Universal Truths

A-Night-in-Tunisia

 

The Brief

  1. You must have at least 6 characters in the play. 3 in the first act and 3 in the second act. 3 actors must double these 3 parts, and there needs to be a good reason for it. If you are gendering any of the characters – the actor playing that character must play a different gender in the second act. Feel free to add more characters in either acts if you want.

  2. One character loses their hair throughout the show, two other characters swap clothes at some point.

  3. There must be no less than 3 pauses and no more than 7 pauses throughout the play – each of them at a different length.

  4. One of the scenes revolves around a piece of garbage that was brought inside by the second character to speak in the play.

  5. Every line of dialogue must have one of the following: either 6 words, 17 words, 31 words, 33 words, 66 words or 101 words (you can punctuate as you like).

  6. Each of the two acts has at least 3 scenes in it, and each scene must have a minimum of 12 spoken lines in it. Except for the last scene – that must have a minimum of 24 spoken lines in it.

  7. One of the characters pushes two of the other characters for two different reasons.

  8. One character sings a song; one character dances a dance; one character paints a painting; one character plays the trumpet; two characters play Scrabble.

  9. Every scene should have a minimum of 5 descriptions and 5 stage directions.

  10. All the characters have to have names – all the names have to have a symbolic meaning behind them. And a character can’t speak the first letter in their name!

 

The Excerpt

KATE:                                 (cheery, she and GEORGIA really are best friends, even if the artsy doesn’t always like the brash, brassy actress) Why, just super, sweety. And yours?

GEORGIA:                         Oh, you know. Painted a lot…

KATE:                                 Flirted with my brother a lot…

GEORGIA:                         (blushing) It’s possible there was mutual flirtation.

KATE:                                 Oh, I don’t doubt it. You two are perfect for each other. Armstrong, darling are you using your words yet?

ARMSTRONG:                   Dwi-bon ke-bop, bop, be bop boom.

KATE:                                 (drily) I guess not. So, anyone hungry? I’m craving Chinese, and the place around the corner’s open late.  I’m willing to treat, but if you want beer, you’ll have to play me for it.

GEORGIA:                         Hands of poker for free beer?

KATE:                                 Cards’re for geezers and frat boys, Georgie-licious. You want booze, you have to beat me at Scrabble.

 

To Read the Entire Play

Click here: 1902.16 – Universal Truths

One thought on “Universal Truths

  1. Wow. Not only did you kill the brief you wrote a fantastic script. I think my favorite act is 2 but maybe 1. Maybe both.

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