Words & Lyrics - RENT

December 24th, Nine PM, Eastern Standard Time. From here on in I shoot without a script. See if anything comes of it instead of my old shit. First shot – Roger, tuning the Fender guitar he hasn't played in a year.

ROGER

This won't tune.

MARK

So we hear. He's just coming back from half a year of withdrawal.

ROGER

Are you talking to me?

MARK

Not at all. Are you ready? Hold that focus – steady. Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger ...

ROGER

I'm writing one great song --

MARK

The phone rings.

ROGER

Saved!

MARK

We screen. Zoom in on the answering machine!

(An actor places a telephone on a chair and we see MARK'S MOM in a special light.)

VOICE MAIL #1

ROGER & MARK'S OUTGOING MESSAGE

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

MOM

That was a very loud beep. I don't even know if this is working. Mark -- Mark -- are you there, are you screening your calls -- It's mom. We wanted to call and say we love you and we'll miss you tomorrow. Cindy and the kids are here -- send their love. Oh, I hope you like the hot plate. Just don't leave it on, dear, when you leave the house. Oh, and Mark, we're sorry to hear that Maureen dumped you. I say c'est la vie. So let her be a lesbian... There are other fishies in the sea. ... Love Mom!

(Lights fade on MOM and answering machine.)

TUNE UP #2

MARK

Tell the folks at home what you're doing Roger.

ROGER

I'm writing one great song.

MARK

The phone rings.

ROGER

Yesss!

MARK

We screen.

ROGER & MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

(Lights fade up on the street: the front-door area of MARK and ROGER's building. Nearby is a battered public pay phone. TOM COLLINS stands at the phone.)

COLLINS

"Chestnuts roasting -"

ROGER & MARK

(as MARK picks up the phone)

Collins!

COLLINS

I'm downstairs.

MARK

Hey!

COLLINS

Roger picked up the phone?

MARK

No, it's me.

COLLINS

Throw down the key.

(MARK pulls out a small leather pouch and drops it off the apron downstage center as if from a window; a weighted leather pouch plops down from "upstairs." COLLINS catches it.)

MARK

A wild night is now pre-ordained.

(Two THUGS appear from above, with clubs. They are obviously close to attacking COLLINS, who says back into the phone...)

COLLINS

I may be detained.

(THUGS mime beating and kicking COLLINS, who falls to the ground as lights on him fade)

MARK

What does he mean...?

(Phone rings again)

What do you mean "detained"?

(Lights come up on BENNY, who's on a cellular phone.)

BENNY

Ho ho ho!

MARK & ROGER

Benny! Shit!

BENNY

Dudes, I'm on my way.

MARK & ROGER

Great! Fuck!

BENNY

I need the rent.

MARK

What rent?

BENNY

This past year's rent which I let slide.

MARK

Let slide? You said we were 'golden'.

ROGER

When you bought the building.

MARK

When we were roommates.

ROGER

Remember - you lived here!?

BENNY

How could I forget? You, me, Collins and Maureen. How is the drama queen?

MARK

She's performing tonight.

BENNY

I know. Still her production manager?

MARK

Two days ago I was bumped.

BENNY

You still dating her?

MARK

Last month I was dumped.

ROGER

She's in love.

BENNY

She's got a new man?

MARK

Well – no…

BENNY

What's his name?

BOTH

Joanne.

BENNY

Rent, my amigos, is due or I will have to evict you. Be there in a few.

(ROGER defiantly picks out Musetta's theme from Puccini's La Boheme on the electric guitar. The fuse blows on the amp)

MARK

The power blows.

RENT

(The COMPANY bursts into a flurry of movemen. Then everyone except MARK and ROGER freezes in a group upstage)

MARK

How do you document real life when real life is getting more like fiction each day. Headlines -- bread-lines, blow my mind, and now this deadline "Eviction -- or pay" Rent!

ROGER

How do you write a song when the chords sound wrong though they once sounded right and rare. When the notes are sour where is the power you once had to ignite the air?

MARK

And we're hungry and frozen.

ROGER

Some life that we've chosen.

TOGETHER

How we gonna pay, how we gonna pay, how we gonna pay last year's rent?

MARK

We light candles

ROGER

How do you start a fire

When there's nothing to burn

And it feels like something's stuck in your flue

MARK

How can you generate heat

When you can't feel your feet

BOTH

And they're turning blue!

MARK

You light up a mean blaze

(ROGER grabs one of his own posters)

ROGER

With posters-

(MARK grabs old manuscripts)

MARK

And screenplays

ROGER & MARK

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

(Lights go down on the loft and go up on JOANNE JEFFERSON, who's

at the pay phone)

JOANNE

(On phone)

Don't screen, Maureen

It's me -- Joanne

Your substitute production manager

Hey hey hey! (Did you eat?)

Don't change the subject Maureen

But darling -- you haven't eaten all day

You won't throw up

The digital delay ---

Didn't blow up (exactly)

There may have been one teeny tiny spark

You're not calling Mark

COLLINS

How do you stay on your feet

When on every street

It's 'trick or treat'

(And tonight it's 'trick')

'Welcome back to town'

Oh, I should lie down

Everything's brown

And uh -- oh

I feel sick

MARK

(At the window)

Where is he?

COLLINS

Getting dizzy

(He collapses.)

MARK & ROGER

How we gonna pay

Last year's rent

(MARK and ROGER stoke the fire. Crosscut to BENNY's Range Rover)

BENNY

(On cellular phone)

Alison baby -- you sound sad

I don't believe those two after everything I've done

Ever since our wedding I'm dirt -- They'll see

I can help them all out in the long run

(Three locales: JOANNE at the pay phone, MARK and ROGER in their

loft, and COLLINS on the ground. The following is sung simultaneously)

BENNY

Forces are gathering

Can't turn away

Forces are gathering

COLLINS

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh-- I can't think

Ughhhhh--

Ughhhhh-- I need a drink

MARK (reading from a script page)

"The music ignites the night with passionate fire"

JOANNE

Maureen -- I'm not a theatre person

ROGER

"The narration crackles and pops with incendiary wit"

JOANNE

Could never be a theatre person

MARK

Zoom in as they burn the past to the ground

JOANNE (realizing she's been cut off)

Hello?

MARK & ROGER

And feel the heat of the future's glow

JOANNE

Hello?

(The phone rings in the loft. MARK picks it up)

MARK

(On phone)

Hello? Maureen?

--Your equipment won't work?

Okay, all right, I'll go!

MARK & HALF THE COMPANY

How do you leave the past behind

When it keeps finding ways to get to your heart

It reaches way down deep and tears you inside out

Till you're torn apart

Rent!

ROGER & OTHER HALF OF COMPANY

How can you connect in an age

Where strangers, landlords, lovers

Your own blood cells betray

ALL

What binds the fabric together

When the raging, shifting winds of change

Keep ripping away

BENNY

Draw a line in the sand

And then make a stand

ROGER

Use your camera to spar

MARK

Use your guitar

ALL

When they act tough - you call their bluff

MARK & ROGER

We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER W/HALF THE COMPANY

We're not gonna pay

MARK & ROGER W/OTHER HALF OF COMPANY

We're not gonna pay

ALL

Last year's rent

This year's rent

Next year's rent

Rent rent rent rent rent

We're not gonna pay rent

ROGER & MARK

'Cause everything is rent

Back To The Top

YOU OKAY HONEY? (The street)

(The street in front of the pay phone. A HOMELESS MAN appears above

on the right. Across the stage, ANGEL DUMOTT SCHUNARD is seated

on the Christmas tree sculpture, with a plastic pickle tub balanced like a

drum between his knees)

A HOMELESS MAN

Christmas bells are ringing

Somewhere else!

Not here

(The HOMELESS MAN exits. ANGEL gets a good beat going on the tub,

but is interrupted by a moan. He starts to drum again and sees COLLINS

limp to downstage-left proscenium)

ANGEL

You okay honey?

COLLINS

I'm afraid so

ANGEL

They get any money?

COLLINS

Had none to get

But they purloined my coat

Well you missed a sleeve! - Thanks

ANGEL

Hell, it's Christmas Eve

I'm Angel

COLLINS

Angel..? Indeed

An angel of the first degree

Friends call me Collins - Tom Collins

Nice tree..

ANGEL

Let's get a band-aid for your knee

I'll change, there's a "Life Support" meeting at nine-thirty

Yes this body provides a comfortable home

For the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

COLLINS

As does mine

ANGEL

We'll get along fine

Get you a coat, have a bite

Make a night I'm flush

COLLINS

My friends are waiting

ANGEL

You're cute when you blush

The more the merri ho ho ho

And I do not take no

(ANGEL and COLLINS walk off stage right.)

Back To The Top

TUNE UP #3 (The loft)

(Lights come up on loft)

ROGER

Where are you going?

MARK

Maureen calls.

ROGER

You're such a sucker!

MARK

I don't suppose you'd like to see her show in the lot tonight?

(ROGER shrugs)

Or come to dinner?

ROGER

Zoom in on my empty wallet

MARK

Touche. Take your AZT

Close on Roger

His girlfriend April

Left a note saying "We've got AIDS"

Before slitting her wrists in the bathroom

I'll check up on you later - Change your mind. You have to get out of the

house.

(He exits)

ROGER

I'm writing one great song before I.

Back To The Top

ONE SONG GLORY

One song

Glory

One song

Before I go

Glory

One song to leave behind

Find one song

One last refrain

Glory

From the pretty boy front man

Who wasted opportunity

One song

He had the world at his feet

Glory

In the eyes of a young girl

A young girl

Find glory

Beyond the cheap colored lights

One song

Before the sun sets

Glory - on another empty life

Time flies - time dies

Glory - One blaze of glory

One blaze of glory - glory

Find

Glory

In a song that rings true

Truth like a blazing fire

An eternal flame

Find

One song

A song about love

Glory

From the soul of a young man

A young man

Find

The one song

Before the virus takes hold

Glory

Like a sunset

One song

To redeem this empty life

Time flies

And then - no need to endure anymore

Time dies

(ROGER is interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. It is MIMI

MARQUEZ, a beautiful stranger from downstairs)

The door

(ROGER crosses to the door)

Back To The Top

LIGHT MY CANDLE

ROGER

What'd you forget?

(MIMI enters, holding a candle and looking for a match; her electricity is

down, too)

MIMI

Got a light?

ROGER

I know you? You're

You're shivering

MIMI

It's nothing

They turned off my heat

And I'm just a little

Weak on my feet

Would you light my candle?

What are you staring at?

ROGER

Nothing

Your hair in the moonlight

You look familiar

(He lights her candle. MIMI starts to leave, but stumbles)

Can you make it?

MIMI

Just haven't eaten much today

At least the room stopped spinning

Anyway, What?

ROGER

Nothing

Your smile reminded me of

MIMI

I always remind people of who is she?

ROGER

She died, Her name was April

(MIMI discreetly blows out the candle)

MIMI

It's out again

Sorry about your friend

Would you light my candle?

(ROGER lights the candle. They linger, awkwardly)

ROGER

Well-

MIMI

Yeah. Ow!

