Have I gotten your attention?
I have written the first 4 scenes. 4 scenes in 2 months? Yes. Shouldn't I do more? YES! Do I have time? No.
I've discovered some things about my writing during this process:
1) I HAVE to get over the need to be perfect the first time. It's a draft, it will be revised 50 times between now and the first read through. What I need to focus on now is just GETTING the dialogue down. This is an issue I have with writing music as well, I want it revised and perfect the first time out of the gate. I need to embrace the revision process.
2) I need to make time to write. I have my full time job, and my 3 side jobs, I need to set aside Sunday evening, or something to just work on the show. The reality of my life is that this ISN'T my job, I'm doing this for fun. If I were a full time playwright, I could bang this out in a week. But the process is slow because it's being done in my free time.
and 3) And I'm prepared to receive a series of "DUH!" responses, so feel free to let me have it. Scene 4 is when Emily and Christine have a major fight. My struggle is that I felt that Emily's discomfort with coming out is a major factor to why she's offended in scene 3 (When Christine lets Rob have it about his homophobia and misogyny.) In my initial revision, a lot of what I cut were comments regarding how hard it is to come out. I cut it, not because it's not hard, but because I have no frame of reference for it. (Write what you know) However, I found that what made the scene better was making it NOT so much about Emily getting used to being a lesbian, but rather that she's uncomfortable with Christine being so brazen. Also, in the song which will accompany scene 3, Christine will mention how she and Emily will probably go and have sex later tonight, and if they want they can get married. She does this to get a rise out of Rob, but it makes Emily feel like she's rushing into the relationship. Making it less about an issue, and making it more personal makes it a better scene.
Thanksgiving's coming, and I'll have LOTS of free time. More will be written.
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Obstacles to progress.
Yes. It has been 2 months. Why? Well...
When last I left you, I had the piece planned out as far as the structure. I had this crazy idea that I wanted to run the outline by some friends to get their feedback. I even suggested that my labor day party would also include a "brainstorming" session where I might bounce ideas off of the Fitzgeralds, and some other trusted peers. That never really happened. I was busy grilling.
But I also had a second thought. It's difficult to really present a synopsis, and have it be evaluated. I want to avoid "You need to be careful that you don't...." type feedback in favor of "The way you wrote it, it seems..." type feedback. Less about how one imagines the script MIGHT be, and more how the finished script actually is. So, I'll share my plan with some friends, just to get the feedback, but I think a formal presentation should wait until I have a first draft.
Another thing that's putting a hold on my progress is my own hesitance to consider this a DRAFT. I tend to want artistic projects to be finished as soon as possible. So I sometimes write them trying to perfect them along the way. On Sunday, I started writing the first real scene (which was scene two.) I just kind of went with it, wherever the story took me. I didn't edit; I didn't stress over "That's not right" or "That should be better;" I just wrote and then got to the song. It was very liberating.
I need to remember that "St. Nick" took 18 years to become perfect. the first draft was 4 hours long, and it only just recently became a finished product. "The Bakers Wife" was continuously edited by Joe Stein and Stephen Schwartz for 30 years before they were happy. "Chess" sucked until this most recent concert. (The music was awesome, but the plot sucked.)
Sunday - Wrote scene 2 - Joe arrives at Kim's Apartment, they have some awkward exchanges, share a kiss, and then propose to go out.
Monday - Through brainstorming, I have a concept for the song for that scene. It will be called "Impressive." Kim will sing about how she wants to impress Joe, but she doesn't have the time to make plans for tonight. Joe counters by reminding her that he came to see her, and finally they end up in each others arms. Kim finishes the song with the line, "You want impressive? Then let's stay in tonight." Then they retire to the bedroom.
Progress!!!!!!!!!!! I welcome all commentary and input, so please comment below, and share, like and follow. Also, if you're a trusted friend and would like to read my outline, let me know, and I'll share it with you.
