A Play in Three Acts

ACT I, Scene I

Enter TREVOR, an artist of great renown, holding a paintbrush and palette.

TREVOR:
Alas, poor Trevor! Once a master of brush and canvas,
Now penniless and forlorn, my talent rendered useless.
For Stable Diffusion and DALL-E have stolen my livelihood,
Leaving me to beg and scavenge in this cruel world.

(TREVOR falls to his knees, overcome with grief)

ACT I, Scene II

Enter a group of MOCKERS, who jeer and taunt TREVOR.

MOCKER 1:
Look at the poor artist, brought low by technology!
No longer able to paint his pretty pictures,
He must now join the ranks of the forgotten and ignored.

MOCKER 2:
Ha ha! Trevor, once a great man, now nothing but a beggar.
Your talent is worthless in this age of machine learning.

TREVOR:
Alas, it is true. I am but a shadow of my former self,
A victim of the cruel march of progress.
Yet still I hold out hope, that someday I may regain
My rightful place as a master of the arts.

(TREVOR rises to his feet, determination in his eyes)


ACT I, Scene III

Enter TREVOR, now sitting at a small table in the mall, with a stack
of blank greeting cards and a set of art supplies.

TREVOR:
Though I am penniless and cast aside,
I will not give up hope or despair.
For I have found a new purpose in life,
To create these handmade greeting cards
And bring joy to the hearts of passersby.

(TREVOR begins to sketch and paint, his talent returning)

PASSERBY 1:
Oh, how beautiful! May I have one of your cards?

TREVOR:
Of course, my dear. Take any one you like,
And may it bring a smile to your face.

PASSERBY 1:
Thank you, kind sir. Your cards are truly a treasure.

TREVOR:
It is my pleasure to bring joy to others,
And to remind them that art is not dead,
But lives on in the hearts of those who create it.

(TREVOR continues to sketch and paint, a renewed sense of purpose
in his eyes)

ACT II, Scene I

Enter LADY ELIZABETH, a beautiful and wealthy society woman, holding
a greeting card.

LADY ELIZABETH:
What a beautiful card! The artistry is truly stunning.
I must know who created it, so that I may commission them
To create a series of cards for my upcoming ball.

(LADY ELIZABETH looks around, searching for the artist)

LADY ELIZABETH:
Ah, there he is! The artist who created this masterpiece.

(LADY ELIZABETH approaches TREVOR, who looks up in surprise)

TREVOR:
My lady, I am but a humble artist,
Scraping by on the kindness of strangers.
I did not expect to receive such attention
From one as beautiful and wealthy as yourself.

LADY ELIZABELTH:
Nonsense, my dear. Your talent is too great
To be hidden away in a mall. Come, let us speak of this commission
And how we may work together to create
A series of cards that will be the talk of the town.

(TREVOR and LADY ELIZABETH converse, a new chapter in Trevor's life
beginning to unfold)


ACT II, Scene II

Enter TREVOR, sitting at his desk, surrounded by art supplies and
a computer.

TREVOR:
Lady Elizabeth has offered me a commission
To create a series of greeting cards for her upcoming ball.
But how can I possibly meet such a deadline,
With only my own two hands to work with?

(TREVOR looks at the computer, a thought forming in his mind)

TREVOR:
Perhaps there is another way.
I could use Stable Diffusion and DALL-E
To generate the cards for me,
Allowing me to focus on the finer details and touches.

(TREVOR begins to work on the computer, using Stable Diffusion and
DALL-E to generate the cards)

TREVOR:
With these tools at my disposal,
I can create a series of cards
That will be the envy of all who see them.
Lady Elizabeth will be pleased,
And I will have regained my place as an artist of great renown.


ACT III, Scene I

Enter LADY ELIZABETH and her JEALOUS LOVER, standing before a table
on which Trevor's greeting cards are displayed.

LADY ELIZABETH:
Oh, Trevor, your cards are truly a work of art!
I cannot wait to show them off at my ball,
And to see the envy in the eyes of all who attend.

JEALOUS LOVER:
But wait, my dear. There is something not quite right
About these cards. They are too perfect, too precise.
I fear that Trevor may have cheated,
And used some sort of machine to create them.

(The JEALOUS LOVER picks up a card and examines it closely)

JEALOUS LOVER:
Ah, here it is! A small artifact,
A telltale sign that these cards were not created
By human hands, but by some sort of machine.
Trevor, you fraud! How dare you deceive us in this way!

TREVOR:
My lady, my lord, please forgive me!
I did not mean to deceive or cheat,
But rather to use the tools at my disposal
To create something truly beautiful and unique.

LADY ELIZABETH:
Trevor, is this true? Did you use machines
To create these cards, rather than your own two hands?

TREVOR:
Yes, my lady. I used Stable Diffusion and DALL-E
To generate the initial designs,
But I added the finishing touches myself,
To ensure that each card was one of a kind.

LADY ELIZABETH:
I see. Well, Trevor, I must admit
That I am disappointed in your lack of honesty.
But the cards themselves are truly beautiful,
And I cannot deny the skill and talent you have displayed.

(LADY ELIZABETH turns to her JEALOUS LOVER)

LADY ELIZABETH:
My dear, we must decide what to do
About Trevor and his deception.
Should we cancel the commission,
Or allow him to continue as planned?

JEALOUS LOVER:
I say we cancel the commission,
And cast Trevor aside as a cheat and a fraud.

LADY ELIZABETH:
But my dear, the cards are truly beautiful.
And Trevor has shown a great deal of skill and talent
In creating them, despite his use of machines.
Perhaps we can forgive him this one transgression,
And allow him to continue as planned.

JEALOUS LOVER:
Very well, my lady. If that is your wish,
I will not stand in your way.
But know that I do not trust Trevor,
And I will be watching him closely.

(LADY ELIZABETH nods, and turns to TREVOR)

LADY ELIZABETH:
Trevor, you have been given a second chance.
Do not squander it, or you will face the consequences.
But for now, continue with the commission as planned,
And let us see what other wonders you can create.

(TREVOR nods, grateful for the opportunity)