1955
In 1955, Augie Steenbeck and his children are stranded in the desert town of Asteroid City for a Junior Stargazer convention, where an alien spacecraft's arrival at Meteor Crater leads to a military quarantine. During the lockdown, Augie, a recently widowed war photographer, connects with actress Midge Campbell, while their children attempt to contact the alien, leading to a confrontation with General Gibson. The quarantine is lifted, but the alien returns the meteorite, causing chaos before Augie's family buries his wife's ashes and his son Woodrow receives a scholarship. The play concludes with the actor playing Augie meeting the actress who played his wife, and the playwright reflecting on his work as students rehearse.
Save the Cat beat sheet
In Asteroid City, a dysfunctional family and a band of curious teenagers converge in a desert town during Asteroid Day, where an alien encounter upends their routines.
Open full beat sheetAugie Steenbeck is listed as War Photographer. Middle-aged, bearded, wears a safari jacket, carries a Swiss camera, recently widowed. In the parsed data, Augie Steenbeck is connected to 21 scenes, 26 dialogue lines, 26 text mentions, first appearing around scene 4.
21 scenes / 26 dialogue linesWoodrow Steenbeck is listed as Student. Fourteen years old, intelligent, son of Augie. In the parsed data, Woodrow Steenbeck is connected to 19 scenes, 11 dialogue lines, 11 text mentions, first appearing around scene 8.
19 scenes / 11 dialogue linesMidge Campbell is listed as Film Actress. Strikingly blonde, glamorous, mother of Dinah. In the parsed data, Midge Campbell is connected to 11 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 10.
11 scenes / 7 dialogue linesDr. Hickenlooper is listed as Astronomer. Fifty, wears red plaid trousers and climbing boots. In the parsed data, Dr. Hickenlooper is connected to 10 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 8 text mentions, first appearing around scene 14.
10 scenes / 7 dialogue linesStanley Zak is listed as Retired. Sixty-five, grandfather to Augie's children, wealthy. In the parsed data, Stanley Zak is connected to 10 scenes, 3 dialogue lines, 3 text mentions, first appearing around scene 26.
10 scenes / 3 dialogue linesDinah Campbell is listed as Student. Fifteen years old, daughter of Midge. In the parsed data, Dinah Campbell is connected to 9 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 22.
9 scenes / 2 dialogue linesGeneral Grif Gibson is listed as Five-star General. Square-jawed, broad-shouldered, military leader. In the parsed data, General Grif Gibson is connected to 8 scenes, 7 dialogue lines, 7 text mentions, first appearing around scene 7.
8 scenes / 7 dialogue linesJune Douglas is listed as Schoolteacher. Youthful, wears a cardigan with knitted flowers. In the parsed data, June Douglas is connected to 8 scenes, first appearing around scene 1.
8 scenes / 0 dialogue linesSchubert Green is listed as Director. Intense, energetic, director of the play. In the parsed data, Schubert Green is connected to 6 scenes, 9 dialogue lines, 9 text mentions, first appearing around scene 17.
6 scenes / 9 dialogue linesConrad Earp is listed as Playwright. Middle-aged, balding, native of Wyoming. In the parsed data, Conrad Earp is connected to 4 scenes, 2 dialogue lines, 2 text mentions, first appearing around scene 1.
4 scenes / 2 dialogue lineschar_13 is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, char_13 is connected to 3 scenes, first appearing around scene 30.
3 scenes / 0 dialogue lineschar_11 is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, char_11 is connected to 2 scenes, 1 dialogue line, 1 text mention, first appearing around scene 29.
2 scenes / 1 dialogue lineschar_12 is identified from the parsed character and dialogue data. In the parsed data, char_12 is connected to 2 scenes, first appearing around scene 30.
2 scenes / 0 dialogue linesA host introduces the play Asteroid City and its playwright, Conrad Earp, before the cast begins a read-through.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Stanley Zak, General Grif Gibson, Dr. HickenlooperA freight train passes through the desert landscape of Asteroid City.
Augie Steenbeck and his children arrive at the garage with a broken-down station wagon.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow SteenbeckAugie and his children eat at the luncheonette while an atomic test occurs nearby.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow SteenbeckAugie calls Stanley from a phone booth to discuss the car and the children.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow Steenbeck, Stanley ZakAugie tells his children that their mother has died.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow SteenbeckA ceremony at the Meteor Crater for Asteroid Day 1955 where General Gibson gives a speech and presents awards to the Junior Stargazers.
General Grif Gibson, Woodrow Steenbeck, Dinah Campbell, Augie Steenbeck, Dr. Hickenlooper, June DouglasDr. Hickenlooper concludes the tour and Woodrow notices mysterious radio pulses.
Dr. Hickenlooper, Woodrow SteenbeckA picnic supper where parents and children interact, and Woodrow bonds with the other teenagers.
Augie Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Woodrow Steenbeck, Dinah Campbell, General Grif Gibson, June DouglasMidge and Augie communicate across their cabin windows, and Midge performs a monologue.
Midge Campbell, Augie SteenbeckMidge and Augie share a quiet moment in the bathroom where Augie takes a photograph of Midge and they discuss their personal lives.
Augie Steenbeck, Midge CampbellThe girls perform a ritual to bring their mother back to life, interrupted by Stanley.
