The Play Is The Thing

So a (stage) actor friend of mine has made an offer I can't refuse: if I write a play he'll make sure it gets put on. I'm looking for ideas, and more specifically: feedback.

My thoughts as of now are scattershot. A list:

-I don't want there to be a villain or any sortof evil antagonist.

-I want to address the theme of the thing created for fun with good intentions going horribly wrong and turning out the opposite of what the creator had wanted to happen. (Some of you might guess what makes me think of this)

-I want to show that the truly horrible things are done by good people who don't know that what they're doing is horrible.

-I want there to be something from the beginning, that the audience realizes, which is going to screw everything up for the protagonist, but for him or her to be completely unaware of it (perhaps to the very end).

-I am capable of what my grandmother calls "flowerdy words", but I want to avoid literary pretension and, following my idols David Mamet, John Steinbeck, and Tennessee Williams, make ordinary language that is beautiful even in its vulgarity.

Any ideas?


[Edited on Nov 29, 2002 by Imagined]

((THUD))


The sound of a topic going up in the air..

.. and no one catching it.

Man, those sound like good ideas you have. I wish I could help, but I'm drawing a blank.

Mammet is GOD.

Put a bunch of people into a situation that they can't get out of--maybe they're all patrons in a bar stuck there during a blizzard, soon alliances form, tension rises, something like that. One set, one act. Or use a device like a tape recorder or secret video camera used for blackmail...have ever seen/read David Belber's "Tape?" (it's also a movie)...I dunno...what you're asking for here seems too broad and vague to me...do you have any specific character types or situations in mind at all that we can help you shape into the guidelines you list above?

[Edited on Nov 29, 2002 by skruffy]

Hmm this is a real hard one.. since i'm really no good at writing stories.. but i may be able to give some good ideas for the direction of a play.. so I will try.

My best idea right now that fits your criteria would probably have to be something about a guy and a girl who are somewhat seeing each other.. the guy is a real nice guy but is always smothing her.. you know.. just around way to much and not giving her space. She really cares for him but can't take it anymore.. goes off somewhere (no clue where) he follows.. somewhere along the way he figures out that he drove her away and that chasing her down is going to do nothing but make it worse.. he goes back home to wait for her when she is ready to come back.. then one of three ends..

Happy 1: when he gets back (takes him a while.. he went a long distance) she is waiting for him.

Hapyy 2: He gets back goes on with life and the last scene is her coming hom.

Sad: He gets back goes on with life and you end it with him sitting there waiting by the phone and nothing happens.

Thats all for my ideas right now.. if you have any other ideas I would love to hear them.

Hope this helps.. maybe it will strick some ideas for you.

ps...can I send some of my plays to your stage actor friend too??? Guranteed performance? What a cool friend to have.