Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Shoestring Theatre

A cover for a play by Eddie McPherson. The synopsis goes something like this:
Sanders is very upset. The budget for his opening show of the new theatre season is being cut by eighty percent. This particular play is to be an epic retelling of the timeless classic, "Cinderella," an expensive show that includes grand costumes, elaborate sets, and high-priced special effects. But how is he expected to pull off such a spectacle with practically no money? To add insult to injury, Sanders learns that the reason his budget is cut is because Mrs. Brakes, the executive director of the theatre, and her pal Bonnie, the president of the board of directors, have embezzled the "Cinderella" money to fund a nice long cruise in the Caribbean. Sanders is outraged and decides to take matters into his own hands. "If it's a low-budget show they want, it's a low-budget show they'll get," he tells a friend. He rounds up some local yokels with no acting experience and casts them in the show. He uses cardboard boxes for the set, paper confetti and flashlights for special effects, and a child's wagon for the royal carriage in which Cinderella rides to the ball. Cinderella's "beautiful" gown is even worse. But revenge turns from sweet to bitter when Sanders learns that the trip planned was a surprise for him and his wife. Too late, the show has already opened. What a disaster ... that is until the reviews come in and the show is the hit of the season!

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