Standing... Blind writing

What I mean about blind writing is that I began writing this script, Standing Above Pajaro, about two years ago and while I have my notes a out the play on my home computer, which I'm currently away from, I'm rewriting what I have of the script from memory. It's going pretty well but now I'm near the climax of the story and it feels like it's kinda falling apart because I don't have my notes on what's going to happen next.

But overall, I'm happy with the pacing of the dialogue, which is more my style. Which is to say that, I'm incorporating the LaBute quickfire overlapping (using his same script shorthand / at the point of overlappage) while paying close attention to how much to reveal and Jeanie's rules of what every line needs to do: 1) push the story along, 2) describe the charter and 3) show/infer action. If the line does neither of these three, kill it!

So hopefully, I can present this at a Wordy Word to hear this skeleton script: how it fits together before adding flesh/soul/meat to the play.

My goal on this vacation is to finish this one as well as a re-write of Boys Don't Bake Cake.

Ciao for now!

Trickier Than Wine

I finished the latest draft of Thicker Than Wine in October and I'm going to revisit it since there's finally another deadline of Dec. 14. I'm a little apprehensive about revising it again for fear of overediting. then again all playwrights have the right to edit their plays when they wish. just don't want to over think it. you know what it is? it just might be that I think that I had a pretty good last reading of it and I don't want to do anything else to wreck it! but it doesn't hurt to look at it from a fresh perspective.

onto the topic of adaptations. the lesson was GREAT! but at the same time very constricting in the fact that I'm afraid to share this in fear of getting a cease and desist order. I love what I've come up in spite of the play time duration. maybe I should just contact the author to get her blessing. I mean, I should have in the first place, but then again I didn't even know that it would work out so well, cuz I was hecka strugglin'! should ask Allan first.

I need to write.

Boys Don't Bake Cake - Script

Boys Don’t Bake Cake
A short play by conrad a. panganiban
Version: 2010/09/25

Cast of Characters
Malou Gaspar: 23. Female.
Karen Gaspar: 21. Female. Kristine’s sister. Malou’s cousin.
Kristine Gaspar: 22. Female. Karen’s sister. Malou’s cousin.
Justin Basa: 24. Male. Malou’s BFF.

Setting

Malou’s apartment dining room.
Lights up revealing the apartment dining room of MALOU GASPAR. A “Congratulations” banner hangs on the back wall. A table with 3 chairs is on stage.

ENTER MALOU, KAREN, and KRISTINE carrying flowers and gift bags. MALOU is still in her graduation gown.

KRISTINE
I’m telling you, he’s so in love with you.

KAREN
It’s so obvious.

MALOU
Guys, give it a rest. Just put those over there. Thanks. I told you, we’re just friends.

KAREN
Did you see his sign?

KRISTINE
Who could miss it?

KAREN
Those posterboards must have cost a fortune!

KRISTINE
I know. How many letters are in CONGRATULATIONS MALOU GASPAR, YOU ROCK exclamation point, exclamation point, exclamation point. That’s like, one, two, three… a lot of letters.

MALOU
I barely noticed, Kristine.

KAREN
How could you have not? They were hot pink big cards with gold letters.

KRISTINE
And they were glittery.

KAREN
Glittery?
KRISTINE
Yup. Glittery.

KAREN
Glittery! You could see your name from outer space!

MALOU
It was nice.

KAREN
Girl, you got him whooped.

MALOU
Karen. I told you. Justin’s just a friend.

KRISTINE
What kind of friend could convince (counting with her fingers) a lot of people to hold up each of those letters for you.

MALOU
A good friend.

KAREN
A good friend with benefits?

MALOU
(laughing)
Shut up…

KRISTINE
Just how good are those benefits?

MALOU
Guys! Stop it!

KAREN
He is cute.

KRISTINE
A lot cuter than Monté.

KAREN
Ew. Malou’s crush in elementary school.

MALOU
Middle school.

KRISTINE
And he dresses better than Howard.

KAREN
Ulk. Howard the Duck.

MALOU
Now, that’s just mean.

