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Post by furvacatta on Nov 21, 2008 23:15:19 GMT -5
The reason I tend to miss the Creative Writing Club meetings is due to my work in the Collins Hill Drama Program as the sound designer/operator (That's the fancy title. It's also called "Sitting there and playing CDs." Regardless). Once, when I was really bored in the theater, I came up with an idea for a one act play using what I know- theater tech.
The basic idea is that it's thirty minutes before the start of a school production of Macbeth (because Shakespeare amuses me) and the technical people are setting up and getting ready to run the show. It's a door slamming farce (Without any doors- the whole play takes place on the stage), so complications begin to arrise. Someone put dry ice in the toolbox, there are actors destroying technical elements, and someone ends up falling in love. I think.
As you can tell, it's not really that fleshed out in my mind except for the premise. I know what happens right before the curtain drops, but besides that the entire storyline is still out in the open.
If anyone has any ideas for characters, little complications (I want there to be 3-4 chaotic story lines all going on, and so far the only one I have is the most minor, the toolbox and the dry ice), or just general suggestions, I'd appreciate it!
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Risu
Fresh Meat
That squirrel girl
Posts: 11
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Post by Risu on Nov 21, 2008 23:36:08 GMT -5
Maybe Lady Macbeth is rehearsing (unconfidently, like she doesn't know what she's saying) her lines (or his- is this traditional Shakespeare? XD) and finds out that he/she had spilled something on the script and can't remember the lines at all. So he/she asks if anybody remembers what happens next. But the thing is, Lady Macbeth is writing pretty much word for word whatever she hears- and while the director (angrily) recites the script to her, stage hands are saying one thing, other people are saying other things, but you can write it so that when you put all the words together, it makes sense with what is being said in the script, but it totally changes the meaning of that part of the story. Anyway. Just an idea. Is that the kind of thing you're looking for? I'm not quite sure.
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athornontherose
New Member
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Writing is breathing.
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Post by athornontherose on Nov 22, 2008 21:43:21 GMT -5
I'm guessing this is supposed to be a comedy? Correct me if I'm wrong. If it is, I think it would be funny if: 1. The director was obviously a wanna-be actor who kept interrupting the lines of the other actors to go out of his/her way to show them how to act. Him/her should be really terrible at acting too. 2. Because of Risu's idea, the lines of the characters get completely butchered. Like Macbeth could say Lady Macbeth's lines (i,e. "Unsex me now..." etc.) 3. When improvising with the script due to this last minute dilemma, the characters could use the old English really badly, to the point where it sounds obviously faked. 4. At the end, the crowd could love their horrible performance and demand an encore. 5. Or if you decide the crowd is going to hate it, one of the actors should die from choking on on of the tomatoes the crowd throws. Who knows? Maybe the dissatisfied director is the only one throwing tomatos... 6. Someone should die/go to the hospital from touching the dry ice. ("It's so pretty...") 7. The director could change the set completely and make it elaborate and totally irrelevant to Shakespeare. Other actors should either bicker about this or be completely oblivious to it. 8. Perhaps the director marries and falls in love with him/herself. I have a weird sense of humor. -hides-
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Post by furvacatta on Nov 22, 2008 23:51:48 GMT -5
I was really thinking to make it more about the technical workers (stage managers, set crew, sound and lights) and less about the actors. There's already a play a bit like that (It's called Noises Off, and it's really awesome) so I wanted to tell a bit of a different story. The final scene I have planned actually takes place during the first scene of the show, so I'm not planning on using any of the actual Shakespeare.
Though I like a lot of you guy's ideas. The thing with the set is really funny, and it could fit really well into the one storyline I already have (the dry ice ends up in the toolbox, fuses with the tools, and the set is broken and they can't fix it. At the end, the witches come on stage and Are about to start talking and the set falls over).
And I love the thing with the director XD
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Risu
Fresh Meat
That squirrel girl
Posts: 11
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Post by Risu on Nov 23, 2008 16:37:48 GMT -5
XD No matter what you do, this all sounds really funny! Hmmm, so have you got characters down yet? It may be better to come up with an idea if you've got an idea of what kind of people are going to be doing different things. like maybe a really angry guy can be working the lights, and then you hear this CRASH! and it turns out that he broke one of the bulbs after kicking it in frustration. Or the lighting person can be an obsessive lover of one of the stagehands (who wanted a part in the play, but didn't get it) and keeps drifting the light onto them while they're offstage. Either that, or they're a prankster, and they keep jokingly playing with the lights (flickering them on and off because they think it's cool), and the light breaks from the abuse. XD So different attitudes will produce different outcomes, therefor making the script writing possibly easier. XD Just an idea, but you should obviously do it the way you're comfortable with. I look forward to seeing it! I love comedy.
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Post by Midnighter on Apr 1, 2009 18:32:40 GMT -5
[glow=purple,2,300][shadow=purple,left,300]Where'd all the good people go? [/shadow][/glow]
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Post by furvacatta on May 16, 2009 21:47:03 GMT -5
Hey everybody! I'm back after many months with more to say about my little play- or should I say, my half-written little play! The plot is too complex to post, but I'll give a quick run-down of the characters.
Caleb- The main character. He's been in theater for a long time, but most people forget he's there since all he's done is stage crew. For this show, he's the assistant stage manager. He's madly in love with Olivia, but can only talk to her when she can't see his face.
Olivia- The lead actress playing Juliet (Oh yeah, they're doing Romeo and Juliet now. It works better) She's extremely conceited, but doesn't ever seem to realize that everything she says comes off as insulting somebody. She's very gullible and falls in love very, very easily. Her catch phrase is "Truly!"
Leah- The stage manager, who, since the director has fallen asleep locked in his office, is now in charge of the show. She's constantly on the verge of a nervous breakdown. For anyone who knows our theater program, she's an over-exaggeration of Caroline (who knows that I based a character on her)
Logan- The set painter, who is quiet, creepy, and just a bit... off. Very few of his lines are more than one word, and he's onstage for most of the show. He's in love with Olivia.
Ethan- The actor who says the opening monologue, and probably plays another role in the show as well. He can't remember his lines for the life of him, and is terrified of Leah. His best friend is Caleb, and he tries to get him together with Olivia.
Zoe- The costume designer. She's putting the final touches on Olivia's costume, and takes the brunt of most of her insults. She's also in part Olivia's confidant.
Andrew- The sound technician, who is waging a prank war against Sophie. He's very over the top and speaks in a very grand manor. He thinks Caleb is a strategic genius.
Sophie- The light tech, who is battling Andrew in the prank war. She's quiet and scheming, and is much more successful in her pranks than Andrew.
(Only mentioned) Mr. B- The director. He's a new teacher, and he's very prone to migraines under stress. He has fallen asleep locked in his office after taking his headache medicine.
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