ROGER

Oh, the wax it's --

MIMI

Dripping! I like it -- between my --

ROGER

Fingers. I figured...

Oh, well. Goodnight

(MIMI exits. ROGER heads back toward his guitar on the table. There is

another knock, which he answers)

It blew out again?

MIMI

No - I think that I dropped my stash

ROGER

I know I've seen you out and about

When I used to go out

Your candle's out

MIMI

I'm illin'

I had it when I walked in the door

It was pure

Is it on the floor?

ROGER

The floor?

(MIMI gets down on all fours and starts searching the floor for her stash.

She lookss back at ROGER, who is staring at her again)

MIMI

They say I have the best ass below 14th street

Is it true?

ROGER

What?

MIMI

You're staring again

ROGER

Oh no

I mean you do - have a nice-

I mean , You look familiar

MIMI

Like your dead girlfriend?

ROGER

Only when you smile

But I'm sure I've seen you somewhere else

MIMI

Do you go to the Cat Scratch Club?

That's where I work - I dance - help me look

ROGER

Yes!

They used to tie you up-

MIMI

It's a living

(MIMI douses the flame again)

ROGER

I didn't recognize you

Without the handcuffs

MIMI

We could light the candle

Oh won't you light the candle?

(ROGER lights it again.)

ROGER

Why don't you forget that stuff

You look like you're sixteen

MIMI

I'm nineteen but I'm old for my age

I'm just born to be bad

ROGER

I once was born to be bad

I used to shiver like that

MIMI

I have no heat - I told you

ROGER

I used to sweat

MIMI

I got a cold

ROGER

Uh huh

I used to be a junkie

MIMI

But now and then I like to

ROGER

Uh huh

MIMI

Feel good

ROGER

Here it - um

(ROGER stoops and picks up a small object: MIMI's stash)

MIMI

What's that?

ROGER

It's a candy bar wrapper

(ROGER puts it behind his back and into his pocket)

MIMI

We could light the candle

(ROGER discreetly blows out the candle)

MIMI

What'd you do with my candle?

ROGER

That was my last match

MIMI

Our eyes'll adjust, thank God for the moon

ROGER

Maybe it's not the moon at all

I hear Spike Lee's shooting down the street

MIMI

Bah humbug ... Bah humbug

(MIMI places her hand under his, pretending to do it by accident)

ROGER

Cold hands

MIMI

Yours too

Big. Like my father's

You wanna dance?

ROGER

With you?

MIMI

No -- with my father

ROGER

I'm Roger

MIMI

They call me

They call me Mimi

(They come extremely close to a kiss. MIMI reaches into his pocket, nabs

the stash, waves it in front of his face, and makes a sexy exit)

Back To The Top

VOICE MAIL #2

(JOANNE's loft. In blackout another phone rings. We see MAUREEN in

silhouette)

MAUREEN

Hi. You've reached Maureen and Joanne. Leave a message and don't forget

"Over the Moon" -- My performance, protesting the eviction of the Homeless

(and artists) from the Eleventh Street Lot. Tonight at midnight in the lot

between A and B. Party at Life Cafe to follow (BEEP)

MR. JEFFERSON

Well, Joanne -- We're off

I tried you at the office

And they said you're stage managing or something

MRS. JEFFERSON

Remind her that those unwed mothers in Harlem

Need her legal help too

MR. JEFFERSON

Call Daisy for our itinerary or Alfred at Pound Ridge

Or Eileen at the state department in a pinch

We'll be at the spa for new year's

Unless the senator changes his mind

MRS. JEFFERSON

The hearings

MR. JEFFERSON

Oh yes Kitten

Mummy's confirmation hearing begins on the tenth

We'll need you alone - by the sixth

MRS. JEFFERSON

Harold!

MR. JEFFERSON

You hear that?

It's three weeks away

And she's already nervous

MRS. JEFFERSON

I am not!

MR. JEFFERSON

For Mummy's sake, Kitten

No Doc Martens this time and wear a dress

Oh, and Kitten -- have a merry

MRS. JEFFERSON

And a bra

Back To The Top

TODAY 4 U (The loft)

(MARK and ROGER's loft)

MARK

Enter Tom Collins, computer genius, teacher, vagabond anarchist, who ran

naked through the Parthenon

(COLLINS carries ANGEL's pickle tub, now filled with provisions)

MARK & COLLINS

Bustelo - Marlboro

Banana by the bunch

A box of Captain Crunch will taste so good

COLLINS

And firewood

MARK

Look - it's Santa Claus

COLLINS

Hold your applause

ROGER

Oh hi

COLLINS

'Oh hi' after seven months?

ROGER

Sorry

COLLINS

This boy could use some Stoli

COLLINS, MARK & ROGER

Oh holy night

ROGER

You struck gold at MIT?

COLLINS

They expelled me for my theory of Actual Reality

Which I'll soon impart

To the couch potatoes at New York University

Still haven't left the house?

ROGER

I was waiting for you, don't you know?

COLLINS

Well, tonight's the night

Come to the Life Cafe after Maureen's show

ROGER

No flow

COLLINS

Gentlemen, our benefactor on this Christmas Eve

Whose charity is only matched by talent, I believe

A new member of the Alphabet City avant-garde

Angel Dumott Schunard!

(ANGEL sashays in. He's gorgeously done up in Santa drag, with a fan of

twenty-dollar bills in each hand)

ANGEL

Today for you - tomorrow for me

COLLINS

And you should hear her beat!

MARK

You earned this on the street?

ANGEL

It was my lucky day today on Avenue A

When a lady in a limousine drove my way

She said, "Dahling be a dear haven't slept in a year

I need your help to make my neighbor's yappy dog disappear"

"This Akita-Evita just won't shut up

I believe if you play non-stop that pup

Will breathe its very last high-strung breath

I'm certain that cur will bark itself to death"

Today for you - tomorrow for me

We agreed on a fee - A thousand dollar guarantee

Tax-free - and a bonus if I trim her tree

Now who could foretell that it would go so well

But sure as I am here that dog is now in doggy hell

After an hour - Evita - in all her glory

On the window ledge of that 23rd story

Like Thelma & Louise did when they got the blues

Swan dove into the courtyard of the Gracie Mews

Today for you - tomorrow for me

(ANGEL does a fabulous drum and dance solo)

Then back to the street where I met my sweet

Where he was moaning and groaning on the cold concrete

The nurse took him home for some mercurochrome

And I dressed his wounds and got him back on his feet

Sing it!

Today for you - tomorrow for me

Back To The Top

YOU'LL SEE

(BENNY enters)

BENNY

Joy to the world

Hey, you bum yeah, you, move over

Get your ass off that range rover

MARK

That attitude toward the homeless is just what

Maureen is protesting tonight.

(Holding camera up to BENNY)

Close up: Benjamin Coffin the third, our ex-roommate who married Alison

Grey, of the Westport Greys - then bought the building and the lot next door

from his father-in-law in hopes of starting a cyber-studio

BENNY

Maureen is protesting

Losing her performance space

Not my attitude

ROGER

What happened to Benny

What happened to his heart

And the ideals he once pursued?

BENNY

The owner of that lot next door

Has a right to do with it as he pleases

COLLINS

Happy birthday, Jesus!

BENNY

The rent

MARK

You're wasting your time

ROGER

We're broke

MARK

And you broke your word - this is absurd

BENNY

There is one way you won't have to pay

ROGER

I knew it!

BENNY

Next door, the home of Cyberarts, you see

And now that the block is re-zoned

Our dream can become a reality

You'll see boys

A state of the art, digital, virtual interactive studio

I'll forego your rent and on paper guarantee

That you can stay here for free

If you do me one small favor

MARK

What?

BENNY

Convince Maureen to cancel her protest

MARK

Why not just get an injunction or call the cops

BENNY

I did, and they're on stand by

But my investors would rather

I handle this quietly

ROGER

You can't quietly wipe out an entire tent city

Then watch 'It's a Wonderful Life' on TV!

BENNY

You want to produce films and write songs?

You need somewhere to do it!

It's what we used to dream about

Think twice before you pooh-pooh it

You'll see boys

You'll see - the beauty of a studio

That lets us do our work and get paid

With condos on the top

Whose rent keeps open our shop

Just stop the protest

And you'll have it made

You'll see - or you'll pack

(BENNY exits)

ANGEL

That boy could use some prozac

ROGER

Or heavy drugs

MARK

Or group hugs

COLLINS

Which reminds me

We have a detour to make tonight

Anyone who wants to can come along

ANGEL

Life support's a group for people coping with life

You don't have to stay too long

MARK

First I've got a protest to save

ANGEL

Roger?

ROGER

I'm not much company you'll find

MARK

Behave

ANGEL

He'll catch up later - He's just go other things on his mind

You'll see boys

MARK & COLLINS

We'll see boys

ROGER

Let it be boys!

COLLINS

I like boys

ANGEL

Boys like me

ALL

We'll see

Back To The Top

TANGO: MAUREEN

(The lot. JOANNE is reexamining the cable connections for the

umpteenth time)

MARK

And so into the abyss...The lot. Where a small stage is partially set up

JOANNE

(playing with some wires)

"Line in"...

I went to Harvard for this?

MARK

Close on Mark's nose dive

JOANNE

"Line out"...

MARK

Will he get out of here alive...?

(JOANNE notices MARK approaching)

JOANNE

Mark?

MARK

JOANNE

I told her not to call you

MARK

That's Maureen

But can I help since I'm here

JOANNE

I hired an engineer

MARK

Great!

Well, nice to have met you

JOANNE

Wait!

She's three hours late

The samples won't delay

But the cable

MARK

There's another way

Say something - anything

JOANNE (into the mike)

Test - one, two three

MARK

Anything but that

JOANNE

This is weird

MARK

It's weird

JOANNE

Very weird

MARK

Fuckin' weird

JOANNE

I'm so mad

That I don't know what to do

Fighting with microphones

Freezing down to my bones

And to top it all off

I'm with you

MARK

Feel like going insane?

Got a fire in your brain?

And you're thinking of drinking gasoline?

JOANNE

As a matter of fact

MARK

Honey, I know this act

It's called the 'Tango Maureen'

The Tango Maureen

It's a dark, dizzy merry-go-round

As she keeps you dangling

JOANNE

You're wrong

MARK

Your heart she is mangling

JOANNE

It's different with me

MARK

And you toss and you turn

'Cause her cold eyes can burn

Yet you yearn and you churn and rebound

JOANNE

I think I know what you mean

BOTH

The Tango Maureen

MARK

Has she ever pouted her lips

And called you 'Pookie'

JOANNE

Never

MARK

Have you ever doubted a kiss or two?

JOANNE

This is spooky

Did you swoon when she walked through the door?

MARK

Every time - so be cautious

JOANNE

Did she moon over other boys?

MARK

More than moon

JOANNE

I'm getting nauseous

(They begin to dance, with MARK leading)

MARK

Where'd you learn to tango?

JOANNE

With the French Ambassador's daughter in her dorm room at Miss Porter's

And you?

