WHAT IF? - SEASON 4 EPISODE 13 - I´M GOING SLIGHTLY MAD
1. Int. Auditorium. Evening.
The cast are performing the final song of their play, on this their dress rehearsal. It´s sounding pretty damn good too with the small live band Sav has assembled with himself, Danny, Peter and Darcy. After they´ve finished, their small but very enthusiastic test audience (consisting of Toby, Kendra, Katie, Bianca, Chantay, Mia and Imogen) cheers them wildly. JT bows to them with the rest of the cast and looks like he´s on top of the world!
2. Int. The Dot. Evening.
JT and his closest friends are celebrating with a soda at the usual hangout. He raises his glass to speak.
JT:
To the best cast in show business today!
Others:
Hear, hear!
They toast on their drinks.
Manny:
Do you think I should start work on my Tony Award speech, when I win best lead actress?
JT:
If you don´t win, then the vote must have been fixed!
The two of them kiss.
Emma:
I still can´t help being nervous.
Sean:
If you think you´re nervous, how do you think I feel?
Emma:
More nervous?
Sean:
I only signed up to help Craig get a girl, he isn´t even together with anymore.
Emma:
And is having someone else´s kid.
Manny:
Maybe. She hasn´t decided yet.
JT:
That´s a problem for another day. These next 24 hours are what is gonna make us legends st Degrassi!
He smiles widely.
OPENING CREDITS
3. Int. Joey and Caitlyn´s Living Room. Day.
Caitlyn and Angie are watching TV together, when JT comes in, already in costume. They smile at the sight of it.
Caitlyn:
Who´s this stranger in our house, Angie?
Angie:
Is that what you´re wearing for the play?
JT:
For most of it. I figured that if I wore it all day, maybe it can help me get in character.
Caitlyn:
There´s a certain logic to that!
JT:
You could call it the light version of method acting. Did Joey and Julia leave already? I thought it would be fun to see, if she´ll recognize me.
Caitlyn:
They headed over to Liz´s fifteen minutes ago.
JT:
I´m still not sure about leaving her with a stranger.
Caitlyn:
With all of your usual babysitters going to see your play, you have to take what you can get.
Angie:
Liz is really nice. You´d like her.
JT smiles at her.
JT:
In that case, I´ll take you word for it.
Angie:
You probably have enough to worry about anyway, right?
JT:
Not in the slightest, tiny female version of myself! There isn´t anything I can possibly think of, that can go wrong!
He looks confident, while Caitlyn worries that those could be famous last words.
4. Int. Marisol´s Room. Day.
Marisol is pacing her room and is on the verge of panicking. Katie is there with her.
Marisol:
I don´t know how, but it´s happened!
Katie:
You can´t have forgotten all your lines! It´s just nerves, that´s all.
Marisol:
I´m being serious, Katie! Yesterday when we did the dress rehearsal, I remembered them easily and now it´s like someone erased them from my brain overnight!
Katie smiles comfortingly at her.
Katie:
Before we call those guys from "Fringe", let´s try dealing with this rationally. First, you need to calm down and relax.
Marisol tries to and sits down next to Katie.
Katie:
What´s your first line?
Marisol:
That´s the audition. They ask me for my name and of course, I say ... I say ... I can´t even remember my own character´s name!
Katie:
It´s Hillary.
Marisol:
I knew that it began with an H! Seriously, what am I gonna do?
Katie:
We still have what, four hours until you have you be there?
Marisol:
It´s not a lot, is it? Maybe I can tell them, that I had really bad period pains or something. Guys never ask follow up questions, if you tell them that was the reason!
Katie grabs her shoulders and looks her in the eyes.
Katie:
That´s not what you´re gonna do, Marisol Lewis!
Marisol:
Why did you use my full name?
Katie:
To make a point! You´ve wanted to do this since we were little and now is your chance! I´m not as your best friend going to let you throw it away, because you´re a little nervous.
Marisol:
Very nervous! If you have any great ideas, now is the time for them!
Katie:
How about a trip to the mall? Going there always worked back when we were kids, if something was bothering you.
Marisol nods and looks ready to try just about everything.
5. Int. Mall. Day.
Marisol and Katie are browsing the perfume section, but it doesn´t look like Marisol is into it.
Marisol:
You´re sweet to try, Katie Kins, but it´s not working. Eli is gonna be so disappointed in me!
Katie:
You´re not doing this for him, you´re doing it for yourself!
Marisol:
There´ll be other plays.
Katie:
Which they won´t cast you in, if you flake on this one!
Marisol sulks but has to admit, that she´s probably right.
Katie:
Try this. Close your eyes.
She does.
Katie:
Touch the back of your head with the palm of your right hand and keep it there.
Marisol:
Isn´t that what they do for alcohol tests?
Katie:
It´s their nose, they have to touch. Just do it.
Marisol:
You sound like a Nike commercial!
Marisol does as Katie suggested. Some people around them are starting to stare, to Katie´s amusement.
Katie:
Now do the same with them other hand.
Marisol:
I feel foolish enough already!
She does so anyway.
