28 Hillary DePiano This gets a big reaction from CLARICE and LEANDRO who are at first scared but also show their approval. Among the guests is the NARRATOR dressed similar to Where's Waldo.) KING. (Addresses entire audience:) Ah beloved subjects, welcome! We are here tonight in pursuit of happiness. Most specifically, the happi- ness of my only son, Prince Tartaglia. Whoever can make him laugh will get this huge sack of gold. Though I say now (Sappy music.) that if you can touch his heart and make him happy, truly happy, my Kingdom is yours. (Music stops.) But for now, a laugh will do. Let the entertainments begin. (TRUFFALDINO begins to gather the guests and assign them roles in the joust,) TRUFFALDINO. All right let’s get this show rolling. You heard the man, it’s cash for laughs, people, Entertainment number one, a joust! (The NARRATOR hands the ‘SQUIRES’ TRUFFALDINO ap- pointed their lances and they become different characters imme- diately. They touch the ‘CHALLENGERS’ and they too become their roles. The CHALLENGERS then each touch one other who gets down on all fours. The CHALLENGERS face off at oppo- site sides of the stage with their SQUIRES and HORSES. TRUF- FALDINO signals for the rest of the guests to make a drum roll and then begins to search for something in his pockets.) KING. The coin toss! (TRUFFALDINO searches his pockets and finally finds what he is looking for. It is a rubber chicken. He lifts it high above his head.) LEANDRO. (Aside:) Oh crap. This guy is good. (TRUFFALDINO uses the chicken as the coin and tosses it high into the air and into the audience. After consulting with the au- dience member it landed on or near to determine the outcome [heads or tails], he shouts out the result and announces that this ‘means the joust will be on foot. The two “HORSES” get up and walk dejectedly to the sides of the stage. They each snort sadly. TRUFFALDINO comes back onto the stage and begins the joust. CHALLENGER #1 is a very aggressive and confident fighter. She/he is alwoays flexing, working the crowd and showing his/her teeth to the other challenger. This works best if this challenger is played by someone small and petite, perhaps one of the actresses that later play the princesses. CHALLENGER #2, however, is terrified of the idea of the fight and keeps trying to hide behind his /her SQUIRE. #1'S SQUIRE tosses the lance to him /her and #1 catches it. The crowd is impressed. #2S SQUIRE begins to toss