The Great Works Project scripts

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Eleven script

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.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

———–<:type:>———–

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

updating…

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, The Great Works Project assignments, The Great Works Project scripts

Progress moves forward on The Great Works Project. 

The scripts, or storytelling side of it, are moving along. Season Two’s finished scripts are on schedule. I should be able to keep to a schedule of a new script every other week. As for the rough drafts, I am nearing the end of writing out Season Five.

The list, or cultural side of it, is moving along as well. The previous three assignments did not really grab my attention. Alien was well-made and suspenseful, but I just couldn’t finish it. The same with Alien Lanes from Guided By Voices. I can appreciate them on an aesthetic level, but it is in a cold detached kind of way. The literature assignment, Altered Carbon, never appeared. My library lost their copy. My new assignments are the album All Directions from The Temptations, the movie Aliens (1986), and the graphic novel American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Outside that I have been enjoying The Owl House and Star Trek: Lower Decks tv series, A Night without Stars by Peter F. Hamilton, and the Nintendo DS game Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure.  With Ophidia, I am attempting to watch the entire run of the tv show Taxi. (Ophidia was telling me last night how she would play the theme song whenever she felt really stressed as a kid. I thought that was interesting because I always felt calmer whenever the theme song played.)

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Ten script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Ten

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020 thomas typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “02-10”. 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
The unroom Not.Seven is a vast space, a cavern of small and large. A wooden disc sits in the center, surrounded by waves of multi-hued grey carpet squares. Tall spindly metallic lamps attempt to illuminate the room.

OPEN IN POV OF THE OUTER ONE

THE OUTER ONE sits on a carpet square looking at the wooden disc in anticipation. The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING drifts in from some place far away by way of the wooden disc.

THE CAMERA MOVES OUT OF THEN INTO FOCUS

Unseen lamps above the wooden disc click on bringing the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE into view.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN ON MID-STAGE UNTIL IT FILLS THE SCREEN AND IS PROPERLY FRAMED

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The 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
A desk sits in the center of the stage topped by a typewriter and a ream of paper. A book, a phone, and a pair of headphones sit on top of the paper. A sheet stands ready and loaded in the typewriter. A lamp waits to the stage-right side of the desk, a wastebasket pauses stage-left. A small bookcase, adorned with various houseplants, watches skewed off to the stage-right side. THOMAS TYPEWRITER is sitting at the desk looking off to the side, lost in thought. As his mind drifts, his fingers tap on the desk. TAP…TAP…TAP…

CUT TO CS OF THOMAS’ FINGERS TAPPING ON THE DESKTOP AS THEY SLOWLY DRIFT TOWARDS THE TYPEWRITER

TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…TAP…CLICK AS A TYPEWRITER KEY IS PRESSED. Thomas’ fingers pause. Then a second keystroke and CLICK.

CUT BACK

Thomas rotates into the desk and opens a drawer. He pulls out a small jewelry box and sets it next to the typewriter. Looking at the box for a moment he turns to the typewriter and starts to type.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(narration) “Biff found his life slipping out of control, and he felt scared.”

Thomas turns from the typewriter and pulls out a book, “Latchkey Kids of Randomness”, from his desk. He opens the book, carefully setting the bookmark to the side, and starts to read.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FORM MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES PAST THE TOP OF THE THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS VISIBLE BEHIND THE SETS. IT CONTINUES PANNING UPWARDS, FOLLOWING THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. THE CAMERA MOVES TO THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS FINALLY STOPPING FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT STOPS PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

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

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE CARRO’S OBSERVATION DECK
The Observation Deck is in a sad state, showing signs of excessive damage from the recent space storm. Wires hang from the ceiling. Scattered debris covers the floor. The amber emergency alarms are now dim. Smoke pours in from off-stage. A spiderweb of cracks are visible in the observation window. The sound of GLASS CRACKING resonates across the stage.

CUT TO CLOSER SHOT OF THE CRACKING OBSERVATION WINDOWS

The cracks grow and grow till the window shatters. The Observation Deck decompresses. ROARING WIND as all the loose unsecured items are sucked out the window. Soon the ROAR SUBSIDES as the last of the atmosphere escapes. Small bits of debris float by weightlessly.
ARG-0519, a diamond shaped Sat-bot in the employ of the Jovian, moves past the window casting a spotlight from it’s diamond like central eye across the deck. It scans the room then flies off. A few moments later a large simian-like gloved hand grabs the edge of the window.

CUT TO CS OF THE GLOVED HAND

The image cuts to black with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING OFF. The High-stage curtains soon follow, closing on today’s episode.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DISCONNECTS FROM HIGH-STAGE AND STARTS TO PAN DOWNWARD. IT MOVES TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, FOLLOWING IT TO THE BOTTOM. THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS SLIP INTO VIEW. THE CAMERA CONTINUES DOWNWARD TILL PROPERLY FRAMING THE MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO
Thomas sits at his desk reading. He reads a few pages then rotates toward his typewriter. Holding his place in the book with one hand, Thomas uses his other hand to hunt and peck at the keyboard.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(narration) “But still he moved forward.”

Thomas stops typing and resumes reading. The stage lights turn of with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF, to which Thomas reaches over and turns on his lamp. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT

From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, August 10th, 2020 edition

assignments for self, From the desk of Thomas Typewriter, Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

When I was growing up, I had this overwhelming feeling that the world had lulled. As in, I felt like maybe I had been born in one of the times that was not too volatile nor too peaceful. The savagery is in the past and the wonders are in the future. I look back at that naive kid and shake my head. You had it so wrong buddy. I am still on furlough from my day job. No answer for when the movie theatre will reopen. I miss movies. Movies and museums. 

But with every sour, there can be a little sweet. Working the late hours of a movie theatre Manager’s schedule, I felt like Primo and Secondo were slipping through my fingers. Not them physically, but more like time with them. Now that we have all this time, they have convinced me to play Minecraft with them. It is a lot of fun. Relaxing too. (Secondo asks me “Dad, what do you want to do in Minecraft?” I responded, “Dig ditches.” He did not find that answer as humorous as I did.)

Progress moves forward on The Great Works Project. Next week should see the posting of the next script for Season Two. I am nearing completion of the Season Five rough drafts. Plus, while on vacation I was able to plot out Season Six. 

