Production Statement

Fuddy Meers presents a few problems in the script that need to be addressed. They are few but diverse. The show opens in Claire’s bedroom. Then we move to Limping man’s car. Then to Gertie’s kitchen. Then to Gertie’s basement. Then to Richard’s car. There are two different cars as setting! Another issue is the staged violence. There is a tussle between Richard and Heidi when he wrestles her gun from her using his self defense class knowledge. Later there is the struggle between Heidi and Kenny when she is trying to get the gun back from him. On top of that Kenny is shot in this process. And there is the fact that there is a gun on stage. Then there is the stabbing. Gertie stabs Limping man in the back. And to top off the staged violence, both Heidi and Millet are conked on the back of the head with a shovel. Lastly there is the problem of the two speech impediments that Gertie (aphasia) and Limping man (lisping) to consider. They make it hard for the audience to understand if not done properly.

Here at SHSU, however, we have more specified concerns. First of all I see Fuddy Meers as a show that would be in the showcase theatre. Assuming that this was the case, the size of the space right away sends bells off at the thought of the two cars that are settings. Not to mention the kitchen, the basement, or the bedroom that. Then there is the question of violence. The staged combat can be dangerous for professionals and we want students to be as safe as possible. Something else to think about with the small space is the audience’s close proximity to this action. This means that the wrestling, gun use, and stabbing have to be believable on top of the safety concerns. One plus with the small space is that the language issues are easier to handle. The easier it is to see an actors lips the easier it is to understand what they are saying. So, therefore, in the case of Limping man and his lisp, there is some relief to the concern of the ear picking up what is being said.

There were a few interesting solutions to the set that I read in reviews or saw in the production photos. More than one production had a revolving set, sort of like a Lazy Susanne, as an answer to the different sets. But most treated the sets and props as abstracts without walls. I saw one picture that had an actual car on stage…Or at least part of it (the front end) although I’m not sure if this production used the same car as both sets or if they used two different car fronts. Another way the cars were solved in a few of the productions was that the seats and steering wheel only as the car. One solution that I saw that did not work for me was the production that used a Fisher Price toy car! HUH?! There didn’t seem to be much said about the violence and or stabbing mentioned in my research. I saw one photo that had what looked like a large butcher knife being used. In another photo from the same production they seemed to be using depth as a way to fool the audience in sewing up Limping man’s wounds. One would assume that they used angles to have the stabbing work or a collapsible knife. To address the gun, I think that this was something that some of the smaller productions treated as part of the audience’s willing suspense of disbelief. I saw one photo that had Heidi and Kenny fighting over a more than obviously fake gun. Further more, none of the reviews addressed problems with the speech impediments that the characters have. I don’t know if this is due to a very well rehearsed set of actors or a translation sheet of Gertie’s lines slipped into the program. Every review I read seemed to understand her completely.

In the majority of the reviews that I read, the script was hailed as hilariously funny and spot on for this type of comedy and the productions nailed the performance. There were, however, mixed reviews in Europe. The professional English productions had some reviews that didn’t enjoy the outrageous comedy that switched into the moral lesion with a thoughtful, poignant even, ending. The critic that I am thinking of in particular that I’m thinking of ( and most like it about the same production) blamed part of the problem on the playwright and part on the director. Apparently there is a fine line that is easy to cross put forth by the playwright and the English production crossed it.

Australian Premiere 2005

Fishy Productions

The Darlinghurst Theatre Company

The Darlinghurst Theatre

Sydney Australia

May 2005

Directed by: Morgan Smallbone

Set Design: Hamish Peters

Costume Design: Alexandra Gallery

Lighting/ Sound Design: Glenn Dulihanty

Photography: Cameron Baird/ Criena Court

Graphic Design: Sensory Creative

The humour is universal and the various American accents only enhance the comedic elements. The set is basic but functional and makes the most of the space available, with a rather ingenious solution to staging scenes in a car.The play is rather Altman-esque (as in Robert Altman, the film director) in structure. There are many story strands woven together and as we get to know the characters, we discover where their stories intersect. In this way Claire’s journey is also the audience’s voyage of discovery. The audience is experiencing everything for the very first time – just like Claire.

Phillipa Wherett, theblurb.com

http://www.theblurb.com.au/Issue54/FuddyMeers.htm

European Premiere 2004

Birmingham Repertory Theatre & Arts Theatre, London

Birmingham & London England

April to June 2004

Director: Angus Jackson

Designer: Lez Brotherston

Lighting Designer: Neil Austin

Music and Sound: Alex Gallafent

Dialect Coach: Penny Dyer

Fight Direction: Terry King

London Costume Supervisor: Dianne Williams

Assistant Designer: Colin Falconer

By stark contrast, Fuddy Meers brings us a major new American talent, though I wish the writer, David Lindsay-Abaire could have decided whether he was writing a heart-breaking tragi-comedy about amnesia or a manic farce. So in 90 short minutes we get both, often hopelessly jumbled. True, amnesia is a dodgy subject, especially for those of us getting a little absent-minded.

Sheridan Morley, Daily Express

http://www.aord.co.uk/fuddy/reviews.htm

The director, Angus Jackson, seems unable to decide whether we are meant to care about these dysfunctional characters, or regard them merely as comic cartoons, so he tries to have it both ways and falls flat on his face.

