COMMEDIA!
"The Comedy of Love and War"
by Richard Nathan
Act II
SCENE ONE:
Scene One continues where we left off at the end of Act I. We are in the parlor of Pantalone's house. The Captain has just announced he intends that his daughter Isabella will wed King Brighella. Isabella has fainted into Lelio's arms. The servants Truff, Arlo and Smeraldina are aghast. Pantalone tries to figure out how he can best profit from the situation.
LELIO
How can you give your daughter to your sworn
enemy?
CAPTAIN
He was only my enemy during the war. Now that
the war is over, we're allies.
LELIO
I thought you hated Zanniland!
CAPTAIN
I did, with a passion. I lost my only son on the
battlefield in
the first war with Zanniland. But
now it's time to move on to new wars,
with new
enemies to hate. Zanniland and Commedia have
changed from enemies to allies. It happens all the
time.
LELIO
The war with Zanniland is only over because I took
Brighella prisoner.
BRIGHELLA
That's King Brighella to you.
CAPTAIN
That's right. Show some respect.
LELIO
I captured him for you, to win your war for you!!!
CAPTAIN
That's right, you robbed me of the glory of beating
him myself.
TRUFF
(under his breath)
You couldn't beat a dead rat which was tied
to a stake.
PANTALONE
What was that?
TRUFF
I said, who wouldn't eat a red radish beside
a lake?
ARLO
I wouldn't. I don't like radishes.
LELIO
It doesn't matter what anyone says or does. I'm
going to marry Isabella!
CAPTAIN
Don't be absurd. Why would I let her marry you
when she can marry a king and be queen of a
kingdom?
LELIO
Because we love each other!
The Captain pretends to weigh the value of love in one hand against the value of a kingdom in the other hand.
CAPTAIN
Let's see,... love... kingdom... love... kingdom...
Surprise! Kingdom wins over love!
CAPTAIN
Sorry, kingdom wins! Come, your Majesty, let's
plan the nuptials.
BRIGHELLA
Oh boy, nuptials!
Brighella says "nuptials" as though he thinks it means something sexual. Exit the Captain and Brighella. Pantalone calls after them.
PANTALONE
Captain! Perhaps you have a lucrative post in the
government of Zanniland that you'd like to give to
your old friend.
Pantalone exits, following the Captain and Brighella. Isabella moans, starting to regain consciousness. Smeraldina decides to give Lelio and Isabella some privacy.
SMERALDINA
I think they deserve a moment to themselves.
She pulls Truff and Arlo out of the room. Lelio and Isabella gaze into each other's eyes before speaking.
LELIO
Now everyone against us starts to scheme,
Like armies joining forces for a fight.
ISABELLA
As raindrops merge together in one stream,
The foes who fought each other now unite.
LELIO
They join as allies to attack our love!
They
think their greater numbers will prevail,
Like scores of savage eagles 'gainst one dove!
ISABELLA
But they can't win! We know they're bound to fail.
For we'll outfight whatever odds we face
And we'll endure our testings and our trials.
What matters is who finally wins the race.
LELIO
And we can run a million times their miles.
We'll take whatever torments fate may send.
ISABELLA
Because our love will triumph in the end.
They kiss. Smeraldina enters, followed by Truff and Arlo.
SMERALDINA
It's time to get to work. I've got a plan.
LELIO
I hope it works better than your last plan.
SMERALDINA
My
last plan captured Brighella, didn't it?
ARLO
Yeah. It's not her fault the Captain is such a
fat head.
Lelio cuffs Arlo.
LELIO
You're talking about fat head of the woman
I love. I mean, father of the woman I love.
ISABELLA
It's all right. I know he's a fat head.
SMERALDINA
The fat head wants my lady to marry Brighella so she'll
be Queen of Zanniland and he'll be Lord Chamberlain.
So we must make sure someone else is crowned
King of Zanniland in Brighella's place. If Brighella is
no longer King, he'll have nothing to offer the Captain,
and the Captain will have no reason to let Brighella
marry Isabella!
LELIO
That makes sense.
SMERALDINA
You three have to go back to Zanniland and make
sure someone replaces Brighella on the throne.
I'll stay here and see that the wedding doesn't take
place while you're gone.
Lelio takes Isabella's hands and looks into her eyes.
LELIO
Now I have to part from you again, and it feels like we
just reunited.