In a continuing effort to improve myself, I return to working my way through a list of great works of art.  Hopefully, I’ll discover something inspiring. If not, that is okay too. The exposure itself is the most important thing.

Cinema Assignment: Alien (1979)

Literature Assignment: “Altered Carbon” by Richard K. Morgan.

Music Assignment: “Alien Lanes” from Guided By Voices

Thank you Brighid for the gift of this artwork and the spark of all art. Thank you Above, Below, and four Corners born between for your love, guidance, and gifts.

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Ten script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Nine

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020 thomas typewriter

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “02-09”. 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. THE UNROOM NOT.SEVEN
THE OUTER ONE sits patiently on a small square of carpet in the Unroom Not.Seven. The patches of carpet radiate out from a wooden disc in the potential center of the unroom like waves ripples on a pond.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT FLOOR

The Outer One has out all his/her golden coins. They are on the floor in a stack. They glint in the soft light cast from the spindly metallic lamps at the end of each row of carpets. TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACK. The Outer One picks up his/her coins and puts them away.


POV OF THE OUTER ONE AS THEY STAND AND MOVE.

Then they scoot up a few rows to a closer seat to the wooden disc.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE SITTING DOWN AND THEN LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISC.

The disc sits empty and cloaked in shadow. The metallic lamps do not quite seem able to light the stage, their illumination giving the feeling of bouncing off it. Unseen lamps above the wooden disc flip on changing the view ever so slightly that the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE materializes in the center of the wooden disc.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA UNTIL IT IS PROPERLY FRAMED

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. DAYTIME
THOMAS TYPEWRITER sits at his writing desk in the center of the stage, reading “Latchkey Kids of Randomness” by John W. Wheelwright. A typewriter and ream of paper sit on top of while a lamp and wastebasket sit on either side of the desk. Behind him, and off to stage-right stands a small bookcase adorned with various houseplants.

Hold on him reading for three to five minutes as he shifts back and forth. A PHONE VIBRATES breaking the serene scene. Thomas removes the phone from his pocket and answers it.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hello, yes this is Thomas. Oh hi Mark. Sure, I have a minute.(puts a bookmark in the book and closes it) So what’s the good news.” (stands up and starts to pace)

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA SHAKES LOOSE FROM MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES PAST THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO SEE THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS LINING THE BACK OF THE STAGE BEHIND THE SETS. IT CONTINUES TO PAN UPWARD FOLLOWING THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT MOVES TO THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN TO WHERE THE HIGH-STAGE IS LOCATED. IT STOPS WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-stage curtains, as also the Narrator’s Door, are closed. On the edge of the High-stage, with feet dangling over the edge, sits GRIGIO COLORI reading a scriptbook. If we look closer we can see that he is reading the scriptbook for the complete series of “The Great Works Project”.

GRIGIO COLORI
(to self) “So that’s what happens next.”

The High-stage curtains start to part. Grigio sets the scriptbook on the floor. He stands and stretchs. The curtain finishes opening. Grigio misses this but we can just see that the curtain has caught the scriptbook and dragged it off to the side. It falls out of view, over outside the frame. The stage lights turn on, with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING UP, revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE CARRO OBSERVATION LOUNGE
The Observation lounge is in a sad state, showing signs of excessive damage from the celestial storm. Wires hang from the ceiling. Scattered debris covers the floor. Dim amber emergency alarms blink through the smoke pouring in from off-stage. CARRO’S terminal is toppled over. CEDAR WAXWINGS lies pinned by the arm under rubble stage-left while LUCIDO OBSIDIAN is pinned by his legs under a fallen terminal stage-right. Lucido has one hand resting on his guitar.

GRIGIO COLORI
“Well this seemed a lot worse in the script. (looks around) Time to be a hero.”

Grigio shimmers and his body gains a red and blue stripe replacing two of his grey stripes. He shimmers a second time. The red and blue stripes have returned back to grey but AZURE COLORI and ROSSO COLORI now stand next to him. They exchange knowing nods.

Grigio walks over to Carros’ terminal. He looks through the rubble for Carro’s brainbox.
Meanwhile Azure Colori heads over to Lucido and puts his hands on him. A blue spotlight illuminates them while a METALLIC SPARKLE plays in the background. The spotlight and spakle turn off.
At the same time, Rosso walks over to where Cedar is pinned and kicks the debris off-stage. It arcs up and out of sight. He scoops up Cedar. He then walks over and kicks the debris off Lucido. The terminal crashes off stage. Azure scoops up Lucido.

There is a CRACKING SOUND LIKE A GUNSHOT. Grigio turns…

CUT TO CS OF THE GLASS CRACKING

CUT TO CS OF GRIGIO’S EYES IN SURPRISE…

CUT BACK…

GRIGIO COLORI
“Well gentlemen, looks like our time grows short. The Music Pit is too far, but our rainbows should be able to reach the Flute.”

He finds Carro’s braninbox and walks over to the rest of the group. There is a shimmer and they all disappear in a grey, blue, & red rainbow.

CUT TO MS OF THE OBSERVATION WINDOW AS IT STARTS TO SPIDERWEB WITH CRACKS.
CRACK CRACK CRACKLE

The window shatters outward. The atmosphere starts to escape through the window sucking out all the air and loose debris. The loose wires are pulled taunt towards the open window. The stage lights turn of with the sound of A COMPUTER SHUTTING DOWN and the curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD, DISENGAGING FROM HIGH-STAGE TO TRANSITION TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT CONTINUES TO FOLLOW THE CURTAIN DOWN TO THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT SLIDES OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO FINALLY STOP WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO. DAYTIME
THOMAS TYPEWRITER paces while speaking on the phone.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So they’ve let the options expire. Okay, that sucks. What about one of the other studios. No. Really no one is interested. Okay, that sucks. Yeah, I know no guarantees in life. Yeah, I’ll be fine. Maybe. I might have something new. Not sure yet. I’ll let you know. Thanks. You too. Talk to you later. Bye.”

Thomas sets his phone down. He sits down in his chair, facing off to the side slightly. He does not finish scooting it in, but instead just stares out lost in his thoughts.

