Ideas Anyone??

[pheebs]

Hi,
I'm interested in writing a stageplay. About 30min ong or atleast around that length but i have no ideas whatsoever, all I know is that I want it to be either comedy/sad (moving piece).....does anyone have any ideas or no ways of getting ideas easily.

I've tried prompts and starters but they usually don't help unless someone knows a prompt site I haven't used...go ahead and post prompt sites up or if you have any ideas you don't mind sharing with me, don't worry this is only a hobby and defiantly not for money purposes:) ;) or if you know any other ways to get ideas??
thnx,
pheebs

[alleycat]

Here's one way, certainly not the only way.

First, create an interesting character; you can just make up someone, or use a combination of people you know to create the character.

Give them a problem or conflict.

Put the character in whatever setting best shows the character dealing with or solving their problem.

A couple of examples pulled out of the air.

A drama:
Phyllis is a widow with three kids, two boys and a girl, ranging in age from 23 to 30. Phyllis is a likable person but has always been a domineering mother, to the kids' utter annoyance. Each of the kids have learned to deal with their mother in their own way; one is sullen, one fights back and argues with her mom, one keeps as far apart from mom as he can. Each of the kids have their own goals in life, maybe one wants to be an artist, one is trying to keep his struggling business afloat, one has his own family and set of problems (he and his wife are separated but they haven't told mom).

Phyllis has been put in the hospital where she learns she is dying and doesn't have long to live. True to her nature, Phyllis still wants to control each of the kids' life, almost from beyond the grave. The kids are trying to "be nice" but it's always hard with Phyllis. The play could be a scene in Phyllis's hospital room where Phyllis and the kids (and maybe Phyllis's sister or a friend or Phyllis's daughter-in-law) voice their life and desires, discuss their problems in the past, and try to come to some understanding while there's still time. The ending can be as bittersweet (and hopefully moving) as you want it to be.

A comedy:
Ralph is an ordinary working stiff, say a cab driver. Ralph's wife is both a complainer and spendthrift; she always has to have the best of everything and must "keep up with the Jones." Ralph is always over his head in debt. The wife is also the nosy type, Ralph has never been able to keep any secrets from her.

Ralph has just won the lottery, a million dollars. He knows his wife will go through the money in less than a year if she finds out about it. The play could be a series of scenes in Ralph's living room where he does everything to keep his wife from learning of the money . . . friends who know about his winning the lottery drop by to congratulate him (to his wife he pretends they're talking about something else), there is a story in the paper about Ralph (he must keep the paper from his wife at all costs); maybe as part of winning, Ralph has been given a new truck (how to explain it to his wife), maybe Ralph's wife is complaining about what little they have and it's all Ralph can do to keep from telling her about the money himself, etc,. etc. You could have Ralph be somewhat like Ray from Everybody Loves Ray (or a Tom Hanks kind of guy), while his wife is like one of the characters from Desperate Housewife. Play up the desperation and hopelessness of Ralph's situation.

Neither of those ideas may not work for you, they're just examples, but you're welcome to use them if you like. It would probably be better if you created your own characters and situations and go from there. Find something, or someone, you find interesting.

Good luck.

ac

[dpaterso]

Hmph, that's better'n anything I wrote this month!

-Derek
My Web Page - naked women, bestial sex, and whopping big lies. (http://hometown.aol.co.uk/DPaterson57)
Stop reading this and get some writing done instead.

[pheebs]

hey thanks for that....I'll keep thinkinf but they are some interesting ideas;) :)

if you have any more ways please feel free to post??
pheebs

[RichNice]

What things have struck you strange lately? That usually works for me. Do have a group of people you can bouncethings off of?

[pheebs]

No I don't, But thats allright, suddenly after reading the book "Outwitting Wrtiters Block" Ideas are flowing, it's finding the time to write and actually writing it that is the problem
thankyou but for furture references...if anyone has any ideas please feel free to post...
pheebs

[Deleo In Graviditas]

What I usually go by is something significant to me, something that deeply affected me. Or a big event.

Since I really haven't had the latter, from a personal standpoint, I've gone about with the former.

Right now, I'm working on a play that's based upon events with a girl I've known since 2003 (ex-fiancée...sorta). I mean based, on account, for the most part (i.e., her internal thoughts, things while I wasn't around), I have to create on my own.

Mind you, I'm not only copying the characters's personas from their real-life counterparts. Instead, I'm pulling characteristics from all over, whether it's people I know or otherwise fictional characters; in doing so, I keep in mind to make sure the characters still stand out as who they're supposed to be and how they are the way they're supposed to be.

If that last part confused you, it did so to me, so don't worry. :tongue

Keep in mind, however, to intend such a play should be mentioned clearly as based on real events. Otherwise, you risk demonizing people (something I'm working real hard not to do as my play development progresses).

Hope that helped!

PS: I've always wanted to write a play or a screenplay based on a song lyric or song title, for some reason.
PPS: There's another idea for you! :D

[xhouseboy]

PS: I've always wanted to write a play or a screenplay based on a song lyric or song title, for some reason It's been done. Can't remember the exact song, but it was a quite well-known piece of music. Concerned a suicide leap from a bridge. Was it a Billie Jo Speers song? maybe someone else could help me out here.

[ddgryphon]

It's been done. Can't remember the exact song, but it was a quite well-known piece of music. Concerned a suicide leap from a bridge. Was it a Billie Jo Speers song? maybe someone else could help me out here.

Prelude to a Kiss (by Duke Ellington perhaps?)

[alleycat]

It's been done. Can't remember the exact song, but it was a quite well-known piece of music. Concerned a suicide leap from a bridge. Was it a Billie Jo Speers song? maybe someone else could help me out here.
Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry.

And then there's Yellow Submarine and others.

ac

[xhouseboy]

Ode to Billy Joe by Bobbie Gentry That's the one I was trying to recall, alleycat. Thanks. It was bugging me that I couldn't get it.

[Deleo In Graviditas]

It's been done.
I realize it's been done quite a few times, but what I mean is creating my own interpretation, rather than basing something already existent.

[xhouseboy]

Sorry, my mistake.

When you said based upon a song title or lyric, I took it that you meant basing it upon the theme. As the many examples show, films of this genre mainly compliment the song from which they were derived.

Your own idea would have to be inspired by the lyrics, but with no reference made to the source. As to reference the source would then raise certain copyright issues.

[Deleo In Graviditas]

Sorry, my mistake.

When you said based upon a song title or lyric, I took it that you meant basing it upon the theme. As the many examples show, films of this genre mainly compliment the song from which they were derived.

Your own idea would have to be inspired by the lyrics, but with no reference made to the source. As to reference the source would then raise certain copyright issues.
It's all good. :)

Keep in mind I made that post when it was close to 4 a.m. where I live, and my brain usually shuts down after midnight, so to speak.

[Jim Colyer]

I wrote a 50-page screenplay called "Showgirl." It was so pornographic, I threw it away out of fear my mother would find it.