Katie:
Now move your right hand to your right hip.
Marisol:
I´m putting a lot of faith in you here!
Marisol does so.
Katie:
And do the same with the left.
Marisol:
Seriously?
Marisol does so.
Katie:
And give those hips a nice, wide swirl.
Marisol does so.
Katie (singing):
Hey Macarena!
Some of the other shoppers laugh at them, as Marisol opens her eyes.
Marisol:
Very funny!
Katie:
It´s meant to take your mind off it, so it won´t fill your entire head. What´s your first line?
Marisol:
"I´m Hillary van Doren".
Katie:
What´s the next one?
Marisol:
I don´t remember! This is my worst nightmare come true. Even worse than when I dreamt I did the hokey pokey in my underwear on national TV!
Katie:
You have some seriously weird dreams, Mare!
Marisol:
Tell me about it!
She rolls her eyes and looks ready to give up.
6. Int. Auditorium. Day.
JT comes in and is immediately worried at what he sees. The technicians have had to pull the lighting rig down again and he rushes to find out why. Derek is heading up the crew, that also consists of Dallas and Drew, among others.
JT:
Why isn´t this hanging above the stage, like it should be?
Derek:
We´ve overdone it with the lights. The school´s generator can´t take it.
JT:
Why didn´t anyone find this out sooner?
Derek:
It´s my first time doing this too, you know?
JT:
Can we still go on tonight?
Derek:
Yeah, we´ll get it fixed in time! (quietly muttering) I hope!
JT:
If you don´t know what you´re doing, find someone who does!
Derek:
Chill! Concentrate on your job and I´ll concentrate on mine.
JT:
I don´t want to catch you taking breaks, until this is fixed, you hear?
JT leaves them and Derek goes back to work.
Dallas:
Is he usually this much of a dick?
Derek:
No, he´s usually pretty chill. If you want to know what stress looks like, there it is personified!
Drew:
I´m glad, I´m not him!
Dallas:
Even if it meant that you got to do it with that ultra sexy Filipino senior, we always drool over, but have less than one percent of a snowball´s chance in hell with?
Drew:
He´s dating her? The lucky bastard!
Derek:
Does it make you change your mind?
Drew:
It is a compelling argument for changing it!
They try to concentrate on their work.
7. Int. Backstage Area. Day.
JT comes backstage, where there´s more issues to deal with. Chantay and Mia have accidentally shrunk Manny´s hot pants in the washing machine. They now look like they would fit an eight year old, at the oldest!
Chantay:
Sorry, JT.
Mia:
It´s my fault. I didn´t know that you´re supposed to wash them at a low temperature.
Chantay:
If a girl from thirty years ago were here now, she would laugh her butt off.
JT holds the up and shakes his head at the sight of it.
Chantay:
Don´t worry. We´ll find a replacement pair.
JT:
Where? It´s not like every clothing store sells hot pants these days!
Mia:
We could try our luck at a thrift store. It´s worth a shot.
JT:
What are you still doing here? Go!
The two girls run out of there. He´s starting to look stressed, when he hears what sounds like something being smashed coming from afar. He rubs his temples and tries to calm down.
8. Int. Auditorium. Day.
JT comes in to see if anyone´s been hurt. He´s relieved to see Drew being helped up by Dallas and looking relatively unhurt.
JT:
Are you okay?
Drew:
Yeah, I just slipped, is all.
One of their lights isn´t though, which doesn´t help with JT´s stress.
Derek:
We´ll get it fixed. Don´t worry.
JT:
That´s what everyone keeps telling me!
He´s trying to keep calm, but it´s getting harder by the minute.
9. Int. Thrift Store. Day.
Mia and Chantay are looking through their clothes and get lucky, finding a pair of hot pants that look more or less similar to the ones they shrunk.
Mia:
What size is it?
Chantay:
Big enough that her tush should fit into them!
They go up to the counter to pay. The clerk is a woman in her late 50´s, who´s a bit of a hippie type. Chantay puts the pants on the counter and she starts to ring them in.
Woman:
Aren´t these a little big for you?
Chantay:
Oh, they´re not for me! We need them for a costume.
Mia:
Like anyone would wear those things today!
The woman looks insulted and stops working.
Woman:
What´s that supposed to mean?
Chantay:
No offense, but some things are better left in the past. Now, if you would ring them in, we can be on our way.
Woman:
Now I´m not sure, that I want to sell them to you.
Mia:
Why not?
Woman:
Because you don´t understand what they represent.
Mia:
How can we prove that we do?
The woman smiles at them.
10. Montage
Chantay and Mia both do some Disco dancing in said hot pants, until the clerk is satisfied. They pay for them and hurry out of there.
11. Ext. Parking Lot. Day.
Chantay and Mia come out of the store.
Chantay:
Just so we´re clear: That never happened!
Mia:
What happened?
Chantay:
How long do we have?
Mia:
Just long enough to get there in time, if we hurry.
They reach Chantay´s mom´s car and get in.
12. Ext. Eli´s House. Day.
Marisol knocks on the door and Cece answers it.