Charles Spenser, The Daily Telegraph

http://www.aord.co.uk/fuddy/reviews.htm

VBC Playhouse 2005

VBC Playhouse

Theatre Hunstville

Huntsville AL

January 2005

Director: Sam Marsh

Technical Director: Mark Eccleston and Karl King

Stage Manager: David French

Costumes: Special Assistance from Anne Clem

Set Design: David Harwell

Set Dressing: Heather Huber

Props: Breanne Wise

Make-up: Lydia Marsh

Prosthetic Make-up: Rick Coleman

Casting Committee: Sam Marsh, Michelle Allen, Jim Zielinski, Breanne Wise

Director Sam Marsh says in his "Notes From the Director" that his philosophy of directing is to "cast well and then stay out of the way." Whatever his formula, it seems to be working! This show is cast extremely well. Each actor has created a unique personality for the play.

Marsh also explains what he thinks the show is about (because you might be a little confused if you don't understand this): "To me, it's a little story about how looks can be deceiving, about how we shouldn't judge a book by its cover, about how little we really know each other--you know, all the little cliches."

Jean Brandau, About.com

http://huntsville.about.com/od/theatreanddance/ss/fuddymeers_8.htm

The Colony Theatre 2003

The Colony Theatre Company

Burbank CA

Through March 2003

Director: David Rose

Scenic Design: Robert L. Smith

Lighting Design: Lisa D. Katz

Sound Design: Drew Dalzell

Costume Design: A. Jeffrey Schoenberg

Properties Design: MacAndMe

Make-up Design: Bradley M. Look

Fight Choreography: Charles Currier

Assistant Director: Anjali Bal

The second act is not as funny as the first. Rather than end the show on a comic high, Lindsay-Abaire has chosen to go for a more serious, if not downright touching, ending. The company executes it well enough - when we're supposed to take a moment and think about how really awful it must be for someone suffering from amnesia and the people who must cope with it, we do feel for them. The problem is that we'd rather not. Having spent two hours laughing at these characters, it is a bit of a downer to actually have to take them seriously.

Sharon Perlmutter, Talkinbroadway.com

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/la/la89.html

Although Rose scores in leading this talented crew through a comedic minefield, when it becomes time to deal with the realities behind each character they have to travel too far to adequately register the reality of a prevalent social ill. Partly it is the writing that trivializes the problem. However, the actors have worked so hard to elicit laughter that their descent into recognition feels rushed.[separate interesting thought] An imaginative and versatile set by Robert L. Smith allows the proceedings to unfold cinematically without sacrificing the flow of action. Lisa D. Katz's lighting serves well, but the scenes in the car are not as tightly lighted as they might be. Costuming by A. Jeffrey Schoenberg also serves the interpretation.

Leigh Kennicott, Back Stage West

http://www.allbusiness.com/services/amusement-recreation-services/4386268-1.html

City Theatre 2002

City Theatre

Pittsburgh PA

March 2002

Director: Lou Jacob

Set Designer: G.W. Mercier

Lighting Desiner: Andrew David Ostrowski

Some of people in her life would rather hide than reveal the facts of who they are and what parts they play in Claire's life, so each revelation has a less than 100% chance of being disproved later in the play. This tenuousness plus the eccentric nature of the characters is the crux of the comedy in Fuddy Meers. In this production, it works only part of the time.

Ann Miner, Talkinbroadway.com

http://www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/pitt/p29.html

The setting is a blue, cloudscape box by G.W. Mercier, which Andrew David Ostrowski's lights can spangle with stars or saturate with Norman Rockwell warmth. Necessary set pieces (furniture, car) whizz in and out between scenes, with the shadowy crew seeming like the stage-managering part of Claire's Wonderland dream.

Christopher Rawson, Post-Gazette

http://www.pittsburghpostgazette.com/ae/20020308fuddy0308fnp6.asp

2nd Story Theatre 2008

2nd Story Theatre
Warren, RI
May through June 2008

Director:Ed Shea
Set Designer:Trevor Elliot
Humanities Scholar-in-Residence:Dr. Eileen Warburton

There is a cop (Amy Thompson) chase involving Claire's husband and son, as they go looking for her. There are mistaken identities and mayhem. It is all completely improbable and beyond absurd but very entertaining.

Randy Rice, Broadwayworld.com
http://broadwayworld.com/article/Review_Fuddy_Meers_at_2nd_Story_Theater_20080518

Trevor Elliot has come up with the attractive revolving set for the show, one that switches from Claire’s stark bedroom with blue sky and puffy clouds, to Gertie’s 1950s kitchen, her musty basement and the front seat of Richard’s car.

