The Recap of the Writers' Meeting

Time: 11:58 PM

(Note, I wrote this whole blog already and ended up accidentally erasing. So here I go again!)

So starts the shorts.

We just got back from the big meeting with the writers. Everyone thankfully shows up and pretty much on time.

First things first, the seven writers draw their four actors out of a hat (actually it was out of the blue pouch I use to hold the box office).

Second thing, I announce the first theme to be incorporated. This is the one that came to me while I was doing sketch and then promptly forgot. It's Holidays. And not just any holidays. I went for the obscure ones. Just for grins.

Third thing is the second theme. This one came as a result of me living in abject fear at work of getting laid off and trying to figure out what the hell I would do as there are fewer legal jobs out there and I still wasn't licensed in New York. What with the bad economy and all, people are taking jobs that they wouldn't ordinarily take. Yep, that was the theme - random jobs.

And then the line. Okay, these mad lib lines are hard to come up with. It's tough to come up with something that is distinctive enough to be easily recognizable to an audience member, but still allows the writers some creativity. With some tweaking from Mr. Bradford - the therapist bit was his idea - we came up with this:

"Why are you being a ______________? You're ________________, ________________, and ___________________ - or so my therapist says."

And then parameters.

You had to incorporate both themes somehow.

You had to use the line.

Only 12 pages, but the show couldn't be longer than 15 minutes.

No internal sound or light cues - any sound effects would have to be onstage practicals or they'd have to bring in a CD player and speakers.

They had to have 6 copies of their script at 10 a.m. the next morning.

So here's what each writer left the theatre with:

1) Bill Bria

Holiday: Groundhog's Day

Job: Reality TV Show Host

Cast: Ben Klier, Andrew Lazaroff, Alisha Norris and Gillian Riley

2) Emily Ehlinger

Holiday: Sadie Hawkin's Day

Job: Mad Scientist

Cast: Micah Chartrand, Kate O'Phalen, Alicia St. Louis and Jere Williams

3) Duncan Pflaster

Holiday: Secretary's Day

Job: Butler to a Millionaire Superhero

Cast: Donella Alanwick, Melisa Breiner-Sanders, Emily Evans and Adia Tucker

4) Zach Rothman-Hicks

Holiday: Arbor Day

Job: Petfood Quality Control

Cast: Whitney Elliott, Jeff Kroh, Eddie Rodriguez and Steve Unwin

5) Oliver Thrun

Holiday: Chinese New Year

Job: Ghost Hunter

Cast: Catherine Corbett, Graeme Humphrey, Annie Pesch and Alexia Terrell

6) Michael Weems

Holiday: Boxing Day

Job: Children's Song Writer

Cast: Michael McKeogh, Blaine Pennington, Cara Picone and Dani Suder

7) Spencer Wolf

Holiday: Cinco de Mayo

Job: Judge at a Little Miss Pageant

Cast: Alec A. Head, Derrick Bryant Marshall, Elizabeth May and Lauren Meley

Okay, now that I've rewritten my blog, I have to go update the program so that it is as ready to go as I can make it before tomorrow.

- Christine Weems