first draft of first scene of a new play

ONE

(BRIAN wearing a button up shirt and tie knocks on the
bathroom door.)

TODD
(os)
In a minute!

(BRIAN goes downstage toward the futon where NEAL is
sitting holding a video controller. He is deep in the
throes of a video game.)

BRIAN
You're up already?

NEAL
Up?

BRIAN
Yeah.

NEAL
Oh, no, I didn't go to sleep yet.

BRIAN
Oh.

NEAL
Yeah.

(Pause)

BRIAN
I start a temp job today. I have to wear a tie.

NEAL
Huh. I should get a job.

BRIAN
Yeah. (Pause) Did you have a job before?

NEAL
Huh?

BRIAN
Is this a good game?

NEAL
What?

BRIAN
I've never played it.

NEAL
Oh.

TODD
(os)
I'll be out in a minute!

BRIAN
I'm supposed to wear a tie. I'm a little nervous.
Have you ever . . .?

NEAL
What?

BRIAN
Nothing. (Pause) Neal.

NEAL
What?

BRIAN
Are you going to be around later? After I'm done with
work?

NEAL
I don't know.

BRIAN
I was just thinking.

NEAL
Huh.

BRIAN
Maybe . . .

NEAL
I'm sorry, what?

BRIAN
Nothing. It's just . . . I don't know. It's like .
. . are you happy here?

NEAL
What?

BRIAN
In New York.

NEAL
Oh.

BRIAN
I was just wondering if . . . you know, this is--

NEAL
I need some crackers or something.

(NEAL gets up and exits stage left to the kitchen.
BRIAN walks upstage to stand next to the bathroom
door.)

BRIAN
Todd.

TODD
I know. I know.

BRIAN
I really have to go. I don't want to be late my first
day.

TODD
I know. I swear, I'll be right out.

BRIAN
That's what you keep saying.

TODD
We're best friends, huh?

BRIAN
Yeah, Todd.

TODD
We're always going to be best friends.

BRIAN
Sure.

TODD
Even sometimes if I lock myself in the bathroom, huh
buddy.

BRIAN
Uh huh. I got to go.

TODD
We should have a special best friend language that we
speak that no one can understand.

BRIAN
Yeah, ok.

TODD
I'm serious.

BRIAN
I know you are.

TODD
Remember that time we went bowling?

(NEAL reenters.)

NEAL
Have you seen the crackers?

BRIAN
No.

(NEAL looks at him then re-exits.)

TODD
I ate all the crackers.

BRIAN
Todd! Seriously. I have to go now.

TODD
OK. I had my suit cleaned. You want to see?

BRIAN
Todd!

TODD
Close your eyes.

BRIAN
Todd!

TODD
Are your eyes closed?

BRIAN
(Closing his eyes)
Yes.

TODD
Are they closed?

BRIAN
They're closed.

(TODD opens the door. He stands in a full white
rabbit costume with a place cut out for his face.)

TODD
What do you think?

BRIAN
Very nice. Let's go.

Feb 12 in Costa Mesa, CA

http://www.scr.org/season/06-07season/releases/newscriptrelease.html

Incendiary is the comic tale of a combustible group of
people. Elise is a pyromaniac fire chief. Jake is the
police detective investigating her fires. Carrie is a
therapist who's trying to get a client to quit some
truly destructive behavior, and Gary is leading the
life of a somewhat ineffective corporate spy. As the
smoke begins to billow and the sparks begin to fly,
they're all about to find out that love is the most
incendiary thing.

visual dramaturgy for a new play

part 2 of Zadie Smith article

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1993767,00.html

SCR

My play Incendiary is going to have a reading at South
Coast Rep Feb 12. They are flying me in for the
reading.

It's part of the Newscripts series and will be the one
hundredth reading in this series which began in '85.

http://www.scr.org/aboutSCR/newscript.html

Here are 97 that were read in past years

http://www.scr.org/aboutSCR/history/nshistory.html

and then add Mat Smart and Brian Tucker earlier this
year and now me. I hope to see you all there for this
historic event.

this morning--snow!

ok, so this isn't actually a photo from this morning but it's almost like that. and it's still snowing.

