomon's Court
By John Cosper
www.righteousinsanity.com

CHARACTERS
TV Announcer
King Solomon
Bill and Dwayne - Former business partners
Vic and Tina - Former married couple
Helen - A car owner
Butch - An auto repairman
Charlie and Howard - Former roommates

Court TV show theme music plays. Bill and Dwayne enter.

ANNOUNCER: This is Bill Cobb and Dwayne Jones. Cobb and Jones opened a lawn service in 2005 as a 50/50 partnership. Now the partners want to part ways, and both of them have laid claim to the company's only mower. These people are not actors. They are real litigants who have agreed to have their dispute settled in out forum: King Solomon's Court.

Solomon enters.

SOLOMON: Okay, gentlemen, I have read your complaint. Mr. Cobb, I understand you made the transaction to buy the mower.
BILL: Yes, sir.
SOLOMON: And Mr. Jones, you put in half the money and did all the mowing.
DWAYNE: I did.
SOLOMON: I've examined your financial records. Both of you put in half the money at the beginning of the partnership.
BILL: Correct.
SOLOMON: And I see you have equitably split all of the assets except this mower.
DWAYNE: That's right, your honor.
SOLOMON: It is the decision of this court that the mower will be cut in half, and you will both get half a mower.
DWAYNE: Wait! Your honor, don't do that. This isn't the mower's fault. Let Bill have it.
SOLOMON: In light of your heartfelt request, I hereby award the mower to Dwayne Jones.

Solomon bangs his gavel. Bill and Dwayne exit. Music plays. Vic and Tina enter.

ANNOUNCER: This is Vic and Tina Saccone. After ten years of marriage, they've agreed to divorce. But who gets the family poodle?
SOLOMON: Mr. Saccone, it says here you bought the poodle, alias Muffet, shortly after the marriage began.
VIC: I did.
SOLOMON: This court rules that the poodle will be cut in half, and half given to each litigant.
TINA: No! Not my little Muffet! He can have the poodle!
SOLOMON: Court awards custody to Tina Saccone.

Solomon bangs his gavel. Tina and Vic exit. Helen and Butch enter. Music plays.

ANNOUNCER: This is Butch Greer and Helen Buchanan. Helen took her car to the shop for a simple repair, and Butch charged her over $3000. When she refused to pay, he kept the car.
SOLOMON: Mrs. Buchanan, you claim the car is yours.
HELEN: Yes, sir. I have the pink slips here.
SOLOMON: Mr. Greer, you claimed possession based on her refusal to pay for repairs.
BUTCH: The car ain't worth two grand, y'honor.
SOLOMON: Court rules that the car will be cut in half and split between the two parties.
BUTCH: Aw, come on, y'honor. If that's the way you do things, give her the whole car.
SOLOMON: Court rules in favor of Mr. Greer.

Solomon bangs his gavel.

HELEN: That's not fair!
SOLOMON: Court finds Mrs. Buchanan is in contempt. If she resists arrest, cut her in half/

Butch and Helen exit. Music plays. Charlie and Howard enter.

ANNOUNCER: This is Charlie Brewer and Howard Wilson. The two rented an apartment in Brewer's name, but Wilson claims he paid all the rent.
SOLOMON: Mr. Brewer, I see the apartment is in your name.
CHARLIE: That's right, your honor. It's mine.
SOLOMON: And Mr. Wilson, I have your canceled checks for rent payments.
HOWARD: Yes, your honor.
SOLOMON: In light of the evidence, this court rules--

Solomon and the litigants freeze.

ANNOUNCER: How will King Solomon rule? Who will get the apartment? Find out when we return.

Method Acting - Guest Blog from Ray Deck III

Christian drama blogger Ray Deck III sent in this article about Method Acting. Hope you all find this useful. Check out Ray's blogs at the links below.

