Writing Challenge #30 - Random Things On The Path (Write Nov. 30)

Hi folks

Here it is.

At long last, the final challenge, #30, the finish line for both the month of November (which, by all accounts, has been a bit of a rough one for a lot of folks, myself included) and this year’s November Playwriting Challenge.

Whether you wrote just one day, or all thirty, congratulations!  You’ve got some new material to play around with and refine during the other eleven months of the year.  Well done!

For those of you who were new this year, thanks for finding us.  

For those of you who enjoyed it enough last year to come back and do it again, we were happy to see so many familiar names.  

You have more writing in hand than you did on the last day of October, and that’s the primary goal of the challenge.  The habit of writing, the creation of more plays, prioritizing your creativity just a little bit every day.

Before we get to the final challenge itself, a quick reminder about today’s writing - Challenges 28 and 29

Just a quick clarifier, to keep us track for the holiday weekend :)

The challenge work to be turned in today 11/29 by 12noon Central Time is for Challenge 28
(sent to you on Tuesday this week :)

It can also be found on the challenge blog here:
https://thresholdwritingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/writing-challenge-28-moving-people.html

The challenge work you’re to be writing today to be turned in tomorrow 11/30 by the noon deadline is for Challenge 29 (also sent to you on Tuesday this week :)

It can also be found on the challenge blog here:
https://thresholdwritingchallenge.blogspot.com/2024/11/writing-challenge-29-aptronym-write-nov.html

Of course you may have already done one or both of these challenges already and turned them in early, and if so, well done!

If not, those are your marching orders for the day.

And then, of course, we come to this, the final challenge, which you’ll have tomorrow, Saturday 11/30 to work on, and then turn in the next day, Sunday, 12/1 by 12 noon Central Time.

I am, as you are all well aware, quite behind on the processing of your many emails.  Thanks for being so patient with the current process, which is clearly beyond its capacity for timely response.  We’re already in discussions and planning for how to better execute the challenge next year, whether we’re back down to around 60 or up over 100 playwrights again :)

I’ll be getting through the backlog as quickly as I can - thankfully there’s a nice holiday weekend here to help me out with that.

I’ll put together a list of all the writers who wrote all 30 days, as well as a list of writers who seem like maybe they only missed one or two, do a little research on that second batch and if I’m still coming up short, I’ll reach out to those writers to see if something got lost in the pipeline somehow and they actually hit all the challenges. (That’s happened in all years past or one or two writers, so it’s not just a this year thing.)

Once I’ve got a confirmed list of those of who wrote and turned something thing all 30 days, I’ll be reaching out to let you know what the payout is going to be (how many writers are splitting the money we accumulated at the beginning, and what everyone’s share of that is) and confirming how best to get that to you.

There’ll also be, at long last, some fun statistics on how many people were writing every day, how many pages they generated, and what the overall output was - just from what I’ve seen so far, you’re definitely going to blow past all previous years’ numbers, in part because there were just so many more of you writing this November :)

And though It’s dicey making pronouncements about anything a year out, the plan is to definitely do this again next November.  So if you found it useful, mark your calendars. And spread the word to anyone you think might be interested.  If it is indeed happening as planned, an announcement should go out in the first half of October.

One last tangent for this preface of mine…

One November, someone in my playwriting group (who shall remain nameless) was… pestering is a negative word so let’s just say enthusiastically and repeatedly suggesting… that “you should let all those writers know about the writing group and see if they might be interested in attending.”

Which wasn’t a bad idea.

But I did remind the person that the majority of the writers doing the challenge often aren’t local, and are situated in states all across the USA, or in some cases even completely different countries.  So the time zones don’t always perfectly align. (Sadly our friend who moved from Minneapolis to Norway for a graduate program isn’t going able to join us - it’s always the middle of the night for her when we meet.  Less extreme time zone differences may be workable.)

In the playwriting group’s time being fully online in 2020-2021 because of the pandemic, we had a number of playwrights and actors in different states sitting in - but sometimes it was challenging because they were either an hour ahead or behind of the Central Time zone meeting hours of 7pm to 9pm.  Still, we did make it work.  Even now, in hybrid mode, with some folks meeting in person, there’s still a number of (even local) people who prefer or need to attend via video conference on the computer.  So we have the capability of including folks wherever there’s internet connectivity.  

A handful of people did join us over the last couple of years after the challenge concluded and a few became regulars, which is fun.

Here’s a link to an overview of how the group works.

If you think you might be interested, just drop me a note.

Thanks again for participating, everybody!

Again, well done, one and all!

And now, let’s get you that final writing prompt for November 2024…

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Challenge #30 - Random Things On The Path

Write Nov. 30th - or earlier if you like
Due: Sunday, December 1st, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)




When I go out running, I don’t listen to music or podcasts or take my phone with me.

It’s some of my only time to be out in nature, so I try to just focus on being present and taking in the details of my surroundings.  (Also, I find it’s really easy for me to get distracted by input directly into my ears, and then I don’t focus on the process of running and my pace is terrible.  That can happen when I get a scene idea in my head, too, but I don’t mind as much when my pace is off because I’m solving a writing problem :)

Even though a lot of the routes I run are the same, it’s like the whole “you never step in the same river twice” metaphor.  The path is always different, even if it’s just the weather that day.

Often though, the path is different because of what people discard around it.

One day I was running and there was a goblet in the grass by the path.  A rather significant drinking cup.  Someone doesn’t just have that on them casually when they’re out and about.  That drinking vessel is a choice someone very deliberately made and carried down onto the walking, running, biking path with them, and then left behind for some reason.

There’s a path that was created in a place that runs between two streets, and there’s been a lot of building up and either side of this path, condos and stores and restaurants, etc.  Old school train tracks near the path have made way for a future addition to the light rail connections between the suburbs and downtown.  Sometimes you’re at street level but just as often you’re below street level with things rising above you on both sides, and bridges crossing over the path, and walls built into the side of what used to maybe be a hill.

I saw a couple once in the early morning, on the other side of a gully next to the path, up against one of those walls on the hillside. Just chatting, maybe watching as the sun rose.  And I had to rethink the path - people don’t just come down here to walk their dogs or walk themselves or run or bike.  People aren’t always just passing through.  Some people are just - being here.  There are sometimes benches and gardens and stairs set up in areas where there are condos nearby.  Sometimes, like these two people, someone just decides to park themselves somewhere by the path and just watch things happen.

People definitely bring their pot to certain areas - you can get a secondhand contact high if you linger to long in any one spot, I imagine.

Someone brought a goblet.  And left it.

An abandoned very colorful but mud-splattered soccer ball was out by the trail one time.

I once saw a tennis ball in the middle of the street as I was approaching the entry to the path.  I picked it up and dropped it on the sidewalk out of the road.  Enough people walk their dogs up and down that street, some dog will get a treat.

(My fingers accidentally typed “some god” rather than dog so… not sure where that comes from or where it goes but I’ll leave it out there.  Some god will get a treat, if I leave out a tennis ball.)

There’s also a mini-dog park built on the side of a nearby condo grouping and I almost walked up the block to toss it in there, but I really wanted to start my run, so I compromised.

I swear I saw a box for a pregnancy test by the running path a couple of weeks ago.  Even if that wasn’t what it actually was (I didn’t stop to pick it up), the idea of how that got there was intriguing to me.

Random aside, also on the approach to the running path once, I saw a large orange paperclip.  The oversize plastic kind.  Very bright orange.  And it reminded me of the days when some word processing programs had intrusive “helpful” mascots like Clippy the Paper Clip which would appear when you were typing, and maybe you’d only just gotten started on something, and up pops Clippy with an opinion -“You look like you’re writing a resume” or “You look like you’re writing a cover letter, would you like some help with that?”  This is pre-AI, or perhaps early AI, mind you.  It wasn’t very sophisticated.  And I think people found it so annoying that the vendor very quickly dropped the feature from their software.  But for a while, it was everywhere.  And a sketch comedy group that came to the Minnesota Fringe Festival one year riffed on it - one of the characters was very depressed, and another of them dressed up in a big paperclip costume and popped into the scene as Clippy, chirping “You look like you’re writing a suicide note!  Would you like some help with that?”  Needless to say, it was a bit dark and wildly over the top, but still absurdly funny.

My favorite random thing recently was a wooden chair, painted white, that had been dumped in a bush.  At the entry points to the path in a place where you need to descend a short hill to get down from street level to running path level, there are decorative bushes atop the walls, either just at or below street level.  And someone, I guess, just decided to toss their chair down from the sidewalk next to the condos to land in the bushes.  And it’s been sitting there for months.  Just a random chair in a bush.  Every time I walk up to the entry point, I glance over the side to check and, yes, the chair is still there.  Once it really starts snowing, you won’t be able to see the chair as easily, it’ll blend in.  But then come spring, the snow will melt and the greenery of the bushes will return and - oh look, a white wooden chair…

What random things appear along the paths you walk every day?

Do you think about how they got there?

What stories occurred to you about people and their abandoned things?

Or might an abandoned item, come upon by a stranger (or you), get them thinking about a different time in their life?

Take any or all of that and play around with it.

Have fun with it, and take a bit swing for our final outing.

Or, like always, write whatever you want.

Just write.  Something.  For one last day in November (this year).

Again, folks, well done.

Happy writing to you all!

**************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #30: Magical Realism

Or try 2022’s challenge #30: Storytelling Obsessions

Or try 2023’s Challenge #30: I Don’t Believe In Ghosts, But…

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


***********************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


******************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #30

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 paste 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 #30
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 30th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Sunday, December 1st, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


***************************

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.

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 12 noon on Sunday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 another 11 months (until the next November writing challenge) 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.

A ball is onstage.

A person walks onstage.

They see the ball.

They pick up the ball.

They toss it in the air and catch it.

It makes them smile.  About something.  They don’t tell us what it is, or who it is.

The person keeps tossing the ball in the air and catching it…

As they walk offstage again.

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Matthew A. Everett
Literary Director
Threshold Theater
(he/him/his)

Coming Up...

Spring 2025
The world premiere production of my play "Spellbound" with Threshold Theater
A play about the wrong way to use a love potion.
April 18 to May 3, 2025
At the Phoenix Theater, 2605 Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis
Directed by Denzel Belin
Thanks to his mischievous friend Jeffrey (David Schlosser), who’s begun dabbling in witchcraft, Micah (Zakary Morton) has accidentally dosed his best friend Auggie (Leor Benjamin) with a love potion. Which might be fine, if Auggie wasn’t straight, and married, or if Auggie’s wife Sarah (Mallory Lewis) wasn’t pregnant, or a practicing witch. With the help of Duncan (Xae Copeland), who runs the local metaphysical supply store, the race is on to whip up the antidote before anyone does something they’ll regret.

Now Playing:
The video recording of Threshold Theater's Pride Month new play reading of "Monster Girls at Sunshine Donuts" by Dani Herd: A vampire, a werewolf, and a Frankenstein's monster walk into a doughnut shop... Meet Louise, Tally, and Elsie: the crew behind Sunshine Doughnuts! The ghouls have fallen into a pretty pleasant spooky routine for themselves; pouring coffee, baking doughnuts, arguing over Scooby-Doo cartoons, having crushes on their regulars. Along comes an unexpected late night visitor to throw everything into question. Sometimes it really sucks how much your past can come back to bite you!  Now on our YouTube channel


"Write. Find a way to keep alive and write. There is nothing else to say."
- James Baldwin

"Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you make the whole trip that way."
- E.L. Doctorow

Writing Challenge #29 - Aptronym (Write Nov. 29)

Hi folks

(2 of 2)

28 down, 2 to go!

(And this prompt is one of those final two :)

We’ve nearly reached the end of November, folks.