Got some good news last night. I'll tell you all about it soon.

An open letter

To the people who are searching for reviews of my play
Deflowering Waldo and stumble on my blog instead:

First of all, why do you care? Either you like the
play or you don't. Either you want to do it or you
don't. Why do you care what other people say?

Second, you're not going to find a review of it
online. We performed it in secrecy. At night. You
had to know a special password to get in. And you had
to be able to say it correctly, in Russian. And you
had to pay a lot of money directly to a Swiss bank
account prior to the performance. And we did it in my
basement. And the people who saw it were sworn to
secrecy and could never talk about the experience.
Because we didn't want the riff raff to see the show
and then write an online review.

I hope this information helps.

Sincerely,
Adam

from the Guardian

Fail better

What makes a good writer? Is writing an expression of
self, or, as TS Eliot argued, 'an escape from
personality'? Do novelists have a duty? Do readers?
Why are there so few truly great novels? Zadie Smith
on literature's legacy of honourable failure

http://books.guardian.co.uk/departments/generalfiction/story/0,,1989004,00.html

tuesday 23, 2:30 pm in NYC

I'm having a reading of my new play Searching at
Juilliard.

It's a dark comedy and goes back and forth between our
president plotting to get unlimited terms and 3
soldiers in the desert searching for Osama. There is
also a love triangle in the desert and unrequited love
between Bush and Cheney.

Let me know if you want to go and I'll put you on the
list.

also

http://www.szymkowicznaked.blogspot.com/

Floyd Britchcraft

The voice of God? You be the judge.

http://www.floydbritch.blogspot.com/

frtom Bob Geiger

Speaker Pelosi also confirmed what Bob Cesca wrote in
Tuesday's Huffington Post: That one of the conditions
being placed on the Iraqi government by the White
House is that American oil companies be given first
shot at Iraqi oil and be allowed to keep 75 percent of
the profits.

"In the president's proposal, one of the standards
that he's setting for them to meet is that 75 percent
of the oil production goes to U.S. companies," she
said. "This is stunning -- 75 percent of the
production goes to the U.S. Is this what our kids are
over there for?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-geiger/pelosi-on-opposing-iraq-e_b_38260.html?view=print

a book of poetry by my high school english teacher

http://www.antrimhousebooks.com/stanizzi.html

in the desert

I'm having a reading of my new political play
Searching at 2:30 at Juilliard on the 23rd. If anyone
wants to come please let me know and I'll put you on
the security list.

bush, sociopath?

http://mrexcitement.blogspot.com/2007/01/bush-is-sociopath-says-psychoanalyst.html

I have this recurring daydream that I will lose all my
memory and will have to use my cell phone to figure
out who I am. And I try to imagine what people in my
cell phone would say if I called them and asked them
who I was. I've been thinking about this a lot.
Maybe it will become a play.

I recently put in my parent's phone number into my new
phone under "mom and dad" even though the number has
remained unchanged for all my life and there is no
sane reason for me to have that number programmed into
my phone. I'd like to think that when I get amnesia I
will call them first. Of course they won't be home
and I wouldn't know to call K. I may change her
number in my phone to say girlfriend. If you had
amnesia, would you dial the number programmed into
your phone as significant other or would you assume
it's a business or something?

what is your recurring daydream/fear?

on writing

http://www.writingproject.org/cs/nwpp/lpt/nwpr/456

thanks to malachy

http://litdept.blogspot.com/

it stopped snowing

It's snowing

It's cold! Thank God. I thought I would never see
snow again.

K and I joined the Y on Atlantic. We are very excited
and going to go there tonight and work out for the
first time. They have a pool and a basketball court
and it is only 40 bucks each a month because of her
insurance.

I just have to actually go there. I think I can do
it. It seems like a place I will enjoy going to.
right? I just have to not be so freaking lazy all the
time.

tonight

http://szymkowicznaked.blogspot.com/

Incendiary coming soon

a scene i had to delete from incendiary

i like this scene. i'm sorry to have to lose it. Scene 25 (TOMMY, JIMMY, GARY and CARRIE in CARRIE’s burnt office. JIMMY is flipping through a phone book.) CARRIE My rug. TOMMY And you sure she went to this boyfriend’s house. CARRIE I’m not sure but where else would she go? JIMMY Statberg? CARRIE No. It was Jake Statsomething. JIMMY Stathouse? CARRIE No. TOMMY Keep looking. CARRIE I loved that rug. I can’t believe she burned that rug. You remember when I got that rug, Gary? Gary? GARY So we’re cool now, right? TOMMY I don’t know what you mean. Do you know what he means? JIMMY I haven’t the foggiest. GARY So you can leave me alone now and go after her. TOMMY Well, how do we know she set the other building on fire? JIMMY That’s true. We don’t know that. CARRIE She did set it on fire. GARY When you catch her, I’m sure she’ll tell you all about it. JIMMY Yeah but . . . GARY What? TOMMY See the thing is, you can’t really believe what people tell you under torture. GARY Then why do you do it? JIMMY It’s our nature. Statler? CARRIE No. GARY So what? I have to go with you? CARRIE Yeah, yeah, let’s go with them. GARY Darling. CARRIE What? GARY You’re not helping. TOMMY You still owe Liz some spy stuff, right? I think you better come along with us at least until we get a hold of this dame. GARY But he’s a cop. Why am I following you to some cop’s house? JIMMY He’s a cop? CARRIE Yeah. Detective Jake Stasomething. TOMMY We’re going to some detective’s house? JIMMY What, all of a sudden you are afraid of the law? TOMMY I just want to get it clear. We’re going to go in there and get some broad from some cop? GARY You can’t handle that? TOMMY I can handle don’t ask me what I can handle. CARRIE Do you think I’m a bad therapist? I mean she’s right, I didn’t help her stop setting fires. But sometimes it made her so happy I didn’t even want to help her. Helping her would hurt her. You should have seen the look on her face when she talked about it. It was like when we were first married, Gary how you used to look at me. Why don’t you look at me like that anymore? Was it something I did or something I said or did you just grow sick of me or is it something else? You know, we go to school get our license and everything but really it’s all instinct and my instinct was telling me to let her set fires throughout the city. Am I a bad person? Is that why you don’t look at me like that anymore? JIMMY Hey, now, I bet you’re a really good therapist. TOMMY Jimmy Splinters is right. I already feel better just being in this room. Although I do think you should get a new rug. JIMMY I know a guy. CARRIE But do you feel your antisocial impulses confirmed? TOMMY I’m very social. CARRIE Or are you going to give it all up because you realize it’s wrong and harmful to society. JIMMY What we do is not harmful to society. We are like checks and balances. Some guy gets out of line, he’s got to be put into check. GARY How noble. TOMMY Don’t get smart. JIMMY Wait, is it Jake Stratford? CARRIE Yeah. I think so. JIMMY Tommy, you remember Detective Stratford? TOMMY No . . . oh, yeah. (sincerely) A shame about his wife. JIMMY That was a shame. Here it is. Twenty Sixth street. TOMMY Let’s go. Scene 26

short play going up in dc

http://www.madcapplayers.com/ anuary 19, 20, 25, 26 and 27, 2007 at 8:00 PM January 21 and 28, 2007 at 2:00 PM Pay-What-You-Can Preview January 18, 2007 at 8:00 PM (Pay-What-You-Can tickets are only available at the door on January 18 after 7:00 PM.) Run time: 2 hours and 15 minutes including one intermission. H STREET PLAYHOUSE 1365 H Street NE, Washington, DC Click here for a map to the theatre. There is ample on-street parking available after rush hour (6:30pm). ALL TICKETS ARE $15 available by calling 1.800.494.TIXS or visiting www.boxtofficetickets.com The Junior Banana-Boat Free-Balloon Special By Joe Byers Directed by Christopher Snipe Featuring: Grace Ross, Terry Nicholetti and Fredric Ashley Surprise By Mark Harvey Levine Directed by Patrick Torres Featuring: Jason McCool, Erin Kaufman and Samantha Merrick Howard By Mark Harvey Levine Directed by Akiva Fox Featuring: Leo Goodman, Neil Conway and Bill Brannigan The Lullabies of Farewell By Gary Raymond Fry, Jr. Directed by Paul Douglas Michnewicz Featuring: James Ray Biggs and Vanessa Kinzey High Noon By Adam Szymkowicz Directed by Chris Davenport Featuring: Peter Stray, Ashley Demain and Lucas Maloney Writer's Block By Hilary Trudell Directed by Merry Alderman Featuring: James Garland, Annie Mueller and Peter Stray Adonis Written and Directed by Shanna Beauchamp Choreographed by Andrew Honeycutt Featuring: Miriam Ganz, Lucas Maloney, Alex Zavistovich and Jjana Valentiner Lost Sock: Have You Seen Me? By Shawn Northrip Directed by Betsy Rosen Musical Direction by Jeffery Watson Featuring Matt Lopez, Andrew Kreysa, Tyler Smith, Katie Molinaro, Meredith Rachlin, Leo Goodman and Brianne Cobuzzi

