The Manager's Office

(Scene 3)

The Phantom's score sits open on the desk. Andre is impatiently flicking through it.

Blaise sang, "Ludicrous! Have you seen the score?"

Neville sang entering the scene, "Simply ludicrous!"

Blaise answered, "It's the final straw!"

Neville agreed, "This is lunacy! Well, you know my views…"

Blaise chimed, "Utter lunacy!"

Neville sang, "But we daren't refuse…"

Blaise groaned, "Not another chandelier…"

Neville at the desk sang, "Look my friend what we have here…"

He has two notes from the Phantom, one of which he hands the Andre who opens it and reads it.

Blaise sang, " 'Dear Andre, Re my orchestrations: We need another first bassoon. Get a player with tone- and that third trombone has to go! The man could not be deafer, so please preferably one who plays in tune!"

Neville sang, reading his. " 'Dear Firmin, Vis a vis my opera: some chorus members must be sacked. If you could, find out which has a sense of pitch- wisely, though, I've managed to assign a rather minor role to those who can not act!"

The are interrupted by Carlotta and Piangi both furiously brandishing similar notes.

Pansy sang, "Outrage!"

Neville sighed, "What is it now?"

Pansy continued, "This whole affair is an outrage!"

Neville sang, "Signora, please…"

Blaise sang, "Now what's the matter?"

Pansy spat, "Have you seen the size of my part?"

Blaise sang calmly, "Signora, listen…"

Ron sang, "It's an insult!"

Neville spat, "Not you as well!"

Ron sang, "Just look t this- it's an insult!"

Neville sang, "Please, understand…"

Blaise pleaded, "Signor! Signora!"

Pansy spat and turned around, "The things I have to do for my art!"

Ron sang, stabbing a finger at the open score. "If you can call this gibberish "art"!"

Raoul and Christine enter. Carlotta bristles.

Pansy sang dryly, "Ah! Here's our little flower!"

Neville sang turning to her. "Ah Miss Daae quite the lady of the hour!"

Blaise sang to her explaining the situation. "You have secured the largest role in this "Don Jaun"."

Pansy sang half to herself, "Christine Daae? She doesn't have the voice!"

Neville heard this and rounded on her. "Signora, please!"

Harry sang to the managers, "Then I take it you're agreeing."

Pansy sang as an aside, "She's behind this…"

Blaise sighed, "It appears we have no choice."

Pansy was unable to contain herself any longer, and pointed accusingly. "She's the one behind this! Christine Daae!"

Hermione, who had been silent till now, was incensed at this. "How dare you!"

Pansy spat back, "I'm not a fool!"

Hermione hissed, "You evil woman! How dare you!"

Pansy asked, "You think I'm blind?"

Hermione cried hysterically, "This isn't my fault! I don't want any part in this plot!"

Neville sang, Miss Daae, surely…"

Blaise sang, "But why not?"

Ron sang baffled to Carlotta. "What does she say?"

Neville sang reasonably, "It's your decision…" He suddenly rounds on her. "But why not?"

Pansy said to Piangi triumphantly. "She's backing out!"

Blaise, angered, sang, "You have a duty!"

Hermione spat, "I cannot sing it duty or not!"

Harry sang to comfort Christine. "Christine…Christine…You don't have to…they can't make you…"

Meg and Giry arrive, Giry bearing another note from the Phantom.

Luna sang, "Please, monsieur: another note."

The managers groan and gesture for her to read it. As she reads, all react variously as they are singled out.

Luna sang, ""Fondest greetings to you all! A few instructions before rehearsal starts: Carlotta must be taught to act…""

The Phantom's voice gradually takes over from her.

Draco's voice sang, "…not her normal trick of strutting around the stage. Our Don Jaun must lose some weight- it's not healthy in a man of Piangi's age. And my managers must learn that their place is in an office, not the arts. As for Miss Christine Daae…No doubt she'll do her best'it's true her voice is good. She knows, though, should she wish to excel she has much still to learn, if pride will let her return to me, her teacher, her teacher…Your obedient friend…"

The Phantom's voice fades and Giry takes over.

