Conformity of the Clown

Characters:

• Clown - one male wearing a clown nose and blue wig
• Audience - five other, solemn and unemotional characters

Props:

• two chairs stage left (angled toward center)
• three chairs stage right (angled toward center)
• one chair, easily accessible to the clown on “stage”
• CD player with a CD that has Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” ready to play
• CD Player could even be put on top of the “stage” chair

Other Necessities

• audience must be able to see the facial expressions of the characters
• stage room to allow for pacing

* * * * *

Five characters enter and sit on chairs the chairs that are sitting in front of an allocated stage area. One of the chairs is empty. Each scans the room, but show little or no emotion—skepticism, if any. Collectively, they are the Audience.

Clown enters. He tries to make eye contact with the Audience, but can’t seem to engage anyone.

Clown paces around and stands front and center in front of the Audience. Still no emotional response from the group. One girl pulls out yarn and continues to knit a scarf that is nearly done, and another character is nibbling at a peach.

Clown looks left and right and repeats. He turns on the CD player, in order to play “Like a Virgin.”

The Clown smiles awkwardly and begins to laugh. He’s getting in his zone and starts to dance. Still laughing, he is clearly enjoying himself but is also trying hard to entertain.

Members of the Audience look at him in awe. They all get up from their seats and form a ring around him. They circle to the beat of the music. Once they have gone around 360 degrees, they walk back to their seats. They wear somber expressions once again.

Satisfied, the Clown proceeds to turn off the music and take off the red nose and wig. He sits in the extra chair and pulls out a book to read.

All exit.