31 Plays in 31 Days, #14 - "Perpetual Sophomore"

[breakinglight11]

Another from Baker Hall, that experiment in designing a low-budget, easy-to-film property that resulted in a college-set transposition of Sherlock Holmes. Not the most original idea, I know, but it could work as something actually produceable on a low budget.


Day #14 - Perpetual Sophomore
from Baker Hall
by Phoebe Roberts

MICHAEL HOLMES, a school trustee
DAVID SOLAN, his colleague
CHARLOTTE HOLMES, his exceptional younger sister
~~~

(MICHAEL is working at his desk. Enter SOLAN.)

SOLAN: She’s up there again.

MICHAEL: You don’t know that.

SOLAN: Would you like to put some money on that?

MICHAEL: You can’t tell that, it’s too dark.

SOLAN: Like that stops you. But even I know she is. Because she’s always exactly where she’s not supposed to be, the minute she’s not supposed to be there.

MICHAEL: She’s not causing any trouble for once. Can you count that as a victory as leave her be?

SOLAN: How long is she going to go on like this?

MICHAEL: If I knew that, I would spend considerably less time worrying about it.

(CHARLOTTE walks through.)

CHARLOTTE: Just wanted to let you know I am not on the roof. Therefore, you cannot punish me for being there.

(CHARLOTTE exits.)

SOLAN: She just loves to prove me wrong. But it looks terrible, you know.

MICHAEL: If course it does, she’s not getting any younger— at this rate, she’s going to be a thirty-five-year-old undergrad—

SOLAN: I’m not worried about how it looks for her! What about the school? That we have someone here continually who refuses to matriculate because her rich daddy keeps buying her more chances?

MICHAEL: I have no control over whether you choose to be bought.

SOLAN: Bought by your family, on behalf of your sister!

MICHAEL: I have no control over them either.

SOLAN: It is your job to manage things, quickly and efficiently. She is gumming up those works, and since she shares your name, it reflects badly on you.

MICHAEL: What are you saying? That she’s my responsibility?

SOLAN: They keep telling me the two of you are supposed to be exceptional people. So if you can’t handle her, who can?

Comments

[jducoeur]

Honestly -- while it's not the most original, it's probably the easiest to sell. Having a clear elevator pitch that people understand immediately (and which would make a better TV movie than blockbuster) can be helpful while you're building your reputation. And I think the scenes you're posting here demonstrate the potential nicely...