Script

SIDE 1

Yo, Mr. Myers. I need to be excused from class on Friday. See, they re doing a revival of West Side Story. And I am like perfect for the role of Anita.
 

I m sorry, Carmen. The last thing you need right now is another character to hide behind.
 

What s that supposed to mean?
 

Carmen, the first rule of acting is  know thyself. If you don t learn to deal honestly with your own emotions, you ll just be another pretty face that nobody cares about.

(MR. MYERS exits.)
 

(calling after him)
You re wrong about me, Mr. Myers. I m gonna make it.  Cause I got what it takes. From now on I got three things to worry about. Me, myself and I! One day you re gonna see my name up in lights. Carmen Diaz.

Sparkle, girl! Sparkle.

I m talkin Broadway, movies&

Atlantic City, Radio City&

People are gonna shiver when they see me comin &

Shiver, honey. Shiver!

They ll say,  There she goes! Carmen! Not the movie, not the opera, but the human being!!!

SIDE 2

Geez. I didn t hear you come in.
 

Sorry, I didn t mean to scare you. Genius at work, right?
 

I m hardly a genius.
 

You know Schlomo, your problem is you don t have enough confidence. Like that piece you play all the time& solid gold.
 

It s for Sophomore Composition. I ve been working on it for weeks, but& I feel like something s still missing.
 

Maybe this ll help.

(CARMEN hands him a piece of paper.)

They re lyrics! I wrote  em to go with that tune. Go ahead, check  em out.
 

Carmen, this isn t a song, it s a sonata.
 

What difference does it make? I know a top ten hit when I hear one.
 

You really think so?
 

Guaranteed to go platinum like that!

(She snaps her fingers.)

But then I guess you hear this stuff all the time. Compliments and stuff
 

Are you kidding? I come from a family of perfectionists. Nothing I do is ever good enough.
 

Hey, I hear what you re sayin . So you wanna take the lyrics for a test drive?
 

Yeah!
 

SIDE 3

You know what the problem with this school is, it s too confining& like a prison.
 

So, I guess that means somebody had another run-in with Myers.
 

First I m not being honest, then I m indicating. Now he s got me stuck doing sense memory. When do I get to do some real acting?
 

Maybe you have to learn to be real before you can learn to act.

(This hits her like a slap in the face.)
 

You know, Schlomo. Sometimes you sound like one of them.
 

 One of them? Carmen, teachers aren t some sort of alien race. Maybe Myers could help you.
 

Help me with what? You think I got some kinda problem?
 

No& I mean, yeah. I mean& well, maybe you do. It s like all this stuff about being famous all the time. Maybe you should take a break from that?
 

Look, Mr. Metzenbaum, Mr. Son of the Famous Violin Virtuoso, some people get handed life on a silver tray. The rest of us have to reach out and grab it.

(CARMEN starts to exit.)
 

Carmen, wait. I m sorry. I didn t mean to make you angry. I just wish& I wish you didn t feel like you have to fight all the time.
 

I m a survivor. That s who I am. Take it or leave it.
 

(still angry)
Okay. All right. I ll take it. I ll take it.

Wait a minute. What did you say?

I said I d take it. Carmen, don t you know that good times or bad, we are a team.

(takes her hands)
Hey, I finished that new song we were working on. It turned out pretty good.

Of course it did. With my words and your music, how could we lose?

Come on. I ll play it for you.

SIDE 4

Carmen& I just heard the news. You re dropping out of school?
 

Today s my last day. They ll be poppin champagne corks in the teacher s lounge.
 

I know you ve had your difficulties at P.A., but believe me, no one is happy to see you leave.
 

Oh, yeah? I wish I could say the feeling s mutual.
 

You know, Carmen, your anger could be your greatest asset. But you ve got to make it work for you, instead of against you. If you don t, it will eat you alive.

(MR. MYERS starts to exit before turning to say one last thing to CARMEN.)

Look, I can t make you stay. But if you leave, you ll be making the biggest mistake of your life.

(MR. MYERS exits. After he s gone, CARMEN pounds her fist on her locker. SCHLOMO enters.)
 

So, you made up your mind. And I m the last to hear about it.
 

Please, don t you start buggin me too.

(CARMEN goes back to packing.)
 

Carmen, I m your friend. I care what happens to you.
 

Then be my friend and get off my case.
 

But you hardly know this guy.
 

Elliot Green came to New York to scout talent, and he found me!

(slamming her locker shut)

He s got faith in me. Which is more than I can say for you.
 

But what about the band? What about us?
 

I can t pass this up. Besides, the band ain t goin nowhere.
 

Who says? Mr. Showbiz?
 

He s a professional agent. He s got all kinds of things lined up for me in L.A.
 

You know what your problem is? You want everything too fast. Instant fame. Unfortunately, that only happens in fairy tales.

(SCHLOMO starts to exit, then without turning back:)

You know, Carmen, you and me, we coulda really been something.

(SCHLOMO exits. CARMEN watches him go, then picks up her bag and exits in the opposite direction as the lights fade.)