Now that the play is wrapped up, here is the script. Just to cover my butt, even I don't really see why, I've copyrighted it. I'm ALWAYS open to critiques so please Lemme have it. I'm the most critical of my own work, so please be as hard as you want, but I ask that your comments be CONSTRUCTIVE! That's the only way both of us can learn :)
Thanks!
http://www.uptil3.com/theGift.pdf
Monday, August 18, 2008
And that's a wrap!
Well, my play, The Gift, directed by Nicole Maxali and starring, Aaron Niles, Jocelyne Ampon, and Sarita Orcon closed last night. THANK YOU for breathing life into the characters that came to me at 3am on the morning of June 16, 2008! Special thanks to Ed Mabasa for the coolest tech effect to bring a blast to the ending!
Here's some notes from my observations about Stories High 10 from this playwright's POV:
- Of course, I learned this after the fact but don't use one-liners for effect. I tried to come up with a couple of one-hit one liners that seemed so disjointed from the flow of the script. boo. i have to do better than that.
- Create the "Awwweee" character. From John Raposas's character in his play, One Year, he's crafted a character that made the audience pull for him. Make the audience say "Aweee" by playing the sympathy card. A lesson John taught me from a critique session we had. From the time of the first Awe, that's when you HOOK the audience.
- Create the lyrical play. My personal FAVORITE play is Last Verse written by Ed Mabasa. Honestly, it took me a couple of times to watch it to really understand it and to realize just how beautiful it is. I know a lot of people still wonder what it's about, as did I, but what I took from it was a love story that had the protagonist, played by the awesome Dennis Rodis, ask how do people fall so in love? what causes this? True this is written from an 18th century vampire dark standpoint, but that's what made it appealing to me. I also said lyrical because some of the lines are truly poetic.
- Comedy. My next couple of scripts are going to be comedies. Comedy and laughter is what sells the audience! Honestly, that's what roped me initially into being a playwright - hearing the laughter of the audience. Holy shit?! I wrote something that made strangers laugh? In my growth, my focus has been taken away from that, but after getting that infectious feeling of happiness from Ava Tong's Non Quite Unrequited, One Year, and Non-Sequiturs by Cathlin Goulding, I can't wait to create that joy again.
- The Love Story. One Year and Josef Anolin's Choices explored the relationship genre. I've kinda taken that out of my repertoire after writing Garden of Dreams, but I totally plan to go back to it to explore Love and the complications thereof soon. Unfortunately, I really haven't been in that mood to do so. Kind of when trying to write a Christmas play in June. Not the same feeling. Gets? But it was nice to see.
- The political play. Out of all the plays, Nomi's Brothers and Sisters took me the most to get used to. Honestly, it took me a while to warm up to it mostly because I felt that the message beat me over the head with what it wanted to say. But that's talking from the (ick) analytical pov of the structure of playwriting. HOWEVER, it's a very very worthwhile play to create and is needed! There are bad things happening in the Philippines regarding US/Philippine relations, political and economic, that needs to be addressed and it's great to see it done so. Much props to Nomi for writing this.
Here's some notes from my observations about Stories High 10 from this playwright's POV:
- Of course, I learned this after the fact but don't use one-liners for effect. I tried to come up with a couple of one-hit one liners that seemed so disjointed from the flow of the script. boo. i have to do better than that.
- Create the "Awwweee" character. From John Raposas's character in his play, One Year, he's crafted a character that made the audience pull for him. Make the audience say "Aweee" by playing the sympathy card. A lesson John taught me from a critique session we had. From the time of the first Awe, that's when you HOOK the audience.
- Create the lyrical play. My personal FAVORITE play is Last Verse written by Ed Mabasa. Honestly, it took me a couple of times to watch it to really understand it and to realize just how beautiful it is. I know a lot of people still wonder what it's about, as did I, but what I took from it was a love story that had the protagonist, played by the awesome Dennis Rodis, ask how do people fall so in love? what causes this? True this is written from an 18th century vampire dark standpoint, but that's what made it appealing to me. I also said lyrical because some of the lines are truly poetic.
- Comedy. My next couple of scripts are going to be comedies. Comedy and laughter is what sells the audience! Honestly, that's what roped me initially into being a playwright - hearing the laughter of the audience. Holy shit?! I wrote something that made strangers laugh? In my growth, my focus has been taken away from that, but after getting that infectious feeling of happiness from Ava Tong's Non Quite Unrequited, One Year, and Non-Sequiturs by Cathlin Goulding, I can't wait to create that joy again.
- The Love Story. One Year and Josef Anolin's Choices explored the relationship genre. I've kinda taken that out of my repertoire after writing Garden of Dreams, but I totally plan to go back to it to explore Love and the complications thereof soon. Unfortunately, I really haven't been in that mood to do so. Kind of when trying to write a Christmas play in June. Not the same feeling. Gets? But it was nice to see.