MARK

With Nanette Himmelfarb. The Rabbi's daughter at the Scarsdale Jewish

Community Center

(They switch, and JOANNE leads)

It's hard to do this backwards

JOANNE

You should try it in heels!

She cheated

MARK

She cheated

JOANNE

Maureen cheated

MARK

Fuckin' cheated

JOANNE

I'm defeated

I should give up right now

MARK

Gotta look on the bright side

With all of your might

JOANNE

I'd fall for her still anyhow

BOTH

When you're dancing her dance

You don't stand a chance

Her grip of romance

Make you fall

MARK

So you think, 'Might as well'

JOANNE

"Dance a tango to hell"

BOTH

At least I'll have tangoed at all

The Tango Maureen

Gotta dance till your diva is through

You pretend to believe her

Cause in the end you can't leave her

But the end it will come

Still you have to play dumb

Till you're glum and you bum

And turn blue

MARK

Why do we love when she's mean?

JOANNE

And she can be so obscene

MARK

Try the mike

JOANNE

My Maureen (reverb: een, een, een...)

MARK

Patched

JOANNE

Thanks

MARK

You know I feel great now!

JOANNE

I feel lousy

(The pay phone rings. MARK hands it to JOANNE)

Honey, we're... (pause) Pookie?!

You never call me Pookie...

Forget it, we're patched

(She hangs up, looks at MARK)

BOTH

The Tango Maureen

Back To The Top

LIFE SUPPORT

(ANGEL and COLLINS attend an AIDS Life Support group. PAUL, the

support leader, sits on the downstage railing above. GORDON, one of

the members of the group, is standing downstage left, facing the

audience. As the mebers enter, they introduce themselves and form a

semicircle. Note: The names of the support group members should

change every night and should honor actual friends of the compnay who

have died of AIDS)

STEVE

Steve

GORDON

Gordon

ALI

Ali

PAM

Pam

SUE

Sue

ANGEL

Hi, I'm Angel

COLLINS

Tom. Collins

PAUL

I'm Paul. Let's begin

ALL

There's only us

There's only this..

(MARK blusters in noisily)

MARK

Sorry ... Excuse me ... oops

PAUL

And you are?

MARK

Oh - I'm not

I'm just here to

I don't have

I'm here with

Um - Mark

Mark - I'm Mark

Well - this is quite an operation

PAUL

Sit down Mark

We'll continue the affirmation

ALL

Forget regret or life is yours to miss

GORDON

Excuse me Paul - I'm having a problem with this

This credo - My T-cells are low

I regret that news, okay?

PAUL

Alright

But Gordon - How do you feel today?

GORDON

What do you mean?

PAUL

How do you feel today?

GORDON

Okay

PAUL

Is that all?

GORDON

Best I've felt all year

PAUL

Then why choose fear?

GORDON

I'm a New Yorker

Fear's my life

Look - I find some of what you teach suspect

Because I'm used to relying on intellect

But I try to open up to what I don't know

GORDON & ROGER (who sings from his loft)

Because reason says I should have died

Three years ago

ALL

No other road

No other way

No day but today

Back To The Top

OUT TONIGHT (Mimi's apartment)

MIMI

What's the time?

Well it's gotta be close to midnight

My body's talking to me

It says, "Time for danger"

It says "I wanna commit a crime

Wanna be the cause of a fight

Wanna put on a tight skirt and flirt

With a stranger"

I've had a knack from way back

At breaking the rules once I learn the games

Get up - life's too quick

I know someplace sick

Where this chick'll dance in the flames

We don't need any money

I always get in for free

You can get in too

If you get in with me

Let's go out tonight

I have to go out tonight

You wanna play?

Let's run away

We won't be back before it's Christmas day

Take me out tonight (meow)

When I get a wink from the doorman

Do you know how lucky you'll be?

That you're on line with the feline of Avenue B

Let's go out tonight

I have to go out tonight

You wanna prowl

Be my night owl?

Well take my hand we're gonna howl

Out tonight

In the evening I've got to roam

Can't sleep in the city of neon and chrome

Feels too damn much like home

When the Spanish babies cry

So let's find a bar

So dark we forget who we are

And all the scars from the

Nevers and maybes die

Let's go out tonight

Have to go out tonight

You're sweet

Wanna hit the street?

Wanna wail at the moon like a cat in heat?

Just take me out tonight

(MIMI makes her way to ROGER's door and ends the song in front of

him.)

Please take me out tonight

Don't forsake me - out tonight

I'll let you make me - out tonight

Tonight - tonight - tonight

Back To The Top

ANOTHER DAY

(The loft - MIMI plants a huge kiss on ROGER, who recoils)

ROGER

Who do you think you are?

Barging in on me and my guitar

Little girl hey

The door is that way

You better go you know

The fire's out anyway

Take your powder take your candle

Your sweet whisper

I just can't handle

Well take your hair in the moonlight

Your brown eyes goodbye, goodnight

I should tell you I should tell you

I should tell you I should no!

Another time another place

Our temperature would climb

There'd be a long embrace

We'd do another dance

It'd be another play

Looking for romance?

Come back another day

Another day

MIMI

The heart may freeze or it can burn

The pain will ease if I can learn

There is no future

There is no past

I live this moment as my last

There's only us

There's only this

Forget regret

Or life is yours to miss

No other road

No other way

No day but today

ROGER

Excuse me if I'm off track

But if you're so wise

Then tell me why do you need smack?

Take your needle

Take your fancy prayer

And don't forget

Get the moonlight out of your hair

Long ago you might've lit up my heart

But the fire's dead ain't never ever gonna start

Another time another place

The words would only rhyme

We'd be in outer space

It'd be another song

We'd sing another way

You wanna prove me wrong?

Come back another day

Another day

MIMI

There's only yes

Only tonight

We must let go

To know what's right

No other course

No other way

No day but today

(Lights slowly fade up on the Life Support group)

MIMI & OTHERS

I can't control

My destiny

I trust my soul

My only goal is just

To be

There's only now

There's only here

Give in to love

Or live in fear

No other path

No other way

No day but today

ROGER

Control your temper

She doesn't see

Who says that there's a soul?

Just let me be

Who do you think you are?

Barging in on me and my guitar

Little girl, hey

The door is that way

The fire's out anyway

ALL

No day but today

ROGER

Take your powder, take your candle

Take your brown eyes, your pretty smile, your silhouette

Another time, another place

Another rhyme, a warm embrace

Another dance, another way

Another chance, another day

(MIMI and the Life Support group members exit. One person, STEVE,

remains at stage right, above)

Back To The Top

WILL I?

(Various locations)

STEVE

Will I lose my dignity

Will someone care

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

GROUP #1

Will I lose my dignity

Will someone care

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

GROUP #2

Will I lose my dignity

Will someone care

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

GROUP #3

Will I lose my dignity

Will someone care

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

GROUP #4

Will I lose my dignity

Will someone care

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

(ROGER puts on his jacket and exits the loft)

Back To The Top

ON THE STREET

THREE HOMELESS PEOPLE

Christmas bells are ringing

Out of town

Santa Fe

SQUEEGEEMAN

Honest living, man

(He recoils as though he's almost been run over by a car)

Feliz Navidad

(Three POLICE OFFICERS, in full riot gear, enter and approach

sleeping BLANKET PERSON - The FIRST OFFICER pokes her with a

nightstick)

HOMELESS PERSON

Evening, officers

(Without answering, the FIRST OFFICER raises his nightstick again)

MARK (pointing his camera)

Smile for Ted Koppel, Officer Martin

(The FIRST OFFICER lowers his stick)

HOMELESS PERSON

And a Merry Christmas to your family

POLICE OFFICERS

Right

(The POLICE OFFICERS stride offstage. MARK continues to film

BLANKET PERSON)

BLANKET PERSON (To MARK)

Who the fuck do you think you are?

I don't need no goddamn help

From some bleeding heart cameraman

My life's not for you to

Make a name for yourself on

ANGEL

Easy, sugar, easy

He was just trying to

BLANKET PERSON

Just trying to use me to kill his guilt

It's not that kind of movie, honey

Let's go this lot is full of

Motherfucking artists

Hey artist

You gotta dollar?

I thought not

(BLANKET PERSON crosses to downstage left with another

HOMELESS PERSON)

Back To The Top

SANTA FE

(The Street)

ANGEL

New York City

MARK

Uh huh

ANGEL

Center of the universe

COLLINS

Sing it girl-

ANGEL

Times are shitty

But I'm pretty sure they can't get worse

MARK

I hear you

ANGEL

It's a comfort to know

When you're singing the hit-the-road blues

That anywhere else you could possibly go

After New York would be a pleasure cruise

COLLINS

Now you're talking

Well, I'm thwarted by a metaphysic puzzle

And I'm sick of grading papers that I know

And I'm shouting in my sleep, I need a muzzle

All this misery pays no salary, so

Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Oh sunny Santa Fe would be nice

Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

And leave this to the roaches and mice

COLLINS

Oh-oh

ALL

ANGEL

You teach?

COLLINS

I teach , Computer Age Philosophy

But my students would rather watch TV

ANGEL

America

ALL

America

COLLINS

You're a sensitive aesthete

Brush the sauce onto the meat

You could make the menu sparkle with rhyme

You could drum a gentle drum

I could seat guests as they come

Chatting not about Heidegger, but wine

(with HOMELESS PEOPLE in the shadows)

Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Our labors would reap financial gains

ALL

Gains, gains, gains

COLLINS

We'll open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

And save from devastation our brains

HOMELESS

Save our brains

ALL

We'll pack up all our junk and fly so far away

Devote ourselves to projects that sell

We'll open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

Forget this cold Bohemian hell

ALL

COLLINS

Do you know the way to Santa Fe?

You know, tumbleweeds...prairie dogs...

Yeah

Back To The Top

I'LL COVER YOU

MARK

I'll meet you at the show

I'll try and convince Roger to go

(MARK exits)

ANGEL

Alone at last

COLLINS

He'll be back, I guarantee

ANGEL

I've been hearing violins all night

COLLINS

Anything to do with me? Are we a thing?

ANGEL

Darling... we're everything!

Live in my house

I'll be your shelter

Just pay me back

With one thousand kisses

Be my lover I'll cover you

COLLINS

Open your door

I'll be your tenant

Don't got much baggage

To lay at your feet

But sweet kisses I've got to spare

I'll be there- I'll cover you

BOTH

I think they meant it

When they said you can't buy love

Now I know you can rent it

A new lease you are, my love,

On life be my life

(They do a short dance)

Just slip me on

I'll be your tenant

Wherever whatever I'll be your coat

ANGEL

You'll be my king

And I'll be your castle

COLLINS

No you'll be my queen

And I'll be your moat

BOTH

I think they meant it

When they said you can't buy love

Now I know you can rent it

A new lease you are, my love,

On life all my life

I've longed to discover

Something as true as this is

COLLINS

So with a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you

With a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you

ANGEL

If you're cold

And you're lonely

You've got one nickel only

With a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you

With a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you

COLLINS

When you're worn out

And tired

When your heart has expired

BOTH

Oh lover I'll cover you

Back To The Top

WE'RE OKAY

JOANNE

(on cellular phone)

Steve Joanne

The Murget case?

