. . .the artist/the soul of the artist/what it is to be human. . . a hazardous pilgrimage beyond the moment of resignation . . . an individual and yet universal meditation on the theme of living in a world of stress, doubt and peril . . . a symbolic expression on the perception of lonliness - and the inextinguishable hope for an existence beyond bodily death . . . a redemption . . . . a ressurection . . .

When you don't have this dying and becoming.
You are only a sad guest on the dark Earth. - Goethe


Resignation Redemption (screenplay by niki, kristin, matthew, jeremy, anna and andrea)

INT. STAGE - DAY

Two actors on stage rehearsing a scene from Dracula. Half painted flat behind them being painted. Director off-stage.

ACTOR (playing Dracula, full emotion) The children of the night! As you say, Mr. Harker - six wolves. Listen! The Director howls for Wolves.

ACTOR (stepping out of character) There's going to be a real wolf howl, isn't there.

DIRECTOR (voice exasperated) Of course. Please continue. Stay in character. The Actor fumbles with the script just finding the lines, reading, then mumbling them and towards the end slipping into character.

ACTOR Mmmmm. Come now. There are many things you must tell me tomorrow - of England and of the estate there you have purchased for me.

ANTAGONIST (playing Harker) Ah yes.

ACTOR (playing Dracula with full intensity) The estate is called . . . . (long dramatic pause) . . . Carfax, I believe.

ANTAGONIST (Playing Harker quickly replies) Yes, that's so.

ACTOR (playing Dracula fully engaged now) But now, I will detain you no longer.

DIRECTOR (side-coaching) Try it with an accent.

ACTOR/DRACULA I vill detain you no longerrr. You vill find your rrroom in rrreadiness. DIRECTOR (side coaching) Sinister now.

ACTOR/DRACULA (over dramatically) And I advise you not to leave it during (sinister laugh) the night.

DIRECTOR Not so much this is not a melodrama.

ACTOR/DRACULA (frustrated and angry) Accent. Sinister . . . too much . . . I give up . . . (throwing script in the air) . . . I QUIT. Papers flying everywhere.

INT. STAGE ENTRANCE - DAY

Door slams. Actor runs in carrying a mirror, watch, books,binders, agenda and heavy backpack Constantly stumbling and dropping things in haste. Reaches the stage and drops everything. Agenda lands open and a messy schedule of scratched out and replaced times and dates is displayed. Actor rummages through backpack looking for something and pulls out papers throwing them about till at last finds a stapled booklet. A script. As the script is pulled from the backpack it falls apart. Papers flying everywhere blowing across the stage transforming to silver, surreal foil.

INT. BACKSTAGE - DAY Actor curled up into a ball in a corner.

ACTOR (Despondent) I can't do this. It's just not who I am.

ANTAGONIST (with authority) You've got to. You've done it before. Snap out of it.

ACTOR (looking up) You don't understand. Papers ripping, garbage swirling, dishes smashing.

ANTAGONIST (pleading) You're an artist it's in your soul! Ripped papers reassemble, dishes repair, garbage is sucked back.

ACTOR (Long deep breath. Inhale . . .hold it . . . exhale.) Scream

INT. WINDOW - PITCH BLACK

Tape of voices and collage of imagery. STRANGE RASPY VOICE Give up - it's useless you'll never make it.

ACTOR I can't do this. STRANGE RASPY VOICE Jump! Jump! Tiny spot of light magnifies into blinding light which then focuses to rooftop.

EXT. ROOFTOP - NIGHT

Actor on rooftop looking down with one foot dangling. STRANGE RASPY VOICE (very faintly like the whisper of the wind ) Jump. Actor jumps off roof. Antagonist running to roof edge eyes wide biting lip shouts.

ANTAGONIST NO! Cut back to actor looking over the edge in defeat. Antagonist stands behind both looking tired and defeated. Antagonist sits down and grabs the actors elbow motioning to sit down. The two sit and lean on each other. A chorus of dismal, lifeless people walk up from behind them and pass by. All assemble on the edge of the rooftop, hands on their sides falling one at a time.

THE END

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