The stage lights turn off with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING while the curtains close.

FADE OUT

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Eight script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Eight

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “02-08”. 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

XCS OF GOLDEN COIN

THE OUTER ONE fidgets with one of their golden coins missing out on the details of the unroom Not.Seven surrounding him/her. The coin spins and flips over finger after finger.
If the Outer One were to look up, they would see a large cavernous space of indistinct corners. A wooden disc sits in what feels like a possible center of the unroom. Cascading out from the wooden disc, rows and rows of grey hued carpet squares spread out like waves from a splash. At the edges of each crest stand tall spindly metallic lamps of a soft illumination. The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING drifts into from outside the frame of reference.

THE XCS TRANSITIONS TO A POV OF THE OUTER ONE. USE AN EFFECT TO MAKE IT SEEM AS IF THE OUTER ONE’S VISION READJUSTS.

THE POV TURNS AS THE OUTER ONE LOOKS UP AT THE WOODEN DISC.
The wooden disc sits empty dressed in shadows. Unseen lamps click on above the disc. In the newly cast light THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE appears.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.
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
A desk sits in the center of the stage topped with a typewriter and a ream of paper. To either side sits a lamp and a wastebasket. A small bookcase sits off to the stage-right with various house plants on top.
An ALARM CLOCK sounds off-stage. The stage lights come up to a dim level. THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters from stage-right and walks across the stage and exits stage-left. Shortly thereafter a TOILET SEAT LIFTING, URINATION, then A TOILET FLUSHING. The FAUCET TURNS ON AND OFF as Thomas washes his hands. He reenters from stage-left and walks over to the desk yawning and stretching. Removing the page from the typewriter, Thomas reviews what is written on it as he sits down at the desk.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Alright, let’s see where I left off.” (with a more dramatic voice) “The curved view screen displays a vast swirling colorscape only made more abstract by the Space Egg’s velocity.” (taps his fingers on the desk as he thinks) “Okay what happens next. Whats next. Hmmm. Hmmm “ (starts to absentmindedly swivel his chair left and right) “Space Egg , multi-colors, velocity…”

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO THE HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM FRAMING MID-STAGE AND PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS VISIBLE BEHIND THE SETS. IT MOVES UP THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE TOP AND THE HIGH-STAGE SITUATED THERE. THE CAMERA STOPS PANNING ONCE HIGH-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.
HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED
The High-stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on, with a sound like A COMPUTER BOOTING ON, revealing…
HIGH-STAGE: EXT. FAR EDGE OF THE FOURTH ZONE OR OUTER SPACE
The Narrator’s door opens. Y-MOUSE walks out.

Y-MOUSE
“Tossed about, struck and striked, that little ship finds itself beyond safety’s reach.”

A model of THE CARRO flies unevenly across the stage. Fill the stage with fog to represent the storm the Carro is caught in. Flashes of light go off in the fog as THUNDER BOOMS.
The curtains close then reopen revealing…
HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE CARRO OBSERVATION DECK
The Observation Deck is severely damaged from when we last saw it in Season One. Wires hang from the ceiling. Bright amber alarm lights blink. CARRO’S terminal has fallen over, as have the other terminals trapping CEDAR WAXWINGS and LUCIDO OBSIDIAN in the debris. Cedar is trapped down stage-left while Lucido is pinned down stage-right. Cedar is laying on his back with his left arm caught under the debris. Meanwhile Lucido is stuck on his belly with his legs pinned. Storm clouds with flashes of lightning can be seen outside the observation windows behind Carro’s terminal.
Lucido is the first to stir. He looks around taking a moment to realize where he is and what has happened.

LUCIDO OBSIDIAN
“Cedar. Carro. You okay.”

Lucido looks at the damaged ship…
INSERT SHOTS OF THE VARIOUS DAMAGED SECTIONS OF THE OBSERVATION DECK.
…at his fallen friends…
INSERT SHOTS OF CARRO THEN CEDAR
…and lets out a stifled gasp…
CUT TO A CLOSE-SHOT OF CEDAR. WE SEE HIS CHEST RISE UP AND DOWN AS HE BREATHES.
…followed by a sigh of relief.
He attempts to stand but realizes his legs are pinned under the terminal. He tries to wiggle loose but yelps in pain and stops.

LUCIDO OBSIDIAN
“Oww…definitely something broken.”

Lucido lays back. He grabs a couple deep breaths then tries to lift the terminal again. He manages to tilt it a short bit but he yells in pain and collapses. The attempts to lift terminal have moved his guitar to the edge of the terminal. It falls off landing near Lucido.

LUCIDO OBSIDIAN
“What have we here.”

Lucido pushes away some debris to reach his guitar.

LUCIDO OBSIDIAN
(to self) “Never thought it would come to this.”

He starts to play the song that Otho Mercutian heard earlier this season. He repeats the tune. He repeats it a third time as dark smoke slowly spills in from off-stage.

LUCIDO
“Come on. Come on. You said you’d be there.”

The guitar then plays on its own.

LUCIDO
“Thank goodness. (coughs)”

Lucido slumps against the floor coughing. The stage lights turn of with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING OFF while the curtains close to the fading sound of LUCIDO’S COUGHING.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS DOWNWARD TO THE MID-STAGE AT ITS BASE. THE MID-STAGE SETS SLIDE INTO VIEW WITH THE CAMERA FINALLY STOPPING ONCE FRAMING MID-STAGE.
MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO
Thomas is still swiveling, thinking about what happens next. What to write? What indeed. As he ponders, he keeps stealing glances back to the bookcase. Soon he stops swiveling and stands. He walks over to the bookcase, grabs Latchkey Kids of Randomness by Jonathan J. Wheelwright. He returns to his desk and starts reading the book.
The stage lights turn off with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT

The Script Illuminated – rough sketching

Art thoughts, The Great Works Project scripts, The Script Illuminated

While writing The Great Works Project, I am aware of the fact someone might actually try to stage this thing. While I view the script and the reading of the script as the medium, I do wonder how it will hold up when transferred off the page. How does it hold up to reinterpretation? To explore that idea I am going to try my hand at reinterpreting The Great Works Project. Maybe I’ll learn something in the process.

