The Writers’ Nook is a place where we, as a group, can provide a safe and positive environment in which to encourage one another and hone our own writing skills.
Looking at a Theatre Script
As authors and poets, it’s a real thrill to see your name in print, but they say that there is nothing quite like the thrill of listening to a live audience cheering and clapping in response to a playwright’s carefully crafted words.
For centuries, theatergoers have been enthralled by the magic of the theatre. Perhaps because a live audience creates a special sense of intimacy and immediacy, not just with the cast onstage, but with the whole crew.
For the writer, there is a wonderful sense of achievement and power – that power being the ability to unleash the emotions of the audience and create a unique experience.
This meeting will held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 26th, Blind Bay Time (aka Vancouver Time).
THE CHALLENGE before our next meeting on June 10th.
Write a story or poem inspired by the idea of being trapped on a deserted island — whether it’s a real island or whether it’s figuratively speaking. Have you ever felt trapped?
OR
Write a small story in the form of a
fifteen or twenty minute theatre script.
Question: How do
you know how long fifteen or twenty minutes is?
Answer: You
read the script and time yourself.
Dramatic Action: Remember, a play is a representation of people in action. The term, action means more than just physical movement, it involves the motivations as well, the person’s thoughts and feelings, as well as deeds. It is what he does and why he does it.
Responses:
Three Short Scripts by Joyce Adrian Sotski
Island Time, a theatre script by Kevin Gooden
Firestorm, a theatre script by Shirley Bigelow DeKelver
First four scenes from my stage play Women 101, by E.A. Briginshaw
Random, a theatre script by Karen Bissenden
Kevin, Island Time, Kevin this is a fun script; good job especially for a first script! It held my interest all the way through. There is something I thought of as I was reading it, and I should probably have mentioned at the meeting. It’s good when the dialogue bounces back and forth between two people, or more than two, and you did that very well. It keeps it lively. Hope to see many more scripts coming from you.
Joyce: I read “Herbie” and found it amusing. The only thing I didn’t like was that I found some of the dialog repetitive, particularly at the start. For example, Ross repeats the previous line by DeeDee numerous times.
Kevin: Cute play. Would the phone actually have any power left after seven years?
Shirley: I found the scene too short. I’m not sure the audience would realize what’s going on.
Kevin: You kept the pace moving in your script, it was amusing and fun.
Joyce: “What About Love”, well written and interesting. However, I was worried that the sale wouldn’t go through, they were leaving to find their new home, but the realtor was coming the next morning with the sale papers for the farm.
Joyce
“What About Love?” — Fun story. I love the humour behind Faye Ella erroneously being treated as fragile for her entire life and the positivity around the sisters’ new future.
“Herbie” — Haha, another fun one. I like the brief character sketches at the start of the plays.
“Syncronised” — Also very funny! I see a pattern with these scripts, LOL. I like the small directions in parenthesis, which add just enough detail to enrich the story’s details plus give the actors and director suggestions.
Shirley
“Firestorm” — Interesting to see your story written in theatre script format. Shows there really aren’t limitations with scripts, except perhaps the consideration of how much material should be present in a scene or act before a change occurs (logistics of set changes on the stage and how much can/can’t be done between scenes).
Ernie
“Women 101: The Play” — Lots of laughs in this one. Great potential in this work-in-progress. By the time Scene 4 arrived I was wondering if there was perhaps a bit too much male perspective in the story (assuming if it was an actual play there’d be plenty of female audience members) even though it is an often humorous perspective. Getting Amanda’s perspective in Scene 4 provides some good counter-balance.
Given the initial character descriptions and Amanda’s burgeoning interest in Trevor, are you planning to give her more of a role or her own scene?
Another plot question: are you planning to have Susan assume a stronger position later in the story? That doesn’t go with the play title, but the fact that Trevor is too embarrassed to talk to his mother lends itself to the thought that maybe that also relates to his inability to successfully talk to women.
One logistical thought, with the stage split in half, would there be enough room to show the kitchen and the outside of the kitchen (as well as the grocery store)?
Really like the play so far and hope to see the completed work.
RE your comment on the phone’s power in my play. Of course in an ordinary situation the battery would be long dead. If I was going to pursue getting this play polished and actually used by someone, I would need to emphasize that the test was only once a year and hope that fact would be believable enough for the audience to overcome disbelief. Thanks.
Karen
“Random” — A short-but-funny scene. I like how you pulled that from a young person’s vernacular.
Kevin, thanks for your comments on my stage play. The play has already been completed, undergone numerous revisions, and had a read-thru by several people over at Peter Blacklock’s place. I can email you the entire stage play script if you want to see it. It is based on my novella of the same name. To answer some of your questions, Susan (the mother) has a major scene with Trevor later on in the play after she discovers what has been going on. Amanda also takes on a more major role as her relationship with Trevor develops. I based the stage setup on a play that I saw in a “Theatre on the Edge” production in Salmon Arm so I’m confident it will work. Let me know if you want to see the entire script.
So far, the feedback has been contradictory. My wife and a few other people found the whole idea offensive, even before they read it. Other people, including many women, found it funny and couldn’t understand how anyone could find it offensive. I’m interested in everyone’s feedback.
KAREN: I grinned while reading your short script, enjoying the interaction between the two young adults. Like, well done.
ERNIE: I enjoyed reading your script, and wanted to read more. I’m not sure I agree with Dave’s comments and beliefs regarding women, as I felt he won first prize marrying Susan, who was a paralegal in a law firm. The interaction between Dave and Trevor was fast flowing and amusing, however, some of Dave’s advice to his son was downright scary. I felt like grabbing Trevor and pointing him in Amanda’s direction. I’m sure he’ll eventually find his way. Excellent script.
Shirley, Firestorm, I was surprised that you chose to do a theatre script on this topic but, why not I guess, except that it would probably be difficult to finish it. There are, by the way, markets for very short scripts of only 15 or 20 minutes in length, especially in communities that run seniors theatre programs. However, I thought you did very well in writing your script, as far as it got you. I’d be interested in reading a complete script that you’ve written, start to finish — maybe some time when you are not so busy and involved in getting your own book out.
Ernie, Women 101, I have been very busy and did not take the time to read your script yet. However, you’ve heard my comments on it from previous exercises — and I will read it and comment on it again, maybe even tomorrow.
Karen, Random, I congratulate you on taking the time to stop and listen to a young person, and ask them for a definition. Mark of a curious and caring person I guess. And then you took this ridiculous definition and created a wonderful little script from it. I enjoyed it — you might want to hang onto it in case Shuswap Theatre does another “Quick and Dirty Theatre” session.