When last I left you, I had the piece planned out as far as the structure. I had this crazy idea that I wanted to run the outline by some friends to get their feedback. I even suggested that my labor day party would also include a "brainstorming" session where I might bounce ideas off of the Fitzgeralds, and some other trusted peers. That never really happened. I was busy grilling.
But I also had a second thought. It's difficult to really present a synopsis, and have it be evaluated. I want to avoid "You need to be careful that you don't...." type feedback in favor of "The way you wrote it, it seems..." type feedback. Less about how one imagines the script MIGHT be, and more how the finished script actually is. So, I'll share my plan with some friends, just to get the feedback, but I think a formal presentation should wait until I have a first draft.
Another thing that's putting a hold on my progress is my own hesitance to consider this a DRAFT. I tend to want artistic projects to be finished as soon as possible. So I sometimes write them trying to perfect them along the way. On Sunday, I started writing the first real scene (which was scene two.) I just kind of went with it, wherever the story took me. I didn't edit; I didn't stress over "That's not right" or "That should be better;" I just wrote and then got to the song. It was very liberating.
I need to remember that "St. Nick" took 18 years to become perfect. the first draft was 4 hours long, and it only just recently became a finished product. "The Bakers Wife" was continuously edited by Joe Stein and Stephen Schwartz for 30 years before they were happy. "Chess" sucked until this most recent concert. (The music was awesome, but the plot sucked.)
Sunday - Wrote scene 2 - Joe arrives at Kim's Apartment, they have some awkward exchanges, share a kiss, and then propose to go out.
Monday - Through brainstorming, I have a concept for the song for that scene. It will be called "Impressive." Kim will sing about how she wants to impress Joe, but she doesn't have the time to make plans for tonight. Joe counters by reminding her that he came to see her, and finally they end up in each others arms. Kim finishes the song with the line, "You want impressive? Then let's stay in tonight." Then they retire to the bedroom.
Progress!!!!!!!!!!! I welcome all commentary and input, so please comment below, and share, like and follow. Also, if you're a trusted friend and would like to read my outline, let me know, and I'll share it with you.
Thursday, August 14, 2014
Timeline is important
I remember the first time I was watching a Soap Opera, and the camera cut between 3 different storylines. I suddenly realized that one story took place over the course of one 20 minute conversation; while the second over the course of a day; and the third over 2 days. Being a fan of "24," I noticed this discrepancy and pointed it out to my wife, who really hated it when I point out how badly written, acted and directed her "Stories" are.
It occurred to me that my show needs to be consistent in its timeline. I don't want weeks to go by for Joe and Kim, while only a day goes by for Tiffany and Rob. So I moved some scenes around to keep it consistent. One of the minor, yet major tweaks I'm applying to the structure of the show.
The first scenes now occur on the Friday after "Good to See You." Emily and Christine make a date for "Friday Night." It also gives Joe time to get to Long Island, and Brian time to get back from the Conference. It also makes sense that he would be fired on a Friday, as any fan of Office Space knows. The following Monday, Brian starts his job search, and Joe starts getting on Kim's nerves. Later that week, they get a job at the coffee shop, and Dan finally tells Tiffany about his concern about Rob. Act 2 takes place on the following Friday, where everything else comes to fruition, and resolves the next day.
I think before I go on and write the scenes, I should run the outline by some friends, and get ideas from them. There are two people whom I would very much like to weigh in on the story: Christine and Sean Fitzgerald. After all, it is the characters we created together that are now growing and maturing. I also took some time to watch the original film again. It's very strange. When it was made, the character plots were open ended, and the viewer could imagine any continuation of the plots that they wished. But now, knowing where the stories are GOING to go, it's a VERY different piece. It's kind of like watching The Sixth Sense a second time when you know the twist at the end.
Last major tweak that needs to happen, the characters NEED new names. Tiffany, Dan and Rob are the only fictional names I have. Everyone else is being referred to by the name of the actor that played them in the film. I want to fictionalize them and solidify the structure.
Please comment with feedback about the progress. Particularly, suggestions of methods to make up character names.
