Once again as has been the case on too many occasions, a rejection slip slipped in my email 'in' box. Somehow, in spite of nice, genteel words of apology by the theatre or whoever is in charge of the rejection notices, it doesn't get easier.
Really, given my former position as a freelance newspaper columnist/writer for many years, rejection slips aren't an unusual occurrence, but receiving playwriting-related rejections is a downer.
This time the recipient of the rebuff was one of my favorite short plays, "The Lemon." A short comedy, it focuses on the trials and tribulations of a woman attempting to contact a towing company in order to get her car removed, while trying to convince a public phone user to make the call. In spite of the usual assurances that the theatre will keep the play for possible future use, it was a disheartening notice. Dejection, as any writer will attest, never gets easier.
Looking back, none of my plays have yet to be produced in spite of witty dialogue, interesting plots and good spelling and punctuation. Look - gotta look for positive points where I can find them! Had high hopes for "The Shrubs", which didn't materialize and my short plays came back home without a successful showing.
Today while skimming through potential submission opportunities, came across a notification that the deadline for the BBC International Radio Playwriting Competition is coming up at the end of January 2016. In the past on two occasions, attempts to convert a play and a short story into radio format met with rejection. I'm toying with the idea - that's as far as it's progressed - of trying to convert "The Lemon" into a radio play. Given the fast approaching deadline, starting a new play isn't practical and it would be a personal challenge to see what can be accomplished in a month. Who knows...
Meanwhile, old soldier Joe McKenna and his vet pals are still meeting at the neighborhood bar, waiting for a new direction from the playwright. This play keeps calling me back in spite of self-declarations to let it die in peace. But it won't. There is something about the characters and the story line that is compelling and begging to be told.
"We ain't gettin' any younger," they all keep reminding me.
Neither are any of us, guys. Neither are any of us...
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Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Still working on the "Old Soldiers" re-write. Today tweaked some more dialogue that didn't feel right or fit into the scenario. Getting stuck or hung up on the time line and trying to make the flow of action logical. Caught an error in that if the remembrance ceremony takes place in the afternoon, the opening in the bar where they're discussing life can't take place in the evening.
Working on a few possible scenarios:
- Joe goes to the park before ceremony to where he and Percy played checkers/chess
- Joe meets up with Percy's grandson and daughter at the park
- The strong bonds of friendship between Joe and his friends.
Thinking over the antagonist/protagonist angle and how or if it will work. Did someone say it was easy to write a radio play?
Will share more as the thoughts come together - hopefully.
Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Progress at last with "Old Soldiers"!
Now that the art show preparations and show itself is over, I made the decision to give painting a rest, at least for the summer. Thing is that focusing on two different creative mediums at the same time leads to the detriment of one. In this case it was my playwriting, ergo, time to put all my energy into playwriting.
Anybody who follows my playwriting blog is familiar with my moaning-and-groaning, ranting and raving about my stagnant state in as far as the "Old Soldiers" play for radio project is concerned. I'm pleased to report and share that I've added three - count 'em - three scenes today. Still finding it difficult to ensure that there are sufficient sound effects to help carry the story line but there is progress in this area also. While writing, I'm still getting the feeling that it lends itself more to film or TV than radio but I'm not going to make any changes, at least while I'm on a roll. Oh sweet heaven it feels so good to be on a roll again!
While storing my art materials in the supply cupboard, I decided to clean out my writing box. A long time ago as a young mom when I first began writing, I wrote a film script using Syd Field's how-to book. Actually, the end result, "Skate!" was, at least in my humble opinion, quite good. There were many re-writes and today came accross a few versions languishing at the bottom of the box and removed them to the top of the pile. It's been a long time since I last read it and it will be interesting to get a new and fresh perspective many years later. Will share my findings of course.
Back to my current project, so far - so good. Somehow it just feels right and I'm taking that as an omen. You takes your omens as you finds them.
Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Perhaps a solution to my dilemma is at hand and it's thanks to John Irving.
As a subscriber to playwriting discussion forums, it's interesting and informative to read other playwright's opinions on the craft. Subjects that focus on how they overcome barriers when working out plots and endings is of particular interest to me, at least at this point.
