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My Writing Has Old Fashioned Themes.
Featured ~ petercmurray26 ~ Leave a comment
Say Anything is the ultimate guy gets girl movie. Ah yes Lloyd Dobler (John Cusak.) that slacker guy, who nobody thought would amount to much of anything. Diane Court(Ione Skye) was certainly taken by surprise as much as her Dad James(John Mahoney) disliked this matchup. I like Lloyd because I knew some of these guys in school. Lloyd's character personifies the type of character I root for. He gets the girl in the end.
I was born in the early sixties. In that era, I discovered TV and a lot of old movies. Casablanca happens to be one favorite. Odd that I chose that, because Humphrey doesn't get the girl in the end. These were the types of movies I was weaned on. As I hit my teens, my generation was being courted by movie marketing. Yes, the teen movie genre blasted off. Before my era, not many coming of age movies were made. There they were though and we had a whole host of them and our hero always ended up with the happy ending. The Sure Thing(More of a college movie, but what the hell.) Say Anything, Better Off Dead, Some Kind of Wonderful(Girl gets guy here.), and many more. The television shows and movies I watched had those old fashioned themes of the Good Guy wins and he eventually gets the girl.
I am not ashamed to say I am a romantic at heart. If some wish to call me a metrosexual, here's the barf bag. Hell, I'll admit it I am and why not, I'm a Taurus. We Taureans are all about the romance thing. This is who I am and I will not apologize for a part of my personality I have embraced and become comfortable in. Part of why I write romantic themed plays or scripts has a lot to do with things that I went through in my own childhood. I was that geeky nerd and shy fellow, who had trouble even talking to himself let alone a girl.
When I first dabbled in script writing, most were plays and a lot were mysteries. I was weaned on The Barnstormers Theatre in Tamworth New Hampshire, where the mystery was king. The summer I first set about writing my own stuff, I counted 6 mysteries that were produced that summer and what did I write? A murder mystery set on a boat. It was horrible.
Later in college, I dabbled in other stuff. One was a dark piece about an incident that happened to me. I needed to write it to let the incident go. I always say writing is cathartic for me, even when I don't mean it to be. After that I was looking to write something light. I chose the romantic comedy and some of it was teen oriented where the guy gets the girl. I switched to writing movies at this point for this genre.
My first full length play was a romantic comedy called "Crossing The Bridge," about a screenwriter who is forced to write his next script with a Script Doctor. The conflict? The Script Doctor happens to be the girl he had a crush on in his youth. My second, called "Most Likely To… was not a romantic play, but there were two romances going on in the story. It takes place at a disastrous high school reunion. It entails a mob informant who comes out of the Federal Witness Protection program to his reunion to catch up with the girl he's always had a crush on. The second romance is a married couple. The Husband is an FBI Agent. He married a girl from his class many years ago. He's always working and their marriage has taken a real toll as a result. The reunion helps them realize what's been missing as they work back to each other. My third play, Pigeons By The Charles, is set through a ten to fifteen year stretch. Two friends meet in college years and help each other through their rotten love lives. Suddenly they realize they both really like each other and feelings develop. Eventually they get together in the end after many years, but it is a struggle for them to get there. The One movie I wrote "Derby Double," is a little more controversial in nature, because I dabble into the IRA conflict. I set it in the 1980's to make it work, but the two main characters worked together to bring down the IRA and eventually fall in love.
People have accused me in the past, that what I write never happens or why does the guy have to save the girl. Or that the girl is just there as eye candy. The latter I will whole heartedly defend. These are strong women I write as I grew up with two extremely strong female characters in my own home. These women I write don't take crap and they aren't looking to be saved. The guy doesn't always save the girl in my scripts. Sometimes it's the girl that saves the guy. This happens in my soccer movie Derby Double. Three times the female lead saves the hero from certain death. Then again it helps that she's an Emma Peale type, which is what I was going for when I created her.
In this tumultuous era we are living in now(Which I hope is changing now.), I think it is time to start bringing these romantic types of movies back. Although the way the arts have taken a hit, I wonder where our movie making is going now or our theatre is going.