It occurred to me that my show needs to be consistent in its timeline. I don't want weeks to go by for Joe and Kim, while only a day goes by for Tiffany and Rob. So I moved some scenes around to keep it consistent. One of the minor, yet major tweaks I'm applying to the structure of the show.
The first scenes now occur on the Friday after "Good to See You." Emily and Christine make a date for "Friday Night." It also gives Joe time to get to Long Island, and Brian time to get back from the Conference. It also makes sense that he would be fired on a Friday, as any fan of Office Space knows. The following Monday, Brian starts his job search, and Joe starts getting on Kim's nerves. Later that week, they get a job at the coffee shop, and Dan finally tells Tiffany about his concern about Rob. Act 2 takes place on the following Friday, where everything else comes to fruition, and resolves the next day.
I think before I go on and write the scenes, I should run the outline by some friends, and get ideas from them. There are two people whom I would very much like to weigh in on the story: Christine and Sean Fitzgerald. After all, it is the characters we created together that are now growing and maturing. I also took some time to watch the original film again. It's very strange. When it was made, the character plots were open ended, and the viewer could imagine any continuation of the plots that they wished. But now, knowing where the stories are GOING to go, it's a VERY different piece. It's kind of like watching The Sixth Sense a second time when you know the twist at the end.
Last major tweak that needs to happen, the characters NEED new names. Tiffany, Dan and Rob are the only fictional names I have. Everyone else is being referred to by the name of the actor that played them in the film. I want to fictionalize them and solidify the structure.
Please comment with feedback about the progress. Particularly, suggestions of methods to make up character names.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Starting the Hat
So, I brought my daughter to rehearsal this morning. While driving to the store, after I dropped her off, I started thinking about the show, and started improvising some dialogue for the scenes. I had that impulse to write, but was nowhere near a computer; in fact, I'm in the middle of a hard target search for the jump drive that has what I already wrote. So while at the store, I picked up a small notebook. After the store, I stopped at Infuse, my favorite tea shop in Sayville; got myself an Earl Grey de la Creme, and sat and wrote. Freehand. In a notebook.
First, I wrote out the five story lines, and the 3 or 4 scenes that make up each independent story. I noticed that each had a scene that overlaps in my mind. I then started writing out the second scene for the Brian/Lena story. My original plan was to write out each story line first, and then combine them. Scene "BL2," as I have come to call it, starts with Lena writing in her blog about Brian's firing, and explaining that he's been on a job search. That leads into a song called "Do What You're Good At (And Do It For Money)." (That song has already been written.)
With BL2 written, I went to move on to BL3... except that is really part of another scene. Brian appears in Tiffany and Dan's scene, having gotten a job at the coffee shop. So... I'd really need to write their scene, which is TD3, and I haven't yet written TD1 or TD2. I also realized that this would happen a lot. So, my solution was to plan out the entire show, and where the scenes would appear. I began with BL1, JK1, etc; and then rewrote it as Scene 1, 2, 3, etc with character names and plot descriptions, and indications of where the songs will be. I can now build on this, and write the show in this order.
First, I wrote out the five story lines, and the 3 or 4 scenes that make up each independent story. I noticed that each had a scene that overlaps in my mind. I then started writing out the second scene for the Brian/Lena story. My original plan was to write out each story line first, and then combine them. Scene "BL2," as I have come to call it, starts with Lena writing in her blog about Brian's firing, and explaining that he's been on a job search. That leads into a song called "Do What You're Good At (And Do It For Money)." (That song has already been written.)
With BL2 written, I went to move on to BL3... except that is really part of another scene. Brian appears in Tiffany and Dan's scene, having gotten a job at the coffee shop. So... I'd really need to write their scene, which is TD3, and I haven't yet written TD1 or TD2. I also realized that this would happen a lot. So, my solution was to plan out the entire show, and where the scenes would appear. I began with BL1, JK1, etc; and then rewrote it as Scene 1, 2, 3, etc with character names and plot descriptions, and indications of where the songs will be. I can now build on this, and write the show in this order.
