Presenting side project #3,578,106
While plugging away at the ol' novel, I've had quite a few side projects lined up. Several poems, one or two short stories and even a novelette (which, unfortunately, has seen no progress in months) have ben started. But I've come to the conclusion that a lot of those side projects have sprung up when I've been stuck in the novel.
But this project... oh, this one will spring into fruition pretty well. It's part of a venue I've never explored before. It involves a medium of writing through which only the most enthusiastic and detail-oriented scribes can encapsulate so many elements of the literary and visual arts into a limited amount of time and space. My good friend Carl Siler and I are collaborating on a one-act play.
Calling Her Bluff(<----This is a rather rudimentary working title, we're working on a title that reflects this concept but has a better ring to it)
A Play in One Act
By Dave Aichele and Carl Siler
Cast of Characters
Dave: 20-year-old Caucasian male, with long, dark hair and an arrogant presence.
Donna: 19-year-old Caucasian female, heavyset and homely.
Olivia: 20-year-old, African-American female, a beautiful young woman, Dave’s fiancée.
Setting
Stage is set with the left side being Dave and Olivia’s apartment, and the right side being Donna’s house. Dave and Olivia are sitting opposite one another at the kitchen table, typing away at their separate laptops. Donna is doing the same. The dialogue between Donna and Dave is accompanied by the character’s simulated typing, as the dialogue is a spoken rendition of an Instant Messenger conversation. Dialogue is accompanied by typing unless otherwise directed, as in dialogue between Dave and Olivia or when Dave makes remarks to himself.
I should mention that this is all based on a true story. My justification for this is that I'm taking an unpleasant conversation I've had with the persons on whom Donna is based and turning it into a creative project. I have the conversation saved, and I've based virtually all the dialogue on the conversation. Of course, there are a couple minor changes to it, but those are only to strengthen the storyline. Here's some sample dialogue:
DAVE
Furthermore, I find it rather hard to believe that you're happy for Olivia and I. I think I remember a time just a week after we broke up and I decided to start dating Olivia. I also remember the tirade you went through telling me I lied to you about wanting to be with you and how everyone deserves a second chance. You called me a liar. At least I waited after we broke up to offer my heart to another.
DONNA
(looking shocked and chagrined, replying with an indignant voice)
Waited? I never went out with anyone else!
DAVE
(rage building in his voice)
You cheated on me! That's why we broke up in the first place!
DONNA
(flinching at the accusation)
I never cheated on you!
DAVE
You confessed to cheating on me over the phone!
DONNA
(indignant tone more pronounced)
I don’t remember any of that!
DAVE
(pulling away from the computer, stammering in angry disbelief)
She can’t be serious! She simply can’t!
(Returning to the computer, resuming dialogue)
Then tell me, how on earth did we break up?
DONNA
I’ve never cheated on anyone in my entire life!
DAVE
Then perhaps you’d like to tell me how we could ever have broken up.
DONNA
Geez, I don’t even remember.
DAVE
(to himself)
You call the relationship we had the best you’ve ever been a part of, and you can’t even recall why it ended? Gimme a fucking break.
DONNA
I think it was because we were so far away from each other.
DAVE
(staring cock-eyed at the monitor)
No, no, no, no, NO! Don’t give me that tripe. The distance barrier was never an issue. We were able to make it work even with the distance.
DONNA
(in a sudden burst of emotional energy)
Well, we can make it work again! I know we can do it.
(tone of voice drops to reflect a more maudlin mood)
I still love you, Dave. And I know I always will.
DAVE
(points to monitor, mouth agape)
There! I caught you again! You told me not five minutes ago that you were no longer interested! You lied to me! Again!
DONNA
Who cares! I love you!
DAVE
“Who cares”? What do you mean, “who cares?” You’re lying!
DONNA
But I still love you!
DAVE
(devilish grin returns, eyes signifying he is ready to provoke Donna)
I’m not convinced you are. Prove it.
One of my favorite exchanges:
DAVE
(sharply and matter-of-factly, in a halting voice)
You… are… taking… advantage… of… ME!
DONNA
What?
DAVE
I can see right through you, Donna!
DONNA
(appearing deeply offended)
Oh, really? What do you see?
(demandingly)
Tell me! What do you see?
DAVE
I see you relying on relationships solely for your own personal benefit! The fact that you repeatedly say you don’t rely on others for your happiness tells me you do!
DONNA
(reticently)
Well, you’re right.
(shoulders droop, posture reflecting defeat)
It’s true, Dave.
DAVE
(not accepting that she is conceding)
And I fell right for it! I think, “aw, what the hell, I’ll go out with her.” And I end up regretting it!
DONNA
(getting increasingly more upset)
How can you say that?
DAVE
Don’t you get it? You have attachment issues. And I’m a victim of your attachment. You’re using me to get a positive sense of self. Just like you’re using whoever’s going out with you now.
DONNA
(stops typing, pulls away from the computer and begins to weep pathetically)
You’re so mean to me.
Another:
DONNA
But what I said was stupid and I wish I could take it all back. I didn’t mean the stuff I said. I’m really sorry.
DAVE
(to himself)
Noooo, don’t cave in yet. I was just having so much fun.
(to Donna)
Do you even know what you said?
DONNA
Well, I was trying to force you to believe that there was still something between us and telling you how I felt was putting pressure on you… I’m just. Really sorry.
DAVE
I’m not worried about all that right now.
DONNA
Then what are you worried about?
DAVE
I’m more concerned as to whether or not you’ve listened to what I’ve been saying.
DONNA
Yes, I have.
DAVE
(suspiciously)
Uh-huh. Perhaps you’d like to tell me then.
DONNA
Well… about all the things you talked about in the letter… and… about me relying on relationships for self-esteem. That’s partly true, I’ll admit that.
DAVE
So you recognize the fact that you rely on relationships for your happiness.
DONNA
Yes.
DAVE
Why then, would you want to drag me into that?
DONNA
Into what?
DAVE
You actually want me to step into that emotional mousetrap you call a relationship?
DONNA
I meant it when I said I love you.
DAVE
(to himself)
Even though you just got done telling me you didn’t mean it.
DONNA
You know I love you and I always will.
DAVE
(to Donna)
But I can’t be convinced that what you’re saying is genuine.
DONNA
(sighs, changing her tone)
I’m just an idiot. I’m a loser. Pathetic for ever thinking that you’d come back to me.
DAVE
(to himself)
Boy, you got that right.
(resuming conversation with Donna)
Come on, where did you get that?
DONNA
(pathetically)
You belong with someone who deserves you. I don’t deserve anyone like you.
DAVE
(to himself)
Aw, that’s not true. There are plenty of people in hell who deserve you.
Yeouch! Let me know what you guys think. I see this project as a good creative springboard to a lot of fun projects. Happy 2007, ladies and gentlemen!
But this project... oh, this one will spring into fruition pretty well. It's part of a venue I've never explored before. It involves a medium of writing through which only the most enthusiastic and detail-oriented scribes can encapsulate so many elements of the literary and visual arts into a limited amount of time and space. My good friend Carl Siler and I are collaborating on a one-act play.
Calling Her Bluff(<----This is a rather rudimentary working title, we're working on a title that reflects this concept but has a better ring to it)
A Play in One Act
By Dave Aichele and Carl Siler
Cast of Characters
Dave: 20-year-old Caucasian male, with long, dark hair and an arrogant presence.
Donna: 19-year-old Caucasian female, heavyset and homely.
Olivia: 20-year-old, African-American female, a beautiful young woman, Dave’s fiancée.
Setting
Stage is set with the left side being Dave and Olivia’s apartment, and the right side being Donna’s house. Dave and Olivia are sitting opposite one another at the kitchen table, typing away at their separate laptops. Donna is doing the same. The dialogue between Donna and Dave is accompanied by the character’s simulated typing, as the dialogue is a spoken rendition of an Instant Messenger conversation. Dialogue is accompanied by typing unless otherwise directed, as in dialogue between Dave and Olivia or when Dave makes remarks to himself.
I should mention that this is all based on a true story. My justification for this is that I'm taking an unpleasant conversation I've had with the persons on whom Donna is based and turning it into a creative project. I have the conversation saved, and I've based virtually all the dialogue on the conversation. Of course, there are a couple minor changes to it, but those are only to strengthen the storyline. Here's some sample dialogue:
DAVE
Furthermore, I find it rather hard to believe that you're happy for Olivia and I. I think I remember a time just a week after we broke up and I decided to start dating Olivia. I also remember the tirade you went through telling me I lied to you about wanting to be with you and how everyone deserves a second chance. You called me a liar. At least I waited after we broke up to offer my heart to another.
DONNA
(looking shocked and chagrined, replying with an indignant voice)
Waited? I never went out with anyone else!
DAVE
(rage building in his voice)
You cheated on me! That's why we broke up in the first place!
