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The Playwrights Forum > The Art & Craft of Writing > The Playwrights' Gym > The BIG ELLIPSES CHALLENGE

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Moderated by: Paddy, Edd

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Paddy
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Mana:

The BIG ELLIPSIS CHALLENGE

Okay. Challenge time. Write a play. One - ten pages. The characters all have difficulty finishing a sentence. But...make it feel natural that they don't finish a sentence, either by the nature of characters, or the situation they are in.

Reminder - Interesting people in mundane situations. Mundane people in wacky situations.

After you finish, post in the feed back section. Each play should have its own thread. Then, comment on the others posted there, and they'll comment on yours.

Have fun.

Paddy

Last edited on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 12:09 pm by Paddy

in media res
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Mana:

paddy,

Hmmm. Should that maybe be "ellipses" challenge?

Tough one. Not ONE sentence? Not even in the middle?

Harsh strictures! Especially since I hate over use of the darn things.

The good Franciscan nuns were just the opposite of this!

But, thy will be done.

If I can do it!

best,

in media res

Last edited on Tue Apr 10th, 2007 12:55 am by in media res

Paddy
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Mana:

Media.

Should be...is.

Break the rules beautifully.

I'm waiting.

Paddy

in media res
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Mana:

paddy,

Thanks. That is like being released from a headlock! Or a python's grasp!

Break the rules beautifully. I like that.

in media res

leon
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Mana:

paddy, this is a tough one. it's almost gonna be obvious to the audience and they'll be more focused on keeping the plates spinning than what the play is really about. or could that be what the play's about? hmmm.

Paddy
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Mana:

You are both right.

I tried this last night...and I got pretty far, but I had to finish a few sentences, otherwise it just got silly.

I am going now, to ament my challenge.

But I'll give one of those green beetle things to anyone who can make it work without finishing one sentence.

Paddy

shirleyk
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Mana:

Paddy, do I get one of those green beetle things?

Shirley

Claudia
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Mana:

Too fun -

Did this (very) short play -

No periods - all dashes -

- designed for students -

- who really - well - did relate and -

This VERY Short Festival in Northfield, MN next week -

-can you believe - actually doing it -

- trying to do again -

- ya never know -

- harder than it seems -

CLaudia

shirleyk
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Mana:

Funny, Claudia, I mean, like totally, and I would love to put an exclamation point there but can't because, you know ...

Shirley

shirleyk
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Mana:

Hello. For some unknown reason, I'm not able to reply in the other section -- I keep clicking but nothing happens, but I can post here, so I will.

First, thanks, Paddy. I had fun writing that play and may even do something with it, and Leon, I'm really, really old, but I do know teenagers and I love listening to them.

Shirley