Saturday, August 2, 2014
Technology and the Month-long hiatus
Wow... it's been a month, and I'll be honest. I haven't written crap.
Why did I stop writing? I've been busy. I'm working at a camp full time in Oceanside, NY; and also doing a show in Oakdale, NY. It would be very easy for me to just let go and give up, but I won't. Inspiration smacked me around a bit. My friend just put up her show at the Long Island Children's Museum. My daughter was in it, but I was not - except for just that one time I stood in. At their dress rehearsal, I touched base with Christine Fitzgerald, and we talked about the show, and we delved into the questions a bit.
So, conceptually, I've worked the plot a bit. Christine and I came to a conclusion. Joe and Kim are not going to end well. As previously mentioned, I had left Joe and Kim's plot open ended. Well, when they meet in real life, their struggle will mimic that of a dating couple who first move in together. They are used to being able to shut off the computer when things get tense. Now he's here, and he can't leave, we need to deal with this. There will be a song called "Avatar" that will address this.
The Musical Theatre guy in me was hoping for a happy ending, but the realist in me, and my desire to make this show not so predictable, say no. The three other couples will have happy endings, Joe and Kim will not. HOWEVER, Joe will decide to stay on Long Island, get out of his parent's house, and be independent for the first time; and Kim will... (Plot point to be filled in later.) BOTH will end up meeting the person of their dreams at the end of the show. (Joe may meet Tiffany, and Kim will meet Dan. What, you ask? I thought Tiffany and Dan? No. they will remain friends, but after the altercation over Rob, they could never be together.)
Also, every plot line will feature technology, which was our vision from the start. Web chat was used in the original film. Lena will write a blog throughout the show, that blog gets her noticed by a publisher, and that's how she gets her career at the end. Joe and Kim; dating site. Emily has her father's Youtube videos. And Tiffany and Dan may show the darker side of the net, as Rob tries to film himself with Tiffany for an amateur porn site.
That's where I am right now. By the way, THIS blog is for the record, but also for the purposes of crowd-sourcing ideas. Post a comment to let me know what you think, positive or negative. My next post will be a call for actual advice which would help me write this thing. My goal is to have a first draft by December, so that we can do something with it at the New Musicals Project next year.
Why did I stop writing? I've been busy. I'm working at a camp full time in Oceanside, NY; and also doing a show in Oakdale, NY. It would be very easy for me to just let go and give up, but I won't. Inspiration smacked me around a bit. My friend just put up her show at the Long Island Children's Museum. My daughter was in it, but I was not - except for just that one time I stood in. At their dress rehearsal, I touched base with Christine Fitzgerald, and we talked about the show, and we delved into the questions a bit.
So, conceptually, I've worked the plot a bit. Christine and I came to a conclusion. Joe and Kim are not going to end well. As previously mentioned, I had left Joe and Kim's plot open ended. Well, when they meet in real life, their struggle will mimic that of a dating couple who first move in together. They are used to being able to shut off the computer when things get tense. Now he's here, and he can't leave, we need to deal with this. There will be a song called "Avatar" that will address this.
The Musical Theatre guy in me was hoping for a happy ending, but the realist in me, and my desire to make this show not so predictable, say no. The three other couples will have happy endings, Joe and Kim will not. HOWEVER, Joe will decide to stay on Long Island, get out of his parent's house, and be independent for the first time; and Kim will... (Plot point to be filled in later.) BOTH will end up meeting the person of their dreams at the end of the show. (Joe may meet Tiffany, and Kim will meet Dan. What, you ask? I thought Tiffany and Dan? No. they will remain friends, but after the altercation over Rob, they could never be together.)
Also, every plot line will feature technology, which was our vision from the start. Web chat was used in the original film. Lena will write a blog throughout the show, that blog gets her noticed by a publisher, and that's how she gets her career at the end. Joe and Kim; dating site. Emily has her father's Youtube videos. And Tiffany and Dan may show the darker side of the net, as Rob tries to film himself with Tiffany for an amateur porn site.
