I Do: Original Scenario

Processes in Playwriting: How a Play is Born

An Honors Thesis by Christy Melson
April 15, 1999
Advisor: Dr. Ralf Remshardt

APPENDIX 3 - ORIGINAL SCENARIO, IN THE BEGINNING

11 February, 1999

Working Title: I Do

Setting: A Holiday Inn room, in Normal Illinois. It is furnished with one double bed, a table, and two chairs. There is one door to outside hallway, on to bathroom. It is a typical hotel room.

Time: Present

Characters:
DR. WESLEY NEWELL- 38 years old, uncertain of his place in life. He has a commonplace appearance, wears tan suits, brown, almost look too big on him. Glasses that he only wears for reading and lectures. Professor of Psychology at nearby university.

SAMANTHA- 24 year old stripper. She is a psychology student who is very sure of herself, and has an air of always fitting in, no matter where she is. Her confidence is the kind that inspires others. Very outgoing.

Action:
I. Samantha is on the phone talking to a manager at her agency. She is suggesting a policy that allows the strippers know who their clients are. It is revealed in this conversation that she has been sent to a party for one of her professors, and while it doesn’t bother her, she would hate to see anyone else in this kind of awkward position.

II. She hangs up the phone as Wesley enters from the bathroom. He is very unsure of how to handle this situation, and sits across the room from Samantha, trying to start up small talk about how her education is going.

III. She humors him and answers his questions, explaining why she wants to go into Psychology. She is driven by her brother’s behavior as a child. He went a little nuts when her parents got divorced, and she wants to understand why thing like that happen, and how to help others with similar problems.

IV. She then brings up what Wesley is too uncomfortable to deal with, why she is a stripper, (to pay for school), and why it doesn’t bother her (she is so self confident). He tries to stop her at first, but then listens. He suggests different scholarships and work-study positions that could also help pay for her school.

V. He apologizes that she wasn’t allowed to do her job, and for running off with her, away from the bachelor party to a private room, but that the sight of a student there made him uncomfortable. He tries to reason it out psychologically, but cant. She understands.

VI. She asks him about the wedding, as she heard he is marrying one of the other students in the college, Maggie. She brings up the point that he seems unusually uncomfortable with having a student as a stripper for one who is marrying a student. He is embarrassed, and tells her she can go, he will make sure she is paid more than the job.

VII. Obvious that he needs someone to talk to, she decides not to leave, but rather asks how he met Maggie. He explains how Maggie was at the end of her rope, and came to him for tutoring, but he noticed the problem was more than academic. He talked her out of suicide, and they grew closer since. He is marrying her tomorrow, and is sure it is the best thing for her.

VIII. Samantha listens, and determines that he doesn’t really love his wife, he argues with her, then agrees. He declares his love for Samantha, and she tries to analyze her way out of it, using techniques Wesley taught in class, and that he had tried to use earlier in the evening.

IX. Confronted with the fact that he really does love Samantha, Wesley gets very quiet. Samantha suggests that if he isn’t in love with Maggie, he shouldn’t marry her. Wesley suggests that maybe there could be something between them (he and Samantha) and she says absolutely not

Wesley offers to sponsor Samantha for one of the scholarship work programs. He then leaves, making it clear to Samantha that he is going home to get well rested because he is getting married.