How often does a writer get to indulge himself enough to write a play called Jelly Pants?
Said play went up as a part of the monthly Shotz! festival in New York City last Monday. I'm thrilled that I got to work with these guys, because let me tell you... they're funny as all hell. They've been doing Shotz! for a while now, and I was more than happy to jump in for their holiday-themed production, 'Twas the Shotz Before Christmas.
Dan from Buffyfest (you know, the guy whose review for #39 made you misty... just me?), Chris Halton (director of the upcoming Creep short), and the woman professionally known as my mom were all in attendance, in addition to a house full of people with incredibly loud and appreciative laughs that made my heart all a-flutter.
Dan Roth, Patrick Shand, Janice Shand, Chris Halton
READ JELLY PANTS HERE:
Rob Hille did a great job directing Jelly Pants. He brought the thing to life, along with the amazing, spot-on cast. Dan Balkin played Darren, and holy FSM he put so much concentrated awesome into the character. He only had a few lines, but he lit up the stage with his appropriately goofy, overjoyed smile every time he and Monica spoke.
Monica was played by an actress who I've written for before, Jennifer Le Blanc. She is much with the awesome. I wrote a full length play, The Misadventures of Olive Sukkin, for her and I still hope that's getting produced (people are attached, we're just waiting for funding) but for now it was refreshing to see her acting in one of my shows again. Her ghostly sister Marjorie was played by Alanna Wilson, who was incredible to say the least. I'm pretentious about my writing, but I believe she added dimensions to the play--both in the funny and weepy realms--that weren't there when I put the pen to the paper. Well, the index fingers to the keyboard, but that sounds less interesting.
Obligatory Prom Picture
Alanna Wilson, Patrick Shand, Jennifer Le Blanc, Chris Halton
Alanna Wilson, Patrick Shand, Jennifer LeBlanc
Dan Balkin was nowhere to be found :(
There was a bit of a miscommunication about the page limit, so a lot had to be cut from the original piece. What I've uploaded above is a sort of Frankenstein monster that I think is made up of the best limbs of each incarnation of Jelly Pants. A lot of jokes were cut from the original play to fit the time limit, and some of them are put back, but some of them are kept out because, in hearing it, it reads better as a ten minute than a fifteen minute play. Also, I tweaked a few things after seeing it because the actors brought out things in the play than I hadn't seen. When I was going through the edits, I thought it was pretty upsetting (cutting nearly a third of the thing out), but now, having seen the show, I'm just glad I got to watch such a talented group of people say my silly, silly words.
Next month, I've got another play in the Shotz! festival. I'm submitting it today and, this time, I'm sticking to five pages. The theme is schadenfreude, and I've got a super-villainous idea, thanks to the brainstorming of one Jeffry Massey.
If you'd like to see my play next month, information will be posted in the following weeks! The date of the show is January 3rd and tickets are $10!
