How “MAD” Plays Differ From Other Plays

Hi, I’m Bethany Baldwin, owner & creator of Music, Art & Drama “M.A.D. Society” which is a Handbook & Coaching website for “Nurturing God’s Identity in Students Through the Arts” and I’d love to explain to you (and actually show) you what makes the plays and skits written for MAD Spring Plays, Variety Shows & Dinner Theaters, MAD Camps & Mini MAD’s different than other plays so you can join me in my pursuit to provide artistic communities that are free of secular agendas.

Please allow me a long blog post so I can explain the heart behind my playwriting process, explain how my plays are structured differently than the typical play, and tell you all the free perks of picking a MAD play which you will love!

‘The Heart’: I started writing plays because I was frustrated with how inefficient play practices at my Drama Club were, because scripts were too complicated, I struggled to find comical plays that were void of anti-Biblical themes, and I spent tons of hours editing plays to fit what I need for my group which left me unable to post them publicly because of copyright.  Not to mention the cost of plays!  

For these reasons I decided the best way to help support the goals of Music, Art & Drama MAD Society as a ministry was to provide original MAD plays, which means that guess what…I needed to become a playwright!  (Bethany gives a self head smack)

“Bethany, you must have done theater growing up.”  I did not!  I’m currently on my 4th year of lead a Spring Play and the term “tech week '' was something I had never heard until a couple weeks ago.

But!  I’m actually very thankful I do not have a background in theater because my mission, that can also be your mission should you choose to accept it, is that students get the opportunity to be creative and learn leadership skills through the process of creating a play, and not the pursuit of producing shows through the stress of pursuing ‘perfection.’  I am an event planner, homeschool mom of 5 with a bachelors in fine arts and I view MAD Society as a ministry.  

Here is a quick screenshot of some of my resume that HAS contributed to the process & plays written for MAD Society, and to brag on the Holy Spirit for a second and to give credit where it is due (reference the video). It’s my partnership with God and the gifts & talents he gave me that are the driving force behind my play writing. Especially the ability to be able to see life like a movie before it happens in my imagination.

This is the ‘gold’ in me that God asked me to steward so His message could spread.  What is the ‘gold’ He put in you that has the potential to do the same if you fall in love with Him and partner to move together? Maybe becoming a MAD Society Coach will help you figure all that out.

(refer to the video) Ok, let me show you the opening pages of one of my plays, “Neverland UnHooked” and I’ll explain how MAD plays are structured differently …

MAD Plays need 12 actors but all of them have roles for up to 51 actors, with lots of stage crew & leading opportunities for students who don’t want to act.

The 51 acting roles are divided up into 5 Groups that each have specific names for each play.  Group 4 & 5 can be eliminated completely and the story will still be complete.  The first 3 groups have 4 mandatory roles and 3 additional roles that do not have to be filled.  Each of the first 3 groups has a lead character but no characters have more than 51 lines.  Actors who wanted more than 51 lines can join Group 5 in the opening skit, or take an empty role in other scenes if there is one available. 

Each MAD play has 7 scenes, with the option of an opening skit (Group 5) and a chorus of narrators that say their parts before & after the play’s 7 scenes.  This means that Group 4 & 5 can practice at the same time as the main play, making practice extremely efficient.  In addition, I write my plays so the 3 groups of people in the main play do not interact with each other until scene 4.  Scene 1 is Group 1 only, Scene 2 is Group 2 only, and Scene 3 is Group 3 only.  This means that the first 3 of the 7 scenes of the play can be practiced at the same time.  Meaning: shorter practices, less boredom & waiting backstage, and better results from more practice time.  

Also!  Each group of characters enters & exits all together from 1 single stage entrance.  Again, if you have ever helped backstage with sending actors on exactly when they are supposed to, this is a game changer!  I was so sick of trying to get this aspect of hosting plays right, so I fixed it!

Other perks:  

1. I try to have as many of my characters able to work for either male or female actors as I possible
2. I give all the roles important, interesting or funny names because no one wants to have a boring name
3. I make each line about one whole sentence so they are substantial but not too long
4. The last scene has all the characters in it so it feels grand for everyone all the way to the end
5. I have provided character personality descriptions, costume suggestions, line count, prop list and the scenes each role is in
6. The play is written so you don’t need a stage crew because actors carry their own props (though I do have a list for props you can add if you have a stage crew). You can have zero to three backdrops (though each of my plays has templates you can use for making 2 backdrops) and I have the music & narrators parts pre-recorded for you to use if you don’t have enough students to provide the Group 4 part and don’t have anyone that wants to play live music for your play.

My plays read like a checklist, a timeline of events, like a book from start to finish: how the venue should be setup up a half hour before the start of the show, an opening paragraph for the show’s emcee, scene titles and backdrop description, a line up order with spaces to write in the students names, acting prompts, sound effect suggestions, lighting prompts, an organized bowing chart and process, and even a list of concession stand suggestions just to name a few. It’s also color coded by job!

The other aspect of MAD Society that is different from other drama groups is the “Jobs” process.  I took the time to make titles and job descriptions for most of what needs to be done to host & perform several kinds of shows, and come up with a sign up process & accountability process so students can take on some of the club’s responsibilities for leadership development.  This process encourages not attempting anything that is typically part of a show if no one is interested in doing that task so the performances can stay simple and fun.

(reference the video) In combination with committing to respect the copyright and rights paragraph if you purchase one of my plays, you will also get: 

★ Script/s already turned into a Master Event Guide

★ Pre-recorded Neverland UnHooked “jingle” to play between scenes, per-recorded jingle with Narrators/Group 4’s parts combined, or someone can play live music with your live narrators.

★ Pre-drawn backdrops that can be projected, traced or just used for inspiration 

★ MADBill template premade that matches the play for you to fill in with the details of your club 

★ Advertising Graphics that match the play

★ Link to purchase play clothing &  ‘swag” with the play’s icon on them

★ Tickets you can print that match the play

★ A pre-made Pinterest Board for costumes, props, color scheme & backdrops ideas, tutorials & DIY’s 

★ Playlist suggestions for pre show, intermission and post show that come with the disclaimer that those songs should not be posted without consent or live streamed without consent from the owners of that music

★Plus additional Drama Hints and suggestions for each play.

I already have this blog and YouTube channel filled with some of this content already, plus a subscription for MAD Society Coaches that basically holds your hand through this entire theater endeavor to ensure that you succeed.

Ideally you will want to purchase my MAD Handbook for starting and leading a drama club that provides things like calendars, checklists, pre-made forms, mixers, drama games and an interactive Scripture supported soapbox time to ensure that your drama club is healthy, efficient and saturated with eternal value. I also include a part picking process that completely takes the ‘drama’ out so no feelings are hurt, which is important to me.

You have my permission to post the performances of MAD plays, as long as you give credit and direct links to MAD Society’s web page and YouTube channel, you follow the copyright rules stated on each script and the play does not violate the goals of MAD Society as described on our website. Most plays make you purchase the ability to post their play, so please ‘thank me’ by giving as much publicity to MAD as possible so other people can benefit from all MAD has to offer, just like you are!

I want you to be able to succeed.  I have worked hard to do the work for you, to be able to provide kids & teens with a place to be creative without the high pressure of perfectionism or needing to make and spend a lot of money.  Choosing to be a coach of a drama club has never been easier, as long as you can keep a commitment to yourself to start small and simple.

~Coach Baldwin