I've shared...make that bemoaned my 'ending' problem ad nauseum here in this blog, attempting to convert a what was written as a short play into an hour radio play in order to enter the BBC International Playwriting Competition. The beginning moves along nicely until reaching the middle stage, at which point one arrives at the realization that there is no ending. This is the point where I question whether to continue pursuing playwriting especially since none of my plays have been produced.
Reading through one of the forums, there was one of those "eureka!!" moments upon reading the opinion (and advice) of novelist and Academy Award winning screenwriter, John Irving, who shared his philosophy on starting a new writing project:
"I begin with endings, with last sentences -- usually more than one sentence, often a last paragraph (or two). I compose an ending and write toward it, as if the ending were a piece of music I could hear -- no matter how many years ahead of me it is waiting."
This got me excited thinking that perhaps this could be a solution to my"never-ending" dilemma or at least something worth trying. There are two possible plays that I'm toying with submitting to the competition. As aside my two-act plays wrote themselves as did my one and only film script. In my wedding play, it ended with a wedding in an unusual setting but I knew exactly the direction the play should go and how it should get there. Does this make sense? My "Gin..." play on the other hand, had a few changes along the way, while my children"s script wrote itself since it was based on a personal childhood experience.
Perhaps I should put aside what has been written and focus on producing sentences that could lead to moving in a new direction or even a new play. Look - if it's good enough for John Irving, it's certainly good enough for me.
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BBC RADIO COMPETITION IS BECKONING ME - AGAIN
"Two new pieces in your playwriting blog in one day! Must be something really important, Eleanor!"
Yes it is...could be...maybe...one hopes
Anybody who drops by this blog is familiar with my continuous effort and accompanying angst to write a radio play for the BBC International Playwriting Competition. This year my idea and hope was to turn my "Old Soldiers" story into a radio play and enter it in the competition. However - I abhor that word - my intent wasn't realized in producing dialogue and once again what I thought was the deadline for entries, passed. My problem was coming up with sound effects that would carry the story line. Perhaps, in retrospect, I just wasn't committed enough to make it work. It's always the could-have, would-have and should-have that get you in the end.
In any case, just did a routine check on my Facebook page and something exciting jumped up at me:
"Exciting news! The 2012 International Playwriting Competition will open on May 1st. Plays can be on any topic but must be 53 minutes long. Details of how to enter and more information will soon be available at www.bbcworldservice.com/
This is really thrilling news because this means that there is yet another opportunity to submit. Perhaps a good idea would be to write something new from scratch. As the blurb advises - "it's time to get writing!"
Yup it is. As in the past, will be providing progerss reports - hopefully.
"So do you think you"ll have the carry-through to enter this time, Eleanor?" my muse just asked me.
Hope springs eternal. Right?
Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Made some progress and added some new dialogue to "Old Soldiers". Now working on starting from the beginning, rather than continue to focus on the section where a group of old vets meeting in the bar/pub. This will stay as is (at least for the time being) but before proceeding, I have to see where it all began.
I'm planning to introduce a female into the mix in order to show that Joe has a soft side. Most likely other characters who will show themselves as the writing progresses. Never know which direction a story line will go and that's what makes the task so interesting.
As much as I dislike - make that detest - doing a character chart and breakdown, it really does help. Actually, I didn't do it for the other two plays since I knew the beginning and ending before I even started writing the plays. The story line is there in the short story version I wrote but like my paintings, it can change a hundred times until I get that "click" indicating it works. Hopefully, this will work. Love this story and became close to the characters.
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OLD SOLDIERS - RADIO SCRIPT UPDATE #4
OLD SOLDIERS
By Eleanor Tylbor
SCENE: A pub/bar.
SFX: Soft rock background music plays in the background, sound of people talking; sound of clinking glasses
JOE MCKENNA
Yup…yup…yup…one less of us. The way things are going, won’t be long before we’re all gone. ‘Over here, Mac!’ The man can hardly walk, even with a walker
MIKE
The man is 87. We all ain’t peppy anymore in case you haven’t noticed. My glass is empty
JOE MCKENNA
Yeah and? I bought the last round
MIKE
Not! Well?