The Great Works: Season Two, Episode Seven script

Puppet play, The Great Works Project scripts, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Seven

An Intermission

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: “02-07“. It moves upwards, pausing a moment in the center of the frame, then continues upward, exiting the frame at the top edge. Shortly thereafter the following text, “an intermission” scrolls up from the center of the bottom of the frame.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

INT. UNROOM NOT.SEVEN IN THE UNDECORATED SPACE

A wooden disc stands ready in the center of a large space. The corners of the room, though visually indeterminable, are felt. Grey squares of carpet radiate out from the wooden disc like rows of seats in an amphitheater. Light from spindly metallic lamps at the ends of the rows illuminate the carpets and to some degree the features of THE OUTER ONE sitting there.

OPEN WITH POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT ONE OF THE LAMPS.

The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING drifts from out of view as the bulbs in the lamp flitter in response.

PAN UP AS THE OUTER ONE SHIFTS HIS GAZE FROM THE LAMP TO THE WOODEN DISC.

The wooden disc sits empty, shrouded in shadows cast by not-there shapes. Unseen lamps above the disc turn on, casting out the shadows shape-less while also revealing the TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

PAN IN TOWARDS THE MID-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TILL IT FILLS THE FRAME

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

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

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S KITCHEN

A sink, countertop, and stove run along the back of the stage. A table sits of to stage-left and a refrigerator sits of to stage-right. Three cabinets hang over the countertop. THOMAS TYPEWRITER, dressed in a chef’s apron, is at the stove stirring a marinara sauce in a saucepan. A second pot sits on the stove steaming. He removes the lid and drops in a box of dried pasta that he retrieves from a nearby cabinet. NEW WAVE STYLE MUSIC plays from a nearby speaker. DOORBELLS CHIME catching Thomas’ attention. He stirs the sauce one more time before stepping off stage stage-right to answer the door.

DOOR LOCKS UNLOCK and DOOR HINGES CREAK.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(off-stage) “Hi. Hope I’m not too late.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(off-stage) “No right on time. You’re looking very pretty tonight.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(off-stage) “Thanks. You look good too. Here, I got these for you.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(off-stage) “Thank you, they’re beautiful.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
(off-stage) “Sure thing.” (sniffs) “Wow, something sure smells good.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(off-stage) “That would be the marinara. I was going to make something else but I didn’t have any capers.”

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARDS MOVING OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BEHIND. IT CONTINUES FOLLOWING THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT TOP. THE CAMERA SLOWS AND STOPS WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

PAN IN ON HIGH-STAGE TILL PROPERLY FRAMED

The High-stage curtains part and the stage lights turn on with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING ON revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: EXT. THE MULTI-COLORED HIGHER PLANES OF REALITY

The stage is filled with a psychedelic swirling of colors. A miniature of THE SPACE EGG enters stage-left. It rapidly flies across the stage. Chromatic waves spread in its wake. When it reaches mid-stage, there is a SONIC BOOM and the Space Egg flies even faster, exiting stage-right. The High-stage curtains close and then reopen revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE SPACE EGG

The INNER-SPACE MAN sits in a sleek astronaut’s chair. In front of him sits a curved console and a curved view screen. The console has a center monitor in the shape of a circle bisected by a long rectangle. This is the Space Egg’s text display. All of the Space Egg’s dialogue will scroll across the text display at the same time it is heard by the Inner-Space Man and audience. So as the Space Egg speaks, the words also scroll across the text display. 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 displaying the many colors of the Higher Planes of Reality that the ship is flying through.

THE SPACE EGG
“New route entered. Rerouting. Rerouting. Rerouting. Route set. Oceans of Tears here we come.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Maybe some music to travel by.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Yes, please.”

The Inner-Space Man presses a button. What comes out of the speakers is not music though. A FAINT MUFFLED MURMURING plays.

THE SPACE EGG
“What music did you pick. This is horrible.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“I don’t know what this is. This is not what I wanted.”

The Inner-Space Man leans in closer to the speaker in the console.

INSERT CS OF THE INNER-SPACE MAN LISTENING TO THE SPEAKER.

NOISE FROM SPEAKER
(very faint) “Biff. Biff. Time for dinner. Time to stop pretending and wash up for dinner.(faint) “Biff. Biff. Time for dinner. Time to stop pretending and wash up for dinner.(less faint) “Biff. Biff. Time for dinner. Time to stop pretending and wash up for dinner.(loud) BIFF!”

CUT BACK TO…

The Inner- Space Man jerks his head away from the speaker. He tries to press a button but the High-stage stage lights turn off cutting him off. The High-stage curtains close then reopen revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. BIFF’S BEDROOM, LATE AFTERNOON

A bed sits center stage, flanked by an end table on one side and a steamer trunk on the other. Posters of various characters from the Cosmic League comic and the Babysitter Tales adorn the walls. A window sits to the side. Sunlight streams in. BIFF, colander crowned, sits in a cardboard box atop the bed. ROCKEY THE PET ROCK sits to the side. The box is decorated in crayon such that it looks like the Space Egg.

ROCKEY THE PET ROCK
“New route entered. Rerouting. Rerouting. Rerouting. Route set. Oceans of Tears here we come.”

BIFF
“Maybe some music for our travels.”

ROCKEY THE PET ROCK
“Yes, please.”

Biff pretends to press some buttons, creating a beep sound effect for each one. He then starts to hum, pretending it is the music coming out of the speakers. Rockey closes his eyes. He sways to the melody.

BIFF’S MOTHER
(off-stage)”Biff. Biff. Time for dinner. (louder) Biff. Biff. Time to stop pretending and wash up for dinner. (louder) BIFF!”

Biff takes off the colander.

BIFF
“Uh-oh. (yelling off-stage to mother) Sorry Mom. Be right down. (to Rockey) Guess pretend time is over. Let’s go wash up.”

Biff gets out of the box and hops off the bed. He turns and picks up Rockey.

BIFF
“I sure hope Mom’s made mashed potatoes.”

ROCKEY THE PET ROCK
“With scallions sprinkled on top.”

BIFF
“You know it. That’s the best.”

