THE STORIES: The General of Hot Desire. How does one write about the unknowable? A group of English Lit students attempt a condensed version of the Christian Bible, starting with a Shakespeare Sonnet. Their knowledge of Bible stories combine with their modern-day sensibility to become an accusation against an apathetic and greedy God. Their take on Eden and the aftermath compel them to combine love and knowledge to become the weapon against a God who frowns on those who have used their freedom from Eden to see God as perhaps he really is: silent. (5 men, 4 women.)
Greenwich Mean. A and B are moving in together. As they unpack, their conversation reveals an excitement and a lover's trust in the future and in each other. But when an earthquake hits and A grabs onto boxes instead of B, new light is shed on the relationship. How long can it now last? (1 man, 1 woman.)
Talking Dog. A man takes his girlfriend hanggliding for the first time, prompting her to overcome her fears. She does it, and hears him say—in flight—I love you. She doesn't mention it, but glides again and again to hear it. When she realizes it may not be him, she decides it is nature talking, taking on a more profound meaning. But he thinks she can't take a joke and moves on, constantly searching for someone who understands him. (2 men, 2 women.)
New York Actor. Several actors are sitting in a theater bar, reveling in success and failure—their own and that of their friends around them. Craig is back in New York after several seasons in Hollywood in a sitcom. So happy to be cast in an upcoming Broadway production, he doesn't mind revealing that Hollywood was not what he liked. The other stage actors agree but would have loved the chance to do TV. There is an element of fear—that it all could disappear in a moment—along with the humor of what their lives have been like and the uncertainty of the profession. When one more actor joins them, and tells him of a part he just got, they all realize Craig's been fired and this guy is taking the role. Instead of rallying around, everyone goes their own way, leaving Craig with his greatest fear of being a has-been. (5 men, 3 women.)
