PLAYHOUSE OF THE DAMNED

"Interruption"

                                                               by Richard Nathan

(This sketch should not be listed in the program.)

The spotlight is up on our host, GUS THE GHOUL.  

                                                            GUS
                                    I’m sure you’ll like our next story.  
                                    It grows on you… like warts!  I 
                                    always liked warts, so I gruesome!  

Abruptly, two CONSTRUCTION WORKERS enter and cross to the middle of the stage.  They pay no attention to Gus.

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    Here’s where the stage used to be.

                                                            GUS
                                    Excuse me!

The two workmen cannot see or hear Gus.

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    No kidding!

                                                            GUS
                                    You may have noticed, we’re doing a 
                                    show here!

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    You think we’ll find any bodies?

                                                            GUS
                                    Bodies?

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    You never know.  But they think they got 
                                    them all.

                                                            GUS
                                    I’ll have to ask you to leave.

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    It’s not going to be hard to demolish.

                                                            GUS
                                    Will someone help me get rid of these intruders….

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    The explosion did most of the work for us.

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    Horrible!

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    At least it was quick.  Gas main blew and 
                                    wiped ‘em all out, just like that!

The First Worker snaps his fingers.

                                                            GUS
                                    Gas main?

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    Audience… cast… crew…  everyone!  
                                    Killed instantly, right in the middle of the 
                                    show.  Never knew what hit them.  In fact, 
                                    some people say they never knew they died, 
                                    that their ghosts still haunt this place, thinking 
                                    they’re still watching the show!

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    No kidding?  You ever seen any ghosts?

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    I don’t believe in ghosts.

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    If there were any ghosts, you think they’ll 
                                    leave when we tear this place down?

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    How should I know?  But if that play didn’t 
                                    drive them out, I don’t know what would.  
                                    Can you imagine it?  Seeing that play over 
                                    and over again, never realizing they’re dead, 
                                    or that they’ve seen it before… just watching 
                                    it again and again and again throughout 
                                    eternity?

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    What was the play?

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    “Playhouse of the Damned.”

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    That’s what they’ve got to keep watching????

                                                            FIRST WORKER
                                    Yeah, if you believe in ghosts!

                                                            SECOND WORKER
                                    Yuch!  The sooner we tear this place down, 
                                    the better!!!

The construction workers exit.  Gus watches them go, and then turns to the audience.

                                                            GUS
                                    They don’t scare me.  I’m not superstitious!  
                                    I don’t believe in the Gas Company!

The show continues, and Gus introduces the next story.

THE END

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© 2000 by Richard Nathan.  All rights reserved

The author grants all internet users the right 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.