A dismissal

Good work counselor

(The pay phone rings. JOANNE answers it and begins a conversation

with MAUREEN simultaneously juggling two other calls on her cellular

phone)

We're okay

Honeybear wait!

I'm on the other phone

Yes, I have the cowbell

We're okay

(into cellular phone)

So tell them we'll sue

But a settlement will do

Sexual harassment and civil rights too

Steve, you're great

(into pay phone)

No you cut the paper plate

Didja cheat on Mark a lot would you say?

We're okay

Honey hold on

(into cellular phone)

Steve, hold on

(JOANNE presses the call-waiting button on the cellular phone)

Hello?

Dad - yes

I beeped you

Maureen is coming to Mother's hearing

We're okay

(into pay phone)

Honeybear - what?

Newt's lesbian sister

I'll tell them

(into cellular phone)

You heard?

(into pay phone)

They heard

We're okay

(into cellular phone)

And to you dad

(JOANNE presses the call-waiting as she speaks into the pay phone)

Yes - Jill is there?

(into cellular phone)

Steve gotta-

(into pay phone)

Jill with the short black hair?

The Calvin Klein model?

(into cellular phone)

Steve, gotta go

(into pay phone)

The model who lives in Penthouse A?

We're

We're okay

I'm on my way

Back To The Top

CHRISTMAS BELLS (Various locations, St. Marks Place)

FIVE HOMELESS PEOPLE

Christmas bells are ringing

Christmas bells are singing

On TV - at Saks

SQUEEGEEMAN

Honest living, honest living

ALL FIVE HOMELESS

Can't you spare a dime or two

Here but for the grace of God go you

You'll be merry

I'll be merry

Tho merry ain't in my vocabulary

No sleighbells

No Santa Claus

No yule log

No tinsel

No holly

No hearth

SOLOIST

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer

ALL FIVE

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer

No room at the Holiday Inn oh no

(A few flakes of snow begin to descend)

And it's beginning to snow

(The stage suddenly explodes with life. The scene is St. Mark's Place on

Christmas Eve -- an open-air bazaar of color, noise, and movement)

VENDORS

Hats, bats, shoes, booze

Mountain bikes, potpourri

Leather bags, girlie mags

Forty-fives, AZT

VENDOR #1

No one's buying

Feel like crying

ALL

No room at the Holiday Inn, oh no

And it's beginning to snow

(Lights up on one woman, who is showing off a collection of stolen coats

to COLLINS and ANGEL)

VENDOR #2

How about a fur

In perfect shape

Owned by an MBA from uptown

I got a tweed

Broken in by a greedy

Broker who went broke

And then broke down

COLLINS

You don't have to do this

ANGEL

Hush your mouth, it's Christmas

COLLINS

I do not deserve you, Angel

COLLINS

Give-give

All you do

Is give

Give me some way to show

How much you've touched me so

ANGEL

Wait--what's on the floor?

Let's see some more

No-no-no

Kiss me - it's beginning to snow

(Lights focus on MARK and ROGER on right above)

MARK

She said, "Would you light my candle?"

And she put on a pout

And she wanted you

To take her out tonight?

ROGER

Right

MARK

She got you out!

ROGER

She was more than okay

But I pushed her away

It was bad I got mad

And I had to get her out of my sight

MARK

Wait, wait, wait you said she was sweet

ROGER

Let's go eat - I'll just get fat

It's the one vice left when you're dead meat

(MIMI has entered looking furtively for THE MAN)

There - that's her

MARK

Maureen?

ROGER

Mimi

MARK

Whoa

ROGER

I should go

MARK

Hey - it's beginning to snow

(The POLICE OFFICERS, in riot gear, enter above)

POLICE OFFICERS

I'm dreaming of a white, right Christmas

(POLICE OFFICERS exit)

MIMI & JUNKIES

Follow the man follow the man

With his pockets full of the jam

Follow the man follow the man

Help me out, daddy

If you can

Got any D man?

THE MAN

I'm cool

MIMI & JUNKIES

Got any C man?

THE MAN

I'm cool

MIMI & JUNKIES

Got any X?

Any smack?

Any horse?

Any jugie boogie boy?

Any blow?

(ROGER pulls MIMI aside)

ROGER

Hey

MIMI

Hey

ROGER

I just want to say

I'm sorry for the way

MIMI

Forget it

ROGER

I blew up

Can I make it up to you?

MIMI

How?

ROGER

Dinner party?

MIMI

That'll do

THE MAN

Hey lover boy cutie pie

You steal my client you die

ROGER

You didn't miss me- you won't miss her

You'll never lack for customers

JUNKIES

I'm willin'

I'm illin'

I gotta get my sickness off

Gotta run, gotta ride

Gotta gun, gotta hide - gotta go

THE MAN

And it's beginning to snow

BENNY

(entering, talking on his cellular phone)

Wish me luck, Alison

The protest is on

COAT VENDOR

L.L Bean

Geoffrey Beene

Burburry zip out

Lining

JUNKIES

Got any C man?

Got any D man?

Got any B man?

Got any crack?

Got any X?

SQUEEGEEMAN

Honest living-

ROGER

Mark, this is Mimi

MARK/MIMI

ROGER

She'll be dining (with us)

COAT VENDOR

Here's a new arrival

THE MAN

That is an ounce

VENDORS

Hats, dats, bats

COLLINS

That's my coat!

COAT VENDOR

We give discounts

MARK

I think we've met

ANGEL

Let's get a better one

COLLINS

It's a sham

MIMI

That's what he said

THE MAN

I said it's a gram!

COLLINS

But she's a thief!

ANGEL

But she brought us together

BENNY

Which investor is coming??

COLLINS

I'll take the leather

BENNY

Your father? Damn!

(The following is sung simultaneously)

HOMELESS & VENDORS

Christmas bells are swinging

Christmas bells are ringing

Christmas bells are singing

In my dreams - next year

Once you donate you can go

Celebrate in Tuckahoe

You'll feel cheery

I'll feel cheery

Tho' I don't really know that theory

No bathrobe

No steuben glass

No cappucino makers

No pearls, no diamonds

No 'Chestnuts roasting on an open fire'

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

No room at the Holiday Inn, oh no-

POLICE OFFICERS

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas

Just like the ones I used to know

Jingle bells prison cells

Fa la la la fa la la la

You have the right to remain

Silent night holy night

Fall on your knees oh night divine

You'll do some time

Fa la la la la

JUNKIES

Got any C man?

Got any D man?

Got any B man?

Got any X? Crack?

I'm willin' I'm illin'

Gotta get my sickness off

C-D help me

Follow the man follow the man

Follow the man

Jugie boogie jugie boogie

Follow the man follow the man

Any crack any X any jugie boogie boy

Any blow any X any jugie boogie boy

Got any D man, got any C man

Got any crack any X- any jugie boogie?

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-five

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-five

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

No way

Twenty-four

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-four

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Not today

Twenty-three

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-three

ANGEL

Fifteen

It's old

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-two

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Twenty-one

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Seventeen

ANGEL

Fifteen

COAT VENDOR

Fifteen

ANGEL & COAT VENDOR

Sold!

MARK & ROGER

Let's

The lot Maureen's performing

MIMI

Who's Maureen?

ROGER

His ex

MARK

But I am over her

ROGER

Let's not hold hands yet

MIMI

Is that a warning?

ALL THREE

He/You/I

Just

Need(s)

To take it slow

I should tell you I should tell you

I should tell you I

ALL

And it's beginning to

(Lights blackout and a blinding headlight comes through the door. As it

reaches downstage, the lights come up and reveal MAUREEN)

MAUREEN

Joanne, which way to the stage?

ALL

Snow

(Blackout)

Back To The Top

OVER THE MOON (The Lot)

MARK

Maureen's performance

MAUREEN (in front of a microphone)

Last night I had a dream. I found myself in a desert called Cyberland

It was hot. My canteen had sprung a leak and I was thirsty

Out of the abyss walked a cow Elsie

I asked if she had anything to drink

She said, "I'm forbidden to produce milk

In Cyberland, we only drink Diet Coke

She said, "Only thing to do is jump over the moon"

"They've closed everything real down ... like barns, troughs, performance

spaces

And replaced it all with lies and rules and virtual life

But there is a way out

BACKUPS

Leap of faith, leap of faith

MAUREEN

"Only thing to do is jump over the moon"

I gotta get out of here! It's like I'm being tied

to the hood of a yellow rental truck, being packed

in with fertilizer and fuel oil, pushed over a cliff

by a suicidal Mickey Mouse! I've gotta find a way

MAUREEN

"To jump over the moon

Only thing to do is jump over the moon"

BACKUPS

Leap of faith, etc

MAUREEN

Then a little bulldog entered. His name (we have learned) was Benny

And although he once had principles,

He abandoned them to live as a lap dog to a wealthy daughter of the

revolution

"That's bull," he said

"Ever since the cat took up the fiddle, that cow's been jumpy

And the dish and the spoon were evicted from the table and eloped ...

She's had trouble with that milk and the moon ever since

Maybe it's a female thing

'Cause who'd want to leave Cyberland anyway?...

Walls ain't so bad

The dish and the spoon for instance

They were down on their luck - knocked on my doghouse door

I said, "Not in my backyard, utensils! Go back to China!"

"The only way out is up," Elsie whispered to me

"A leap of faith. Still thirsty?" she asked

Parched. "Have some milk"

I lowered myself beneath her and held my mouth to her swollen udder

And sucked the sweetest milk I'd ever tasted

(MAUREEN makes a slurping, sucking sound)

"Climb on board," she said

And as a harvest moon rose over Cyberland,

We reared back and sprang into a gallop

Leaping out of orbit

I awoke singing

BACKUPS

Leap of faith, etc

MAUREEN

Only thing to do

Only thing to do is jump

Only thing to do is jump over the moon

Over the moon over the

Moooooooo

Moo with me

(MAUREEN encourages the audience to moo with her. She says,

"C'mon, sir, moo with me," etc. The audience responds. When the

"moos" reach a crescendo, she cuts them off with a big sweep of her

arms)

Thank you

(Blackout)

Back To The Top

LA VIE BOHEME (Life Cafe)

(Downstage right, the PRINCIPALS have lined up and are waiting to be

seated. A large table is situated down center. Down and to the right,

BENNY and MR. GREY are seated at a smaller table. The RESTAURANT

MAN tries to shoo our friends out)

RESTAURANT MAN

No please no

Not tonight please no

Mister can't you go

Not tonight can't have a scene

ROGER

What?

RESTAURANT MAN

Go, please go;

You - Hello, sir

I said, "No"

Important customer

MARK

What am I just a blur?

RESTAURANT MAN

You sit all night you never buy

MARK

That's a lie that's a lie

I had a tea the other day

RESTAURANT MAN

You couldn't pay

MARK

Oh yeah

COLLINS

Benjamin Coffin III - here?

RESTAURANT MAN

Oh no

ALL

Wine and beer!