TRUFF
You did, about ten minutes ago.
ISABELLA
Our parting is bitter, but the next reunion will be that
much the sweeter.
LELIO
Come on, Truff, Arlo. We've got to go back to
Zanniland, and find a king to crown.
Blackout.
SCENE TWO:
The public square in the capitol city of Zanniland. In the middle of the square is slapstick stuck in a stone. Fichetto and Scapino, who wear bandages to cover their wounds from Act I, try to pull the slapstick from the stone, but they fail. As Fichetto and Scapino exit, Lelio, Truff and Arlo enter. The notice the slapstick in the stone, and go to investigate it.
ARLO
What's this?
TRUFF
Looks like some kind of stick stuck in a rock.
LELIO
There's writing on the stone. It says, "Whoso pulleth
out this slapstick of this stone is rightwise king born of
all Zanniland." And there's something on the other
side. "Made in Bergamo."
As Lelio is reading, the DOCTOR enters.
DOCTOR
Come to try your luck, have you? Though "luck" isn't
precisely the right word. It's more a matter of fate, of
predestination. A man's fate will never change, though
his luck may change as often as he changes his underwear.
ARLO
(to Truff)
What makes him think I change my underwear?
LELIO
Is it true what is says on this stone? Is this how
your king is chosen?
DOCTOR
You must be strangers. We've used this method
to select our rulers for generations.
LELIO
Inspired by King Arthur, no doubt.
DOCTOR
Who?
LELIO
Arthur, King of the Britons. He was chosen as
king because he pulled a sword from a stone.
DOCTOR
They took that idea that from us! But they used a
sword instead of a slapstick.
LELIO
I think the sword in the stone was first.
DOCTOR
Nonsense. You only have to say them to see
which came first. Sword in a stone, stick in a
stone. Stick in a stone is obviously
preferable. The repeating "st" sound' has much
more ass... ass.... what's the word for when
the consonants sound alike but the vowels sound
different, or sometime the vowels sound alike,
but the consonants are different. It starts with
ass... asson...
TRUFF
Asinine.
DOCTOR
Thank you. A stick in a stone is much more
asinine.
LELIO
But why choose your king this way?
DOCTOR
We tried a hereditary monarchy and our kings were
tyrants and fools. We tried elections and our rulers
were liars and scoundrels. So we asked a wizard
to build this for us. The results are no worse than
those achieved by any other method.
LELIO
Can anyone try, or only citizens of Zanniland?
DOCTOR
Anyone may attempt it.
Lelio tries to pull out the slapstick, but it won't budge. Truff tries to pull out the slapstick, but it won't budge.
DOCTOR
Not many of our own citizens will try
anymore.
Arlo tries to pull out the slapstick, and it comes out easily. Lelio and Truff are busy looking at the doctor, and the doctor is looking away, so no one notices what Arlo has done.
DOCTOR
I suppose that's because the King keeps being
assassinated.
Arlo plunges the slapstick back into the stone before anyone can see he's pulled it out.
DOCTOR
The problem is the stick usually recognizes more
than one suitable King at a time, and all those who are
selected keep killing each other. Over the past decade,
the average reign of the King of Zanniland has
been
slightly less than two months. However, things have
been improving
lately. Because so few are willing to
risk wearing the crown, the assassinations
are less
frequent.
They say the life expectancy of the next King
should be greatly increased over the old averages.
Heartened, Arlo pulls the slapstick loose again. Arlo starts to walk away from the stone, carrying the slapstick.
DOCTOR
He might last as long as five or six months!
Arlo leaps back to the stone and sticks the slapstick in. This time, when he puts the slapstick in, it starts to pop out on its own. Arlo has to lean upon the stick to keep it in the stone.
DOCTOR
Our last king, King Brighella, lasted four months before
he
was assassinated. Of course, the government is
claiming he just disappeared one day, but I'm sure
he was assassinated.
LELIO
Sir, ...
The Doctor interrupts him.
DOCTOR
Please address me by my proper title: doctor.
I am Doctor Baloardo, the most learned scholar
in Zanniland.
The Doctor offers his hand to Lelio, and they shake hands. Arlo manages to get the slapstick wedged securely in the stone.
LELIO
Doctor, are there any untried candidates
who you think could pull out the slapstick?
