% Demo file for using ScriptTex 1.03%version

% This isn't a particularly exciting script, but it is demonstrative of what
% you can do with ScriptTex.

\input ../screenplay.tex

% optional \twoside
% optional \jlbrooks

\TV % or \movie (\TV is default)
\proof % or \manuscript or \shoot  (\proof is default)

\series{}  % Optional
\title{Pregnant from Kissing} % used on title page and in \proof footlines
\author{Joseph Mack} % used on title page and in \proof footlines
\basedon{disinformation in the "Vagenda"}
\draft{First draft} % used only if \proof is in force
%\date{25-OCT-1991}  % defaults to \today
\showcopyright{\number\year}
\address{5112 Longwood Dr \\
         Durham, NC, 27713-8010 \\
         (919) 401-2047\\
         jmack@austintek.com}

\maketitle % creates a title page

%%%%
%%%% Main script begins here.
%%%% For the first part of this script, I won't take advantage of any synonyms
%%%% or shortcuts.
%%%%

\act % 

\introduce{Cindy}: 12 yrs old 

\introduce{Bobby}: 12 yrs old, Cindy's boyfriend 

\introduce{Francesca}: Cindy's 14yr old know-it-all queen-bee wannabe sister

\introduce{Fred}: Cindy's father. Fred speaks with authority,
but you know that everything he says is absolute nonsense.
Stereotype father.
He's like Michael Palin in "The Cheese Shop".

\introduce{Elsie}: Cindy's mother. Goes along with Fred knowing everything. 

\introduce{Dr Finklestein}: Doctor at Planned Parenthood; cheery, sunny disposition 
(the doctor has to be male, so that Cindy has as many male allies as possible)

\introduce{7th graders}: all players except Cindy and Bobby, or anyone that's available.

%\introduce{announcer}: there's lots of scene changes. 
%The announcer keeps the audience in the loop.
%I may not need the announcer if I put the right words into everyone's mouth.
%The announcer is gone.

\stage
In the recently released book, "Vagenda" by Holly Baxter and Lucy Cosslet,
the authors describe coming of age as a female in the 1990's in England.
One of the chapters is on the disinformation they were fed.
One piece of disinformation is that a girl will become pregnant 
if she kisses a boy when she's having her period.
Everyone eventually figures out that this is disinformation, 
but it's death by a thousand cuts trying to figure out what is true and what isn't.
Disinformation is a cruel response to children,
who are just asking for information about how the world works. 
Most of us arrive in adulthood with our ideas about being male and female,
still filled with large pieces of disinformation. 

\stage
This sketch is about growing up in a world of disinformation.
It's called "Pregnant from Kissing".

\stage
"Vagenda", Holly Baxter and Rhiannon Lucy Cosslet, Square Peg, ISBN 9780224095808,
the authors also maintain a blog http://vagendamagazine.com/

\stage
Comic Perspective: disinformation. 

\stage
The phrase in the Vagenda
that triggered writing the script, was "kissing a girl in her period".
I used this as the name of the initial version of the script, 
even though I didn't particularly like it.
I could imagine it attracting the wrong sort of attention with a google search. 
A friend, Steve Carson, said that the name just had to go 
and suggested instead "Pregnant from Kissing".

\stage
"in your period" appears to be British. I've changed it to "having" or "got"

\stage
Scipt advisors: Jocelyn, Steve, Guy.

\stage
Paul at the Cary Playwrights Forum suggested for the final kiss,
to have Cindy or Bobby say something about kissing that they mustn't do
(eg tongues touching) or they'll get into trouble, 
to show the audience that they still are in the world of disinformation.
I haven't managed to think of an appropriate piece of disinformation.
Maybe I should read "The Vagenda" again.

\stage
At the first rehearsal, a couple of the cast raised the problem 
that a large fraction of the US population 
only thinks of Planned Parenthood as an abortion provider.
This is the result of an intense disinformation program.
People have forgotten that Planned Parenthood helped
finance the developement of the contraceptive pill.
My first contact with Planned Parenthood was to accompany
my girlfriend of the time, when she was being fitted with an IUD.
Since moving to the Triangle and going to a public presentation by 
Planned Parenthood,
I find they are about education and contraception.
Their role in abortions is only as a provider of last resort.
I expect if abortions were available in hospitals, 
Planned Parenthood would be quite happy to relinquish that role.
I expect if kids were subject to less disinformation 
there would be fewer abortions.
I expect if the govt or the medical profession took
on the role of education and providing resources for family planning,
that Planned Parenthood would be glad to disband itself.
The fact that anyone thinks of Planned Parenthood first as 
an abortion provider indicates the intensity of the smear
campain against them by anti-abortionists.