- The political play. Out of all the plays, Nomi's Brothers and Sisters took me the most to get used to. Honestly, it took me a while to warm up to it mostly because I felt that the message beat me over the head with what it wanted to say. But that's talking from the (ick) analytical pov of the structure of playwriting. HOWEVER, it's a very very worthwhile play to create and is needed! There are bad things happening in the Philippines regarding US/Philippine relations, political and economic, that needs to be addressed and it's great to see it done so. Much props to Nomi for writing this.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Stories High 10
I'm SO thrilled that my play, THE GIFT, is a part of this years Stories High production of One-Acts produced by Bindlestiff Studio here in SF! Another step towards my dream...
Press Release for Stories High 2008
Bindlestiff’s staple production, Stories High, reaches it 10th anniversary with a new batch of writers, directors and actors eager to grace its stage.
Stories High is a series of theater workshops that culminates into a show. Artists and anyone who is interested in getting involved with community arts is invited to choose from acting, playwriting, directing, backstage managing, marketing, and producing workshops, all at affordable rates. Stories High hopes to discover, cultivate, and nurture new emerging artists. This is Bindlestiff' s 10th Stories High workshop and show.
Teasers for your tastebuds:
A couple in a bitter feud during their one year anniversary…
An insecure English high school teacher makes sense of her past…
A young woman meets the mother of her savior…
The power of love, and the fight for it, during a dancing class…
A soldier chooses between his family and his perceived country…
A murderer commits his last act of violence…
A confused boyfriend must decide between fidelity and guilty pleasure…
Featured Plays:
One Year written by John Raposas and directed by Thomas Paras
Non-Sequiturs written by Cathlin Goulding and directed by Ava Tong
The Gift written by Conrad Panganiban and directed by Nicole Maxali
Not Quite Unrequited written by Ava Tong and directed by Christina Ying
The Last Verse in Despair written by Ed Mabasa and directed by Kevin Correa
Choices written by Josef Anolin and directed by John Raposas
Brothers & Sisters written by Mario “Nomi” deMira and directed by R.J. Lozada
July 31st – August 16th
Thursday- Saturday
$10 - $15 sliding scale
Off Market Theater
965 Mission Street
Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Writing Facilitator – Samantha Chanse
Acting Facilitator – Allan Manalo
Directing Facilitator – Jeannie Barroga
Producers- Anthony Tagudar, Susanna Yu & Dianne Aquino Chui
For more information, please visit www.bindlestiffstudio.org. If you would like to make a reservation, please email Susie@bindlestiffstudio.org with the show title, date, and number of seats you’d like to reserve.
About Bindlestiff Studio
Established in 1997, Bindlestiff Studio is the nation's only independent and permanent community-based performing arts venue dedicated to the cultivation of emerging and established Filipino American artists. Its mission is to inspire community involvement and social awareness through the arts. Bindlestiff provides an affordable, professional theater to encourage artists to redefine the boundaries of social and artistic expression and provides the community access to diverse offerings in theatrical productions, music and film festivals, workshops in directing, production, acting, stand-up comedy, and writing, in addition to a children and youth theater program. Bindlestiff needs your support as it enters into a new phase of artistic and organizational development. To donate or to volunteer, please call (415) 255-0440 or visit our website at www.bindlestiffstudio.org
Press Release for Stories High 2008
Bindlestiff’s staple production, Stories High, reaches it 10th anniversary with a new batch of writers, directors and actors eager to grace its stage.
Stories High is a series of theater workshops that culminates into a show. Artists and anyone who is interested in getting involved with community arts is invited to choose from acting, playwriting, directing, backstage managing, marketing, and producing workshops, all at affordable rates. Stories High hopes to discover, cultivate, and nurture new emerging artists. This is Bindlestiff' s 10th Stories High workshop and show.
Teasers for your tastebuds:
A couple in a bitter feud during their one year anniversary…
An insecure English high school teacher makes sense of her past…
A young woman meets the mother of her savior…
The power of love, and the fight for it, during a dancing class…
A soldier chooses between his family and his perceived country…
A murderer commits his last act of violence…
A confused boyfriend must decide between fidelity and guilty pleasure…
Featured Plays:
One Year written by John Raposas and directed by Thomas Paras
Non-Sequiturs written by Cathlin Goulding and directed by Ava Tong
The Gift written by Conrad Panganiban and directed by Nicole Maxali
Not Quite Unrequited written by Ava Tong and directed by Christina Ying
The Last Verse in Despair written by Ed Mabasa and directed by Kevin Correa
Choices written by Josef Anolin and directed by John Raposas
Brothers & Sisters written by Mario “Nomi” deMira and directed by R.J. Lozada
July 31st – August 16th
Thursday- Saturday
$10 - $15 sliding scale
Off Market Theater
965 Mission Street
Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
Writing Facilitator – Samantha Chanse
Acting Facilitator – Allan Manalo
Directing Facilitator – Jeannie Barroga
Producers- Anthony Tagudar, Susanna Yu & Dianne Aquino Chui
For more information, please visit www.bindlestiffstudio.org. If you would like to make a reservation, please email Susie@bindlestiffstudio.org with the show title, date, and number of seats you’d like to reserve.
