Writing Challenge 2016 #4 - Compliments

NWC #4- "Compliments" DUE Nov 5th at 8am CST

CHALLENGE

*Write three compliments about yourself... then scroll down.*

.

.

.

Okay

those

are the

character

descriptions

of the three characters in your play.

They are all you, but they are also not.

The twist? One got fired and dumped the other. And the third just got cancer with no healthcare.

Location?

Your home town growing up

The first line of the play? Tell yourself off. Really. Tell you just where you can friggin stick it.

See if you can love yourself a little by the end. Heal. Work for it. Make it real. Do it in under 10 pages.

(I will get back to addressing challenges directly, I swear.  Right now, though, if I have a daily writing deadline, I need to use it to push me into writing more bus plays for a day or two.  And so - following up on bus play #1 - )

BUS PLAY #2

(The bus.  On the ice.)

(A number is chosen.)

(Two scripts are pulled.)

(One has the color green across the top.)

(One has the color yellow across the top.)

(The audience members who pull the scripts decide either to hand the script off to an ACTOR to perform, or to keep it and read it themselves.  Then - )

                          GREEN SCRIPT READER

Enough number picking.  I have green, I'll go first.

                          YELLOW SCRIPT READER

I yield the bus to you.

                          GREEN

Oh, there are stage directions.

                          YELLOW

This isn't really a stage.

                          GREEN

Then I guess they're bus directions.

                          YELLOW

What are the bus directions asking you to do?

                          GREEN

(look at Yellow, smile)

                          YELLOW

(look at Green, smile back)

                          GREEN

(make a heavy, audible, contented sigh)

                          YELLOW

(make a heavy, audible, contented sigh)

                          GREEN

(tilts head to one side, still looking at Yellow)

                          YELLOW

(tilt head to the opposite side, still looking at Green)

                          GREEN

     (to others on their side of the bus)

You can do this, too.

                          YELLOW

     (to others on their side of the bus)

You can do this, too.

                          GREEN

Look at someone.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          YELLOW

Look at someone.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          GREEN

Smile.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          YELLOW

Smile.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          GREEN

Sigh.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          YELLOW

Sigh.

     (They do it along with their fellow bus mates.)

                          GREEN

     (to YELLOW)

May I please put a hand on your shoulder?

                          YELLOW

     (be honest)

(Yes) or (No)

                          GREEN

(if yes, put a hand on their shoulder)

(if no, then say - "All right, I'll just wave to you then.") (and wave)

                          YELLOW

May I please give you a hug?

                          GREEN

     (be honest)

(Yes) or (No)

                          YELLOW

(if yes, give them a hug)

(if no, turn to the rest of the bus and say - "All right, is there anyone else on the bus who would like a hug?")

(if yes, give them a hug and say "Thank you")

(if no, then turn to the rest of the bus and say, finally-)

I think we should open this up.  If you feel so inclined, turn to the person for whom it would be the least awkward, and give them a hug.

                          GREEN

Hugs all around.

                          YELLOW

Or not.

(After sufficient time for hugging, or a lack of hugging)

                          GREEN

And our job here is complete.

                          YELLOW

So I bow.

                          GREEN

And I bow.

                          YELLOW

And someone else gets to pick a number.