The Great Works Project scripts

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

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Four

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Four

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

 

FADE IN TO BLACK

From the bottom of the screen scrolls up the following text: 02-04. 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 disc of wood sits surrounded by rows of grey carpet squares in a cavernous room. The light cast by spindly metallic lamps barely reaches out beyond the center of the unroom. A lone occupant, THE OUTER ONE, sits on one of the darker grey carpet squares observing the nearest lamp.

POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT A METALLIC LAMP AT THE END OF THEIR ROW OF CARPET SQUARES.

The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING rings out from 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 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.

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, MID-DAY

Open on THOMAS TYPEWRITER sitting at his desk in the center of the stage. The lamp, to one side, illuminates the nearby wastebasket, desk, and typewriter. Thomas’ fingers feverishly move over the keys as his head bobs to the music from his headphones.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(voice-over) “Fade in from black. EXTERIOR SHOT – A realm outside time and space. Multiple colors dance across the screen in a kaleidoscopic intensity. Far shot of the Space Egg hurtling through this higher realm, chromatic waves left in its wake. Cut to medium shot of the SPACE EGG, allowing us to see the high speeds compressing and stretching its form. Cut to INTERIOR OF SPACE EGG. The INNER-SPACE MAN sits in a padded futuristic style astronaut’s chair. In front of him rests a curved console and curved view screen.”

TRANSITION FROM MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD. IT MOVES UP OVER THE TOP OF THE MID-STAGE SETS TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS BEHIND. IT CONTINUES UPWARD ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TILL REACHING THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP. THE CAMERA STOPS ONCE HIGH-STAGE IS PROPERLY FRAMED.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s Door opens and out walks Y-Mouse. He is dressed in an evening robe and carrying a newspaper under one arm, a cup of coffee in the other.

Y-MOUSE
“When monsters attack, every commute becomes rush hour. (takes a sip of coffee. Rereads the line back to himself.) When monsters attack every commute becomes rush hour. (makes a sour face) Ohh that is awful. Just awful. (looks into the camera) Give me one moment will you. (Looks down into the High-stage) Writer’s Room please.”

A HELPING HAND emerges from the stage and picks up Y-Mouse. It carries him off-stage.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO THE WRITER’S ROOM
CUT TO

INT. THE WRITER’S ROOM

A large room similar to a college lecture hall, the writers room is four rows of tables and chairs flanked by stairs on either side. Each row is a long table where the writers sit. Stairs run along the stage-left and stage-right side. The bottom row is shorter than the other three rows, to allow room for a door on the stage-left and a motivational poster on the stage-right. The poster reads: A Happy Writer is a Writer with a Deathline.

Seated in the rows are THE ALPHABET MICE, the writers responsible for the dialogue Y-Mouse reads. Sitting in the top row is A-MOUSE, B-MOUSE, D-MOUSE, E-MOUSE, F-MOUSE, G-MOUSE, H-MOUSE, and I-MOUSE. Sitting in the second row is J-MOUSE, C-MOUSE and K-MOUSE sharing a typewriter, M-MOUSE, N-MOUSE, O-MOUSE, and P-MOUSE. The third rows finds an empty chair then R-MOUSE, S-MOUSE, T-MOUSE, Q-MOUSE sharing notes with U-MOUSE, V-MOUSE, and lastly W-MOUSE. The bottom row finds X-MOUSE busily writing, an empty desk, and then Z-MOUSE asleep at his desk.

Every writer, has a typewriter and cup of coffee, except C-Mouse, P-Mouse, T-Mouse, and W-Mouse. P-Mouse prefers pen and paper to typewriters. T-Mouse prefers tea to coffee. C-Mouse prefers cola to coffee. W-Mouse prefers water.

As we join the Alphabet Mice, the room is filled with a cacophony of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICK CLACKING and VOICES MURMURING. A-Mouse stands and knocks his coffee cup on the desk. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCKS. Everyone quiets and looks his way.

A-MOUSE
(pulling out the paper in her typewriter to read) “Okay Okay how about this. Y-Mouse comes out and says “Sometimes when somebody says that’s the way I found it, that is the way they found it.”

Everyone boos and throws wadded pieces of paper at her. P-Mouse stands and knocks his coffee mug. KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCKS. Everyone quiets down and turns his way.

P-MOUSE
“How about this. Y-Mouse comes out and says “It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the best of traffic. It was the worst of traffic.”

Everyone boos and throws waded paper at him. X-Mouse stands and KNOCKS, KNOCKS, KNOCKS his coffee cup drawing everyone’s attention.

X-MOUSE
“What about this: Moving through our lives, we believe we grow older, grow wiser, and grow kinder, but what hidden hurts, what buried frustrations, lurk like monsters in the dark waiting for the moment to strike again.”

Everyone nods their heads and murmurs approval. The Helping Hand carrying Y-Mouse emerges from the ceiling lowering Y-Mouse to the floor. It lets go and retreats off screen.

Y-MOUSE
“Guys what are you doing? That last script was horrible.”

B-MOUSE
“Sorry. We know. We’ve been working on a replacement.”

X-MOUSE
“What do you think of this?”

He hands his dialogue to Y-Mouse. He reads it and nods his head.

Y-MOUSE
“Not perfect, a little akward but definitely shows promise. Put a little more polish on it and I think we’ve got something here. Send it up to my apartment when finished.”

THE ALPHABET MICE (EXCEPT Z-MOUSE)
“Will do.”

Y-Mouse snaps his fingers and the Helping Hand returns. It picks him up and carries him off-stage. The Alphabet Mice return to typing.

TRANSITION FROM THE WRITER’S ROOM TO THE HIGH-STAGE
CUT TO

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Narrator’s Door opens and out walks Y-Mouse.

Y-MOUSE
“We grow older. We mature. We believe that our kindnesses, our loves, our experiences have made us a better person. But what hidden hurts, what discarded disappointments, lurk like monsters in our shadows.”

Y-Mouse exits through the Narrator’s Door which closes behind him. The curtains part, and the stage lights turn on with the sound of A COMPUTER TURNING ON, revealing…

THE HIGH-STAGE: EXT. THE INNER HIGHWAY SECTION 4, DAYTIME

An elevated section of concrete and steel, Inner Highway Section 4 is filled with cars. Seed-like glide ships, horse-headed hot-rods, buccaneer balloons, and wind-up wagons are waiting for GRAND DAYPASS JONES, mostly bio-goblin, to turn his sign from STOP to GO. Behind, him the construction crew works on trimming the tree tops. A large robotic Mecha-crane lifts DENSITY DOUBLEDIP, mostly clockwork elf, up to trim the branches, while FORNAXITE SEAHAVEN, Administrator, supervises from the ground.

As the tree limbs are cut, we can see the driver of the horse-headed hot-rod, KRINKLE CANDYWRAPPER, becoming agitated. His anger grows and grows till he explodes. Literally explodes in light and JET TURBINE ROARING. Everyone pauses and turns towards the noise and light. The light and noise fade leaving behind THE FYRE GIANT in the place of Krinkle Candywrapper and his horse-headed hot-rod. Head ablaze, clothed in smoldering metal, he runs towards the construction crew.
The construction workers yell and run away. The other drivers follow suit driving away. A rainbow descends from the sky, stage-left, bringing COLORI PASTELLI into the scene. A humanoid box of crayons, he currently has red, blue, yellow, green, orange, purple, white, and black stripes. The grey stripe is missing, instead replaced with yellow. COLORI is holding his four faithful hounds: BRAWN, BRAINS, BEAUTY, and BONGO. The hounds hop away and bark at the monster drawing his attention. The monster grips his ears in pain. He picks up the Mecha-crane and and throws it at them.

SWITCH TO SLOW-MOTION…

Colori Pastelli holds up his hands, shining green, and shimmers and then ROSSO COLORI is standing next to him. The red stripe on Colori has turned yellow. Rosso leaps at the flying car. He kicks it away, knocking it into The Fyre Giant’s head. It flies off-stage stage-right as The Fyre Giant falls down. He bounces off the ground with a THUNDEROUS THUD. Rosso Colori lands on his chest.

SWITCH OUT OF SLOW-MOTION, AND BACK TO REGULAR SPEED

COLORI PASTELLI
“Hounds, take this monster to the Forgiving Place. I’ll be along shortly.”

