635 PRICE 26 CENTS m ^ I ^ 1 THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY P 1 j 1 |.- ,<»<< ■.'"=; "■■ ■' 4 Successful Rural Plays A Strong List From Which to Select Your Next Play FARM FOLKS. A Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur Lewis Tubes. For five male and six female characters. Time of playing, two hours and a half. One simple exterior, two easy interior scenes. Costumes, modern. Flora Goodwin, a farmer's daughter, is engaged to Philip Burleigh, a young New Yorker. Philip's mother wants him to marry a society woman, and by falsehoods makes Flora believe Philip does not love her. Dave Weston, who wants Flora himself, helps the deception by intercepting a letter from Philip to Flora. She agrees to marry Dave, but on the eve of their marriage Dave confesses, Philip learns the truth, and he and Flora are reunited. It is a simple plot, but full of speeches and situations that sway an audience alternately to tears and to laughter. HOME TIES. X Rural Play in Four Acts, by Arthur Lewis Tubes. Characters, four male, five female. Plays two hours and a half. Scene, a simple interior — same for all four acts. Costumes, modern. One of the strongest plays Mr. Tubbs has written. Martin Winn's wife left him when his daughter Ruth was a baby. Harold Vincent, the nephew and adopted son of the man who has wronged Martin, makes love to Ruth Winn. She is also loved by Len Everett, a prosperous young farmer. When Martin discovers who Harold is, he orders him to leave Ruth. Harold, who does not love sincerely, yields. Ruth dis- covers she loves Len, but thinks she has lost him also. Then he comes back, and Ruth finds her happiness. THE OLD NE^V HAMPSHIRE HOME. A New England Drama in Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For seven males and four females. Time, two hours and a half. Costumes, modern. A play with a strong heart interest and pathos, yet rich in humor. Easy to act and very effective. A rural drama of the "Old Homstead" and "Way Down East" type. Two ex- terior scenes, one interior, all easy to set. Full of strong sit- uations and delightfully humorous passages. The kind of a play everybody understands and likes. THE OLD DAIRY HOMESTEAD. A Rural Comedy m Three Acts, by Frank Dumont. For five males and four females. Time, two hours. Rural costumes. Scenes rural ex- terior and interior. An adventurer obtains a large sum of money from a farm house through the intimidation of the farmer's niece, whose husband he claims to be. Her escapes from the wiles of the villain and his female accomplice are both starting and novel. A WHITE MOUNTAIN BOY. A Strong Melodrama in Five Acts, by Charles Townsend. For seven males and four females, and three supers. Time, two hours and twenty minutes One exterior, three interiors. Costumes easy. The hero, a country lad, twice saves the life of a banker's daughter, which results in their betrothal. A scoundrelly clerk has the banker in his power, but the White Mountain boy finds a way to check- mate his schemes, saves the banker, and wins the girl. THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA Dark Moments A Black Face Sketch in One Act By DANIEL R. HARPER PHILADELPHIA THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 1922 GOPYRIGHT 1922 BY ThE PeNN PUBLISHING COMPANY Dark Moments ©CI,D 68260 JAN -2 1923 Dark Moments CHARACTERS Sam and Rumbo, two negroes in co7nplete field uniform. Time of Playing. — About twenty minutes. The trench can be made very simply by draping green or brown material over a row of chairs or tables. Dark Moments SCENE. — Night on the Western Front. {Curtain rises. No one is on stage. Lights are lozu.) Sam (outside). Comp'nee, halt! . . . You men wants to march better dan dat. Here we is, on de edge of No Man's Land, an' you comes along like fust- week rookies. Where am yo' pride? Don't you know dere