They exit stage-right. We can hear the sound of FOOTSTEPS descending stairs. The footsteps fade into the distance. The stage lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING OFF as the High-Stage curtains close.

TRANSITION FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE.

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES ONTO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS AND CONTINUES DOWN ITS LENGTH. IT COMES TO THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS AND GLIDES OVER THEM. THE CAMERA STOPS ONCE MID-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S KITCHEN

Ophidia Operahouse grabs some plates from the cupboard and walks over to the table. She sets out the plates, cups, and silverware. Her flowers sit in a vase in the center of the table. Thomas follows with a bowl of salad and a bowl of bucattini with marinara.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“So was your mom was always trying to save money.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Oh yeah. Always. She would talk about how there were too many bills or how dad’s income was not a steady thing. Stuff like that.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“My mom too. Though never while we were on vacation now that I think about it.”

Thomas and Ophidia sit down on opposite sides of the table.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“I would of loved that. My mom was still worried about money on vacation. Maybe even more so.”

Thomas fold his hands for a moment of silence. Ophidia catches herself and does likewise. She crosses herself and puts her hands together in prayer. When finished she starts serving herself some food, then passing to Thomas.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Sorry, you were saying.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Yeah, my mom would try to find some way to save money, like to an almost comical level sometimes.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“What do you mean?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Like for example, we went to Disneyworld when I was in seventh grade.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Ooo..luckey. Never been. Was it fun.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“The funnest, right. But my mom was nervous we wouldn’t have enough so she’d pack all this food in her purse for us to eat.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Can you even fit enough food in a purse for that?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“No. See that was the thing. As good as my Mom was at worrying she was inversly good at planning and scheduling.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Okay.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“So she got flustered and packed a lunch of cottage cheese and grapefruits.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Wait..Cottage Cheese? As in that stuff in the plastic tubs?”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Yup.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Isn’t that a refrigerated item.”

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Yes it is. Do you know what two tubs of cottage cheese are like after a day of flopping around in the bottom of a purse in the hot Florida sun?”
Thomas giggles.

OPHIDIA OPERAHOUSE
“Gross. That’s what they are.”

Thomas laughs. Ophidia starts to giggle, soon joining him in laughter. The stage-lights click off, with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF, and the Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Six script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Six

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: 02-06. 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 vast cavern of a room, with unseen corners, the Unroom Not.Seven has near its center a wooden disc surrounded by rows of grey carpet squares. From the ends of each row of carpet squares, spindly metallic lamps cast a dim light. The unroom’s lone occupant, THE OUTER ONE, sits on one of the squares spinning a golden coin.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE

The coin spins, solidity turning to ethereal turning back to solidity. As the coin slows we can see it has a simple abstract carving of an anvil on one side and a hammer on the other. They pick up the coin and spin it again.

TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLICK CLACK.

The Outer One stops the spinning coin and looks towards the wooden disc.

POV OF OUTER ONE LOOKING AT THE WOODEN DISC

The disc is empty initially but unseen lamps burst to life over the wooden disc revealing THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE sitting mid-disc.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TRYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

PAN IN TOWARDS THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE
TRANSITION FROM THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

ADD AN UPWARD MOVEMENT TO THE PAN IN TO MOVE THE CAMERA TO THE HIGH-STAGE AREA OF THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

As the camera nears the stage, the main curtains open revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

GRIGIO COLORI enters from stage-left. He walks about a quarter of the way across the stage then SNAPS his fingers. The High-Stage curtains part revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. ORFE.O SPARKSHIP’S COMMUNICATION CENTER

The sparkship Orfe.O’s communication center or observation deck, is a room arraigned like an amphitheater with a giant view screen across the back. On the screen is the ship’s AI ORFEO, rendered in a wireframe animation style.

The Orfe.O’s crew of nine females, each dressed in virtual reality gear, stand in an arc in front of the viewscreen facing the audience. Each bears a name tag with not a name, but her title and rank within the ship. From stage-left to stage-right stands VR-1, VR-2, VR-3, VR-4, VR-5, VR-6, VR-7, VR-8 and VR-9. (note: They would pronounce it as Very One, Very Two, Very Three…) All nine wear the same basic style of VR gear, with helmet, visor and gloves wired to long cords running off stage. Each has added her own individual decoration to personalize her gear. VR-1 has a writing pad sticker on her VR helmet. VR-2 has a scroll and quill sticker on her VR gear. VR-3 has a sticker of a flute. VR-4’s VR gear is decorated with roses. VR-5 has stickers of boots on her VR gear. VR-6’s VR gear bears no decoration. VR-7’s VR gear has a sticker of the silhouette of a ballerina. VR-8’s VR gear has a joker playing card taped onto it. Stars cover VR-9’s VR gear.
Each is busy working at her virtual reality work station. Though they can see their workstations, we cannot. To us it will appear as if they are pantomiming navigating the sparkship and running its systems.

ORFE.O
“Minimal structural damage. Orchestra Pit recommends a sixty degree declination to avoid any further structural damage.” (notices Grigio) “Hey, what are you doing here?”

Grigio SNAPS his fingers and the High-Stage curtains close. He moves to the center of the stage and SNAPS his fingers again. The High-stage curtains reopen revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. DIDO+AENEAS SPARKSHIP’S OPERATIONS ROOM

The Dido+Aeneas Operations room has the appearance of two different rooms stuck together. The stage-left side, or the AI DIDO’s side of the stage, is decorated in silver and chrome with a large viewscreen at an angle to the stage-front. The viewscreen fills half the stage. DIDO’s face can be seen in the viewscreen. The other side of the stage belongs to the ship’s other AI AENEAS. It is decorated in hues of gold and bronze. A large viewscreen fills half the stage at a complementary angle to Dido’s viewscreen. AENEAS’s face can be seen in this viewscreen. The two viewscreens are angled such as to form a v, with the stage-left and stage-right sides being closest to the stage front and the center, or where they meet, recessed back.
Two robots, the DIDO-BOT and the AEN-BOT, dance a slow waltz across the triangular area between the viewscreens. The Dido-bot is chrome in color wearing a golden dress with silvery accents. The AEN-BOT is golden in color but wearing a silvery suit accented with bronze. THE BLUE DANUBE WALTZ BY JOHANN STRAUSS II PLAYS as the robots dance.

