Once Upon a Late-Night: A Play in Three Acts
Act I: The Gathering
Scene: A dimly lit stage adorned with vintage SNL memorabilia. Former cast members gather, reminiscing about their glory days.
Hark! Who doth summon the spirits of laughter past?
Forsooth, ’tis but a gathering of jesters!
TINA FEY:
Aye, Chevy! We are but echoes of a time when humor ruled the night,
and wigs were more outrageous than our punchlines!
ADAM SANDLER:
(strumming a guitar)
Remember the days of singing silly songs?
I penned one about a goat!
(sings) “The goat went to the store, bought some milk, and then some more!”
JIMMY FALLON:
(clapping)
And lo, the audience roared!
‘Twas the era of the ‘Weekend Update’ –
where news was less news, and more a raucous game of charades!
GRETCHEN MOL:
(with a dramatic flair)
But hark! What of the sketches that left us perplexed?
The cowbell, the land shark, and the infamous “More Cowbell!”
CHEVY CHASE:
(interrupting)
Verily, I was the king of the cold open!
No one could resist my charms,
not even the fabled “not ready for primetime players!”
KRISTEN WIIG:
(rolling her eyes)
Oh please, Chevy!
Thou art but a shadow of thy former self,
like a sketch that never quite made it to air.
Act II: The Sketches We Remember
Scene: The cast begins to reenact their most memorable sketches, with exaggerated flair.
(in a mock serious tone)
“Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”
Let us not forget the great political parodies,
where we skewered the powerful with glee!
ADAM SANDLER:
(picking up a fake microphone)
And I, the humble crooner,
sang of the “Hanukkah Song,”
a tune that brought joy to many a Jewish soul!
JIMMY FALLON:
(giggling)
And what of the “Celebrity Jeopardy!”
Where the likes of Connery and Trebek
had us rolling on the floor,
questioning our own sanity!
KRISTEN WIIG:
(dressed in a ridiculous costume)
I played the Target Lady,
who shopped with reckless abandon!
“Welcome to Target!”
(gestures wildly)
“We have everything from A to Z,
including things thou knew not thou needed!”
CHEVY CHASE:
(with a dramatic sigh)
Yet, the truest jest lies in our failures,
for even the worst sketches
are but diamonds in the rough!
Act III: The Legacy
Scene: The cast reflects on the impact of SNL through the years.
(with a nostalgic smile)
We’ve laughed and cried,
shaped pop culture with our wit,
and turned the mundane into the absurd!
ADAM SANDLER:
(strumming again)
And though we’ve aged,
our humor remains timeless!
Like a fine wine, or perhaps a cheese,
that only gets better with age!
JIMMY FALLON:
(raising a glass)
Here’s to the nights of laughter,
to the sketches that made us famous,
and to the friendships that endure!
KRISTEN WIIG:
(toasting)
May we never forget the joy we brought,
and may our legacy live on
in the hearts of future jesters!
CHEVY CHASE:
(with a wink)
And remember, dear friends,
if all else fails,
there’s always more cowbell!
As the curtain falls, the audience erupts in laughter,
for in the world of comedy,
SNL remains the crown jewel,
a testament to the power of laughter through the ages!