STORM WARNING - SCENE 11

One more scene from one of the plays I'm working on. Actually, I see this more as a film script but we'll see where it goes as it progresses. Quite pleased so far.

STORM WARNING  - SCENE II

 

LEONARD
What is this? Move away and let us pass

CONDUCTOR

Please don’t create problems for me

LEONARD

All we wanna do is stretch our legs. Nothing more and for whatever reason, you won’t let us

CONDUCTOR

No can do

 LEONARD

This is absolutely ridiculous. You can't force us to stay here without a good reason. I’m going to walk, like it or not

MARY

Me too!

CONDUCTOR

(bending over and speaking softly)
I strongly advise you to stay put

LEONARD

Or what? Sorry pal – you gotta provide more information than vague hints and warnings

CONDUCTOR

Don’t ask me more questions that I can’t answer. Look - lemme see what I can do but you gotta wait 'til I get back

MARY

My knees are really painful. Can an old lady at least stand up and take a few steps? Arthritis and all

CONDUCTOR

A few steps but no long walks

MARY

Promise. Anyway, where d'ya think I'm gonna go?

LEONARD

I got news for you, bud. I ain’t got any intention of staying put. You’re really over-reacting to a simple request of taking a small walk through the train

CONDUCTOR

Okay...keep this to yourself. You didn't hear it from me but rumor has it that a passenger has died

MARY

What does this have to do with us? These things happen all the time. We promise we’ll stay away from wherever they’re keeping his body

CONDUCTOR
I mean, could be just a rumor but even if it was true, I wouldn’t be allowed to say, Company rules and all that. They entrust employees to be tactful when the need arises

LEONARD
You do realize you make no sense, whatsoever. Why even tell us in the first place?

CONDUCTOR
Like I said, can't really...

LEONARD
...we know. Share any information...

LEONARD
Why all the mystery? You'd think there was some VIP travelling on the train or something

(Conductor stays quiet for 10 seconds)

LEONARD (cont'd)
Seriously? Somebody important on board, travelling by train no less?

CONDUCTOR
Look - I was told that we'll be delayed in Timmersville. That's all I can tell you right now.

(CONDUCTOR hurries off)

LEONARD

Weird. The guy was really nervous. Kept wiping the top of his lip. If it was a heart attack or normal causes, he wouldn’t bother telling us

MARY
Trying out detective skills, are we?

LEONARD
(staring out of the window)
That’s what you get from hanging out with reporters.  Kind’a rubs off on a person.  Well…well… police are getting on now. This is more than a heart attack for sure.

MARY
Could be you’re right

LEONARD
We're never gonna find out anything sitting here. Don't know 'bout you but I hav'ta use the bathroom and it just so happens to be located down at the end of the car...

MARY
My old knees are stiff and a little walk works wonders for them. They wouldn't stop an old lady with arthritis from a short stroll. I

LEONARD
And if we both happen to overhear something...

MARY
Right...

Playwright ponders her plays

Right now, people reading this are probably saying to themselves, "Eleanor hasn't given us any updates on her plays. I'd love to know how things are going with her." Okay - maybe the last sentence is a bit presumptuous on my part but maybe there are persons 'out there' who are curious.

Actually, I've been focusing a lot of my effort searching for a new literary address for my "babies." This includes cyber queries as to whether they would be welcome, to be followed by the actual execution (sounds so macabre) of hitting the 'send' key taking the plays on their cyber journeys. Waiting to receive news and/or updates on their suitability is stressful especially since theatres frequently restrict their responses to playwrights with plays in which they have an interest. It somehow doesn't seem logical to send a follow up if, say, there has been no response for a lengthy period of time. Then again, perhaps a reminder could be helpful:


"Dear blah-blah,

You might not remember me but five years ago (maybe more), I submitted my play to you/your theater/your literary manager. Having never heard back, I'm wondering if perhaps you never received it or somehow, it got deleted in your files (these things happen). Let me know if you'd like me to re-send the play and I'd be happy to oblige.

Yours in waiting,

Eleanor
(P.S. I'd very much appreciate it if you could advise me as to which play I sent you, since my cat did a dance on my keyboard and lost many of my files).


In as far as the plays themselves, I'm reviewing the content of "Retribution" with the intent of submitting it to an interesting competition. At the half-way point, I've made some minor changes but still very pleased with the overall content. The subject matter definitely isn't for everybody but the play itself  is a riveting drama.

Haven't read "Old Soldiers" since receiving the rejection advisement notice a few months ago. I had a gut feeling that it was on its way but it didn't make its reception any easier. A bit of ranting and raving occurred for a day or two followed by avowing to re-write. Thing is with rejection notices, rarely is there an accompanying explanation as to the reasons for the refusal, consequently there is always the nagging question as to why and what went wrong. In any case, time for a re-evaluation and the dastardly re-write(s) that will follow. It will require a complete overhaul having been written for radio and we'll have to see whether it's even feasible to turn it into a play. Some characters will have to be dropped in addition to scene changes and adaptations.

The newest playwriting project, "Storm Warning" is on the front burner. I've completed four scenes and I'm thinking some character sketches are required to define the purpose of everyone and where they fit into the story line.

