This Week's Notes

Thoughts from Omar:
-Perfectionism is a frozen form of idealism.
-First draft downdraft; second draft updraft.
-Writing is not rapturous. The only way I can write well is to write really, really crappy first drafts.
-You’ve gotta have a problem in your play. To take people to a dark place, you have to have a bad problem.
-Theatre is about people learning how to suffer.
-Make your characters flawed.
-Write a monologue. What would your character say to convince. Expose who they are.
-Dialectic: argument.
-Write about your greatest fears.

Secret closet/Secret vacuum should be the custodial prompt. IMPORTANT QUESTION: Should I combine Secret Vacuum with Regina Vs. Milton as a full-length play? I could definitely fit the “vacuuming with a soul” idea into this. The secret closet is full of cleaning devices containing people’s souls. Is there a guardian of the closet/souls? If the guard of the souls fails, his soul is added, and the next person to open the closet has the lot fall to them. Play could end with the next person opening the door. Portal, alternate universe? Household objects, each holds the soul of a deceased person--the objects have personality. Maybe they don't find out--everyone knows about it but one person? Really common, stupid item that they treat as the holy grail. Being passionate about little things. These are just a few ideas.

“I feel that formality in the workplace engenders professionalism.”

Monologue. You can always tell men from women by what they do at a stop sign. Women are cautious. I’m not generalizing here, just telling you what I’ve observed. You can always place a man by what he does at a four-way stop.

Monologue. 1 TB of memory on a hard drive monologue. I don’t enough in me to fill that up. But maybe I’ll come up with something. Mom or Dad memory; character feels that have little in them because of an early comment that built a perception of smallness.

A Dialogue:
You are trying to get me to confess according to my obligations.
You are only obligated to tell things that you know to be true.
But you do not care about truth right now. You just want to hear all is well.
It would be good if all was well.
(pause) All is well.
But all is not.
You were trying to get me to confess according to my obligation.
You were not obligated, as it was not true, so your confession does not count.

I need to illuminate the need of each of Well Ends' characters. Also, Sonja is a perfect name, but maybe I need to discuss her difference as a daughter more.

Dig up “Cowboys & Indians”.

Dentist in the window.

I have an old idea for two hitchhikers on a road. Here goes nothing:
This is the story of Dennis, who hitchhikes in escape from prison, and after someone recognizes him, Dennis buys him breakfast.

This is the story of Dennis, who is escaping from prison, and after he meets his attractive female prosecutor on the road, they fall in love.

Hatch play. “Will you stop bringing him up? He dumped me, yeah, but I’m married now.” “What’s wrong with you? That guy is a tool. He’s asking to be ridiculed.” “Will you just have some respect and let it go?” “’Have some respect’? Respect for wha—“ “Respect for me!” “You? Why would I ever respect you? Look at you. You don’t deserve respect….” Lead woman’s marital relationship is ambivalent; a both-sides potentiality that mirrors what the “dumper” fiancé wanted to avoid; it looks like it’s happening anyway.

This is the story of Maddie, who seeks to avenge her father’s death, and after her circumstances and the opinions of others tell her its impossible, she does it.

This is the story of Megamind, who wants to make his life meaningful, and after trying to make it meaningful by being bad, he finds happiness in becoming good.