Hang in there and keep on writing :)

If you ever get confused about which one of this bundle of prompts I’m sending your way ahead of time is the one you’re supposed to be working on, do this:

Look at the date on the calendar.
That’s the number of the challenge you should be working on that day to be turned in by noon the next day.
That’s if you’re doing them one day at a time.
If you’re cranking out a bunch of writing and turning it in ahead of time, just make sure you hit each one of them in order and get yourself all the way to the end of the holiday weekend.

This prompt is the one you would be writing Friday 11/29 to be turned in on Saturday 11/30 by noon Central Time, but just label your email for prompt 29 and you can turn it early and I’ll credit it ahead.

And of course, you can always use the mini-play at the bottom of the email and blog post as an escape hatch for the day’s writing.

Now, let’s get you the second writing prompt of the pair for the day…


******************************


Challenge #29 - Aptronym

Write Nov. 29th - or earlier if you like
Due: Saturday, November 30th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



One of your fellow challenge writers this year who’s participated in previous years introduced me to WordDaily.com - which will send you a new and interesting word for the day and give you some context for it.

The reason the playwright reached out to me, is the word that day reminded him of a couple of challenges I’d served up in the past, based around a particular type of word:

Contronyms

Homophones


That day’s word was

Aptronym

According to Word Daily, an aptronym is…

“Noun - A person’s name that is regarded as amusingly appropriate to their occupation.

Sample Sentences
“The clerk at the fish market wore a nametag reading ‘Ms. Flounder,’ which was a perfect aptronym.”
“Our class’s enthusiastic new gym teacher had the aptronym ‘Mr. Ball.'”
“My mechanic has an amazing aptronym: Carl Lifft.”

Word origin
Greek, 1920s

Why this word?
The greatest sprinting runner in history is Usain Bolt,
while Britain is home to weatherperson Sarah Blizzard,
and Lance Bass of former boy band ‘N Sync fame sang with a low register (although Bass pronounces his name like the fish, not the pitch).

But aptronyms (“apt” meaning “appropriate,” and “nym” applying to a name) aren’t just for celebrities — imagine a woodworker named David Carpenter,
or a pastry chef named Lucy Baker.

Aptronyms call back to the origination of English family names.
People tended to be named according to their ancestors or profession,
such as “Richardson” for the son of someone named Richard,
and “Smith” for a blacksmith or silversmith.”

(Thanks to Hank for this one :)

So have some fun with aptronyms in your cast of characters for today’s writing.

Or, as ever, write whatever you like.

Just write.  Something.

Just two days more to the end of our challenge marathon.


******************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #29: The Best of Times, The Worst of Times, and The Future

Or try 2022’s challenge #29: Messages After You’re Gone

Or try 2023’s Challenge #29: Snapshots 5 (from Threshold Theater co-founder and Managing Director David Schlosser)

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


****************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


***************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #29

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 paste 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 #29
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 29th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Saturday, November 30th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



**************************

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.

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 12 noon on Saturday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 one more day 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.

Mrs. Baker offers a plate of donuts to
Mr. Smith, who is shoeing the horse for
Mr. Jock E. Rider.

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #28 - Moving People Along (Write Nov. 28)

Hi folks

(1 of 2)

Busy day at work ahead so I’m sending these out a bit earlier today…

Again, I’m sending you two prompts from the future again today, so you can work ahead for the holiday weekend if you wish.

This prompt is the one you would be writing Thursday 11/28 to be turned in on Friday 11/29 by noon Central Time, but just label your email for prompt 28 and you can turn it early and I’ll credit it ahead.

And of course, you can always use the mini-play at the bottom of the email and blog post as an escape hatch for the day’s writing.

27 down, 3 to go!

We’ve nearly reached the end of November.  Well done, everybody!

Always remember, if you miss one day, don’t beat yourself up, just write again the next day.

Let’s get you that first writing prompt of the day…


*******************************

Challenge #28 - Moving People Along

Write Nov. 28th - or earlier if you like
Due: Friday, November 29th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



I realize that I mentioned skyways in passing in an earlier writing challenge and I didn’t really define my terms.

I’d never really seen a skyway before I moved to Minneapolis but now I take it for granted.

However, you all are quite a few places other than Minneapolis, so… to explain.

You know those plastic tubes they have running between living spaces for hamsters, gerbils and other small rodents.  Habitrails?

Someone once described skyways as human Habitrails, and that seems apt.

It’s basically a network of suspended hallways between buildings in downtown Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota that cross above streets so that, most particularly in the winter, folks don’t have to walk outside to get from one building to the next.  I suppose it might just as easily been a network of tunnels, but Minnesotans get so little daylight in the winter time anyway, that I guess connecting hallways above seemed more attractive than tunnels below.  I’m not familiar with the lore of how it all got started.

I bring this up because I have another skyway story.

When they launched the light rail train system between Minneapolis and Saint Paul (from my home base to my primary day job) I was one of the early adopters for my commute.  Less driving, and I could eat, write and read during the ride.  The workplace train stop had this really lovely tower, with stairs and an elevator inside it, and stained glass windows all around.  The tower was connected to the skyway, so I could walk from the train station right up the stairs and then walk through the hallways to get to my office building. Very handy.

I went off of it, naturally, during the Covid-19 pandemic - partly because for a year or so we were working remotely from home anyway, and partly because being crowded together with a group of strangers, even with a mask on, was more of a risk than I was comfortable with.

But I would still walk by (and over) the station when I would follow the skyways to the bank to deposit checks for the day job.  So I got to watch its evolution over time.

The skyway and tower connecting it to the station below became a gathering place for young people, and people in general, for air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.

There was a series of tall window panes along both sides of the skyway.

People would sit in the window sills.

Then someone installed tall metal ribs (not spikes, but rounded metal tabs) in the middle of the window sill.

People would still perch forward on the little part of the window sills in front of the ribs.

