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Jingle Spree

A full-length triptych play in for three women and three men
Three Acts -- two sets, 1 interior (Act I), 1 exterior (Acts 2-3)
running time: 1:45 + intermission

A comedy about adults and an electric organ, a comedy about children and a gun, and a drama about the consequences.  Actors portray both the children and their parents in this play.

"…Starts at top speed, ends in crushing still life of pain and consequences…"  -- Followspot.com

"Blending humor and psychological insight, Trujillo's play about children, adults and a gun artfully explores the great gaps in understanding and communication that separate kids and parents." -- The Oregonian

Plot Summary

Eight year-old Alan knows the attic is off-limits, but it's the one place he can escape from the bullies.  But today his house is full of those bullies.  They discover his hideout.  They dig up a handgun.  They plot to use the gun to steal candy from their parents.  But when Alan insists on holding the gun, things really get out of hand...

At the same time, Alan's mom Alison is fighting with her sister, Sierra, over a twenty year-old electric organ.  Meanwhile, the sisters' husbands wager on their efforts.  Soon the neighbors get involved in the debate.  In the excitement of the argument, no one seems to notice that their children are missing, until they hear the gun shot.

Five years later, Alan returns home from incarceration, determined to force his mother to deal with the child she's raised.

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Character Breakdown

The play requires six actors, three men and three women, for all of the following parts:

THE FAMILIES

The Sippels
ALISON SIPPEL, thirty-two, wavers between absolute mania and absolute exhaustion.
KARL TAGGART, twenty-eight, ALISON's boyfriend. Charming, if a little too good for the world, in his opinion.
ALAN POTTS, nine. Awkward, moody; and
TAMMY POTTS, five, slow, quiet.  They are ALISON's children from a previous marriage.

The McShanes
SIERRA McSHANE, thirty-four, ALISON's older sister. A trained communicator, and a dilettante.
BYRON McSHANE, forty-five, SIERRA's husband. Self-made man, therefore always right.
VANESSA McSHANE, nine, Sophisticated, sober. SIERRA and BYRON's daughter, ALAN and TAMMY's cousin.

The Fennenbocks
BETH FENNENBOCK, thirty-five, defiant and cynical. ALISON's best and friend.
CHRIS FENNENBOCK, nine. Adventurous, a bully.  BETH's son.
AMY FENNENBOCK, seven. CHRIS's sister. Highly intelligent, desperately social.

Neighbors
R.J. CRINKLAW, thirty. KARL's friend. A man forever along for the ride.
DALE GILFOYLE, eight. A neighbor's kid. Joyful, hyper.

Actors play 1 child and 1 adult in the play, in the following combination:

ALAN - R.J.
TAMMY - ALISON
VANESSA - SIERRA
CHRIS - KARL
AMY - BETH
DALE - BYRON

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Production History

Jingle Spree was produced by CoHo Productions, Oct. 13 - Nov. 18th 2006, in Portland, OR, with the following cast:

The play was directed by Tony Sonera.  Set Design by Charlie Tyndall.  Lighting/sound design by Lara Klingeman.  Special thanks to Lorraine Bahr.

Highlights from the review in The Oregonian.

The first two acts of Jingle Spree were produced in workshop in 1999, as a pair of one-acts, Jingle Spree and Bossa Nova Magichord, at the J.E.T. space in New York City, with the following cast:

The play was directed by Josh Stark.  Design by Josh Stark.  Stage Manager: Lynne Polvino.  Co-produced by Joseph Tudisco and Judith Taranto

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Production Photos

Click the thumbnail for a larger image.

Coho Productions

Photos taken by Marshal Serna.

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