Wednesday, December 2, 2009

I've Treated You Unkind

...for far too long, Disorientation Blog. Hell, I never even said that the show went up, how it went, how proud I am of the cast and crew, or even where you can see it online (take a wild guess). That will all be rectified in time. In fact, there's even more to come out of this experience. But more on that later (and yes, I promise there will be a later).

For now, I just want to apologize to any poor souls still trafficking this site. For you, here's your "stick-to-it-tive-ness" merit badge: Disorientation, draft 6, grammar checked, locked, and loaded. It's about 18 pages shorter and 11 characters lighter, so it's a biiiit different. Oh, and Will is a lesbian.

Leave comments or blah-de-blah.

It begins again....

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Keeping A Promise....

A while ago I said that I'd release all of the cut Vicky lines that were too vulgar and over the line in the first draft. Well, instead of putting it up on here, I'll be dropping all of you guys a download link for it as a thank you gift. Huzzah.

I'll have a write-up about the whole experience later on this week. Tomorrow, post-mortem...whatever the hell that means.

Friday, April 24, 2009

It's Here

Today's the day, folks!

PVHS's Disorientation opens for it's one-night-only grand premiere at Pascack Valley High School tomorrow, Saturday April 25th at 7 pm. Here's a little taste of what's to come....

Monday, April 20, 2009

Mixdown

Well, I tried to make an iMix, but they don't have three songs (damn you, Apple! or damn you, Ramones and Talking Heads!) so I figured I would just list them. There will be songs for the pre-set and intermission, I think, so this is just what is locked down now:

Preshow: Vampire Weekend - Campus

Act I
After Sc 1: Jimi Hendrix Experience - All Along The Watchtower
After Sc 3: Bob Dylan - Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again
After Sc 4: Beck - Orphans
After Sc 5: The White Stripes - I'm Finding It Harder To Be A Gentleman Everyday
After Sc 6: The Who - Behind Blue Eyes
After Sc 8: Gnarls Barkley - Going On
After Sc 9: Talking Heads - Life During Wartime
After Sc 10: The Whigs - Right Hand On My Heart
After Sc 12: Radiohead - Optimistic

Act II
After Sc 1: Broken Social Scene - 7/4 (Shoreline)
After Sc 3: Otis Redding - Try A Little Tenderness
After Sc 4: Danny and the Juniors - At The Hop
After Sc 5: Interpol - Slow Hands
After Sc 6: The Cool Kids - Bassment Party
During Sc 10: The Ramones - Blitzkrieg Bop and Sheena Is A Punk Rocker
After Sc 11: The Kinks - You Really Got Me

Encore: The Eagles of Death Metal - Don't Speak (I Came To Make A Bang!)

There's a longer playlist (one song per every in between scene) but this is the one that we'll be using. So yeah, there ya go.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Birthday Post!

So what do I do on my birthday? I don't get a gift. No, in return, on this day of days, I decide to give you a gift instead. The greatest gift of all!

A BLOG POST! HURRAH!!!

Well actually that's not entirely true. I was able to watch a partial run of the play and, as per the advice of the directors, I have some notes and some script corrections. I'll get the latter out of the way first....

SCRIPT CORRECTIONS:

- WILL: Since the "set-up for a really bad joke" has been cut, there's a gap of time where you don't say anything before Eric launches into "Well I have this cat named Alison." So now, after you're asked if you've "been around any cats," you will try to contribute by saying, "I have a dog...?" before Eric realizes he doesn't care what your answer is and goes "Well I have this cat named Alison."
- ERIC: Cut the Fett joke after the Friend Zone/Inescapable Abyss section. It's tacked on as a plus-one and it doesn't work as anything more than "OH HAY ITZ A STAR WARZ REFERENCE IVE SEEN THAT MOVIE 2!!!!" and it makes me vomit in my mouth every time I hear it. Shouldn't have put it in in the first place, so pardon.

Now, for the run notes, this is my first time really seeing, oh, any of this on its feet, so I couldn't pay as close attention to everyone on stage. Please be advised that if I don't have a note for you, it doesn't mean that you're not doing well or aren't going to be precious to people in the audience. I'll have a better sense of that tomorrow with a full run and one session under my belt. Huzzah! Onto the notes....


- Crew: Those tiny four foot ladders are simply adorable.
- JJ: Your posing before meeting Will is wonderful, especially your positioning in relation to the group.
- General: Just so you all know, the "Or maybe it's a D" joke was not intended to be a joke about breasts. So my note is to get your heads out of the gutter. Thank you kindly. (...And keep it.)
- Frank: Perfect read and reaction on "I have to get my money back."
- Liz: I never had you in the middle of Alison/Will scene, but I'll be damned if it didn't make everything much more interesting. Also, have you seen Persepolis? As you were rockin' out you looked just like a section when the main character is rocking out. If you haven't seen it, see it ASAP - that goes for all of you.
- Ali K: Originally you'd be giving The Finger to Will, but the point and stare is better in character and much, much funnier. Also, don't stare at people and clap like you're a wind-up toy. It's a bit disconcerting.
- Katherine: I could listen to you say "LOL!" all day. Actually, after a while that might turn me into Alison. Once every hour, like a Grandfather clock.
- Maja: I only got a scene of you, but I loved the eye contact bit, your big laugh for Alison, the OTHER eye contact bit later on, and the final "aay" on "R.A." So yeah, enjoyed most of the things you did.
- Tara: It seems like the bathroom stalls are ready, so I'm quite excited to see what you will be doing with Jen. This run was also barren of Barron, good Rachel bits, and I haven't seen Jen M. yet. Mmmm Monday.
- Brandon: Your "EDEN!??!" and the "woooow" after "mantis" made me giggle like an idiot.
- Sam: Enjoy the reaction to "me Jane!" Slow, slow burn....
- Frank: I pictured Eric more like Damone in Fast Times, slower, lower register. And while you do have to slow down in sections, I enjoy how you're making Eric into a more excited, energetic freak. It's a different kind of take, and it makes the character more interesting.
- Christine: Very much enjoy your freakouts, but where is the squeal bit with Alison! Eeeee!!
- JJ: Like when you point the three or four "no's" at the improperly-dressed ladies. It was odd to re-write (add) to that scene then hear the old version.
- Katherine: You're such an asshole to Will and it's great. The "ew, no" made my heart grow three times that day.
- Madison: Your character voice for Lauren is great. A slightly sarcastic tone. It's an odd note, but it jumped out at me while I was writing a note (and then had to write this one, "so wonderfully sardonic").
- Liz: Welp, I can hear you loud and clear.
- Ali B: Congratulations on learning how to laugh. We all know you could do it !
- Sam: Your "huhmuhmuh" while getting the DVDs out during the "burst" line made me giggle heartily.
- Alyssa: You have a very tiny "no!" in response to Meg trying to burn down the house, and I noticed it and was a fan (especially with the book gripped in your arms into your chest).
- Jacky: You get me every time when you grab/hug Alison and put your head on her shoulder as you enter. It's great.

