(The stage is dark.  Karin sings a few bars of "STILL ON THE TRIGGER".  The song starts off with the clicking of steel balls.  Then the spotlight shines on the hand gun, and just the hand of the preson loading the gun.  At the same time the spotlight goes off of the gun, it shines on Karin and she speaks the words below:)

There's no need to keep unloading and cleaning and loading the gun now Bobby.  You're home...you've been home for some time...America...you're home.  It's just me and the kids...your sister...it's Karin.  You don't need the gun anymore...Bobby...Bobby....

(Karin sings a few bars of "STILL ON THE TRIGGER," then the entire stage lights up, and the dancers are dressed in different war costumes from the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries.  The steel balls began to click, again.  Karin and the dancers remain totally still while the steel balls are clicking.)

(Also, during the clicking of the steel balls, Principle Boyle walks out from among the dancers, then the audience realizes that the clicking sound is comiing from him clicking the steal balls in his right hand.)

(The lights go down.  Spotlights only on Karin and Principal Boyle.)

PRINCIPAL BOYLE

I'm glad you came to see me, Mrs. Shepard.  Must parents aren't interested in their children these days.

KARIN

(Rubs her palms nervously on the front of her suit as if she's straightening a wrinkled skirt to be prime and proper for the principal.)

Mr. Boyle, I assure you, I'm interested in all of my children.

PRINCIPAL BOYLE

(Continues to methodically rotate the steel balls around in his right hand.)

Then I'll explain some things about me that will help you understand.

KARIN

(Focuses on the systematic way the principle rotates the steel balls around in his right hand.)

It really isn't necessary.  I understand standards vary slightly from school to school.

PRINCIPAL BOYLE

(Stops rotating the steel balls, and glares at Karin.)

But Mrs. Shepard, it is necessary--rigid discipline is the only way!

(Insert "RIGIDITY", an uptempo song incorporating some of the dialogue below:)

("RIGIDITY" dance sequence is choreographed.)

Now, I was in the Navy from the time I was eighteen years of age until I was forty-nine.  And during that time, I had some good men to train me.  Of course, I became disciplined and then a good disciplinarian.  Now  the key to everything is rigid discipline.  If a child learns this at an early age, he'll win throughout life.  And rigid discipline means doing a lot of things we don't like some time

(As soon as Principal Boyle says RIGID DISCIPLINE IS THE ONLY WAY, the lights go on and he starts singing "RIGIDITY," and the dancers dressed in war costumes start moving and dancing while Karin stands there looking in total disbelief, as if it was a dream.)

(After the song and dance sequence, the lights go out, the steel balls start clicking, and the spotlights are on Principal Boyle and Karin again.)

(THE CHARACTERS RETURN BACK TO SPOKEN DIALOGUE.)

KARIN

(The clicking sounds of the rotating steel balls annoying her immensely but she makes an effort to cover her irritation.)

But I don't understand?  What does all of this have to do with my son?

PRINCIPLE BOYLE

(Continuously clicking the steel balls.)

He lacks and has no regard for discipline.

KARIN

That's not true.  Because he's always writing programs for his computer, and he spends dedicated hours doing it.  Don't you have marginal room for creativity or a bit of free thinking?  Otherwise we'd all be like robots.

PRINCIPAL BOYLE

(Stops rotating the steel balls for a split second as if he's shocked that she could ask such a thing.)

Discipline is education, Mrs. Shepard...it has always been that way.

KARIN

I don't agree with you that because something has always been a certain rigid way it should remain that way.  Certainly, you can understand that.  Being--

(She waves her hand and the lights come up, with the dancers motionless.)

--for example how could you expect the same discipline that was in World War II to have been the same in Viet Nam?

PRINCIPAL BOYLE

(Begins to rotate the steel balls faster.)

Those men had a disciplined duty to their country whether they felt it was right or not.

KARIN

A disciplined duty, Mr. Boyle?

(Karin starts singing "STILL ON THE TRIGGER".  The tempo has speeded up at this point in the song to keep pace with the clicking balls.  Some of the dialogue below should be incorporated into the entire song.)

("STILL ON THE TRIGGER" war dance sequence should be choreographed as if the men are fighting at this point in the music.)

A duty, Mr. Boyle?  Is that what that was called?  I had a cousin to get his chest blown up by a land mine.  A brother who was shot twice and came home a basket case, I didn't know him.  A duty, Mr. Boyle?  You mean a mistake that was made...only to take over ten years to even recognize those men that had forced disciplined duty or to even consider them at all.

(After Karin sings "STILL ON THE TRIGGER" the lights go out, the spotlights are back on Karin and Principal Boyle, and the rotation of the steel balls become slower more methodical.)

(THE CHARACTERS RETURN TO SPOKEN DIALOGUE.)

KARIN

And now you're telling me that my son should have the same blind discipline?...you want my son, too.

 PRINCIPAL BOYLE

(Still methodically rotating the steel balls in his right hand.)

Mrs. Shepard, either Michael conforms to rigid discipline or I will have to ask you to enroll him in another school.

KARIN

(Starts to walk towards Principal Boyle.)

But what about freedom of expression?...creativity?

(The spotlight goes dark on Principal Boyle, and the clicking of the steel balls stop.)

Oh...(sighing) does everything have to be blind discipline?

(Karin sings several more bars of "STILL ON THE TRIGGER".  After she's finished the song, the spotlight goes dark on her.  The entire stage is dark, and the only thing that is heard is the slow methodical clicking of the steel balls.)