31 Plays in 31 Days: #21 - "The Puzzle House"

The talented Lenny Somervell is playing Miss Lillian Holland in my reading of Mrs. Loring. She's very likely to be e fan favorite character, as she is the sassy Bohemian dyke who's been in the asylum entirely too long. We came up with what happens after the story, when she finally gets out of the asylum many years later-- which, we think, likely involves her changing her name, moving to Chicago, and opening up a speakeasy during Prohibition that hosts black jazz bands.

If you like the cut of this lady's jibe, you should totally come to the reading. Arsenal Center for the Arts black box, Thursday 8/29 at 8PM!


Day #21 - "The Puzzle House"
LOU AMSTERDAM, the speakeasy owner
ELSIE WASHINGTON, a young singer
~~~

(A young black woman in a prim frock approaches a bar in a speakeasy. A white lady dressed in a suit smoking a pipe works behind the bar.)
LOU: Lost on the way to the library?
ELSIE: Beg pardon?
LOU: Or maybe you want the Bible study three doors down.
ELSIE: I thought you served drinks here.
LOU: To grown ups, sure.
ELSIE: Then I'd like a whiskey, please.
LOU: Stiff drink for a frippy thing like you.
ELSIE: I got money, I can buy what I like.
LOU: Right you are.
(She pours the shot, hands it over, and takes the girl's money.)
LOU: You have to forgive me. We don't get too many Sunday school teachers in here.
ELSIE: I'm not a Sunday school teacher. And I'm here for the music.
LOU: That so? You got an ear for the blues?
ELSIE: I want to sing like that.
LOU: Hope your mama doesn't find out.
ELSIE: It ain't so strange. What about you, ma'am? How many white ladies running jazz joints with hooch?
LOU: Fair enough. But I've never been one to do what's expected of me. You know why I call this place the Puzzle House?
ELSIE: 'Cause you spent time there?
(ELSIE grins. LOU nods very seriously. ELSIE's expression grows a little disturbed.)
ELSIE: No kidding?
LOU: No kidding.
ELSIE: What for?
LOU: Why, liking jazz music and whiling away my time in dens of iniquity. Among other things.
(LOU grins.)
LOU: What were you expecting? A nun, maybe?
(Pause.)
LOU: Not a crazy white lady, that's for sure, huh?
ELSIE: Well... the whiskey's right.
LOU: That's enough.
ELSIE: So... what was it like in there?
LOU: That's a long story.
ELSIE: It'll kill the time 'til the band's next set.
LOU: Then I hope you can handle your whiskey, doll, because you'll be needing more of it.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #17 - "Not as Hopeless as They Say" from Mrs. Loring

So, so behind. Bad Phoebe. But here's a scene from Mrs. Loring, which is having a staged reading on the last Thursday of the month, that I have substantially edited. This is the most problematic scene in the piece, one I have struggled with a lot to convey the meaning I want. It's supposed to deal with the fact that part of the failure of the mental institution the characters are in is that it enforces a helpless idleness on all the patients that render them useless to see themselves as having agency. This scene is supposed to show how someone believing that they are capable gives them back a lot of their agency, and with it, their ability to improve their own condition. It's been tough to get it to work the way I wanted to, so I edited it today. It's a bit better. But I don't know if it's quite where I want it yet.

And, hey, this is a weakest scene in the play. If you like it, come to the reading, because literally every other scene is better than this one!

From Mrs. Loring - Day #17 - "Not as Hopeless as They Say"

ELIZABETH LORING, a young society widow, mid-twenties
GAIL MITCHELL, a nurse matron at the hospital, late thirties
GINNY GRIER, a young girl at the hospital, mid teens
LILLIAN HOLLAND, a longtime patient, early thirties 
AMELIA PAGE, another patient, early twenties
~~~

ELIZABETH: I’ve seen this Paulin fellow in the garden a few times now. He asked me about Miles.

GINNY: That’s my mother’s lawyer. He’ll report anything he finds straight back to her!

LILLIAN: We’ll have to put him off somehow. But who knows what people will see and runs their mouth about?

GINNY: We have to hide it!

LILLIAN: There’s no keeping secrets in here.

GINNY: What else can we do?

(Enter AMELIA, bleary in her nightdress.)

AMELIA: What’s going on?

GINNY: Oh, Jesus, it’s her!

ELIZABETH: Amelia! What are you doing out of your room?

AMELIA: I couldn’t sleep, I had bad dreams. What are you doing? It’s past lights out.

GINNY: Nothing, we’re not doing anything!

LILLIAN: Don’t strain yourself, doll.

AMELIA: Nurse Mitchell isn’t going to like this.

LILLIAN: She isn’t going to find out.

AMELIA: She’s fetching my medicine.

ELIZABETH: She’s coming?

LILLIAN: Amelia, get out of here!

ELIZABETH: Lillian!

LILLIAN: The stupid girl will give the whole game away!

AMELIA: What?

GINNY: Get going, you silly cow!

(AMELIA begins to get upset.)

AMELIA: Stop it, I haven’t done anything!

ELIZABETH: We’re sorry, Amelia… it’s only… Ginny’s in trouble.

AMELIA: What kind of trouble?

ELIZABETH: Real trouble. She needs help. We’re trying to help her.

GINNY: Elizabeth!

AMELIA: So what? She’s so mean to me!

ELIZABETH: Maybe you could help too.

AMELIA: Me?

LILLIAN: Are you crazy?

ELIZABETH: Just as you said, there’s no keeping secrets in here! We need everyone on our side that we can get. Amelia, you could be the difference to carry Ginny through this.

AMELIA: But I can’t… do anything!

ELIZABETH: I don’t believe that.

AMELIA: But I’m hopeless. Everyone says so.

ELIZABETH: Amelia, we need you. All of us need you.

AMELIA: You? But… you did everything right!

ELIZABETH: Me?

AMELIA: You did! You married a good man and had a nice baby and did everything you were supposed to, and you still ended up in here! If that happened to you… what chance does someone like me have?

GINNY: About as much chance as I’ve got. But we’re not as hopeless as they say.

AMELIA: How do you know that?

GINNY: Because… somebody thought I was worth helping. If I’m good for something, then you are too.

(Pause as they regard each other. NURSE MITCHELL’s voice can be heard from offstage.)

NURSE MITCHELL: Amelia? What’s all this carrying on about?

AMELIA: Nurse… Nurse Mitchell? I… I was alone, and I got scared. I’m coming!

(She glances back at the others, then runs out. There is a long pause.)

LILLIAN: Well, I’ll be damned. Maybe we can pull off this scheme of yours after all. If impossible things are happening.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #15 - "Glamorous Life of an Actress"

Ahhh, so behind. Last year I didn't get behind this early. But I'm going to do it one way or the other!

This is drawn from my tabletop game, The Bloom of May, set in the same universe as The Tailor of Riddling Way and taking place after the events of that story. There is no obvious connection between the two to be noticed in this scene, although the show they are talking about is being put up in the Rowan Loring Memorial Theater, built by Reginald Loring in honor of his son's sacrifice in World War I.

Day #15 - "Glamorous Life of an Actress"

LUCY CARTER, a maid and aspiring actress
WILL HUNTER, an actor in the same show

~~~

LUCY: Mrs. Holbrook’s looking for you. She has a jacket she needs to fit.

WILL: Thanks, Lucy, I’ll find her.

LUCY: You know, you were a scream in rehearsal today. If I’m not careful I’ll be laughing harder than the audience.

WILL: It’s not so far off for Cecily to be laughing at Jack.

LUCY: Still! I’m liable to forget half my lines.

(She smiles at him hopefully.)

LUCY: It was a good time.

(He smiles weakly in return but then lapses back into moodiness.)

LUCY: Are you all right, then? You seem awful down for a man who just got through with those antics.

WILL: I suppose it’s only… life off the stage doesn’t always go as smoothly, does it?

LUCY: That’s for certain. Is something the matter?

WILL: It’s only… sometimes things aren’t what you thought they were. It just makes you… want to run away from it all.

LUCY: Run away from what?

WILL: I don’t know. My life.

(Pause.)

WILL: Listen to me. You must think I’m being very dramatic.

LUCY: Well, you’re an actor, aren’t you? And I really don’t think so. I sure wouldn’t mind running away from mine every once in a while. I suppose that’s why I came here.

WILL: Came here?

LUCY: To the theater. To give acting a go. You see, before my audition… well, I’d never been an actress before.

WILL: You’re joking.

LUCY: I always wanted to be, but the truth is, I’ve got another job.

WILL: Yes? As what?

(Pause. LUCY is embarrassed.)

LUCY: As a maid. I’m one of them at old Mrs. Pelham’s.

(Pause.)

LUCY: You don’t think less of me? Living below stairs like some character in a Victorian melodrama.

WILL: Well, Victorian melodramas are our bread and butter here— maybe it’s high time for one about the maid.

LUCY: Well, it’s hardly the glamorous life one hopes for an actress. Fame and fortune sounds an awful lot more like it to me.

WILL: Careful what you wish for. The rich have problems of their own, just like anybody else. Wouldn’t trade anything for them.

LUCY: Not me! I’d be glad to be rich. Then nobody would look at me like I’m the pack mule for whatever needs doing.

WILL: Are they quite bad to you?

LUCY: Mrs. Pelham’s all right, I suppose. But most of them don’t even look at me when they speak in my direction.

WILL: Hadn’t thought much of that.

LUCY: I don’t suppose you have to make a living off the stage?

WILL: No. No, I suppose I’ve been lucky that way.

LUCY: Well. You’ll have to let me in on your secret for that. Maybe somebody I’ll be so lucky too.

WILL: Lucy Carter’s a fine name for a film star. I’ll be seeing it up in lights in no time.

LUCY: Glad somebody thinks so.

(Pause.)

LUCY: You know, Will, if you need anything… I’d be glad to lend a hand. If I can.

WILL: You’ve enough to handle now without my adding to it. But it’s kind of you to say.

(He gets up to leave.)

WILL: I’d best be finding Mrs. Holbrook now. I’ll see you at tomorrow night’s rehearsal.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #8 "Rich Men's Sins"

As you may remember from The Tailor of Riddling Way, the golden boy of the Loring family Rowan Loring enlisted in World War I despite all expectations. I have been wondering if maybe there is a play in the story of what happened to him there. I haven't given much thought before to the details, although it is well known that he died a hero. This is a little piece of what it might have been like when he was serving. I'm not sure what the larger arc would be-- it may be that he would have to be a supporting character in someone else's story --but here's a little musing.

Day #8 - "Rich Men's Sins"

ROWAN LORING, an enlisted officer in WWI
HENRY MORSE, his aide
~~~

HENRY: You’ll be along with us?

ROWAN: Of course. Can’t just throw you all to the wolves, can I?

(HENRY sighs.)

ROWAN: Do you have something to say, soldier?

HENRY: Nothing you care to hear, sir.

ROWAN: Still. You seem damn determined that I hear it any way. So out with it and enough of this.

(Pause.)

HENRY: You ought not to be here, sir.

ROWAN: Is that so?

HENRY: Since you asked, sir.

ROWAN: Have I been such an incompetent commander as that?

HENRY: It’s not that, so much. Might not be if you could sit in an armchair at headquarters and write letters to the front.

ROWAN: I’m afraid that’s rather above my grade. I’m stuck here on the front with the rest of the fellows.

HENRY: But you’re not one of the fellows, are you?

(Pause.)

HENRY: You’re a rich man accustomed to a soft life. It’s a rougher turn for you than it is for the rest of us.

(Pause.)

HENRY: I’m out of turn.

ROWAN: Perhaps. But you’re not wrong. I’m sorry it’s so, but I don’t disagree.

HENRY: Then… why are you here?

ROWAN: We all have to do our part, don’t we? What would you think of a rich man who used his place so that regular fellows could die in his stead?

HENRY: I suppose.

ROWAN: But you’d prefer I not drag you all down, eh?

HENRY: I don’t mean it like that. It’s only… we’re all in the line, here. There’s danger enough without having the skills to take it on.

ROWAN: I couldn’t just stay out of it all.

HENRY: It goes both ways, I’m sure. There had to be something a rich man can do that the rest of us couldn’t.

ROWAN: That’s the trouble. There are some sins that only rich men can do.

HENRY: Sins, sir?

ROWAN: And how are we to pay for them, Henry? With money? When men around us are dying for them?

HENRY: I don’t know what you mean, sir.

ROWAN: It’s no matter. Just that no one escapes what’s coming to us. Might as well meet it as best we can.

(He stands.)

ROWAN: Tell the men I’ll be along, won’t you?

