Challenge: Write a
structural comedy where the happy feels are from justice being done and villains
getting what they deserve.
Bonus- Be aware of and write the moral.
Bonus- Use ACTION and not dialogue as the comedic climax
Structurally, Comedy is when a likable Everyman character
starts low in power and ends high. Usually the laugh moments are during those
times of transition as they interact with people who are high (but violate social/moral
rules) that are lowered a peg.
(Contrastingly a Tragedy is where a likable hero starts high
and falls due to no or little fault of his own and a horror is where the
punishment is FAR greater than justice demands.)
Comedy Structure Example- A bus boy is mocked by some jocks
who, in trying to show off for their girlfriends, trip and fall into the cart
of dirty dishes the bus boy has just cleaned with amazing speed. The bus boy
winks at the girls and one give them his number.
If the moment is one of character growth as well, so much
the better.
Example: If the bus boy had just gotten into a fight and was
warned that if he gets into another he will be jailed. His restraint in this
instance both showed growth and society's reward for it.
Moral- Self- restraint and hard, efficient work are rewarded
by society and attract the attention of peers you desire.
(Yeah, this isn’t strictly following the comedy prompt
either, but this idea keeps pushing me forward - )
TV BOYFRIEND (yet another
scene)
The diner.
KEN and JAKE.
JAKE
He
wanted you to break them up?!
KEN
It
was either that or kill him.
JAKE
Kill
him?! Oh man, I am so glad you ignored
this guy.
KEN
He’s
really smart about plays and structure, though.
I
have been known on occasion to be too stubborn to take good advice.
JAKE
Why
did he want the central couple to split up?
KEN
He
didn’t see a happy ending for them.
JAKE
But
they love each other. So much. They’ve loved each other since they were
kids.
KEN
Sometimes
love isn’t enough, though.
They
have the war keeping them apart. There
are the temptations of other people.
Plus there was the “don’t ask don’t tell” policy forcing the soldier
back in the closet. So he and his civilian husband couldn’t acknowledge one
another or their relationship.
JAKE
How
do you feel about closet cases?
KEN
I
used to be much less forgiving, then I wrote this play. I also wasn’t a big fan of the military
before I started writing this play. I
used to be embarrassed by really effeminate gay men until I wrote one of them
into another play. I’m kind of ashamed
of my lack of empathy and understanding now.
But it’s taught me to question things I’m really certain of.
JAKE
Like
closet cases.
KEN
There
are circumstances. Some people would
call them excuses. Guys my age,
sometimes there’s a wife and kids involved because they got married before they
knew who they were, or got married to run away from it.
JAKE
I
can understand that.
KEN
Doesn’t
mean I have any patience for it. I won’t
date anyone I know is married. I have
more respect for their vows than they do.
Maybe it shouldn’t bother me, but I keep thinking about the family. Seems like the guy should either fish or cut
bait. Be honest and fair with everyone.
JAKE
Not
be trying to get some of what they need in one place, the rest in another.
KEN
The
other people in that equation deserve a real partner who’s fully present. I won’t be a party to that, settle for half
of what I deserve while they get twice as much.
JAKE
But
it’s not like you don’t understand how they got there.
KEN
Guys
my age who aren’t married, but still aren’t out of the closet? C’mon.
Your parents, if they’re still alive, they know. If they’re dead, they don’t care. Your friends know. Your co-workers know. You’re not fooling anybody. Come out, come out, wherever you are. Live your life.
JAKE
No
patience for that either.
KEN
Nope. Sorry.
JAKE
What
about younger guys?
KEN
That’s
trickier. Everyone comes out in their
own time. Some kids are coming out in
high school or elementary school these days and that’s a whole other world
compared to the one I grew up in.
JAKE
Doesn’t
mean it’s easy.
KEN
No. High school is vicious. Always has been. Being out in the open just means sometimes
you’re an easier target. These kids have
bravery I didn’t have.
JAKE
They’re
also killing themselves.
KEN
Breaks
my heart.
JAKE
When
did you know?
KEN
Long
before I was out. I didn’t come out til
I was 23.
JAKE
Really?
KEN
I
mean, I knew, of course, long before that, back in elementary school. I knew I was drawn to the other boys and
didn’t have an interest in the girls. I
tried. I had a good imagination, I could
pretend. But being socially awkward was
my friend. I wasn’t forced to perform
the way some guys were. College I got to
reboot, recreate myself, but I still wasn’t ready to come to terms with that. AIDS was just kicking into high gear. Being gay was terrifying. Doesn’t mean there wasn’t opportunity. I had a few of what I call “experiments in
humiliation and terror.”
