I just finished the first draft of my one-act horror play Rosie, Bloody Rosie, and it is awful. It’s not all awful, I think the first half has a lot going for it, but I can tell that the last half was just me throwing stuff on the page…. But you know what? That’s okay, good actually. You can’t have a second draft until you’ve had a first draft. And most of my scripts start off pretty terrible in the beginning. When I start something, I have an idea of what I want to write (example: horror play with lady serial killers), but the shape of the play? The character development? Oh, so much of it isn’t there in the beginning, for me at least. For me, I have to write and just get it all out. There’s a place I’m aiming for and once I take off I basically just shout out what’s going on until I get there. Not too clever, not too pretty, but it gets the job done.

And then I get to start rewrites! I get to take out the hundred times I say the same line over and over, and take out all the ellipses, which there are many. For me, my writing happens more in rewriting. That’s when I figure out what I’m actually trying to say. I mean, this week I’ve done a ton of rewrites on Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats, after hearing my actors rock the scenes out. It wasn’t until I hear them doing it that I realized what I needed and didn’t. And I wouldn’t have been able to do that if I hadn’t written the totally garbage version of it so many months back.

So flounder, wander aimlessly, let it be bad. Because you can change it, you can fix it! And you will, but first drafts aren’t about getting everything right, and when you take the burden off of it, you’ll find you can finish them much faster!

Trust me, first drafts stink, that’s what they’re there for.

November is a great month for you to get out and see some theater, because there are SO many incredible shows happening! So I thought I’d take a minute to alert you to them, so you can go and make that happen!

San Francisco Olympians Festival, November 6-23rd

Yes of course I had to promote SF Olympians! There is a mighty army of artists working as I type to make this year great, and all you have to do is show up and enjoy yourself! Each night you’ll hear a brand new play, or plays, written by local writers! 36 new plays! 36! That’s a lot.

For the full schedule go here: http://www.sfolympians.com/?p=1791

The festival runs Wednesday through Saturday, the shows start at 8pm, $10 at the door (CASH ONLY, no advance tickets!), and all of the performances are at the Exit Theater in San Francisco. Don’t miss these plays! You’ll be sad if you do, especially mine which is THIS SATURDAY, November 9th!

I recommend arriving early for these shows!

Bigger Than A Breadbox’s CRUMBLE (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake) by Sheila Callaghan, now through November 9th

I have heard a lot of great things about this show! And it’s a very short run, so you don’t have a lot of chances to get in there and see it! Here are the times and dates for the remaining shows:

November 1 at 8pm

November 2 at 2pm

November 2 at 8pm

November 8 at 8pm

November 9 at 2pm

November 9 at 8pm

This show is also playing at the Exit, and here’s a bit more about the show from the event page:

“Join us at Bigger Than a Breadbox Theatre Co. as we ring in the Christmas season like its the year 2000, with an evening of homicidal scheming and familial blunders.

A year has passed since the untimely death of Janice’s father and everything is falling apart. Janice watches as her mother allows their home to collapse into disrepair and within the walls of the deteriorating apartment, Janice’s only comfort is her late-night rendezvous with the always mystical Justin Timberlake. Under the mounting pressure of her mother’s panic attacks and the squawking of her cat-obsessed aunt, Janice has to do something drastic to reunite her fractured family. Meanwhile, the apartment is developing murderous plans of its own…

Come experience an explosive evening with CRUMBLE (LAY ME DOWN, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE) and take part as the madness unfolds.”

Get your tickets here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/500040

Performers Under Stress presents: Scamoramaland by Eve Edelson, running now through November 17th

Neil Higgins, who will be playing Patroclus in my reading, directed Scamoramaland by Eve Edelson, and the set up of the play sounds so interesting to me:

“Performers Under Stress (PUS) continues their Seventh Season in San Francisco with the play that asks the question: Can an ambitious young scammer find happiness and a literary career on the Internet? This new play by Bay Area playwright and filmmaker Eve Edelson explores a topic with which anyone in the Internet industry or with email will be familiar: Nigerian email scams!

Freddy, a young Internet scammer with dreams of an artistic career, is striking out in the world of email fraud. Most of his potential victims turn out to be pranksters. Under pressure from his thuggish boss to score, Freddy takes increasing risks and must finally decide what kind of man he will be. Meanwhile, as they concoct ever more humiliating surprises for Freddy, his tormenters begin to feel a bond with each other — but if they met in the flesh, could they stand each other? or can they only be friends in Scamoramaland?”

Scamoramaland is playing at the Bindlestiff Studio, and you can get your tickets here: http://scamoramaland-efbevent.eventbrite.com/

Do it! Time is running out on this show too!

Impact Theatre’s Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare, directed by Melissa Hillman, November 7 – December 15

I am super excited for this show because it will be the first time I see Impact Theatre’s take on Shakespeare, AND because it’s about the Trojan War! You can bone up on your greek myth at the SF Olympians Festival, and then feel super smart when you watch this show later in the month. That’s my plan anyway.

“It is the seventh year of the Trojan War. Everyone is battle-weary, and no one is really sure that the war is still worth pursuing. In the Greek camp, troop morale is at an all-time low as King Agamemnon can’t persuade Achilles to get off his ass and fight. In Troy, royal family members debate whether they should just give Helen back to the Greeks and be done with the whole thing. And yet, love still flowers: Trojan Prince Troilus pines for Cressida, who plays hard to get until she can no longer deny her desire for him. But just as they finally come together, a political trade rips them apart. In a world where everyone speaks of honor but few actually embody it, the play exposes the callous ways in which the petty whims of the privileged few endanger the lives of the millions beneath them.

Featuring Jonathon Brooks, Andrew Chung, Miyaka Cochrane, Sarah Coykendall, Carl Holvick-Thomas, Michael Uy Kelly, Eric Kerr, Julie Kuwabara, Roy Landaverde, Jonah McClellan, Sean Mirkovich, Jon Nagel, Akemi Okamura, Lauren Spencer, Nick Trengove, and ShawnJ West”

Get your tickets here: https://www.vendini.com/ticket-software.html?t=tix&e=54b0fd0e6afdcd33831d50722785f07e

Custom Made Theatre Co.’s Peter/Wendy adapted and directed by Jeremy Bloom, November 19 – December 15

Peter Pan! I’ve been excited for this show since August when I found out that local actor, Sam Bertken would be playing Peter Pan. Here’s a bit more about the show from Custom Made’s website:

“In recreating J.M. Barie’s Peter and Wendy for our times, Bloom transforms the uniquely hallowed cathedral space of The Gough Street Playhouse into the world of Never-Never Land, as his seven pajama-clad performers fly, dance, and move around the space in perfect sync.

Bloom explains his Peter/Wendy, saying “it’s not some new crazy adaptation, but the story stripped down to its bare elements. The book was intended to be read aloud to children, but it was also written and continuously rewritten by a person in a state of perpetual loss. All of the characters are fiercely grown up enough to have ideas about death and to be exhilarated by good storytelling.””

Get your tickets here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?actions=4&p=1

All right folks you have your marching orders, and you have a whole lot of great options, get out there and see some shows!

Yesterday was the first rehearsal for Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats! It went VERY well. Everyone was laughing, having a good time, and digging into the script. I made even MORE edits, and now I’m hoping the script will finally be as stream-lined as it needs to be for the reading on Saturday! I took a bunch of pictures, to see them all check out the facebook album: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.226955497428804.1073741835.108943545896667&type=1&l=e055546680.

AND make SURE you come on Saturday! This script is getting tighter and stronger every day, and we are ready to put on a SHOW! I couldn’t be happier with all the people involved, and I very much want to share all of my work, and theirs, with you.

Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats will be read THIS Saturday, November 9th at 8pm at the [Exit] in San Francisco. If you want more details, or you’d like to RSVP, do that here: https://www.facebook.com/events/166435956886604/. No advance tickets, $10 at the door! Get there early, get a seat!

See you Saturday!

Last night was the San Francisco Olympians Festival Opening Night Party! There was artwork, chit-chat, and lovely meatballs. I didn’t get pictures of all of the beautiful faces from last night, if you want to see more of the fun from the party check out Collin Hussey’s pictures here: https://www.facebook.com/colin.hussey/media_set?set=a.10151964403974378.1073741831.693034377&type=1.

But here are mine:

Above you see Christian Simonsen, Stuart Bousel, and Andrew Chung, giving the opening speech, along with a preview of each of the scripts. I really love how it’s done, each playwright sends in three lines from their play and Stuart weaved them into his speech, and then just let them rip at the end. It was interesting to hear the common themes that popped up in the different plays. Stuart Bousel is the founder and artistic director of the festival, Christian has been a playwright in the past, and will be again in next year’s festival, and Andrew Chung is a local actor who couldn’t be involved in any of the readings because of landing a part in Troilus and Cressida at Impact Theatre running Nov 7–Dec 15, 2013.

And here’s my fantastic director Claire Rice and me! Claire’s full-length play Cassandra will be read on Friday November 15th, for more details on the reading, here’s the facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/365916123543486/. I’ve read early versions of the script, and it’s going to be a dark, violent, and compelling evening that you don’t want to miss!

