Adaptation

ADAPTATION

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Games Master: Welcome to Adaptation, "a new version of an old game."

Contestant Phil Benson enters the world as "the son of urban, liberal, middle-income, Protestant, white, American parents."	The Cast (order of appearance) Games Master (Ken Bowald) Male Player (Joe Balding) Female Player (Molly Jo Stanley) Phil Benson (Dean Barker)

Principal: "You are only second graders, but any bad mark you receive on your school record now may keep you from getting into the college of your choice."	Phil's ninth birthday party.

Prepubescence: the girl becomes aware of her looks; the boy becomes aware of his muscles. Phil tries out both roles.	Phil marches on Washington with his private school's "Rebels Against the Establishment" club.

Mother: "I was advised to come in for a conference with Jo-Jo the school psychologist."	Phil lies to Mark about his exploits with Norma.

Mark looks on as Phil opens rejection letters from Berkeley, Yale, and the University of Chicago.	At the University of Miami, Professor Olsen explains the principles of O.A.M.: Organization, Administration, and Management.

Phil befriends Harve, an African-American, but is kicked out of the Black Panthers. He joins Kappa Kappa Kappa instead and promises to "bore from within . . . to effect a change."	Mr. Johns [seated] asks Barrend Hilton for advice for hotel management students who lacked the foresight to be born into families owning large hotel chains.

Sharon: "Do you love me?" Phil: "I can't tell any more . . . I want to love you, but . . . ."	Mr. Sturgeon, the campus C.I.A. man, enlists Phil for $50 a month and the possibility of permanent draft deferrment.

Phil: "There are two top sheets missing Mr. Grady."	Phil: "You think you're good, don't you, Mr. Hilton."

Phil has lost faith in the Democratic Party, his son doesn't look up to him, his wife doesn't understand him, and now his mistress won't sleep with him. Phil: "This is a hard game."	Phil retires and receives the golden master key to the utility closet of any Hilton hotel on the Eastern Seaboard.

Phil: "I wish I didn't have to quit so soon . . . I had so many dreams . . . Where did I go wrong, Doris?"	Tune in tomorrow for another exciting round of Adaptation!