I have been asked, on several different occasions, a question that is
nearly impossible to answer. People everywhere have asked me: "Ray,
what
is Method acting?" Usually I laugh at them.
It is almost impossible to define, and equally difficult to describe.
In
truth, people spend years in the most prestigious acting schools across
the country to answer that very question. If you've done it then you
invariably know what it is. Otherwise, there is not really a way to
explain what Method Acting is. What I can do is tell you what Method
Acting is not:
- Method Acting is not pretending or make-believe. If there is
anything fake in your performance, it isn't Method Acting. This is the
hardest hurdle for most young actors. "Do I really have to hit him?" or
"Why do I have to cry?" are the kinds of questions that non-actors ask.
The answer to all of them is this: The audience can always sense the
pretense. If it's fake, they are going to know it.
- It is not over-dramatization. Once an actor has accumulated a
few experiences, Method Acting is not a total stranger to him and he
tends to start exaggerating simply for the sake of exaggerating. Yes,
everything on stage must be exaggerated to a certain degree, but to
blow
an action/line/facial expression out of proportion just to expand one's
own role is not method acting. Method Acting requires realism.
- Method Acting is not pageantry. To showcase a figure, costume or
face is not acting. That is modeling. Many people have considered
themselves not to be stage material because they do not possess a
certain facial structure of body type. Those things don't matter.
Acting
is an exploration of the human condition, not a showcase of physique.
Usually when I am asked the dreaded, "What is Method Acting?" question,
I respond by saying that I can't really define it, but I can teach them
how to do it. That's the approach that I like to take, because a
definition just doesn't cut it. Genuine acting must be experienced in
order to be understood. So, how does a person go about method acting?
I'm glad you asked.
- Put yourself in that place. Imagine what it would be like for
you to be a part of that scene. What would you feel? How would you
think? Which of those feelings/thoughts would you suppress? Which of
them would you let fly? Injecting your own personality into that
setting
is the first step on the journey to Method Acting.
- Study. Study. Study. Method Acting, as I have said, is an
exploration of the human condition (which, by the way, is what makes
drama such an effective ministry tool) If you are going to portray a
part of that condition on stage, it is important to understand all of
the elements that contributed to that condition. All of my
pre-rehearsal
work on a character revolves around answering the "why" question. Why
does this character act in this way? Many different factors can come
influence a character's actions/emotions/words and thoughts. It is the
job of the actor to determine which factors influence a particular
character.
- Image Transference is a big part of effective Method Acting.
Image Transference is a method whereby the actor substitutes something
familiar for one of the elements of the scene.
For example: if a character is supposed to feel uneasy, an actor could
substitute the setting for something else which makes them feel uneasy.
(I know an actor who uses a dentist's office for this) A feeling of
betrayal can be produced by imagining what it would feel like if one's
own friend acted in that way.

Method Acting is harder. That's for sure, but I believe that it is well
worth the extra effort. The real challenge comes for those of you who
are directors of youth/children's teams. It is very tempting to resort
to "do it this way" directing. That sort of direction, especially for a
young person, can effectively eliminate any hope of reality on the
stage. Sadly, that is how the majority of directors are operating these
days because it's easy.
Are we interested in the easy or the excellent?
Students, non-actors and even children can learn method acting, if we
are willing to put in the investment of time and energy required.
For more information about Method Acting and Ministry drama, check out
my blogs at: www.thepreachingthespian.com & www.ministrylive.org

New Drama Store Online!

Hey, folks! Righteous Insanity has a brand new store on our website, http://shop.righteousinsanity.com

The new store will allow you to order skits with one click. No more choosing the quantity and emailing titles. Plus you can more easily search for certain topics and even do keyword searches.

The store is still a work in progress, but the good news is NEW SCRIPTS ARE AVAILABLE! With the launch of the site comes 100 new skits plus a new skit collection for Christmas called Stages of Christmas.