Here we have Marissa Skudlarek, Megan Cohen, and me again! This year Marissa is writing Tuecer, a short play, joining the evening of Greeks Bearing Gifts on Wednesday November 6th (facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/521596494587681/) and Laodike, also a short play, will be on the Trojan Women evening on Wednesday November 13th (facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1422260441325533/). I highly recommend the evenings of short plays, I’ve heard bits and pieces of them throughout the year and I think they will make for a diverse and engaging evening of theater! Also, Megan is performing her full-length one-woman show Totally Epic Odyssey based off of “The Brains” of the Trojan War, Odysseus. You’d be nuts, totally insane to miss this show. It’s the day before mine, Friday November 8th, and find out more and RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/320914211383662/.

Here’s actor Heather Kellogg and her boyfriend Will Baumann. Heather is acting in Claire Rice’s Cassandra on Friday, November 15th.

Allison Page and me, the ladies in blue! Allison Page wrote one of the short plays for the golden apple, her play is called Golden Apples II, and it’s Wednesday November 20th. Here’s the facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/626554024056568/. And like the other short nights I talked about earlier, there’s going to be something in them for everyone. AND, Allison’s play is going to be a lot of fun, her take on the golden apple myth involves a game show!

Here we have Andrew Chung, Colin Johnson, Charles Lewis III, and Christian Simonsen. Colin has written and is directing Aeneas or Burden Of The Witless a full-length play that will be presented on Saturday November 17th (facebook page is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/376260959143152/). Colin is a super funny writer, and I am very excited to see his take on “the survivor.” And Charles has been busy writing the short play for Ajax Major, Punchy, it will join other shorts on the evening of Greek Bearing Gifts, Wednesday November 6th (https://www.facebook.com/events/521596494587681/), and he’s also directing short play for The Tools on Wednesday, November 20th (https://www.facebook.com/events/626554024056568/), and some of the plays in the Greeks Bearing Gifts evening.

And here is lovely Megan Cohen again, with the master-mind behind it all Stuart Bousel! Stuart’s full-length play The Horse or See Also All on Saturday, November 23rd, the final reading of the festival. Stuart’s play to me seems the most epic and ambitious, I know I will be there to see this dark piece come to life and you should be as well! For more details, or to RSVP, check out the facebook event page here: http://www.sfolympians.com/?page_id=1304.

Here’s Kat Engh, not involved with the festival, but fabulous none-the-less, Meg O’Conner, Allison Page, Claire Rice, and Annette Roman! I love this picture. Meg O’Conner has two short plays in The Tools on Wednesday, November 20th (https://www.facebook.com/events/626554024056568/), The Helmet, and The Shield. Annette Roman, wrote the one-act play Menelaus (facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/587477464622600/) which will be read along with Anthony Miller’s one-act Agamemnon or The House Of Atreus Vol. 3: Agamemnon, being read on Thursday, November 7th. Both of these plays have sounded great in the snip-its I’ve heard so far, so again, make sure you’re there!

And finally this is a lovely photo of Siobhan Doherty (an actor in the festival), Megan Briggs (also an actor in this year’s festival), and me, with Allison Page achieving the best photo bomb ever.

I do hope you make it out to a lot of the shows! I couldn’t get pictures of all of the artists involved, so there are a lot of other great plays that you shouldn’t miss that I didn’t mention! Be sure to visit the San Francisco Olympians scheduled for all the details: http://www.sfolympians.com/?p=1791. Click around on the names listed under the Trojan Requiem side-bar (on the right), for even more details. Basically be at all the shows, all the time. :)

And of course, Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats is JUST ONE WEEK AWAY! November 9th, 8pm at the Exit. I’ll be posting pictures from rehearsals over the next week, and I hope, very much, to see you on Saturday!

Finally, if you’re reading this on facebook, there are a ton of links and pictures you’re missing out on, so click on through to my website…. Seriously, do it, this post took me forever.

At 8pm the artists (writers, directors, actors, and fine artists) involved with this year’s festival as the art work for this year is presented, a preview of each play is heard, and free food is served! There will also be drinks, but those will cost you some $. I have a fancy blue dress and some golden slippers ready to go, so join me! Get on your fancy clothes and head down to The Exit! Party starts at 8pm tonight!

Also in San Francisco Olympians Festival news, the official schedule has been released! Get that here: http://www.sfolympians.com/?p=1791

Will I see you tonight? I sure hope so! But if you can’t make it, never fear! I’m hoping to take an obnoxious number of photos to post, so check back here for those this weekend!

To wish you a special Halloween, I’m reposting a super creepy one-minute play I wrote last August. It’s called Peeper…

Peeper, a one-minute play by Rachel Bublitz

It is very quiet. TOM is on stage, HE has a pair of binoculars and looks out with them on one specific spot.

TOM

I like to imagine what her name is.