DIDO
(regular voice) “Oh I remember this song. We danced to it at our wedding.” (more mechanical voice) “Energy spikes detected. Orchestra Pit recommends rerouting.”(regular voice) “How long has it been Aeneas.”

AENEAS
(mechanical voice) “Rerouting orbit.” (normal voice) “The uplifted heart collects no calendars my love.”

The Dido-Bot and Aen-bot dance while Grigio walks across the stage. He mistimes stepping around and they bump into each other. The robots stop.

DIDO
(normal voice) “Who’s that?” (mechanical voice) “Reroute vectors assigned.”

AENEAS
(mechanical voice) “Compensating fuel ratios” (regular voice) “Oh it does appear to be one of Colori’s many faces. What did it call itself. Help me out sweetheart. Not the rage, not the soothing, the individualist.”

DIDO
(normal voice) “Grigio dear.”

AENEAS
(normal voice) “Grigio. Yes that’s it.”

GRIGIO COLORI
“Hi. Sorry about disturbing your dance.”

DIDO
(mechanical voice) “Acceleration within acceptable parameters.” (normal voice) “Apology accepted. What grand adventure brings you to our love nest. Something heroic I hope.”

GRIGIO
“I’m on my way to the Carro.”

AENEAS
(normal voice) “Well good luck then.” (mechanical voice) “Sub-deck electronics within acceptable parameters.”

The Dido-bot and Aen-bot resume dancing. Grigio SNAPS his fingers and the curtain closes. He walks a little ways and SNAPS again. The High-stage curtains reopen revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. JULIAN-3 SPARKSHIP COMMAND DECK

Two rows of terminals run across the stage, with the back row raised higher than the front. Each terminal, except one, is manned by a holographic projection of the ship’s AI JULIAN THREE. The unmanned terminal is broken. Its burned and cracked with wires spilling out.

JULIAN 3.0
“Hull intergity 85%.”

JULIAN 3.1
“We have successfully emerged from the storm.”

JULIAN 3.4
“Redirect all sensors to surrounding space. Danger may still be afoot.”

JULIAN 3.6
“Ship systems have sustained damage. 65% efficiency.”

JULIAN 3.14
“Not to mention Julian 3.15 getting stabbed multiple times by the lightning strikes. Talk about a highly charged situation.”

Grigio laughs at his joke and hi-fives Julian 3.14. All the Julians look at them. Grigio snaps his fingers and the curtains close. Grigio exits stage-right.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD. IT MOVES OFF FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BENEATH. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS DOWNWARD TO THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, GLIDING OVER THEM TO FINALLY SETTLE PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

The Mid-Stage curtains are open and the stage lights are on when we join the scene revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY SECOND FLOOR, AFTERNOON

An entrance way and large window stand to the stage-left while a small table and bookshelves stand to the stage-right. Signs hang over the entrance way denoting “Non-fiction” and “Fiction” stage-right while “Checkout” is stage-left and downstairs. The small table has a series of books on display. A sign on the table reads “Staff Picks”.
On the floor next to the staff picks we find THOMAS TYPEWRITER sitting on the floor reading “Latchkey Kids of Randomness” by Jonathan J. Wheelwright. He reads in silence for a few moments before THE LIBRARY AIDE enters from stage-right. Pushing a rolling cart filled with books to reshelve, the Library Aide spots Thomas and moves closer.

THE LIBRARY AIDE
“Excuse me sir.”

Thomas marks his place in the book and then looks up.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Yes.”

THE LIBRARY AIDE
“Is everything alright.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Yes. Sorry, this book drew me in. Lost track of time.”

THE LIBRARY AIDE
“Oh, that’s fine. It happens more times than you’d believe.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Do you know what time it is.”

THE LIBRARY AIDE
(looking at watch) “3pm.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Oh boy, I am going to be late. Do you know where the cooking books are?”

THE LIBRARY AIDE
“Real close. Head straight back three rows. On your left.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Thanks.”

THE LIBRARY AIDE
“No problem.”

Thomas walks off stage right bringing the book with him.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA UNCOUPLES FROM MID-STAGE AND GLIDES UPWARD. IT PANS UPWARD PAST THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, CONTINUING UPWARD TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN. IT SLOWS AND STOPS WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: INT. SPACE EGG

THE INNER-SPACE MAN sits at the console stuck, frozen about to push a button. The lights in the the console and the viewscreen cycle through levels of dimness.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
(through gritted teeth) “What’s happening. I’m stuck.”

THE SPACE EGG
(distorted) “Me too.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Did Biff stop pretending before finishing our story?”

THE SPACE EGG
“Looks like he did. Guess we’re stuck till he returns to pretending our story.”

The Inner-Space Man tries to move, struggles, but can not budge. He exhales in exhaustion and frustration.

THE INNER-SPACE MAM
“Is this to be our fate my ovoid friend. To exist, to know and feel, but to never truly live unless bound within the margins of a child’s playtime.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Maybe we’re cursed.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“If only.”

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

FADE OUT

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Five script

The Great Works Project scripts, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Five

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: 02-05. 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 vast cavern of a space, the full scope of the Unroon Not.Seven is difficult to discern. Small details, such as the wooden disc in the center of the room are visible. Other details such as the rows of grey carpet squares radiating out from the wooden disc, the spindly metallic lamps and their serpentine cords at the ends of the carpet rows. Another discernible detail in this space of fading edges, The OUTER ONE sits on one of many carpet squares patiently waiting for the next show.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE

Small highlights dance across the surface of the wooden disc from the spindly metallic lamps spread across the space. The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING drifts in.

POV OF OUTER ONE ADJUSTING GAZE TO TAKE IN THE WHOLE OF THE WOODEN DISC.

In the center of the wooden disc appears THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE.

PAN IN ON THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

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

PAN IN ON MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The curtains part and the stage lights turn on, to the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON, revealing…

MID-STAGE: EXT. THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY, AFTERNOON

The front entrance of the multi-level flagstone and glass Alexandrian Library stretches across the back of the stage. The squarish carved letters of the building’s name loom over the triple set of doors adding to the solidness of the building. A sculpture of an open book balancing on the top of a pyramid stands just out front among ornamental grasses. We hear A CAR DRIVE UP AND PARK. The ENGINE SHUTS OFF. The CAR DOOR OPENS then SLAMS SHUT. FOOTSTEPS APPROACH. THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters from stage-right. He walks past the ornamental grasses, past the sculpture, and up to the front doors. He only enters after taking a moment to admire the weight of the carved letters over the entrance.