Channing Gray, Providence Journal http://www.2ndstorytheatre.com/season2007/fm.press.html

Statement: The World of the Play

Fuddy Meers's playwright, David Lindsay-Abaire, does not provide us with a time and place to set his play. There are a few clues that we are given, but only one strong enough to give us a region of the nation to start with. The reference to Friendly's (a restaurant) lets us research the region due to the fact that we do not have them here so they have to be specific to another area of the country. Using the playwright's home town of Boston Massachusetts made all too much sense (the first Friendly's was in Massachusetts). On top of that, Boston Massachusetts fits other requirements set forth by the script. For instance the urban atmosphere. Most smaller towns and suburbs of cites don't have a public transit bus system the way that Larger metropolitan areas do. Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority is the public transit for the entire Massachusetts bay area that is considered the metro area of Boston Massachusetts. Also, a short distance away from Boston MA is a county (Norfolk) that hosts quite a few of Massachusetts's state funded prison facilities. Furthermore, the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections have uniforms that are incredibly alike. They are alike enough for Heidi to steal a guard's uniform from the laundry at the prison that she works in and helps Limping man and Millet escape from.

Then what about Gertie's house? We are only told that it is in the country. The clues to where in the country, is in the Piermont fair reference. Within a short drive from Boston Massachusetts (around two hours) there is a small town of just over 700 citizens in New Hampshire called Piermont. Along the way, taking the interstate route, there is both a Friendly's and a JC Penny's both of which are referenced in the script as being on the way to Gertie's house. What about the fair itself? I found nothing on a particular fair in Piermont, however there are several traveling fairs/ carnivals in the New England area that have been around long enough to have been the Piermont fair. Piermont could have hired one of them for its country fair. Being as small of a town as it is they may not have the notoriety of say the Texas State Fair.

In the notes on setting at the beginning of the script, it says modern day is the time frame. What does this mean? Today's climate is drastically different from even just a few years ago. So how do we determine the time that Fuddy Meers is set in? Lindsay-Abaire wrote this script while attending Juilliard in the Lila Acheson Wallace American Playwrights Program. It was first workshopped there at Juilliard in 1998. The show was first done at the Manhattan Theatre Club in late 1999, but the first commercial run of Fuddy Meers was in early January of 2000 at the Minetta Lane Theatre. Using the year 2000 for the setting, while not definitive, works quite well. Why? There are a few cultural references that make plenty of sense in the year 2000. Rodney King is referenced. The incident involving Rodney King occurred in the year 1991 and caused catastrophic riots in Los Angeles California and smaller riots in Las Vegas Nevada and Atlanta Georgia in the year 1992. setting it too close to these events would mean that it was too soon after their fall out and 'not funny yet', too far after, not funny anymore. There was a peek in both domestic violence and violent crime in the late 90s (which, assuming the current action takes place in 2000, would be when the play's historical action leading up to the current action would have been). Also with the play set in 2000 the No Child Left Behind act would not be in effect. Without the NCLB act the school's around the county would have had higher standards and expectations (due to not being punished for underachievement with in said standards/ expectations and/ or goals) making it easier to believe Kenny as a 17 year old eighth grader.

Ultimately Fuddy Meers can be set in any time frame after it was written. The play isn't about a time and a place (even though some of the regional and cultural references point us in the right direction) Fuddy Meers is about the comedy of forgetfulness and how the events in our lives shape us and even those around us too.

Images & Sounds

Sound link
Carnival Music- first option Silver Moon- Carousel Waltz
http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/display/sounds.cfm/sound_group_iid.2147


Photos that wouldn't upload properly
Massechussetts domestic violence chart- First chart at the top of the page
http://janedoe.org/know/stats_dv_m.htm

Route from Boston MA to Piermont NH
<http://maps.google.com/maps?daddr=Boston,+MA&geocode=%3BFYhYhgIdbr7D-w&dirflg=&saddr=Piermont,+New+Hampshire&f=d&hl=en&sll=42.122673,-70.08728&sspn=2.790781,4.927368&ie=UTF8&ll=42.646081,-70.894775&spn=2.767619,4.927368&z=8>

Photo Slideshow

Macro View- U.S.

1. National domestic Violence against women

Between 1/3 and 1/2 of all adult women are beaten by their husbands or lovers at some time in their lives. 14% of American women acknowledge having been violently abused by a husband or boyfriend.

http://www.dso.uncc.edu/women/TBN_Web/stats.html

Each year, medical expenses from domestic violence total at least $3 to $5 billion. Businesses forfeit another $100 million in lost wages, sick leave, absenteeism and non-productivity.

http://www.silentwitness.net/sub/violences.htm

These are national numbers gathered close to the time of the final incident with Phil. Women are not exclusively the victims of domestic violence, however, they are far more likely to be the victims than men.

2. National stats and info on domestic violence towards children

According to one study, children who witness domestic violence are more likely to exhibit behavior and physical health problems including depression, anxiety, and violence towards peers. (Jaffe, P. & Sudermann, M., 1995)

According to another study, children who witness domestic violence are also more likely to attempt suicide, abuse drugs and alcohol, run away from home, engage in teenage prosecution, and commit sexual assault crimes. (Wolfe, D.A., Wekerle, C., Reitzel, D. & Gough, R., 1995)

According to a 1990 study, fifty percent of men who frequently assault their wives frequently assault their children. (Strauss, M., Gelles, R. & Smith, C., 1990)

http://www.janedoe.org/know/stats_healthcare.htm

Each year, an estimated 3.3 million children witness their mothers or female caretakers being abused (American Psychological Association, 1996)

http://www.janedoe.org/know/stats_dv_n.htm

"Children immersed in a culture of violence become insecure and lack an inner conscience that holds respect for others. They are easily discouraged and have low self-esteem. They live without hope. From such a life comes confusion, hostility and violence." Roger Toogood, ASW/ACSW Executive Director, Children's Home Society of Minnesota

http://www.silentwitness.net/sub/violences.htm

Children as the victims of domestic violence is quite prevalent (especially if mom is being abused) and very harmful to their development. Could this be why Kenny underachieves?

