THE LOONY BIN
20+ Characters – some actors can play multiples.
106 pages .
Foley sound effects (mic on the side of the stage, instruments, sound devices, etc.)
A few groupies and dancers.
Simple or complex set depending on budget – simple or complex platforms
Colorful Lighting is needed for color projections.
Large wall for projections of film clips, art, etc.
A whirlwind collage of American History in a Story Theater format.
MOMMY, DADDY, SISSY, ROCK, MOTORHEAD, BEGGAR OR BAG LADY, NICE GIRL, (ALSO THE PROSTITUTE), YOUNG MAN, REVEREND MONEY, CASH, PAN, PIMP, COCHISE, COCHISE’S GRANDSON (REAL ESTATE BROKER), COLUMBUS, THE PRESIDENT, A POLICEMAN, A BOY, A GIRL, 3 OR MORE GROUPIES, 1 MALE AND 1 FEMALE DANCER.
THE LOONY-BIN is a collage play spanning American History, exploring the contemporary human condition in an improvisational, story-theater open format. It utilizes rhythmic, rock and roll, poetry, prose and dialogue and is a more 2-dimensional, Brechtian style presentation, rather than a realistic exploration of psychological motivations. It’s visuals are where the power lives, and, the improvisational tone and staging, captivating and often humorous.
Juxtapositions onstage between the action, tableaus (posed paintings of each era stopped for moments) against real projections of contemporary human tragedy, history, and crime, is juxtaposed against the 2-dimensional satirical motif of over 20 characters – all seeking to escape or control the insanity that American Genocide, Slavery and Abuse has created in contemporary life. What are our values? As the play progresses, both the stage tableau’s of the characters and the back wall projections create their own artistic expressions, like 3-dimensional, moving paintings, within the overall theme of the play.
A Foley stage makes sound effects as actors mime them onstage, while a few musicians reflect mood, or work with Rock, as he goes through his rebellious phase playing electric guitar. A fragmented platform set allows for the many worlds this play explores, colliding, reflecting, crashing into one another like living in a demented city while maintaining its unified whole.
The play follows Rock, Sissy, Mommy and Daddy, from Rock and Sissy’s teen years into old age. Their Transformations mirror the transformation of America – from violence, into chaos, from rebellion into complacency, as the system of Fascist Oppression in a Plutocracy run by Maniacal Oligarchs, Propagandize the Mass Audience into believing we are a free, great, open minded, fair, caring and compassionate “great” society while using them as working slaves. What really has changed?
The audience is spoken to directly, almost like a confession by various characters, or become the witness of the action like any normal audience with a 4th wall, existing in various points in the play.
Are we succeeding to transcend our heritage? Is a protest enough to pretend we’re evolving. The noise of the media, outcries of the abused, create national drama – but the actual inability to move forward, is crippled. Are these the seeds of change, or are we really just stuck within the same historical framework, with the only thing changing is the wall paper or paint job?
20+ Characters – some actors can play multiples.
106 pages .
Foley sound effects (mic on the side of the stage, instruments, sound devices, etc.)
A few groupies and dancers.
Simple or complex set depending on budget – simple or complex platforms
Colorful Lighting is needed for color projections.
Large wall for projections of film clips, art, etc.
A whirlwind collage of American History in a Story Theater format.
MOMMY, DADDY, SISSY, ROCK, MOTORHEAD, BEGGAR OR BAG LADY, NICE GIRL, (ALSO THE PROSTITUTE), YOUNG MAN, REVEREND MONEY, CASH, PAN, PIMP, COCHISE, COCHISE’S GRANDSON (REAL ESTATE BROKER), COLUMBUS, THE PRESIDENT, A POLICEMAN, A BOY, A GIRL, 3 OR MORE GROUPIES, 1 MALE AND 1 FEMALE DANCER.
THE LOONY-BIN is a collage play spanning American History, exploring the contemporary human condition in an improvisational, story-theater open format. It utilizes rhythmic, rock and roll, poetry, prose and dialogue and is a more 2-dimensional, Brechtian style presentation, rather than a realistic exploration of psychological motivations. It’s visuals are where the power lives, and, the improvisational tone and staging, captivating and often humorous.
Juxtapositions onstage between the action, tableaus (posed paintings of each era stopped for moments) against real projections of contemporary human tragedy, history, and crime, is juxtaposed against the 2-dimensional satirical motif of over 20 characters – all seeking to escape or control the insanity that American Genocide, Slavery and Abuse has created in contemporary life. What are our values? As the play progresses, both the stage tableau’s of the characters and the back wall projections create their own artistic expressions, like 3-dimensional, moving paintings, within the overall theme of the play.
A Foley stage makes sound effects as actors mime them onstage, while a few musicians reflect mood, or work with Rock, as he goes through his rebellious phase playing electric guitar. A fragmented platform set allows for the many worlds this play explores, colliding, reflecting, crashing into one another like living in a demented city while maintaining its unified whole.
The play follows Rock, Sissy, Mommy and Daddy, from Rock and Sissy’s teen years into old age. Their Transformations mirror the transformation of America – from violence, into chaos, from rebellion into complacency, as the system of Fascist Oppression in a Plutocracy run by Maniacal Oligarchs, Propagandize the Mass Audience into believing we are a free, great, open minded, fair, caring and compassionate “great” society while using them as working slaves. What really has changed?
The audience is spoken to directly, almost like a confession by various characters, or become the witness of the action like any normal audience with a 4th wall, existing in various points in the play.
Are we succeeding to transcend our heritage? Is a protest enough to pretend we’re evolving. The noise of the media, outcries of the abused, create national drama – but the actual inability to move forward, is crippled. Are these the seeds of change, or are we really just stuck within the same historical framework, with the only thing changing is the wall paper or paint job?
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