JOE MCKENNA
Well… What?
MIKE
It’s your damn turn to buy! Open up your pockets and free the moths
MAC
(gasping, breathing heavily)
Really windy out there – and really cold. Hope it’s not like this tomorrow
SFX: blowing nose
MIKE
We don’t get to choose the kind of weather t’get buried. Anyway, it’s November.
JOE
Whad’ya having, Mac?
MIKE
You’re buying him a drink? What about me?
JOE
He just got here. You been sponging off me for an hour
MIKE
Say what? You got that backwards!
MAC
I don’t need no handout. I can afford t’buy my own drink, thank you very much.
JOE
Whatever…
MIKE
You should’a taken him up on that. The man’s a cheap bastard
MAC
(aside to bartender)
‘The usual!’ My body feels like one gigantic pain
JOE
Just three of us old farts left, now.
SFX: GLASSES BEING PLACED ON BAR
BARTENDER
So who’s paying?
(five seconds of silence)
MIKE
He is!
MAC
I’ll pay for all of us if it means avoiding another fight. Drink up guys!
JOE
‘To all the fallen heroes – especially Percy – wherever you are!’ I cut his obit out’ta the paper t’keep as a souvenir
MIKE
Another obit for your wallet? Must be full by now
JOE
It’s easy to fill these days what with medical bills and all, but not with money.
MIKE
Don’t I know it
MAC
I wanted to keep the obit, too, but I don’t get the paper every day, anymore
JOE
I’ll save mine for you when I finish. A person should keep up with what’s going on in the world
MAC
What the hell for? I don’t need’a read about murders and people dying in the street. Ignorance is bliss
MIKE
Did it say whether Percy had any kids? Don’t recall him mentioning anything
JOE
(reading out loud)
‘….Percy Albertson, son of….blah-blah-blah… Daughter Fiona…’ He had a daughter? Don’t remember him mentioning any
MAC
Maybe he wasn’t speaking to her. Families are too busy these days to visit the old folk
JOE
Says the funeral’s tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock. Good – that gives me enough time
MIKE
To do what? Watch your TV programs?
JOE
Got plans t’make
MAC
Like?
Blog: A. PLAYWRIGHT'S RAMBLINGS
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As mentioned in previous writings, been attempting to re-write my short story, "Old Soldiers" as a radio play and enter it in the BBC International Radio Play competition. As a stand-alone story, it's probably if not one of my best, however, in order for it to be suitable for radio, it requires a complete re-think on my part.
Writing a play even when its completed, requires a lot of tweaking some of which can't be achieved without letting it "sit" for a while. We're talking (or writing) here about putting it away for a while and then returning for a re-read in order to gain some perspective. My first play, "Gin..." took - without exaggeration - at least2-3 years to complete and umpteen revisions. In fact, I still tweak it.
I'm beginning to think that perhaps my attempt at a re-write given the time left to enter (March), just isn't realistic. I've even toyed with the idea of submitting one of my full plays, "Make Me a Wedding" and cutting out some of the scenes. Problem is, cutting back on the scenes may result in watering down the content and the impact of the story line. It's a comedy and very funny but in the end, it should be in its present form. A radio play is 70 minutes while my play is 120 minutes. That's a lot of dialogue to cut.
So where am I? Really don't know at the present. I entered the competition a few years ago and didn't win but the play I entered was 60 minutes long. At least it was viable. Perhaps I have to go back to the drawing board and re-think the direction my writing has to take. Again.
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Thinking further regarding the story line. Now toying with the idea of perhaps turning it into a comedy crime caper.
Let's say: you have a trio of elderly senior war vets who are tired of having to live from hand-to-mouth. They live in rented rooms. Joe McKenna (main character) is continually pressed for rent from his obnoxious landlady. The other two experience similar problems.
Their meeting at the local pub/bar and reflecting upon their lives ends up with them touching upon the idea of robbing a liquor store or jewelry store...not sure what type of business, yet. Joe visits his son and grandchildren in anticipation of following through with the robbery and in case he ends up in jail, or worse.
Have to give it more thought...