Then someone installed tall, slanted metal plates that rose to a height too hight to sit on, and too slanted to lean against.

People gathered up and down the skyway anyway.

Police officers were regularly stationed at the base of the tower and up on the skyway around the tower.

People gathered up and down the skyway anyway.

The brought down the air conditioning in the summer and the heat in the winter, so the skyway was no longer much of a refuge from the elements.

People gathered up and down the skyway anyway.

An older African-American woman staffed an information/security desk for an office building down the hall from the tower, just beyond the skyway.  Sometimes, if young people were acting up, she would make herself known.  They didn’t mess with her.  There would be a lot of “Yes, ma’am” and things would quiet down.

Then someone locked the doors to the tower down at the station level, and at the skyway level, someone put in drywall and plastered over the entryway entirely.  So it became a wall.

No more elevator, no more stairway.

There’s just this completely sealed up tower of brick and stained glass that no one can access anymore.

There’s also no more crowds gathering in the skyway by the light rail station anymore.

Now everyone, included folks who can’t do stairs and need an elevator have to cross one or more streets to find a public entrance to a building that will provide access to the skyway level.

Just an evolution of a space over a period of years to make it less, and less, and less, and less hospitable to people.  So they wouldn’t linger.  So they wouldn’t gather.  So… things… would be less likely to happen that might make people using the skyways to move, rather than sit or stand still, uncomfortable.

Given the loss of businesses all over the city, there’s just a lot of empty space now.

And this one skyway that used to be quite full of people.

Now it’s just a big empty hallway waiting for people (who are working in nearby businesses) to pass through.

A bit spooky, to be honest.

I’ve been thinking about how a space on stage might evolve to push people away.

And the conditions, misunderstandings and prejudices that might cause people to alter a space that way.

Play around with that
Or don’t.  
Whatever you like, do that.

Just write.


*********************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #28: Companion Plays

Or try 2022’s challenge #28: Atmosphere

Or try 2023’s Challenge #28: Contronyms

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


**************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


**********************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #28

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 paste 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 #28
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 28th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Friday, November 29th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


*****************************

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.

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 12 noon on Friday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 2 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.

A turkey runs for its life across the stage.

Followed by a potato, also running for its life.

Followed by a squash, also running for its life.

Followed by a box of stuffing, also running for its life.

Followed by a cranberry, also running for its life.

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #27 - …Until All You Can Remember Is a Name (Write Nov. 27)

Hello again!

(2 of 2)

Including this daily prompt, there are only four left to share with you before our work is completed for the month.

Well done, everybody!  

We can all see the end of November dead ahead on Saturday,

with the last work to be turned in by noon Central time on Sunday, December 1st.

This prompt is the one you would be writing Wednesday 11/27 to be turned in on Thursday 11/28 (however you choose to recognize or re-invent the national holiday) by noon Central Time, but just label your email for prompt 27 and you can turn it early and I’ll credit it ahead.

And of course, you can always use the mini-play at the bottom of the email and blog post as an escape hatch for the day’s writing.

Let’s get you that second writing prompt for today…

******************************************


Challenge #27 - …Until All You Can Remember Is a Name

Write Nov. 27th - or earlier if you like
Due: Thursday, November 28th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



For the writing challenge, let's talk open-ended commissions.

When I spoke to the person with the winning bid on the one-act play being auctioned off for Threshold Theater two years ago, asking what they might want me to write about in this script they'd paid for, they just said, "It'd be nice to include my wife's name in it somehow."

That's it.  No other guidance or preferences.

What would you write if you had nothing to go on but a name?

Try writing something with a character with a name of someone you know, or wish you knew.

Or try writing something specifically for the talents of an actor you know, or wish you knew.

Have fun with it.

And for a completely random set of names, try one of the first names of this year’s challenge playwrights :)

Adian (no spellcheck, I didn’t mean to spell Aidan or Aiden), Alex (2 of them), Allison, Amy, Angele, Anna, Anya, Arianna, Arthur, Ava, Avery,
Bara, Barry, Ben/Benjamin (2 of them), Betsy, Betty, Bob/Robert (2 of them), Brenda, Brent, Brian (2 of them),
Carey, Cate, Caroline, Christopher, Claudia, Coco, Craig,
Dana, Daniel, Daphne, Dave/David (2 of them), Debra, Diane,
Elizabeth, Ellie, Erica,
Franklin,
Gary (2 of them), Greg,
Hank, Hannah, Haz, Heather, Heidi,
Izolda,
Jaime, Jenny (2 of them), Jessica (2 of them), Jim, Joe, Jordan,
Kaily, Kate, Klae (no spellcheck, I didn’t mean to spell Kale), Krista, Kyra,
Lana, Laura, Lensa, Lex, Lori, Lynn,
Marie, Michael (2 of them),
Nicholas, Nina, Nora,
Pamela (3 of them), Patrick, Paul,
Rachel, Rita, Rod, Rose, Ryan,
Sal/Salvador, Sarah (2 of them), Shelley, Stephanie, Stephen, Steven, Suzanne,
Teryle, Tia, Trixy (no spellcheck, I didn’t mean the word Try)
Uma,
Xander, Xavier,
Zachary, Zoe

Mix it up.  Have fun with the thing.

All this just got me thinking about this quote I pulled out the first time I read the Jay McInerney novel “Bright Lights, Big City” - “But what you are left with is a premonition of the way your life will fade behind you, like a book you have read too quickly, leaving a dwindling trail of images and emotions, until all you can remember is a name.”

And if none of that doesn’t do it for you, you can always ignore this prompt and do whatever you want, just like every other day in November.

Just write.  Something.


***********************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #27: She Blinded Me With Science

Or try 2022’s challenge #27: Code Words

Or try 2023’s Challenge #27: The Ex Files (from Threshold Theater’s co-founder and Technical Director Nick Mrozek)

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


***********************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


***********************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #27

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 paste 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 #27
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 27th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Thursday, November 28th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


*********************************

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.