That's where I am right now. By the way, THIS blog is for the record, but also for the purposes of crowd-sourcing ideas. Post a comment to let me know what you think, positive or negative. My next post will be a call for actual advice which would help me write this thing. My goal is to have a first draft by December, so that we can do something with it at the New Musicals Project next year.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
The Plot point that never was.
So, in finding ways for the stories to combine, and unite; I had a phenomenally brilliant idea. It's a clever plot twist that would have blown everyone away, and would have ruined the show.
SPOILERS!
I mentioned in the previous post that Emily is struggling with her sexual identity because of the conflict between her dedication to her father, and her personal feelings. She watches video clips from her father where he talks about her "finding a nice boy," and other such stereotypical assumptions about what girls should be. The audience will assume that they're Skyping, but it is later revealed that they are video diary clips that he made before he passed away. These really create the conflict. Finally, the last clip will drive home his final message to her: Above all, be true to yourself. He'll do this by telling her a story of when he was younger, in a dead end job that he did only for the money. He quit to pursue his dream, and although there was some struggle, it was more rewarding, and the hard work to overcome it was worth it.
It then occurred to me that this was basically the Brian/Lena story line. So, I thought... what if Emily's father IS Brian? The Brian/Lena storyline would be a flashback, and Emily's story takes place 18 years later. Mind. Blown. Not only that it's a clever twist, but I love it when shows come together like that. These disparate stories shouldn't mix so easily, and when they do, it's like it was meant to be.
There IS a problem, though. If Emily's story takes place in present day, then Brian's takes place 18 years ago. Brian and Lena have a newborn child, their first, which motivates him to work in order to support them. I would like to have technology throughout the show, and impacting on the plot whenever possible; and the teleconferences that open the show and that will happen throughout would not have happened in 1996.. Alternatively, if Brian's story takes place in present day, then Emily's story, and indeed the rest of the show, takes place 18 years from now. This raises all kinds of questions such as: Will coming out be easier in the future? (I hope so) Also, what does this do to the technology featured in the other story lines?
So, I figure that we should keep all story lines in 2014, and Jerry's message to Emily will be told in a song. I have been toying with the idea of Brian taking more and more demeaning jobs throughout the show just to make ends meet. By the end of the piece, he's working at a coffee shop where this final scene takes place. Emily and Christine are meeting there so that Emily can apologize for her previous behavior. To explain her actions, she shows Christine the videos. (This is where the audience finally finds this out.) And she plays her the final video. On a video screen, we see the performance of the song. Brian, bussing tables, happens to pass by, and eavesdrops, hearing Jerry's message. This inspires him to quit this job, and follow his bliss, which is taking care of his family.
SPOILERS!
I mentioned in the previous post that Emily is struggling with her sexual identity because of the conflict between her dedication to her father, and her personal feelings. She watches video clips from her father where he talks about her "finding a nice boy," and other such stereotypical assumptions about what girls should be. The audience will assume that they're Skyping, but it is later revealed that they are video diary clips that he made before he passed away. These really create the conflict. Finally, the last clip will drive home his final message to her: Above all, be true to yourself. He'll do this by telling her a story of when he was younger, in a dead end job that he did only for the money. He quit to pursue his dream, and although there was some struggle, it was more rewarding, and the hard work to overcome it was worth it.
It then occurred to me that this was basically the Brian/Lena story line. So, I thought... what if Emily's father IS Brian? The Brian/Lena storyline would be a flashback, and Emily's story takes place 18 years later. Mind. Blown. Not only that it's a clever twist, but I love it when shows come together like that. These disparate stories shouldn't mix so easily, and when they do, it's like it was meant to be.
There IS a problem, though. If Emily's story takes place in present day, then Brian's takes place 18 years ago. Brian and Lena have a newborn child, their first, which motivates him to work in order to support them. I would like to have technology throughout the show, and impacting on the plot whenever possible; and the teleconferences that open the show and that will happen throughout would not have happened in 1996.. Alternatively, if Brian's story takes place in present day, then Emily's story, and indeed the rest of the show, takes place 18 years from now. This raises all kinds of questions such as: Will coming out be easier in the future? (I hope so) Also, what does this do to the technology featured in the other story lines?