Oh yeah, and
Kelsey: You have a complicated part with a lot of subtle beat changes and little jokes that take time to tinker with, and you're making it look effortless. Great, great work.

Ok, time for some birfday bagels. If you haven't gotten an invite yet, the facebook invite for the show can be found here.

See y'all tomorrow!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Thoughts From The Day

Man you guys have a lot to do, but it was very reassuring that you guys have done your homework and know your lines. It sounds like a very good base that you can add to in the coming week. Considering the amount of time you have (and have left), I'm impressed by your work.

Now the last thing I want to do is hear that you guys slacked off after hearing that. Please don't stop working.

I re-wrote a line for Beth earlier today, I have to look at something for Barron still, and all the lovely ladies in Act 2 Sc 4 can toss away your pages cause you have new lines to learn! Before you lose your minds, I only added about a line each per character (Meg now says "Us!" for example, and that's the add). It was needed. That scene was boring and didn't have any conflict. Now, hopefully, the conflict is more clear and works better as a set-up for the "sitting outside the party" scene before Alison uses her powers for evil.

Strengthen!!!!!!

Clearly you guys have questions, and that's what the internet and/or The Lupfers and me are for. If you have a question, ask us, we'll let you know. Christina didn't know what a NARC was, (or its verb, "to narc") and it's an easy fix. Now that line has meaning, she can say it the way it properly, and the line will (hopefully) work! It's a wonderful process.

You know where you can find me on facebook or through email at antonmichaelp [@] gmail.com if you have any questions or issues, or leave them here in the comments. There's nothing more infuriating and wasteful when someone doesn't get the reference and refuses to ask, so the line reading suffers, then they're told how to say it and the actor goes "oh, THAT'S what that means!" Just ask! It's what we're here for!

Keep up the good work. Well, I can be the judge of that on Saturday.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

New Schedule Up

If you check on the google site for Disorientation you'll find a better breakdown of the schedule for reheasrsals. This way, if you're Frank, you're not unknowingly rolling in to a bathroom scene and your afternoon of doing nothing takes a serious 40 minute hit out of it (not to say Frank doesn't use his time effectively or not, but merely as an example). I'd copy and paste the address of the site or merely the schedule itself, but Im iPhone-ing from DC here, so go to the only other site for the play you know of that many of you go to first before coming here anyway thereby rendering this meaning worthless to most of you.

But it's the thought that counts, isn't it?

To further one point that the Lups brought up, please attend all mandatory rehearsals. I had to completely cut one character out already and I adore this cast and want this to be the original cast of my first (only?) play. And there's no way in hell we have the luxury of cutting someone, re-writing, possibly re-casting, and then memorizing. We have exactly enough time now and not a minute less.

Hope you're all enjoying the memorization process while on break - hopefully it's more fun then memorizing the salient points of the Magna Carta or whatever you normally do in school. My apologies to Sam and Kelsey for the amount of verbage. No sympathy for Tara, Liz or Gabby. Christine, you're on the fence.

See you when I see you

Monday, April 6, 2009

A "Character Sketch" Has Multiple Meanings

Bless Liz's heart, as she keeps giving me fodder for updating this blog, and great art for us to marvel at as well. Here is her interpretation of every character from Disorientation, and great little moments between characters to show who they are and how they deal with everyone. It's so ridiculously clear who everyone is...I'm still taken aback, and it's been a few hours since I first saw it. Enough of me blabbing on, here's the picture (click on it for the super-high-res-and-super-big version, unseen ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE INTERNET, I think):



In case you're lazy (or simply unaware), here is the list from the top left row on down, left to right, of each character:

Top Row: Lauren, Madison, Mona, Haley, Rachel, edit: Angelica, Maya
Second Row: Meg, Dean Anderson, Ms. Barron, Jolene, Jocelyn, Beth (although she's in between the top rows)
Third Row: Eric, Will, Alison, Vicky, Sarah
Fourth Row: Bridgette, Hillary, Katy, Becca
Outcast Row: Kris and Jen
Bottom Row: Clint, Toby, and Nathaniel

Amazing. It's already my desktop on my writin' computer.

Friday, April 3, 2009

What's In A Name?

Thanks to the intrepid Liz, I now have a 50th blog post to put up (hurrah!). Yep, we're half way to one hundred, and unless a TON of stuff unexpectedly happens over the next three weeks, this'll probably be the only big landmark this blog's ever gonna get. So let's enjoy it while we can, folks.

In the previous post, Liz left a comment asking, "where did you get the characters' names from? I thought Alison was the only name you took from a song, but then you mentioned Jolene was also inspired by a song, so I was just wondering who else was inspired by stuff."

A good question, so I'll go through and list [i]every single name[/i] and the deep thinking that went into each one. I found the original roll call sheet (but won't be posting as there is a bit too much course language and 'real people' names attached to a few of them) so I'll take from that as well.