DOCTOR
It's hard to say. No one has been able to
ascertain exactly what qualities the magic finds
kingly. But if I were to choose, there is one
man who is handsome, brave, generous,
intelligent, a born leader - unfortunately he's in the
dungeon serving a life sentence for moral turpitude.
LELIO
Wouldn't that rule him out as King?
DOCTOR
No, if he were King, he could pardon himself.
TRUFF
What did he do?
DOCTOR
By his own count, he seduced four thousand
six hundred and fifty-three young women. So of
course we had no choice but to lock him up. The
odd thing is we weren't able to find a single woman
who would corroborate any of his seductions.
Every
single woman said he was an insufferable
bonehead.
TRUFF
What did the married women say?
LELIO
What's his name?
DOCTOR
He's called Scaramouche.
LELIO
May we see him?
DOCTOR
Are any of you related to him? Oh, no, you
couldn't be. He was a foundling, so there are
no relatives.
The only way you could see him
would be if you were to be imprisoned yourselves.
Have you committed any crimes?
Lelio, Truff and Arlo take a moment to whisper privately to each other. Then they turn back to the Doctor.
LELIO
What if we were to tell you we were Commedian
spies?
DOCTOR
I'd say that's a capital offense, punishable by
death.
TRUFF
Then it's a good thing we're not going to tell you
that.
LELIO
How many women did you say Scaramouche had
confessed to seducing?
DOCTOR
Four thousand six hundred and fifty three.
LELIO
An amateur. I've seduced five thousand this
year alone.
TRUFF
I seduced five thousand this past month!
ARLO
I seduced five thousand this morning.
Lelio and Truff give him a look of disbelief.
ARLO
I think. I might have lost track after the
twins.
DOCTOR
Guards! Take these degenerates and lock
them up!
The Doctor looks around for guards, but there don't seem to be any guards within earshot at the moment.
TRUFF
You only had one set of twins?
Truff is making an accusation that one set of twins isn't sufficient.
ARLO
Did I say one set? I just said twins. I meant
three sets of twins. Six ladies. I call them "the
twins" for short.
DOCTOR
You expect me to believe that you made love to
three sets of twins at one time??????
ARLO
Sure.
LELIO
Of course!
TRUFF
Any man who's never made love to three sets
of twins at one time can't really call himself a
man, can he?
LELIO
Doctor, you don't mean to tell me that you've never
made love to three sets of twins at one time, do you?
Lelio, Arlo and Truff giggle at the Doctor. Enter Fichetto and Scapino. The Doctor doesn't see them.
DOCTOR
Who, me? Of course I've made love to three sets
of twins. I was just surprised to hear that this
fellow had done it!
The Doctor points at Arlo. Fichetto and Scapino grab the doctor from behind.
FICHETTO
Come along, you pervert!
SCAPINO
You're under arrest!
They start to march off with him.
DOCTOR
No, they're the perverts! They corrupted my
thoughts.
LELIO
It's true. We're no less perverted than the
Doctor.
Fichetto studies Lelio, Truff and Arlo, then he turns to Scapino.
FICHETTO
Hey, don't these guys look like the spies we were
questioning last week, when we got knocked out
and Brighella disappeared?
Arlo, Truff and Lelio examine Fichetto and Scapino.
ARLO
No, the guys who were questioning us didn't look
anything like you.
TRUFF
Definitely not.
SCAPINO
It must have been somebody else then.
ARLO
But we are perverts!
Fichetto and Scapino take Lelio, Arlo, Truff and the Captain off-stage.
Blackout.
SCENE THREE:
Fichetto and Scapino push Lelio, Truff, Arlo and the Doctor into a dark dungeon cell. Chained to a wall of the cell is SCARAMOUCHE. He is dashing, but surprisingly short. In attitude, he resembles Errol Flynn on even more uppers than the real Errol Flynn ever dreamed of taking.
SCARAMOUCHE
More guests! The more the merrier! Ha ha!
ARLO
Who is that?
SCARAMOUCHE
Ha ha! I am Scaramouche! You may have caught
me up short, but I won't be caught up for long!
SCAPINO
You've been saying that for five years!
SCARAMOUCHE
Perhaps I am lulling you into a false sense of
security!
FICHETTO
We're lulled already!
SCARAMOUCHE
Ha ha! My plan is working perfectly! I have
you exactly where I want you.