3. Violent Crimes in the US

http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/us-overall-violent-crime-rate-per-10-2

Here is a great chart that shows pretty much any year you would like with a nice colored visual to show the rate in whichever US state you would like. In the late 90s (during the play's background) the violent crime rate was very high.

4.MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) technician training/ licensing

Best Online MRI Technician School Rankings

Becoming an MRI technician requires an associates degree in either Medical Assisting, Allied Health or Human Services. Below are rankings and reviews of the best online MRI tech programs and links to the schools that offer them. Request free enrollment and financial aid information packets from the schools below by using the "More Info" buttons:

http://www.mritechnicianschools.org/

What? That's it? You mean you can get this online? You can get your buddy to do the work for you? So that's how an ex druggie/armed robber/ assault & battery mugger can become an MRI technician.

5. DOC (Department of Corrections) officers

Corrections Officer

County Corrections Department is always seeking the most qualified and finest candidates for Corrections Officers.Our hiring process is competitive and only the best will be selected for employment. The primary role is to ensure order and security and enforce the policies and rules of the institution where they work. Officers observe actions and oversee task assigned to inmates in order to make certain inmates are obeying the rules.

* $18.25 - 31.92 /hour

* $3,000 sign on monies with 2 year commitment

A high school diploma or graduation equivalency degree is required.

http://career-network.com/joboffer/register.cfm?jobpositionid=80734&utm_content=552&utm_medium=Corrections%20Officer&utm_name=Career%20Network%20Control%20Content&utm_term=corrections%20officer%20jobs&utm_source=&id_prd=GooAd

So wait... anyone who passed high school or got their GRE can do this? I'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and assume that they do a background check. I'm not knocking the difficulty of these people in these positions. But I would like to point out that Heidi is only a kitchen worker. What does that require? An IQ?

6. Arson on a national level

Year Fires Deaths Direct Dollar Loss In Millions

1998 76,000 470 $1,249

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/statistics/arson/

Nationally Arson was much more popular at the time than in Massachusetts.

7. Rodney King

Rodney Glen King (born April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California) is a Black American who, on March 3, 1991, was the victim of police brutality, committed by Los Angeles police officers. A bystander, George Holliday, videotaped much of the incident from a distance.

The footage showed LAPD officers repeatedly striking King with their batons. A portion of this footage was aired by news agencies around the world, causing public outrage that raised tensions between the black community and the LAPD and increased anger over police brutality and social inequalities in the black/African-American community.

Four LAPD officers were later tried in a state court for the beating but were acquitted. The announcement of the acquittals sparked the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. A later federal trial for civil rights violations ended with two of the officers found guilty and sent to prison and the other two officers acquitted.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodney_King

Rodney King made national news and the incident caused an entire generation to be afraid of the police. Despite the fears, the name Rodney King has become a piece of pop culture humor.

8. Bush election pending

The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush (1989-1993), and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President. Bill Clinton, the incumbent President, was vacating the position after serving the maximum two terms allowed by the Twenty-second Amendment. Bush narrowly won the November 7 election, with 271 electoral votes to Gore's 266 (with one elector abstaining in the official tally). The election was noteworthy for a controversy over the awarding of Florida's 25 electoral votes, the subsequent recount process in that state, and the unusual event of the winning candidate having received fewer popular votes than the runner-up.[1] It was the closest election since 1876, and the first since that election that the electoral vote did not reflect the popular vote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000

The action of this play takes place in the spring. That means if its set in 2000 then the controversies surrounding the election of Pres. George W. Bush have not happened. Such as the...

9. Recount

Most of the post-electoral controversy revolved around Gore's request for hand recounts in four counties (Broward, Miami Dade, Palm Beach, and Volusia), as provided under Florida state law. Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris announced she would reject any revised totals from those counties if they were not turned in by November 14, the statutory deadline for amended returns. The Florida Supreme Court extended the deadline to November 26, a decision later vacated by the U.S. Supreme Court. Miami-Dade eventually halted its recount and resubmitted its original total to the state canvassing board, while Palm Beach County failed to meet the extended deadline. On November 26, the state canvassing board certified Bush the victor of Florida's electors by 537 votes. Gore formally contested the certified results, but a state court decision overruling Gore was reversed by the Florida Supreme Court, which ordered a recount of over 70,000 ballots previously rejected by machine counters. The U.S. Supreme Court quickly halted the order.

On December 12, the Supreme Court ruled in a 5–4 vote that the Florida Supreme Court's ruling requiring a statewide recount of ballots was unconstitutional, and that the Florida recounts could not be completed before a December 12 "safe harbor" deadline, and should therefore cease and the previously certified total should hold.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_2000#Florida_Recount

While the recount was going on in made news around the world nightly. But since our action takes place before the Recount it is not mentioned, thus helping to date the piece for us.

