Herman

Nadine Schitzel of Tarzana, California, has a problem: there's a sloth in the eucalyptus tree in her back yard and she's convinced it's her husband, Herman. Her neighbor calls Eye Witness News anchorwoman Sally Sweet, who shows up with her crew, and suddenly the story is hot news. Enjoy this humorous read with its wacky adventure and relatable, quirky characters.

Herman is a variation of the play published by Samuel French titled "The Sloth," that has been performed around the world and in community theaters in the United States.  

"The Sloth" began as a review sketch in Hollywood, not produced, then morphed into the play and later a short story called "The Schitzel Connection," 1988.  published in the Winter/Spring 2011 Edition of Twit Publishing.  The short story also won first place in a writing competition at the Oklahoma City Writers Group a few years ago.

Herman is unique in that it does not relate to any other books or stories I've written.  My wife, Jane Manning, suggested we turn the short story into a play.  At that time, I didn't see how I could sustain the story-line for three acts.  Amazingly, the play developed over time and has been a constant delight when it's performed.

One of the most gratifying performances was directed by a junior high school drama teacher. He called and invited us to the opening night.  It was a terrific experience; the kids did a great job of performing "The Sloth." The teacher managed to get Tim Russert to make a news recording they used in the show.