(He exits.)

Finished this round of Tailor screenplay edits

Submitted my Tailor screenplay to the contest today. Fairly sure that there will be so many other entries I don't have much of a chance, but what the hell. It forced me to revise, to turn my few, very long scenes into many, significantly shorter scenes, which is necessary for modern screenwriting. I think the script is much, much improved now, tighter and snappier, though probably still not perfect. It's probably still too talky, though it is definitely more visual than before. It's also quite a few pages shorter, going from one seventeen down to one oh nine. Whatever, it is submitted now, and I am proud of myself for making it better.

Most scenes are just edited, but one scene I completely redid. I was never quite happy with how I did the scene of Alice and Tom having their first real conversation together, the one where the connection between them was supposed to spark. It was incredibly difficult for me to re-envision it, and it was actually the last thing remaining to accomplish.

I ended up going to the gender well, in a way I had kind of resolved not to before. I didn't want to make an issue of a male dressmaker like Tom, as I didn't want the reader/viewer thinking too much of it. And as you may know, I have a liking for traditionally masculine men doing traditionally feminine things. But throwing it in there worked, gave opportunity to bring a few things up about Tom's passion for the craft-- which was really the element that hadn't been fully explored yet, and really did belong in that conversation. And I don't think it messes up my schema too much.

Read the scene for yourself and see how it came out:

EXT. LORING'S END - FRONT WALK - CONTINUOUS

        Alice stands on the front path, sniffling into a

        handkerchief.

                            TOM

                  That's awful, miss. Listen... thank

                  you. For speaking up for me.

                            ALICE

                  It was nothing, nothing at all.

                            TOM

                  It was good of you all the same.

        Alice is distracted but struggles to compose herself.

                            ALICE

                  Pardon my manners, my name is

                  Alice.

                            TOM

                  Tom Barrows. It’s a pleasure to

                  meet you. Ah, despite the

                  circumstances.

        She dabs at her eyes.

                            ALICE

                  Of course. So you’re the tailor?

                  You're not what I expected.

        Tom grins a little.

                            TOM

                  Not a woman, you mean?

                            ALICE

                  Well-- and so young!

                            TOM

                  I've been at it it all my life. I

                  even stitched for Madam Vayon

                  downtown. The wedding gown I made

                  for Marjorie Hancock made the

                  society page.

                            ALICE

                  That was yours? It’s only… I’d

                  never thought a young man would

                  care so much for pretty dresses.

                            TOM

                  Why, they’re for making girls

                  pretty— and who cares more for

                  that?

        Alice can’t help but smile at that. Tom is suddenly

        self-conscious, and stammers shyly.

                            TOM

                  Of course, I’ve spent more time

                  with the dresses than the girls.

                  It’s the work, really. The making.

                  Tailoring suits is architecture,

                  and dressmaking feels like art.

        Alice is impressed, even a little charmed.

                            ALICE

                  I can see why Aunt Emma came to

                  you.

                            TOM

                  I suppose. I had a good teacher.

                            ALICE

                  Madam Vayon?

                            TOM

                  My mother. It’s thanks to her I

                  know something of embroidery. It

                  was her specialty.

                            ALICE

                  Where does she sew?

                            TOM

                  She passed a few years back. And

                  her eyes went on her early, so I’m

                  afraid her dressmaking days were

                  already behind her.

                            ALICE

                  Oh, I'm sorry.

                            TOM

                  It consoled her that she could pass

                  what she knew on to me. I do my

                  best with it for her sake.

                            ALICE

                  I think you sound like a very

                  decent fellow, Tom Barrows. And a

                  very fine tailor as well.

                            TOM

                  That's very kind of you, miss.

                            ALICE

                  I'm sorry my aunt never got to see

                  your work. Have you done much

                  already?

                            TOM

                  I've hardly started. In fact...

        He unhappily draws Emma's check out of his pocket and hands

        it to Alice.

                            TOM

                  I suppose I'd best give you your

                  aunt's money back.

                            ALICE

                  Oh, my. Are you certain--

                            TOM

                  Please, I can't keep it now. And I

                  should return the bolt of cloth she

                  sent over as well.

                            ALICE

                  You keep that. Perhaps I'll call on

                  you to make something beautiful for

                  me sometime.