So, I figure that we should keep all story lines in 2014, and Jerry's message to Emily will be told in a song. I have been toying with the idea of Brian taking more and more demeaning jobs throughout the show just to make ends meet. By the end of the piece, he's working at a coffee shop where this final scene takes place. Emily and Christine are meeting there so that Emily can apologize for her previous behavior. To explain her actions, she shows Christine the videos. (This is where the audience finally finds this out.) And she plays her the final video. On a video screen, we see the performance of the song. Brian, bussing tables, happens to pass by, and eavesdrops, hearing Jerry's message. This inspires him to quit this job, and follow his bliss, which is taking care of his family.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Welcome to the New Blog.
On this weblog I'll be chronicling the creation of a new musical.
In 2011, my friends Sean and Christine made 52 short films in a year. One of them was going to be a musical, and I was asked to write a song for it. The result was "Love is...." and you can read the story of its creation here. The response was amazing, and the most common response was that it sounded like the opening number of a bigger musical. People wanted to know what happened next in the stories of the 5 couples.
In 2013, I teamed up with the folks at the New Musicals Project at the Patchogue Theatre. They asked if I had any shows to consider. I offered them my holiday show, "The Legend of Saint Nicholas," and an idea for a new show tentatively titled, "Good To See You." This year, I'm going to write it.
I started speculating on the rest of everyone's stories, and came up with some very predictable storylines. Boy meets Girl, Boy loses Girl, etc. They have a date, they fight, they make up, they're happy. It's evolving into a more complex and more relevant plot.
As I write, my goal is:
A) to make the stories interesting and relevant,
B) to make the show more than 5 separate stories. I want the characters to interact with each other throughout the show,
and C) The overall theme of the show will nor deal with our ideas of traditional gender roles. I was inspired by the recent "#YesAllWomen" movement in response to violence.
I have a few rough sketches at this point, and concepts for new songs, but no real material written out. Some stories are more fledged out than others. Here's the deal so far: (I'm using actor names, until I come up with new character names.)
Brian and Lena: Brian has been working towards a promotion, which he will be passed over for. He quits in anger, and then must search for a new job. He is troubled by his inability to provide for his family. In the end, he finally admits to his wife that he's unemployed, when she tells him that she's been offered a job. He ends up being a stay at home dad while his wife works.
Joe and Kim: Joe comes out to Long Island, and things are awkward between he and Kim. Somehow, they will both make a big change in their life for each other to make their relationship work. (I'm leaving this flexible until I see what the other stories become.)
Jerry and Emily: HERE'S the biggest change.... and a major plot twist, so, SPOILER ALERT.
Throughout the show, she will be appearing to chat via Skype with her father. Her father will be constantly referencing how she's "his girl" and how she should "find a husband." She'll respond verbally, but the thing is... it will later be revealed, that Jerry is dead. What Emily has been watching was old videos that he made for her. She has been trying to come to terms with her sexuality, and the big conflict has been her father's old fashioned ideas which have been instilled in her. She's been watching the videos to help her gather the strength to finally be honest about her feelings, and come out. Thus, this storyline connects with...
Emily and Christine: They obviously have some difficulty because as much as Emily likes Christine, and wants to try "this lesbian thing," she's very uncomfortable with the lifestyle. Christine has been out and is a part of the community. Her behavior and brazenness makes Emily all the more uncomfortable.
Tiff and Dan (And Rob): Dan has been in love with Tiff, but she rejected him when he told her. They agreed to be friends. Tiff is dating Rob, and reveals that she's thinking about sleeping with him; against her own personal feelings about pre-marital sex. Rob reveals to Dan that he's been grooming Tiff for this, and once he gets his way, plans to move on. When Dan tells Tiff about this, she assumes that he's trying to sabotage them because he still has feelings for her. When Rob makes his move, and Tiff says no, Rob gets enraged and violent. Dan steps in, after Tiff takes care of the situation herself. She yells at Dan that he was wrong to feel that it's his duty to protect her. After they cool down, she apologizes, and Dan tells her that he did what he did not for love, but out of genuine concern for his best friend.
