———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT
a puppet play in many parts

Season 03, Episode 05

By Thomas Typewriter
(c) 2020

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FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom center of the screen, the following text scrolls upward: “03-05”. It moves up the center of the frame eventually exiting the top center of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN IN THE UNDECORATED SPACE

The unroom fades into view as the thin lamps at the end of each row of the carpet squares flick on. It is a vast space centered around a wooden disk. Rows of grey carpet squares spread out from the central disk. THE OUTER ONE sits on one of the carpet squares. The TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE is already on the wooden disc when the unroom fades into view. Unseen lamps are already on illuminating it from somewhere above.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING flows out from The Typewriter Abstract Puppet Stage.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN FROM POV TOWARDS THE TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE TO MID-STAGE

PAN CONTINUES, MOVING IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA UNTIL THE MID-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains part revealing an unlit stage. It is fully set up and decorated for the following scene just without the stage lights on.

MID-STAGE: INT. OPERAHOUSE BASEMENT BATHROOM, DAYTIME

A door on stage-left opens and THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters. Light spills in from the open door. He fumbles for the light switch. Finally finding it, he flips the light switch, turning on the stage lights. They flip on with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON. Thomas looks around. A shower stands off to one side, a toilet sits center, and a sink near the door. A large mirror and vanity line the wall over the sink and toilet. A nautical theme decorates the bathroom. Thomas shuts the door behind him. He walks over to the toilet and URINATES. He finishes, shakes off the last drops, then FLUSHES THE TOILET. Walking over to the sink, he washes his hands and then dries them. Thomas is looking through the vanity. He pulls out a bottle of lotion. Applying a generous dose to his hands, he rubs it in.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(sniffing hands) “Lavender. Nice.”

Thomas attempts to leave, but he can not. His hands slide over the doorknob.

INSERT CS OF THOMAS’ HANDS UNABLE TO TURN THE DOORKNOB DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF LOTION ON HIS SKIN.

He tries again and fails. He tries a third time.

THE CAMERA TILTS DOWNWARD SLIGHTLY IN SUCH A WAY AS TO REPRESENT POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT THEIR HANDS.

The Outer One’s left hand looks normal, but the right hand has the fingers looking like glowing blue mathematics. The abstraction is spreading.

THE CAMERA TILTS BACK AND MID-STAGE HAS RETURNED FROM THE INSERT.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Nuts, I used too much lotion.”

He sits on the toilet.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Well, looks like I am stuck in here.(looking around) Anything to read?”

Thomas looks around the room. He picks up a bottle of shampoo. He reads the ingredients. He flips it over and reads the other side. He flips it once more.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I’ve already read this. Didn’t care for it the first time. Okay Professor, what else do you recommend to read. The Epic Odes of the Conditioner bottle maybe.”

Thomas picks up the bottle of conditioner. He reads both sides and then sets it down.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Well, I’ve read all the literature a locked bathroom has to offer, now what.”

He looks around the room. Pauses. Sighs.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Guess it’s come to that.

Thomas enters the shower. He closes the curtain.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“11…10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…”

FADE OUT

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO THE WRITER’S ROOM

FADE IN

INT. THE WRITER’S ROOM, DAYTIME

The Writer’s Room appears differently than in previous episodes. Now it appears as a long conference table in a tall conference room. Beautiful wood paneling, in warm shades, cover the walls.
At the stage-left head of the table sits Y-Mouse. Down each side of the table sit the other ALPHABET MICE. On the far side of the table, facing the audience, from stage-left to stage-right sit Z-MOUSE, NUMERAL-MOUSE, A-MOUSE, B-MOUSE, C-MOUSE, D-MOUSE, E-MOUSE, F-MOUSE, G-MOUSE, H-MOUSE, I-MOUSE, J-MOUSE, and lastly K-MOUSE. Sitting on the opposite side, with backs to the audience, from stage-left to stage-right sits X-MOUSE, W-MOUSE, V-MOUSE, U-MOUSE, T-MOUSE, S-MOUSE, R-MOUSE, Q-MOUSE, P-MOUSE, O-MOUSE, N-MOUSE, M-MOUSE, and L-MOUSE.

Z # A B C D E F G H I J K
Y [=========================]
X W V U T S R Q P O N M L

They all have a cup of coffee on the desk next to them except S-Mouse, T-Mouse, E-Mouse, and W-Mouse. S-Mouse has cans of sodas. T-Mouse has a pitcher of tea. E-Mouse has a carton of eggnog. W-Mouse has a case of water bottles.

Y-MOUSE
(standing) “Okay everyone, unanswered questions or plot holes. Go.”

A-MOUSE
(stands) “What about that lost astronaut from the commercial?”

Y-MOUSE
“Exactly. What did he do when he crawled onto the broken Carro. What else?”

B-MOUSE
“Where is the Inner-Space Man taking Biff and Rockey? And why?”

M-MOUSE
(stands) “What about Musica and Musidora? Are they mad about the Carro being lost? Do they blame Lucido and Cedar.”

