By: Eddie McPherson Age Level: All Ages Cast: 7M, 5W, optional extras Time: 45 minutes
A one-act nautical comedy
Talk about fish out of water! It's another case of podunk 'n pauper meets prim and proper when the country cousins take an exotic tropical cruise with their city cousins. The hillbillies are mistaken for the ship's janitors, they think an actor playing the wise man in a Christmas pageant is the real thing and gol-lee - is that Glenda Mae and Brenda Mae looking like super models after miraculous makeovers? There's no end to the silliness when the yokels rub elbows with the maitre d', the cruise director and Michael, the wealthy sophisticate passenger - or is he? Hilarious entertainment with a theme of judging on outward appearances creatively interwoven with the Christmas story.
Hillbilly hilarity abounds in this down-home drama with broadly played characters. It's a clash of cutures when the well-heeled preppie city cousins take a limo to their country cousins' home for the reading of their Uncle Zeke's will on Christmas Eve. When they discover that they are to receive only one hundred thousand dollars apiece, they throw a tantrum over such a "small" amount of money -- but the country cousins are thankful for their fifty dollars to buy new coats and shoes. In their tradition, the country cousins perform a simple Nativity reenactment for the city kids. Only then do the preppie cousins understand what it means to give without reservation or condition. A surprise twist at the end gives the country kids an unexpected bonus. Cast: 4M, 5W. All ages. About 40 minutes.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 4 M, 6 W. Age level: All ages.
Playing time: 40 to 45 minutes. Complete playkit with 11 scripts
A homespun comedy for Christmas. Y'all come back now for more hillbilly fun! The first Cricket County play was such a hit that we gladly published this stand-alone sequel. It's back to the hills for the snooty city kids as they pay a return visit to their backwoods country cousins. Though the cousins' primitive accomodations make them shudder, they have an ulterior motive: to get their hands on the loot from Uncle Zeke's inheritance. Hilarity ensues as the savvy city kids find their bumpkin cousins unwittingly swindled out of their riches by some scheming New Yorkers. But who's cheating whom? True confessions follow as the country cousins discover the city kids' less-than-honorable intentions. Many laugh-out-loud lines and sight gags. A study in foregiveness with a country Christmas flavor.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 1 man, 3 women, 1 boy, 1 girl, extras.
Performance time: 45 minutes.
It's Christmas Eve inside Sizemore's Department Store. Janet, a sales associate, is a new widow trying to make sense of the tragedy that has recently befallen her daughter and herself. The store manager, Mr. Fox, in an attempt to impress his boss, Ms. Sizemore, constantly harasses Janet over small things. Janet's faith is dwindling to nothing until she witnesses a simple nativity reenactment her best friend organizes for the shoppers at the end of the hectic business day. She realizes coping with life's heartaches becomes a little easier when we slow down long enough to let God's love fill us. A touching story mixed with comic moments to create an entertaining Christmas event. A reflective nativity includes favorite carols that can be sung by the cast, an ensemble or complete choir. Easy to stage.
By Eddie McPherson
1 m, 1 w, 8 flex, 1 b, 1 g, extras.
Performance time: 45 to 60 minutes depending on the music chosen by the director.
Captain Gilabo, a greedy scrooge-like pirate, and his bumbling crew are spending their Christmas on a tropical island searching for the "treasure of all treasures." There is only one problem: the island is covered with children and the captain hates children! After holding one of the children captive, his crew begins to have a change of heart concerning their lives as fugitives. When the children share the Christmas story with their new pirate companions, the crew decides to leave the evil captain for good. Throw in a sinking island, a mis-fired cannon and a surprise treasure that must be opened before Christmas eve and you have a funny yet meaningful Christmas production. This entertaining play is designed to use teen actors as the pirates and a children's choir to sing Christmas songs that fit easily into the script.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 5M, 5W, 2M or W, optional extras. Age level: All ages.
Playing time: 40 minutes (about 2 hours with dinner). Complete playkit with 12 scripts.
A dinner theatre comedy for the Lenten season by the author of the Cricket County plays. Delicious dining done dramatically! Teens will love these hilariously exaggerated characters from our popular playwright Eddie McPherson. Holier-than-thou Ms. Tishwater and her spoiled daughter Tisha are so wrapped up in appearances that they are appalled when good ol' boy Virgil and girlfriend Margaret, who are new tot he church scene, fumble and bumble their way through their first service. Many sidesplittingly funny scenes between meal courses as hayseed Virgil tries to fit in with the buttoned-up congregation. At the heart of it all, a question: Did Jesus die only for a select number who dress the right way or use the right words? Concludes with an Easter celebration of new life in Christ.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 4M, 7W. Age level: All ages.
Playing time: About 45 minutes. Complete playkit with 12 scripts.
A one-act comedy for Christmas. The setting for this most recent installment of the popular Cricket County dramas is the big city. Some of the funniest lines yet are here! The conflict? The country cousins arrive at their city cousins' mansion -- on the same day as a high-society maven, who decides if the wealthy cousins will be accepted into an exclusive society. The city cousins, feeling their chances are doomed, desperately give their backwoods relatives a crash course in etiquette and social graces. Side-splitting hilarity abounds as the sophisticated society snob meets the hillbilly cousins, who try -- albeit unsuccessfully -- to act civilized. Sight gags galore! The surprise ending reveals everything about the country cousins' character and their reason for celebrating Christmas. There's an unexpected coup for the city cousins too! A great follow-up to the other Cricket County plays, but easily stands alone as well.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 5M, 6W, narrator.
About 45 minutes. Includes 13 scripts.
The big city beckons to the country cousins. From their flashy entrance flinging fistfuls of cash into the audience, it's crystal clear: the country cousins have totally embraced their nouveau riche status! The erstwhile hicks, in their quest for "the good life," are fixin' to move to a mansion in the city, just in time for Christmas -- all but Fester, that is. He's content to stay in his humble cabin (think cars on cement blocks in the front yard), away from all the busyness, bright lights and bling-bling. A housewarming surprise awaits them in the city: Santa bearing expensive gifts. The contrast on the split stage of Fester's simple Nativity re-enactment with the materialistic madness at the mansion says it all. Have the cousins morally sold out to the "almighty dollar"? The ending reminds us to rethink our priorities at Christmas and proves that y'all can take the cousins out of Cricket County, but y'all can't take Cricket County out of the cousins.
By Eddie McPherson
4 m, 2 w, 4 flexible, choir and extras.
Performance time: Approximately one hour including music.
When Jack Willoughby's youth minister has to go out of town at the last minute to visit his sick aunt, he leaves his best student, Jack, in charge of this year's Christmas play. But when everyone begins arriving at the church for the first rehearsal, this teen realizes his task may be more than he bargained for. Strange noises are heard in the empty church, an unknown janitor begins appearing and disappearing, and no one wants to cooperate with the new young director. It's beginning to look as if there may not be a play after all. Then things begin to change as the mysterious custodian helps Jack understand an important lesson, teaching him that God can take something hopeless and turn it into something He can use; a play gone wrong, a manger, our lives. A student choir and favorite Christmas carols are added to enhance this fun play.
Virgil Sludge is a simple country boy working a temporary job in the city for extra Christmas money. As custodian at a leading ad agency, Virgil and his best friend Ellard, having a little harmless fun, play around with one of their own advertising ideas while taking a break in an executive’s office. By mistake, the storyboard with a catchphrase about fishing lures is taken to the printers and published as the new campaign slogan.
To everyone’s surprise, the slogan is a hit and the company’s profits go through the roof. So Virgil, his wife, Margaret, and a few of their backwoods friends are invited to the company’s Christmas party where Virgil is to be recognized for his creativity and result-driven campaign. But these country folk have never attended such a fancy city affair and they fit in about as well as a barrel of oil fits in with a bucket of water. A great fish-out-of-water situation begging for hilarious confusion. Easy sets.
By Eddie McPherson
Cast: 6M,3W. Teens to Adults.
About 20 minutes. Includes 10 scripts.
A one-act play for Holy Week or an Easter sunrise service. Peter's encounter with the servant girl, where he denies knowing Jesus,is enacted in all its heartache. Flash to the present where Josh, a new Christian, doesn't understand how Peter could deny Christ. He comes face to face with his own weakness when he hangs out with his buddies from work, who get on his case about how he's changed. Mirroring Peter's moment of failure, Josh caves to the pressure and acts indifferent about his faith. Interspersed with the drama are plaintive phrases from the traditional hymn "O, How I Love Jesus," sung a cappella by a soloist. The past and present scenes of denial converge in a stirring conclusion with an unspoken gesture of forgiveness, healing and grace, leaving the audience with hope found in the risen Christ as the words to the hymn finally become real.
Script by Eddie McPherson. Music and lyrics by Lauren Mayer. A musical version of Christmas in Cricket County. Come on over and stay a spell! The original best-selling play, with its hilarious culture clash between the prissy and proper city-slicker cousins who visit their redneck cousins "in the sticks," inspired this new musical just bustin' with laughs and darn good tunes. Six original songs with piano accompaniment are included: "What Christmas Means to Me," "Remember the Money," "Whatever Happened to Pete?" "Ain't No Use for Fightin' and Fussin'," "Too Much Money (Ain't Good for No One)" and "The Story 'bout Mary and Joe." Features a range of styles from good ol' twangy country tunes to highbrow, pseudo-classical pieces by the city cousins. There's even hoe-down music for optional simple square dance choreography. Includes both solo and ensemble parts. A traditional Nativity concludes the fun. We reckon you'll love these down-home, foot-stompin' tunes! Cast: 5M, 5W. Age level: All ages. Playing time: About 40 minutes. Complete playkit with 10 scripts, 5 music books and rights to reproduce.
By Eddie McPherson One act. 45 Minutes. Available this fall through Contemporary Drama Service.
Oswald Tippenhimmer and his city family take their country cousins from Cricket County to the Colorado Mountains for Christmas this year. This trip, however, isn’t exactly offered from the kindness of their hearts – but is an attempt to get on Grandma Taylor’s good side so she will include them in her will since she and her Cricket County family inherited late Uncle Zeke’s millions.
Once they arrive at the ski lodge, they find the owners are trying to get their aging grandfather back to the retirement home so they can better attend to their failing business.
However, Gramps, as they call him, would rather stay and spend Christmas with the only family he has left.Oswald gets an idea: If he can get Gramps to court lonely Grandma Taylor, she will surely be grateful enough to leave the city bunch some of her inheritance money.
It’s a lesson in appreciating our elderly. We should love everyone in our world – even those who can’t do anything for us in return.
