Middle School Madness [Excerpt]

Middle School Madness deals with the topic of daily choices for middle school students in a lighthearted script meant to point kids toward a foundation of faith for their daily interactions. This script was originally written as a custom piece for the 2018-2019 Fine Arts Festival and can be easily performed by student actors/actresses. It would also be an exceptional illustration for regular youth services. 

A pdf download of this script with complete production notes (character descriptions, director’s notes, setting & stage area design, props, and costuming ideas) can be purchased HERE. An excerpt of the script is available below.

If you are interested in a custom script for your church or ministry, please contact me HERE. I would LOVE to help!

Synopsis

ANDY is a middle school/junior high champion swimmer who is the subject of the latest Middle School Madness reality TV show episode. With prompting from an often obnoxious HOST, he is guided to make good choices throughout the course of a less-than-real-life day at school with his friends. As a result of this reality experience, ANDY is able to communicate Christ as the real motivation behind his intention to make good choices in life. 

Characters

Director’s Notes

The complete PDF script is divided into four short scenes to facilitate rehearsal time. There is not meant to be a literal break in the action of the drama. Rehearsing transitions and physical movement will be key to keep this drama under 5 minutes in length.

The following diagrams illustrate setting and stage area for the first two segments of the script entitled “Welcome to Middle School Madness” and “Choice 1: Algebra.” Complete PDF script includes stage diagrams for all four scenes.

Welcome to Middle School Madness

Choice 1: Algebra

Middle School Madness

Script Excerpt

AT RISE

Two chairs are set center stage, angled together. Ten chairs are set lining upstage. 

STUDENTS stand in a line across upstage and sing a short jingle for the opening of Middle School Madness. Once finished they plop into the line of chairs, clapping and whooping like a studio audience. HOST walks from stage right to center stage with a microphone and begins. 

WELCOME TO MIDDLE SCHOOL MADNESS

HOST: Welcome to tonight’s episode of Middle School Madness, a reality show that follows the average American junior high student and the choices they have to make on a daily basis. I’m your host Sadie Sanderson and tonight we’ll be diving into life with middle school champion swimmer Andy Andrews.

(STUDENTS again clap and whoop like a studio audience. ANDY waves from the line of STUDENTS and steps forward to center stage with HOST.)

HOST: Welcome Andy! Welcome!

ANDY: (settling down into his chair) It’s good to be here Sadie. Thanks for having me.

HOST: Let’s get right to it. Tell us a little something about yourself. 

ANDY: Well, like you said, my name’s Andy…

MAE: (fanning her face, attempting to get ANDY’s attention) We love you Andy!

ANDY: (blushing, continues awkwardly) …and-d-d I love s-s-swimming?

(MAE squeals with delight. HOST cuts into ANDY’s introduction.)

HOST: Yeah, yeah that’s great champ. We gotta lot to cover in tonight’s show (aside to ANDY) so I’ll just kinda move us along, ok?

ANDY: (confused by complies) Um…ok…

HOST: (to the audience) Our hidden cameras have followed Andy for the past twenty-four hours, noting his choices, giving him chances to make great ones, and the opportunity to fix not-so-great ones when necessary…

ANDY: Wait, how can you fix my choices?

HOST: (nonchalant) A rewind button.

ANDY: But I thought this was a live show? 

HOST: (quietly to ANDY) Don’t ruin the magic for the viewers sport (chuckles nervously, to the audience) Isn’t he such a kidder? (punches ANDY in the arm)

ANDY:(holding his arm) Owww…

HOST: So without wasting another precious and costly moment of televised airtime, let’s cut to the tape. 

CHOICE 1: ALGEBRA

(STUDENTS begin circling the center chairs, singing the theme song to transition. As they circle, the scene is changed. Chairs are removed from center stage and placed in the line of chairs upstage as the drama transitions into the video the HOST referenced.)

(HOST hides behind the line of chairs upstage. STUDENTS grab backpacks from under the line of chairs, sling them over their shoulders, and continue as if they are walking the halls of a passing period at school.)

(ANDY and JEFF walk together in place center stage. Remaining STUDENTS walk in real time back and forth in the background. Lines of the students are said over one another to add to the commotion. After scripted lines are said, they continue with hushed conversation.)

(During the remaining scenes the HOST is only visible to ANDY. No one else can see or interact with her.)

ALISON: Jenna!

JENNA: Hey Alison!

JACK: (complaining to MARK & GREG) Can you believe that homework?

MARK: (to JACK) No man, I’m toast.

GREG: (dismal) Goodbye Fortnite. It’s been nice playing you…

ANDY: (pausing and resting a hand on JEFF’s arm) Wait, what’s going on?

JEFF: Dude, where are you? We’re on our way to algebra.

MAE: (walking past JEFF and ANDY, giggling) Hi Andy!

(ANDY turns to MAE and a look of recognition crosses his face.)

ANDY: She was…just in the studio audience…

JEFF: (incredulous) Studio audience? Andy. You’re KILLING me. Algebra?

ANDY: (trying to get into the moment) Right. Algebra.

JEFF: (looking around) Hey uh, I wanted to ask you something…(quietly)…you think you could help me with the test today?

ANDY: Help?

JEFF: You know…(looks around again, quiet)…help. I was playing Fortnite yesterday and it got late…I didn’t exactly get to study.

ANDY: (understanding) Oh yeah. (dismissing any internal question) Makes sense. Yeah. Uh…sure.

(HOST pops up from behind the row of chairs and makes an obnoxious buzzer sound, startling ANDY, causing him to fall comically to the floor.)

HOST: Wrong answer!

(HOST disappears behind the chairs again. ANDY quickly jumps back into the action. All STUDENTS make a rewind sound and act their previous motions in reverse, with the exception of ANDY. JEFF continues in the middle of his ask.)

JEFF: (quietly) …you think you could help me with the test today?

ANDY: (not realizing he’s been given another chance to answer) Didn’t you just ask me that?

(HOST quickly pops out from behind the chairs again.)

HOST: (whispering loudly) Fix your choice…

ANDY: (confused) My choice?

(HOST waves ANDY on toward JEFF and pops back behind the chairs.)

JEFF: (continuing on) You know…(looks around again, quiet)…help. I was playing Fortnite yesterday and it got late…I didn’t exactly get to study.

(ANDY finally understands. He determines to do the right thing.)

ANDY: (quietly to himself) My choice. (to JEFF) Um…no.

JEFF: (stunned) No? I thought you were my best friend!

ANDY: Look I’m really sorry you couldn’t study last night. You ARE my best friend and I would love to help you, but I can’t let you cheat off of me.

(HOST pops up again from behind the chairs and continues in a sing-song voice.)

HOST: Ding, ding, ding, diiiing! Well done, Andy. Let’s pause the tape right there.

(All STUDENTS freeze except ANDY. HOST walks downstage to ANDY.)

ANDY: (looking around suspiciously) Seriously how are you doing this? 

HOST: Did you honestly think reality TV was real? 

ANDY: It’s not?

HOST: (to audience) Well it looks like Andy here made a good choice on this test. Let’s see how he does with his next one…

Like what you see?

Check out the rest of the script in the online shop HERE.

Middle School Madness was first written for and performed by Union Youth Group and entered in their District Fine Arts Festival.

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