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 12 noon Central Time on Thursday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 3 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.

A goat puppet speaks.

GOAT: My name is Andrea, but you can also call me Andy.

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #26 - Chat GPT, Gmail AI, and Off Book (Write Nov. 26)

Hi folks

(1 of 2)

Yes, I’m going to send you two prompts a day on Monday and Tuesday, so you have all but the very last of the prompts early to take you through the holiday week.  That way, if you want to write extra ahead of time and bank it, you can do that.

This prompt below is the one you would be writing Tuesday 11/26 to be turned in on Wednesday 11/27 by noon Central Time, but just label your email for prompt 26 and you can turn it early and I’ll credit it ahead.

And of course, you can always use the mini-play at the bottom of the email and blog post as an escape hatch for the day’s writing.

Happy writing to you all, in the meantime.

Let’s get you that first writing prompt…

*************************


Challenge #26 - Chat GPT, Gmail AI, and Off Book

Write Nov. 26th - or earlier if you like
Due: Wednesday, November 27th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



Another suggestion from Threshold Theater Literary Associate Kate Cosgrove:

“Write a scene that could convincingly pass as a scene generated by ChatGPT (without using ChatGPT... obviously).”


This reminds me of two things, the first of which is Gmail’s AI, which includes three options at the bottom of every email which it hopes will be helpful as a quick response to a message someone sent you:

Looks great!  
Got it, thanks!
Done.
Done and uploaded.
This is great, thank you so much!
Thanks, I’ll take a look.
This is great, thank you!
Glad to help!  
Here you go!
Sorry about that! I just resent it.
Will do, thanks for letting me know.
Printed!


But nothing confuses AI more than submitting script scenes in the body of an email.  I got lots of confused completely inappropriate responses like the following:

Absolutely!
All the best with your writing endeavors.
Amazing story!
Beautiful day!
Beautiful poem.
Beautiful story!
Bummer!
Congratulations!  
Glad to hear you made it!
Glad you enjoyed it!  
Glad you like the book!
Good luck!
Good one(s)!  
Got it.  
Got the invite.
Got you down!
Great!
Great question!
Haha!
Haha, thanks!
Hahaha!
Have a great weekend too!  
I agree with you.  
I know you do.
I think it’s perfect!
I’m so proud of you!
I’m sorry.
It was fun!  
It was our pleasure!
Lol.
Looking forward to it too!  
Made it to the end!
Me neither.
Much better.
Of course you can!
Ok to send.
Pic?
So glad you enjoyed it!  
So true!
Still nothing.  
Sweet dreams!
Thank you!  
Thanks, you too!  
These are cute.
These are great!
They look great!
This is a good one.
Very cool!
Very funny!
We will be there!
We will miss you!  

(And my personal favorite AI response…)
What is this?



This also puts me in mind of the recurring improv comedy series Off Book at HUGE improv theater (R.I.P.)

For this improv show, the concept was as follows:

An actor memorizes the lines of one side of a conversation in a scene from a play.  They can only say those lines, in the order they were written.

An improviser is assigned the actor as a scene partner but the improviser is not provided with the script for the scene, and actually has no idea what the scene is about.  They can only take their cues from what the actor says to them.  Sometimes the actor’s side of the conversation is open to wide interpretation.  Often the improviser commits to a bit that is VERY different from what the scene is actually about - and comedy ensues, as the actor and improviser work together to find their way through the scene.  (They used scenes from a couple of my plays in different rounds of this concept and it was a lot of fun to watch.)

Artificial intelligence trying to create the other side of the conversation based on lines it’s been fed is a lot like this (and though not nearly as creative, it’s still very funny :)


So take any or all of that as a jumping off point.

Or, as usual, just write whatever you like and turn it in by the deadline.  Up to you.

Just write something :)


***********************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #26: Random Phrase Generator part 4

Or try 2022’s challenge #26: Visual Writing Prompt

Or try 2023’s Challenge #26: Impossible Set (from Threshold Theater Literary Associate Kate Cosgrove)

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


****************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


*********************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #26

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 paste 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 #26
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 26th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Wednesday, November 27th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


****************************

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.

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 12 noon Central Time on Wednesday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 4 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.

NARRATOR: And so we sail on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.

AI: Beautiful poem!  What is this?

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #25 - Power (Write Nov. 25)

Hi folks

24 writing challenges down.

Only 6 to go!

Keep up the good work :)

Heads up - tomorrow, Monday, and Tuesday, you’ll be getting two prompts each day in order to give you enough material so if you want to submit material early and bank it for the holiday this week, you can, so you’re not writing on Thanksgiving Day, for instance, if you don’t want to :) Each challenge will be marked with what day it’s for, when you should write, if not earlier, and when you should turn it in, if not earlier.

This year the holiday is odd because it’s falling in the last week of the month, and the month actually ends in the middle of the weekend, so you’ll be turning in that very last challenge, that you’re writing on Saturday, November 30th, by 12noon Central Time on Sunday, December 1st. (Normally we get at least a partial post holiday week inside of the month of November, but the calendar’s just a weird one this year.)

But for now, let’s get you that writing prompt for the day today…


****************************

Challenge #25 - Power

Write Nov. 25th - or earlier if you like
Due: Tuesday, November 26th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



I’ve recently received a weird call for a potential new script that I find myself struggling with but I wasn't entirely sure why at first, so I thought it might be an interesting thing to share with the group.

Someone from a theater company which shall remain nameless reached out about their latest call for short scripts.

They do this pretty much annually, putting together a production of a collection of new short scripts centered on a common theme.

Friends of mine have participated in this process in the past and enjoyed the results.

I actually previously submitted to them for a previous year’s theme, but then never heard anything - even though they laid out a process that indicated when and how playwrights would be contacted.

The process at that time was about getting proposals for scripts, rather than completed first drafts.  The new guidelines are focused on jump-starting the process and getting that first draft up front, which they’ll use to make decisions on what they do or don’t want to do.