About Bindlestiff Studio
Established in 1997, Bindlestiff Studio is the nation's only independent and permanent community-based performing arts venue dedicated to the cultivation of emerging and established Filipino American artists. Its mission is to inspire community involvement and social awareness through the arts. Bindlestiff provides an affordable, professional theater to encourage artists to redefine the boundaries of social and artistic expression and provides the community access to diverse offerings in theatrical productions, music and film festivals, workshops in directing, production, acting, stand-up comedy, and writing, in addition to a children and youth theater program. Bindlestiff needs your support as it enters into a new phase of artistic and organizational development. To donate or to volunteer, please call (415) 255-0440 or visit our website at www.bindlestiffstudio.org
Friday, June 20, 2008
Looks
Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined
This is a name of a book that I just saw on this book service I'm with. It's an interesting topic for a play... maybe.
This is a name of a book that I just saw on this book service I'm with. It's an interesting topic for a play... maybe.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
unrequited love/friendship
I just had to get this out in terms of exploring unrequited love/friendship as a theme for a new play. Most likely this will be thought of into a 10-minute as it's an artform that I've not only fallen in love with, but really understand the structure and elements of a play. Of course, writing for this won't keep me from wanting to write a full-length, but I'm pretty sure that if I can nail this format, I'll be able to nail the full-length as well.
Back to this theme. I'm just really feeling strongly towards this theme because I'm going through this right now. I know that it's probably all in my head, but... sometimes I wonder. Regardless if this is in my noggin', it's still a pretty real "emotion" - the feeling of loving someone more than they love you. There's just so many varying degrees of this feeling that I'm going to explore from my point of view. It's really interesting. If I was younger, I'd be going through... let's be honest, I have gone through this again. Probably to the point where this relationship I have with this other person is irreparable, well to the point where it was at one point in time, but I am much older and wiser now to not get too caught up in the sadness, jealousy, spitefulness, and otherwise NEGATIVE, yet human, energy. I mean, sure it's there, I am human, but honestly, not to the degree as it was in another phase of my life. I know I'm rambling, but that's what blogs are for.
Okay, now prefacing all that I have, loving someone more than they love you is a universal thing. Sometimes, if a person's not careful, if the other person senses this, they can, and probably should, take advantage of that person's affections. But I think the tragedy is that sometimes the person giving the affection will probably try harder the more the other person doesn't reciprocate. Sad. This is good, but I have to be aware not to make the hero a sad sack of poo instead of a sympathetic character.
At any rate, this has been weighing on my mind. Something I need to write about.
Back to this theme. I'm just really feeling strongly towards this theme because I'm going through this right now. I know that it's probably all in my head, but... sometimes I wonder. Regardless if this is in my noggin', it's still a pretty real "emotion" - the feeling of loving someone more than they love you. There's just so many varying degrees of this feeling that I'm going to explore from my point of view. It's really interesting. If I was younger, I'd be going through... let's be honest, I have gone through this again. Probably to the point where this relationship I have with this other person is irreparable, well to the point where it was at one point in time, but I am much older and wiser now to not get too caught up in the sadness, jealousy, spitefulness, and otherwise NEGATIVE, yet human, energy. I mean, sure it's there, I am human, but honestly, not to the degree as it was in another phase of my life. I know I'm rambling, but that's what blogs are for.
Okay, now prefacing all that I have, loving someone more than they love you is a universal thing. Sometimes, if a person's not careful, if the other person senses this, they can, and probably should, take advantage of that person's affections. But I think the tragedy is that sometimes the person giving the affection will probably try harder the more the other person doesn't reciprocate. Sad. This is good, but I have to be aware not to make the hero a sad sack of poo instead of a sympathetic character.
At any rate, this has been weighing on my mind. Something I need to write about.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Another crossroad
I'm thinking that I should be writing this on my other blog site, but it applies here as well. I'm at another crossroad it seems. I can either audition to act in a play which will take place later this summer or continue writing by seeking out lessons and looking for other theater work. I guess I'm at this juncture because I can finally take stock of where I truly am in this time and space that some call life. I've spent so much, if not all, of my life trying to fit in by doing a lot of things, more recently within the last 5 years, by doing the theater thing. I love the theater. And this weekend, I solidified my love for writing for the stage. And to my surprise, possibly writing for film/video/DV.
