Uncategorized

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 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 Two x Twos, or an attempt at a life appreciating the gift of art – Week #5

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Week four was a little frustrating. I did not make as much progress as I had hoped too. My kindle’s screen cracked, stopping my reading progress while I sorted that out. My 2DS aggravated my hands and wrists, stopping my gaming progress and also my script writing. Frustrating. Very frustrating…

…deep breath…

…So, I focused on slowing down. Focused on remembering that most of my stress is self-inflicted. A gap forms between what I think should occur and what actually occurs.  Slowing down allows me to start pruning back expectations. Snip, snip, snip and calmness returns. Ultimately I come to this thought: What was the original intention of the Two x Twos exercise? Was it to achieve a box of accomplishments, powering through a to-do list? Was it to enrich your life by exposure to these wonderful creations and what ever magic may be etched inside? The latter obviously. Then lets work towards that and if it takes a while, it takes a while.

Week 5 – May 22nd, 2020

Albums

  1. Album from Girls
  2. Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº 70 from Cisneros Y Su Orquesta Latina

Cinema

  1. Ali Zaoua (2000)
  2. Safety Last! (1923)

Literature

  1. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel (I just started this book when my Kindle’s screen cracked. Shame, as I was really liking it. I did find that if I turned the back lighting of the Kindle to low, like 4 or less, that I can ignore the crack.)
  2. All Systems Red by Martha Wells (I have been looking forward to reading this one for a while now. So excited.)

Comic Books

  1. Angel and the Ape #3
  2. Angel and the Ape #4

Video Games (Going to try switching to using game controllers, which should help my hands. I have a Rock Candy Xbox One controller that is the most comfortable controller I have ever used. Going to switch to that and play for short bursts.)

  1. Kingsley’s Adventure (PS1)
  2. Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets (3DS) 

Up Late, Late At Night! Season 01, Episode 01, Act III

Uncategorized, Up Late, Late at Night

———–<.thom & ophi.>———–

UP LATE, LATE AT NIGHT!

Season 01, Episode 01

Act III

By Thomas Typewriter & Ophidia Operahouse-Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:typehouse:>———–

FADE IN

INT. COMMUNITY COLLEGE UNIVERSITY MAIN ENTRANCE. NIGHT

OPEN ON A CS OF THE SIGNBOARD

A signboard in front of the Local College main hallway. It bears the college title and logo on top, with various flyers posted to the side. The signboard itself reads as follows:

FUEL ECONOMICS 101
ROOM MPG-54.5
——–>
TRAFFIC SCHOOL
ROOM MPG-27.5
<——-

TRANSITION FROM ENTRANCE TO CLASSROOM

INT. COMMUNITY COLLEGE UNIVERSITY CLASSROOM MPG-27.5. NIGHT

OPEN ON A MS OF THE FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM

We can divide the sets into two sections here. The first section will be the front of the classroom which has a desk and wide chalkboard while the second section or the back of the classroom contains the rows of desks and chairs.

D-COP Stands at a podium at the front of the class. B-COP sits on the desk behind him. On the chalkboard is written “Traffic School…RULES”
The back half of the classroom is divided into two rows, with the front row being lower than the back row. In the front row sits three students, stage-left to stage-right: CASS-E, GIBLETS, and L.P. In the second row, stage-left to stage-right sit: V-HESS, JEWELCASE, B-RAY, and CLAMSHELL.

D-COP
“Hello everyone.”

CUT TO LS OF THE SECOND SECTION OR BACK OF THE CLASSROOM

EVERYONE
“Hello.”

D-COP
“Welcome to traffic school. I am your instructor D-Cop. This is my career partner B-Cop and we will be teaching this class. Before we go any further, lets take roll call shall we. Cass-E?”

CUT TO CS OF CASS-E

Cass-E sits at her desk, wearing cracked eyeglasses, a large neck brace and three bandages. Multiple bottles of pills and vitamins sit atop her desk area.

CASS-E
“Here”

CUT BACK TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Giblets.”

CUT TO CS OF GIBLETS.

Giblets lays unconscious on top of his desk.

CUT BACK TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Oh yeah, the turkey. Moving on. L.P.”