\stage
The script had to be changed to make sure anyone watching the video
didn't think Dr Finklestein was telling Cindy about Planned Parenthood 
so she could get an abortion.
In this sketch, Cindy is not pregnant, she just thinks she is.

\stage
I went to a public presentation by PP at the CH library about Jun 2015. 
The young women running the evening (25 at the oldest) 
would have been perfectly acceptable by high school students. 
She was poised, cheery and confident. 
She was quite comfortable talking about everything. 
She said that they offer free sex education to schools.

\stage
The private schools all have their own.

\stage
I can't remember what happens in CH, but only a few schools took them up.

\stage
Durham however gave a blanket NO, saying they could handle it themselves. 
Durham had 66 pregancies last year in their high schools. 
Apparently 66 pregancies is better than having PP give sex education.

\stage
I don't know what the problem in Durham is. 
Is it black parents, who are all in churches? 
Whatever the problem, PP doesn't have much of a toehold around here.

\stage
Planned Parenthood has been quite effectively sidelined in Durham.

\stage
In the original, 
I had Dr Finklestein telling Cindy that the nurse would be asking her to pee on a stick.
Being a biochemist, it was obvious to me that this was a pregnancy test.
However the cast pointed out that this would not be obvious 
to the 12 yr old Cindy or to many in the audience.
We fixed this up on the night.

\stage
Cindy is the main focus of the audience's attention. 
She has all the emotions.

\stage
Bobby is the supportive, reasonable boyfriend. 
He's doing the best he can with the disinformation he's surrounded by.
At no point should he look like he's freaking out about the events.
He's going to stick with Cindy no matter what happens.

\stage
Someone at Cary Playwrights Forum asked why I didn't tell Bobby's story.
The girl being pregnant is a lot higher stakes than Bobby's situation.
I just decided to tell only Cindy's story.

\stage
Cindy's family are living in disinformation. 
They aren't mean, just clueless.

\stage
Francesca is a socially pretencious know-it-all older sister, 
who has it all figured out. 

\stage
Dr Finklestein and Bobby are Cindy's male allies.

\stage
Laura from CPF pointed out that some of my paragraphs 
in my sketch "Graduation Day" were too long.
After hearing this, I realised that Dr Finkelstein's talk to Cindy was too long.
He gave all the possible info about Planned Parenthood.
This is OK for a lecture, but not for comedy.
There's a lot of comments from Cindy's peers,
when they find she's pregnant.
Maybe not all of these are needed.

\open{fade in}

\scene{ext.\ schoolyard ~--- day} Cindy and Bobby standing together.

%\dialog{announcer}
%School yard.

\stage
Cindy and Bobby are holding hands.
Cindy is leaning a bit on Bobby and looks glum.
She has her had gently on her lower abdomen.

\dialog{Bobby}
Hi Cindy.
Well, first day of 7th grade was chaos.
I'm glad we're in at least one class together.
...
Er. How are you doing? You look a bit glum.

\dialog{Cindy}
Not great Bobby. I'm having my first period. 
My sister Francesca warned me about it.
She said it would be horrible.

\dialog{Bobby}
Your parents didn't talk to you about it?

\dialog{Cindy}
No. They're hopeless. They don't know anything.

\dialog{Bobby}
Well congratulations on getting your period. 
Sorry it's no fun though. 
...
Can I kiss you?

\dialog{Cindy}
\paren{horrified, puts hands on face}
Oh no! Don't do that. 
I'll get pregnant.
Besides, it will be our first kiss. 
Can you wait till my period is over?

\dialog{Bobby}
I didn't know you could become pregnant by kissing, 
when you have your period.
Our parents kiss whenever they want. 
If this was true, my mom would be pregnant all the time.

\dialog{Cindy}
Francesca told me you can get pregnant from kissing, 
when you're having your period. 
She's 14 and heard about it in gym class.
It's called abstinence.

\dialog{Bobby}
All those stories are just to scare us.

\dialog{Cindy}
Well OK, if you're sure.
Do you want to do it with our eyes open or shut?

