Funny Skits for Senior Citizens

Funny skits for senior citizens can be smart, humorous and off the wall. A great example of sketch humor is the TV classic, "The Carol Burnett Show".

Characters are important to funny skits.

"The Carol Burnett Show" is the perfect foundation for funny skits for senior citizens. What made Burnett's variety show so popular were the original characters and genuine, belly-shaking, slapstick humor. So when you’re looking at potential skits, be sure to ask the following questions about the material:

• What age groups is the skit targeting?
• Is the skit religious or political?
• Is off-color humor acceptable?
• How many characters are there?
• Are the genders set in stone?
• How much set work is necessary to put on the skit?

Burnett’s Stella is probably one of her most well known sketch characters. The old woman doddered into numerous situations causing all manner of uproarious hilarity. What made Burnett’s sketches so entertaining were the very real people in the very surreal situations. Beyond Stella, the most popular collection of characters was the family including Mama, played by Vicki Lawrence, because the family sketches included family dynamics, infighting, bickering, bonding together against adversity and some of the most bizarre situations.

Skits are typically 10-15 minutes in length. They are not necessarily a play so much as a scene. They should have a definitive beginning, middle and end. The characters are often embroiled in whatever situation they must overcome from the moment the sketch opens.

The characters should be well-developed. While your performance will not reveal every intimate detail of the characters' lives, you should know who the characters are, how they react to each other and to different situations. The reaction of the characters is key to the audience’s enjoyment of the skit.

The setting is important, but requires less detail than the characters. A setting can be as simple as two chairs, a bench or an empty space on the floor. Skits are about the people and the situation, not the place.

The skit should have an introduction, the conflict, the climax and of course the resolution. One character should be the viewpoint of the audience and provide the context of the tale being told in the skit, particularly in humorous situations.

Finally, a skit should be limited to two to three performers. Few performers keeps the audience focused on the action and the humor.

Find funny skits and sketches online that you can perform either for your own troupe, senior center or community center programs:

• Health Action Theatre by Seniors – Educational awareness for health issues confronting seniors. The entire troop is comprised of seniors. You may find some wonderful sketch ideas through their forums and materials.
• Senior Adult Ministries – Find more sketches, humorous and otherwise, on life, medicine, finances and more.
• Sketches and Skits – Discover tons of fun sketches and skits, including those from the Carol Burnett Show.

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