FICHETTO
You new prisoners behave yourselves, or you'll be
chained up like he is.
Fichetto and Scapino leave. They leave, and once they are offstage, we hear the sound of the prison door slamming shut.
SCARAMOUCHE
What crimes did you commit to be thrown in here
with me?
LELIO
Nothing. We
only pretended we were guilty so we
could rescue you, and make you king of Zanniland!
SCARAMOUCHE
King Scaramouche! An excellent plan!
I approve!
DOCTOR
You mean, you didn't
make love to three sets of twins?
LELIO
Of course not!
ARLO
Don't be ridiculous!
The Doctor looks at Truff, waiting for his answer. Finally, Truff responds:
TRUFF
Mind your own business.
The Doctor looks at Scaramouche.
DOCTOR
Scaramouche, do you still claim that you made
love to thousands of women?
SCARAMOUCHE
I never claimed to have made love to thousands
of women. I said I seduced them. I seduced
them into lusting after me in their hearts, which is
just as bad as making love to them. I am guilty of
making thousands of women want me carnally. But,
on the other hand, who can blame them?
ARLO
I heard that all the women said you were a bonehead.
SCARAMOUCHE
Ah, the darlings, so shy they dare not confess how
much they love me!
The Doctor turns back to Lelio.
DOCTOR
What is your plan to rescue him?
LELIO
We thought - once we were here - we'd think of
something.
SCARAMOUCHE
Ah! That's my plan too! Great minds think alike!
Ha ha!
DOCTOR
What about me? I'm stuck in here, and I didn't do
anything!
TRUFF
What do you mean? You were the one who called
the guards!
DOCTOR
But you wanted me to!
LELIO
But you didn't know that!!!
SCARAMOUCHE
Don't worry, my friends. When I, Scaramouche,
escape, I will bring all my friends with me to
freedom.
Very, very long period where no one speaks.
LELIO
These walls look very solid.
ARLO
Do you ever get any earthquakes around here?
DOCTOR
Not for as long as anyone can remember.
ARLO
Maybe we're due.
Another very, very long period of silence.
LELIO
I wish Smeraldina were here.
TRUFF
Yeah, that would be fun. But then they'd have a
reason to lock us up.
LELIO
No, I mean if she were here, she'd think of a way
for us to escape!
DOCTOR
Why do you wish someone else were here, when
you have the finest mind in all Zanniland right next
to you?
SCARAMOUCHE
How perceptive of you to notice. It's true, I am a
genius.
DOCTOR
I meant me!
LELIO
All right. What do you think we should do?
Should we try to convince them we're
innocent?
DOCTOR
No, it wouldn't matter that we haven't actually
done anything. By bragging about our supposed
sexual conquests, we've displayed
a contempt for
basic moral
standards. My countrymen take matters
of morality extremely seriously. We always say, if
one can't live morally, why bother living at all?
If a man doesn't have honor, he has nothing!
That's what
my countrymen believe. It is how
they live their lives. I'm afraid our chances are slim.
TRUFF
Hey guards! Would you take a bribe to let
us go?
Fichetto and Scapino run in as fast as they can.
FICHETTO
How much?
TRUFF
How about fifty scudi to let all five of
us go?
SCAPINO
A hundred scudi - and not a scudo less.
TRUFF
We need to talk among ourselves. Come
back in a minute.
Fichetto and Scapino leave. We hear the cell door slam shut.
TRUFF
How much does everyone have?
Everyone counts their money and hands it to Truff. Scaramouche, being chained to the wall, is unable to check his purse, so Truff checks it for him and takes his money.
LELIO
I've got twenty-five scudi.
DOCTOR
Here's thirty, but I want it paid back!
ARLO
I have five.
SCARAMOUCHE
I think I have ten, but you'll need to check my
scudi bag for me.
TRUFF
Together with what I've got, that's seventy-five scudi.
That should be enough.
He calls to the guards.
TRUFF
Hey, guards, come here!
Fichetto and Scapino run in.
TRUFF
You said you wanted a hundred scudi right?
SCAPINO
That's right. Not a scudi less.
TRUFF
I'll tell you what. I'll pay you half what I owe you
now, and I'll pay you half what I owe you when
you unchain Scaramouche.
FICHETTO
You can pay us the whole thing when we unchain
Scaramouche.
