Herschel
And Happy
by Mickey Coburn
Herschel and Happy is a hilarious journey with two wandering friends who can’t stay out of mischief. Their rascal antics amuse and charm. Audience participation is encouraged in this show comprised of three episodes about an hour in length.
Herschel and Happy was written for the Acting Place Truckin’ Company in Beverly Massachusetts, directed by Mickey Coburn. It toured the North East for five years as part of the Truckin’ Company repertoire.
Cast
of Characters:
HERSCHEL the older of the two, or at least the taller
HAPPY younger than HERSCHEL, or at least smaller
THE WOMAN
THE GYPSY NARRATER
Suggested
Set Pieces:
This play was written to be toured on a shoestring to schools, churches,
synagogues, etc. If it is performed in a theatre for a run, an appropriate
set could be conceived. For the road, all that is needed is a colorful
three fold screen to serve as the house and appropriate props.
From
the Play:
(Enter HERSCHEL & HAPPY)
HAPPY: I’m not going
another step. We must have walked 20 miles today.
HERSCHEL: I’m certain Schnipichuck is in this direction. It can’t
be much further. Come on, Happy.
HAPPY: (sitting down) Not another step. We haven’t eaten in three
days. My stomach is smacking against my back bone. Ohhh, the pain, the
PAIN!!!
HERSCHEL: There’ll be plenty to eat in Schnipichuck. My Uncle Yossel
has a big house and a farm. In fact, he owns half the town and when he
sees….
HAPPY: (overlapping) So you’ve said. For six months. First we go
south! Then we go north! Sometimes I think we’re going around in
circles! It will be dark in two hours. (groaning on the ground) Oh, Herschel
– we’ve got to eat something – ohhh, the pain, the pain!!!
HERSCHEL: All right, all right. Let’s make a fire and we’ll
cook our dinner.
(HAPPY mimes the building of a fire; HERSCHEL begins to unpack the knapsack)
HAPPY: Hey – wait a minute
– how can we cook dinner? All we have is a pot. What are we going
to cook?
HERSCHEL: (opening his knapsack again) Faith, my good man; you must have
faith. (he takes out a stone) Ahhh!
HAPPY: Now what is that for? We can’t eat a stone!!
HERSCHEL: We are going to make soup.
HAPPY: Herschel, old friend, you are crazy! You can’t make soup
from a stone. (to audience) For six months he’ been dragging me
from one end of the country to the other looking for a place that doesn’t
exist. It isn’t even on the map. Now he’s going to feed me
rocks! You have rocks in your head!! (takes the stone and drops it on
the ground as if hitting Herschel in the foot; Herschel yelps) Look! Hard,
see? You can’t eat a stone!!
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Poster
Art available for this play. Click on image at left to see larger version. |
About
the Playwright:
Mickey Coburn is playwright, poet and stage director. A BFA graduate of
Carnegie Institute of Technology theatre program, Mickey studied in the
graduate programs at the New School in New York City, the Shakespeare
Institute in Stratford, England and the University of Pittsburgh. Her
plays have been produced by the Acting Place, Inc. in Massachusetts, the
Boston Children’s Theatre, the New Ehrlich Theatre in Boston and
have been given numerous readings in New York and elsewhere. Mickey conducts
workshops at schools and universities and works as a stage director and
acting coach. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild.