I have finished the robots for Scott, as well as writing a coded message into his card and adding a bonus little drawing of robots with same into it as well. I'm pretty proud of myself. No idea if he'll figure it out or not (the card is more obvious than the Morse code in the robots), but what the heck, it amused me
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I also ordered myself some "I got vaccinated" pins off Etsy. One with a unicorn on it and a Hamilton "I am not throwing away my shot" one for myself and one for Scott. When I am full blown immune I shall celebrate by wearing those. Presumably pass the latter on to him, whenever that happens for him.

One person show workshop was a bit better today--the same old Pupil's Delight-y stuff (I have signed up for the class next week in which the "silent majority" gets to speak....otherwise I will feel like all of this was about 90% pointless). Not as many snappy lines as last time, but here's a few:

"I used to walk around with grenades in my purse."
"So the heroin addict I was bunking with didn't believe the grenades story either."
"Yes, I did feed all of my stepmother's plants detergent."
There was a horrible story in which a lady's grandmother told a story about a woman being raped and then all she did after that was throw out her knickers and then go to a party, where she had a lovely time. The fuck? "We believe women don't have to be raped."
"Out of the dust came my celebrity crush, Pete Davidson."
"It was no ifs, ands, or anal."
One guy said he yelled, "Can't we just fuck already?" at a pizzeria, following up with saying that if you tell someone what you want, they will leave you. I feel ya, sir.
"We met in musical theater class, because DUH."

That was until the official ending of the class, but Drew finally took ten minutes at the end to talk about actually putting on a show, which is what I thought this class was kinda going to be about in the first place. Huzzah for getting to the experience of that!

Actual notes from class:
Your piece will tell you what it is, go with it
You can do your own show with friends on Zoom
Book a theater when you are not done writing the show. Give yourself 2 months: one month to finish writing and another to work with a director.
You can do storytelling shows in the meantime.
At first, do a one night show, not 6 weeks. Later, work up to a weekend, then a few weeks after that.
You learn a lot from the first night with an audience that you can't learn from just rehearsal.
Spend as little money as you can, only have enough props that fit in a backpack.
Get a director, you cannot direct yourself. Get one who knows you very well, gets you, and can give you tough love.
Have as many people as you can in the show--doing it to 5 people sucks.
Solo shows are the most satisfying thing he's done, but it's an endurance thing
Michael Urie's advice: "Don't panic, don't push, don't give up."
Every audience is different, some go better than others.
Fringe festivals are great--not for the money, but you get a short run.
How long? Depends on your show material. Usually about 60-80 but can go shorter. Julia Sweeney does 2.5 hours, maybe not do that long. Avoid an intermission. Let people know how long it is on the flier and take that into consideration on the price.
Figure out the structure with the director--just start writing and see where it goes.

After that I did the Capital Storytelling Story Slam and did the story from the other night. It went over very well and everybody loved it, if I do say so myself. People said it worked great, was beautiful, delightful, perfect (aww!), enjoyed the delivery. One person was reminded of George Costanza, which I totally agree with. One person liked my saying that I got too big for my britches. Super vulnerability for the win!

I didn't take notes on everyone else's because I was knitting-wrangling, but Lisa did one about coming out to her religious dad that was great. She got into the RISK show next week. I'm bummed I can't go see it, but I'm watching the Texas Storytelling festival next weekend and that appears to be also a Zoom at the same time and not a YouTube, darn it. Oh well, I know how it goes and we all liked it a lot. I got sad and mad on Lisa's behalf when she was talking about being broken up with.

After that I watched Acme Theatre's "The Shahrazad Society," which is, guess what, a play about storytellers! Imitating the famous one, of course, reading from 1001 Arabian Nights, which is banned from their school. They will get in trouble for it, so this is a secret club.

I love the story in which the genie gets let out and then wants to kill the person who freed it, and then the lady talks the genie into shrinking itself back into the jar. MUAHAHAHAHAHAH. Then she chucks it into the ocean.

The Shahrazad story is told, with one girl being all "hating this story." The teller has a more violent-ish end about how the lady never fell in love with the king even though he did to her, and she threatened him with a knife if he went after their daughter.

"We always start with the seed of the original, and then invent it as we go." I get amused that the story of Aladdin turns into having a "ring genie" and a "lamp genie." Ring genie gets Quite Offended at that "Are you like, enemies or something?" "We're sisters!" "You will always be my first genie!" They start dressing up and breaking out props and it's a hoot. Then they start turning themselves into animals in a duel.... Eventually Aladdin's wife gets a hold of both genies and wishes for their freedom, I think I love her.

Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, the "Trip" episode.

Did we need a third love interest for Zoey, a slacker Aussie hippie band guy? I sorta think no, but she seems to think this is a good idea to indulge in. And take a personal day.

Mo dubs Zoey's "casual wear" "Giving up on the world Wednesday." You're all fortunate you don't live in a pandemic world, because that's EVERY FUCKING DAY EVERY DAY WEAR here.

CEO Danny Michael Davis has decided that he lives in a musical, even if Zoey has taken the day off. He is exonerated! "When your home is a prison, where do you go then?" he muses. I'M SURE THOSE OF US LIVING IN A PANDEMIC COULD INFORM YOU OF THAT ANSWER. Which is either "nowhere," "fantasyland in your head," or "astral projecting." Simon's answer is "The infinity pool?" "Not with an ankle bracelet."

Zoey is talked into taking some drugs, and then DMD IMMEDIATELY CALLS, TRACKS HER DOWN, AND WANTS TO COME OVER. Because, as Simon has just found out, their latest gadget is somehow racist. Simon calls Zoey to warn her about it.

DMD comes over and immediately figures out what they're doing AND ALSO WANTS SOME. BECAUSE OF COURSE HE DOES AND NOW HE LEGALLY CAN. "You're talking to one of the cofounders of Burning Man."

Apparently this is all an excuse to get Jane Levy singing again, so there we go, doing "Starships." I miss that song.

Now it's Downer Time. "Popsicles were the only thing my dad could eat, so my mom always had a freezer full of them." "My dad had a rare neurological disease. Then he died." With you there, Zoey, I'm gonna go get an Otter Pop.

"This isn't the life I imagined," DMD says, as Zoey pets his "dolphin"-like now bare ankle. Can someone explain to me how guys can somehow beat the hair off their legs with socks or ankle monitors, but that doesn't work on me? Why do I still have to shave all the way down to the ankles?

Max singing "Numb" is THE MOST ANGSTY FUCKING THING I EVER SAW HIM DO. Has Zoey sobered up by now? After getting high, DMD decides to sell the company.

Also, Jenna decides to get revenge on Maggie's boss. Maggie fires both her kinda-shitty client AND Jenna, for being immature AF.

Simon calls his new reporter buddy and Mo (note: everyone in this party is African-American, but why is Mo involved in this when he doesn't work there?) and he confesses that the company wants him to cover this racist tech up. What do I do? Max's dad (who makes dental jokes, god help me) gives him money, saying he can afford to lose it. Max is hurt because dad doesn't believe in him. Dad says he doesn't know if he can get there yet. You shouldn't have to try so hard, Max says. (Ouch)

Zoey talks DMD into not selling right off, while he's high again. They ate all the Popsicles. Jenna and Maggie make up and Jenna decorated the nursery with classic B/W photography. SPRQpoint press conference and Simon is dancing. Zoey looks alarmed. Simon says they'll fix the Chirp, but really the problem is that there are very few PoC in this company.

Next episode, "Reckoning:"

Simon is feeling freaked out now. Zoey gave DMD drugs and now he thinks they are besties. Hey, why don't we ask him to invest in Maximo?

Zoey throws a Town Hall. Leif decides to kick it off. "Racism's wack, yo," Tobin says. God, Tobin. White awkwardness ensues. DMD wants Zoey to tell Simon to retract his "opinion." Zoey tries to ask Mo for help with this, which is a bad idea all around.

Max goes to his old coworkers for assistance with his tech glitch. Surprise, half of the brogrammers are moved to floor five. Somehow they are all gonna do free work. Secretly, Tobin agrees with Simon. Zoey breaks the bad news to Simon and he ain't happy. God knows she's trying buuuuuuut.... She attempts to talk to Simon about it.

Tobin gets nicknamed "Slumdog." He plays it off, but he's singing sad in Zoey's head. This is literally the most acting I've ever seen on this dude. Zoey tries to talk to him and he eventually starts venting too. "No one should have to feel this way at work." "People are treating me like an Indian guy. Clearly, I'm an Indian guy."

Simon knows his career is slo-mo dead if he doesn't retract. God, this is depressing. "Who was I to think I could change any of this?" Mo says they don't deserve him. Zoey apologizes. Simon decides to quit. Next day: Zoey tackle hugs Tobin for speaking out. Enough people at SPRQpoints all over the world agree with them, so DMD decides to say something to the board. "I might not know what the hell I am talking about," he says, and brings Simon in with some video. Leif apologizes to Tobin. "You gotta dial it back on the virtue signaling, man." Mo throws a party for Simon. They break out some "Tighrope," love that song.

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