But what else did Pres. Bush do that might help us to understand the play?

10.NCLB (No Child Left Behind)

Incentives against low-performing students

Because the law's response if the school fails to make adequate progress is not only to provide additional help for students, but also to impose punitive measures on the school, the incentives are to set expectations lower rather than higher.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCLB#Incentives_against_low-performing_students

The practice of giving all students the same test, under the same conditions, has been accused of inherent cultural bias because different cultures may value different skills. It also may conflict with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which states that schools must accommodate disabled students. For example, it is normally acceptable for visually impaired students to be read test material aloud. However, on a NCLB-mandated test, a group of blind students had their scores invalidated (reported as zeros) because the testing protocol did not specifically allow for test readers to speak.

The practice of determining educational quality by testing students has been called into question.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCLB#Problems_with_standardized_tests

So if Fuddy Meers had taken place 2002 or later Kenny most likely would not have been held back so far because most likely his standardized testing scores would have thrown the curve and helped to bring down expectations.

Micro view- Boston/Massachusetts

1. Boston Public school buses.

Boston Public Schools students are eligible for transportation if they live more than:

• 1 mile from their elementary school;
• 1½ miles from their middle school (includes grades 6–8 attending K–8 schools);
• 2 miles from their high school.

http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/200

Then why is Kenny riding the public transit bus to school? What does this tell us? They lived close to Kenny's school and Kenny is just too lazy to walk to school?

But...

Parents may request a bus stop near their child’s before- or after-school program or day care location, with certain restrictions:

1. The requested stop must be on one of the school’s regular bus routes; and

2. There must be a seat available on the bus.

Parents should be aware that the BPS does not guarantee that the request for an alternative stop will be granted. We process alternative stop requests in the order they are received. Please note that requests received in late August and September may take several weeks to process. The earlier you submit your request, the better your chance for approval.

http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/200

Kenny is possibly not on the route because of his advanced age.

2. Public transit buses in Boston

Boston is an urban area with an extensive public transit system. There are over 500 routes. There is too much for a quote. The routes, prices, and any other information on the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) on this website.

http://www.mbta.com/

This is another piece of the puzzle that helps us able to place the setting of Fuddy Meers

3. Boston Public School System

Boston public schools OK with 17 (nearly) year old 8th grader?

Truth is that most people would see this as a possible learning disability. Boston's public school website has this to say.

If you believe that your child is having difficulty making progress in a regular classroom due to a disability, you have the right to an evaluation of your child to find out if he or she has a disability and is eligible for special education services. Ask the principal/headmaster or Evaluation Team Facilitator (ETF) for this evaluation.

http://www.bostonpublicschools.org/node/226

Being held behind for extra help is within reason.

4. Massachusetts DOC (Department of Corrections)

Massachusetts has a few very strict rules within their prison system.(which one doesn't?) But they also have a very broad variety of rehabilitation approaches within their DOC. They seem very concerned with reform instead of institutionalization.

DOC Mission Statement

The Massachusetts Department of Correction's mission is to promote public safety by incarcerating offenders while providing opportunities for participation in effective programming designed to reduce recidivism.

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsagencylanding&L=3&L0=Home&L1=Public+Safety+Agencies&L2=Massachusetts+Department+of+Correction&sid=Eeops

This could explain why Limping man has had his change of heart

5. Piermont fair

In researching the reference to the Piermont fair I discovered that there was no fair in particular that was being referred to (not like the Texas State Fair or anything). I did however discover that there was a traveling fair that went through NH that had been around long enough to have been the fair that Claire and Kenny both went to as a child.

Today, over 50 years later, Fiesta Shows continues as the exclusive carnival partner at the nation's oldest fair - entertaining over 500,000 patrons annually.

This also helped me set the country setting of Gertie's house.

http://www.fiestashows.com/history/history.asp

6. Massachusetts State Police

The Troop's primary responsibility is to ensure that the primary and secondary roadways of the 70 municipalities located within the Troop's boundaries are adequately patrolled and responded to for service.

http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eopsterminal&L=5&L0=Home&L1=Law+Enforcement+%26+Criminal+Justice&L2=Law+Enforcement&L3=State+Police+Troops&L4=Troop+A&sid=Eeops&b=terminalcontent&f=msp_divisions_field_services_troops_troop_a_msp_field_troop_a&csid=Eeops

The MA State Police have jurisdiction on the interstate highways like the one that is on the route to Piermont New Hampshire that would most likely be taken Richard and Kenny. On top of that I found out that the Uniforms of the State Police and that of the Honor Guard of the MA DOC (like the one that Heidi might have been able to get from the laundry truck in the prison) are strikingly similar to each other. This makes it easy to confuse the two thus helping this little scheme work.

7. Boston vs Piermont population

At first Richard decides to look through the streets of the city to try and find Claire. How many straws are there in the haystack of Boston MA in 2000? 589,141

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&_name=boston&_state=04000US25&Submit.x=7&Submit.y=8&_county=boston&_cityTown=boston&_zip=&_sse=on&_lang=en&pctxt=fph

Piermont NH? 709

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=Search&geo_id=16000US2507000&_geoContext=01000US%7C04000US25%7C16000US2507000&_street=&_county=piermont&_cityTown=piermont&_state=04000US33&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=160&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry=

Much smaller haystack to find Claire in...