L.P. is a 12″ vinyl record dressed like a witch from an old fairy tale. On either side of her sit HANSEL and GRETEL coloring in coloring books. Hansel and Gretel are made from 7″ vinyl records.

L.P.
“Here. This is the babysitter training class right?”

CUT TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“No. It’s traffic school.”

CUT TO CS OF L.P.

L.P.
“Uh-oh. But I promised these kids I’d take them to my candy house after taking a babysitting class.”

HANSEL AND GRETEL
(chanting) “Candy, candy, candy…”

CUT TO CS OF CASS-E

CASS-E
“Are those your kids?”

CUT TO HANSEL AND GRETEL

HANSEL
“She found us in the woods.”

GRETEL
“The birds ate our trail of breadcrumbs and we got lost. Then we found this nice lady.”

CUT TO CS OF CASS-E

CASS-E
“That sounds like kidnapping.”

CUT TO L.P.

L.P.
“Uhhh…”

CUT TO CS OF B-COP

B-COP
“I don’t like the sound of this.”

CUT TO MS OF ROOM

Everyone is staring at L.P. as she stammers. After a few moments, L.P. gets up and runs out of the classroom.

CUT TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Okay. Moving on.

B-COP
“Aren’t we going to do something about that kidnapping? We are cops after all.”

D-COP
“No time. Too much to teach. Moving on. V-Hess.”

CUT TO CS OF V-HESS

V-Hess, a VHS cassette, wears a cut off jean jacket and hockey mask. His shirt and jacket is covered in horror film characters or images.

V-HESS
“Here. So when do we get to see the car crashes and the dead bodies?”

CUT TO CS OF GRETEL AND HANSEL

GRETEL
“Maybe we should get him to give us a ride home. He sounds like a bad boy.”

HANSEL
(chanting)”Bad boy! Bad Boy! Bad Boy!”

CUT TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“No, all of you. We are not watching videos of car crashes and little girl do not go home with him. Moving on…Jewelcase. Jewelcase?”

CUT TO CS OF JEWELCASE

Jewelcase, a CD case wearing comically too large pastel colored glasses and a large boifant of white hair, sits at her desk. She is looking around the room.

CUT TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Jewelcase.”

CUT TO CS OF JEWELCASE

She stares around the room.

CUT BACK TO D-COP

D-COP
“Jewelcase. (louder) Jewelcase.”

CUT TO CS OF JEWELCASE

She leans over towards B-Ray. B-Ray, a blu-ray disc, dressed in a light jacket. He has small puppets on the desk around him.

JEWELCASE
“I think they’re calling your name. You better say here before he gets mad. Wouldn’t want to start the first day on a bad note.”

B-RAY
“Uh, here.”

CUT BACK TO D-COP

D-COP
“Finally. Moving on…B-Ray.”

CUT TO MS OF BOTH JEWELCASE AND B-RAY

JEWELCASE
“Here.”

B-Ray turns in surprise and stares at Jewelcase before turning to one of his puppets, Mr. Puppet.

B-RAY
“Can you believe the nerve of some people?”

MR. PUPPET
(B-RAY DOING THE VOICE IN A BAD VENTRILOQUIST WAY) “I know. It’s enough to make you give up on talking to other people altogether.”

CUT BACK TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Clamshell.”

CUT TO CS OF CLAMSHELL

Clamshell, a videocassette case only wearing dark glasses and pants, responds.

CLAMSHELL
“Here. And can I say I think your right. You got that thing. Got that thing figured out and I want to figure it out. Then we’ll both have that thing. Two things. Two’s better than one. Want to be like you. Starting now. Right now. Gotta get the thing.”

CUT BACK TO D-COP

D-COP
“Ookkaayy. Now that we’re settled in let me explain about the class. You all are here because you are the worst of the worst drivers on the road. Real slime under my boot. But that’s gonna change. B-Cop is going to change you. I’m going to change you. We’re gonna push you guys like you’ve never been pushed before. Some of you are gonna wish I was dead. I eat quitters for breakfast and I spit out their bones.”

B-COP
“Are you quoting Mike Ditka from Kicking and Screaming”

D-COP
(pause)”Its a good film. It was number one in Sight & Sound’s 2012 poll of The GREATEST FILMS EVER MADE.”