Brains, Brawn, and Beauty grab the Fyre Giant’s feet and drag the monster stage-left and off-stage. Bongo ignores them currently being distracted by a butterfly that flew out of some grasses nearby.Colori and Rosso shimmer, leaving only Colori on the stage. His red stripe has returned.

COLORI PASTELLI
“Bongo.”

BONGO
(snapping out of daze and looking around)”Oh…yeah, sorry.”

Bongo exits stage-left. OTHO MERCUTIAN, a coyote man wearing a plaid suit and thick glasses enters from stage-right. Colori notices him and waves.

COLORI PASTELLI
“Didn’t expect to see you here.”

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“I wanted to talk, so I followed the trail of destruction.”

COLORI PASTELLI
“True. I do leave my mark wherever I go. So, What brings you out of Universitytown.”

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“My son is in trouble.”

Colori’s face grows serious.

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“Can you help?”

COLORI PASTELLI
“I’ll try.”

OTHO MERCUTIAN
“Good. To the Music Hall.”

He grabs hold of Otho’s shoulder and they exit the stage in a rainbow. The High-stage curtains start to close while the stage-lights turn off to the sound of A COMPUTER POWERING OFF.

TRANSITION FROM HIGH-STAGE TO LOW-STAGE ALONG THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS.
THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD FROM THE HIGH-STAGE. IT MOVES ONTO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS, FOLLOWING IT DOWN TO THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS. IT SLIDES OVER THE TOPS SETTLING PROPERLY FRAMING MID-STAGE.

MID-STAGE: INT. THOMAS TYPEWRITER’S STUDIO MID-DAY

Thomas Typewriter continues typing at his desk.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
(narration) “Cut to INTERIOR OF SPACE EGG. The INNER-SPACE MAN sits in a padded futuristic style astronaut’s chair. In front of him rests a curved console and curved view screen. Various sized glowing hexagonal buttons are spaced around the input/output screen on the console. The curved view screen displays a vast swirling colorscape only made more abstract by the Space Egg’s velocity. “

The PHONE RINGS, startling Thomas. He stops typing and picks up the phone checking to see who could be calling him. Seeing it is Ophidia Operahouse, he smiles deeply. Thomas slides his headphones off and answers the phone.

THOMAS TYPEWRITER
“Hi, no you didn’t wake me? Sure, I can talk. For you I’d make time. Just writing. Might be onto something. Don’t know. The ideas are so slippery lately. (pause as he listens) Maybe I do need to get out, but I’d rather stay in. Stay in with you. (pause) Sure I could do that. I love to cook. I’ll cook you dinner. (pause) You will. Awesome. (stands and starts to walk off-stage) So how’s your day going?”

The stage-lights turn off, with the sound of A LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF, and the curtains close.

FADE OUT

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Three script

Puppet play, scripts, The Great Works Project scripts, Uncategorized

———–<.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

The Great Works Project: Season Two, Episode Two script

scripts, The Great Works Project scripts, Uncategorized

———–<.thom.>———–

THE GREAT WORKS PROJECT

a puppet play in many parts

Season Two, Episode Two

By Thomas Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:type:>———–

FADE IN TO BLACK

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

In the large cavernous space of the Unroom, THE OUTER ONE sits on one of many grey carpet squares lost in thought. The carpet squares radiate out from a wooden disc in the center of the unroom. Spindly metal lamps stand at the ends of the rows of carpets barely able to illuminate the room. The carpet squares bathe in light while the wooden disc swims in shadows.

THE CAMERA IS THE POV OF THE OUTER ONE LOOKING AT THE CARPET SQUARE THEY ARE SITTING ON.

The sound of TYPEWRITER KEYS CLICKING AND CLACKING drifts in from off-screen.

THE CAMERA TILTS UP AS THE OUTER ONE SHIFTS THEIR GAZE FROM THE CARPET SQUARES TO THE WOODEN DISC.

The wooden disc sits empty in the dark. Unseen lamps flip on. THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE manifests in the newly cast light splashing across the wooden disc.

