Challenge #2 - Fire Escape

We added to our numbers yesterday - everybody loves a deadline :)

We added 9 and lost only one (someone who had a busier schedule than they realized and decided to bow out, for now)

We’re at 46 humans currently

We added Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and Virginia to our roster of states we didn’t have reps from before.

There was a question about format for scripts, do we require a certain format?  The short answer is no.  The longer answer is here.

I am going to continue to endeavor to get you all the challenges a day early, so you have plenty of time to write, but also move on to the next one if you finish a challenge early.

And so…

Challenge #2 - Fire Escape

Due: Wednesday, November 3rd, 8am
(whenever 8am arrives in your time zone; we’ll do the math here in the Central Time zone, no worries :)

This one comes from an actual call for scripts from a theater in New Jersey.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they had a novel idea.

“Hey, we have this multilevel fire escape on the outside of our building.  Actors could perform there, and audiences could sit outside, either in (socially distanced) chairs, or in their cars, and watch.”

So they put out the call…

“The New Jersey Repertory Company (www.njrep.org) is soliciting 30-45 minute plays that are newly written and previously unproduced, and that can be staged on a multilevel fire escape. Playwrights should keep in mind that cast size is limited to 1-3 actors and performers will be on separate levels with separate entrances and there will be no physical contact. Audiences will sit in their cars as in a drive-in movie or in safely distanced and designated spaces with portable seats. Submissions being accepted on an ongoing basis.”

Now, if you have no intention or desire to actually submit your finished product to this theater, then you can play with their requirements or ignore them altogether (just like you can ignore this prompt altogether and write whatever you like :)

However, I’d encourage you to see what the “restrictions” can do for you in terms of getting you to think differently about how you tell a story.

Used to writing for large ensembles?  Imagine what you’d do with only three actors, or two, or one.

Used to writing solo shows?  Play around with what having more than one character to speak to an audience does for your storytelling.

No physical contact doesn’t mean they’re completely disconnected from one another.  Perhaps the absence of touch, the recoiling from touch or the yearning for touch but inability to have it - maybe one of those ideas sparks something for you.

Separate levels - does the height or lack of height of a person’s level mean something?

Separate entrances also means separate exits.

Experiment with different ways of letting an audience know a play that isn’t in a theater has started, or ended.



How to submit your work for Challenge #2

You have options.  They are:

Save your script as a PDF or Word Doc and send as an attachment to an email sent to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Copy and past your script in the body of an email and send it to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com

OR

Post your script online (as a Google doc, or in a blog post, on your own personal website, etc.) - email a link to this script to ThresholdWritingChallenge@gmail.com
(If you’re going to Google doc route, just make sure to have the document public, or give permissions to our email address to open it)

When emailing us, make the subject line of your email - Challenge #2
(That just helps us sort through the email more quickly)
(Or, you know, just reply to this email if you want :)

OR

Post the link for the online document option above in the comments section of this very blog post for the challenge on our writing challenge blog -


Again, this is: Due: Wednesday, November 3rd, 8am
(whenever 8am arrives in your time zone; we’ll do the math here in the Central Time zone, no worries :)

And, just to reassure you, no, we are not going to be sticklers about you following these directions down to the minutest detail - the important thing is that you write, and then that you share it with us, so we can keep track of who’s writing every day.

We will be VERY understanding about technical difficulties and how they can screw up making the deadline on the first few days.  No need to fret about anything except the writing (and hopefully that’s not something causing you to fret too much either :)

Also, no, there is no penalty for finishing and submitting early - but it also isn’t a race, so give yourself all the time up til 8am on Wednesday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

Someone had a good question about the overall goal of the month, are we supposed to write a full-length play, or two one-act plays, etc.?  The short answer is no (unless you want to).  The longer answer is here if you’re curious.

Again, remember, it doesn’t need to be great, it doesn’t even need to be responding to this prompt (the prompt is just there so you’re not staring at a blank screen to start with no idea what to write about :)

Doesn't even need to be complete - you could have the beginning or the middle or the end of an idea, maybe two out of three but not all, that's still fine. This is all about getting things started, you can write more later. You have 28 more days to build on whatever you come up with today, if you want. Just get anything on the page, even if won't make sense to anyone else, as long as it make sense to you.

It just needs to be something.

And that something can be:

Lights up.

Someone on a fire escape does something.

Lights down.

The End

That’s always your escape hatch, every day.

That’s your base line.

Build on it.

Have fun.

Don’t stress.

Make an impulsive decision and run with it.

Breathe.

You’ve got the day.

Just write.

 

 (photo: Paul Hakimata Photography)