KRISTINE
Malou. For reals. Didn’t you think that his lips look like a duck?

KAREN
Yeah. How did you kiss like…?

MALOU
Guys.

KAREN
Sergio?

KRISTINE
Yes! Oh my God! Sergio! Trying to get him to even say hi was like pulling a tooth! Remember at Papang’s 90th birthday?

KAREN
Exactly! (to Malou) You would go around to the family introducing him. And all he would do is move his head up and grunt.

KRISTINE
So embarrassing.

MALOU
What’s so wrong about the quiet type?

KAREN
Quiet like a stalker.

MALOU
Okay. I haven’t had the best record with men lately?

KRISTINE
We’re not hating on you, Malou.

MALOU
You sure?

KRISTINE
It’s just that we see this really cool person who is so obviously in love with you and you can’t see it. We just want you to be happy.

KAREN
Yeah.

MALOU
I am happy. I’m ecstatic! I just finished 5 years of college and I’m finally heading out into the real world.

KRISTINE
Alone.

MALOU
Independent.

KAREN
Well, wouldn’t you want Justin out there in the real world with you?

MALOU
Have you been talking to my mom?

KRISTINE
Well, she did say something to our mom, and you know how sisters are.

MALOU
Yeah. Always meddling.

A knock is heard. MALOU gets up and heads to the door.

KAREN
(to MALOU) But it’s out of love. (to KRISTINE) Right?

KRISTINE
(like duhhh…)
Yeahhh…

Enter MALOU with a bouquet of flowers with JUSTIN right behind her carrying a cake box.

MALOU
They smell so fresh.

JUSTIN
That’s because I got them from the campus garden.

MALOU
Dummy. You could’ve got caught.

JUSTIN
You only graduate once. And I know that they’re your favorite.

KAREN & KRISTINE
Awee…

MALOU
Shhh… And you remember my cousins. Kristine and Karen.

KAREN & KRISTINE
Hi.

KAREN
Loved the sign!

JUSTIN
Thanks.

KRISTINE
Must’ve taken you forever to make it.

JUSTIN
Just a couple of weeks. Had to sneak it in between finals. Plus had to make sure she never knew about it. Did you?

MALOU
Total surprise. Thank you.

JUSTIN
And that’s not all.

JUSTIN holds out the cake box.

MALOU
Uh…

JUSTIN
Just open it.

As MALOU opens the box, KAREN and KRISTINE gather around to see what’s inside.

KAREN
Wow.

KRISTINE
That’s a lot of letters.

JUSTIN
I’m getting better at piping.

KAREN
You didn’t? This?

JUSTIN
Red Velvet with Buttercream frosting and filling.

KRISTINE
(to MALOU) Your favorite?

MALOU nods as JUSTIN puts the cake box on the table.

JUSTIN
Please dig right in. There’s clean plates and forks still in the dishwasher cuz this one doesn’t know how to use it. Lou, there’s fresh towels in your bano?

MALOU
Just put them up this morning.

JUSTIN
Cool. We can leave when you’re ready. If you’ll please excuse me. Enjoy!

JUSTIN exits. KAREN exits to get three forks.

KRISTINE
If you don’t take him, I will.

MALOU
I told you. He doesn’t like me in that way.

KAREN re-enters with forks in hand and sits at table with KRISTINE. BOTH take turns eating the cake through this scene.

KAREN
Woman, he baked you a cake? Not a Twinkie. Not a Ho-ho. Or that other thing…

KRISTINE
Suzie-Q.

KAREN
Thank you, Ate. Yeah. Not a Suzie-Q. A cake!

KRISTINE
And boys don’t bake cake!

KAREN
He’s so in love with you.

KRISTINE
So in love.

MALOU
No.

KAREN
Yup.

MALOU
Can’t be.

KRISTINE
He’s got it bad.

MALOU
Bad?

KAREN
He baked you a cake!

KAREN takes another bite of the cake.

KRISTINE
(imitating JUSTIN)
I’m getting better at piping.

KAREN
(with her mouth full of cake)
And it’s SO GOOOOOD!

MALOU
Justin?

KRISTINE and KAREN nod their heads as their mouths are full.

Enter JUSTIN. As JUSTIN says his lines below, MALOU begins to walk over to him.

JUSTIN
I fixed your bathroom lock again. Just remember to lift it up a little with a little jiggle as you press the…

MALOU is about to give JUSTIN a kiss… when he stops her.

JUSTIN
Malou. What are you doing?

MALOU
I… Uh… I just thought.

JUSTIN
Remember Greg?

MALOU
Yeah.

JUSTIN
Well, we’re getting back together. I was going to tell you.

MALOU
Oh. Oh… well. That’s uh… That’s uh… great. That’s great news. You guys look great together.

JUSTIN
Oh, honey. Whatever gave you the idea that…

MALOU looks over at KAREN and KRISTINE. BOTH look down at the cake.

KAREN
Butter cream frosting? Yummy!

KRISTINE
So moist.

MALOU
It’s just. I’m scared okay. School’s finished and now I have to face the real world alone.

JUSTIN
(hugging MALOU)
Silly Willy. You couldn’t get rid of me if you tried.

Holding out his pinky.

BFF’s?

MALOU intertwine’s her pinky with his.

MALOU
BFFs.

MALOU and JUSTIN hug.

MALOU
I’m sorry.

JUSTIN
Real love is never having to say you’re sorry, or some other stupid saying like that. Capiche?

MALOU
Capiche.

JUSTIN
So, are you ready to go?

MALOU
The party? Right. I forgot. My cousins are here and we’re…

JUSTIN
Well they’re, I mean, Karen, Kristine, you’re invited to come as well.

MALOU
It’s alright. They flew here for the graduation and we were just catching up. Sorry.

JUSTIN
Hey! Remember what I said about having to say sorry. But that’s great. Family together time. Cute. It’s all good. Still on for brunch tomorrow?

MALOU
Like every week.

JUSTIN
It was great seeing both of you again.

KAREN & KRISTINE
Bye. Thanks for the cake.

MALOU
I’ll walk you to the door.

MALOU and JUSTIN exit. MALOU re-enters. KAREN holds up a fork. MALOU takes the fork, sits between her cousins, click their forks together to say “cheers” and MALOU takes a little bit of the cake. KRISTINE and KAREN just watch her while KRISTINE brushes the hair out of MALOU’s eyes and KAREN strokes her back.

Lights fade.


THE END

Stuck (revised 2)

STUCK

(DRAFT Version 2. 08/31/2010)

CAST OF CHARACTERS
Phoenina Toots: Mid to late 20's. Female. Clown.
Huggie Aloni: Mid to late 20's. Male. Clown.

SETTING
Chuck E. Cheese.

HUGGIE and PHOENINA, dressed in clown outfits are sitting at a table. PHOENINA is sipping from a straw from a paper cup. HUGGIE is looking out of it. A Happy Birthday banner is hanging from a wall upstage. A couple of balloons and some streamers are on the floor around them.

HUGGIE: Look at 'em. I bet those are the most filthiest balls on earth.

PHOENINA: Huggie, they're kids. They're just having fun. You're telling me you never did that.

HUGGIE: Never.

PHOENINA: You should try it sometime.

HUGGIE: I don't know how rolling around in germ infested balls can be fun, Phoenina.

PHOENINA: Not when you put it like that. You know, you really need to loosen up. One of these days you're gonna like have a stroke or something. And then what will I do?

HUGGIE: Find another partner.

PHOENINA: But I've already gotten so used to your grumpy face. And speaking of which, why are you so grumpy today? You're supposed to be Huggie Aloni, the Funny Clown! That's why I brought you here.

HUGGIE: We're here to work.

PHOENINA: Yes. But it's also for you to have some fun.

HUGGIE: I swear, if you have that big rat and his robot freaks, come over here with a cake, I will cut you.

PHOENINA: You're not that good yet.

HUGGIE: Don't try me. Especially today.

PHOENINA: Then at least be happy for what you got.

HUGGIE: A dead-end job with a partner who's a goodie two shoes who likes to party all the time.