TRUFF
I don't want to take advantage of you. I'll pay you
half of what I owe you now. Half of a hundred
scudi is fifty scudi. Here's fifty scudi.
He pays them.
SCAPINO
Now we'll unlock Scaramouche!
Scapino unlocks Scaramouche, who steps away from his chains.
TRUFF
Now I'll pay you half what I owe you. I owe you
fifty scudi, and half of that is twenty-five scudi, so
here's twenty-five scudi.
FICHETTO
Wait a minute. I though you owed us fifty scudi
when we unchained Scaramouche!
TRUFF
That's right, and our deal was that I'd pay you half
what I owed you when you unchained Scaramouche,
and half of fifty is twenty-five.
FICHETTO
But we agreed it cost a hundred scudi to get out of here,
and all I've got is seventy-five!!!
TRUFF
Is it my fault if you can't keep track of your money?
Scapino turns on Fichetto.
SCAPINO
How could you lose twenty-five of our scudi!!!
Scapino slaps Fichetto on the forehead!
FICHETTO
Can we run through that again?
TRUFF
Sure, but first you have to give me back a hundred
scudi.
FICHETTO
What?
TRUFF
You don't expect me to pay you twice! I already
paid you once. If you want to run through it again,
you've got to pay me back the whole bribe so I
don't pay you twice.
SCAPINO
Wait a minute! We're not going to fall for that!
This time I'll be you, and you be the guard!
TRUFF
Okay. Let's start. You have to pay me a hundred
scudi to get out of the dungeon.
SCAPINO
Okay, I'll pay you half now, and half when you
unlock Scaramouche!
TRUFF
Scaramouche is already unlocked. How about half
now, and half when I show you the key to the dungeon
door?
SCAPINO
Okay.
TRUFF
So - give me half now.
SCAPINO
Here's fifty scudi.
He pays Truff.
TRUFF
Now give me the key so I can show it to you.
Scapino gives Truff the key to the dungeon. Truff takes the key and shows it to Scapino.
TRUFF
Now give me half of what you owe me. You
owed me a hundred scudi before and fifty now. A
hundred plus fifty are a hundred and fifty scudi.
SCAPINO
Don't forget to divide by two! I only pay you half when
you show me the key!
TRUFF
That's right. I can't fool you. Half of a hundred and
fifty
is seventy-five. So you only owe me another
seventy-five scudi.
SCAPINO
I thought I only owed you fifty! Where did the other
twenty-five come from?
TRUFF
You remember how you hit your partner for losing
twenty-five scudi? Well, you just found it.
SCAPINO
I knew it! I told you there were twenty-five
scudi missing!
TRUFF
Yeah, you were right, all right. Nothing gets by
you! So that's seventy-five scudi you owe me.
Scapino hands Truff seventy-five scudi, giving him a total of one hundred twenty-five scudi, plus the key to the dungeon.
TRUFF
So long. It's been a pleasure doing business
with you.
Truff motions for the others to follow, and he exits with Lelio, Arlo, the Doctor and Scaramouche.
SCAPINO
I guess I showed him!
We hear the dungeon door slam shut.
Blackout.
SCENE FOUR:
The public square in the capitol city of Zanniland, with the slapstick stuck in the stone. Lelio, Truff, Arlo, the Doctor and Scaramouche enter.
LELIO
There it is, Scaramouche. All you have to do
is pull out the slapstick, and you'll be king!
Scaramouche dramatically approaches the slapstick, puts his hand on the grip, then seems to hesitate.
SCARAMOUCHE
You know, it really seems too simple. I can't help
feeling there must be a dragon to be defeated, an
army to be vanquished.
LELIO
Just pull out the stick.
SCARAMOUCHE
Are you sure that people won't think it was too
simple for me? I am sure there must be other
countries where there are more heroic ways to
become the king. Perhaps we should go there.
DOCTOR
Just take it out before someone comes to arrest
us!
SCARAMOUCHE
It seems to be stuck. Maybe it got rusted the
last time it rained.
Now we can tell that Scaramouche has been trying to pull out the slapstick. Now he tries with both hands. The stick won't budge. Lelio turns to the doctor.
LELIO
I thought you said he could do it!
DOCTOR
I said he seemed like a good candidate to me! I
never said the magic would be as discerning as
I am.
Scaramouche is trying harder and harder to pull out the stick, without success. Enter Scapino and Fichetto!
