31 Plays in 31 Days, #27 - “Marching Orders”

[breakinglight11]

Blargh. As the end of the month draws near, I always get to a point where I’m scraping the bottom of the barrel for scenes. Add in the fact that I’m nearing my moving date, I really don’t have the time to work these out very well.

This is a couple of Dream Machine bits strung together with basically no arc, from my idea for the Friendsgiving episode. Kind of funny maybe? At least it’s raw material to develop later.



Day #27 - Marching Orders
From Dream Machine
Episode 1.07 - “Friendsgiving”
By Phoebe Roberts

JOSIE CARRAWAY, star of Offcomer at Dream Machine, mid thirties
DEREK KAPLAN, technical director at Dream Machine, early thirties
DEVON CHAMBERS, male lead actor in Offcomer at Dream Machine, early thirties

Los Angeles, CA, 2020
~~~

As the crew mills around Meredith’s cramped apartment, Derek watches Josie take a phone call off by the window.

JOSIE: I said I’m sorry I can’t be there, Mom, but it wasn’t up to me. It’s because of work.

Beat as she listens to her mother on the other end of the line.

JOSIE: I told you, Mom, shooting delays. Nobody can leave town.

Beat.

JOSIE: No, Mom, that doesn’t mean the show is going under. That’s a thing that happens sometimes.

Beat.

JOSIE: Yeah, well, Teddy’s an anesthesiologist, if somebody delayed him they’d just be cutting conscious people open. It’s different!

Beat.

JOSIE: No, Dad, I don’t think TV is as important as open heart surgery! It’s just— this is what I do, okay?

Beat.

JOSIE: I will be doing it once the delay is over! (Sigh, collecting herself) Look, have a nice dinner. Give my love to the family, and please— stop telling Grandma I’m a missionary in Botswana, okay?

She hangs up with a sigh.

DEREK: I’d say today was a lucky escape for you, but seems like you can’t help crawling back into the trap.

JOSIE: If I don’t pick up, they just call again and again. And if I don’t pick up after that, they call the police. And if I don’t pick up after that, they call my grandmother, who gives herself a heart attack.

DEREK: Wow, sorry. And I thought I had it bad just getting compared to my brother the particle physicist. Apparently the PhD in the subject isn’t enough for my mother, I gotta be working in the field!

JOSIE: I’ve been considering telling them I’ve become a trash collector so they’re less embarrassed at the country club.

DEREK: Well, relax, you’re here today. And sure, a lot of us also hate actors, but at least we’ve got legitimate reasons for it.

JOSIE: I don’t know, Tom had other plans, so I guess some people manage not to.

DEREK: Hoping he’d be here, were you?

JOSIE: I don’t know! Maybe.

DEREK: Well, be careful. I know how incestuous you creative types get, but it can be dangerous dating coworkers.

JOSIE: We’re not dating! I don’t even know if he’s even interested in me like that— I mean, well— I don’t know what I mean.

Devon calls over from in front of the TV where he is playing video games.

DEVON: Eh, it can work. As long as you don’t worry so much.

DEREK: Sound advice from a wealth of experience, I gather.

DEVON: Yeah, as a matter of fact. Leah and I worked together five or six years now, and we managed to make it work even through rank changes and ship jumping and the occasional restraint injury.

DEREK: Speaking of which, what’s the deal with you and Leah? Are you dating?

DEVON: I wouldn’t call it that. More like friends with… marching orders.

DEREK: Wow. Sounds great.

DEVON: If you like very specific instructions. Which, honestly, mate... I do.

DEREK: Well, there’s your answer, Josie. Coworkers can hook up— as long as the hierarchy is very, very clear. And additionally appeals to some kind of kink.