Babysitting Calvin

• John H. Newmeir
• Short Play, Farce, Present Day
• 2M, 3F
• ISBN: 9780573121524

Baby Calvin (acted by an adult) can remember his previous life when he was happily married to Laura. Calvin will lose his blissful memories when he reaches his first birthday - or speaks - so he determines not to talk!

• Short Play
• Farce
• 40 minutes

• Time Period: Present Day
• Target Audience: Appropriate for all audiences
• Set Requirements: Interior Set
• Cautions: Mild Adult Themes

• Performance Group:
• Community Theatre, High School/Secondary, Professional Theatre, College Theatre / Student, Senior Theatre

• Casting: 2M, 3F
• Casting Notes: The characters can be flexible. For instance - mothers come in all shapes, sizes and ages. So it follows that Katie may be modified to suit the availability of your actress. Likewise, Laura, etc. can be older or younger than as stated.
  When ages are changed, careful consideration must be taken and other characters altered accordingly. For this purpose, the cast is divided into two categories: (a) Katie and Donna and (b) Laura, Bob and Calvin.
  The essence of the play is fun for both cast and audience alike. As all good farces, and those comedies bordering on farce, are built on speed and energy, so it falls to Katie to initiate the pace from the outset. Behind schedule with a million and one things on her mind, the chasing around to catch up must appear frantic. Donna's appearance as the man-hungry companion is both pleasing to the eye and helps establish the sex-mad character of Bob. Laura's level-headedness is the only semblance of normality during the first scene and creates the "straight-man" syndrome in the second. Calvin's character and general appearance are comical and care must be taken he does not detract from other acting areas.
  Warning: Be mindful to build the play-pen larger so as to accommodate an adult!

BABY - young appearance
BOB - lecherous, 40s
KATIE - pretty, young
DONNA - curvaceous, young
LAURA - late 30s/early 40s