Screenplay
A Thousand and One Nights, adaptation co-written with Greg Eismin
INT. CRUISE SHIP - DAY
The bowels and behind-the-scene machinations. Plastic statuettes pass as ice sculptures. A MECHANIC fixes timers on slot machines. A PAINTER coats plastic railings with a copper- colored shade. Kool-Aid is poured into “Island Rum Punch” jugs. CHILDREN shiver in a tiny, waist-deep pool. A surly synth duo (MACY and ZACK) plays (”Getting to Know You”) to an AUDIENCE of three.
ANGLE ON
The ship’s largest funnel. Inside: enormous dust bunnies. The funnel is attached to a scale model in a plastic display case. The case resides in the offices of Rogers and Hammerstein Cruise Entertainment.
INT. ROGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN CASTING OFFICE - DAY
It’s 1995. KARLA, 22, is innocent, radiant and quietly excited as she sits at a small table with a CASTING AGENT. She looks at a contract labelled Cruise Ship Entertainer.
The poppy R&H tune stops.
CASTING AGENT You’ll sing and dance and travel. And get paid, of course.
Karla signs the contract. They both smile.
CASTING AGENT Urine.
KARLA I’m in!
CASTING AGENT Urine. For the drug test. Here’s a cup for you to pee in.
(Excerpt, A Thousand and One Nights, the screenplay. Copyright 2014)