SCAPINO
You're under arrest for fraud!
FICHETTO
Yeah. We paid you good money to let us
out, and you locked us in.
TRUFF
So what are you doing here!
SCAPINO
The joke's on you! That lock is broken!
Scapino and Fichetto shake hands to congratulate each other, as Lelio, Truff, the Doctor and Scaramouche look on. As everyone else's attention is captured by Scapino and Fichetto, Arlo grabs the slapstick underneath the grip where Scaramouche is still holding it, and pulls it gently out of the stone. Then he lets it go. No one notices what he's done.
ARLO
Look! He pulled it out!
As Scapino and Fichetto enter, everyone sees that Scaramouche is holding the slapstick free from the confines of the stone!
SCARAMOUCHE
Ha ha! How could you have doubted me? I am
King!
He attacks Scapino and Fichetto with the slapstick. He repeatedly whacks them! They retreat and then bow down in submission.
FICHETTO
Don't hit us any more!
SCAPINO
We surrender!
SCARAMOUCHE
Ha ha! All give way before the might of King
Scaramouche. I like this slapstick!
Scaramouche is enjoying the slapstick so much that he threatens his allies with in. Lelio, Truff, Arlo and the Doctor all back away from him and bow down.
DOCTOR
Your Majesty, now that you've shown you are
entitled to be King, it is customary to put the
slapstick back in the stone.
Scaramouche whacks the stone with the slapstick. The stone crumbles apart.
DOCTOR
That could make it difficult to select the next king.
SCARAMOUCHE
No, it will be easy. We will get our next king the
old
fashioned, traditional way.
DOCTOR
Assassination?
SCARAMOUCHE
No. By having babies! My babies! Ha ha!
ARLO
It's nice that he's able to see the humor in every
situation.
LELIO
Your Majesty knows, of course, that a heroic
king must use his slapstick to hit villains only.
SCARAMOUCHE
Exactly! As I am a heroic king, anyone I hit with my
slapstick must be a villain! Find me some villains!
LELIO
I know of a terrible villain - he is about to force a
beautiful young woman
to marry him!
SCARAMOUCHE
And no doubt you want me to marry her instead?
LELIO
No! Only a genuine princess would be a suitable
bride for your majesty. In fact, I love the woman
in question and hope to marry her myself.
SCARAMOUCHE
Aren't you concerned that she will fall in love with
me when I rescue her?
LELIO
I'll take the risk. The villain is Brighella, the former
king of Zanniland. The woman's father wants her
to marry Brighella, because he believes
Brighella is still a king. But if the father learns you are
now the king, he will stop the marriage! You will have
defeated the villain, and I can marry Isabella.
SCARAMOUCHE
Yes, I must go to Commedia and defeat my enemy!
But as a favor to you, my friend, I will not let the woman
get a good look at my face. That way, she is less
likely to fall in love with me. When shall we leave
for Commedia?
DOCTOR
But you haven't had your coronation yet!
SCARAMOUCHE
True, I can't announce I am King of Zanniland before
I have been crowned. First I will be crowned, then
I will go to Commedia and save the girl.
LELIO
Thank you, your Majesty.
Lelio turns to Truff and Arlo.
LELIO
You two have to go back home and tell Isabella and
Smeraldina to keep stalling the wedding. I'll stay here
and make sure the coronation goes smoothly. Tell them
I'll arrive with the new King of Zanniland in a few more
days!
TRUFF
You can count on us!
Truff and Arlo race off.
SCARAMOUCHE
Come! Let us arrange for my coronation!
Scaramouche leads the Doctor and Lelio off stage, leaving Scapino and Fichetto.
SCAPINO
Did you hear that? Brighella is still alive! He's in
Commedia!
FICHETTO
So? We've got a new king!
SCAPINO
Yeah, but I don't know how nice he's going to be to
the two guards who kept him prisoner for five years.
We'd be better off if we could get Brighella to come
back and be our king.
FICHETTO
You're right! We better go to Commedia and find him!
Blackout!
THE END OF ACT II
Click here to find more
COMMEDIA!
© 2004 by Richard Nathan. All rights reserved
The author grants all internet uses to print these scripts for their own, personal, non-commercial use. No other use may be made without the author's permission. Without limiting the foregoing, the plays may not be staged without the author's express permission.
Send e-mail to the author at Richard-Nathan@att.net.