I plan on continuing this type of theme when it suits me. Here's to the guy getting the girl, the hero winning and the happy ending. After four years of unrest, the happy ending movie would be a refreshing change, don't you think.
As I end this post, I would love to hear your comments on this topic. Drop me a line and let me know how you feel about this. Yes, I am expecting to be chided for my metrosexuality, so be it as Mark from "Pump Up The Volume" would say. By the way he gets the girl in the end too.
Fundraiser Theatre has principal roles still open.
April 2, 2021 ~ petercmurray26 ~ Leave a comment
Fundraiser theatre still has some principal roles still open.
Dr. Harriett Alfredsson-An Archeologist and ex-wife to Drake Darrow. She's flighty, spoiled and still holds a torch for Drake. She always manages to show up in Drake at the most inopportune times, particularly if their work collides.
Dr. Johan Alfredsson-A retired Physicist and Drake's mentor. He met Johan's daughter Harriett through him. Alfredsson is an authority on the Philadelphia Experiment and The Lost City of Atlantis.
Sheriff Joe Duncam. Joe is from Tyban Georgia where he was a Football star in high school and a gulf war veteran. He moved to Ann Arundel County Maryland with his family and ran for Sheriff and won. He and Drake don't always see eye to eye, but they learn to respect one another.
FATHER MICHAEL BARRY. Drake's guardian. He took Drake in as an orphan. He discovered at an early age Drake was intelligently gifted with an IQ of 190. He holds key secrets to Drake's past.
CAPTAIN WILLIAM S. PENDLETON. A key clue to Drake's past. William Pendleton leads a navy Seal Team into Iraq to take out an ISIS Commander. Drake must rescue him and when he does, he discovers Pendleton is his childhood bully.
BIG PAULI PETROCELLI. BIG PAUL OR BIG PAULI as his niece Kitty refers to him. He was a high ranking Capo in the New England Mob, or was he? A Vietnam vet, who saw combat with Shadow's assassin Morphine. Big Pauli was murdered under murky circumstances. Some say the Mafia, others like his brother think it went a little high than the mob.
Awesome Blog
March 26, 2021 March 26, 2021 ~ petercmurray26 ~ Leave a comment
I stumbled upon this awesome blog called Odd bits about books. This woman has been following my blog and I went to her blog to check it out. In there was a blog about Ovid and Medusa. To the normal person Greek and Roman mythology probably would not interest anyone. I happen to be a guy who was weaned on this stuff by a Mrs. Brisland at Eastergate Primary school in England. This gave way to reading the Illiad and the Odyssey. I immediately wanted to read this and see what it was about. josebees wrote a very insightful piece sprinkled with little humorous anecdotes. Unfortunately for the last day I couldn't find where I could comment to her and praise her for her piece. Today I found her comments section and put in my two cents. I decided I would go one step further. Here's her link. Check this stuff out man. I know I am going to read more from josbees. https://oddbitsaboutbooks.wordpress.com/2021/03/21/ovid-and-medusas-backstory/
The Third Eye A Different Type of Radio Drama.
March 25, 2021 ~ petercmurray26 ~ Leave a comment
Years ago when I put together a movie based around Drake Darrow, the telekinetic Private Eye, I never knew I was going to change it from a movie to a television series and then finally a radio drama. At first it was going to be a radio drama with sound effects and dialogue. I thought about a narrator to read the film action, but it didn't seem right to do that. I pondered that for a few days and what to do with it. I even started reformatting the pilot with just the dialogue and sound effects. Something seemed missing. How on earth was I going to describe all this action that is going on in the fight scenes or with Drake's brain. We had to see all that. We needed to visualize that or the audience would be totally lost.
That night as I was editing a trailer for The Third Eye, I was looking at one of the animated shots. The shot told me something huge. It suddenly dawned on me this can't be your normal radio drama, this has to be different. This has to be visual. It has to look like a comic book, because Drake Darrow is a comic book character. The next day, I added back all my movie action and instead, I put in Visual comic book effect to let my graphic person know this what we see on the screen.
