LITR 3731: Creative Writing
Student Drama Submission 2003
Travis Kelly
“Good Advice”
Concept
Statement: A student prepares to present a drama scene for his creative
writing class. However, he meets
some resistance from the cast.
Theme
Statement: Sometimes the best time to take other people’s advice is when
you don’t want to.
Characters:
Dr. White, the
class instructor
Jason, a
student and cast member
Jennifer, A
student caught in the crossfire
Travis, a
student and presenter
Will, a
student and cast member
Setting: The
classroom of a creative writing class, as class is about to begin.
Travis is discussing his drama script with Will and Jason.
Travis:
[Talking
to Will] …you’ll be the panda. I
have a costume for you out in my car. You
can change in the parking lot or in the restroom, and then you’ll need to wait
out in the hall. Now, once I give
the signal…
Will:
[Looking
up from the script] Why am I a panda?
Travis:
Because only pandas eat bamboo.
What would you prefer to be, a polar bear?
Ridiculous. Bamboo doesn’t
grow at the North Pole. Anyway,
after you hear my signal line…
Jason:
[Thumbing
through the script] I guess I’m a little confused about the panda as well.
Why a panda? I’ve flipped
through your script and I can’t find any explanation for it.
Also, why am I a robot?
Travis:
Are you kidding? You have the best
part. After you meet the panda,
your mechanical heart grows by three sizes.
It’s a classic tale of bear meets robot, bear loses robot, bear rescues
robot and learns the true meaning of Christmas.
I’m getting a little emotional just thinking about it.
Will:
[Mumbling]
Emotional or nauseous?
Jason:
Look, maybe you should ask for
some extra time to work on the script. I’m
not saying you should scrap everything you have now, but you could re-work a few
lines. You look a little tired.
Travis:
[Voice’s
speed and volume increasing] Are you saying that you don’t like it?
Are you saying that the entire script is nonsensical and contrived?
Are you saying I waited until the last minute to start writing it, stayed
up all night feverishly pounding out a seemingly never-ending stream of letters,
sentences, and paragraphs which, after 10 cups of coffee resemble less the
English language than a series of Egyptian hieroglyphs mocking me from their
glowing monitor home? Is that what
you’re trying to say!?
Jason:
Umm…
Will:
Bingo.
Travis:
[Turning
to face Jennifer] Jennifer, have a look at my drama script.
It’s at least as good as my
fiction piece, right?
Jennifer:
[As
she reads it, she looks more and more disturbed] Uh…right.
Travis, I want to tell you something, but I don’t want you to take it
the wrong way.
Travis:
Is it too
good?
Jennifer:
Uh,
maybe. But maybe it would be even better
if you took out the Wizard of Oz references and the musical number at the
end. I’m sure that if you asked
Dr. White for some extra time…
Travis:
You can’t be serious.
This is the best work I’ve ever done.
I can see changing a few minor details, but you’re asking me to commit
a sin against the written word.
Will:
I’d say it’s a little late to
prevent that…
Travis:
All right Will, what do you want?
Do you want me to give you a bigger part?
I can smell your jealousy from here.
Maybe Jason would be willing to switch roles with you.
Jason:
[Sarcastically]
What, and give up the best part?
Travis:
Fine.
You know, I can get anybody I want to act this out.
I’m sure Dr. White will pick up the slack.
[Travis
gets up and walks over to Dr. White]
Jennifer:
I think he took it the wrong way.
Travis:
[Hands
script to Dr. White] Dr. White, would you mind reading Jason and Will’s
parts when I present my script?
Dr.
White: [He
speaks as he flips through the script] You want me to read both
of their parts? I guess I’m a
little confused as to why you want me to do that, considering that both Jason and Will are here today. [His
speaking slows down as he reads] If you look..at..the….syllabus….
Travis:
Hmm?
Dr.
White: [Speaking
to himself] I can’t let anybody know I taught the student who wrote this.
What will the rest of the staff think?
I’m on shaky enough ground with them as is. Easy Craig, there has to be a way out of this.
I know. I’ll give him an
extra week…no, two weeks to work on
it. Wait…
Dr.
White: [To
Travis] Have you
passed copies of this out to the class yet?
Travis:
Not yet.
Dr.
White: [Letting
out a very audible sigh of relief] Good.
Travis:
What?
Dr.
White: Travis,
uh, I can tell you’ve put a lot of work into this script.
In fact, it may be too complex for public consumption.
That is to say, the class may not fully appreciate the many nuances and
intimations you’ve so carefully, uh, crafted
into the piece.
Travis:
See, that’s what I’ve been saying all along…
Dr.
White:
But, part of writing drama is making it as accessible to the audience
as possible. That’s why I’d like you to take an extra week or two to revise
it. You can go with the last group if you want.
Rewrite it if you need to. I’m
flexible.
Travis:
[Speaking
angrily to everybody] All right, I can see everybody is against me today.
Just what is wrong with my
script? Did any of you even notice
my references to the United Nations? It
succeeds on so many levels it’s not even funny.
Jason:
Look, nobody is arguing that you
aren’t satisfied with your script. It’s
just obvious that you wrote it under the influence of fatigue and artificial
stimulants.
Jennifer:
You shouldn’t take our advice
personally, Travis. We’re trying
to help you. You should expect some
criticism in a class like this.
Travis:
[Sighs] I suppose
you’re right.
This gives me enough time to finish the robot suit, anyway.
Dr.
White: [Eyeing Travis briefly] …Right.
Also, it’s this kind of criticism that keeps me employed.
You should give your classmates some credit - listen to their suggestions
sometimes. They can protect you
from your own insanity.
Will: Maybe next time…