DENNIS HOPPER

Dennis Hopper, Hollywood Rebel

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

ACTOR GENIE

ACTOR GENIE

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

THE STORY OF THE FRIENDSHIP THAT CHANGED CINEMA FOREVER

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

THE ENSEMBLE STUDIO THEATRE: MARATHON 2010

MARATHON 2010

EST's annual festival of new one-act plays from established and emerging writers.

"Hilarious and insightful. The Ensemble Studio Theatre has staked a claim as the pre-eminent home for short works by major artistic talents." - New York Times, Marathon 2009

Series A

Series B

ON DRAMATIC ACTION

The dramatic action of a story must be forward moving. [Someone] is going along in [their] life. Something happens to [them], either by [thier] own doing or otherwise.

Whatever happens to [them] must be big enough to alter [their] normal routine in a compelling way. Getting a flat tire on the way to work isn't enough. [They] can fix the flat and be on [their] way. It's an inconvenience, but an easily solvable one.

As a result of the big thing that happens he or she is thrown off the course of [their] normal life and must confront several unexpected problems that he or she must conquer to serious ramifications. On the way to work a young woman gets a flat tire.

Because she doesn't know how to fit it, she hails a stranger. The stranger agrees to drive her to the nearest gas station to get help. But instead of doing that he kidnaps her.

A story has begun. But maybe it's not her story. Maybe it's her fiance's story. He must find her. That's the story.

The dramatic action of the story then is what the character does to resolve the problem he or she has suddenly been faced with.

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."

ON ARCHETYPES: NICOLAS CAGE CALLS COMIC BOOKS "JUGIAN ARCHETYPES" FOR THE MODERN AGE

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"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."