Didi- Day 2- opening scene- Before

I am having difficulties with the opening scene. I wanted the details about the phone to reflect the character's anxiety and compulsive personality, but maybe it is just boring?

Scene 1 – rewrite-2^nd draft - Lena to audience, while affixing streamers to proscenium wall.

Welcome to Terry’s surprise party! We are so glad you could come. There is an open bar and lots of snacks. Please have fun! And dance!

For any of you that don’t know me, I’m Terry’s sister. I have a confession…I guess it’s a modern confession…cause it’s about Terry’s cell phone…which I kinda broke into to find contact info.

It was easy. She left her phone out. She has used the same passcode for everything- it’s related to our beloved childhood dog.

We both loved that dog but the dog loved Terry more, and slept in her room every night. I tried shutting her in my room and giving her treats (which of course she ate happily), but 10 minutes later she was whining and scratching at the door to be freed.

So the code worked and I had her text and email history. I disciplined myself not to read any contents- it is her private stuff. I just made lists of the last 30 people she had been in contact with- text and instagram.

Maybe my reasoning was faulty, 30 isn’t very many. Of the 30 texters, 22 of the same names were her email contacts – so my total number was 38- the 30 in email plus the extra 8 just in text. There were a few that were from “class confirmation apps” which I crossed off. Bank and utility emails too. Shopping apps and junk mail. After crossing off the junk, I was left with 6 contacts. This felt like a reasonable number with the addition of family and known friends. I wrote to the known friends asking for any suggestions on people they knew of that I should include, but I only got one response, and the couple they suggested were already on the list.

So, it’s an experiment. I didn’t want to leave anyone out.

Everyone is welcome and we hope you have a great time! Thanks to Dan for co-hosting with me. Terry should be here soon for the surprise. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t know anything.

And we have a great DJ- thanks J. I hope you all like disco/funk.

(humming “Groove is in the Heart” Lena dances/walks. As she is leaving, recording of song begins to play, curtain opens onto party scene.