Alison - From the Elvis Costello song, which is great, cause the song is all about someone who got away...so you name your child after it so that it can run away and get married on you. I guess it's just forward thinking and looking towards the inevitable.
Will - I had recently written a one-act on William Shakespeare, and I'm pretty sure "Will" just stuck after that.
Beth - Seems like the name of a hapless RA
Vicky - Wasn't her given name (something involving her perceived use of men was the place holder), but fell into it. Sounds in your face. Also the name of my cousin's business partner, so we get a laugh out of that.
Sarah - Originally "Suzanne" do to a joke about the name of said cousin, and she's the only person other than my mom and the Lups who have read every draft, so I thought that'd be a nice gag. But "Sue" or "Suzanne" isn't as fun to yell as "SARAH!" Also, every Sarah (or Sara) I've ever known have been polite, decent, and generous, so I love the twist.
Dean Anderson - WASP
Ms. Anita Barron - First Gloria, but I had watched West Side Story recently, and as a tribute to my favorite musical of all time (out of the 4 I actually like) I threw in Anita. Barron feels like the character a bit. Strong, proud, nearly to a fault.
Eric - There was a kid on my floor Freshman year who I thought was just like this character for a solid two or three weeks. He'd just mutter something really off color, then walk back alone to his single. He isn't like that after getting to know him, but since the play takes place over 2 or 3 weeks....
Jolene - I wanted someone who hasn't from the northeast, and I had a neighbor for two years from Hilton Head, and was listening to The White Stripes' cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene." And there we go. There was also a real southern girl named Jolene who moved to PR for her senior year in like 01, and it was the oddest name I've ever heard. Wanted that same sort of reaction in the college.
Meg - It's the shortest thing she'll ever say.
Bridgette - Originally was Gertrude, just wanted the juxtaposition of the name vs. the character, just like the girl who the character is based off of. She'd wear big, NE Patriots gray sweatshirts and 500 dollar shoes. Truckdriver mouth, dainty sensibilities.
Clint, Gavin, Toby, Nathanial - WASP WASP WASP WASP. All of those names attend Boston College (in fact, all of their last names, as featured in their Meet: blog are of BC hockey players, past and present). Also, helped named by Mr. Lupfer.
Hillary - HRC, in case you didn't know already.
Jocelyn - I hear this name and I think of a turtleneck sweater.
Becca and Katy - Two friends who aren't stoners, so it makes me giggle.
Lauren - Who I just realized was originally cut, named after my friend Deejo. Character is pretty much her, too.
Madison - Doesn't it just sound as pure as the driven snow?
Mona and Haley - Two really sweet sophomore girls from my floor freshman year. Again, I giggle alone.
Maya - Just sounds otherworldly. If I wanted to make the way her character is now play, I probably would change her name to something more basic, to show how she's just fallen into spirituality as opposed to believing in it.
Rachel - Of all the Rachels I know, none of them was a clean freak. I needed to rectify that issue, obviously.
Kris - This is what "Christine" is called when she rebels, and Kris rebelled at 15 and hasn't really looked back since.
Angelica - Play on the word "angel."
Jen - Named after my friend Jen, another sophomore from my floor, who truly doesn't like social situations (not nearly to this extent). She also has a turtle dog toy that squeaks, and might lend us the original stuffed-animal-chew-toy for Beth, and will probably be at the show.

Funny, I cut Lauren but had in an artsy girl named Alex and Mary Jane, who would've been real characters. Then I needed another sensible voice in the room (Lauren), didn't want to add another intro to the opening (Alex) and had no way to get this person to where I needed them to be (Mary Jane) so they were just a text message. Oh technology and laziness.

If you've made it through all of that, enjoy your break! I'll try and throw some stuff up here to keep you from being bored, so far away from the education and learning you all hold so dear.

(ps the post tags are other school name options, all "_________ College")

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Reflections From The Read

Well, the first rehearsal is in the books. In fact, the second rehearsal is going on now, but I am blissfully uninvolved as characters are built and understood better (while I tool around with my new blu-ray player). I just wanted to comment on a trend that I saw develop yesterday and ask for some assistance.

It seemed to me that interpretations of certain jokes read yesterday went a bit overboard, and away from my intent. There are some jokes hat are a tad gauche, but I intended for only a few of them to be pointed, but it came across that there were more. Your interpretation of my work is not something I can control, fight over, or is even up for me deciding that you're "wrong." I made a script, you make of it what you will - that's your job description as actors.

However, this project is not fun when it makes people ill-at-ease, uncomfortable, or simply makes the process not a fun and enjoyable experience. If you have problems with content that might hinder your appreciation of your time in creating the staged version of [i]Disorientation[/i], I'd love to know about it. You can always email me at antonmichaelp [at] gmail or leave an anonymous comment here on this post.

I wrote this to create a positive and unique experience for you guys, and would not want to see it ruined by my own hand (that'd be rather contradictory, wouldn't it?). So by all means, voice our opinion.

Now after all of that, who wants a ride on the Tobycoaster?

Sunday, March 29, 2009

It Begins

I guess. Here is the rehearsal schedule for Disorientation:

Tuesday 3/31 3:30-6:30pm ALL (Readthru of new script, design/concept discussion, etc.)
Wednesday 4/1 3:30-6pm
Thursday 4/2 3:30-6pm
Friday 4/3-Sunday 4/12 OFF
Monday 4/13 3:30-7pm
Tuesday 4/14 3:30-7pm
Wednesday 4/15 3:30-7pm
Thursday 4/16 3:30-7pm
Friday 4/17 3:30-7pm
Saturday 4/18 9am-5pm
Sunday 4/19 OFF
Monday 4/20 3:30-8pm
Tuesday 4/21 3:30-8pm
Wednesday 4/22 3:30-8pm
Thursday 4/23 3:30-8pm
Friday 4/24 3:30-8pm
Saturday 4/25 Rehearsal TBA- Performance 7pm


It suddenly got very, very real. Which means I have a very positive reaction and we're going to have to scoop the rest of you off the floor with a shovel.