It's been my dream that this show would come together online. The concept of the original movie is that it would involve web chatting. I'd like to almost crowdsource the writing of this musical. So, feel free to comment with your thoughts on these topics. I'll write more, when I figure it out.
In 2011, my friends Sean and Christine made 52 short films in a year. One of them was going to be a musical, and I was asked to write a song for it. The result was "Love is...." and you can read the story of its creation here. The response was amazing, and the most common response was that it sounded like the opening number of a bigger musical. People wanted to know what happened next in the stories of the 5 couples.
In 2013, I teamed up with the folks at the New Musicals Project at the Patchogue Theatre. They asked if I had any shows to consider. I offered them my holiday show, "The Legend of Saint Nicholas," and an idea for a new show tentatively titled, "Good To See You." This year, I'm going to write it.
I started speculating on the rest of everyone's stories, and came up with some very predictable storylines. Boy meets Girl, Boy loses Girl, etc. They have a date, they fight, they make up, they're happy. It's evolving into a more complex and more relevant plot.
As I write, my goal is:
A) to make the stories interesting and relevant,
B) to make the show more than 5 separate stories. I want the characters to interact with each other throughout the show,
and C) The overall theme of the show will nor deal with our ideas of traditional gender roles. I was inspired by the recent "#YesAllWomen" movement in response to violence.
I have a few rough sketches at this point, and concepts for new songs, but no real material written out. Some stories are more fledged out than others. Here's the deal so far: (I'm using actor names, until I come up with new character names.)
Brian and Lena: Brian has been working towards a promotion, which he will be passed over for. He quits in anger, and then must search for a new job. He is troubled by his inability to provide for his family. In the end, he finally admits to his wife that he's unemployed, when she tells him that she's been offered a job. He ends up being a stay at home dad while his wife works.
Joe and Kim: Joe comes out to Long Island, and things are awkward between he and Kim. Somehow, they will both make a big change in their life for each other to make their relationship work. (I'm leaving this flexible until I see what the other stories become.)
Jerry and Emily: HERE'S the biggest change.... and a major plot twist, so, SPOILER ALERT.
Throughout the show, she will be appearing to chat via Skype with her father. Her father will be constantly referencing how she's "his girl" and how she should "find a husband." She'll respond verbally, but the thing is... it will later be revealed, that Jerry is dead. What Emily has been watching was old videos that he made for her. She has been trying to come to terms with her sexuality, and the big conflict has been her father's old fashioned ideas which have been instilled in her. She's been watching the videos to help her gather the strength to finally be honest about her feelings, and come out. Thus, this storyline connects with...
Emily and Christine: They obviously have some difficulty because as much as Emily likes Christine, and wants to try "this lesbian thing," she's very uncomfortable with the lifestyle. Christine has been out and is a part of the community. Her behavior and brazenness makes Emily all the more uncomfortable.
Tiff and Dan (And Rob): Dan has been in love with Tiff, but she rejected him when he told her. They agreed to be friends. Tiff is dating Rob, and reveals that she's thinking about sleeping with him; against her own personal feelings about pre-marital sex. Rob reveals to Dan that he's been grooming Tiff for this, and once he gets his way, plans to move on. When Dan tells Tiff about this, she assumes that he's trying to sabotage them because he still has feelings for her. When Rob makes his move, and Tiff says no, Rob gets enraged and violent. Dan steps in, after Tiff takes care of the situation herself. She yells at Dan that he was wrong to feel that it's his duty to protect her. After they cool down, she apologizes, and Dan tells her that he did what he did not for love, but out of genuine concern for his best friend.
It's been my dream that this show would come together online. The concept of the original movie is that it would involve web chatting. I'd like to almost crowdsource the writing of this musical. So, feel free to comment with your thoughts on these topics. I'll write more, when I figure it out.
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