One of my oldie but definitely good play, "Dead Writes" parts of which I've shared here in this blog, requires finishing. Actually, it needs a middle before it can be ended. A comedy, the play has been started and abandoned a number of times. Maybe not "abandoned" since this implies finality. Let's say - put to rest in cyber space for periods.  No particular reason other than I became distracted with other projects.

Finally, I'm toying with idea of writing a play based on a young teenage girl and her experiences growing up in the 1960's, while attending high school. Let's just say it's something I know about intimately. First though it back to work on Old Soldiers...maybe Dead Writes should be a priority since it's an older play...then again, Storm Warning is a fun challenge... Procrastination thy name is Eleanor.

WORTHY MENTIONS DEPT.

A "heads up" on an opening night.  "Belle Soeurs: The Musical" by well-known Montreal playwright, Michel Tremblay, starts tomorrow and runs until November 9, at the Segal Centre theatre in Montreal. Tremblay who writes in French, has had his plays translated into English and this production differs this time round in that it is a musical. Definitely worth attending. Break a leg wishes extended to all involved.
http://www.segalcentre.org/whats-on/upcoming-events/theatre-3/segal-theatre/belles-soeurs-the-musical/

ZOO DIARY - part 11

 

SCENE: CITY ZOO. MORNING

Our story so far: a  small zoo that is experiencing financial problems, has been seeking ways to cut back. The zoo denizens, aware of the situation, have been discussing the situation and seeking ways to ensure that they are not adversely affected.

 

The zoo opens to visitors as usual. The animals of the zoo, which has fallen on hard times, make the usual animal sounds that visitors expect them to make


CHILD VISITOR

Look mom – a zebra! How many stripes do you think it has?

 

MOM

Who knows. A lot for sure

 

CHILD

A trillion? Can I feed him, mom?

 

MOM

We don’t feed the zoo animals, sweetie. They have keepers who do that

ZEBRA
(to himself)

Could'a fooled me

 

CHILD

But…there’s a machine here with zebra food. All you have to do is put in some money and food falls out

 

MOM

Let’s see...five dollars to feed a zebra? Um…perhaps another time

 

CHILD

But mom – we only come here once in a while. He looks like he’s hungry. His bones are sticking out on his side

ZEBRA
(to himself)

Listen to your son, mom. Better give them my sunken, sad-eyes look

CHILD
He looks really sad

 

MOM

Five dollars is a bit too much, sweetheart. Why don’t we go see the other animals

 

ZEBRA

Um…excuse me, lady. May I interject here?

 

CHILD

Look! The zebra speaks just like we do

 

MOM

Don’t be silly. Zebras don’t talk…

 

CHILD

But…I heard it with my own ears

 

MOM

There’s probably a speaker hidden somewhere in the cage. Zebras don’t talk. Let’s move along…

 

ZEBRA

They do when the situation calls for it and this qualifies. May I have your ear for a moment? I don't mean for lunch or anything although it does look appealing. Just a little levity to ease this dire situation

 

MOM

Okay. You got me. Is it on the zebra itself? Where'd you hide the speaker?

 

(she searches the cage)

 

 

 ZEBRA

Really – there are no speakers. We’ve always had this ability but kept it quiet because that’s what humans expect of zebras. Listen lady -  why don’t you give your son five dollars for the feeding machine?

 

MOM

I’ll bite. This is one of those TV shows where you catch people off guard, right? I’m not forking over five dollars because it’s too-much-money. Got that, TV people?

 

ZEBRA

See…thing is – the zoo has fallen on hard times and consequently has cut back on the amount of food we get. Look at my rib cage. Mere skin and bones. I’m really hungry! The last time I had a decent meal was breakfast yesterday. Give the kid five bucks. Please! Unless you want the slow but certain demise of a zebra on your conscience

 

MOM

(laughing)

What next? When will the program be on, anyway? We might be on TV, sweetie!

 

ZEBRA

(shaking its head sadly)

Yeah – you’re right on. There’s somebody manipulating my mouth. The producer is telling me now that they need some visuals of you putting money in the machine and feeding me for the show

 

MOM

Surrrre!

 (opens purse, takes out five dollars and enters it in the slot. She smiles broadly)

 

I’ll go along. See? 'Putting five dollars in the machine.' Here honey – feed the zebra

 

(boy feeds food to the zebra who gobbles it up immediately)

 

What’s the name of the TV show, anyway?

 

ZEBRA

‘Desperation’ but you might find it difficult to find in your TV listings.

 

MOM

We’ll look for it. Let’s go see the cheetahs now, honey

 

(the mother and her child move along. A rat enters the zebra cage)

 

RAT

So how’d it go?

 

ZEBRA

Managed to get something but it was a hard sell, let me tell you!

 

RAT

Did you do your usual tap dance routine or stand there staring at them and looking pathetic?

 

ZEBRA

Neh. Told them they were part of a TV show and that the producers wanted images of them feeding me

SOUND: Cheetah roaring

RAT

Heard that they're thinking of doubling up animals in cages to save space. Cheetah told me yesterday that he's willing to share his cage with you

ZEBRA

Oh I'm sure he'd love that

 RAT

You never told me we were gonna be on TV. Gotta go spread the word to the rest of the animals. What’s the name of the program, anyway?

 

ZEBRA

It's not real…I only said that to… Desperation. The name of the show is Desperation

 

RAT

Desperation?

 

ZEBRA

Indeed


(to be continued)