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THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season 07, Episode 03

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2026 Jason Arcand
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FADE IN TO BLACK

From the center bottom of the frame scrolls up the following text: “07-03”. It scrolls up to the center of the frame, pauses, then continues scrolling. It exits the frame in the top center. Across the dark screen drifts the sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING.

FADE OUT
FADE IN

TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE, ANYTIME

FADE IN TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE GETTING READY TO PRESENT A NEW EPISODE.

MS OF THE TYPEWRITER PUPPET STAGE

The Typewriter Abstract Puppet Stage’s main curtain slowly opens.

PAN IN TO PROPERLY FRAME THE MID-STAGE

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

MID-STAGE: INT. TWIGTOWN CHURCH OF THE GOOD FAITH CHAPEL, EVENING.
Along the back of the stage runs a wooden panel wall. The overall design is minimal. A large wooden cross is mounted in the center of the wall. The cross is not attached directly to the wall, but out from the wall by way of metal rods. This is to allow lights installed on the back of the cross to create a halo-like illumination on the wall behind the cross. The remainder of the stage is decorated with six sets of wooden pews. Three on stage left and three on stage right leaving a small aisle in the center. The pews are orientated facing towards the cross. There is a soft lighting in the room, with the brightest light coming from the lights on the back of cross. THOMAS TEENAGER, dressed in a boy scout uniform, enters from stage-left and sits in the second row of pews, near the aisle. He looks up at the cross in silent contemplation for a few moments before letting out a SOB.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM FRAMING MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT GLIDES OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT CONTINUES UPWARD MOVING ONTO AND OVER THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS LINING THE BACK OF THE MID-STAGE. IT PANS HIGHER AND HIGHER. AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS IT REACHES THE HIGH-STAGE. THE CAMERA LOCKS IN TO PROPERLY FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-Stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. OBSERVATION DECK OF THE FLUTE MEDICALSHIP, MORNING
A large curved window lines the back of the stage. Through it we can see outside the ship to space, the twinkling of sparks drifts by. In the distance, some of the lights from the nine bio-habitat Hills, and even glimmers from the tops of the multi-fold towers of the Palace of Stars, can be seen. In the distance the twinkle of the two torches of the dual door entrances to The Mounds. The room itself is decorated in deep reds and oranges. The lounge has a circular shape. ELDER GRIM enters from stage-right pushing a stack of amphora-crates on a wheeled dolly. He rolls them to the side. He exits and returns with a new stack. Ultimately he rolls five amorphous-crates into the lounge. He leaves and returns then rolls a taller stack of speakers, amps, and sound equipment. In his mouth, he is holding a paper bag while in his left hand he holds a coffee cup. Rolling the sound equipment to the back far corner, he reaches up and takes the paper bag out of his mouth. Sitting down near the window, Elder opens the paper bag. He pulls out a bagel and lox with extra dill. Slowly eating the bagel and sipping the coffee, Elder takes the opportunity to look out the window. 

ELDER GRIM
“Reassuring to see the world still has moments of wonder.”

Elder finishes his coffee and bagel. He stands, picks up his trash, and moves off-frame to throw it away. He returns and moves to the amorpha-crate closest to the front of the stage. He opens it and starts to remove the contents, which consist of a guitar stand and a skeletal bass guitar. As he sets up the stand and guitar, the stage-lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The High-Stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM FRAMING HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES ONTO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. GLIDING DOWNWARD ACROSS IT, SOON THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE CURTAINS COME INTO VIEW. THE CAMERA CONTINUES PANNING DOWNWARD OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS UNTIL PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. TWIGTOWN CHURCH OF THE GOOD FAITH CHAPEL, EVENING.
THOMAS TEENAGER sits in a middle pew near the aisle, softly sobbing. He looks up to the illuminated cross.

THOMAS TEENAGER
“Hello God. I hope you’re listening. Other people tell me you are. They say to me if you have a problem, turn it over to God. Goodness, what does that even mean. I think I have a problem, but how do I turn it over to you when I am the problem. I am broken structurally, something is wrong with me. I keep making mistakes and can not stop. Disappointing everyone around me, everyone who cares. My parents. I got into another argument with them. I don’t mean to upset them but I do. Not on purpose. But eventually I will forget something or screw up. It seems to be happening more lately. The forgetting. The arguments. It hurts so much to see the disappointment in their faces. The anger. Physical pain, like knives in my throat. They say they are trying to help me reach my potential. My teachers talk about my potential. Everyone has a comment on how much I am not living up to it. Yet no one has any answer about how I can live up this supposed potential. What am I suppose to do. No one knows. I thought I was a nice person. Why isn’t that enough. God, if you are there, please tell me why. Why do I hurt? Why do I keep making mistakes? Why am I not good enough?”

Thomas starts to cry but swallows it down. He sits in silence for a few moments. A voice beckons from off-stage.

SCOUT
(off-stage) “Hey Thomas, you coming. Glen is about to cut his cake.”

Thomas hastily wipes his eyes.

THOMAS TEENAGER
“Yeah, I’ll be right there.”

He stands and exits stage-left. The stage-lights, and cross lights, turn off to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The Mid-Stage curtains close.

FADE-OUT