Writing for Vaudeville

Chapter 25

Chapter 25213 wordsPublic domain

GRAVES. Yes. (TURNS TO DICTIONARY) That's all. (ELLEN, THOUGH CURIOUS, CONTINUES READING IN AN UNDERTONE TO HER FATHER, MARLIN AND JOHN. GRAVES OPENS THE DICTIONARY, STARTS AT SIGHT OF THE NOTE, SNATCHES IT UP WITH TREMBLING FINGERS, AND READS IT. HIS FURY RISES. AFTER A PAUSE, CRUMPLING THE NOTE, HE TURNS TO BURTON AND SPEAKS WITH AN EFFORT)

GRAVES. Burton!

(STARTLED BY HIS TONE, THE OTHERS TURN AND REGARD GRAVES CURIOUSLY)

BURTON. Yes, sir.

GRAVES. Where's Sam?

BURTON. He went out, sir---

GRAVES. Went out?

BURTON. Y-yes, sir. About a quarter of an hour ago.

GRAVES. Where to?

BURTON. He didn't say, sir.

(GRAVES TURNS AWAY HELPLESSLY. BURTON LISTENS AND THEN EXITS C. GRAVES WALKS UP AND DOWN, WRINGING HIS HANDS)

MEAD. Anything wrong?

GRAVES (LAMELY) No, no. Don't mind me. Marlin's proposition's all right---

(PAUSE. SUSAN ENTERS R AND IS TROUBLED AT SIGHT OF GRAVES'S EMOTION)

SUSAN (APPROACHING HIM) Father---!

GRAVES (UNABLE LONGER TO RESTRAIN HIMSELF) Hell's fire!

MEAD. Christopher!

Second, a typewriter using two colors is employed. The name of the character above each speech is typed in red, and red is used to type the bits of business. The speeches alone are typed in black, blue or purple as the case may be. The following example illustrates this method.

-32-