I have narrowed it down to 84 possibilities, and I am certain that it is one of them.

Some nights I call them out to her.

Amy?…

I do not yell. I would never yell at her.

Sarah?…

When you watch someone as long as I have watched her you learn things about them. For example, I know that her name cannot be Jackie. I know this.

Deborah?…

No, not Deborah. That makes for 83.

83 possibilities.

Hmmm…

TOM moves closer to the spot he is watching. TOM’s breathing becomes audible and quick. TOM speaks quickly.

TOM (CONTINUED)

There goes her blouse.

Tonight the bra she wears is black.

She did not shave under her arms this morning.

Pause. TOM’s speech and breath return to normal.

TOM (CONTINUED)

Now her light is off.

TOM lowers his binoculars.

TOM (CONTINUED)

Sweet dreams. April?…

End.

There are some characters that I write that I instantly understand, these tend to be main characters, and often there’s a lot of me in them and that’s where the understanding comes from. Or in the case of Achilles and Patroclus in Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats a TON of research was done before I started writing. But sometimes there are characters that you’re making up, so it’s hard to research them, AND they’re essential to something you’re working on. For example, I’m working on a long one horror one-act and there’s a character in there that’s been eluding me for weeks. It’s a male character that’s just lost his wife, and is the target of a con. Rosie, one of the main characters (and a serial killer) is trying seduce him, steal all his money, and then kill him, and I haven’t figured out how the first part of that’s going to work. Where will they meet? What will she say? What about her will trap him? Because that’s what Rosie does, like a spider she traps her victims (she uses her guile instead of a web). So that’s where I’m at with this. I’m thinking of middle aged men in my life and how I’ve seen them react to tragedy, and what would might be attractive to them while they’re in this dark place of suffering. It’s kinda hard.

But, he’s a really important part of the script, and writing better male characters is on my list of things I need to get better at. So I will try (probably fail) and try again, until I can get it right (or as close to right as possible). I think it’s important to push the things that we aren’t comfortable with, because doing them is our only chance to get better at them. Plus, it’s more satisfying to watch Rosie destroy a real person, instead of a card board cut out.

If you have any thoughts on middle aged men, and what you think would/could make them though out logic for a woman, send them my way! Here’s my email : Rnbublitz@gmail.com

And yes, I did think of sex, but isn’t there something more? Or is it different sex? I will think on it a ton, and if anything comes to mind on your end, let me know!

Eleven days! ELEVEN DAYS guys! In eleven days the San Francisco Olympians Festival will present a staged reading of Under The Gods’Golden Cleats! We start rehearsing this Sunday! I cannot wait to get into the rehearsal room and hear my fabulous actors! This week I’ve been trying to trim down my script as much as humanly possible. For some reason, I like to use ellipses like they’re going out of style. I also write ridiculous stage directions, which normally isn’t a big deal, but since these are going to be READ OUT LOUD, I need to make sure they also have a nice sound to them. All of this, and cuts, cuts, cuts. I shaved a few pages, so my it’s down to 125 pages! And it only hurt my soul a little. It’s odd though, I’ll be paring down a scene and I’ll tear my heart out by cutting a line or two, and then on a second read I realize that the scene doesn’t actually need those lines at all, only the necessary can stay, and things are getting brutal.

Hope you make it out on November 9th (8pm at the Exit)! Here’s the facebook page for more details:

https://www.facebook.com/events/166435956886604/

This Friday, November 1st, join the San Francisco Olympians Festival at The Exit in San Francisco for the opening night party! And then come back November 6th – 23rd and watch staged readings of 36 brand new plays all written by local playwrights. It will be a festival filled with fantastic new theatre and you DO NOT WANT TO MISS IT!

Here are all the dates and times you need to know:

My play, Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats is based on the legend of Achilles, and it will be NOVEMBER 9th! It is a beast of a play and I cannot wait to share it with everyone. Please join me on November 9th, remember to bring cash ($10) and come early to get good seats!

I will also be watching a TON of the other plays (I’ve been hearing bits and pieces of them all year and I know there are some fantastic pieces being presented!). So I hope to see you a LOT in November!

Here’s the facebook event for Under The Gods’ Golden Cleats:

https://www.facebook.com/events/166435956886604/

You can find out more info there, and RSVP!

My short play Baby Pie is in anthology called Zombies?! Zombies!! and you can now buy your own copy! How exciting is that?

I wrote Baby Pie over a year and a half ago, it’s based on a nightmare. And it’s one of the strangest things I’ve ever written. So don’t delay, put your order in now and get your copy for Halloween!

Here’s the link:

http://bookstore.iuniverse.com/Products/SKU-000608394/Zombies—Zombies.aspx

Happy Thursday!