The Bold and Bob

by Jean Ciampi

~ “A colonoscopy isn’t the worst thing that can happen to a man.” ~

“Bob-O”, a high school teacher with the spine of a jellyfish, returns to Normal, Illinois to find that nothing is normal anymore after the sudden passing of his mother, Mariam O’Kineski. Forced to face planning her funeral, he must navigate the Vietnam veteran angling for Mariam’s corner apartment and the building manager angling for a wedding...

~ “A colonoscopy isn’t the worst thing that can happen to a man.” ~

“Bob-O”, a high school teacher with the spine of a jellyfish, returns to Normal, Illinois to find that nothing is normal anymore after the sudden passing of his mother, Mariam O’Kineski. Forced to face planning her funeral, he must navigate the Vietnam veteran angling for Mariam’s corner apartment and the building manager angling for a wedding ring. The aging flower child across the hall is hell-bent to steamroll the funeral plans (which may or may not include the funeral director’s taco truck, the Rolly Guacamole). When Mariam’s boss arrives, however, everything Bob-O thought he knew about his mother unravels. He’ll be making a grave mistake if he thinks his mother’s legacy is what she’s left in her will as Mariam’s final gift to Bob will be much more “bold and brave.”

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The Bold and Bob

Recommended by

  • Sandra de Helen: The Bold and Bob by Jean Ciampi
    “

    Fast-paced farce with funny characters, funny situations.

    Fast-paced farce with funny characters, funny situations.

    ”
  • Bill Triplett: The Bold and Bob by Jean Ciampi
    “

    Love Jean Ciampi's humor -- it really snaps, and it's uniquely hers. A small cast of colorful characters (producers, take note) and a simple set (see previous parenthetic) and a fun, endearing story about a middle-aged man finding himself through the loss of his fiercely independent mother: It held me from start to finish. And not a false note in it. A real achievement worthy of an audience! Bravo, Ms. Ciampi!

    Love Jean Ciampi's humor -- it really snaps, and it's uniquely hers. A small cast of colorful characters (producers, take note) and a simple set (see previous parenthetic) and a fun, endearing story about a middle-aged man finding himself through the loss of his fiercely independent mother: It held me from start to finish. And not a false note in it. A real achievement worthy of an audience! Bravo, Ms. Ciampi!

    ”
  • Kim E. Ruyle: The Bold and Bob by Jean Ciampi
    “

    Jean Ciampi has written a sparkling gem of a comedy. When “Bob-O”, a high school teacher with the spine of a jellyfish is forced to deal with his mother’s passing, he must cope with an outlandish cast of characters and, in the process, learn that his mother was not all she seemed to be. This play has it all: well-drawn characters (Thelma and Arne, especially, are hoots), hilarious dialogue, and an engaging storyline. Will Bob-O grow a spine in the end? Check out The Bold and Bob to find out!

    Jean Ciampi has written a sparkling gem of a comedy. When “Bob-O”, a high school teacher with the spine of a jellyfish is forced to deal with his mother’s passing, he must cope with an outlandish cast of characters and, in the process, learn that his mother was not all she seemed to be. This play has it all: well-drawn characters (Thelma and Arne, especially, are hoots), hilarious dialogue, and an engaging storyline. Will Bob-O grow a spine in the end? Check out The Bold and Bob to find out!

    ”
4 males. 2 females. One male who presents as a woman or a woman who presents as a man.

Development History

  • Reading, Bay City Players, Bay City Michigan, 2021
  • Reading, Creative 360, 2021

Production History

  • Community Theater, Baytown Little Theatre, 2025
  • Community Theater, Script2Stage2Screen, 2023
  • Community Theater, Pasadena Little Theatre , 2022

Awards

  • Best Full-Length Play
    ArtSpeaks Festival
    Winner
    2021