Outline

 

Act I

 

Pages 1-10

 

• BRANDON is on a subway; we don’t know where he’s going. His dialogue sets up the story and theme.

• We SEE a funeral service in a large CHURCH taking place-a stained-glass image of ST. ANTHONY stands out. A man, TONY, Italian, lies in a casket.

• Dissolve to 30 YEARS EARLIER - Sophia is preparing a late-night meal for her and her son. Elvis’s “Blue Hawaii” is playing on their b/w TV. 

• Tony, comb in hand as a mic, is singing and applying brill-cream to his hair in the bathroom.

• Domenic arrives, belligerent. He breaks into the apartment; beats Sophia. She retaliates, KILLS HIM.

• Sophia’s neighbor, The DEFRANCESCO’S, enters to find her over Domenic’s dead body.

• The police arrive, charging Sophia for murder.

 

Pages 11-30

 

• Tony as a young child. In and out of foster homes. Some are okay, others horrible. Tony’s personality becomes angry, self-serving.

• He eventually is placed in the care of the Defrancesco family.

• Tony goes to school and forms a close bond with Junior, Mark, and Donovan.

• They introduce him to “The Corridor,” a housing project the boys live.

• Several years pass. Tony is deeply rooted in the street life existence from the Corridor.

• One day, Rita and Gino spring a reunion for Tony with his long-absent mother, Sophia, and they move in together at the Corridor.

• DEBRINA moves into the neighborhood. Tony is smitten. (So is Donovan)

• Tony, Debrina become friends. She encourages him to use his talent legitimately. (He spends more time with her and less with Junior, Mark)

• Debrina talks Tony into trying out for a play. He gets the part.

• Night of the play. Tony escorts his mother to the playhouse. Two individuals mug them. Tony retaliates, and a struggle ensues. One of the attackers stabs Sophia. The second attacker tries to retreat, but Tony stops him. Enraged and out of control, Tony beats the attacker to death. He pulls off the mask. The dead attacker is Houston. The other attacker (who stabbed Sophia) was Donovan. Sophia dies from her wounds.

• Tony is convicted of manslaughter and sent to prison. 

• In prison, a despondent Tony refuses to see Debrina, whom we learn as time goes by, is pregnant with his child.

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Act II

 

Pages 31-90

 

• 17 YEARS LATER.

• Tony gets out of prison.

• Brandon, Tony’s son, now a teenager, is in the apartment, hiding something under the bed as his mother Debrina calls from another room-we don’t know what he’s hiding. 

• Brandon leaves the apartment with Perry. Junior, now a drug addict, confronts them.

• Recreation Center. Tony waits for someone. Mark arrives (he’s a cop - works narco). Mark provides him with a job at the Center.  

• Several teenagers arrive to play basketball. Tony informs them the gym is closed. Brandon, fired up, confronts Tony. The two have an exchange. Brandon and Perry leave.

• Tony complains to Mark about how “hopeless” the kids are. He asks about Donovan, and Mark tells him he’s dead/gone. (Lies to Tony)

• Brandon and Perry are walking. Brandon complains about Tony. Donovan approaches and interrupts. (Donovan is now a powerful drug dealer) Brandon works for Donovan.

• Tony leaves the Center and is recognized/stopped by Junior. They talk. Junior tells him that Debrina still lives in the neighborhood. (Tony is staying with Lina/Gino)

• Debrina at home. Tony visits. They talk, catch Brandon entering. Tension. Debrina reveals Tony/Brandon’s relationship. Argument. Resentment. All leave angry.

• Next day. Mark visits Tony at Lina’s. (Lina/Gino politely express disapproval of “mixed” situation) Mark knew about Brandon all along. He encourages Tony to mend the relationship, tells him about Donovan.

• Tony tries again with Debrina. They reconcile. She agrees to help him with Brandon.

• Brandon and Tony slowly start to earn trust/respect. Relationship forms.

• Tony runs into the film producer. The same man (now older) cast him in play as a teenager. He hands Tony a business card and tells him about a part in an upcoming movie that would be right for him.

• Brandon tries to retreat from the drug business. Donovan gets angry, threatens him.

• Tony and Brandon continue to build a relationship.

• Brandon confides in Perry, informing him that he’s having a chance of heart regarding his feeling for Tony. Just then, Donovan’s thugs assault Brandon. (As a warning). Tony arrives and beats the crap out of the attackers, causing them to flee. He quizzes Brandon about who they were and the years of his son’s relationship with Donovan. Tony is furious with Brandon. Upset, Brandon runs off.

• Donovan’s hoods tell him they were beaten by “some guy .”He tells Junior that it was Tony and that Brandon is his son. Donovan plans his revenge.

• Brandon goes back to Donovan, wanting work. (He’s angry with Tony) Donovan uses him to get to Tony.

• Tony confronts Mark about why he lied regarding Donovan. Tony explains that Donovan has injured Brandon. Debrina is there also and is furious with both. She wants her son back.

• Tony goes to save his son and exact revenge on Donovan. He goes to Junior for information about Donovan’s whereabouts. Junior confesses that he told Donovan who he was.

• Tony finds Donovan. Confrontation. Brandon is hurt/stabbed/shot in front of Tony. Enraged, Tony attacks Donovan, and the pair fight. Tony gets the upper hand and can kill Donovan but walks away.

• Donovan picks up a gun and tries to kill Tony. Mark, who is with Junior, arrives and shoots Donovan. 

 

Act III

 

Pages 91-End

 

• CUT TO: As in the beginning, we see Brandon on the subway train. He exits and walks to a church in the distance. Inside, the stained-glass image of St. Anthony looms. Tony lies in a casket.

• We hear a voice yell, “CUT!” Tony’s eyes open, he stands. The shot widens to reveal he is playing a part in a movie.

• Brandon arrives on set. (He was walking to set in the opening scene.) Debrina is already there to support Tony. So are the Defrancesco’s.

• The film’s producer is the same man Tony met earlier.

• As Tony and his family leave, he complains about the “stereotype” nature of the part, but Debrina reminds him that it’s better than nothing.

• End with Brandon’s voice-over. He tells the sessions he has learned and how it’s possible to break the cycle and stop out of “The Corridor.”