MAUREEN

The enemy of Avenue A

We'll stay

(They sit)

RESTAURANT MAN

Oy vey!

COLLINS

What brings the mogul in his own mind to the Life Cafe?

BENNY

I would like to propose a toast

To Maureen's noble try

It went well

MAUREEN

Go to hell

BENNY

Was the yuppie scum stomped

Not counting the homeless

How many tickets weren't comped

ROGER

Why did Muffy-

BENNY

Alison

ROGER

Miss the show?

BENNY

There was a death in the family

If you must know

ANGEL

Who died?

BENNY

Our Akita

BENNY, MARK, ANGEL, COLLINS

Evita

BENNY

Mimi I'm surprised

A bright and charming girl like you

Hangs out with these slackers

(Who don't adhere to deals)

They make fun yet I'm the one

Attempting to do some good

Or do you really want a neighborhood

Where people piss on your stoop every night?

Bohemia, Bohemia's

A fallacy in your head

This is Calcutta

Bohemia is dead

(The BOHEMIANS immediately begin to enact a mock funeral, with

MARK delivering the "eulogy")

MARK

Dearly beloved we gather here to say our goodbyes

COLLINS & ROGER

Dies irae dies illa

Kyrie eleison

Yitgadal v' yitkadash, etc.

MARK

Here she lies

No one knew her worth

The late great daughter of mother earth

On this night when we celebrate the birth

In that little town of Bethlehem

We raise our glass- you bet your ass to-

(MAUREEN flashes hers)

La vie Boheme

ALL

La vie Boheme

MARK

To days of inspiration

Playing hookie, making something out of nothing

The need to express

To communicate,

To going against the grain,

Going insane

Going mad

To loving tension, no pension

To more than one dimension,

To starving for attention,

Hating convention, hating pretension

Not to mention of course,

Hating dear old mom and dad

To riding your bike,

Midday past the three- piece suits

To fruits to no absolutes

To Absolute- to choice

To the Village Voice

To any passing fad

To being an us-for once-, instead of a them -

ALL

La vie Boheme

(JOANNE enters)

MAUREEN

Is the equipment in a pyramid?

JOANNE

It is, Maureen

MAUREEN

The mixer doesn't have a case

Don't give me that face

(MAUREEN smacks JOANNE's ass as she exits. MR. GREY reacts)

MR. GREY

Ahhemm

MAUREEN

Hey Mister- she's my sister

RESTAURANT MAN

So that's five miso soup, four seaweed salad

Three soy burger dinner, two tofu dog platter

And one pasta with meatless balls

A BOY

Ugh

COLLINS

It tastes the same

MIMI

If you close your eyes

RESTAURANT MAN

And thirteen orders of fries

Is that it here?

ALL

Wine and beer!

MIMI & ANGEL

To hand-crafted beers made in local breweries

To yoga, to yogurt, to rice and beans and cheese

To leather, to dildos, to curry vindaloo

To huevos rancheros and Maya Angelou

MAUREEN & COLLINS

Emotion, devotion, to causing a commotion

Creation, vacation

MARK

Mucho masturbation

MAUREEN & COLLINS

Compassion, to fashion, to passion when it's new

COLLINS

To Sontag

ANGEL

To Sondheim

FOUR PEOPLE

To anything taboo

COLLINS & ROGER

Ginsberg, Dylan, Cunningham and Cage

COLLINS

Lenny Bruce

ROGER

Langston Hughes

MAUREEN

To the stage

PERSON #1

To Uta

PERSON #2

To Buddha

PERSON #3

Pablo Neruda, too

MARK & MIMI

Why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow

To blow off Auntie Em

ALL

La vie Boheme

(JOANNE returns)

MAUREEN

And wipe the speakers off before you pack

JOANNE

Yes, Maureen

MAUREEN

Well - hurry back

(MAUREEN and JOANNE kiss)

MR. GREY

Sisters?

MAUREEN

We're close

(ANGEL jumps on top of COLLINS, who's on the table. They kiss)

ANGEL, COLLINS, MAUREEN, MARK, MR. GREY

Brothers!

MARK, ANGEL, MIMI & THREE OTHERS

Bisexuals, trisexuals, homo sapiens,

Carcinogens, hallucinogens, men, Pee Wee Herman

German wine, turpentine, Gertrude Stein

Antonioni, Bertolucci, Kurosawa

Carmina Burana

ALL

To apathy, to entropy, to empathy, ecstasy

Vaclav Havel - The Sex Pistols, 8BC,

To no shame - never playing the Fame Game

COLLINS

To marijuana

ALL

To sodomy,

It's between God and me

To S & M

(MR. GREY walks out)

BENNY

Waiter...Waiter...Waiter

ALL

La vie Boheme

COLLINS

In honor of the death of Bohemia an impromptu salon will commence

immediately following dinner

Mimi Marquez, clad only in bubble wrap, will perform her famous lawn

chair-handcuff dance to the sounds of iced tea being stirred

ROGER

Mark Cohen will preview his new documentary about his inability to hold an

erection on high holy days

(ROGER picks up an electric guitar and starts to tune it)

MARK

Maureen Johnson, back from her spectacular one-night engagement at the

eleventh street lot,

Will sing native american tribal chants backwards through her vocoder,

While accompanying herself on the electric cello

Which she has never studied

(At this point, JOANNE has entered and seen MAUREEN playfully kiss

MARK. JOANNE exits. BENNY pulls MIMI aside)

BENNY

Your new boyfriend doesn't know about us?

MIMI

There's nothing to know

BENNY

Don't you think that we should discuss-

MIMI

It was three months ago

BENNY

He doesn't act like he's with you

MIMI

We're taking it slow

BENNY

Where is he now?

MIMI

He's right - hmm

BENNY

Uh huh

MIMI

Where'd he go?

MARK

Roger will attempt to write a bittersweet, evocative song

(ROGER picks up a guitar and plays Musetta's Theme)

That doesn't remind us of "Musetta's Waltz"

COLLINS

Angel Dumott Schunard will now model the latest fall fashions from Paris

While accompanying herself on the 10 gallon plastic pickle tub

ANGEL

And Collins will recount his exploits as an anarchist

Including the successful reprogramming of the M.I.T. virtual reality equipment

To self-destruct, as it broadcast the words:

ALL

"Actual reality -- Act Up -- Fight AIDS"

BENNY

Check!

(BENNY exits. Lights on MIMI and ROGER)

MIMI

Excuse me did I do something wrong?

I get invited then ignored all night long

ROGER

I've been trying I'm not lying

No one's perfect I've got baggage

MIMI

Life's too short, babe, time is flying

I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine

ROGER

I should tell, you-

MIMI

I've got baggage too

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI

I got baggage, too

ROGER

I should tell you

BOTH

Baggage - wine

OTHERS

And beer!

(Several beepers sound. Each turns off his or her beeper)

MIMI

AZT break

(MIMI, ROGER, ANGEL, and COLLINS take pills)

ROGER

You?

MIMI

Me , You?

ROGER

Mimi

(They hold hands and stare into each other's eyes lovingly. The rest of the

company freezes)

Back To The Top

I SHOULD TELL YOU

ROGER

I should tell you I'm disaster

I forget how to begin it

MIMI

Let's just make this part go faster

I have yet to be in it

I should tell you

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI

I should tell you

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI

I should tell I blew the candle out

Just to get back in

ROGER

I'd forgotten how to smile

Until your candle burned my skin

MIMI

I should tell you

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI

I should tell you

BOTH

I should tell

Well, here we go

Now we-

MIMI

Oh no

ROGER

I know this something is

Here goes

MIMI

Here goes

ROGER

Guess so

It's starting to

Who knows?

MIMI

Who knows

BOTH

Who knows where

Who goes there

Who knows

Here goes

Trusting desire starting to learn

Walking through fire without a burn

Clinging a shoulder, a leap begins

Stinging and older, asleep on pins

So here we go

Now we

ROGER

Oh no

MIMI

I know

ROGER

Oh no

BOTH

Who knows where who goes there

Here goes here goes

Back To The Top

LA VIE BOHEME B

(ROGER and MIMI exit. JOANNE reenters, obviously steamed)

MAUREEN

Are we packed?

JOANNE

Yes and by next week

I want you to be

MAUREEN

Pookie?

JOANNE

And you should see

They've padlocked your building

And they're rioting on Avenue B

Benny called the cops

MAUREEN

That fuck

JOANNE

They don't know what they're doing

The cops are sweeping the lot

But no one's leaving

They're just sitting there, mooing!

ALL

Yeah!!!

(Pandemonium erupts in the restaurant)

To dance

A GIRL

No way to make a living, masochism, pain, perfection

Muscle spasms, chiropractors, short careers, eating disorders

ALL

Film

MARK

Adventure, tedium, no family, boring locations,

Dark rooms, perfect faces, egos, money, Hollywood and sleaze

ALL

Music

ANGEL

Food of love, emotion, mathematics, isolation,

Rhythm, feeling, power, harmony, and heavy competition

ALL

Anarchy

COLLINS & MAUREEN

Revolution, justice, screaming for solutions,

Forcing changes, risk, and danger

Making noise and making pleas

ALL

To faggots, lezzies, dykes, cross dressers too

MAUREEN

To me

MARK

To me

COLLINS & ANGEL

To me

ALL

To you, and you and you, you and you

To people living with, living with, living with

Not dying from disease

Let he among us without sin

Be the first to condemn

La vie Boheme

MARK

Anyone out of the mainstream

Is anyone in the mainstream?

Anyone alivewith a sex drive

OTHERS

La vie boheme

MARK

Tear down the wall

Aren't we all?

The opposite of war isn't peace

It's creation

ALL

La vie Boheme

MARK

The riot continues. The Christmas tree goes up in flames. The snow dances.

Oblivious, Mimi and Roger share a small, lovely kiss

ALL

Viva la vie Boheme

Act II

(The COMPANY enters from all directions and forms a line across the

front of the stage)

Back To The Top

SEASONS OF LOVE

COMPANY

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments so dear

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you measure - measure a year?

In daylights - In sunsets

In midnights - In cups of coffee

In inches - In miles

In laughter - In strife

In Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you measure a year in the life?

How about love?

Measure in love

Seasons of love

SOLOIST #1

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand

Journeys to plan

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you measure the life

Of a woman or a man?

SOLOIST #2

In truths that she learned

Or in times that he cried

In bridges he burned

Or the way that she died

ALL

It's time now - to sing out

Tho' the story never ends

Let's celebrate

Remember a year in the life of friends

Remember the love

Measure in love

SOLOIST #1

Measure, measure your life in love

Seasons of love

Back To The Top

HAPPY NEW YEAR

(New Year's Eve. The scene opens on the street outside the apartment.

one table, lying on its end, serves as the door)

MARK (carrying mock door)

Pan to the padlocked door. New Year's Rocking Eve. The

breaking-back-into-the-building party

(ROGER and MIMI try in vain to pry a padlock from the door. They

appear to be happy)

MIMI

How long till next year?