See you on Tuesdeeeee

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Like Kevin Garnett (or Seuss) Anything Is Possible

I have recently returned from watching the Pascack Valley High School musical, [i]Seussical[/i] and yet again I was just completely blown away by the talent bursting off the stage. I sat in awe at the performance itself, but in the back of my mind, was selfishly going nuts. "I can't believe they are doing [i]my play[/i]." It seems almost unfair. When you first start as a writer, or an anything for that matter, you have to slum your way through, pay your dues, and after some time THEN you are afforded the opportunity to work with wonderful talent.

I've somehow skipped a few beats.

I can't believe Katherine is going to be Sarah. I can't believe that Lenny is going to cram so much into Nathaniel. I can't believe that Liz, with her wonderful voice, will be relegated to so few lines, that Gabby can't act like a monkey. And on, and on, and on down the list. At every turn during the show, with every costume (or character) change, for every button line and wonderful look, I was bowled over by just how lucky I am. The show teaches everyone to be happy for where you are and what you're doing, and that we normally don't look at the things we have, but rather what we don't, and that's how we view our lives.

I absolutely cannot believe how lucky I am to be graced with such an amazing cast. My words are my words, whatever. These performances could elevate them to something truly special. I have really stopped caring about how a play of mine will be put up, but rather how well PV will be able to do pull it off. It's an honor and a blessing to get the opportunity; it's an embarrassment of riches to have a cast like this.

For everyone who was on stage for [i]Seussical[/i] and in my cast, thank you for taking interest in my work. For all of those who weren't on stage, your presence was missed, and I can't wait for that to be rectified on the 25th.

We'll see each other on Tuesday (Maja's birthday !), and you'll be tired, half dead, and over-worked, and I will be overjoyed.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Almost Time...

I was scolded tonight by someone for not updating the blog, but I've been throwing my life away at Curtains while the PV'ers have been slaving away for the Cat in the Hat during Seussical (the entire thing is an allegory on fascism: discuss). So I'll update you all on a rather odd thought:

We're thirty days out from Disorientation's opening night.

That's a full month by most standards (save for April, June, November and Freakmonth-uary). And we're five days away from the first rehearsal, where I get to see all your smiling faces when you realize that you just did a set strike and now you're going full-bore into another show that you have about 25 days to prepare for.

...anyone still with me?

The PRHS crew will be heading out (in full regalia, I believe) to Seussical on Saturday for the matinee. Have a wonderful Friday night performance (like PRHS will have as well, hopefully) and we'll see you all bright and mid-day on the weekend.

Then I'll see you at the first rehearsal for Disorientation.

omg.

Friday, March 6, 2009

The Trickle Begins...

It seems that some of you have gotten your hands on draft four of Disorientation. I hope you like the changes. For the rest of you, copies will surely be on their way, and I hope you also like the changes. If you have questions, comments, or tasty recipes, feel free to leave them here. Especially the last part.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Out Of Words

It's over.

I have just sent the grammar checked fourth draft after it got its final polish in to the Almighty Lups, and might I say, it's a lot of words. And pages. Ugh.

Luckily for me, I don't have to memorize them, especially after learning oh so many songs for a musical like Seussical ! You poor, poor guys and gals have to. Oh my. And you're going to have a lot of new stuff to learn, new stuff that has proper spelling and comma use to boot.

I do not know when you'll be getting your hands on the scripts, that's mostly whenever there's enough free time by a Xerox machine for Lup. However, I think you'll find a smoother, sharper...hell, just an overall better play in your hands when it does get there. I hope you'll enjoy, cause the last thing I'd want is to write a show for a group of people who hate performing it. So just don't tell me you hate it.

ps Mickey Rourke got screwed

Monday, February 16, 2009

Draft IV: By The Numbers

Well, as per usual, I crunched the numbers and got some interesting results (at least for me, who is clearly trying to push Sabermetrics into play writing). Here are a few little points:

- The play ballooned up by 4 3/8s pages, including a page jump in the Alison/Toby seduction scene to include the other girls and a page jump in the scene with Alison and Sarah that leads Alison to seek Beth's assistance.

- Biggest trim came in the Dean Anderson/Major scene, losing 6/8ths of a page.

- There was a net gain of 30 new lines with this draft. This makes for 59 new dialogue parts in the past two drafts. So much for scaling down....

- If your character figures large in Alison's story when Will's not around, you probably got more lines (Sarah was the biggest gainer with 9 more lines than last draft). Alison also has the most lines, beating Will by 3. Finally.

- I barely touched a few scenes, specifically Eric/Will with the cat monologue, the Yeah Dudes scene (just omitted Gavin), and Will/Vicky's scenes all went mostly unchanged.

And, finally, as a treat to you, here is the new Alison/Will scene when they talk in the hallway. Well, if you can read my handwriting, that is.



Looks like something you'd find on DeviantArt or something. For the record, nothing below the opening description stayed until Will's "it's not that easy" on your page 33.

Fin.

24208 words
3038 paragraphs
8 months in the making
8.5 hours tonight alone
1 pretty much finished play

I had a whole long post here, but it didn't publish, and I'm about to pass out while trying to walk to my bed. I finished the almost-final draft at 6:41 am. It was totally worth it.

I now send it to the Lups (both plan and She- varieties), they'll give it a gander, check for grammar, spelling, and lots and lots and LOTS of new stuff. Different Alison/Will scenes for every one of their one-on-ones, streamlined ending, a joke I might have to cut, but screw it, it was funny when I thought of it.

"That's all well and good," you say, "but we're acting in it, so when do we get it?" I'm hoping there's a week turn around (it was a week to make this fourth draft, hopefully a week to polish it), which would place this script in your hands for your reSeussal next Monday, the 23rd.

