Invention Connection-Drama Skit

Invention Connection-Drama Skit

Themes: Famous black inventors, black history awareness, life would be different without African American influence
Categories: Black History 
Summary:

Keesha and Marcus are siblings who both have presentations to do.  Marcus wants to focus on famous African American athletes but Keesha thinks that subject has been "done to death!" She thinks her topic of "black inventors" is much more interesting but Marcus thinks it's "Borrring!"  So, with the help of her new computer and the very attractive search engine, Hot Bot, Keesha sets out to prove that the world would not be the same without these courageous and intelligent inventors.  Appearances made by: George Washington Carver (peanuts & more), John Standard (refrigerator), Alice Parker (heating furnace), Frederick Jones (air conditioning), Charles Drew (blood transfusions & blood banks), Daniel Williams (open heart surgery), Henry T. Sampson (gamma electric cell), and Thomas Elkins (the toilet).  Other inventors are also mentioned by name.

 
 
Style: Comedy

$10.00
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Characters: 11 (7 Male, 4 Female)
Length: 13-15 minutes
 
Excerpt (Sample)

Setting: A desk with a laptop is on stage. As the skit opens, Marcus and Keesha (brother and sister) race on stage to see who can get to the computer first.  Keesha gets there first and sits in the chair. 

Keesha:            Ha!  I beat you, Marcus!  

Marcus:            Come on Keesha, I want to look up some stuff on the new computer. 

Keesha:            Too bad!  I was here first. 

Marcus:            So what, I was here second.  Now, move it! 

Keesha:            No!  It's not my fault you're so slow.  You'll have to wait.  

Marcus:            But I want to work on my presentation. 

Keesha:            So do I.  

Marcus:           But you're theme is so boring.  You'll put the computer to sleep. 

Keesha:           You don't even know what my theme is. 

Marcus:           So, I know you and I know you'll pick a boring theme.  (he dramatically yawns) 

Keesha:           Please, like yours is so original?  Come on, Marcus, your subject has been done to death!  Everyone already knows who all the great black sports figures are. 

Marcus:           Oh yeah? Name one

Keesha:           (gives him a 'duh. look then begins to rattle off a list of names) )Michael Jordan, Jackie Robinson, Mohammed Ali, Tiger Woods, Terrell Owens, Serena and Venus Williams... 

Marcus:           I said name one(under his breath) Show off. 

Keesha:           What? 

Marcus:           Nothing.  

Keesha:           That's what I thought.  Now, sit back and watch the master at work.  (she begins to type on the laptop) 

Marcus:           (looking at the screen) That's your theme.famous black inventors?  

Keesha:           Yes.  What's wrong with that? 

Marcus:           Like I said, borrrring! (he snores and pretends to be asleep)

Keesha:           I'll have you know that the world today wouldn't be the same if it weren't for black inventors. 

Marcus:           Yeah, well the world of golf wouldn't be the same without Tiger Woods! 

Keesha:           I know, and so does everyone on the planet!  

Marcus:           What's that supposed to mean? 

Keesha:           Ask anyone off the street about a famous black sports figure and I bet they'll have a list a mile long.  But ask them to name a famous black inventor and I bet they won't have a clue. 

Marcus:           Or don't want one.  Who cares about some stuffy old inventor when we've got Michael Jordan, one of the greatest basketball players ever?  He does commercials too, you know.  (sings) .Look who we've got our Hanes on now!.  

Keesha:           (looks at him in disgust and annoyance) I bet you can't name one black inventor.  

Marcus:           Sure I can.  Let's see, there was.(pause) No, he was a football player.  Oh, how about.(pause) No, he was in the Olympics.  

Keesha:           See?  

Marcus:           Just give me a minute.  I know there's got to be something in up here in my head. 

Keesha:           I wouldn't be so sure. 

Marcus:           Oh, I got it!  What's that dude's name'the peanut guy? 

Keesha:           Jimmy Carter.  And he was white.  

Marcus:           Not him, the other one.you know, the guy who invented peanut butter? 

Keesha:           George Washington. 

Marcus:           (interrupts) No, he was our first president.  And you think you're so smart! 

Keesha:           (annoyed) How are you even related to me?  The guy who invented peanut butter was George Washington Carver. 

Marcus:           No way!  Really? 

Keesha:           Really.  Look. (she points at the computer screen and types in something) 

Marcus:           Yeah, that's him.  He's the .P. in .PB&J. Mr. .P.. 

(Keesha and Marcus are focused on the computer, so they don't notice

George & Hot Bot enter.  Hot Bot is an attractive female) 

George:           (to Keesha and Marcus) I'm glad everyone likes the peanut butter but I did a lot more than invent just that, you know. 