PHOENINA: It's a job, right? But I appreciate the effort of throwing in an obscure Eddie Murphy party song to alleviate the tension.

HUGGIE: The only tension is the crow's feet around your eyes because you can remember that song from the Eighties.

PHOENINA: Would you just grow down a little? I'm trying to cheer you up.

HUGGIE: Nothing worth cheering up about entering the later stages in life.

PHOENINA: You're not that old.

HUGGIE: Wow. Not 'that' old. Phoenina, when did you start doing this?

PHOENINA: You know that I started...

HUGGIE: 16. I started doing this when I was 16. I'm 35. And look at me. Should I be happy?

PHOENINA: You look happy. C'mon. You have to lighten up! Enjoy life. Look at those kids over there.

HUGGIE: They're cheating.

PHOENINA: No. They're having fun. They don't know it's against the rules to walk up that ramp and put the balls in the holes.

HUGGIE: The parents are making them do that.

PHOENINA: But look at them. They're smiling. And watching the co-workers not care is hilarious.

HUGGIE: That's being irresponsible.

PHOENINA: Oh my God! What's the matter with you? You know that life is short. We live it. So just live a little!

HUGGIE: (softly) I don't know how.

PHOENINA: What?

HUGGIE: I don't know how! Okay? I've never learned how to.

PHOENINA: Have fun? How's that possible? I thought you loved what we do?

HUGGIE: No. Not really. I mean, it's just a job.

PHOENINA: I love what we do. What about the travel?

HUGGIE: We go from Chuck E. Cheese to Chuck E. Cheese to make a couple of bucks and what do I have to show for it? Do you know what I have to show for it? Nothing!!!

PHOENINA: Keep it down a little. You're gonna scare the kids.

HUGGIE: We're gonna scare them soon anyways. You think I like making kids cry when they see me?

PHOENINA: I like making the adults cry.

HUGGIE: Okay. I do too, but I'm tired of this life. I need something more. I just feel so stuck. This is my last job.

PHOENINA: You've said that before, remember? So, we change things up again. Start over in another part of the country. Like last time.

HUGGIE: You're young-er-ish, cute, and adventurous. Just get another partner. You'll do fine without me. Better even.

PHOENINA: Stop saying that.

HUGGIE: It's true.

PHOENINA: You know you'll miss it. Especially when we round up all the families and we pop off a couple of balloons...

HUGGIE: Behind their kids heads. Good times. Good times.

PHOENINA: And then it's the parents who fork over the money like crazy? What's not fun about that? Now that's the clown, I know.

HUGGIE: Ready, Phoenina Toots.

PHOENINA: Ready, Huggie Aloni.

HUGGIE and PHOENINA get up from the table and take out machetes from inside their Clown outfits.

HUGGIE: Alright everyone! Stop what you're doin and gather up your kiddies, cuz this is a hold up!


THE END

Working working working

so my new project is to adapt a short story or poem written by a filipin@-american author into a 20-minute play. i've selected the short story "A Portrait of an Aristocrat" from the novel WHEN THE ELEPHANTS DANCE by Tess Uriza Holthe. i've been drawn to this story ever since reading this 3 years ago. for some reason, it's really taken a hold of me. i think it's just seeing a scene where the protagonist, Fredrico Jacinto-Basa is mixing it up with the contagonist, Divina Zamora. The scene is where Divina first confronts Fredrico in his painting studio after he runs over her mothers vegetables in the market place with his Kalesa. she splashes wine all over his painting and i see him totally enraptured by her passion... something that none of his other portraits have.

at any rate, my task is to take this story of about 21 scenes and compress it into 15-20 minutes. it's gonna be hard, but it eases my mind to know that i've taken the steps to get to that point:

- re-write the story in my words point-by-point
- break this point-by-point re-write into scenes
- identify all of the characters
- identify the main theme
- create a "This story is about..." sentence. Learned this from Philip Kan Gotanda.
- this actually changed from my initial thought of what i thought the story was and this was only accomplished by having the point-by-point re-write.