Check it all out at http://shop.righteousinsanity.com

Play Idea - Harvey

Last fall I had the chance to direct "Harvey" for Christian Academy of Indiana. "Harvey" is a classic comedy by Mary Chase, best known from the 1950 film version starring the incredible James Stewart as Elwood P. Dowd, a sort of mystic whose best friend is an invisible, six foot tall rabbit. Elwood's sister and niece have struggled for years to hide Elwood's condition, but after he embarrasses them at a social party they decide to have him committed. The plot thickens when Elwood's sister is committed, and the sanitarium director has his own encounter with Harvey. In the end, Elwood's relatives realize that they love their brother as is, and they welcome him and the mysterious Harvey home.

The play was a great deal of fun with a middle/high school cast. Most had never heard of the play, so it was fun to introduce them to the story, although a few actors, including the lead, chose not to watch the movie until after the play. (A smart move; the young actor playing Elwood did not want Stewart's iconic performance to influence his own. He created a unique and delightful Elwood as a result of his decision.)

What's more, this is a very fun play to perform for kids. There are two "trick" moments in the play where Harvey opens doors or moves furniture. The characters are well drawn, and there's a good deal of room for visual humor. One of the best gags in the play was the portrait of Elwood and Harvey that is placed on the mantle in Act Two. We had a student paint the pair (see below), and the laugh every night was huge.

Harvey does contain some mild language as well as innuendo. However, the publisher does allow for student groups to edit these lines.

Some may have a problem with Elwood's drinking. He is seen pouring a drink only once, but he is constantly inviting people out for a drink. The drinking can be excised, but doing so takes away a significant part of the plot, especially for those familiar with the story. While I understand the objections of most, I think it can be managed in a subtle way so that small eyes and ears will not be drawn to it.

What's more, the alcohol adds to the spiritual metaphor to the play. Elwood's drinking is blamed for the appearance of Harvey, an accusation that parallels the charge leveled at Peter and the Apostles on the day of Pentecost, when the crowd believed them to be drunk. They were not drunk, but filled with the Holy Spirit.

In the same way the Apostles believed in someone they could not see, Elwood has absolute faith in an unseen white rabbit. Harvey is described as benevolent, wise, and a true friend. He is believed to have supernatural powers, such as the ability to control time. Even Elwood's sister can see that something unseen is manipulating events to protect her brother, and the big twist at the very end leads us to believe Harvey intervenes directly to save Elwood from a medication that would make him "normal." Viewed through the lens of Christianity, Elwood and Harvey's story is a wonderful parable about faith in God.

Harvey is a great opportunity not only to expose your students to a modern classic, but to show them how even secular works can point to God. It's a fun play that always entertains and always draws an audience.

Harvey calls for a cast of twelve, six males and six females, and runs about two and a half hours with intermission. The script and royalties are available from Dramatists Play Service.

Classic Theater, Christian Perspective

Most people who homeschool do so because they believe homeschooling will give their children a better education, and make them more prepared for college and beyond than public school. Most of those homeschool parents also prefer having their children educated from a Christian perspective. And why not? God is our creator, and the creator of language, mathematics, science, art, and just about every other educational subject.

But here's my question: does that mean that we must only do "Christian" plays with our homeschoolers?

I'd like to start that discussion with one word: No.

As I previously stated, homeschoolers have two objectives: superior education in a Christ-centered atmosphere. Christian plays certainly meet the second criteria, but what about the first? I'm knocking on my own writing as well as my contemporaries when I say this: we are short-changing our students if we only give them Christian plays and musicals to perform.

Just as students of literature should read the great books of the English language, students of the theater need to study and perform the great works of the theater. It's important to know who the great writers were, what made theme unique, and why some plays continue to be performed hundreds, even thousands, of years after they were first written.

What's more, we can look at these plays with our students from a Christian perspective. Whether it's a Greek tragedy, Shakespeare, or a modern political drama, we can sit back and critique the story and the message from a Christian point of view. A few examples:

How does Shakespeare's take on love in Romeo and Juliet compare with God's definition of love?

What does the story of Harvey teach us about faith in things unseen?

What can we learn about the power of media and the responsibility of those who use it from Orson Welle's radio drama, The War of the Worlds?

