———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Three

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: 02-03. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN

A wooden disc sits center in the Unroom surrounded by rows of grey carpet squares, like an island in an ocean of drabness. Patiently, THE OUTER ONE waits on one of the grey carpet squares. Metallic spindly floor lamps stand off to the edges barely illuminating.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE.

The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out from the shadows cloaking the wooden disc.
THE POV OF THE OUTER ONE TURNS TO LOOK AT THE WOODEN DISC.
Unseen lamps over the wooden disc flip on illuminating THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE now sitting mid-disc.
PAN IN ON THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

PAN IN ON THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains part and the stage lights click on with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO, MORNING

A desk sits in the center of the stage. On the desk sits a typewriter and a ream of paper. A lamp and wastebasket sit on either side of the desk. A bookcase, covered in houseplants, sits off to stage-left. An ALARM can be heard from off-stage. It buzzes a few moments then stops. The sound of a DOOR OPENING and then FOOTSTEPS catch our attention. THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters from stage-right. Still dressed for bed, Thomas groggily walks across the stage exiting stage-left. From off-stage we hear A DOOR OPENING followed by WATER FLOWING INTO A TOILET. The FLUSH is softer than expected, in contrast to the resonant thunder of water from THE SHOWER.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD. MOVING OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS PEEKS INTO VIEW. THE CAMERA FOLLOWS ALONG UPWARDS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING UPWARD TILL REACHING THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT STOPS ONCE PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s door opens. Y-Mouse emerges.

Y-MOUSE
“In the Fifth Hill, where the twining paths of truth and lies crosses paths wrapped in constellations, where starlight shines on maybes, sits a man. A man of many places and many ways.”

Y-Mouse turns towards the stage and watches the curtains part and the stage-lights turn on, to the sound of A COMPUTER POWERING ON, revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: EXT. UNIVERSITYTOWN STREET CORNER, AFTERNOON

A street runs across the stage with a humble brick building emerging from the stage-right side. OTHO MERCUTIAN, a fox-like man in a plaid suit and thick glasses, sits on the sidewalk in front of the building. He strums his boxy guitar. The case sits open nearby waiting for a spare coin. A green trolley from the DNTA, or The Double Nine Transit Authority, passes across the stage from stage-left to stage-right.

Y-Mouse turns towards Otho and throws a coin into the case. Otho nods a thank-you. Y-Mouse exits through the Narrator’s door which closes behind him. Otho Mercutian returns to playing. Like a wave, he transitions from playing softly to playing loudly back to softly and repeating.

Stopping for a break, he places his guitar on the sidewalk. Otho sips from his nearby cup. He takes out a handkerchief and wipes off his head. He looks up to the sky. The guitar bounces once, twice, thrice. Unseen fingers play a frantic melody. A concerned frown slides across the vulpine face of Otho Mercutian as he listens to the tune. He picks up his guitar placing his hand over the strings. They stop vibrating. Sliding the guitar on, he starts to play and sing.

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“Hush Hush little baby, don’t you cry.
Daddy’s heard you loud and clear.
Daddy knows your a crying.
Daddy knows your a scared.
Daddy’s soon going to be there.”

A robotic Mecha-crane crashes in from stage-left, interrupting the song. It lands in front of the building before skidding off stage stage-right. Otho stands stage-left, guitar and possessions packed up, looking at the Mecha-crane off-stage. He turns and exits stage-left. The stage-lights turn of to the sound of A COMPUTER POWERING OFF. The lights in the building turn on in response, and the curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNLOCKS FROM FRAMING HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS DOWN TO THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT MOVES OVER THE SET TOPS AND PANS DOWN LOCKING IN ON MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO, MORNING

Thomas enters stage-left wrapped in a towel. He walks across the stage exiting stage-right. A short moment later he reenters dressed. Walking over to the desk, he sits down. He loads a sheet of paper into the typewriter. Smiling, he reaches into the desk and pulls out his headphones and music player. He puts on the headphones and plugs them in.

INSERT CS OF THE HEADPHONE JACK PLUGGING IN FOLLOWED BY A CS OF THOMAS PRESSING PLAY.

Thomas starts to bop his head.

AFTER A MOMENT INSERT A LONG SHOT OF THE SPACE EGG FLYING THROUGH THE MULTI-COLORED REALMS OF HIGHER SPACE.

Raising his fingers, Thomas feverishly types.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(narration) “Fade in from black. EXTERIOR SHOT – A realm outside time and space. Kaleidoscopic colors dance across the screen.”

The stage lights turn of to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING continues as the Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT