"First Impressions"

A Screenplay by Jared Payne

#2

(Scene starts with an interview, in the RTP lobby, with Ellie)

Ellie:

I can admit, I made some [pause] choice actions, the last rehearsal, that might have been [pause] influenced by the competitive environment. But I don’t regret anything…[looks into camera]..ever.

(~cuts to theme song~)

(Camera returns to auditorium, from half way through the room, pointing at the stage, Where the director [Jody] is on the stage, addressing the cast who is sitting in the front row.)

Jody:

So let’s just go ahead and get started

(camera is now on stage pointing towards Jody from an angle)

[cheerful tone]

How’s everyone doing?

(The camera shifts left and zooms to the cast who is extremely quiet except for Nathan who sneezes half way through the pause of silence)

(camera cuts to backstage, to an interview of Jody)

Jody:

[looking into the camera with a half smile]

They're all dead to me.

(Camera cuts to the auditorium and is halfway through the auditorium, and is pointing at the stage where the cast now stands [holding scripts] and Jody who is partially in the shot in front of the stage)

Jody:

Okay, so to kind of warm up

we're just gonna start from a random spot…[thinking],

and see it where it takes us.

[spontaneously] Pointing at Caine]

Give me a number!

Caine:

[dead tone without expression]

66666….cont.

Jody:

[interrupting]

O-Kay, let’s not... Molly pick a number

Molly:

I like 21!

Jody:

[disappointed]

Of course you do...Act 2 scene 1 it is.

(cuts to an interview)

Nathan:

[mocking everyone]

I never regret anything...I like 21...666, boo-hoo-Hoo!…

2 hours in and I already need a nap. Let’s just get this over with

[looks at camera man concerned]

Don’t tell them I said that.

(The cast finds the spot in their scripts, before getting into place, with Caine and Molly on stage right, and Nathan on stage left, while Ellie goes in the background towards stage left, and sits down [school boy #2])

Jody:

Begin.

Molly:

(approaching Nathan towards stage left, with Caine following behind)

You there, I’ve heard you’re selling fruit

Caine:

[semi-depressing]

We need some or our family, will [head roll] starve without it.

Nathan:

[extremely bad acting and monotone]

Yes, the fruit I sell..however.. [Nathan stops and is interrupted]

Jody:

[slightly annoyed]

Nathan...try..try that line again and louder please

Nathan:

[screaming but still monotone]

Yas, Fruit I sell!..[interrupted]

Jody:

Okay, let’s try this one more time,

But just try to switch it up or something and add some emotion...[annoyed smile]

Okay.

Nathan:

[extremely overdramatic with cheesy English accent]

YES! THE FA-RUIT, I SELL!

(camera shifts left to Caine and zooms in as she makes an annoyed eye glare at the camera)

Jody:

[disappointed and annoyed]

That...[fake laugh]..wow, okay, that was officially a fail, so just continue the scene and we’ll address that later..

Molly:

[desperate english accent, but good acting]

Please sir, we need the fruit or…[interrupted

Jody:

Okay Molly, stop, just stop that. Let’s skip that part too, [real laugh] and we’ll definitely have to work on the later.

(Molly’s makes a sad face and Caine continues with her part, skipping Molly’s)

Caine:

That’s it we’ve offered you all we have! [grabs Nathan shirt]

It’s the food or…[interrupted by Ellie]

(Ellie leaves the background [even though she’s not supposed too] and takes center stage making up her own lines)

Ellie:

[extremely...EXTREMELY over acting and soap opera tone, while making weird arm movements]

Please Sir!...[spins in circles before falling on knees dramatically]

You can’t hurt him…[interrupted]

(Jody gets extremely annoyed, and Caine begins screaming [without moving and still looking at Nathan] as her head slowly shifts to the right [still screaming] and she’s looking directly at Ellie)

Caine:

[demonic goblin tone]

Aghhh...GET OFF THE STAGE!

(Caine continues to scream until Ellie stops and slowly backs up back into the background and Caine instantly continues the scene like nothing happened, but Molly is now a little concerned and takes a small step, away from Caine)

Nathan:

[continuing the scene like nothing happened]

Fine, food I will give thee, but spare me and my family

[end of the act 2 scene 1, for the the cast and they break character and close their scripts]

Jody:

[confused and rubbing head]

[pause] M-kay, We’re gonna take 5 now.

(the cast relaxes and begins to make their way off stage)

(Cuts to an interview of Nathen)

Nathan:

For a first time...I think that went pretty well

Camera Man:

Really?

Nathan:

[breaks the act]

No, we're all going to die before this production is over…[pause]

Starting with the murder of Ellie...brought especially to you by Caine.

(The camera returns to the auditorium and the cast is walking back up stage and stands in a sort of semi-circle/ line…Nathan to the left, then Molly, Ellie, and Caine to the right)

Jody:

We’re, gonna work on the specifics later,

but how about we get to know each other first.

Let’s start with you [points to Nathan]

Nathan:

Oh, ugh...Nathan Brooks

Molly:

Molly Quinn, and I like...[interrupted]

Ellie:

[interuptinging Molly]

I’m Ellie Dublin

Molly:

[sad]

owe

(everyone looks at Caine, and there's a long pause before he speaks)

Caine:

Caine!…

is the last part of my name

Nathan:

Caine, What?

Caine:

Caine, Caine.

Nathan:

[conused]

But, your first name…[interrupted]

Caine:

[mono-tone and semi-demanding]

Every time someone asks me a question,

I have a sudden urge to play in traffic.

So thanks for that.

Jody:

[giving up]

Okay we’re gonna take 5...AGAIN.

[holding head]

Momma’s gonna need a drink after this.

New assignment is to find a partner, and we’ll finish with a game.

(the cast begins to shuffle offstage and Nathan confronts Molly)

Nathan:

Wanna be part-ners?

Molly:

As, long as you’re not Ellie...or Caine!.

(Ellie tries to catch up but is blocked by the slowly stifling Caine)

Ellie:

[whisper yelling, while waving arm]

Molly, hey Molly, partners?

(Molly turns around and lets a small laugh and shakes her head)

(Ellie isn’t very upset, until it sets upon her that the only option left is Caine)

Ellie:

Wanna be part-ners…

Caine:

[fastly]

No.

(everyone sits down and Jody confronts the cast)

Jody:

We, all have partners...great.

Now we’re gonna play a little improv game called “take that back”

The rules? Simple.

Your partner’s going to create a scenario

and if you want them to change up a line.

All you have to say is…”Take that back”

First up: Nathan and Melanie

Molly:

Actually It’s Molly.

Jody:

Yeah whatever.

(Molly and Nathan walk up on the stage and are about to start their scene)

Jody:

Start whenever you’re ready.

(the camera is now beside Molly and she takes a deep breath about to start, then it cuts to an interview of Caine)

Caine:

[not thinking]

I am not working with Ellie

Camera holder:

You know she’s the only one left...right.

Caine:

[almost getting sick]

Oh, my god…[pause]

(the camera returns to the auditorium and Nathan and Molly have finished)

Molly:

[bowing]

Scene.

(everyone claps and Nathan and Molly take their seats)

Jody:

And to finish the day off, Caine and Ellie.

(Molly claps until she realizes no one else is, then she stops, and before Caine stands up, the camera zooms in on her face, as she makes another annoyed eye glare)

(Caine and Ellie take the stage, with Caine on stage right and Ellie on stage left)

Jody:

Begin.

Ellie:

So, Caine heard you did an “okay” job today, at rehearsal.

(cuts to an interview of Molly)

Molly:

[uses mouth to make a whistling sound effect of a bomb dropping and exploding]

(returns to Caine and Ellie’s scene)

Caine:

Take that back.

Ellie: