Script

SIDE 1

Keep the movements fluid. Ready, and&

(Music begins.)

Imagine crystal clear water flowing gently downstream. Mabel! I said water, not molasses. What s wrong with you today?
 

I feel faint. I haven t had a thing to eat since breakfast.
 

It s only nine forty-five.
 

I don t care what time it is. My stomach s screamin  Feed me! Feed Me!
 

Hang in there, Mabel, only three and a half hours till lunch. Classical lines, people. Imagine you re dancing for Balanchine. Gently ladies, gently. You re ballerinas, not truck drivers. That s lovely, Iris. You look like the Swan Queen.

(TYRONE does his own thing.)

Tyrone. This is adagio, not disco.
 

But it s so boring& and talk about uptight.
 

We study classical dance for the same reason we study Mozart. To build technique and learn classic form. Think of it as a trip to the museum.
 

But why does it have to be like that? Why couldn t you do ballet that was different  switched on  tight-wired  like the traffic in Times Square?
 

(impressed)
Sounds like you ve given this a lot of thought.

SIDE 2

Good. Very good. You ve got the choreography, now let s talk about the quality of movement. It should be lyrical but strong, like fire and ice.

(MISS SHERMAN enters.)

Hello, Esther, what brings you to the fourth floor?
 

I understand you ve chosen to feature Iris and Tyrone in next year s Junior Festival.
 

They earned it.
 

Unfortunately, Tyrone won t be able to participate.
 

Say what?
 

I m sorry Tyrone, you failed Sophomore English.
 

You flunked me?! But I did all the work. I even handed in my term paper on time.
 

Unfortunately, it bore a remarkable similarity to Iris s.
 

Wait a minute. Are you accusin me of cheatin ?
 

Tyrone and I study together. So what if the papers are similar?
 

They weren t similar, they were identical.
 

Then why not accuse Iris?
 

Because she s a straight A student.

(to TYRONE)
Let s be honest. Iris has been carrying you in your academic subjects for the entire year.
 

Nobody carries me. I do my own work, in my own way.
 

You may think you do, but your reading is substandard. You couldn t possibly have written that paper.
 

Hey, forget this noise. I didn t wanna be in no festival anyway.

(TYRONE exits. IRIS follows him out.)
 

Tyrone, wait. Wait!

(MS. BELL turns back to MISS SHERMAN.)

You re not being fair, Esther. Tyrone works hard in my class. He s motivated in my class. This young man has the potential to be a true artist.
 

A true artist that can hardly read? Let Tyrone pass his academic subjects  then we ll talk about his future in the arts.
 

No! We ll talk about it now!
 

SIDE 3

Tyrone! What was Mr. Miller s point?
 

(still paging through the comic book)

You know Miss Sherman, I didn t really relate to that play. See, it s all about failure, and I m all about success.

(taking the comic book away)

Superman belongs on Krypton, not in school!

Hey, don t be dissin the  The Man of Steel. He s a role model I can relate to.

Oh, really? In that case, why don t you read it to us? Out loud.

I can t. I left my reading glasses at home.

Give it up, Tyrone. Your vision is 20-20 and you know it.

(After a long pause, she holds out the comic book.)

We re waiting!!

You tryin to make me look stupid in front of the whole class?

No, you aren t stupid. But you do need help.

(Pause. MISS SHERMAN realizes she might have gone too far.)

Everyone, that s all for today. Class dismissed.

(All the STUDENTS start to exit, including TYRONE.)

Tyrone, wait.

(TYRONE stops. They are alone in the classroom.)

I am so sorry.

(beat)
Can you read at all?

A couple of words here and there. But mostly the letters look jumbled. They just don t make sense.

Tyrone, I think you may have a reading disorder. It s called dyslexia.

You mean there s something wrong in my head?

A small glitch in the system. But with effort, you can overcome it.

Uh, uh. I ain t goin to no readin class for dummies.

Then I ll work with you myself. Every day, after school.

Not me. No way.

(TYRONE exits.)

Please, Tyrone, don t give up on yourself.

SIDE 4

TYRONE

I still don t have no future in ballet.
 

IRIS

Maybe you would, if you worked harder.
 

TYRONE

Hey, I work as hard as anyone. But, be honest, when was the last time you saw someone like me dancin in the corps de ballet?
 

IRIS

It s not your dancin that s the problem, Mr. Tyrone Jackson. It s your attitude.
 

TYRONE

You don t know me, so stop shoving your silver spoon down my throat.

(TYRONE starts to exit. IRIS decides to come clean.)
 

IRIS

Tyrone, wait. My family s not rich. They barely have enough money to keep me in pointe shoes.
 

TYRONE

Yeah, right. That s why you show up every day in that long black limo.
 

IRIS

My father s a chauffeur. He drops me off on his way to work. And I don t speak French either.
 

TYRONE

Then how come you been puttin on this act?
 

IRIS

Because I was scared.

TYRONE

Scared a what? You re the best dancer in this school, Iris.

IRIS

Scared no one would like me.

TYRONE

Well& I like you.

IRIS

Yeah?

TRYONE

Yeah.