Writing Challenge #22 - Sponge, Rhino, Tire Swing (Write Nov. 22)

Hi again folks

There’s some midday meetings for work going on, so I’m sending this one out a bit earlier than usual.

21 writing challenges down.

Only 9 to go!

It'd sort of be theatrical malpractice of me not to mention the day I’m sending this out to you all (Thursday 11/21/24) is Give to the Max Day here in Minnesota, where every worthy cause you can think of asks for your support (it's actually part of the much larger Give to the Max month of November - so they don't destroy their servers on just a single day as they've done in the past.)

Threshold Theater is asking for support, too, of course.

If you're finding this month-long series of writing prompts useful to your process, and you can afford to toss us a little more than the original $15 you put in the kitty to take part in this challenge, Threshold certainly wouldn't say no :)

(If you can’t, no worries.  I know money’s tight, for writers more than most.)

Donations (along with ticket purchases at our events) help us to pay all the artists - playwrights, actors, directors and designers - involved in our ongoing New Play Readings Series and productions like our spring 2024 show “4Play With Threshold Theater” featuring a collection of short works from five female playwrights (four plays plus a monologue, hence the name :)

So give if you can.  Queer theater makers thank you.

Here's the link: https://www.givemn.org/story/Kssucf

Now let’s get to the writing prompt for the day…


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Challenge #22 - Sponge, Rhino, Tire Swing

Write Nov. 22nd - or earlier if you like
Due: Saturday, November 23rd, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)



Today’s bit of random inspiration comes from Threshold Theater Literary Associate Kate Cosgrove.

And it’s just seven words:

“A sponge. A rhino. A tire swing.”


Thoughts which occur to me:

A sponge can be used for many things -
from cleaning the dishes or just generally around the home or office or other location,
to helping to bathe another living creature,
human or animal -
and helping someone or something to bathe can take many forms for many reasons.  

Sponges can also wear square pants, and I’ll let you expound on that however you like.

As for the rhino, I’m reminded of the absurdist Ionesco play.
And the fact that in politics they misspell it in order to label folks as being insufficiently with the goals and aims of the Republican Party - RINO, Republican In Name Only.
But hey, why not spell it correctly and use it as an abbreviation for something else…
Red Hot In Name Only?  There must be more interesting RH combinations of words.
INO also doesn’t have to be “in name only”
Play around with that.
And sometimes a rhino is just a rhino, just a lumbering animal with an enormous horn on its nose.
Though I suppose you could clean it with a sponge.
Hard to get one in a tire swing, however.

And a tire swing…
Depends on the tire - car or tractor
Depends on the swing - vertical or horizontal
People of all ages hop on a swing for all sorts of reasons.

Take that trio of items and do with them what you will.

Or, you know, like all days, just write whatever you want and send it in by the deadline.

Have fun!


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

try 2021’s challenge #22: Left Coast Theatre Prompts

Or try 2022’s challenge #22: Random Sentence Generator

Or try 2023’s Challenge #22: Self-Discovery (from Threshold Theater Technical Director and co-founder 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 :)


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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)


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How to submit your work for Challenge #22

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 #22
(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. 22nd - or earlier if you like
Again, this is: Due: Saturday, November 23rd, 12pm noon Central Time
(1pm Eastern Time, 11am Mountain Time, 10am Western Time for the US Time Zones)


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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 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 8 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.


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And that something can be:



Lights up.

A rhino swings into view on a tire.

The rhino scrubs itself down with a sponge while swaying back and forth through the air.

The rhino gives itself one last enormous swing.

The rhino flies out of sight.

There is an enormous crash offstage.

The rhino pokes its head back in, and gives the audience a reassuring thumbs up.

RHINO:  I’m OK!
But did someone in the audience tonight drive here in a green Mustang.

A man in the audience raises his hand.

RHINO:  I’m really sorry, dude.  See me after the show.

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.