…welcome to the spell…
…write your life…
…rewrite your life…

He reaches a hand up lightly touching the letters. Pausing, he makes space for gratitude at something these letters existing and him existing and how now in this moment they meet. The moment acknowledged and the space given, Thomas enters the library through the front entrance. The doors softly close behind him. A butterfly flutters out and away from the grasses.

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES UP AND OVER THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CLOUD OF CURTAINS HANGING BEHIND. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS UP TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT TOP. IT STOPS WHEN PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s Door opens and Y-Mouse emerges. He is wearing thick black glasses, a button up shirt and khaki pants. An SLF (Solar-Lunar Fleet) name badge is clipped to his shirt with the name “Reginald Wordsqueaker”.

Y-MOUSE
“All is not calm in the Orchestra Pit, headquarters of the vast Solar-Lunar Fleet.”

Y-Mouse exits through the Narrator’s Door. It closes. The High-stage curtains part and the stage-lights turn on, to the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING ON, revealing…

HIGH-STAGE: INT. OFFICES OF SLF’S DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, DAYTIME

A large wooden desk built from a baroque pipe organ sits against the wall. Along the other side of the stage is a series of filing cabinets and magnetic tape mainframes. Various instruments clutter pile across the top of the cabinets and mainframes, obscuring the various stuffed animal heads on display. A curved aquarium window curves away off-stage on the other side of the pipe organ desk. MUSICA, she of the golden harp, is sitting at the desk speaking on the telephone.

MUSICA
“No, there have been no updates. Yes, we’re trying everything. Yes…now wait…no…no, we did not realize he was one of your children. Yes. Yes, no…”

MUSIDORA, she of the dark dress, Musica’s twin sister, and second in command of the SLF, enters carrying two cups of coffee. She walks over and hands Musica one of the cups. She then sits off to the side of the desk sipping her coffee as she waits for Musica’s phone call to end.

MUSICA
“We will gladly allocate more resources…yes, oh is that so. Well, you are entitled to your opinion of our work here. And I am entitled to my…Hello…Hello. (hangs up phone) She hung up on me.”

MUSIDORA
“Who was that?”

MUSICA
“The Dianian. Apparently that astronaut who got lost…”

MUSIDORA
“The one making the commercial?”

MUSICA
“Yes, that one. Turns out he was one of her quote-unquote children.”

MUSIDORA
“You don’t say.”

MUSICA
“And she’s blaming us.”

MUSIDORA
“Funny you should say that, because I just got off the phone myself. Had a civil little conversation with our favorite Nutri-Corp executive.”

MUSICA
“Atria?”

MUSIDORA
“Got it in one. See, she also feels the lost astronaut is our fault, and will not stand for Nutri-corp, pardon the pun, bearing any blame. If she gets blamed she’s threatened to pull Nutri-Corps’s support.”

MUSICA
“But they supply all the food for every ship in the fleet. That’d be disastrous.”

MUSIDORA
“I know. What did the Dianian threaten.”

MUSICA
“She’ll go to the Selenian and the Heliosian.”

MUSIDORA
“The big bosses. (pauses) Well we don’t want that.”

MUSICA
“No we don’t. So what…”

ALARM SIRENS erupt cutting off Musica mid-sentence. Musidora and Musica rush out of the office exiting stage-left. The High-stage curtains close. They reopen revealing….

HIGH-STAGE: INT. THE ORCHESTRA PIT CONTROL ROOM, DAYTIME

The Control Room looks very similar to an actual orchestra pit. Chairs arranged in a semi-circle around a raised podium in the center. Though along the back wall, behind the seats but facing the center podium, is a giant over-sized music stand. Alarm lights blink and KLAXON HORNS buzz in the background.

Two large pages of sheet music stand spread across the over-sized music stand. On the pages are a series of moving images. Musical notes, each depicting a different sparkship, are moving around the page as they orbit the Ir-Ra. It appears as two rotating circles in the center of the two pages. The outer circle appears as a treble clef measure and rotates clockwise. The inner circle appears as a bass clef measure and rotates counter-clockwise. Off to the side of the Ir-Ra, there is a tangle of sharp notations making an almost solid black cloud. Any sparkship near the cloud are yellow. In the cloud can be seen one red sixteenth note.

Currently there are fourteen spots arranged around the conductor’s podium, set up in two rows. Each spot has a chair and music stand, except center back row. It has a music stand and a set of timpani. All of the chairs are occupied except two. Seated in the front row, stage-left to stage-right are: VICTORIA OPENWINDOW with her violin, An empty chair with a pearlescent violin on a stand, CRICK CRICKETS with his pseudo-clarinet, VIOLET WOLFBEARD gripping her viola in clawed hands, DULCIAN CURTAL hidden behind her bassoon, HAUT DOUBLETONE resting his oboe on his lap, TIMBRE SCRAMLEDEGGS slowly drawing a bow across his cello, and lastly ARCO PLASMATORCH plucking a rhythm on his Double Bass. Seated in the back row, stage-left to stage-right are: An empty chair containing a french horn folded from the pages of a lost book, CHRISPUS TOPSHELVES with his trumpet, MEL COPPERPOT playing the timpani, TAWNY THINWHISTLE gripping a trombone, and lastly GAUNTLY’S elongated form wrapped inside a tuba. STELLARITE FERN is standing on the conductor’s podium pointing to the various members of the mission control. REGINALD WORDSQUEEKER enters from stage-left and sits down in the empty chair in the back row. STELLARITE FERN stands on the podium watching him enter.

STELLARITE FERN
“Glad you could join us Reginald. Updates people. What’s going on out there.”

ARCO PLASMATORCH
(plays a few short notes on his double bass) “There’s a sudden disturbance along the surface of the Ir-Ra.”

STELLARITE FERN
“Is the Ir-Ra condensing?”

