Creative Theater for and by Kids

Dr Awesome and the Mushroom People

Synopsis

Act I

Dr. Balonius Awesome and his group of scientists travel from school to school, putting on entertaining science shows. But some people find the behavior of the scientists disturbing. This is probably due to the fact that the scientists practice a strange religion called Baloneyism. Dr. Awesome reminds the scientists that whatever others may think, it is important to be who you are.

At Port of Bello School, Dr. Awesome and his group present an assembly on The Human Mind. An experiment to demonstrate the power of the brain involves a brain transplant, with a piece of bologna added to the transplant by Dr. Awesome. To demonstrate external control of the human mind, Dr. Awesome uses a series of hypnosis experiments.
First, he hypnotizes a student named Tony to fall to he ground every time he hears the word Baloney. He then hypnotizes four students, getting them to sing of their love for bologna. Nurse Matilda, the school nurse, is upset with the scientists, thinking they are trying to brainwash her students with Baloneyism, and she kicks them out of her school.

Unfortunately, Dr. Awesome did not have time to reverse the effects of the hypnosis on Tony. Agents from the FBI enter. They have had the scientists under surveillance. Nurse Matilda shows what has happened to Tony and demands the FBI agents arrest the scientists.

On the road, the scientists debate whether they should try to hide their religion to stay out of trouble. They are torn between their desire to worship freely and their desire to be perceived as normal. Despite Dr. Awesome’s insistence that is important to be who you are they reluctantly agree to hide their Baloneyism for the next show. Nurse Matilda and Tony arrive demanding the reversal of the hypnosis. Just as the FBI vehicle appears and the scientists hurriedly drive off, leaving a hypnotized Tony and Nurse Matilda in the road.

The next science show is at the Port of Bello Science Club and it is on Gene splicing. Scientist Steve has a demonstration. But his SpiderMonkey is not actually a gene-spliced animal but a spider and a monkey pinned together with large safety pins. The same goes for his CatFish and PigDog. But at last he produces an actual example for gene splicing as he introduces his MockingBirdLizard. The Science Club President wonders if this can be done using human DNA. Dr. Awesome shows the results of Steve’s experiments combining human and mushroom DNA to product Mushroom People. The Science Club President then asks if this can be done using an already existing human. An experiment is attempted with Steve’s new machine in which the Science Club President is turned into a Mushroom Person. Before they can reverse the process and restore the human, the FBI agents arrive and arrest the scientists, taking them away but leaving the machine. The new Mushroom Person gets an idea that Mushroom People can take over the world, and he begins putting other Science Club members into the machine.

Act II

The scientists are in the custody of the FBI when they are again confronted by Nurse Matilda and Tony. Suddenly Mushroom People appear and abduct Nurse Matilda and Tony. Leaving one agent to guard the prisoners, the other FBI agents go after the Mushroom People.

At the annual Port of Bello Mushroom Festival, things seem to be fine, as vendors sell their mushroom specialties, and musicians entertain. A TV reporter and her camera operator arrive, describing rumors of Mushroom People and reports of abductions, fires and rioting all over the city. But here at the Mushroom Festival she reports everything is peaceful. Behind her festival goers are being abducted by Mushroom People and finally she and her camera operator are abducted as well.

The FBI decides the problem is too big and they call in the military. A battle ensues between the military’s tanks and the Mushroom People, resulting in a retreat of the tanks. The scientists appear still in FBI custody and are quickly surrounded by Mushroom People. Fearing of their lives, the scientists turn to their religion, pulling out their ritual slices of bologna. The Mushroom People recoil, apparently afraid of the bologna. Dr. Awesome seized the opportunity to hypnotize the Mushroom People’s leader and directs him to lead his followers back to the machine to reverse the process.

The world has been saved, thanks to Baloneyism. Nurse Matilda, the FBI agents and the scientists all agree that it is important for people to be allowed to be who they are.