My other theater pieces

[breakinglight11]

God help me, but now that I've finished the show I found myself looking back over my other original pieces of theater. To Think of Nothing is not the only play I've ever written. There are only two that I ever finished, but I actually kind of like both of them. I've always wanted to expand the universe in which To Think of Nothing takes place. I like to think there's lots of different artists of all kinds whose stories can be explored. But the only other piece I've actually written in the setting is a very brief little play called Fountain Thoughts, about the actress who eventually plays Selene in Cassander's play, confronted by her imperious director when she is afraid to go onstage. It takes place in the basin of a fountain, where the two characters pace and splash, overlooked by a statue of a handsome man. It is very quick, as I said, but I always liked it, and I liked the step it takes into the future of the world when Cassander's play is finally finished. Interestingly, in my first draft the director character was originally supposed to be Palamon, but I decided the director made things more dramatic.

I have written a second one act, somewhat longer, a realistic piece I did for my playwrighting class junior year. I am always slightly hesitant to show it to people because they sometimes read too much into it-- it concerns the reconciling of the different religions in a marriage of a Christian woman and a Jewish man, and I am uncomfortable with the assumption sometimes made that it is meant to reflect my own situation in any way --but I actually think it's kind of good. It is tentatively titled Paschal Moon, as it that time period that covers both Easter and Pesach is important to the story, but I've never quite been happy with that, so I'm trying to figure out what else to call it. There's a lot I like about this piece. I feel like I did a good job of setting up a situation where there's a significant, interesting conflict but nobody's the bad guy. I'm proud of how natural the I got the dialogue to sound, since that is something that tends to be very hard for me. Hilariously, I find I have a much easier time writing believable pseudo-Shakespearean dialogue than believable-sounding modern dialogue. I am amused furthermore to note that my protagonist in this play is named Cassandra, chosen completely without thought for the fact that the hero of my only other play is Cassander. I guess I like that name.  

Great. Now I'm thinking things I shouldn't with all the other stuff I have ahead of me. But the hunger, it is never really sated. :-) Now I'm fantasizing about painting a kiddie pool, covering someone in body paint for them to be the statue, and then sticking a couple of actors in the pool to splash at each other. I think I need an intervention.

Comments

Fountain Thoughts

[nennivian.livejournal.com]

I just read Fountain Thoughts. It's very interesting to be the real-world counterpart of Leto in some ways. Though, you were always kind and encouraging to me. Perhaps the thought of Jason motivated you to be so. ;-) I, too, felt that it was arrogant to believe I could properly play a "perfect" woman (almost perfect, rather). I felt that it came quite easily to me, but even that I felt wrong to admit.
One difference that did strike me was the heightened importance I felt was given to the part of Selene by Leto and Jason. Obviously, every part is very important to this play, but they kept speaking as thought Selene were on par with Cassander in importance. I never thought her so central as that.
I should like to discuss these matters with you at some point. :-)

Re: Fountain Thoughts

[breakinglight11.livejournal.com]

Well, wanting to do the directing thing right when I'd seen it done wrong certainly had some influence.

As for the relative importance of Selene to the play, I never figured out too much of it, but I kind of figured they were both the protagonists, with perhaps slightly more centrality on Damon. But yeah, I think the two of them more or less shared "main character" status.

And one of the things I like about small-cast plays is that every character becomes important. Certainly everyone is in TToN.

Re: Fountain Thoughts

[nennivian.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh. I misunderstood. So, Leto and Jason are not putting on "To Think of Nothing", but rather playing the play within the play as its own piece. The final fruits of Cassander's work. This makes more sense, and I'm able to understand that Selene is one of the protagonists in that.
Also, if you are going to be on campus for tea with Steph and Frances, perhaps we could meet up beforehand so that I can get the details about a possible Elsinore situation. Give me a call/let me know. I would come to tea, but I have class at 3.

Re: Fountain Thoughts

[breakinglight11.livejournal.com]

Eee, sorry I didn't get in contact with you, I didn't see your post in time. I'm kind of booked today, but is there another time you want to get together and talk sometime soon?