Stanley Zak, Dinah Campbell, June DouglasMontana questions the motel manager about a vending machine that sells land.
The group gathers to watch an astronomical event, which is interrupted by the arrival of an alien spacecraft.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Stanley Zak, General Grif Gibson, Dr. HickenlooperA host narrates the story of how the playwright and the actor playing Augie first met.
Augie Steenbeck, Conrad Earp, Schubert GreenThe understudy for Woodrow attempts to convince Midge to return to the play.
Woodrow Steenbeck, Midge CampbellThe director, Schubert Green, is visited by his wife, Polly, while working on the set.
Schubert GreenThe director and Polly discuss the play's set and their relationship before Polly exits.
Schubert Green, Midge CampbellMilitary forces establish a quarantine around the town.
General Gibson reads the National Security Emergency Scrimmage Plan X to the group.
General Grif Gibson, June DouglasThe cafe is used as a triage unit where witnesses are examined.
Woodrow and Dinah discuss the alien and constellations while Dr. Hickenlooper observes.
Woodrow Steenbeck, Dinah Campbell, Dr. HickenlooperAugie and Midge discuss their lives and connection through their windows.
Augie Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Stanley ZakJune attempts to teach a lesson while the children ask about the alien.
June DouglasJ.J. discusses a land deal while Clifford is dared to climb a cactus.
Augie, Stanley, and Woodrow walk and discuss their future.
Augie Steenbeck, Stanley Zak, Woodrow SteenbeckGeneral Gibson leads a forensic re-enactment of the alien event.
General Grif Gibson, Dr. HickenlooperClifford attempts to pay a phone surcharge to a guard.
Clifford asks a guard to help him make a call, leading to a sequence where the phone line is traced to a tent.
Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Dinah Campbell, char_11Ricky and the students use an improvised console to call a contact.
Woodrow Steenbeck, Dinah Campbell, char_12, char_13A playwright and director discuss a scene in a rehearsal space.
Conrad Earp, Schubert Green, Dr. HickenlooperGeneral Gibson confronts Ricky about the alien story.
General Grif Gibson, char_13, char_14A confrontation occurs between the guard and the group over the death-ray.
Stanley Zak, char_15, char_16, char_11Augie and Midge rehearse a scene.
Augie Steenbeck, Midge CampbellJune leads a lesson for the children while the posse performs a song.
June Douglas, char_17Dr. Hickenlooper confronts the teenagers about her stolen equipment.
Dr. Hickenlooper, Woodrow Steenbeck, Dinah Campbell, char_13, char_12, char_18Dr. Hickenlooper encourages Woodrow to trust his curiosity and offers him a mentorship. Woodrow shares a moment of grief with Hickenlooper.
Dr. Hickenlooper, Woodrow SteenbeckThe motel manager pitches renaming the town to a customer.
General Gibson announces the end of the quarantine and the winner of the scholarship, but the alien returns the meteorite, causing chaos.
General Grif Gibson, Dr. Hickenlooper, Woodrow Steenbeck, Augie Steenbeck, Midge Campbell, Dinah CampbellThe actor playing Augie talks to the director about his performance and the meaning of the play.
Augie Steenbeck, Schubert GreenThe actor playing Augie meets the actress who played his wife.
Augie SteenbeckThe playwright reflects on his work as students rehearse.
Conrad EarpThe town is deserted after the quarantine is lifted.
Augie and the motel manager discuss the departure of the other guests.
Augie SteenbeckStanley and the family bury the Tupperware containing the mother's ashes.
Stanley Zak, Augie Steenbeck, Woodrow SteenbeckThe family eats breakfast and discusses Woodrow's scholarship.
Augie Steenbeck, Stanley Zak, Woodrow SteenbeckAs you know, the "Asteroid Day" itinerary had to be suspended last week due to the factual reality of -- our circumstances. However: I have an announcement to make. Dr. Hickenlooper and the Military-science Research and Experimentation Division (in conjunction with the Larkings Foundation) have officially selected a recipient for this year's Hickenlooper Scholarship -- and you're all going home. First thing tomorrow morning. The president has opted to lift the quarantine (by executive decree).
Well, I told you before: there's too much business. With the pipe, with the lighter, with the camera, with the eyebrow; but, aside from that, on the whole, in answer to your question -- you're doing him just right. In fact, in my opinion, you didn't just become Augie: he became you.
I prefer to play abused, tragic alcoholics, and one day I'll probably be discovered lifeless in an overflowing bathtub with an empty bottle of sleeping pills spilled all over the floor -- but the sad thing is: I'm actually a very gifted comedienne.
Last night. General Gibson slipped it to me in line at the communal showers. I think he just wanted to get it over with. It's actually a standard-sized check of typical dimensions. The big one's only for show.
Technically, but General Gibson just started the scene where the president doesn't accept his resignation. I've got six-and-a-half minutes before my next line. I need an answer to a question I want to ask.
He's such a wounded guy. He had everything he wanted -- then lost it. Before he even noticed! I feel like my heart is getting broken. My own, personal heart. Every night.
And, to put it bluntly, after all the surgeries, therapies, and interventions, after two years of struggling and suffering: she succumbed to her illnesses.
Welcome! From the United States Military-science Research and Experimentation Division (in conjunction with the Larkings Foundation). We salute you.
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