This story is about how an aristocratic painter changes his beliefs on social equality after meeting his muse and her family during the late 1800's of a Spanish-colonized Philippines.

what i still need to accomplish:
- edit out the scenes which will help me tell the story into 20 minutes
- figure out what's the best method to do this
- cut out as many characters as i can and maybe combine characters

i'm on my way and the more times i go over what i've already done, the story will come more clearly into focus :)

Stuck

STUCK

(DRAFT Version 1. 08/25/2010)

Phoenix - Early 20's. Designer.
Gynn - Mid 20's. Web engineer.

(PHOENIX and GYNN are standing in line at a sandwhich shop.)

PHOENIX: What do you think, Gynn? Should I get it?

GYNN: (passive) What?

PHOENIX: Should I get it?

GYNN: The #11? Yeah. Sounds good, Phoenix.

PHOENIX: I wasn't talking about the sandwiches. I was talking about getting the Ford Fiesta. What do you think? I just love that name, Fiesta. Just sounds so... fiesta!

GYNN: Sure. Why not?

PHOENIX: I know. It's like my Civic hella breaks down all the time now. But I don't wanna get rid of it.

GYNN: Harper mentioned your road trips.

PHOENIX: So, that's what my ex-roommate's been telling you. All our adventures.

GYNN: San Diego to meet up with some guy you met on MySpace?

PHOENIX: Hey! Ya never know where you'l find your soulmate. That person could be right next to ya or 600 miles away. Ya won't know 'til ya let go and find out. I'd love to have what you and Harper got.

GYNN: (beat) So, what are you going to order?

PHOENIX: The #24 sounds snazzy.

GYNN: Maybe I'll try that.

PHOENIX: Wawa-what?! Mr. Consistency is even considering verring off the course of his beloved #11. The sandwich you've been ordering everyday since ever.

GYNN: Sometimes it's good to change things up.

(PHOENIX stops and stares at GYNN with great suspicion.)

GYNN: What?

PHOENIX: What did you do to the real, Gynn? The real Gynn don't change for no one. He only wears a black shirt, jeans, and New Balances every day because he has a thing for Steve Jobs.

GYNN: It's called efficient dressing. And Steve Jobs is a national hero. All I'm saying is that sometimes, change is good. If you don't change, you stay... stuck.

PHOENIX: That's pretty damn deep.

GYNN: I love you.

PHOENIX: What?

GYNN: I love you, Phoenix. I love how you can go for hours without taking a breat between sentences because I can see your thoughts dance in your eyes. I love the fact that you can drop everything and jump in a car and drive all the way down the state for that chance of meeting The One.

PHOENIX: Gynn. Stop.

GYNN: I'm just...

PHOENIX: Harper.

GYNN: Stuck. (beat) Phoenix, say something.

PHOENIX: I... I can't.

GYNN: I know that you and Harper are...

PHOENIX: I like you too.

GYNN: What?

PHOENIX: I'm not stupid. I can see that you and Harper are... and I can see how you look at me. You aren't that slick. But you know that we can't.

GYNN: You're right. You're right.

PHOENIX: So, what are you gonna tell Harper.

GYNN: The truth.

PHOENIX: About us?

GYNN: There is no us.

PHOENIX: Right.

GYNN: Right. Are we okay?

PHOENIX: No. I mean you just don't come out and say I Love You, and everything's okay.

GYNN: I'm apologize.

PHOENIX: It's... all good. Not relly, but let's just chill.

GYNN: Right. Chill. Order our sandwiches and head back to the office.

PHOENIX: That's the plan. (to the sandwich maker) Uh, excuse me... Hi. I'll have the 24.

GYNN: And I'll have the #11... wait. I... I changed my mind. Please make that a #15. Thanks. (to Phoenix) Um... out of curiosity, if you and Harper weren't?

PHOENIX: Sisters?

THE END

staring down the pipe

getting back into the swing of things to hit another play out of the park after a very long break. however, I'm back and i'm staring down the pipe at a slow moving ball to swing at!

the assignment: adapt a play from an established (rather than emerging) fil-am writer. i have the theme. i want to have the way. now i'm just looking for some inspiration!

here i go again!