I'm going through the stats tomorrow, I'll post anything interesting. The bottom line is a new 4 pages. That's...somewhat expected? We'll see what happens with that. I think it might actually streamline this whole show better. But that's for another day.

Now? I coma. Sweet, glorious victory coma.

Friday, February 13, 2009

A Sign Of Good Faith



We can rebuild her. We have the technology.

Final draft in your hands definitely before the end of the month.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

If Will Were Tyler Durden

The word processor I use to write up Disorientation--or any screenwriting, for that matter--is called Front Page, and one of the best part are all the little toys and gadgets that come with it. For example, did you know that there are 23,368 words in the play, accounting for 2929 paragraphs? I didn't, and now I want to vomit.

Anyway, another cool feature allows me to isolate one person and get all of their lines. This gives me a great idea for the entire flow and tone of a character. For this draft, that character specifically is Alison. I never realized how many straight-up angry bitch comments she makes (clearly), but it's enough to choke a feminist, that's for sure.

It also allows me to hear her rant with no one else there. Enjoy as Alison talks to Will in the hallway, and do it for the last time, as a good portion of these lines will not be in the final draft.

Scene: INT. DORM HALLWAY - LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING P.29-35

ALISON: What are you trying to do?

ALISON: Is that the sweet spot?

ALISON: Nothing to say, it seems.

ALISON: It’s not the Inquisition.

ALISON: At least no one converted you.

ALISON: (looks at Will)
Nah, I was thinking of something from earlier.

ALISON: No, I wasn’t laughing at you this time. Wasn’t exactly laughing with you, either.

ALISON: Well if anyone fell I’d laugh. It’s a knee-jerk reaction.

ALISON: (looking at Will)
Sorta. (looks at audience) That’s much more rewarding, though.

ALISON: I kind of wish you were my only problem. It wouldn’t be as bad as say (directs toward her door) SOMEONE WHO WON’T GET OFF THE PHONE AT 3 IN THE MORNING!

ALISON: (looking at Will)
Pfft, one. You’ve been born with a unique advantage over more than half the world. Congratulations.

ALISON: Don’t worry, I’m sure this is just a temporary stopover before you get a better job than a more qualified person who just so happens to have breasts.

ALISON: --Are what? Too smart for you? Threaten your manhood? Know better than you?

ALISON: Some?

ALISON: (looks at Will)
--No, they’re fine. Divorced, but fine, separately, I guess....

ALISON: The term “mankind” alone is offensive. What about Womankind? When we try to describe our own species we are second-class. But if you’re a man--

ALISON: What isn’t?

ALISON: (heavy sarcasm)
I pity you.

ALISON: So you came to an all-girls school for what, a self-esteem boost? Of all the selfish--

ALISON: (quickly)
Parents do a lot of things. (regaining focus) So what, daddy tossed you into a barrel of women thinking we were easy pickings?

ALISON: Good.

ALISON: Now you know how every girl has felt since thirteen. (perky) Hey, maybe you do belong here.

ALISON: Bedtime.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Winging Over To London To Jam With The Stones!

As you requested, here are three films for the overall tone of the piece, as well as some things to look at for character (the example for Katy and Becca is, of course, the almighty Spicoli).

Note: Some of these movies are rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America, and as such, should not be viewed without parental consent if you happen to be under the age of 17. This way your parents can't get mad at me.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) imdb - Blockbuster - Netflix

Can't Hardly Wait (1998) imdb - Blockbuster - Netflix

10 Things I Hate About You (1999) imdb - Blockbuster - Netflix

Thursday, February 5, 2009

A Face To Faces Set

I'll be seeing you lovely Disorientationers this Saturday from 12 to 12:30 in the afternoon. Oh we will laugh and cry and probably tear about the script. Like it should be. So much work. Dammit.

If you haven't yet, please check out this simple, anonymous, 7 question survey regarding some very basics about the play itself here. Some interesting and useful responses so far, so thanks to everyone who has already kicked in a few words into a text box and hit "next."

See you all on Saturdeeee....

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Clean Up On Aisle Three

Well, it's about that time again to break out a red pen and start massacring the play I love so dearly. Sigh. It has to be.

But now I get to use Yoooouuuur Help!

In order to get from draft to draft I'd send the play out in various forms to get feedback from friends, fellow writers, people who have never seen a play, and people who love theater to the point where it's nearly a disease and I have obtained a great deal of notes that have influenced the current draft. And that's great and all...

..but none of them have acted in the parts.

Even though the reading was cancelled, all of you wonderful cast members have walked a bit in your characters' shoes, and that's very helpful to me. For example, Beth will be saying "boy-slash-girl" now thanks to Maja, and Rachel will have slightly less to spit out as Ms. Barron, for some of her lines should be cut.

However, as you can tell, those are only two characters and, while I gleaned a lot from the first reading, it's not enough to warrant doing another draft without your help. So, at some point in the weeks ahead, we're all gonna have a nice sit-down and talk about your characters. Consider this your heads up, giving you enough time to poke your heads out of your Seussical tome of songs you call a "script" to consider some things.

We won't be asking if you like your role, if you have enough lines, if you should be in more scenes. That's certainly not the point. But, if you've gone through the script and feel like one of your lines doesn't fit your character, or that there is a line that could be expanded upon to fit the situation, that would be nice. If there is something that you don't know about your character's back story that isn't explained, if your character feels shoe-horned into a scene, or asking why they would say "this" at that time, those things could help a great deal.

Another big key is if a line sounds clunky, or doesn't feel completely natural coming out of your mouth (save for Barron; remember, "slightly" is the key word from earlier!). You have an experience that is unique unto yourselves: actually saying these lines in character.

And just for the hell of it, a general question survey, too! God bless the internet.

Hope you all have noticed the little Swinton College crest that sits on the top right of the page. It is done by the wonderful and talented Erik Didriksen, and yes, that's real Latin and is spelled correctly (according to a guy who took Latin in high school). It's by no means a final draft, but it spruces up the page (notice how the crest colors are the blogs colors? ZOMG!) nicely. Also, the t-shirts for this show could be awesome.