\dialog{Bobby}
I have no idea. 
I've never kissed a girl. 

\dialog{Cindy}
I've never kissed a boy,
so I don't know either. 
When my mom and dad greet each other, 
they do it with their eyes shut.
How about we do it my parent's way?

\dialog{Bobby}
OK.

\dialog{Cindy}
Oh this is so exciting. Our first kiss!

\stage
They stage kiss. 
Imagine kissing for the first time as 12yr olds, 
rather than as Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh in a movie. 
You want this kiss to be the kiss that everyone in the audience wishes
they'd had as their first kiss.

\stage
I suggest a nice delicate dry pucker kiss,
that can be seen easily in profile by the audience.
The actors should be standing outside each other's personal zones,
rather than inside them like older bf/gf pairs would do.
You will both have to lean forward for your faces to meet.
You might want to hold both hands so you don't fall inwards.
A suitable model would be the little dutch boy and girl kissing figurines.
eg
http://www.terapeak.com/worth/made-in-korea-kissing-boy-and-girl-figurines/201493721663/
or
http://www.terapeak.com/worth/vintage-dutch-kissing-boy-and-girl-salt-and-pepper-shakers-with-corks-japan/300949088980/


\stage
I suggest this be done slowly, 
so the audience has enough time to remember 
what they would have liked 
for their first kiss.

\stage
I've wondered whether to have the two look like they know how
to kiss or whether to have them get it wrong a few times first.

\stage
My initial thought was to have them make
several attempts at kissing before success,
so it's obvious that you're figuring out what to do.
Possibly I thought you could start with your noses colliding 
and then figure out that this doesn't work and try again.

\stage
Later I realised you don't want the audience with their hearts in their mouths,
wondering if the two kids are going to get it right or not.
It should be instantly obvious to the audience 
that they're going to have the perfect first kiss.
They should have an Athol Kay 10 second long kiss.

\stage
You want the kiss take so long to execute 
that the audience is on the edge of their seats, 
either cringing or being delighted and starting to laugh,
having realised that you're deliberately torturing them.
You're hoping for pandemonium from the audience.

\stage
Immediately afterwards, 
Cindy and Bobby should smile/laugh, clap their hands together in glee 
and look delighted/happy/pleased with each other.

\stage
edit

\scene{ext.\ schoolyard ~--- day} Cindy standing at center stage.

%\dialog{announcer}
%a bit later.

\stage
Bobby enters from the side talking/exclaiming/waving arms.

\dialog{Bobby}
\paren{alarmed}
Cindy! Cindy! it's true! I asked my friends. 
They said you can get pregnant by kissing, 
when you're having your period. 

\dialog{Cindy}
\paren{covers face with hands}
Oh no! Bobby! You didn't tell your friends!
Now the whole school will know I'm pregnant.
I don't want the whole school to know I'm having my period either.

\dialog{Bobby}
Don't be silly, Cindy. 
They promised not to tell anyone.
No-one will ever know.

\stage
edit

%\dialog{announcer}
%a bit later again.

\scene{ext.\ schoolyard ~--- day} 
Cindy seated, with her class mates standing around her. 

\stage
Class mates: 
tone is that of adults, 
on hearing the good news, 
when one of their friends announces that she's pregnant.
Girls squealing, clapping hands together in delight, hugging each other,
jumping up and down with excitement.
Boys pumping fists in air, high 5'ing, bumping stomachs. 
Applause.

\stage
Cindy: tone is that of a 12yr old girl who is accidently and unhappily pregnant.
The actor should figure out whether she wants to be 
chagrinned (from everyone knowing), mortified, helpless, angry ... 
If you can do it, I suggest being in tears, 
to contrast with the joy of your peers.

\stage
possibly having this many different statements will be overload.
Ask the people at CPF.

\dialog{class mates}
\paren{ecstatic}
Hooray!
This is such wonderful news Cindy.
You'll be so happy.
I've always thought you'd be a great mother.
You're the first one of us to become pregnant too. 
When's the baby due?
Is the baby a boy or a girl?
Do you have a name yet?
How about you use the name of the school mascot?
Are you and Bobby going to get married?
Can I be a bridesmaid?
Are you going to have a baby shower?
Have you told your parents?
%We can all come around and help babysit 
%and we'll do our homework together.
We'll take turns babysitting 
and we'll do our homework together.
Oh this is so exciting.