And now the guidelines also indicate they’ll just be announcing the selected scripts on a given date, rather than promising to contact all playwrights.  I’m assuming they’ll contact the playwrights of the scripts they want to do, just to be sure the writers are still interested in working with them to develop the scripts.

Here’s the thing - the theater company has a very particular way they want to work.
The theater has… interesting ideas about the concept of new play development.

Theater is a collaborative process (agreed) and the theater company in question takes this to mean that “everyone working on a production brings something valuable to enhance the story being told.”

And… ok…I’m a big proponent of playwrights and directors collaborating and making sure that the message the playwright wants to convey with their script is actually the message getting through.  Another set of eyes on a script is a welcome thing if the collaborators are a good fit.  

And I’m a huge proponent of the script not being set until after at least the first week of rehearsal, because in every new play production process I’ve been involved in, I’ve learned so many things from the actors even in the first read through that I hadn’t noticed before, and incorporating their questions and insights has always made my scripts better.

In this case, the theater will engage a panel to review blind copies of the scripts.
The panel’s feedback on the scripts will be shared with the playwrights and then the playwrights have roughly two weeks to deliver the next draft of the script - and the playwrights “will be expected to consider the feedback and incorporate as appropriate.”  The phrase "incorporate as appropriate" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here, and you'll see it resurface several times.

Then directors will be assigned to the scripts, and the directors will provide more feedback on this second draft of the script within two weeks’ time.
And then the playwrights have another two weeks “to consider the feedback, consult with directors, and incorporate it as appropriate,” delivering a third draft of the script.

Then during the first week of rehearsals, immediately after delivery of the third draft, the script will be workshopped with the director and the actors, with the playwright in attendance. And I’m sure you can see where this is going - the playwright is expected to listen to the discussion of the script including “any feedback and suggestions. Writers are then expected to incorporate the feedback as appropriate…” and turn in yet another, this time final, draft of the script in a little less than two weeks.

After which the production team has a little less than a month to get the whole thing rehearsed, designed and up on its feet, ready for an audience.

So the script needs to be good enough to be selected,
but not so good that it’s actually finished,
because they expect you to change it not once, not twice, not thrice, but four times before they’re willing to declare it complete for the purposes of their theater company.

“To this end, playwrights should be open to receiving and incorporating feedback at each stage, knowing that the intention is always to support the playwright’s vision and help them improve the way they tell their story. Playwrights who do not wish to participate in this process should not submit their script for this production.”

If it wasn’t clear, the playwrights obviously have no input into who sits on the panel evaluating and choosing the scripts, the playwrights have no input into who the company selects to direct their scripts, and though there’s a nod to “welcoming input” from the playwrights in regard to casting, the theater’s going to make all the final decisions on that as well.

So the playwrights will have zero say in who their collaborators are, but they’ll be expected to incorporate feedback from all these other parties into their script.

Plays should be roughly 15 minutes long.
Plays should have no more than five characters, speaking or non-speaking.
Plays should have simple technical requirements and require minimal props.
Plays should be comedies
(they’re a theater whose mission is comedy so that’s understandably part of the deal)

Ready for the punch line?

The theme this year is

Power

“The play should comment on how power exists in today’s society.
The play does not have to take place in the present day,
or even in the real world,
but it must present a message about power in modern day society.”

Now, I could write a satire about an enforced creative process…
But I’m not sure they’d appreciate reading it.

Setting aside the guidelines for a second, I find that power as a subject matter doesn’t really interest me.

And it was weird for me to come to that conclusion because… well, shouldn’t power interest me?

I’m willing at admit that I may be thinking about the concept of power incorrectly - or not realizing that in some way all stories are about power dynamics between people or institutions (or people AND institutions) and thus not fully seeing the story and/or comedic potential in the idea of power.

The nonsense right now about who gets to use what restroom at the U.S. Capitol building in Washington D.C. is certainly about power.  
But I don’t think it’s funny.  
And I don’t think I’m the appropriate person to write it.  
And I certainly don’t think you could write a good comedy about it by committee.

Most meditations on power right now that come to mind I don’t find funny at all.

But what about you?

Anything about any of this which you find funny, or enraging?

Don’t limit yourself to comedy.

Don’t limit yourself to five characters or 15 minutes.

Don’t limit yourself, period.

What’s power got to do with anything?

(And don’t worry, we won’t be submitting it to three rounds of review which you’re required to incorporate into your subsequent rewrites and new drafts)

And yes, I will be reaching out to the theater in question in return and sharing, as politely as possible, my suggestions for rewrites to their collaboration rules for playwrights.

Because they want to work with local playwrights because they want to involve them in the process, and I’m assuming potentially develop ongoing working relationships with them.  But this is not how you start a healthy creative relationship.

Can playwrights sometimes be unreasonably stubborn like any other human beings and refuse to listen to even good suggestions?  Sure.  But you can’t write a set of rules to litigate your way around that.

And do playwrights have to deal with situations where they’re sending their plays out into the world and trusting them to theaters that for reasons of time, cost and distance, can’t actively collaborate with them on creating the final production?  Sure. But that’s not this process.  This is a theater actively wanting to get everyone in the room together to create something.

I’d just argue that this isn’t the way to do it.  Not if you respect the playwright as an equal creator in the process.  This set of guidelines is, in my opinion, both condescending to and infantilizing the playwright.

And as always, feel free to just ignore me (and this rant/writing prompt), write whatever you want, and turn it in by the deadline.

Just writing something :)


*************************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #25: Unstageable

Or try 2022’s challenge #25: Fun With Homophones

Or try 2023’s Challenge #25: Mood Music

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


*****************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


************************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #25

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 paste 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 #25
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 25th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Tuesday, November 26th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


**************************

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.

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 12 noon Central Time on Tuesday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 5 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.

A playwright is surrounded.

PANELIST:  Take my advice on how to rewrite your play!

DIRECTOR: And take my advice on how to rewrite your play!