JAKE grunts and nods in agreement.
KEN (cont’d)
I
see they have those on the hetero side of the Kinsey scale, too, then.
JAKE
Uh,
yeah.
KEN
But
then there’s that one time where, even though it still scares you, you realize
you enjoyed it. “Oh, I like this. I need this.
This is who I am.” There’s kind
of no turning back after that. I was
out, at least to myself. I gradually
came out to family and friends. Then by
the time I hit grad school, whole new set of people, gay was just the starting
point for who I was. The past, the
transition period to being comfortable in my own skin, that stuff wasn’t
following me around and infecting my days or my interactions with people
anymore.
JAKE
So
you’ve been out - ?
KEN
I
have been out –
KEN thinks about it, starts to laugh, heartily, as
he continues to speak.
KEN (cont’d)
- longer
than you’ve been alive. God, I’m old.
JAKE
No,
you’re not.
So
do you mostly date guys your own age?
KEN
I
try, but I’m not very good at it.
JAKE
Why’s
that?
KEN
I
feel like I’m a snob. Like I’m setting
this standard that it’s impossible for anyone to meet.
JAKE
What’s
the standard?
KEN
Guys
my age, a lot of them, they’ve just let themselves go. And if I believed it wasn’t reversible, I’d
probably be less judgmental. But I was
where they are now. My doctor gave me a
prognosis that scared me into joining a gym and getting a trainer and losing
weight.
JAKE
Altering
your diet and your lifestyle is hard.
KEN
Yeah,
but I look at pictures of these guys online and I think, their doctor must have
tried to scare them, too. Do they just
not care? Have they just given up? Who wants to settle down with that? If you’re starting from a place where inertia
and decay have already set in, if the foundation is rotten –
JAKE
You
want somebody with a little energy.
KEN
Someone
who cares about something, who’s passionate about something, starting with
themselves.
JAKE
Because
if they don’t care, why should you?
KEN
Exactly.
JAKE
That
doesn’t make you a snob.
KEN
I’m
just not comfortable with it, though. I
feel like I should be more forgiving, or flexible. I don’t want to turn into just another
fitness Nazi like all the gym rats half my age. Because let’s face it, I can’t compete on that
level.
JAKE
Stranded
between two worlds.
KEN
I
just don’t want to feel like I’m giving up too soon. But that also means I’m living in fear of
missing that moment, whatever it is, whoever it is, and then I’m suddenly too
late.
JAKE
What
about younger guys?
KEN
I
just feel inadequate.
JAKE
Why?
KEN
It’s
such a stereotype, older guys running around after young fresh meat. It deserves to be mocked. “You’re only as young as *who* you feel.”
JAKE utters a surprised laugh.
KEN (cont’d)
Sorry. Friend of mine used to say that all the
time. It’s burned into my brain.
JAKE
Nothing
wrong with an age difference.
KEN
No. Some of my friends actively go looking. Every now and again some young guy will cross
my path and it’s hard for me to believe.
He’s asking me if I have a problem with the age difference and I’m
honestly thinking, “You’re the one who’s trading down here.”
JAKE
Hey.
KEN
My
subconscious is a vicious personal critic, trust me. I’m just thinking “I’m not the prize in this
box of Cracker Jack. So if you’re OK
with the age difference, I am not gonna be the one to talk you out of it.” I’m going to appreciate the gift placed
before me for as long as it lasts.
JAKE
It
doesn’t last?
KEN
Hasn’t. So far.
I keep telling myself I just haven’t met the right guy. That he’s still out there. Somewhere.
JAKE
Like
the couple in the play.
KEN
They
have an advantage over you and me.
JAKE
What?
KEN
They’re
fictional.
It’s
easy to be the perfect boyfriend, the perfect husband, the perfect lover, if
someone’s crafting your words and your moves for you. Real life, we don’t get a lot of chance to
rewrite. We just stumble along and do
the best we can.
JAKE
But
you could see a happy ending for them, for your characters.
KEN
I
have to believe it’s possible. So I keep
trying to create it.
JAKE
It’s
possible for you, too.
KEN
Yeah,
but happy endings are hard. There’s a
reason people are suspicious of them and think they’re too neat and tidy. Because they are. Relationships are work. Splitting up, even death, that’s easy. Walking away is easy. Staying and making it work, living, openly,
fully, as who you are - that’s hard.
