DUMMY DIALOGUE

by David Ives

Max and Norman are ventriloquists’ dummies who’ve been on the road for years. Now they’re backstage before a show venting their frustrations to each other – like the stupid jokes they have to mouth every night. Then Norman starts to have some very large ideas. Maybe a Dummy Revolution is at hand. This is a funny, idea-packed burlesque skit for two good comedians.

DUMMY DIALOGUE is included in TRW PRESENTS: SHORT PLAYS Volume I. You may apply for rights for this title and any or all of the short plays in the collection by clicking LICENSE.

Production Notes

Characters

MAX: a performer with a whiff of a vaudeville, who has seen it all. Maybe 50 or more.NORMAN: younger, fresher, instantly appealing in his thoughtful idealism. Maybe 20’s or 30’s.SettingBackstage at the Indianapolis World Ventriloquist Convention.

DUMMY DIALOGUE was originally produced for radio and Playing On Air’s podcast by Playing On Air (Claudia Catania, Founder and Artistic Director) as part of its Spring 2021 season. The show remains available at playingonair.org. Walter Bobbie directed the production. John Kilgore was the sound designer and engineer. The cast was as follows:

Norman-Gabriel Ebert Max-Richard Kind

Author

David Ives

David Ives (born July 11, 1950 in Chicago) is a contemporary American playwright. His plays have appeared both Off-Broadway and on Broadway. He has written for the New York City Center Encores! staged concert series for many years.

A native of South Chicago, Ives attended Northwestern University, majoring in English. After graduation he wrote plays and worked at a bookstore in Hollywood. He then worked for three years as a junior editor at Foreign Affairs magazine in New York City. He attended the Yale School of Drama in 1981, where he received an MFA in playwriting.

In the mid-1990s, after having been a contributor... [FULL BIO]