                            TOM

                  Anytime, miss. It would be my

                  pleasure.

        They stand at the edge of the path for a moment, then Alice

        seems to grow flustered and attempts to collect herself.

                            ALICE

                  Now… I suppose I should go. Perhaps

                  one of the officers will take pity

                  on me enough to tell me… something.

                  Anything at all.

        Tom turns to go, but hesitates.

                            TOM

                  I am very sorry about Miss Emma.

                  If... if there's anything I can

                  do...

                            ALICE

                  Oh, I’m sure you’ve had far too

                  much to do with our troubles

                  already.

        Tom nods.

                            ALICE

                  Thank you, Tom.

                            TOM

                  For what?

                            ALICE

                  For talking to me.

        She turns back and goes into the house. Tom goes the

        opposite way.

31 Plays in 31 Days: #15 - "No Trust Left"

This scene is set within the universe and timeframe of The Tailor of Riddling Way, one that didn't really have a place in the actual script but probably happened behind the scenes. It's Rowan and Emma Loring right after Rowan learns a disturbing truth about their father and his business affairs-- it's a bit spoilery for the full story, just as a warning. It's not all that powerful a scene as it doesn't advance the plot much, nor get into the meat of the revelations, but I do like the idea that Emma and Rowan had different reactions to the revelation, and different instincts about how to handle it.


Day #15 - "No Trust Left" based on The Tailor of Riddling Way

(EMMA LORING, a prim young woman stern beyond her years, sits at a desk sorting through paperwork. Her handsome brother ROWAN LORING storms in.)

EMMA: Rowan?

ROWAN: It’s all been a lie. He holds himself up like… like a decent, enterprising man. But it’s all a lie.

EMMA: Whatever’s gotten into you?

ROWAN: It’s Father, Emma. He… he told me what he’s been up to. He finally told me.

EMMA: Told you what?

ROWAN: He’s a traitor. He’s made a deal, Emma, a deal with the Germans. He’s agreed supply the German army in time of war. He’s a collaborator with the enemy!

(He looks to EMMA for reaction, but she says nothing.)

ROWAN: Don’t you understand, Emma…? My God. You knew.

EMMA: I suspected.

ROWAN: You did?

EMMA: I see the books, Rowan, I see the contracts. After a while it became clear.

ROWAN: And… you said nothing? You did nothing?

EMMA: What could I have done? I have no power over Father.

ROWAN: You could have come to me!

EMMA: I didn’t know that!

ROWAN: You… didn’t know that? What do you take me for, Emma?

EMMA: Rowan, for all I knew you were with Father all along!

ROWAN: Did you really believe that of me? Did you really think I would do such a thing?

EMMA: Rowan—

ROWAN: I see no one in this family trusts anyone else!

EMMA: Rowan! I thought I knew Father, too.

(ROWAN deflates a little. He heaves a sigh.)

EMMA: Well, we’re both in this now. What are we to do?

ROWAN: We’ve got to put a stop to this.

EMMA: Stop it? How can we stop Father’s entire enterprise?

ROWAN: We can’t simply allow him to profit off of supporting an enemy nation!

EMMA: What can we do? Expose him?

ROWAN: It’s no more than he deserves!

EMMA: Rowan, we’ll ruin the whole family then. Is that what you want? To punish ourselves along with him?

ROWAN: I’m not afraid.

EMMA: Oh, no? And what about Constance and Bethany? Will you do that to them, too?

ROWAN: All right, all right. But we must do something. Not just for the principle of it, Emma. There’s… there’s something else to this, I’m sure of it.

EMMA: Whatever do you mean?

ROWAN: He’s kept the truth of this from me for ages. He told me now for a reason. He… he must need something. My help, my support, something. Why? What’s different now?

EMMA: I couldn’t say. But all the more reason why we must not be hasty!

ROWAN: What do you suggest, then?

EMMA: We must… we must find out more. Find out precisely what, if anything, that means. And… perhaps you and I can take action then.

ROWAN: Very well. I’ll wait for now. But just until we’re certain we’ve unraveled all of this.

EMMA: Just so no more damage is done.

ROWAN: Just for that. No longer.

EMMA: That’s all I ask. Please trust me.

ROWAN: It had better be, Emma. I’ve no more trust left.

(He turns on his heel and strides out. EMMA covers her face with her hands.)