B-COP
“That’s weird because I was actually part of that poll and I remember Vertigo being number one.”

D-COP
“Changing subjects, we have a lot of material, so lets get started.”

INSERT “21 HOURS LATER…” INTERSTITIAL CARD

D-COP
“And so that ends our first lesson, “What to do before driving your car.”

CUT TO LS OF ALL THE STUDENTS

ALL STUDENTS
(groan)

CUT TO CS OF V-HESS AND CASS-E

V-HESS
“I can’t take anymore of this guy. Meet me Saturday, we’re going to take care of him. Pass it on.”

CASS-E nods and walks off towards the other students. V-Hess exits stage-left. Cass-E exits stage right.

FADE OUT

The Two x Twos – week #4, or another week among the Arts

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Week three went by fairly well. Age of Adz really struck a chord, pardon the pun. Been feeling really stressed, confused, and anxious lately. It is more than the pandemic, though that is a large factor. Artistically, academically, socially, professionally and a thousand more ways feeling…hard to put into words. It is like feeling that I am moving too fast while also feeling I am not moving at all. Then when I put that album on, man, all that went away. Here was somebody else making art at a point in there life where they were feeling something similar. Then when it was over, I did the best thing I could do. I took a breath, said thank you to the world, and then hit play again.

The Two x Twos – Week #4 (The week of 05/15/2020)

Albums

  1. Aha Shake Heartbrake from Kings of Leon
  2. Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra – Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº50

Cinema

  1. Airplane! (1980)
  2. The Trotsky (2019)

Literature

  1. Airborn by Kenneth Oppel
  2. Big Night by Joseph Tropiano (I did not get to finish the book last week and would like to finish it.)

Comic Books

  1. Angel and the Ape #1
  2. Angel and the Ape #2 (These are from the Phil Foglio mini-series)

Video Games

  1. Resident Evil (PS1)
  2. Gravity Falls: Legend of the Gnome Gemulets (3DS) (This game is 1/2 of the reason I bought a 3DS. Hope it is good.)

Up Late, Late at Night: Season 01, Episode 01, Acts I-II revised.

Uncategorized, Up Late, Late at Night

Note that as Ophidia and I are working on this debate about whether 1985 or 1999 is the superior movie year disguised as a talking trash puppet show, she had a few issues with the rough script. I did a rewrite, asked for her feedback, then did another rewrite. Here is the end result. Enjoy. I am off to listen to The Undertones. 

———–<.thom & ophi.>———–

UP LATE, LATE AT NIGHT!

Season 01, Episode 01

Act I & Act II

By Thomas Typewriter & Ophidia Operahouse-Typewriter

(c) 2020

———–<:typehouse:>———–

———–ACT I————

FADE IN

EXT. THE TRASHIPELIGO ISLANDS, EVENING

LS OF A MODEL OF THE ISLAND.

Looking upon the garbage covered isles we hear the sounds of slumber and someone murmuring in his sleep.

CUT TO…

INT. THE TRASH HOLE. NIGHT

A large cavern in the base of the Trashipeligo Island’s dormant volcano, Mount Trashuvius finds T-RASH THE TRASH GOD sleeping. His large abstract mask-like face floats over a smoking pool of sludge and magma. Surrounding him are piles of trash. T-RASH’S eyes are dimmed as he sleeps trapped in a nightmare.

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
(mumbles in sleep) “No… No.. No….”

PAN IN TO CS OF T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Don’t clean that…no. Trash is okay. We don’t need to organize. Clutter is better. Stop it. (Starts to shout in his sleep) STOP IT. STOP IT. STOP IT.”

B-Max and D-Vid race in. B-Max enters from stage-left while D-Vid enters from stage-right. They run over to T-Rash.

B-MAX
“Wake up your disgustingness.”

D-VID
“You’re having a nightmare, your trashiness.”

T-RASH wakes up. His eyes fully light up as he escapes out of his nightmare.

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“B-Max. D-Vid.”

B-MAX
“It’s okay now. You were just having another nightmare.”

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“It was awful. They were trying to clean the island. I couldn’t stop them. So much soap. Lemon scented everywheres.”

