Disrepair (Mad Men Spec)Faculty HonorsWritten by Emily Ragsdale
While working on an auto parts campaign, Don ponders his reliability as father and husband. This leaves Bobby to feel an unexpected connection, and Megan to wonder if she is but a replacement part. Peggy, enticed by a male swimwear model, tries to prove she is boss material and not just someoneʼs girlfriend. Feeling invisible, Pete sets up an interview outside of the company, but is surprised when he realizes where he is most needed.
 | | Growing up in Indianapolis, EMILY RAGSDALE learned an appreciation for kindness, a fondness for corn, and a tolerance for racecars. She studied English and French at Indiana University, and went on to work as Publications Manager for the Chicago International Film Festival. A smart but relatable writer, Emily loves films that depict the tragedy and comedy of the everyday; she loves characters and shows that move us to both laughter and tears. Her dramatic writing has been performed onstage at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, in partnership with New York Universityʼs Tisch School of Arts. In addition to pursuing an MFA in Screenwriting at
Columbia University, Emily works as assistant to showrunner Tom Fontana of The Levinson/Fontana Company on the European television drama Borgia and BBC Americaʼs new series Copper. | |
THE MAT MAID
COMEDY, COMING OF AGE
In an Indiana high school, basketball is what matters. The best cheerleaders smile and flail on the sidelines of the courts, and the rejects are left to muster enthusiasm for wrestling - they become mat maids. Ashley is a mat maid with a problem - she is in love with Tal, the star point guard, who only has eyes for the basketball cheerleaders. Ashley decides she must rise to the top of the cheerleader food chain in order to get his attention.
KARAOKE NIGHT
TELEVISION PILOT, DRAMA
Ray is the owner of the Living Room Lounge - a grimy bar, freestanding among corporate strip malls. Money is tight and business is slow. Pressured by patron and friend Warren, Ray agrees to start a Karaoke Night. He makes a sign and updates his shitty website. Slowly but surely, the freaks come out to play, and Karaoke Night grows into the kind of thing with regulars. The series
follows the (often drunken) trials and tribulations - the triumphs and heartbreaks - that surround Karaoke Night. It is a makeshift musical; the anti-autotune.
THE GYM
TELEVISION PILOT, SITCOM
It is January 2. The hangover has worn off, and people across the country face their New Yearʼs resolutions. AnyGym, USA is full of fair-weather exercisers gasping for breath, new members trying to make sense of the weight machines, and resentful regulars mourning the loss of their favorite time slots on the elliptical. Club Fitness is no exception, and the staff braces themselves for the busiest day of the year. So begins the story of Shelly, a Junior Manager with Senior Manager dreams; Sam, Head of Sales with a heart of gold; Jenny, pilates-instructor-next-door type; Bryan, the hot trainer; and Phineas, the lovably obnoxious juice barista. At The Gym,
theyʼre working hard, breaking a sweat, but ultimately running in place.
