A Cougar Named Florence
A Cougar Named Florence opened in the summer of 2010. I created this show as a way to honor my somewhat strange family. This comedy introduced us to Florence, an elderly woman living with her son and daughter-in-law. Much of what was contained in this show was based on actual events.
Florence is eccentric. That goes without saying. She moved in with the kids because it was closer to Bob Evans Restaurant than her daughter's house! And, as her daughter-in-law Denise would say, Flo is "starting to turn into a real whack job". While Flo's son Ted doesn't think so, the more the audience sees of her, the more they start to believe Denise. From her wacky outfits to her strange habits, Florence is definitely starting down the senile path.
When Florence tells the kids that she's met someone, Denise is thrilled that Flo may have someone to occupy her time a little. Ted, on the other hand, tends to be more apprehensive. Enter strapping young Brad.
Nervous about the matchup, Ted and Denise ask Florence to invite Brad over for dinner. As they discuss the meeting, Flo comes in carrying her "pants less fried chicken", chicken fried by Florence, sans her slacks, which is shown as Flo enters the stage with merely a long shirt and no pants, generating a huge laugh from the audience.
The meeting goes less than expected when Brad enters with his gift for the evening - plastic flowers and a bottle of Boone's Farm. It goes even more unexpected when Brad plants a huge kiss on his "Flo-Flo" and they begin to talk about sex, much to Denise's enjoyment and Ted's dismay.
Florence and Brad decide to end their evening with the kids early by heading out to listen to Brad's favorite band - "Cougars with Lugers" - at a local pub. When Flo returns to retrieve her purse, she overhears Ted and Denise discussing the possibility of setting her up with someone else - someone more her age, something she won't settle for.
In Act II, enter Pastor John, an unsuspecting new local pastor visiting the home to introduce himself. When Florence thinks the kids are setting her up with this older man, she proceeds to throw herself at him in hopes of scaring him. Little does she know, he's a pastor.
Brad comes over to find John trying to steal his "Flo-Flo", generating a punch to the stomach and a quick exit by the Pastor.
Florence finally decides to break it off with Brad and, in the end, she decides to move to Florida, not to live in a retirement community somewhere quiet, but Daytona Beach of all places and lands a job as a greeter at. . . no, not as her son hopes at Wal-Mart, but . . . at Hooters!
The staging for this production included an area for Brad's bachelor pad. The main staging occurred in the living room/dining room area. Sound effects were minimal, although there are suggestions for music between the scenes, all of which would require permission from the appropriate entity. Cast included 2F and 3M. Florence and Brad need to be somewhat distant in age to make the humor of their relationship even better. In our situation, "Brad" was approximately 25 and "Florence" was in her 70s.
AUDIENCE REACTION:
When rehearsals began for this production, we were utilizing two high school "techies" for our lighting and sound. We had to stop several times to ask them to stop laughing while we were rehearsing. Needless to say, the production was fitting for even younger audiences. Older audiences also enjoyed the concept of the older woman and younger man. This show was so well-received that we were asked if we can produce it again at other venues.