FIVE ACTORS (in unison): AND take my advice on how to rewrite your play!

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #24 - Leftovers from David (Write Nov. 24)

Hello folks!

23 writing challenges down.

Only 7 to go!

Yes, we are entering the final week of the November Playwriting Challenge :)

So let’s get to today’s writing prompt…


**********************************

Challenge #24 - Leftovers from David

Write Nov. 24th - or earlier if you like
Due: Monday, November 25th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



It was hard to come up with a title for this challenge.

These are the last prompts this year from Threshold Theater’s co-founder and Managing Director David Schlosser.

They don’t have anything tying them together other than the fact that for one reason or another I didn’t group them in with any of the previous challenge suggestions he provided.

So these are David’s leftover prompts, going in three very different directions:



“When I was 18 I thought…”
(Some of us have to reach back farther than others for this one :)


“Looking at their phone He/she/they wrote. No, I understand. We can go out another time. Yeah some things happen. I hope your mom feels better.”
(Now, this sounds like a lie.  It’s probably a lie.  But what if it isn’t?)


“The beat of the dance floor picked up, as the sweaty half naked crowd poured on. He/she/they stood there and…”
(Again, some of us have to reach back farther than others for this one :)



As always, if this prompt doesn’t do it for you, you can always feel free to just write whatever you want and turn it in by the deadline instead.

Just write something today :)




*************************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #24: Alternate Timelines

Or try 2022’s challenge #24: Band Name

Or try 2023’s Challenge #24: Snapshots 4 (from Threshold Theater co-founder and Managing Director David Schlosser)

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


*******************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)

************************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #24

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 paste 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 #24
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 24th - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Monday, November 25th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


***************************

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.

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 12 noon Central Time on Monday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 6 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.

A teenager in a cap and gown approaches a podium.

They speak to the audience

TEEN
When I was 18 I thought high school was never gonna end.
But we made it.
Well, most of us anyway…

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.

Writing Challenge #23 - Embarrassing Guitar (Write Nov. 23)

Hi folks

22 writing challenges down.

Only 8 to go!

We had our first minor snowfall here in Minneapolis the other day.  
Not much of it left the next day even partway into the morning, but winter’s knocking at the door.

Let’s warm up our hands and keep on typing.

On to the day’s challenge…


*******************************************


Challenge #23 - Embarrassing Guitar

Write Nov. 23rd - or earlier if you like
Due: Sunday, November 24th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



So, one of the things I’ve been wondering about lately is how you represent embarrassment onstage.

Because a person’s embarrassment is such an internal thing - you can get it in books or movies or TV because you can get into a person’s head in pretty easy, sometimes overused, ways.

And of course, an audience can be embarrassed in sympathy for a character in theater.  They can see a situation and imagine themselves in the middle of it and cringe in response.  So that’s close.

But actually being inside that emotion for a character on stage, that’s tricky.

Why was I thinking of this, you ask?

Well, it turns out that all musical acts at Threshold Theater fundraisers which are not drag-related are cursed.

No, really, they are.   
Cursed.
They always end in some form of musical disaster.

Three years ago, we had some fabulous drag comedians who also did a little song on the side and they were delightful.  That same year, the musician who had signed up to be part of the fundraiser had to bail on us at the last minute because they were sick.

The musician felt really bad about it and so enthusiastically signed up to be part of Threshold’s fundraiser the following year.

We all lived to regret this decision.

That year, I don’t believe there was a drag element to the entertainment, though we did have a very entertaining lesbian stand-up comedian.  And she had to go on earlier than planned, because the music act didn’t show up.

They didn’t show up early, prior to the start of the event, as requested in order to get a feel for the room and maybe do a sound check and bring in their equipment before we opened the doors to those attending the fundraiser.  Rude, but not a deal breaker.

The musician kept texting they were on their way, and they’d be there shortly but they just continued to… not show up.  So we kept shuffling the order of the entertainment.  There was the stand-up comedian.  There was bingo.  There were readings from upcoming scripts we’d be featuring in the new season.  There were the breaks to let people bid on silent auction items.

In the midst of all this the musician did finally show up - and then proceeded to have an emotional meltdown when none of their tech worked.  They had a computer that didn’t work, and sound files on a memory stick that wouldn’t play even on someone else’s laptop, and then of course they had to take a while to set up the keyboard and speaker they had, which did at least work, for all that good it did us.

And then it kind of became the entertainment equivalent of a hostage situation.

Because Minnesotans don’t want to be rude.  
Plus they were there for a fundraiser so they wanted to stay until the end to see if they were victorious bidders in the silent auction.

But the musician was genuinely terrible.  
I mean, clearly they were having a bad night.  
And it was original songs so it’s impossible to be entirely sure, but it certainly felt like everything was just slightly off-key, both the keyboard playing and the singing.  
It didn’t feel like a choice, it felt like a mistake.

And they just… kept… attempting to play.  And attempting to sing.

Dude.  Read the room.  End the set.

At one point he referenced the fact that his next song was inspired by recently reading the novel “Giovanni’s Room” - and I don’t think no one responded because they hadn’t also read the novel (I have).  I think everyone else was having a similar response to my own thoughts which were, “Please leave poor James Baldwin out of this.”

Every time the musician launched into another song I thought one of our company members was going to have an aneurysm, they were so furious.  

And I was just desperately trying not to laugh.  
Because I wasn’t laughing at the musician,
I was laughing at the escalating absurdity of the situation.

To this day, I only need to say the words “Giovanni’s Room” to set someone off in peels of laughter at a company meeting.  
And again, James Baldwin didn’t sign up for that.

The set finally,
mercifully,
ended.  
We still insisted on paying the musician,
and we haven’t seen them since.

And then, this year, it was my turn.

We did have a drag performer again this year, Deb U Taunt, and she was remarkable, doing both a comedy routine and three Sondheim songs live, “How Could I Leave You?” “Send In The Clowns” and “The Ladies Who Lunch.”  Her voice and perfomance were just jaw-droppingly good.  Set the bar for the evening incredibly high, nothing else touched it.

