ACT ONE: WE'RE DOING WHAT?!
*CURTAIN COMES UP ON: A stage w/ nothing on it, pitch black. A door slams. ELIZABETH and VICKY ENTER arguing.
ELIZABETH
What?! We could never do that! I mean just look at this place, does it look like we have the budget to do that! Besides you remember what happened to the last director that tried to widen her budget?
VICKY
Hey I thought I was the Director here?... Besides you've been acting here for nine years, don't you want to do something spontaneous, something that you'll be remembered for?.... And yes I do remember what happened to the last director that tried to widen her budget, she's the reason why I got this job.
ELIZABETH
Exactly!
VICKY
Izzy settle down, your just an actor. And it's your theatre now.
ELIZABETH
Exactly, It's MY theater now. And we're going to lose it unless we get more profits.
VICKY
What?
ELIZABETH
(PULLS OUT A FEW PAPERS)I wasn't going to tell you, but the city's buying us out
VICKY
But I thought-
CHRISTINA ENTERS
VICKY Continued.
(TAKES PAPERS AND HIDES THEM BEHIND HER BACK)Oh look it's Christina.
CHRISTINA
Hey Vicky, Hey Izzy. What are you guys talking about?
VICKY
Well, you know how we need to decide on what we're doing this upcoming season here at the theater.
CHRISTINA
Yeah...
VICKY
Izzy here doesn't think that's it's possible for us to do The Ph....
ELIZABETH
(CUTTING OFF) She thinks that we can do The Phantom of the Opera!!!
CHRISTINA
Really? That would be soooo exciting! It would be the biggest thing we've ever done.
VICKY
That's what I tried to tell her.
CHRISTINA
Hey... maybe we could get an actual costume designer, and you could design the set and...
ELIZABETH
But who would sing?
CHRISTINA
Um... Us of course, and everyone else, plus who auditions, wow I thought you'd know that.
ELIZABETH
I do know that, that's why we can't do it! I mean my god, we've got maybe 4 sopranos , and then the rest of us. Since the Civic has all of them.
CHRISTINA
I know, I'm a Soprano.
ELIZABETH
Exactly
CHRISTINA
Huh?
MS. VICTORIA
Okay, How bad could it be?
ELIZABETH
Really bad, with this play at least. I just can't, not this play. I have too much history with it.
CHRISTINA
Oh yeaahhhhh. I almost forgot.
VICKY
What?
CHRISTINA
Izzy did a musical review of the play in high school, it's how she met her high school sweet-heart.
VICKY
Ohhhhhh.
ELIZABETH
That too, but we really can't do it!
CHRISTINA
Why?
ELIZABETH
(TAKES THE PAPERS FROM VICKY'S BACK)
We're losing the theatre!
CHRISTINA
What? How?!
(ELIZABETH IS FURIOUS)
VICKY
(TRYING TO CALM ELIZABETH DOWN) Let me take this one...(ELIZABETH NODDS)
VICKY
Go home, Get some sleep!
ELIZABETH
I live here remember, I sold my soul to this theater the minute I walked in nine and a half years ago.
(VICKY/CHRISTINA BEGIN TO LEAVE)
VICKY
Very funny!
CHRISTINA
Bye Izzy!
ELIZABETH
Bye guys.
(VICKY AND CHRISTINA EXIT)
(ELIZABETH SITS DOWN)
ELIZABETH
Ugh! (UNDER HER BREATH)What are we gonna do?
(A MAN ENTERS FROM THE BACK OF THE HOUSE)
ELIZABETH
The house is closed.
MAN
You know, you're a hard person to find.
ELIZABETH
What?
MAN
This place is beautiful.
ELIZABETH
Who are you?
(HE COMES INTO THE LIGHT, ELIZABETH RECOGNIZES HIM, THIS IS HARVEY)
HARVEY
An old friend.
ELIZABETH
Harvey?!
HARVEY
Izzy!
(HARVEY COMES ON THE STAGE)(THEY HUG)
ELIZABETH
How did you..?
HARVEY
A lot of work. After a few years, 8 to be exact, I realized that I missed you to much to bare, so I searched for you and your family. After a year I found your sister and she said that you moved to San Diego to be on told me about your parents, I'm so sorry, I know how much both of them meant to you..
(HE HUGS HER)
ELIZABETH
Thank you.(SHE LOOKS UP AT HIM) You missed me?
HARVEY
What do you expect? Come on, let me take you to dinner, I've never been to San Diego before. We have a lot to catch up on.
ELIZABETH
I can't...
HARVEY
Come on, please I'm begging you.
ELIZABETH
I have to figure out how the company is going to do The Phantom of the Opera here and how to-
HARVEY
Really, I love that play.
ELIZABETH
I know you do. But I just don't think it would be possible for us to do it with our budget and all.
HARVEY
Look at this place Iz. It's beautiful who ever owns it is a very lucky person.
ELIZABETH
You would think that, but I'm not.
HARVEY
Wait, this is your theater?!
ELIZABETH
Yep. Take a good look at it cause it wont be here for long.
HARVEY
Elizabeth, that's wonderful, now you have to let me take you out to dinner... What do you mean it wont be here for long?
ELIZABETH
The city of San Diego is reposesing it.(SHOWS HIM THE PAPERS)
HARVEY
What? They can't, this place is a landmark.
ELIZABETH
Apparently they can when you fall behind. Our past few productions have been really good it's just that most of our audience isn't the most wealthy. So the tickets are cheap and tickets pay the bills and-
HARVEY
Slow down, back to Phantom. I bet you could do it.
ELIZABETH
Funny, you obviously don't remember my acting.
HARVEY
I remember it perfectly but I mainly remember your singing. It was beautiful.
(THEY BOTH PAUSE AND THEN MAKE EYE CONTACT FOR A SECOND)
ELIZABETH
Well I guess one dinner wouldn't kill me.
HARVEY
Excellent!
ELIZABETH
Well I just have to go get my bag and then I'll be out.
(SHE BEGINS TO EXIT)
HARVEY
Fantastic, I'll go get the limo outside.
ELIZABETH
Did you just say limo?
HARVEY
Yes.
ELIZABETH
Okay I just wanted to make sure I heard you right.
(THEY BOTH EXIT OFF)(LIGHTS GO DOWN)