D-VID
“That sounds awful.”

B-MAX
“But it is all over. You are safe now. The Trashipeligo Islands are still a hot mess.”

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Oh thank goodness. (short pause) I don’t think I’ll be able to go back to sleep right away.

Turn on the TV. Let me watch some while I calm down.”

B-Max and D-Vid exit stage right.

CUT TO LS OF TV AREA

B-Max and D-VID enter from stage-left. B-Max turns on the TV but nothing happens.

B-MAX
“It’s not working.”

D-VID
“We could try hitting it till it is repaired.”

CUT BACK TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Do that.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

D-Vid and B-MAX start to hit the set. Nothing changes.

CUT BACK TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Wait. Is it plugged in? Stop hitting it and check.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

D-Vid crawls behind the TV.

CUT TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“B-Max, go help D-Vid. You know he doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

B-Max crawls behind the TV.

D-VID
“The wires are all broken.”

B-MAX
“It’s a mess back here sir.”

D-VID
“I think our hitting it might have broken it more instead of repairing it more.

CUT TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“You think.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

D-VID
“I guess we could try fixing it using whatever trash is nearby.”

CUT BACK TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Good. Do that.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

D-Vid and B-Max start to go through the trash behind the TV. We see trash being through up and away from behind the TV as they look through the piles of garbage.

D-VID
“I’ve got a bunch of soup cans and a bent coat hanger. You find anything?”

B-MAX
“Half a radio and a barrel of diet pills.”

D-VID
“Oh. We can use those. Bring them over.”

We hear CONSTRUCTION NOISES from behind the TV. B-Max pokes her head up from the back as she mounts the coat hanger like an antenna on top of the TV.

D-VID
“If I know anything at all about repairing televisions, I’d say we did it. Let’s plug it in.”

B-MAX
“The plug doesn’t fit in the outlet anymore.”

D-VID
“Maybe if we both push, it’ll go in.”

We hear the sound of D-Vid and B-Max GROANING and then a loud SPARK and a flash of light from behind the TV. The TV powers on with a weird glow.

CUT TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Hey it’s working. It’s working guys.”

CUT TO TV SET

D-Vid and B-Max fail to come back from behind the TV set.

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
(off-screen) “Guys, it’s working. You can come out. Hello. Hello.”

CUT BACK TO T-RASH

T-RASH THE TRASH GOD
“Guess they left. Well more TV for me. Let’s see what’s on.”

CUT BACK TO TV AREA

PAN IN ON STATIC…

FADE OUT

———–ACT II————

FADE IN

INT. COP CAR. DAYTIME

MS OF INTERIOR OF A POLICE CAR.

D-COP, D-Vid dressed as a cop, sits behind the wheel driving, while B-COP, B-Max also dressed as a cop, sits in the passenger seat.

B-COP
“So then I wrestled that raccoon for the last pastry.”

D-COP
“Uh huh. Wait. Check out this turkey.”

B-COP
“Pull over.”

CUT TO

EXT. STREETER STREET. DAYTIME

MS OF GIBLETS

GIBLETS, a puppet made from a kid’s school project of turkey drawing made from tracing his/her hand, is walking down the street. He does need to have an old guitar strung across his back. We hear the sound of CAR DOORS SLAMMING SHUT.

PAN OUT TO LS SO AS TO INCLUDE GIBLETS ON RIGHT AND POLICE CAR ON LEFT.

D-Cop sits on the hood of the police car while B-Cop approaches Giblets.

GIBLETS
“Hello Officers.”

B-COP
“What do you think you’re doing walking down this street.”

GIBLETS
“Just soaking up the sunshine and the positive vibes.”

B-COP
“Are you getting smart? We’ll see about that.”

B-Cop grabs the guitar from off Giblets.

B-COP
“What are you doing with this old guitar.”

GIBLETS
“Old guitar? Why’d you call it an old guitar?”

CUT TO CS OF D-COP

D-COP
“Maybe he’s smuggling stuffing.”

CUT BACK

B-COP
“You smuggling stuffing.”

GIBLETS
“Oh my gosh, it is an old guitar. It was new when I bought it. Has it been that long. No home. No wife. No kids.”

B-COP
“Wait.”