Marisol:
Hi, Cece. Is Eli still here?
Cece:
He´s just about to leave. You can ride with us, if you want?
Marisol:
Yeah, sure.
Eli comes down to meet her.
Eli:
Hey.
Marisol:
Hey. Can we talk in private?
Cece:
I know when it´s time for me leave!
Cece leaves them and Eli comes out to join Marisol.
Marisol:
I can´t remember my lines, so I have to pull out. I´m sorry, Eli.
Eli just smiles at her, making her confused.
Marisol:
Aren´t you mad?
Eli:
No, because I´m not too worried. You´re going on.
Marisol:
Didn´t you hear me?
Eli:
I heard you and I know what the problem is. You need something to take your mind off it.
Marisol:
Me and Katie already tried it.
Eli puts his arms around her and she can´t help looking excited.
Eli:
Did she try this?
They finally kiss and it´s a passionate one. She looks a little dizzy afterwards.
Marisol:
Holy Moly!
Eli:
Did it work?
Marisol:
Huh?
Eli:
Do you remember your lines now?
She thinks about it and smiles at him.
Marisol:
How ...
Eli:
You just needed to calm your nerves, is all. Do you still want to pull out?
She shakes her head.
13. Int. Backstage Area. Evening.
Most of the cast have arrived, but Eli and Marisol are still missing. He checks his watch and looks annoyed. Emma and Manny try to calm him down.
JT:
Where can they be?
Emma:
I´m sure, they´re on their way.
Just as she says that, Eli and Marisol come in, trying to look innocent.
JT:
Where have you been?
Marisol:
We got a little held up.
Emma:
We´ll help you get ready.
Emma and Manny lead Marisol off. JT looks sternly at Eli.
JT:
You two couldn´t wait until after the show to make out?
Eli:
It´s not like that ...
JT:
Eli, it´s always like that! If I wasn´t so worried that we still don´t have half of Manny´s costume, I would have gotten mad at you.
Eli:
You´ll have to fill me in.
Chantay and Mia come rushing in and are out of breath. Chantay hands a shopping bag to JT.
Chantay:
You don´t want to know what we had to do to get them!
JT takes the pair hot pants out of the bag and looks pleased.
JT:
Whatever it was, you did good. Get these to Manny ASAP.
He hands them back to Chantay and Mia, who go to find Manny.
JT:
Today has been a nightmare, ever since I got here.
Eli:
Opening nights usually are, but that´s what makes them exciting. Once that magic of the first performance is over, it starts to become routine pretty quickly. This, the chaos of knowing that anything can go wrong at any time, that´s what guys like you and me live for.
They smile at each other.
JT:
You´re going to bring many great stories to life, Eli Goldsworthy. This school might not know it yet, but they´ll be in for something special these next years.
Eli:
Any advice?
JT:
Be yourself, no matter what everyone else wants you to be like. The world needs originals like us or it would be a very boring place.
Eli nods in agreement.
14. Int. Auditorium. Evening.
The Degrassi auditorium is filled to the brink with students, parents, teachers and the like, who are here for the evening´s show. Pretty much anyone, who isn´t in the show or involved with it in some other way, is there to see it. The curtains are still down, but it´s clear that we´re approaching showtime and there´s a certain electricity in the air.
15. Int. Backstage Area. Evening.
Everyone who needs to be is in costume and those who aren´t are helping out where they can. JT is probably the one who´s stressing the most of all and Manny tries to calm him down. She looks totally hot in her "new" pants, by the way! He checks the clock on the wall.
JT:
Two minutes ´till showtime!
Manny:
Nervous?
JT:
A little. It´s not like we´re gonna get a second chance, if we bomb tonight.
Manny:
Don´t be. You´ve done everything you can to make this a great show and it will be!
She gives him a kiss for good luck.
JT:
You can bring that outfit home afterwards, if you feel like it.
Manny:
I do have a really nice butt in these pants, don´t I?
JT:
We need to bring them back in style immediately!
We cut to Holly J, who´s helping a very excited and equally nervous Marisol with putting the final touches on her outfit. Eli comes over to them. Him and Marisol smile at each other and it looks like these last weeks with her has started to do wonders for him. Holly J looks happy for them.
Holly J:
Doesn´t she look exactly like you pictured it?
Eli:
She looks perfect!
Marisol looks pleased at his reaction.
Marisol:
Then why is my sixth sense telling me, that I´m gonna forget all my lines again?
Holly J:
It´s just opening night jitters. Once you get out there, you´ll forget all about them.
Eli:
You have this down, Mare. We all believe in you.
Holly J:
You´re gonna make them remember your name.
JT comes over to them.
JT:
Ladies and Gentlemen. It´s time to make history!
He looks ready to give the performance of a lifetime.
CLOSING CREDITS (WITH IRENE CARA´S FAMOUS TITLE TRACK (SUNG MY MANNY/CASSIE STEELE HERE)) IN STEAD OF THE USUAL OUTRO AND SHOWING SHOTS FROM THE PLAY, ENDING WITH THE CAST BOWING TO THE WILDLY APPLAUDING CROWD)