\stage
Pause, absolute silence, 
while everyone looks expectantly for a joyous response from Cindy.
Audience has to see the contrast between Cindy and her peers.

\dialog{Cindy}
\paren{anguish, tears}
I didn't know.
%No-one told me.
Someone should have told me.
How come no-one told me?
Oh, what am I going to do?

\stage
edit

\scene{int.\ bedroom ~--- night} Cindy and Francesca on Cindy's bed.

%\dialog{announcer}
%Cindy's bedroom.

\stage
Francesca does physicality to demonstrate that she's a queenbee wannabee.
(Flipping hair? I don't know how to do this myself. sorry.)

\stage
Francesca reaches behind her to turn on bedside table lamp
(eg pull-down cord),
to show audience she's in a room in a house (her bedroom).

\dialog{Francesca}
Cindy! You let him kiss you, when you were having your period?

\dialog{Cindy}
Oh Francesca, am I in trouble?

\dialog{Francesca}
Well my friend Suzy went on a date 
and she said all they did was kiss,
and now she's pregnant.

\dialog{Cindy}
But did she do it when she was having her period?

\dialog{Francesca}
I didn't ask. Are you going to tell Mom?

\dialog{Cindy}
Adults don't know anything. She won't know what to do.

\stage
edit

\scene{int.\ kitchen ~--- evening} parents standing 

%\dialog{announcer}
%The kitchen.

\stage
The Cary Playwrights Forum says 
this is not too many exchanges between the parents.
You need to show that they belong to the same conceit 
(of disinformation about kissing).

\stage
Fred is doing something stereotypically not male-like,
like scraping and rinsing dishes by hand and loading them into the dishwasher.

\dialog{Fred}
\paren{cheerily}
Hi Elsie, How's Cindy doing in the new school year? 

\dialog{Elsie}
\paren{concerned, do physicality eg grabs Fred's jacket etc}
Something's happened Fred.
Cindy's grades are terrible and she hardly ever hands in homework.

\dialog{Fred}
\paren{blissfully unconcerned}
Well she's taking a lot of new subjects.
I'm sure if we leave her alone, 
she'll figure it out by herself.

\dialog{Elsie}
She never engages us in conversation at dinner anymore.
She just looks down at the table and pokes at her food.
%She averts her eyes whenever I look at her.
%She looks worried all the time.
As soon as dinner is finished, she runs up to her room 
and shuts the door.

\dialog{Fred}
She's just shy, Elsie. Not everyone is like you.

\dialog{Elsie}
She stays in her room all evening playing loud music
and is on the phone to Bobby constantly.
%She won't come out.

\dialog{Fred}
She's in love Elsie.
You remember what it's like.
We used to be like that too.
She'll get over it and one day she'll be as right as rain.

\dialog{Elsie}
She can't get out of bed in the morning.
I can't imagine what time she gets to sleep.
She used to always be happy to run off to school in the morning.

\stage
Fred closes the dishwasher door, locks it and presses the start button

\dialog{Fred}
She's almost a teenager Elsie.
Teenagers can never get out of bed.
It's completely normal.
Now don't you worry about a thing.

\dialog{Elsie}
Her colour is different and, and, and, she has a bit of a shine about her.
You don't suppose she's ...

\dialog{Fred}
Pregnant?!
Nah! Can't possibly ... 
She's just a normal young girl adjusting to a growing body.
Besides, she's only kissed Bobby once,
and that was 6 weeks ago.

\dialog{Elsie}
6 weeks ago?! 
She asked me for some pads back then.
Are you sure that kiss was 6 weeks ago?

\stage
Fred looks puzzled, 
indicating that he doesn't recognise that Cindy was having her period 
when she kissed Bobby.
I expect this will go over the audience's head.
I'll have to think of something better.

\dialog{Fred}
Er yes. I think so.

\dialog{Elsie}
OMG. She kissed Bobby when she was having her period! 

\stage
edit

\scene{int.\ bedroom ~--- evening} Elsie (Mom) and Cindy 

\stage
Cindy and Mom on Cindy's bed.

%\dialog{announcer}
%Cindy's bedroom.

\dialog{Cindy}
But Mom, you and Dad kiss all the time.

\dialog{Elsie}
Cindy, once you're married, you can kiss any time you like.

\dialog{Cindy}
Oh.

\dialog{Elsie}
I'm going to make an appointment with the doctor first thing tomorrow.