GIBLETS
“My youth, my time, I’ve squandered it. And what do I have to show for it.”
A spotlight clicks down on Giblets. The rest of the stage lighting dims

B-COP
(off-camera)”What’s going on.”

GIBLETS
“I could’a been a contender, I could of had love, could of had her…but who was looking out for me. Was it my brother. Was it her. STELLA! STELLA! STELLA!”

A loud THUNK and Giblets passes out. The stage lighting reverts back. D-Cop stands over an unconscious Giblets, with a police baton in hand.

D-COP
(to B-Cop) “And that is how you stop a turkey who’s had some bad gravy.”

The POLICE RADIO SQUAWKS. D-Cop walks over to the car and answers it. Meanwhile B-Cop drags the unconscious Giblets over to the car. D-Cop leans over, opens the driver door and leans in to answer the phone. B-Cop opens the rear passenger door and tries to tip Giblets inside.

D-COP
“Car 54 1/2 here. Over”

POLICE RADIO
(voice-over) “Sorry to spring this on you, but Judge Dee is not able to teach the driver’s education class. You’ve been reassigned. Report to Local College tonight. 6pm. Over”

D-COP
“Roger. We’ll be there. Over”

D-Cop hangs up the radio

D-COP
(dancing) “Yes. Yes.”

B-Cop slams the car door shut.

B-COP
“Why are you so happy?”

D-COP
“We’ve been reassigned to teach Judge Dee’s driver’s course.”

B-COP
“Ughhh, those classes are a pain, filled with weirdos. What’s so great about that.”

D-COP
“Guess you could say I have a case of puppy love… for the class. Puppy love for the class.”

B-COP
“Whatever.”

They get into the car.

CUT TO MS OF CAR INTERIOR

D-COP
“Oh, can we stop at the pet store. My doctor recommended I eat more dog food.”

B-COP
“What. You sure he’s a doctor cause that does not sound like something a doctor would say.”

D-COP
“Well he did have a stethoscope and accepted my insurance.”

B-COP
“Whatever. Lets just get going. This day just keeps getting worse.”

D-COP
“Oh, don’t be sad. I’ll share some of the dog food with you.”

FADE OUT

 

The Two x Twos week 3, or a life lived among the Art

The Two x Twos, Uncategorized

Time for the next batch of art to fill my life with…well hopefully joy and gratitude. The shelter-in-place has been rough. My mood is up and down and I do not like it. Maybe things will get get better. I made a small tweak to format starting this week. Instead of two works I already own, I am going to do one work I already own plus one work from The Great Works List. There is some kind of magic that occurs in my life as I work through that crazy list.  Could use some more magic in my life now. Definitely.

The Two x Twos week 3

Albums

  1. The Age of Adz from Sufjan Stevens
  2. Vintage Dance Orchestras Nº47 from Bobby Byrne And His Orchestra

Cinema

  1. Babe (1995)
  2. Columbus (2017)

Literature

  1. The Call of the Wild by Jack London
  2. Big Night by Joseph Tropiano (excited for this one!)

Comic Books

  1. The Astonishing Wolf-Man Vol 1
  2. By Night Vol 1 (The whole series is only 12 issues, so might read whole thing if I like it.)

Video Games

  1. Tomba! (PS1)
  2. 1Xtreme (PS1) (I don’t know about this one.)

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 Two by Twos #1 (week of 4/24/2020)

The Two by Twos, Uncategorized

This Week – 4/24/2020

  1. ALBUMS
    1. Bob Schneider’s Lovely Creatures
    2. Bob Seger’s Nine Tonight
  2. CINEMA
    1. Good Will Hunting (1997)
    2. Thunderpants (2002)
  3. COMIC BOOKS/GRAPHIC NOVELS
    1. ABC Comics A to Z: Greyshirt & Cobweb
    2. ABC Comics A to Z: Terra Obscura & Splash Brannigan
  4. LITERATURE
    1. 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
    2. 1632 by Eric Flint
  5. VIDEO GAMES
    1. Tomba! for the PSX
    2. Bezerk for the Atari 2600

I am going to give each a try and see what I think. If they are really good, I might keep them on for another week. If not, then I’ll try some others.