This time we had a big cucumber. So, of course we put it center stage.

Left and right of it were Erin Purcell and Julie Stiner, tap dancing in place.

Offstage, Scott Smith (the younger) could be heard calling for his lost pet. ("Foo Foo? Here, Foo Foo! Where are you?")

Erin and Julie, alternating, would stop dancing, spout a cliche, and then say "No, that's already been taken!", and continue dancing.

After 3 or 4 rounds of cliches, Scott came out onstage and found his pet cucumber. (I believe he said something like, "There you are Foo Foo! Bad cucumber!" and spanked it.)

"No Shame Players: cucumber/already taken" IS COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED, TRANSMITTED, PRINTED OR PERFORMED WITHOUT THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE AUTHOR

[Afterwards, Scott told me that while he was onstage petting his big cucumber, it suddenly occurred to him that, being a gay man, his presence in the piece probably brought a whole other meaning to the scene.]

[Several years later, this moment in theatre history would serve as the inspiration for Open Circle Theater's (Seattle) Veggie Underground and Nicco.]

"No Shame Players: cucumber/already taken" debuted September 18, 1987, performed by Erin Quinn Purcell, Julie Stiner & Scott B. Smith.

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[A brief history of No Shame Players]

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q.v. This is every piece I've ever written by Jeff Goode (10/14/06)

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[Jeff Goode's website] [Erin Quinn Purcell web page] [Frank Ensenberger web page]

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