\stage
edit

\scene{int.\ doctor's office ~--- day} Doctor Finklestein and Cindy 

%\dialog{announcer}
%Dr Finklestein's office at Planned Parenthood.

\dialog{Dr Finklestein}
\paren{cheery and helpful}
Hello Cindy, what brings you to Planned Parenthood?

\stage
the works from a terrified 12yr old girl.
Cindy thinks she's pregnant, 
because she did something she shouldn't have done 
when she should have known better
and she thinks it's all her fault.
This is the emotional climax of the piece.
You want the audience's heart to go out to her.
Give the audience everything you've got.

\dialog{Cindy}
\paren{distraught, tears, anguish} 
Dr Finklestein, I'm pregnant. 
I kissed my boyfriend Bobby when I was having my period. 
I know we shouldn't have done that, 
but it was our very first kiss 
and it was my first period too.
We haven't kissed since then, promise.
I haven't had a period in 2 months now,
so I've got to be pregnant.
On top of that, the whole school knows. 
It's a horrible mess.
What can I do?

\dialog{Dr Finklestein}
All you did was kiss, right?

\dialog(Cindy)
\paren{distraught, tears, anguish} 
Yes. But I was having my period.
We only did it once, really, promise.
I'll never do it again.

\dialog{Dr Finklestein}
\paren{concerned and reassuring, {\it e.g.} patting her on the shoulder}
I see.
Listen Cindy, 
%I don't think you have anything to worry about. 
you can't become pregnant from kissing.
I know there's all sorts of stories you hear at your age,
but most of them, 
%including this one
aren't true.
But just to make sure, 
the nurse in the next room will do a simple urine test 
that takes only a few minutes
and then we'll know for sure.
%She'll ask you to pee on a stick.
%She'll explain a few things to you.
She'll give you a bunch of pamphlets from Planned Parenthood.
These will explain how contraception works, 
so that you don't become pregnant if you don't want to.
%Make sure you read them all. 
Give one set to Bobby and the rest to your friends.
%You can come to Planned Parenthood anytime you like.
%We're here to help you with this sort of thing.
%Visits are confidential 
%and you don't have to tell your parents anything about it 
%or even that you've come here.
%You can come by yourself or with a friend if you want.
%Our address and phone number are stamped on the pamphlets.
Any questions?

\stage
Cindy looks hopeful, overwhelmed and apprehensive. 
She hasn't got the results yet 
and she doesn't know that she's out of trouble.
She doesn't quite know who to believe.

\dialog{Cindy}
\paren{nods hopefully, sniffle, blows her nose, wipes tears away}
No. Thank you, Dr Finklestein.

\stage
edit

\scene{ext.\ school yard ~--- day} Bobby and Cindy 

%\dialog{announcer}
%Schoolyard.

\dialog{Bobby}
Hi Cindy.
So you're not pregnant?!
What a relief!!!

\dialog{Cindy}
No Bobby. 
Oh! Thank goodness. 
Here, read these.
%They're for you.
They're from Planned Parenthood.
The extras are for your friends.
%We need to know all this stuff.

\dialog{Bobby}
Thanks.

\stage
Cindy puts her hand lightly on her lower abdomen 
as she tells Bobby she's having her period.

\dialog{Cindy}
Now I'm going to have to tell the whole school I'm not pregnant. 
I'll never live this down.
I'm so embarrassed.
On top of that, I just got my 2nd period.
If I'd waited a day, 
I wouldn't have had to go to the doctor.

\dialog{Bobby}
\paren{tenderly}
Well congratulations on getting your next period. 
Sorry it's no fun though. 
...
Can I kiss you ... again?

\dialog{Cindy}
No way! 
The last time we kissed, 
it was much too scary. 
Besides someone told me that if we kiss, 
when I'm having my period, we have to get married.
%I still haven't recovered.
Let's save kissing for when we're married.

\dialog{Bobby}
Oh, no, no, no.
All those stories are just to scare us.

\dialog{Cindy}
Well OK if you're sure.
Do you want to do it with our eyes open or shut?

\dialog{Bobby}.
How about we do it with our eyes shut again? 

\stage
They stage kiss. 
Do it to torture the audience, 
just like you did for the first kiss
ie an Athol Kay 10 second kiss.

\fadeout
\theend

%%%% Always end with \bye.
\bye % cleans up and exits