The idea has recently evolved. Now I want these characters to move their mouths in a scene. I wanted to synch it with the actors talking. Now the show will look more like a Saturday afternoon superhero comic book cartoon.
Now keep in mind my idea is not revolutionary. Animated cartoons have been around since Walt Disney created Mickey Mouse. What is different is this has never been tried with a theater company at least as far as I know. It has never been tried with an online theater company. The other aspect of this show that is slightly different, is when you watched Spiderman, or the Fantastic Four did those series have an arc? No you just watched Spiderman's latest skirmish with the Green Goblin or Doc Oc. This one does have an arc.
What I am hoping is that I have created enough suspense and intrigue into this series that you will want to tune in every week and discover how it plays out. I want you to feel each roller coaster ride that Drake and Kitty take. I want you to root for Drake and Kitty even when things look lost. I hope that you will hiss and boo at Shadow, Morphine and Clayton Baxter. I want you to be mystified by Drake's spiritual guides as they lead him to a higher consciousness. I want you to use your imagination. I want you to be drawn in by the unbelievable X-files quality and blown away by it when it occurs.
I promote this show a lot on Facebook. If I come off as an obnoxious over confident SOB, I can assure you that's far from the case. What you see is my passion coming out and my drive. Not just for this show, but for what theater and story can be if given the chance. I've been living with this guy since I was in my latter years in college. Drake started out as a lawyer in another series and then became a telekinetic Private Eye in this one. His story is fascinating to me. I hope it will be just as fascinating to you. if I can keep you fascinated by Drake Darrow, Kitty Lange, Harriett Alfredsson, Father Michael, Ringer then you will be back for more. If I can keep you coming back for more, then that means I have done my job. My job is to take an hour out of your life and help you escape any troubles or worries you may have.
I hope that you will enjoy this show and remember one of the first lines the Dream Keeper has in the Pilot Episode. "Dreams are reality and all reality is a dream." It will become useful later as you watch this show and experience the thrill ride you are about to take.
The Third Eye/How it all Began.
Drake Darrow is the Third Eye.
It seems Drake Darrow has been with me since I was in college. He first appeared as a Defense Attorney in a schlocky soap opera I wrote about my summer friends. At that time I liked to intersperse my real friends with fictitious characters. Drake was among them. Drake was a good solid character and was fun to write. I used the soap as a writing exercise. It was never going to be seriously used. I think my summer friends are thanking me.
After college, I became bored with the soap. After ninety episodes I retried it and retired Drake in the process, or had I?
Indiana Jones inspired Drake and Drake talked back to me.
When I was a kid, I became a huge fan of the Indiana Jones series. Indie was so cool to me. I liked the idea that he was all about the big quest or the next adventure. He was so cool. He carried himself with confidence and he looked the part down to his stylish Fedora and his bullwhip. I must have seen the first movie by now a dozen times. I still find myself returning to it now and then. While I was living in St. Albans Vermont working in radio, one weekend I rented it. After the weekend was over, Drake Darrow began to speak to me. He was pissed that I had retired my series, he told me that he was hoping I would make him a stand out character. "Hey Murray, you know I can be like that Indiana Jones guy. I got the name. Hey, I can be a Private Eye or something."
Sure enough within a week, Drake was constantly on my mind. That little character voice that speaks to every writer, never goes away if they are that persistent. Drake sure was persistent and I really did like that name. From time to time Drake and I would talk. We explored the PI bit. Drake explained to me he was an orphan and raised by a priest. The priest Father Michael Barry discovered Drake was gifted. He enters MIT becomes a scientist and bang he has telekinetic powers when an experiment goes bad. This was good. This was very good. I needed a story. I decided Atlantis had to be it. A search for Atlantis with his ex-wife Harriett Alfredsson.
I wrote a first draft and it was good in some places, but mostly shlock. I wrote another one this time Harriett was in search of her Father Johan Alfredsson, Drake's mentor. This made sense. Harriett and Drake met through him. Alfredsson had an obsession with Atlantis. I began work on another draft. This type of draft stayed with me for some time. I worked it and worked it. Clayton Baxter was now in. He was in the military searching for Drake. I had no discernible reason why, or what their past history was, which I kept referring to. Baxter was my hardest character to develop and he took some time. I reworked again. This time I started with the Sabotaged experiment. Clayton was Drake's best friend. Now I had a history, but no reason Drake was upset with him. I changed Harriett's initial meeting with Drake and Kitty Lange began to develop.
