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Title: “A Report by Susan Grotsky”
Format: Musical Monologue
Word Count: 960
Notes: Creative Oral Presentation for my Modern Drama class. It was a total hit—especially with the Theatre Arts majors—and got a better reaction than expected. The musical portions are split sections of the song “Epiphany” from Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but most of the lyrics are my own (save for a few lines that were best left alone).

Of course, the full effect of this piece relies heavily on execution and whatever acting choices are made. I chose not to include my personal acting choices as stage directions since I believe Susan can be portrayed in several different ways. For my particular performance, I drew out words and stumbled over others (e.g. “discrimination”), I played the glockenspiel terribly, and I threw paper balls at the designated “Janie.”

If you read carefully, you'll find a couple of nods to The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, which served as a source of inspiration.

( SUSAN: Okay, so, um -- my report. )

Title: “Schmapocrypha”
Format: Double Dactyl
Word Count: 29
Notes: For Stephen. This is possibly the most absurd thing I've written to date, and is based on the prize-winning second stanza of my iTunes shuffle poem.

( Higgledy-Piggledy )

Title: “Abandon”
Format: Vignette
Word Count: 200
Notes: For Andie, who brings out the artsy in me. Beware of pseudo-adverbs and other curiosities.

( She would never know what possessed her. )