meme meme meme

5 things you may not know about me...hmm...

Tagged by james

http://jamespeak.blogspot.com/2007/01/gettin-to-know-your-comtois.html

no one else tag me for anything OK?

5 things you may not know about me...hmm...hmm hmmm
hmm hmm

1. I was an Eagle Scout.

2. I once had a job as a deckhand on the CT river. I
had to carry kegs of beer and big bags of trash, throw
the lines on the posts when we docked. I also
sometimes had to steer the boat. They made you buy
their shirt and wear it as a uniform. I was 17 and
was making 5 dollars an hour. The next summer I was a
tour guide at Gillette Castle State Park which is "on"
but not on the CT river.

3. I don't drink coffee or soda.

4. I have a terrible, some might say nonexistent
sense of direction.

5. I am allergic to chicken and turkey. (actually
many of you already know that so I'll do one more)

6. I'm writing a novel. Did I tell you I'm writing a
novel? I'm writing a novel. slowly. 7. I once had long blue hair. really.

I'm not tagging anyone but feel free to talk about
yourself, everyone.

I'm looking for

one person shows with multiple characters that i could
read. who knows some?

A

mid jan short play in MA

http://www.acmetheater.com/index.asp Acme Theater of Maynard, MA is pleased to announce our lineup for the 6th annual New Works Winter Festival. The festival will be performed on January 12, 13, 19 and 20 at 8PM. All tickets $12. Call the Box office 978-823-0003 for your reservation today! TRACK A (Performs Fri, Jan 12 and Sat, Jan 20) Ariel by John C. Davenport Ambience Pizza by Adam Szymkowicz Cloud 7 by Lisa Burdick Jumping The Wind by Tara Meddaugh One More To Go by Debbie Wiess Have A Seat, Please by Steven Bergman Brother Santa Sister Clause by Jay Hanagan A Match Lit In Heaven by Lila Louise Nawrocki Still Life by K. Alexa Mavromatis TRACK B (Performs Sat, Jan 13 and Fri, Jan 19) Still Life With Elephant by John Shanahan Do Twinkle Lights Really Change The Atmosphere? by Anne Freund The Rental by Mark Harvey Levine Goons by David Robson Patrick and Gwen by Philana Gnatowski The Catharsis by Kristyn Leigh Robinson Elephants and Coffee by Aoise Stratford Mouse Trapped by Claudia Haas Ranch on the Run by Paul Kahn

ny times on free will

"The order of brain activities seemed to be perception
of motion, and then decision, rather than the other
way around.

In short, the conscious brain was only playing
catch-up to what the unconscious brain was already
doing. The decision to act was an illusion, the monkey
making up a story about what the tiger had already
done."

and

"Dr. Wegner of Harvard said: "We worry that explaining
evil condones it. We have to maintain our outrage at
Hitler. But wouldn't it be nice to have a theory of
evil in advance that could keep him from coming to
power?"

He added, "A system a bit more focused on helping
people change rather than paying them back for what
they've done might be a good thing.""

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/02/science/02free.html?pagewanted=1&ei=5087%0A&em&en=30114785d6264b5f&ex=1167973200

the James Comtois 06 list

I made the comtois top ten list twice for this year
along with some plays I loved, some I didn't see and
one i downright hated.

check it out here

http://jamespeak.blogspot.com/2007/01/top-10-of-2006.html