am no better soldiers on de face of de yearth dan dis man's army? Now den, don' come along like ol' waddlin' ducks ; stick out yo' chests and jes' naturally prance along Hke bantam roosters. You gets me? All right,— 'Ten-shun! . . . Squads — right ! ... As you was ! Stick out dat chest an' tuck in dem feet, Number Three in de front rank. Does yo' want me to bust yo' over de face wid a ham? I guess de captain knows what he's a-doin', puttin' me in charge of dis de-tail; he knows I'se de bes' sol- dier in de bunch. For-r-war-r-r-d, — March! (Sam and RuMBO march on stage from l., Sam leading and RuMBO following directly behind.) De-tail, — Halt! Parade Rest, At Ease, Rest, Order Arms, Stack Arms, Park Yourself. (All this in rapid succession. They halt in center of stage. Rumbo wipes the sweat from his forehead. Sam, pompously.) Now den. De-tail, yo' am on de Western Front, an' befo' Rumbo (interrupting). Sam, how come yo' am al- ways callin' me " De-tail " ? What yo'-all mean by dat? Sam. Well, yo' knows where a dog's tail am? 6 DARK MOMENTS RuMBO. Yes. Sam. An' yo' am always in back of me, ain't yo'? RuMBO. Huh ! Sam. So yo' am de-tail ! RuMBO (brightening). I sees. An' yo' am de dog, huh? An' if we was speakin' of pigs' tails, yo' would be de pig, huh ? Sam (pugnaciously) . Say, what yo' mean? RuMBO. Sam, dat am all right ! Dat am all right ! Yo' don't need to wag yo' tail. (Backing away.) Sam (strikes attitude and points off to r.). See dem woods over dere ? RuMBO (looking). I sees dem. Sam. Well, dey am de woods what de captain done told me to reconnoiter in. Does yo' know what's in dem woods ? RuMBo (gazing intently). No, I don't. Sam (importantly). Dey am full of machine-gun nests ! Rumbo (startled). Machine-gun nests! . . , Whut kind of eggs do dey lay in dem nests ? Sam. Ex- (e^r^^) -plosions. Rumbo. An' what do dey hatch ? Sam. Trouble ! Rumbo. Trouble, huh? Well, when yo' orders mine yo' kin let de trouble out. Sam (oratorically) . Never mind dat, man. Dis am war. Fall in! Come to 'tenshun! (They come to attention.) Brave men, we are here to do or die. Forward to dem woods, though we meet our death. Rumbo. If death meets me he's got to overtake me. Sam. Shut up ! Silence ! Hush ! Come to 'ten- shun ! Do yo' hear me? Snap to it ! If yo' gets scared, watch me an' see how a brave hero acts. (Sam steps to Rumbo's side and both stand at atten- tion, very much exaggerated. A shot outside. Both dive behind trench, where they remain for a short time, peering cautiously over the top. Sam advances from behind the trench and reconnoiters DARK MOMENTS very cautiously; Rumbo peers over top watching him. ) Rumbo. Sam! {No answer. Louder.) Sam! Sam. Yeah ; what am it, Rumbo ? Rumbo. What you-all see? Sam. Kain't see nothin'. It's so dark out yere yo' kain't see yo' hand in front o' yo' face. Rumbo. Say, niggah, dis am no time fo' pusson- alities. I ain't askin' yo' what kain't yo' see; I'm askin' what kin yo' see. Sam. An' ain't I telHn' yo' dat it am dark? Does yo' hear, — dark! I only wishes it was a little lighter so as yo' could see how dark it am out yere. (Sam continues reconnoitering. Backing away from l.) H-h-h-halt ! Who — who — who's dar? {Tremblingly.) Rumbo. Oh m-m-m-mah goodness, man, don't yell so loud. Sam. I wasn't yellin' loud. I were only talkin' to myself to see if I were still at mah post o' duty or whether I done run away. Rumbo {coming from behind trencJi). Sam, if yo' had your choice, which post would you want to guard ? Sam (Sam and Rumbo, c). Yo' means, if dey lets me pick which post I wants to guard, which does I se-lect ? Rumbo. Dat's It. Sam {considering). Well, I guess — I guess I'd se- lect to guard de Saturday Evening Post, {Shot out- side.) O-o-o-oh!! {Both run behind trench.) {A knocking is heard, slow at first, then faster.) Rumbo {peeping out). What's dat noise ? Sounds like a regiment a-marchin'. Sam. Dat sho ain't no regiment. Dat's only mah knees. Rumbo. Yo' ain't scared, is yo'? Sam {peeping out). Scared? Me? Ain't no use bein' scared. Don't yo' know dat yo' don't never hear de shell what hits yo'? 