8. Domestic Violence Locally

"

Region	Women	Children
Boston	234	221
Metro	117	171
Northeast	297	275
Central	80	79
Southeast	271	259
West	109	158

"

http://janedoe.org/know/stats_dv_m.htm

Of course these are not all of them. Some cases go unfiled/ reported. Claire is not alone.

Neither is Kenny...

According to the Registry of Civil Restraining Orders, at least 43,000 Massachusetts children a year are exposed to reported acts of abuse and violence between family members (Adams, 1995).

http://janedoe.org/know/stats_dv_m.htm

Without the violence in these two's past...there would be no storyline.

9. Violent crimes in Massachusetts

Richard has committed a violent crime(among others) in his past. Millet is accuse of this crime.

Just how likely was it for them to meet?

In the year 2000 Massachusetts had an estimated population of 6,349,097 which ranked the state as having the 13th in population. For that year the State of Massachusetts had a total Crime Index of 3,026.1 reported incidents per 100,000 people. This ranked the state as having the 42nd highest total Crime Index. For Violent Crime Massachusetts had a reported incident rate of 476.1 per 100,000 people. This ranked the state as having the 21st highest occurrence for Violent Crime among the states.

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/macrime.htm

Massachusetts runs low on overall crime and just above middle of violent crimes. For them to run into eachother years later never having know eachother before seems quite unlikely. This makes for a bigger strange coinsidence.

10. Arson Locally

Limping man (Phil) is imprisoned for arson. How often does this happen?

In all of the research that I did on crime in Boston and Massachusetts, not many cases of arson came up. There either wasn't any or no cases where 'known to law enforcement' or it never happened.

Check out this graph showing a zero for that year in Boston.

http://www.cityrating.com/citycrime.asp?city=Boston&state=MA

Chances are Phil burning the house down would have made the news.

Characters and Casting

After reading Fuddy Meers I examined the possible ways that this show might be cast, especially when it comes to non traditional casting. These are my opinions for casting those actors of varying race/ ethnicity, age, and physical capabilities.

Fuddy Meers makes only one reference to race/ ethnicity throughout the entire script. Richard makes a crack that he’s part Mexican when Heidi says that she’s ” sweatin' like a Mexican whore!” Richard retorts “RICHARD (Offended): Hey, watch it! My mother's half Mexican.” Other than this there is no reference to the race/ ethnicity of these characters and therefore no reason to think that race/ ethnicity have anything to do with the authors intent. There is no hidden agenda making some racial statement. Strictly humor. If the show was cast multiracially, I believe that the original intent would remain intact and that the audience would lose no humorous value. Furthermore if the cast were multiracial I don’t believe that any political statement would be inferred by the audience because of the lightheartedness of this style of comedy.

As far as gender is concerned in Fuddy Meers, there is no message about gender in the script. I believe that Heidi should be played by a woman since it is mentioned that she is a “lady cop” and there is a small to do about that. Other than that gender rolls do not seem to be all that important. I think that if Gertie were played by a male actor that it would be hilarious.

In an academic setting such as Sam Houston State University, finding actors of the appropriate age can often be an issue. The fact that we don’t have many older women to play a woman of Gertie’s age very often makes age an nonissue in and of itself. With the make-up and costume department being as good as they are I do believe that a traditional college aged student could actually play Gertie, given that there were no age appropriate students in the department at the time.

This show presents an excellent opportunity for an actor with a disability. Limping man has a lisp, is half deaf, half blind, and walks with a very defined limp. The only issue is that someone with a disability may be offended if offered the roll strictly because of their disadvantages. However, if the actor doesn’t mind, then I can find no reason it wouldn’t be at the director’s discretion. Other than the obvious character with several disabilities, I think that many of the other characters could be played by actors with any variety of disabilities. Kenny and Heidi do have what seems to be a labored struggle that some may not be capable of but if the physical capability is there, again, director’s discretion.

Over all and in general this show has a myriad of occasions for the use of extremely non traditional casting. It would also make a great show to perform in an academic setting such that we have here at Sam Houston State University.

Characters

CLAIRE --about forty, a generally sunny woman with amnesia.
RICHARD --about forty, a chatty, friendly, sometimes nervous man.
KENNY --seventeen, a troubled teen.
LIMPING MAN --about forty, a lisping, limping, half-blind, half-deaf man with secrets.
GERTIE --sixties, a clear-headed lady who's had a stroke and can't speak properly.
MILLET --thirties or forties, an odd man with a puppet.
HEIDI --thirties or forties, a tough woman in uniform.