ROGER

Three and half minutes

MIMI

I'm giving up my vices

I'm going back - back to school

Eviction or not

This week's been so hot

That long as I've got you

I know I'll be cool

I couldn't crack the love code, dear

'Til you made the lock on my heart explode

It's gonna be a happy new year

A happy new year

(MARK enters the scene)

MARK

Coast is clear

You're supposed to be working

That's for midnight

Where are they?

There isn't much time

MIMI

Maybe they're dressing

I mean what does one wear that's apropos

For a party that's also a crime

(MAUREEN enters wearing a skintight "cat burgualr" suit and carrying

a bag of potato chips)

MAUREEN

Chips, anyone?

MARK

You can take the girl out of Hicksville

But you can't take the Hicksville out of the girl

MAUREEN

My riot got you on TV

I deserve a royalty

MIMI

Be nice you two

Or no god awful champagne

(MAUREEN takes out a cellular phone and dials)

MAUREEN

Don't mind if I do

No luck?

ROGER

Bolted plywood, padlocked with a chain

A total dead end

MAUREEN

Just like my ex-girlfriend

(on cellular phone)

Honey...?

I know you're there

Please pick up the phone

Are you okay?

It's not funny

It's not fair

How can I atone?

Are you okay?

I lose control

But I can learn to behave

Give me one more chance

Let me be your slave

I'll kiss your Doc Martens

Let me kiss your Doc Martens

Your every wish I will obey

(JOANNE enters)

JOANNE

That might be okay

Down girl

Heel...stay

I did a bit of research

With my friends at legal aid

Technically, you're squatters

There's hope

But just in case

(JOANNE whips out)

MARK & JOANNE

Rope

MARK (pointing off)

We can hoist a line-

JOANNE

To the fire escape

MARK

And tie off at

MARK & JOANNE

That bench

MAUREEN

I can't take them as chums

JOANNE

Start hoisting...wench

(All three cross upstage and attempt to throw up the length of rope over

a plank. ROGER and MIMI are laughing and holding each other)

ROGER

I think I should be laughing

Yet I forget

Forget how to begin

I'm feeling something inside

And yet I still can't decide

If I should hide

Or make a wide open grin

Last week I wanted just to disappear

My life was dust

But now it just may be a happy new year

A happy new year

(COLLINS enters with ANGEL. COLLINS, dressed in black and wearing

sunglasses, carries a bottle of champagne. ANGEL wears a plastic dress

and blonde wig: a small blowtorch is slung over his shoulder)

COLLINS

Bond - James Bond

ANGEL

And Pussy Galore - in person

MIMI

Pussy you came prepared

ANGEL

I was a boy scout once

And a brownie

'Til some brat got scared

COLLINS (to MIMI)

Aha! Moneypenny -- my martini!

MIMI

Will bad champagne do?

ROGER

That's shaken - not stirred

COLLINS

Pussy - the bolts

(COLLINS takes a swig of champagne as ANGEL grabs the blowtorch)

ANGEL

Just say the word!

(ANGEL turns on the blowtorch)

MIMI

Two minutes left to execute our plan

COLLINS

Where's everyone else?

ROGER

Playing Spiderman

MARK

Ironic close up: tight

On the phone machine's red light

Once the Boho boys are gone

The power mysteriously comes on

Back To The Top

VOICE MAIL #3

(Lights up on MRS. COHEN, who's standing on a chair and holding up a

phone)

MRS. COHEN

Mark, it's the wicked witch of the west your mother

Happy new year from Scarsdale

We're all impressed that the riot footage

Made the nightly news

Even your father says Mazeltov

Honey- call him

Love, Mom

(MRS. COHEN, stepping off the chair, passes the phone to ALEXI

DARLING)

ALEXI DARLING (on the chair)

Mark Cohen

Alexi Darling from Buzzline

MARK

Oh, that show's so sleazy

ALEXI DARLING

Your footage on the riots: A-one

Feature segment network dealtime

I'm sending you a contract

Ker-ching ker-ching

Marky give us a call 970-4301

Or at home try 863-6754

Or - my cell phone at 919-763-0090

Or - you can e-mail me

At Darling Alexi Newscom dot net

Or -- you can page me at-

(Beeeep!)

Back To The Top

HAPPY NEW YEAR B

MAUREEN

I think we need an agent

MARK

We?

JOANNE

That's selling out

MARK

But it's nice to dream

MAUREEN

Yeah it's network TV

And it's all thanks to me

MARK

Somehow I think I smell

The whiff of a scheme

JOANNE

Me too

MAUREEN

We can plan another protest

JOANNE

We?

MAUREEN

This time you can shoot from the start (to MARK)

You'll direct (to JOANNE)

Starring me

(Lights shift back to downstairs)

ALL

5, 4, 3... Open sesame!!

(The door falls away, revealing MARK, JOANNE, and MAUREEN)

Happy new year

Happy new...

BENNY (entering)

I see that you've beaten me to the punch

ROGER

How did you know we'd be here?

BENNY

I had a hunch

MARK

You're not mad?

BENNY

I'm here to end this war

It's a shame you went and destroyed the door

MIMI

Why all the sudden the big about face

BENNY

The credit is yours

You made a good case

ROGER

What case?

BENNY

Mimi came to see me

And she had much to say

MIMI

That's not how you put it at all yesterday

BENNY

I couldn't stop thinking about the whole mess

Mark you want to get this on film

MARK (picking up his camera)

I guess

BENNY

I regret the unlucky circumstances

Of the past seven days

ROGER

Circumstance? You padlocked our door

BENNY

And it's with great pleasure

On behalf of CyberArts

That I hand you this key

(BENNY hands him the key)

ANGEL

Golf claps

(They oblige)

MARK

I have no juice in my battery

BENNY

Reshoot

ROGER

I see this is a photo opportunity

MAUREEN

The benevolent god

Ushers the poor artists back to their flat

Were you planning on taking down the barbed wire

From the lot, too?

ROGER

Anything but that

BENNY

Clearing the lot was a safety concern

We break ground this month

But you can return

MAUREEN

That's why you're here with people you hate

Instead of with Muffy at Muffy's estate

BENNY

I'd honestly rather be with you tonight than in Westport

ROGER

Spare us old sport, the soundbite

BENNY

Mimi since your was are so seductive

MIMI

You came on to me

BENNY

Persuade him not to be so counterproductive

ROGER

Liar

BENNY

Why not tell them what you wore to my place?

MIMI

I was on my way to work

BENNY

Black leather and lace

My desk was a mess

I think I'm still sore

MIMI

Cause I kicked him and told him I wasn't his whore

BENNY

Does your boyfriend know

Who your last boyfriend was?

ROGER

I'm not her boyfriend

I don't care what she does

ANGEL

People! Is this any way to start a new year?

Have compassion

Benny just lost his cat

BENNY

My dog- but I appreciate that

ANGEL

My cat had a fall

And I went through hell

BENNY

It's like losing a

How did you know that she fell?

COLLINS

(Hands BENNY a glass of champagne)

Champagne?

BENNY

Don't mind if I do

To dogs!

ALL BUT BENNY

No, Benny- To you!

ANGEL

Let's make a resolution

MIMI

I'll drink to that

COLLINS

Let's always stay friends

JOANNE

Tho' we may have our disputes

MAUREEN

This family tree's got deep roots

MARK

Friendship is thicker than blood

ROGER

That depends

MIMI

Depends on trust

ROGER

Depends on true devotion

JOANNE

Depends on love

MARK (to ROGER)

Depends on not denying emotion

ROGER

Perhaps

ALL

It's gonna be a happy new year

ROGER

I guess

ALL

It's gonna be a happy new year

ROGER

You're right

(ANGEL brings ROGER and MIMI together. ANGEL and others move

away from MIMI and ROGER)

ANGEL

It's gonna be a happy new year

ROGER & MIMI

I'm sorry

ROGER

Coming?

MIMI

In a minute I'm fine go

(ROGER kisses MIMI and exits. THE MAN appears)

THE MAN

Well, well, well. What have we here?

(He walks over to MIMI and holds out a small plastic bag of white

powder)

It's gonna be a happy new year

There, there...etc.

(Fade out)

Back To The Top

TAKE ME OR LEAVE ME (Any location and Joanne's loft)

MARK

Valentine's Day.Pan across the empty lot. Roger's down at Mimi's, where

he's been for almost two months now - although he keeps talking about

selling his guitar and heading out of town...Still jealous of Benny... God knows

where Collins and Angel are...Could be that new Shanty Town near the river

or a suite at the Plaza...Maureen and Joanne are rehearsing...

JOANNE

I said once more from the top

MAUREEN

I said NO!

MARK

That is, if they're speaking this week. Me? I'm here. Nowhere

(Lights up on the scene)

JOANNE

The line is 'Cyber Arts and its corporate sponsor, Grey Communications,

would like to mitigate the Christmas Eve riots.' What is so difficult...?

MAUREEN

It just doesn't roll off my tongue. I like my version.!

JOANNE

You - dressed as a ground hog. To protest the ground breaking!

MAUREEN

It's a METAPHOR!

JOANNE

Well, it's less than brilliant!

MAUREEN

That's it, Ms. Ivy League!

JOANNE

What?

MAUREEN

Ever since New Year's, I haven't said boo. I let you direct, I didn't pierce my

nipples because it grossed you out! I didn't sta and dance at the Clit Club that

night, 'cause you wanted to go home

JOANNE

You were flirting with the woman in rubber

MAUREEN

That's what this is about!? There will always be women in rubber, flirting with

me... Gimme a break

Every single day

I walk down the street

I hear people say,

"Baby's so sweet"

Ever since puberty

Everybody stares at me

Boys - girls

I can't can't help it baby

So be kind

Don't lose your mind

Just remember that I'm your baby

Take me for what I am

Who I was meant to be

And if you give a damn

Take me baby or leave me

A tiger in a cage

Can never see the sun

This diva needs her stage

Baby - let's have fun!

You are the one I choose

Folks'd kill to fill your shoes

You love the limelight too, baby

So be mine

Or don't waste my time

Cryin' -- "Honeybear -- are you still my baby?"

Take me for what I am

Who I was meant to be

And if you give a damn

Take me baby or leave me

No way can I be what I'm not

But hey don't you want your girl hot!

Don't fight don't lose your head

Cause every night who's in your bed?

Who's in your bed, baby?

(Pouts in JOANNE's direction)

Kiss, Pookie

JOANNE

It won't work

I look before I leap

I love margins and discipline

I make lists in my sleep

Baby what's my sin?

Never quit I follow through

I hate mess but I love you

What to do

With my impromptu baby?

So be wise

This girl satisfies

You've got a prize

But don't compromise

You're one lucky baby

Take me for what I am

MAUREEN

A control freak

JOANNE

Who I was meant to be

MAUREEN

A snob yet over-attentive

JOANNE

And if you give a damn

MAUREEN

A lovable, droll geek

JOANNE

Take me baby or leave me

MAUREEN

And anal retentive

BOTH

That's it!

JOANNE

The straw that breaks my back

BOTH

I quit

JOANNE

Unless you take it back

BOTH

Women

MAUREEN

What is it about them?

