Friday, August 28, 2009

Curse You, Mad Men!

Much as I love this series, and much as I would have been thrilled if this had happened a year ago, when things were cranking on my script, I was totally freaked out this past Sunday night by the sudden reference to the demolition of Penn Station. Anyone who actually reads this blog (both of you) has probably already figured out that that was the super top-secret subject of the show under discussion here, but unfortunately, just as things were starting to take off this past winter, all hell broke loose in my daily work life and everything personal (e.g., this project) had to be put on hold for a while.

Then a couple of other shows took precedence due to submission deadlines for the Fringe, for a writers group I've applied to at the Public, etc. etc.

So. Here I am just barely getting started on the show again, and what happens but Matthew Weiner goes ahead and suddenly re-introduces this subject matter into the pop-cultural zeitgeist. I can't help but think that somewhere out there are at least fifty people going, "hmm. Penn Station, eh? That sounds like a really dramatic story. I should write about that."

I had thought that danger was past, because my understanding of the Mad Men timeline was that each new season would begin two years after the end of the previous, so: 1960, 1962, 1964, and so on. The demolition began in October of '63, and I assumed we would pick up some months later when Season 3 began. Hah! And again I say: Hah!!

So, to the extent possible, I want people to know that a Penn Station Musical currently exists, and that they should probably not even bother to write one, thanks so much. Toward that end, I will be taking various steps over the next few days to make sure that anyone Googling the phrase "Penn Station musical" will be led here, and then hopefully led to some other, potentially greener creative pastures.

Seriously, folks. I've been working on this thing for nearly two years. It's seventy percent done. I have such a head start on you it's not even worth it, really. I love you, I want the best for you. Don't go and get your heart broken like I did (see my earlier post on the subject of getting gazumped on a story idea).

More on this when it's not nearly an hour past time for me to go home and I'm not completely besieged by other things.

Meanwhile, Penn Station Musical! Penn Station Musical! Penn Station Musical! Penn Station Musical! Penn Station Musical!

That's it for now.

Toodles.