PAN IN TOWARDS THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE

TRANSITION FROM THE UNROOM TO THE TYPEWRITER ABSTRACT PUPPET STAGE
PAN IN ON MID-STAGE

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

MID-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The Mid-Stage sits silent and still. Once the camera properly frames Mid-stage the curtains part. The stage-lights turn on with the sound of a LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING ON, revealing…

MID-STAGE: INT. THE SLICE-O-PIE RESTAURANT

Three restaurant style booths run across the stage. Various sized photos of pies and fruits, all ornately framed, hang on the wall above the booths. A small framed photo of a rabbit next to a rock sits off to the stage left. Over on the stage right hangs a small framed photo of a still from the Patterson Bigfoot footage.

The center booth is the only booth currently occupied, though the MURMUR OF A CROWD can be heard. Sitting in the booth are THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING, THE LADY, THE LANCE, and THE LOCH. Thomas is looking at the menu, while the Lance and the Lady are looking around the restaurant. The Loch is sniffing the salt and pepper shakers.

THE LADY
“Busy night.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Yup.”

THE LANCE
“More than yup. A full night indeed. I mean look at all these gorgeous ladies. Sure working up my appetite, if you catch my drift.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Yeah right. Can we just eat dinner tonight. No woman here is interested in talking to us.”

THE LANCE
“Not with your head buried in that menu.”

The Loch sneezes from sniffing the pepper. Thomas leans over and puts his hand over the salt and pepper shaker in the Loch’s paws. Thomas shakes his head. The Loch sets them down. Thomas returns to his menu while the Loch reads over his shoulder.

THE LADY
“None of that Lance, you leave him alone.”

THE LANCE
“Why are you always defending him. You know as well as me if he just tried he’s succeed. He’s a good looking guy and he’s wasting it. Wasting his chances, no our chances. I’m tired of waiting on the sidelines.”

The Lance looks off stage-right and raises his hand waving to someone off-stage. A come here kind of wave. When he does this, Thomas does the same exact motion. Thomas merely looks up from his menu and frowns. The Loch reaches over and puts his paw on the Lance’s chest then shakes his head no. The Lance puts his hand down. Thomas is then able to lower his hand.

THE LADY
(glaring at the Lance) “We agreed we were not going to do that unless it was an emergency.”

THE LANCE
“Whatever.”

The Lance sinks into his seat pouting. THE WAITRESS enters from stage-right.

THE WAITRESS
(to Thomas) “Are we ready to order.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Sure thing. I’ll have a Crispy Bird Special, a bowl of Mickey-Stronney soup and a Squirrelly Temple.”

THE WAITRESS
(playfully) “Someone’s got a big appetite tonight.”

THE LANCE
“Ohhh…she’s hitting on you. Don’t blow it.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
(acting shy) “Maybe.”

The Waitress writes down the order and leaves.

THE LADY
“Why didn’t you talk more to her?”

Thomas shrugs. They fall into an awkward silence. The Waitress reemerges bringing a Squirrelly Temple soda and a bowl of soup. She sets them down on the table.

THE WAITRESS
“Here you go, and your Crispy Bird will be ready soon. Anything else I can get you right now.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“No thank you, we’re good.”

The Waitress makes a funny face then leaves. Thomas takes a sip of his soda.

THE LADY
(reaches over and takes hold of his hand)”Thomas we need to talk.”

Thomas immediately stops sipping.

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Okay.”

THE LADY
“We will be leaving.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Really? But I haven’t even got my order yet.”

The Lance and the Loch reach over putting their hand and paw on top of The Lady’s.

THE LANCE
“No, Thomas. We’re leaving. Us. (gestures to The Lady, The Loch and himself) We’re going away.”

Thomas looks at all of them. Each nods yes.

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Oh.”

THE LADY
(starting to cry) “We’ll miss you and maybe you’ll miss us, but the cracks in you that made us are healing. You don’t need us anymore.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“When.”

THE LANCE
(looks at watch)”Judging from the speed of service tonight, when the Crispy Bird arrives.”

TRANSITION FROM THE MID-STAGE TO HIGH-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS UPWARD, UP OVER THE TOPS OF THE MID-STAGE SETS, TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS. IT CONTINUES PANNING FOLLOWING THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE HIGH-STAGE AT THE TOP OF THE CURTAIN. THE CAMERA SLOWS AND STOPS ONCE PROPERLY FRAMING HIGH-STAGE.