DONNA
(flinching at the accusation)
I never cheated on you!
DAVE
You confessed to cheating on me over the phone!
DONNA
(indignant tone more pronounced)
I don’t remember any of that!
DAVE
(pulling away from the computer, stammering in angry disbelief)
She can’t be serious! She simply can’t!
(Returning to the computer, resuming dialogue)
Then tell me, how on earth did we break up?
DONNA
I’ve never cheated on anyone in my entire life!
DAVE
Then perhaps you’d like to tell me how we could ever have broken up.
DONNA
Geez, I don’t even remember.
DAVE
(to himself)
You call the relationship we had the best you’ve ever been a part of, and you can’t even recall why it ended? Gimme a fucking break.
DONNA
I think it was because we were so far away from each other.
DAVE
(staring cock-eyed at the monitor)
No, no, no, no, NO! Don’t give me that tripe. The distance barrier was never an issue. We were able to make it work even with the distance.
DONNA
(in a sudden burst of emotional energy)
Well, we can make it work again! I know we can do it.
(tone of voice drops to reflect a more maudlin mood)
I still love you, Dave. And I know I always will.
DAVE
(points to monitor, mouth agape)
There! I caught you again! You told me not five minutes ago that you were no longer interested! You lied to me! Again!
DONNA
Who cares! I love you!
DAVE
“Who cares”? What do you mean, “who cares?” You’re lying!
DONNA
But I still love you!
DAVE
(devilish grin returns, eyes signifying he is ready to provoke Donna)
I’m not convinced you are. Prove it.
One of my favorite exchanges:
DAVE
(sharply and matter-of-factly, in a halting voice)
You… are… taking… advantage… of… ME!
DONNA
What?
DAVE
I can see right through you, Donna!
DONNA
(appearing deeply offended)
Oh, really? What do you see?
(demandingly)
Tell me! What do you see?
DAVE
I see you relying on relationships solely for your own personal benefit! The fact that you repeatedly say you don’t rely on others for your happiness tells me you do!
DONNA
(reticently)
Well, you’re right.
(shoulders droop, posture reflecting defeat)
It’s true, Dave.
DAVE
(not accepting that she is conceding)
And I fell right for it! I think, “aw, what the hell, I’ll go out with her.” And I end up regretting it!
DONNA
(getting increasingly more upset)
How can you say that?
DAVE
Don’t you get it? You have attachment issues. And I’m a victim of your attachment. You’re using me to get a positive sense of self. Just like you’re using whoever’s going out with you now.
DONNA
(stops typing, pulls away from the computer and begins to weep pathetically)
You’re so mean to me.
Another:
DONNA
But what I said was stupid and I wish I could take it all back. I didn’t mean the stuff I said. I’m really sorry.
DAVE
(to himself)
Noooo, don’t cave in yet. I was just having so much fun.
(to Donna)
Do you even know what you said?
DONNA
Well, I was trying to force you to believe that there was still something between us and telling you how I felt was putting pressure on you… I’m just. Really sorry.
DAVE
I’m not worried about all that right now.
DONNA
Then what are you worried about?
DAVE
I’m more concerned as to whether or not you’ve listened to what I’ve been saying.
DONNA
Yes, I have.
DAVE
(suspiciously)
Uh-huh. Perhaps you’d like to tell me then.
DONNA
Well… about all the things you talked about in the letter… and… about me relying on relationships for self-esteem. That’s partly true, I’ll admit that.
DAVE
So you recognize the fact that you rely on relationships for your happiness.
DONNA
Yes.
DAVE
Why then, would you want to drag me into that?
DONNA
Into what?
DAVE
You actually want me to step into that emotional mousetrap you call a relationship?
DONNA
I meant it when I said I love you.
DAVE
(to himself)
Even though you just got done telling me you didn’t mean it.
DONNA
You know I love you and I always will.
DAVE
(to Donna)
But I can’t be convinced that what you’re saying is genuine.
DONNA
(sighs, changing her tone)
I’m just an idiot. I’m a loser. Pathetic for ever thinking that you’d come back to me.
DAVE
(to himself)
Boy, you got that right.
(resuming conversation with Donna)
Come on, where did you get that?
DONNA
(pathetically)
You belong with someone who deserves you. I don’t deserve anyone like you.
DAVE
(to himself)
Aw, that’s not true. There are plenty of people in hell who deserve you.
Yeouch! Let me know what you guys think. I see this project as a good creative springboard to a lot of fun projects. Happy 2007, ladies and gentlemen!