BOTH

Can't live

With them

Or without them!

Take me for what I am

Who I was meant to be

And if you give a damn

Take me baby or leave me

Take me baby

Or leave me

Guess I'm leavin'

I'm gone

(They both sit)

Back To The Top

SEASONS OF LOVE B

COMPANY

In diapers report cards

In spoke wheels in speeding tickets

In contracts dollars

In funerals in births

In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

How do you figure

A last year on earth?

Figure in love

Measure in love

Seasons of love

Back To The Top

WITHOUT YOU (Mimi's Apartment)

(Three beds appear downstage. One, a hospital bed, is occupied by

ANGEL. ROGER sits on another, JOANNE on the third. MIMI

approaches ROGER, and then appears to be in a hurry)

ROGER

Where were you?

MIMI

I'm sorry I'm late.

ROGER (interrupting)

I know. You lost your keys. No, you went for a walk; you had to help your

mother. (As he picks up the guitar) And how's Benny? I'm gonna work

upstairs tonight

MIMI

Wait

I should tell you

I should

Never mind

ROGER

Happy Spring

(ROGER exits. MIMI pulls out a just-purchased stash and angrily flings it

across the room. As she sings the following, a stylized "musical beds" is

choreographed around her; during the bridge of the song, COLLINS

carries ANGEL from the hospital bed and ROGER takes his place. By the

end of the song, MAUREEN and JOANNE are reunited, as are ROGER

and MIMI. COLLINS and ANGEL have lain down together, where

ANGEL dies)

MIMI

Without you

The ground thaws

The rain falls

The grass grows

Without you

The seeds root

The flowers bloom

The children play

The stars gleam

The poets dream

The eagles fly

Without you

The earth turns

The sun burns

But I die

Without you

The breeze warms

The girl smiles

The cloud moves

Without you

The tides change

The boys run

The oceans crash

The crowds roar

The days soar

The babies cry

Without you

The moon glows

The river flows

But I die

Without you

ROGER

The world revives

MIMI

Colors renew

BOTH

But I know blue

Only blue

Lonely blue

Within me, blue

Without you

MIMI

Without you

The hand gropes

The ear hears

The pulse beats

ROGER

Without you

The eyes gaze

The legs walk

The lungs breathe

BOTH

The mind churns

The heart yearns

The tears dry

Without you

Life goes on

But I'm gone

Cause I die

ROGER

Without you

MIMI

Without you

ROGER

Without you

BOTH

Without you

Back To The Top

VOICE MAIL #4 (The loft. The phone rings)

ROGER & MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE

"Speak" ... ("Beeeep!")

ALEXI DARLING

Mark Cohen

Alexi Darling

Labor Day weekend

In East Hampton

On the beach

Just saw Alec Baldwin

Told him you say hi

Just kidding

We still need directors

You still need money

You know you need money

Pick up the phone

Don't be afraid of ker-ching ker-ching

Marky -- sell us your soul

Just kidding

We're waiting

Back To The Top

CONTACT (Various fantasy bed locales)

(The COMPANY forms two main groups. As the music begins, a group of

dancers start a sensual life and death dance, while a group of actors

gather around a table centerstage to speak words of passion which

punctuate the dancing. Eventually, the actors converge on the table and

cover themselves with a white sheet, while moving to the music)

GROUP A (ROGER, MARK, JOANNE, BENNY)

Hot-hot-hot-sweat-sweet

Wet-wet-wet-red-heat

Hot-hot-hot-sweat-sweet

Wet-wet-wet-red-heat

Please don't stop please

Please don't stop stop

Stop stop stop don't

Please please please please

Hot-hot-hot-sweat-sweet

Wet-wet-wet-red-heat

Sticky-licky-trickle-tickle

Steamy-creamy-stroking-soaking

GROUP B (MIMI, COLLINS, MAUREEN, ANGEL)

Hot-hot-hot-sweat-sweet

Wet-wet-wet-red-heat

COLLINS

Touch

MAUREEN

Taste

MIMI

Deep

COLLINS

Dark

MAUREEN

Kiss

COLLINS

Beg

MIMI

Slap

MIMI, MAUREEN & COLLINS

Fear

COLLINS

Thick

COLLINS, MIMI & MAUREEN

Red, red

Red, red please

MAUREEN

Harder

ANGEL

Faster

MAUREEN

Wetter

MIMI

Bastard

COLLINS

You whore

MAUREEN

You cannibal

MIMI & ANGEL

More

MAUREEN

You animal

MAUREEN, COLLINS & MIMI

Fluid no fluid no contact yes

No contact

ALL

Fire fire burn-burn yes

No latex rubber rubber

Fire latex rubber latex bummer

Lover bummer

(The music explodes into a fevered rhythmic heat as ANGEL is revealed

in a lone spotlight, dancing wildly)

ANGEL

Take me

Today for you

Tomorrow for me

Today me

Tomorrow you

Love

you

Love you

I love

You I love

You!

Take me

I love you

(The music dies as ANGEL vanishes)

ROGER'S VOICE

JOANNE'S VOICE

Wait

MIMI'S VOICE

Slipped

COLLINS' VOICE

Shit

JOANNE'S VOICE

ROGER'S VOICE

Where'd it go?

MIMI'S VOICE

Safe

COLLINS' VOICE

Damn

MAUREEN'S VOICE

I think I missed

Don't get pissed

ALL

It was bad for me - was it bad for you?

JOANNE

It's over

MAUREEN

It's over

ROGER

It's over

MIMI

It's over

COLLINS

It's over

Back To The Top

I'LL COVER YOU (REPRISE) (In a church - Angel's

memorial)

MIMI

Angel was one of my closest friends. It's right that it's Halloween, because it

was her favorite holiday. I knew we'd hit it off from the moment we met. That

skin head was bothering her, and she said she was more of a man than he'd

ever be, and more of a woman than he'd ever get

MARK

and then there was that time that he walked up to this group of tourists

and, they were petrified, because, a) they were obviously lost, and b) they had

probably never spoken to a drag queen before in their lives...and he...she just

offered to escort them out of Alphabet City, and then she let them take a

picture with her, and then she said she'd help 'em find the Circle Line

MAUREEN

so much more original then any of us...you'd find an old table cloth on the

street and make a dress...and next year, sure enough - they'd be mass

producing them at the Gap. You always said how lucky you were that we

were all friends. But it was us, baby, who were the lucky ones

COLLINS

Live in my house

I'll be your shelter

Just pay me back

With one thousand kisses

Be my lover

And I'll cover you

Open your door I'll be your tenant

Don't got much baggage to lay at your feet

But sweet kisses I've got to spare

I'll be there I'll cover you

I think they meant it

When they said you can't buy love

Now I know you can rent it

A new lease you were, my love, on life

All my life

I've longed to discover

Something as true

As this is

(The following is sung simultaneously.)

JOANNE & SOLOIST

So with a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you with a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you iwht a thousand sweet kisses

I'll cover you

COLLINS

If you're cold and you're lonely

You've got one nickel only

When you're worn out and tired

When your heart has expired

COMPANY

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred moments so dear

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred measure a year

Oh lover I'll cover you

COLLINS & COMPANY

Oh lover

I'll cover you

Oh lover

COLLINS

I'll cover you

COMPANY

Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes

Five hundred twenty-five thousand seasons of love

COLLINS

I'll cover you

Back To The Top

HALLOWEEN (Outside the church)

MARK

(On the pay phone)

Hi. It's Mark Cohen. Is Alexi there?...No, don't bother her. Just tell her I'm

running a little late for our appointment...Yes, I'm still coming... Yes, I signed

the contract... Thanks

How did we get here?

How the hell

Pan left - close on the steeple of the church

How did I get here?

How the hell...

Christmas

Christmas Eve last year

How could a night so frozen be so scalding hot?

How can a morning this mild be so raw?

Why are entire years strewn

On the cutting room floor of memory

When single frames from one magic night

Forever flicker in close-up

On the 3D Imax of my mind

That's poetic

That's pathetic

Why did Mimi knock on Roger's door

And Collins choose that phone booth

Back where Angel set up his drums

Why did Maureen's equipment break down

Why am I the witness

And when I capture it on film

Will it mean that it's the end

And I'm alone

Back To The Top

GOODBYE LOVE

(The PRINCIPALS emerge from the church)

MIMI (to ROGER)

It's true you sold your guitar and bought a car?

ROGER

It's true- I'm leaving now for Santa Fe

It's true you're with this yuppie scum?

BENNY

You said you'd never speak to him again

MIMI

Not now

MAUREEN

Who said that you have any say

In who she says things to at all?

ROGER

Yeah

JOANNE

Who said that you should

Stick your nose in other people's

MAUREEN

Who said I was talking to you?

JOANNE

We used to have this fight each night

MARK

Calm down

JOANNE

She'd never admit I existed

MARK

Everyone please!

MIMI

He was the same way he was always

"Run away hit the road

Don't commit" you're full of shit

JOANNE

She's in denial

MIMI

He's in denial

JOANNE

Didn't give an inch

When I gave a mile

MARK

Come on

MIMI

I gave a mile

ROGER

Gave a mile to who?

MARK & BENNY

Come on guys chill

MIMI & JOANNE

I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Angel had

Someone to live for unafraid to say I love you

ROGER

All your words are nice Mimi

But love's not a three way street

You'll never share real love

Until you love yourself I should know

COLLINS

You all said you'd be cool today

So please for my sake

I can't believe he's gone

(to ROGER) I can't believe you're going

I can't believe this family must die

Angel helped us believe in love

I can't believe you disagree

ALL

I can't believe this is goodbye

(MAUREEN and JOANNE look at each other)

MAUREEN

Pookie

JOANNE

Honeybear

(They embrace)

JOANNE

I missed you

MAUREEN

I missed your smell

JOANNE

I missed your mouth...Your

(They kiss, but MAUREEN pulls away)

MAUREEN

JOANNE

What?

MAUREEN

Nothing, Pookie

JOANNE

No, baby, you said ow...What?

MAUREEN

Well, you bit my tongue

JOANNE

No, I didn't

MAUREEN

You did I'm bleeding

JOANNE

No, it isn't

MAUREEN

I think I should know

JOANNE

Let me see

MAUREEN

She doesn't believe me!

JOANNE

I was only trying to

(They laugh, hug, and wave goodbye, exiting stage right. The PASTOR

from the church emerges on the above)

PASTOR

Thomas B. Collins

COLLINS

Coming

(The PASTOR exits above and COLLINS exits into the church. BENNY

stands off to the side as MIMI approaches ROGER, who turns away. She

hesitates before leaving with BENNY. ROGER and MARK are left alone)

MARK

I hear there are great restaurants out west

ROGER

Some of the best. How could she?

MARK

How could you let her go?

ROGER

You just don't know How could we lose Angel?

MARK

Maybe you'll see why when you stop escaping your pain

At least now if you try- Angel's death won't be in vain

ROGER

His death is in vain

(MIMI reappears up left, in the shadows. She overhears ROGER and

MARK's conversation)

MARK

Are you insane?

There so much to care about

There's me- there's Mimi

ROGER

Mimi's got her baggage, too

MARK

So do you

ROGER

Who are you to tell me what I know, what to do

MARK

A friend

ROGER

But who, Mark, are you?

"Mark has got his work"

They say "Mark lives for his work"

And "Mark's in love with his work"

Mark hides in his work

MARK

But from what?

ROGER

From facing your failure, facing your loneliness

Facing the fact you live a lie

Yes, you live a lie tell you why

You're always preaching not to be numb

When that's how you thrive

You pretend to create and observe

When you really detach from feeling alive

MARK

Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive

ROGER

Poor baby

MARK

Mimi still loves Roger

Is Roger really jealous

Or afraid that Mimi's weak

ROGER

Mimi did look pale

MARK

Mimi's gotten thin

Mimi's running out of time

Roger's running out the door

ROGER

No more! Oh no

I've gotta go

MARK

Hey, for somebody who's always been let down

Who's heading out of town?

ROGER

For someone who longs for a community of his own,

Who's with his camera, alone?

(ROGER takes a step to go, then stops, turns)

I'll call

I hate the fall

(ROGER turns to go and sees MIMI)

You heard?

MIMI

Every word

You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees

You don't want to watch me die

I just came to say

Goodbye, love

Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye

MIMI

Just came to say

Goodbye love

Goodbye

ROGER

Glory

One blaze of

Glory

Have to find

(ROGER exits. BENNY returns. MIMI steps away)

MIMI

Please don't touch me

Understand

I'm scared

I need to go away

MARK

I know a place a clinic

BENNY

A rehab?

MIMI

Maybe could you?

BENNY

I'll pay

MIMI

Goodbye love

Came to say goodbye, love, goodbye

Just came to say

Goodbye love

Hello disease

(MIMI runs away. After a moment, COLLINS quicjkly enters, with the

PASTOR trailing behind him)

PASTOR

Off the premises now, we give no handouts here

MARK

What happened to Rest In Peace?

PASTOR

Off the premises, queer

COLLINS

That's no way to send a boy to meet his maker

They had to know we couldn't pay the undertaker

BENNY

(To COLLINS) Don't you worry 'bout him

(To PASTOR) Hey, I'll take care of it

(The PASTOR acknowledges BENNY and exits)

MARK

Must be nice to have money

ALL THREE

No shit

COLLINS

I think it's only fair to tell you, you just paid for the funeral of the person who

killed your dog

BENNY

I know... I always hated that dog

Let's pay him off, and then get drunk

MARK

I can't... I have a meeting

BENNY & COLLINS

Punk! Let's go

(COLLINS and BENNY exit)

MARK (imagining)

Hi. Mark Cohen here, reporting for Buzzline. Back to you, Alexi! Coming up

next, vampire welfare queens who are compulsive bowlers... Oh my God,

what am I doing?

Back To The Top

WHAT YOU OWN

MARK

"Hi, Mark Cohen for Buzzline...Back to you Alexi. Coming up, vampire

welfare queens who are compulsive bowlers."

Oh God, what am I doing?

Don't breathe too deep

Don't think all day

Dive into work

Drive the other way

That drip of hurt

That pint of shame

Goes away

Just play the game

You're living in America

At the end of the millennium

You're living in America

Leave your conscience at the tone

And when you're living in America

At the end of the millennium

You're what you own

(Lights up on ROGER)

ROGER

The filmmaker cannot see

MARK

And the songwriter cannot hear

ROGER

Yet I see Mimi everywhere

MARK

Angel's voice is in my ear

ROGER

Just tighten those shoulders

MARK

Just clench your jaw till you frown

ROGER

Just don't let go

BOTH

Or you may drown

You're living in America

At the end of the millennium

You're living in America

Where it's like the Twilight Zone

And when you're living in America

At the end of the millennium

You're what you own

So I own not a notion

I escape and ape content

I don't own emotion - I rent

MARK

What was it about that night

ROGER

What was it about that night

BOTH

Connection- in an isolating age

MARK

For once the shadows gave way to light

ROGER

For once the shadows gave way to light

BOTH

For once I didn't disengage

(MARK goes to the pay phone and dials)

MARK

Angel I hear you I hear it

I see it I see it

My film!

ROGER

Mimi I see you I see it

I hear it- I hear it

My song

MARK (on the phone)

Alexi--Mark

Call me a hypocrite

I need to finish my own film

I quit

ROGER

One song glory

Mimi

Your eyes

BOTH

Dying in America

At the end of the millennium

We're dying in America

To come into our own

And when you're dying in America

At the end of the millennium

You're not alone

I'm not alone

(Blackout)

Back To The Top

VOICE MAIL #5 (Various locations)

(In blackout, once again the phone rings)

ROGER & MARK'S ANSWERING MACHINE

"Speak..." (Beep)

ROGER'S MOTHER

Roger, this is your mother

Roger, honey, I don't get these postcards

"Moving to Santa Fe"

"Back in New York

Starting a rock band"

Roger, where are you? --Please call

(The following is sung simultaneously)

MIMI'S MOTHER

Mimi, chica, donde estas?

Tu mama esta llamando

Donde estas Mimi - - Call

MR. JEFFERSON

Kitten wherever are you - Call

MRS. COHEN

Mark - are you there - are you there

I don't know if he's there

We're all here wishing you were here too

Where are you Mark are you there are you where are you

Mark - are you there - are you there

I don't know if - Please call your mother

Back To The Top

FINALE (The lot and the loft)

ALL SEVEN HOMELESS

Christmas bells are ringing

How time flies

When compassion dies

No stockings

No candy canes

No gingerbread

No safety net

No loose change

No change no

ONE HOMELESS MAN

"Santy Claus is coming"

ALL

Cause Santy Claus ain't coming

No room at the Holiday Inn again

Well, maybe next year

Or -- when

(Lights shift back to the loft. A small prjector rests on a milk crate,

which is on a dolly)

MARK

December 24th, ten p.m. Eastern standard time

I can't believe a year went by so fast

Time to see what we have time to see

Turn the projector on

(A rough title credit, "Today 4 U: Proof Positive," appears, followed by

a shot from last Christmas of ROGER tuning his guitar)

First shot Roger

With the fender guitar he just got out of hock

When he sold the car

That took him away and back

ROGER

I found my song

MARK

He found his song

If he could just find Mimi

ROGER

I tried - you know I tried

(MARK's image appears on-screen)

MARK

Fade in on Mark

Who's still in the dark

ROGER

But he's got great footage

MARK

Which he's cut together

ROGER

To screen tonight

(BENNY's image appears on screen)

MARK

In honor of Benny's wife

ROGER

Muffy

MARK

Alison

Pulling Benny out of the East Village location

(The projector blows a fuse. Blackout)

ROGER

Then again, maybe we won't screen it tonight

MARK

I wonder how Alison found out about Mimi?

ROGER

Maybe a little bird told her

(COLLINS enters in the dark, with several twenty-dollar bills in each

hand)

COLLINS

Or an angel

(Lights fade up)

I had a little hunch that you could use a little flow

ROGER

Tutoring again?

COLLINS

Negative

MARK

Back at N.Y.U.?

COLLINS

No, no, no

I rewired the ATM at the food emporium

To provide an honorarium to anyone with the code

ROGER & MARK

The code

Well...?

COLLINS

A-N-G-E-L

Yet Robin Hooding isn't the solution

The powers that be must be undermined where they dwell

In a small, exclusive gourmet institution

Where we overcharge the wealthy clientele

ALL THREE

Let's open up a restaurant in Santa Fe

With a private corner banquette in the back

COLLINS

We'll make it yet, we'll somehow get to Santa Fe

ROGER

But you'd miss New York before you could unpack

ALL

Ohh

(MAUREEN and JOANNE enter, carrying MIMI)

MAUREEN

Mark! Roger! Anyone - help!

MARK

Maureen?

MAUREEN

It's Mimi - I can't get her up the stairs

ROGER

(They enter the loft)

MAUREEN

She was huddled in the park in the dark

And she was freezing

And begged to come here

ROGER

Over here

Oh, God

(They lay her down carefully on the table)

MIMI

Got a light - I know you - you're shivering

JOANNE

She's been living on the street

ROGER

We need some heat

MIMI

I'm shivering

MARK

We can buy some wood and something to eat

COLLINS

I'm afraid she needs more than heat

MIMI

I heard that

MAUREEN

Collins will call for a doctor, honey

MIMI

Don't waste your money on Mimi, me, me

COLLINS

Hello 911?

I'm on hold

MIMI

Cold...cold... would you light my candle?

ROGER

Yes we'll oh God - find a candle

MIMI

I should tell you

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI

I should tell you

Benny wasn't any

ROGER

Shhh--I know

I should tell you why I left

It wasn't cause I didn't

MIMI

I know

I should tell you

ROGER

I should tell you

MIMI (whispering)

I should tell you

I love you

(MIMI fades)

ROGER

Who do you think you are?

Leaving me alone with my guitar

Hold on there's something you should hear

It isn't much but it took all year

(MIMI stirs and ROGER begins playing acoustic guitar at her bedside)

Back To The Top

YOUR EYES

ROGER

Your eyes

As we said our goodbyes

Can't get them out of my mind

And I find I can't hide

From your eyes

The ones that took me by surprise

The night you came into my life

Where there's moonlight I see your eyes

(Band takes over)

How'd I let you slip away

When I'm longing so to hold you

Now I'd die for one more day

'Cause there's something I should have told you

Yes there's something I should have told you

When I looked into your eyes

Why does distance make us wise?

You were the song all along

And before this song dies

I should tell you I should tell you

I have always loved you

You can see it in my eyes

(We hear Musetta's Theme, played correctly and passionately. MIMI's

head falls to the side and her arm drops limply off the edge of the table)

Mimi!

Back To The Top

FINALE B

(Suddenly, MIMI's hand twitches. Incredibly, she is still alive)

MIMI

I jumped over the moon

ROGER

What?

MIMI

A leap of moooooooooooo

JOANNE

She's back

MIMI

I was in a tunnel. Heading for this warm, white light

MAUREEN

Oh my god

MIMI

And I swear Angel was there and she looked GOOD! And she said, "Turn

around, girlfriend, and listen to that boy's song"

COLLINS

She's drenched

MAUREEN

Her fever's breaking

MARK

There is no future there is no past

ROGER

Thank God this moment's not the last

MIMI & ROGER

There's only us

There's only this

Forget regret or life is yours to miss

ALL

No other road no other way

No day but today

(As the finale grows, the entire COMPANY makes its way on stage)

WOMEN

I can't control

My destiny

I trust my soul

My only goal is just to be

MEN

Will I lose my dignity?

Will someone care?

Will I wake tomorrow

From this nightmare?

(MARK's film resumes, along with two more films projecting on the back

wall, "Scenes from RENT...")

WOMEN

Without you

The hand gropes

The ear hears

The pulse beats

Life goes on

But I'm gone

'Cause I die

Without you

I die without you

MEN

There's only now

There's only here

Give in to love

Or live in fear

No other path

No other way

No day but today

ALL

No day but today

Back To The Top