So read up! Get useful questions! Fill out the survey! Rah Rah! Etc! See you soon!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

So About That Reading Bid-ness....

The reading of Disorientation has been cancelled due to the inclement weather on the 10th and no good date to do it other than that one. It was a nice time before Seussical got underway, but alas, it is now Seussical (and Curtains!) time and it's not fair to throw a reading together at this time. At a certain point, I will be coming in to talk to all of you PV kids to discuss your thoughts on the play, how your characters work in the play itself, if something you feel isn't right for your character, or if there general things you have a question about. After this, I start work on Draft Four (The Final Draaaaaaaft) and hopefully get it into your hands by the first week of February, while gender-challenged monkeys are jumping off trampolines.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

From The Vault: The Treatment

About a week or two after Tom and Mer asked me to consider writing a play for them, I had a driving trip up to Boston where I was screaming plot details and characters into my phone's voice recorder and my home answering machine. Eventually, I tried to piece everything together into one rambling treatment. A treatment is a document that a screenwriter creates as a synopsis to tell the story if he's pitching it to a studio or a producer. it is usually single-spaced and 4 pages long. What you're about to read is mostly rambling, but let's just lie for a bit and make it look like I'm actually a professional ok, good, thank you very much.

Look for a non-fleshed out plot, only a handful of characters (Beth, Alison, Will, Barron, Dean Anderson, Vicky, Jocelyn, Sarah, Becca, and Katy), but a lot of specific stuff that has lasted. Also, you can see where I need to take Alison back to, how simplistic Vicky once was, and the definitive answer on Barron and Dean Anderson. Enjoy...

Here's a very preliminary synopsis of what I'm thinking about for the play. There is little in the way of a full plot and I haven't named the college or the characters, so just try and follow along.

We find ourselves at a tiny All-Girls New England liberal college. It's a new year and there are a whole slew of new freshman girls at the first meeting on the second floor with their RA. The RA begins to tell them about college, what to expect, if they need anything to come to her room, it's one of the two singles on the floor. She also says that the Dean of Students wants to come in and talk to them.

dean of Students arrives and states that he was informed a personal meeting instead of a letter or large group gathering would be more benefiecial to explain the changes that are going on this year. For example, the meal plan has been slightly expanded, so the normal plan will now get you 15 meals a week, and that you can buy used college textbooks. Oh, yeah, one more thing: as a temporary plan, they've accepted 8 boys. Once will be living on this very floor. His name is [something, I'm thinking William/Will], he is a sweet, sharp boy who enjoys sports and movies hat most kids would like, so please befriend him. He's also somewhat handsome. To help ease everyone in, there will be a first-ever Homecoming Dance after the D-III Women's Field Hockey Game (it's their only sport).

he leaves to go on to the next dorm floor leaving the 25 or so girls in a tizzy for the RA. Then we meet the Hall Director, a '74 Graduate who takes her job far too seriously. Although she believes that this is a terrible idea and ruins the credibility of the school, she will still do her job the [whatever it's called] Way! The way that this works now is the boy gets the single on the other side of the hall as well as one of the giant bathrooms, since we can't have co-ed bathrooms now can we? All the girls admittedly lose their ____ and yell and scream.

We meet the new boy as he is moving in. he walks into his room, plops his stuff down, turns to go out the door and is met by 25 new faces, staring at him like he's a monkey in a zoo. He says hi, they all say "hello" back, and they have a conversation as two organisms. Some give him ____ for being there, some flirt, some are apathetic.

Another scene involves the boys sitting in the Dean's office, waiting for him to come in. They have a discussion about how weird it is for the boy, that he doesn't have any of his friends here, there are too many girls, no one gets him, etc. Then the Dean makes some comment about how maybe he isn't trying hard enough to meet new people. Then the boy calls him ?Dad, and we have a little plot explanation where the father only made the college co-ed so that his son can get a date for once. "My god, if you fail here, surrounded by women...I just don't know what to do with you, son." Then the Dad regales his son about how he was a real ladies man back in the day )he's going to be a fat, 50s, maybe balding individual...and it will turn out to be bull anyway - he just wants to live vicariously through his son/give his son a better time in college than him, etc.) The boy is sent out again to get some ladies.

Eventually it comes down that since there are so few boys and so many girls, men and women are not allowed to be in the same dorm room past 9 PM. Possibly a more for general (genital?) health. We will be focusing on a number of girls, including two or three stoners, a sort of disillusioned girl, a turbo slut from the get-go, a sheltered girl who gets a taste of college life and goes off the walls and is probably sent home for a bit.

My idea for the main set is three dorm room doors and the hall on stage and one or two rooms that the girls will end up in. Also, since there is only one bathroom for the girls, this could be a fun way to get all of them on stage, and all doing something totally different (one doing her nails, one brushing her teeth, one in the back taking a shower, and doing everything direct towards the audience like it's a Wes Anderson film).

Eventually everything leads up to the Homecoming Dance, but n one actually does the dance itself and everyone gets all self-affirmed to be who they are. Hurrah!