I'm 36. I don't feel like I have anything yet to show my existence in doing something I love. In order to do this, my goal in playwriting terminology, I know that I have to focus on WRITING. I got close to so many people with Bindlestiff, but is that what my ultimate goal is? Or should it be to hopefully one day, write something that these amazing performers can take and run and make fly.
You're the first to read these thoughts are pouring out of my fingertips and spilling onto this keyboard, but I'm have to step away from the stage. I have to do this in order for the amazing artists to grace the stage and take my words to transport an audience into my world. A world that can only be seen through my journey through life. This journey that I've been so lucky to have been on as to where I can finally see the top of my Hierarchy of Needs - self-identity. Knowing what my role in life ultimately is - a playwright.
I'm 36. I don't feel like I have anything yet to show my existence in doing something I love. In order to do this, my goal in playwriting terminology, I know that I have to focus on WRITING. I got close to so many people with Bindlestiff, but is that what my ultimate goal is? Or should it be to hopefully one day, write something that these amazing performers can take and run and make fly.
You're the first to read these thoughts are pouring out of my fingertips and spilling onto this keyboard, but I'm have to step away from the stage. I have to do this in order for the amazing artists to grace the stage and take my words to transport an audience into my world. A world that can only be seen through my journey through life. This journey that I've been so lucky to have been on as to where I can finally see the top of my Hierarchy of Needs - self-identity. Knowing what my role in life ultimately is - a playwright.
The Gift
I just finished what can be considered the final script of The Gift for Bindlestiff Studio's Stories High Production which will take place on the last week of July and early August. Here's a taste of what I wrote:
FEMALE
I can’t believe that this is happening to me!
MALE
How can this be happening to me?
FEMALE
After all the auditions I’ve been on. After all the “You’re
just not what we’re looking for right now.” Or the
countless hours of checking my phone after the “Thanks,
don’t call us, we’ll call you,” it’s finally paid off!
MALE
Correction. We were going to get married. I don’t know what
happened. Look, if I knew I wouldn’t be talking to you now.
All she said was, “I think we need a break.”
FEMALE
I know crazy! So it was during my lunch break when the
director called and asked if I’ve ever been to Orlando. Do
you know what’s in Orlando? I swear I almost peed in my
pants! Hold on. Did I? I don’t know? I don’t care. Holy
shit! Dreams actually can come true!
MALE
Over the phone. I never thought that I’d break up over the
phone. I never even thought that we’d ever break up. All
these plans after graduation. Shot. All these dreams I had
for us. Over. What am I gonna do, now?
FEMALE
Duh, I’m hella excited!
MALE
Numb. I can’t feel anything.
FEMALE
Stupid happy!
MALE
Fucking crappy.
FEMALE
It’s like I got all these emotions running all over my
body…
MALE
And I wish I can make them… stop.
Lights out on FEMALE and MALE as
YSA collapses from emotional
overload.
That's all for now because I intend to tweak this a little bit in order to turn this into a couple of festivals. After these have been turned in, I'll post up the script here :)
FEMALE
I can’t believe that this is happening to me!
MALE
How can this be happening to me?
FEMALE
After all the auditions I’ve been on. After all the “You’re
just not what we’re looking for right now.” Or the
countless hours of checking my phone after the “Thanks,
don’t call us, we’ll call you,” it’s finally paid off!
MALE
Correction. We were going to get married. I don’t know what
happened. Look, if I knew I wouldn’t be talking to you now.
All she said was, “I think we need a break.”
FEMALE
I know crazy! So it was during my lunch break when the
director called and asked if I’ve ever been to Orlando. Do
you know what’s in Orlando? I swear I almost peed in my
pants! Hold on. Did I? I don’t know? I don’t care. Holy
shit! Dreams actually can come true!
MALE
Over the phone. I never thought that I’d break up over the
phone. I never even thought that we’d ever break up. All
these plans after graduation. Shot. All these dreams I had
for us. Over. What am I gonna do, now?
FEMALE
Duh, I’m hella excited!
MALE
Numb. I can’t feel anything.
FEMALE
Stupid happy!
MALE
Fucking crappy.
FEMALE
It’s like I got all these emotions running all over my
body…
MALE
And I wish I can make them… stop.
Lights out on FEMALE and MALE as
YSA collapses from emotional
overload.
That's all for now because I intend to tweak this a little bit in order to turn this into a couple of festivals. After these have been turned in, I'll post up the script here :)
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