8 DARK MOMENTS RuMBO. Yeah? Maybe yo' don't hear de shell what hits yo' but yo' ain't a-goin' to remember it long, neither. {Both crawl cautiously from behind trench, looking around carefidly.) Why am dis war, anyway, Sam? {Both stand.) Sam. I donno, Rumbo, why am dis war, but Pah- son Jones back home says dey am always goin' to be wars until de millennium comes. RuMBO. Until what comes ? Sam. De millennium ! Rumbo {awed). Sam Johnson, what am de millen- nium f Sam. It's jes' like de centennial, only it's got mo' legs, {pause) an' it's jes' like a foot-rule, somewhat. A foot-rule has ten tenths, don't it? RuMBO. I donno; I guess so. Sam. Well, it do. It has ten tenths; an' it has fifty fiftieths ; an' it has lOO hundredths. Now, den, how many thousandths do a foot-rule hab? Rumbo. Mah gosh, Sam, dere must be millions of dem! (Sam advances to l. and peers into distance.) What yo' lookin' for, Sam ? Sam {in a stage whisper). Germans! RuMBO. Yo' ain't lost any Germans, hab yo'? Sam {returning to c). Say, niggah, when yo' goes collectin' chickens, you looks where is de trees at, don' yo', so as yo' kin find yo' way back in a hurry? RuMBO {rubbing stomach). Chicken! Chicken! By de time I gets through winnin' dis war, mah hands won't be able to tell a White Leghorn from a Plymouth Rock in de dark. Sam {seating himself). How come yo' to get into dis fightin', Rumbo? RuMBO {also seated). I didn't come to get in no fightin'. I don come to get out of it. Sam {puzzled). What yo' mean — yo' come to get out of de fightin' ? RuMBO. Jes' what I says — I'se married. Sam. Was yo' wife hard on yo'? RuMBO. Was she hard on me? I'll say she was. Say, colored man, when we stood us up to be married DARK MOMENTS 9 an' de pahson says to me, " Does yo' take this woman to be yo' lawful wedded wife?" I says, "I takes nothin'. J'se been tooked! "... Say, Sam, what yo'-all think of dis war ? (Shot outside.) Sam (leaping to his feet). It's some baby ! . . . Dis war reminds me of somethin' what happen de other day. The captain were a-examining me for to see why I should not be a corporal. An' he says to me, "Sam, whut do dey raise in Mexico?" An' I says to him, " Captain, suh ! I don't dare talk profane in front of a officer, so I can't tell you what dey raises in Mexico. But Gen'rul Sherman said it." (Both scratch.) RuMBO. Sam, what am de difference between a cootie an' a bug? Sam. Ain' much difference, boy. A cootie am a bug gone to war an' a bug am jes' a member of de Home Guard. But dey both does dere bit, all right. RuMBO. Ain't it about time one of us does some of dis re-re-re-connoitering? Sam. All right. I'll toss a coin. Heads, yo' goes ; tails, I stays here. (Tosses.) Heads it am, Yo' goes. (RuMBO Starts out slowly, then comes back and shoves Sam carefully to one side.) What yo' mean by dat, man? RuMBO (going r.). Don't yo' worry about what I mean by dat. Jes' yo' stays where I puts yo', 'cause when I comes back mah brakes might not work. (Starts out, R.) Sam (calling after him). Where yo' want yo' body sent? RuMBO (looking back). Never yo' mind about mah body, I takes it with me. An' when I wants it any- where, I puts it dere mahself, (Goes out, r.) (Sam, alane, strikes various attitudes indicating fear, anxiety, worry, etc.) 10 DARK MOMENTS RuMBO (outside). O-o-o-oh! (Sam runs behind trench. Rumbo enters, running.) Sam. Halt! (Rumbo halts.) Where yo' goin'? Rumbo {frightened). Ain't goin' nowhere, but, oh man, de place I'se comin' away from ! (Moves to continue running.) Sam. Halt! {Comes from behind trench.) Yo' ain't no soldier, man. What you-all running away from ? What yo' see out dere ? Rumbo. Didn't see nothin'. Sam. Didn't see nothin'? An' am dat what you's runnin' away from? Rumbo. Say, puhson, if you was a-sneakin' along in de dark, a-feehn' your way through de woods, wid trees, an' rocks, an'— an' more trees all around you, all alone by yourself, an' nobody wid you, — an' all of a sudden nothin' steps out from in back of a tree and grabs you by de neck; an' den, when you yells an' starts to run, dat same nothin' jumps on your back; say, wouldn't you be scared too? {Through this speech Sam is at first interested, and then, when Rumbo mentions " nothing " stepping out from behind a tree, Sam is amazed, then puzzled, then angry. Rumbo continues.) Golly, dat sure were some nothin'. Sam. Why, yo' am de most ignorantest puhson I ever did see. De phrenology of your somnabuhsm am only equalled by de incongealousity of yo' hypotenuse. Why, I am willin' to bet a new pair of officer's boots against a button hook dat yo' beUeves in ghostses. Does yo*? Rumbo {zvho has been astonished by Sam's vocabu- lary). Does I believe in ghostses ? Does If I'll say I does ! Why, Sam, what would yo' say if Rastus Ebony suddenly appeared befo' yo' right now? Sam. Rastus Ebony? Why, he's been dead foh years ! Rumbo. I knows it. Sam. Yo' know what I'd say to him? I'd say, DARK MOMENTS II " Rastus Ebony, yo' am dead dese f oh years ; yo' ain't got no right a-walkin' round Hke dis." RuMBO. An' do yo' know what he'd say to yo'? He'd say, " Sam Johnson, I may be dead foh years, but foh years from now yo' am a-goin' to be dead about foh years an' a half." Sam. Why for all dis talk about bein' dead? I don't even feel bad. I ain't never been dead — or sick in my life. RuMBO. Sam, wasn't yo' seasick when yo' come over here to France? Sam. Was I seasick? Well, if I wasn't seasick, I bet I made de sea sick. {Several shots outside. Sam starts walking stiffly out, to R., his eyes staring and his month open wide.) RuMBO. Where yo' goin' to ? Sam. I'se goin' back to America ! RuMBO. Ain't yo' afraid of gettiu' seasick again? Sam. I don't care. I'se goin' while I'se got some- thin' to get seasick with. {Both exit, Sam holding stomach.) CURTAIN Unusually Good Entertainments Read One or More of These Before Deciding on Your Next Program GRADUATION DAY AT WOOD HILL SCHOOL. An Entertainment in Two Acts, by Ward Macauley. For six males and four females, with several minor parts. Time of playing, two hours. Modern costumes. Simple interior scenes^ may be presented in a hall without scenery. The unusual com^ bination of a real "entertainment," including music, recitations, etc., with an interesting love story. The graduation exercises include short speeches, recitations, songs, funny interruptions, and a comical speech by a country school trustee. ' EXAMINATION DAY AT WOOD HILL SCHOOL. An Entertainment in One Act, by Ward Macauley. Eight mal» and six female characters, with minor parts. Plays one hour. Scene, an easy interior, or may be given without scenery. Cos- tumes, modern. Miss Marks, the teacher, refuses to marry a trustee, who threatens to discharge her. The examination in- cludes recitations and songs, and brings out many funny answers to questions. At the close Robert Coleman, an old lover, claims the teacher. Very easy and very effective. BACK TO THE COUNTRY STORE. A Rural Enter- tainment in Three Acts, by Ward Macauley. For four male and five female characters, with some supers. Time, two hours. Two scenes, both easy interiors. Can be played effectively with- out scenery. Costumes, modern. All the principal parts are sure hits. Quigley Higginbotham, known as "Quig," a clerk in a country store, aspires to be a great author or singer and decides to try his fortunes in New York. The last scene is in Quig's home. He returns a failure but is offered a partnership in the country store. He pops the question in the midst of a