These and other questions will be addressed in this blog. I hope you will be encouraged and challenged to broach the same questions with your own students. After all, we don't need more Christian plays for Christians. We need Christians to storm the secular theater, living and sharing the light of Christ in a dark world.

Sharing the Load

Kobe Bryant once took over a game and scored 80 points. Wilt Chamberlain scored 100. One person can take over a basketball game. Try pulling off the same feat in a football game, and you're liable to fail. True, there are guys who appear to take over a game at times (i.e. Brett Favre), but it takes a team effort - 11 on offense, 11 on defense - working in coordination to win a football game.

Theater is very much like football in this regard. One director can not "will" a play to happen. You have to get actors and crew to buy into what you are doing. This is true with any age group, be they students or adults.

From the very beginning, when you hold auditions, sell the show to your actors. Get them to take ownership of their roles and the play. Get them involved creatively, and give them some freedom in developing their characters.

Same goes for the crew. Be open to creative ideas from them as well as your actors. The more they feel they have a part in the creative process, the harder they will work toward your common goal.

When you're working with students, get the parents involved as well. Find out who can help you with preparing meals in between shows, tech work, sewing costumes, making props, applying makeup, marketing, and put them to work.

Empower your students and parents. Share the show with them, and together you will achieve so much more.

Tough Questions for Young Actors

For too long Christians have isolated themselves from the world in the entertainment industry. Rather than being involved and influential in radio, TV, movies, music, and theater, we have created our own sub-industry of Christian entertainment that is, for the most part, rather sub-par. This is a problem of our own making, particularly when it comes to film. When the movie industry got rolling, for instance, most churches shunned movie houses and the industry as a whole as sinful and a waste of time. The industry grew up free of any sort of Christian presence, and now... well, I don't have to tell you how it's turned out.

As a Christian educator, I am mindful that God may be calling students of mine to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. I also firmly believe that we need to begin raising up Christians to be missionaries to the secular industry, and stop funneling everyone into the Christian film world. It's not just to redeem the content in films; we need people to share Jesus with their fellow actors, writers, producers, directors, and crew members. It's about winning people after all, not winning an industry, and we need to start seeing said industry as being filled with people who Jesus loves.

That said, we have a great responsibility to get our students thinking about how they will interact in Hollywood, New York, or where ever they may land. We should ask the tough questions now so they can begin praying for God's direction in making the right choices tomorrow. For you, and those students feeling the call to film or theater, here are some questions to get you started:

1. How will you choose what projects to pursue? Will you stick to G-rated material? Where do you draw the line as far as content?

2. Can a Christian play an immoral character who commits sinful acts and still be right with God? Is acting out sin while playing a character the same as sinning?

3. What if you are cast in a role that you feel is objectionable? What if turning down that role means you'll never be cast again?

4. Can a Christian work on the set of a movie where objectionable material is filmed? Again, where do you draw the line?

5. What disciplines can you begin in your life now to prepare for the temptations you may face on the set, particularly the temptation to compromise your values in order to get ahead?

If you have other questions to add, please drop me a comment.

Bling is Dead

The word "bling" is dead. Thus saith Kanye West.

Not that I put a lot of stock in anything Kanye West says, but there's a lesson to be learned here. The English language is ever-evolving. Slang words pop up every day. A few make their way into the dictionary and stick around, words like "diss" and "d'oh." ost, however, die a very quick death, so quick that by the time you, the youth pastor, minister, or parent, discover its meaning, it's already dated.

Don't date yourself, and don't date your dramas with slang. Use good grammar and English rules.

And while we're on the subject, unless you plan to unleash that new drama script on your audience this week, avoid using pop culture references. Today it's Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana; yesterday it was Lindsay and Hillary; before that it was Britney and Christina. Anyone remember Tiffany and Debbie? Certain as the sunrise, tomorrow it will be someone new.

There are exceptions to every rule. If you're playing to an audience of thirtysomethings, there's no harm in getting a groan/laugh out of some blast from the past by having characters break into the Macarena. Just make sure you use it properly - as a VERY cheap gag - and don't try to play it off as today's runaway hit.

