“There are two ways a central character’s dominant need is frustrated or thwarted, thereby creating the play’s conflict/dilemma. First, the character is often his or her own worst enemy, and is, in a very real sense, at war with himself. He chases after the wrong things; he thingks he has all the answers; his pride blinds him to the truth; his ambition leads him into troubles; his inferiority complex leaves him helpless, and so on. The second way to set up obstacles is through introducing other characters who, in one way or another, block your central character from fulfilling his need” (p. 25).
My central character is a gifted guitar player who peaked in 1969–the summer of love. He’s egocentric, charming, lacking in some social graces while having a cultivated taste for the finer things. He is very opinionated about music, his and others and finds it difficult to be in any band unless he’s totally in charge both musically and artistically. He chases rainbows and doesn’t make practical decisions about how he must make a living. Instead, he seeks out those who might have enough money to send him on the never materializing “European Tour.” He’s stuck playing at retro tie dye events–forever looking backward at the halcyon days when he and his band were on top. Doing anything other than his music is selling out–and he refuses to do so–nearly becoming homeless in the process.
stalkingart 