Characters:
RA - Junior girl there to help mentor and talk to everyone. Sort of like Lucy from Peanuts is the way I'd like to describe, a reluctant girl in charge of helping people through this weird situation during the extraordinarily weird situation that is college in general. Good hearted, maybe not the best one to get advice from.
Main Girl - College freshman, just came on in and is looking for something. A tad disillusioned by the idea of "college," came here to escape the usual trappings of frat parties and boys to focus on her work. Whoops. There goes that. Maybe transferring? Possibly named Mary [Ed. Note: it would be a play on the school William & Mary, which accepts both sexes, so I don't know why I thought I was so clever....]
Dean's Son - Maybe a tad dry or dull, eventually opens up to Main Girl. Is segregated, cannot relate to anyone on his floor. It's hard enough leaving your friends, let alone having no one of the same sex to deal with. Possibly named Will (lol William and Mary lol). [Ed. Note: See! Yuck.
Hall Director - Woman who is very strict and caught in her ways. Form and order are her Old and New Testament. She will be the main antagonist in the story, and eventually her pro-woman stance will alienate both the few boys (especially Dean's Son) and girls. Was toying with the idea that this is Dean's ex-wife and Dean's Son's Mom. That would add a lot of stress to the proceedings, methinks. [Ed. Note: Well Rachel, there ya go]
Dean - Complete idiot. Has no idea what his son wants or who he really is. Isn't very good at his job (look what he did, for chrissakes!). Will be sparingly seen, but might have the best lines.
TurboSlut - Will do all the guys in the school save for Dean's Son (7 of 8), including one of the gay guys. She is actively going after Dean's Son if only to stave off boredom. Will have another dimension, not sure what yet.
Sheltered Girl - One of those "oh, my Mom kept me locked up to do homework and I haven't seen the sun in 8 years. What is this 'rap music' you speak of?" girls who goes to one party and loses her mind, walking around asking to party every day. Eventually she gets shipped home and comes back towards the end in her normal sheltered self, until she has a drink from someone at the Homecoming dance....
Stoner girls - Can't be college without goofy stoners! Will throw them in the mix. Might want to go hang out with "mary" or take a walk with "mary" and at the end reveal that there is a girl named Mary that's in a different dorm. Ha HA! And you thought they were smoking weed. Tsk tsk. And the like.
Random girls - I'm thinking of 10 or 15 more named parts for the backgrounds of the bathroom scenes, or people who just pass by in the halls. A lot of scenes I want to set in big social settings, and they will have a lot of lines. my favorite things in plays are group scenes, and these girls will have specific characters and say specific things. None of this "All" stuff. Hate that. Lazy bastards.

Clearly I haven't fleshed anything out, but I think there's a starting point and an eventual end point where everyone just sort of gets over their own disorientations and figure out that being themselves (no matter sexual orientation, gender, or feeling) is the best way to go about life. We'll get there. Eventually.

Any questions and such, by all means, since I'm sure there are many.

Best,
Manton

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Award-Winning PV Theatre

Pascack Valley High School's Theatre program took home two awards at Montclair State's Theater Night awards. Many congratulations to Liz Lehman for her win Outstanding Achievement in Graphic Design and for Merielle Lupfer for her work in Outstanding Achievement in Properties Design. Huzzah!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Disorientation reading POSTPONED

It's times like these that try men's souls. Or something.

Anyway, the supposed incredible amount of snow has put PV theatre in the opinion that it wouldn't be nice to have people come through 3 or 4 inches of snow, enjoy a reading, then send everyone out into 8-10 inches. That's just not being considerate, is it? So the reading is postponed, possibly in the next two weekends, or simply never again. We shall see.

I was going to sandwich the "congratulations" post in here, too, but that's not cool. So look for a "congratulations" post tomorrow! WOO HOO!!!!

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

...Any Questions?

It seems as if there are some references, turns of phrases, and motivations that you might feel you're not be totally on point about, you can leave a question here or hit me on my email, kingmanton [a] gmail.com. I'd prefer here, so maybe you can answer someone else's question.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

You Can't Meet: Anyone Else

...Cause you've met them all. As a man of my word (kinda, sorta), all the character descriptions are finished before the first rehearsal. There are three posts up below this post, so if you want to scroll down they are all there. If you just want a link, then you can find:

Katy, Rachel, Haley, and Angelica here,

Toby, Clint, Gavin, and Nathaniel here,

and Dean Anderson/Ms. Barron here.

For now, let's all hope that the Vikings beat the Iggles so that I'm a happy boy when I see you all tomorrow for the first rehearsal. Hurrah hurrah.

Meet: Dean Anderson and Ms. Barron

Note: These surveys were sent out by Elmore Two's Resident Advsior Beth to both Dean Anderson and the Hall Director, Ms. Barron, with the intent of sharing this with the students upon their arrival. After reviewing both submissions, it was decided it would be best if they were not shared with the residents.

Name: Ms. Barron, not "Miss" or "Mrs." but "Ms." as my personal life should not effect my title

Location: Swinton College, naturally. That’s where I am writing this, as you just handed this to me Beth. To be even more precise, Elmore, Floor Two.

Household: That is none of your business. We have a professional working relationship and the students would not benefit from such knowledge.

Fav. Music: Early Bob Dylan (before he sold out), CSNY, Joan Baez, and Aimee Mann if you want something contemporary.

Fav. Movies: Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Casablanca, Magnolia, if you want something in color

Fav. TV Show: Television is not something I waste my time with.

Fav. Sites: hillaryclinton2012.com is my new homepage. I am just waiting for the official word to come and when the site goes up.

Fav. Books: Tidal Wave, The Color Purple, Before Women Had Wings, Their Eyes Were Watching God

Personal Note: I hope this was insightful, although I’m not sure why it would be or why you would bother asking of me such questions. Enjoy the school year.

Name: Dean Anderson, but just call me Dean, like I'm a rebel without causes!

Location: At the best girlie school in the nation! Oh, don’t take that negatively. It’s just that there are girls here, so it’ll be girlie, right? Yeah! Sure it is!

Household: I have a son who I love very much. And I had a wife who I love not being with anymore just as much. Just kidding, she’s a great lady…considering she can’t really be alive with her black heart.

Fav. Music: Oh I like your hip hop and your Snoops Dogg and Doctors and the like. The whole Knuckleheads With Altitude crew! I’m also a huge fan of Foreigner who STILL put on a great show!

Fav. Movies: Is there anything better than Kindergarten Cop? You have laughs, you have action, and you have ferrets.

Fav. TV Show: Welcome Back, Carter! So much young talent in one place. Same with Three’s Company.

Fav. Sites: I just found this youtube.com and man, that sneezing panda is the cutest, most ferocious killing machine I’ve ever seen

Fav. Books: Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader always gets me through the…tough…times, IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!

