A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

The Scheme of the Driftless Shifter

Short Play, Melodrama  /  5w, 4m

Carolyn Lane

A Mixed-Up Melodrama, for even greater fun, may be played with an all-women cast. Int. It's all about the efforts of one bumbling cast and crew to produce a serious melodrama, and from the premature opening of the curtain to the completely confused curtain call, everything that could go wrong does.

The Scheme of the Driftless Shifter

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 4m
  • Duration
    Duration
    40 minutes
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary
A Mixed-Up Melodrama, for even greater fun, may be played with an all-women cast. Int. It's all about the efforts of one bumbling cast and crew to produce a serious melodrama, and from the premature opening of the curtain to the completely confused curtain call, everything that could go wrong does. The pianist plays the wrong music, the curtain opens too soon, there's an argument in the audience during the show, wrong sound cues, wigs come off, wrong speeches are given, wrong exits Yet, through it all, the players valiantly try to surmount the monumental confusion and create an atmosphere of madcap zeal!
Cast Attributes
GLADYS - The Pompington maid
HENRY POMPINGTON - A wealthy businessman
MARIGOLD POMPINGTON -His younger daughter
PETUNIA POMPINGTON - His older daughter
ROVER - Petunia's faithful dog
REX HOLMES - A wayfaring stranger
VICTOR STRONGHEART - Petunia's suitor
PIANO PLAYER - Male or female
DIRECTOR OF THE PLAY - Male or female
SCRUBWOMAN - Male or female
STAGE MANAGER - Male or female
MAN BEHIND LADY IN HAT
LADY IN HAT
USHER - Male or female
PROMPTER OF THE PLAY - Male or female

For greater possibilities of hilarity and fun, the play may be done with a cast of all women (including the male roles).

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Duration 40 minutes

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)
  • Vocal DemandsN/A (Not a musical)
  • Chorus Size N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $65 per performance

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Authors

Author

Carolyn Lane

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