From Left to Right, Top Row: John Shubat, Pamela Barker, Me, Rick Jones; Front: Bronson Lake, Jillian Rees-Brown

Another draft.  Another reading.  Another family.  Yes, I’m talking about my play ANIMAL. These fine folks above took time out of their schedule to read the latest incarnation of this beast of a play.  I have sat with many “families” over the years with this play and it’s always a pleasure.   I began re-writing ANIMAL from page 1 at the beginning of June.  It was a long, tedious process and in retrospect well worth the effort.   Writing is not for the faint of heart.  Sometimes you have to dig so deep, that the thought of re-writing brings on all sorts of fears, boredom, fatigue….I can go on.  This is essentially a new script and after the reading, we had a lively discussion that helped crystallize and reinforce what worked and what might need a second look.

Yes, it’s true, there is still work to do, however this draft,  more than any draft before it, feels the most coherent, mysterious and balanced with the right mix of tragedy and humor.   The pace, tone and structure has dramatically shifted.  Many plot points from last year’s production at the Alumnae Theatre have been cut and new ones have been added, but only to augment the strength of what’s left behind.  I feel the heaviness of the last draft has been lifted in this current new form.

One of the new elements in this draft was weaving in Russian novelist Fyodor Dostovesky‘s writings.   He is quoted on different occasions.  The following two quotes reflect ANIMAL‘s  themes:

2019 was the year of ANIMAL and another script of mine – a screenplay entitled LET IT SHINE.  Both scripts were re-written and consumed much of my time.  SHINE has received two “recommendations” by separate coverage services.  What does this mean?  Coverage is done by readers who work for production companies/producers.  They decide whether a script gets passed up to the next level.  Ninety percent of scripts do NOT get passed up.  Five percent get a “consider” (which means the script has potential and might be moved on).  And only about four percent get a “recommend”.

LET IT SHINE’s coverage received glowing reviews and recommendations.  This is a good thing.   And yet, the screenplay has yet to advance to a finalist or winning spot in the various competitions and festivals I have entered. So the question is, what is missing?  Likely I’ll be spending a part of 2020 trying to figure out what that something is.

My hope is in 2020 to begin work on a new screenplay and stage play.  In fact, why don’t I just commit right here and now that by year’s end I will have a brand new screenplay and stage play.    There.  Be brave!  Mean it.  Do it.  No fear.   I like what this dude says: