Moving Along! But now I am worried about the ending... by Debbie Bagnato

Well, I completed my character list--which is sizable but I am following Aristophanes lead. And I added my next scene after the lengthy one inside the store. This is a connecting scene that needed to illustrate the heated atmosphere while emphasizing the obvious--they are in a store which is open for business. Luckily, it was easier to write than I anticipated, much to my relief. The upcoming scene is all mapped out on paper and should be a fun one; there are always many changes and things I discover as I go along that are neglected initially. The job is then to iron those out but it is easier to address them as I find them. So, in the big scheme of things, I am pretty much on point. I bought a story-board so I can begin mapping out physical aspects of the play, as if it were to be produced. While we are on  break, of course, I will continue to write, revise, edit and change things a billion more times, as is the norm. I realize now that I am closer to the end of this story (not there yet but drawing nearer) and further from the opening. Unfortunately that means I am now faced with the dilemna of HOW to wrap this all up in a humorous, ridiculous, yet believable fashion. There will be free-writing in my immediate future and lots of brainstorming. And prayer, many, many prayers.

I had always planned on staying close to the master's (Aristophanes) original, and despite logistical and societal differences, as well as the obvious time period switch,  I have followed the basic format of his story. Also, I had particulars planned for the closing scene before I even wrote one word, but the pulling it all together part is going to be my most important challenge. Hopefully, the opening is a strong enough attention-grabber so that people want to read/ watch this play and not simply dismiss it. The follow-up scene seems pretty funny, fast-paced and a strong continuation of what is revealed in the opening. This was a relief as I read it back, but that scene has only been read by yours truly so far; guess I will ask my group mates if we can give that a read-through next week. Although I was delighted with what I had written, there are a lot of characters coming and going in this scene, and I need to find out if other readers can follow these rapid-fire conversations and get the intended humor. If so, I can gracefully slip into the upcoming scene which is a doozy. In truth, I call these "scenes" but they are really just different parts with the chorus of old--usually two groups of twelve representing the men, and the women--and the individual characters who speak. I have separated them into "scenes" in an effort to create this new story while maintaining Aristophanes timeless ideas--and utilizing the humor of both situations. So now, as I draw nearer to that final scene, the denouement, I realize the great importance of this scene. It needs to be funny, consistent with the story, and in its silliness, make a point of the women--and helpers--victory. The audience, or reader, should walk away from this with a good laugh and a sense of satisfaction that justice has been served--the women (and company) have made their point and the players will now go forward in harmony. Oh, and about "Harmony" she is going to be in that last scene, just like the original. It is my job to use her presence wisely, and help her--and possibly another (?) to fit in smoothly. On that note, back to work for now.