Fable and Plot Summary

Fable

Every morning Claire Fiffle wakes up to her loving husband Richard. The only problem is that she doesn’t know Richard. Every morning when Claire wakes she doesn’t know anybody. Claire suffers from a rare type of amnesia that causes her to forget everything every morning when she wakes up. We join Claire one morning as she’s going through her discovery process. She wakes up and meets her husband, Richard, and her 17 year old son, Kenny. Richard does the best he can to jog her memory and has even built a notebook full of pictures with corresponding names and ideas. Once he has explained how the memory book works, Richard heads off to the shower. While he is in disposed a man in a ski mask pops out from under the bed. His name is not yet given, but we call him Limping man. Limping man, who we learn has a pretty bad lisp, explains to Claire that he is her brother, Zach, and that it is important that she come with him because her life may be in danger because Richard is trying to kill her. Confused she agrees and heads to his car. In the car Limping man takes off his mask and we learn that due to some sort of burn he is also deaf and blind on his right side. He then explains that they are going to Claire’s mother Gertie’s house. Once we are at Gertie’s house we learn that Gertie suffered a stroke some time ago and, although she is still sharp as a tack, she suffers from aphasia( her words won’t sound like she intends them to so she makes no sense. i.e. she says clay instead of Claire). While Gertie and Claire catch up Millet shows up with his foul mouthed puppet Binky. And we learn that Zach may not be so nice after all. All three, Millet, Binky, and Zach have what’s left of handcuffs on their wrists. While the men are in the basement taking a hacksaw to their fetters, Gertie is making an attempt to call 911. She also is trying to explain to Claire that her brother Zach fell out of a tree and died when he was eight. During all of this nonsense Richard has discovered that Claire is missing(he believes that she is most likely heading to Gertie’s house) and recruits Kenny for the search party. While on the road to Grandma’s Kenny is smoking pot in the car. After a brief “attempt” to make Kenny stop smoking his joint, Richard partakes. This causes paranoia when a local cop begins to pull them over. After fun times with the “lady cop” Heidi, she attempts to arrest the men. Having recently taken a self defense class, Richard is able to disarm Heidi and take her hostage. Finding Claire is too important to Richard to deal with the hassle of going to jail. The trio arrive at Gertie’s and stumble upon the Claire’s realization that Zach is dead and this Limping man is not her brother. Gertie takes the opportunity of the chaos to stab Limping man in the back with a knife that she’d hidden at the arrival of Limping man and Claire. There is bedlam for a moment, and her son gets grazed by a bullet, and then the bad guys prevail. When they regain control we learn that not only is Heidi on their side but that she isn’t really a cop. She was a kitchen staff member at the prison and helped Limping man (who we’ve learned is named Phil) and Millet escape.
Claire then learns what really happened to her while tending to her son. With her new found knowledge Claire decides that her incident should be in her memory book. As she falls asleep on the ride home, both Kenny and Richard talk with her about how they hope she is better, memories intact, when she wakes up.



Plot Summary

Act 1 Scene 1

• Claire wakes up
• She is introduced to her husband, Richard
• She is introduced to her son, Kenny
• We learn that Richard is taking a self defence class at the Y
• We learn that Kenny is somewhat of a troubled youth(smokes pot, does poorly in school)
• Richard tells Claire that he's her husband and Kenny's her son
• He tells her about her Psychogenic amnesia that started 2 years ago
• We learn how her amnesia works
• Richard explains her memory book
• Richard goes to take a show to avoid answering Clair's question of how she got amnesia
• While Claire reads her memory book, a man in a ski mask pops out from under the bed
• He walks with a limp and speaks with a lisp and has a hand cuff on his wrist
• The script calls him Limping man
• Limping man claims to be her brother, Zach
• Limping man claims that Richard is going to kill Claire
• Claire grabs the memory book and a word puzzle book and they head for Limping man's car.

Act 1 Scene 2

• The duo start driving
• Limping man takes off his mask at Claire's behest
• We learn that he is deaf in his right ear(that appears melted) and blind in his right eye
• Limping man tells Claire that they are heading to the country to her mother Gertie's house
• We learn that Gertie has had a stroke and can't form her sentences quite right
• Limping man throws her memory book out of the car window
• They almost get into an accident because of Limping man's blindness

Act 1 Scene 3

• They arrive at Gertie's house
• Gertie hides a knife under a towel while Claire and Limping man go around to the front door
• Gertie offers them breakfast and Limping man shows his stranger aversion to bacon and throws the pack of bacon out of the window
• Limping man goes to the cellar to get a hacksaw and Gertie tries to tell Claire something but Claire is having a memory of childhood
• Binky the foul-mouthed puppet pops into the window
• Then Millet is introduced(who's mom Freebased so he's a little special)
• The men and Claire go to the basement and Gertie tries to call 911
• Limping man comes back upstairs to get something he's forgotten and sees Gertie (who is now pretending to make small talk with a friend) and threatens to kill her if she says anything to Claire and then apologizes

Act 1 Scene 4

• Richard and Kenny are in the car looking for Claire(Kenny is smoking pot)
• As they are driving Richard keeps trying to connect with Kenny with no luck
• Richard Decides that Claire must be hitchhiking to Gertie's
• Richard asks Kenny for a hit of his joint
• There are sirens so Richard throws the joint out the window as Heidi pulls them over
• Heidi is wondering why they were speeding and Richard claims to be out for a drive to Friendly's for a treat
• She doesn't buy it but that is irrelevant because she says they were clocked doing 84 in a 55
• They go back and forth about license and registration and the scent of pot and why she smells it
• Heidi pulls her gun and tells him to get out of the car
• They get out of the car and hand her the paperwork
• She tells them that she's going to radio back to check out the info
• That sets Richard off because of his questionable past so he uses his new self defence skills to disarm her
• Richard demands that she get into the car thus kidnapping her

Act 1 Scene 5

• Claire and Millet are playing with Claire's old toys in Gertie's basement
• Millet notices a ring that looks like one that his old boss( the principal of a grade school where Millet was a janitor) had and he was accused of beating her to get it from her the same day he was fired by her because she said he scared the children
• We find out that this incident was what landed Millet in prison and that this is where Millet met Limping man
• Claire uses a monster mask and Millet's simple mind to get information on why she has amnesia out of him
• Binky lets slip that she was hit in the head by a paperweight thrown by her husband and that another time she joked that his shirt was girly and he threw her across the floor, poured cereal on her, then slammed her head into the cabinet after which she was unconscious for 3 hours
• Claire assumes that it is Richard that did these things
• Claire asks Limping man about these things (letting him know that Millet squealed)
• Claire goes upstairs for breakfast and Limping man finishes cutting off Binky's cuff

Act 1 Scene 6

• Richard and Kenny still have Heidi hostage
• They cross the state line towards Gertie's house
• They all bicker
• Heidi is starting to get claustrophobic
• Richard decides that they are stopping at Denny's

Act 1 Scene 7

• Gertie is looking for something and Claire is doing a word search
• Claire has a childhood memory about a neighbor's dog
• Gertie finally finds what she's been looking for(a cookie tin)and sits down with Claire
• The tin is full of old photos and keepsakes
• One of the photos is of her brother Zach in a fun house mirror or funny mirror (aka fuddy meers in Gertie speak)
• The men come back into the kitchen so Gertie stops trying to Help Claire remember
• Limping man announces that they (himself, Millet, and Claire) are going to get moving, but Claire wants to stay
• Gertie, Claire, and Limping man go back and forth for a while
• After a while Gertie pulls out a newspaper article from the tin to show Claire
• Claire reads it (its Zach's obituary)
• Just as Claire reads what happened, Kenny Richard and Heidi appear in the window
• Claire still believes that Richard is her abuser so she is frightened of him
• The three go around front
• as Limping man is trying to convince Claire to go out the window 'to escape Richard' Gertie stabs him in the back with the knife that she had hidden earlier
• Gertie then calls 911 again
• There is a jumble of words and actions- Heidi is trying to get the gun from Kenny, Richard is trying to calm Claire down and explain, Millet is confused and back and forth as Binky, Limping man is bossing Millet around, Gertie takes Binky off Millet's hand and begins to stab the puppet
• They all speak at once and then Claire yells over all of them and tells them to stop
• The Gun goes off then there is a blackout

Act 2 Scene 1

• This act opens with the gun going off and the the lights going up
• Kenny's arm has been grazed
• Heidi tells Millet to get the knife and stab anyone who moves and it is revealed that they all know each other and that she and Limping man are involved romantically
• Heidi tells Millet to take Richard and Gertie to the basement
• Claire finds out that she was a school nurse
• Kenny decides to tell Claire what happened but is stopped by both Limping man and Richard as Richard reminds him about the doctor's instructions not to tell her what happened
• Claire begins to work on Kenny's arm

Act 2 Scene 2

• Millet has Richard and Gertie in the Basement
• Gertie goes off to search for a sewing kit for Millet to fix Binky
• Richard begins to try and talk Millet out of their plans and his 'life of crime'
• Gertie finds a photo album and then goes upstairs to look for the sewing kit. Richard continues
• Gertie finds the sewing kit and hands Richard the photo album
• Gertie goes off to look for her Shovel
• Richard continues
• Richard tells the story of his not so clean past revealing that it was actually Richard who beat the principal for her ring
• Millet chases Richard and Gertie hits Millet with the shovel off stage

Act 2 Scene 3

• Claire is bandaging Kenny's arm
• We learn that Heidi helped the jailbirds break out and that she is really a prison kitchen worker and only stole the cop uniform from the laundry truck
• Claire, Heidi, and Limping man go back and forth about if Limping man loves Heidi or not while Claire stitches up Limping man's back wound
• Kenny starts to tell Claire about her past involving Limping man and that he's Kenny's biological father
• Kenny and Limping man tell her the whole ugly truth the whole time Limping man is trying to apologize and win Claire back
• As the story goes on Claire starts to remember the facts as well and starts to tell the story too
• Heidi realizes that Limping man is inviting her to Run away with all of them because he wants her back...she's just been used
• Kenny gets a hold of the gun when Heidi leaves to get Millet
• Claire makes Kenny give it to her and she throws it out of the window
• Limping man looses his temper and the plan to win her back fails
• From the basement there is a struggle and Richard hits Heidi on the head with the shovel and then comes into the kitchen with Gertie
• Richard, Kenny, Gertie, and Claire head for the car to drive home

Act 2 Scene 4

• Claire tells Richard to add her past to the front of the memory book and he agrees
• Claire asks about how they got married
• Richard tells the story
• As Claire starts to fall asleep Richard and Kenny have hope that she might retain her information when she wakes up
• The lights go down after Claire falls asleep