KITTY LANGE SPEAKS AND SHE MAKES HER ENTRANCE.
Kitty started to speak to me quietly but I couldn't hear what the poor woman was saying. Harriett shows up at Drake's boat and she finds Drake with this strange woman. They had obviously slept together that night and Harriett is not pleased. I kept Kitty in the one scene. In true Kitty fashion she finally kick down the door and screamed, "Look you son of a bitch, I am part of Drake's life, capiche! Yes she really did use the Italian phrase and a thick Boston accent appeared with it I happened to be watching the Sting at the time. Paul Newman's character has a girlfriend played by Eileen Brennan. When I saw Eileen Brennan that's when Kitty exploded. I didn't want Kitty to be with Drake at first. That wouldn't work. I had to develop that. I made her his partner. I changed the first meeting between Drake. Kitty comes upon Harriett. She is going to make calamari for Drake and finally tell him she has feelings for him. She thinks Harriett is there to break into Drake's boat. She jumps her and a cat fight ensues. Drake breaks it up and becomes mad at Harriett and throws her in the water. At that time Drake lived in Florida. With Kitty and Harriett fighting over Drake, I had an interesting love triangle.
The movie got better with time. I came up with a polished version of it. A friend of mine from college wanted to see it. I sent it to him. He loved the idea, but he wanted to help make it better. His help was invaluable. I reworked it again. I then started a sequel. At this point the movie was not called The Third Eye. It went through two title changes. I can't remember the last. As I am working on a sequel it suddenly dawned on me. I didn't want Drake to be wasted on sequels. I had more respect for him than that. He told me tv series. He said I have telekinetic powers from my Third Eye. Bingo the perfect name for the series.
The television series was a wild idea. It allowed me the freedom to come up with complete backstories and arcs for each character. At the time I was reworking the Pilot I was binging intense shows, like Burn Notice, 24 and the X-Files. These shows sparked my imagination. From Burn Notice, came the idea for a Third Eye team. Fiona Glen Ann. was one of the most explosive female characters I'd ever seen. Gabriel Anwar played her like a pent up Psycho. If it was at all possible for Kitty to become more intense, she did. Senator George Peters was a small part of the movie. I now expanded him and he becomes Drake employer. With that I needed a way for Drake to get his hands on classified information. The smart alec Ringer was developed and as his show proceeds, he will meet his match in a Russian female hacker. Joe Duncam became more prominent.
Through the years I had developed research about strange myths and Government mythical secrets through a website called Crystallinks. In there is some interesting stuff about the Men In Black, which the X-Files used. The X-Files became a prominent idea trove. I have developed Harriett's archeological dig stories a bit further. With the Smoking Man came my antagonist, Shadow. I needed him to run some sort of secret organization that holds all power in Washington. For years the myth of the Skull and Crossbones had been thrown out there by conspiracy theorists. . Whether I believed any of it or not, I decided to use it as a good part of the arc. Shadow needed a right hand man, but not someone whose some sort of dumb henchmen. I needed a character that people would be completely afraid of. It happened one night reading an article on the Watergate scandal. There was a picture of G. Gordon Liddy. I had my idea of what this guy looked like. I just didn't have a name. Then one night, he spoke to me in a short sentence. One word and the vision of a syringe. Morphine.
24 The most intense show I've ever seen.
24 is probably the most imaginative and intense show I have ever seen. This show helped me in ways I could never imagine. The idea of an episode running one hour of one day and a whole season runs twenty four hours of that day, had me riveted. Jack's father was a huge part of the development of Shadow. I realized that characters are not always what they seem. Some come off as wanting to help and then backstab you. 24 helped me finally create Clayton Baxter's story which is important to Drake. I also found it interesting to bring in the President of the United States. It seemed to make sense with what I had created. He will come in. I am working out the kinks to this character.