Personal Note: No, YOU are!

Meet: Toby, Nathaniel, Clint, and Gavin

Note: These profiles were pulled from City College's systems from a census and survey of the students' views on City College. They were intended to gauge what could be added or subtracted to college life on campus from the administration's point of view. These are real answers provided by four students. They did not help in any way.

Student's Name: Toby Boyle

Major: Female Anatomy

Class Year: Junior

Age: 24

Favorite Class, and why? Boxing, cause I'm kick ass so I can do it for credit

Least Favorite Class, and why? History, cause of dates, names, and stupid things that happen in Europe or whatever

Favorite Part of City College? The hot chicks

Least Favorite Part of City College? The ugly chicks

If you had one million dollars to improve the school, what would you spend it on? Kegs of Natty Ice!

Student's Name: Clint Gerbe

Major: Female Anatomy

Class Year: 2012

Age: 19 and counting

Favorite Class, and why? Rhetoric is cool, cause you can talk about stuff, and I like talking about stuff more than learning about stuff. And I think I write good.

Least Favorite Class, and why? Advanced Mircobiology. I never took it, but, it's gotta suck, right?

Favorite Part of City College? No parents

Least Favorite Part of City College? Crabs

If you had one million dollars to improve the school, what would you spend it on? I'd get like a big ass statue of some old hot chick cause then it looks like we're being smart and stuff but we also get a giant hot chick. So it's got like double whatevers, ya know?

Student's Name: Gavin Orpik

Major: Female Anatomy

Class Year: Junior, 2012 or 13

Age: 21

Favorite Class, and why? Astronomy, cause I can learn about Uranus. Unless a dude is reading this, cuz then I don't like Uranus.

Least Favorite Class, and why? Women's Lit. Totally didn't read the class title right.

Favorite Part of City College? Beirut

Least Favorite Part of City College? When you guys send my report card home. I turned that off but you keep sending it!

If you had one million dollars to improve the school, what would you spend it on? I'd get models to stand around campus, cause this way, like, you can attract more people with attractive girls. You can take that one for free.

Student's Name: Nathaniel Schneider

Major: Female Body

Class Year: Freshman

Age: 18

Favorite Class, and why? The same as what Toby Boyle said

Least Favorite Class, and why? The same as what Gavin Orpik said

Favorite Part of City College? Hangin' with my bros Gavin, Toby, and Clint!

Least Favorite Part of City College? The same was what Clint Gerbe said

If you had one million dollars to improve the school, what would you spend it on? A better French studies section of the library, it's hard to find stuff from like pre-19th Century

Meet: Katy, Rachel, Haley, and Angelica

Name: Katy

Location: Portland, Oregon, home of the Blazers, son!

Household: Got some ‘rents, an older sister who’s little miss perfect and a little brother who’s a total screw up. So yeah, I’m the middle child.

Fav. Music: I like…John Butler Trio, The Shins (hometown!), Wilco, Iron & Wine, Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, totally, Modest Mouse (kinda hometown!), moe. and more I just kinda don’t want to write anymore

Fav. Movies: Dazed and Confused is the best, Dark Crystal with Bowie junk all over the place, Fear and Loathing, Monty Python and the Holy Grail is sooo funny, Super Troopers, Empire Records, The Wall is trippy, BIG LEBOWSKI oh man, soooo funny

Fav. TV Show: Fraggle Rock!!!!

Fav. Sites: facebook.com. That took sooo much to admit.

Fav. Books: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs, The Tipping Point, Most Hunter S. Thompson stuff, uhh, things with words and covers

Personal Note: How much do a pack of cigs cost in Mass? It's a lot, isn't it? Dammit.

Name: Rachel

Location: Waterbury, CT

Household: I’m the oldest of 4. My Dad and my mom split a while back, so my Mom works most of the day and I usually take care of things around the house.

Fav. Music: Aretha Franklin, anything Motown, Otis Redding, Sly & the Family Stone, The Beatles, Common, The Fugees, Lauryn Hill similar sounds. Gotta have soul, cause everything else around me is so friggin hectic.

Fav. Movies: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Crash, Babel, Brokeback Mountain, The Ice Storm, Garden State

Fav. TV Show: Law and Order SVU, some Oprah, I guess. I don’t watch TV that much.

Fav. Sites: Not a lot of time to do sit around on the internet. Myspace, I guess. I like checking out music on there sometimes.

Fav. Books: Only stuff I get to read in school, so Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet, Things Fall Apart, Lord of the Flies

Personal Note: I can’t wait to let my hair down, unless it gets on the floor. Cause that’s disgusting.

Name: Haley

Location: Alliance, OH

Household: Yes

Fav. Music: Yes

Fav. Movies: Yes

Fav. TV Show: Yes

Fav. Sites: No

Fav. Books: No

Personal Note: No. Wait, yes: this is dumb. Hope it helps !!!!!

Name: Angelica

Location: Chevy Chase, MD

Household: I have two parents and a dog named Skippy. I didn’t name her, or else I wouldn’t have named her “Skippy.” Now she’s old and she limps. Terrible choice all around.

Fav. Music: All the classcis. Bananarama, The Beegees, Ace of Base. Y’know, the best of the best. Well, and the Rolling Stones. Mostly them.

Fav. Movies: One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, The Godfather Part II, Sixteen Candles, Chaplin’s The Kid, not the Bruce Willis Disney crapfest, anything with The Three Stooges, nyuk nyuk

Fav. TV Show: my absolute favorite is probably I Love Lucy, then maybe The Odd Couple, theeennn Ducktails, woo-ooohhh!

Fav. Sites: wikipedia – anything and everything

Fav. Books: Mostly comics, like The Dark Knight Returns, Preacher, Watchmen, V for Vendetta, Batman: Year One, and all the Sin City books. Well, almost all of them.

Personal Note: A fart by any other name smells just as bad. Isn’t that Shakespeare?