surprise party given in his honor. Easy to do and very funny. THE DISTRICT CONVENTION. A Farcical Sketch in One Act, by Frank Dumont. For eleven males and one female, or twelve males. Any number of other parts or super- numeraries may be added. Plays forty-five minutes. No special |scenery is required, and the costumes and properties are all easy. The play shows an uproarious political nominating con- vention. The cUmax comes when a woman's rights cham- pion, captures th«e convention. There is a great chance to bur- lesque modern politics and to work in local gags. Every part will make a hit. SI SLOCUM'S COUNTRY STORE. An Entertainment in One Act, by Frank Dumont. Eleven male and five female characters with supernumeraries. Several parts may be doubled. Plays one hour. Interior scene, or may be played without set scenery. Costumes, modern. The rehearsal for an entertain- ment in the village church gives plenty of opportunity for specialty work. A very jolly entertainment of the sort adapted 4o almost any place or occasion. THE PENN PUBUSHING COMPANV Unusually Good Entertainments Read One or More of These Before Deciding on Your Next Program A SURPRISE PARTY AT BRINKLEY'S. An En- tertainment in One Scene, by Ward Macauley. Seven male and seven female characters. Interior scene, or may be given with- out scenery. Costumes, modern. Time, one hour. By the author of the popular successes, "Graduation Day at Wood Hill J^chool," "Back to the Country Store," etc. The villagers have telanned a birthday surprise party for Mary Brinkley, recently graduated from college. They all join in jolly games, songs, fconundrums, etc., and Mary becomes engaged, which surprises the surprisers. The entertainment is a sure success. JONES VS. JINKS. A Mock Trial in One Act, by Edward Mumford. Fifteen male and six female characters, with supernumeraries if desired. May be played all male. Many of the parts (members of the jury, etc.) are small. Scene, a simple interior ; may be played without scenery. Costumes, modern. Time of playing, one hour. This mock trial has many novel features, unusual characters and quick action. Nearly every character has a funny entrance and laughable lines. There are many rich parts, and fast fun throughout. THE SIGHT-SEEING CAR. A Comedy Sketch in One Act, by Ernest M. Gould. For seven males, two females, or may be all male. Parts may be doubled, with quick changes, so that four persons may play the sketch. Time, forty-five minutes. Simple street scene. Costumes, modern. The superintendent of a sight-seeing automobile engages t*' • men to run the machine. A Jew, a farmer, a fat lady a.^ ^ other humorous characters give them all kinds of trouble. This is a regular gat- ling-gun stream of rollicking repartee. THE CASE OF SMYTHE VS. SMITH. An Original Mock Trial in One Act, by Frank Dumont. Eighteen males and two females, or may be all male. Plays about one hour. Scene, a county courtroom ; requires no scenery ; may be played in an ordinary hall. Costumes, modern. This entertainment _ is nearly perfect of its kind, and a sure success. It can be easily produced in any place or on any occasion, and provides almost 4ny number of good parts. THE OliD MAIDS' ASSOCIATION. A Farcical Enter- tainment in One Act, by Louise Latham Wilson. For thirteen females and one male. The male part may be played by a female, and the number of characters increased to twenty orj imore. Time, forty minutes. The play requires neither scenery/ nor properties, and very little in the way of costumes. Can ^easily be prepared in one or two rehearsals. ' BARGAIN DAY AT BLOOMSTEIN'S. A Farcical EHtertainment in One Act, by Edward Mumford. For five males and ten females, with supers. Interior scene. Costumes, mod- ern. Time, thirty minutes. The characters and the situations which arise from their endeavors to buy and sell make rapid-firt