The evening also featured still more silent auction bidding, and bingo, a reading of the first scene from the upcoming spring production of my play “Spellbound” and ended with a really spirited and funny queer improv group performing in iambic pentameter as No Fear ShakesQueer.

But before we got to the improv troupe, we all thought it’d be a good idea if I performed the song featured in “Spellbound” (since I’m currently the only person who knows how to play the guitar for it, and sing it).

I am not a performer, but I’ve been shoved up on stage by my guitar teacher at numerous music student showcases in the years pre-pandemic, and I’ve been passable.

Also, I know the song backward and forward, I’ve been working on a demo recording of it, I played it for the Zoom staged reading we did during the pandemic during the spots in the script where the development of the song is featured.  I have played it during songwriting classes as an example of what I’ve done from a previous songwriting class, when we’re all going around and sharing.

I hadn’t performed in public for a number of years, due to the pandemic, but this was going to be a friendly audience, it should have been easy, right?

I even played it out back behind the venue several times through just to make sure I had it in my fingers before I then had to wait for over an hour while all the other bidding and bingo and scene reading and that fantastic drag performance happened.  And then there was going to be one more round of bingo and then finally, I’d go on.  Bingo the first time took forever so I nipped off to the men’s room quickly.  I wasn’t gone long but I returned to find the bingo game was suddenly and very rapidly over and now I was supposed to hop up on stage and get playing.

I am not exaggerating when I say that it was terrible.

Easily the worst performance - acting, singing, playing guitar - of my entire life.

So at least we got that out of the way.

For some reason, even though my brain is well aware that a G chord is featured in nearly every line of the song - and I had the music in front of me - neither by fingers nor my brain would allow me to play a G chord.

And my training from all previous showcase performances has been - just push on through it.  No one is expecting perfection so don’t put that on yourself.  Just get through it.  No matter how badly you think it’s going, don’t stop, don’t double back, don’t falter, don’t draw attention to your mistakes, all of that will only make it worse.  Power through to the end.

Now, if I hadn’t had that training and previous experience, and I’d been thinking clearly, I would have stopped, since it was a completely different kind of event, and said to the audience, in relation to the play and its characters, and their relative levels of proficiency on the guitar,

“I am more a Micah-level guitar player than an Auggie-level guitar player, and Micah would stop and look at the music rather than try to perform for you, and the music would be the better for it, so I’m just going to focus on that, if you’ll bear with me.”

And I would have really read the music in front of me, not tried to do it from memory, and included all the G chords, and wow, it would have been so much better for everyone involved.

Instead, I just pushed through the damn thing, singing it correctly, even as I failed to play the guitar correctly and dropped the G chords and thus was playing the wrong chord a good fifty percent of the time, and it only snowballed the further I pushed into the song.  So the melody and the supporting guitar chords never matched up after about the first 15 seconds or so.

It was, however, not a hostage situation.  It was just the one song.

It was the longest three minutes of my life.  But it was only one song.

The audience was, I’m sure, just as mortified as I was.

Upside, they will never suggest that I play for an event for Threshold again.

And the bar is set very low for the next time someone accidentally hears me play guitar - they will be stunned to discover I can actually do it.

Downside, I had to stay in the room, with everyone, for an entire 20 minute improv comedy set.  And give the performers my full attention and focus, even though I was dying inside from embarrassment.  I watched, I laughed (they were quite good), and I pretended no one else was in the room or looking at me.

And then I had to get up on stage to help announce some of the winners of the silent auction items and had the bidders their sheet so they could go pay for their stuff.

And then I had to pack up my gear and get it out to the car - which I did by myself because I could not make eye contact with anyone.

I even drove a friend home from the event and we did not discuss it.  We talked about quite literally everything else.

To this day, no one in the company has mentioned it in conversation, even though we did a post-mortem on the fundraiser at the next company meeting.

I haven’t even brought it up with my guitar teacher in our lessons, even though a number of our lessons prior to the event were focused on getting ready for it, and he can testify to the fact that, boy, can I play that damn song.  It sounds great.

Just not that night.

Non-drag musical acts at our fundraisers are cursed.

So I’ve been thinking about embarrassment, and how you manifest it onstage.

Because it’s a very potent emotion.

So play around with some element of that.

Or, as always, just ignore this, write whatever you want and turn it in by the deadline.

Just write something… :)


*************************************

If you’re not interested in this prompt, you can

try 2021’s challenge #23: Hidden Histories

Or try 2022’s challenge #23: Location, Singer, Poet

Or try 2023’s Challenge #23: The Vanishing Point

Or, you know, just ignore the prompts altogether and write whatever you want - as long as you’re writing and turning it in by the deadline, that’s all that matters for the challenge :)


*******************************

And because we call can get in our own way so easily, here’s some words of reassurance on the basics of this month:

Friendly Reminders - Answers To Common Questions:
(Follow the links to read me expounding on these items :)

Don’t Stress About Writing A Full Play

Don’t Stress About FormatDon’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

No.  Really.  I Mean It.  Don’t Stress About Sticking To The Writing Prompt

Don’t Stress About Finishing An Idea (You Can Add Later)

Don’t Stress About “Succeeding” or “Failing”

Don’t Stress About What You’re Turning In Each Day

Don’t Stress About November 28th (however you recognize the holiday weekend)


*************************************

How to submit your work for Challenge #23

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 paste 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 #23
(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 noted above in the comments section below on this very blog post for today's challenge on our writing challenge blog



Write Nov. 23rd - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Sunday, November 24th, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


*********************************

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.

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 12 noon Central Time on Sunday to write if you need it.  When you’re done, you’re done.

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 7 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.

A non-drag musical performer gets up on stage at a Threshold Theater fundraising event.

It does not go well.

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.

And take good care of yourselves, and each other.