Credibility is important, especially when you're working with young people. And the best way to stay credible is... to avoid pop culture and slang period.

The War of the Worlds - Historic Radio Drama for Student Theatre

In the 1930's the radio was a comforting friend in troubling times. Families would gather around the radio for an escape from the misery of the Great Depression. They tuned in to baseball and football games. They listened to heroes like Superman, the Lone Ranger, and Captain Midnight. They shared a laugh with Jack Benny, Bob Hope, and Fred Allen. They enjoyed the occasional chill from Lights Out, Inner Sanctum, and The Shadow.

Radio listeners tuned in for news of economic recovery. They listened with concern as the Nazi party rose to power in Europe. They took comfort in FDR's fireside chats. Radio was a friend, a beacon of hope, a voice they could trust.

That trust was forever shattered on October 30, 1938.

The Mercury Radio Theatre was still a fairly new program, and its enigmatic leader still largely unknown, despite his dual role as Lamont Cranston and The Shadow. Not many people heard or heeded the opening of the evening's broadcast, so when the news reports began describing small explosions on the planet Mars, the landing of a meteorite in Grover's Mill, New Jersey, and the appearance of hideous Martians with their death rays, America went into a panic.

Few radio programs have left the impact that "The War of the Worlds" had on its time. People abandoned their homes and fled in fear of the fictitious Martian warships. Some even took their own lives. CBS found itself subject to hundreds of lawsuits. And Orson Welles, a distant descendant of the story's original author H.G. Wells, became a legend.

The original "War" broadcast is still a terrifyingly realistic radio drama. Welles and company employed a script that combined dramatic dialogue, eery sound effects, and dozens of little touches that made it sound so real. The show has inspired many parodies and references over the years including a Simpsons episode and the movie Buckaroo Banzai.

But "War" is far more than a radio drama with artistic merit. It changed the rules as far as the media is concerned. People believed it to be real because they had never been given a reason to doubt. If it was on the radio, it had to be true. After "War", everything was suspect. "War" paved the way for deceptive marketing, the kind of charade that made The Blair Witch Project (a film originally promoted as a real-life documentart) a smash hit. What's more, it left a lingering suspicion of all things media that has only grown with time.

"The War of the Worlds" is a challenge for any age cast, and a very fun piece of drama. More than that, it's a discussion starter for examining the power of the media and how it impacts our lives. As Christians, we are taught to examine everything, and not to accept anyone's word until it has been help up to the light of God's truth. "The War of the Worlds" is a cautionary tale about what happens when we give ourselves over to a human authority, be it in school, the media, politics, or even the church.

"The War of the Worlds" is a radio drama, not a stage drama. Many student and professional groups have performed the show as a staged, dramatic reading. This means actors may (if you and the decide) have scripts on stage. Although they will not be physically acting in a space, the show is no less demanding. Students will find quite a challenge in conveying the drama and emotion of the story by relying solely on their voices. Add a set made to look like an old-fashioned radio studio, some antique microphones, a live sound effects crew on stage, and some period costumes, and you can create a truly unique theatrical experience.

The script from "The War of the Worlds" is available online. You can also get the script and recordings of the radio drama from Amazon.

Performance rights are owned by the widow of script writer Howard Koch and administered by the law firm of Slaff, Mosk, and Rudman. Queries can be sent to Norman Rudman at nrudman@mcn.org

Silent Light

Several years ago I attended a regional Christians in Theatre Arts conference, where I saw the mime group Silent Light. I've never liked mime. I've avoided it like the plague as a director and as a spectator. But the stuff I saw that mime troupe perform was simply amazing. The actors were gifted storytellers who used music and movement to move their audience. This was not human video; it was true drama.

And most impressive of all... all the actors, except for the teacher/director, were home school students.

Silent Light travels the world, performing where ever they can and putting ministry first always. They are affiliated with the Master Arts Theatre in Michigan. You can read more about them at

http://www.geocities.com/silentlightmime/

Make you wonder what you could do with your students, doesn't it?