fun from start to finish. THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY i»f:VADELPHLA Successful Plays for All Girls In Selecting Your Next Play Do Not Overlook This List YOUNG DOCTOR DEVINE. A Farce in Two Acts, by Mrs. E. J. H. Goodfellow. One of the most popular plays for girls. For nine female characters. Time in playing, thirty minutes. Scenery, ordinary interior. Mod- ern costumes. Girls in a boarding-school, learning that a young doctor is coming to vaccinate all the pupils, eagerly con- sult each other as to the manner of fascinating the physician. When the doctor appears upon the scene the pupils discover that the physician is a female practitioner. SISTER MASONS. A Burlesque in One Act, by Frank DuMONT. For eleven females. Time, thirty minutes. Costumes, fantastic gowns, or dominoes. Scene, interior. A grand expose of Masonry. Some women profess to learn the secrets »f 3 Masonic lodge by hearing their husbands talk in their sleep, and they institute a similar organization. A COMMANDING POSITION. A Farcical Enter, tainment, by Amelia San ford. For seven female char= acters and ten or more other ladies and children. Time, one hour. Costumes, modern. Scenes, .dsy interiors and one street scene. Marian Young gets tired living with her aunt. Miss Skintlint. She decides to "attain a commanding position.'" Marian tries hospital nursing, college settlement work and school teaching, but decides to go back to housework. HOW A WOMAN KEEPS A SECRET. A Comedy in One Act, by Frank Dumont. For ten female characters. Time, half an hour. Scene, an easy interior. Costumes, modern, Mabel Sweetly has just become engaged to Harold, but it's "the deepest kind of a secret." Before announcing it they must win the approval of Harold's uncle, now in Europe, or lose a possible ten thousand a year. At a tea Mabel meets her dearest friend, Maude sees Mabel has a secret, she coaxes and Mabel tells her, But Maude lets out the secret in a few minutes to another friend and so the secret travels. THE OXFORD AFFAIR. A Comedy in Three Acts, by Josephine H. Cobb and Jennie E. Paine. For eight female characters. Plays one hour and three-quarters. Scenes, inter- iors at a seaside hotel. Costumes, modern. The action of the play is located at a summer resort. Alice Graham, in order to chaperon herself, poses as a widow, and Miss Oxford first claims her as a sister-in-law, then denounces her. The onerous duties of Miss Oxford, who attempts to serve as chaperon to Miss Howe and Miss Ashton in the face of many obstacles^ furnisb an evening of rare enjoyment. THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY PHILADELPHIA The Power of Expression Expression and efficiency go hand in handc The power of clear and forceful expression brings confi- dence and poise at all times — in private gatherings, in public discussion, in society, in business, It is an invaluable asset to any man or woman. It can ofteiii be turned into money, but it is always a real joy. Iffl learning to express thought, we learn to command thought itself, and thought is power. You can have thai ipower if you will Whoever has the power of clear expression is always sufff LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 'Hie power, of expression leads too The ability to think "on your : Successful public speaking Effective recitals The mastery over other mind Social prominence Business success Efficiency in any undertaking Are these- things worth while? _ _-_ -_„ _-_ ^ , ** 017 198 565 1 ( They are all successfully taught at The National School 0# Elocution and Oratory, which during many years has de- veloped this power in hundreds of men and women, A catalogue giving full information as to how any of these accomplishments may be attained will be sent free on request THE NATIONAL SCHOOL OF ELOCUTION AND ORATORY 40 J 2 Chestnut Street Philadelphia