O-MOUSE
“And are they in trouble for losing the ship?”

F-MOUSE
“And what caused that storm?”

Everyone murmurs.

Y-MOUSE
“Great questions, let me get those written down.”

Y-Mouse is busy typing down all the notes, when from stage-right comes a KNOCK KNOCK.

K-MOUSE
“Who is it?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(from off-stage) “Thomas.”

ALL THE ALPHABET MICE EXCEPT Y-MOUSE AND Z-MOUSE
“Thomas!”

K-MOUSE
“Come on in”

Thomas Typewriter enters wearing a pizza delivery outfit. He is carrying a stack of little pizzas and a pile of napkins.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Do you have time for a break? I brought pizzas.”

Y-MOUSE
“We could take a pizza break.”

Thomas kneels and hands out the pizzas. When done, he sits cross-legged by stage-right end of the table.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“You redecorated.”

Y-MOUSE
“We hired a firm from Mall X.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Looks good. So, how’s everyone doing?”

He takes a slice of pizza. He eats it as he listens to everyone’s answer.

D-MOUSE
“Good.”

R-MOUSE
“Really good.”

M-MOUSE
“Would you like a soda, coffee, or tea?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Soda, please.”

S-MOUSE
(stands) “Silver Apple, Acorn, or Dragon Heart?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Can always use some more wisdom. Acorn please.”

S-Mouse tosses a can of soda to Thomas. Thomas catches it. The Alphabet Mice start to pass the pizza and napkins out.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thanks.”

Thomas tries awkwardly to open the small can of soda. His hands are too large to get a grip on the pop tab. He gives up and sets the can to the side.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(to self) “Guess I’ll be saving that for later.”

He wipes his face with a napkin.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So, what have you guys been up to? Biff and Rockey, maybe.”

Y-MOUSE
“Compiling loose ends. Stray sub-plots. Once that’s done, maybe Biff and Rockey.”

Thomas frowns.

Y-MOUSE
“Why the long face.”

Thomas sighs and adjusts his sitting position.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I was just hoping for a break in my writer’s block.

The Alphabet Mice exchanged glances. Thomas notices this and decides to move on.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Forget I asked, I’ve just had a lot on my mind.”

Y-MOUSE
“What’s been on your mind. What troubles Thomas Typewriter?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I asked Ophidia to marry me.”

Everyone congratulates him.

I-MOUSE
“That sounds like good news. How is that bad?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“It’s a big step and I have no future. I am a failure as a screenwriter”

Y-MOUSE
“Now now, none of that.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“No, it’s true. No one wants my scripts. They’re not marketable, not mainstream…too weird, just like me. I don’t know guys, maybe I am just not meant to be successful.”

G-MOUSE
“I don’t know about that.”

Y-MOUSE
“We (gestures to all the Alphabet Mice) don’t believe that, you shouldn’t either.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
to G-Mouse) “Thank you.” (to the group) “My agent called me today. He told me the studios let the options on my scripts expire. He’s going to let me go also. No agent. No work. No prospects. What am I supposed to do.”

Y-MOUSE
“Do not mistake the income of the artist for the quality of the art. Nothing we do will last forever. Eventually everything we create will disappear. The mountain wears down, the ceramic cracks. The only thing we truly have for sure are the individual moments of our lives and what we fill those moments with. Fill them with kindness, with attentiveness, with expressions of love for not only family and friends but also yourself, with laughter, with forgiveness, with life.”

The other Alphabet Mice agree.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(from off-stage) “Thomas. Thomas where are you?.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Sounds like I am needed elsewhere. Thanks for listening.”

Y-MOUSE
“No problem. We’ll percolate it up if we make nay progress on Biff and Rockey.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thanks.”

All the Alphabet Mice wave goodbye to Thomas as he exits stage-right.

FADE OUT

TRANSITION FROM THE WRITER’S ROOM TO MID-STAGE

FADE IN

MID-STAGE: INT. OPERAHOUSE’S BASEMENT BATHROOM, DAYTIME

The bathroom sits empty.

OPHIDIA
(off-stage, stage left) “Thomas, you in there?”

A KNOCK KNOCK on the bathroom door then it opens. Ophidia enters and looks around. She looks in the shower but does not see any one. She comes out, looks around circularly, then sits down on the toilet.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Where could he be?”

The shower curtain opens and Thomas sticks his head out.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“You were looking for me.”

Ophidia SCREAMS, surprised by Thomas’ sudden appearance. Thomas exits the shower and hugs Ophidia

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Where have you been?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“I was in the shower.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“But, I looked in there. Where were you.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Don’t know how you missed me.” (changing subject) “You hungry? Up for some lunch?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Sure.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Could we pick out the ring first. I have a place in mind and it won’t take long.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Sure.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Ladies first.”

Ophidia stands and exits stage-left through the bathroom door. Thomas steps out of the shower and follows her. He turns off the lights at the light switch by the door. The stage lights turn off with the sound like A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The only light is what flows through the open bathroom door silhouetting Thomas. He closes the door. The Mid-stage curtains close

FADE OUT