MKS23 Music Man Callback - Marian, Mrs. Paroo, Winthrop, Amarylis

**amaryllis:**

Amaryllith – Amaryllith.

*(SHE moves closer to WINTHROP, stoops and looks up into his face as HE continues to stare at his feet.  SHE turns to MRS. PAROO with surprise.)*

He’s crying.

*(WINTHROP bolts out of the room.  MRS. PAROO follows him.)*

\
Why does he get so mad at people – just because he lisps?

**marian:**

It’s not only because he lisps.  That’s just part of it, Amaryllis.

**amaryllis:**

What’s the other part?

marian
Never mind, dear. It’s just that he never talks very much.

**amaryllis**

Not even to you and your mother?

**marian**

No, dear.  We all have to be a little patient.

**amaryllis**

I’m patient.  Even though he doesn’t ever talk to me – but I do him – every night – I say goodbye to him on the evening star.  You have to do it the very second you see it, too, or it doesn’t count. 

\
“Goodnight, my Winthrop, goodnight.  Sleep tight.”

\n

*(Starts to cry.)*

**marian**

There, darling, don’t cry, you have lots of time. If not Winthrop, there’ll be someone else.

**amaryllis**

Never! I’ll end up an old maid like you.

I’m sorry, Miss Marian.  Can I play my cross-hand piece?

**marian**

**May** I play my –

**amaryllis**

May I play my cross-hand piece?

**marian**

You may.

**amaryllis**

See, without a sweetheart you have no one to say goodnight to on the evening star.

**marian**

I know, Amaryllis.  For the time being, just say goodnight my – someone.  You can put the name in when the right someone comes along.

**amaryllis**

All right.  It’s better than nothing.

**marian**

Yes it is… now you can play your cross-hand piece.

**amaryllis**

*(Settling herself.)*

Now I ***may*** play my cross-hand piece.

**marian**

(Offstage)

Hello, Mama.  Keep on, Amaryllis.  I’ll be there in a minute.

\
(she plays it wrong)

\
C natural, dear. Now your exercises.

**mrs. paroo**

I don’t remember the liberry bein’ open last Fourth a’ July.

**marian**

It was, Mama, all evening.  Mama, a man with a suitcase has been following me all over town.

**mrs. paroo**

Oh – who?

**marian**

I never saw him before.

**mrs. paroo**

Did he say anything?

**marian**

He tried.

**mrs. paroo**

Did you say anything?

Mama, of course not.

*(AMARYLLIS begins her exercises.)*

Now don’t dawdle, Amaryllis.

\n

sol, do, la, re, ti, mi, a little slower,

and please keep the fingers curved

as nice and high as you possibly can.

\n

Don’t get faster, dear.

\n

*(MARIAN heads into the house, winds a metronome, and puts it on the piano)*

**mrs. paroo**

*(calling to MARIAN from outside)*

If you don’t mind my saying so, it wouldn’t have hurt you to find out what the gentleman wanted.

**marian**

*(calling from inside)*

I know what the gentleman wanted.

**mrs. paroo**

What, dear?

**marian**

*(re-entering the porch)*

You’ll find it in Balzac.