———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Eleven

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020 thomas typewriter

dearoldtypewriter@gmail.com

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FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “02-11”. 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

We enter the unroom Not.Seven, a room of unseen corners and discrete angles, focused on a wooden disc centrally located. Around the wooden disc are rows of grey carpet squares with spindly metallic lamps, cords snaking off, casting soft light. THE OUTER ONE sits on one of the carpet squares near the disc. Patiently waiting.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING DOWN AT THE CARPET SQUARES IN FRONT OF HIM/HER

The Outer One’s hand comes into view as he/she reaches out to touch a carpet square. Fingers run across the carpet feeling, touching, sensing. As if saying what is this material. The Outer One lifts an edge up exploring a fraying seam. From off-screen TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACK.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE SHIFTS FROM LOOKING AT THE CARPET SQUARES TO LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISC.

The wooden disc sits shadowed and empty. Suddenly unseen lamps over the disc turn on manifesting the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE. STOP ONCE THE MID-STAGE PROPERLY FILLS THE FRAME.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The Mid-stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on, with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON, revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO

THOMAS TYPEWRITER sits at his desk in the middle of the stage, feet propped up, reading “Latchkey Kids of Randomness”. On his desk sits his typewriter, a ream of paper, his phone, and a small jewelry box. To either side of the desk sit a lamp and a wastebasket. A small bookcase topped with houseplants sits behind him and off to the stage-right. Thomas turns the last page then closes the book. Stunned and awed, Thomas stares out.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Wow.”

His STOMACH RUMBLES bringing his attention back to the here and now. He checks the time on his phone.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Oh man. Almost missed dinner.”

Thomas stands, grabs his phone and the jewelry box. He bows towards his typewriter. The typewriter bows back. Thomas turns and exits stage-right.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS.

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD, UNTANGLING FROM MID-STAGE. IT MOVES UPWARD GLIDING OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS VISIBLE BEHIND THEM. IT CONTINUES MOVING UP TO THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS AND THE HIGH-STAGE LOCATED THERE. IT CONTINUES TO THE HIGH-STAGE, STOPPING ONCE THE HIGH-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-stage curtains open and the stage lights turn on, with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING ON, revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE SPACE EGG
The INNER-SPACE MAN sits in a padded sleek astronaut’s chair. A curved console and curved view screen sit in front of him. The console has a center monitor in the shape of a circle bisected by a long rectangle. Around the text display sit various sized hexagonal buttons. The view screen sits on a curved wall coming off the console. It bears the same circle bisected by a rectangle design, only much larger. It is currently blank.

The Inner-Space Man is frozen in place, just about to press a button. We see him strain to move but he cannot. He, like all of Biff’s pretend characters, are immobile when Biff returns his costume to the Wardrobe of a Thousand and One Costumes at play-time’s end. Looking at his eyes we can see that the Inner-Space Man is aware of his petrification. Defiance flashes across his eyes as he rebels against the idea, the reality, that his life is dictated by another.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
(voice-over, which starts really soft but grows in volume as The Inner-Space-Man chants) I can do this. I’ve broken past the boundaries of space and time. I am more than a story. I am real, so c’mon finger, move, just a little, come on you can move, move,move, you can do it, move, move, move, just a little further, move, move, move, move, move, move, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE, MOVE (continue chant as needed)…”

INSERT CLOSE SHOT OF THE FINGER HOVERING OVER THE BUTTON WHILE THE INNER-SPACE MAN CHANTS. SUPERIMPOSE A CLOCK OVER THE SHOT TO DENOTE THE PASSAGE OF TIME. AS THE CLOCK’S HANDS SPIN FASTER HAVE IT TRANSITION TO THE SUPERIMPOSITION OF A CALENDAR THAT HAS THE DAYS FLYING OFF. ONCE A THOUSAND DAYS HAVE SPILLED OFF REMOVE THE CALENDAR.

CUT TO EXTREME CLOSE SHOT OF THE FINGER HOVERING OVER THE HEXAGONAL BUTTON.

The finger twitches.

CUT BACK TO…

The Inner-Space Man’s eyes broadcast surprise, relief, and victory. Note that the Inner-Space Man, given the passage of time, will have longer hair and a beard.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
(voice-over) “And now brown cow for the next finger.”

The stage lights turn off with the sound of A COMPUTER POWERING OFF. The High-stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES TO AND THEN DOWN THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE MID-STAGE, GLIDING OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT STOPS ONCE PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S KITCHEN
A sink, countertop, and stove run along the center of the stage. A series of cabinets hang over the countertop. A refrigerator sits off to stage-right. A table with a vase of flowers, Thomas Typewriter’ phone, and the jewelry box sits off to the other. Two chairs are pushed in at the table.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER stands at his stove stirring a small pot of sauce. On a back burner, pasta cooks in a pot of boiling water. A TIMER BUZZES on the stove and Thomas turns off the heat to back burner. He quickly grabs two oven mitts, drains the pasta in the sink, then dumps the pasta into the saucepan. He gives the pasta and sauce a few quick stirs before turning off the heat on the front burners.
He then goes over to the refrigerator and pulls out a head of lettuce and a head of escarole. He places them on a cutting board and slices off a bit. This he puts in a small bowl. He returns the escarole and lettuce to the refrigerator. He grabs from the cabinets olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a plate. He sets the plate off to the side. He then pours a small bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar on the salad. He picks up the salad and the plate placing them on the the table.

Thomas returns picking up the sauce pan and carries it over to the table. Carefully, he pours some of the sauce covered pasta onto his plate. He places the pan back on the stove. He pulls out some silverware from a drawer and a can of Black Cherry Satellite Soda from the fridge. Satisfied, Thomas sits down to eat. He places his hands in prayer and offers a silent gratitude to the spirits that sacrificed their bodies to be his meal.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Know that we honor what you have given up, we acknowledge it was not without pain, giving up your life so ours may continue, and we say thank you. Now return back to the bright realms, to family and friends, to laugh and love again. Linger here no more. Amen”

As Thomas eats, he starts to fiddle with the jewelry box. Turning it round and round.

CUT TO CS OF JEWELRY BOX AND THOMAS ROTATING IT.

CUT TO EXTREME CS OF JEWELRY BOX AND THOMAS ROTATING IT.

The Mid-stage curtains close on the shot of the rotating jewelry box.

FADE OUT