Whatever I do decide to do as my round table project, I am almost positive it will be a one-act play. I feel that I should pursue something that interest me, something that would encompass both of my majors (both writing and theatre), and considering I plan on writing as a career, most likely dramatic literature, it's probably best that I consider writing a piece under a deadline.

As far as a genre goes, I am definitely planning on focusing on comedy. Serious pieces bore me, nobody likes tragedy, and most romances, with their over-dramatic characters and over-the-top dialogue, end up looking more like comedies anyway.

Normally I've concentrated on plot-driven farces - the lowest possible form of comedy. A piece where I can throw characters into the most uncomfortable situation possible and watch them squirm their way out. A play so nonsensical and crude that the audience leaves laughing, but not knowing why.

The main idea I've been focusing on is one either set in an apartment or dorm building - either one would suffice. The characters would mostly be either twenty-somethings or obviously college students, depending on the setting I eventually choose. The two main characters, both male, would be roommates, the setting being their place of residence (I have not yet decided on names, but for now let's go with Jack and Joe).

Jack would be the “strait man” as they say, although he has his fair share of quirks. Jack is suave, very smooth in all his actions. He can dance and sing, and I'm actually contemplating making him either an actor or a theatre student. Jack very rarely looses his temper and is very likable - his ability to talk to a wide range of people is clearly visible in his interaction with other characters. It is important that Jack not be portrayed as intentionally cocky - he does have a habit of “showing off” his skills in public or around the building, but it is just his insuppressible showmanship and flare.

Joe is a little off. He doesn't go out of his way to be strange, nor does he notice others' reactions to his behavior. It is because of this that Joe is rarely phased by criticism or ever blatant malice. He doesn't go out of his way to make his eccentricities evident to those around him, nor is he ashamed of his exploits. Joe claims to be a writer, but hasn't yet produced any evidence of such. He lives in a world of his own with cartoon characters and clichéd catch phrases - he is good spirited mostly, and often engages in playful shenanigans, in which he encourages Jack to involve himself. Despite his seemingly inadequate talent as a writer, he is quite the talented pianist, as we can see him playing comical songs on the upright piano on the stage right side of the set. Joe's sleeping habits vary - he sleeps, always on the couch, at random points in the day and occasionally develops insomnia at night, which results in strange nocturnal behavior. When awake, he experiences states from deep lethargy all the way to hyperactivity, in which he goes sprawling for his notebook, only to crumple up his work shortly afterwards. It is important that Joe is not seen as lazy, just odd.

The two have a genuine friendship and get along famously at the stasis of the piece. On the good days, they're Ozzie and Harriet, as Jack works steadily and Joe is seen by the audience as a type of “struggling artist”. And therein lies the conflict. Jack tries to encourage Joe into actually doing some work, signing on with a publishing company, anything that will get him out of the house. A fight occurs, stasis is broken, and a large portion of the play is spent as the two torment eachother with pranks resulting in humiliation and hilarity.

That's about all I've got plot-wise. I'm thinking of adding other characters, such as a love interest for Jack, a best friend who lives with his mother for Joe, perhaps a boss for Jack, and possibly a landlord (if that's not too Three's Company).

I know I want the piece to resolve on a positive note, but I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do that.