HIGH-STAGE: CURTAINS CLOSED

The High-stage curtains sit closed. A small shudder moves across the curtain preceding their parting. The High-stage stage-lights turn on with the sound of a COMPUTER BOOTING ON revealing…

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

The stage is filled with a backdrop of swirling colors. From stage-left enters a miniature of THE SPACE EGG. It is rapidly flying across the stage leaving chromatic waves trailing in its wake. When it reaches mid-stage, there is a LOUD THUNDEROUS CLAP and the Space Egg flies even faster, exiting stage-left. The 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 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 as it is heard by the Inner-Space Man and audience.  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 outside the ship. Given the ship’s current speeds, the colors are blurring together

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Status Update.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Current speed exceeds the Speed of Thought. We have broken through the Reality Barrier.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Tip top. The infinite canvas of what could and what was spreads out before us.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Since we have exceeded three-dimensionality shouldn’t you use more than two metrics in describing our current options.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Excellent point my friend. Or should I say egg-scellent point.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Maybe don’t.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Noted. Now lets see…what did and what didn’t spreads out before us. Where to first?” (pulls out travel brochures from a storage compartment under his chair, though if you wanted to have him grab the brochures from a glove box in the Space Egg’s console that is fine as well.) “Do we sail the salt-spired Oceans of Tears? Navigate the Streams of Thought? Watch the sun set on an Era? Explore the hidden tombs of the Food Pyramid?”

THE SPACE EGG
“Maybe it’s my programming but I sure love myself a salt spire, so I vote Ocean of Tears.”

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Fantastic choice. Says in this brochure that its far shores have the best Halls of Memories of any higher dimensional space.”

THE SPACE EGG
“Now we have to go. Put in the coordinates.”

The Inner-Space Man enters the coordinates. He makes BEEP BEEP BOOP sounds as he presses the buttons on the console.

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

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
“Maybe some travel tunes?”

THE SPACE EGG
“You know it!”

The Inner-Space Man presses a button. At that exact same moment the High-stage stage lights turn off with the sound of A COMPUTER BOOTING OFF. The curtains close.

THE INNER-SPACE MAN
(voice over. It slows down and drawls out as it goes)”What just happened?”

TRANSITION FROM THE HIGH-STAGE TO THE MID-STAGE

THE CAMERA PANS DOWNWARD. FROM THE HIGH-STAGE IT MOVES TO THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS CONTINUING ON DOWNWARD. IT FOLLOWS THE CURTAIN OF CLOUDS TO THE MID-STAGE, STOPPING ONCE IT IS FRAMED PROPERLY.

MID-STAGE: INT. THE SLICE-O-PIE RESTAURANT

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING is sitting at the center booth with THE LANCE, THE LADY and THE LOCH. THE WAITRESS enters with the food and sets it down on the table. She looks at his sad face and feels for him.

THE LANCE
“Speak of the devil.”

THE WAITRESS
“Oh don’t be so sad looking. Maybe a slice of pie before you go. Always cheers me up.”

Thomas looks up at the waitress. He studies her a moment, letting her words sink in.

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
“Maybe one slice before we go.”

THE WAITRESS
“Great, I’ll be back in a little bit to find out what kind you’d like.”

Thomas nods. He turns and looks at the Lady, the Lance, and the Loch one last time before they leave. The Lady gets up first, walks around to Thomas and hugs him before exiting stage-left. The Lance follows next, hugging Thomas and then exiting. Finally the Loch gets up, bear hugs Thomas, then exits. Thomas sets down his fork, puts his head in his hands. He wipes his eyes with his napkin. The Waitress reenters from stage-right with a pie menu. She walks it over to Thomas

THE WAITRESS
“Do you know what you want, or do you need a moment.”

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
(avoiding eye contact with the Waitress) “A moment. If possible.”

THE WAITRESS
“Don’t worry about it Hon. Take your time, you’ll figure out what you want eventually.”

The Waitress exits stage-right.

THOMAS TWENTYSOMETHING
(to self)”Will I?”

The Mid-stage stage lights turn of with the sound of a LIGHT SWITCH CLICKING OFF as the curtains close.

FADE OUT