Breaking The Chains

(includes both English and Spanish versions)

Fifteen Foot Marathon Run, welcome participants! 

There is a big event coming up, the First Annual FFM Classic Marathon race. But it is a kinda different marathon in that the FFM stands for “Fifteen Foot Marathon” and . .  yup the course is only fifteen feet long . . . and some of the marathon contestants are running in the “chained” event where they are chained to the starting line. . .
Are you still with us on this?

Anyhow, there is some debate over whether running the “chained” or the “chainless” events are the best, and the contestants have to choose which event they are in.
Check it out, it actually makes sense, . .  kinda.

Written as a 3-scene drama in order to insert dance or songs, it can be run as a single scene.    

Bonus:  Non-Speaking Adaptation included

Cast: 5 m or f

• 5 (male or female, any age)
• Ace Grace, the self-proclaimed ace sportscaster
• Stats Stella, ESPN sportscaster
• Flash Felicia, chained runner
• Jazzed Jaime, chained runner
• Lady Lacy, unchained runner

Bible Reference: Galatians 5:1

Set:

• bare stage is all that is needed but could be dressed up to look like marathon race track

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX:

• sounds of rooster crowing and pistol

Props:

• chains fastened to something solid at the starting line

Costumes: Likely all in track suits

Special Instructions: none

Time: 15

Sample Script:

Grace comes on stage, starts doing exercises—running in place, etc. After a short time, Stella enters, stands at edge of stage looking at Grace, confused.

Stella:
Excuse me. . .

Grace continues exercising, ignoring Stella. Stella, tentative, touches Grace’s shoulder.

Stella:
Excuse me, is there a race happening here?

Grace looks at Stella, bewildered, shocked.

Grace:
A race you ask? . . .

Stella:
Yes, I was told that there was some kind of a race happening here this evening and I wanted to . . .

Grace:
Honey, this here is not . . a . . race. . . . This here is . . the . . . race!

Stella (confused):
The . . race? . . .

Grace:
Exactly.

Grace goes back to exercising.

Stella:
Excuse me, but what exactly is this here . . the race . . exactly?

Grace (shocked):
Let me guess. . . You come from Far Away And Fast Asleep County . . . am I right?

Stella:
No . . no . . I am from here . . in Chicago.

Grace (shakes her head in disbelief):
You are from here in Chicago and you don’t know about the race?

Stella:
Well, I just moved here to Chicago not long ago and . .

Grace:
It shows, honey! . . For sure it does show!

Stella holds out her hand to shake.

Stella:
I am Stella, pleased to meet you, and you are . .

Grace:
You are on the sports scene and you don’t know me? . . . Where have you been child?

Stella:
Sorry I have . .

Grace shakes hands with Stella.

Grace:
Sports folks around here they call me . . . (builds up) . . Ace Grace!

Stella:
Pleased to meet you . . do I call you Ace or Grace?

Grace (rolls eyes):
The name is . . Ace Grace . . . It just goes together like . . . foot and ball, . . . like . . . race and car . . . like . . (thinks) . . . hock and E.

Stella (confused):
“Hock” and “E”?

Grace:
Oh boyyyy!
(aside)
This will be some exciting working alongside this winner!
(to Stella)
Maybe you being new around here and all, never heard of the Chicago hockey team?

Stella:
Oh of course, Blackhawks, . . . National Hockey League champions, . . . captain Jonathan Toews (pronounced "Taves"), . . Blackhawks have been league champions a total of 5 times . . . one of the original 6 teams when the National Hockey League was formed in 1926. Most of the players back then came from the Portland Rosebuds of the Western Hockey League, originally the Regina Capitals of the Western Canada Hockey League. Blackhawks play their games at Union Center after spending 65 years at the old Chicago Stadium.

Grace (impressed):
Gotta hand it to you, you do know your hockey!

Stella:
Well they do call me . . . Stats Stella. . . . ESPN.

Grace:
Well . . . I am . . Ace Grace . . . GBC.

Stella:
GBC? . . I don’t think I know that network.

Grace:
GBC . . . stands for . . . (assumes pose) . . . Gorgeous Beautiful Chic!

Felicia, Jaime, and Lacy come on stage, start preparing for race.

Grace:
Here comes the runners.

Stella:
Runners?

Grace:
For FFM.

Stella:
FFM?

Grace:
Has anyone ever told you how annoying it is to answer a question with a question?

Stella:
Sorry. . . But I think you just did the same thing. . . But regardless, what is FFM?

Grace:
It is . . .

Stella:
. . . don’t tell me, it’s . .

Stella & Grace (in unison):
. . . the race.

Grace:
Yup, the marathon.

Stella:
Wow, it’s a marathon?

Grace:
Yup, First Annual FFM Classic.

Stella:
How long? Is this a full or half marathon course?

Grace:
Well, like the name says, FFM . . . Fifteen feet.

Stella:
Fifteen feet?

Grace:
Yup, the First Annual FFM Classic, . . the Fifteen Foot Marathon. Toughest course in the state.

Stella:
Wow, only fifteen feet? Must be straight uphill, through rocks, water, and ice.

Grace:
Nope . . . right here on the parking lot. It’s the only . . chains optional . . . marathon . . . anywhere.

Stella looks at Grace with shocked confusion. Lights down.

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