Luna said, " "…and Angel…" "

Attention now focuses on Raoul whose eyes are bright with a new thought.

Harry sang, "We have all been blind-and yet the answer is staring us in the face…This could be the chance to ensnare our clever friend…"

Blaise sang, "We're listening…"

Neville finished, "Go on."

Harry continued, "We shall play his game-perform his work- but remember we hold the ace…For if Miss Daae sings, he is certain to attend…"

Blaise sang, carried along by the idea. "We make certain the doors are barred."

Neville sang, "We make certain our men are there…"

Harry finished, "We make certain they're armed…"

Harry, Blaise, and Neville sang savoring their victory. "The curtain falls- his reign will end!"

All have been listening intently. Giry is the first to express a reaction. Christine remains silentand withdrawn.

Luna sang, "Madness!"

Blaise turned to her. "I'm not so sure…"

Neville sang, "Not if it works…"

Luna sang, "This is madness!"

Blaise sang, "The tide will turn!"

Luna sang, "Monsieur, believe me- there is no way of turning the tide!"

Neville spat, "You stick to ballet!"

Harry rounded on Giry. "Then help us!"

Luna pleaded, "Monsieur, I can't…"

Harry sang, "Instead of warning us…"

Harry, Blaise, and Neville sang, "Help us!"

Luna sang, "I wish I could…"

The three men sang, "Don't make excuses!"

Harry spat, "Or could it be that you're on his side?"

Luna sang to Raoul, "Monsieur, believe me, I intend no ill…" She turned to the three men. "But messieurs, be careful- we have seen him kill!"

Blaise and Neville sang hotly to Luna. "We say he'll fall, and fall he will!"

Pansy sang, "She's the one behind this! Christine! This is all her doing!"

Ron sang, "This is the truth! Christine Daae!"

Harry sang, "This is his undoing!"

Blaise and Neville sang to Raoul. "If you succeed you free us all- this so called "angel" has to fall!"

Harry sang to the ceiling, "Angel of music, fear my fury- Here is where you fall!"

Luna sang, "Hear my warning! Fear his fury!"

Pansy sang, "What glory can she hope to gain? It's clear to all the girl's insane!"

Blaise sang to Neville, "Christine sings we'll get our man…"

Ron sang, "She is crazy! She is raving!"

Neville sang to Blaise, "If Christine helps us in this plan…"

Harry sang, "Say your prayers, balck angel of death!"

Hermione sang vainly pleading amidst the tumult. "Please don't…"

Blaise sang to Neville, "If Christine won't, then no one can…"

Luna sang to Harry, "Monsieur, I beg you, do not do this…"

Ron and Pansy sang, "Gran Dio! Che imbroglio!"

Blaise and Neville sang, "This will seal his fate!"

Hermione cried bursting through the hubbub, "Stop this, or I'll go mad!" She then turned to Harry and pleaded. "Raoul, I'm frightened- don't make me do this…Raoul, it scares me- don't put me through this ordeal by fire…he'll take me, I know…we'll be parted forever…he won't let me go…What I once used to dream I now dread…if he finds me, it won't ever end…and he'll always be there, singing songs in my head…he'll always be there singing songs in my head…"

All stare at her.

Pansy breathed, "She's mad!"

Harry sang, "You said yourself he was nothing but a man…Yet while he lives, he will haunt us till we're dead…"

Hermione turned away unhappily. "Twisted every way, what answer can I give? Am I to risk my life to win the chance to live? Can I betray the man that once inspired my voice? Do I become his prey? Do I have any choice? He kills without a thought, he murders all that's good…I know I can't refuse and yet, I wish I could…Oh God- if I agree what horrors wait for me in this, the Phantom's opera…?"

Harry sang to Hermione tenderly. "Christine, Christine, don't think that I don't care- but every hope and every prayer rests on you now…"

He pulls her into a tender embrace. Christine overcome by her emotions pushes away and hurries out. Raoul strides forward and addresses an imaginary Phantom.

Harry said, "So, it is to be war between us! But this time, clever friend, the disaster will be yours!"