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)