SUMMATIVE SYNOPSIS
This One-Act/Four-Episode Play follows the careers of BillyBob Goodfellow and his life-long friends, Rebecca Berinstein, Abu Ben Bakr, and Mary Fitzgibbon as they progress from religious aspirants to practioneers under the mentorship of Professor Bookman. The foundational theme of the play centers around a morality question: “Is it human nature to be violent; to kill other human beings to settle our religious or political disputes?” Although there are numerous peace and social justice organizations actively working to end the world violence, one institution seems too often absent from the conversation: religion! BillyBob and friends have been given a mission by their Mentor to do something about that, serving again and again as a wise and thoughtful mentor and even returning from “The Afterlife” to impart a mission to his long-time protégés. The “mission?” A peaceful, just, sustainable future for all human kind.”
THE EVOLUTION OF
BILLYBOB GOODFELLOW
INTRODUCTION
This One-Act Play is structured in four “Episodes” (“Scenes”). Episodes are from 12:00 to 15:00 minutes run-time and each may stand alone or all four may be performed in sequence. There are five characters in our play that age over a period of sixty-years. They may be played by just five actors who “age” through costume and make-up; or by twenty-actors who are in the actual age range of the characters.
CHARACTERS
BILLYBOB GOODFELLOW
We first meet BillyBob Goodfellow in his 20’s
as a Student in the Protestant Faith.
We meet BillyBob again in his 40’s, 60’s,
and finally in his 80’s a Retired Bishop.
REBECCA BERINSTEIN
We first meet Rebecca Berinstein in her 20’s
as a Student in the Jewish Faith
We meet Rebecca again in her 40’s, 60’s,
and finally in her 80’s a Retired Rabbi.
ABU BEN BAKR
We first meet Abu Ben Bakr in his 20’s
as a Student in the Muslim Faith
We meet Abu again in his 40’s, 60’s,
and finally in his 80’s a Retired Imam.
MARY FITZGIBBON
We first meet Mary Fitzgibbon in her 20’s
as a Student in the Catholic Faith.
We meet Mary again in her 40’s, 60’s,
and finally in her 80’s a Retired Abbess.
JULIUS BOOKMAN
Life-long Mentor to
BillyBob, Rebecca, Abu and Mary.
We first meet Julius “Jules” Bookman at age
30 and again at age 50, 70 and post-mortem.