Drake's love story, will build. He will have one or two dalliances. One character finally has a series playground to play in. I have had the name Jackie Faresis since I lived in St. Albans. I was going to use her in another show, I want to develop called Maze, but felt she was more interesting here. Jackie Faresis has spoken to me from time to time. When I put her in Episode three, she exhaled and said, finally you found a fit for this great name I have. She will be the DA that Drake and Kitty butt heads with. Briefly Drake will have a fling with her. Drake will have other women before we finally get to the ultimate battle between Kitty and Harriett.
These characters have been living on paper for some time. This winter as I have been raising money to name a dressing room after my Dad, I came up with a perfect event. I wrote a play, got some actors together produced it online. I'd never tried it before. We zoomed rehearsals and recorded. I tinkered and learned iMovie so I could broadcast it. While working with iMovie, it suddenly hit me, that I could do more and finally create my own theatre company. I had no idea what I was going to start with. I took the first scene or two of Third Eye and recorded it so I could practice editing. That was the moment it hit me. I now realized that actors could bring these characters to life. In recent weeks I have set about changing the script from television to radio. In the process the idea of making this a different sort of radio drama hit me. Why not make it look like a comic book, after all Drake is a comic book character.
Now the idea is beginning to have legs. Coming this summer Drake Darrow, Kitty Lange, Ringer, Joe Duncam, Harriett Alfredsson and her father Johan will live and breathe in a radio drama called the Third Eye.
The Third Eye Love Triangle. Who wins out?
Kitty Lange. Real name Barbara Faltagio. Her Uncle Big Pauli Petrocelli is a capo in the New England Mob.
Dr. Harriett Alfredsson. Daughter of Dr. Johan Alfredsson, Drake's mentor. Harriett is a renowned archeologist.
The arch of my show started when I wrote the original movie. In that movie a love triangle developed with Kitty and Harriett fighting over Drake's affections. There is no love lost between Kitty and Harriet. Kitty knows how Harriett betrayed Drake many years before. Harriett is insulted that Drake would take up with the likes a former mobster named Kitty. Of course other women will come into play long before this triangle begins to unfold. A hard ass DA named Jackie Faresis will appear in the first season. It's not going to last.
Drake has a tough decision to make. Has Harriett changed her selfish ways and will he return to her, or will he finally let Kitty into his heart after working so long with her. These are questions to be answered in the months and years to come. In the mean time as Fundraiser Theatre prepares for the big summer blockbuster. Watch this trailer.
The Third Eye. Meet the team.
MEET JOE DUNCAM.
Joe Duncam is another member of the team. Originally from a fictitious town called Tyban Georgia, Joe was a high school Football star and then became a decorated war hero, fighting in Desert Storm. When he returned he decided to get into law enforcement and landed in Ann Arundel County and ran for Sherriff and one.
Before the Pilot Joe and Drake had a few contentious run ins and Drake ended up in Joe's drunk tank. The two were like oil and water at first. Even in the Pilot they are in the midst of the oil and water relationship when Joe Umpires a Baseball game that Drake is coaching. The two get into a heated argument about a bad call Joe makes, which leads to Drake being kicked out of the game. In time these two will see eye to eye and in time Drake will call upon Joe for his help. However, the one thing Joe doesn't want…he doesn't want Drake to do anything foolish or rile him up.
Coming Soon. The Third Eye/Ringer
A composite of Ringer. The blond lone gun man guy from X-Files.
MEET THE THIRD EYE TEAM.
MEET RINGER.
In the back story of The Third Eye, Drake discovers his identity has been stolen and he is incensed. Drake manages to track the mysterious identity thief to Waldo Kasparsky. Waldo is a long haired wise ass computer geek known as Ringer to his computer gaming friends. He hates the government and believes in Government conspiracy theories. Drake is about to file charges on Ringer. Ringer is looking at a thirty year stretch in prison. Drake discovers Ringer stole the money to pay for his back rent. His landlord was about to kick Ringer and his cat Mr. McPhee off the trailer lot. Drake reaches a compromise with him. Drake pays the back rent in exchange for Ringer's hacking skills. Ringer's hacking skills bring in a whole lot of intriguing information for Drake.
The Third Eye is coming/Meet Kitty Lange
An idea of Kitty Lange in my head.
Coming Soon to the Internet, The Third Eye.
Meet Kitty Lange. One kick ass lady. No she isn't Fiona Glen Ann from Burn Notice, but this is the image I had of Kitty in my head. I had Kitty in my head long before Fiona Glen Ann came along. If these two met, they'd definitely be the best of friends. You see Fiona Glen Ann is a retired IRA terrorist, while Kitty is an ex mobster through her Uncle Pauli Petrocelli, a Capo in the New England mob. The Federal witness Protection program moved Kitty to Annapolis and got her a job working for Father Mike at St. Patricks orphanage for boys. Father Mike realized that Kitty didn't have any typing skills, so he found her a job working for Drake. Father Mike figured even though, Kitty was an inept receptionist, Drake would put up with her. When Drake met Kitty he was in the midst of a brutal battle with some thugs who broke into his boat looking for something. Just as Drake thought it would be curtains for him, Kitty used her kickboxing skills and saved the day. She earned Drake's respect and instead of making coffee and typing letters, he hired her as his partner. Kitty Lange coming soon in the Third Eye. Things are about to get explosive with Kitty.
The Third Eye a teaser to wet your appetite.
A composite of Drake
At Christmas New Hampshire NPR broadcast The Peterborough Players radio drama "Miracle on 34 Street." I've seen the movie many years ago. I was in heaven. It was fascination to drift off and use my imagination as I heard a myriad of sound effects. It took me back to my childhood in Tamworth when WMWV (our local station in Conway) would run an old Fibber McGee, or the Shadow and I delighted in hearing it.
In the next few months I have a big announcement and part of my plan involves something called The Third Eye. Here's an idea of the story.
Drake Darrow, orphaned at birth, and brought up at an orphanage run by Father Michael Barry, grows up to be a brilliant scientist working on a scientific experiment for Military Intelligence. When the experiment goes horribly wrong, Drake is left scarred for life, but also comes away with metaphysical powers, such as reading minds, moving objects, levitating and seeing the future through his third eye. He returns to civilian life bitter about the government and the military and takes to drink. The only problem is the alcohol mutes his metaphysical powers and only water can get them back.
Years later Drake works in Washington DC as a Private Detective for the powerful Senator George Peters. Peters is on a crusade to clean up corruption in Washington, but he has his own dark past. Senator Peters receives the most interesting cases from a man simply known as Source. Who is Source and whose his wife? Most of the cases Drake is given lead to one man named Shadow and his enforcer Morphine. We discover that Shadow and Drake are linked somehow.
Drake solves his cases with the aid of his spiritual guides Tsu Li, a Buddisht monk and a strange man deep in the bush of Australia simply known as the Dreamkeeper. Along for the ride is his rag tag team. A wisecracking computer hacker named Ringer.
A computer hacker named Ringer, a former mob informant named Kitty Lange, who thinks Drake has nuts for brains, and Sherriff Joe Duncam. With the aid of an odd team of characters, such as an ex computer hacker named Ringer and a former mob informant named Kitty, Drake ferrets out the Senator Peters, receives the most interesting cases from a man simply known as Source.
A composite of Ringer.
A former mob informant with a nasty roundhouse kick, Kitty Lange,
A composite of Kitty Lange.
And your average garden variety Sherriff named Joe Duncam, who hates it when Drake riles him up.
A composite of Joe Duncam.
And who is Thoth and what importance does he have to Drake?
Within the next few months my new venture will be revealed. It involves Drake Darrow The Third Eye.
Pigeons by the Charles running through this Sunday.
March 9, 2021 ~ petercmurray26 ~ Leave a comment
Pigeons by the Charles running through this weekend. Don't miss it. Go to Youtube type in Peter. C. Murray Pigeons by the Charles and click on the video that runs 1 hour and 22 seconds. It's the one with my lead actress Ellen Rodolfy.
Peter. C. Murray
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