It's spring at Pumpkin Corners High School and the kids are bursting with energy, eager to have fun. There's just one problem—homework. Is there any way to get rid of it? With the help of computers and the internet they think they have found a way. Will it work?

The Homework Conspiracy and Kids' Country have many similarities. Each is an original—a fresh breath with an upbeat tempo to reach today's youth. We are unaware of other plays with similar plots dealing with the subjects covered in these two scripts. The popularity of each play has resulted in performances for the other. Some are based on love of the music, others on subject matter and the smooth, lifelike dialog. Both get our recommendation as a one-of-a-kind experience.

Dave Cockley wrote the two-acts with sprightly music for young voices. The cast can fill a stage or be doubled for a small troupe. Modern clothes and simple sets allow the action to flow smoothly. The length is controlled by the number of songs and dances.

A conspiracy developed at Pumkin Corners High School in the spring, when the kids were eager for fun. They chose computers and the internet to get rid of their handicap, HOMEWORK. They did not anticipate this predicament:

KLUTZ. [Stands up beside Farley] Ya know what? You need something to cheer you up. Let's hit the movies.
FARLEY. [Depressed] I can't. I gotta help Candy categorize Civil War term papers.
KLUTZ. [Disappointed] Oh, too bad.
FARLEY. [Exasperated] See what I mean? Getting a computer to do your homework is more work than doing it yourself.
KLUTZ. Just trying to figure out which one is more work is a lot of work.
FARLEY. Then stop figuring. What if we could just go back to the way things used to be?
KLUTZ. [Not convinced] I suppose that would be better, but how do you do that?

There were 5 performances in Ohio, Florida, and California before publication. "What a great show! A show that is challenging and yet so smooth that it gets produced as easily as a warm knife sliding through butter."—Ruth M. Kotila and Thomas K. Pierson, Kids on Broadway, Northfield, Ohio. "My middle school students absolutely loved the work...The script was easy to follow, and the music was interesting and fun to learn. I highly recommend this work."—Dr. Scott Mandel, Pacoima Middle School, Los Angeles, California.

See also: Lissa Stratton Strikes and Elementary/Jr. High