GETTING RAYMOND CHANDLER ONSTAGE (but not in Arkansas)
 
13/06/04
Birthday. Costume theme party.  "Fictitious detectives". Traditional detective menu (coffee in paper cups, doughnuts) handed to arrivals at the door. 
 
Among the guests were Hercules Poirot, Shaft, Miss Marple (2 of them), Kojak, Jake (Chinatown) Giddes, Sherlock Holmes, Phillip Marlowe, Colombo (two of them), Phillip (Singing Detective) Marlowe, William (Name of The Rose) of Baskerville. An idea formed.
 

June/ July.   Ideas process. Look at the stories by and biographies of Chandler, revisit the movies. Also check into Christopher Marlowe, re-read the plays and biographies, conspiracy theories concerning his death and of Shakespeare authorship, relationship with Edward Alleyn. Asked for further information form Dulwich College concerning Alleyn. Turns out they were unable to correspond due to their server security settings unable to overcome the "forbidden site" blocking of the word "naked". 

August.         First act completed. 

September.    Last scene completed.

October.        First draft completed.           

 
4th January 2005
 
Hello
My name is Tommy Hancock and I am in Melbourne, Arkansas.
We are starting a local theater for the community, a community styled theater that actually raises money for community needs.  We are very interested in reviewing your script for our debut performance, just based on the synopsis. 
I will direct and I am an amateur historian /researcher of the detective genre and have spent much time focusing on Chandler.   
We have little funds currently, but will make every effort to pay whatever the fee is. Let me know, thank.
 
Hi Tommy
Your project sounds interesting. I must, before we go any further, correct a possible misconception; The Opposite of Showbusiness is not in itself a detective thriller, more a Faustian allegory on (damn, this sounds pompous, even for me!) the accident of writing success.
Let me know a bit more about the proposed production, whether you will be hiring professional actors, etc. I will be happy to let you see the script on a view-only basis upon request. Happy New Year
Jim 
Tommy
Thanks for your fast reply....and it wasn't a misconception, I understood the general point of it, I was just acknowledging my interest in it being that you focused on Chandler...
 
My production will not employ anyone...it will be a community theater group set up, with funds raised going to the community in various ways. The first performance will be to benefit the local Domestic Violence Prevention Organization.
 
We'd like to do three performances in our county and hopefully raise maximum funds. We are prepared right now to do something with a small cast (3-4), but we are interested in The Opposite of Show Business regardless of size. I mentioned our size currently (people who are part of our inaugural group) just to see if you had any productions of that size.
 
Again, no professionals involved, I have an acting background of about twelve years, but nothing professional in that. I would love to see a read only script but also interested in anything you have of a smaller cast. Please let me know.
 
Tommy
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 6:08 AM
Subject: RE: request

Hi Tommy

Your cause looks a worthy one. I am involved in my union's Writers against Gun Crime, and guess that the same rules of education and breaking the circle of violence apply to the issues you are tackling.

Here's the script on a read-only basis. I have worked with excellent community acting club groups (people with real potential and fantastic enthusiasm but no Equity card) and made up gaps in the casting by reaching out to "resting" professional actors. It may well be that the wide age-range of my characters will permit you to find people who had previously not considered joining your group.

Let me know if you wish to confirm intention for performance and I will draw up a relatively painless "...the party of the first part shall be known in this contract as the party of the first part...".

We'll leave it at one script for the moment, but no problem here in principle to keeping further options open.

Happy reading

Jim

This is me letting you know we want to confirm intention to perform. We are interested in doing 'THE OPPOSITE OF SHOW BUSINESS' in Feb/March and doing three performances in three different locations in our county to maximize fundraising possibilities...is this possible? Remember, this is our inaugural performance and with the proceeds going to our chosen charity, our funding is limited, but we will make every effort to put together what it takes to do this show.

Tommy

...........(it sort of fizzled out - casting problems.

December 2005: Meeting with Dr Valerie Lucas, who is interested in directing play. 
                            Contact with The White Bear Theatre for July/August performances.

Jan/Feb:              Rewrite.

April:                   Casting for Script Tank reading. 

May:                    Confirmation of The White Bear Theatre booking (26th July)
                            Reading at Script Tank.
                            Rewrite, taking comments from Script Tank into consideration. 
                            Contact with reading cast.

June:                   Recast, with some difficulty. Some of the actors I have used before, who have become an occasional repertory company, were unavailable, as
                            were most of the Script Tank readers. Cast Ned Alleyn and Cissy from Script Tank (including one of the original readers) and Memphis from my
                            my band of rep. players, augmenting with a team of equally excellent new people.   

                             PICTURES IN YOUR DREAMS 
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