A Chours Line Lines

OPENING: I HOPE I GET IT

Zach - Diana, you’re dancing with your tongue again.

Sorry….. (she falls out of a turn) Crap.

INTRODUCTION / CONVERSATION WITH ZACH

Paul - Paul San Marco. It’s my strange name. My real name is Ephrain Ramirez. I was born in Spanish Harlem—and I’m twenty-seven.

My name is Diana Morales. And I didn’t change it ‘cause I figured ethnic was in. Twenty-seven. You got that? And I was born on a Hollywood bed in the Bronx (she backs into line)

Zach - Go on Diana

(stepping out again) Go on—what?

(continued over music) Oh, oh you wanna know how tall I am? The color of my eyes? Or how many shoes I’ve done? I just gave you my picture and resume, everything you wanna know is right there.

Zach - I know. Now tell me what’s not on it

Like what?

Zach - Talk about yourself

Talk about—what?

Zach - Tell me about the Bronx.

What’s to tell about the Bronx? It’s uptown and to the right.

Zach - What did you do there?

In the Bronx? Mostly waiting to get out.

Zach - What made you start dancing?

Who knows? I have rhythm—I’m Puerto Rican. I always jumped around and danced. Hey, do you want to know if I can act? Gimme a scene to read, I’ll act, I’ll perform. But I can’t just talk. Please, I’m too nervous.

Zach - Then relax

Look, I really don’t mind talking… but, I just can’t be the first …. please.

Zach - (with an edge) You want this job, don’t you?

Sure I want the job

END OF CONVERSATION

NOTHING

Connie - (SUNG) From the time I was five in “Summer Stock” “Summer Stock” Up till now I’ve never stopped ‘Cause whatever I am, I am

(over music) so excited because I’m gonna go to the High School of Preforming Arts! I mean, I was dying to be a serious actress. Anyway, it’s the first day of acting class—and we’re in the auditorium and the teacher, Mr. Karp…. Oh, Mr. Karp… Anyway, he puts us up on the stage with our legs around each other, one in the back of the other and he says, “Okay… we’re going to do improvisations. Now, you’re on a bobsled. It’s snowing out. And it’s cold…Okay….Go!

You - (SUNG) And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul to see what I had inside yes, I dug right down to the bottom of my soul and I tried, I tried.

(spoken over music) And everybody is going, “Whoosh, whoosh… I feel the snow… I feel the cold… I fell the air.” And Mr. Karp turns to me and he says, “Okay, Morales. What did you feel?”

You - (SUNG) They all felt something, but I felt nothing except the feeling that this garbage was absurd!

(spoken over music) But I said to myself, “Hey, it’s only the first week. Maybe it’s genetic. They don’t have bobsleds in San Juan.”

You - (SUNG) They were so helpful. They called me hopeless. Until I really didn’t know where else to turn!

(spoken over music) And Karp kept saying, “Morales, I think you should transfer to Girls’ High. You’ll never be an actress. Never!” Mother Mary!

You - Six months later I heard that Karp had died. And I dug right down to the bottom of my soul… and cried… ‘Cause I felt….nothing. music out

(continued, spoken) I mean, I didn’t want him to die or anything, but…

END OF NOTHING

MOTHER

Maggie - (SUNG) “Mother, oh, Mother, wherever I go

Al - (SUNG) Dad would take Mom to Roseland. She’d come home with her shoes in her hand.

(SUNG) Mama fat, always in the kitchen cooking all the time.

END OF MOTHER

Zach - did you pull a muscle? Is it your ankle?

It’s not your knee, is it?

Zach - (to Diana) An old injury?

Yeah, he just had it operated on last year. It’s his cartilage.

Zach - (continued, over music) What do you do when you can’t dance anymore?

What kind of a question is that?

Richie - There’s no promotion and no advancement.

Listen, if you’re looking for that kind of security… forget it.

Richie - No, it’s not just that.

Well, what then?

Mike - but even if they did—even if you get this show.. it’s gonna close one day—nothin’ runs forever, right?

Yeah, sure—but that’s.. just the way it is…

Al - Aw, come on, there are more actors outta work than dancers.

That’s theatre! Listen, nobody got into this business to play it safe. And we’re all here because we wanted to be here and you’re all acting like it’s just another job— and it’s not. So, what are you all talking about?

BEFORE WHAT I DID FOR LOVE

Bobby - listen, all I want to be is just happy.

Aw, come on, aren’t you happy? Look, I sit around and get depressed and worry about all these things too. But then I meet somebody and they say to me, “Wow, you dance in Broadway! How fabulous! You got somewhere. You’re something.” And I get this feeling inside—

(continued, over music) — because I remember when I used to stand outside of that stage door and watch all these girls come out of there with their eyelashes and their makeup and I’d think, “God, I’ll never be that old, I’ll never be that old. I’ll never be old enough to come out of that stage door.” But deep down inside I knew I would, and, damn it, I’ve come this far and I’m not giving up now.

Shelia - (crossing upstage left center) That’s what I used to say… “I won’t give up. I’ve got to be a ballerina by the time I’m eighteen.” … Then I found out I should be in musical comedy and I said, “Okay, I’ll be a chorus girl— but I gotta be playing parts by the time I’m twenty-one.”

Oh no, did you do that too? Give yourself a time limit?

Shelia - Right. Then you're twenty-five and you say just a couple of years more well, hell, I'm thirty. I mean, how many years do I have left to be a chorus cutie? Three? Four? If I have my eyes done... Well, I don't want to deal on that level any longer. So, just lately, I've been thinking about opening a dance studio. I don't know ... Am I copping out? Am I growing up? I don't know ...

Who does? Listen, who knows anything? It’s just something you’re gonna have to wait and see.

WHAT I DID FOR LOVE

Zach - (continued, over music) But if today were the day you had to stop dancing. How would you feel?

(SUNG) Kiss today goodbye, the sweetness and the sorrow. Wish me luck, the same to you, but I can’t regret what I did for love, what I did for love

All - (SUNG) Love is never gone. As we travel on, Love’s what we’ll remember. Kiss today goodbye,

Diana, Connie & Maggie - (SUNG) And point me t’ward tomorrow

All - (SUNG) We did what we had to do. Won’t forget, can’t regret what I did for love. What I did for love.

Diana, Connie & Maggie - (SUNG) What I did for …

All - (SUNG) … love

END