Chrispus Topshelves plays a few notes on his trumpet and looks at the sheet of music on his music stand.

CHRISPUS TOPSHELVES
“No. Energy readings suggest something else.”

STELLARITE FERN
“Okay. Start rerouting all sparkships away from the disturbance.”

Everyone picks up their instruments and commences to play. The notes depicting the sparkships on the giant sheet music display start to change course, drifting away from the Ir-Ra center.
Musica and Musidora enter from stage-right. Stellarite Fern bows in their direction before stepping down from the podium. She moves over and takes a seat at the empty chair in the front row.

MUSICA
“What’s going on people.”

STELLARITE FERN
“There has been an energy surge near the surface of the Ir-Ra.”

MUSIDORA
“It looks like a thunderstorm.”

STELLARITE FERN
“Yes, it is very similar in appearance. Initial scans showed two objects caught in the storm, but sensors now only show one. One of our sparkships.”

MUSICA
“Which one.”

Musidora looks at the display and studies the red sixteenth note in the storm of sharp notes.

STELLARITE FERN
“Unknown currently. Possibly the Carro. Last known coordinates place it near the disturbance.”
The display zooms in onto the lightning storm. A ship symbol can be seen flickering in the lightning.

MUSIDORA
(looking at display)”Looks like we are not quite able to pierce that storm with our sensors. (looks at Musica) Sister would you be so kind?”

Musica brings up her harp and starts to play. A WISTFUL MELODY spreads out. Musidora closes her eyes to listen, bat-like ears popping up on the top of her head.

MUSIDORA
“That is definitely the Carro.”

The Carro’s symbol vibrates and grows brighter. Just then COLORI PASTELLI and OTHO MERCUTIAN enter on a raindow beam from stage-top. He lands next to Musidora. We can see that he has all his colored stripes.

COLORI PASTELLI
“Evening ladies, sorry to interrupt. (looks around) Looks like you have more than enough paint on your brush, but it is of grave importance.”

MUSICA AND MUSIDORA
“Colori. Otho.”

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“Is my son alright?”

MUSICA
“There’s been a storm of unknown origin.”

COLORI PASTELLI
“And the Carro. Lucido was on that ship correct.”

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“Yes.”

MUSICA
“Yes he is, and it is caught in that storm. We can’t get to it.”

MUSIDORA
(looking at Colori) “Though you are welcome to try your usual brash heroics.”

Colori looks at the display and thinks. He closes his eyes and shimmers. His grey stripe is gone replaced by yellow. Next to him stands GRIGIO COLORI.

COLORI PASTELLI
“Can’t fly there. Too far from the Nine Hills. Can we use the grey spaces?”

GRIGIO COLORI
(rubs temples) “Let me think.”

The stage-lights dim and a spotlight sparks to life illuminating Grigio. Everyone else in the scene freezes as we experience an asideal moment.

GRIGIO COLORI
(pulls out a scriptbook for The Great Works Project) What does the script say. Lets see, lets see. Season one, season two, okay, episode one, two, three, ahh, four. Here we go. (Reading from scriptbook)”Grigio Colori quiet and reserved looked at the available information to answer Colori’s question. Looking at the large sheet music display he realized a path was possible. GRIGIO: “I can do it but I’ll need three points to use as relays.”

Grigio puts the scriptbook away and the spotlight cuts out. The stage-lights return to normal and everyone unfreezes.

GRIGIO COLORI
“Yes I can use the grey, but not for the whole distance. I’ll need three jumping off points. Three ships in a near straight line should do it.”

Colori nods yes.

GRIGIO COLORI
(to Musica and Musidora) “Give me three ships in a line to the Carro.”

Musidora nods at Grigio then gestures at the orchestra. They place their instruments at the ready. She conducts them in a short medley. The images on the sheet music display change. It zooms in a bit and three of the ship icons glow. A dotted line connects them.

MUSICA
“You could use the Orfe.O, the Dido+Aeneas, and then the Julian 3.”

Colori and Grigio study the display then look at each other and nod. Colori, taking Otho, flies off stage in a colorful rainbow. Grigio flies off the other way on a greyscale rainbow.
The storm grows bigger on the display and the surface of the Ir-Ra ripples.

MUSICA AND MUSIDORA
“Good luck.”

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

TRANSITION FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA DETACHES FROM FRAMING THE HIGH-STAGE AND PANS DOWNWARD. MOVES ONTO AND DOWN THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, FINALLY STOPPING ONCE MID-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED AGAIN.

MID-STAGE: INT. THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY MAIN FLOOR, DAYTIME

A help desk sits in the center of the stage. THE FRONT DESK LIBRARIAN sits at the desk sorting books. A large sign with the library’s name sits over the desk. THOMAS TYPEWRITER enters the from stage-left and approaches the desk. The Librarian stops checking in books and looks up at Thomas.

THE FRONT DESK LIBRARIAN
“Hello, how may I help you?”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hi. Could you tell me where I can find the cook books.”

THE FRONT DESK LIBRARIAN
“Straight back and up the stairs. Go through and past the fiction section. Non-fiction’s right behind it. Cookbooks should be by the big bay windows.”

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Awesome. Thanks.”

Thomas exits stage-right. The librarian goes back to checking in books. Here you might notice that the spines of the stack of books to be checked in contain an overlapping design of two abstracted brain hemispheres. Each a different color.

The curtains close then reopen revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT, THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY SECOND FLOOR, DAYTIME

An entrance way and large window stand to the stage-right while a small table and bookshelves stand to the stage-left. Signs hang over the entrance way denoting “Non-fiction” and “Fiction” stage-left while “Checkout” is stage-right. The small table has a series of books on display. A sign on the table reads “Staff Picks”. Thomas enters from stage-right walks across the stage to stage-left. He walks past the small table and almost keeps walking but instead stops and turns.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“No, it couldn’t be.”

He examines one of the books on the shelf, Latchkey Kids of Randomness by Johnathan J. Wheelwright.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“It is. That book that girl was reading. I wonder?”

Thomas opens the book and starts to read. Drawn in he slowly sinks to the floor. He continues to read, lost in a good book. The stage lights turn off with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF. The Mid-stage curtains close.

FADE OUT