(Enter MONTY to loud applause. All applause, whoops, cheers, laughter, etc., are achieved with 1950’s canned effects. The applause dies out as he comes to center and scans the audience.)
MONTY: Good evening and welcome to the The Faith Game! (Applause.) Where Belief meets Reality head on and we settle the age old question—how to tell one from the other! I’m your host—Monty! Thank you! Folks, did you hear the latest about the blackbirds? Well, somewhere in Arkansas, hundreds of blackbirds just fell out of the sky. And here to explain it is our next contestant, Howard P. Chitwood! Come on out, Howard!
(Applause and cheers. A man enters, 40’s, average, dressed in a suit.)
MONTY: Ah, there you are. Step up here, Howard, don’t be shy! (HOWARD walks up and stands beside MONTY. Smiles nervously as they shake hands.) I see you brought your cheering squad with you, Howard! (A burst of whooping, girls cooing, applause. HOWARD smiles and waves.)
HOWARD: That’s right, Monty. That’s my wife, Sheila, and my two lovely children, Babs and Little Buddy. (He waves to them, winking and smiling.)
MONTY: And I see your minister’s here, too! Uh, Reverend Meeks?
HOWARD: Yeah. Hey, Preacher!
PREACHER: (A voice in the audience.) Hey, Howard! (Canned laughter.)
MONTY: And you even brought your choir along!
HOWARD: Well, some of ‘em, yes, sir. I told ‘em they didn’t have to come all this way, but they insisted, you know.
MONTY: Well, of course they did. That’s because they believe in you, Howard!
HOWARD: (Shy smile.) Huh!—I guess so, Monty. . .