Long vacations and writer’s strikes are good times for me to bank new material. In no particular order:
– Hearts and Diamonds now has an arc and a plot; the main characters are in place. This is a 1953 cheer-’em-up musical comedy, loosely based on the Cinderella story. We are watching a modern revival of this dated Broadway tuner, along with two local reviewers who kibbitz from the wings. The story arcs intersect and all ends well.
– Living Dead Girls has a bunch of scenarios, key characters and a basic arc now. A virus infects women across the world, destroying their inhibitions and freeing them to do whatever they want, whenever they want. A gender role reversed zombie movie. Shannon Lark has said she’s willing to hear a story pitch.
– The Country of Dave continues boiling. Dave finds an outcropping of rock off the coast of L.A. and decides to start his own country there. He shows up at the Olympics, makes his own flag, etc. The US gets wind and eventually decides to invade. A dumb comedy with a political twist. Needs work though.
– The Hermit Bird replot should be done in a week, dammit! It’s expanding into a two-act full-length from the original one-act. I’ve done a bunch of research on Asperger’s syndrome — it’s been key in figuring out Missy’s objectives and arc. A drama, pretty dark stuff. Virago claims they will put this effing thing on if I get it done.
– Mister Rogers Goes To Heaven. Fred Rogers dies and arrives at a government-style office building, where he learns of his new afterlife responsibilities. A short punchy story with heart; just need to find a few weeks to pound it out.
– And The Bishop’s Eighteen Wives festers away. I know the thing needs a rewrite, but most of my tinkering recently seems to make it worse. But goldurnit, I still think there’s a fun play here. Maybe I need more distance from it.