(Keesha and Marcus look up, stunned) 

Keesha:           Who are you? 

George:           I'm George Washington Carver. 

Keesha:           Where did you come from? 

Hot Bot:           I brought him here. 

Marcus:           (very interested) And who are you

Hot Bot:           I'm Hot Bot. 

Marcus:           You got that right! 

Keesha:           Wait a minute, Hot Bot is a search engine on my computer, like Google. 

Hot Bot:           That's right.  I saw you type in George Washington Carver and I searched and brought him here for you. 

Marcus:           This new computer is awesome! 

Keesha:           I'm not sure how this is possible, but it is pretty cool. 

George:           Can we get back to me now? 

Marcus:            Do we have to?  I'd like to hear more about her. (indicates Hot Bot) 

Keesha:            (to Marcus) You realize you're flirting with a search engine. 

George clears his throat loudly 

Keesha:            I'm sorry Mr. Carver.  You were saying? 

George:            I was saying that my inventions include more than just peanut butter. 

Marcus:            They do? 

George:           Of course.  I've developed things like shampoo, milk, dyes, paper, bleach, adhesives, plastic, shaving cream and a whole lot more. 

Hot Bot:           He's got a long list of inventions.  Since 1925, he's found over 300 ways to use various kinds of nuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes and other agricultural products. 

Marcus:            I never realized that.  I thought all he made was peanut butter. 

Keesha, George, & Hot Bot: (simultaneously) We know! 

Hot Bot:            This man also developed soap, so without him, you'd all stink! 

Marcus:            That was you? 

George:            (proudly) That was me. 

Marcus:           Then on behalf of underarms everywhere, (he sniffs his own underarm) particularly mine, I thank you sir. (he bows) 

George:            Thank you young man.  Now, before I go, I have just one request.  

Keesha:            What is it, Sir? 

George:            (to Marcus) Please, don't call me .Mr. P. anymore, okay? 

Marcus:            (smiles) You got it.  

George:            If there's nothing else. 

Keesha:            No, Sir, you can go. 

George:            Thank you. (he exits) 

Marcus:            Hey, this is kind of cool.  What else can we look up? 

Keesha:           How about we see if any black inventors created any kind of appliances?  (she types on the computer) 

Hot Bot:           Yes, there were several, as a matter of fact.  Thomas Stewart added a new dimension to cleaning in 1893 when he created a new kind of mop that could wring the water out of itself.  

Marcus:           (makes a buzz noise) Eehhh! Boring!  Next. 

Hot Bot:           In 1892 George T. Sampson invented a clothes dryer. 

Marcus:           Keep going. 

Keesha:           What's wrong with the clothes dryer?  Without it, you'd still be hanging your ugly duds out on the clothesline.  

Marcus:           You mean, you'd still be hanging clothes out on the line.  Laundry is women's work! 

Keesha slaps his arm                       

Hot Bot:           Richard Spikes invented the automatic gear shift in 1932, along with a safety brake. 

Marcus:           All right, now we're taking guy stuff.cars! 

Keesha:           Which goes along with Garret Morgan's invention of the traffic light in 1923, right? 

Hot Bot:           Very good Keesha.  You know your history. 

Marcus:           (to Keesha) How does she know you're name? 

Hot Bot:           You have to log on to use the computer, genius. 

Keesha:           Don't mind him--he's a few microchips short of a circuit.  Did black inventors make any big appliances? 

Hot Bot:           Of course. 

Marcus:           Which one was the best? 

Hot Bot:           Why don't I let them tell you about it? (looking offstage, she motions for John, Alice and Fred to come in) 

Alice enters bundled up in winter clothes; Fred is wearing shorts and a t-shirt and has something in his hands to fan himself with; John is holding a milk container  

Keesha:           You are an odd looking trio.  Who are you? 

Alice:               I'm Alice Parker darling, and without me, you'd be a popsicle. 

Marcus:           You invented ice-cream? 

Alice:               (gives him strange look) No, the heating furnace. 

Marcus:           Oh. 

Fred:                Of course, without me, you'd roast during the summer. I'm Frederick Jones and I invented the air conditioner in 1949. 

Alice:               It took you that long?  The heating furnace was invented in 1919. 

Fred:                Anyone can figure out how to heat the air; cooling it takes much more thought. 

John:               Then I guess I'm smarter than all of you because I invented the refrigerator in 1891.  I'm John Standard. 

Fred:                Bid deal, you filled a box with cold air.  Try cooling an entire building! 

John:               Big deal?  Man, without me your food would be rotten and spoiled!

Fred:                So?  

John:               .So?.  Haven't you ever heard of a little thing called .bacteria. or 'salmonella?.