Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Six-Line Scenes

Guyses,

I always feel Midwestern when I address anyone as "guys." But it is a habit that makes me nostalgic, so I probably won't stop. Hope that's all right.

Adam Simon can tell you that when we were in prestigious playwrighting school, we often had to do this exercise that was "Six-Line Scenes." It was pretty awesome, low-pressure and high-fun! And it forces you to tell a story, however elaborate, in just six lines. You can have any number of characters, any setting, any circumstance, as long as it's in six lines.

I had a blog a few years ago that explored the six-line phenomenon, if you want a few examples. Also, to throw myself on the sword in hopes of reading better (or simply, other, though I'm sure they'll be better, too) scenes from yall, here's this:

(JEB and MAEVE in a bank, waiting in line. MAEVE has on a designer dress, her hair is just so, and her makeup is perfect.)

JEB
Looks like we gon' ta hav' us a rain t'day.

MAEVE
(Blink, blink)
Yes.
(Look away)

JEB
Them shoes ain't gon' like it.

MAEVE
They'll be fine.

JEB
I'm worried. One time when I was a baby, momma wen' out with shoes on and her shoes never came back. Neither did momma.

BANK TELLER
Next!

fin.


Friday, January 16, 2015

Is this thing on?

Welcome, everyone. Feel free to post willy-nilly.

The layout's pretty simple but it can be easily changed.

My hope with this blog is that we upload pieces if we need feedback between readings, if we want to share links, etc. I'd be happy to upload bios if anyone wanted to have their bio up, too.

It'll be a work in progress.

Oh yeah and, how about that title? Pretty spot-on.