| Author: | Stacey Lane | EMail: | StaceyLaneInk@yahoo.com | ICWP Member?: | Yes | Nearest Large City: | Dayton, Ohio | Country: | USA | Play Title: | Jews in my Basement | Runtime: | 120+plus minutes | Synopsis: | The orderly lives of Mattie, an obsessive compulsive housewife, Thomas, her scholarly husband, and Doris, her agoraphobic older sister are thrown off balance when their politically-correct sister, Miranda, uses their home to conduct interviews for the entertainment for her son’s birthday party. An aging birthday party clown and an overly talkative mime with a criminal record are tossed into the mix.
The play begins with Mattie and Doris engulfed in a pre-planned philosophical discussion on morality. Their discussion is interrupted when they receive a phone call from their sister, the easily offended Miranda, insisting that she must use their home to interview performers for her son’s party, because her son Benjamin is at home sick. Miranda arrives and interviews Rainbow Sprinkles, a kind-hearted elderly clown with pure intentions. However, Miranda finds corruption and offensiveness in each portions of his birthday party clown act. Having once again failed to hire suitable entertainment, Miranda plans to conduct another interview on her next lunch break.
The second act takes place on Wednesday, the next day. Mattie and Doris are once again engaged in a philosophical debate, this time on the existence of creativity or lack thereof. Unbeknownst to the two contemplating women, a mime walks into their house. Miranda later appears ready to interview her mime. After an extensive interview with the mime, in which she cuts most of his act and insists that he not wear mime make-up at all and that he talk, Miranda has finally hired a politically correct performer for her son’s party. Meanwhile, the agoraphobic Doris decides to leave the security of her home to bring soup and comfort to her sick nephew, Benjamin. Mattie and Thomas are shocked by Doris’s decision to venture out into the world.
The third act begins much like the first two, in the heat of a daily philosophical debate. However, this time, Thomas is standing in for his sister-in-law, Doris, who has disappeared. Since the discussion topic of the day is mortality, Mattie is convinced that her sister is dead. Finally, Doris arrives dressed as a magician, with the clown and the mime in tow. She reveals to her sister and brother-in-law her plan to take over the birthday party. When Miranda arrives and refuses to cooperate with her older sister’s outlandish party plans, Doris, with the help of the easily bribable mime, ties Miranda to a chair and gags her. The group leaves their hostage to attend the birthday party without the birthday boy’s over-protective mother. | Male: | 3 | Female: | 3 | Max. Cast: | 6 | Min. Cast: | 6 | Media: | Stage | Genre: | Comedy | Theme: | family | Web Page: | http://www.StaceyLaneInk.com | First Name: | Stacey | Last Name: | Lane | Notes: | |
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