JAKE
So
that’s why you didn’t kill him off?
KEN
I
did kill the one character.
JAKE
Yeah,
that was bad enough.
KEN
It’s
war. It felt dishonest to pretend that
nobody dies and everybody makes it home in one piece.
JAKE
Even
the soldier that lives has PTSD.
KEN
But
see, that’s an obstacle. That’s something
a couple can struggle with together. Death
is –
JAKE
What?
KEN
Death
is neat and tidy. Death means you no
longer have to deal with the problem.
It’s a cheap trick writers use to avoid dealing with the hard stuff. Everybody cries at a funeral. Why not cry for someone who’s still alive and
working at it? The living require more
of you than the dead.
JAKE
An
earned happy ending.
KEN
Might
as well just trot out the deus ex machine now, right?
JAKE
I
could make an entrance like that.
KEN
Oh,
you’re a god now, are you?
JAKE
So
not what I meant.
KEN
I’m
just teasing you.
JAKE
Yeah.
KEN
Sorry.
JAKE
Don’t
be. I can get a little full of myself
sometimes.
KEN
You
gotta have confidence to be able to ski downhill backwards, and do stunt jumps
like that.
JAKE
There’s
something to be said for older men, though.
C’mon.
KEN
Well,
what we lack in energy, we make up for in experience.
JAKE
And
give the young men a break.
KEN
What
they lack in experience, they make up for in enthusiasm.
They share a smile, maybe even a laugh.
Pause.
JAKE gets quiet.
Strangely bashful.
KEN can’t figure out what just changed. Tries to make eye contact. Does.
JAKE leans in.
JAKE
I’d
trade a little of my enthusiasm for a little of your experience.
KEN
Are
you teasing me now?
JAKE
No. No teasing.
KEN
Is
this - ?
JAKE
That
was an offer. A – proposal.
KEN
Is
there something you want to ask me that you’re not comfortable saying in
public?
JAKE
Yeah.
KEN
You
live in the area?
JAKE
Yeah.
You?
KEN
Yeah.
You
live alone?
JAKE
Yeah.
You?
KEN
Yeah.
Where
would you feel most comfortable?
JAKE
My
place.
KEN
OK.
JAKE
Just
like that?
KEN
You’re
kind of high profile. I figure if you
were a serial killer, it would have been common knowledge by now.
JAKE
Kept
this secret, didn’t I?
KEN leans in.
KEN
But
the difference between “gay” and “serial killer” – one of the many differences
between “gay” and “serial killer” – when you’re done, you don’t have to hide
the body.
KEN smiles encouragingly.
JAKE sits a little straighter, suppresses a grin.
JAKE
You
ready to get out of here?
KEN
I
am if you are.
They try and fail not to rush getting up.
JAKE grabs the check.
KEN (cont’d)
C’mon.
JAKE
I
said I was buying you a cup of coffee.
KEN
You
paid for a theater ticket.
JAKE
And
how much money from that ticket do you actually get?
KEN doesn’t have a response for that.
JAKE (cont’d)
OK
then.
JAKE puts the money down.
They turn to go.
JAKE turns back again.
JAKE (cont’d)
Wait. Tip.
More money on the
table.
KEN
Generous.
JAKE
My
mom used to wait tables. She taught me
the value of tipping. It’s their salary,
after all.
KEN
Extra
points for that.
JAKE
Oh,
there’s a point system?
KEN
How
‘bout you point us in the direction of your place? You lead, I’ll follow.
JAKE
I’ll
take it slow.
KEN
I’ll
keep up.
Lights shift as KEN and JAKE move together to
another pool of light, representing part of Jake’s home.
KEN
Nice
place.
JAKE
Too
big. Too quiet.
KEN
Can’t
help with the size of the place, but we could work on the noise level if you
want.
No response from JAKE.
KEN turns, looks at him.
KEN (cont’d)
What?
JAKE
I’ve
been wanting to kiss you for a really long time now.
KEN
Then
why don’t you get over here?
JAKE walks slowly over to where KEN is standing.
JAKE takes KEN’s hand in his.
KEN lifts JAKE’s hand to his mouth and kisses it.
JAKE moves in closer to KEN.
JAKE kisses KEN, slowly, deliberately.
KEN kisses back.
After a few moments of this, they come up for air.
JAKE
You
want me to show you where the bedroom is?
KEN
I
would like that very much.
Hand in hand, JAKE leads KEN off into the dark.
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