Author Topic: Writing A Play Based On RMA/Propheets/Workshops  (Read 2853 times)

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Offline absolutebest

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Writing A Play Based On RMA/Propheets/Workshops
« on: October 22, 2005, 04:15:00 AM »
I am writing a play that will be based on the emotional-growth experiences that took place at RMA.  This piece has already garnered a ton of attention and I am working my ass off trying to capture the essence of what happened there.  However, I need help!  Whether you believe that RMA/Cedu was for better or worse, I believe that that "world" and its legacy should indeed live on.  I believe that my play will be a captivating and unbiased look into that "world" and how bizarre (again, for better or worse) it was.  I'm having problems remembering all of the experiences and I was pulled after the Values.  So, anything that anybody feels comfortable sharing about their own personal experiences would be greatly appreciated.  You will be directly helping this "world" survive and will be educating the 99.9% of people that have no clue what the hell a CEDU school or a Propheet was.  Actually, you will also be educating a large group of people on what it is like to grow up troubled.  Thanks all...

Adam Best RMA 1994-96[ This Message was edited by: absolutebest on 2005-10-22 01:20 ]
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 07:00:00 PM by Guest »
dam Best RMA 1994-96 (PG61)

Offline try another castle

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Writing A Play Based On RMA/Propheets/Workshops
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2005, 07:17:00 AM »
Okay, one, that's uh... slightly weird. Two, it's impossible to have or portray an ubiased view of that school and that experience if you went there. You can't exactly remove yourself from that kind of experience and be objective about it. (I'm not sure plays are the best medium for being "unbiased" anyway.) Three, why should more people know what a propheet is?
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Offline shanlea

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Writing A Play Based On RMA/Propheets/Workshops
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2005, 12:19:00 PM »
Hell, I say Go For It. There is no way any normal person will watch that play, and if portrayed accurately, think these are places to develop emotional well being. Hell no.

I'm not even thinking of the more traumatic raps and propheets where peoople are are called names over and over again, ganged up on, badgered into admitting things that never happened, or exploited in other ways.  I'm thinking of the stupid petty crap, like someone wearing pink too much, and having a whole frigging rap degenerate into angry chaos because that person is too cute.

Or even the raps with the angry upper students, who were now highly trained bullies, being lauded by staff for effectively demolishing a newcomer for some trite minutaie.

God, I remember one newcomer, who was criticized for not being angry enough, was forced to go around the room and yell at every individual for some slight or wrong doing. But she wasn't pissed at anyone! So she had to make up reasons why she was mad at you and if she wasn't loud enough or mean enough, they would force her to do it over again. The poor girl had to rack her brains finding ammunition on some people she hadn't even met yet... you could literally see her eyes rolling around trying to figure out what to say.

well as for acts in the play, I suggest titles like:
"How to be Angry When You're Really Not"
"Verbal Abuse: It's a good thing"
"Getting Your Child to Enjoy the Rich Sounds of Neil Diamond and John Denver"
Or "Cedu: The Original Cuddle Party."
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hanlea

Offline shanlea

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« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2005, 12:57:00 PM »
"Cedu: Equal Opportunity Employers: We Hire Former Rapists, Killers, and Other Assorted Psychos to Help Your Child Find His Life's Purpose"
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hanlea

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« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2005, 04:04:00 PM »
Shanlea, I think that is the funniest thing you have said on here.   :lol:  Yea, you might have a hard time getting a ton of support on here writing a screenplay like that.
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Offline shanlea

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« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2005, 06:21:00 PM »
I swear, I'm usually sweet :wink: but my nice gene has gone through a mild mutation recently.
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hanlea

Offline absolutebest

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« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2005, 07:09:00 PM »
Sorry to upset people... However, as a writer when I find a topic that makes this kind of social commentary I cannot ignore the possibilities.  This will not be pro-Cedu or anti-Cedu, it will just be Cedu.  I don't see what is so bad about letting the World witness what we went through.  As far as not everybody wanting to watch this play, hundreds of plays deal with subjects of comparable intensity-- Blue Surge, How I Learned To Drive, Raft Of The Madusa, Wit, Doubt, etc... nowadays, the more a piece pushes the envelope, the better chance it has of being produced and eventually making broadway.  This isn't the theatre of the 1960's people.  Anyway, if you want to help an ex-Cedu student that is trying to further his career, thank you.  If not, post on another thread, please...

Adam
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Offline shanlea

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« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2005, 08:44:00 PM »
My posts had a bit of sarcasm there but I absolutely, sincerely support your artistic endeavors. Don't let anyone derail you from doing something you want to do either from a perspective of human interest or social relevance.  The truth is that if nothing else, CEDU was a hell of a theatre.

And, while you say you will be unbiased in your presentation, there is no way the audience will be unaffected by a true and accurate portrayal of a rap/propheet.
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hanlea

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Writing A Play Based On RMA/Propheets/Workshops
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2005, 10:34:00 PM »
Why stop at the propheets and raps.  Why don't you put some of the everyday stuff in there too?
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Offline absolutebest

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« Reply #9 on: October 23, 2005, 12:48:00 AM »
Well, with a play you don't really have the opportunity to jump back and forth between too many different settings or the chance to quickly advance time.  It is a much different medium than film or TV.  Honestly, I think that a HBO-like TV series would be the best venue for this particular subject, but... right now I am writing a play.  An essentially one-room E.G. experience-based piece will be much easier to get produced and possibly direct than a semi-big budget  RMA script.  Hopefully this will work out and I can parlay that success into larger projects centered around this very topic.

No one can make me stray from this path that I have chosen.  I was merely stating that and... A.) this is indeed a good idea (whether it can be effectively carried out, we will see); and B.) I started this thread with serious intentions and that people were not taking it seriously whatsoever.  

Anyway, CEDU is theatre at it's highest level.  How theatrical are the propheets/workshops?  Costume parties?  Mock funerals?  Physical exercises that serve as figurative metaphors?  Running your shit (often yelling at yourself or someone who isn't present)?  This stuff would seem completely and utterly insane to most.   And how far do the staff take their own "characters?"  We all know that they don't live like that 24-7 (well, some may).  Basically, I think it would be very entertaining.  No matter if they say "those people were trying to help" or "those people are unbelievably fucked up", they would undoubtedly say "they are very interesting characters stuck in an extraordinary circumstance."  That is what plays and films typically are--"fish out of water" stories (both for the in-story characters and the out-of-story characters, aka the audience).

Anyway, any ideas are still appreciated...

Adam
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Offline Anonymous

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« Reply #10 on: October 23, 2005, 01:08:00 AM »
Let us know when you complete the project so we can see it.
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